koolbreez

You are planning on developing raw land that you have no idea how it is zoned. Getting the right zoning to even break ground will be expensive as most raw land will be zones agricultural, and not commercial (this, and licensing will be the biggest cost). Then you will have resistance from the golf establishments already in business, this will raise the cost of getting zoned correctly, and your attorney fees (you can't do it yourself). Then you have licenses to get sorted out, and your long term lease.

The rental amount you are figuring is real low for that much land in that area zoned for commercial use. You are developing a long term investment, not some 3 month deposit rental agreement, and pay by the month. The lease will most likely be paid as a lump sum yearly on a 3+3 contract if you get lucky to start (ideally you want a 10+10 year lease), then a monthly rate on top of it is usual based off revenue (the local police/mafia get this money). The restaurant rent alone can run 40k+ a month if you plan on serving alcohol.

The land owner will not pay any of the zoning change cost, it is all on you. Out of pocket to get all this zoning, licensing, and lease terms done should be no more than $150,000US, depending how many other golf course driving ranges are in the area, and fight the zoning change(calibre of their range/course has no consideration in this, only your business threat to them, and their connections).

The equipment costs you figure are quite low. The netting alone will run about bt2.5millon with yearly maintaince of about bt40k+. Wind, and salt air does damage to netting real fast, and has to be fixed immediately (ladders don't work for this). Low cost netting is a waste of money as you'll find out. With the length of poling, and support needed, more in the range of $100,000US is more reasonable to get this set up. The machine to pick up the golf balls should be no more than $15,000 new, and I doubt you'll find one used in-country.

If you plan on building your buildings with all bamboo, single story, and thatched roofs then you might get buy that cheap, but to have any form of inventory/furnishings security you'll need a study metal, concrete, or wooden structure multi story high (you will get robbed), then open air won't cut it for the calibre you seem to be aiming for. Air conditioning costs can get expensive to keep a building cool, even a small building. At least triple the cost you have figured for just the buildings. In the range of another $110,000 for the furnished buildings, and security system is more realistic.

If you plan on watering your commercial grass you'll have to get water contracts at the very least, and maybe even have to build a water tower, not just depending on city residential water pressure availibility for the grass maintainance (kind of makes you wonder why everyone else has fake astroturf grass). You will be classed as being a commercial business with high water needs. Depending on how rural the land is there might not even be fresh water availibility unless you build it, or the connection to the city system, and this is highly likely even close in. More thousands of dollars in setup costs. A sewer system will not exist, and will have to be built to be legal.

As a new commercial business you will need insurance of all kinds, more expenses as most policies are paid on a yearly basis.

Being how highly visible your commercial business will be, it all has to be completely legal, and it is not going to be cheap getting it all set up. I've touched on just some of the more blatant costs associated in getting set up so you can drive your first ball, and maybe have a place to eat, and poop. There will be more as you go through the paperwork trail. Nothing will be grandfathered in under old laws. After you're all set up it can be cheaper to maintain yearly, but your initial setup costs are way off, and lots of things haven't even been considered by you.

American Express TCs in $500 size checks (you can still get them. and most banks give out TCs for free to their customers), a few ATM debit cards, a few low amount credit cards, and some $100 bills. The best rate for exchange right now is with the $500 TCs, lower than $100 bills by bt20 (bt60 total charge for each TC cashed), unless you can find the few Aeon ATM machines around, and that your bank does not charge a foreign transaction fee, and gives current international exchange rates. Most banks charge at least 1% foreign transaction fee for overseas ATM withdrawals, then all other ATM machine (except the very few Aeon ones) withdrawals charge bt150.

The worst way to get cash is with a credit card as the rate is real high for cash withdrawals (usually 5%, and a minimum charge). For credit card purchases not many businesses accept American Express cards, just Visa, and Mastercard. Then if you pay for transactions with cash you can usually get a discount of 5% off the price at any major store even after price negotiations, except most hotels.

Another reason to have a credit card with you is in case of medical emergencies. Most all insurance companies require you to pay out of your pocket for overseas medical services, then they reemburse you, with most requiring the bill to be written in dollars, and not baht. A credit card gives you the cost in dollars on the statement, and gets you out of the hospital after treatment. Medical is cheap in Thailand, but can still run into thousands of dollars in an emergency accident situation.

Because of unforseen circumstance that can pop up anywhere out of the country, you want to have multiple ways you can get cash, and ways to get cash if everything gets lost, or stolen, another reason for the large denomination American Express TCs. Most people use ATMs, and large denomination TCs though, with a CC for hotel security bookings, or flight changes.

