eddiemonster

The second is driving to Malaysia.....although I think you can bypass the troubled southern regions and enter just south of Phuket....anyone know ?

Not a problem: Krabi - Trang - (border crossing near) Satun. Did a visa run in the car at Xmas.

When is FIFA finally going to arrive in the 21st Century and all video playback? It is a joke that a sport that has considerable amounts of money riding on it still does not use the technologies available

Even when you see slowmotion pictures people disagree about foul or not - and in the end it will be just another referee sitting in front of tv make decisions - these will then be the topic of an argue.

No way technology is the answer - it must be decide on the pitch in the actual situation.

I have heard of another suggestion, which put one or two more referees on the pitch. That would be more interesting.

But what if they disagreed on something ??

Just like today where the referee can overrule the linesmen.

So one set-up could be: two linesmen, one referee on each half of the pitch and the head-referee like today. Could be interesting to test that set-up. I am sure that would catch a lot of mistakes made today - be still not all. And still there will be situations where some will say foul and others not - no matter how documented the situation is.

In hockey there are two umpires and each has control of one half of the pitch so there is no conflict. Unless there is an incident on the half way line I suppose....

Add 'Hawkeye' and a video ref and most things could be covered.

Does anyone know where you can buy a genuine Chelsea shirt in Bangkok?

Adidas shops?

Its got to be worth a go. Cheers.

Does anyone know where you can buy a genuine Chelsea shirt in Bangkok?

Or paypal me the cash and I will send you an original one from the Megastore?!?!

Yeah, cheers mate, did you get the money yet....

Had a look at the Megastore online and got directed to the one in Hong Kong to get one sent out to thailand. Might end up going down that road.

Does anyone know where you can buy a genuine Chelsea shirt in Bangkok?

Don't know if they're in BKK but this lot are somewhere i recently bought some Xmas Pressies & they were with me within 4 days & are not expensive either, thumbs up from me..

Cheers mate, seems an interesting site.....

Are they genuine shirts? They seem to be a bit on the cheap side......

Does anyone know where you can buy a genuine Chelsea shirt in Bangkok?

When is FIFA finally going to arrive in the 21st Century and all video playback? It is a joke that a sport that has considerable amounts of money riding on it still does not use the technologies available

it is precisely because football is not a sport which should put money first that technology should not be used in the game.

Bang on Stevie...

He might be bang on but that ship sailed a long time ago.....

Its money first, second and last

I own one property in the Uk which I rent out.

My Wife owns our house here.

I recently looked at options for investment, buying here and renting or in the UK and renting.

Buying in the UK is safer , but buying in Thailand is more profitable. Condos in CM sell for between 1.3-1.5m and will realise 10,000 Baht a month rent.....I did quite a lot of research and found that condos in a particular location to let quite quickly.

A 10m baht house in the UK will let for 44,000 baht, but then owning more than one property having already used up my tax allowences from the first property means that I would have to pay tax in the UK (around 82,000 baht a year) plus hefty management charges which would bring that 44,000 down to around 36,000.

Ergo an investment of 4 condos at a total price of say 6m will bring in 40,000 a month, and my Wife could deal with all the management of them.

However as I said, I am not keen to own so much real estate in LOS, which is why the UK is a safer, but not as profitable investment.

Problem is I don't really want to tie up any more cash here as nobody knows what the future holds and how easy it would be if I wanted to repatriate the money, selling 4 condos would take some time as well.

In the end I decided on neither option.

With respect, can I ask why you decided on neither?

I (and many farang) using Sutin & Friends. They have a office in Ao Nang as well. They are "Farang friendly" and not so expencive.

Depends who you talk to - as always. Have heard the phrase "bent as a nine bob note" used in a conversation about Sutin.

Have they moved their office out of Ao Nang? Doesnt appear to be in the Sea of Love anymore.

I've not lived in the UK (my home country) for almost 5 years and not paid taxes there consistently for around 8 years. I bought a house in the Uk 18 months ago and let it out. I bought it with an expat buy-to-let mortgage which worked out fine for me. I am now hoping to do the same again, but I am wondering if I really need to get the same type of mortgage as they do have a higher interest rate. If I do could anyone recommend a place to go for a good one? I would welcome any advice on this situation or topic, or any advice on where to get good information.

