number6

you buy a house or condo to live in and dont worry to much about prices - for investment like any investment

up and down - thailand is not UK house prices fall here - places are not maintained - its a gamble - if like me you like

a bit of a gamble so what - I wont say never never put more here than you can walk away from but its really

very good advice - I say prices are cheap here - you may win you may loose - like everywhere you must plan

on worst loose 30-50% of your investment best double your money (over 5 years +) - last thought if you

worry about it to much then dont do it - look at Northern rock shares - property in USA

So, johnson36, do you have kids (if so how old are they?) and how old are you?

Will 150,000 pounds be your total assets if you sell your home?

What line of work are you in?

I think more info will help with responses.

Im 36 yrs old. My wife is 25 yrs. I dont have any kids yet and im not planning to have any in the next 5 years or so. Yes 150k would be my only asset at the moment ! Which is why I would want to invest it to get maximum interest with no risk. 6.61% or 6.56% monthly interest 1 or 2 year bonds sound good for most of the money, probably 120k and the rest in a instant access internet account with around 6.3% interest.

By the way am only looking to rent a very modest house / bungalow with 1 or 2 bedrooms and 30 minutes or so out of town.

I am not looking to rent a millionares pad like most of you probably own.

By the way some of you talk unless someone has several properties rented out + 1 million £'s / 2 million US dollars in the bank and a monthly income in the hundreds of 1000's bahts then its not possible to live anywhere else in the world other than the place you were born.

your taking the hump a bit mate - most are giving good advice - 150K simply aint anough and dont think your going to make

money here - you might and my cap of to you but for every 100 who try 50 scratch a living 49 fail and 1 makes it

up to you but dont think 150k is anywhere neough unless you can work here and your wife can as well in some form of

decent jobs earnign say 40k a month between you

sorry stop kidding yourself and listen a bit to those whove lived here for years and years

ok u can live on 50k baht a month but dont expect to much - if you dont drink wine dont want odd

nice steak - happy with fan (my elec bill alone is about 5k a month mostly for aircon) a small car

would probably be ok and my advice is unless your happy in sticks out of city places are

not well suited to forangs

oh and medical bills and trips and

well i find it difficult to live on 100k baht a month and i dont live like a king but i live well

have sat TV good car eat out well sometimes butm ostly in cheaper thia places etc

and it gets more expensive the longer you stay - you start missing a few bits - odd

bottle of good wine etc

If I am not mistaken, if you put anything into a minors name (land, company shares etc), not even a parent can release it before the child is 18. A judge will have to intervene. So it will be pretty much tied up / secured.

Thai land office would be confused. It may turn to be very a complicated thing for them, although they should handle it.

It's their house and land papers procedure that is inflexible. Not as easy as opening a pass book with a bank.

My wife bought some land from people whose house got burned down. They had 8x1 rai to sell to build a new house.

The land (1 rai, in the sticks) was 30K baht. It's in wife's name. Peanuts, let them have it.

no confusion the land office do it often and child does not need to sign but the parent does and i bleive the hild

has to reach 20 before it can be sold or a court order must be obtained ask any decent laywer or land

office

Enjoy your VERY short day in the sun. Don't forget your sunscreen.

Excuse me? Not sure what you mean by that - I was simply pointing out that the Dollar has dropped rather than the Baht having strengthened. The £ is still 68-70 against the Baht, much the same as it was 2 months ago. I repeat - I'm not gloating, merely observing.

No, it is sitting around 64 at the present, as I wired money over from a sterling account last month and that was the rate given, so it is not just the dollar that is weakening the pound has also fallen in stregnth. Last year, was getting about 71 - 73 when wiring money over, so ithe difference is noticeable.

your bank must have given you offshore rate ive transfered several times over last 2 months and last time 2 days ago got

68-69 every time make sure your bank transfer funds in £ not in baht and u get onshore rate

IMHO it's much more that the Dollar is weak rather than the Pound is strong. From a British point of view there's been little change. (That's not gloating, BTW, simply a view of the situation)

Enjoy your VERY short day in the sun. Don't forget your sunscreen.

jelous are we never mind well c 40 baht to $ again when pigs fly - sorry mate the $ has

fallen of its perch - join the crowd who cares anyway I put all my dosh into lolipots a long time ago

and for record a hel_l of a lot when thai stocks crashed a few months ago

Impressive list, but as we know there are lies, damned lies and statistics ... whatever you want to make of them. Still, if your data collection is correct, none bodes well. My perspective mostly comes from a social aspect.

