al007

Thailand needs to address these problems they are usually caused by human error

I have a camera in my toyota to show how bad the driving is and hopefully help if I am in an accident

These problems could be solved if all busses and minivans had tachometers and cameras fitted

Then stringent jail sentences handed out to the beneficial owners of the vehicles, the company directors and the drivers

It may take time but three years in jail for each death will soon begin to get the message across, especially when it is the owners, and the fat cats profiteering

Strong language but things need to change, of course the children of the politicians do not travel by bus

Maybe try ishares thailand TMD, low costs, as for brokers I use Interactive Brokers probably the lowest cost per deal of any

A word of caution, the thailand economy could be risky over the next few years, borrowings are too high and world opinion is not good

Be lucky

Al

A couple of observations, as a retired Chartered Accountant living in Thailand

I believe the inheritance tax exemption of free transfers to a wife, do not apply if the wife is nonresident, and nondomiciled in the UK and not a UK citizen

I used to have a Sipp but was told a UK grant of probate would be required, also the government may take 55% of the fund, esp if the wife is not UK or eu national

I now have a self administered QROPS, out of Gibraltar, this takes the earnings legally away from the UK tax man, ( I loose 2.5% tax to Gibraltar) on death only Thai death cert required and all will be distributed accoring to my wishes

I used to hold my investments with Interactive brokers in the UK, again on death UK probate required

So I opened USA Interactive Brokers Account, and they have confirmed on death onlt thailand death certificate will be required, I then transfered all investments to the hew account. My IAB account also allows margin trading with loans at around 1.25%, not for the unsophisticated or financially unaware person

I have a sterling bank account in the Isle of man that gives free international transfers, with my registered address as thailand; and again on death only Thai death cert will be required if amount low if higher IOM probate would be required but would be simple

I have UK govt state pension of approx 10,000 pounds per annum and have agreed with UK taxman no need to file UK tax return as income below higher age allowance, I have no assets in the UK and am now outside IHT and probate requirements

I have a THai/English will drawn up by a thai solicitor, with my solicitor and wife as joint executors

I have been happily married for some six years and soon may make my Interactive Brokers and IOM bank account into joint accounts, I would be the only one knowing passwords, so in the event of the awful happening all monies would be moved very quickly

In july 2004 one got around 76 batt for one pound, by april 2013 it had changed to only 42, the thai stock market has dropped some 17% plus this year

When the rate recovered to 50 I bought enough batt for six months and at 51 I bought again for six months, I was happy at the time with those deals and continue to feel the same

Whilst this political uncertainty continues as well as the countries increased borrowing the chances are we will see the rate to the major currencies move in our favor

Many international investors have been cashing out of batt investments which has further hurt the exchange rate, if I were going to need batt in the next year I would maybe buy now, but otherwise wait

The wworld credit rating companies are watching thailand very carefully

Of course one could always go to gold, safe haven or not, then do we stay in dollars, sterling or swiss francs

Al007

Bought a couple of items from apple this way, and always worked perfrctly, and had full support here in the shops in thailand, in fact got the ipad mini a month before it was available in the apple stores here

Maybe exit on old passport with new one in your pocket, if questioned just say oh sorry thought as your old one had your entry stamp you had to use it to exit, if a problem now give them the new one I am sure that way no problem

I have UK paypal account, Uk address, LlyodsTSB bank account in UK that has my Thailand address on it

I can then add my Thai address for shipping to my paypal account, works very well, and all linked to ebay

It is a welcoming thought that here in thailand shootings are not as prevalent as in the USA , probably arising from the vast number of guns in circulation in the USA

Many of us are saddened by the continued killings on busses and minibusses by the drivers who are out of control, maybe a few more USA guns on the busses might make the drivers think a little

It would be much nicer to hear minibus bus driver shot by American who saved all the passengers from almost certain death

I hope you have a couple of Armed Guards to accompany you and protect your wife.

I've been to India several times in years gone by to write and produce Travel stories for newspapers, radio and t.v. I enjoyed some parts of it, although nearly "died" on a bloody awful trekking expedition and despite my love of Indian Food, I came home with a very bad case of Delhi Belly.

In light of numerous recent events involving rape and murder and the lack of any serious action by the Indian Authorities, I think INDIA is, at the moment, one of the Last Places on Earth to take your wife.

Just for the record, I was in India with my wife a couple of times in the last year, once in Bombay and the second time in Madras we walked the markets and moved around .

We never felt threatened two enjoyable trips, I would rate it on a par with Bangkok for safety, very safe so long as you are not stupid and dripping gold

I have bought many things on Ebay like 100plus over the last six months

items under 1000batt are exempt

sellars from china and hongkong always seem to put lower values

I bought a cctv system from HK shipped normal airmail sailed through no problem

ship via fed ex, DHL or any courier and almost guarenteed 30%duty andd then vat, this is paidd on the cost plus shipping

I bought a nice small pair of binoculars from HK shipped normal airmail no problem

A couple of small items never arrived and sellars gave refund

ebay also guarentees obligations of sellars

ebay a wonderful way to find many small items, click the free shipping in the search and no shipping costs to pay

try LLoyds TSB I O M for a premier account they rquire a stement that you have net worth over 100,000 I think self certified

there after free international transfers, like I send to sterling account with Bank Bangkok, then change no fee into batt

I have visa debit card with lloyds

linked to UK clearing system instantaneous transfers like between them and RBS no fees either way, my RBS account has UK address

been there a few years if balance drops below 2500 there is a monthly charge

every 4/5 weeks i send some money round in a circle like 10,000 to 15000 to just keep them all happy

My lloyds TSB has my thailand address and was opened without ever going there

So the figures I have found seem to rally around the 250,000 mark, so that will be my guide marker.