I am looking to move back to the UK in a few years, hopefully after I have a few more rented house. Does anyone see any problems with this plan/

Feel free to move this to a more appropriate forum, as it doesn't really fit in business or property exactly.

Thanks.

Generally speaking you will have to be a resident in UK to get a regular buy-to-let mortgage from a UK lender, but there are many less products now than in 'the good old days' -2007!

What is an expat mortgage? I would be interested to hear the details.

I would say your general plan is potentially a good one but obviously there are a few pitfalls of which you must be aware. Possibly the biggest problem you will face are void periods where you dont have any tenants. Will you have enough cash to tide you over?

Will the rent cover future renovations/repairs/maintenance? Do you have the capital if not?

Also as other posters have said - what effect is the recession going to have, where are interests rates going? or more exactly how high? fixed rate mortgage?

As always do the numbers and the research, if it all adds up and you are comfortable with it - bob's your uncle

No possibility of thick safety glass or bullet proof glass in the windows rather than bars. I find the bars are such a pain.

Very interesting suggestion, never thought of that. Dont suppose you have any idea how much this kind of glass is?

Sounds like they relied on luck. I've read stories from rangers in Yosemite National Park as well as others, complaining about hikers who only bring cell phones instead of being properly prepared for what the hikers were intending to do. In Yosemite, the big danger is dehydration because many popular trails include a major vertical component. Instead of bringing lots of water, the hikers carry a pint plus a cell phone.

I've driven past a sign claiming to be Nopparat Thara Beach National Park many times and often wondered how big this park could possibly be. This beach is next to Ao Nang. If you look at the location on Google Maps, there are lots of roads, so I'm not sure exactly where the park boundaries are. It seems if you got lost, you need only walk south and eventually you'd hit a road.

Is anyone familiar with this park? If it's not immediately adjacent to the beach, where is it? What are the park boundaries?

I think the impressive thing is that they managed to get lost there. As usual in Thai National Parks plenty of it has been destroyed with developments dotted around all over the place. And, as you say, walk in any direction and you will come to a road or the beach.

However, if you are not familiar with it then I suppose you could imagine you are in a huge 'jungle' (mainly mangrove forest) and erring on the side of caution would just sit down and wait for the cavalry.

I imagine when they get home the story will be of being lost in the rainforests, no food, no maps and wild animals everywhere, instead of probably being 50m from the nearest building

I think some of the products for sale in Thailand (paint, sealant etc) give of such pungent fumes that they are almost unusable in a living environment.

So, has anypone come across an odour-free gloss paint, similar to the Crown "breathe-easy" brand sold in the UK?

But you are right, there are also some real bad guys out there too both Thai and foreigner. Dishonesty is not a race issue but a personality problem. Same all over the world.

I completely agree with you its just that in countries such as Thailand, with its easy-going lifestyle and lax enforcement of laws, is a magnet for failures from other countries who can re-invent themselves over here as professionals. Therefore, the proportion of dodgy characters tends to be much higher than you would normally expect.

There are good honest and helpful ex-pats too. Just look at the great help you can get on TV, but as far as I know, it seems that most of these guys have got regular employment and/or have retired from a positive career.

Recently it would appear that the most common mode of entry for the burglars is through the roof, so sure the bars are a deterrent, but in the same way as door/window contacts, without motion detectors linked to an alarm system they are rendered useless.

I'm not sure of prices of these as they were included when I bought my house, but you can get a top quality alarm system for 10-20,000 baht, depending on size, I really don't understand why anyone wouldn't have one. A flashing box outside is a bigger deterrent than bars in my opinion and is certainly not unsightly.

Pm me if you want the contact, good friend of mine, and will supply anywhere in Thailand.

Hi, what part of Thailand is your friend based in?

Does anybody know if the 1cm² bars will be strong enough to stop an opportunist thief?

I realise that anything can be cut given enough time and the right equipment

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a pop rivet?

and how do you say pop rivet in thai?

Again, I must live in an alternate-reality Thailand. Only the roofer messed up, and another roofer fixed the broken tiles for 500 baht. My partner had also never built a house, and I left it to him. He is Thai; so was everybody else. I made no decisions or suggestions, and the Thais did it right. I was lucky. Then again, some Thais can build Thai houses.

Definitely dont listen to this.

