cape

So instead of all the personal attacks, can posters describe for themselves what would be an ideal world regarding the frame set by the original question.

Otherwise this thread looks like a lot of old men (I'm guessing) with hangovers (again) spitting blood and feathers to no shared purpose.

Whereas with all these brains on board maybe something could be created.

The place to start is to describe what "good" looks like.

Then it can be compared to the present sorry state and in that gap lies an unemotional description of the problem.

Well if you have that, you do a diagnosis and then treatment options and then agree a "cure" that will put the world to rights. It's another story of survival.

@Possum1931. It is believed that mass war is caused by the need to take out oversupply. The Germans won the war because they could build an efficient modern supply platform from scratch.

@Bluespunk. Maybe reason depends on knowledge but not convinced that paranoia relies on its absence.

@simple

It's interesting you ask if I have any experience of Thailand Muslims. Actually: no; MENA, not Asia except for Indonesia.

For Indonesia, the Java culture I met, which is more Hindu from way back, you are right, makes these Muslim folk easternly accepting.

Religion is but a part of culture?

My experience for what it's worth is that these Muslim folk are formatted from birth and five times a day thereafter. They exploit liberal democracies and welfare states. Their deep belief means non Muslims are "in the way": no negotiation or compromise is realistically possible, any agreements are purely tactical and temporary.

My experience, direct and borrowed, teaches me trust is not possible with these guys, even if my principles would hope for peaceful inclusion. Diversity really is strength, but you can't take fifth columns at face value. They are unfortunately just sleepers waiting for the wake-up call.

What do customs check your passport for at airportsome apart from whether you have a valid visa to be in the country?

It would be useful to introduce standard testing into schools and universities to get a measure of any problem here.

Very few Indians speak any English, in percentage terms, yet there is an educated elite that gets the country through communication problems.

By which I mean there is no need to attempt to train everyone. Just focus resources on a self-selctingood group of maybe 5% of the population in education.

Yes. The passport is not yours. Upon request, a Ministry will clip and return the old pp.

You can't present your visa in an expired passport. You get it transferred

Some of the best condos are located by the sea, but people live in be to work mainly and being near a station ensures at least a large population for offers to rent or buy

I'd agree that a government needs to evaluate carefully the real lifetime costs and risks in accepting immigrants into their fold, ad well as the costs of keeping them out (and the 80-20 rule probably doesn't apply here).

By lifetime costs, remember the cost of cleaning them up health ways, educating them ie skills and culture. Their value-added at work and tax and as payers of the pensions of those in the third age. Their benefits dependency if applicable. Their pension and health costs when their working life is over and the chance of their going home. What legacy they will leave including children.

This is to not to overlook the risk of civil unrest in multicultural societies where sometimes there is only an oily curtain separating antagonistic peoples.

This is how policy makers - peace to Angela Merkel, physicist but also daughter of a preacher man - think. Are they wrong?

Consider the approach taken by gulf states. A two year visa and out. Before if slightest misbehaviour. Absolutely no question of a passport. Qatar is considering possibly some forms of health insurance to compensate but then ex-pat incomes would become taxable.

We are talking here about investing in property for income.

My understanding - please correct or comment:

As to purchase and resale.

Flats are sold by the square metre (not number of rooms). Price varies by location with higher prices and more desirable locations holding better their value than lower. The land registry does not provide reliable market values. Second hand gives greater yields. Expect 25% discount if you negotiate correctly. There are large buy/sell transaction costs and spread. Property is illiquid asset. Rehabilitation could be a business. There's not much expectation of capital gain in buy to let. Buying at auction could be a good deal. A simpler exit strategy could be to buy in your children's names if you trust them to hand over the rent.

As to letting.

Count of net income of 10 months a year to cover voids and expenses. Keep in personal touch with the tenant to reduce prospect of moon light flits / damage repairs. Don't let tenants be a nuisance to neighbours. Keep on top of repairs and preventive maintenance. Expect 10-year gov bond yield plus X %. Look for farang as they give greater X yield.

But where are the lists of properties being repossessed or auctioned kept?

So how does buying at a property auction work?

I wonder what happens when the executor has to step in for a hard working far an who bought properties for his retirement in cone, and had a good innings n all, but then passed on. When you're 40 or 50 and saving you don't always think of the exit strategy.

Another desirable place to be, same sized population, but non porous borders as it's an island...estimate of illegals is half a million to four times that:

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/601419/Britain-net-migration-figures-illegal-immigrants

9,000 is probably less than the number entering illegally in that same week.

In any case, yesterday'so illegal is tomorrow's free movement: think ASEAN.

Another desirable place to be, same sized pipeline, but non porous borders as it's an island...estimate of illegals is half a million to four times that:

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/601419/Britain-net-migration-figures-illegal-immigrants

9,000 is probably less than the number entering illegally in that same week.

In any case, yesterday'so illegal is tomorrow's free movement: think ASEAN.

There is a great deal of responsibility and base motivation loaded onto the Thai girl in these columns. I wonder sometimes if it is all as simple as that.

BuThe it is true that if after a few tries you don't succeed, then don't try anymore, take another path. There are plenty.

A lot of women here make devoted wives. Not subservient, devoted. The West is not best in this regard.

Like everyone else, women here like to be trusted and to have some freedom, within the relationship. Which doesn't mean your letting them get regularly into "harms way".

The silences are not always voluntary. Sometimes as we are worlds apart there are things that cannot be explained and can't hope to understand. Misunderstandings are not always important.

As we move past the first cut, breakups are less of a sting.

But true happiness is found in a unique never ending relationship. Still, don't expect to ever find your soul mate.

Cut and run gets to be expensive. Better to stay and invest if there's a reasonable chance.

The secret of a happy relationship is to put something in if you want something out and to avoid harming or criticising family. If you have to leave, try very hard to do so by agreement as conflict can be costly.

"You DO still have go through the whole money in the bank thing again or get your Stat dec. from the Embassy. Produce photograph, application forms, bank letter, etc etc etc. "

What does "get your Stat dec. from the Embassy" mean?

What about the Swan which used to be on Sukhumvit right by Asoke BTS station and has now moved 200m down Soi 19?

Or Cheers restaurant on Soi 22 next to a bunch of bars, but then Cheers closed down.

Its a very competitive business.

I know not a lot about Bangkok. Looks like the British quarter is soi's 19 to 22. That area is British breakfast. Is this right?

My neighbour wished me a good morrow this morning at 8am. Holding a glass of tea in his hand. Onlying on closer examination, it turned out to be whisky. This rather surprised me.

Would this be part of the Scottish breakfast?

I'll be round in the morning then Jon. Pink champagne and w/e FT or is it die welt?

Wish I could but there is nothing I've ever found. Chiang Mai sausage?

Serious question though. Why can't I find British or Danish bacon? And I've been looking.

There could be an opening here...

'Why can't I find British or Danish bacon?' Both in Villa, in the freezer.

Wish I could but there is nothing I've ever found. Chiang Mai sausage?

Serious question though. Why can't I find British or Danish bacon? And I've been looking.

There could be an opening here...