koolbreez

The school will have everything you need, as the paperwork has to be approved by the MoE before you get it to take to immigration. If the school says no interview then just take the paperwork they give you.

Silver is a world commodity, and bullion (99.999 percent pure) is traded on the open market through ligitimate dealers. The commission charged varies by the quantity you buy. You pay tax on the profit when you sell. There are world recognized producers of bullion that are freely traded, without it having to be re-tested, and melted down.

The next step down is stirling silver at 92.5 percent pure, and what most Thai jewelry is made from, and can be easily tested once you learn how.

If you melt down, and refine your own silver you will have a very hard time selling it, without the place you sell it to not wanting to remelt it all, and at a cost to you for doing this. You can make money buying scrap silver, and melting it down, but you have to know what you are buying 100% of the time, and have a refiner that will pay you market price (they always have a minimum number of ounces required to deal with them usually starting at 100, or 1000). The gold traders association in Thailand is a closed market to foreigners, as is the silver traders association.

The markets you should be looking at to buy from is new emerging markets, not long established markets like Thailand. Think Myanmar, and you might be able to make good money once you learn the metalergy associated with silver. Your next problem is related to import/export of precious metals to locations around the world. You won't be able to sell in Thailand at a profit, other than on market fluxuation speculation, unless your Thai wife's family is already involved in the metals market. It is even closed to her if she is not already involved.

What you are speculating about is nothing new. It is being done, and has been for a long time. The only new market is exporting out of Myanmar, and then only if you hurry to get it all set up.

There is nowhere, not any Thai embassy/consulate, that issues tourist visas on the same day. At the very least it takes two days, with most locations around the world taking longer. The cheapest over-all option is Vientaine in Laos, as they still issue 2 tourist visas at the same time. It is also fairly cheap taking the train, or bus to NongKwai, cross over, and get the visas, then return.

One of the things you can do to slightly reduce the over-all cost is to get USA dollars to buy the Laos visa with ($35US as opposed to bt1500, about a $15 savings). You can get American money at the Bangkok Bank for a small fee. To buy $35US would cost about bt40 in fees.

Two trips for the same two tourist visas to most other countries around Thailand can get expensive compared to the trip to Laos, then the bt2000 visa run you are confused about to activate the second visa. That bt2000 fee can be slightly reduced, but you give up about 10 hours of travel in comfort for less than bt300.

One of your confusions is the visa run for bt2000. That is simply a trip to, and across the border, then back. You only get a 15 day visa exempt stamp for crossing the border overland if you do not have a tourist visa that can be activated on the return to Thailand..

You can bring in your crate of personal items, you just have to pay duty on them. To get to import your items duty free, you need a work permit, and then you have to do it within 6 months of receiving the permit.

The big stumbling block in what you want is the English subtitles. Those are hard to find from the countries you want movies from. In the China Town area is your best bet at the old thieves market section (I know how to get there, but not how to give directions to get there), as that is the area with the largest selection of CD/DVDs, and someone might be willing to help you as you do speak Thai.

A good payed for VPN service will do it, and they don't have to be based in AU, just that one of the servers on their system can access what you want. Your GF might like having a VPN as it will give her access to all the websites banned in Thailand.

A friend got caught with 23.5 grams for personal use, and the cops would not take a bribe (a considerable amount). He was sentenced to 7 years, then after 2.5 years in prison he was released on parol on the King's birthday, and deported out of the country. It cost him about bt3000 a month to stay healthy in prison.

I believe more than 20 grams means intend to sell, that is a whole different category then possesion. That means jail, deportation and blacklisting.

The big factor in my friend's case was the fact he knew the limits, so had the 23.5 grams in 3 different bags. He took one bag out with him, and got caught in a club raid during Thaksin's drug campaign era. they then searched his room, found the other bags, and charged him with intent to sell, and at that point would not accept a bribe. If he had kept it all in one bag he would not have went to jail, his attorney told him.

