strabel23

My dream country was Japan. I eventually made it in May 1988, after three years in South-Korea...hated it....left fifteen days later.

Going back to SK was not an option? One of friends suggested a holiday ( give some time to think it over ) to Thailand ( had never heard of it )

Of course, with some money in the pocket life was as good as it could get, but a year later, as cheap as it could be, I realised that I needed to make some more and went to Europe....but had got the virus + feeling different + being considered above average pushed me back here in 1992

Been here ever since

It was difficult to adjust at the beginning, compared to hard working people from South Korea or Hong Kong but easy life weighed more in the balance

It would be difficult for me to live in Europe

I can understand why you didn't like Japan. Quite a contrast between countries.

So what you're saying is that you live here because it's cheap and you're treated better as a person (considered above average) than you would be if you were to live in Europe?

How would you rate your quality of life considering the area where you are presently living, accommodation, diet and entertainment?

Are there any annoyances you have to deal with here that sometimes can be overwhelming such as traffic congestion including Thai driving style. Pollution such as reckless disregard for the environment including littering in sea/beach areas and on the street. Lack of general cleanliness for example buildings/homes that have never been painted and have turned blackish in color, yards that are not maintained and are full of weeds etc.

How do you feel about being discriminated against and being charged for goods and services the Falang rate which can sometimes be double or even more such as entrance fee to state parks etc.?

All in all do you feel that your reasons for being here compensate you enough to justify remaining in this country indefinitely as long as you have the resources to do so?

Are there any other reasons you want to live in Thailand that you did not mention such as having a Thai wife and Family?

You have been here for a long time, how do you spend each day and do you ever find that you're bored?

I appreciate your response to my questions because I am presently in Thailand with my wife and have to make a decision to either live here again or sell our property and go back to my home country. The difference this time is that our son is now an adult and has decided he would rather live in my home country and has gone back already. I agree with you that it is cheaper to live here but I have to consider that with all of the other inconveniences of this country is it worth it? I assume that probably a lot of the foreigners presently living here are here for the availability of Thai women but once you have found someone that you can trust and live with is it worth it to stay any longer?

Really!!! Now be honest folks.

I read a lot of complaints about being treated as a Falang with all the related discrimination, corruption, being over charged as a Falang, visa problems, dangerous driving conditions, etc. etc. and I can't say that I disagree with any of them.

So what brought you here to Thailand and what keeps you here?

For me I first came here because a friend told me this was his favorite country to visit when he travelled throughout Asia 22 years ago. Things have definitely changed since then.

I had just gotten out of a bad relationship so I would have gone anywhere and so my friend's suggestion was easy for me to make my decision to come here to see what it was all about.

I ended up meeting a beautiful Thai woman and have been together with her ever since. However I left Thailand 7 years ago and can't seem to find much of a reason anymore to want to live here for the rest of my existence.

What's your story.

In the photo with the three Officers standing under the umbrella with the couple at the table, isn't that the beach there?

If it had been cleaned up the umbrellas and the tables wouldn't be on the beach.

Maybe this is a photo before it was cleaned up.

Quote from post with the 2 Officers standing under the umbrella with the couple at the table...." Soldiers and local administration officials have started to evict food stalls on Hua Hin beach "

 

Obviously Nuddy you are only looking at the pictures and you can't take the time to read the post?.

 

Amazing perception and analogy.

 

A friend of mine is doing well with the stock of Laotian electric company.

They have lots of projects to exploit hydroelectrical power and they are selling energy to other countries including Thailand.

Since Laos has state monopoly, the company is quite solid with no risks of competition.

It gives a fat dividend of about 10% a year and it is traded in the SET.

Worth checking.

Laotian electric company? never heard of it. Be more specific. what is the stck symbol?

Seriously if you are 38 years old and all you've got is 15,000 UK money then I would only consider going to Thailand for a short holiday until you can get over the shock and hurt of divorce.

In the first place leaving the UK to live in Thailand means giving up any accumulation of retirement benefits you might receive either from Government or employment while you are in Thailand.

Secondly Thailand has changed considerably over the past 20 years and it's not what it used to be in terms of road traffic, over crowding, corruption and not to mention rampant race discrimination.

I lived here before for 13 years from 1993 until 2006 and only recently returned but am seriously thinking that I might have made a mistake.