Spend the money for a real tourist visa before you leave, and there won't be any problem at all, even if there are unforeseen problems closing the airport for a few weeks.

The hash charge isn't of too much concern because of the weight, but as a second repeat charge after a conviction for a sizable (over 100g) pot charge, and importing on both charges you won't be accepted by this current government, and their heavy anti-drug stance. The criminal charges are based off Thai law as to how serious they are, not under UK law for permanent residency.

If the convictions are old enough that some judge in the UK will seal the records then you might have a chance, and don't for a minute think your Thai MP buddy will stick up for you if it will cause him to loose face here defending a known convicted drug person. Does he even know about these convictions? I doubt it, and you should keep it that way until you can get a judge in the UK to seal the records. A good lawyer can do this for you if lots of years have passed, you can afford his fee, and you've been a good boy since then. Contact a good UK lawyer versed in criminal law.

" and other populist policies" amounts to trillions of baht raising debt ratio above 70% from the 40% it's at now, and is not temporary going down with rice sales. It is funny how she sluffs off the other huge debt not accociated with the rice scheme that is what was being talked about, but turned into the current topic of the rice scheme. This government has hidden non-preforming loans to give them more borrowing to fund populist infrastructure projects that make the rice scheme look like pocket change, and putting the debt on course for bankruptcy.

Getting all the required tests done, including the blood test, and chest x-ray, in Bangkok at the Tropical Disease clinic down from Victory Monument cost bt300 total (much cheaper than most other clinics in Bangkok catering to foreigners), and the certificate is accepted for a WP as the tests are done, and not just written off as having been done. The one the local clinic I live by did for bt50 was rejected outright as no blood test, or chest x-ray was listed on the form as having been done.

It sounds like you have a saleable animation project, and can't afford to take the time off to produce it living in your home country, that is why you want to live here. If this is the case then nothing you will be doing here has to be visible as far as the fact you are working to the Thai government.

There is another option, and the cheapest, to consider if the above is the case. All of you go to school here, and study Thai 2 days a week for 2 hours each day at an established language school. This will give you the one year visa (for under $1000) you will need to stay here, at an additional cost of bt1900 every 3 months, without having to leave the country, but you do have to go to school 4 hours a week.

It is technically not legal to work on this visa, but the work you will be doing is not visible so no real worry of some official finding out, and your finished work won't be sold in Thailand so no need to pay taxes. This is not technically legal, but the risk of getting caught is extremely low, and will better fit into your budget, and objective.

If you need to hire a few local animators the colleges are full of qualified people that will work for cash under the table, and very easy to recruit online. As long as they are not given credit in the finished product you shouldn't get in trouble hiring them. No paper trail will exist as long as you do not credit anything about the animation to being done in Thailand in anyway, shape, or form, in the finished product.

Trying to work with the BOI, and being classed as a film producer opens up a real big can of worms you might not wish to do. Any film produced in Thailand, even an animation, is open to censorship by the film board, and that could put a stop to your project before you even get started here. Not a risk I'd take given there are ways around it.

If you have a college degree, and hopefully have completed your masters level, then it can be easier getting a teaching job here. Without extensive experience in another field, and hopefully able to speak Thai fluently, you won't be considered for other jobs here, like restaurant/nightclub management, or a cook.

You can not get a work visa, and work permit before you come here unless you already have a job. You can get a tourist visa, and look for a job here, but remember there are roughly 20,000 other kids your age from all over the world wanting to do the same thing every month, very very very few of them succeed, without being rich.

If by some pure luck you do get a legal job here remember there are no real labor laws so you work long hours, no overtime pay, with limited days off during the month. Very very few jobs are 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Thailand is not really a nice place to work, except for the top level, and mid-management jobs with major international corporations, and that takes getting those jobs before you get here.

The other option, and what lots of people do, other than teach English, is open their own business, but that takes lots of desposable cash, and an expertise in something that can make money, then all your waking hours spent at it, employees will rob you blind.

Get as many tourist visas as you can before you leave your home country (3 is the max), then get ALL your cash together, buy a plane ticket (most airlines allow changing the return date up to one year out for a small fee), and try to last one year living here. If you can stay here one year without ending up in jail, getting deported, or being destitute on the streets, then you have a small chance of making it here at your age. It is a small chance, but at least it is a chance.

Good luck, and remember your health insurance usually requires you paying cash here, then they reemburse you if you get hurt, and have to go to a hospital, or clinic. If you try to skip on the bill you'll be arrested when you try to leave the country, if not sooner. Initially, being a foreigner, everything is your fault if accidents happen.

