Digger

disagree with you on this. Look at the Times 100 richest Britains and see how many of them were born outside of the UK.

Sure I see it all the time, people from the sub continent say "I came here 30 years ago with two suitcases now look at me" what they failed to say what was in those two suitcases.

I am sorry but that is a load of crap.

The Times 100 is not some listing of drug dealers but people who create real wealth and pay taxes. A Brit with any common sense would understand that - the UK is not Thailand where no questions are asked as to how you achieved your wealth.

Very good points Samran , but one is missing , the refugees coming to UK, for whatever reason , in the main, bring no skills , no money , no hope to an already overpopulated country.

Does Thailand welcome refugees/illegals/asylum seekers?

Would you prefer them to the current crop of Eurotrash etc?

I agree it is not the fault of the refugee's that their country has become unsuitable or unsafe to live etc. It is not my fault either.

Discuss et tu..

I disagree with you on this. Look at the Times 100 richest Britains and see how many of them were born outside of the UK. I would hazzard a guess that its about 30% and rising every time they do the survey. Britain is a country where success can mean wealth creation in similar ways to the US wealth creators. What attracts people to the UK is apart from the handouts, an ability for a hard working foreigner to make something of themselves and be sure that the laws are applied as equally to them as to an indigineous Brit. If you look at the tax payments MADE by immigrants you will underxtand just how much they do contribute. last time I was back in the UK I visited the local fish and chip shop that is know run by Slovakian brothers. Considerably cleaner than it used to be and the food was way better than before. These 2 guys are working hard and contributing becasue they feel that Britizan is their home and that laws are in place to protect them.

The problem as I see it is that there are far too many lazy indiginous Brits who spend all their time moaning rather than getting on and doing something about it. Loads went to Spain and then have moved to Thailand as they feel Spain is too expensive. Wont be long before these guys also move onto another country.

Most of the countries leading surgeons and doctors went through this hospital. If you look at the doctor search for Bumrungrad, many many doctors still work there as their public practice and moonlight (legally) at places like Bumungrad for the well off who dont want to queue up. Other leading hsopital is Mahidol which is also a training hospital connected to medical university.

Seems like mine is the only voice to disagree with the general concensus.

Personally, I am amazed at how well respected the UK is by almost every other country. The UK still punches well above its weight in the international arena. The UK economy is still growing at a fast rate and is now the 4th largest economy in the world. Look back to 1979 and things were very different. Not that I particularly support the Thatcher views but she turned around a country that was getting more and more limp. Britains standing in the world is now very high by almost everyone except white Brits. British news is shown daily in almost every country around the world. Both the BKK pos and the Nation feature British stories on a continual basis.

Go ask where the new wealth had been generated from and in many many cases its from immigrants who have contributed a massive amount to Britian. OK so the cultures of the UK are changing and reflecting the fact that there are more and more ethnic views to consider but that is not always a bad thing. Indian food is now outselling fish and chips - who's buying it? White Brits of course.

Personally I left the UK becasue I was offered a much higher salary package working in another country and then ended up getting transferred to Thailand which I really enjoy but I would consider going back to the UK if the right opportunity came along.

Many things hack me off about the UK but unless you have seen other countries extensively, its easy to complain. As for the comments about the British royal family, that just reflects a lack of respect for something because of the freedoms of speech that are so jealously guarded in the UK. The Royal Family generate a huge amount of income and is the reason why Britain is so successfull in inbound tourism numbers. If you look at the facts, they aint coming for the weather are they?

Has Britain underinvested in many things - absolutely and due to crazy policies, many things have gotten pretty bad but compared to Thailand, the law is still respected and followed by the majority. There are no suspicious deaths that get treated as suicide. Health care is still free at point of delivery. Property ownership rights for anyone are clearly laid out in law. These are things that foreigners hold very close to their hearts.

Ask a poor American how well his health care system looks after him? It does not and there is a huge underclass in the US numbering millions that cannot even read or write. Ask a poor Singaporean how well they are looked after by the government and the answer is they are not. Britain has a policy of a free health service that cripples its direct and indirect taxation however that is due to the fact that the British by tradition never want to see anyone suffer. Look what it did to Thatcher when she tried to refomr the sacrosanct cow of the NHS. Go ask somebody with cancer in Singapore how well their health care system looks after them if they have no medisave funds. Same in Thailand and many other places. The only other countries with comparable health care systems are in West European countries such as France, Germany and Swden - however all these countries are in a worse position than the UK with higher levels of taxation.