Almost everyday someone is killed in a traffic accident or seriously injured not far from where I now live and the cost of living has increased quite considerably especially when you take into consideration the two tier pricing system that even makes my wife so angry with her fellow countrymen she wants to leave.

You'll probably want to buy a motorcycle also as the cost of transportation (taxi's, tuc tuc drivers)= etc.) has gone way up for a Falang. If you're involved in an accident, highly likely given the traffic congestion and driving style here, you'll need to have some kind of health and accident insurance which also isn't cheap.

Unless you like living out in the sticks I wouldn't bother to move to Thailand. Go to Malaysia or Equador is better.

Living on 30,000 bht a month is not going to get you very far either considering you'll probably want to meet a few ladies and that won't come cheap.

Sorry, just telling it the way it is.

Villa Market, there are 3 - Chalong, Patong, and Laguna/Chern Talay.

Yes certainly the best selection with the Chalong store being the best stocked (certainly more so than Patong anyway).

Thanks to everyone for the info. I couldn't seem to find the Villa Market in Chalong though and eveyrtime we asked a Thai they didn't seem to know either. If anyone could give me some directions and also the directions to Jagota it would be much appreciated.

New in Phuket after being away for 7 years. Where can an expat from Canada buy familiar food products. I discovered from reading this forum that Don"s Place is no longer. Any suggestions

I tried to wire transfer to a Thai bank acct. the same way I have done numerous times but today my bank teller said the transfer would not go through. Is the thai government trying to stop the rise of the bht. by controlling the influx of money?

In other words, kept in very conservative investments. The primary goal is preserving capital (the 800K needed to stay in Thailand) period.

BINGO! everything else is academic yada yada yakety yak which could result the OP being in dire straits

Yes I agree with you there.

If the OP has to rely on his less than sufficent pension while his 800,000 bht is tied up doing nothing then knowing already that pensions do not keep up with inflation it is only a matter of time before this falang becomes falang kee-nok. :-)

Well we got a 20 rai palm plantation and yield about 3.5 to 4 tonnes every 20 days. My father in law takes care of it and we hadn't had a kilo/baht missing, himself he has Palm too.

So I am happy with it.

Good to hear you are doing ok, so can you anwser my question. 25 rai more or less than $15,000 US per year clear profit. Jim

Will depend on the price per kilo, but 25 rai of well taken care plantation should yield around 5 tonnes per 20 days.

We fertilize the trees 3 times per year.

Are you providing irrigation and is fertilizing only 3 times a year sufficent?

It depends.

If you have alot of cash lying around, doing palm or rubber is better than

having the money in the bank.

(Never borrow money to do this)

If you came and bought the land like 10-15 years ago, it was actually quite

a good investment.

I calculate that I got my whole investment back in about 5 years, back then.

Today I guess it'll take between 20-30 years, cause of the high land prices

and maintenance costs,(fertilizer etc).

10 years ago the oil palm price was exactly the same as it is today !

Most Thais don't seem to realize this, but what it means is, that the price has actually decreased over the years.

High land prices??

I can still buy land in the province of Nakhon Si Thammarat for 30 - 50,000 bht/rai.

Can anyone advise on the current prices for palm oil trees. I am looking for about 250 trees. I am in the Burram area. My wife has so far got prices from 120 baht to 200 baht per tree. All the trees are about 6 months old. The trees for 200 baht are said to produce 4 times more oil and grow about half the height.

Any info on the above would be helpful, phone numbers, contacts etc

200 bht ea. 4 times the oil!!!

They must have seen you coming :-)

Actually I lived in Thailand for 13 years on a Non-immigrant O visa and gave a copy of my Thai SET portfolio whenever I renewed my visa in Penang and no one ever questioned me. :-)

the question of the OP is related to his retirement visa

Not much difference non-immigrant O and retirement visa- Non-Immigrant Visa "O-A" (Long Stay

This type of visa may be issued to applicants aged 50 years and over who wish to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 1 year without the intention of working.

Holder of this type of visa is allowed to stay in Thailand for 1 year. Renewable if conditions maintained. Employment of any kind is strictly prohibited.

1. Eligibility

1.1 Applicant must be aged 50 years and over (on the day of submitting application).

1.2 Applicant not prohibited from entering the Kingdom as provided by the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979).

