bellagrego

You say uyou have assets in other countries. If so you may want to consider opening up a deposit account in the Dominican Republic in local pesos. Such accounts have been paying around 14% + and I have used these accounts to generate retirement income. The interest can be paid out monthly so if you have say 300k in savings, you can generate over 100K baht a month just in interest. You have a debit card to just access the money from Thailand. Of course you need a cash nest egg. I have had no issue whatsoever with the bank in DR and their banking system is quite secure compared to say the US right now. There is no restrictions or fees for a foriegner to openan account and the interest is free of local taxes. Just a thought.

YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR MIND, A degree from the Warton School, is definitely not in your resume.

Easy one. No question retirement is best option if he can show cash flow from any pension generating 800K or more annually. Or, a combination of cash in Thai bank to total the 800K. Best option, come in on a 90 day O, Go to Oz embassy , get affidavit of income, open BKK bank acccount, transfer some funds, and apply for Ret visa. It's easy, doesn't require an agent, just a buddy or gal to guide him through the process. No doubt, he fell in love with a friendly, short skirt. Be careful in that regard with his cash.

good luck.

year 5 for me on ret visa

No green book, don't buy at any price. Nightmare, factual stories out there all end up eventually in disaster. A recent case of a big bike purchase from a reputable? dealer went bad. 380 baht bike with green book guaranteed in a month to be delivered. One year later and 20000 in attorney fees, still no book.Bailed out and sold it for 150 to another donk.

No, sorry, this is not a major issue.

You are talking about $3

This is a minor inconvenience of living in beautiful Thailand.

If something this minor is causing you major heartache, I think you need to source out the original cause of your problems

This is part of life here, either accept it or move on.

I cannot image 100 baht would ever get in my head enough to warrant writing a story about it

There is no place on earth that is perfect

Just for you and your insulting paternalistic remarks. I write here on many subjects that some folks actually care about. To tell me to move on instead of offering ways to improve or contribute to this place shows your lack of education and ignorance, let alone , any sense of manners. I suggest to you, that come from a low class life style without any reverence for rules and integrity. I live here, intend to die here, and contribute , rather than take away anything from Thailand.

From my 25 years at GM. You are correct in your assessment of generalities regarding Automatics. Clutch slippage via fluid coupling is now limited by lock-up converters and other forms of direct coupling limiting torque loss. In many cases the autos are just better at selecting via computer optimum shift points and selection of only needed fuel distribution. We can't do better now than a computer and as far as performance goes, the same applies. A paddle shift Porshe hard to best. As far as our little 125 scooters go, they are inefficient little fuel sucking beast that have severely dated designs from fifty or more years ago. They are built for a price and a market, not for fuel efficiency. My 125 from 1970 is nearly identical in design. Right now, my cost to operate a 110cc Fino is 1 baht per km, my 2500 cc, big truck with all that weight, cost only 2 baht per km at 2000rpm. It's all about competition and the price of fuel. There is no competition and the governments control the price of fuel, so don't look anytime soon for a scooter to cost .5 per km to drive.

This issue is a major one for most of us who travel Thailand's highways. I don't know the answer but I would suggest that the first step to eliminate these corrupt, stop you and rob you at the pointy of a gun, would be : Create a professional Police Force that is properly financed by the Government and hire recruits that are not required to pay a bribe to get the job, buy their own gun, and buy their own transportation. The current system of financed is provided by road blocks maned by smiling goons that take your money on the spot for no reason at all and put it in their pocket. I guess the shares are divided up there or later with the bosses. Not an efficient way to finance a major part of police work.

It is shameful that as the result of spending time robbing the citizens takes away from real police work and real traffic major violations. It is a form of thievery that is mai pen rai to so many Thais that it is an accepted nuisance. I must say, The police do not discriminate against falangs, They steal from everyone. I guess, if you can afford wheels, you can afford to pay. Two recent named areas of note. KM marker 20, East of Udon Thanni, Westbound lane. 100 baht. My favorite, 100 km N of Pattaya on road to Issan. Stopped by flag down going south. 20 baht for ? Said he was thirsty and wanted a coca cola.

To drive in Viet Nam you need a Vietnamese driving license which is only obtainable in side Viet Nam.

And as far as I know they do not allow right hand drive vehicles in Viet Nam, although I've not found anything official that confirms this.

