jbaldwin

Sometimes different Immigration Offices have different rules. However, in Pattaya (and I think everywhere else) you can apply in the last 30 days and will get an extra 30 days

It is a 4.30pm departure and 7.30am arrival in each direction. It does the trip three time a week

The normal requirement is to show Government issued photo ID. Hence, drivers licence either Thai or Foriegn is normally OK but bank card no good.

Why don't you telephone the airport and ask

Thanks to Sunbelt for the reply.

I have one further question.

In 2003 I made a transfer of 2.6 million baht. I have not got the Tor Tor 3 but I presume that there should be no problem in getting a copy from the bank. However, when I made this transfer I gave the reason for the transfer as purchasing a Condo. Will the age of the transfer and the stated use be a problem to use this towards the 3.0 million?

I am 41 not married and not working

I currently hold a one year non-im "O" class visa issued in Hull (UK) on the basis that I was "visiting friends". I was not planning to visit the UK this year and was therefore planning to get a triple entry tourist visa in Penang. However, given the reported problems I am considering other options. I have a few questions:

1) Do I have to apply for an extention before the date my visa expires or can I do this during my final stay ie if the visa expires 30 June can I entry Thailand on 29 June and apply for an extention after this date.

2) Government bonds are one of the listed allowed investment. I have some money in Mutual Funds invested in Thai government bonds. Anyone know if these would be allowed.

3) I have check the websites of the Government banks listing in the regulations. The Government Saving Bank currently pays 5.5% for one year deposits. Anyone know if foreigners are able to open accounts here (I would preferably use the Pattaya branch)

4) I understand that Penang used to issue one year multi entry visa to under 50's with 3million in the bank whether or not it was a government bank or a fixed term. Is this still the case?

Can I suggest that you add the option

"Do not beleive that a five year visa exists"

I think that this would be the most common reply

Have you considered short term bond mutual funds.

Bangkok Bank offers these about every month. They have a fixed life of around 11 months, invest in government bonds and pay a guaranteed return. The last issue guaranteed 4.85% tax free.

hello..

is every condo block who have the 49% farang ownership or only the one who wish to participated ?

As a general rule any Condo development which has been designed to attact Foreign buyers will go over the 49% limit. Condo developments designed to attact Thai buyers will be less than 49%. If you only looking at Condos designed for foreigners you will alway have a problem unless you reserve a unit in the early stages of construction.

For example, I live in a Condo development in Pattaya completed about three years ago. Not a single unit was purchased by a Thai other than those with a foreign husband. 49% are now owned by foreigners, 35% by companies or Thai wives and the other 15% are still owned by the Thai developer, who rents them out.

For the transfer to be registered with the Land Office the Juristic Person Manager of the Condo is required to sign to say the he is content with the transfer. He must check first the the 49% rule is being followed (and also the there are no outstanding fees due).

If the seller is a foreigner then you must be OK as the transfer will not charge the Thai/Foreigner. However if you are buying from a Thai you should check with the Condo office that there is some retaining Foreigner quota.

I have a one year multi entry non-im "O" visa issued in Hull.

The reason was "visiting friends".

Can do by post. Passport with visa normally posted back on the day of receipt

Bank of Asia was sold by its former owner to UOB, a bank based in Singapore. The name was changed to UOB (Thailand).

Prices on Air Asia tend to go up as you get closer to departure date. For example, last week I booked for 3 April and paid 999 Baht plus tax. Today the price is 1,299 Baht. Special offer fares are never available to people who tend up on the day.

I have looked at the information on AirAsia website. Surely the 20km distince between the terminals must by a typo.

I am booked on a flight from Bali arrive in KL at 23.10. I am now not sure whether I will make it to the main terminal in time for the last train to KL Sentral

I currently use the internet via a dail up connection.

I got a phone call from TT&T yesterday offering 256 ASDL for 590Baht per month, with free modem and no minimum contract period.

This is not much more (including telephonr calls) than I currently paid for dial up. If this service any good.