The anti-drug campaign going on now is just as harsh. The big difference now though is less people are being shot first, then questioned.

One very important thing to consider is her ability to manage the store, and the employees, because you can not. You do not speak Thai so you can do absolutely nothing as far as the store is concerned. If she is not the manager where she works now then seriously consider her ability.

With a 7-11 franchise you will be paying a percentage to the franchiser, so the first time she takes money out of the 'till to give to a needy relative, or friend, or if any of the employees do more than once, you are out of business, with a lawsuit over you.

On the business side, you will need a lawyer (on yearly retainer. Someone falls, or gets injured, you can be criminally libel), a bookkeeper/accountant, banker, and if she has no management education/experience, then you will need a manager, and assistant managers for the shifts (that you can trust, not her, as she trusts everyone, even those she knows steal). As my Indian business friends put it, and I have seen many times, Thais are real good workers, but bad managers for the most part (the business does not come first).

Sunbelt Asia has very good English speaking attorneys that can help in all areas to get you/her set up.

One thing I would recommend though. Don't get her an expensive 7-11 business until you marry her, as it is a big investment, with long term responsibilties that one can not just walk away from when the relationship sours. It is a long term investment with long term legal responsibilities.

There has been a push by the police since the 12th across the region looking for drugs, and weapons. So far 1600+ people have been arrested in Bangkok, and Pathum Thani on drug, and weapons charges.

A friend got caught with 23.5 grams for personal use, and the cops would not take a bribe (a considerable amount). He was sentenced to 7 years, then after 2.5 years in prison he was released on parol on the King's birthday, and deported out of the country. It cost him about bt3000 a month to stay healthy in prison.

The difference in dealing with gold shops is that it is only 22 carat, not the 24 carat that it should contain to be tradeable gold, and fetch market price. It is not a recognized gold commodity like the 24 carat Canadian Maple Leaf, or S. African Krugerand. Also baht gold is 23 carat, and even though the price is always listed according to the baht weight, gold is actually sold, and bought by the gram weight. Not all baht chains, or bracelets weigh the same so the actual price of a piece is determined by the gram weight.

Anything less than 23 carat gold is of no interest to gold shops as they consider it cheap gold, and they have to melt it down.

You'll also need to actually go to the school to get the paperwork needed for each 90 day extension, so you'll need a school registered with the Ministry of Education, not just the cheapest.

On Sukhumvit across from soi 17 is the Times Square building, there are about 6 schools there on the different floors. The Whalen school there is priced good at around bt24,000, and is a good school. That is what schools cost, with some over bt30,000 for the year. I used Language Express to learn Thai at bt26,000 a year. They are in the orange building in the front at the PloenChit BTS station. The slight extra cost was worth it for the convenience of their location.

Because of all the abuse with ED visas they are only extended 90 days at a time, not for a full year. At each 90 days you get a new set of paperwork from the school showing you are attending, and approved by the MoE to take to Immigration for the next extension after the bt1900 fee. You have to remind the school about 3 weeks before the 90 days expires that you need the next set of paperwork, as they have to send it to the MoE for approval before they give it to you.

You don't just get the ED visa extension approved for one year without actually go to school. You can only do that once for 90 days.

What do you plan to do with the pictures? That depends greatly on what you will need. If you just want something to take underwater pictures to put on Facebook, or show your friends then a cheap point shoot camera, and a soft plastic bag/case works.

There are underwater, and water proof cases at all levels, for all cameras, and at all costs. You have to decide what you want to do with the pictures. One thing to remember is everything turns blue as you go down, then once you get below about 50 feet all color turns grey/black unless you have lights, or good flash. Water requires expensive lights, and flash to get shots at more than a few feet away.

A good setup for down to about 30 feet without extra flash, or down to 90 feet with lights, is the Sony NEX cameras, then you can get a good hard plastic case good to 100 feet for bt4500 at a little shop at the back of the first floor of Pantip Plaza on the right as you go back. The hard plastic cases are allot of places, but they seem to have the best prices.

