bkkandrew

I am surprise that one can have problems in Thailand with purchases in Thailand.

It must be you relax everything will be ok It will go up in value and you will make a lot of money.

Remember Bangkok will be more money they London and New York, as this is

Thailand the land of smilies.

Does anyone actually understand this post??

Anyway - I will go back to my advice that I have trotted out since washing up on these shores for the first time.. Rental is better than buying in Thailand, as they rely on YOU stumping up cash every month, which you can withold if problems are not sorted out, a sanction not available once you have handed over all you cash to buy the place.

Have you spent time in Thailand ? Have you heard Thais speaking English?

Any Thai that can speak English fluently will already have or be applying for a job that is far higher paid than any English language school is prepared to offer.

That would be akin to expecting English speakers to learn Thai from a farang who is fluent in Thai.

Any farang fluent in Thai will be able to hold a high paying job in this country as well.

The reason they hire native speakers is so that Thai students can learn correct pronunciation and learn something of the western culture. .

Quite so. As a decent speaker of Thai and an English native I would agree that I would only be tempted by B250000+ to do any kind of work. In addition, I don't have a Bachelor's Degree, so teaching would seem impossible. Also I hate the idea of teaching rather than doing something, so that wouldn't work either...

That's the problem of many farangs. They LOVE Thailand, they LOVE the Thais, they absolutely WANT to live here, they DO enjoy the easy going life style here. Just one little thing should be like at home, the salary. I wonder whether all these overpaid long noses realize how much less funny and comfortable their life would be if they had to accept Thai conditions. I wonder if they still would love this country and their people if they had to live and work like them.

Hmmm.

I have just measured my nose and am happy to report that is a quite normal length...

I also happen to reside in a Thai area and spend most of my time with Thais, including all work time..

Since you are so keen to identify other people's problems, perhaps I could be as bold as to point out one obvious one of yours:

You have no idea what you are talking about!

Should cost 1,000 baht for the trip.

Poor, Poorfarang, BKK Airways are not yet operating charity flights. They are in the business to make a profit. Commercial forces will dictate if their prices are unreasonable.

You have a choice and can go by road or train. If you have a residents card and can plan your life the prices are not unreasonable. If the flights start to operate empty then they will have got it wrong.

Or not go.. Thants my option. When needing a break from BKK, I prefer other places in Thailand anyway

Have you spent time in Thailand ? Have you heard Thais speaking English?

Any Thai that can speak English fluently will already have or be applying for a job that is far higher paid than any English language school is prepared to offer.

That would be akin to expecting English speakers to learn Thai from a farang who is fluent in Thai.

Any farang fluent in Thai will be able to hold a high paying job in this country as well.

The reason they hire native speakers is so that Thai students can learn correct pronunciation and learn something of the western culture. .

Quite so. As a decent speaker of Thai and an English native I would agree that I would only be tempted by B250000+ to do any kind of work. In addition, I don't have a Bachelor's Degree, so teaching would seem impossible. Also I hate the idea of teaching rather than doing something, so that wouldn't work either...

How would you feel if you had to walk away from it ?

Hagler got it right, property is one of the better ways to make safe money (if you are investing) but as always location is the number one factor. It is better to buy a dump in a good location and do it up than to buying a good house in a bad location. Buying a beer bar on the other hand, especially here in Thailand is guaranteed to see your money fly down the soi.

Its an interesting thread - nice one - and the poll shows the majority of people agree with you.

However, good location is very important - and perhaps at the moment there are better locations than Thailand.

At the moment - in the sense of fair debate - you would have to agree Thailand is at least risky and possibly nearly unstable. .

However, money is made taking risks.

So profits can be made in these riskier environments for sure - there are however people who dont want to wake up every morning wondering if their investment is safe.

They just want to go and play golf and relax and not worry. Its what many farang came here to do.

I guess we are in the minority vote shown above.

Like I said to Hagler-I am not attacking just giving another point of view.

Oh and I must admit am biassed as I bought a house/land through the company route - Headache or what?.

I notice however there are still people earlier in this thread advising that the option to buy a condo via the company route should/could still be considered now or in the future.

I know of several farang who bought a condo this way - its at least dodgy and most experts suggest its probably illegal.

They are not relaxed about the future at all - playing havoc with their golf!

On the subject above, if it happened before the coup is resolved back to democratic government, the would be chaos, probably civil war. We can only pray that this does not happen...

Love the place, all the way from 33 to Nana.

Enjoy Patpong, Ratchada, Intermera etc.., but always back to Sukhumvit for the best nights!

Several persons in this thread have inquired as to whether under 20yo's are children. In fact, they are. By Thai law, one does not reach the age of majority until 20, until which point every decision they make (including dating) is theoretically subject to parental approval.

"Steven"

What are you talking about? Even the age of consent in Thailand is only 15. This includes Male/Female sex, M/M sex, and F/F sex.