1.3 Having no criminal record in Thailand and the country of the applicant’s nationality or residence.

1.4 Having the nationality of or residence in the country where applicant’s application is submitted.

1.5 Not having prohibitive diseases ( Leprosy, Tuberculosis, drug addiction, Elephantiasis, third phase of Syphilis) as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No. 14 B.E. 2535.

2. Required Documents

- Passport with validity of not less than 18 months.

- 3 copies of completed visa application forms.

- 3 passport-sized photos (4 x 6 cm) of the applicant taken within the past six

months.

- A personal data form.

- A copy of bank statement showing a deposit of the amount equal to and not less than 800,000 Baht or an income certificate (an original copy) with a monthly income of not less than 65,000 Baht, or a deposit account plus a monthly income totalling not less than 800,000 Baht.

- In the case of submitting a bank statement, a letter of guarantee from the bank (an original copy) is required.

Why can't one have an investment acct. through their bank and just submit the statement. It could be in your home country and you wouldn't have to worry about currency fluctuations like if it were to be held in a Thai account.

Also please take note that the amount required is a minimum. If you're putting your money in an investment acct. which could go up or down then you should have a safe margin above the 800,000 Bht required. Say 20%.

Ditto on the NO to using real estate value for the value of your retirement deposit...

On the broader subject, there has seemed to be some variation from Immigration office to office about what kinds of accounts they like and don't like...

Clearly, a regular passbook savings account in any Thai bank is fine. It seems that fixed deposit accounts likewise are fine, at least most of the time, though there have been reports of those rarely being a problem.

You don't want to change anything about your deposit account, or move the funds from one account to another account, during the 3 month holding period. Another TV member tried that on the advice of their banker, and Immigration turned him down.

I can't remember ever hearing of anyone using any kind of securities account to satisfy the Immigration requirement, so I'd be doubtful about that. When the regulation says funds "in a bank in Thailand," I believe they do mean "bank."

Actually I lived in Thailand for 13 years on a Non-immigrant O visa and gave a copy of my Thai SET portfolio whenever I renewed my visa in Penang and no one ever questioned me. :-)

2) Is it possible to buy palm oil trees already 6 months old and at what unit costs and where.

( i have calculated that about 3'200 trees will be needed for a 100 rai plantation is

that right ? )

There is a nursery selling 6 month old palms on the main road out of Kantaralak towards Kao Prah Vihean, a couple of kms on the left, their price last year was about Bt70 each. They will also give you lots of advice re: planting densities, soil conditions, fertilisers etc. and have printed info. to help you.

Kantaralak ! is'nt that somewhere in Isaan ? If so, i have read that there is not enough rainfall (very important) in that area. Can someone please inform me on this one. I believe that the govt., did look at Palm Oil in Isaan, but dumped the idea as unsuitable. It appears that it is only viable from Chumpon south.

No there is palm oil in Issan, but it is mainly in the ares that rubber grows. That is along the Cambodia and Lao borders. From my understanding the short wet season means that trees in Issan produce about 30 kilos a months verses 50 kilos in the south. Jim

30 kilos per month per tree x 300 trees = 9000 kg. x 7 bht/kg = 63,000 / month ??? 9000 kg x 9 bht./kg = 81,000 bht. / month. Is this right???? 50 kg. x 300 trees = 15000/month x 9 bht. = 135,000 bht. ????? ARE YOU SERIOUS????

I imagine the kid woluld have had at least some long tricky questioning by the authorities and kids dont hold up to well under interogation so their must have been a case that was at least beyond reasonable doubt to arrest the man, at least one would hope so

the problem with childern of that age is that they can be made to say whatever the questioner want. After a little while they'll start to make up stories, and convince themselves they're right. Takes a lot of care to get something 'true' out of them, and 'careful questioning' is not something that springs to mind talking about police in Phuket.

I agree. Usually this kind of act involves older children and any questioning of a child that age would involve leading questions that would be totally unreliable. Without and corroborating evidence from other students at the school I would say this guy is being set up for a scam. Don't be a bunch of busybodies jumping to any conclusions and I wouldn't trust the Thai authorities being fair and impartial to a foreigner in any event. I still remember when a foreigner involved in an accident with a Thai usually always had to pay.