To not have to pay Norway taxes you have to be doing absolutely NO business in Norway, even on the internet, and you have to change your legal residence out of Norway. Separate all ties with Norway short of giving up citizenship. This will also restrict any benefits you will get from Norway, as you will no longer be paying into the system (not usually a good idea to cut emergency, or old age backups).

It is usually better to keep paying taxes in your home country so you do not loose your old age benefits, as Thailand benefits you will qualify for by paying taxes here will not be anything except some cheap medical. Also remember that Thailand IS a third world country, and a foreigner could be deported out of the country at anytime, for any reason, even if you are married to a Thai. Legally you are already breaking the law.

You are looking at the wrong date concerning Thai banks that are vunerable. Look back to the Thailand bank crash of 1996, not 2008. That will tell you the banks to avoid if you don't trust banks, but trust your mattress less to stash money in. Then look now to the banks the government dumped all those non-performing loans into, and think about how vulnerable they are now.

Most regular Thais use Kasikorn bank for that reason. They were not involved in all those banking scandals.

Nothing has changed with the phone companies, but it seems something has changed with her. Long distance relationships are very hard to keep going for any length of time.

If you are not planning to move to Thailand in the near future, or are not planning on getting her to your country, and all this in terms of marriage, then she has good Thai reasoning to start dumping you, and find someone else, which from the signs you discribe she has done. She doesn't have to be a "bar girl" to do this. All she needs is a concerned mother, and girlfriends, with the mother being the biggest influence on her to find a "husband" that will be with her.

If you met her, and she went out with you, then don't for a minute think other foreigners will not be in a same position to meet her if she wants. It is hard to explain, and realize how much influence family has on a Thai woman, especially ones that don't work in bars.

There is a reason none of her phones work, and it has nothing to do with the phone company. It is a very good cover, in her mind, to act surprized you haven't been calling her when she finally calls you. In a while she will use you not calling her as an excuse to end it, even though she knows exactly why you can't get through. I do hope you are not sending her money.

One fallacy is thinking that starter disk you got with your new computer is an original Windows 7 install disk. It is not. It is only a repair disk for system problems. It is not a complete version of Windows, and that is why your repairman had to use the system disk he used to get your computer running, without charging you for a new original Windows 7 disk.

Now that you found your Product key, click the start button, right click on "Computer" scroll down, and click to enter your product key, and see if it will activate legally. I doubt it will as he probably installed a different version of Windows 7, but it might. If it doesn't legally activate you will have to buy a new copy of Original Windows 7. You can get a new ligitimate OEM copy of Windows 7 Home Pro for bt3500 at the Banana computer store at Pantip. You will have to format the hard drive to install it, or you can pay more for a packaged version that you can install over the one on there, but that is not recommended as the old crap will still be there, just not visible.

Most people do not know that the disk that comes with a new computer is not a complete Windows original disk that a person can do a brand new install from. It is only a repair disk. Microsoft wants a new version of Windows on all computers, not someone installing the old version off another computer, that is why they do not supply the complete install disk.

Using an image of your computer system, that was made with a backup program, only works if everything hardware wise is exactly the same, that includes the hard drive. Most people when they change out a bad hard drive do not replace the exact same brand, and model, so the image will not usually work, except with very few backup programs, Norton Ghost being one of them. Backup programs that make an exact copy of the system assume the copy is for software failure, not hardware failure.

I hope this helps explain why the repairman did what he did.

There is currently an IT, and electronic gadgets convention going on until Sunday at Queen Sirikit convention center that has Iphone5's for sale on the spot.

One small correction to the above. If you are taking $10,000US in cash, or more into the USA then you have to report it on the customs declaration form. Under $10,000 cash no problem with not reporting it.

The best thing to do is a bank to bank transfer, or a certified cashiers check from the bank. Your bank here can do it, and help with any paperwork required. There is no reporting requirement with checks.