I had a colleague of mine once tell me in Thailand that my perceptions were part of my own "pathology" if I dared to make these kinds of observations. The reason for his commitment to Thailand was (and is) his addiction to Thai boys. Denial, yes, and who's pathological?

Some folks have so much vested interest in their decisions about moving to Thailand or their lifestyle that they're willing to eat sh*t to stay. Go ahead and check in every three months. Go ahead and let the brother and the sister and the parents demand money. Go ahead and apologize for the truly frightening driving habits. Go ahead and try to protect your money. Go ahead and avoid drunk policemen with sidearms drinking in public ... hey man, that's normal.

This babbling has a point: there are many, many foreigners in Thailand who are in a state of denial, which indeed is a pathological state that refuses to accept information that is contrary to their dearly held grip on what they are doing.

Hence those who will not listen to what many say are the facts. No matter your sources, they will deny that the figures are accurate. It just don't fit in, man.

Sorry, just being pathological...

mmmmm - well if this is a state of denial let it continue please please - here 6 years + lovely house, lovely wife lovely child

fantastic lifestyle - mmmmmmmmm - must be dreaming -

and yes ive put a lot here probably about $ 600k on houses cars fun games etc but them as ive always said dont put more

than about 30% of what you have here or anywhere thats not your country

so if and when it all goes pear hsaped - sad but what a fantastic 6 years

still have to pinch myself that im not dreaming but then i dont go to bars (i drink a lot) dont do boys dont go to Pattaya dont live

with low life forang here (and theirs tons of that) - live with thais eat at thia places stay where thais stay - dont support my

thai wifes family etc

I of course mean I mix with thais with money or who prove they are trustworthy and dont judge Thais by hangers on

etc who frequent bars Pattaya and other such places

like everywhere if she is the love of yourl ife she brings you everything if you are

also thel ove of her life - does not matter young old east west rich poor if honest

its fab

I agree what a stupid post

Ok im not hospital bashing ie has fantastic care here

I was told of a case and i know heresay but sorry ive been here long enough to know

corruption everywhere - old lasy no one to help has mild stroke goes into hospital - no

one to advise etc - care was probably great for her - dont know but they would not let

her leave until she paid huge bill for unneses ry tests and not needed medicine

Im not nocking hospitals here but to threatem to close just because of some opinions

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

bit time

happens in USA as well just to be fair

Problem in my humble opinion is Thais see all forangs as loaded and many are and

to be honest maybe those who have not much funds should not be here but thats what

they believe

I just know luckely i can pay even if over odds and get much better than at home

And yes maybe to be fair those who cant should leave

A forang whos fed up with poor forangs - go home ans c how much worse it is

I do feel sorry for op but you should never have taken responsibility of a child

if you cant properly pay for it

now shhot me doen in flames all u who want

I rarely start posts, but I have a bug up my ass due to a few recent encounters and I just fee like venting/commiserating a bit.

How many board members are married/currently in, or have been in, a serious relationship with a Thai girl and experienced some level or stereotyping based on the misconception that all Thai girls with Western men are/were prostitutes?

Not to imply that my GF is more special or better than someone else's, but she is so d**n riap roy and proper that it drives me nuts when someone thinks she is a working girl – and it really, really upsets her. I now find myself avoiding some of my favorite places to eat on Suk when I am with her because of this issue.

I did stress to her early in our relationship that she would experience this, be she is having a hard time with it, and I must confess that I am as well. This is not my first GF in Thailand by a long shot, but this is the first I am very, very serious about.

Clearly, this is not an issue that can be cleared up, you can either deal with it or you can't. However, I was also wondering if I was alone in avoiding whole sections of town when with the GF, or do others do that as well?

dont worry about it - my wife does a bit - but we laugh it off - we dont deliberately avoid area but mostly dont go because their

are tons of much better thai places to go out - we do however sometimes use Bumramgrad and last time my wife could not help

but comment that since she was dressed quite well - i mean shortish dress everyone in traffic was looking at her as if she

was one of those girls selling their bodies - we had a laugh - ive evne had it when i ordered a taxi with my thai wife our young baby girl

and 1 couple of friends - we wanted to go to silom village restaurant and taxi drivers kept insisting we should go to patpong

- my friends from uk could not believe it and since they were thai taxi drivers my wife was very annoyed - shes got used to it

from silly forangs but has never up to then experienced it from thais - and we had our 1 year daughter with us - incredible

just ignore it you have ignorant xxxxxxxx everywhere and even if she was a bar girl which im not saying she was

so what - not their business - few believe my thai wife was not a bar girl but as she says she only married me for my body

and i only married her for her money

I rarely start posts, but I have a bug up my ass due to a few recent encounters and I just fee like venting/commiserating a bit.