Another case for flapping of one's gums to hear yourself talk. I presented facts from the source. Now, You have heard something that confirms that FACT.

As to the driver's license that is a moot issue if one has no wheels duuh.

While on that subject, I have driven and rented vehicles in Nam with a US driver's license. So much for that assertion..

That is one of the major problems with contributors to this forum. No facts, just bs to read their name in print.

1 .You may drive into Laos in your truck or car, registered in your name with blue book in hand to prove ownership, purple book passport for your truck in hand, your passport, and a visa on arrival. Discovery and deal killer. You get a 30 visa on arrival. Your truck gets a 7 day visa with no extensions, nor options. I was there March 29, 2010. From the horses mouth, The Laos immigration police at Friendship Bridge . I begged for 30 days to fully tour up to China and around. No way, no bribe accepted.

Don't know what happened when you were there but normally I ask for 2 weeks for my truck at the Friendship Bridge in Laos and that has never been a problem (done that now for over 20 times I guess). In Savannakhet they gave me 30 days for my truck even though I asked for 2 weeks. This period can be extended in the provincial capitals - takes some time but it is possible. No problem to drive there - the roads are not very good and a bit narrow but otherwise no problems.

It is always interesting that some folks just want to dispute facts based on past history. My posting is for the benefit of those who seek CURRENT information, not to start an argument about their experiences. Asia is always in flux and conditions change daily. Tomorrow who knows. Today, I do.

Hello, Fellow adventurers and lunatics . Two months ago, I embarked on my mission to see if I could drive my truck to Laos, Vietnam and China.

I did all the documentation, secured the needed add ons and did all the online research that I could find. That was unproductive so I took what I knew to be fact and decided to go to the source for the definitive answers. That being, the embassies/visa sections of the respective countries that I wished to visit.

Before going into detail for those who wish to pursue such trips, I will cut to the chase and define the outcome first.

1 .You may drive into Laos in your truck or car, registered in your name with blue book in hand to prove ownership, purple book passport for your truck in hand, your passport, and a visa on arrival. Discovery and deal killer. You get a 30 visa on arrival. Your truck gets a 7 day visa with no extensions, nor options. I was there March 29, 2010. From the horses mouth, The Laos immigration police at Friendship Bridge . I begged for 30 days to fully tour up to China and around. No way, no bribe accepted.

2. Vietnam. NO, NO, NO from the Vientiene Embassy. No Thai vehicles, no special cases, no bribes, no way, Hose' That was in English. No translation needed. I asked about Asean Treaty agreements on trade and freedom of transport. I got a , duuuh on that one.

3. China. No, Nada, Never, Not now, Maybe never, but, here is a form letter telling you to contact an unknown travel agency, and have them contact another unknown China International Travel Agency, That is by the way, CITS, and inquire if you wish to bring in a vehicle, including your own bicycle. A lot of help, you bet.

One big disappointment, after all the time , money and effort. This ain't the good ole, USA or Europe. It may be awhile, beyond my life span before one can travel from Nong Kai, to Vientienne, across to Dien Bien , up to Cai Lao, across to Kunming, and around to Dali. I hope it happens. What an adventure.

Laos entry.

1. Blue book

2. Purple book, obtain at land transport office, 240 bqht, 30 baht.Maylasia may insist, don't know.

3. English license plate, I got one from land transport, took one month from bangkok, and never put it on the truck., They were fine with the Thai one.

4. Registration documents

5. Insurance for Laos after border, 260 baht, 7 days.

6. Thai export/import documents from Thailand , 3 stations3 documents, green one to laos immigration

7. 7 stations paper documentation stamping on that side. payment small, 180 baht.

Time 1 to two hours. Do not go at lunch. Close windows at 12 noon.

Park in center lane and start at visa window on left side.

Return to Thailand a 3 station , 30-45 minute time. Do not misplace any papers as without that green one from Laos, you will not get back in.

On the other side. laos is a driving nightmare and no one should attempt to drive a right hand drive unit on a right side right of way., it is suicide to try to pass a big truck of bus on a one lane, pot holled major road, scattered with motobikes, pedestrians, livestock, and every imaginable obstacle know to man.

I have drive everywhere in the world that I have visited, over 70 countries, this is just too dangerous over any distance. I drove north to go to luang prabang,. lasted an hour on that road and covered under 25 km.