[thaivisa.com] Breaking News: Assassination Attempt On PM Abhisit

Come on guys!!!

This has got to be one of the most mis-leading attempts at trying to create an attention getting headline I have seen in a long while.

There's a big difference between rumors of a plot to assassinate someone and an actual attempt itself.

I thought Thai Visa was above this kind of a stunt.

So Steve roberts when you work hard and you finance your new life in Phuket will you still have the same attitude when your scammed leaving the airport on-route to your dream destination, and once there you will be double priced and ripped off at every opportunity and when you jump in a Tuk Tuk for a 50 yd journey you are going to be stung for 200 bht. And if by any chance you start a succesfull buisness that will be took from you by force if you dont pay the big boys, are you getting the true picture yet of your dream destination because if that is the way your thinking you and your financies will soon be parted in the land of smiles.

So sorry to tell you but I lived in Thailand from 1993 until 2006. THIRTEEN YEARS. I didn't experience very much of what you are talking about. I guess I know how to handle Thais better than most?

My advice to any newcomers is before you accept any set price is to ask what others have paid for the same services and not to gripe too much about being over charged a few lousy dollars until you have gotten more experienced and know how much you should be paying.

After you're familiar with local prices refuse to pay if overcharged. Don't go anywhere in a Tuk Tuk until you have first agreed on the price. Insist on using meters in taxis and take advantage of the skytrain. I used to take the taxi from the airport to the first skytrain station and then continue on. Once you are away from the airport it is not difficult to find a meter taxi. Use common sense and bargaining skills and you'll enjoy the experience. Even Thais get ripped off if they don't know the price. I once refused to go into Safari World because they wanted me to pay double the Thai price. Don't be such a Wimp and don't be afraid to say no.

Another blow for the tourism industry ,

Right now a lot of Scandinavians start their vacation to Thailand , and most of them goto Phuket.

Maybe not for long.

Australians already are very wary of Phuket, British wary because of the airport extortion case, then Danish just the other day.

It seems Thailand seems to make some kind of negative news on monthly basis where the main story is about either extortion of foreigners or how unsafe the country is.

Keep it up Thailand!

Oh come on. Thailand is as safe as most places in the world if not safer. Wait a year or two until the depression has bitten into every urban centre in the world and then you'll see what trouble is ! Stop moaning about Thailand and enjoy the amusing posts earlier in this thread.

I agree. What a bunch of gossiping girls. Don't you guys have anything better to do with your time like filing your nails or straightening your hair?

I live in a city voted as number 5 in the world as a best city to live yet we have gang related murders every week.

Phuket Thailand doesn't even come close. I would live permanently in Phuket in a heart beat as soon as my finances are in place.

The answer to your problems

1. Maintain an office in U.S. and bank account.

2. Conduct your internet business in Thailand.

3, Have your customers wire their payments for your services to your U.S. bank account.

VOILA

Awww... well I trust market forces to take care of the attitude. It's very simple: Protectionism is bad for business. Once Vietnam zooms by Thailand on the passing lane, things will change rather quickly.

The "attitude" of protectionism goes back so far that attempts to relax the provision will be a tough one. The USA & Canada have none of this systemic prohibition, even China has worked out a reasonably comfortable means of accommodating Western companies.

Thailand can't get out of their 19th century mentality and that isn't about to change. I think Vietnam has already whizzed by and doubt that Thailand even noticed.

Progress isn't all that it's cracked up to be, it's part of the charm, be careful what you wish for, it may be the worst thing for the people.

I don't like the policy of not allowing foreigners to buy a house and land either. BUT, as a Canadian also, after returning to Vancouver recently I was amazed at how high the real estate prices have gone up in the last 5 years and that I am now a minority in my own country. Without wanting to sound like I'm prejudiced I have noted that the East Indian population has grown so much now that in some parts of Vancouver area they out number everyone else. I don't agree with the Government here that to support the need for growth we need to bring more immigrants in. It's starting to look like a third world country now in that the density is becoming more crowded all the time and a house now comes with very little real estate. 2 steps out your front door and you're on the street. Progress usually only benefits a select few and that would be the businessman and not so much the wage earner.

