Razr

I note Q con do a costing on their website based upon 7.5 cms thickness of brick. Is that enough for one external wall layer?. Does anybody know the dimensions normally used when using Thai red bricks? for house exterior walls?

The 7.5cm Q-Con/Superblock bricks end up basically the same overall thickness to regular Thai bricks once rendered - i.e. 9.5-10cm. Yes, it's enough for a standard external wall here, as given the way Thai houses are built (with 18cm^2 rebar reinforced posts @ 3-5M spacing) the wall itself is not load-bearing. Even the lintels are spanned between the reinforced posts, the walls are just for fill and for routing plumbing/electrical - which BTW is much easier to do given how easy the autoclaved blocks are to work with.

A mortgage to your wife will not work it will be a debt for the both of you and mortgageing to yourself is impossible. A usufruct once married will not give the protection.

If the land is in the g/f's or wifes name with a mortgage who is going to stop her selling it with a profit and pay of the mortgage?

The land is hers 100% and she can do with it whatever she wants, unless a usufruct or lease was setup before the marriage.

Thanks for the input Jean.

Based on that, would you agree that 50% bank finance, after marriage, is the best option for myself?

Also remember that it's always much better to have 2x 12,000 BTU aircons in a large room than it is to have a single 24,000 BTU unit, if saving on operating costs is your aim.

I've not heard that before. Why is it better? Is it cheaper, more efficient, both, neither?

* On not-as-hot days you can fire up a single unit only - even with inverter technology 1x 12000 BTU unit will still chew less than a single 24000 BTU unit.

* When properly placed, you can maximize air flow distribution, making the process of cooling a room much more effecient. I don't have any links handy, but found a couple of sites a while ago that explained the benefit and provided example placements. Google will probably help Two units can effectively double the potential amount of air flowing into the room (quicker cooling), maxmize distribution (less dead/hot spots), and would also mean quieter operation once the target temp is realized as lower fan speeds can be used.

If using Thai bricks or standard breeze block I can understand why a double brick cavity wall makes sense, as both of these materials store heat. However, take a look at the Hebel autoclaved concrete bricks I've linked to above - with these you get many benefits, including vastly superior insulation properties, with little added expense over a standard single brick wall.

I would go and talk with a good english speaking lawyer to find out if you can set up a mortgage with the bank with your g/f first then get a usufruct on this property before you marry.

I don't need a lawyer for that bit - there's no way a Thai bank will touch us if we're not married, given that she has no credit history or income worth mentioning. I've already had these discussions with a few banks

Edit: And just to jump the gun, there's no such thing as "influence" in these decisions, as every mortgage in Thailand needs to be approved both by the lending bank and then the Bank Of Thailand, who has the ultimate final say.

1) are the typical red small bricks Vs. the larger light-ish breeze block looking blocks (not breeze block I think) similar on prices, strength, suitability for walls and heat insulation. If not, what are the comparative pros and cons.

2) Why do new build houses seem to have so many windows ? Are they cheaper to install than brick walls?

3) Is double glazing viable in Thailand or is it excessively expensive or of poor quality.

4) I have read about tinted single pane windows and glass doors. Are these cost effective at keeping heat out and are the tint coatings durable if a film or, is the tint actually impregnated in the pane itself).

5) Air cons. does anybody have an impression or knowledge on the approx. percentage increase in price with an Inverter model Vs. its cheaper non inverter equivalent. I understand inverters can be up to 30% cheaper to run. Is this also the case if run hard?. I ask this because I may have aircons not actually officially up to the size of the room therefore i suspect they will be running flat out often.

1. The Q-Con website has a basic cost/benefit comparison between autoclaved concrete blocks and the traditional thai brick, here: http://www.qcon.co.th/contrast-e.php You might also want to search around the superblock website, which licenses the same autoclaving technology from Hebel.

2. Windows are definitely not cheaper than a traditional Thai brick wall. Newer designs have more windows because light = good IMHO.

3. Double glazing is readily available, but all the stuff I've seen is Chinese sourced (not so cheap, but still nasty), very questionable in quality, or just outrageously expensive. IMHO you're looking for something filled with Argon - anything that relies on silica gel alone is worth avoiding. Here's some links:

http://wrvinyl.com/index.html

http://www.alfab.co.th/windsmith-index_en.php

http://www.windsor.co.th/index.php?lang=en

4. Tinting can be very effective. The thing to remember here is more metal content = better insulation. Don't forget that properly backed curtains can also play a very big role too. In fact, if you're willing to drop the curtains throughout the day to block direct sunlight, properly solar-backed curtains (especially Roman Blinds) can be extremely effective, and will be a hel_l of a lot cheaper than going for double glazing.

