bangkokburning

I have a friend in China. Teaches in a very elite private school. He's good, speaks French and Mandarin fluently. Been teaching 12yrs and making us2.5k per month. That only 75k pm and he has his pick of employers in China.

So, I am back to looking at about 25k for the universities and if I am lucky, 35k for high school. I'd be quite ok.with 45k with good working conditions, even of it takes a bit of time to get there (few yrs).

Is housing allowance provided often or thing of the past? Is housing taxed the same as wages? Presume the Thai tax code is simple and answer is yes.

Should I be concerned about materials on hand or a free and very functional copier at hand.

Finally, there is a largish hs I'd definately like to drop a resume by as it's so close to our apt. I've seen what appear to be farang teachers nearby (two different petsons, not at same time). Do many hs employ more than one foreign teacher in Bangkok? Do sny have anyghing approaching a "department" of locals, NES and pethaps a few Filipino's?

Thanks again.

Sorry, this is related to central Bangkok only.

So thirties for the bottom end, can I presume that is for a person with a university degree and two yeats minimum experience? I would imagine Ed degree much less important, even a negative. Solid Liberal.Arts more so (Eng,Lit and History)?

Thsnks again.

Thanks. Pretty easy - after you get that far.

Are the questions they send exactly the ones on the list? I ask this because a person could memorize by rote. My first History course at university the instructor took all.the questions out of the workbook. It was a general survey course. Anyway, I memorized all 500 questions by flashcard. Finished the test in twenty minutes, scored 100 and given an A+.

Well, my wife's reading is poor, spelling worse so +3 on the verbals.

Thanks for input, congrats to your wife.

Surely universities are not paying 35k for 15hours? That is the salary with benefits for grade schools no?

If 35k for 40+ hours at grade school, 20k for half that time at a university seems about right. Arguably better per hour.

I wish a university teacher would chime in here.

I need experience. After a year, I will be in a far better position.

Id also do a TEFL but they are so expensive and seems to be no ROI. I mean its a huge expense that properly amortized over two years is still a serious amount of money off the top on a monthly basis.

Daboyz: do you know how long the citizenship process takes and very generally what is involved?

Here's the answer. $188,666,125.76

And here's the link http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

Thanks, and thx for doing the calculation. About 190M.

as previously said, a flash of a driving licence or work permit will generally get you in at thai prices, it is suppose to be because as a thai resident or work permit holder you are paying taxes here, or so they say. in actual fact i think its a great idea that as a countryman your natural beauty spots are free or cheaper, after all thailand belongs to the thai people. im from the uk and i only wish our country would do the same for us, you get better looked after as a foriener there.

Won't get you anywhere in the Similan or Koh Surin NP, that is for sure!

Recently saw in the Crawler on Thai PBS that Thai GDP was down 1% due to strong Baht. Was blamed on exports, rice was noted.

Hilarious, govt GDP # drops 20% due clearly to the currency and both the BOT and MoF do nothing.

20%, that is freefall.

On top of the stunted gdp the export market has experienced in recent years. My hunch is and I have read as much that Thailand must keep that thb above 30.50 - or its a disaster.

There is a tipping point and Thailand is very much on that edge. I have commented on this many times.

Thailand sells stuff. No one needs to buy stuff here when stuff in x y and z is cheaper. The world is awash in mfg goods, there is plenty of rice (currently).

I second visa journey

It is widely roumoured that if you want to file here, through the embassy (DCF) /USCIS that you must be on a non-o and have lived here for six months (I've read one year). There are also other issues that show to USCIS you two are a couple, one is a joint bank account another is an established residence here (our mgt only allows 1 person on lease).

I think if your marriage is 2+ years old, the cr1 turns to ir1 and she gets a green card for ten years.

My hunch is the kid and the filing are your issues. Have a look on vj, good luck!

PS Rick stated something regarding your possible interest in returning overseas. Bad idea both to inform them and to try it. You may be denied outright, if not the INS might have something to say about long visits (esp back to Thailand). If she is gone over one year wo prior approvsl I think the gc is null.and void.

Please be serious about returning or it casts doubt on the rest of us.

Finally, yeah that house in.Singapore might be an issue for some investagator?

Selfhosted wordpress.org not the .com version.Eventually I know someone who can set it up for you for not so much if you don't want to loose time on figuring out how to set it up.

What is the difference?

Hes selling why would he want to be org?

Petsonally, I really, really find websites that are not non profits or at least a site for public good - using dot org sketchy, annoying and unimaginative. Its like....I love this "name", but cant get com, net, co, blah blah - oh <deleted>...Ill just use dot org.

No. You cannot.

Well, I guess that answers the question....sort of.

Thanks for clarification on the docs Sophon.

My issue has become food vendors, they often tack on a farang tax to the food.

I've had to tell my wife repeatedly and I often take for granted getting the proper price of the cart or stall. I akways order in Thai, I presume that also says - I know the price.

People food and otherwise charge her more when they see me.

Part of eating of the cart or in the street is the price, a big part. If I was willing to pay more, Id go to a food court or a restaurant.

Here it is...

The vendor adds b5 to a b35 bowl of marginal soup that should have only been b30 in the first place. So know you have a 33% increase in perceived vakue of the product. I ordered a snack, Im paying for a meal. Just happened a few days ago. Chinese, of coutse.

It was a new place in an area Im not in much anymore. Funny thing is not 100m another shop (only eves though) does a rockin' bowl of noodles for b45.

I mean, Ive paid b25 for that bowl of noodles <deleted>. b40 - you can actually get fast food in states for this money and surely you can get a small breakfast items for 1.35us!

So you buy an old condo and keep it twenty years.

