Oceanbat

Many thanks for all or your replies

OB

Awesome. I'll take a look many thanks.

OB

It's not. Bloody hard to get. Thought some other whisky connoisseurs might have a Favourite whisky shop they wouldn't mind sharing. I tried in Singapore and HK but no joy there either would you believe?

OB

If you are in Bangkok and don't mind a bit of exploring, there is a sort of secret Japanese Scotch bar off Suk. Soi 33. It is on one of the right hand sub-sois; either the 1st or 2nd as I remember and is unmarked but you can ask around. It is a gem of a place inside, a very classic whisky bar, expensive but with imaginative complementary little snacks served between rounds.

They may or may not let you in; dress well.

If you do appreciate fine Japanese scotches...this place is heaven and well worth the effort.

Thanks Ddave. I might use a Japanese proxy. Do you know if they would sell by the bottle? Rare as hens teeth these days and I love just having a bottle at home.

OB

Anyone know anywhere in Bangkok where I might be able to get my hands on some?

Thanks in advance

OB

Off the TOP of my head. Agoda, hotel quickly, Asia rooms all started in Bangkok. A bit more old school but DST systems has a pretty significant presence here as well.

Have I gone hopelessly off topic?

OB

By young farangs ??

Hotel quickly and Agoda - yes. I just read Asia rooms closed down last year so my bad. DST systems was started in Melbourne I think but most of their software development support and consulting is based out of Bangkok

OB

Off the TOP of my head. Agoda, hotel quickly, Asia rooms all started in Bangkok. A bit more old school but DST systems has a pretty significant presence here as well.

Have I gone hopelessly off topic?

OB

With the powerbeats 2 you should be def able to spot the fakes. I like the fit and the sound is good. Not totally in ear so you can hear the ambient traffic noise if you are running outside. Good luck anyway I've been through so many sports headphones which just can't seem to deal with the amount I sweat.

OB

If someone is working for Citibank or Deutchbank and gets transferred to Thailand, I'm sorry.

But you just got demoted. Take it off your resume and claim you were an unemployed bongo player, 555.

No Thai bank can legally hire a Farang. Sorry. Not gonna buy that.

Now if you're talking non-retail banking, which is really nothing more than international investment scams, knock yourself out trying to find good "investments" in Thailand.

But that's not what 99.99% of Farangs under 30 do in Thailand, 555

Incorrect. I know foreigners who work for Thai banks. Is Thailand a demotion for an investment bank? Possibly but as Long as you can keep your pay grade it's still lucrative and it's a better lifestyle than Singapore. The kicker is Singapore and HK are usually regional so more $ and lower tax.

OB

Re-read my post. Where did I mention entrepreneurial? I said they have a work permit and visa. Think you are responding to the wrong person.

OB

when you replied to this ??

Still under 40. Came at 29. Would defo come today all over again. Many more opportunities here now. The dynamics have changed too. It's no longer just a place old men come to hang out with / sleep with hookers. Every major city is thriving with young westerners doing all sorts of wonderful, entrepreneurial things, many with other young Thais too. That's a key difference I've notice in the last 7 years middle class Thais and young westerners forming friendship groups and mixing on an equal level. There's loads going on in terms of art, music, hollistic health and online ventures.

Good lord! Someone that actually lives in the same Thailand I do, rather than the one that everyone on here seems to talk about.

I never said you did,

But you seem to put down old guys living here legally

And praise young guys doing 'entrepreneurial things' .... without a Work Permit or legal VISA.

All the young people I know working here have a work permit and visa. I think you move in different circles. Perhaps older non professional ones?

OB

When you replied to this..

I don't see the word entrepreneurial in my response.

Try reading again?

OB

your aware its a conversation right ??

Your aware that when one person makes a nonsense claim.. Which is then countered by others, and you back up that persons claim with "every one of those I know has the legal paperwork" and a superior "you just move in different circles" it then makes the point your agreeing with said person in the conversation ??

Its a thread.. You had a point.. Not just posting tourettes.. Either you were replying to the claim that was quoted or the post is irrelevant.

I maintain.. There is no 'thriving communities of westerners legally being wonderful entrepreneurs in every major city' in Thailand.. No matter what 'circles' anyone purports to hang out in.. Its a nonsense statement and total falsehood. Agreeing with it is equally dumb.