What you fail to realise in sluffing off the fact no pro, or golf name will be associated is how image concious Thais are in trying to build a customer base. Local foreigners are more likely to warm up/practice at the course they play at before they go out for their round, and are not in Thailand to improve their game. They aren't here, and didn't come here exclusively for the golf. You need a Thai base of customers, and they won't show up without some status, and prestiege, no matter how good the facilities are.

As a foreigner this whole investment will be cash, with no loans. You have no clue what is involved to open the doors. It is not just renting some land, buying some equipment, planting some grass, and you're in business. This is a very visible business so you will have to build a building, zoning changes to contend with, security, business incorporation fees, licensing, insurance, legal fees, accounting fees, maintainance costs, sourcing, advertising, bribes (as a new competitor to someone already in business there will be expensive bribes to get licensed). This isn't a business you can hide behind some door, it is extremely visible so has to be completely legal.

Think in the range of $400,000US -$700,000US just to open the doors for just yourself for the first year, and that could easily go over $1,000,000US in initial costs to be able to cater to customers. You're not taking an established business, and building from there, you're starting from bare ground, and that can be expensive, no matter what country you're in.

Do some research, and not just watching the movie "Tin Cup"...lolol. Land rental, and equipment purchase won't be your biggest problem to realize any kind of ROI, it will be trying to break into the very cliquish golf practise crowd.

It doesn't sound like you have any golf pro standing that using your name could contribute to profit from its use, so lessons, and prestiege from practicing their are out unless you hire a recognized pro, at considerable cost. You don't seem to network with golfers just from the questions you're asking, and that also imply trying to cut corners on requirements.

You can be criminally liable in Thailand if someone gets hurt from an eradic golf ball. The nets also stop intentional out of course drives to see what golfers can hit on a bet, at your liability. Kind of like golfers that intentionally shoot for the windows of the houses next to fareways.

With the implied underfunding, no pro golf standing to attract golfers, and your name not associated with the golf crowd at all, you can expect to loose all your money with no return on your investment in the first year.

reserve+1

You're out of luck. There are no provisions for an ED visa that does not involve going to school regularly. You can not study at home on your spare time, and get that visa.

Past visas have no influence. You might also consider the Los Angeles consulate, as they also will issue 3. All my West coast clients use the LA consulate.

They are the worst, and will only issue one tourist visa. If you look like a backpacker they will give you a real hard time as my client experienced last April, and he is 45, but did have his backpack with him, hitting the embassy in the morning before checking into his hotel, as it was too early for check in. It was not a pleasant experience for him. Dropped off paperwork in the morning, picked passport with visa up the next day.

Was a very good party. The band was exhuberant to say the least, and met all requests, even ACDC. The cat, and magician were special treats, and I did get lots of pics. Only a few suggestions for the next party, one of which was mentioned by my girlfriend, and one noticed by myself.

My girl friend noticed that although the food was excellent there was a marked lack of Thai food for those that prefered it, and I was a little set back having to pay bt95 for a soft drink, when the OP mentioned free soft drinks. Medication precludes me from alcohol, although I did nurse one beer all night just to remember the taste, and left half of it, as did my girlfriend. Are our two leftover punches good for the next party....lololol?

This should not be taken as us not enjoing ourselves, we did, there was ample entertainment for the cost, even without the drinks, but the party was tailored around Western food, and drinking alcohol, with no alternatives for those prefering Thai food, and no alternative to alcohol, except for extremely overpriced soft drinks, contrary to the OP. I don't think all members, or their guests, are solely Western food eater, or alcohol drinkers. The party was well planned, and executed though, and we did have a good time. These are just observations to maybe make the next one even better.

Just an addition to what has already been mentioned. There is no country around Thailand that will issue 3 visas at once. You can only get that many before you leave the USA. The best you'll get that is close to here is 2 from Laos.

There is technically a requirement as a tourist that out of a years timeframe you're supposed to be out of the country for three consecutive months, but I've never heard of it being enforced. There are embassies that threaten it at their discretion, and with a red stamp, but as far as enforcing it later, there are usually ways around it.

Can't legally work on a retirement visa, and yes you'll loose the remaining allowed extension before it expires if you change to another type of visa.

On the other question with the OZ passport, you'll get 30 days on arrival, and can extend it for 7 more for bt1900, then you have to leave, and reenter the country to stay any longer. No way around it if that is how you want to enter the country to begin with. A better bet is to spend the bt1000 for a real tourist visa, or two, or three, before you leave OZ, with just one tourist visa you can stay 60 days, and extend it for 30 more days for bt1900, a much better deal in the long run. With more tourist visas you do have to leave the country, and return to do it all again.

