Gongchime

I once took a bus from Bangkok to Hua Hin. At one point the driver barely kept it from going off to the side. Driving as fast as possible up to the edge of control even after that happened. We got air and were flying!!! Moronic.

That's O.K. Let them do whatever they want. When the entire economy collapses, then even someone with only moderate means will be able to buy the whole country for pennies on the dollar. Just biding my time...

I love Southeast Asia and I hate to see this development. All the Southeast Asian countries are already disenfranchised under the thumbs of the heavy players. They don't need to also be fighting among themselves or within themselves.

They need to unify to stave off threats to their solidarity. Sadly, what we might consider to be minor cultural, ethnic, and political differences makes for a bunch of disunited small groups trying to assert the dominance of their little pocket which will only leave them as isolated and powerless as before.

Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia and the Philippines need to band together and set aside their differences to have a voice in the modern capitalist world but seems like it's so far removed from any future possibility. Maybe any idea of some sort of unified Southeast Asia or even unified Thai identity is hopelessly misguided. Just ideological power struggles ad nauseum till Shiva's dance finally destroys the universe.

I'm not sure but suspect if you put 2 redundant cables next to the other undersea cable all in an earthquake then you'll have three broken cables instead of one. Nature is going to win.

I've been very sick several times as in pneumonia from neighbors smoking in the apartment building. I put up signs of my own accord in the stairwells where they ineffectively try to blow their smoke out but which just gets blown right back into everyone's apartment. I put weather stripping around my door and keep all the windows shut even if I've used up all the oxygen because I've had 3 cases of pneumonia from that b.s.

Waking up in the morning not realizing that I've been breathing second hand smoke ALL NIGHT and then being sick for seveal weeks is not my idea of fun. Cigarette smoking is an epidemic in Asia whether the foreign teachers hide it or not. Their parents are smoking right in the house with their infants then wonder why they're sick all the time, lethargic in their teens and take up the habit themselves. Stupid, no matter who is doing it. My advice? DON'T!!!

Dear girlx, I thought that teaching privates was illegal. Am I wrong? I think if you have a license for one kind of business then you're not supposed to do another kind. Are you suggesting I get a business license to teach privates? I don't think they allow it. Could be mistaken. It's a strange world. Anyway after getting notes from more recent research I discovered that the retirment visa is issued to 50 year olds not 55 year olds and the amount needed to deposit in a bank is nearly 1/3 of the $300,000 I thought was necessary. If that is the case then I can retire in Thailand in 8 years. WOO HOO !!!!! No business required.

also the quality of english in krabi is really poor! if you don't want to teach formally you could try doing private lessons (which usually get more $), especially for large hotels (staff). my thai friend went there and people were begging him to work for them because his english is good.

I was looking for a reply from someone with more knowledge about opening and doing a business in a foreign country. Working illegally teaching English is not a good idea. You can get permanently kicked out of Thailand and you must enter with a tourist visa. I don't want either one. Anyway, I had said that teaching was something I want to avoid. I'd rather learn Thai than spread English. Opening a supermarket is a good idea but it's not really related to where my experience is. Something to think about though. Thanks for the replies.

I've just received a bit of a windfall and am interested in moving to Krabi permanently. I'm not old enough to retire (42 years old) from what I've seen about the retirement visa requirements (55years old) ($300,000). I still think the amount I received is enough to live off the interest or nearly so but how to live in Thailand without a retirement visa? Teaching jobs look nearly nonexistant and I'm trying to avoid that anyway. I don't have a diving instruction certificate but I suppose I could get one. However, I'm more interested in opening a business even if it only breaks even to allow me to live in Krabi. Prefer to be near the beach but 10-20 minutes away is o.k too. What business are most people successful at. I understand they need a bakery. That wouldn't be my first choice. I'm more interested in selling Thai cultural products, musical instruments, cds etc... Would love to hear the bad with the good. Drop something here please.

About the conservative farmers. There is a famous example when the Balinese had been coerced into trying modern practices. Surprise, the crops failed so they went back to their ancient practice of irrigating the chanels in an unusual/complex manner (which is kind of like a fractal and surprisingly not terribly different from the rhythms that gamelan music plays).

Urban moderns are so arrogant to think they know better than 3,000-5,000 years of success. What works in Europe doesn't necessarily work anywhere else. Duh! Maybe Thailand has low yields because that's all Thailand will support sustainably. That's my take although I'm open to data.

Gong

I'm O negative but I'm in Korea. Could I help anyway?

Greg Turner [email protected] 756-9934

http://www.contemplationgarden.bravehost.com

I remember in India we used to contact the Mobile phone service provider to send SMS to all the users in case of emergency and local cable TV network provider to give a small running ad on TV. There services are free also.

Sent the word in office. As soon as I find someone will contact the above numbers. Hope everything will be fine soon.

