Schooner

I just recieved approval of the 129F petition yesterday so it has taken just under a month from the time they recieved it. (july5) the next step as I understand it is the visa application to the embassy in BKK. I'm estimating the whole process to take 3 months but it is actually looking like it may be less. After the visa is approved by BKK you have a 4 month window to use it.

Just recieved (e-mail) approval of the 129F petition yesterday. This has taken just under a month from the time they recieved it (july 5) now waiting for the next step.

Hi Orlando,

I recieved the 129F petition approval today by e-mail. They will send the paperwork by snail mail which takes about three weeks. I think the next step is to recieve a packet from BKK with the actual visa application. I e-mailed them to see if the process can be sped up a little but I'm not counting on it. The petition part of it has taken just under a month.

good luck

I'm wondering why you are defending this victim mentality. On the one hand you agree that all of her abuse does not justify murder but then you go on to make the argument that men have all the power like maybe your not sure.

A month or so ago here in Pattaya a man brutally murdered a thai woman because after he spent a fortune on her she betrayed him. I'm assuming that you would agree that he should fry regardless of his background and his life experences. So do I. I'm not going to say that the fact that she probably manipulated him and lied to him has anything to do with it. I'm not going to suggest that because of a evolutanary predisposition that men have to seek out sexual partners he was blinded and victim of his own biological needs and that made him vunrable to her lies. Perhaps we should blame the thai government for creating this wonderland for men and failing to properly warn them of the pitfalls. Gimmie a break.

I've read the same threads about thai/farang relationships that you have and what I'm hearing is men saying that while economics play a role (as they do everywhere in the world) the basis for the relationships that work are mutual respect, communication, honesty, and shared goals.

I'm hurt that you would suggest that my TGF is not with me for my good looks, wit and charm. (I think I need another hug) Perhaps you have seen that recent surveys of women place intelligence, humor, charm and honesty as most important in relationships. I believe that to be true here and in the west. I would add experence to that list. Do you think it make sense for a young person to seek out a mentor? You may have noticed that obtaining a mentor is all the rage in the west now and most of the successful people I know have at least one.

I would also submit that the economic disparity that exists here has more to do with culture than gender. You may be aware that there is a significant gay population here and the same kinds of relationship problems occur. For that matter they occur the same way in the west.

I love that label "sex tourist" but it seems to me that since I have always wanted sex it dosen't quite describe me. For example, the first sex I had was with myself so I would be better described during that period as a "sex monoest" Seems like since I was always thinking about sex (but not getting much) I might be better described as a "sex fantasist" I was alway on the look out for sex in my home country so was I a "sex resident" All of the women I've known enjoyed great sex too, but they were conflicted about it so maybe they are "sex ambivalist" Since many women use sex as a weapon against men to get there emotional needs met, perhaps they should be "sex terrorest" Fun with labels.

I know some very successful women back in the states and I think you would be hard pressed to convince them that gender issues were holding them back. Actually I think they would be offended by your argument. Frankly, I will never be convinced that compitition between men and women can ever hold a candle to the compitition between men and men.

I think that the reason that men get along better with thai women is because the gender "roles" are more clearly defined. I was involved in the fad for men to get in touch with there "feminine side" great experence, but what I discovered was I don't have one. What I do have is a need for intimacy, connection with others, acceptance, and validation. Most of those needs are met internally and the ones that get met by others are best met by other men who have a clue. I think this makes me completly available to share a balanced life with women.

So, back to the issue. Am I to assume that since you say "nothing excuses killing" that you now agree that she should fry? Maybe you think that she should be comforted and allowed to return to being a bad example for her children? Maybe you're ambivalent.

As I have already posted, I don't really care what the thai people think of me. I came to Thailand and met this wonderful woman and fell in love. That's what matters. Her grandmother raised her and I think she did a very good job. Also there is a "monk uncle" who was a very positive influence in her life. She was raised by her grand parents because her mother already had three children. I figure I'm doing them a favor by making a small contrabution but staying away. My relationship is with my GF not her family or the village. I completly support her relationship with them.

I grew up in Maine which for decades was a vacationland for people "from away" We waited every year for the summer when the money would poar in. People would come, hire locals to build expensive homes, stay for a month or two and then go back to "away" this was a sutible arrangement for 100 years. A win win. I remember my father and grandfather talking about how "outsiders" were ruining the place. How stupid these people were for buying and building on the coast where no local would want to be. The locals were always polite to the "flatlanders" and happy to work for them and enjoy the money they brought. The locals were also very happy to say good bye at the end of the summer and have the place back to ourselves.

