12DrinkMore

And don't put it all in one bank. Remember Northern RocK? That gave me a few sleepless nights.

I strongly believe that all passengers plus luggage should be weighed and charged by the kilo. And anybody over 120 Kilos should be given and charged for two seats.

As per usual the other members have jumped the gun and run off at the mouth without giving it much thought..

YES you are obligated to report your arrival in Thailand before 24 hours is up...

(1) should you stay at a hotel or guesthouse the company or owners will report this for you..this is why you fill in a check-in slip whnen you register.

(2) if you stay in a private dwelling then the property owner must report your presence by attending the Tha Immigration Office or local Police Station in a district that does not have an Immigration Office.

(3) if you are married to a Thai you do not need to report.

(4) if you have your own property book (yellow tut bien ban) you do not need to notify them.

I hope this information is of assistance.

On the contrary, NO you are not obliged to report your presence. The onus is entirely on the property owner/manager of the place you are staying.

...

The government is considering allowing greater foreign ownership in property firms and extending leasehold periods beyond 30 years to stimulate the business, according to Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee. The amendment would stimulate market segments that have been hit by sluggish demand, he said yesterday.

''This has been discussed quite seriously over the past two to three months. We need to think about the percentage of shareholding and leasing access compared with the number of years. The crisis that we have had in the past two years led us to think and look at a new paradigm,'' he said at an investor forum held by Euromoney.

Dr Surapong said the government would consider new rules on leasing more on par with the region. The government has also abandoned controversial proposed change to the Foreign Business Act, which tightened the definition of foreign ownership to promote foreign direct investment, he added.

Longlom Bunnag, the chairman of the real estate agency Jones Lang LaSalle (Thailand), said property related to tourism and recreation as expected to benefit the most from any changes because of high demand.

''Existing laws allow foreigners to secure 50-year leaseholds in Bangkok's red zone, which is the commercial area such as on Sathon road. ... I think Phuket, Samui and Pattaya may be in the government's sights for changes in regulations to benefit villas, resorts and long-stay travellers,'' he said.

Mr Longlom said the idea could improve Thailand's competitiveness, since many countries now offered longer leaseholds _ for instance,50 years in China and Hong Kong and 99 years in Singapore. ''Thailand has the shortest eligible period for lease contracts.''

Issara Boonyoung, vice-president of Housing Business Association, disagreed with the idea of allowing foreigners to freely conduct ransactions related to exchange of properties because it could restrict housing access for Thais.

''Thai people have lower purchasing power than foreigners. If the government allows foreigners to sell or buy freely, there will be no land eft for Thais,'' he said.

Foreign ownership should have conditions and limitations, he said. For example, the government should continue protecting land for gricultural purposes due to its low prices, otherwise the country may lose most of its land to foreigners.

Regarding the increase in the foreign quota in condominiums from 49%, the government should limit the size of land plots to prevent evelopers from using legal loopholes to register townhouses as condo units, Mr Issara said.

However, Assoc Prof Manop Bhongsadadt of Chulalongkorn University said the issue was ''very sensitive'' and unlikely to survive the three readings required in Parliament to change the law.

It would be easier to extend leasehold periods from the current 30 years to 90 years as in the UK, he said. ''It will turn illegal transactions as in Phuket and Samui into legal transactions. The government is likely to collect more taxes.''

Mr Issara also agreed that extended leaseholds would create transparency and prevent the use of nominees. However, he said longer leaseholds and higher foreign quotas in condominiums should be allowed only in specific areas.

From Bangkokpost Thursday May 15, 2008

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Apart from the usual irritating xenophobic rantings, I think that the key statement here is

"unlikely to survive the three readings required in Parliament to change the law"

Also, for all those estate agents who will brush this aside and insist that the law will be changed, and that now is definitely the best time to invest in property in Thailand, please also look carefully at the statement "It will turn illegal transactions as in Phuket and Samui into legal transactions".

I think that the words of Mr. Manop are the ones to listen to. And illegal is the word.

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Using the Andaman Club is the easiest and is not an unpleasant option. Just pay the 850 which includes the boat trip and Junta fee. The boat trip is by airconned boat and takes maybe 30 minutes to get across. For the return trip make sure that you are waiting at the casino entrance 20 minutes before the departure time, otherwise the boat will have gone without you and then you have to wait another hour.

