p_brownstone

big spuds,

lesson one..... dont take the advice of those people who may want to teach you low language. if you want to learn thai, even a few phrases and words, then learn proper spoken thai, not the thai that is spoken on the street by those of the street. understand it by all means, but dont get into the habit of using it,even to those who speak it.

you might think it is cool to speak like that, but it will soon become a habit that will be hard to break and will mark you down as someone who associates with a certain class of people here.your credibility will be destroyed. this is not snobbery but well meant advice. especially if you ever want to come here and work.

dont run before you can walk, and like someone said before.....keep it simple.

nothing sounds more ridiculous to thai people than falangs using bad language, they may laugh with you, but it is a laugh of embarrassment and derision.

dont swear here as you would in the uk. maintain your standards.

Absolutely agree here.

Nothing embarrasses me more than hearing a Farang use low class Thai, especially when he obviously thinks it's "cool" and marks him as a chap who has spent a long time in Thailand and is evidence that he has adapted well to Thai culture and society.

All it does is show the class of people you mix with and therefore immediately classifies you.

I am not even talking about words like "Mung" or "Goo" - use "Mia" instead of "Paraya", or "Pua" instead of "Samee" and respectable Thais will quietly shudder.

Most ridiculous case I saw recently - not sure if it was this Forum or another - was some Farang who was extremely proud that he and his Thai friends regularly used the word "yedmae" to address one another. He truly believed this made him "one of the boys".

Bottom line is it's illegal to work when here on a Tourist Visa etc., but lots of people do it; I have never heard of anyone being arrested for this either but I certainly would not take the risk if I was relying on Exporting from Thailand to make a living here.

The main disadvantage, if you are Exporting regularly and in volume, is that without having a Thai Company properly registerd for Tax and V.A.T. you cannot recoup the 7% V.A.T. which your Thai supplier should add to the cost of whatever you buy in Thailand ... in theory you can claim this back from the Revenue Department when you prove you have exported the goods - so your Margin increases by that amount, which can be considerable.

This being Thailand of course there are a couple of holes in even this theory:

1) It is very difficult to actually get your money back from the Revenue Department - in cash anyway, lots of questions and investigations etc., it's rather easier to offset against any sales you make in Thailand.

2) Lots of small Thai manufacturers / traders .. like those at Chatuchak, regularly cheat on their V.A.T., even if they are registerd, and do not issue proper Tax Invoices; if you ask for one they simply add 7% to the price originally Quoted so you really gain nothing.

I assume you mean that your Daughter will get a French Passport before she leaves Thailand, thus when leaving Thailand she actually has 2 valid Passports?

If so - no trick, no problem, it's just a typical "dual nationality" situation.

My Wife and Daughter both have a Thai and a U.K. Passport and travel frequently between Thailand and U.K. / Europe.

At the Bangkok Airline Check-in Counter your Daughter will have to show both Passports - but only to satisfy the Airline that she has the right to enter France. At Immigration in Bangkok just show the Thai Passport (do NOT show both; some Officers like to make a fuss, but there is nothing illegal in holding 2 citizenships - as far as I know anyway, certainly not one Thai and one U.K. passport).

Once "Airside" she will be asked for her Passport by the Airline Staff on boarding the 'plane - again simply to check identity vs Boarding Pass and to ensure that she has the right to enter France.

On arriving in France (or whatever European Country which has Visa Free entry for French Passport holders) just show the French Passport.

On the return, just reverse the procedure.

Absolutely no problems in over 20 years.

Lots of Farang have set up profitable businesses in various fields here in Thailand, but if you hope to be successful it's not a "hobby" at all. Like business anywhere it takes 100% commitment and a LOT of time, a 9 to 5 attitude will never make it for sure.

From your original Post you seem far too unrealistic and unprepared - to even consider trying to run any business in Thailand from the UK is preposterous, and no one with a serious business mind would think it possible to sit 12 - 15 hours flying time away and "(wait) until the business does well" .