I have known a few farang women with Thai partners going down this route. One is still building 2 years, and many tears, later and the project is very small. Get INVOLVED.

Some might translate "alternate-reality" as cloud cuckoo land. Everyone can get lucky once in a million, but I wouldnt like to rely on those odds with my hard-earned!

Not all builders are "shady", but misunderstandings and a difference of "standard procedures" could lead top conflicts.

#1 SPEND the money to have a proper house plan for YOUR home drawn up by a licensed architect. It is NOT necessarily expensive in Thailand. "House from Book" boring and rooms too small in my opinion.

#2 Have a DETAILED list of materials prepared and then pay a translation service or attorney to TRANSLATE to your native language. EXACT MODEL NUMBERS where possible or exact "series" of materials.

#3 In writing how long is the minimum for concrete to cure for various concrete applications in your home. "One day NOT o.k." Insist on an ELECTRIC concrete vibrator used in all appropriate applications. Be clear in writing on waiting time between application of primer and painting coatings.

#4 Attend any functions such as the Architect Expo to see building materials and obtain brochures and business cards of the various companies.

#5 Use a free service such as www.third-drawer.com to list EVERY material in your home, and the contact numbers, warranty information so you can have instant access to that vital information. In our case the manufacturers were very responsive and helpful before and after sales with questions and service. You WILL get some defective parts or parts with bad designs which can be replaced at no charge if you have your ducks in order and stay in contact with the manufacturers.

#6 COMPARE prices in WRITING. Get personal mobile phone numbers of the English speaking managers and owners, who run the merchants building supply stores.

#7 Do not hesitate to phone a manufacturer or distributor, make an appointment and go see the actual product in person.

#8 SERIOUSLY consider "Top Hat Solutions" from Cement Thai Home Services" to INSTALL your roof. They will come back and FIX your leaks without a "run around". Your builders staff really is NOT trained in the same manner.

#9 Send your building staff to any free training seminars for wall blocks, etc.. Talk to your Home Mart owner about when the free seminars are offered to Thai Construction workers.

#10 You can hire professional electricians. Who do you think does the electrical installation at a Big C or a shopping center, even Up Country? Track down the electrical contractor.

#11 Before you shell out big money for expensive door locks, expensive steel security doors, window bars, CCTV, consider getting a bid from one of the four electric fence companies in Thailand. I've visited the booths of three of those companies at the Bangkok Architect Expo. They will all give you a price bid which when you consider other fence toppings, window security bars, good quality door locks, it is a FRACTION of the cost.

#12 Buy your own good quality "spirit level" and see them in use for pipe runs, floor installations, etc..

#13 There are high quality pipe systems possible to have purchased and installed in Thailand for hot and cold water. Items you NEVER see at a local hardware store, but you can see displayed at an Architect Expo.

#14 Remember that MOST good building materials stores can "special order" items you do not SEE on display.

#15 Avoid HDF and MDF doors.

#16 If you are like most of the expats building a home in Thailand, a large number of relatives children will be running around (not necessarily living with you) so spend the minor baht extra for "safety shutter" grounded electric outlets.

#17 Molding / baseboards near the tile, granite, laminate, wood, floors are crucial since Thai women love to mop with damp mops every day.

#18 Get a good Independent Air conditioning dealer to install your AIR CONDITIONING tubes in your wall PRIOR to any rendering or painting of the walls. Early in your building process consider where the drainage of your air conditioning will go.

In your architects electrical plan will be where the wires go for each possible air conditioner.

#19 Use electric conduit not only for electric wires, but RG6, speaker cables, cat5e or other cables you might need at some point in your walls. I spaced on the future "need" of speaker wires in my daughters room, and boy does it look stupid to have speaker wire running on her walls, when it could have at a very minor cost been installed months ago in conduit in the same walls prior to rendering the walls.

#20 Research on google and wikipedia any item or process you are uncertain. Your Thai builder is not stupid, they just do not always research every item the way you might consider appropriate.

#21 Consider a larger diameter water supply PIPE and larger water meter for your home municipal water supply. It is a minor difference to have a better supply of municipal water.

