syd barrett

I have followed some of the OP's advice from a few days ago. I have transferred telegraphically {at 53.88} enough Thai Baht for all living expenses in Thailand for the whole of 2009.

I have also arranged for a basket of three currencies YEN/US$/CHF to be held in my main offshore Isle of Man bank account. My main current account pays just 0.1% so I only hold enough for emergencies and direct debits for the year 2009.

I bought a bit of gold here in Thailand (But that was only a 10 baht bar).

The main action, has been to place ALL of my GBP offshore savings into one account BBI Isle of Man: It currently pays 4% interest on a 2% base rate (eaccess2 account).

So during 2009, I shall just sit back and hope for the best.......

I understand that the tickets are sold wholesale in Bangkok at 80 baht each for a cover price of 100 Baht per ticket. Each middle-man along the way adds 5/10 Baht so you can see why some 100 Baht tickets cost 110 Baht - 200 Baht for 'special" numbers, or more when sold in groups.

Her shoes, rest breaks and your woodworking costs are small compared to the cost of your basic product. See how cheaply you can buy tickets for first. Also consider the impact of moving in on someone else's selling patch.

Next how about speed boat tours of Pattaya Bay?

Thanks for all the feedback. In actual fact it is possible to buy the Thai lottery tickets wholesale in Bangkok for as little as 76.75 Baht, then the mark-up in Pattaya is, as you said is upto 100 or 110 Baht.

I don't think that the 'moving into someone's' patch issue is a problem, except for the stationary vendors, for example on 2nd Road or at certain Thai banks.

My intention is that she should be peripatetic {Note to 'percy2: that is not a disability}.

Now, back to the woodwork, I'm just chiseling-out for the hinges.

I am getting sick of seeing the Mrs. sat around watching hopeless Thai soaps on TV all day long, so I had a brainwave: Get her set up in a lottery-ticket-selling business around Pattaya and Jomtien.

The walking would add to her physical fitness and the small daily profits must be enough to cover her food and footwear.

I would set her up with the obligatory plain clothing (second hand on Soi Bukhaw Market) and the compulsory pastel sun-hat.

I have an O level in woodwork, so I could construct a customised wooden carry-case, with hinges and clasp (I might just go a little extra and add waterproof rubber-edged insulation for unexpected downpours.)

On the outside of the wooden carry case I could etch various good-luck Issan symbols, and maybe add some kind of mystical bell, so people would be alerted as she walks past selling tickets.

The work is not that tough, she can walk at a slow pace and take a seat outside of a Thai Bank a couple of times a day, and perhaps I might secretly fit a SIM card in the carry-case to track her movements across Pattaya and Jomtien (Just to be on the safe side).

So: Where can I sign her up in Pattaya: My plan is ready?

It is illegal to home-brew alcohol, whether fermented or distilled liquor, for either personal consumption or sale.

Section 5 of the Liquors Act (1950) states that it is illegal for anyone to brew their own alcohol, or even to have the equipment to do so.

The maximum penalty for contravention of this section of the Act is six months in jail, or a fine of 5,000 baht, or both.

If the offender sells the liquor, the maximum penalty rises to a year in jail or a 10,000 baht fine, or both.

Those are the maximum penalties and can be imposed for making and/or selling distilled alcohol (spirits).

The maximum penalties for brewing or fermenting alcohol – wine or beer, for example – are lower: 200 baht for making it and 5,000 baht for selling it.

People who want to produce home-brew liquors legally must apply to the Phuket Excise Office for a licence.”

Friday, March 4, 2005 Payoon Poolsuwan, of Phuket Excise Office.

It seems to me that the most difficult decision is to decide what currrency to hold and what to get rid of. I think the GBP-US$ will steady now, but I am also really worried about a THB collapse. maybe I should change my THB into YEN or Singapore $. I think the EURO is the worst bet at the moment, even worse than US$.

Any currency suggestions?

But now that he's an official branch of the UK government he charges the same fees as the Embassy in Bangkok.

What does he charge sign and stamp a bit of paper in 20 seconds?

I am needing a photocopy of my passport signed by an official person to read "This is a true copy of the original" signed, dated, rubber stamped.

Does anyone have any advice who I might use and how much it will cost. I want to avoid the British Embassy if possible, does anyone know of a Thai notary who can do this for a few hundred baht IN Pattaya region?

I took some guests to Ruen Thai once and found the food to be quite mediocre (ok, it was crap) and feel the place is a "tourist trap."

I think that that is a bit harsh.

I have never had 'crap' food at Ruen Thai.

I agree the dancing is there to attract tourists, but not, that the restaurant is a 'tourist-trap'.

When it gets really busy, service can be sluggish but I suspect that you might be basing your opinion on just a solitary visit and not the scores of visits I have made during the last nine years.

You mentioned Casa Pascal. That is absolutely a place I would avoid, even if they were offering a free dinner. There have been threads about that place on Thai Visa. Do a search!

I think that my comments are more valid than yours because I live just outside Pattaya, and have not just joined Thai-Visa less than one month ago---- (again).

