Digger

That may be true but while we're in Thailand, in my book, it really shouldn't matter what the person is doing. If they want to make 10-15 grand a month, whether it be watching the kids or running errands for me is immaterial.

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You might need to think again about your package. My secretary in BKK earns base salary of 25,000 baht month + allowances + bonus, 5 day week, holidays, medical insurance etc. Comes from Udon and gone through Uni with a good degree and has very good English, written and spoken.

Took a long time to find her. She is 29 years old.

The maid in our office is on a salary of 9,000 baht and she is capable just about of emptying rubbish bins and making 3 in 1 coffee. She is also very good at looking busy but actually doing nothing.

The point here is that I am told by my admin mgr that you cant really get people for 5,000 baht a month in Bangkok anymore and if you did they are either unrelible or quit after finding a better paying job. So it may follow that your going to struggle to get your PA for 10,000 month, even possibly up to 15,000 month unless you go for a recent graduate.

With a write up like this you can now expect another 20,000 odd 40-fat-balding-sweaty-tatooed Angrits .......out for a laff. mate...yeah... ear we go..

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Dont think so, its been printed in the Guardian - Dont think they even sell 20,000 copies anymore and the average readership profile is more likely holidaying in some unspoilt part of Tuscany or in a rainforest in South America looking for undiscovered plants

'Refused again' generates to date 9,347 viewings and 217 replies and the lady didn't even go for the interview!!!!!! let alone get refused.

This is the magic of Big Spuds, and TiT, he could learn a lot from the above scenario.

It's like a Thaivisa soap opera

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Well the script certainly seems like something straight out of "The bold and the beautifull" but sounds like soon to be Mrs Spuds acting skills though are worthy of an Oscar

I had moved a good chunk of my USD into New Zealand Dollars a while back to avoid the losses I was getting in the dollar.  Well, I just arrived in Thailand, and just logged into an internet shop computer to find that, to my utter horror, overnight I have lost about half the value of my NZD against the dollar.  The NZD crashed vs. the dollar.  I have lost tens of thousands.

Then I checked the exchange of NZD against the Baht, to find that it is relatively unchanged.  Then I checked the exchange of the Baht against the dollar to find it is relatively unchanged as well.  In other words, it appears that I can move my NZD into Bahts (and then into USD if I want) and "avoid" the loss.

How can this be possible?  How can one avoid losses in this manner?  I fear that there is some fundamental misunderstanding that I have regarding currency trading.  Can someone who knows what is going on explain things to me, and sooner rather than later?  I need help real quick.

Thanks.

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What on earth made you choose the NZ Dollar in any case. Hardly a safety net currency for anyone and I struggle to understand how its value has increased so much, other than its somehow being swept along with the rises in the Aussie dollar over recent times.

Anybody managed to get a mortgage with a company rather than guaranteeing the wife? If so, with which bank? Cheers.

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I have had multiple mortages running at the same time with Siam Commerical Bank on different properties all of which had been based solely on my financial position. Typically 40-50% down and repayments over 5 years. No guarantee or anything sought. Mortgages in the names of the company that owned the property but credit rated on myself. At the time I was working for a major Multinational with a high salary in Thailand, land assets here and substantial off-shore bank accounts. Piece of cake really, but currently am debt free waiting to build up next project. This dates back 2/3 years.

Digger,

You seem to have a mistrust of Pattaya businessmen, especially property dealers.

Do you think this is widespread, or something you need to discuss? 

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Probably about as many honest farang developers as there are devoutly religous church going folk living in Pattaya.

Somthing need to discuss? I thought I did that too much already

Bit of a strange story...

Temple court is being build by Town&Country property. This is a rather big and completely legit real estate agent owned and run by a dutch guy.

They do a lot of construction and have several Thai architects in their employment...

Strange that they would let themselves get cought like that!

The OneThaiUK is not a company but just the name of their website. The company is clearly mentioned at the bottom of evry page as Town & Country Property Co.Ltd...

http://www.onethaiuk.com/introduction.html

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I think you will find thats a smoke and mirrors special effect. The printed ad makes no mention of Town and Country Property - local pay as you go mobile, UK website and UK e-mail address.

Probably the website has been changed in last few days as a reaction to the deportation. Certainly T&C have been involved in some 'shady' new projects so it would not surprise me if they actually grassed him up - I have seen recently this development being listed with other agents, whereas before it was only T&C advertising it as one of their projects - in fact looking in the same magazine, the T&C ad does not even mention the project anymore. The book I have is the March edition of the 'Real Estate Magazine'.

