tominchaam

Many international media thought today’s decision opened the way for new elections which is not true. Hereby they thought PAD had no more interest in staying at the airports which is wrong as well. Cargo flights have however been allowed as from today.

Um I thought about.... but in my mind they are still.... well you said it already.

If you gave it good thought already, I have no complaints. Everyone have the right to their own opinion. My hope was to add a dimension to the single minded people who posts insults without considering cultural differences.

/bbp

bbp - your post certainly added good information. Tks!

Im not trying to ofend anyone but I really dont understand, Ive tried contacting a number of real estate agents, firstly about buying property a property as well as selling one, both by emails and telephone calls, but they just dont seem to be interested, theres only one that I have had contact with that seems to take the Job seriously, I thought with the current climate that they would be trying there hardest to build a good reputation or am I living in cloud cookoo land? plus most are looking for 5%, and I am not really sure what they do for it. Is it just me, is it just Hua Hin or does it happen all over TH, please share your experiences.

I like your nickname which might be part of the answer.

Anyone else have a similar experience?

No. I booked several trips during the stated travel period at the promotional price.

So did I and it worked out very well. If I had found nothing no way I would complain anyway.

After reading the OP I booked Singapore for two persons at net 3.750 THB and Macao at net 3.800 THB.

What month?

Singapore in July and Macao in September. I find it an extremly good deal. The passenger departure tax at the airports is included as well which equals 2.000 THB for the two of us for each trip. But with promotions like this it is important to make quick decisions and book immediately - Macao had no more cheap tickets the day after I booked.

The prices are for two persons, Fred.

I found out of this promotion thanks to Thaivisa!

After reading the OP I booked Singapore for two persons at net 3.750 THB and Macao at net 3.800 THB.

Yellow book just shows proof of the registered address in Thailand. It can be issued to anyone living in Thailand – but at many places it is now getting more difficult to get. You do not need to own a property to get it but if you rent it requires the acceptance of the landlord.

The blue book shows the owner of the unit (house or condo) as well as all Thai people registered as living in the property. Farangs are not allowed to be specified in the blue book.

A farang condominium owner can get a blue book stating he is the owner of the property but he is not entitled to be registered in the blue book as living in the property. Hereby the farang needs a yellow book anyway if he needs "proof of address".

The above is how it is supposed to be but there are plenty of “unofficial” exceptions as always in LOS.

No more comments from me on this topic as all information easily can be found to anyone following sbk´s advice.

Step 1: you arrive in Thailand with a tourist visa.

Step 2: with at least 21 days remaining of your permission to stay you apply at the immigration office for a change of visa to non-immigrant, with all the documents required for a marriage extension of stay and your wife present. This extends your permission to stay by 90 days.

Step 3: within the last 30 days of your new permission to stay you apply at the immigration office for the annual extension of stay to live with Thai wife. You receive a stamp asking you to report to the immigration office 30 days later.

Step 4: on the appointed date you pick up your extension of stay at the immigration office.

--

Maestro

I have two questions related to the above:

Can this procedure be used also for retirement extension?

What about those having no visa when they arrive?

I am soon to retire to Thailand and live in a house owned by a Company route

Can I include my name on the House book to show I live there and use it for such things as getting a driving licence

Any advice on what I need to do to live 'leagally' in the house and in Thailand as a retiree would be appreciated

Cheers

As a foreigner you will not be able to get your name on any house book. However, the mandatory 90 day reporting slip given to your at Immigration will be sufficient for you to obtain a driving licence and buy a vehicle and I managed to open two bank accounts with it with no work permit needed. You will need to register a telephone line and other services, electricity etc, via your company paperwork.

Not quite true, if you are married you can (yellow tabien baan) and also when you have part ownership with your wife

or sole ownership on rented/leased or usefructed land

There is no need to be married at all to get the yellow tabian baan.

If you look into the webpage you referred to it says:

Application for re-entry permit

• Single entry: 1,000.- Baht

• Multiple entries within remaining period of admission: 3,800.- Baht

You will need a photo.

Well, more then 3 years ago you couldn't register under own name but law changed. longball53098 is correct.

That's never been the case, at least in the 15 years I've lived here. I've purchased vehicles 15 years ago and another 12 years ago, all in my name and legal. Actually make that over 20 years ago when I first arrived, not an issue.

I was referring to non-immigrant type "O" visa holders, not those with work permits. More then 3-4 years ago in Phuket they wouldn't let me register brand new car under my own name. Then I bought Benz and Phuket dealership did all the work for me. Yet, i've been holder of this visa since 2000.

You are still wrong as it has been possible also with "Non O" for a long time. I do however not doubt the problems you had 3-4 years in Phuket - this is Thailand as I am sure you are aware of.

I have given up telling people what they are likely to face in the future as most of them are not willing to face the truth until it is too late anyway.

A few years ago I told a friend he was taken for a real ride by his girlfriend – after which I lost most the contact with him. Today he has lost the two houses he put into his girlfriends name as well as more or less all his savings and is a bitter man blaming everybody but himself. This nice man was too smart to be fooled - he thought!

