KamnanT

I do not know whether they have smartened up the procedures about dealing with PR applications, but I had an extremely bad experience over it! I applied for PR around late 2004, having worked in BKK for 14 years, and, to begin with everything went well. My employer helped with all the necessary paperwork, I submitted everything as required, went to Immigration for all my various appointments, did the multiple-choice Thai test and got 100% pass, and made the short video. To sum up, I jumped through all the hoops they required.

Then, the final decision, which was supposed to take the immigration department around 18 months, ended up taking three and a half years!! They offered me PR in October 2009, and only then because I knew someone who's father was high up in Immigration. Nobody else from my "batch" had heard anything by that stage. Unfortunately, by then, my job in BKK had finished, I was no longer in Thailand, and was not able to take leave from my new job in order to get back to BKK for long enough to complete the process. I had to give up on it.

I sincerely hope things have improved - I have VERY bitter feelings towards Immigration over it. . . . . . .

Sorry, but had to get that off my chest!

There were (are still are) long delays in getting PR applications finalized, but for once it's not Immigration that it is the cause, it's the Interior Minister. For some reason, many of of the Ministers since the 2006 coup have been reluctant to sign off on completed PR applications. But I'm surprised your December 2004 application was caught up in this: I applied in December 2005 and was granted in July 2007. This appeared to be typical for that batch.

The mortgage I had prior to this one with CIMT started off at 18,000 a month with 11,000 being interest. At 20 years , it was something like 5k a month.

I thought all mortgages started off with little coming off the principle but near the end, all was coming off the principle.

That's true but on most basic mortgages the total payment each month is constant over the entire term. Interest is charged on the daily outstanding principal, so early in the term the monthly payment goes mostly on interest with very little paying off the principal. As the principal balance declines, less and less of each monthly payment goes towards interest and more and more pays off the principal. But the total monthly payment is constant.

There are numerous variations on the "basic" mortgage, however, although not as widely available in Thailand as in North America and Europe. There are mortgages that start with a low monthly payment (often less than the interest charged each month, meaning the principal balance actually rises!), which then ratchets up to a higher payment at pre-set intervals. Originally designed for young families whose earning power was expected to rise rapidly, post-2008 they are considered a bit of a predatory lending practice.

Yes, it is possible - I financed my condo through UOB in Bangkok. The hurdle for most people is the requirement that foreigners without Permanent Residence must show that all of the funds for their condominium purchase were remitted from outside Thailand. A local bank lending you Thai baht does not satisfy this requirement unless the money were to be transferred out of Thailand and then back in again - something the bank is clearly never going to let you do (what happens if you and the money just disappear?). I have PR so this wasn't an issue.

Some of the local banks offer loans from their overseas affiliates (usually Singapore) and thus satisfy the overseas remittance rule. However, these loans are usually in SGD or USD, so you would have a currency exposure. As a result, maximum loan-to-valuation ratios are lower for these types of loans (50% to 70%) than they would be for a local loan (up to 90% in some cases).

I get RPO at all the ABBVs used on this TV. MBH is TMTB where ROF pontificate.

My apologies. If you be so kind to indicate which of the four abbreviations used in my post you did not understand (UOB, PR, SGD, USD), I would be more than happy to explain them to you. And I will speak very slowly.

I would speak at any speed that you feel desirable. But first, you must learn to speak with words. Do you speak this way with your friends? Do you know understand why they just nod their heads and look elsewhere?

No, they don't have to. They can figure out that when "Permanent Residency" is mentioned at the beginning of a paragraph, "PR" at the end of the same paragraph just might mean "Permanent Residency". Not challenging for most.

Yes, it is possible - I financed my condo through UOB in Bangkok. The hurdle for most people is the requirement that foreigners without Permanent Residence must show that all of the funds for their condominium purchase were remitted from outside Thailand. A local bank lending you Thai baht does not satisfy this requirement unless the money were to be transferred out of Thailand and then back in again - something the bank is clearly never going to let you do (what happens if you and the money just disappear?). I have PR so this wasn't an issue.

