Peterpan

Going further with why I prefer Manado to Canada:

Was I ever lucky to have circumstances lead me to Manado. I really like the people here. They are so friendly to me - people greeting me on the street all the time. It's pretty easy to get dates, and the women in this area are famed as the most beautiful in Indonesia, due probably to their wide mixing of heritages - Spanish, Dutch, Japanese, Chinese, and more recently also Austrlian, German, etc.

I can't believe what happened on tonights date. I had contacted two beautiful young women, separately, through a social networking website, and they both knew each other, as they work in the same office. So they both joined me for dinner. They then BOTH offered to be my girlfriend! Not at the same time, though, I'd have to choose, I was told. These are office girls, not renta-wifes, girls who say grace, go to church, are close with their family, etc.

What is going on here? My other first date, with a totally stunning 24 year old basically offered herself to me on the first date too, and the next day joked with me that her dream last was of white babies.

People understimate my age - some say I look 30 or even 25. I think I look older than my 40, as I'm balding and have saggy eyes. I guess since they are so unused to seeing westerners, they aren't as familiar with our faces and how we age. Sometimes westerners say that Asians look young for their age. In any case, Olivia, the 23 year old stock broker with a wonderful face and figure and pleasant personality, offered tonight to be my girlfriend. Incredible.

If anyone is hunting for a wife, or a place to retire, I'd recommend Manado. These people strike me as the most straight up and friendly Asians I've ever met. And they don't blink at a forty year old dating or marrying a twenty something.

Good Read Jamman

I have friends who are married to girls from Indonesia and you are 100% correct beautiful and gracefull. I have worked with Indonesians men overseas in Africa and they where very good and polite.

What is the area like for living when retired at 50 years young over there, any golf couses. Any links I could check up on. I guess you work over there and fell in love with the people and the place.

Thaks again

check the web site it gives you all the details

yes you can and remember to get the bank to put on the transaction, money is to buy condo

Peterpan

Phil go on General Topic and look for shipping to Thailand thread this was answered last week.

Its called Tea money 12,000THB for 32 cubic meter no tax and on tourist visa, get the agent in Thailand to do everything not UK.

Peterpan

This is our house, finished it in Jan 2005 Banglamung

Peerpan,

Very nice, i love the spanish style arches,nice touch, this is what we are building at the back of my house, a covered walkway 2 story going into the garage, with open arches on ground floor and window style on second floor then i am going to postmark rayban, for some details on his pool, as he has had a nice pool built.

as i say nice house, congratulations.

Hi Thaicoon

Thanks very much, I used to live in Tenerife for 16 years while I was working overseas and married but I got divorced twice and lost two houses as well. This one I had built is my dream home and I hope is staying with me and my new model.

I just love they way the spanish style is. I am building number two next door a single story with the high ceiling and the hard wood. This is the website for you guys and girls too look at. Duncan the developer has been in Thailand for 16 years and Norway for 11 years building he knows what he is doing and 5 star quality.

The kitchen is for my beloved and the Bar is off limits for my beloved.

http://www.chev-dev.net/

house 2 design

This is our house, finished it in Jan 2005 Banglamung

I have shipped my house hold effects from Tenerife, UK and some boxes from Italy and I used a company called AGSfourwinds. Office is in BKK but the manager for Pattaya is as follows paul wilkinson <[email protected]>, if you mailhim Imsure he will give you the Managers name for Phuket.

Door to Door service very good service.

Thanks for this tip. I had overlooked this group, which seems good in the Asia Pacific area. When I worked in the oil industry in Saudi Arabia my company used this group exclusively for all its world-wide employee effects removals. They moved me safely from Saudi Arabia back to UK. I'll follow your suggestion and hope to look at the Phuket end of their business when I'm over again next month.

Thanks again, Peterpan. I have spoken by phone with the person you mentioned at AGSFourWinds and he was easily able to explain to me and put in context all the points which have come up in this thread. For me the two most interesting things were (i) this firm, similar to what another poster mentioned about Accord Pilot Logistics, will coordinate your inward move from the Thai end, be in much better control of the potential problems on arrival, and invoice you for everything at the Thai end (including the UK packing and collection), (ii) - more interesting - they are very happy to use, and in fact recommend, "lift vans", which are standard vertical wooden crates holding 6 m3 and which fit into a standard shipping container and allow you to have a partial container load while still having your goods totally segregated. The two UK removals companies which I talked originally (Excess Baggage and Anglo Pacific) were not at all warm on this.

It is my pleasure to help, this is what this forum is about, I paid 12,000 THB tea money and I shipped 32 meter cube my complete house hold effects from Tenerife. Paul and his wife have become very good friends of ours in the 4 years we have been here. He is very professional in his Job.

All the best.

Peterpan

I'm going through the same process myself now - moving this summer to Phuket.

I've talked briefly to two shipping firms in London, Anglo Pacific Co and Excess Baggage Co, both of which are experienced in small household effects shipments to Thailand. I shall have probably the equivalent of one-quarter or a fifth of a 20ft container to send. These firms seem to work well with very small shipments, which they dispatch in groupage containers. Excess Baggage Co definitely has a container going direct from UK to Phuket about every two weeks, so you do not have to receive in Bangkok. If you have just a few boxes, I think that this would be the best way for you.