The safe haven against volatile currencies has always been gold, going back as long as there has been currencies traded, as long as simply protecting your wealth from depreciating was the purpose, and not looking for growth. As far as the safest currency, that would be the Chinese Yuan, that has a goverment set exchange rate, that does not, and will not float on the free market, but because of that fact it is hard to aquire outside of China.

Sunbelt Asia might be a good company to contact for help. They have extensive experience in setting up business' of all kinds. They have an office on lower Sukhumvit.

Are you looking at a one time shipment, or will this involve regular consignments? At a valuation of under $2000, and a one time shipment only, there are ways to avoid most of the paperwork, depending on the actual bulk of the product, and how fast it needs to arrive, except for agricultural product, my specialty.

Message me the product you are exporting, and I might be able to help you. I retired 9 years early exporting a specific food product out of Thailand, and into both Canada, and the USA.

California has strange laws, and with you owing them money there might be some stipulation that they can charge you with a felony if you don't pay them, kind of like writing a bad check for that huge sum of money, It can be a felony.

If you can be charged with a felony, and convicted, for not paying the state then you would loose your passport. That is the only thing I can see as why the state might have a hold over you, with the threat of a felony conviction.

The last tourist visa has to be used by the 12th, it has nothing to do with when your current visa you entered the country on expires. Just do a border run before the 12th, and get the extra sixty days from the time you reenter Thailand instead of the extension. Bt2000 for a border run, and that might include lunch, or bt1900 for the extension with taxi fairs not included. I'd use the last visa before the 12th.

Living in California was the first mistake. The laws governing alimony in California are strict. I believe alimony originated in California, but I might be mistraken.

It sounds like the divorce was hostile, and the ex wants to ruin your life for whatever reason. Did the Thai wife enter the picture before, or after the divorce?

There will be no problem for you leaving the county as long as the judge that handled the divorce can be convinced you will continue to pay your legal obligation to her, which might be hard given how long you seem to have went without paying.

The amount you pay is usually determined by a means test, that being how much you make, and her ability to care for herself with her work. It sounds as though she was a stay at home mom without a career given the amount you are paying. It also is usual that the amount of her alimony combined with the child support amount at the time of the final decree was about sixty percent of your income at the time.

If this original income amount you made has went down, and because of reasons out of your control prevent you from still making that income amount (like health reasons, not because you simply don't want to do that job anymore), then you can petition the court to have the amount reduced (you don't need her permission), or eliminated if she is now employed in a career where she can reasonably support herself, as it sounds as though the kids have reached the age of maturity, and it is no longer necessary that she maintain a home for them, or if she has remarried, or that you can prove she falls under common law marriage requirements in California, and she isn't formally married simply to continue to receive funds from you.

Contact a good divorce attorney as it does sound like you can afford one, but given that you have made an offer to settle for a lump sum amount, it might be hard proving you can no longer afford to pay her. Where is that money coming from, and why can't you afford to continue meeting the obligation? Moving to Thailand isn't a good excuse.

If your passport is revoked while you are out of the country, the last country you entered on the computer is contacted, and when they find you you are usually jailed until they deport you back to your home country. The embassy has nothing to do with t. The revoked passport number is also placed on a watch list.

Add me to the list +1. The girlfriend would kill me if I didn't bring her.

koolbreez +1

There is evidence of graft. Millers have been using rigged moisture gages to rob the farmers by showing the rice as being to wet, and paying the farmer less as a result, then pocketing the difference. There are instances of more rice showing up in storage than was harvested, and the list goes on.

The sceme is so sucessful the military has now authorised the government to use military warehousing at Don Muang for storage.

The biggest factor though is Thaksin's dream of creating a rice cartel with the countries of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. This would give him the ability, he dreams, to control roughly 60% of the world export rice harvest, and better allow him to dictate price. The key player Vietnam is to decide in the next few weeks if it wants to be part of the cartel.

This is what Thaksin has been learning with all the time he's spent in Dubai around the oil cartel, and now he wants to be the rice cartel king. He was hoping by taking the bulk of the Thai export rice off the market he could manipulate world prices, but now realises he can't, and needs the rest of the area around Thailand under his control in order to have any chance of doing it. His biggest stumbling block is India (not invited into the cartel), and all his effort is doing is moving India into the number one exporter spot, even ahead of Vietnam within the next year.