tangoll

There is a Zen restaurant on 4th floor of Siam Centre which is at BTS Siam and in between Discovery and Paragon. There is also a Coca Japanese restaurant on same 4th floor, and I think their shabu shabu buffet selection is not bad, fresh but basic. Far better than Shabishi the other shabu shabu buffet chain.

From Suwanna airport to Victory Monument via Rama 9 (pharam gauu) should be about baht 200 - 220 plus 25 in highway tolls, then from Victory Monument to Yanhee Hospital should be about baht 75 - 100, depending on traffic. I've never taken a direct taxi airport to Yanhee, but two separate taxi sectors should total 300 - 350, again depending on traffic.

The Specific Business Tax has been reduced from 3.3% to 0.1% of the value of the transaction as assessed by the Land Office. This reduction is effective for transactions over the next 12 months. The SBT is assessed on the seller, but in a sales agreement, the seller can negotiate to have the buyer pay part or all of the tax. The normal practice for the transfer fee is split 50/50 between seller/buyer.

So, if your agreement with the seller is to split the SBT 50/50 and your transaction date falls within the effective date of this new ruling, you will benefit from the reduction in the SBT tax rate. The seller should not bill you for 1.65% under the old rate when in fact what he paid was only 0.1% being the actual tax paid. Ask to see the actual payment document for the SBT and go from there.

Don't see how this can be construed as force majeure, which means beyond the developer's control. AP and/or the architect should have known about the open window/open door restriction for buildings surrounding the royal palaces, unless the restriction was put in place just within the recent past. How can a local architect not be aware of this restriction? The palaces have been here for many years. Any architect here who can shed any light on this restriction?

I have a unit at each of those AP units, but luckily my units don't face the palace, nor are they higher than 16th floor. I haven't heard how AP will settle with the owners of the units affected, but for sure, the windows and balcony doors have to be sealed. It's a police requirement, so transferred owners must comply. Question is how AP will settle with those owners for delivering a unit not according to specs. And how the architect will settle with AP for not knowing this regulation.

You think the Wish developer has problems. Another developer, Asian Property Dev PLC, put up two projects in the same general area, the Address@Siam and Baan Klang Krung Siam Patumwan. Turns out the buildings facing the Princess's palace cannot have windows or balconies that can be opened (to thwart potential snipers using those condo units as his/her's sniper post, a la "Day of the Jackal"). So the developer now has to go and seal all the balcony doors and windows from 16th floor and higher for those projects. I wonder how he is going to settle with the buyers of those units affected.

Amazes me that the architect/designer would not be aware of such a height regulation for buildings around the royal palaces.

I just paid baht 60,800 for BKK/Los Angeles/Nashville, TN/LAX/BKK for September 2008 on Evergreen Deluxe (Premium Economy) class on Eva Airlines plus economy class on American Airlines for the LAX/BNA/LAX sectors.

Nashville is not exactly East Coast, but fares LAX/East Coast/LAX is not too different from LAX/Nashville/LAX.

There are minor savings if you book Eva and AA (or other airlines) separately, but I just prefer to do the whole trip on one ticket because of connections, possibly of delays, etc.

I have heard from Thai buyers that Supalai is one of toughest developers with regard to name change on purchase contracts. So please post here what are the general conditions on name change; is buyer an individual or a company, and what is wording?

Asian Property charges baht 100,000 for a name change on their purchase contracts, but done willingly.

What bugs me is that real estate agents charge 3% commission calculated on the supposed sale price of the property, but in fact what is being sold is the value of the purchase contract whose value is just the imputed price of the property less the unpaid installments at the time of re-assignment. That value is all that the assignor of contract receives. What is being sold is not the property itself; just the value of the purchase contract. So the real estate agent makes a large commission (in % terms) when the commission paid is viewed against the value of the contract. This is a rip-off.

Hello, I've been quoted an annual premium of baht 4834 for a newly constructed condo unit in Bangkok, insured amount baht 3 million for all risks, plus liability, by a company called Bangkok Insurance PLC. Does anyone else have insurance written by this firm, and is this a reasonable premium for this kind of coverage?

Thanks.

I saw this notice from another site. Does anyone know if there is an official English translation or can someone here translate this notice. About enactment of the law on reduction of taxes and fees for property transactions. I guess it's enacted into law now.

<http://www.dol.go.th/low_ministry/notice/fee-reg/fee-condo.pdf>

Direct link here for Notice on Tax/fee Reduction

Timeless, you mean the Wood Centre at Homepro? Yes, you bring whatever design or sketch you have,, or just a mental concept of what you want, and the staff there will draw the sketch for you, and give you a quote right there and then. Delivery is usually included if items are large enough and cost is high enough. I don't know how well they can do very intricate designs though.