Best Regards

Vivek

Lets make a list of all the members with there Blood Groups and contact numbers and pin it in the forum. Easy to contact in times of emergency.

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I have blood type O neg, but I'm pregnant at the moment so I believe I can't give. There are only about 4 known people on Samui with O neg blood and I would be happy to put my name on some kind of register for after I give birth. I have looked into doing so many times, but could never find anything appropriate.

O neg is a great blood type if you are negative as we can give to O, A, AB and B - but unfortunately for us we can only take O negative.

The only thing I can suggest is contacting the government hospital in Samui who have the names of the four known people on the island with O neg.

Best of luck

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Thanks,

that clears things up and gives me useful references too. When my music campaign really starts to take off about four years later, hope you're still around. I play a mixture of traditional Malaysian, Javanese, Sundanese, Balinese, Burmese, Laotain, Cambodian, Vietnamese and Thai classical music mixed with an American popular music approach. I did tons of research learning how these different genres are put together and how to market it to my niche the "cultural creatives".

Wish me luck,

Gongchime

Wow, you're efficient. I recognize that as such. I took criticism on another board for being curt but not everyone has nothing better to do than to type in forums. Most of the time we're lucky to get an answer at all. On the aardvark forum there are some posts on there with over 100 views and NO replies.

Thanks,

Gongchime

Dear Mr. Sykes,

I'm not a Korean citizen. I'm an American living in Korea. I would like to hire four employees but I'm sure my business won't be ready for that in the early stages. I'm still a little confused.

Can I get a Thai Private Company Limited if I don't have four employees? I need the four employees and to work from an office in order to get a one year, multiple entry visa?

Gongchime.

The situation you describe does not entitle you to any special immigration status - but - Thai diplomatic posts have a lot of discretion.  If you are a Korean citizen, you might be able to talk the Thai Embassy into giving you a non-immigrant Class B visa, for purpose of "exploring business opportunities in Thailand".  With that, you would receive a 90 day entry permit upon arrival. If you managed to obtain a  one-year multiple-entry visa, you would need to make a border crossing run every 90 days.  Most people make such a run to the Cambodian border.

Your other approach would be to come to Thailand, start a Thai Private Co. Ltd., obtain a work permit as Managing Director, and run your activity as a proper business here.  If you do not wish to hire at least four Thai employees, and work from a proper commercial office, then you would still have to operate on the basis of 90 day vsia runs - but - with work permit - you would be almost assured of being able to get a one-year, multiple-entry visa.

Good luck!

Steve Sykes

Managing Director

Indo-Siam Group

Bangkok

[email protected]

www.thaistartup.com

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What is the average pay in this part of the country? Is it fairly safe? Has there been much damage from the Tsunami? How often do I have to leave the country?

Gongchime

Are there many jobs around Krabi and Phang Nga? What is the rate of pay? Perceibed level of safety?

Gongchime

If I have a successful web business, can I live in Thailand on a business Visa? How often would I have to leave the coutnry in that case? Where do most people go out and come back in from? What's the easiest way?

Gongchime in Korea

Let me know of any low cost (-1,000,000bht) investments you may come across.

Thank you,

Greg Turner

[email protected]

weescotsguy66 can you send me an e mail to [email protected] so that i can reply with the details regarding this land

thanks

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Let me know of any low cost (-1,000,000bht) investments you may come across.

Thank you,

Greg Turner

I'd appreciate it if anyone would let me know of any low cost (-1,000,000bht) investments you may come across preferably a business of sorts which I might be able to use to propel myself forwards.

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Evo

where are you now as far as supporting you and your family.

New here,

Gongchime

quote=EVO,2005-06-17 00:34:14]

Dont work without a work permit. If you cant get your wife into UK, and you get caught working without a permit and get blacklisted, you wont be with your wife at all.

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While no one is condoning working without a WP, it's a sad fact of life, here in Thailand, (due to the schools and goverment offices generally) that many, many, many teachers work here without a WP. Generally a blind eye is turned to them as they're offering a service that is needed and wanted, and they're not taking work away from the Thais.

IMO and IME 99.99% of teachers (other than those at the TOP schools...of which there aren't too many) will at some time or another work without a work permit, or with a work permit that doesn't cover them to teach what they are teaching, or where they are teaching.

Number 3 is you best option IMO! Do it properly (and even than it can be hard).

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Just because you are a teacher doesnt put u above the law. If this guy wants to stay here with is wife, then would it not be best to try to secure a future to enable that?

There are many many schools out there who will provide the work permit. Ive been there and done it. From the moment i stepped into the country teaching English to where i am now (admittedly not a Don Trump candidate!!!) ive had a work permit and wouldnt have it any other way for the simple fact that my family is here.

P.S. Im not married to a Thai. Another expat living here.