mgjackson69

I hate fresh markets and I hate Big C, but if I was forced to make a choice I would choose Big C, where prices are displayed and you can pick up and inspect everything. Buying power probably offers better deals at Big C too and the selection is far greater. It's also probably fresher at Big C than the "fresh markets" as it is air conditioned.

Big C fresh, really, omgggg... As for touching produce at fresh markets i do, my wife does and so do all the people i see at them.... As for pricing, they always have prices marked.. Open market i do find cheaper too

As I said, I don't like Big C and I don't like fresh markets. Fresh markets are for Thais who don't mind negotiating the heat and stink. Maybe your Thai wife picks up everything at the fresh markets, but I wouldn't do that. Also, they're not going to have most of the things I want, so it's a waste of time going to a fresh market to buy some items that maybe cheaper than the supermarket because it would mean an extra shopping trip to save how much? Very little.

If you have a Thai wife who does the shopping, great! She can do it (fresh markets) and save a few baht here and there, but if I do the shopping there's no way I'll go to one until all the supermarkets run out of food and I have no choice.

I do my vegie shopping at Friendship where every item is dated, Foodland and occasionally Big C Extra (not Big C normal). Vegies are such a small percentage of my daily/weekly food purchases there's really no benefit going elsewhere.

If you need a date label to tell if a vegetable is fresh, then by all means stick to the supermarkets.

Yes, much better prices at a market, plus better quality as well. Someone mentioned "I don't see rats running around Big C". Well I don't know what markets you've been going to. I've never seen any rats at any market, besides what does that have to do with the quality and price of the food there? I think some people are just sitting too high on their horse to live in Thailand. GO to the markets! Support your community and eat healthier food.

Rats are in all the markets, you just don't see them. It affects quality if the rats are pissing and shitting on your food. Has little to do with riding high on a horse.

Eat healthier?

If you want to eat healthier, support the local farmers growing organic.

Guaranteed, "organic" will have rats and insects in the fields.

If you want hermetically-sealed food items (full of hormones and antibiotics, by the way) go back to "the west".

I see the western arrogance is still alive and kicking, with all the arm chair experts thinking a dealer does not want to sell and they all know better.

Can you demonstrate otherwise?

Gasoline should be cheaper than it is.When the cost of material goes down companies don't like to lower the price.Same thing goes for airlines.They might reduce the price A little but not by very much.

I'm paying less than 1/2 for gas right now than I was in 2008. Where it used to cost more than $100 US$ for 27 US gallons (102 liters) it now costs about $50 for the same to fill my F-150 4x4 Supercrew pickup. I consider that quite a drop. I just bought gas for $1.89 per US gallon - 3.8 liters. Yes my tank holds 102+ liters.

Cheers.

Similar for me.

When I was in the Dallas TX office 15 months ago, if my F150 was near empty, the ~ $100 credit card limit would shut off the pump before the tank was full.

Last month I was in USA, the truck was on E, it took $56 to fill it.

I have a nice piece of bamboo perhaps 30" long or so...that goes with me on a walk, on the bicycle, or on the motorbike.

Most soi dogs are pretty smart (the stupid ones do not live long, Darwin's law at work) and understand a stick.

My dogs are psuedo-soi dogs....they know where they live and spend most of their time at the house, but they are "free-range".

If they did not bark at people they do not know, I would not keep them around long.

That is their only job.

It seems that dealers in Thailand would rather sell a vehicle "on order" rather than sell existing stock...if they can talk the buyer into waiting.

Which makes no sense really...they are floor-planning vehicles in stock, and at some point start paying interest.

Ahhh... The signs of economic recovery the US government has so proudly proclaimed...

Why would anyone crow about the US having economic problems?

The largest economy in the world affects all others.

Tempur-Pedic and similar mattresses take a bit of getting used to, especially if you are accustomed to a more firm mattress.

They are pretty comfortable once you adjust.

Op there are a few things that you need tolook at.

While you may be able to get a higher rent for an ocean view you are also going to pay more.

A good real estate agent or broker should be able to provide you with a breakdown of rents that are currently being paid in the condo.

If not check the paper for rentals that are available that are close to what you are realistically offering

As has been stated there is going to be months that you may not have a tenant if you are doing short time rentals and repairs that you will have to make when you get the bad tenant and you will..

realistic tool is the 1% rule take your price you are paying for the condo and charge 1% of the price at a minimum.

One reason I avoid short-term renting. The client is on holiday and will not treat the place as home.

On the other hand, a short-term renter is not going to treat it as home....as in driving nails into the walls to hang things, putting stickers on things, cobbling the wiring, etc.

how can you miscalculate? . you email yourself the date In your passport, set alarm on Google, sent email to yourself 1 week before, repeat alarm 3 days before.

place the date on your exit door so you see it everyday.