I also think that the reason you hear about Brits abroad is that if you understand the travel business, you will see why. Brits enjoy cheaper airfares than almost any other country and their holiday business has grown tremendously. Almost every Brit expects to go on an overseas holiday every year however many more French and Germans holiday within their home country. The reason for this is that the package holiday was invented in Britain utilising chater flights and block booked hotels in Spain. Holiday companies could sell a holiday for about half the price of the same holiday for a German national staying in the same hotel.

Consider also that London has been the international centre for flights has meant that from a historical point, you could fly almost anywhere in thre world from London. Paris and Frankfurt have been playing catch up for the last 15 years. example, Singapore Airlines first International longhaul flight, was to London. One of Thais first internatioanl flights was to, yes London, Qantas etc, Cathay Pacific, the list goes on and on. Many international airlines have 2 times as many flights into the UK as the rest of Europe combined for example look at American Airlines or Singapore Airlines. Both have more seats daily into the UK than to the rest of mainland Europe. Similar story with Malaysia Airlines, United etc.

As a result of this actvity, far more Brits hold passports than other nations as its cheaper to holiday abroad than stay in the UK. Therefore there are a considerable number of Brits who have deciced for whatever reason that they prefer to live abroad than contend with life in old blighty as they feel they can have a better life (often incorrect as stated by someone else. I also now many Brits that could not live abroad and have gone back to UK).

Interesting comments raised in the article however I would have thought the HIV test was just the first element. Assuming someone tests positive, they then go onto having CD4 and viral load tests. Its these tests that confirm in the doctors eyes what they have seen in the test results. For example, if an elisa shows HIV and Western Blot is negative, somewhere like Bumrungrad then asks patient for another blood sample and runs Viral load and CD4 tests. These tests would then show CD4 either at normal or lower than normal levels and viral load levels way up or undetectable. Exactly this procedure was followed for a girl who's treatment I pay for. I guess the problem comes when when the option is given of the viral load and CD4 tests which together cost about 7,000 baht from memory. Very easy for many to say whats the point of paying (or cannot pay) for further tests to confirm the already bad news.

FYI, I would guess that a normal CD4 level and no viral load would be considered negative wheras a low CD4 count and a high viral load is considered positive. The scenario I am aware showed a CD4 count of 350ish against normal of 650+ and a viral load of some 200,000 versus a normal reading of 0. The specialist doctor that was doing the treatment/tests etc had no doubt that this girl was sero-converting after being struck down by flu type symptons (which is why she at Bumrungrad in the first place and a savvy general practice doctor wanted a second opinion from Infectious disease specialist).

The aircraft in question were old 747 's(25 yrs +) and there is nothing secret or sensitive in them,except where all the cockroaches hide.

So where do the cockroaches hide? Was wondering about this on my most recent long-haul flight- there surely must be bugs and possibly even larger vermin roaming around in the nooks and crannies of big aircraft.

Dont worry Crash, unless the vermin have been FAA cleared they do not have access to the blueprints and thus dont know which wire to chew through in order to cause a fatal crash.

perhaps the question needs to be more focused on the practicalities in hand.

If your financing the houses, the bank will be far happier with a company owning the property and they then lend money to the company to buy it, however its you they are credit checking not the company as they understand that it is you that you make the repayments. The bak then holds the chanot and has total security over that property.

As I understand it in Thai law, you are merely a partial shareholder and sole signing director of a company that quite legally owns ahouse and land. To be a director you do not need to have a work permit. Thousands of companies have directors that are foreign that do not hold work permits (i.e every multinational in Thailand). The issue of tax has arisen with me recently and we showed the tax office fully audited accounts showing income from rental of said property and they were completely satisfied. When I quizzed my lawyer more as to why they would investigate it, he advised that its common in Chonburi (where I live) for this to happen.