The branch on lower Sukhumvit close to the NANA BTS station on the even numbered side of the street deals with foreigners on a regular basis, and is a good branch. They require a work permit when you first talk to them, but if you explain to the manager that you need an account for the money deposit requirement for your retirement visa they will open an account for you. All they then will require from you is a notarized letter from the embassy certifying your address in Bangkok, and no they will not change it to an address out of the country at a later date. You will not need a Thai speaker with you to do all this. They do not send out monthly statements, or anything else, so no need for an address other than the serviced apartment you stay at for the month you plan to be here. If you get an ATM card then they issue it on the spot, they do not mail it. Once you move here then change the address.

Going the BoI route limits the investor to only a few property estates in which they can buy their one Rai, and build their house, or buy an existing house in said estate. It does not give the investor free reign over where they can buy. If the investment is ended then the house has to be sold within one year to another qualified buyer.

The upcoming changes in the corporate ownership laws also involve changes in the corporate capital requirements for land ownership, and again in established estates. Not all businesses are going to be allowed, with agricultural land the main exception. This all should be completed by 2015 when Asean takes effect.

The common method now used is the lease route, with the law allowing a 30 year + 30 year renewal contract on a land lease.

Bamboo flooring was tried in the USA, but it was found to have no rigidity so it failed to gain usage, other than for the look. It bounces, and needs solid rigid sub-flooring.

Ratchaprarop soi 16 half way down on the left, but they only speak Thai. On the main street from soi 16 to soi 22 there are 3 more shops, but again they only speak Thai. The one down soi 16 does that kind of work though.

Get in line at the Myanmar embassy visa section on the side soi before 9am when they open. Pay the extra bt500 for same day visa, or you could end up waiting 3 days instead of next day as you are planning. Tell them you are planning on flying out the next day, and can not wait, you'll pick up the visa that day after 3pm.

If you take the early AirAsia flight, you might make it to the Thai embassy that same morning depending on traffic. It is about 45 minutes to the Embassy from the airport, and the taxi fare should be $8US. Remember the taxis from the airport want American money, and only PERFECT bills are accepted in Myanmar, with no creases, no marks of any kind, no letters in the serial number, no worn spots (they see lots of worn spots in the middle of the bill where a fold line would be that no one but them would give a second glance at), and newer than 1996. This is very important, as they do refuse not-perfect money. They don't want Thai baht.

I get new American money at the Bangkok Bank on Sukhumvit in $5, $10, and $20, then $100 for money exchange into Kyat. Even with the recent changes, and the government giving the real exchange rate they still want American dollars instead of Kyat. Going back to the airport to leave Myanmar the drivers will take anything, but the taxi mafia from the airport into the city want American dollars, and remember to ask what the price is (think Phuket airport).

You will also need $10US for departure tax at the airport. They don't call it departure tax anymore, but it is the same thing. It's funny, they added the departure tax into the price of the ticket a year ago, so now because of that they added a new fee so the people at the airport don't loose their source of income they had from the old departure tax.

The Thai embassy in Yangon is not busy like in Vientaine. You can be out of there in 30 minutes, and they might even get the visas back to you the same day if they like you. Tell them some story about wanting to go to Inle lake, or Bagan as soon as you can, given how short of a time you have in Myanmar.

I wonder why you pick Chiang Mai in Thailand? Also are you aware of the yearly environmental concerns in that area? During about 3 months out of the year Chiang Mai, and the surrounding areas in the North are covered in smoke from forest fires, and the burning off of the fields in Thailand, and the surrounding countries. It is not a minor inconvenience. Planes are grounded it gets so bad.

Have you thought about how difficult it will be for your kids, and wife not being able to speak Thai, and living there? Have you explored medical concerns if something happens? If your wife was Thai that would be a serious reason for this move, but just to save money for the kids to go to a private school leaves much to be desired.