Finally - anywhere in the world - one of THE main causes of business failure is under-capitalisation, so to a very large extent it is "just people with money"who make more money - regardless of the type of business. A restaurant business in a place like Koh Samui is by definition highly seasonal; if you don't have the funds to tide you over the lean times you will not survive until the next high season.

To summarise - and be a little "cruel to be kind" - it seems you have limited funds and no real business acumen or motivation, definitely not a recipe for success as a self-employed businessman anywhere.

"Comic actor Steve Martin will star as a new Inspector Clouseau in a fresh "Pink Panther" movie due out next summer, the film's makers said on Friday."

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies...reut/index.html

Words fail me.

"They fear if she is deported, she could fall prey to sex slave-traders and pornographers known to operate in the area where she would be sent."

I have sympathy for the situatiuon of course - but am I the only one irritated by this ridiculous comment?

The Swiss have always been proud of their pacifist attitude.

This chap was obviously demonstrating his own version of that national characteristic

win98se? WOW! You should just go and buy a windows xp (pirated or not) somewhere and upgrade it. It would probably be easier.

Well I subscribe to the old school of "if it ain't broke don't fix it" .

OK - now of course one could say it's "broke" but not because of the inherent Windows 98SE OS, but a new program or application which my OS was not designed to accommodate - nor would I require it to in the normal run of my own computer usage.

I am certainly not what one would call a "power user" and I frankly doubt if most people are - however they get sucked in to the "a new version exists therefore I must upgrade" mentality to get all the bells and whistles of XP (or previous versions) which in the majority of cases are totally un-necessary for their day to day needs.

Also of course Virus writers no longer target my venerable Windows 98 SE so I am to a large extent immune from attempts to compromise my system.

I have not been to Thailand yet but I have quite a few friends who have.  They tell me there are two problems with the girls there.  They say it is hard to talk to them and understand them.  They also say that bedroom follies are more mechanical without feeling.  Is this true?

Hmmm .....

"They say it is hard to talk to them and understand them"

Do you "understand" this is Thailand and the favoured language is ........ Thai?

"They also say that bedroom follies are more mechanical without feeling"

I have found that "bedroom follies" (cringe-inducing terminology by the way) anywhere in the world are more mechanical if there are no "feelings" - I assume you mean emotions? - involved.

Sorry - Friday afternoon and "feeling" a tad crabby.

Dr Pat:  Please elaborate.  I am named in the will of the Thai who has my house and land in his name, the house in which I have a 30 year lease.  Are you saying that the will, which was recorded in the amphur office, is no good?

First of all I assume you are not Thai and have no claim to Thai Nationality?

1) Do you mean that a Thai owns the freehold to the land and he has granted you a 30 year lease on the land, and a house built on that land? (Irrespective of who actually paid for the land and construction etc.)

2) If so, are you under the impression that the the Thai owners' Will names you as the inheritant of the Land?

If this is the scenario I am almost certain that the bequest in the Will is invalid - as a non Thai individual you cannot own land in Thailand, even for a limited amount of time with the intention of re-selling.

Some software which my daughter installed on my laptop computer on a recent visit (I think it was for the iPod which I was persuaded to buy for her) has caused a serious conflict with other programs I usually use.

I am running Win 98SE and now I keep getting program crashes which tell me I must close the program because there is a Kernel error caused by LPKTHAI.DLL , I can't even install a recently purchased Microtek scanner!

There is apparently a "hot fix" for this but when I called Microsoft here in Bangkok I find that the version of Windows which was installed in the Laptop when I bought it from the Toshiba agent in Panthip is a pirate version so they will not assist me.

I "googled" the problem but all the fixes I have found require me to venture into the land of DOS which I am not at all confident about attempting!

Can anyone help me with this - know where I can get the hot fix for example??

Glad to see brownstone is well versed in the origin of names.

The gentleman seems to be an excellent product of the American Educational system.

My dear chap - I am most offended!