How many board members are married/currently in, or have been in, a serious relationship with a Thai girl and experienced some level or stereotyping based on the misconception that all Thai girls with Western men are/were prostitutes?

Not to imply that my GF is more special or better than someone else's, but she is so d**n riap roy and proper that it drives me nuts when someone thinks she is a working girl – and it really, really upsets her. I now find myself avoiding some of my favorite places to eat on Suk when I am with her because of this issue.

I did stress to her early in our relationship that she would experience this, be she is having a hard time with it, and I must confess that I am as well. This is not my first GF in Thailand by a long shot, but this is the first I am very, very serious about.

Clearly, this is not an issue that can be cleared up, you can either deal with it or you can't. However, I was also wondering if I was alone in avoiding whole sections of town when with the GF, or do others do that as well?

ive noticed a distinct lack of passion in posts etc recently

is it because like me most expats forangs etc have decided to just go

with flow

ive lived here 5++ years been coming here for 15+ years

married have 2 houses 6 condos so pretty commited

i used to worry a bit about visas, thai baht, thai government

but now weve had a coup - airport problems etc etc

ive read tons of gloom gloom here but nothing changes

im still happy in my home my kids fine

my visas no problem apart from minor annowance of

having to keep 800k for 3 months

after 5 years lving here and 15+ coming here have i at last

developed a proper prespective on things

everythings fine really come on in waters fine

Ps: dont like growing number of forangs here though

i used to be only forang around and now im swamped by them

??? what more can i do to try and keep them away ???

I assume you've spent a considerable time in LOS already. Would you like to give a rough breakdown of how you would spend 100,000? I'm not going to dispute it. I'm just interested in what you would spend that on.

If you've only been here on holiday, you might find it's a lot cheaper to stay here long term.

ok heres m breakdown and i keep exact records

medical 8-10k a month

schooling - 15-20 k a month

food - 15k a month

eating out - 10k a month

maintenance our home - 5k a month

car petrol etc - 8k a month

house things new pillows etc - 5k a month

trips away - average 5k a month

air fares uk 1 trip a year - average 10k a month (2 adults, 1 child)

spend in UK for 2 weeks - 5k a month

temple charities etc - 5k a month

misc bits 10+k a month

total 100-130k a month

and thats with no rent

71,000 baht a month is doable from 250,000 pounds in the bank (UK where interest rates are in excess of 5%). You could even squeeze 6% p.a / p/m if you find a decent bond deal. 250k sterling which is a lot less than 671k sterling.

However account in the figures that the pound does fluctuate from 66 - 73 baht in you total so you arrive at a sliding scale of income.

I agree though that 100,000 baht is an obsene amount of cash to have per month when struggling teachers get by for 25k a month.

obsene i hardly think so - its a lot more than most have here but i spend about 100,000 + baht a month and dont live much better than I did in UK - ok i have a wife and child here - no nanny no maid but in UK medical is free here we spend about 100k a year baht and were all pretty healthy - in UK schoold are frree - here we spend about 200k a year on a moderate school (including books etc) - then ccar air con etc etc - yes we live well but hardy obscene - then count things like odd trip back yo UK

obscene - i think not

just wandered what is current status on this i knoe 20k was meant to be excempt ??? was this once a year

I transferred about $ 15,000 just after it was brought in no problem and transferred another $ 14,000 yesterday

Plan to transfer another 30-50k over next month or so

Yes i spend a lot mainly doing my house up

Hope you will still own it after the new rules..

ok mr wise guy my thai wife legally owns our house and our other house i own 3 condos and our daughter owns

2 condos - yes my whistling if my wife leaves shes welcome to house etc etc its well worth joy shes given me

over many years. And im spenmding a lot refurbishing our condos as well - i know the risks but ive lost lots more

in USA UK and earope from crocks etc than ive ever lost here and made more i guess

So has anyone an answer

wonder if your life's been as great as mine and if it all goes pair shaped at least i can maybe as good as you

You misunderstood. There was never a withholding of amounts under $20,000 per transaction. And for amounts above most transactions are not now not subject to the withholding anyhow (but you may have to explain the reason to bank and have amount returned if they take it out).