One easy way to miscalculate is to buy airline tickets assuming the "30 day stay" means 30 days, so if you arrive April 1, you should go back on May 1. Wrong! Both the arrival and departure date count, so it's effectively 29 days, and you would end up with a one-day overstay. Happened to more than one person I know.

Obviously, people on a longer overstay should suffer the consequences, but not having even a small grace period (if you happen upon a cop with a 1-2 day overstay) is a bit too harsh.

Why would one assume anything about a visa before you have it in hand.

Get the visa and confirm the dates, then make the flight reservations.

Because often you have to have the flight reservation information to support the visa application.

Experiences may vary...I have never had to show flight information to obtain a visa, only projected travel dates.

People also wear those masks if they have a cold and don't want to spread diseases

Yes, sometimes

But I would be confident in speculating that most people who are wearing masks are doing so in the mistaken belief that they are somehow protecting themselves, *not* because they care about their fellow man.

Much human interaction is non-verbal...facial expressions, etc.

It becomes more difficult to "read" a person when the mouth and/or eyes are not visible.

This can surely be intimidating when it is a person in a position of authority.

Keep your perspective, do not be intimidated.

Do you report to Immigration every 90 days?

OR

Do you leave the country every 90 days?

Per his original post, it would appear he does 90 day reports or has them done for him.

"I am working with a company which takes care of all of my visa, 90 day reporting, etc. "

But then he also says:

...so I will not be resigning with my company in March.

Not sure what the point of the post is if he isn't resigning or does he mean he won't be signing a new contract?

I took it as he will not continue his employment with that company....thus not re-signing (or he is resigning).

A medical mask is not going to stop diesel fumes.

It *will trap particulates.

You taunted the dog....somnaamnaa

It seems to me that dealer does not want to make the sale.

On to the next.

Buy from the farmers selling direct from their trucks at the side of the road.

Always cheaper and fresher.

I've known a few of the guys selling from their truck on the side of the road, some just drive up to the big wholesale market north of Bangkok to get their load and set up their truck instead of a stall in the market.... it's definitely cheaper and probably fresh, but it doesn't mean they're local produce and could even be from China even

Fresh is fresh...who cares if it is "local" ?

I think you need to get to know the type of people who your going to be renting to and there requirements, seems very close to a BTS or MRT station to start with if in BKK would be a starting point don't you think?

The guy who said renting to Thai/uni students wasn't wrong either, ex TGF an accountant came up with that one too.

Well I'm based in Pattaya, so I would like to keep my investments close to home. Plenty of rentals available over here, actually more than there are renters in my opinion, so a certain type of condo will attract more candidates than another.

And that is actually what this thread is about, but so far I haven't received much concrete advice than what I can read in any investment paper or website.

So your advice will be welcomed.

The Thai university rooms is indeed an opportunity I'm aware of, but I guess that needs involvement from a Thai or at least someone who speaks fluent Thai and knows the areas, to ever find those opportunities.

Why do you think advice in Thai Visa Forums would be of any more use than what you can read in "any investment paper or website"?

Do you imagine it is a bunch of financial wizards hanging out here?

Please define "slow foam"...I have never heard that term.

I find the quality of produce to be better at the local market (Amphur Chok Chai, Korat) than in Tesco or Big C.

Up to you, shop where you want.

how can you miscalculate? . you email yourself the date In your passport, set alarm on Google, sent email to yourself 1 week before, repeat alarm 3 days before.

place the date on your exit door so you see it everyday.

One easy way to miscalculate is to buy airline tickets assuming the "30 day stay" means 30 days, so if you arrive April 1, you should go back on May 1. Wrong! Both the arrival and departure date count, so it's effectively 29 days, and you would end up with a one-day overstay. Happened to more than one person I know.

Obviously, people on a longer overstay should suffer the consequences, but not having even a small grace period (if you happen upon a cop with a 1-2 day overstay) is a bit too harsh.

Why would one assume anything about a visa before you have it in hand.

Get the visa and confirm the dates, then make the flight reservations.

Without seeing the visa, people are assuming that it is a one-year Non-O.

I will ask this question of the OP: Did you do an extension of stay at Thai Immigration sometime around the August timeframe?

Op already stated has to leave every 90 days [emoji85]

Oh yes....my distracted brain translated that to a 90-day report.

Without seeing the visa, people are assuming that it is a one-year Non-O.

I will ask this question of the OP: Did you do an extension of stay at Thai Immigration sometime around the August timeframe?

Are you on a visa, or extension of stay?