tornado40

Being able to go sailing without spending ages putting on wet suits/dry suits etc.

Just come back from Samui today - landed in the UK after a great time at my house and with friends. Thought that actually the traffic was a little quieter than during my visits last year - although I know there is still too much!

I was just thinking before writing this post, that I would like to go straight back to Samui now - however, work etc.etc.

I have never used mine outside of Thailand.

Will it work ???

If you mean the ATM card - I was amazed when I got a tenner out at Lloyds TSB cash machine in the UK

I have witnessed the same thing with a guy living in Ko Samui who had a motorbike accident and no insurance. He had serious head/brain injuries, fell in coma, and the very difficult head surgery amounted quickly over 1 million baht. That situation can easily avoided with an international health insurance which covers the basic treatments and the transport back home. It doesn't cost that much.

My neighbour had a motorcycle accident - and had the same problem with cost of medical care

Got me thinking - so I rang the insurance company (my bank) that provides health insurance for my trips to Samui - and asked, if the injuries were from a motorcycle accident, would I be covered. They said no - you would need seperate insurance in Thailand for that

Can you get it - where?

Be aware - health insurance does not seem to cover motorcycle accidents - unless someone knows different, please let me know!

keep your head down and wait i reckon.

when we know what the new laws are (haaa haaa )

try to get legal quietly.

[/quote

This sounds the best thing to do - thanks for you comments though

companies may have to transfer voting rights back to directors on % shareholding basis.

so 49% shareholding farang will not have control by voting rights.

i.e. the other directors (thai nominees supplied by your friendly lawyers office)

will then be able to call a meeting and vote to sell the company assets and distribute the monies to the shareholders (themselves and 49% to the poor farang) who has now lost 51% of his investment or more depending on the sale price.

yep.. a worst case scenario but highly possible.

Mark

You seem to have good knowledge about this - I like to deal with 'worst case scenarios' and often find myself suprised

However, I do not intend to sell my house and have set up a lease agreement with my company which is set up as described above. This includes the payment of tax on the rent the company receives

Would they be able to cancel the my lease agreement - which has been set up for 30 years?

I ride a motorcycle in the UK - and enjoy the freedom of the Honda Click type bike in Samui. I have always found cars to be difficult to get around in and park etc in both places

However, the sand in Samui does cause problems - and sure may be safer on a quad

I have looked out for them before - so will hire one when I visit at the end of Jan - any idea anyone of the cost per day?

We have them on the roads in the UK - so not suprised to see them in Samui

ps love the bit about Samui roads now offroad!

So there is now another 259 foreing companies that can't own land ! (quote)

With the uncertainty of the new policy - why do the land offices still register property to foreign companies!

Surely, they must take some of the blame - and in the event the govt. wishes to take back all the properties - although unlikely imho - farangs should put forward that as the land office allowed the transactions, then considered all to be ok

Especially for those now already set up

It seems you took some time so that you could write your 'report'

I have to say that it decribes how I see the new airport

I think its great

Enjoy Christmas and have a healthy and prosperous 2007.

PompeyNick

Hi Nick - All the season greetings and happy new year

I'm sure it will be a good one despite Spurs results yesterday!

See you in Jan

I've got building's cover for the house in Samui - via a company in BKK. You can pm me for contact details if you like

Dunno mate, but if you really think you would like to give your GF the house if it all goes pearshaped, better stick it in her name now, better then losing it to the Thai Government when they investigate your ' Company '................

I'll have a double Jack Daniels please.

Good advice under the circumstances - I did mention this to her today on the phone. I feel that push is coming to shove now

This is where TV is so important to us - problem shared ......

Ice and lemon sir?

But could a legal and binding contract be writen stating that on divorce everything is sold and split? I don't expect to get divorced but then who does?

My head hurts.......

The problem here is that if Farangs can't buy houses and land - and there are so many on the market - who is going to buy when 'everything is sold and split'

I bought through the company route 3 years ago - for early retirement. Now begining to think that maybe keep on working and stay in the UK with holidays at the home all the time I've got it.

