dave111223

I wonder why they even bother handing out receipts if they claim them to be fake?

I got a 9000 BTU panasonic (which i've been very happy with) for 11,900. But i bought it at one of those home exhibitions they have at IMPACT.

Maybe normal price 13k at Tesco.

8k you're a joker

Wrote me a letter saying that I should calm down and accept that this it Thailand blaa blaa blaa. This upset me, as if I am going to be laying down 200K to one contractor, and another 300K to a different one, I want to see what I will be getting for my money.

I hate that! I have received similar emails when corresponding with some Thais about serious matters.

They use the word "calm down" totally incorrectly.

You ask a blunt and direct forward question (totally void of any emotion) which they can't or dont' want to answer and they tell you to "calm down"?

"Accept that this is Thailand" = "Accept that you will pay more and recieved sub-standard work".

Get rid of this person now.

Also, she said that if I did not use the first contractor that I should compensate him for his "wasted" time. A whole hour of his life. My friend who does up a lot of condos says this is unheard of, that no money should be paid to receive a quote. So why would she say that then if it is not the norm?

What a bunch of BS! Paying them to give you a quote? It was probably just some "nong" who went to price up the job anyways?

I could maybe see paying for a quote if the contractor was some highly sort after, highly expensive guru.

Don't feel bad, it is just business, and if she can't provide you with the correct service then don't feel obligated to continue working with her.

I guarantee the additional quotes that she "gets" will be twice as high as the first and she'll say "Look! First contractor is better!"

LOL if you search for "koncept thailand" on google this post in the #1 listing.

I guess some companies have just not caught on to the internet yet?

I also wonder why you don't have them put it together? We ordered our kitchen from koncept and i thought the speed at which the delivery guys put it together was amazing!

If you work around Lad Prao why not buy around Lad Prao? It is probably the cheapest "MRT Area" available.

Buying downtown so that you can commute out of the city center each day wouldn't make much sense?

There are quite a few condos going up around the Major (further up from Central Lad Prao), such as Metro Avenue, because there is supposedly a BTS station going in right there.

However most of these projects are in the 2-4 years completion timeframe.

Factor Farang

I love Koh Chang.

Yes there is a lot of building around white sands beach, but there are still tons of beautiful areas.

And it is kind of nice to have one area with lots of restaurants, so you can get a good choice of food in the evening.

I will continue to go back (as often as my wife allows)

My wife loved the UK.

It did a number on her stomach though, as we went around Xmas time and every friend we visited served up a turkey.

Not so keen on the US or Germany though

She said US was too empty (atleast the parts she went to) and Germany was too scary (went to Berlin on New Year)

It would blow my mind if anyone actually bought one of these things now.

I could understanding being a sucker and buying one when the program first came out. But to buy one now, its like 99% sure you will lose your $$. And for what? A couple of rounds of golf and an aiport lounge?

But you never know; one born everyday.

the deal is: "buy a watch and learn how to figure out what time it is".

as simple as that! what's your problem?

where've ya been the past 2 years?

Exactly...

As a tribute to my avatar, I'm waiting for the new thread that reads...

"Hey, I just went to 7-11 and all the cigarettes are hidden on the shelves... <deleted>??"

I think both these posts serve to show the problem of the law. As the law only appears to affect those who seldom buy alcohol.

Frequent drinkers (who i'm guessing are one of the targets of this law) are aware of the law and thus plan their day of drinking around it.

And those who maybe buy one bottle every couple of months with their grocery shopping are the ones who get caught out.

As many have said, it is not a big problem, but just an annoyance for all the wrong people.

I have an alcohol store right next to the condo (which sells all the time), but i have to pay 50baht more for the exact same bottle.

It just seems dumb,

If they want to stop teenagers drinking why not just require ID to buy?

And do they really think a hardcore alcoholic would be affected by a 3 hour block on sales in the middle of the afternoon?

I'd just really like to hear the offical reason for it. I mean when they brought this rule out they must have said why?

Seems like one of those rules where a guy in a "high position" came up with it and no one wanted to "break his face".

You will enter on a tourist visa I would guess (you obtain at a Consulate and allows a 60 day stay) and after marriage you would be able to extend that stay another 60 days as a one time deal if you wish.

You can save some trouble by applying for a Type-O at a Consulate before you leave for Thailand.

When i came to Thailand to get married i applied for a type-O before leaving the US. On the form i put down "Visitng Friends" as reason for visit.

And had my g/f (now wife) write me a letter of invitation (in Thai) to go along with the application.

This visa was good for 3 months, and extending it to a 1 year visa after marriage was quite simple.

Doing this would save you the step of upgrading your Tourist visa to a type-O.

I'm just tried to come up with the logic behind this? I could have waited around for another 45minutes and then been able to buy it...<deleted>...

I went to Tesco to pick up some groceries and also a couple of bottles of Vodka as some friends are coming by at the weekend.

They wouldn't let me buy the vodka because it was between 14:00 and 17:00.... what is the deal with that?

