Longwood50

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

, so give a couple a try and if you like PM me and i'll directs to a couple who helped us find what we were looking for.

Tried several already hence the post.  One was so bad she could not give us directions to the property.  

Looking for a competent and knowledgeable real estate agent to show properties here in Pattaya.  Have looked at a few properties based on advertisements online.  Consistenly they are nothing more than young typically women who know how to post an advertisement and nothing more.  

12 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

It may have been so for one or two months but the average over the year was much lower. Core inflation averaged just over 3% for the year 2022.

True but the core inflation ignores food and energy cost.  That hardly is representative of increases in GDP.  If consumers spend more on food which has gone up dramatically, and energy which likewise has risen substantially those figures show up in GDP.  As said, the inflation rate was over 6.3% which ties to what TE said inflation not core inflation was. 

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And if you want to buy something and renovate it then better check before about that process. IMHO it is difficult in many ways and often more expensive than imagined. 

I have done that before and know that first hand.  Tearing out the old is costly, retrofitting never as good as brand new and more expensive.  Will never do it again.  Particularly here in Thailand where you have no idea who will do a good job. 

3 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

It may have been so for one or two months but the average over the year was much lower. Core inflation averaged just over 3% for the year 2022.

Different source different answer
https://www.statista.com/statistics/332274/inflation-rate-in-thailand/

One does have to keep in mind that Thailands inflation rate in 2022 was 6.3% so the GDP would have to grow by that amount just to remain flat. 

Trying to get educated on real estate in Thailand. 

1. Is there a source that shows "comparable" home sales in an area.  I am familiar with a process where you can research what other homes that are similar and in a similar neighborhood have recently sold for giving you an idea what the true market price should be. 

2. In the USA it is typical to make an offer contingent upon a home inspection.  An inspector comes in and examines the home for any defects so you know what you are getting.  Is there any sort of similar service in Pattaya. 

3. Given that I have not gone through the process before, I would want a good "real estate" attorney to provide counsel.  Does anyone know of a competent real estate attorney not a jack of all trades attorney the way most of them are. 

4. I realize this is a difficult question but is there any sort of rule of thumb in Thailand on the price homes sell for versus what the asking price is.  Again in my experience in the USA Real Estate Agents normally price the properties anywheres between 5% and 10% above market knowing that they have to have some bargaining room.  Is that true it Thailand and what have those who have purchased home seen their discount be.  I have seen some homes on the market that clearly are listed for up to 25% more than they are worth. 

Any other advise that you believe would be helpful would be appreciated.  
 

Should they just put this post on Auto Renew. 

That would save someone from having to recreate it every 2 to 3 months. 

I have a T Mobile USA number that is $3.00 per month.  I get a very limited number of minutes which I never use and a limited number of SMS messages before I start to get charged ten cents for each.  

https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans/pay-go

1 hour ago, Mickeymaus said:

And don't blame Thailand for their fate. These people are to blame. 

You would never make it in the USA.  The sentiment there is that somehow the USA is to blame for having any sort of laws governing who is allowed to enter.  

An ice age is a period of time where global temperatures drop so significantly that glaciers advance and encompass over one third of Earth’s surface both laterally and longitudinally. During an ice age, a glacial is the period of time where glacial advancement occurs.^[1] Similarly, an interglacial or interglacial period is the warmer period of time between ice ages where glaciers retreat and sea levels rise.^[2] Over the last 450,000 years, glacials have lasted anywhere from 70,000 to 90,000 years whereas interglacials last approximately 10,000 years.<sup>[3

https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Glacial_and_interglacial_periods</sup>

21 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

The "Credit" card company can but the "Debit" card company is not covered by law. (not in the UK that is)

The UK law if you are correct is irrelevant.  MasterCard and Visa rules which all issuing banks have to agree to state a debit card transaction can be contested.  

4 hours ago, 2baht said:

What's that got to do with an overstaying Iraqi in Thailand??? ????

This was a response to the person who said we were ignoring the net financial benefits of those foreigners entering the country. 

1 hour ago, scottiejohn said:

Not in the UK under section 75 of the CCA.

I "think" we are saying the same thing.  The act as I read it says the card company can be held responsible. 

My point was that MasterCard and Visa have rules and they indicate that the issuing bank provides the same protection for people using those cards.  While that may be in the regulation, banks have traditionally pursued investigating charge transactions more aggressively than debit transactions.  Consider, if you don't like the ruling from the credit card company you can always say, I just wont pay the invoice when it comes due.  You can't do that with a debit card.  Knowing that, the banks are often much more dilegent about contested charges make on a credit versus a debit card. 

Wealthy countries always produce things of value.  Look at where products are made.  The USA, China, Germany, Japan, South Korea, etc.