Sad really, cause my girlfriend will be alone more, and the money I was to spend in Thailand, will now be spent in the UK - probably on Tax!

Think I'll just get that other drink!

I think that the pound is strong because interest rates are on the way up - should level out at the current rate most of next year - according to a comentator on Bloomberg

Perhaps the dollar is suffering due to the amount of debt the US has

No idea about the Baht though

Was told 3 years ago when I bought the house in Samui that there would be a marina - mainly bar talk though

Thinking now along the lines of a trailer sailor - which can be taken out and stored on land

Not sure about leaving a boat off shore!

Having realised that too many beers adds on the weight - where otherwise in LOS I should lose some - now go for mixed fruit shake with a measure of vodka

That way its sort of healthy and you are in company with your drinking friends

Well I have had very good experience with dealing with an insurance company for my house in Samui. I only have buildings cover for 1.2m THB - which will easily cover the rebuilding cost for fire etc.

This does not cover the contents, but you can add if you like.

The premium is very cheap compared to my UK house insurance at 1,614 THB per year.

I have to say however, that I have not yet made any claim which is the usual proof of service.

I was amazed when I first purchased the house - that not many people take out insurance - still there you go as they say!

Please PM me for contact details

Tornado 40

Well I've been working on a project to set up an extension to our UK office in Thailand - to employ Thai staff at decent rates of pay.

Think I'll wait a bit - as its like trying to hit a moving target!

The best part of this great airport is the international flight departure area (apart from the fact that I'm coming back to the UK)

There's a great tapas bar with excellent wine on offer - looking forward to my next visit in January

I got my house three years ago - and since then there has been a significant amount of building, sand, big trucks and cement mixers etc

Now they are building a new supermarket next door (the place is near Bandon Hospital) and had 3 weeks of the banging noise when putting in the foundations

Even so - I'm back in the UK today - and Samui is still the place that I would rather spend my time.

Have have an optimistic view that in a few years and the building level starts to reduce it should be a great place to be

But back on topic - I saw the floods last November, never seen anything like it before so for one I am pleased they are doing at least something. I somehow think that the new drains being put in are to show willing and that it is hoped the scenes of last Novemeber do not return

We shall see

During my recent very enjoyable visit to the Island had my teeth cleaned at Dental Home which is near the exit at Tesco-Lotus

Cost 2,000 baht and that included a check up.

This was a bit more than expected but they did need a bit of cleaning - the red wine does give the bottom row a bit of a hammering

1) It is possible to have a foriegn company registered in Thailand. It is expensive to do and comes with many restrictions

I was wondering what the situation is when say you set up a company in Thailand as an extension of your UK company. For example, the same way financial companies in the UK have call centre/back office staff in India

This could be a good source of employment for Thai Nationals - and reduce operating costs for UK companies (also, may let me stay more than a couple of months a year!!)

I'm looking to prepare a business case document - and any 'show stoppers' would be welcome as it will save me a lot of typing

I was looking to buy a house for my TGF family in Korat - with the difficulty and the risk I will wait until farang can do without risk. So Thai builders miss out and the family does not have such a good life. Why cannot things be made easier for farang to make Thai people life better - because that is all I want to do!

Will be on Samui end October and would like to learn the basics in sailing....any companies around who offer lessons ?

Thanks

Could speak with John (owner) at Tradewinds in Chewang. He knows all about sailing!

Few marriages in eh West last a lifetime. There is no reasont o believe that yours will be any different. Most marriages end with a lot of infighting. If this is the case, you will lose what you have put into it.

It is their problem, not yours.

A great post - just in time!

Indeed. Having conversation with my TGF - she lives in the house and I give her 15,000 baht per month. Just come back and she started talking about new car (already have new bike) - then said what about rent shop for her and her sister - I thought 'here we go' then now it is for house in the home town for family so she could be there!

Means the car and the business will be no good - now I think - continue to give money and then as you say 'their problem!