umbanda

It is not bull***. I cannot decorate our room in western standars because my wife is aware of the "good" and "bad" orientation of furnitures, windows,. doors, etc, etc....I have to give up..

Our offical "decorator" is a monk..............

Well....sound very complicated. I prefer to keep my retirement extension until next immigration extension appointment , 7 months from now.

Let me know what you do think about this option:

1) Register an ordinary partnership with legal juridic status between my wife with 99% share and her 25 years old son with 1% share.

2) Later, 7 months from now when I will be getting my 4rd renewal of retirement extension, apply for a WP or permanent residence, because I will be "buying" 44% of my wife shares, or registering a limited company with her and other partners.

Just to avoid comments not related with my question.

I am not investing any money in this business. My wife and her son only can do it with my help, and my connections, and I trust her and her son 100%. I need her to be ready to start the business ASAP.

I will do all the company registration paperwork by myself and with a free help of an English speaker employee of the DBD. He is just doing what he does to Thai people everyday. I do not trust any lawyer or business service asking for an abusive 30000thb to 70000thb to do something that cost not more of 5000thb, and is not so big deal like them like US to believe.

Thank you

By all means keep your Extension based on retirement after you wife starts the business, but remember that it would be illegal for you to work in this business before you have the correct visa status and a Work Permit.

The question is still raised as to how you will change from a Retirement to a Thai Family Extension, you cannot cite income from the business if you follow the route you suggest, so you would have do it on the basis of 400k in the bank.

Do check with your local Labour Dept first that the stamp you would get for a Thai Family Extension with cash in the bank would be ok for the issuance of a WP.

The reason I write this is just that my local Labour Dept can be picky - my extension stamp has something like 'Thai Family - Working' written above it by Immigration in Thai, which my Labour Dept do accept for WP renewal - I use the 40k+ pcm income route for my extension.

Can I get a Thai Family Extension using just 40K/monthly income from my country certified by my embassy?

Yes, normally is ok.

Same comments as my last post apply to this method as well (check that the extension stamp for this will be ok for a WP issue with Labour first).

Thank you. I believed that was OK too...but you can see that some people here is saying that for a marriage extension just income or income/deposit combination is not accepted, only 400K in the bank. I will like to know if it is some official web site in English given precise information. Like I said, lawyers and services said what justify them to ask for a lot of money. It is frustrating not to find people with honest intentions when looking for advise in this matters with "professionals". Thank you again.

Well....sound very complicated. I prefer to keep my retirement extension until next immigration extension appointment , 7 months from now.

Let me know what you do think about this option:

1) Register an ordinary partnership with legal juridic status between my wife with 99% share and her 25 years old son with 1% share.

2) Later, 7 months from now when I will be getting my 4rd renewal of retirement extension, apply for a WP or permanent residence, because I will be "buying" 44% of my wife shares, or registering a limited company with her and other partners.

Just to avoid comments not related with my question.

I am not investing any money in this business. My wife and her son only can do it with my help, and my connections, and I trust her and her son 100%. I need her to be ready to start the business ASAP.

I will do all the company registration paperwork by myself and with a free help of an English speaker employee of the DBD. He is just doing what he does to Thai people everyday. I do not trust any lawyer or business service asking for an abusive 30000thb to 70000thb to do something that cost not more of 5000thb, and is not so big deal like them like US to believe.

Thank you

By all means keep your Extension based on retirement after you wife starts the business, but remember that it would be illegal for you to work in this business before you have the correct visa status and a Work Permit.

The question is still raised as to how you will change from a Retirement to a Thai Family Extension, you cannot cite income from the business if you follow the route you suggest, so you would have do it on the basis of 400k in the bank.

Do check with your local Labour Dept first that the stamp you would get for a Thai Family Extension with cash in the bank would be ok for the issuance of a WP.

The reason I write this is just that my local Labour Dept can be picky - my extension stamp has something like 'Thai Family - Working' written above it by Immigration in Thai, which my Labour Dept do accept for WP renewal - I use the 40k+ pcm income route for my extension.

Can I get a Thai Family Extension using just 40K/monthly income from my country certified by my embassy?

Well....sound very complicated. I prefer to keep my retirement extension until next immigration extension appointment , 7 months from now.

