Eagle60

I am writing this to hopefully help people avoid major issues and shocks, when thinking of building a house in Thailand. Having built a fair few now of all sizes and shapes I want to provide people with some sensible, clear headed information. There is far too many bar stool construction experts who throw ridiculous figures around and all it does is do people a disfavor and lead them into shocks later on, when true costs are estimated. Anyone who tells you that you can build a finished house for 15,000 baht per sqm in 2021, is not a builder and has no experience or knowledge of construction. Those days are long gone a long time ago. Maybe a low quality garage or simple concrete box, but not a home of any quality or finished to any standard that is acceptable to most people. Many years ago yes, but not now. The only true way to know an accurate estimate of cost for a house build is to have completed *professional architectural drawings*. Clearly listing all specification and materials. Without this, it is guessing and no professional builder would provide one without them*. The location also has to be factored in and site conditions. Yes you can find small teams to build a low quality home in the countryside but not at that cost. A good quality house in Thailand can easily cost 25,000 to 30,000 Baht per sqm (starting for reasonable standard but certainly not luxurious) to over 40,000 + Baht per sqm for luxury. Plenty of luxury houses cost more. Check out Phuket or Koh Samui to see some amazing villas. But as mentioned this is an approximation as without finished architectural detailed construction drawings, no one can know an accurate cost. Professional construction personnel will only give a basic approximation as a square meter figure if asked; because from experience they know only too well, costs can not be calculated until all professional architectural drawings are completed. As I say this is to help anyone who is thinking of doing it. Best advice in my mind from experience, is to talk to a company who has been in business for years and knows the industry. It can take a lot of the problems away and provide you with sensible advice. It has helped me. Good luck !

People never get what they deserve because the options are always so awful and opposing sides are both as bad each other. I did not realise in reality fair elections existed.

Q1....I remember vividly arriving back in the 1990's, how different it was. Yes 100% a lot more smiles and fun. People seemed more genuine and everyone was fun. Including foreigners too. This was before the advent of the millions of millions of mass tourists. Having said that, there have definitely been some huge improvements since then, that make some people's lives better. Growth in tourism brought with it financial benefits but also negative aspects too. But as often is seen anywhere in the world, with commercialism, corporate mentalities and mass tourism comes greed, gentrification of cities and changes. Even the many of the types of people who have come in the last 15 years for work and to live, are not the same as the old lot. People were much for adventurous, easy going and fun back then. Sadly many of the the new ones brought with them their wokey mentalities, righteous prejudices and constant whinging. In the old days people loved the fact they were in a different country which was not the same as their own countries and did not want it to change according to how they wanted it to. I think there has been in a change worldwide in people and a lot more serious and political in their thinking. Also social media has much to effect people's thinking. Foreigners were happy to be there and Thai people were happy to see them. Of course now is an incredibly difficult time for many. Q2. I do not think it was something that happened in the short term, it gradually changed over a long time and is not just down to politics or to internal issues. Albeit that of course played a major role. Difficult to pin it to one specific thing. Not sure if that answers it but my thoughts anyway.