Thailand should allow foreign ownership of land but with some method of control so that the ownership of a house does not become only within the grasps of the wealthy as it has here in Canada.

Thankyou both for your input. I admit I don't have proper credentials and was quite surprised that the agency gave me a school to go teach in so quickly. Maybe they thought if I could speak Thai then that was qualification enough?

I am willing to try it one more time but if I might ask, is there any tips you might have to offer me given that you have an abundance of experience and I have very little.

Thanks,

Steven

As I've said before in this forum, all that better qualifications really do in the teaching business here is give you a better chance at getting all the jobs on offer. As the average job ranges from 25-35K (for TEFL) and 35-45K (for real subjects), you choose your salary range and take your chances. As Ken says, a woman has a better chance these days. Her quals should be fine for any TEFL job (assuming she gets the TEFL cert), and with a few years of actual experience she may even think about moving up into real English teaching (earlier, if she's good).

On another thread, rawumber asks:

Hi, really enjoy reading this forum, and have been doing so for about a year. I have been trying to map out some sort of future for the next few years, and thought about teaching English in Thailand.

I'm 44 without a degree, and not the best understanding of the English language. Would this rule me out of teaching, how skilled do you have to be to teach young Thai children English? I have two children of my own, so I understand what children need in the way of stimulation. I have taught art to large classes of under nines and realise how demanding they can be.

If I was to take a relevant teaching course in Thailand would that equip sombody like myself without a formal education to teach in schools there.

Any thoughts much appreciated.

Once again, there are no hard and fast answers. Even though it is terribly agist, racist, and discriminatory, a lot depends on questions such as:

1. How old are you?

2. How dark is your skin?

3. How thick is your accent?

4. How professionally dressed are you?

5. Are you a good actor?

From your written English, I would assume that functionally speaking you should be fine teaching conversational English to just about any age group- a TEFL cert. would help. Who will be willing to hire you depends on luck, your gift of the gab, and the unfair questions listed above.

"Steven"

Hi, I recently popped into a Language training school to inquire bout the TEFL course. I have been living in Thailand for 14 years, ( speak Thai well enough ) and do not have a bachelor's degree. I have had only 2 weeks previous experience helping out while a teacher was away on pregnancy leave. English is my native language.

I was asked how soon could I begin teaching. Apparently this private school was not happy with the current teacher. I agreed with only a one day notice not knowing what to expect. My classes began at 9:15 A.M. for 1 hr. and then again at 12:20 P.M. A total of 18 hrs. per week for 300 bht. per hr.

In the morn. I had to teach 2- 20 min. nursery level classes everyday. The rest of my classes consisted of Prathom 1,2,3,4,5,6,. I had altogether 8 different age groups or levels. On top of this they wanted me to be at the school at 8:00 A.M. everymorn. to give a 20 min. lesson outdoors in front of everyone ( parents etc. ) on the P.A. system.

I refused the 8:00 A.M. call as I was having enough of a challenge trying to determine what level of learning each of the age groups, I was asked to teach, were at. I was not given hardly any resource material and was told to just teach the basics ' Good Morn. etc. ' Then they told me the teachers wanted me to teach from the current years Zoom lesson book of which they had not given me.

To make a long story short after one week they fired me citing that I did not have the capability to teach. ( They already had another teacher in the wing. ) My predecessor was an Amer. retired teacher and journalist so I came to the conclusion that they were more concerned with appearances than anything else. They just wanted to have some foreigners to stand up in front of the parents every morn. to put on a show to garner attention and to attract more students to come learn in their expanding school. Incidentally my classes were 40 + students. I could not move down the aisles without turning sideways ( and I'm not fat ).

My question is this. Was that a normal condition that I should have been prepared for or was I railroaded? I should also mention that the children in 2 of my classes were totally out of control on my first encounter throwing everything around the room and generally not paying attention to nothing.

Steven

There are some drastic disparities in the conditions of English language teaching in Thailand. Can I assume that the above conditions were without a work permit? Why would you put up with this sh!t when you can teach a string of private Japanese, Korean or Chinese students throughout the day at 500-600 baht per hour for 1- 2 hours per visit. The Japanese tend to study as a hobby so you have to have quite a few of them during the week, but they all live in the same area in mid Sukhumvit. Expect not more than 1 or two days per week for each client. The Chinese (mostly kids) study a lot more; minimum 2 hours per visit, maybe 2 to 5 days per week. A few of these can add up to a healthy supplement to a regular gig. Why anyone works for less than 500 baht an hour now is beyond me. It's just not worth it for less than that.

