Filer

Sorry, for "licence" in my last post (my mistake), please read "International Driving Permit".

Although we loosely call it "International Driving Licence", we shouldn't, since it's not a licence as such, as has already been pointed out, but rather a certification/validation of your national licence.

I don't have a Thai license or an Iternational Driving permit (IDP) but want a Thai license. I have emailed the RAC and AA in the UK but to no avail. Surely there is some way to first get the IDP without having to go back to the UK.

Anyone have any answers in this position ?

Cheers

As long as you have a valid UK/EU DL and an address in the UK then no problem.

Just get the form over the internet fill it in plus pic /cheque (Brit Bank) and send it off to be delivered to your UK etc...and get somebody to send it back out to you.....

What is an International Driving Permit (IDP)?

An IDP is a formal document issued to visitors to another country which translates details of a driving licence into several languages, enabling foreign authorities to interpret the driving entitlements held, their validity periods and the identity of the holder. They are issued by the Automobile Association (The AA), Royal Automobile Club (RAC), RSAC and Green Flag Motoring Assistance Recovery Club.

To get an IDP, you must be resident in GB, have passed a driving test and be over 18 years of age. The fee for a permit is £5.50.

Any enquiries about IDPs eg ‘How to apply?’ should be directed to one of the motoring organisations listed above.

apply here>>>>

http://www.theaa.com/getaway/idp/motidp002.html

Note: you can get licence over-the-counter at Post Office in UK

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I know that this doen't help the original question (how to get licence without visiting UK), but in case it hasn't been pointed out before it might be useful for members to know that the simplest and quickest way to get the licence when you are in the UK is to walk into a large Post Office where they are issued on the spot over the counter (subject to documents, photos, fee etc). Generally at least one PO in each town will be capable of doing this. I expect that you can find out from the Post Office Web site which POs offer this service. The Post Office acts as an agent for the Automobile Association and issues the AA version of the licence at the standard price. I always get mine this way.

Although there's a recent topic in this forum on building a house, I thought this was worth a separate topic.

Can someone explain to me why building costs in Thailand (Phuket) appear to be so high? I've spent some time this last year looking at the possibility of building my own home for retirement here but I've more or less abandoned the idea now because of:

(i) costs

the high costs that people quote me everywhere - confirmed also by some eperienced expats who have been through it themselves;

(ii) quality enforcement

the serious problems of quality of construction and building according to the spec., which appear to affect everybody.

The quality problem is something that I've progressively become aware of in talking to others (as well as through these forums). I think that I can understand that much of this is due to unskilled/untrained immigrant labour, without any craft traditions, working under poor supervision. (This does, of course, sit awkwardly in my view with some wonderful Thai standards of craftsmanship in other fields, from ceramics to textiles to clothes manufacturing (some of the best quality in Asia) to hotel management etc.)

It's the cost problem that puzzles me. Labour costs must be very low (immigrant labour). On the other hand, some materials may be on the expensive side, if imported. Energy costs, it is true, have been going up (and this rolls through into things like cement cost). But why do we end up with a typical per square metre cost for a decent spec and decent local materials (nothing luxury like marble or granite) that seems always to end up in the region of baht 20,000 per square metre for the build and finishing. I'm told that you have to expect to spend this. So, if you plan a reasonable 250 sq mtr home, this build cost will be some 5 million! I know that it's very dangerous to generalise in terms of cost per square metre between different houses, but this typical figure of 20,000 baht continues to amaze me. Am I and all the people I've spoken to being potentially ripped off as foreigners?

In Europe (again dangerously generalising) you can expect to spend around Euros 1,000 per square metre = about 50,000 baht. Does the Thailand cost really come up to some 40% of the European cost, considering all the overheads, taxes and other charges that the European cost includes?

Although I've regularly been in and out of Thailand for some 28 years now, I've never had to look at construction before (although I have worked in the industry). Just assumed that when the time came my wife and I could build a reasonably economic house here. I wish I'd studied this much sooner. Fortunately the long term rental market gives us an attractive "out" now.