Let me know what you do think about this option:

1) Register an ordinary partnership with legal juridic status between my wife with 99% share and her 25 years old son with 1% share.

2) Later, 7 months from now when I will be getting my 4rd renewal of retirement extension, apply for a WP or permanent residence, because I will be "buying" 44% of my wife shares, or registering a limited company with her and other partners.

Just to avoid comments not related with my question.

I am not investing any money in this business. My wife and her son only can do it with my help, and my connections, and I trust her and her son 100%. I need her to be ready to start the business ASAP.

I will do all the company registration paperwork by myself and with a free help of an English speaker employee of the DBD. He is just doing what he does to Thai people everyday. I do not trust any lawyer or business service asking for an abusive 30000thb to 70000thb to do something that cost not more of 5000thb, and is not so big deal like them like US to believe.

Thank you

OK guys...Thank you very much for the info. I hope will be useful for other people too.

Let me see if I got right...step by step...

1) I register a ORDINARY partnership JUST with my wife..OR...a limited PARTNERSHIP if I need to have more partners.....

2) In the second case I need to register a 1.000.000

2) I change my retirement extension for marriage extension......

3) I do not know if the partnership will make any income...but...

3) If I can show that I still having a income from overseas of 40000thb/month or combination with a bank deposit I will qualify for the marriage extension

I spend the same like you with my wife, even paying 4000thb for rent and 8000thb payment for a new Honda Jazz with 150000thb down I saved in 3 years here when I was single. But...I have a choice. With that money I probably can live well in San Diego, California...under a small free tent...on the sidewalk....8PM to 8AM...and make a line to get free supermarket leftovers thanks to the Major of the "Finest City in America".....

Ohhhh...I forgot. There I have Jack in the Box!

I have 2 tortillas hand makers from Mexico, one of metal, one of plastic. Will you like to buy it?....or...give me the recipe for the tortilla mixture. I will not compete with you...I just will like to make tacos in my home in Chiang Rai....Thank you.

Things that here do not have so much value, may worth a lot in western countries, like antiques, paintings and carvings, even a very old bike.

If you thinks your value is a million, here and with much luck, you will get 10% of that and all the aggravations with bargaining....

Give ALL to a temple and get a blessing and a golden plastic Buddha chain for you remember your good action...

I want to register a partnership JUST with my wife to run a small herbal products retail shop.

Can I register a partnership 55% / 45% just with my wife? Can I register this kind of partnership with my retirement visa or I need to change for marriage visa? Can I get a WP later with this kind of partnership? I need to have "special skills" to register this partnership or get a work permit to work JUST with my wife?...even if I will be seated all day in front of a computer?

If I need a marriage visa to get a WP...can I make the change and get the WP after my next extension in June 2014?

Yes,TIT. But if its a foreign card you would not be liable to your cc company if you report fraudulent use. Thai cards do not afford the same kind of protections. Actually, if fraudulent use is reported, the store would receive a charge back from the cc company. They would loose, you have to wonder why they don't protect themselves,better? TIT

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Not in my experience:

A few months ago, I was on holiday in the USA with my Thai girlfriend. We had been using her Thai credit card and someone spent over 5000 Dollars in Ikea and Sears south of L.A. while we were just south of San Francisco (with her card in her handbag.) The nice Thai credit card people refunded the money in full, after about a month.

Also: Three or four times, I have bought stuff in Central using her card. On one occasion I signed the slip Mickey Mouse – no problem.

Can you tell what is the name of that nice Thai bank or Credit Card company?

Unless I've missed something in this thread, there has been no mention of the setup whereby the Thai Wife can register self employed at the Amphur (I'm sure someone can chime in with the correct term) and then "hire" the husband for 50,000 Baht per month + salary and have a work permit issued without the necessity for Registered capital etc (although WHT tax must be submitted each month and VAT must be registered in order to apply for the WP).

I have read this many times on various forums, including TV, over the years. Doesn't someone have more info?

I will like to know the same. Somebody said that is only possible if your "foreign" skills are necessary for the business....I cannot believe that also will apply for spouses...and still confuse about...

If you can take your stuff on a tuk tuk may be easier and not too much expensive.

Drive your motorbike or a rented one can be expensive if you have an accident. You will be lucky if you buy a second hand one without any needs for repairs, and a new one to use for 6 months do not make sense because the depreciation.