Now for the past 20 years or so the people "from away" want to stay. They've ruined the place they came from and now they want to live in a place where "life is as it should be" (really, thats on a sign at the state line ) whatever that means. They want to be "like us" and stay and bring there "funny" ideas with them like trash collection. The most popular social gathering spot for men was always the dump on Saturday. We couldn't understand why they wanted to live among us and act like us because we really don't like ourselves and were all thinking that if we were smart we would get the hel_l out of here.

We were all there not by choice, but by birth and that carried a certain morbid social connection. We reveled in our hardship, wore "I survived the ice storm of "93 and If you didn't suffer thru the winter you don't deserve the summer" t-shirts with pride. A bunch us even held a banner at the boarder that said "Welcome to Maine please leave your money here and GO HOME"

Obviously none of it worked and we now have to share the place with these "funny" people from "away" All the "dumps" are gone now and we have to recycle. I for one would like to change the sign at the boarder to "Maine, not the way life used to be"

We are all afraid of what we don't understand and really don't like change.

You make a good point hawaiianeyes that his thai wife "would not tolerate his dark side" and isn't that the point of this discussion. he encountered many women who he apparently tried to dominate and manipulate. most of these women moved on and thus were not subject to the accumulation of resentment and anger that might trigger a violent response.

I'm not surprised that you have played the "men have all the power" card but it ignores the important fact that men are a hel_l of a lot harder on other men than they are on women. The vast majority of men, because of competition and homophobia turn to women to get there needs for intimacy met, however because most women do not have, or want, a clue of how men think there is a huge potential for misunderstanding and conflict.

It's a pile of crap to believe that what is happening with the gender power balance in the world has to have a effect on the relationship between two individuals. The elements of a healty relationship have been the same since the beginning of time. So are the elements of a unhealthy relationship.

So here is my "compassionate reflection" If you don't believe in something, you will fall for anything.

This woman made a career of being a victim. som nom na

Came here for a new adventure. had been going to florida for years in winter. had a friend here working in bkk.

Initially lived the nite life and all the beautful girls. fell in love on a daily basis for the first 3-4 months in pattaya. met a good girl who has captured my heart and now waiting on a visa to go back to the states.

I bought a home, car and motorbike thinking that I loved this place and would never leave, but am missing the beauty of home and don't like the heat, food, and discomfort of any activity outdoors.

I wouldn't say I love Thailand. The amazing thing about it is the human drama of it all. I think that I have experenced more emotionally than I have for many years. After a year of the whirlwind things are settleing down and acutally getting routine. I think I will wind up with some combination of time in LOS and time in the states.

I am very glad I came. the experences I've had have been fantastic and I adore my TGF. I'm looking forward to helping to facilitate opportunities for her and I'm excited to share in her adventure.

Ultimately, everywhere I go, there I am.

This has been fun, but the bottom line is the Thai courts will deside her fate and I doubt that they are interested in our little debate here.

Actually when I asked my thai gf what she thought she told me that if it were a thai woman who shot her bad husband than she would probably walk. so, I asked her what if the tables were turned and it was a bad woman shot by her husband and she answered he should fry. go figure.

My argument is that there are always going to be bad people in the world and most intelligent, selfassured people who come in contact with them would simply walk away. I would have the same advise if it were a man or a woman. I have encountered these types and when it was apparent that they were not people who were well I walked away. Sometimes it was not easy because I was in love with them but in the long run my life is what I want it to be because I made the difficult choice.

I have a problem with the politically correct notion that we should love everyone and look for the good. Ted Bundy apparently had some good qualities. I seem to recall that some crazy (yes crazy) women married him before he fried. I've stayed too long with bad people myself to the point that my anger and resentment allowed me to imagine doing them serious harm. Actually, got my friends worried about me actually doing it, but I didn't harm them because it is just plain stupid. More importantly I "took responsability" for my role in getting myself in the situation in the first place, learned from it and moved on. I'm sure there are hundreds of men and women sitting in 5x7 cells whishing they had done things a little differently.

Children learn from example. I think that this women was only thinking of herself and not about the pain this would cause her children. This is like the guy who kills his parents and then asks for mercy because he is an orphan.

The difference between what I think and what some of you think is I am objective. If this situation was a man who pulled the trigger on a bad woman I would feel the same way. I wonder if some of you women out there defending this womans actions can say the same.

