TPI

HSBC have just told me that from 1 April they are going to charge me 15 Quid a month to have an account with them.

I'm hoping it's just a joke but am looking for another bank with no charges just in case.

Best of luck...! "Bankers"...slime sucking bottom feeders!

This is just a suggestion and the way I would do it. If I couldnot pay cash. With 2 incomes from Australia cash should be easy.

If cash isnot available. Take a personal loan out in Australia and pay cash in thailand. Unless you are building a huge expensive house $40,000 -$50,000 Australian should be all you need. You could get that easy as a personal loan in Australia.

Also banks seem to prefer mortgage loans on the finished product here it seems. I think your husband is right they willnot give the money till the construction is finished.

Hi Lovelomsak

We could probably pay with cash but for various reasons borrowing is more suitable (We are both young and would like to save our big financial committments for western property).

I did the figures for a personal loan based on a budget of say B2million, which is about $70k AUD.

If we were to get a personal loan @ 10% over 6 years, thats roughly $1300 AUD per month ($15,600 p/a in repayments) versus $380 per month ($4,560 p/a in repayments).

As for not giving money until construction finished, that would be a pain. The website is ambigous, it says:

"4. If you build a home on your own land, mortgage loans are granted at not exceeding 100 percent of home construction cost but not exceeding 90 percent of appraised value of the land and building. The installment term is not longer than 30 years. "

If they didnt give the money until after construction complete, then the above reference has no utility since it would simply be a standard mortgage.

The solution is readily available, get onto "Skype" and get your husband to talk to the bank loan department one to one, you might be suprised how quickly he comes up with a solution to your problem!

From the information you have given, I guess that your wife submitted the application herself at the Visa Office. Past experience with them left a sour taste in my mouth and forced me to threaten legal action in Thailand due to their inappropriate handling of my wife's passport. By the way I then had the matter settled, via phone, within 15 minutes.

It is time for YOU to do some work.

First make an appointment at the Embassy's Visa section to discuss a 12 month multi entry visa for your wife which can be based on family matters.

Next take EVERY piece of documentation you can with you. Marriage Certificate (Thai & English translations), current & expired passports, proof of reason for her return to Thailand (Company papers, employment, etc) and copies of any emails or letters supporting the situation in Australia.

At the appointment outline your situation and emphasis that as this is unexpected you have some planning to do which cannot be made on the spur of the moment. Stress the need for your wife to be able to travel unexpectedly during the next 6 to 12 months while you are reshuffling your lives.

Your wife can not be forced into becoming an Australian resident and the fact that you are married does not exclude her from having a Tourist Visa. The 12 month Multi Entry 90 day Visa will allow your wife to stay in Australia for up to 90 days at a time for as may visits as she likes during the 12 month validity of the visa.

This information was verified at the Visa Office at the Australian Embassy in Bangkok just prior to Christmas 2009 as I required the information for my wife's visa.

I am a Australian Citizen by birth with 2 daughters with Thai/Aust by decent and my wife is a Thai citizen. There has never been mention that I must register my wife for a resident visa during the last 8 years of travelling to Australia.

If you did decide to apply for a Resident Visa that can take a while and any travel during this process would need to be done on a Tourist Visa and the application can be lodged in Australia or overseas, with some changes to the application process.

The Australian Embassy has different officers responsible for Tourist and Residency Visa applications so you need to make the appointment with the Tourist Visa officer. These departmental senior officers are Australian citizens who you can request clarrify the options available to your wife.

Agreed, some of the Thai staff have, for some reason, an axe to grind...worry not, play dumb and go along with their silly game! If you're not satisfied with any response from the Embassy you can always get a hearing with the immigration tribunal in Oz. If you're not satisfied with that then tough S_hit sunshine I guessed you've lucked out?

I think they are playing a very wierd game of creating panic,the government that is.

No doubt if the media plays it up and spotlights it again and again, you're just giving those responsible exaclty what they want indeed: mayhem, fear, panic. I know some locked themselves up in their homes. Its best to just get on with daily life, as there are risks and dangers in every big city.

That composite sketch narrows it down to about 20 million males.......

They're looking for a man called "Somnuck" or is it "Wanchai" or is it...

Hi,

Yes; there is a Company in Thailand which manufactures a Quality Solar Hot Water system, which would seem to be able to satisfy your needs. German technology; various components imported from Germany, Switzerland etc., assembled in Thailand under very strict European management. They're currently also exporting to Europe & Australia.

If you PM me, I'll put you in touch with the correct person, okay ?

Cheers,

JGK/Pattaya

A lower priced alternative might be to run 30m of black 2" pipe on the north facing side of your roof, that will give your aboout 24 litres of very, very hot water that will heat up even in Chiang Mai in the winter!

Ok, I'm hooked.

<deleted> is a ping pong bomb ?

People that like to cause trouble will take a ping pong ball, insert explosive powder, (gun, rocket, fire works) into the ball add a fuse light and throw into a crowd. These are being used world wide for disturbances and in Thailand.