So is there anybody out there with real insight into Thai building costs?

Malaysia's move clearly highlights Thailand's need to clarify property rules for foreigners, in my view.

Yes, I just checked this report too myself, and it's true. Malaysia announced it today. It's an extension and liberalisation of the special deal already included in the Malaysia retirement programme for foreigners, whereby retirees could buy 2 properties (any type, including land, freehold) over US$40,000 each (over $70,000 each in areas like Penang). Now it seems anybody can buy without restriction, nor limit to numbers of properties, just the value threshold of US$70,000 each. Remember that this includes freehold ownership of land.

Malaysia, which has had its own economic and financial problems over the past decade, but has staged a careful recovery, certainly seems to have realised that it's in its own interest to keep the foreign community on board with liberal arrangments like this. (Malaysia even formally guarantees retirees under its retirement visa programme complete freedom from local taxation on all foreign income brought into the country.)

It would indeed be nice if Thailand would learn from Malaysia's much more open approach and spell out clearly what the rules for all the foreigner-related issues are - and how they will actually be administered. However, I don't see this happening quickly, because Thailand just works differently - one of the things that in fact attracts some of us here and makes us love the place. However, the one thing that Thailand does need to clean up as soon as possible is the whole uncertain legal situation over foreigners' purchase/control/ownership of land. Malaysia's actions on foreigners' property ownership today simply highlight Thailand's messy situation, which will only do Thailand harm if it continues for much longer.

Thailand Tiger

My situation is similar. Spent 25 years deciding on Thailand as without doubt the ideal place in SE Asia to retire. Bought some land with sea view. Designed the ideal house with a local architect. Talking to bulders and project managers (not easy, given the well-known problems of cost and local build quality, but probably achievable in the end) ------ and now all this!

I'm looking seriously now at selling my land and going to my plan "B". This is to do the same thing in Penang, Malaysia, which I know well and where the Malaysian government has a very clearly documented and user-friendly policy for retirees (hassle-free long-term visa, freehold property ownership, clear tax situation, etc) and openly welcomes them.

Although my Thailand venture is in relatively flexible and liberal Phuket, I am not optimistic that the Thai authorities will be able to restore the fragile balance of rules and rule-interpretation which existed before May this year (foreigners working, retiring, holding property etc) and which allowed many of us to see Thailand as a good long-term place for a foreigner to stay. I suspect that we're in for a long period of uncertainty until some new balance evolves in how the various rules are interpreted and applied. Knowing how things work in Thailand and how the new government has many other more pressing priorities, I simply don't see anybody being able quickly to clean up the various present messy situations relating to foreigners.

I've just seen a specific thread on my own question in another forum: Thai visas... 800,000 Baht (1-year) Term Deposit To Meet Requirement, Are these really prohibited for retirement visa? It seems the answer is that it all depends on the interpretation of the immigration officers in question - there's no clear answer in the written law.

I am interested in this too. These rates seem reasonable for a fixed term of these lengths.

However, does this type of fixed-term-deposit account qualify to be considered for the 800k bank account requirement for retirement visa? Or does your qualifying bank account have to be a current account (one where you can spend the money)? I believe I read somewhere that there was an issue on this point.

All, Iam going to apply for a holiday visa for my Thai wife to visit the uk.Our son has duel citizenship so an English & Thai passports.We live in Thailand.What I need advise on is whether or not its possible for me to apply online for my wife to get a visa as Iam currently out of the Country working ? Iam sure that due to the fact we are Married and our Son has a UK passport the Process should be easier ? Anyone help with this ?

In theory you may have a good case, but I would caution against making any assumptions since the British Embassy will have extremely severe filtering procedures in place (for good reasons at this time) and you could alway run foul of them if you aren't fully in charge of the application.

You may wish to consider employing one of the experienced agents who do these things for you in Bangkok (my experience of them is purely second-hand) but I saw one of them advertising the other day in a banner in the Bangkok Post Web site. They claim to be really expert in getting UK visas from the British Embassy for Thai women, including past visa refusals and "no visa, no fee". Please excuse me if you are already aware of this, but in case you would like to check it out the Web site is www.visano1.com.