Yep every young person I know. Reiterate different circles. Take that however you like

OB

Re-read my post. Where did I mention entrepreneurial? I said they have a work permit and visa. Think you are responding to the wrong person.

OB

when you replied to this ??

Still under 40. Came at 29. Would defo come today all over again. Many more opportunities here now. The dynamics have changed too. It's no longer just a place old men come to hang out with / sleep with hookers. Every major city is thriving with young westerners doing all sorts of wonderful, entrepreneurial things, many with other young Thais too. That's a key difference I've notice in the last 7 years middle class Thais and young westerners forming friendship groups and mixing on an equal level. There's loads going on in terms of art, music, hollistic health and online ventures.

Good lord! Someone that actually lives in the same Thailand I do, rather than the one that everyone on here seems to talk about.

I never said you did,

But you seem to put down old guys living here legally

And praise young guys doing 'entrepreneurial things' .... without a Work Permit or legal VISA.

All the young people I know working here have a work permit and visa. I think you move in different circles. Perhaps older non professional ones?

OB

When you replied to this..

I don't see the word entrepreneurial in my response.

Try reading again?

OB

I tend not to interrogate everyone I meet over their visa and work permit status, so I couldn't really tell you either way.

No, but usually during an initial meeting occupation comes up in small talk.

OB

"Yes I would (I am under 30). Simply because I make more money here than back home (salary would be pretty much the same but life is cheaper here)."

Riiiiiigt.

What kind of job can a Farang do in Thailand that is:

1). Legal.

2). Pays same in Thailand.

555

I know a few teachers that fit the bill.

Banks

OB

So these young people are opening Thai companies registering for VAT and employing 4 thais for their entrepreneurial endeavors ?? Thats not what I have seen over many years in many locations..

Sure many employees.. And many cashed up already older guys having a go at something.. A few younger guys trying something with the Thai wife (restaurant etc).. But young wheeler dealer entrepreneurs ?? Starting Thai companies ??

Really dont see it.. Anywhere from Phuket to Chaing mai let alone 'every major city thriving with them' !! Not only not routinely dont see it, but nearly never.. Most younger types barely pay the rent, let alone the overheads of Thai legit corporate systems.

Re-read my post. Where did I mention entrepreneurial? I said they have a work permit and visa. Think you are responding to the wrong person.

OB

Still under 40. Came at 29. Would defo come today all over again. Many more opportunities here now. The dynamics have changed too. It's no longer just a place old men come to hang out with / sleep with hookers. Every major city is thriving with young westerners doing all sorts of wonderful, entrepreneurial things, many with other young Thais too. That's a key difference I've notice in the last 7 years middle class Thais and young westerners forming friendship groups and mixing on an equal level. There's loads going on in terms of art, music, hollistic health and online ventures.

All the young people I know working here have a work permit and visa. I think you move in different circles. Perhaps older non professional ones?

OB

Almost exclusively the young entrepreneurial types I meet.. are working at projects on and offline illegally.

The co-working spaces and digital nomad scene is full of it..

Again, if Thailand wants to shut it down.. Up to them.. But they would do much better to find a way to profit from and encourage it IMO.

Those legally working, who are young westerners, are usually the old tired dive master, english teaching, gap year kind of stuff.. Not the entrepreneur side.

Different circles.

OB

All the young people I know working here have a work permit and visa. I think you move in different circles. Perhaps older non professional ones?

Sorry, I wasn't speaking to you.

All my pals are fully funded retirees, none of them ever need to work again.

Fed up with poor people trying to scrabble out an existence in Thailand.

If you need to earn a living in Thailand, I don't wanna know you.

Yup as I suspected.

OB

Still under 40. Came at 29. Would defo come today all over again. Many more opportunities here now. The dynamics have changed too. It's no longer just a place old men come to hang out with / sleep with hookers. Every major city is thriving with young westerners doing all sorts of wonderful, entrepreneurial things, many with other young Thais too. That's a key difference I've notice in the last 7 years middle class Thais and young westerners forming friendship groups and mixing on an equal level. There's loads going on in terms of art, music, hollistic health and online ventures.

Good lord! Someone that actually lives in the same Thailand I do, rather than the one that everyone on here seems to talk about.

Yep, loads of young foreigners working illegally in Thailand.
Do they all speak Thai as well as you?

I don't work here.

I don't speak Thai that well, either. But I try.