This is technically true, but there is an "age of majority" legally which is 20, until which time the parents must also approve of anything that happens to their children for it to be legal (technically).

"Steven"

According to CIA factbook, the age limit for voting for example is 18 and not 20 years.

What the $%£*!?* has the CIA got to do with Thais and life in Thailand? FYI the USA is not the centre of the universe!

The last couple of wat festivals I've been to have had these girls. They'd do the bump and grind or dry hump a pole trying to entice the men to part with 10 baht for a dance or whatever. I don't say that there might not be appropriate venues for these activities, but the wat festival is not it. Incidences of rape and gang rape at these fairs has climbed sharply. There is very little oversight save for the local puyai. It really is a very inappropriate activity given the location and occasion.

What evidence do you nhave to support this supposition?

Hi all,

Today I see that they are working on the tarmac.

So no worrie everyting will be alright

Oh. I feel so reassured by your well thought out, considered and expert analasis.

We are guests in an country not guided by the rule of law

This is the little part some don't seem to understand, or believe.

Very salient. Very accurate.

In another part of the post you quote from, the situation of Soi 10/Soi Asoke (corner) was mentioned. I was personally affected by this and (with the help of a paid police enforcer), get some money back every month. Those unconnected to such resources just have to sit back, suffer the loss and the mai ben rai attitude...

We only think about ourselves here. "Falang falang falang". What about all the Burmese migrant workers? They're all manual labourers. Does this mean they are going to start expelling Burmese workers, or that they'll feel they'll have to work illegally without permits?

But - anyone can post here!

On the subject of the Burmese, they will not take the slightest bit of notice. They will continue to work, get caught, be deported, sneak back, work, get caught etc. etc. etc.

The above is not exactly a lifestlye choice I had in mind for myself..

In direct conflict of what Aviation Department director-general Chaisak Angkhasuwan said earlier in this thread, some experts say otherwise. For some reason, they sound more credible:

Engineers: Cracks due to use of cheap tarmac

Engineers say swollen and cracked taxiways and parking bays at Suvarnabhumi airport are the result of the use of cheap tarmac, according to airport general manager Somchai Sawasdeepon.

Mr Somchai said engineers from the Engineering Institute of Thailand and taxiway construction supervisors inspected the airport yesterday following the discovery of two swollen and cracked taxiways and five aircraft parking bays similarly damaged to the east and west of the passenger terminal. The uneven part along an eastern taxiway is 150 metres long and its cracks are 33cm deep . All the uneven areas are closed for repairs. According to Mr Somchai, the inspection found excessive amounts of water in canals surrounding the airport protected by flood dykes. The level of water outside the dykes is normally expected to be about 80cm but at present is 150cm. The excess increases the amount of underground water beneath the airport. Also known as A SWAMP! Thus, the water has seeped upward through the 73cm-thick underneath concrete layer of the taxiways and soaked the 33cm-thick superficial asphalt layer.

Sadly continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/28Oct2006_news013.php

And to think I listed a number of scenarios on another thread that meant keeping DM functioning was good crisis planning (terrorism, hijack, fire, aircraft crash) but just didn't have the foresight to think of the entire place disappearing down a hole in the ground! Silly me...

Soon it will be 1dollar to 10 baht.

That is the reason to buy houses.

You made fun of my 28 houses in GF name and 6 in her brothers name

But remember the houseing prices are in Baht.

Buy many houses and be rich.

Minor correction: your present GF and her "brother" will be rich

Thai drivers are so illdisciplined and anarchic they will drive in the bike lanes so negating any bikers use , and probly squashing them flat as a pancake. I mean they drive on the pavement with impunity so bike lanes will have no chance .Unless there is a raised kurb to keep them out. mind you motorbike taxis will be able to get around faster .

Agree. If they can flatten two pedestrians on a pedestrian crossing, holding pedestrian flags...

Thai drivers see space, road, path or other and will attempt to drive on it to beat traffic jams.

The whole idea is a non-starter

Well, this is just another blow for the Thai economy. I am almost beyond caring what they do anymore. I export from Asia and at the same time am losing the will to continue to do this from the very country I have made my base, i.e. Thailand..

I’m afraid I don’t understand what you are trying to say.

In what way does the list of prohibited occupations affect you? I do not see “export” mentioned in the list. Would you care to elaborate?

---------------

Maestro

You don't know what I am trying to say...

Right - this is clearly a "catch all" rule, discretion available for sale...

Inevitably when deliveries to port etc. slip up (TIT), I drive them myself. Fall foul of the law.

Girls in the textile factory cannot lift the heavy boxes onto the pickup, I help to get the job done. Ditto

Factory office cannot work out simple maths on an export transaction, I assist, Ditto..

Need I go on.??

