colinp

I live there, pretty good imo. No real community features other than 24hr security. Lots of families, Thai, foreign and mixed.

There used to be a recycling plant nearby, no longer in operation, and I know some sensitive people moan about the smell but I'm yet to notice after 2.5 years of living there but that could just be me and it hasn't stopped all the housing developments from building (and sellling out) and some are expensive places...

Distance from centre of town (Hilton area) is about 10km, dual carriageway is nearly finished so quick and easy to get around, there is a large restaurant in walking distance from Dusita and a few more on 112.

Shopping in Hua Hin pretty much means Market Village, there is a Tesco express within easy reach on Petchkasem road and there's also a big market everyday from 16:00 opposite, obligatory 7/11 on 112, Makro and Tesco in Pranburi are an easy drive. There are 2 floating markets within 1-1.5km but

If you're looking to rent for a week/month for a holiday I would say too far out from the centre, longer term I think it's good. I don't venture into the centre much as there's plenty of places to eat drink and be merry in soi's 94,102 and 112.

IMO bit of a yes and no answer...no, will still need further signatures (power of attorney etc.), further documents (house registration) for a Bank or legitimate lender to register the loan...yes, if the finder knows a corrupt official (yes they do exist in Thailand ) or an illigitimate loan for a small amount eg. probably <10,000 baht and the lender holds onto the chanote but this is unlikely as the chanote is not 'security' as not in the borrower's name.

The thing to do is get the police report number and go to the land office in person with all documentation first thing tomorrow morning and report the lost chanote.

Try the 'La Vallee' projects (La Vallee Light, La Vallee Ville and La Valllee) should get what you want there. 'Light' and 'Villle' are relatively new so are modern with decent kitchens. 99% houses don't have swimming pools but the communal features of all three are decent. Some of the houses are 3 bed, some 2, just go in and check the signs on the gates.

Location is good, not far from centre and an easy drive to it. Also 7/11, Tesco Express, mini-Family Mart and another branded convenience store (can't remember the name) all within walking distance.

I'm guessing but it looks like it might be Natural Hill.

Thai Thai Curtains in soi 58 are my reccommendation, do a great job but not the cheapest.

Shop can be a pain to park at though...

It seeems to me that all leases start in the future. The law does not distinguish between one month into the future (as a commencement date) or 30 years plus one month into the future.

The Khun Jean link refers to a lease extension not a new lease. I presume that both leases will be detailed on the Chanote

I can envisage many practical problems with 2 parties committing themselves to 30 years into the future-just not legal problems

The lease starts on the date of registration at the land office of your province. It is set at a maximum of 30 years. There is no 'extension' offered at the land office, it would be considered a new lease even if the same parties are involved, and the circle begins again.

Any extension past the originally registered 30 year lease would be a civil agreement.

Does it say how much?

The Melia was its name at the beginning. Are you sure its for sale? Or is it the same rumours circulating again.

He's been relocated to 2nd floor (1st in UK), as you come up the escalator looking towards HomePro, turn right and you'll see him.

Not a motorbike person so excuse my ignorance...there is a shop that sells KTM bikes in Hua Hin, are they off-road?

Can't seem to edit, it has been suggested I get a Tetanus (?) injection

I've been bitten by my dog (not intentionally, I got in the way why it was trying to fight another dog), its only a small wound (2 small and shallow puncture wounds, very little blood). My dog is fully inoculated, do I need to see a doctor? I cleaned the wound out and placed antiseptic cream on it as soon as possible.

mods, please move if wrong forum.

Over the last few years, most of my better friends that I have met here have come to the same conclusion and have moved away to another country (Singapore) or back to their home country. This includes 3 Americans, 2 people from the UK, 2 Scandinavians, and 2 Canadians, so it's not just me who's bored after living here many years.

Misery loves company

A foreigner can own the freehold on a condominium but only if 51% of the units in the development are already owned by Thai nationals.

May seem like a stupid question and I have read that basically condos are 100% Thai at the start and then each unit sold counts towards the 'non-Thai' bit (if they are, in fact, not Thai) but who actually monitors this? Is it an ultra strict ruling or quite loose?

If there was 100 units and it was actually 50/50 is that a big issue?

Also, what happens if you get in and everything is ok in terms of numbers and then suddenly Thais buy up places from farang, for instance to the numbers sway, you have to move? (I realise may not be realistic to happen but wondering)

Correct, at the beginning a brand new condominium would be considered Thai owned, in reality it will normally be company owned (the development company, Sansiri etc.). The Juristic office have to supply documents to the land office to ensure the 49% quota for foreigners is available on transfer of ownership to a foreigner. I would say ultra strict but this is Thailand...