?? can u expand on explain - as i said i plan to transfer quite a lot over next few months for projects on the house i already have (ok my thia iwe has) and on projects on my condos - so maybe isahould just transfer say $ 19,000 3 times ??? any comments - ??? how do i explain do they take 30% then i explain then they give it back ??? seems mad to me but i know TIT

Whats Latest On 800k In Bank For Retirment Visa

Is it possible to have this in a term deposit or must it be an ordinary savings a/c ..............

actual experience please , not my friend or i think replies

thanxs

mid

id also like to know this but sorry im told cannot be in higher interest deposit account

let me know if you get any actual real info but even immigration give u different

answers edpending on who u talk to or if its raining or if its a full moon or

whatever irrational reason u can think of

TIT

ive done 2 retirement visa extensions no problems - my third extension is due in about 2 months

ive kept over 800k in my account (annoying) for last 3 months - real pain since I used to just top up

each year just before visa extension date - now i need to keep about 1.2 million to allow for

around 5 months living expenses

So when i go down to nice mr immigration do i need in addition to my normal bank letter saying ive

got money (why oh why isnt bank book enough - i know TIT) and do i need another letter saying

ive had over 800k for over 3 months

??? anyone done it recently

I understand i dont need a medical anymore ??

just wandered what is current status on this i knoe 20k was meant to be excempt ??? was this once a year

I transferred about $ 15,000 just after it was brought in no problem and transferred another $ 14,000 yesterday

Plan to transfer another 30-50k over next month or so

Yes i spend a lot mainly doing my house up

just wandered whqat happened to 30% withholding on transferring foreign money in

i transferred about $ 15,000 us just after it was announced and no problem got it all and have just trransferred another abour $ 14,000

yes i spend a lot

Yes.

Man, you have to accept that this is not you're own country.

It took me longer than 5 years to do this.

All that anger and frustration was in your head - noone else's. The women won't have had a clue what the ctazy guy was looking at. Here's an example of a similar situation:

You and your mates are in your local pub having a few pints. There are a couple of Thai women staring daggers at you. One comes up and calls you a pig for blowing your nose into your handkerchief and putting it in your pocket. What would you think of that?

It's not a big deal doing what you described.

If you open a farang restaurant here and the women do the same, then have a go at them.

ok your right when in rome next time ill just dump rubbish from my table onto floor next to whoever

thats what i was going to do but my Thia wife said dont go down to their level were better than that - bye the way she was disgusted as well but being Thai only shows that to me

Sorry animals are animals everywhere and your example of blowing your nose is xxxxx better just do like chinese here and blow your snot in street - my wifes better comment was at least their not as bad as chinese and she meant it

Are Thais worse than forangs for litter?

I know everywhere in world you have lots of people who don’t care about throwing their rubbish in street etc. But normally in western countries most people do it when they think others are not looking.

Tonight after 15 years coming here and 5 living here I saw something that made my blood boil and also made me do something I would normally not do here or anywhere. In particular in Thailand when their Thai boyfriends joined them. Lucky I guess they did not have a gun. Normally I know from being here a long time I walk away.

I was sitting at an outdoor food fair with my Thai wife and child when a couple of Thai ladies (I can’t even call them ladies id say trash) sat at table near us. The table was full of bottles and plastic containers and rubbish where previous occupants had had their meal.

They simply brushed of all rubbish on floor between their table and ours including left over food etc. I could not believe it then they moved their table away from mess they had created.

I saw red and indicated to that the rubbish and they smelled and were really bad. I was so angry which they could see so they ignored my stares at them. I went to them again and said mien die. I then purposely moved our table form rubbish and got one of cleaners up to take rubbish away making a strong point of saying sorry to him and giving him 500 baht for his trouble. He of course was over the moon. It took me a long time to calm down much to my wife’s embarrassment.

I know I should have ignored it.

Later we moved to another part of food fair near stage. The table next to us was full of rubbish. A Thai family asked if they could sit there and they found a cleaner up to remove rubbish. That restored my faith a bit in human beings.

So ??? are Thais more messy and loutish and littler louts than forangs.

sorry im sure its already been said

money money money

ok

why why why do people still tihnk you can by some silly trick buy land - you cant - get it - its not legal - whats wrong with you all you deaf - sorry u can if you invest 40 mill baht

idiots