Peterw42

Appears the OP is talking about the 10 year LTR visa, last time I checked this visa is available to any nationality. And last time I checked, you need an income that would give an exceptionally comfortable retirement back in Australia, or anywhere else in the world. Its quiet simple, give retirees/marriage a pathway to PR and hundreds of thousands will come and stay next week. Let them buy a modest property that cant be flipped or rented out, and we will all buy houses. The Australian media does these beat up stories every couple of years, every time the cost of living rises.

How would the logistics of that work ? do the police then contact every single bank in Thailand to see if a foreigner by the name of Fred Smith has an account at the bank?. I just cant see how it could be done, I personally have accounts with 3 different banks, and one account was opened with a pink ID, so there isn't even a passport linked to the account.

Do you really think that happens (anywhere in the world) ? As I wrote above, police are not locking accounts the day you pass. As above, I was still operating my fathers accounts back in Australia months after he passed. Dividends where still coming in, direct debits where still going out, bills still needed to be paid. I even paid for his funeral from that account.

She can if you give her the ATM card, or the online banking password. There are no banking police checking that you passed at 3pm and the account was accessed at 4pm.

Maybe not 100% legal, but accounts still operate and are accesable after your demise, just have an atm card or online banking setup. The day after you leave this mortal coil, your wife transfers money. Nobody is monitoring accounts or closing them the day you pass away. Even back in Australia, I was accessing my father account after he passed, paying bills, moving money etc (direct debits where still drawing funds).. I was even advised to by the solicitor doing the probate.

Most of us are retired, Sunday is just another day. If anything, I see more guys doing the Sunday roast in ye old replica british pub.

No, getting and going in a yellow book is a separate process, done at the local ampher, nothing to do with the land office. The seller would usually hand over the exsisting blue book for the property at the sale. Getting a YB is widely discussed in other threads. And once you are in a yellow book then a pink ID is forthcoming

Depends on the block, some do the letter immediately, others could take weeks. If you have a copy of the chanote, then you can check the title is clear yourself, its written on the back of the chamotte. The past owners, dates it changed hands, any mortgages etc are written there..

You can get any amount off the price, it comes down to what you offer and what the seller accepts. Asking price means nothing properties can, and do, sell for way below stupid asking prices. I bought a house earlier this year, it was advertised for2.8m and I offered 2.2m and seller said yes. Agents don't say yes or no to an offer, the seller does. Agents would probably rather see a property sell for any amount rather than no sale.

Yes, transfer fee is 2%, but usually its 50/50 buyer/seller so you would be paying 1%. As I said above, there are other taxes and often the seller will want you to pay 50% of those other taxes. (all negotiated prior to going to land office, and usually written into some sort of purchase agreement/sales contract). You wouldn't be visiting the condo office for anything to do with the title, the seller has to get a document from the condo office (showing condo is part of foreign quota and fees are up to date) to bring to the land office. Documents you need would be passport and FET, and of course a cashiers check. Documents the seller needs is the letter from condo office, chanote.

A sale will not go through if there is something wrong with the title. If there is a mortgage, a dispute, a divorce etc, then the sale wont happen at the land office. You get your name on an unencumbered title deed, Or there is no sale. Cash etc doesnt need to be actual bank notes, you can do an online transfer, cashiers check etc. At its best its a 1% transfer fee (1% of what the land office says its worth). There are 3-4 taxes and fees, and who pays what is completely up for negotiation. Lots of sellers will want 50/50 on all fees and taxes, and that can run 5% and over As for renovations, prices etc, you can do whatever you want to the inside of the condo and prices can be anything from cheap to expensive, depending on finish, personal choice etc. Anything on the outside of the condo, balcony rail, outside of door, visual etc, usually falls under the condo blocks responsibility and rules.

Buy a bigger bird. I had a bit of a pigeon problem and hung a bird mobile simmilar to below. It flaps its wings in the breeze, and keeps them away.