I am British you see; and was Managing Director of a large, majority British owned Company in Nigeria - quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange - for over 4 years.

Interestingly our Auditors in Nigeria were the Deloittes local affiliate, and I called the senior Partner there a few minutes ago to renew acquaintance and ask if he had ever heard of Emeka Ohuche ... no prizes for guessing the answer.

It seems too that the University of Michigan has somehow omitted his name from their register of Alumni, a major oversight one might say?

Similarly an Internet search for his name only turns up the self serving puffery associated with the iKobo "Global Integrated Funds Transfer System".

I have not used these people but if you are not getting satisfaction go to the source.

Ohuche N. Emeka

[email protected]

All of the other Ikobo names are registred under this name so I would assume that this is the power behind it.

Let us know if all turns out well as I could use a good paypal alternative.

A Nigerian name - need anyone say more?

Doing business with this Company is asking to be screwed!

Many people believe that owners of big dogs are desperately compensating for something - I forget what it is though.

Hi Asinah

I have been following your comments concerning iKobo.

I live in thailand and was today talking with a senior executive of this company by phone and mentioned your comments to him.

He has asked that you supply an e mail at which he personally may contact you in order to try and resolve your problem.

You may send your e mail, which may even be a free account service if you would prefer, to me at [email protected]

I will then forward your e mail to the senior person at ikobo who will then contact you direct and try and resolve your problems.

I hope this is of help to your in sorting out your problems.

Kind regards

Vincent Charles

Very altruistic of you - as a Newbie who joined the Board only today but has already discovered this particular thread among the hundreds here, read it all and just happened to speak to a "senior executive" of iKobo the same day - to offer your services as an intermediary between one disgruntled iKobo user and the "senior executive" there.

Would it not be easier to post the Email Address of the said "senior executive" so anyone who has problems can contact him directly? Otherwise the more cynical among us may perceive your intervention as merely another fudge / delaying tactic / disinformation exercise orchestrated by iKobo themselves. A quite unwarranted suspicion I am sure.

I would guess they don't post the brightest of Civil Servants to the Thai Embassy in Laos (if that's what she is).

They won't get many South Africans there too, and it could well be that she's working on an Exclusion List which discriminates against the South Africa of the apartheid era

Hi Johann,

I'm glad it worked out for you. It seems that all is ok in my case so far. Will arrive "home" in end of May and will then meet with sales representatives and owners and will then seal the deal hopefully.

Will post the outcome here.

Edh

Hi, EDH

The offer of ViewTalay to accept the company-version of registration is fairly good, they will pay for all registration fees to establish the company, and have a contract with an accounting company to do any kind of bookkeeping, tax and so on. They will also pay for all expenses for the next 3 years....I heard, about 400 units with about 250 foreign owners have that registration problem only in the View Talay, but there are some other construction companies with the same problem in Bangkok and Pattaya and all are expecting some solution within 3 years....

The related government offices are not happy with this legal solution, worked out by the construction companies, lawyers and accounting offices....

Shareholders are accounting office owners, lawyers and construction companies directors, the condominium can be bought legally with Thai Baht (no foreign exchange required), and with this mini-company you can buy as a foreigner director every comdominium or even other property, which is left and unsold in all Chonburi district, regardless if it is for foreign or for Thai ownership....you even need not to prove from where the money is coming from....in some cases, it makes you even the visa-situation easier, you are a businessman owning your Thai company....

I think even this idea will have real problems.

If the Land Department can prove that the Company has been set up - using Thai proxies - simply to circumvent the letter of the law regarding the 49% / 51 % ownership levels then it can refuse to allow transfer of title.

It is already illegal to set up Companies for this purpose, and illegal for Thai nationals to serve as proxies in such companies; if this solution is being attempted in large numbers of cases in Pattaya I would be very surprised if the authorities simply turn a blind eye to it.

There are some quite large vinyards in the Khao Yai area, plus others in the North East.

Charoen Pokephand - "the chicken people" - have been producing Wine here for several years under the delightful name "Chateau de Loei" (I kid you not!).