Yeah! But what happened to Khun Narong (the bomb (s) maker and multiple gun owner)?

Don't tell me, lack of evidence, right?

next question is...what are they going to do with all that ivory?

"Thai Customs" "What are they going to do with it???"

Sell it and split the money of course!

Sounds like a great idea - education reform is much needed in Thailand.

The problem is ingrained in the teachers psyche, old teachers, old methods, why should we change, the students are always stupid.

I've taught this way for 30 years, why should I change now?

Centralise book purchases, free books to the students via required book lists...stop teachers lining their pockets with the profits from annual text book purchases that the parents can ill afford!! Bah humbug!

Who is offering the Alleged bribe, Red or yellow?

You beat me to it. I have the same question. Was it Sondhi paying to get the Funds frozen? [like he helped pay to get his crony, buddy, friend (in those days) Thaksin into power]

At the end of the day does it really matter? The "Government" is in power no matter what colour they are!

In 20 years it will all be a memory not reported correctly in school text books (if they're printed in Japan)!

60 cents solves the problem forever, the British army had the right people in Nth Ireland, hire one of them??

Oil extraction is most efficient by Hexane solvent,

which ... is near room temperature.

Carbon Dioxide is commonly available, cheap and safe.

To: WatersEdge

Fm: Euca

Text: Such a satisfying read; thankyou. May I PM you for more on that subject? Best read on the forum for some time.

respectfully,

Euca.

I'll echo that sentiment, dam_n fine reply!

and that's the sad story of my Singaporean love life.

Never had any of these problems in Singapore, must be looking in the wrong place....but then again I do frequent 4 floors....

4 floors....isn't that the place where the Thai "ladies" throw darts at each other if they're p-ssed off with the target?? And, a bottle of watered whisky costs a couple of hundred dollars Sing??

S'pore would have to be the worst place in asia to find a "real" person, male or female, I lived there off and on for 20 years...the pits.

I tried to get a visa for my sister in law for a social visit to her Oz fiance...immigration wanted a aud$15000 gaurentee (3 week visa) she was a qualified maseusse as well with firm ties to Thailand, beware of female Ozi government workers who wear bicycle pants unter their dresses!!!

Why did you try to get the visa......if her Oz fiance and her did their own then it is likely that they wouldnt have needed the guarantee......

I dont believe the money is paid up front.....it is payable if the visa holder defaults on the visa conditions?

Gentlemen all!

I believe you miss the point...the Oz govt. wanted the money up front, I was helping her get the visa because she was in Thailand (as I am) and her man wasn't...capich? They really did ask for the money (why should I lie??) They don't give it back until 30 days after the lady has returned!!! (That's what the letter from Oz immi said.)

When your beloved goes for her visa she must show substantial reasons why she will return to Thailand, letters from Oz relatives promising to put her on the plane, the more the better, your obvious financial assistance would be a hindrence rather than a help, she must show that she has her own resources within Thailand and is definately not a "visa jumper " risk!

Bloke, they let in almost any other asian ladies, Thai ladies must have seriously c-cked up somewhere

I see the fans are following the game in the good old British tradition.

I thought that the Burmese had killed off all of the warriors!! It's good to see young men and women having a good time!

Well done! Keep taking the valium

Hi Gardenubon

Don't see why you would want to cut down Cashew nut trees to plant rubber. Rubber will not make a return for 7 years and will cost more than you think. Jim

yeah i like the cashews but everyone here is statring rubber and about 9 years ago the father in law did start 40 rai and then by advice of 1 friend cut them all down as this freind said you cant grow it here so he stupidly cut them all down and did cashews instead. now the 1st year here people are getting rubber and he feels stupid i guess.

yeah did a bit more reasearch and not sure about farming in general, we have land but im not sure if i want to invest cash as i dont think i will be working on the farm too much.

cashewnut trees are nice and not too much hard word as you get the shade although i hate the moot deang when they have a nest up the cashew with all that fruit!

thanks and the cashews will stay for the time being and dad in law has nearly 2000 cashew trees so its nearly time for harvest.

If water is not a problem then why don't you try "glua koi"? Lady finger banana's are hot the trot for the export market getting 18-21 baht per kilo. You get a return in about one year, figure it out, 1600 plants to the rai @ 25 kilos per plant @ 18-21 baht per kilo = B720,000 - B840,000 per rai...the exporters say that 4 rai will provide enough for them to come from Chiang Mai and collect them.

Being a masseuse is not relevent.....

We need more info on the relationship

Go to the Immitgration website and read through some other threads here.

It is a simple process

I tried to get a visa for my sister in law for a social visit to her Oz fiance...immigration wanted a aud$15000 gaurentee (3 week visa) she was a qualified maseusse as well with firm ties to Thailand, beware of female Ozi government workers who wear bicycle pants unter their dresses!!!

