number9999

The main advantage of owning a home is the psychological factor of 'having a home' but in Thailand, lol, you still have to leave every 3 months so what is the point?

the point is that not everybody has to leave every three months. as simple as that

exactly a lot are on retirment visas or marriage visas year by year and never have to leave unless

they decide to boot us all out

id never buy a house here as an investment but have a house in my Thai wifes name because its

our home and our kids home houses do not go up in value here they fall in value Thais argue but

land goes up thats probably true but think about it you buy a 3 mill house the land is probably 1 mill

so land has to go up a huge amount to make up for fall on value of house Exceptions exist but only

at the very top of the marker 20mill up Condos I do but as investments and they have done very well

guvung an average return of around 10% but capital appreciation has not been as good as it was

in west although its now going up in some areas very fast

For anyone not married to a Thai and who wants to live in a house renting is far far better IF your here

long term married to a thai then buy a house but it wont be yours its hers

After making this decision and on entering a national park a conversation ensued with the staff of the park ticket office - His wife should pay the Bht 20 price because she was Thai, the father should pay Bht200 because he was a foreigner and the son should pay Bht100 because he was a half Thai and half foreign.

Its not racist its just assumed they have more money so can pay more I like the idea I have 2 children with my Thai wife so both are 25% USA 25% UK 25% Laos and 25% Thai since im half half and my sife is half half it would be great fun to argue that at national park but guess arithmatic would be far beyond most park keepers ability so lets see i pay 200 baht my wife 20 baht and our kids 155 baht seems good idea

As the father noted this is a treatment indicative of attitudes towards mixed race children in Thailand and one that speaks of exclusion.

Ive never experianced any form of racial badness against my 2 children in school in street in village or anywhere in fact quite reverse nearly all thais have shown great affection to our kids and look up to half half models pop stars and other half halfs I have experianced some racial prejudice against me but only in sticks not in any large town or city and not much probably far less than you will find in USA or UK against Asians and Blacks

It may not matter to a visitor spending two weeks, two months or two years in Thailand, it may not matter to a single guy who can afford to pay the extra charge and who may or may not care how he is personally treated. But it does have an impact on mixed race families in Thailand and many of them do care about the policy and exactly how it effects the integration of their family into Thai society.

As above ive been here over 10 years now its simply forang Paranoa and a lot to do with farangs

simply not understanding Thais or their ways

I agree with forangs paying more for things like national parks night safari hotels thats

just a matter of being able to bargain The argument that rich thais also get it cheaper

does not hold water most Thais are very poor how else could a poor lad take his girlfriend to a park if he had to pay 200 baht instead of 20 My solution would be to charge say $ 50 for entry visa

and for that include free entry to all national parks those on long term visas id charge an extra say $ 100

Its more than fair and also done in Indonesia for national moniments or how else could the poor

vitis such places

Poor thais are not that poor and this is not a third world country

Tell me a country were someone earning a poor wage here say around 6000-1000 baht can

buy a house. Poor thais can buy governemt flats here subsidised for about 1500 a month, 2

bed 1 bath and if you earn even 15,000 as many do you can buy a fairly decent 3 bed house 2 bath for

about 4000 baht a month with 50,000 baht down so housing costs are very very low. Then take

taxes and things like property tax its non existant almost for poor thais - compare that to those

on very low wages in UK or USA or say $ 400 a week (around 50,000 baht a month) now take

food you can actually live ok here for around 2000 baht a month for food. Transport nearly every

thai has at least a motorbike

I'm not saying id want to live like that I would not I need about 100,000 ++ a month minimum

but then I use aircon a lot have 2 cars have sat TV eat out at expensive places and live very well

But think about it who do you really think is better off a poor Thai on say 6000-1000 baht a month

or a poor person in UK or USA on $ 400 a week

so just forget it - it seems it aint much anyway what a few million tops - you can loose more

on stocks etc etc

I am not one to say never buy for your wife - buy but its a gift given freely - if you take that

approach you dont get to hurt - ive probably given put in my wifes name around 20 mill baht

its my gift to her for over 6 years of happy marriage and if in end it all goes wrong then I will care

more about my broken heart than some money - however I do make sure as I did with my first wife

that I have enough left to get by (my first wife got about 70 million baht and I dont regret it at

all) My current wife is 35 years younger than me and is the most wonderful thing thats ever happened

- she could have walked away with a few million in early years and id have considered it lucky

just learn

People here who want to have a young wife but dont want to trust them should just keep a

mistress and not kid themselves

maybe ive just been lucky or maybe being older a lot wiser than most

Enjoy and stop moaning and if it goes wrong just move on

I know this may be a silly question, especially since there are some pretty knowledgeable folks on this forum. I am getting somewhere between US $15,000 and $20,000, which will be sent to me by cashier's check. I don't need the money for living expenses, but I am not sure what I should do. Is it best to put it in the bank in Thai Baht? Buy gold, keep it in some other currency?

