Guitar God

I have three make farang friends who are still happily married to their Thai wives, one for 15 years, one for 13 and the other at least 10 ( they have a 9 yo boy and another in the way.

I have one acquaintance who was married, divorced and she wanted to keep the house, an old truck and other property. He went to court, proved he paid for everything, she ended up keeping the truck and had to sell the house and he kept the proceeds from that.

So my experience is somewhere between 0 and 25%, depending how loose your definition of "friend" is.

Thanks for all the replies so far, sounds like I have a few options to investigate already. Different shipping companies, customs brokers and trying to get that friendly customs agent.

I just wish I could get a sort of pre-approval do there are no surprises.

I shipped a TV with built-in DVD player and a few other items in a box which were worth around 500 euros and paid nid noi money for import duty. I shipped an HD video camera and something worth less that 500 total and got taxed ฿9000.

The import duty on that HST code plus shipping and tax was a lot less than the bill so I don't know how they figured that one.

I'd prefer to know if they're going to allow the exemption before I have things packed and sent rather than just let it hit the docks, have them calculate duty and then negotiate with them.

What is the procedure for stating that the goods are being imported under the exemption? Is there a code or a memo space on the broker's forms. A Thai form that accompanies the shipment so they agents know?

As for the guitars, I wouldn't include more than a couple in the container, nor would I bring two beds and multiple items that are similar.

I'm mainly interested in sending over my office suite, living room set, favorite recliner, combi-oven, music studio, books, art, hobby things, mountain bike, and items like my high-pressure washer, tool chest, etc.

I like them, some things I can't replace here, I don't need one there and one here and if all I have to pay is shipping costs I would save loads of money.

As for the guitars, if I miss one I didn't ship, I travel a lot, I always have one with me and rarely have any issues at the airport here.

If the video portion isn't that important, I've got a 20 minute long mp3 of Thai couples arguing, women screaming and Loony Tunes cartoon sound effects I could send you a link to.

Well, I received a one year retirement visa in May, but because my passport is only valid until February, they only stamped me for 9 months. I supposed that's going to further complicate this already convoluted procedure.

I just don't see the logic in allowing you to import household goods if you're here working or married and have a work permit but not allowing someone who moves here on a retirement visa.

"Sometimes possible" sounds promising. I'm guessing since you appear to have experience with this that it also means that there is no way to confirm it beforehand by submitting your visa and martial status info and a list of what you plan to import and when and getting a confirmation that it would or wouldn't be allowed.

I wonder what their actual interpretation of "reasonable" is. If you're building an eight room house here, can you import furnishings for eight rooms? I can see them limiting you to one bedroom set but if you have an office, AV room, studio, library, exercise room, would that be included in the exclusion or is the intention along the lines of one bed, one dresser, one table, one couch and a refrigerator?

As far as guitars go, if they allow a set of (15) golf clubs, I should get 15 guitars. I have a ES-335 and an ES-355 that are a lot more different and less interchangeable that 5 and a 6 iron are. But since they're not in the same bag, I don't think they would feel the same way though.

It is also possible to sometimes get duty privilege for retirement visa with no work permit, but must be the 1 year OA visa... Not 3 month visa and not visa extension in Thailand

Have done so for a customer just last week. although will be honest in saying that it is not 100% guaranteed, but up to discretion of Customs officer.. But in most cases over the last couple of
Years, has been possible

As to the guitar question.. You can bring as many as you want, but over the allotment given by customs will have to pay port duty

Remember .. The policy is NOT you can bring all your stuff in duty free... It is duty free for "importing of those goods reasonably needed for setting up your household "

So customs will not likely find that 100 guitars are reasonably needed for setting up a household, so may give you 1 or 2 duty free but will likely charge import duty on the rest



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My original plan was to get a B visa so I have a company with 2M THB capitalization which varies between having 3-5 Thai employees. It had only 3 when my 3 mo B visa was running out for the second time so I went with the retirement visa option just to get it over with. My lawyer either didn't know or didn't mention that since I was married that the requirement dropped to only having 2 employees.

I have, or had a work permit sitting waiting for me to collect but my lawyer said since I was getting a retirement visa and couldn't work, to not even bother to pick it up. I'd switch to a visa based on marriage but until our house is ready, my official address is one place and her's is another so I have to wait a couple months to do that.

If I have to change my retirement visa to one based on marriage (to satisfy the requirements of the import duty exemption), can I just go in an apply for a work permit and pay the fee?

