dsfbrit

I recently bought land and put it in my wife's name and the Usufruct in my name. As we're married she's entitled to 50% in the case of divorce and it's not that clear whether she can cancel the usufruct or not (also because we're married). So there's not much guarantee for married couples whatever you do, my main concern was in the event of her death. Needless to say, I'm making sure none of the family move in.

I see we think very much alike and I agree 100 percent. For me, these are the 2 main issues. Its for exactly these reasons that I have not yet been to Sunbelt's Offices to set-up the Usufruct. I think I have several months (up to a year?) before the full tax has to be paid again, so I will ponder this over the next few months.

As this has been discussed at length in other threads I suppose I had better not elaborate further, but advise the OP to beware of both lease and Usufructs and realise they have their pro and cons should he decide the company route is indeed 'too dangerous'.

Thanks for the info it,s just what I was looking for. At the navy hosp.south of pattaya which is quite well known for this type of surg the cost in total is around 150,000B the surg is univ prof assisted by another ortho surgon all first class including the implant metal and poly. the accmmodations are sparten.

Sounds a good option - Wish you speedy recovery.

Important is that you put all your efforts in the rehab. Prior to the surgery my leg had shrunk to the size of my wrist, but with a lot of exercise and physical therapy it got bat to "normal".

You say your leg had shrunk. Why was this ? I am currently exercising a lot, mostly walking for an hour a day and have noticed the same thing. My normal exercise regime would be squash and football so switching to just walking is new to me.

I see from some web-sites that they recommend other sorts of exercise such as swimming. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

For active people, at the current time, I am convinced that hip resurfacing is usually a much better choice than total hip replacement (THR) for people with good bone quality. .

I am considering resurfacing and like you, going to India for the operation. I don't really have any plans yet though. Since I was diagnosed a year ago the pain has not got any worse and I decided to take the generally accepted advice of waiting until its absolutely necessary until having the operation. I was put off by the attitiude at BPH and thought (perhaps mistakenly) that the Thais may not be the best people to do the work.

I bought a house through the company route 4 years ago. I dont lose any sleep at all over the set-up so it is fine for me. If you are not a 'worrier', then it will be fine for you too. If you are a 'worrier' then don't touch this set-up with a barge-pole.

If you must own property in Thailand then buy a condo in your own name. There is not really any other practical and cheap legal set-up for a 100 percent honest 'joe'.

To understand all the issues relating to this subject, I have spent a lot of time over the past 2 years looking into the other options and I may move the property into my wife's name via a Usufruct or lease.

Why would I do this if I dont lose any sleep over the current structure you may ask??? Well I dont particularly like the 15000 baht I have to pay a year for the accounts AND at the moment I would not have to pay the transfer taxes - well only a tiny proportion anyway. So if I did want to make everything 100 percent legal then this is a good time to do it.

My advice to you though is NOT to buy a house/land in Thailand unless you really really really feel you must - it could cause you lots of hassle down the road.

Hi there - I had a similar question and contacted Sunbelt Asia (Greg) about this in April. He said this is possible to do now. Here are some snippets of the emails. For more info I would contact Greg directly.

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Hi Greg,

I have just heard that there is / may be a reduction in taxes relating to houses.

I am still interested in moving my house/land from my company to my wife and wonder if this would be a good time to do this to reduce the taxes I/the company would need to pay.

The overall tax liability under the old ruling was about 6 percent, the new ruling would on the face of it seem to be for a lot less??? for the next year at least.

As you can see below, I was interested in a 30 year lease before, but now would be interested in a Usufruct instead.

If you think this may be a good time to make this change etc...

regards

dsfbrit

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From Greg (Sunbelt)

Yes they lowered the rates to just .001 per cent on the transfer and .001 per cent on the SBC.

Are you ever in Bangkok? If not we can still do it by e-mail till the day we meet at the Land Office.

Just let me know.

Regards

Greg

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Later Email From Greg (Sunbelt)

For a usufruct we charge 9,500 Baht + 7% VAT

For shutting down a company we charge 30,000 Baht + 7% VAT

If you want to shut down a company at this point time you will have to file the audits for 2007 and 2008. The professional fee for the audit would be starting at 13,000 Baht plus 7% VAT per audit.

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Just witing for the final scores - think forest have done it???