Some of the local banks offer loans from their overseas affiliates (usually Singapore) and thus satisfy the overseas remittance rule. However, these loans are usually in SGD or USD, so you would have a currency exposure. As a result, maximum loan-to-valuation ratios are lower for these types of loans (50% to 70%) than they would be for a local loan (up to 90% in some cases).

I get RPO at all the ABBVs used on this TV. MBH is TMTB where ROF pontificate.

My apologies. If you be so kind to indicate which of the four abbreviations used in my post you did not understand (UOB, PR, SGD, USD), I would be more than happy to explain them to you. And I will speak very slowly.

Still the definitive guide:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/74654-cameratas-guide-to-the-permanent-residence-process/

That's not just a Honda Wave...he could have sold that bike to pay his rent for a few months.

Air Asia might need to rethink its advertising slogan:

"Now everyone can fly"

"...but not everyone should."

Tigerair Philippines was acquired by Cebu Pacific Airways in January this year. The Tiger brand has been retained but I suspect that's only a matter a time. No airline currently flies direct from Bangkok to Clark: you can fly to Manila and then bus/taxi it to AC, or you can fly to Hong Kong and get a direct flight to Clark from there (Dragonair and Cebu Pacific/Tigerair both fly that route).

No such thing as a "standard" increase to move to a new job. If the candidate is considering moving only for money, then they will move again the first time another employer offers them a 10% raise. You have to offer more than just money to retain staff long-term (and it appears that you do). If the candidate isn't interested in the other benefits, you should probably take a pass.

So does anyone think Thailand will do the same? Wouldn't it be Great if you didn't have to check in every 90 days, I mean Really we want to live here, but you just make us jump though the hoops every time, not many other countries treat expats like that. When will they catch up with the 21st century?

Thailand already has Permanent Residency - applications are taken by the Immigration Bureau each year in the last week of December. In very simplistic terms, it requires 3 consecutive years of extensions of stay, evidence of the payment of income tax (preferably on a salary of >= 80,000 baht/month) and basic Thai speaking/listening/reading skills. Application fee is THB 7,600 and if granted, there is a fee of THB 191,400 for the residence certificate (THB 95,700 if married to a Thai or someone who already has PR).

The basic personal allowance is THB 30,000, but while this would be applied in calculating employment income tax withheld at source, it would not be applied to withholding tax on rent (normally 5%). It may be that the management company of your timeshare is applying the 3% rate for professional fees or service income.

Even if your wife was able to return to Thailand to appear with you for your extension application, the fact remains, as Ubonjoe points out, that you would be married "de jure" (in law) but not "de facto" (in practice). It may be a quaint little 19th century anachronism, but living together is still considered a key determinant of "de facto" marriage. The Police Order requires both the law and the practice to qualify for a marriage extension.

A one year multiple entry Non-Imm "O" appears to be the most suitable alternative.

^{Joined in 2002 not long after arriving in Thailand. While the kids were growing up, it was a great place to go on weekends for the pool and to play tennis with friends. Despite the name (and popular misconception), membership is open to all nationalities and is pretty diverse. And yes, the fish & chips are good but the extensive Thai menu is also excellent. As for all the comments about snooty members clubs from posters who have never visited - well, ignorance is bliss. If you don't like the idea of members clubs, then don't join. The joining fees are a fraction of those at the RBSC or Polo Club and not there to "keep out the hoy polloy [sic] " but to fund the maintenance and improvement of the facilities.}

I've been banking with BBL for over a decade and while I've never been told that had to buy insurance, I have been subject to some medium-to-high pressure sales tactics. All bank staff are on commission and quota to shift these insurance products (whole life policies, structured life/savings products), as the profit margin to the bank is quite high. Appears to be seasonal - last quarter of the year is particularly bad, as they ramp up on LTF/RMF sales and try to piggy-back the junk on top. I've had the foreign exchange officer pitch me for 45 minutes when all I wanted to do was buy some euros for a trip. I clearly wasn't assertive enough in saying No the first 12 times.