Was all this worth the effort. No. laos has little to offer that makes this trip worthwhile. I have been there three times. Angor Wat is the preferred Kymer Experience.

Never ever, use an agent. Why pay their mark up for common information. User the internet and search all last minute deals on all the search engines of low coat carriers. if you need a start go direct to the carriers. I fly the cheapest. Chine Air, Eva air. Emirites a good look too. No one flies lower on reg flight than China air. search google. orbitz, travelocity. They have most common carriers.

Sorry to say, newbie, that the replies to your inquiry are all off the mark, save the first one. I can't say on his quote of 8K, unless I knew the tailor and the fabric in my hand. Bottom line. The tailor and his reputation are the only issues.The price is secondary. I have had several suits made here and have shopped the market extensively. 8K will get you a suit from an unknown tailor in a medium grade worsted wool, at best. The uninformed suggestion to buy a real Armani for $800 is a joke. Real money is 2-3000 US and up.

If you truly want a suit from Bangkok, buy only from the best and forget the price. That would be Mr R, on soi Nana 4. Start at about 12K to $15K for Brit wool/cashmere. None finer , anywhere on earth. He dresses the presidents of the USA, the prime minister and many many others, including a peasant like me. There , you will be treated royally, and measured properly and tailored to world class standards. My R, is , of course, Indian, his tailors are Thai.

If you need a sat nav in Thailand you should get a seeing eye guide dog as well. This place is an easy point to point , no map required , little country. The best roads in SE Asia bar none. I just returned from Laos the third time in my truck. As bad as , or worse than Cambodia. A toss up for most. Makes me appreciate Thailand even more. Try Indonesia, Malaysia and OMG, The Philippines. Here just point it N S E W and drive.

Your reporting fails to mention that little 30 FN Million dollar gift from my tax dollars to go so some elitist institutions to promote reconciliation,. That's right, our money to support the yellow menace to a free society and DEMOCRACY. Obamna makes me want to puke when I see this quai crap. There is no end to the largess passed out to demigods that support US institutions, that meaning, THE MILITARY., We even pay to train your officers at the US Military prestigious schools of war. A fact not an opinion. My government should keep out of Thai politics completely and let the Thai people make their own decisions in their own way, in their own time. As to your assertion that Thailand supported the war in ?Vietnam and Iraq, that is total absurdity. They sold some services to the USA for a price, nothing more., There is no Thai blood on the battlefield of Vietnam , only 55,000 Americans for no good reason.

For our dumber than a stick crowd. This one is a zinger. Good work writer on this April 1st Gotcha

But Chambers said the military was likely to keep up the pressure in private rather than stage another coup, allowing the country to maintain a "veneer of electoral democracy".

what does it mean? Throwing grenades to keep their hands in the cookie jar?

Why do you think the military is the guilty party in the recent bombings? Some look elsewhere.

The yellow menace, the olive jackboots, and the money-green elitist are the phony "grenade throwers". You should see the real damage inflicted with a M79 Grenade launcher, trust me, it doesn't look anything remotely similar to the mini damages shown on the TV as facts of evidence. Those little explosions look like they came from a cherry bomb or big fire cracker instead.

Great job, You got me cold. my father was born on April 1, 1900, and was a joker his entire life.

Quite simply, forget about it. the magnitude of the paper work alone will do you in.The money, arbitrary, completely up to the discretion of customs officials. Another major issue, certification of emissions. 1000-2000 Us dollars and your car will never pass that one. Many have pursued their dream of bringing their classic here, me included. I gave up and bought a local truck. Unless you are prepared for a blank check gift with an agent for bribing with zero guarantees, go to Malaysia.

Do you wish to buy the entire country for $200, or just the city. My God, man, 20 bucks buys a decent room here and 50, 3 stars There is a 4 star palacial high rise on thye rtiver that will take your money. You can't miss it. On the way to town, river side. Tuk tuk theif will take you there from Friendship bridge. I will be there tues and stay in my usual place, the guest houses on the river down town. Ten bucks, a nice dinner across the stret. AlFresco for $5. Bonapetit. If you want action , downtwon old hotel on the first floor at the dancehall. Live music and more.

Because thats all some of you farangs can get......and the only ladies who can put up with you

Hence why your here!