You can try the Wood Centre at Homepro, Prachachuen Road. They do custom made tables, shelves, cabinets, etc, basic designs, but well cut, stained, and assembled.

See the questions/answers in this post. Answers your questions.

<http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=75620&hl=tangoll>

Good luck.

I think the best thing to do is for you to telephone any of the major banks in HK and ask them, banks like Hongkong Bank, Standard Chartered, Citibank, etc. To open a business account will require some paperwork/documents, such you must have registered a company so that you have a Business Registration Document (whether limited liability company or non limited), directors' meeting and resolutions, company stamp and signature authority, etc. You can purchase a limited liability company from any corporate secretarial firms or CPA firm, or solicitors' firm. Then you need shareholders and directors, and these same firms can act as nominee shareholders for you. So, some work involved. You don't actually need to conduct business, but if the company is registered, then there are annual filings that must be done.

quiksilva, thanks for your reply. So, under the old tax rates rules, sale of a condo unit in one year after purchase/transfer would cause a tax/fees liability of about 6%, which includes the income/withholding tax, specific business tax of 3.3%, and transfer fees of 2%. Whereas under the new rules, total tax/fees is only 1.11%. This is not considering whether the seller/buyer apportions the tax/fees between them. Are these calculations correct? If so, then under the new rates, the tax liability actually increases year by year and does not decrease for transactions after the fifth year, as had been the case under the old rates.

Are the new rates in effect already, and for how long will they be in effect? The OP article seems to say that these new rates are in effect for only one year.

Thanks for the information. Does the reduction of transfer fee and specific business tax rates apply also to sale of condo units between individual seller/buyer? You refer to the reduction of rates being of benefit to property developers only. Any other changes to the rates for sale of condo units less than or more than 5 years of ownership?

Have these changes been enacted or are they still in the approval stage?

Thanks in advance for your reply and assistance.

What bugs me is that many people like to leave no airspace between you and the usually guy directly in back of you. If it were a girl, that might not be so bad, but to have a guy pressed up right against your backside, is a bit much. One other time, there were about 10 people in the queue in front of me, and when the line in front moved up a bit, I was slow in closing the gap, so this guy in back of me told me to please hurry up and close the gap, as if doing that, would help get to the immigration counter any quicker. So I assumed the racing starting position stance, and bounded the 2 steps to close the gap. I don't think this guy even noticed the absurdity of immediately closing the gap in front.

Chinese from mainland enjoy the one upmanship game by outsmarting you if they were able to leapfrog you by even one spot. They would edge up closer and closer to you, then be level/even with you, and eventually slide ahead of you. Older Chinese women like doing that, and to think I'm Chinese from Hong Kong. Drivers in HK are another breed that like to squeeze even one car space ahead of whoever they are contending with.

I also had tennis elbow from playing a lot of tennis, and just before the elbow/forearm muscles became painful, I had changed my service motion. It took about 3 - 4 months before the pain went away. What I did was this:

- started playing with my other (left) hand so that I could continue playing and getting exercise. Playing with the left hand had some unintended benefits in that I was able to visualize better stroking actions, better positioning, and how to focus on ball better. All this translated into better form when I was able to play with the right hand again.

- the main exercise I did was to strengthen the forearm muscles. Hard to explain, but essentially, right arm horizontal out in front, right hand up at near 90 degree angle, so palm out facing away from body, left hand palm on palm against right hand, exert force hand against hand. Then right hand down at 90 degree, left hand palm against back of right hand, exert force so that back of right hand is trying to raise itself up to be straight with right arm. At first very painful to do, but gradually the forearm muscles recover. Still do this exercise to this day.

- had a belt with 5 vibrating motors. Wrapped the belt around the forearm and use the vibration to massage the forearm. 20 minutes each evening.

- rubbed heat ointment on arm during the day, and cold ointment just before sleep. Don't know why, just seemed to work better that way, than the other way around or just using heat or cold ointment.

I've since reverted to my old service motion, grip the racquet much more loosely, changed the strings to Prince Hybrid, use a vibration dampener, a stringlike strip rather than the single piece, use a forearm and wrist brace, and apply heat ointment on the forearm before playing. Now, my arm feels stronger than ever. Rest more than anything is the main cure for tennis elbow.

If these exercises don't seem to help, then see a doctor who's treated tennis elbow before.

Yanhee Hospital in Bangkok has a colon detox center (in Thai, lang lam sai), open 7 days a week, 8 am to 7 pm. Just walk in, no appointment necessary. Cost is 800 baht per session of about 45 minutes. But talk to your or Yanhee's doctor first.

