Cosmo88

Citadines are supposed to have a quite good reputation, although they are a bit cramped. They have several across BKK, some in Sukhumvit too (11, 16, 23).

Indeed a classic film also, with Danny Kaye.

I am not sure why you read any bashing whatsoever into anything I wrote. That is indeed mysterious. I even stated that it is a sad condition. I believe my written English is clear enough.

Also, I don't suggest anything. I only state that I have only ever seen it among farangs in Thailand, and wondered if others might have had similar experiences.

Because your contention is nonsense. It is a condition of mankind not just Thailand as the book and movie prove. It is a bad condition of mankind. It is a fake and phony storyteller. Mostly construed to be bad.

You have found this bad, fake and phony condition only to exist in Thailand. That shows how far your negative prejudice has skewed your judgment.

Your comments are very informative.

Indeed a classic film also, with Danny Kaye.

I am not sure why you read any bashing whatsoever into anything I wrote. That is indeed mysterious. I even stated that it is a sad condition. I believe my written English is clear enough.

Also, I don't suggest anything. I only state that I have only ever seen it among farangs in Thailand, and wondered if others might have had similar experiences.

Unfortunately, most posters unfortunately misunderstood the topic of the OP. It is not about people getting drunk and talking nonsense in bars. Most people do that at least now and then, and it is completely normal. So obviously it is not about bashing such people (or any other people for that matter) either.

The OP is explicitly about pathological liars, also known as compulsive liars or mythomaniacs. It is a condition not dissimilar (although unrelated) to Tourette's syndrome; the sufferer knows he is indeed lying (hence is not delusional), but he cannot stop himself from doing it.

The story begins rather interesting and plausible, but soon gets gradually more and more spectacular. The fable is always contained in a way that it is very difficult to disprove, no matter how unlikely it sounds. The person is mostly not even particularly drunk, and in fact often sober.

I was simply interested if other people have spotted this very unusual (and sad) condion among farang in Thailand. I hade personally never seen it anywhere in the world, except a few examples among farang in Thailand.

Only after coming to Thailand a few years ago have I ever come across people (only farang) who very clearly display a sad condition known as compulsive lying or mythomania.

Normally they hang around alone in bars or restaurants, desperately trying to find someone willing to listen to their increasingly fantastic stories. It is what they say that distinguish them from "ordinary" down-and-out types and alcoholics. In fact they are often well-spoken, intelligent and of decent appearance.

About 10 years ago I paid 14 million for a house.

The house still isn't finished and the project has been abandoned.

I also paid 1.5 million to have furniture custome made.

The furniture arrived but in such poor condition it can't be used.

I'm not saying there is nothing you can do but I have learned to never pay for anything in advance.

Apples and oranges again.

Foreigners can not own land in Thailand, hence trying to buy houses in Thailand can never be recommended, UNLESS you are in the happy minority in a stable marriage with a Thai spouse.

In case you missed the title of the post, the discussion is about condos, which foreigners can legally own freehold (up to 49% of any development).

Well Gee, I guess you told me, didn't you?

Now can you tell me the purpose of your comment as I see nothing constructive in it other than to add to your comment count?

The point being that once the money is paid it is very difficult to recuperate it as a general rule ergo the same holds for a condo or house.

Since you don't know me your silly remark about foreigners owning land is frivalous.

Many companies building housing projects or condos will form a new company for each construction site. If this company changes hands, goes broke or is dissolved it is next to impossible to obtain any money from them.

Now woukld you like to comment on the weather or the price of tea in China?

Apologies, I misunderstood your purpose. As you responded direclty to the OP, it is indeed relevant.

(In haste, I mistook your post for being one of those general anti-property-in-Thailand posts based on own or friend's bad decisions rather than actual reality.)

Foreigners can not own land in Thailand, hence trying to buy houses in Thailand can never be recommended, UNLESS you are in the happy minority in a stable marriage with a Thai spouse.

In case you missed the title of the post, the discussion is about condos, which foreigners can legally own freehold (up to 49% of any development).

Yes, farang name condos are a much safer bet than houses are. But even so you (a farang) still only own a minority interest in a building in a country from which you could be ejected at a moment's notice, on the whim of some new government perhaps. This bothers me. Also the existing law could be changed, or varied in some way so as to make the ownership less desirable or more expensive. This bothers me too.

And of course even the precarious 49% condo ownership rules dont help the many farangs who are talked into buying Thai-name units for "investment" via some company structure.

Well, nothing is totally risk free except (possibly) US government bonds. Most experienced investors accept the very minor condo ownership risk in Thailand.

On the second point, people don't suddenly become stupid once they arrive in Thailand. It is most likely a pre-existing condition.

There is no reason at all to suggest that the "off-plan" business model has any sinister motives, and moreover for such motives to exist particularly in Thailand and not in the rest of the world.

I see nothing elsewhere that is similar to the practice here of selling units at a large discount at launch to off-plan buyers who will then "flip" the units in a few months by which time the developer price may have risen by 30% or more. This is precisely how Ponzi schemes work.

This is an interesting point. Since the off-plan business model itself does "encourage" early bulk sales due to the desire of risk reduction, and hence subsequent "flipping", it is not strange that it happens.