I never said you did,
But you seem to put down old guys living here legally
And praise young guys doing 'entrepreneurial things' .... without a Work Permit or legal VISA.

Still under 40. Came at 29. Would defo come today all over again. Many more opportunities here now. The dynamics have changed too. It's no longer just a place old men come to hang out with / sleep with hookers. Every major city is thriving with young westerners doing all sorts of wonderful, entrepreneurial things, many with other young Thais too. That's a key difference I've notice in the last 7 years – middle class Thais and young westerners forming friendship groups and mixing on an equal level. There's loads going on in terms of art, music, hollistic health and online ventures.

Spot on. Have a like, son

OB

I personally have no problems meeting the visa requirements.

However, I always found it strange that to be allowed to live here, you must prove a monthly income of between 2 and 3 times the average monthly salary an English teacher receives ?

When you know that the native English speaker gets a far higher salary than their Thai counterparts, I cannot see the logic.

Who do they want/need?

OB

I don't really get while frugality attracts such a hostile reaction here. I wouldn't want to live like that myself, but I don't have a problem with those who do.

I don't thinks it's the frugality rubbing people the wrong way,

just the sponging off girlfriend and family.

I don't really care what he does.

I don't get that either. If a woman lives off a man, he's supporting her - but if a man lives off a woman, he's sponging off her?

Most on here are from a different generation perhaps.

OB

You have a point, but there should be some sort of visa to allow the under fifties to retire here provided they are

contributing to the economy.

The elite visa is only for the rich who can afford to lose 500.000 Baht every five years, not fair I would say.

What sort of visa is there for the under fifties to retire here, that is nothing to do with tourism, and they don' want to get married.

Thailand needs to have a big rethink about this.

Why do they need to do anything? People who have a legit job can get a work permit and visa. Tourists can get a visa waiver. Longer term tourists can get a METV.probably a reason for that staring one in the face.

If there is no visa type that suits someone's needs there is

OB

Longer term tourists can get a METV. It is totally unreasonable to expect the average person to pay out the equivilant of 100.000 Bt per year with nothing in return.

What is OB?

Don't they get a visa? What are the monetary requirements for somewhere like Australia? Much much more. 100k is actually pretty cheap for residency.

OB

Your'e last sentence. I don't agree.

That's fair enough. But it's increasingly the only option isn't it? They aren't becoming more liberal. In fact it's going the opposite direction, and inline with most countries in the region if argue.

OB

You have a point, but there should be some sort of visa to allow the under fifties to retire here provided they are

contributing to the economy.

The elite visa is only for the rich who can afford to lose 500.000 Baht every five years, not fair I would say.

What sort of visa is there for the under fifties to retire here, that is nothing to do with tourism, and they don' want to get married.

Thailand needs to have a big rethink about this.

Why do they need to do anything? People who have a legit job can get a work permit and visa. Tourists can get a visa waiver. Longer term tourists can get a METV.probably a reason for that staring one in the face.

If there is no visa type that suits someone's needs there is

OB

Longer term tourists can get a METV. It is totally unreasonable to expect the average person to pay out the equivilant of 100.000 Bt per year with nothing in return.

What is OB?

Don't they get a visa? What are the monetary requirements for somewhere like Australia? Much much more. 100k is actually pretty cheap for residency.

OB

You have a point, but there should be some sort of visa to allow the under fifties to retire here provided they are

contributing to the economy.

The elite visa is only for the rich who can afford to lose 500.000 Baht every five years, not fair I would say.

What sort of visa is there for the under fifties to retire here, that is nothing to do with tourism, and they don' want to get married.

Thailand needs to have a big rethink about this.

Why do they need to do anything? People who have a legit job can get a work permit and visa. Tourists can get a visa waiver. Longer term tourists can get a METV. If there is no visa type that suits someone's needs there is probably a reason for that staring one in the face.

OB

Powerbeats 2 are good. Although I've been through a few sets running outside given the amount I sweat.

OB

No, no, yes, no.

Bangkok takes a little while to warm to. But once you do it's a great place to live and work. From what I understand from people working here longer than I the scene has changed in that there is a lot more interaction between Thais and expats now given the preponderance of overseas educated Thais working for foreign companies and with foreign employees. I have some really good Thai friends met through work and they move in the Malaysian/Singaporean expat scene as well.

OB