Well specialk I think you answered my question.

I will say again that the children of this pair of misfits (guy and gal apparently) deserve a decent shot at a healthy life and a mother who suffers a lifetime of abuse, comes/stays under someones spell, and makes a choice to kill her tormentor is a poor example for her children and should not be around them to screw-up there heads anymore than has already been done.

If you really care about the children I would think that you would want them to make something of there life besides being a doormat.

Does anyone know or can explain why she followed him to Thailand?

I completely side with the children and support there protection and provisions for them to have a healthy life (with just one name) where they will be fortified with enough of a sense of selfworth that they will be resistant to falling for any guy who claims to be God. Whatever I might think of the mother I think I can safely say is at the very least a bad example.

I'm courious about the thai wife. Were they married? I have a hard time believing that a Thai woman would fall for his crap. It would be interesting to see how she thinks about all this. I can imagine the first time he played his "I'm god" card and she pulls out her third eye.

the websites for Thai's in the USA are: thaitownusa.com (LA) and thainewyork.com (NY)

back on topic, I live in Pattaya and frankly can't imagine living in a village. Maybe if I was younger but I am too set in my ways. My girlfriend can go to college and I have many farangs to hang out with.

My girlfriend is from Bamnet Narong which is south of Chaiyaphum. While she spent several years in BKK with grandparents there she identifies herself with her village. I went there with her a couple of months ago for the village experence.

Most of the people in her village are related in one way or another. I was surprised at how many young women had married farang, mostly german men. Walking around the village she pointed out several nice homes that were a result of those marrages. Actually, the nicest home was the lady who arranged many of the marrages. She described how most were purchased through the hard work of the Thai woman.

Her aunt's home where we stayed is a simple, comfortable place that was built by her aunt and her husband. They spent many years living in a construction shack and learning home construction in BKK. Her other aunt lives with her grandparents next door and looks after them.

I admit that as I walked around the village and had nice places pointed out to me I felt a little like I would be expected to supply a home so I talked about it with my GF. Basically the response was if I can afford it than it would be nice but not necessary. She is ok with the support and security I bring and the most important thing to her is the opportunity for a better life.

This really makes sense if you think about it. Thai's are great at copying things. It makes sense and look where it got the Japanise. I looked at some numbers of the money that is pouring in to issaan and it is huge. The suggestion was that this money was comming from farangs who had hooked up with BG's but I think that most of it is comming from Thai's who are working in the west. I've looked at a couple of web sites for Thai people living in the states (360,000) none of them talk about fleeceing farangs. They are all about creating a better life for themselves and there families through education and hard work.

If you are a fool with too much money and think that you can buy loyalty or respect than you will find people who are willing to help you maintain that illusion and spend it. I knew a guy in the states who came into a bunch of money and he showed it off and used it unwisely and we all helped him spend it and when it was gone we scattered. He was a fool. "Stupid is as stupid does" seems to be a universal truth.

When will people realize that people are people everywhere. Humans are complicated, unpredictable, and generally unreliable.

I come from a poor family, my father drank and spent his money on himself, beat my mother and me and my siblings. I wanted a better life. I left home and worked, joined the Army for a warm place to sleep. Somewhere along the line I got a GED and then met my first wife who came from a relitively stable family. I increased my status by marrying her and eventually graduated from college. The college I went to was a small unknown school and I was constantly reminded that it was not one of the top schools by my colleges. I achieved a measure of success as a sales engineer entertaining a bunch of stupid, fat men who had very large egos and very small brains. so I can relate to BG's. I fail to see the difference between what I did and what they do and the reasons behind it. Anyone who dosen't think status is an issue in the states has never been to a cocktail party.

Frankly, I really don't care what people think of me. The older I get the less I care about fitting in anywhere. hel_l I don't fit in in my own town why would I care what thai's think of me. I've learned a few words but I realized I just don't have the motivation. This is not because I dislike thai people, I do. I respect them because they are just like me and all the people I've ever known. If I learned the language, what would we talk about? World affairs?

One of my best friends used to tell me "you can marry more money in five minuets than you can make in a lifetime" he was right and he did. he's been happily married for almost twenty years. He calls himself a professional husband. He and his wife have one of the few good relationships I know of because they communicate, have common goals, keep their promises, and they like eachother. Same thing that works everywhere.