See above, the foreign quota can't go above 49%. Also I think its available space nit units so it the condominium totaled 1000 sq.m. only 490 sq.m. can be foreign owned but this would need to be confirmed.

Thais can own 100% of the building, it is only a foreign quota that is rigid to 49%. If the foreign 49% is full the land office will not allow a foreigner to hold the freehold title.

There are condominiums where I am that have been so popular with foreigners that the developer will give an immediate 10% discount if the condo is registered in a Thai name!

Now with the temp outside reasonably low I go with 25, when the days (and nights) warm up I go down to 23.

During the day @ home - fan and windows open, @ work 25 but on for a few hours until midday, if there wasn't so much construction and so many trucks going past I would just open the windows at work...too dusty to do that currently.

Contact a pest control company, ensure when they spray the chemical kills ticks as not all companies use the same chemical, you need to strip out the room the dogs sleep in (if they sleep inside) including all cabinets, drawers etc., behind everything. Ticks lay there eggs everywhere! Make sure you cut the grass and spray the whole area not just around the edges like most pest control companies do.

I use frontline once every 3 months and a powder which goes in the food once a month, recommended by the pest control company but its all in Thai so can't help with that 1 sorry.

If you just medicate the dogs often ticks will just hide inside the nooks and crannies in the house until the medication wears off.

A bar and guesthouse opening in Hua Hin News & Events? Really? What about the other 20-30 bars/restaurants/guesthouses which have opened in the last 2 months?

Some questions on the leasehold subject:

If the house is in foreign name, the land is leased, what happens should the lease not be renewed? Specifically the ownership of the house.

I assume with most developers offering this leasehold arrangement that the land is in the name of the development company, what happens if this company folds? What if this company is no longer around in 30 years?

It seems to be people who buy with a 30 year lease may be 'older' and are thinking..."I won't be around in 30 years, why worry", but what happens then? The original leaseholder has passed, can the lease be transferred by inheritance?

There may be no answers to these yet, but an interesting subject and certainly shows how people will give false assurance.

Maybe I'm a dummy but I can't seem to zoom in close enough to read it. Help?

(derailing the thread a little but...) If the condominium complex consists of 3 buildings, each of 100 rooms for arguments sake, is the foreign quota 49% of each building or 49% of the complex?

Is the quota 49% of the floor space of the building or the available rooms?

Sor Kor 1 land can not be upgraded to Chanote,

'Depending on the land’s location, this document may be upgraded to a title deed Nor. Sor. 3, Nor. Sor. 3 Gor or Nor. Sor. 4 Jor (Chanote).'

From same website as everyone is linking.

I would have assumed Nor Sor 3, then progressive upgrading (very slowly) from there.

I understand your reluctance but my recommendation would be to visit the local land office. A call from an influential person in a BKK land office might help but are you likely to speak to someone like that?

May I ask if its being upgraded to Nor Sor 3 or Nor Sor 4?

Electric (air on 8 hours a day everyday)............3000 baht

Water.................................................................400 baht

Internet...............................................................400 baht

TV....................................................................free

Transportation (taxis for one month).................3000baht

Food (for 2).......................................................9000 baht

Miscelaneous ...................................................6000 baht

One of the reasons I brought this topic up AGAIN......is when I left the states .....(and I owned a home) my expenses were as follows.

Property tax...........................................................................450/month

Electric...................................................................................200/month

water......................................................................................100/month

garbage......................................................................................75/month

gardener.....................................................................................85/month

medical ins,.................................................................................750/month

cable tv........................................................................................100/month

telephone......................................................................................75/month

Food.........................................................................................500/month

Transportation (gasoline, car insurance, and car payment)......800/month

miscelaneous............................................................................300/month

Federal Income Tax................................................................1500/month

So an average life in America ....I believe I was middle class.....cost $4935/month.....

Doesn't seem a fair comparison. You paid for a gardener in US but here I assume you have no garden or no need for a gardener, you have no telephone, car, insurance (car or medical) in Thailand. Your free tv in Thailand is comparable with the 'paid for' cable tv in the states? Why is miscellaneous more expensive?

Aside from taxes (income and property) it suggests you live more frugally here then you did in the US rather than a comparable costs of living standards.

Is your income the same in Thailand as the US?

Question on company ownership: When a company is created often there are only 1/2 signatorys (?), so a foreigner (49%) and 3 thais (51% / 3) have a company but only the foreigner has the right to sign on the companies behalf. That foreigner would needed to have signed something in the land office at the original purchase, if a foreigner then buys the property and the original foreigner is removed and new inserted do they not need to prove they are the new signatory at the land office?

I may have got this all wrong/confused myself