Meet a decent tuk tuk driver close to your home, get its phone number and use it every time you need to go around. If its know that you will use it a lot you will get a friendly fare and more.

The prepaid travelling credit card has zero balance now. So I cant get scammed on that card. Wont use that card again and wont make that mistake again. I was being charged 150 Bhat every time I made a withdrawal at the ATM. If I opened a Thai Bank Account would I still be charged the 150 Bhat everytime I made a withdrawal.

AEON Bank do not charge fees for the use of foreign ATM card in its machines. Its have few offices, mainly inside Big C or Central Plaza.

If you are looking for new homes, most of the new developments are financed by banks. Foreclosures also are managed by banks.

Asking in banks you may get a list of developments and you can deal direct with the contractor, and ask for list of foreclosures.

If you are looking for use homes, the best deals are foreclosures..

In some foreclosures banks are willing to accept very low offers. Some foreclosures are vacant for years and may not look good, but it needs just some cosmetics. Drive into an older gated community and look for bank signs.

Devaluation of brand new houses can be big sometimes. Thai people do not like to buy use houses. More chance for you to get a good deal in one.

If you deal direct with an owner, you also can ask for discounts, and better to get the advise from a lawyer to be sure that the paperwork is in order.

In America every officer, police, immigration, taxes, etc, etc, have to fill a monthly "quote" of so many tickets, search, inspections, etc....and may be the case also for other countries. And also....they need to show off sometimes...specially the new ones...

My own experience on a Lampang highway with a neighbor: I was riding my bicycle, on the shoulder but in the wrong direction. This guy exited from a country road, look to its right, cut me, and I crashed on his truck. My bicycle under his truck, and I lying on the concrete. He stopped, come to look in his truck, took my bike under, do not say a word, 10 seconds and.....run....Not witnesses, but was my fault. I do not know this guy, but many people around knew me well because I was teaching at the village school, and I was the only farang bicycling on the road every day to go to teach.. I was lightly injured. I asked to Thai people about, and they told me that it is common event. They said that in a crash between a car and a bike, always the car driver will be in fault, and people will avoid the responsibility in any way they can. I asked why he did not even touch me to see if I was in bad shape. They said that Buddhist people will not touch an injured person because if he died or not it is because was its "karma"...Thai people just will look and wait for the ambulance....

By the way....20 minutes later...many people showed at my door after knowing that a "farang" on a bicycle had an accident, offering to take me to their doctors, offering food, etc, etc....and they came to ask me everyday, specially when I was shopping at the local fresh food market showing my bandages...Probably I crossed with the truck driver many times after without a word from him....but..I understand.

Many reasons:

The climate.

The women!

It is cheap. I know some posters will not agree. But I think it is cheap!

The smiles. 90% fake or for money, But I still enjoy it.

Easy the get permission to stay long time.

The food. Both the streetfood and all the good restaurants.

Thai politics!! You couldn't make it up. Super entertainment.

I became hansum without plastic surgery!

The very colourful everyday life.

Been here 10 years. My only regret is, that I didn't come earlier.

And now....Free Government Medical Insurance for foreigners....Yes....I share your regret....

If somebody still with doubts.....I got mine October 28...They said that I can use it in other province's hospital in case of accident, and 2 times a year in other provinces for other reasons....I will ask around and I will post here if I get new and accurate info from good sources...

Umbanda, which hospital was this?

BTW another TV member informed me privately he got the card at Ban Chang Hospital in Rayong. He was the first to do so, so it took some doing and a call to Bangkok, but the hospital would probably be quicker to issue it from here on, for anyone living in that area.

Chiang Rai...They also said that only are accepting applications from residents of this province..That's the reason they are asking for proof of residence..Makes sense. By the way, when I was back to get my card, NOBODY was applying for anything. All the process can be done in 10 minutes here, and nurses are happy in doing it.......Well...this is the "another Thailand"...the farang friendly one.

Again? Road safety in Thailand is far below international standards. Dangerous to travel in this country. TAT should force better safety standards (not only on the road, in train travel also). Nearly every week derailments.

It gets better and better each year (less and les deaths per 100,000 people) but Thailand is still ranked 6th in the world for the number of deaths per 100,000 people. The biggest percentage, by far, is motorcycles.