I have a TG and I adore her. She makes me laugh, She sings all the time, works hard, and is proud to be both isain and Thai. I am very proud of her she is number two in her college. We had many long conversations about what we want out of life and a relationship before we made any commitment. I replaced the income she was earning working long hours in an electronics factory. I learned a long time ago how to say no to unreasonable requests for money from my own siblings who can't seem to get a grip.

I went to her village and could not understand a word, but I could clearly see the respect that everyone that I met has for her. They don't respect her because she's with a farang, they respect her for the same reasons I do. She has made good choices in life and is managing herself with intregity. The house she grew up in is a typical thai stilt house. Her grandmother was born in it, but Her room looks like a typical girls room in the west. Her family has invested a lot in her.

I have been in Thailand for a year and met many different people good and bad. I feel like I've met them all before.

Another opportunity for Thai bashing by the sour grapes croud who couldn't manage there relationships where they came from and obviously haven't learned anything since they came here.

These are the "blame somebody else" folks who refuse to take any personal responsability for there own role in their failures.

"stupid is as stupid does"

This must be some kind of record for this forum. What a interesting compelling story and I'm sorry that it is turning out the way it appears to be. I also think that tip has handeled it with reason and integrity, but it reminds me that all relationships are a crap shoot weather here or in the west.

Since there is such a huge audience here I think the question that should be asked is why do we expose ourselves to huge financial (i'm assuming there is some) and emotional loss (and in this case personal danger) when it is so easy to have relationships without this exposure?

Humans, men, women, Thai, farang, do what we do because we are complicated creatures. I have not always lived up to my own standards so why would I expect anyone else to. I actually think were better off with women in Thailand because they come with a warning label. Dosen't mean that they are any worse than farang but they do have the label. Actually if I had to make a conclusion based on what my experence has been over the last year in LOS I would have to say we are all even. I know of a couple of guys who have wonderful girlfriends who are devoted to them but they are not keeping there promises. There are so many stories like this. Just for grins the other day I searched for groups in the states dealing with relationships and there are tens of thousands of them and they describe every possible variation and it is the same stuff that you read about here. Personaly, I think we are bigger fools here because we ignore the huge clear warning label.

There is no down side to keeping your hard earned assets in your own name. It is easy to make secret provisions to provide for them if something happens to you. It is also a hel_l of a lot easier to walk away if things don't go the way we want. I adore my TGF she is a joy to be with but I think I would be a fool to believe that it will always be like this. For me it is a day to day thing. If we finished tomorrow I would not regret a single moment. She is paid up as far as I am concerned and earned every penny for the joy she brings me. I would love it if we lived happily ever after and hope we will, but I'm a realest. I've got a 50-50 chance at best. I would not invest my hard earned money with those odds.

The question we should be asking is what is it about ourselves, what romantic fantasy are we living out that is driving our decision making. Read the warning label.

Warning!!! This person that you are about to emotionally engage with is a human being. While sharing your genitic makeup may be prone to unpredictable behavior. This human may have had experences that make it difficult or impossible for them to meet your needs. They may have a different agenda. They will likely not even know themselves why they do what they do, but they cannot stop doing it. You will never know for sure where you stand, but may begin to have a clue after many years of observation. It is extremely dangerious to project your romantic hopes and dreams (and hard earned chash) onto this person because the likelyness of them failing is high. If you do not understand these risks and take the necessary precautions you will be exposing yourself to great loss and suffering. If you choose to ignore this warning it is recommended that you avoid operating heavy machinery, small motorbikes, avoid tall buildings in Jomtien and sharp utensels.

Hi Tip,

This is obviously a difficult time for you and I complement you on the way that you are handling it. As others have said you need to find out what the truth is and take care of yourself while your doing it.

Frankly, I am not concluding from anything I've read so far that convinces me that she has gone astray and I would try to remain calm (as you can) and investigate this. I got the impression that you have already recieved information that is not speculation but check out everything and be sure before you tip your wife. Also I haven't heard if you have secured the $10,000 in the account she has access to. Seems to me you should. (just in case) I agreed with a poster who said "hope for the best, but plan for the worst" and "trust but verify"

Seems to me you can accomplish that without her knowing anything and if it is a hoax that you can move on. If it is not a hoax than you won't tip her off.