My Parents are visiting this week, I want to take them for a nice dinner and wine.

Any ideas where the best place is? My Budget is 5k for 4 People inc Wine.

Crazy Daves on Soi Chayapoon....Only joking.....

How about Ruen Thai opposite Royal Garden Mall on 2nd Road, with live traditional Thai dancing after 8.00pm. 1,000 baht per head but wine extra and expensive, so check the wine list before you order a bottle.... But 5K should cover it for 4 persons unless you are Mr Creosote..!!

mutmee guest house mutmee.com

has wireless (bring external adaptor) and also LAN ethernet cables in communal area.

Thanks for that tip: Looks good: Anyone else looking in it is www. mutmee.net

I think Muscat airport is O.K. you can get a beer and the duty free is cheap. In fact there is a pretty good atmosphere in the bar. Plus Omani nationals are definitely the most friendly of all in the GCC states by a mile. (Including the women)!

I too work abroad, but visit Thailand during my time off.

So whats the best move, if you dont (cant be ar$ed) going all the way home to open a bank account? (in my case UK)

You can open an offshore bank account in Isle of Man or Jersey by mail. Dead easy.

Thanks for the info. I was beginning to think I'd get no response. I will certainly check this place out.....

I am 32 years old and have been living in Thailand and working overseas for the past 3 years. I have recently changed banks from Lloyds TSB offshore to the Siam Comercial Bank. I found that with my international account it cost me too much money in transaction fees. What are the best options for a guy in my situation? Is getting paid into Thailand a mistake.

My personal opinion, getting paid in Thailand is a mistake, I actually work in Thailand and get paid outside Thailand and bring my day to day cash back in via ATM card/account which attracts no withdrawal fees, with the exception of getting hit with the THB 20.00 withdrawal fee from the Thai bank.

Suggest you look at a bank in Hong Kong or Singapore, and provided you get the correct account, you will be paying no banking fees on that end. If you need to do big transfers, yes you can do, but of course you will get hit for a transfer fee...

With LLoyds TSB I was paying from $2.00 to $4.00 per ATM withdrawl and was getting a lower exchange rate. I will look into HSBC in Singapore. Is there a minimum deposit required to open the accound and do you have to open the account in person or can you do it via mail.

I suggest that you re-open your Lloyds TSB Offshore account and when you require cash send it from Lloyds to your Siam Commercial Bank. You will get the exact exchange rate and the Lloyds international moneymover fee is 13 GBP.

At Sattahip Queen Sirikit hospital a full MRI scan of the abdomen, with all the slide film and evaluation by Doctor cost 7600 Baht.

This time next year when in the U.K. the army are on the streets distributing food by day and shooting looters at night, when unemployment is past ten million and hyperinflation has created a worthless pound. Gold might help you survive.

Good link below that suggets a US$2000 + gold price during 2009

Gold Price in 2009

Thank you for good advice. I bought a 10 baht gold bar for 130,500 baht + 2440 surcharge. TOTAL= 132,940 THB

I shall be visiting Nong Khai soon for about 5-7 days and want to stay in a hotel with good internet access for my own personal PC. I have looked on tripadvisor.com but they only list six hotels, please can any residents of Nong Khai suggest any hotels for me.

I don't think that all the baht-bus drivers in Pattaya have fully received the message, because this morning I attempted to pay 5 baht to baht bus #448 and the driver honked his klaxon in a furious manner until I returned to his cab and paid an additional 5 baht.

Obviously there has been some communication breakdown (to quote LZ)

Be careful folks!

You might struggle a bit finding a genuine Canada Goose jacket in Pattaya, however I have a sensible suggestion. I have noticed that on Tuesdays and Fridays at the Soi Bukhaew market next to Pattaya Tai there is a second-hand clothing stall that sells all manner of farang-style winter jackets at bargain prices.

Good luck!

There are lots of gold shops in Pattaya, which ones sell gold bars at ten Baht weight? Does anyone know?

I see now Emirates 'Skywards' Gold and Silver card holders are NO LONGER allowed lounge access in their impressive Dubai terminal. That is a very poor show!

Funny that, because I thought a baht bus driver had gone mental two days ago when he gave me 15 baht change from a 20 baht note.

5 Baht is 10 pence in UK money, so for a short trip in a third world country seems about right. In the Philippines it used to be 1.5 peso a trip which was about 2 pence!!

Thanks for replies.

Here is a link to a Laos visa application form online I found:

Laos visa pdf

I intend to do a border-run only to Laos from Nong Kai.

I intend to travel from my hotel in Nong Kai at about 7am to the Friendship Bridge, check out of Thailand, then take the bus over the bridge to Laos. Fill out my application forms and attach my two photographs, pay US$ 35 and get my Laos visa.

Then enter Laos. Turn around and exit Laos and return back into Thailand.

Is this basically what I must do? Are there any pitfalls or problems with this?

Plus to save time, is there a Laos visa application form anywhere online?

Thanks for any advice.