I also believe that the ranking position is bad because is considering motorbikes accidents. Car and bus accidents are low considering the size of the country and its population. I will like to see what is the % considering also the number of cars on the roads and cities.That number is probably a lot higher than any European or American country.....and probably the numbers 1, 2,3, 4 and 5 on the ranking are Asian countries...

Yap...This kind of scam is too obvious....I believe that WE are so smart to get into that...BUT....for US it is another kind....This people are professional and computer savvy....and they can get OUR personal info and credit card info very easy and just make small debits that YOU will not notice if you have a very active account....Do you check every $5 or $10 debit in your bank or credit card account? Probably not. Well....that is the "job" of those "professionals". A 24 hours job getting into hundred or accounts.

Just one hundred accounts a day x 30 days = 3000 accounts x $5= $15,000/month = $180,000/year = 5.400.000THB/year

Good money just for be seating all day in front a laptop.....How I know this?.....Because I am smart? No.... I was a victim of this for years....and many "smart" friends I advise about, had to close or change their accounts after found out they also were victims.....The Internet and the "global economy" is very good and very useful...for honest and also for dishonest people....NOBODY is free of someday be another victim of those very smart professional lovers of easy money......I know....you are running to check your account statements. Good...or may be not so good.

I felt very upset and stupid when I looked at mines....7 years ago... in the US.

If somebody still with doubts.....I got mine October 28...They said that I can use it in other province's hospital in case of accident, and 2 times a year in other provinces for other reasons....I will ask around and I will post here if I get new and accurate info from good sources...

After reading the Alien Working Act and discussing with the wife, we've agreed I'll try to avoid ALL work in the new shoe shop.

Where there is potential overlap, such as cleaning at the shop floor level, I will do this with the shutter down. Whilst I haven't yet squared taking shelves in/out each day & getting stock from the mezzanine floor with my wife's SLE/high CK results, we'll work something out,

But if I did decide to incorporate so that I could help with the business, I wonder what special skills could fulfill the WP as 'controlling, auditing and accounting servicess' (my background) and shop attendant (how I'd actually be helping!) are both prohibited.

What kinds of job roles have members used for small businesses with the wife? And all those farang run bars and coffee shops etc, what special skills would they be providing.

Many thanks.

Yes...I have the same question. Bars, coffee shops, hotels, real estate agents, restaurants, you name it....How the foreigners working in those businesses got the work permit? At least I know 2 foreign managers for big real estate companies in Bangkok and many foreign coffee shop owners in Chiang Mai. I believe that at least half of the export companies in Thailand are owned by foreigners....I have now a lawyer taking care of all that, but I just will like to understand.....

My wife skin is just brown beautiful..and I am white milk. I am lucky in Thailand.....In my South American country if you are white skinned....like I am..people will run from you thinking that something is wrong....or...they will know for sure that you are a foreigner..That is also not a good thing in some countries...In America...women will be jealous of my wife skin tone. I glad she do not know about.....I glad that she do not believe that she is so beautiful...I glad we do not live in America......In America...she will not even look at me....

No surprise. When I first apply for retirement visa in Bangkok town 4 years ago, the officer asked for not necessary income documentation according the rules. I just asked all my documents and application back and I did it in Chiang Mai without any non sense. You are lucky that in Bangkok you have choices of immigration offices. Try to talk with officers of other BK locations explaining what happens. If nothing changes, I think your only option will be to talk with a private visa service. I believe that they will resolve the case in their "ways" and will charge you about 30000THB to do it. The only problem with that is that in the future you may have to use them again or to have the money in your bank.....or....move out from BK to a more farang friendly province....Chiang Mai? Phayao?...At least you will be away from flooding and violence....

I got the card and is exactly the same of any Thai citizen and looks like will get the same medical benefits.....but....this is Thailand and everything can change at any time, or even putting in place in different ways for any people in charge.

Not will be a surprise if this new policy will not work in the same way in different provinces...Why? Well...using common sense...it not possible that any medical insurance will apply without limits in age, immigration status, and pre existing conditions, in any country.

I know that some private Thai insurance companies sells medical benefits upgrade for about 8000THB/year. This is for Thai people with basic Government medical benefits. We now are in the same category and may qualify for that. I am looking in that, and I will recommend to do it before our new "status" changes for any reason....