I didn't go into fine details with either of these firms (whose rates were similar) but I got the impression that small amounts of used household effects would be "cleared" easily at the Thai end by the local agent and delivered to your address. You possibly have to provide passport/passport copy to the local agent, but I didn't hear anything about having to have receipts to prove "used". It'll be interesting to see what comments come up from people in Thailand who've recently been through this.

I have shipped my house hold effects from Tenerife, UK and some boxes from Italy and I used a company called AGSfourwinds. Office is in BKK but the manager for Pattaya is as follows paul wilkinson <[email protected]>, if you mailhim Imsure he will give you the Managers name for Phuket.

Door to Door service very good service.

Thailand, Pattaya especially has become a victim of its own success, farangs have told farangs back home how cheep it is and how friendly the people are, now the farangs have come here in their thousands and the prices have rocketed and the smiles have all but disapeard.

Every good place in the world is the same, where is next ?, Pattaya is not Thailand anymore and that is from 10 years ago, but there is more to Thailand than Pattaya. Where ever you go and live its upto you to choose what you want and how to live your life. Im always happy where I work, but Im more than happy to come home to live in Thailand.

30% with holding is only on stock, not bank transfers

I will be going to thailand soon. I need to know, as family keep asking, has there been any bombs in pattaya.

I have a friend there at the moment he says there has been 2.

And a thai girl we know says 3.

Can anyone confirm this?

Yes two, but they didnt go off they where found at Big C and disarmed

The HSBC Online saver is pretty clear about the fact that if you withdraw any funds in any month you lose interest for the entire month. The trick is to move it, (or withdraw from it) the first day of the following month to another interest bearing account in another bank and then back the following month, or always have a reserve float for emergencies that does not effect the Online Saver. You really have to read the small print. It shows that the product is not the best around, if you need to use funds from it.

Your correct sir

All you need to do is have it transfered to your HSBC current account the 1st of the month.

Question, 30% with holding on swiss francs where ?

Just keep transactions below $20,000. No problem.

Above that amount the 30% will be deducted without bank agreement not to do so - but can be refunded once proven funds were not for items that the 30% applies to.

Guys, I have just spoken with my accountant as he should know and the 30% with holding is only on stock not a bank transfer to you bank.

As I am due to send a large amount and I heard about this 30% thing, so I ask what was the score, he said no problem.

I totaly agree with paulsmithson 100%, its starts with a relationship and turns in to a partnership and then marriage. My girl is best for me.

I havent had sex for 15 weeks, so Ive forgotten, but I wil post on the 22nd when I get back home

My Thai wife believes in this stuff big time, the past,

the present and the future and I must admit she gets

it wright most time.

The past Youve been in the bar all afternoon again

The present Your pissed

The future I suppose you want your dinner now

Hi Board

Newbie here, well to the threads anyway.

Just been reading all the threads on this subject and I see a lot of people have not travlled too much.

Not holidays, living and working in many different countries. Eastern, Far Eastern, South America, Africa.

17 countries for me in 28 years and the age gap is never spoken of in these countries concerning relationships.

Only by western people at home as it isnt a part of there culture. But they will rip other people for it and UK is a perfect example. Most of my work friends who got married to the nationals of that particular country that we were in at the time. The minium gap is 7 years and the biggest is 19 years, 23 couples in total. The ones that survived are the ones who lived in there wifes country for ever. Everyone who resided back in the UK has failed, it wasnt the age gap, it was the western culture they couldnt handle it.

Ive worked in Thailand and I live there now, my Mrs loves south America and hates UK and Italy because of the way people act.

The western culture which I hate to say (as I am a Brit.) the social culture is declining every year and has been since the early 80s.

Every woman I know would like security with Love, Money as it is a tool, and family, no matter what the age gap is.

A friend of mine in 1985 married a Thai woman 21 she was, nope no Bar girl she worked in a shop, he bourght 7 rai of rice land built a 2 bedroom bungalow on it and thats were they lived, he is now 77 years she is now 42 years and they still seem very happy to me.

But these are ownly my observations

I agree 100% with svenivan

Hi Board

Deanuk

Get in touch with the home office and explain to them they will help you and explain what to do.

I would never use a visa agent, do it your self mate,you stand a 99% chance of doing it.

British laws says you as a Brit can have your spouse with you in UK. Married

If you leave it too long to file for a divorce and she does it behind your back then she has got you on a hook. When the divorce is granted 6 weeks later the final decree absolute will be issued but YOU can not get it unless she requests hers. Believe me I have been waiting 6 years for mine.

I was away working when I got my divorce papers, she filed for it the Algerian bitch as soon as her British passport was issued. You brought her to the UK so now protect yourself quickly.

My EX wants money for the decree absolute, sorry got none, dont work in UK dont Bank in UK and dont live there. Money will bring the best out of people and a judge doesnt give a crap for you.

If she cant support her self you will be doing it.

I suggest what one of the other people said, Get in touch with the Home office, via your lawyer and get it it stopped.

They dont need your wifes passport only photo copies

Peterpan

Hi everybody

Just like to say hello and thank everybody for there information on this forum, Its nice to get upto date info on Thailand. And some of the humour is great.

I live there with the GF for 4 years, but I work outside so the visa sitution doesnt effect me at the moment.

Thanks again

Peterpan