The one area of contention is the practice of nominee's however as I understand it, all smart law firms are getting the shareholders to sing a declaration stating that they have paid in their respective capital and that its being held by the director. In reality they have not paid in anything but seemingly this is considered sufficient.

Is it 100% watertight - who really knows but from my own experience, the key is to submit fully audited accounts for the company (showing items such as property expenses and notional income e.g rent from yourself, albeit on paper and that the company shows a small profit each year on which you pay corporation tax. My accounts have been accepted by the tax dept. every year and approved on this basis. I also asked my lawyer if he has ever known of a company that has had its asset taken by the government in this kind of scenario. His answer was no (and its pretty much all he does), and that for the government to take an asset is difficult and very expensive for them. He said that if anything like that were to happen, due to a company not submitting a return and then being investigated, that in almost every scenario he could imagine, that the tax office would give the company the opportunity to bring up to date their tax affairs and likely levy some fines but not go down the route of confiscating the property which would be in his words, too much hard work for the tax officers.

You DO need a visa to go to Southern Ireland and its difficult to get from the Irish embassy in London from what I was told by the irish embassy. I was in exactly same position last year needing to go to a conference in Dublin but GF had to saty in the UK. Immigration do check your passports at Dublin airport which surprised me as I thought it would be a non event given that Ireland and UK have an open border.

i wish i could afford the marriot or something fancy like that

im sure u could walk in and out all night with different ladies and they wont say anything , i worked at the ACCOR hotel chain (novotel/marriot etc etc) and saw this alot (not in Thailand)

oh well ..... money talks i guess

Er Dondi - Marriott is not part of Accor I am afraid. Accor (French public company)own and operate Sofitels, Novotels, Ibis, mercure hotels as the primary hotel brands. Marriott is a direct competitor of Accor but there is no common ownership.

Just had an amazing telephone conversation with Land Rover about buying a car.

I was asking about a current model (lets call it 2003) Discovery which is soon to be replaced by a new model and I recall seeing an ad in the BKK Post about special prices, presumably to clear the current model stocks to await new model. But not quite that simple, the special prices (which are the same as they were 3 years ago at around 2.8M baht) are for the 2002 model not the newer 2003 model:blink:

So understanding this correctly, Land Rover Thailand still have 2002 model cars for sale in the middle of 2004, trying to sell them at the same price that they were selling them at least 2 years ago. Now this car is about to replaced again by a vastly improved model which goes on sale in the UK around September but has already been released picture wise, road tests etc.

Looking at the Uk website of Landrover, they have brought out special editions to clear the 2003 stock and have discounted the price by up to approx: 3,500GBP or around 10% and thats before you negotiate anything further with the dealer.

Is anybody really going to buy a car that has been replaced twice over and still pay the full retail price for it? Is it any wonder that you dont see many Landrovers on the roads of Thailand. This country never ceases to amaze me!!

Interestingly, no one answered the question as to whether such an agreement can be a legal contract in Thailand. The lawyers tell me it can.

Have you any experience of the Thai legal system? Why do you think nothing ends up in court?

Most Thais do not want things being decided by a 3rd party where one loses face - work it out yourselfs and then every one concerned can come out feeling a little bit happy.

I think you really need to understand a little bit more about Thai values but unless I have misread this situation you dont have a clue at the moment.

Anything can be written down on paper but if the other side feels hard done by or resentfull (often the case with a Thai lady) the paper aint going to stop a bullet or a knife attack if they are so inclined.

Sorry to sound harsh but just trying to prevent you having problems further down the line...

Hi there

          I recently applied for a credit card at Siam Commercial Bank,But i was refused by them stating the reason that my salary doesn't meet the minimum requirement to approve.My salary is 35K right now.They told me that although for a thai,the minimum salary requirement is 15K ,for a foreigner,the minimum requirement is 50K.is it true?anyone had any experiences ?

You wonder why people still want to work in this country. This is one of the very few countries with laws for foreigners and for natives, discrimination in its purest form.

Thais can get a credit card by the way when they earn at least 7000 baht per month.

Good luck

I am not so sure its law's more just common credit rating assessment. Try getting a credit card in the US as a foreigner and you will know how difficult it can be. Until you have built up a credit history nobody will touch you, but as nobody will touch you, you cannot build up a credit history

In Singapore, its very difficult to get a credit card unless you are a highly paid expat with a P1 category on your work permit (salary higher than about S$7,000 from memory).

