Temporaneo

locals are getting worse at english (and I don't mean the bargirls now, I mean in banks, customer service and so on), etc etc

During my 8 years here now,

eight years and YOU don't speak THEIR language??? thats plain lazy and disrespectful

Why should he bother learning a language spoken in a place that does not give him a permanent visa ? He might be forced to leave the country anytime and move to Philippines or Cambodia where Thai would be completely useless. It's Thai Immigration that' s disrespectul of people who come to spend and invest their hard earned cash in Thailand.

Interesting topic that has been flogged to death lately and attracts totally opposite views from both sides of the debate.

To me it is painfully clear the side of the fence you fall upon in this topic depends on what you actually want from where you live and your current situation and therefore will always be a subjective answer.

If you fall into the category of expat that has stable employment, stable relationship and stable visa situation then you could automatically fall into the positive side of the fence and view Thailand positively.

If you fall into the category of expat that has any sort of unstability (particularly visa) then you could automatically

fall into the negative side of the fence and view Thailand negatively.

As always perception is the key and its not always a black and white issue but many shades of grey.

Thailand is going through a period of change at the moment hence the uncertainty from many people both expat and Thai but as always I like to think positively and pragmatically as at the end of the day if I don't it's only my mental health that will suffer.

The VISA shake up does not affect only farangs that had to leave the country or suffer useless expenses to get visas abroad, but also many people with "stable work, relationship, visa". Do you think a real estate agent with "stable work ,relationship and visa" is happy about the current situation ?

2007 have started out real bad and for the first time I have made plans to pack up and leave. Just not clear where yet, maybe to the Phillipines or Cambodia.

. . . where, no doubt, you will find things so much better than here. Good luck.

Immigration rules are much better for sure. And if it was not for lackness of middle class condominiums I would have moved to Angeles city already. Also much better cheese and chocolate and farang food in Philippines compared to Thailand. Oh...and even cheaper women too.

With all due respect (and I'm trying desperately hard not to flame), your desire to move to Angeles City firmly categorises you in that group of people who the Thai government would like to get rid of. There is no other way to state it politely.

Let's hope those condos get built soon and you can dedicate your life to . . ummm . . eating that chocolate and cheese as soon as possible.

and don't forget pizza with double cheese topping and adequate salting !

I don't know if thai government would like to get rid of me (that would be quite foolish, although perfectly in line with cerebral capability of people who seek advice from a fortune teller), but I know for sure many thai girls that would not like that at all

Cambodia. Ya, last I heard, foreign residents had house guards armed with AK47s. Nice way to live.

Went to Phnom Pehn in January and although did not like the place I can assure you foreign residents do not need armed guards there and you can walk on nights without any danger.

I've been coming to Thailand for 25 years and have lived here 5 years. The standard of living for almost everyone has steadily increased year after year. At some point sexpats will find it more difficult to exploit economic weakness toward their own ends. is that what you call going backwards?

I can assure you poor exploited girls keep ringing my phone and knocking at my door. And you can't imagine how they act desperate when I tell them I have no money or no power.

Couldn't you join the sexpats community to help us to support them ?

2007 have started out real bad and for the first time I have made plans to pack up and leave. Just not clear where yet, maybe to the Phillipines or Cambodia.

. . . where, no doubt, you will find things so much better than here. Good luck.

Immigration rules are much better for sure. And if it was not for lackness of middle class condominiums I would have moved to Angeles city already. Also much better cheese and chocolate and farang food in Philippines compared to Thailand. Oh...and even cheaper women too.

Do not expect to solve this situation without a fight. She simply cannot survive without your shelter and your salary.She will not give in easily. You do not specify if you own your place or not. If you don't, best solution is simply to move out while she is working at the restaurant. Better if you move to another town. If instead you have the need to defend your real estate, then change the locks, pay security or cops to keep her out of the compound. Make provisions to be able to resist a siege of many days.

And take a hint from this sad experience: never never start a relationship, never never take a lady for the night, always stick to short times. And better if you make the short time out of your home. Secrecy is safety.Or to put it in the Romulan way "to be unknown means to be unconquerable".

It is essential to look after your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

Don't forget financial health

I sympathize with the local family who save up

to buy a second hand, five year old PC for the kid and

then are expected to ante up another 6K for Windows.

I do sympathize also.

Which is why the Thai government might try, with appropriate safeguards of course, to encourage more foreign-residents. If they really want to boost the domestic economy as claimed.

For now, they are trying to kick a lot of people out. All under 50 and unmarried guys like me must peregrinate to beg a visa that no one knows if will be granted or not.

Indeed a great way to boost economy (besides each time I exit Thailand I visit a new country and check for a possible retirement there, so they are actually promoting and advertising their competitors )

Ok OH God! we've given him his 5 minutes of fame now let's not give him anymore. Somebody please close down this thread.

No ! I am having so much fun reading it....and it is for free !

I was once a man full of hate

Believe me you still are. I suggest you biblical knowledge of a few bar ladies to really get rid of it.

Brother Tony, senseless loud public speaches in this country are a priviledge reserved to government members.

Cheap cost of living. Cheap and easy sex.

Nothing else.

So the Thai government wants me to spend....what could I buy ?

a small villa ? I cannot.Land is for Thai only.

a vehicle ? I cannot get a Thai driving license with just a tourist Visa so what's the use ?

actually I might find quite difficult even to buy a steamed rice fare for 5 baht, if they keep on with the Visa crap and force me to leave the country.

Perhaps the invitation was for Thai citizens only. I think they are already spending all the 7,000 baht of average salary they earn, though.

novrain,

this was posted by somebody on my myspace... I don't normally read these soppy things, but I was thinking of this thread of yours>

Every girl dreams that one day she will find a guy that does these things for her. even the smallest action can have the BIGGEST impact in someones life.