No, you need a company that sponsor you.

The company must employee 4 Thai per foreigner with a work permit, and capitalize with 2 million baht per foreigner.

As you are married to a Thai that will be cut by 50%, 2 Thai employees and 1 million baht capitalization.

Does anyone have experience importing household goods/personal effects on a retirement visa?

As I don't have any experience with that I will leave that to other members to answer.

From what I've read, a work permit ( for some reason that's a mystery to me) is required in addition to a non-immigrant visa to qualify for the import duty exemption for importing household goods into Thailand. I sent an email to the address on the customs site and it's invalid. I tried another address and haven't heard anything back and in another thread, it appears customs prefers the sound of ringing phones to that of human voices and never answers any of the numbers listed.

I was issued a retirement visa in May and around October I'd like to send a container of furniture and other items over here.

I'm married to a Thai woman, we're both currently living here, she hasn't left so doesn't qualify as a returning resident.

Does anyone have experience importing household goods/personal effects on a retirement visa?

If I have to change my retirement visa to one based on marriage (to satisfy the requirements of the import duty exemption), can I just go in an apply for a work permit and pay the fee?

How picky are they on the "one of each" rule? If I have a hundred guitars, do I need to pick my favorite or could I ship an electric, an acoustic, a parlor guitar, an acoustic/electric, a dobro, a bass etc.?

Aside from the guns and friends with guns, I thought the benefits were the same as any other government job here?

Their salary maybe low but tons of benefits for them and their families.

I know one soldier, she has a desk job and takes home 9K p/m

I received a one year visa a while ago but since my passport expires before one year, my visa expires in nine months.

First they stamped it 12 months out, then made some mistake and crossed that out then put in a date 9 months out.

I'm getting my passport renewed now and then getting a multiple entry stamp.

How does it work when your visa is in your old passport and you get a new passport?

I'm guessing the reentry stamp will be made in the new passport but what about the visa?

Since my passport will be valid for ten years, any chance in hell that they'll put the original 12 month from issuance date in my new passport?

Phuket in 10 years? 100,000 more stray dogs.

I can't think of any solid way to cash in on this though off the top of my head.

Noice-cancelling ear plugs, something fertilizer related?

I guess Ubon is on Google's bucket list. They only did one street in the entire city, Chayangkun.

How do you explain the success and attraction of dating sites and matchmaking companies in the west then?

There are many with loads of highly educated, attractive, upper class women (and men) using them and finding mates and dates because they prefer that to hanging out in upscale bars and clubs. Not everyone likes bars.

Why are Thai women different ?

I doubt many millionaire thai fashion models use the sites but all of them aren't whores or scammers either.

I know one Thai woman who is looking for a bf and has also tried finding a nice guy online, she has an MBA and her written English puts the skills of quite a few of the native English speakers here to shame.

Blimey the "I found a Doctor, while grubbing around on the internet" fantasists have been out in force.

MK must have done a roaring trade that week.

I've just spent an hour on TF and the only impressive professions I found were one 'teacher' whose English skills were on a par or below that of the average bar girl, two 'accountants' who had the stupidity to post pictures of themselves while clearly on a beano to some beach resort with their latest sponsors.

I'm afraid that for these posts listing all these high class women and their supposed high falluting occupations, it's more a case of "I want to believe" over facing up to the sad the truth of their situations ie "The best I can do is some blagger off a dodgy internet dating site for the desperate, skint and needy"

Do you really think top level Thai women are really going to turn to the desperate TEFL losers trawling Thai Friendly when they could quite easily head out to the upmarket bars and clubs to find a Westerner who has already made something of himself, either here or at home?

As for Noradonis, Tolkein couldn't have invented a better fantasy world than the one he inhabits.....

A couple things indicate to me that a fair percentage of the women on Thai dating sites are there for similar reasons to why men are there-to meet someone for love, marriage, sex, or other relationship, and not to scam old farangs out of money.

1. Many profiles are in Thai, many say they are looking only for Thai men.

2. Many are only interested in men close to their age and don't reply to messages from anyone older. A lot say " I already have a dad", or "I don't need a grandpa".

3. Many warn to not contact them if you want to hotchat or talk about sex. Hardly the way to attract a sugar daddy.

4. Many say they don't like "players" or "butterfly's".

Of the few women I know personally who are looking for a bf online, their biggest complaints about online dating are guys who they chat with and would like to meet but they guys are only interested in chatting and have no intention of meeting them. Or the guys they meet who seem nice and "just want to be friends" and when they meet them, the men are only interested in sex.