Fed up with this drip-feed of BS. Can go elsewhere to source goods. Probably will do so, unless you have any bright ideas??

The lack of lounges is due to the rush to open - that's not the airport's fault. Most will be ready within a few months.

Re gold card preferential . . .I am gold star alliance and checked in in the gold card queue yesterday, no problem.

I'm a happy punter, albeit one with my head in my arse

:-)

Well you said it!

Why are you so keen to extol the virtues of this Godforsaken place? As I sat on my steel seat at the gate looking at the bare rough concrete pillars, I was reminded of an unfortunate few hours dealing with the police in Stuttgart at the last World Cup...

Is the cost of decorating that high in these parts??

Back to the cracks again??? You have to love these lads - I just pray to buddha that smth unsafe doesnt happen because of bad construction and poor design.

Yes - I am taking off in a few hours!!!

Paris airport roof collapse kills five.

However, cracks and falling dust had been observed just before the accident, said an airport spokesman.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3739715.stm

Well, got away OK without disappearing down any cracks...

Airport still a bloody mess...

Flight delayed loads...

Just considered, looking at your pic... How similar the Paris design is to the new airport.

Well, this is just another blow for the Thai economy. I am almost beyond caring what they do anymore. I export from Asia and at the same time am losing the will to continue to do this from the very country I have made my base, i.e. Thailand..

Back to the cracks again??? You have to love these lads - I just pray to buddha that smth unsafe doesnt happen because of bad construction and poor design.

Yes - I am taking off in a few hours!!!

Personally, I found the whole place to have a depressing feel to it, an unusual emotion to experience when returning to Thailand from the UK..

I'm surprised. I find London Heathrow Airport to be the most temporary permanent airport. Always some new construction and re-routing of passengers going on. It's as if it will never be finished. Seemingly endless long distances to walk from the plane to arrivals. Difficult to use the passenger conveyors due to people stepping on and then standing instead of walking and blocking others from doing so.

I agree that LHR T3 is a disgrace. I will be there in 20 hours!!

I have always said, what do the visitors think of this mess? (aestetics, rather than functionality).

To have a worse example in BKK (where style over substance is a national trait) is unbelieveable and shameful for the Thai people...

Am I the only one here who's heard more than enough of Donz droning on about his 'Hi So' g/f

Let Me Remind You All

The purpose of the of this post was to discuss the 'baggage Thais take with them when traveling overseas

The purpose was not to discuss “The 'Baggage Donz carries around (in the form of a huge chip on his shoulder)" _ And please, Donz, I AM NOT referring to your g/f when I say 'Baggage'.

Listen up.

I had the good fortune to study at one of the two top universities in Britain (I would argue the world), people I got pissed with (when we should have been studying) were direct decedents of the people who's names filled the history books I read at school... I am guessing, but I am not insisting, they might claim to be 'Hi So'.

I don't give a rats arse about claims that some Farang’s claims that his Thai bint is 'Hi So'

A) Because most Farangs haven't got a <deleted> clue when it comes to judging the "Class" of Thais'.

Because it doesn't <deleted> matter! - The most sincere act of kindness I have experienced on the face of the whole planet was from a little old Thai lady who hadn't got a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of. “Hi So” she was not - Class, she had <deleted> buckets of it.

SO!

Can we get back to discussing the baggage Thais take with them

And Donz, if you feel the need to tell the world at EVERY SINGLE <deleted> OPORTUNITY that your g/f is 'Hi So'...............

................. Find a professional who you can talk to about your own baggage problems… You might mention your new found avtar while your at it.

I for one am sick of hearing you droning on.

There is a world beyond 'T-shirt salesman shags girl with better education than he has'

[Edit] - Emotions switched off (believe it or not)

You know - I thought it was just me - Donz is really a bore. I have never read any of his posts that actually made sense..

Not flaming (mods), just agreeing with a thoughtful and considered post...

After three years of my Ex Thai GF last coming to UK, I have JUST managed to finish eating the bloody rice from her Isaan Farm. Admittedly, I spend 2.5 weeks per month here in LOS, but even so!

thanx, but im actually applyin for it from england, what would the process be there, get everythin to my girl and she takes it in or can it be done another way?

No. She goes to embassy and has the forms, evidence etc.. Normally a good idea if you accompany her, especially so first time..

I am genuinely astonished at the number of apologists for the new airport. Are you being paid or what? Moreover, what number do I call to be paid to write nice things?

I use the BKK airport every two weeks and have done so near on 6-years. My experience at the new place was shambolic and shaming on this country. I fly tomorrow and am steeling myself for another debacle...

It is actually the case that the THB is strong against the USD specifically. GBP value to THB is within 3% of 1-year high..

The problems of the USD (today 37.06 to THB, 1.877 to GBP) are over-exaggerating any strength of regional currancies and are not really of significance.. IMHO