But just because you don't "see it elsewhere", doesn't actually mean that it doesn't occur elsewhere.

I would be very surprised if it didn't occur outside Thailand, including the US and Europe.

About 10 years ago I paid 14 million for a house.

The house still isn't finished and the project has been abandoned.

I also paid 1.5 million to have furniture custome made.

The furniture arrived but in such poor condition it can't be used.

I'm not saying there is nothing you can do but I have learned to never pay for anything in advance.

Apples and oranges again.

Foreigners can not own land in Thailand, hence trying to buy houses in Thailand can never be recommended, UNLESS you are in the happy minority in a stable marriage with a Thai spouse.

In case you missed the title of the post, the discussion is about condos, which foreigners can legally own freehold (up to 49% of any development).

Welcome to the joys of buying off-plan in Thailand.

You should probably be thankful that you have 4 walls and a ceiling. (You do have 4 walls and a ceiling, don't you?)

These kinds of comments are not helpful at all.

Well, if they serve to make just one other person think twice before "investing" in off-plan Thai real estate then I think they are very helpful.

Just because some TV members or their friends have put money into cowboy developments, it has nothing to do with the concept of off-plan per se.

There are several excellent and reputable SET-listed developers in Thailand and in the region.

The concept of off-plan purchasing in Thailand is nothing but a vast Ponzi scheme that one day will probably turn round and bite everyone involved in it on the backside. But as long is it's not my backside I really dont care very much. Even so, I do feel a certain moral duty to point out the potential downsides of it to my fellow man, in the same way as I would advise against getting involved with Yaba addicts.

Whilst a handful of developers may be "excellent and reputable" the agents who work for them are still mostly just cheap liars and cheats looking for some quick commission. Anyone who trusts them is a fool.

Well you may of course have your own opinions, that may be shaped by own experience and bitterness over bad decisions. But don't make negative generalized advice based on them.

There is no reason at all to suggest that the "off-plan" business model has any sinister motives, and moreover for such motives to exist particularly in Thailand and not in the rest of the world.

Finally, in dealing with reputable developers for an off-plan purchase, or even a re-sale, a clever person deals directly with the developers without middle men.

As others have said here, common sense prevails, in Thailand and elsewhere.

Lots of apples and oranges in this discussion...

There's quite a difference between a crappy non-beach-front condo development in over-supplied Pattaya and a well-located condo in Bangkok developed by an SET listed property firm.

The article mentions "parts of Bangkok". Anyone know which parts might be at highest and lowest risk?

Welcome to the joys of buying off-plan in Thailand.

You should probably be thankful that you have 4 walls and a ceiling. (You do have 4 walls and a ceiling, don't you?)

These kinds of comments are not helpful at all.

Just because some TV members or their friends have put money into cowboy developments, it has nothing to do with the concept of off-plan per se.

There are several excellent and reputable SET-listed developers in Thailand and in the region.

Relevant advise to people interested in Thai property is: select the developer very carefully.

As a cosmopolitan, I subscribe to "Wherever I lay my hat, that's my home" (of course borrowed from the late Marvin Gaye (RIP)) :-)

So perhaps a more interesting question: Any Seiko watch enthusiasts out there? :-)

I believe one is always taken for a ride by various banks and others, no matter in which way you choose to you change money.

There may be some ways to save a few Euros, but personally I wouldn't bother.

The Mainland Chinese have already started buying property en masse in South-East Asia since a few years back. In Thailand this is readily visible in e.g. Chiang Mai.

It is due to a combination of money laundring and getting a second home outside China due to existing and anticipated environmental and political issues.

Luckily for Thais, foreigners can't legally buy land in Thailand, but no doubt are many Chinese trying all ways to circumvent the law in their shopping spree...

Surprisingly many responses to an obvious troll post

Six figures in Baht is not that much money. Surely most major Thai bank accounts with such amounts would be covered by a deposit guarantee from the government, just as in many other countries.

The OP shold note that there are three Smartphone OS:es of relevance today; Android, iOS and Windows Phone.

It is a matter of taste which one you like. Personally I prefer WP, after years of using the other two.

In addition to appropriately mangaing the toilet, it may perhaps be good to close the drains in the sinks and cover the floor drains (?)

"Is this theory far away from the truth? or "good enough" "

I would say it is very close to the truth for the average Thai woman and indeed for the average woman in any developed or semi-developed country of the world.

Of course, poorer rural women as well as prostitutes will prefer any man that can potentially improve her situation, so they are by necessity more open-minded.

We are no different to the girls in that we are always looking for the prettier ones whereas the girls are looking for a guy that can improve there life and look after them etc.

That's not the point of the discussion. My second sentence says "any man", not "a man".

Have to agree with the OP, being something of a foodie. There are occasional gems especially for Italian, but generally foreign food is not impressive here.

An exception is Japanese food, which can often be very good if not even excellent, in particular in the purely Japanese areas But even some of the cheaper chains are pretty decent, albeit not completely original Japanese in taste.

"Is this theory far away from the truth? or "good enough" "

I would say it is very close to the truth for the average Thai woman and indeed for the average woman in any developed or semi-developed country of the world.

Of course, poorer rural women as well as prostitutes will prefer any man that can potentially improve her situation, so they are by necessity more open-minded.