5. Inverters chew as much electicity as cyclic air conditioners when run at 100% duty cycle. The key is not to under-spec your aircons, then they won't have to run them "flat-out". Check out the evaporative + inverter aircons Saijo Denki are selling if you really want the absolute most effecient units. Also remember that it's always much better to have 2x 12,000 BTU aircons in a large room than it is to have a single 24,000 BTU unit, if saving on operating costs is your aim.

More notes:

It's a 2 storey house, so downstairs will naturally be cooler anyway. So #1 is to make sure you get the insulation upstairs right - i.e. flashing under the roof tiles (cheap if NOT retrofitted), foil backed gypsum ceiling sheets (cheap too), and perhaps some type of batts as well. Don't buy fiber filled batts though, unless you like rats in your ceiling - the air-bubble foil batts have good effeciency, and rats don't eat them.

As for the pylons, most newer moo ban projects I've been looking at are pounding in 6M long pylons, then building the footings on top of that. This is not something I know much about though, so hopefully someone else can chime in. I'd imagine you'd want to let recently filled land settle for a good few months though?

Right, she gets a mortgate from you and have the property secured against your loan given. Have this registered with the Land Department.

Afterwards marry her and have her as an "owner" to give a usufruct to you or lease you that property.

So, besides your rights of usage and possession of the property, your money as previously given to her to buy the property is repayable by her to you should there be any divorce thereafter, i.e.a double security.

Thanks for the clarification and the ideas Irene!

At this stage I'm leaning towards the finance option, as it just seems the easiest all round..

If I understand this right, most banks will require 50% deposit for a mortgage backed by a foreigner's income. I've made some basic inquiries, and it seems that most banks will only offer 7 year terms, but Siam Commercial Bank are willing to do up to 30 years (I'm 33, she's 20 BTW). In this scenario, we'd obviously have to be married first, but my absolute liability in the event of a catastrophic relationship breakdown would be the 50% deposit, additionally she doesn't have to feel that there's a major trust problem in our relationship, there's no special hoops need to be jumped through with the land dept. and basic 50/50 assets split protections are already provided by law in the event of a divorce.

It'd also mean that if she wants the house unencumbered, she has to stick with me for a while (which conforms to the rule of being worth more alive than dead)

Plus it would mean I'm only outlaying half of my life's savings (thus far) - I'm still making my money day by day, unlike all the (I assume) retirees here

Sound right?

Loan her under a mortgage agreement to buy the property for subsequent usufruct or leasing. Upon divorcing you are secured with that property.

Can you explain this option more? Are you saying I should be the financier for my spouse - i.e. she gets a mortgage from me, and then I gain control of the property via an usufruct/lease? :confused:

OK, I've been readin through most of this, but still having difficulties coming to a definitive answer for my situation:

I have a Thai GF that I will be marrying sometime soon (no dates set), and we are wanting to buy a house & land together.

Do I:

Buy it in her name before we're married and do an usufruct so it cannot be revoked later? How does this effect a property settlement in the event of us divorcing?

Buy the land in her name after we're married, and rely on 50% settlement in the case we divorce? Does this actually work?

Another option is to finance 50% of the house and land, but I assume for that we'd need to be legally married in order for my income to be factored into the mortgage right? If we go this route, I would assume that the bank would issue a lein against the property on the Chanote, and therefore no usufruct would be possible right? Also, what happens in the event of a divorce in this scenario?

Any other options I've missed?

What I really need is my notebook connected during working hours back home, i.e. So Skype can be active and show me as busy/away not disconnected and therefore on holiday/arsing about Internet cafe's / shared computers can't do that for me

I forgot to include it in my original spec simply because everywhere else I've been it's a gimme you're going to at least get a wi-fi connect in your room (it is the 21st century after all ).. Anyways, I've got afew great leads now from varous ladies & gents, so I'm on the right track. Thanks!

Sorry - it's the 26th century in Thailand.

...and the machines have removed all ability for humans to network. Resistance is futile. ;P

What I really need is my notebook connected during working hours back home, i.e. So Skype can be active and show me as busy/away not disconnected and therefore on holiday/arsing about Internet cafe's / shared computers can't do that for me

I forgot to include it in my original spec simply because everywhere else I've been it's a gimme you're going to at least get a wi-fi connect in your room (it is the 21st century after all ).. Anyways, I've got afew great leads now from varous ladies & gents, so I'm on the right track. Thanks!

Thanks for all the great suggestions guys!

Unfortunately it seems that finding a room with internet access that's <2000B/night is next to impossible in Pattaya. All of the recent suggestions made are internet-free zones it seems

OK, great, cheers!

Thanks for the heads-up on the speed traps, that might just save me another 15 minutes

Any ideas what I should expect for total travel time if leaving CNX in the morning?

I think I'd go on Highway 32 and follow the signs to the Eastern Ring Road after Ayuthaya. Once on the ring road look for the turn off to the Bangkok-Chonburi Motorway. Should be signposted to Pattaya after that. You will hit toll gates on the ring road and the motorway.

