Scott123

the longer this goes on, the more corruption gets exposed and more people see, why the demonstrators are out there, peacefully demonstrating against corruption.

I just hope, that the military will stop this farce. How else, can it be brought to an end? Thaksin won't give up and neither will the other side.

Both sides have corruption.

Constitution does not prohibit a revolution.

I plan to have a working holiday in Thailand (BKK) for a month, will stay at hotels there.

However, during my holiday in BKK, I will need to attend conference calls to the U.S.

I know most hotels provide internet service (either fee or no fee), and I should be able to make international calls via VOIP.

But I worry that some hotel internet are slow or not reliable, and the VOIP sound quality will not be good.

So I need a backup plan in case the hotel internet service is not acceptable.

The hotel land line is too expensive. I don't mind paying fair price for decent quality phone calls, but not at hotel land line price.

Does anyone know if there are phone cards I can buy at 7-11 for international calls, and how much do they cost?

Get the money out of Thailand and into your hands as soon as possible. Leaving 300k Baht in Thailand in your wife's name in a foreign bank does not sound like a good idea.

Forget the gold idea. gold is very high right now. why take the chance its value will go down? 300k baht is about 10,000 USD. Let me use Dollars just for a baseline. One can get many tax free municipal bonds in the USA either in funds or individual bonds that pay a very safe 4.5% rate. Nothing great, but it is better than nothing. The interest buys a month's worth of groceries.

4.5% rate? You are looking into 10+ years term !!

After experiencing a reckless taxi driver who almost got me killed on my way from hotel to airport, I would never take taxi to/from BKK airport.

I agree with your observations. I contacted several agents in Spain but one replied.

When I told him that the prices they (clients) ask are absurd and not market conform I got a nonsense answer.

When I told him that there are 1, 5 (!) MILLION houses for sale in Spain PLUS the not-yet listed (because it doesn't make sense at all to list since there are NO buyers) he shrugged his shoulders.

The point is that there is no fighting spirit anymore; people/salesmen who are fighting to make a living.

People/salesmen who have the attitude to sell, be successful, friendly with their clients...where are they?

All those real estate agents (I'm an investor in real estate), worldwide, are lazy b@stards who made so much money in the past golden years that they forgot how to do real business and sell again.

Especially in a difficult market where buyers are kings it should be of the utmost importance to treat your clients well....but NO such thing....

LaoPo

You already have the answer there...so what's the problem?

Here is a link to this subject that has been extensively discussed about:

There is extended discussion on this topic in this thread.

I lived in Bangkok for 2 years. First year, an agent found the room for me at Silom Suite condo on Sathorn road. The owner was a British who only visit Thailand once a year, but had this condo as income property investment. He used a Thai lady to manage the condo, ie., collecting rent and signing contract. My 2 months deposit were 60000 baht. One month after I moved out, I met with the Thai lady, she gave me a list of the demaged items/reasons. She charged me 15000 baht for these items and give me back 45000 baht. I seriously doubt that this lady would give the 15000 baht to the British owner. But I had no choice but to agree whatever she wanted. As for the damaged items, they were all totally made up by this thai lady. I mean it was a old room, and quite easy to find any excuses or minor problems there and blame on the tenant. The original agent did not even bother to response to my phone call.

The second year, I also rent through an agent, but I met and paid the rent directly to the Thai owner, a young Thai couple. They were fair and honest. When I moved out, we cleared all the utilities bills, fees and deposit issues on the same day I moved out (I did not have to wait one month).

Those were my experence of renting in Bangkok. Good luck.

The building has been done for a while, and it is still quite empty.

Be prepared to loose your deposit as very few are returned in this land of scams.

Most Thai's spend the deposit within days of receiving it so the chance of having it returned are slim.

Your bog standard Thai rental agreement states very little other than the fact that you agree to pay x amount of money per month to the owner for a period of not less than twelve months.

Bear in mind that anyone leasing accommodation in Thailand should be paying 15% tax on rental money received.

A good weapon if you have serious problems with you landlord/landlady.

Threaten them with the tax-man and your deposit should be returned.

Keep all evidence of your stay as proof.

Threaten them with the tax man sounds a good idea!

Where do do you contact the "Thai taxman" to report these people? Is there a hotline, as in some European countries?

1. make sure you have a copy of the landlord's Thai ID

2. you should pay the rent via bank deposit to landlord's account, and keep these bank confirmation receipts. If you pay cash directly to landlord, you should get a receipt from landlord everytime you pay your rent.

3. Thailand Revenue Department

Be prepared to loose your deposit as very few are returned in this land of scams.

Most Thai's spend the deposit within days of receiving it so the chance of having it returned are slim.

Your bog standard Thai rental agreement states very little other than the fact that you agree to pay x amount of money per month to the owner for a period of not less than twelve months.

Bear in mind that anyone leasing accommodation in Thailand should be paying 15% tax on rental money received.

A good weapon if you have serious problems with you landlord/landlady.