Based on average pensions and basic salaries, savings etc etc.... I would estimate that a conservative figure per expat of monthly income from western sourced funds to be no less than $1000 pm (THB30,000) but for the purpose of under cooking the figures, lets half that amount to $500pm.

Personally I have brought in over THB 8mil in the last 3 years so my contributions will offset a few farang who are living off just a few hundred USD a month.

So anyway, that would equate to $125,000,000pm (THB3.75bn) or THB45bn per year. The actual figure will be much higher.

I believe the figure for ex pat contribution to be very substantially higher, and even my figures will be understated, remember generally 10% of the people have 90%of the wealth

Lets assume the 250,000 for expats is correct, this is likely to come from government staistics, and will be based on marriage, retirement, and education visas, those on muti tourist visas will be excluded, and also include probably most of the negative crowd and those living below the poverty level even here

Most of those on marriage extensions and retirement extensions spend a minimum of 30 % more than the 400,000 and 800,000 required to get those extensions

So say 1/3 marriage , 2/3 retirement

Marriage 250,000*1/3 =83,333 * 400,000 plus 30% equates to 43,333,000,0000 or 43.3 Billion batt per annum

Retirement 250,000 *2/3 = 166,667 * 800,000 plus 30% equates to 173,333,680,000 or 173.3 Billion batt per annum

In total some 217 Billion batt per annum, not insignificant, the figures are not double checked but it is the principle rather than the detail that is important

The OP said his figures were conservative but I am not sure he was aware just how conservative, I also believe my figures are conservative, the difficult figure to verify is the 250,000

I will leave it to the nit pickers to audit what I have said

I prepare the above on the basis I am but a simple retired Chartered Accountant, who loves this country, has a far higher standard of living than I could have in the UK, and I spend very significantly more than any of the figures quoted above

I am today, and just for today, happily married in Issan, have a beautiful large house on five rai, employ a couple of people full time, have four large dogs, and contribute to the bulk of the upkeep of another five people

We have brought running water and electric to about another ten homes

Thailand needs the expats but not the moaners and groaners who should pack up and go home to theor social security benefits

Senior Member klubex99

i have Bangkok Bank sterling account here in Thailand, I send money from my LLoyds Premier account to Bangkok Bank free of charges, max fee for receipt 500batt, then as and when I switch into Batt no cost last week got 50.26

All works good and easy cost effecctive

Madness, I arrive on my own yacht, which in the past i have done, according to this if I am washing down my decks am I liable to prosecution for working, or I am repairing the radar same again

I have been here for six years i get very frustrated by the horrific driving here, but have to remember a very high proportion of ther drivers have never been properly taught,

They drive cars like motor bikes, at night at factory shift close or change we choose to stay off the roads and wait because of the swarms of motor bikes with no rear lights

I sent my wife to driving school and she learnt very well, it was worth every penny i spent

A friend sent his step daughter to driving school she came home two days later and said look I have my driving licience, please now buy me a car, my friend took her to a deserted area and asked her to show him her driving she could not reverse or turn a corner but had a driving licience

So far so good some 150,000 plus kilometers

We need to remember be calm, I am not always ! ! ! , if we are involved in an accident we are the ones at fault, as one judge said if we were not here and on the road the accodent would not have happened QED

I have used Interactive Brokers for many years, it is very comprehensive, giving access to most international markets, dealing costs are pennies

It is very simple you are coming to thailand find youself a young lady and give her the money to look after and you need not worry anymore

I use LLoyds TSB int , no charges on internartional transfers, but have to keep min pound sterling 2500 in account, Money into Bank Bangkok sterling account in thailand max fee about pounds 10. all works well, can do transfer on telephone

I live about 20 kms from Khon Kean airport towards Chumpai, we live on five rai and bought three years ago, and since then prices have gone up three to four times, its worth a bit of checking, if you want your money back contact me I am sure I would be very interested

I have been here for six years

I have had both retirement and marriage extensions

The cash for retirement is no problem

A retirement visa is issued on the spot subject to being eligible

The marriage one requires more paper work and has to go one office up for approval and takes about a month

I opt opt for the slower and more tedious option, because maybe visa rules might change, and I believe if you are here ad married, in the event of future changes with several years on the marriage visa you are likely to be safer and less likely to be asked to leave

Thailand has been known to change the rules on visas many times, there are no guarentees so I try to make my own luck by having the visa that is most appropriate, and being a married man it has to be the marriage visa

You should talk to a lawyer not expensive, you need usufruct on the land wife owns, gives you right to use until your death. House is separate you can own it all , but with no usufruct on land if she dies first family can seize the land but not the house, but without rights to land you can not get into house

so much negatitivety why is it blamed on low quality in China when all said and done apple does most its manufacturing there and considered good quality