Thankyou for your comment. Just to add more info I might add that this was a school in Phuket. I do not want to live in Bangkok so am more limited in my choices. The pay rate was acceptable as this was the first real paying job I had received teaching english and I had not taken a TEFL course.

What you have outlined is a far cry better but is it possible to do here in Phuket? To answer your question, yes this was without a work permit but was supposed to be arranged in time.

My question to you is are you currently working as a teacher under the conditions you have outlined?

As I've said before in this forum, all that better qualifications really do in the teaching business here is give you a better chance at getting all the jobs on offer. As the average job ranges from 25-35K (for TEFL) and 35-45K (for real subjects), you choose your salary range and take your chances. As Ken says, a woman has a better chance these days. Her quals should be fine for any TEFL job (assuming she gets the TEFL cert), and with a few years of actual experience she may even think about moving up into real English teaching (earlier, if she's good).

On another thread, rawumber asks:

Hi, really enjoy reading this forum, and have been doing so for about a year. I have been trying to map out some sort of future for the next few years, and thought about teaching English in Thailand.

I'm 44 without a degree, and not the best understanding of the English language. Would this rule me out of teaching, how skilled do you have to be to teach young Thai children English? I have two children of my own, so I understand what children need in the way of stimulation. I have taught art to large classes of under nines and realise how demanding they can be.

If I was to take a relevant teaching course in Thailand would that equip sombody like myself without a formal education to teach in schools there.

Any thoughts much appreciated.

Once again, there are no hard and fast answers. Even though it is terribly agist, racist, and discriminatory, a lot depends on questions such as:

1. How old are you?

2. How dark is your skin?

3. How thick is your accent?

4. How professionally dressed are you?

5. Are you a good actor?

From your written English, I would assume that functionally speaking you should be fine teaching conversational English to just about any age group- a TEFL cert. would help. Who will be willing to hire you depends on luck, your gift of the gab, and the unfair questions listed above.

"Steven"

Hi, I recently popped into a Language training school to inquire bout the TEFL course. I have been living in Thailand for 14 years, ( speak Thai well enough ) and do not have a bachelor's degree. I have had only 2 weeks previous experience helping out while a teacher was away on pregnancy leave. English is my native language.

I was asked how soon could I begin teaching. Apparently this private school was not happy with the current teacher. I agreed with only a one day notice not knowing what to expect. My classes began at 9:15 A.M. for 1 hr. and then again at 12:20 P.M. A total of 18 hrs. per week for 300 bht. per hr.

In the morn. I had to teach 2- 20 min. nursery level classes everyday. The rest of my classes consisted of Prathom 1,2,3,4,5,6,. I had altogether 8 different age groups or levels. On top of this they wanted me to be at the school at 8:00 A.M. everymorn. to give a 20 min. lesson outdoors in front of everyone ( parents etc. ) on the P.A. system.

I refused the 8:00 A.M. call as I was having enough of a challenge trying to determine what level of learning each of the age groups, I was asked to teach, were at. I was not given hardly any resource material and was told to just teach the basics ' Good Morn. etc. ' Then they told me the teachers wanted me to teach from the current years Zoom lesson book of which they had not given me.

To make a long story short after one week they fired me citing that I did not have the capability to teach. ( They already had another teacher in the wing. ) My predecessor was an Amer. retired teacher and journalist so I came to the conclusion that they were more concerned with appearances than anything else. They just wanted to have some foreigners to stand up in front of the parents every morn. to put on a show to garner attention and to attract more students to come learn in their expanding school. Incidentally my classes were 40 + students. I could not move down the aisles without turning sideways ( and I'm not fat ).

My question is this. Was that a normal condition that I should have been prepared for or was I railroaded? I should also mention that the children in 2 of my classes were totally out of control on my first encounter throwing everything around the room and generally not paying attention to nothing.

Steven

Why do you want to invest offshore and what kind of investment are you looking for? Stocks ,Bonds, REIT'S? Stocks bought and sold on the SET are tax free for locals and foreigners.