OK, so how does this sound:

Take the 11 to Lampang, then right onto 1 (towards Tak).

At Tak, take the 104 bypass for ~27KM then re-join with 1 after crossing the river.

Take the 122 bypass around Nakorn Sawan (14KM), and re-join with 1.

25KM after Nakorn Sawan, continue straight to get onto 32.

Left onto 1, then first exit left onto 9 (Eastern Outer Ring).

Left onto 7 (Bangkok-Chon Buri motorway).

Follow your nose from there..

For those of you who haven't flown the CNX-DMK (Don Muang) route recently, Nok air are now leasing brand new Boeing's from a British firm, and as part of the leasing agreement, the Captain, Co-Pilot and head cabin crew are all British nationals..

I've flown them numerous times of late and the service is spot-on, and you can even actually understand the in-flight announcements For the sake of maybe 100 Baht over AirAsia and One-2-Gump, it's worth it.

Has anyone driven between Chiang Mai and Pattaya recently?

Looking at the maps, there seems to be a few different options for getting down there, so the question is, what's the best route? I'll be driving alone (no navigator), so a route with minimal turns would be nice, but I also don't want to drive an extra 200KM if I can help it either

Any help appreciated!

Thanks again Samran ! I was totally unaware of the FTA !

You were right - there are now very substantial benefits for Australians

undertaking business in Thailand and I find it very interesting that

they have also agreed to " relax a number of its restrictive

conditions relating to visas and work permits " for Aussie citizens !

That's interesting indeed.. Details?

LMAO

If you PM me by tomorrow I will be going down to Pattaya & will get her number 4 you

Cheers Beardog

I've tried PM'ing you a half dozen times now, but the ThaiVisa website is playing up. I did however get your PM..

If you could round up those numbers and PM them to me that would be greatly appreciated!

Norwich

"Nickers off ready when I come home"

India

Intercouse Neccessary Directly I Arrive.

You guys obviously don't have enough fun while you're away from home..

By the time I roll back in the door I'm literally just too "shagged" for it, thanks to Vitamin C (ialis)

Yes, the first one hits it on the head

The only problem is that too much time has passed, so sending it now would be out of context/unexpected. Oh well, at least I know for next time, thanks!

You can risk mo'bike taxis - but the lower half of Soi 17 towards Walking Street is a death trap. No sawng thaews. Crossing Third Road with the lights is dangerous, bloody suicide against the lights!

OK, I walk around there every day when I am in town, but I also have the scars to prove it.

Ahhh that's just Thailand I've survived it for 7 years now *fingers crossed*

I would look for somewhere on the sea side of Third Road, such as Lek, or Welkom.

No in-room internet @ Lek, but Welkom state that they've now got wi-fi.. Their rooms are dirt cheap - has anyone here actually seen them or stayed in them?

Tend to stay at the Markland when in Town but its up near Soi 1..next to the Beans place...other end of Beach Rd....nice and quiet with good pool and breakie on the roof top cafe.

'Song Tail' down to Walking st is only 5 bt (but take a cricket bat with you)

No in-room internet @ Markland unfortunately.. I have to at least pretend I'm working - even if Skype just registers me as "away" ;P

Thanks for the help gents!

Any more suggestions?

One alternative outlet would be to rent an apt. for the week.

For the money your talking about Ganda would give you a nice apartment in Central Pattaya Pattaya Klang Soi 14 1 & 1/2 blocks from Pattaya Klang sangathews to take you every direction . Waking street 3 kilo's, the beach 1 kilo away.

Rented at PR Mansion for a year 7000 baht a month- She rents by the week as well & always seems to have a place to stay. Grace mansion Mild mansion & Joy apartments are available as well.

After 1 night in Pattaya I figured out you can get great digs for little if you go the apt. route & availability is usually good.

PR Mansion had all nice wood well kept Teakwood fridge . Your best bet is to book 1 night somewhere & shop around for a place to stay. I rarely ever book more than 1 night anywhere in Thailand(even in high season) Never had to slum on the beach & you can find a lot more info once your here as the web is Really limited when it comes to season bookings anyway. They tell you their full up to bump you to the room for 2800 that just opened up.

I would give her number but I don't have it on me.

If you PM me by tomorrow I will be going down to Pattaya & will get her number 4 you

Cheers Beardog

PM Sent, cheers.

New place opened at the bottom of soi6/1, Discovery Beach Hotel, not sure of the price but it looks nice and a 10baht ride along to walking street and right on the beach road.

Looks nice, but prices start at 2800 Baht (up to 12K) per night - a little out of my league

Thanks for putting in the effort to help, appreciated!

Any other suggestions? I'm going to have to make a reservation soon..

Could try Mercure in soi 15.

cheers

onzestan

Thanks onzestan, unfortunately they're fully booked on Saturday, so that scuttles that plan. Looks nice for 1900B/night though - will definitely keep it in mind for future visits.

Cheers!