I am not really very interested in investing the money, unless it is a pretty safe investment, but again, I don't need it to live on at this point.

Your thoughts and input is appreciated.

if you dont want to invest it why ask question ??? gold id forget it could goo up +- 30% over next

year - bank is pretty crappy 3-5% - not enough to buy a decent condo - why not put it into mutual

funds with say KAsikorn bank - safe as most but could go up or down +-20% ive done well its gone up

80% over 4 years - or just spend it buy a new car treat girlfriend or go on nice 1 year trip or make a

few girls happy for a while

Asi said if you dont need it and not interested in investing why not just enjoy it and spend it

does it matter much - get on with a life invest if you want or dont but just do it

or not - ive done property all my life in USA UK here who knows I just know here

has been harder but i still make money but i always look long term 10-20 years min

On my cell phone I can set it up to reject calls from any number I want - to include unknown numbers, or numbers starting with a certain prefix (area code) - that should the trick for her.

just answer then leave phone on chair and get on with whatever you want watch tv eat cook etc

then 30 mins later close call (caller will have stopped by then anyway) do that everytime if needed

for 1 day 3 days 1 week 1 month

I wipe my mouth with toilet paper

I've never blown my nose using a handkerchief for many years.

thats chinese not Thai ive almost stopped being surprised by anything here and say nothing

to indicate disaproval (or is it glenjie)

heres my budget

Budget

per month

average

Car insurance

2 cars

car maint

Petrol pm

2000km pm

food

family 4

eat out

childrens clothes etc

Washing

cleaning

UBC

Elec

Tel & internet

Baby sitting

school fees 2 kids

house bits

dog

doctor

dentist birth fees etc etc

trips thailand

house maint

misc

sub total

personal expenses wife

my personnal expenses

sub total

trip/hol major

europe aus USA

Total

Will 60k baht be enough to live on a month with say 25k for rent, looking at bangsaray area.

Or

Is changmai a better option at the above mentioned figure, really worried about the cost of living issue for long term.

Been on frequent hols in Los but not really took stock of spending...gentle advice please..thx

ok weve been here many times you can live here on 10k 50k 100k 200k 500k baht a month

all depends on how you like to live myself i need about 250,000 baht a month and to live like

i do here would in UK need maybe 600000 baht a month abroad i dont live 5 *** just normal

heres my budget

Budgetper monthaverageCar insurance40002 cars car maint4000Petrol pm60002000km pmfood 30000family 4eat out10000childrens clothes etc10000Washing1500cleaning4500UBC1700Elec4000Tel & internet800Baby sitting2000school fees 2 kids30000house bits 5000dog3000doctor20000dentist birth fees etc etc trips thailand10000house maint10000misc10000sub total166500personal expenses wife15000my personnal expenses20000sub total201500trip/hol major 30000europe aus USA Total231500

just tidying typos a bit

First it is tricky but I think to say all Thai lawyers are crocks is a bit unfair – its like saying all Thai girls are gold diggers – I admit you have to be careful with Thailand lawyers but then in west lawyers aren’t all roses they just eat your money nicely in huge fees and administrative expenses. Myself I have a will here logged with our Thai lawyer (who id trust as much as most – I hate lawyers but their needed sometimes) and a will in UK logged with my UK lawyer. The will in UK covers Everything outside of Thailand and basically gives our children 25% in trust (administered by UK Lawyer) and income on 75% goes to my wife for life then to our children. Offshore is mostly in joint names so belongs to my Thai wife when I go. The problem is (but unavoidable) that fees in UK to administer trust for this are going to eat very heavily into moneys but I cant find a safe other method. Assets in Thailand are mostly shares and property (about 50% in my name). My Thai will again get income for life from my assets thenit goes to our children. Guess a clever Thai lawyer might find a way to eat into my share and rob my wife and children but I don’t trust UK lawyers any more than ones here ( they just rob you do it on huge hourly Rates in UK ). The fees here are set down in our wills for lawyers here to administer estate and are very reasonable and far less than those in UK.

The only way of avoiding big fees and some risks is to put everything in your wifes name and although I trust my thai wife 100% that does not go for her family so much

So my solution maybe not best but gives our children most later and my wife income for life As an aside minors in Thailand can own property if they are thai nationals so weve put some properties in our children’s names. Here being so family oriented income Goes automatically to my wife and property cant be sold until child reaches 20. Trusts

dont exist im told by our Thai lawyer here in Thailand.