The owner of the land wants to sell it from under you and sell it - or demo it and build a new condo or mall.

A majority of owners want to sell their condos 51%

The goverment finds structural problems in the building and declares it unfit.

Government excercises emminent domain - new bts rail going in

As a freehold owner, do you also own a claim to the property? As a farang?

Presume if you are leasehold, you are just screwed.

Thanks!

There are a few people on the board who are buying cheap condos to let.

In this current market, I do not see how this is profitable or even works. My misgivings are based on assumptions so if the guys who are doing tbis could clarify a bit.

I might add that I really appreciate trogers, jean and bpbertha's input on the board.

Here is an example:

Condo found and paid for: 600k

I have read that the return on tbis should be within ten years which I find highly dubious. Maybe 12 for Thailand. 12 years is the softer number, so lets play with that. 600k / 144mos is roughly b4,200. My hunch is that you would be hard pressed to rent this place out for more than that.

If you use 10 years, it seems to become quite impossible. So are you using a longer timeframe than others suggest?

Thanks

Anyone can provide a link to a calculator? Thanks.

First and foremost, there is no divorce or death upon my familes immediate horizon.

Here is the question with a bit of qualification:

Anything aquired after one marries is split jointly - property, liquid assets...

What about money? Surely under Thai law inheritence is not thought of as jointly owned? Surely inheritence of a non Thai citizen with assets in a foreign country?

Cash aside, what if property was purchased with inheritence? Would the property be protected or would it then slip into the gray area of mixing assets (like a joint account)? Property law overrides inheritence law.

I beleive in.the US a property or investments can be made and kept as long as they are always exclusive.

Thanks.

I am interested to know as persons that live and/or travel abroad frequently, which blogs are you reading with frequency?

Related to: real estate, living, food, entertainment, expat living, economics/finance, travel, teaching, green-eco lifestyle, urban or rural living.

Maybe a high profile blog or just some small project of a guy doing something great.

Request need not be about Thailand or Asia. Could be general such as a blog geared to offshore finance, opportunity and living or simply alternative finance, energy or hell...fishing.

DO NOT POST FORUMS, that is against this forum's rules.

Thanks

Would appear to follow a common theme that jrtmedic has pointed out

It's the paid volunteer "scam". You pay them to fob you off to some school or agency where they make money off your labor. Double win for them. They don't care about kifs or you, they care about moneee.

If you are teaching at a real school, someone is making a minimum of 25k thb per month. It should be you.

But hey...think of the children!

PS it sounds like they are loading you up with phiny feel good documentation to give you a fslse sense of security. They learn well!

The only document you need to be legal is a work permit and sorry to tell you, that isn't coming. So you will be working illegally and a mountain of scribbles on the "NGOs" stationary....well, the paperwork and b30 will get you a bowl of noodles.

Sure! There are a few dodgy spots. It's not posh, but quite ok. Big issue its truly in the heart of the city and that's what brings the grit and grind. Nearish the university.

Far worse spots!

To those that ask...what if you need more...

You don't. You budget and be on the lookout for a proper ATM. You can gauge your spending quite easily. Twenty years of traveling, never been in a real bind.

Of course, if you do not manage your holiday money well or suddenly fancy yourself in a bar with a b3000 tab and promise to take two hookers bsck to your room, that is another story.

Planning and budgeting is not only good for your wallet but also the safety of your cards.

Travelers Checks - just folly. No one takes them, bad rates and in Thailand excise tax.

You must be confused about TCs in LOS. Every forex booth and bank takes them in most places, get a better rate than cash and only 30 baht commission ( as against 150 for using an ATM ), so I only used large denomination TCs.

I used TCs while I was a tourist here over many many years without any problems.

Most other SEA countries do not accept. Few yrs ago was in Phils, guy tried cashing at a bank. Teller did not even know whatva TC was. Then, I have heard only AX are accepted, then you have (on US100) a tax of no less than 1% + whatever the checks cost upfront. Finally you have the fact the ink is not waterproof.

Yes, just use Wordpress with a link.

Thanks for your response.

"If I look hard enough" - sort of indicates to me this is the reality, confirmed by numerous job posts I have browsed.

So, perhaps ask for 35k and try to get 30 in the total package?

This is also for 20hrs, not like working full day at a Primary or Secondary.

I think first year its better to work than mess about looking for work. My hunch is that jobs will be far easier after regaining my experience.

Thanks for the post. I've never taught in Thailand but found in Korea that the schools were not interested in modifying much if anything, perhaps salary. Maybe agencies have more leeway.

Another thing after working...seems like they did as they pleased. If it followed the spirit of the contract loosely great, if not - so what.

In the end the only thing you have over them is quitting.

My hunch for those lacking a BA in Ed, experience and a certificates or teaching Maths and Sciences is that in the end you take it or leave it.

My experience in Korea was that it eas entirely about money, the only thing they can't change. Until they work you counter to contract and literally short y/ur pay packet ☺

Thanks, the money will never be repatriated. I'm married and contemplating in years to come if this is best solution to keep roof over wife's head when I'm gone.

So if I show work permit, visa and salary statement to a bank, they might issue a TT3 for me? It was stated for a few thousand, is that plust the X money they might charge to run the money (out and) in again? That could be 1%++ easy.

To those that ask...what if you need more...

You don't. You budget and be on the lookout for a proper ATM. You can gauge your spending quite easily. Twenty years of traveling, never been in a real bind.

Of course, if you do not manage your holiday money well or suddenly fancy yourself in a bar with a b3000 tab and promise to take two hookers bsck to your room, that is another story.

Planning and budgeting is not only good for your wallet but also the safety of your cards.

Travelers Checks - just folly. No one takes them, bad rates and in Thailand excise tax.