I go to Sizzler's at Siam Center, next to Paragon. Their sirloin or NY steak is baht 595, including tax and service charge if I remember correctly. Salad bar/soup/dessert buffet also included. I tell them no house or mushroom sauce, no pepper/salt/other seasoning. Just put the steak on the fire. Drinks are extra.

I've also been to Outback Steakhouse at Siam Discovery on other side of Siam Center. Price is also baht 595 but exclusive of tax/sv, no salad bar, no drink.

I prefer Sizzler's, but others here will probably trash that chain/restaurant because it caters to youngish, local Thais (on weekend evenings, usually packed and one has to wait for a table) and is not a mod or upscale eatery. But it satisfies my craving for steaks.

I've never heard of this done by a developer (company or corporation) on a new built. What the effect is:

1. The transfer tax of 2% based on purchase price will be slightly less.

2. Your FETF (Foreign Exchange Transaction Form) need to cover only the lesser amount. You can still get an FETF for the excess amount to be used for another purchase in the future, so you would need to split your funds transfers into the appropriate amounts.

I think the developer's suggestion of splitting the purchase price into two parts -- the flat itself and furnishings/fitting -- is not bad if the proportions are reasonable. But the developer's warranty should cover the furnishings/fittings part as well.

If the 2nd cheque is to be made out to an individual, then I would ask for a separate letter from the individual guaranteeing the developer's obligations under the purchase contract.

I hope the Lands Department doesn't monitor this site.

Me, I would probably not agree to this kind of request from the developer. In any event, your associate should still be holding the original purchase contract showing the full amount, and he can insist on complying with the original contract. The developer shouldn't object to that. On the other hand, maybe you can suggest to the developer to give you a 10% reduction in price to go along with his plan.

Happy to report that since posting this thread, I've been stretching and rubbing heat ointment and massaging my calves before sleeping each night, and have not had any more cramps during sleep. Key I think is loosening the calf muscles.

Thanks to all who replied with info and advice.

I've split up my 2 bedroom unit into two parts -- one of which is a complete studio unit with own bedroom/toilet with shower, and own separate entrance, with sharing of washing machine, frig, microwave, ceramic cookplate, A/C, hot water for shower. Complex is called Baan Klang Krung Siam Patumwan, just constructed new building, 2 minute walk from BTS Ratchethewi station, which is two stations from Victory Monument. Rent is baht 18,000 per month including electricity, water. Telephone line is included, as is TV. Internet is extra baht 1000 per month and UBC cable is extra baht 1,000 per month. Car park space also included. Includes double bed (from Muji Japan), wardrobe/closet/chest of drawers, small table, or leave unfurnished, as you wish. Complex has two swimming pools, two towers, fitness center, squash courts, superb security and management.

I stay in other part of unit, also with its own separate entrance. I'm in Bangkok only about 1 week a month. I'm male, HK Chinese, 66 years old, retired. This is not sharing of apartment, just sharing front door to unit, then two separate doors to subunits. We do share washing machine, frig, mailbox, and microwave in common entrance area. It's your own private studio unit to which I do not access.

If this is of interest to you and you wish to view, PM me or leave message here and I advise telephone of local agent who can show you the premises. Unit has never been lived in, and available now. I will be back in Bangkok 25 February to make unit available to you by 1st March, if you need it then.

Thanks to all who replied. Poorer circulation may be the culprit as on my trips to Bangkok, I have been enjoying the English all day breakfast at the British Club and once or twice a week to Sizzler Steakhouse for the sirloin steaks. Guess I'll have to cut those out. Impending heart attack -- I sure hope not. Smoking/drinking are not in my life, so nothing to cut out there.

Has this ever happened to anyone else? The calf of my right leg cramps up while I'm asleep, and it's so painful, it wakes me up and stays cramped up for about a minute -- very painful. I can't raise or move the leg.

I didn't do anything strenous during the day, and there was nothing that stretched or injured the calf or leg. I play a fair bit of tennis, so the leg muscles are well developed, and after two hours of tennis in very hot weather the calves might start to cramp or feel tight, but nowhere near the state that the leg froze up to last night.

The next day, the calf is stiff and sore; so I had to massage it a lot, and apply some heat rubbing gel onto it. A day or two it should be back to normal, I think.

The weather here in Hong Kong has been very cold the past few days, with temperatures hovering around the 10 degree Centigrade mark, and while it's cool under the blankets at night, I believe my legs are well covered and warm under the blankets.

Does anyone have a clue why this is, and what might be causing my legs to cramp at night?