In Australia, also very difficult. Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia - your dreaming to expect a card easily.

I applied to QBE and was assured they had an English language policy. None was ever produced, surprising since it is an Australian company.

Anyway, I am un-insured for my dwelling. Since it is brick and mortar with only the kitchen cabinets in wood, fire is a small risk.

Having had professional experience with insurance companies claims practices, I felt that a "replacement" rider was important. Still don't know if they have such a beast. Really wonder what your buying?

Since I am self insured for health insurance, being self insured for homeowners insurance is a far less risk.

I would buy such a policy if I could read it.

My QBE policy is in English (and Thai) and very easy to understand. For Pattaya they have an office on Sukhumvit Road somewhere near the turning for Siam Country Club but I used a broker.

Digger, all I know is I had a call from my lawyer asking me what I was using my company for, double checking I hadn't bough a house with it. Asking why the reply I got was that it would have meant trouble. Could just have been a matter of taxation I suppose, didn't pursue the issue as I hadn't.

I hear that farang run companies are being looked at by authorities, to establish whether or not the companies do own property, and if they do own property, what is the purpose of the ownership.

Interesting observations. That would be consistent to a degree with what they were investigating - seems many are not making proper returns on these land owning companies. Some are making returns and paying taxes and then some who own and rent are making full declarations and paying rental and corporation tax on the rental income as a normal business.

Still, if this goes much deeper there might be a very large number of wealthy farang who thought they were playing by the rules suddenly coming unstuck with their property assets in Thailand. Won't do much or the property boom either in Pattaya and Phuket given that almost everyone I know who owns property here has it set up in exactly the same way via company ownership

Presently, she's in Ramkhamheing U., with two years to go (much younger than me, natch). I live in Hua Hin where I own a house. My intitial proposal will be along the lines that I support her in Bangkok until she finishes school, during which time she'll come to HH on the weekends to play house. After that, I hope she'll come to live with me, as I do find her company keeps me smiling.

I know three girls all studying at Ramkhamheng Uni who are all on the game together in BKK. Often seen milling around Nana car park, Q bar, Spasso, Novotel Siam Square etc. Everyone is well educated with excellent English and NOT like your typical bar girl.

In case you are not aware, this uni also has a LOT of distance learning programmes where you study from home to complete your degree. many girls have cottoned onto the fact that they can enroll in here and become a legit student but only turn up to enroll and then takes the exams. I also know 2 farang who are paying for their beloveds to do courses here from their homes. Point here is that a girl can easily be in the Uni but never go whens oemnthing or someone better comes along.

Also for my opinion, any agreement is not worth the paper its written on.

I was once recomended by some jobs worth in Pattaya immigration office to overstay and pay fine at airport rather than him have to go to the trouble of extending my visa due to sickness and this was all of 8 weeks ago. You can imagine my diplomatic response asking that he put that in writing and then confirm it in front of his boss . Funny enough he extended my visa their and then.

As to the design, yes, there are certain sections of the aircraft that is put there for security purposes of which the reasons for security I will not disclose.

I assume your refering to the doors Dave? Understood that your unable to confirm or deny that point.

As of the parts, yes there are parts on this aircraft that is very sensitive indeed, and damage to such can bring down that plane like a brick falling from the sky. I also will not disclose what parts is involved for security reasons.

I assume you mean the fuse box in this case but again understand for resons of security cannot discuss further.

My job pertains to your safety and to the safety of your families and friends alike. No more or less. Period.

Ah so thats why you have been drug tested for the last 3 years as part of your work permit application in another thread and you assumed all school teachers had to do the same.. Understood no need to say anything more - your secrets safe with me (us!!)

The motorway connections into the airport are already built and signposted. the road is being extended to 5 lanes each way from what I can see (unless they want extra wide central reservations. If you need to go to the new airport the new(ish) motorway is better than bangna Trat at least for the time being.

From Sukhumvit, the journey time to the new aiport is the same pretty much as using the current expressway and I make the journey on a reagular (at least twice a week) basis.

Totally agree about Mass Transit comments.

