Reginald Prewster

I have been the 10th year on a retirement visa and considering to go for the marriage visa. I am married with my Thai wife 21 years now, just moved to Isaan and bought a farm as retirement project. And old man and his wife is already living on the farm as security guard and off course as local farmer we are picking up his skills and knowledge. The family of the old man (truck and ecxcavator company) helps us thankfully for caring of their parents, to get things done and also I myself have a very familiar relationship to all them. In my vacations from offshore works we spend every day together but they are living about 10 Kilometers away, hence not relally considerable as neighbors. But because of the support and actions taken toward the old couple, who's life didn't play well to them, as they lost all their properties in an inheritage case with their in law side, we have grown a huge status in the villages around and are well respected by the local community. Does this provide enough proof to get the marriage visa? Beside 400k in the bank instead of 800k which is not important for me because I have always way more savings on my account, does the marriage visa having any advantage regarding work permit? I really don't mind the visits, it's the law hence I accept it as it is.

Many Posts i read here are the typical "Farang has no rights" BS comments. You have a good lawyer and the story could end badly for the ex wife. Our story was Family wanted to sell us land and ripped us off. Even my wife wanted to give up and then I showed her that you need nothing else than a good and professional lawyer who thinks per case, speaks the law and not against Farang. Darn, that guy was the calmest fury I ever met, who even shut down the opposite lawyer in minutes with a friendly but permanent brain battering. Later we heard that he did return a few assets like cars and houses back to farangs, after the wifes wanted to take off. I would not try it alone as then the story of "Farang lost all" might add another chapter...

There is no bribery in Thailand but the "fees" for playing loud music, having a gambling risk (called pool table or dart board) and so on needs to be approven and covered. Also you want to make sure that the police is available when troubles occur. There are clear regulations for. And that is just when you run your business by the rules.. Who remembers the Titty Twister? The guy was a good entertainer and could make his house getting filled with customers, but that alone didn't sell 100 beers per night.. He finally "left" his debts behind and escaped to Cambodia, untill somebody decided to claim his loan back. 3 local Guys 2000 baht each was the expense and these young local lads wanted to cut him in pieces. So he escaped further to the Phillippines where he hit a car with his bike and was free of loans after that because the last shirt has no pockets... Beside dishonorable he was surely one of the better barkeepers, who knew how to drag customers in and made them staying. I can only recommend: If somebody want to sell his Bar, Pub, Restaurant (and many many want) let the alarmbells ring loud, because who want to sell if it is not a screwed up place?

you are joking are you? Settle more like 20 - 35 k if he is a professional bar keeper, otherwise he will be part of the loosers "New opened, soon closed" Why everybody wants to open up a bar, beer bar or restaurant in Pattaya and dreaming the big money? If you sell 100 Beers per day = 170.000 baht per month - rent 35.000 (if cheap) = 135.000 - fees 40.000 (if Lucky) =95.000 - staff x5 = 50.000 (if somebody wants to work for it) 45.000 oops water, electric, cleaning......... = 25.000 Profit AND, most likely 100 beers selling per day is not even possible for most owners... equals "soon closed" or he is a long year professional who knows how to avoid thumbleweeds rolling through the deserted permises... Trust me, I am one of these lucky guys who are living 21 years in Thailand, never touched what others couldn't make and run a good offshore company, touching the 4 digits nearly per day, but working outside Thailand!! 98% he will chewing on last grizzle within 6 month..

I am working abroad and live near Khon Kaen so my flights are always Departure Airport, BKK Airport and Khon Kaen (which is 1 hr flight) No way I would sit in a Taxi for minimum 6.5 hrs (add 1.5 hrs to Udon).. Stepover is mostly 3 hrs, enough for a munch in a restaurant a beer or two and here you go.