Not sure about the new Dutch owner but the reputation of the old owner was not exactly upstanding in terms of business ethics.

jesus simbo i wouldnt want to be related to you.

why dont you just give them the 10,000. its only a small amount and no security needed.

if it was my family and i had 10 grand then it wouldnt even cross my mind not to pay.

unless you know what a &lt;deleted&gt; he is and think his guilty.  

in that case ignore the above.

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I'd agree with Splitlid - give them 10,000 cash is far better than signing over house documents.

Great - we are talking cool cars and that has made my day. I cant think of anything less cool than a Honda City with spoilers

I would imagine the only MRI equiped hospital is Bangkok Pattaya - the others are probably too small. No idea though how often their operators are on duty. They have a website at www.pattayahospital.com

By the sound of things he did not have a work permit and in all liklihood, he would not have got one from Chonburi's current Governor - at least based on what I have heard - seemingly he is adamant that farang cannot get work permits as property developers - anything sounding remotely like a company that develops and then sells houses (i.e a property developer) is not granted work permits in Chonburi unless the company is declaring everything, buying land in its name, splitting chanots and then paying VAT and corporation taxes on each and every transaction. Somehow I cant see that happening with many small time developers.

Concerning this guy, I found an old copy of some real estate magazine showing an ad of their project. Probably does not help their cause that the company is called 'One Thai UK Ltd' and has a UK based e-mail address. I guess there will be more 'shady' developers either running for the hills or getting legit as quick as they can, if they can.

Try to spot a toilet in Singapore these days that does not have an automatic flush. As I recall, there is also a law that says the property owners MUST fit the electric flush otherwise they are as guilty as the guy caught not flushing it. Funny enough, sales of lectric flushers went through the roof shortly thereafter.

Also another interesting law is that the owner of a condo or house is responsible for the legal status of their tennants. If an illegal immigrant or overstayer is found to be staying in a property you own, you end up going to prison. Think there was a story about 5 years ago of either a grandmother or a priest being sent to prison for 2 years because they had checked and re-checked the validity of the tennants travel documents and visa stamps.

Lots of charters to Moscow but little else. Shame the Singapore service was stopped.

I posted something about a potential clampdown on foreigner developers starting in Phuket a couple of months ago and my understanding that it would be extended to Pattaya quickly thereafter.

Just heard that the farang guy behind Temple Court houses was nabbed on Saturday and deported on Monday for working without a work permit. This was second hand info but believe the source is pretty well connected with the property business in Pattaya so likely to be correct. Of course, no mention of anything on the comic 'news' shows websites. Have not seen any of the TV shows though as I am not in Pattaya at the moment.

Wonder how this will affect other wannabee developers in Pattaya. Not sure if its a one off or the first of a series of investigations. Has anybody seen or heard anything about this?

Thanks for latest advice all: I will explain further;

The ticket is JAL but operated by some airline called jalways, or something like that and it is a codeshare.

For some reason, there was a mistake and the JAL ticket was issued in full to me when I made full payment, but because the agent realises now it is codeshare there is a problem.

I have even booked my seat number with JAL and they say O.K. I guess I am 90% O.K.

I really need a travel agents viewpoint or perhaps not T.I.T.after all...

My plan is this: call JAL the day before and then travel if they say O.K.

What do you reckon?

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If the ticket has been wrongly issued, odds are it wont be accepted at check in if its picked up. Why dont you just take it back and change it.

Also odds are the agent will have logged on the booking notes that they know the ticket has been issued wrongly and that they have requested you to come back and change it. All of these notes are visible to the girl at check in. If the ticket has been issued on JAL paper (ie says JAL in top right hand corner of ticket), it may be that JALWAYS have an agreement with another carrier for ticketing rights in Thailand. If your caught in that trap, they may not let you on simply because the airline (JALWAYS) may never get paid for the seat.

Harley bar is a good choice and a pretty good English style roast carvery on Sunday lunchtimes hits the spot at 250 baht all in.

The girls are pretty ###### cute as well and I have heard the short time rooms are the best in Pattaya - but of course never tried that myself

I have my airline ticket, in my hand, paid up, tax and all JAL Japanese airlines, the 'agent' contacted me today and said there had been a mistake, and that I can't have the ticket.

I called JAL in Bangkok, not really much help, they just said my flight was confirmed O.K.