I have a wonderful relationship with a Thai woman who I adore, but I worked a lifetime for what I have and I control everything. I've told her that if anything happens to me to contact my lawyer. He has a "letter" for her that is important. I would never tell her I have a will. She does not know what my assets are or if she will get anything. This is not because she is Thai, it is because she is human. I would be heartbroke if we finished< but i will not be broke>

good luck and hang in there

I live in a small new farang village in Pattaya. One of the new 4br houses sold within the last month and two have been rented. There are 2 - 2bedroom villas for sale, mine and a friends. We've both had people looking and it appears to be picking up over the past few weeks. Who knows what is going to happen, but I think that there is a large number of people close to retirement in the west who will want to give Thailand a go. BTW, even though things are slow now, prices appear to be staying put.

I'm told that existing "companies" are not being looked at and "selling" is a matter of transferring the company and director. Don't have to involve the land office.

orlandoiam, I just realized that I made an assumption that you are a guy wanting to bring your boyfriend to the states and I have a 50-50 chance of being wrong.

Please accept my humble apology if that is the case.

BTY, while the process is a pain I think it is worth doing it yourself if he does not have any skelatons in his closet. It does look pretty daunting at first but it is doable.

I have a friend who is 3 months into the process with a agent doing it for him at the tune of 180,000 baht and does not know it's status. the agent keeps asking for more money (org. quote 100,000)

good luck

Hi Orlando. I am a month into the process of bringing my Thai Fiance to the states and your right to start with the uscis.gov site. All the forms are there and are fillable online.

As I understand the process (after careful study for about 15 hours) it is two fold.

First file the 129F partition to the district office for your home state. You have to do it by snail mail. When they recieve it they will mail you a reciept number which you can use to learn the status and sign up for e-mail nitification of changes.

After the district office approves it they send it along to the national processing center for more approvals and then will send it to BKK or CM emmbassy.

I'm estimating that it will take about 3 months.

I was extremely careful to dot all the i's and cross all the t's and included much more information than requested such as her school and work history.

The day I planned to mail it I rechecked the website and found they had updated the 129F form. I completed the new form and sent it. They still sent me a letter requesting the new information on the new form.

I seem to recall reading something about same-sex marrages being excluded but I looked over the stuff I have and cannot find it. You should check this out.

It might be complicated because as far as I know only MA recognises same-sex marrage and the other states do not recognise MA same-sex marrages. So does that mean that you would have to live in MA? I don't know. Check it out and good luck.

Wait a minute.

A woman kills a man with a gun. (no speculation here)

In the time before she pulled the trigger she had choices:

a. she could have held him at gun point until the police arrived.

b. she could have held him at gun point until her team of lawyers arrived.

c. she could have shot him in the leg.

d. she could have shot a soi dog in the leg just to show she ment business.

e. she could have shot herself in the foot and say he did it.

f. she could have held him at gun point and sat down and enjoyed a nice cappachino and a bun.

g. she could have sung a little tune: "I got the gun, I got the gun"

What she did was shoot him 3 times in the chest, try to flee and dispose of the gun.

...and I'm a misogynist because I think she should fry????

I think I need a hug.

I don't know how you missed this but I didn't say she killed him for the money. I said she killed him because she is stupid. (and probably a lousey poker player) If she was smart (like other scorned women everywhere) she would have used his lapse in emotional control to make his life a living hel_l untill he gratefully handed over everything to her just to make her go away.

I am saying that the smell of money is in the air and there will no doubt be women crawling out of the woodwork claiming to have his child. hel_l, I'd give it a shot myself if I had a womb. It seems to me that this is a great opportunity for all those that have a claim of mental suffering to cash in. Unfortunatly, this is Thailand. The cops and the polititions and various other thai's (possibly the waitress who witnessed the shooting and perhaps the soi dog who was awoke from a rice induced slumber) will get there's first. Thailand has a knack for keeping money from leaving the kingdom in case you haven't noticed.

Then there is the whole Jesus thing to consider. Maybe he really did have devine power. He certainly certainly seemed to make a lot of potentially intelligent people believe it and God knows that there are at this very moment people stareing at images of Christ in the cement wall of a overpass in a certain American city that are in the jury pool. The imaculete conseption thing has worked before. Really, if you get enough freaky people, who have lost touch with reality, togather anything is possible. Maybe I did have his child after all. I seem to remember a unexplained intense pain in my lower body once while I was having some problems with my karma interfering with my dogma. My research on Google conferms that there were some unexplained births on that particular day. Hey maybe I have a shot after all.

I gotta go and look up a good lawyer. I think I can find one under granola.

Support and encouragament is a wonderful thing. I owe my life to people who have done it for me, but there is a point where "support" and "encouragement" begins to support the insanity instead of the growth and I walk away.