Sorry to hear your sad news Garro.

Just follow your gut feeling. Rushing home serves no purpose for your father. I'm sure, were he able to express an opinion, your father wouldn't want you turning your life upside down for him. He knows you love him and so there's no need to try and prove or show this by flying half way round the word.

Hope his condition improves mate.

The above makes good sence to me.

Some people in your situation make an internet booking. Just before they are requested to give the credit card details they make a print of the booking – and after that they just leave the sight. Hereby they have a document that looks like a confirmed booking and from what I have heard it works. I did the same many years back when I applied for visa to various countries and never had a problem.

Longball – thanks a lot for the original information.

Yeah – it was a great match to watch even if Rocco did not turn up as winner. Normally being second means forgotten pretty soon – but this time it means he will be remembered for a long time to come.

I have used Home Pro a lot since they opened in Hua Hin some years back. Guess I have had complains 3-4 times. They have been very good in handling these. Home Pro has to me been superior in handling reclamations compared to the “old local stores”.

Steve and Sally both give you good advice. If you flush your toilet this reduces the pressure for a while as well – no hot water until the tank is filled can be the result.

Got My retirement O visa last year in BKK. (Resided there.) Now reside in Cha-Am. Where to go? Does Petchburi have an office? That's the province I reside in.

Or go to the one in Hua-Hin?

Hua-Hin!

Most developers of condos get the meter installed on behalf of the new condo owner. The new owner has to pay a deposit to the electrical provider which most the time is done through the developer. A receipt is given by the electrical provider and this paper should be kept as it is needed to get the deposit back when the condo one day will be sold. The new buyer will then have to pay a new deposit – and the old one has to wait some weeks for his money to be returned. The deposit varies due to the size of the connection.

Many Thai people just ignore changing the names at all and just pay the bill when it comes even if it is in the name of the original owner of the condo many years back. We have some condos we bought and rent out monthly. The interesting thing is that the electrical provider has agreed to send the bills to our home adress even if the contract still is in the original owners name.

To compare land prices like OP does not really make sense. I am surprised so many farangs tend to compare everything with their home country as most often it has very little to do with the local situation in Thailand. If land prices in Thailand are over priced it is not likely to have anything to do with the US.

Hua Hin Jazz festival will take place June 6-8. During these days the town is packed by people from Bangkok as this festival is heavily promoted there.

I was told by estate agent today that 50% of estate agents in HH have packed in as supply has oustripped demand

He's ill-informed then.

There's approx. 30 real estate agents now in HH (not talking about the one's working from home on the internet), that's at least 8 more than this time last year. Their numbers are increasing, not decreasing.

There's about twice as many as there was 3 years ago.

They've got no overheads apart from rent and advertising, and no cash-flow issues as they have no product to buy. Their whole years rent and advertising is covered by the first 4 no. sales they make.

The market's been a lot slower the last 9 months or so, compared to the madness of the 3 years preceeding that, but it's still steady enough for the businesses to do ok.

The property people who may well suffer are the developers whose houses and developments arent the best quality/value, the better developments are still selling.

The one's strugling may drop their prices, and people will be able to get bargains there. That's ok if you want to live in them though.

Burgernev

If the whole year rent and advertising is fully covered by the first four sales it shows the quality indeed of these estate agents!

Most of the so called real estate agents have little or no education related to what they are up to. But a few of them are really nice honest persons.

The majority are as well tight up to new developments so no way I would recommend any to use their services looking at them as being independent.

The market is very slow but it is moving and there are quite a few bargains to be found – but don’t expect to find most of those through real estate agents.

My first car was a Volvo PV 444 from 1952. A black one with no brakes bought for small money. Then I bought a pretty new Saab 96 which later was replaced by a real beauty, BMW 501 from 1956. I have a lot of memories from my different cars – good to think about when nothing else to do.

Hi coalminer

I have heard about a Thai 'scam' on this forum about Thai's going overseas to pick fruit. The old saying springs to mind "If its too good to be true, It usualy is'nt true."

I was in a simular situation a while back with regard to Retiremant or Spouse Visa extentions. As you have been told, retirement visa's are an easy option and the benifit is IF financial requirements go up, then you would be safe under the 'grandfarthering' system.

Not a nice thought but Spouse Extentions only need a change in circumstances to go 'pear shaped' eg death, divorce, seperation

Good Luck

Dave

I am surprised if the grandfathering system will benefit us staying on retirement extensions. Those who got the first extensions due to retirement latest 1998 are still covered under the old 200.000 Baht rule. Since than the amount has been increased at least twice with no grandfathering.

There are too many people worried about too much even if they can do nothing about what they are worrying about. Some healthy people even worry about getting sick in the future. My advice is to forget about worrying and enjoy life of today.

I just feel very comfortable in Thailand and hope to stay here until “the final trip”. Sure Thailand has a lot of disadvantages but so have other countries as well. The advantages exceed any of those countries where I have lived before as well as those I know about!