Another option is by longtail, 200-300 Baht MAX for the boat. So find another foreigner and you should not pay more than 150 Baht each. If the boat driver dumps a few Burmese or Thai into the boat as well, then complain if you feel it is necessary. Make sure you have a pristine USD 10 note and all will be fine. Avoid the &lt;deleted&gt; who hang around the main immigration office and find your own boat driver. There is a quick stop on the way out, where the Thai immigration puts a small piece of paper with an extra exit stamp in the passport.

Or use the all inclusive guys from Phuket.

I would strongly recommend the Andaman Club option, especially in the monsoon season from May to October. The extra 300 odd Baht is more than set off by the convenience and comfort. Bring back a few bottle of duty free wine (180 Baht upwards), or fags and you are quids in.

If the weather is nice you can even spend an hour or two around the pool, or gambling the slot machines. Last time I tried to get to the the real gambling, but they wanted me to exchange 20,000 Baht in chips. Also check out the mens urinals, must be the only place you can relieve yourself admiring a magnificent view across the Andaman sea to the islands.

Re:

I live there but have never had to "put up" with rich Bangkokians. They stay in their condos and go out to dinner, much like the falangs who live in HH. Imagine that!

Sorry, I was refering to the massive amount of traffic in Hua Hin at weekends when they all go out for their meals. The place becomes a solid mass of vehicles, cruising around looking for somewhere to park less than 5 metres from the favourite restaurant. You wouldn't expect any self respecting Thai to walk further than that.

This topic has gone on a few wild swings. Here is my pennyworth.

It is very easy to spend money and buy a property in Thailand. It is, on the other hand, very difficult to sell it again. There are also a number of legal fees, taxes etc., that also come into the equation.

I have lived in a number of locations in Thailand, and have often thought, WOW! I must buy this piece of land and build a house. 10 years down the line and I am VERY happy not to have bought anything. Renting is much cheaper, no problems, fed up, then I can leave IMMEDIATELY. Sure, I don't rent the sort of property I would build for myself, preferring to rent the same properties that the Thais rent. So I spend maybe between 3,000 and 6,000 Baht/month on rent, and the landlord has the problem when the termites eat the roof, or the neighbour opens a karaoke bar.

So you want to build a house in Nakhon Nowhere for your girlfriend and her family? Yeah, try living out there in the rice fields for a few months.

My advice is to rent a place for a couple of years and see if this is really where you want to be. Phuket, that self professed jewell in the Andaman sea, is, in my opinion, rapidly developing into a slag heap. Try out Hua Hin on the weekend and see if you really want to put up with all the rich Bangkokians out on a weekend b

This topic has gone on a few wild swings. Here is my pennyworth.

It is very easy to spend money and buy a property in Thailand. It is, on the other hand, very difficult to sell it again. There are also a number of legal fees, taxes etc., that also come into the equation.

I have lived in a number of locations in Thailand, and have often thought, WOW! I must buy this piece of land and build a house. 10 years down the line and I am VERY happy not to have bought anything. Renting is much cheaper, no problems, fed up, then I can leave IMMEDIATELY. Sure, I don't rent the sort of property I would build for myself, preferring to rent the same properties that the Thais rent. So I spend maybe between 3,000 and 6,000 Baht/month on rent, and the landlord has the problem when the termites eat the roof, or the neighbour opens a karaoke bar.

So you want to build a house in Nakhon Nowhere for your girlfriend and her family? Yeah, try living out there in the rice fields for a few months.

My advice is to rent a place for a couple of years and see if this is really where you want to be. Phuket, that self professed jewell in the Andaman sea, is, in my opinion, rapidly developing into a slag heap. Try out Hua Hin on the weekend and see if you really want to put up with all the rich Bangkokians out on a weekend break. Samui is heading downhill quickly. I dread to think what these places will look like in 30 years.

Ten years ago paradise, five years ago tolerably OK, today I couldn't live there, in another five years....

Unfortunately that site west of Phuket will be subject to the westerly monsoons and not diveable during the low season. Pity they didn't choose the other side of Phuket, giving some interesting dive sites to the east, which is sheltered from the westerly monsoon. And even though 1 km offshore is reachable by longtail boats, almost all dive boats leave Chalong harbour and head south to the Racha islands or east. None will bother to cruise around south of Phuket island and then head up north.

Another half baked idea from Thailand.

I hate Songkran.