I live in Pattaya

I guess fron Bangkok only, I am in Phuket and for me it is much easier fly to KL, including taxes a return ticket cost normally 3600 baht, it depends on promotions.

the fare of 699 baht I guess exclude taxes, doesn't it?

The 699 Baht does exclude taxes in is not available every day. I book for 3 April and paid 999+450=1449 Baht

For information AirAsia now has two flights a day to Penang. The second leaves at 13.55. Also they currently have special offers starting at 699 THB

You cannot get a new visa in Thailand. No Thai visas are issued inside Thaialnd under any circumstances. You can extent a visa or in some circumstances change a visa type in Thailand but this is unlikely to be useful to you.

You have another problem. You are only eligable for the 30 day stamp if you have an airticket out of Thialand within 30 day. Whilst, bangkok immigration will not change, it is high likley that the airline will refuse to carry you on a four month return ticket if you do not have a valid visa.

No problem with a double entry tourist visa from Penang but I have never heard of anyone getting a tripple

I retired three years ago at 37. I have 8 years of final salary benfits so I will get 8/60 plus inflation of my leaving salary when I am 60. My employer closed the final salary scheme to new employees (but not existing employees) in around 2000.

I stopped working 3 years ago when I was 37. I sold my house in London and with savings and the value of my pension fund, I had assets of around £360,000. With the very strong equity markets I now have assets of £450,000 in addition to my Condo. I estimate that I can take about an income of about 3% for my assets and therefore that I can have an income of 80,000 Baht per month at current exchange rates.

There are a number of things that you should consider if you are looking to live for a long time on savings

Rent or buy - in my view buying is by far the lowest risk option. If you do not buy then renting will be one of your largest expenses. By buying you are effectively fixing the amount you pay for your lifetime. You elimate the risk of rent increase and exchange rate change (if you keep assets in non-Baht assets).

How much in equities? - returns of shares are much more volatile but in the long run should be higher than other assets. I think a good rule of thumb is to keep the proportion in equities as 100% minus your age. ie I am now 40 and have approx 60% of my assets in equities. As your get older you will wish to take less risk.

How much is Thai baht? - This is a very difficult issue. The biggest risk you have is that the baht will strenghten relative to your own currency. The lowest currency risk is putting all your assets in baht. However, this is likely to lower your expected return. For example I get 4.85% for sterling cash deposits (in a cahoot internet account) but only 0.75% in a thai saving account. I have about 18 months expenditure in thai baht cash plus another 18 month expenditure in Thai equities

I would recommend that you speak to Dr Philippe Seur (tel: 038 429 231; e-mail:

//edit email removed - he does not want spam - lopburi3//.

He is a French HIV specialist who practices on Soi 10.

If you have been infected then taking anti-retrovirals with 3 days gives you a 50% chance of removing all of the HIV from your body so you shoud seek urgent expert advice.

Standard HIV tests look for Anti-bodies not the virus itself. The time taken to produce anti-bodies ranges from 10 days to many months. If you are infected then there is a 50% chance you will test positive after 28 days and 95% after 90 days. There are other tests that can be carried out to assess to risk that you have HIV. For example, the white blood cell count, will increase almost immediately.

Althought deposit rates have generally remained at .75% for some time, banks have been increasing fixed deposit rates. For example Bangkok Bank now pays 3.25% for a 6 month fixed term for deposits of more than 1 million baht. Fixed rate accounts at the other banks pay similar rates.

To my knowledge no Thai banks charge commission for deposits. However, they do make a small charge if you make a deposit in the branch if a different province to the one in which the account is held. Unless you travel around a lot, this can be solved by just making sure you open an account in your local area

Air Asia currently has an offer of 399 Baht plus taxes for Bangkok to Phnom Penh one-way.

If you need a ticket out of Thailand to get a tourist visa, then why not make a booking. You do not have to use the ticket. It seems a small price to pay the aviod the hassel of having to leave Thailand

From the UK to the Bangkok Bank. I have always recieved funds the following day

The Exchange Rate at all the banks at hte airport is worse than in town but not by a big margin