I imagine the 40k would have included setting up a company etc, to enable a foreign house buyer.

Not sure where you get this from, mortgage rates are the same no matter what the property. There may be an introductory lower rate that lasts a couple of years, but otherwise, age of property or 2nd hand does not change the interest rate.

yes, I have bought and sold a couple of condos and houses, to and from Thai people, and a deposit/sales contract was part of all those transactions, even if minimal and really just a show of good faith. Otherwise, you go to the land office next Tuesday, and the other party doesn't turn up. Or if they do, there are arguments about the final price, taxes etc. What people call an agent in Thailand, is usually just someone you helps with the negotiations, does the leg work leading up to the sale, and helps both parties at the land office, and they are usually being paid by the seller. Otherwise, your average buyer/seller would have no idea of documents, land office procedure etc.

Who pays what taxes isnt set down in law, and can always be used as a bargaining chip. (if the seller dropped 50k off the price then added 50k taxes to pay, then he didnt drop the price) . There are 3-4 taxes, and depending on sellers circumstances, can be significant. The agent should be able to give an exact figure, then you can decide , make a counter offer etc. Not exactly normal, but doesn't matter that much. If there is anything like a mortgage, debt, the seller isn't the actual owner etc, the sale wont go ahead at the land office. Again, the agent should at least have a copy of chanote. A deposit is reasonably normal, but it would usually be paid when signing an initial sales contract, a contract stating price, who pays taxes, circumstances if/when the deposit would be refundable etc. (ie: only if seller fails to complete the sale). Its a buyers market, so make an offer, price, who pays taxes, on a written contract, deposit refundable etc etc. If the seller says no, find another condo,

Thai strawberries in season are 60-80 baht a kilo, trucks by the side of the road and driving around the sois, they come into season later this month. Interested to know what you consider is "proper western cooked food" ? Some western meals are expensive on Thai terms but still cheaper, or on par, with western prices.

People appear to be confusing visiting as a tourist 2 week millionaire and actually livening in Thailand. Besides imported goats cheese, wine and imported cars, everything is cheaper in Thailand.. Utilities, electricity, internet, water, condo fees etc. Any transport, including running a car/bike, taxes insurance etc, fuel, repairs ,etc. Any local food/produce, beer, most dining options. I live here, and have a very comfortable life, dine out most meals, travel, nights out, run the aircon, waste money on stupid lazada purchases. I own a house, car, bike and married. So not renting anything. My monthly spend is around 40-50k, for everything. That wouldnt even pay my rent back in Australia. So long as you are not buying hookers , or dining at ye old replica English pub everyday, its way cheaper than back home.

OP, its not clear if you mean visa/extension inside Thailand, presuming you mean a 1 year extension, the requirements can vary from immigration office to office, so its best to ask directly at the office you will be using. The basic requirements are usually, passport copies, bank statements etc, your marriage documents, some photos showing together as a couple at your house, Go to immigration as a couple, present documents, you will get an "under consideration" stamp, after a month return to office and get proper stamp

OP, maybe explain what you want a VPN for, to get some more relevant recommendations. If its just to watch TV programs from home, then the country you want to access would be relevant.

You shouldn't need anything to show immigration, if the hotel has entered you in the system then immigration will see you in the system. The email may make you feel comfortable that the hotel has entered you, but immigration will simply check the system to see if you are there. There is no requirement for a receipt of being entered, if you are not in the system, you are not in the system.

OP, why don't you simply call the person sending messages ? FB messenger does voice and video calls.

Without some specific criteria, its really asking how long is a piece of string. For tourism?, for expat living?, for cost of living?, lifestyle ?? I think Pattaya sits somewhere in the middle as it has a bit of everything. City, beach, rural, islands. top end options, low end options.

I imagine, the same as any taxi, you could arrange for the same taxi to come and pick you up.

Bolt app shows plenty of taxis that will take you there for around 800 baht