I have only tried the white wines and they are actually quite nice, a light but fresh flavour.

Not to be confused with the "Sato" "wines" mainly produced under the OTOP "initiative" - most are very sweet and very strong, but at Baht 30 or so a bottle ......

It's a fire in a slum in the Tungmahamek area, just been on the Thai news

Is this your venture Michael?

If so you certainly MUST be new to Bangkok - not discovered Foodland, Villa etc. yet?

Also, I wonder if the Website has legal permission to use an image of the character from "Ice Age"?

The Thai Elite Card is more than just membership to an exclusive array of services and facilities. If you look at it from an investment perspective, you will see the true value in joining it. If you believe the Thai economy is going to boom in the next few years, if you believe land and property prices are going to increase, if you believe more and more visitors are going to come to Thailand through the new airport, if you believe that a piece of land in your own name will be worth much more in future than now........then the thai elite card is valuable as an 'option' to own land. This is similar to options in financial markets. You can choose to exercise your option and go on to purchase land in your name, or choose to do nothing. This option has no expiry date, and it is also tradeable in the sense that it is transferable.... your option fee is 1mil baht and can choose to give it up for a fee of 100000 baht. Think about it.

Have a look at the Elite Card website and count how many of the "exclusive array of services and facilities" are qualified by the phrase "to be built in the future"!!

Also don't forget that things like Golf Green Fees etc., although "free" to Cardholders, actually have to be redeemed from the Card Company by the facility providing the service - has anyone here tried to get money from a Government Agency recently? My company does regular business worth hundreds of thousands of Baht with PTT and Bangchak and we get the run around every time we try to collect (we now increase our pricing to them to compensate) - imagine the costs incurred by a Golf Course in, say, Phuket trying to reclaim a Baht 2,000.- Green Fee from an agency in Bangkok. How long before they simply discontinue their affiliation with the Card Company because of the problems??

Finally you will never "own a piece of land in your own name", title to the land is in the name of a subsidiary of the Card Company - but as previously pointed out by other posters even that device is now the subject of dispute over its legality - and as part of the Assets of the Card Company it will be seized when the Company finally rolls over and dies.

There are several keystroke recording progams - even hardware items.

One of the best Software programs - which I use on all my staff Laptops etc. - is Spectorsoft Pro http://www.spectorsoft.com , this records not just keystrokes but screenshots at intervals set by the user, both sides of all Chat sessions, Internet activity etc..

About a year ago, my Driver - basic salary Baht 7,500.- a month, take home pay after overtime etc. about Baht 11,000.- , came to me and asked for a day off because his wife was having a baby. O.K., no problem I say, and actually gave him Baht 1,000.- as a gift for the new baby.

5 months ago he came again and asked for another day off - his wife was having a baby.

After a quick calculation and armed with a basic knowledge of the human reproductive cycle I pointed out that this was surely impossible; turned out that it was in fact his second wife who was now having a baby, confirmed later by my Maid who knows them well and apparently the three - plus kids - all live together quite happily.

Either I am paying him far too much or he has charms which completely escape my notice!

I was looking for a way to receive payments online etc. some time ago and considered various possibilities.

I almost immediately disounted iKobo mainly because of the name - "Kobo" is the smallest unit of Nigerian currency - as in if $ = Naira, Cent = Kobo; maybe not the best reason in the world but having lived in Nigeria for 4 years, and, like everyone else on the Web, received dozens of "419" Emails, I felt it wise to look elsewhere!

Whilst an Earth Circuit in the house is a very good idea, you will find that a LOT of appliances you buy in Thailand do not have an Earth wire at all, 2 pin plugs are standard, and there is no Earth Terminal in the unit itself so you cannot simply change the plug and cable.

Obviously in this situation your Earth Circuit will offer no protection.

To protect against a electric shock from these appliances you should also install an Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker on the line - most good Electrical shops, even the bigger corner hardware shops, carry them.