I know an English chap who's got a bar in Pattaya. He shows all the games every weekend. He'll have it on for sure. If we don't get automatic prmoton this weekend & we get to the playoff final, I'll arrange to come down to Pattaya to watch it. I'm about the same distance from Pattaya to Bangkok so is no hardship for me

What channel does he get that on then??? As for the other thread, I reckon 'young Nigel' is in luck this season.

5 years ago the weeding Dowry was around 50000 Baht and I of course picked up the bill for the whole wedding.

I put this money in a nice gold gift card I spent quite a time finding. The mother ripped the card to shreds in her haste at getting to the money - I realised then that she had never seen that much money in her life before.

I also pay the in-laws 7000 Baht a month as a 'pension'.

I wasn't asked to pay the pension, but they are old and poor and I wanted to do so. I thought that if I did this, that it would stop any requests for money for a sick cow or whatever.

Since I started the pension 2 years ago, its been fantastic. Not a single request for additional cash!

Godd Luck with the wedding.

Over the last couple of days here in Phuket, I've seen a a few foreign husbands speaking Thai to their kids.

I suspect they did not want to offend you and assumed you could not speak Thai.

The converstaion probably went something like this.

Child: Daddy Daddy why does that funny Farang keep following us around listening to our conversations?

Farang Dad: I don't know, but he has been following Farang and their Thai kids for some days now.

Child: Daddy I am frightened.

I alway travel EVA Air as their Elite class seats (nothing really Elite - just bigger economy seats) are fantastic value compared to the other 'main' carriers I have tried ie: Thai, BA and Qantas.

On top of that price I suppose you still have to add the Surcharges/Taxes of about 11000 Baht.

Even then I suspect within the next period BA and the others will increase prices as well.

To be fair to all the airlines though - at 120 dollars a barrel compared to around 60 dollars a barrel a year ago - its hardly surprising is it.

In fact here is the Eva Air price if booked Today for a flight booked on the internet travelling BKK-LHR in November this year:

Economy:

Adult: 1 THB 31,500 * 1

Taxes: THB 11,460 * 1

Total Fares THB 42,960

This price is already 43000 Baht in total - so I guess the new price will be around 53000 Baht

I have only had dental work carried at at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, but they were excellent. I had treatment lasting more than 25 hours and no problems (caps and root canal work - yuk).

However, I went there last year and was diagnosed with a 'dodgy' hip. The doctor was very keen to perform the hip replacement operation and said it needed to be operated on immediately.

I was then hurried around to the cashier to be given a quote for the work and sent on my way. He told me in no uncertain terms that if I did not have this operation immediately I would be deformed and painted a very bleak picture indeed.

That was a year ago and after, among other things, I researched hip operations on the Internet and contacted the Arthritis Research Council in the UK, I realised that the advice he gave me was wrong.

In fact I was told by ARC to persevere with the (slight) pain I have for as long as possible - delaying any operation until it was really needed.

I only telll you this so you realise that in some cases, BPH may be more interested in money than the good of the patient. I cannot say if this is for all cases at BPH or all doctors, but I have to say in my case I feel this was the case.

Good luck with finding the hospital.

Thanks for the info lop. I have bookmarked that link.

I see they are offering the resurfacing operation at a similar price. I don't need any surgery yet, may be able to delay that for years and then may opt for the resurfacing when more is known about the long term success.

From another thread it looks like Yanabill1 is going for his operation around about now.

Wish you a speedy recovery Yanabill1.

I know what you mean about falling apart. I came into this forum to start researching my dodgy hip!

I dont understand all that has been written here, but I hope it all turns out OK for you.

regards

Dave

I will be having major surg with a long rehab at home.Is there any shop that sell home health care aids ? I live in so Pattaya. thanks

Is this the hip operation ? Where did you decide to have this operation?

I only read and replied to your previous question today (you posted at the end of March).

Good luck with it and rest assured its one of the most successful operations. You will be free from pain for sure - like a new lease on life most people say.

As for health care aids - does that mean walking sticks etc... if so outside Carrefour Central Pattaya we bought my wifes father a walking stick, 'zimmer' frame and a wheelchair.

Hi: I live in Pattaya i am looking for any info and costs, and results.Of great intrest to me is rehab and manageable cost so i guess that lets out bkp any info will be greatly appricated,thanks in advance.

To help you compare costs, this is the quote from Bangkok Pattaya Hospital for a hip replacement.

This is for a full hip replacement as opposed to re-surfacing.