Children need examples of adults who are navigating the challanges of life and demonstrating that progress can be made. Everybody experences failures and mistakes. Most people pick themselves up and move on having learned something. Some, and I'm afraid I know too many of them, make the same mistakes over and over and over each time expecting different results. After accumulating enough self-induced failure they offically become victums and wear it like a badge of honour. They seem to go about life trying to perfect the art of being a victum. It's like some bizare career. I have been told that many have the word tattoed on the bottoms of there feet.

With so much to do in the world I choose not to waste my time on people who have proven themselves to be beyond help.

I'm sorry, but I think that investigating someone after you have had a half-a-dozen babies with them is a little late. Following a guy that you accuse of abusing you and your children half way around the world is not the act of a sane person. Like I said, I think the murder was justified, but she should be jailed for stupidity. A smart woman would have taken the gun off him, called the police, and enjoyed all the fruits that her lawyers could get from the guy for the rest of his misrable life. but, I digress

Finally, lets be real. Lets talk about what this is really about - MONEY If this guy was broke no one would care, (ok, maybe all the freaky women "victums would have to find a new excuse ) but the smell of money is in the air and the sharks are circleing.

Somebody should write a book about this saga, maybe call it "Suspitions and contradictions of karma driven freaks with multible names"

I can't believe I just spent hours reading this entire thread. I hope Steven Leather is reading this because only he will "understand".and perhaps he can make sence of it all.

Just for the record I want to ask Is that you Clara? (my sister who has a few problems of the nature displayed here for those of you who don't know her)

I have questions. How does a women that have been abused so badly by this monster (and I think he was a bad guy) follow him to Thailand so that she can be in close proximity for the abuse to likely continue? How do apparently intelligent, articulate (ok, the "I wish I had pulled the trigger, but I still love him" was a little over the top) wind up with a guy like this? I mean I can understand women being taken in by someones charm for a brief period of time (it happens to me all the time in Pattaya) but, really, how many babies does it take to figure this stuff out? And how is it that these same women seem to know about him being shot half way around the world within days of it happening?

I'm thinking that if I were one of these said women I would be a little unsettled about being in this group.

I have been douped by women all my life. Some of them are real players and I confess I had thoughts about doing something bad to them, but I don't know where any of them are living today and I would like to think that if one of them were shot I wouldn't give it a moments thought.

I agree that the kids are all going to be tramatised by this but some how I think that this will just be another bump in the road in a otherwise tramatic life. I'm afraid I will sound insensitive (sorry Clara) but children that have been raised by women who are incapable of managing there affairs with men are doing more damage on a daily basis than one event couuld ever achieve.

Obviously the facts are not clear, but there's a dead guy and a live woman (do the math)

Does anyone else (besides blackjack) think that this woman deserves to be in jail not for murder but for stupidity. I mean shoot someone in Thailand??? I think if I were her my defence would be that he repetedly slammed my head on the cement floor and thus I am brain dead. She can prove it by documenting how she followed this guy around for the last 25 years.

After my initial panic at the news article I've had a chance to mull this over and feel relieved that this will blow over.

My TGF reminds me that "this is Thailand" where prostitution is illegal and motorbike riders are required to wear helmets.

Apparently there have been other shake ups like this and life goes on. Houses are still selling and gaining 6% - 8% per year. I've decided to put my house on the market and buy a bigger one because there is just no way that this market is going to cool off for any length of time. This last scare did bring things to a standstill but here it is a few weeks and the market is already comming back. It would not do that anywhere else.

I have a friend who made a bundle investing. When I asked him how he did it he said simple, I do what the big guys do. The big guys are still investing in Pattaya big time.

I made a bundle in the real estate boom in the states in the 80's because I was inexperenced and just bought everything I could. I sat out this latest boom and made nothing because I analyzed it to death and never could make a move.

I'm putting my house on the market and buying a more expensive one in the same development. Quality will always sell and if the person who buys my place enjoys it half as much as I have than hw will be happy.

Of course there is risk in this market and all the rules of investing apply. If it scares you that much than pay rent or buy in a safer environment and watch your investment stay flat.

Today I read that one option is to buy the house and lease the land from a Thai. Apparently, many people buy the house and have a 30 year renewable lease with the developer. Obviously the lease agreement would have to be well written. It follows that I could sell the land to my girlfriend (or give it to her) and then lease it back from her under a similar agreement.