My wife was making 17,000 per month (before we got married) and able to support herself completely (lived with 1 roommate though).

She was even able to save quite a bit.

(Her friends from university considered her quite lucky to be making such a large sum!)

I went to pick up my new 1-year marriage visa today (applied a month ago, but went for the stamp today).

When i got my passport back i noticed that there was no new 90 day ticket in there (the piece of paper that tells you when you next to have report in). I figured new visa would reset the reporting (so you go back to report 90 days from when you get the new visa).

But apparently this is not the case, and the 90 days reporting runs independently from the visa application...

So i had to go directly to the reporting desk and report my address despite being issued a new visa that day...

Quite strange.

I've been in Thailand long enough that I am well aware of the "be patient" concept...the simple fact of the matter is that a payment needs to be made and THAT cannot wait...and as posted below, they could have CALLED. SCB calls if there's any issue, AMEX Thailand also calls, they could have had the decency to do the same.

Also, when did I say anything about "changing the way the banks here operate", you think I'm an idiot or something?? What I can do is close my account with a company that offers bad service and never use them again, we're all free to do that.

And BTW, the concept that "any bank here would have done the same" is BS, Bank of Ayudhya (who do have many other issues, however), didn't close or put "on hold" an account that I had not accessed for over 9 months...I was able to do the exact same thing I tried to do now with no hassle.

I know this is not a very advanced country in terms of banking, but I was simply expecting that a service which has worked well in the past could simply work NORMALLY...is it so wrong to get worked up about losing access to money in a SAVINGS account??

What payment is it that "cannot wait", remember people here have generally all been through the same kind of thing, so chances are they will be patient with you about your late payment.

If you get this worked up about something like this, you must be going crazy on a daily basis about the frequently subpar service a lot of business here offer?

I am wondering why the OP came back to answer a few random comments, while avoiding any of the questions about the actual details, such as tax, residency and employment requirements?

Thanks for the reply briley

A bit OT, but seems like a good place to bring it up.

Are all the condo service charges also identified as part of the condo transfer at the land office ? ie

*Electricity

*Water

*Fund for communal area cleaning and lighting

*Fund for condo repair etc

*Any other charges - telephone, internet, security, etc

If the charges for the above and any other charges are not identified, when are they typically, and what is the best way to avoid paying over the odds (farang price) for them ?

Also, if buying a condo from a bank, is it fait to think that the bank would have all this infomration at hand or could get the accurate figues, if interested in bidding.buying for a condo ?

Thanks in advance...

The Electricity, telephone, internet will all be in the old-owner's name. (not a debt against the 'condo').

When you buy the condo you will need to go and get an electricity meter, phone line, DSL connect etc in your own name also.

The other mentioned charges are all debts against the condo. But the seller of the unit has to get paperwork from the condo office stating that all debts to the condo building are paid up. (This will be not be itemized but includes things like: service charges, water, etc...)

By 7 or 8pm every evening the entire motor team outside my condo is wasted.

Switching banks, getting worked up about it, or going in the bank and demanding an "explanation" will get you no where.

There is nothing you can do but go in there on Monday and politely ask them if you could please have access to transfer the money.

They will probably say "Yes you will be able to transfer the money tomorrow".

Tomorrow will come and you will problaby still be unable to transfer the money.

So just go in there again and politely ask again, and they will probably say the same thing "Yes tomorrow".

And continue this cycle until you are actually able to transfer the funds.

You are not going to be able to change the way the banks here operate, and the more you make a big deal of it in the bank the more likely the problem will take longer to be resolved.

No need for that. The BBL won't change their computer programs because of the OP's complaint.

All that can be done is - ask how it works (not technical details) and when the funds will be available. Poor customer facing staff may know more or less about the rule.

American Express, Visa, Mastercard...all cancel your card when their random search finds some unusual place of use. Would you stop using them for that?

No need for what?

We bought this condo without a lawyer and the process was quite easy.

I like the way the land office operates here, they make it difficult for scams to happen.

You bring the money, seller brings the condo deed and proof that there are no outstanding bills.

Taxes are paid, and you walk out holding the deed to your new condo with your name on it.

Switching banks, getting worked up about it, or going in the bank and demanding an "explanation" will get you no where.

There is nothing you can do but go in there on Monday and politely ask them if you could please have access to transfer the money.

They will probably say "Yes you will be able to transfer the money tomorrow".

Tomorrow will come and you will problaby still be unable to transfer the money.

So just go in there again and politely ask again, and they will probably say the same thing "Yes tomorrow".

And continue this cycle until you are actually able to transfer the funds.

You are not going to be able to change the way the banks here operate, and the more you make a big deal of it in the bank the more likely the problem will take longer to be resolved.

A James Bond movie can be good (if you haven't see one in a while).

Doing a James Bond marathon every night of the week is another story thought.

All the movie channels seem to be getting increasingly worse. I hardly ever turn on the TV and find a newish movie playing (all movies seem to be atleast 3 years old or more). And most of the times the movies seem to be in the 10-15 years old range.