They take raw materials, add value and sell it. Poor countries sell for the most part natural resources and commodities.  Rice, rubber, coffee, pineapples, etc. 

The one exeption is the oil producing countries.  

The lesson is, if you want to increase the standard of living for your country, the country needs to encourage manufacturing to locate in the country and employ the people. 

That is a two step process.  First, having sufficient workers with the requisite skills to support the manufacturing.  No company is going to locate here if it believes the country lacks sufficient workers with the skill to produce its products.  Second, you have to "encourage" not discourage manufacturing.  That means favorable rules on the construction, operation, and taxation of businesses that locate here. 

Money flows where it is treated well.  Just look at Singapore and Hong Kong.  They learned long ago that being business friendly make their countries prosperous.  China more recently learned that lesson. Unfortunately the USA has forgotten what made it the leading economic power in the world. 

On 3/26/2023 at 11:11 AM, KhunBENQ said:

Have ever been to a nudist camp?

After that you won't be too eager for more pics.

I was on a tour that took you to a beach area, in St. Martin in the Caribbean.  Let me say, you would not want to rush back to the beach anytime soon to take a look. 

On 3/27/2023 at 10:50 PM, StayinThailand2much said:

What is the procedure (at a bank branch) to have such a debit cancelled? (I was just told over the phone by K-Bank customer service to 'contact the firm that debited the amount', but I haven't received an answer from them yet.)

I am a former banker.  The debit cards used are either MasterCard or Visa.  As such the issuing bank has to adhere to their rules.  

In theory a debit card offers the same protection as a credit card.  In practice you will find the issuing banks less helpful with problem transactions on debit cards versus credit cards.  With the former, it is your money, with credit cards it is their money.  

You should make a formal request to "contest the charge"  Typically that has to be in writing.  The bank then is required to investigate.  If they find it is a duplicate they reverse the debit and you are fine. 

Expect to make several calls to follow up.  The issuing bank has to expend its time and effort and frankly most are not very dilligent. 

1 minute ago, JayClay said:

Why?

Because I am physically showing two that will overlay to show they are identical.  If I do that via a computer it loses the impact and could be assumed to be manipulated. 

On 3/22/2023 at 11:26 AM, connda said:

Will you support laws and regulations that will limit your personal movement to no more than a 15 minute drive from your place of residence in order to save the planet from man-made global warming? 

n 1968, the best-seller “The Population Bomb,” written by Paul and Anne Ehrlich (but credited solely to Paul) warned of the perils of overpopulation: mass starvation, societal upheaval, environmental deterioration. The book was criticized at the time for painting an overly dark picture of the future. But while not all of the Ehrlich’s dire predictions have come to pass, the world’s population has doubled since then, to over seven billion, straining the planet’s resources and heating up our climate.

Just one of the "chicken little" prophecies I have witnessed during my 7 decades living.  The latest of course was Covid that was going to lay waste to the population of the earth.

The earth has warmed and cooled for millions of years 

 

Glacial and interglacial periods

An ice age is a period of time where global temperatures drop so significantly that glaciers advance and encompass over one third of Earth’s surface both laterally and longitudinally. During an ice age, a glacial is the period of time where glacial advancement occurs.[1] Similarly, an interglacial or interglacial period is the warmer period of time between ice ages where glaciers retreat and sea levels rise.[2] Over the last 450,000 years, glacials have lasted anywhere from 70,000 to 90,000 years whereas interglacials last approximately 10,000 years.[3]

15 minutes ago, candide said:

Influence what? Get which favours?

Gee,  Now guess which prosecutor was going after Burisma the company that was paying Hunter Biden who new squat about oil and gas and had no expertise in Ukraine tens of thousands of dollars to be on their board. 

https://www.wsj.com/video/opinion-joe-biden-forced-ukraine-to-fire-prosecutor-for-aid-money/C1C51BB8-3988-4070-869F-CAD3CA0E81D8.html

59 minutes ago, lemonjelly said:

Just scan the docs with a scanner/printer and overlay them with photo software

Now what there a part of what I included in the OP that said 

No, I don't want to convert them to computer based slides.  It is important that I can overlay serveral transparencies at the same time to demonstrate their similarity.  That would be lost if they were computer converted.  That you found confusing? 

36 minutes ago, Crossy said:

There's nothing like the flustered lecturer fumbling with the acetates, dropping them and getting out of order, all to the great amusment of 100 students (I've been on both sides of that).

Now is there a part of the fact that I deliberately said that 
No, I don't want to convert them to computer based slides.  It is important that I can overlay serveral transparencies at the same time to demonstrate their similarity.  That would be lost if they were computer converted.  That you found confusing? 

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

Can't you create them in PowerPoint / Visio and show them next to each other, then use a TV to present.

Yes as said, you can show them next to each other but not overlayed.  As you as you computer generate them, it is lost that they have not been manipulated.