Hip - 96,000

Op - 55,000

Anes - 9500

Room - 5750 (per day)

Nurse - 1300 (per day)

Medication - 11850

They estimated a 5 day stay in hospital.

Having spoken to other people in the waiting room I would recommend you allow 300,000 - 350,000 Baht as a reasonable estimate for this operation here. On todays exchange rates (ie around 60 baht to the pound) this works out at around 5000 - 6000pounds.

In the UK, a similar operation in one private hospital I contacted would cost about 8000-10000 pounds .

Hope this helps.

By the

Good Luck.

hi...

i dont know much about football or soccer but i was in cologne in 2006 (world cup) when england played vs. trinidad and tobago and germany vs. sweden (not so sure about which fought which but i am certain about those 4 countries. i had an article about it (spectator experience type, no didnt get to see the games not even on the free giant screen but the experience of being there was just great). it was published in a local daily. if you guys want to see it, let me know.

AND OF COURSE, IF I AM INTRUDING TOO MUCH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW TOO AND I WILL BACK OFF... NO PROBS.

We'd love to read it Aries.....bring it out mate.

There's no heirs & graces here mate your welcome to contribute....the more the merrier.......we've even got a Torquay fan lurking about somewhere

What a fantastic thread. Although I used to live in London, I have been a Forest fan since the great man Clough (and Taylor - they were a great management team ) were there in the 70's. It was their approach to football that actually got me interested in football again in my early 20's.

Sadly both of them are no longer with us, but I still go and see Forest when I am back in the UK.

Watching the old division 3 football isn't that bad. At least the best seats in the Brian Clough stand are only 25 quid.

I went to see Spurs versus Man U in February when I was back in the UK - a season ticket holder took me down there - but the ticket would have cost nearly 70 QUid.

Good game though 1-1.

Enough of the nostalgia - tell me Chavy where can we see the play-offs on the tele in Thailand. It looks like Forest will be in the play-offs - they could just do it in the last game if all the results go their way - but unlikely.

Welcome to the thread Dsfbrit, after Saturday's results we're only a point behind Donny with a game each left. We've got Yeovil at home & Doncaster have Cheltenham away. Cheltenham will be fired up as they need the win to guarantee saftey for another season. A point is no good to Donny if we win so they've got to go for it. I'm really looking forward to this Saturday.

If we're in the playoffs it looks like we'll play Leeds first !! Usually the playoffs are on Supersport and I have seen them on TV in the Londoner corner of Suk 33 before.

Thanks for the info chavy. I am in Pattaya, but could easily get up to Bangkok if need be.

I must admit - a few weeks ago I thought there was no real chance at all of automatic promotion.

Come on U Reds!!!

hi...

i dont know much about football or soccer but i was in cologne in 2006 (world cup) when england played vs. trinidad and tobago and germany vs. sweden (not so sure about which fought which but i am certain about those 4 countries. i had an article about it (spectator experience type, no didnt get to see the games not even on the free giant screen but the experience of being there was just great). it was published in a local daily. if you guys want to see it, let me know.

AND OF COURSE, IF I AM INTRUDING TOO MUCH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW TOO AND I WILL BACK OFF... NO PROBS.

We'd love to read it Aries.....bring it out mate.

There's no heirs & graces here mate your welcome to contribute....the more the merrier.......we've even got a Torquay fan lurking about somewhere

What a fantastic thread. Although I used to live in London, I have been a Forest fan since the great man Clough (and Taylor - they were a great management team ) were there in the 70's. It was their approach to football that actually got me interested in football again in my early 20's.

Sadly both of them are no longer with us, but I still go and see Forest when I am back in the UK.

Watching the old division 3 football isn't that bad. At least the best seats in the Brian Clough stand are only 25 quid.

I went to see Spurs versus Man U in February when I was back in the UK - a season ticket holder took me down there - but the ticket would have cost nearly 70 QUid.

Good game though 1-1.

Enough of the nostalgia - tell me Chavy where can we see the play-offs on the tele in Thailand. It looks like Forest will be in the play-offs - they could just do it in the last game if all the results go their way - but unlikely.

Come on, this is max. 1 week per year and I enjoyed it yesterday and today. People were happy, I did not notice any violence, just sabai sabai.

However I did not go Soi 7 or 8 where the farangs spoil the party!

No offence to you Moo9, I am sure you are a decent person who has a good time and causes no offence.

If I may offer up an analogy, sadly its a football analogy.