Can the 'agent' stop the ticket. It is the 'agents' mistake that I have the ticket fully paid up in my hands.

If you have a ticket, who has the power to cancel it?

Wilson Steer.

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What is the issue behind it? Have they undercharged you?

If its an undercharge, there is not a lot they can do about it. They can cancel your booking and if the ticket is restricted, it becomes worthless. If its a changeable ticket free of endorsements/restrictions then its good for carriage/use.

It really depends on the issue and the amount of baht involved as to how 'difficult' the agent might be - they have a fair amount of ability to make life difficult for you if they so desired.

All BMW's and Benz's are way over there cost price in Thailand. Only idiots are buying them in my humble opinion. Profit on a BMW or a Benz is somewhere around 30-40% of sales price, thats why they advertise so much but still only sell couple thousand each per annum. In particular BMW are spending a fortune on adverts and its the poor sucker that buys the car thats paying for their marketing budget.

I have nothing against the cars, but I do get peeved when I see what rip-off prices they are applying in Thailand and then have the audacity to blame it on import taxes. New 5 series is a prime example. Most markets in Europe, it was on a par with old model, but in Thailand it goes up 25-30% in retail price.

Hmm A cash, non receipt type business and your considering to falsify your tax returns to meet the 100,000 baht VAT threshold. If your not grossing 3,300 baht a day your going bankrupt quicktime with 8 staff for your work permits.

Somehow I cant see this business operating in 6 months let alone a year. Might be proved wrong but I doubt it.

Good luck in getting your finances in order, I think you need it.

Seems like the fearless leaders plan to save energy by closing gas stations and supermarkets at night has had a huge impact.

Guy who used to rent a house I owned had a 3 year B Visa in his passport as i remember it clearly and asked him how he got that - dont know he replied just stamped that way when he got his work permit, which was also for 3 years. He worked for a BOI company and a large one at that, but do not remember what he came in on initially. His was done at the immigration office in Matbraput Nr Rayong. Reason I remember was that I was jealous because the one stop centre would only issue me 1 year visa and work permit.

Yes, aware necessity of submission of construction drawings, hence trip to OrBorJor offices. But transpires, need architect's co-signature when building exceeds two floors, which mine does, thus necessitating yet another bung. Apparently it is a Thai way to be told, in instalments, how much to pay in case Thai customers have heart attack. We live and learn.

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Single story plans can be done by anybody, anything with two floors needs to be signed off by a qualified architecht with proper degree qualifications - thats probably where the 10,000 is coming in.

Land Rover - 2.5l engine with 174 hp is too small for 1,600 kg vehicle. New Toyota Fortuner has 163 hp and is torquier.

Mazda MX5 is cool and you CAN buy the lower spec version for just under 2 mil. Good pick. Pity they don't offer turbocharged version here so you'll probably see yourself overtaken by Civics.

Alpha Romeo 156 with 160 hp and sexy looks also cost under 2mil.

What's cool here? Honda Jazz is cool, but not by farang standards. Mini is cool, but for under 2 mil you only get lower/slower models. Mini Cooper S is 2.6 mil.

Overall - Mazda. But I can't see myself in that toy car as a cool guy. I'll have to be sooo careful not to get overrun buy somebody and stay in the left lane all the time (as sport car drivers usually do here).  I'd rather drive 220hp Accord in the right lane.

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Toyota is the common sense decision but soooo boring as is an Accord. Nothing against the cars but they hardly shout individuality. Alfa would be a nice choice except for the fact that they are on their last legs in Thailand and re-sale value would drop quicker than a hookers knickers at the sight of 10 crisp 1000 baht notes.

BMW 3 series are also getting pretty common sights and unless its an M3 or 330, nothing to be proud off. New Merc C class still has a huge amount of impressing power in Thailand, although with a hairdryer of an engine its amazing it goes as fast as it does (which aint that fast either). Perhaps wait for the new model Volvo s40 - apparently its a good car but not sure where it will be price wise and has the right prestige in Thailand.

I can reccommend Professor Stretchaporn Armsterong, he did wonderful work on my limb extensions;

My apologies, it's a slow day.

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Forget the limb extensions - I want to know who did the lip enhancements !!

I wonder where the traffic police were who work out of the numerous police boxes on every junction of Sukhumvit Road from Naklua through to Jomtien and why did the main police handle the call as opposed to the traffic police. Too many questions and no answers as normal.