As a "temporary resident", your friend would have to demonstrate that the funds for her condominium purchase had been transferred from outside of Thailand before the Land Titles Office would register ownership in her name. This is one reason that local mortgages are difficult for temporary residents to obtain.

My Bangkok Bank Be 1st VISA debit card has always worked reliably in ATMs around the world, however making debit card payments at merchants has been another story - very hit and miss. I would say declined more than accepted. Certainly, in any country where PIN (as opposed to signature) identification is mandatory (e.g. the UK), Thai debit cards are unlikely to be accepted for merchant payments.

Can you have money sent into a farang or Thai bank account from a third party to start up a business?

Yes. Generally speaking there are very few restrictions on sending money into Thailand. Getting any significant amount out again can be more challenging.

You can buy anything you want to in this country without a Foreign Exchange Certificate. You just won't be able to take the money back out of Thailand without it

Incorrect. The Land Titles Office will not register a transfer of title for a condominium to a buyer who is not (1) a Thai citizen or (2) a Permanent Resident of Thailand unless the buyer can present Foreign Exchange Transaction certificates showing the transfer of foreign currency into Thailand at least equal to the purchase price of the condominium.

The best suggestion so far is for the OP to go to the bank to which he transferred his original capital from abroad and see if they can still issue an FET.

If you sell your condo in the future and you want to send the money out of the country, then you need the receipt from the Land Titles Office showing that you have paid all of the relevant taxes on the sale (and there are several, including income tax).

And a foreigner who's working in thailand with a work permit, also doesn't require to show the FET form.

Sorry, also incorrect. Having a work permit does not remove the requirement to source funds for a condominium purchase from outside of Thailand. Only citizens and Permanent Residents can use funds from domestic sources.

You can buy anything you want to in this country without a Foreign Exchange Certificate. You just won't be able to take the money back out of Thailand without it

Incorrect. The Land Titles Office will not register a transfer of title for a condominium to a buyer who is not (1) a Thai citizen or (2) a Permanent Resident of Thailand unless the buyer can present Foreign Exchange Transaction certificates showing the transfer of foreign currency into Thailand at least equal to the purchase price of the condominium.

The best suggestion so far is for the OP to go to the bank to which he transferred his original capital from abroad and see if they can still issue an FET.

If you sell your condo in the future and you want to send the money out of the country, then you need the receipt from the Land Titles Office showing that you have paid all of the relevant taxes on the sale (and there are several, including income tax).

God knows what I have to do if she wants to come with me to Ireland via the UK.

The good news is that if she obtains a UK Entry Clearance, she no longer requires a separate visa to travel to the Republic of Ireland. Applies to Thai nationals as of last November.

See http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Visa%20Waiver%20Programme

THB 1,700 is a bit toppy - Bangkok Bank charges 400 baht for a transfer initiated over the counter, 300 baht for one initiated online. Most banks quote two prices for a TT (telegraphic transfer): one for "split charges" (sender pays charges in Thailand, recipient pays charges from their bank) and one for "sender pays" (charges from both sending and receiving bank paid by the sender). THB 1,700 sounds more like the charge for the latter option.

Not sure if Bangkok Bank would accept a TT order from a someone who isn't already a Bangkok Bank client. They probably would as long as you have a passport and the amount isn't too large.

Overseas 15%, local only 3%.

Thank you for info, what this withholding tax really mean, how does it work, is there any possibility that we can get it back later?

Depending on where the consulting service is resident for tax purposes, they may be able to claim taxes paid overseas (i.e. the Thai withholding tax) as a credit against their corporate income tax.

All government offices and many private businesses are closed through New Years Day, re-opening on Thursday, January 2nd.