Here, here, Now that's a sharp stick in your eye, but bears some resemblance to the truth. Most of us are just mongers and would prang a poodle if she smiled at us. Asian girls/women, will put up with more shi=== than any other gals on earth,m or at least until that 99.9 gold ring goes on her hand. Then she will say, much like western women, "Honey, I don't do that anymore, I your wife now, not your girlfriend. " A true quote, No joke.

It's a slam dunk for you. I see no problems at all. Make your appointment, tell the truth on all questions and be forthright. Recent experience confirms our embassy uses common sense and issues visas in cases similar to yours. Two recent cases known to me. Forget the property and the vehicle transfer. it would be obvious your intentions due to dates. Most of the stories you hear are all bull about jobs, money in the bank, property , etc.

That would be called "LUNCH".

Strange call. No problem going over to the casino in Ranong. No problem with visa run, either. Some areas will let you go to casino and not stamp you in nor out. Always iffy with Burma.

It is incredible that you folks thing the BOT can "control" the exchange rate of the baht. Economics 101 or a short course on currencies would enlighten you obviously over-inflated ideas of Thai power in that arena. The markets call the shots. Thailand and the BOT don't have enough reserves to buy and sell any quantity of currencies to cause a shift up nor down. Dream on. The answer is not Thailand's actions but the devaluation of the power currencies , The US DOLLAR and EURO, due to gross overspending and debt. Thailand, even though it too has economic woes, s just too insignificant a player in GDP, vs debt, that it has not felt the pressure against its baht. Lucky for Thailand. Your strong baht is killing my finances but that too shall pass from normal fluctuations and shifts. Thailands non-stop, head in the sand, non-competitive practices, will at some point cause loss of market share in many areas and the rise of stock in it's neighbors economy.

Another example of spin according to your interpretation of a speech. Seems like only you know what is said and by whom. Nowhere else is any of this crap represented as news.

I am not a supporter of T or anyone else but your rag is a sad example of a bought and paid for outlet for colored bias. There is no independent voice in this country.

Hate to burst your bubble, but I haver my doubts as to your knowledge of guns, ammo or ballistics. I shoot a 92sf beretta and own a dozen or more hand guns.

Firstly, a 9mm is a piece of crap when it comes to stopping power. Throw weight is minimal. Only a head shot will stop a man unless a lucky hit to a vital organ,. Brand and bullet makes no difference. It is an archaic caliber. Most All law enforcement have switched to 45 or 10mm. State of the art is Glock. My 45 Glock is the standard for putting down a bad man or a truck. To be sure, just buy a Remington 870 pump or a mag 10 and forget the handgun. If you have no experience forget the handgun completely and go with a shotgun. Guns for self defense are near useless in untrained hands and will get you killed in a firefight.

shit happens fast in 10 seconds at a range of 7 meters or less. Not a lot of time for thinking and aiming. If you must buy a hand gun stay away from the Beretta as it is too heavy and has a sloppy action. Thye Browning is old school single action and was designed nearly 65 years ago. Buy a Sig double action or Glock and don't even think about the clones or China garbage. Good hunting

Thank you all for the info. I think that on Friday I will check out gun row in Bangkok. As said I can not own a gun in Thailand but my wife can. I would never dear to shoot a gun . I like the shot gun for home protection but my preference this time is for a hand gun. I have checked on the internet what gun prices are in the US and done the conversion in THB. Here is my list of preferred guns.

Walther P99 THB 25.000

Colt 1911-A1 THB 25.000

Browning M1935 THB 20.000

Beretta 92FS THB 21.000

Taurus PT92 THB 17.000

I am curious to see if these guns are available on gun row. I am realistic that these prices are not the same in Thailand but maybe I should be able to pick one up for THB 50.000.

My preferred 9mm for maximum stopping power.

9mm luger Remington golden saber box 124grain HPJ(+p) 25 rds THB 831

Winchester ranger 147 grain SXT 50 rds THB 831

I don't know if I can find this kind of 9mm in Thailand but would be great to have. Once I have seen the shops in Bangkok I will let you all know what I find out there. I will also check out the gun shop mentioned in Buriram on Tuesday if I can find it.

Cheers

Amsterdam

PS: it is not my intention to start a debate about gun's. I only would like to find out and share information on where to purchase them.