A 40MM grenade is no joke regardless of who is shooting it or why. The M-79 launcher is the predecessor to the M-203. The M-79 is an individual weapon and the M-203 is an add-on and fits any M-16 variant. Whomever is responsible has some major firepower at their fingers.

Aaaaah! The M79...my favourite weapon of 42 years ago, it makes a really loud bang with lots of shrapnel...I thought that only Major Generals would have kept one all these years??

The government should distribute the Thaksin Asset to the poor people of the North East so it will keep peace and make everyone happy

This is not a bad idea. Ask Mr. T if he loves his people so much to give all the funds held by the courts to be used to help the rural people. Make schools and hospitals use the money truly to help the people who he took it from. If Mr. T said yes to this I would forgive him on all accounts. Now I would never forget what he has done and the lives lost. But we could all move on and save what is left of our nation.

Ah, there it is! Three times in this forum I have been asking WHAT has he done. NOBODY remembers or answered. Now, seriously, tell me what did he do? I mean under 'good' and 'bad' sections. Truly, I do not know .

Come on, junglist, tell me, please.

My friend, as one who would have voted for "takki" when he first threw his hat in the ring, I thought that a man this rich must be above corruption! Right? Not a chance...the moment he could he and his cronies got their snouts into the trough. Deciding to build "swampy" against all advice and when his henchmen had squeezed so much juice out of the contracts that there wasn't enough money left to finish the job...he just fandangled money out of the treasury. The list goes on and on...over 2600 citizens killed under his order...it's not a death sentence to be suspected of dealing drugs!!! The excesses of the police and the military in the south are on the public record, all on the PM's order!

When you speak of "Takki" try not to use the word "democracy" in the same sentence, I'm sure that his Chinese clan (the Toe Shew) must cringe in horror at the mention of his name!

Why should Google respond? Surely, if the International Courts have not ruled on the border, "cutting it in half" is the fairest thing. Maybe Thailand should ask for "land rent money" from Cambodia, for half of the Temple......

Unbelievable! International Courts have not ruled but you have decided it is fair "cutting in half". What do we need International Courts for? We have your infinite wisdom. What is your opinion on the latest bank robberies? Please tell us what is fair! We're all waiting for the oracle to speak.

Pretty bitter James, perhaps the cambodian govt. needs to look to how mature, civilized coutries conduct negotiations

Nothing like a nice civil war to pave the way for democracy - half the population on one side and half on the other. Is that what you mean? In what way is that a solution to Thailand's woes?

Glad to see someone is taking a principled stand and standing up to the Military that are bullying the democracy of Thailand and its people.

But id hate to see this as another excuse for the military to prove what a bunch of mass murderous power thirsty scoundrels they.

So you have no problem if the army slaughters thousands of innocent civilians like they have done countless times in the past.

Do you think the people have no right to defend themselves against this evil ?

Steady on Boris, the taksinestes have committed themselves to wage war on the people of Thailand that don't agree with their ideas!! Even if the PM was put in his position by dubious means doesn't mean that the oppositition should start organising a rebelious militia!! dam_n it man, that's treason!!

No, not me

I have the True 3MB

this morning it is 3219kbps

in the evenings it drops a little but never below 2889kbps

on the 24th March it will be 6 years with True, can count on one hand the problems in 6 years, so where I live out in the sticks it is VERY good + get what I pay for more of less 100% of the time

Out Phrae way "True" is pox! Supposidly 100Mbps, horse feathers! Most of the time I can't even get my home page to download & opening 3 web pages brings the whole thing to a shuddering stop!

Welcome to the Hub of Thieves. I once rode a bus going south. Nice trip, except well we rode quietly down the road one or more of the Thai guides climb it the cargo area and stole what ever they could from everyone's bags.

You're a farang, you can afford it...besides I'm late for my "red shirt" rally. Us Thai's only support honest men!

High profile public negotiation or at least from Payap combined with a highly charged game of chicken....

Everyone involved in this on all sides have very difficult calls to make involving doing things that cant be easily undone at a later date.

Yes, and lets hope the rational minds get it right, and this isn't going to be a giant clusterf...

coming from numerological and superstitious dreams of invincibility and revenge.

I still think the 60 cent solution is the best? Let the probate court sort it out!

The articles says A package which probably means ONE package. I don't know how many pills in one package, but hardly a commercial quantity. That said, I regularly purchase medications in Thailand for 2 or 3 month supplies for my own medical use, without a scrip. If someone takes valium for medical reasons and they are sold over the counter here, why can't they stock up?

My chemist tells me that the only drug I need a presciption for is"plavix"??

yea,but it is mixed with other things i need pure acetone.

What are you making? Home brew? Sambuka?

Actually, 55ml to 38ltrs of fuel will increase your mileage by at least 10% (petrol, diesel etc). the acetone helps the fuel to atomise giving a cleaner, more efficient burn (cuts down of pollution as well, thanks for asking!)