I and many other decent people go and watch Premier league football in the UK (when we get the chance).

I have been at games that have crowds of 25000 and others that have crowds of 60000 plus, true football supporters there watching and enjoying a game of football.

It takes just a few drunken thugs sitting in the stands hurling abuse at rival supporters to turn a fun family day out into a quite frightening event. Certainly it makes me feel uneasy and I am a 6 foot farang. I feel particularly sorry for the dads who have brought their kids to the game.

Over the past few years the cameras and extra security guards have reduced this to a minimum, but it still goes on.

This tiny minority of drunken thugs are no more supporters of football, than the drunken bullying minority of farangs in Pattaya are supporters of any Thai culture - including Songgran.

They are drunken bullying thugs pure and simple and just take their habits wherever they go and simply ruin it for the decent majority who want to have fun.

Oh and I did get involved with Soggran a couple of years ago and it was good fun until one of the UK's 'finest' decided to fire one of those high powered water jets into my wife's face. It blew off her glasses - god knows where they went - and damaged her eye.

'Fortunately', it was in the eye she is already blind in - otherwise the damage would have been a lot worse.

So I for one am glad that today in Pattaya - it should all be over - but I hope you had fun anywway

A couple of months ago one of vacuum cleaner gave up after many, many years so took out the little used one and it also gave up after being used a couple of times. Maid took somewhere and had it fixed for 1,500 baht. If you want to know where she took it please remind me next week when she is back at work - all the servants have taken off for Songkran.

Thanks for the kind offer. I think I may take you up on that, or I may give up and just buy a new cleaner. Its frustrating because I am trying to repair things rather than buy new items (saving the planet and all that), but it seems such a lot of hassle.

For example, my computer printer broke down the other day. A new printer is just 2000 baht and comes with a new toner cartridge.

The toner cartridge on its own costs 1350 baht (Lexmark!!!

The repaiir will cost at least 500 baht as the power supply needs replacing.

So the cost is nearly the same!!! and I suspect the 'repaired' printer will break down again pretty soon anyway.

So common sense says just buy a new printer.

There goes the planet...

There is a place on 3rd road that repairs all electrical goods. Head South from Pattaya Thai past Tony's Gym, and just before the next set of lights (soi 17) there is a standalone building on the right hand side. It's a bit more accessable than dragging your hoover into Tuk Com, but I haven't used either.

Thanks for the feedback - I was really hoping for a recommendation though. Lets face it, there are so many 'comedians' out there 'repairing' things, that a recommendation is always a safer option.

In fact come to think of it the last 2 items we had repaired were:

- my wifes mobile phone and although the fault was fixed, the camera no longer worked - so gave it to her sister!

- a clock we had fixed broke down again afer just 2 months - threw it away!

So it may be cheaper and less hassle to just buy a new vacuum cleaner now - they seem to be a lot cheaper than when I bought this model!

I always fly EVA and they do indeed always want to see the credit card I used to book the flight.

Your suggestion of sending the money to your sister-in-law and her paying cash sounds the easiest option with Eva Air.

You are right about the higher cost.

I think that fare includes about 11,000 baht in taxes/fuel surchages doesn't it???

Then of course this does not yet factor in the increase due to the pound/baht exchange rate, which has gone from about 69 baht per pound to about 62 baht per pound since November!!!

'Pattay E-Mall' - is this Dcom where the computers etc... are sold. The basement there???

My LG claeaner has just died - it cost 5000 Baht 3 years ago, so Billaaa777 I know what you mean!

Come on you miserable bunch of w*nkers get out there and enjoy the festivities

I would rather sit here and read witty posts like yours bubblewrap, on second thoughts going out and being attacked by tattooed morons may be fractionally more fun.

Sadly the fridge is now empty, the local 7/11 has run out of anything that is at all healthy, so I may have to go into Pattaya after all.

I have never had a dog as a pet before, so it has been quite a learning curve on just how much effort there is in checking for tics.

About a month ago, we were horrified (well I was anyway) to find a very large 'tic' on him. It was soft and unlike a normal tic as it was soft could be squashed quite easily. When I squashed it - it was full of blood

I looked it up on the Internet and it turned out to be a tic that lived on sheep (no sheep around here) or my wife thought around here maybe on cattle.

Saw a couple more after that in the house near where we eat !

Sprayed the whole house with standard insect spray and haven't seen any since!!