• give her one of your t-shirts to sleep in.

• leave her cute text notes.

• kiss her in front of your friends.

• tell her she looks beautiful.

• look into her eyes when you talk to her.

• let her mess with your hair.

• touch her hair.

• just walk around with her.

• FORGIVE her for her MISTAKES.

• look at her like she's the only girl you see.

• tickle her even when she says stop.

• hold her hand when you're around your friends.

• when she starts swearing at you, tell her you love her.

• let her fall asleep in your arms.

• get her mad, then kiss her.

• tease her and let her tease you back.

• stay up all night with her when she's sick.

• watch her favorite movie with her.

• kiss her forehead.

• give her the world.

• write her letters.

• let her wear your clothes.

• when she's sad, hang out with her.

• let her know she's important.

• let her take all the photos she wants of you.

• kiss her in the pouring rain.

• when you fall in love with her, tell her.

• and when you tell her, love her like you've never loved someone before.

I guess resigning to a life of self erotism is more confortable then following the above neverending list.

My impression as simple "sexpat" here in Pattaya not personally involved in real estate market is that prices shown in agency's windows are always the same, but I wonder if properties for sale still get sold. There are a lot of new developments going on, and I think that in a few months some developers will be in need to sell urgently and the market will turn seriously downwards. After all Thai authorities had so fun in kicking farang asses recently that only a true masochist could be willing to reward them putting out his cash to invest here.Better wait and see.

If i were you, i wouldn't even think of buying a condo, house etc here, take a look at the news, we are not so welcome here anymore.

Quite true .

Also there is no rule of law. I am personally unable to wire my money out of Thailand because when I wired it in I did it directly on my stock broker account three years ago, and he is not able to make me TorTorSam anymore.

Should be able to take it out making less then 500,000 THB swifts, but the Forex Office of Bangkok Bank Pattaya branch is something unbelievable .

I am currently into stocks again, I guess when I will get definitevely out I will have to take my money in cash to a neighbouring country, 500,000 THB each trip.

Don't make my same mistake, do not invest in Thailand.

I have just invested in the new project @THE RIVER, bangkok.

I am having conflicting info re: profitable tax upon sale , as a non thai resident.

Considering its still totally off plan, as in, not started, anything could change between now and completion, but does anyone have an actual experience?

I have been told 3.3%, which just sounds fab! Almost too good to be true!

If I well remember, the 3.3% is the "business tax" that applies on the whole amount of sale, not just on the capital gain. I am afraid you have to declare capital gain in form 56-1 and pay taxes on it as any other income (guess 25%).

He gave examples on his show how big money could be made transfering funds back and forth between Thailand and Singapore. This would spell the death knell for the dual rate system ...

I asked my bank in Thailand if I could swift THB out of country. The answer was no.

Thought I could take out cash , 500,000 THB to a neighbouring country and then to Singapore.

I have two bank accounts there. Asked both if I could open a THB account. Both answered no.

Checked the moneychangers and the exchange rate for THB was the on-shore one (less of course about 2% implicit commission)

Looked at the websites of banks in bordering countries, like ANZ Royal in Cambodia and found out that the exchange rates offered for THB notes are the on shore if you sell and the off-shore if you buy.

So I really wonder how you can profit from this off-shore rate if there is no way to get it.

Public Bank Laos gives 16% on LAK, no witholding tax and not pdifficult to open an account. Quite a few foreign banks in Vientiane...

Yesterday I found the e-mail address of Vientiane branch of Public Bank (which is a Malaysian bank) and inquired them about their fixed 16% LAK deposit.

Got the following answer :

We refer to your email and we are pleased to advise as follow:

- Our interest rate of 16% P.A is for KIP Fixed Deposit for the period of

15 months. Or 1 year and 3 months.

- We are able to converse from USD to Lao Kip for you in our Bank. In

additional,

- We are unable to change them back to USD

So it does not seem a wise investment as you get stuck in kip that are worthless outside Laos.

Bob do you know any way to convert Kip back to $ ? Are there any private moneychangers in Vientiane who give you $ for kip ? Did you actually invest money in kip fixed deposit ?

For some reason my portfolio of ITV, Picnic and Distar aren't doing that well though, ah well, they will go up soon enough :-) 5555

try adding CEI ,SGF and TT&T

Yes, I do believe we are on the same page Temporaneo.

TT&T. Absolute classic, I had forgotten about that chestnut. :-)

.....and also that wretched Thai family owned internet Co three four years ago. Cannot for the life of me remember their name.....can you ?

It is too late to invest in that jewel that was CIRKIT....you can however try to obtain the same astonishing result buying N-PARK

That doesn't make sense at all.

You just need to call your overseas bank and get their payment instructions for telegraphic transfer, then give those details to your thai bank and they will do a TT

If you have not TorTorSam the thai bank WILL NOT DO THE TT.

I think this forum with all his topics can be a great help i have learned a lot.

Still i think for us Koh chang a good plase to be.

Now the only thing i have to sort out:

IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO OWN A BUISINESS 100% ???

(EXCEPT FOR THE LAND)

NO.

You can own only 49%. AND YOU MUST PAY FOR 100%.

So you just start with a 51% loss.

My advice: FORGET IT.

I have a final payment due on a condo purchase due in September of this year ($200,000USD) I would like to purchase some sort of hedge to lock in the present rate – Can someone advise how I as a US citizen could buy such a hedge contract to lock in the present rate…

Quite simply swift the money now and invest the baht in fixed deposit until september, so you can earn 4% interest.

Anyway my advice is always DO NOT INVEST IN THIS COUNTRY (unfortunately it seems you have to complete purchase to avoid losing what you paid already )