I do not need to have pissed up, fat arsed, shaven headed, tattoed massived bellied farang wanke_rs trying to kill me. I am now not in Thailand and will not return until this shit is over. Ten years ago it was a pleasant celebration of the Thai New Year and a relief from the heat.

Unfortunately the new millenium and globalism has ushered in a massive destructive element to previous pleasures. Phuket, Samui, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Koh Pangnan, Koh Tao, Songkran and, to a certain extent, Loy Kratong have been taken over by commercialism and vandalism.

Sad, sad , sad.

I wonder if they will be closed during elections, birthdays, deaths etc?

Toxin back and the next day the THB onshore/offshore rates are equalised, resulting in a stronger THB. Toxin apparently has not come up with the cash he promised on the takeover of Manchester City football club. He also has billions still in Thailand, how opportune for him that the Baht has become stronger...

At the current rate the THB will cause massive problems with Thai exports that have already been suffering. The tourist industry will also have major problems, hotel rates are already becoming very expensive, USD 50/night is now at the very low end of the scale. And what are you paying for? Phuket/Samui/Pattaya/Krabi are rapidly becoming cess pits of tourist development. Might as well stay in Europe, or try Vietnam, Philippines, Malyasia and Indonesia.

Thailand value for money? Cheap? Well, maybe for the package holiday makers, who buy beer at the 7/11, otherwise I don't think that it is good value for money.

Nope, sorry for you Thais, you had a good thing going and screwed it up.

Bye bye.

Does anybody know what the exact rules are?

I told my local immigration office that I would be away in BKK at the time the reporting day was due. They said no problem, as the hotel is required to report my presence, but that I would have to report my return back home to immigration withing 24 hours.

Hi, buy a Honda wave with front disk brakes.

My eight year old Wave is still going great after over 90,000 kms,

A new chain every 30,000 or so, oil change 90 Baht every six months, new tyres maybe every 15,000 kms if that; that's it, nothing else to do. And every street corner has a repair shop with bits 24 hours/day (almost).

Keep tyres pumped up, otherwise you'll get through innertubes.

In 10 years I have personally known just one.

I wonder if you realise that you also have to take on a full blown Thai name, your Farang name is just not good enough?

I would go for "Whatafool Sillinikompoop", how about you?

It would mostly be the male macho types, so no probs.

I reckon if you treat 'em like kids, then they'll behave like kids. Maybe if the powers in the land started treating the population like adults, we might see more adult and responsible behaviour.

Hi,

Is there a law against manufacturers building and selling big bikes in Thailand? Apart from hugely overtaxed imports/illegal imports the biggest available is the Honda Phantom, 200 cc, max speed 110 kms/hour, an acceleration that can be beaten by almost every four wheeled vehicle and a sitting position for Thai size riders.

If Honda, Yamaha or Kawasaki came out with a 600cc chopper made and sold in Thailand for 2-300,000 they would clean up the market in a flash.

The only reason I can think of is the wealthy Benz owners who make the laws don't want to be overtaken on the motorways.

If you do not get the entry stamp into another country you have not left Thailand.

If I travel by air and presumably also by sea to Europe, I wouldn't get a stamp. I wonder what would happen if I got stamped out in Chalong, Phuket and then came back after a few hours on a yacht. Would I receive another 30 days?

Just seems another silly regulation, as once I have been stamped out at the Thai border, I have administratively left Thailand and require a new stamp to reenter, with all the associated rules. What difference does it make by walking the 100 metres to the Malaysian Immigration and obtaining an entry/exit stamp from Malaysia before heading back?

I wonder where this is defined and written down.

Can't find a definite answer to this.

In a few weeks I'll hit 50 .

I currently have a 30 day Visa On Arrival, aka Visa Exempt Stamp, which runs out a week or so before my birthday. Can I borderrun for another VOA and convert this to a non-im O retirement in Thailand on my birthday, or do I have to travel to a consulate (Penang is closest) to get a Tourist Visa, which I believe can be converted by immigration?

My 800k has been festering away in a Thai bank for three months, so that is not an issue.

Whilst I'm thinking about this, do the immigration officers at the border crossings have the authority to issue non-im O visas and annual extensions?

And another off-topic question, why, after getting stamped out of Thailand do I have to get stamped into another country before returning to Thailand? Seems to waste a lot of time and presumably distorts the tourist stats?

If you have a Thai PP, then surely all you need to do is to buy the property from the company? Then there will be no issues about the company for you at all. It will be the responsibility of the directors to close it down and sort out the potential mess...