I opened a company in May with a view to buying a house, which I never did. This company is inactive and for tax purpoese thought it might be better to close it down. My lawyer has suggested that the fee for this would be 28K. Is this about right or am I being fed the proverbial bs??

Just leave it as is...

I did something almost similar in April - actually buying some land and planning to build my own houe to retire. Following the agitations over foreigners controlling Thai companies I have finally decided that Malaysia (which I know and like just as well as Thailand) offers an infinitely superior deal for retirees in all respects (clearly defined residence, property and tax laws), compared with Thailand's vague situation, where I am no longer prepared potentially to risk my life savings. I'm selling my land and will close my company as soon as I'm clear. Although my situation is slightly different, I'll post here any details of close-down costs which I am quoted, as soon as I get them, for information af all.

As a UK retiree due to move permanently to Thailand next year, I support the idea advanced in the first post. However, ministers who invite comments are only going through the motions of "consulting". It is only actions of a collective nature, like that of the Australians, which have any chance of achieving anything.

The essential fact in the UK is that any government there is under extreme budget pressure these days, given everybody's wishes and expectations for government benefits and programmes, and expats like us abroad, drawing UK state pensions, don't bring any votes. They don't need to listen to us.

Does anyone know of reliable developers for small projaect like say a single storey house. thanks.

I am checking out project managers and reliable builders (not easy to find) in Phuket, to build a house there, so I don't know much about the scene in Bangkok and around. However, I did notice somewhere the other day a banner advert from Richard Gray of Rosegate Consulting Co (www.rosegate-consulting.com) at Chonburi who offers a "hand-holding"/project management service, including recommendations to good builders, for expats wanting to build in the Pattaya area. He may well have some ideas and contacts in Bangkok and other areas. Could be worth an email or phone call (see his Web site). I am going to talk to him sometime about solutions in Phuket but haven't had time to do it yet.

There's a furniture shop near the river, at the corner of New Road (Charoen Krung) and Captain Bush Lane (the Soi that goes down to the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel) that sells this stuff. It was still there the last time I passed. Sorry I don't have the name.

Can't help you with a name but are you prepared to be onsite every day during construction, regardless of glowing recommendatios of a builder?

Thanks for the thought. I think you're saying that even the most highly-recommended builders here need to be personally supervised non-stop. You may well be right. A lot of people who've built here have told me the same. Yes, I'm capable of being on-site every day - I have a lot of project management experience in housing construction from the oil industry (worked in the Middle East). However, I really don't want to give up a year of my personal time to do this. If I have to do this, there's something wrong with the project. So although there's no simple answer (as another post tells us) I'd still like to see whether there are any possible "niche" solutions for handling my particular project. I've received a few interesting suggestions so far.

How about this - I have a foreign contractor building our home now - the foundation is just going in. You may want to take a look and see what you think - First call a Mr. John Woods - our contractor and he will be I'm sure more then happy to bring you to the building site - it's in Chaiya - you got a year

Barry

Thanks, Barry. This is just the type of help that I need. I'll PM you re details. I've also had two other good suggestions sent to me via PM. I have plenty of time before I plan to start work, so if anybody else wants to suggest anything at any time, feel free.

I've followed with much interest the thread about having a house built in Thailand and the difficulty of getting good quality from many local builders. This tracks with everything I've picked up recently from people in Thailand.

I'm moving permanently to Phuket next year when I retire and am planning then to build a house on some land in Phuket (design and construction drawings are complete through a local architect and building permission already optained). Now I'm looking for a good contractor who can do a quality job, or project-manage a quality job, at an honest price, and communicate adequately with me, a farang, before and during the job.

Has anybody had some good construction experiences in Phuket? Can anybody suggest any competent builders which I could start talking to? Are there any farangs in Phuket running construction firms which produce good quality? My house will be western style with concrete structure about 250 sq m.