The view in the airport has changed a lot. More backpackers like you have seen in Amsterdam are popping up. Understandable when you are going for a weekend trip to A'dam, the expenses are covering almost a 2 week trip to Thailand. I had to work abroad over the last summer and as I returned I was surprised that the Names (Silver Haze, Bubble Gum, AK 47....) sounded familiar to former trips to the Netherlands. I was born and grew up just 8 Kilometers from the Dutch border. Last winter turned 60 and must admit, it's not too late for a nice spliff, living up the "good old times"..

Great job that the Royal Thai Police performed here. It is well known that Gambling isn't allowed in Thailand and I hope they get the full bill for their activities including deportation and ban. The good ones in and the bad ones out. I and many other Expats work hard for our earnings abroad or legally with a work permit, so if you can't, stay out of Thailand.

Good tread and I did tests my wife too. My Wife knows Pol Pot and the Red Khmer and dated his reign 1974, where she was born, to 1979.. Not too bad, actually he started 2 years later. But about the German march through Europe (WW2) she was about 2 details, which even I as a German didn't look actually in that way, but somehow it makes sense... Her Comments: 1st - If Hitler wouldn't have stopped the invasion of England, the story would have been much different. 2nd - she mentioned that Hitler splitted the 6th Army instead going "volley" onto Stalingrad.. The rest was a bit off the score and Hollywood... WOW, 21 Years married and I was not expectig these answers.

I tried it from Taiwan and DHL asked for a Import permit for Mobile Phones required by the Thai Customs. Without this permit they will not send it..

Well I pay 120.000 THB for 5 Mil EUR coverage (my wife and myself) which is about EUR 3.200 per year or ruff 266 EUR per month. The same private health coverage in Germany would be around 580 EUR per month for me alone. That is very cheap when I compare the Hopitals and their services..

- My Grandfather wanted to stab the Priest with a hay fork after this fellw removed a small decoration fence from Grandmother's grave. - At the mess on Sunday a Priest was swearing like a fish monger because the donations were some 100 plus 17 cent. He was yelling at the people who had the guts to throm cents into the basket - In our village the Priest collected personally for the "organization bread fornthe world" at all houses who didn't put a bag with cash in the Sunday's basket.. My dad went to the fridge and slapped him two slices of bread in the hands - because I was living in an area with lots of immigrants the katholic school denied my childern because they grew up in an unsuitable environment that doesn't support to have my children at this school. They had to go to the so called social burning point. (Both have a house now, fully paid with just above 30 years old) I loved Gardening and Farming and one day I saw God. I call it "Mother Nature" A teacher nonstop, a healer, a feeder, she is peace of mind, she was teaching me how to approach her, what I really could do for her, she brought people to me I could help by give them some food, she let me do my hobby fishing, and she gives me time, so much time... As I said, I believe in God, but not the human made one.. God is all around me and its so amazing to see the circle of live everywhere if you open your eyes... If you don't fit into the life you won't exist . Nature it's Evolution is a kind of intelligence in a permanent competition of improvement.

I have been offered 2021 a bar in soi 6 with "all the connections" just because the owner knew I came just back from an offshore job and he considered me as "fresh" (meaning I had the coin) He told me about Millions it would be throwing out.... Then he drove off on a worn down Honda Airblade. ???????? I assume it had collector's value and is only for rich people. So I have to dismount the side car from mine and kick my dog's out. No more fun ride boys... For a fraction (2.7M vs 12.5M) of the money he wanted for his bar, we bought 17 Rai of Land, made it a retirement project and already this year we could have a lot of food off the land feeding 8 mouthes.. I feel now already I am getting rich with the farm.. (Not moneywise but a darn relaxed life with a lake and a river) Why everybody comes to Thailand and opens a Bar or a Restaurant? Most I knew chewing permanently on the last grizzle in the fridge... If not at home, gone fishing...

Which is higher: The fine for leaving Thailand without entry stamp like the Netherland's woman did or the fee for repatriation of drowned sailors? Just in case I want to open a restaurant boat in Laos... Maybe adding a couple of valves below the water line can safe a fortune.. ????????