The bar girls and goldiggers on those sites are pretty easy to spot. For the others, a little bit of chatting and you should have a pretty good idea what she's really interested in.

That's why people have profiles on dating sites, you lay your cards on the table, the other people look at them and then decide if they're interested.

If some woman contacted me and her profile said she smoked and drank a lot and I told her I didn't like I didn't like smokers and she changed her story to try to please me, she wouldn't get a reply.

I'm not saying dating sites are guaranteed to weed out devious people who have hidden agendas but I'd rather know 50 (stated) facts about someone first before I'd decide to spend bigs bucks on them on some fancy date at KFC.

What's to say that some woman you meet at a grocery store or a park who's receptive to advances from a (most likely) older foreigner isn't out to scam you? You don't know the first thing about her, except what she eats, or if she cleans up after her dog. At least online you have a a list of info to go by.

I met the woman I lived with the longest, and I met my wife through a bbs and the internet. Two relationships, 22 years. Still good friends with the ex, happy as a clam with my wife. No poo on the face so far. YMMV

I might meet a woman in public and we're both attracted to each other but unless we each have a questionaire ready, it's going to take a date to find out that we're definitely incompatible. Maybe she loves dogs, and I'm allergic, maybe I want kids and she doesn't, maybe she doesn't appreciate German midget porn, maybe she's an opera singer.

A lot of people don't have the time to go on dozens of dates only to find out that none of them are a good match.

Just studying Thai isn't going to ensure that you're going to meet suitable people. Where are you going to run into these single women, who you're interested in and they're interested in you, and you have similar interests? When you do meet someone, you may satisfy some of each others criteria, at least superficially but what happens when she pulls out a cigarette, or a bong, or her favorite opera CD or the Koran, or her penis or something else that's a deal-breaker for you? Back to square one.

I went on many dates years ago, pre internet, pre BBS and many times I was certain we would hit it off, only to find out we were incompatible. I like technology, use it correctly and it can save you time and energy.

kely to end up with a big steaming poo on your face, so to speak.

I think you will find the Thai ladies on Thaifriendly will agree to be whatever you want and do whatever you want.
It doesn't work like back in the States, where YOU need to interest and pander to HER.

I disagree.

That's a little like staying in your cave and waiting for some someone to wander in and entertain you instead of turing on your TV or using the internet.

Technology isn't a substitute for human interaction but it can facilitate contact and the selection process. Dating sites are an increasinly popular way for like-minded people to meet.

It's just a tool people use to preselect people they want to meet. In business, people email their CV to prospective employers, HR looks to see if they could be a fit and interview the ones who pass muster. They don't spend 30 minutes talking to everyone who walks in looking for work.

I might meet a woman in public and we're both attracted to each other but unless we each have a questionaire ready, it's going to take a date to find out that we're definitely incompatible. Maybe she loves dogs, and I'm allergic, maybe I want kids and she doesn't, maybe she doesn't appreciate German midget porn, maybe she's an opera singer.

A lot of people don't have the time to go on dozens of dates only to find out that none of them are a good match.

Just studying Thai isn't going to ensure that you're going to meet suitable people. Where are you going to run into these single women, who you're interested in and they're interested in you, and you have similar interests? When you do meet someone, you may satisfy some of each others criteria, at least superficially but what happens when she pulls out a cigarette, or a bong, or her favorite opera CD or the Koran, or her penis or something else that's a deal-breaker for you? Back to square one.

I went on many dates years ago, pre internet, pre BBS and many times I was certain we would hit it off, only to find out we were incompatible. I like technology, use it correctly and it can save you time and energy.

So what is this Thaifriendly thing, Iv'e never heard of it before.
Is it a site for picking up hookers of the higher class, sort of a craigslist for Chinese Hi So dollies?

Ttb,

I hadn't heard about this thaifriendlu until the other day, I have never used a dating site. I wouldn't trust stuff like that. If you want to meet people just go out the front door. instead of wasting money joining those sites, pay a teacher to teach you Thai. If you can speak to them there's women everywhere. None of that handsome man, darling crap.

Like anything, you only get out of stuff what you put into it.....there are no shortcuts.

Ohh yeah and the money you spent learning the Thai will save you money in the long run because you'll be able to hear what's happening around you and less likely to end up with a big steaming poo on your face, so to speak.