Have to say though learning about domestic flights is going to push up even further land and proerty values around Pattaya

Somebody had to say it didn't they.

Anyway - WE NEED MORE OF THEM, MAY I SUGGEST.

PATPONG

EVERY TESCO AND BIG C

VICTORY MONUMENT

PHROM PONG

ARI

SURIN

To suggest but a few.

They have opened one in Carrefour in Pattaya which is likely a shrewd move given the large number of farang that go their and to the Home Pro store in the same complex.

My observations:

The Pattaya store is not busy with sit down eaters at almost anytime. Most I have ever seen there has been 3 people sitting down and they were all large framed farangs Guess they like the portion sizes and have the financial capacity to shell out 200 baht on a sandwich that elsewhere costs 80 baht in Pattaya.

Second - get some decent chips/crisps - I do get hacked off paying a lot for a 5 baht bag of chips.

Cookies are great but again expensive - looks like the pricing has been decided on western retail prices but Thai expenses e.g labour (virtually nothing) and rent (again lower than US/Europe). Great financial recipe for the owners but in Pattaya every other food store in the same complex is considerably busier. In BKK I think it can work really well as there are not so many financially restrained people as down here but for their sake (and mine) I hope it works out.

To Digger, George,

This reply is being sent from 1st Class lounge in BKK. I have been emphatically told here that Gold card with or without Business Tkt cannot get you in here. Strictly for 1sr Class. Where did you get your info?

I have done it more times than I care to remember as the first class lounge is nearer to the immigration desk than the business class lounge.

How to do it? Just walk in with your business class boarding pass and TG gold card and smile at the receptionist. She looks at your boarding card and escorts you into the lounge where another girl takes your drink order. At least thats my experience. NEVER been told I cannot use the lounge (however I have before being gold card and/or flying economy). As i said beofre its an unstated benefit.

Paulfr, what on earth are you on about? All online banks I know of allow you to make direct transfers out of the account as long as you know the username password.

Bangkok Bank does not let you make transfers unless you have been to your branch and registered the said account, provided copy of ID/passport etc unless its for a regular payment such as paying a supplier eg UBC, car lease, credit card bill etc but they have to be on their list of suppliers. The biggest risk from BKK Bank is that something keeps loading up their one to call card from your account.

I have noticed that most reported killings/shootings etc occur between Thai's and invariably are always occuring inside or outsdie a karaoke bar on 3rd road. So to me the solution is :

a) dont go a karaoke on 3rd Road

dont stand outside a karaoke on 3rd Road

Most Thai's I know steer well clear of 3rd road at night for just this reason

you have to realise that there is now so much friction between farang and girls treacory with other males. From talking to other farangs their girls are constantly on the cellphone night and day tapping out SMS to men around the globe and making secret calls in the toilet . I am surprised the death rate is not higher due to devious and treacerous girls.

NEW BUSINESS IDEA thanks to Eric100

Vending machines in ladies toilets for 1-2-call cards, to be positioned next to the condom machines ?

The loophole of using a company to buy land is being cracked down on as we speak.

Before starting a company be sure you understand all the costs involved. Not only is there a charge to open the company, there is an equally big cost to have it closed down should you want to, and finally there is an annual cost of maintaining the company (i.e. having the books made and paying taxes). Two words: Don't bother.

Madscere - what have you heard about land owning companies? I have just had tax investigation on me and in particular one of my companies in Chonburi who own and rent out a property. All rent has been declared and tax paid on it - tax authorities were extremely satisfied and said that there are no problems.

Secondly, owning a company is not difficult or cumbersome compared to the West. If you do it properly, its still the best way to protect your assets and the costs by western standards are tiny.

For my perspective, I would tend to suggest this guy goes for an elite card - then no issue with company, visa runs, work permits etc. small price to pay for peace of mind (unles of course another govt comes into power but I cant see that happening next time around nor can I see one coming into power that is more Thai-centric than TRT)

I cant see anybody agreeing to a long term lease - what happens if you die after 2 years - your estate pays the rent for next 28 years?

I would tend to go for yearly renewable lease myself which gives you lot of flexibility or otherwise agree with owner what improvements you will make and then build those into the rental price you pay.