Its only about the existing passport that they want to have all stamps. My mate and I did it together and he failed because he had one of these visa run cambodia visas missing (it fall out over the time) This moment his Passport was invalid and he needed to provide a new one despite all entry stamps were clear visible.

Worst Joke ever heard was as a pi**ed guy in Pattaya approached our table and started asking: "Thirty Hamsters walking by red light over the crossing, how many eggs are now in the fridge?" All my mates were starting guessing... 60 Eggs? WTF you are talking about? Or repeat it... He was pissing himself laughing and asked again: "Thirty Hamsters walking by red light over the crossing, how many eggs are now in the fridge?" We were confused and annoyed and the guy broke into tears laughing asking this obviously stupid question another 5-10 times within 10 minutes.. As one of my mate was losing his temper and asked him to leave (F*** OFF!) He gave the answer: "Have you ever eaten Yoghurt with bones?" I looked around to my mates and only saw blank faces, beside the mate with the short fuse... (A good old Bikie 1%er class) *BAM BAM BAM* that lunatic lifted off like a rocket and landed right in a water pot with Guppies... His a** emptied the pot and all fishes were flipping around him. The Bikie was freaking out and pulled him out of the pot, shouting to Lunartic what he had done to the fishes, and after refilling the pot, he carefully picked the fishes up and returned one by one into their pot.. That moment everyone was laying on the table pissing themselves laughing... We still using this phrase when we have a funny moment with a beer: "Thirty Hamsters walking by red light over the crossing, how many eggs are now in the fridge?" And always is it one who answers: "Have you ever eaten Yoghurt with bones?" ...BUT, can anyone answer me if we all just missed the point? This question is always following then... For the time being, this was my worst joke I ever have heard...

A bum gun is a multifunctional tool. It stops using wipes, it keeps your skin intact and where are no scratches self grown bacterias can't enter your body, it stops brake tracks in your Calvin Klein and it cleans also the bowl in one go... After getting used to it I miss it when I am on European Ships working. Disadvantage: Using after a longer bum gun period wipes again takes one sitting and you butt is in bloom... ????????

In the temperate and seasonal climates you won't have such big issues that in tropical climate. Sure soil; fertility and proper soil makes almost every plant cope with the pests. I have a lot of fruits/nuts that are unique in Thailand and some are attracted by pests. My soil is pretty new because I just converted rice field into a food forest and the priority was to have the right soil, elevation and light for the specific plant. Good growth of all 380 plants even planted in the dry season tells me that this step is well completed. If you read its more info because I wanted to be prepared for pests if they try to take over. About Permaculture I am studying and work practically more than 8 years beside I grew up as farmer's son with skills in hydroponics, Co2 saturation in Greenhouses and so on. I developed my own aquaponics system in my backyard in Pattaya which was feeding many poeple during the COVID hype in Pattaya. So I am well prepared and I hope in 2-3 years that I have sorted my soil disturbance with sunn hemp, vetiver grass and a lot of other chop and drop stuff. Next year I get into high density animal support to complete at least halfway a holistic management system in my Forest.. As said, I started with a well prepared upper and lower canopy in pots before I moved from Pattaya but soil is now a white carpet which was off course unavoidable... I attached 2 before and 2 after photos for a better understanding why I deal with pests even the right plants together are keeping them pretty much at bay.

Well, living until 2002 in Germany I never got my feet on the ground, living on last coins month by month but had always a job (which was lousy paid.) Getting divorced (from my never working German wife) was the first good step I did. Took a break in Thailand, got pickled in booze and shagged my brain out, was the 2nd good step. Next holiday I met all the normal Farangs, sitting at the stone table and moaning about their home country, Thai girls, Politics and they knew all better.... I decided to be crazy: I can't make it in my home country, so how would I be able to make a living in a foreign country? I relocated... Broke all down in Germany and even closed my tax Books.. GONE my friends and compatriots! I found a Thai wife (lucky) before I could meet my "Friends" at the stone table again... Motivated by my wife, "you can do everything, if you just start and really want it" I got my feet into the offshore bizz, hence earning my coins outside Thailand. The Carrere ladder went steep up... Now, owning (by being legally signed investor) a farm of 17 rai, since 21 years happy married, still working in the senior management jobs, I still have "traumas" about my past life in Germany. I work hard (with great support of my wife) that the past live has no chance to return, despite I am now already triple covered. Why I (60 yrs now) do not retire which I could easy do by now? Conclusion: "Not Normal"