First it is tricky but I think to say all Thai lawyers are crocks is a bit unfair – its like saying all Thai girls are gold diggers – I admit you have to be careful with Thailand lawyers but then in west lawyers aren’t all roses they just eat your money nicely in huge fees and administrative expenses. Myself I have a will here logged with our

Thai lawyer (who id trust as much as most – I hate lawyers but their needed sometimes) and a will in UK logged with my UK lawyer. The will in UK covers Everything outside of Thailand and basically gives our children 25% in trust (administered by UK Lawyer) and income on 75% goes to my wife for life then to our children. Offshore is mostly in joint names so belongs to my Thai wife when I go. The problem is (but unavoidable) that fees in UK to administer trust for this are going to eat very heavily into moneys but I cant find a safe other method. Assets in Thailand

Are mostly shares and property (about 50% in my name). My Thai will again says income from my assets goes to my wife for life then to our children. Guess a clever Thai lawyer might find a way to eat into my share and rob my wife and children but I don’t trust UK lawyers any more than ones here ( they just do it on huge hourly

Rates). The fees here are set down in our wills for lawyers here to administer estate and are very reasonable and far less than those in UK.

The only way of avoiding big fees and some risks is to put everything in your wifes

name and although I trust my thai wife 100% that does not go for her family so much

So my solution maybe not best but gives our children most later and my wife income

for life

As an aside minors in Thailand can own property if they are thai nationals so weve put some properties in our children’s names. Here being so family oriented income

Goes automatically to my wife and property cant be sold until child reaches 20.

never it will eventually catch up with prices elsewhere at moment most is very cheap -

im only talking about higher quality units not rubbish put up but ive noticed a big increase

in the build quality over last 5 years - rubbish is still being built but not so much

Honest valuations:

A good general rule of thumb in placing a value on property is 100 times rent. Thats the value of purchasing plus all the costs to get it ready to rent, and all taxes and fees involved in the sale. The rent part refers to how much the unit will rent for given good condition and no more than three months vacancy. Thats the gross rent, there may be yearly fees and management fees, those are really not relevant to valuation.

Absolute nonsence - ive heard this 100 times rent argument or 120 for ages its nonsense - ive

been in property for over 40 years - great times were in 60s 70s 15% gross return bank charging

10% and high inflation great - made loads. Now In USA UK returns have been xrazy for years and ive

not bought anytihng in those places for over 7 years - here - true its not same as USA UK and

you need to know its not same but I get about 10% gross return (condos I would not touch houses)

and only buy in forang or tourist areas - priced have not gone up like in UK or USA but they have

gone up over last 7 years some id say about 3-5% a year depending on area - so with cheap

maintenance it can pay but loads of work and only buy in good forang areas and in my view only

condos forget ohuses they usually go down - no chance

True ive made much more in UK and USA ,arkets but now prices their is so high if you make a

mistake its to costly - here buy a nice condo for 2-3 million good location and downside is very small

I love those who say rent is better here - gives me more customers

As I said not same as eorope or USA but you can do OK if you dont buy overpriced new stuff

Police are aware of the name of the alleged murderer, a 27-year-old originally from Nakhon Sawan, and her accomplice, and are waiting for an official arrest warrant to be issued before they search for the pair and take them into custody. Apparently the pair made off with a mobile and about 3,000 baht in cash.

Although the police know the woman's identity, they do not want to alert her by revealing it.

????????????????????????????

More Keystone Cops logic! Obviously went to the same school as Samak.

yes and UK USA police are so much better - oke hel_l they are - ive had business's on both

[;aces and my shops robbled staff ausalted and both in UK and USA police did not give

a xxxxxxx One of my staff was even arrested for ausalting a shoplifter when he tried to

stop jim leaving with goods - yes so much better in UK and USA - not saying its good here

but be fair

At the time of his death Mr Poretsky was found to be carrying US$6,000 in US$100 notes and there is some speculation by friends of the dead man in Hawaii that given the obscure location of the restaurant that this could have been a robbery gone bad.

If this report is to be believed who in their right mind would be on an all night drinking session carrying US$6,000 in cash on them?

He was led to believe (after all it's in all the brochures) that Thailand is a safe destination BB

yes and new york is safe and london and paris and ........ according to tourist mags and tour

oprtators - why always pick on thailand - really get out really if you think its so bad

Choochart Suwannakom, commander of the national Tourist Police:

Choochart played down the recent killings, saying, "I believe security in Thailand is better than in many other countries." He also said that some of the attacks were occasioned by the behavior of the women themselves. Under a front-page photograph of a Western woman in a skimpy bikini, The Bangkok Post quoted Choochart as saying, "They tend to choose a quiet spot away from other people, take off the bikini and sunbathe. That's when the attackers strike."

It's an utter scandal what this @ssXc#@ said....

LaoPo

Its very sad but i cant see anything wrong with commanders comment - its just stupid for

any girl to go alone to secluded place - here in UK in USA anywhere - it does not excuse

offense but surely woman on their own if they are so stupid as to do this should at least be

warned to think twice here UK USA anywhere in world - I have 4 daughters and of course

this could happen to any of them anywhere in world not just here and if parents do not constantly

drum message into their kids no amount of political correctness is going to stop it happening

over and over again everywhere in world - my deepest condolenses to family of this

girl