#22 In EVERY area is at least one "pump shop" which sells and services the water supplies for hospitals, hotels, villages, and schools. These "pump shops" can come and help you with the design, purchase, installation and service of your water supply, for LESS MONEY than you buying the items at a Modern Trade retailer. In Buriram the "pump shop" sells and installs over 200 Mitsubishi SUPER PUMPS in villages each year. These Independent shops will have the lowest prices on tanks, pumps, FILTERING SYSTEMS, etc.. and staff that can properly install your water tanks, pumps and filters.

#23 In our area COTTO / TOTO after sales service was better than other brands of plumbing / sanitary ware.

#24 Not all Home Marts have the same selling price. Some have WAY BETTER after the sales service.

#25 1.5 meter is a good OVERHANG distance. 3 meters is a good Veranda width in my opinion when you condiser SHADE, SUN, RAIN.

#26 make suitable rain gutters with downspouts part of your house building contract.

All of the previous posters had valid suggestions, but it need not be hel_l to build a home. Challenging and time consuming yes!!

definitely also follow the above advice. great suggestions in a (pretty big) nutshell.

the book is by paiboon publishing...here is the website they posted on the backcover: www.paiboonpublishing.com

some lessons I learnt:

1) try to word the building contract so that payments are linked to milestones or to %completion (good to do a review to agreed milestones bfore progress payment is made), and try to hold back as much as possible as final payment until all problems are cleared to your satisfaction.

2) farang need not mean western standards...in my case, it meant western pricing but local third world standards.

3) make sure bill of quantity specifies brands/types of fittings (or equivalent standards for refernece) so that builder does not come later andsay he only allowed for some rubbish fixture. Example: if teak is to be used, specify it in contract. Or brand of tiles, taps etc.

4) my builder underquoted and it is my fault for not going thru fine details...in the end, he said he allowed for Rubbish Brand, when I clearly specified A-Quality Brand upfront in written communcations. It was not in contract unfortunately, so I ended up paying the extras. Don't ever fall for the "the details can come later" bull shit...I fell for it because I was told he wanted to start project becasue e had another one coming so to save time, we executed a grossly inadequate contract. In hindsight, I now know it was intentional to put pressure on me.

there are many more lessons, but it is not my intent to write a book here

I would definitely follow this advice especially point 2 "farang need not mean western standards...in my case, it meant western pricing but local third world standards". I have yet to meet a farang 'professional' who, in reality, offers anything more than a very expensive translation service.

Can anyone recommend a filler for aluminium frames, if there is such a thing?

I have small holes where blind fittings have been removed and i am also considering replacing the door handles which will also obviously leave holes.

Most times I agree that "Cheap here is a disaster waiting to happen and it is normally where all the problems occur." The problem in Pattaya is that by paying more, you are not guaranteed any more quality or fewer problems. Often, foreigners (who are basically rejects from their home countries) are charging for the comfort of a white face, but in realty, it has little to do with their quality, competency or skills.

I have had better experience with Thai builders who come recomended by word of mouth. Even if not used to western standards, many of them are wanting to learn and understand, and do deliver when they understand...contrast with my experience with a farang builder who thinks he need not understand my needs and uses unskilled thai labour anyway, with minimal supervision.

After my experience, I am extremely careful in hiring white trash farangs masquerading as professionals here in Pattaya

The only thing I would change in your post is Pattaya to Thailand. Believe me, there are plenty of foreigners masquerading as professionals all over the place.

Its just a shame you cant sue some of them for breach of contract for inventing a history for themselves

May I humbly suggest that instead of, or even in addition to, an alarm system, wireless or other, you secure the property against intruders. In actuality, all an alarm system does is tell you that someone is in your home. If you are there, you need to have prepared the means to protect yourself and your family. If you're not there, what exactly is the purpose? The bad guys will be gone before you, a neighbor or the police can get there. As Sun Tzu wrote in the Art of War, "Against those skilled in defense, the enemy does not know where to attack."

I agree, an alarm should not be relied upon as the only line of defence but I like to think Sun Tzu would apreciate the benefits of a wireless alarm system that could call mobile phones and actually alert you when someone was in your house.

I also know of bank cards sent in the post that have arrived safe and sound. Obviously open to risk though.

Can recommend Fedex but I don't know if they will or will not send bank cards as a previous poster mentioned.

Thanks for the link. I will go and have a look at them.

However, I was thinking of the more sophisticated models that ae for sale in Europe that can send messages to cell phones. Anyone seen any of those around?