Beside that I am also not selling bibles when I go to a bar, I found that often the Bargirl reminded me, to pick up the phone from the table and keep it in my pocket. Especially when I turned into a bottomless pit drinking the "other one for the road", She blamed beside "some Freelancers" who are not belonging to the bar that also "tourist" are well known to pick the chance if given... I guess the girlies are often blamed they have stolen the phone, the money, the necklace, but in reality try their best to get you to the ATM without troubles and earn another couple of quit.. That's why they working for..

Tea Tree (not Lipton or Tetley's) talking about Meleleuca alternifolia is very efficient and if more boost needed mix onion or Neem oil and a squirt of dishwashing liquid to it. Dilute it very good and try first on a single leaf because some plants don't like it. I grow always some tea trees around my yard. Easy growers, not out shading and keep pests away from nearby plants..

Fighting with the DJ live on tape.. Som Nam Naa. He could have just left the place if there was something he didn't like, but off course arguing is always the better way to let things escalate... And then blame the Thais. Lucky only a broken nose as the bill for being impolite.. I have seen in 18 years Pattaya way more smashed faces, with kicked out teeth and fantastic concussions. And sorry to say but 90% the root cause is created by the drunken tourists having a big mouth and continuing over and over again...

1- Since 2002 I never had troubles with the retirement Visa extension. Temporary offshore working contract stating my day rate worked as well as a bank book with 800K. Both without any 3rd party approval. 2- Land owner you cannot be but if the Partner goes before you, you can literally "own" the land as long you are the beneficiary who inherits it. You own the house on it and you have a right to live a lifetime on the land. You can sell it too if you want a change. The only thing left is you cannot rent out the land, or take a loan on it... 3 -as long you are not living in Pattaya or any other Tourist area you will live in the real Thailand or "Land of Smile".. 4 -Hospitals are top of the notch compared to Europe as long you have a good health insurance or the coin to pay cash. 5 -The weather (if you like it hot) 6 -The food (if you like it hot) 7 The girls (if you like it hot, go somewhere else but they are still a good average) 8 -Family sense if you understand they can only work for you to make you happy and you are the feeder. (Which you can friendly explain to limit the "donations" to an affordable amount) 9 - A good wife - if you respect her, but if you cheat on her you will be losing your last shirt (like elsewhere in the world) 10 - 20 ??? Thailand........

Winter break November 2022 till February 2023. Bought 17 rai rice fields and changed it to a Permaculture forest. Little retirement project when I stop here at work by 2024. Avoiding me hanging off at the stone table in front of 7eleven... Before: After: 380 Trees (Food Forest) from all around the world, 5500 sqm lake and 420 meter river...

I had this situation in China, I got from the issuing Embassy a letter, which stated that your Passport has been changed and with that one and the old original, I went to the immigration and get the left over time stamped in. But that was a few years ago, better ask at the Immigration how to proceed.

Next two: 1 Liter water and 100 grs fresh Oregano Leaves against Aphids. (brew Oregano slowly in lukewarm water) Lemon & Co (Citrus fruits).. If you get hold of Lemon Oil 30ml in 1 Liter Water helps against the everywhere present Mealy Bugs, Snails and Aphids.. (15gr Orange Skin in 0.5 liter water works as well..) Make a tea from it and do trials. Onions can boost this tea and if you use potato water from your Sunday roast it will be more efficient against Aphids. But still you need do trials how much you need to batter your pests. As more attractive the plant is to them as more you need...