Threaten them with the tax-man and your deposit should be returned.

Keep all evidence of your stay as proof.

Threaten them with the tax man sounds a good idea!

Where do do you contact the "Thai taxman" to report these people? Is there a hotline, as in some European countries?

1. make sure you have a copy of the landlord's Thai ID

2. you should pay the rent via bank deposit to landlord's account, and keep these bank confirmation receipts. If you pay cash directly to landlord, you should get a receipt from landlord everytime you pay your rent.

3. Thailand Revenue Department

The same guys who make fun of you today, probably won't be able to afford living here in 5 years from now. Then you will be the one laughing!

I suppose its possible but I currently pay 5k baht less a month for a much better place and location than I had five year ago. Granted I moved further down Sukhumvit but skytrain makes life very easy.

Yep, me too. I just renewed my rental contract and I am now paying 2K less per month for the exact same place. The owner knows there are plenty of vancant units in this condo building for rent (Sukhumvit soi 11), and that there are less expat and long-stay people now than before. She told me she was just glad that I wanted to stay.

When I bought my condos 6-7 years ago, people kept asking me why I was buying when it was so cheap to rent. Now, everyone tells me how lucky I was that I bought then. Funny how short some people's memories are!!! The same guys who make fun of you today, probably won't be able to afford living here in 5 years from now. Then you will be the one laughing!

His question is if to buy now. He didn't asked if he should have bought 7 years ago.

There are some people now regret buying 1 year or 2 years ago, some buyers even walked away from thier deposits on new developments.

And 5 years from now....who knows...properties may or may not raise values in the next 10 years.

I have been living in Thailand for a couple years, and have decided I have had enough of it. I am moving back to my farangland and I am looking forward to it. I won't say my complaints here, but lets just say I perfer being a tourist than a residence in Thailand.

I dont think I would like to be a 'residence' in any country but happy to be a resident in Thailand.... Dukkha

it was a typo...my bad...and yes, your typing is better than mine...wow

I have been living in Thailand for a couple years, and have decided I have had enough of it. I am moving back to my farangland and I am looking forward to it. I won't say my complaints here, but lets just say I perfer being a tourist than a residence in Thailand.

what will you do if you find some defects? refuse to take ownership? or go to a Thai court?

Can you explain what you are trying to insure? your apartment? your office space?

Are you insuring agaist natural disasters, theives, fire...etc?

oh my god...is this a lawless land or what?

someone needs to follow up on the police investigation and procecution of the criminals. Or perhaps, the police have been taken care of?

You're in Thailand my friend..you ain't getting anything back. First reply knew this and acted accordingly. You do the same. Best bet.. if you have at TGF or equivalent...tell her, sister, family whatever, they can have 75% of whatever deposit they can get. If you get the other other 25% consider yourself lucky. They can spend their time pestering the holy shit out of the LL for that 75%...and they will!! It just isn't worth your aggravation. You will be strung along for months...guaranteed!

That's it....I am moving out of Thailand.

If I ever come back for long stay, I will stay at a serviced apartment.

As with many/most things in TV, the question has already been asked and answered. Scroll back through the last 2-3 pages of threads in this sub-forum and you will find a long-running and informative thread .. something like "rental deposits only going one way in thailand". Lots of good tips there

This is the thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Rental-Depos...nd-t222857.html

Any update on this?

Agord, did you ever see your deposit returned?

I am dying to know too.

Ever tried to squeeze blood from a turnip?

The only hope of seeing anything is to screw the landlord before you get screwed.

If they're absolutely determined to jam you, pour quick-setting cement into every drain on your way out.

Don't forget to smile.

I am afraid that the security staff would have been called, and you would not be able to get out.

Completely disagree! This is now very much a tenants market and in that area

many Japanese and executives from other countries have been sent home.

The market comprises a very wide variety of onwers with differing capabilities

of riding out this downturn and now some will even drop their pants to get a tenant.

Just go around as many as you can without expressing any opinions/ feelings

during the inspection and then go back to them and submit a low offer and you will find

at least one of them will buckle

You are assuming that OP is such an easy going guy that he can live in any apartment.

Based on my personal experience, after viewing 20 apartments, I can usually pick one or two that I like (otherwise I will continue looking).

I will pay a reasonable market price rent to an apartment I like rather than renting the most bargained down apartment.

dup

I just read about an Ozzie couple who rented a house for a few months in Thailand. While out to dinner, it burned down. The investigators said it was faulty wiring. The couple confirmed everything was OK for them to leave the country, and they did. Now, 2 years later, they return to the LOS and are in big trouble.

The owner got another investigator to say it was a cigarette in the bed that caused the fire. He wanted 60,000B. The couple had to pay or they were not allowed to leave the Kingdom.

What a mess these Thai's allow to happen. Such a shame....hope you get your issued resolved!!!!

This seems strange....

How did the police know these Ozzie couple returned to Thailand?

Were they on immigration's black list and arrested upon entering Thailand?

or perhaps they returned to visit the landlord?