I haven't used Thaifriendly personally but I know other people who have met their wives or girlfriends online. I know a few Thai women who use TLL or similar sites trying to meet a nice guy. A couple are friends or coworkers of my wife and none of them are gold diggers or women stringing along multiple guys to extract money. A couple have been burned or stood up by foreign men, at least one had a guy trying to scam her.

Obviously they are looking for a nice, attractive guy with hopes their life will be better but even in the west, I doubt many women are looking for poor, lazy guys who aren't interested in contributing anything more to the relationship than semen.

That said, there are lots of scammers online, more in poorer countries. I'd guess 10-15% of the women on Thai dating sites are genuine and sincere.

So do I.

About half way round there is a man made slope both sides to cross, lorries use it..........

Happy happy, joy joy. The best news I've had in a while. I'm almost looking forward to going back to Bangkok, just for a visit though. Thanks for the info.

So the roadblock is gone and Chaengwattana road is open again?

No not yet.

Please look at the relevant thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/696226-immigration-services-at-cheang-wattana-now-suspended/?view=getlastpost

Maybe on June, 2nd but not confirmed.

Since late last week, the Chaengwattana Road PDRC roadblock was removed. The overpass and road are now back to normal.

I accidentally left my wallet at a small shop in Ubon a while ago, it had 30-40k in cash, ID's and credit cards including an AmEx black card you could buy a car with. I went back to pick it up and the guy wouldn't take 1 baht for taking care of it for me. I insisted he take something but he said no. My wife said to just thank him and that some people don't want to take money for just being honest and helpful.

Maybe the teacher offered her 100k but she wouldn't take it. I wouldn't take a reward for finding something and giving it back to the owner.

He drops 2.2 million bht = $67,600 in the street & only rewards the good lady with 10,000 bht = $307......tight fisted bas****. I hope he rethinks his reward & seeks out the lady to offer more

The curfew seems to be being observed in Ubon. The first night I didn't hear a single vehicle on the road after 10, the next few days people were out a little past the curfew but it was still dead here by 22:30.

I think they've just been giving warnings and telling people to go home here but I heard if you were picked that it would cost 40k to get out. I haven't heard of that happening to anyone though.

Found on the internet:

Beer Myth 8: The Thai beer Singha has formaldehyde in it

It seems widely believed that Singha is brewed with formaldehyde, as is Chang beer, San Miguel, Vietnamese 33, and Singapore's Tiger Beer. The most believable explanation for this one is that Singha is much more bitter and contains more alcohol than most lagers. When American or British expatriots and soldiers were drinking beer in Thailand, they got drunk much more quickly then they were used to, and it was much more bitter flavor then they were used to. To explain this it was suggested that it contained formaldehyde. Crazy.

That last bit is a kernel of truth (more on that later)... but it’s the only one. Of course there is no formaldehyde in Singha -- any more than there is formaldehyde in Chang, the other popular Thai beer, or the Philippines beer San Miguel, or the Vietnamese 33, or Singapore’s Tiger beer, all of which have also been rumored to contain formaldehyde. Think about that for a minute while we solidly dispose of the Singha rumor.

Some Chinese breweries have added formaldehyde to beer because it is an inexpensive clarifying agent but none of these beeers are exported. If you don't like formaldehyde in your beer, watch what you drink when you're in China, as far as Thai beer goes, it seems to be formaldehyde free.

If no other drugs were involved, the most likely explanation is, as mentioned previously, his body lacked the enzyme which breaks down alcohol and he drank too much too fast.

Why would they add formaldahyde to Chang beer? I can't think of any benefits and I would guess that making or buying formaldahyde is more expensive than making beer.

It's like when McDonalds was accused of adding ground earthworms to their ground beef. They said no they didn't and anyway, earthworms cost more.

Spirit houses are supposed to provide an alternative location for any spirits who may be hanging around your property to live, instead of moving into your house. That's also why new houses are supposed to be occupied continously for three days after the ceremony where the monks bless your house. The spirits are also supposed to watch over and protect your home and business.

I don't know about other people's medallions or amulets, but mine protects me from crazy Thai drivers, and it allows me to fly.

So the roadblock is gone and Chaengwattana road is open again?

Dismantled, or still there?

I read the military was dismantling the protest sight in from of the government complex but nothing since.

Did they remove the mountains of sandbags and tires or are they still there?