clinique

To the best of my knowledge RTE Singapore charges for ALL visas, regardless of status. Not all Embassies/Consulates have the same charging policies. You could call RTE Singapore to check their current charges.

well i called Kasikorn Bank .. they told me IF Married to thai .. they do that. where the actual "owner" is either both person or just one of them.

yes thats right, Thai banks will extend creditr to 'married couples' if one is aforeigner.

BUT that was not your original question. you asked about credit for foreigners only.. there is none.unless you get married to aThai and then the credit is given to them with you as a guarantor or coborrower - also not so easy.

If you are referring to Thai financial institutions - there is no list becasue they wont lend to foreigners in their own right.

If you are referring to Foreign financial institutions - the ones in Thailand may help you but you likely have to be an existing customer of theirs overseas for them to offer credit in Thailand.

Additionally there are foreign based institutions who lend to expats for purchase of overseas real estate in certain countries - of which Thailand is not one. But if you have real estate overseas they may be able to help you with credit which would then come to Thailand as cash for the purchase as is required by law.

Bangkok Bank and Siam Commercial Bank lend money to foreigners to buy condo. Its done in their Singapore branches in Singapore dollars and up to 50% of value as I recall.

Not sure about SCB (which I beleive was actually out of their LA office) , but BBL ceased that service about 2-3 years ago.

beg to differ but there are several developments where 'horizontal' condo's have been built and sold under the condo act. no doubt some 'negotiating power' was required for approval.

from my understanding , subject to certain conditions this is possible, but the development must meet the condo requirements other definitions. For example yuo cant build a house and split it into 2 condos on your own land.

If you are referring to Thai financial institutions - there is no list becasue they wont lend to foreigners in their own right.

If you are referring to Foreign financial institutions - the ones in Thailand may help you but you likely have to be an existing customer of theirs overseas for them to offer credit in Thailand.

Additionally there are foreign based institutions who lend to expats for purchase of overseas real estate in certain countries - of which Thailand is not one. But if you have real estate overseas they may be able to help you with credit which would then come to Thailand as cash for the purchase as is required by law.

Yup, the Teya Language School near the Kwan Sing Intersection. Heading out of town towards Mae Rim from ChangpHuak , it is on the right hand side about 100metres before the main traffic lights on the Super Highway. Good work, speedy and reasonable price..500-1000 aht per page depending how small afont you use !

Proper paperwork would include a letter of support from Thai employer / prospecitve employer if I am not mistaken!

Only by air.

Example-Return ticket to Singapore Changi, no need to leave the transit lounge, just turn around and come back on next flight.

I have travelled to Paris on business for both Thai and Non Thai companies based in Thailand overthe past 17 years.

Of all the Thai Embassies I have experienced , and they are many, I would say the Paris Embassy is nothing but helpful and friendly.

On one trip to Paris my business was cut short and I had only one day to get a new Non O Visa - I went to the Embassy at 9.30 am explained my plight and was out of there with the Visa at 10.15am.

Just make sure your Intern has all the appropriate documentation.

Totally agree with interestedobserver. The VIBE thread was interesting but not based on official info from Chiangmai land office. VIBE was relying on info from the 'mortgage lady' at his bank and was insisting the bank can say who goes on the Title as owner - not so.. only theland dept can say who does and does not.

Suggest you go to the relevant land office for your property and ask the Boss there what he recommends you do.

newbie1, what you say about ethnic groups may be ok for many of us, but most Thais (for cultural reasons) do not see it that way.

It is up to thediscretion of the officer at the desk.

Having said that, I have been told several times by immigration offciers when i have used the foreign cue that with Re-Entry permit I could have used the Thai line!

Just wondering why anybody would hand in a 95 - 99% full passport, anywhere in the world, and expect to get a visa stamp?

And in many countries , if the passport was this full, you would possibly be declined an entry stamp on arrival, regardless of whether it's a country where you need a visa in advance or a country which grants a visa on arrival.?

Surely, OP, with not one full empty page, you should have anticipated months ago that there might be a problem and already got a new passport.

You already knew that a new passport would be needed in the very near future, why not get the new pasport earlier and avoid any problems like this?

Absolutely agreed. It is a Passport holders responsibility to ensure that the Passport is valid, has sufficient space for Visas and entry stamps , and is not damaged, etc..

One experience i had was at Changi airport heading to my home country and at the boarding lounge apart from the check in staff there were people from our Embassy consular section checking passports. My passport was slightly damaged with the rear page partly torn out wher eit is sewn in and I was told "this passport is damaged , you need to get anew one before you travel again".. and after objecting that it still had valid pages was told "bad luck - its damaged - it is not valid"

If you know you are going to travel and have only little space then you need to get a new one from your closest Embassy. Claiming ignorance is no excuse and claiming scam is ridiculous.

You're talking about the English, right..?

I'm most certainly talking about human beings in general ;-)

Then I stand corrected.

To cdnvic, appreciate much your discretion.

I agree, well moderated - this topic is worthy of discussion and whilst it will focus on some of the cultural aspects of Thais, it need not be a Thai-bashing thread. I think we alll know of examples where people (often Thais ) if they have 100 baht they spend 100 Baht, if they have 20,000 Baht they spend 20,000 Baht.

Um ! Or $2,000,000, or 20,000,000- or $2 billion - I dont think this applies only to Thais. Look at teh Us - has been living on credit for years,, Credit cards were offered willy nilly by lenders, people signed up and spent the money ? How were they going to repay it ? Dont think anyone ever asked the question. people are people- in the main, give them money and they spend it.

This subject has indeed been beaten to death and the fact remains the same - Falangs cannot own land in Thailand.

If there is a Falang out there owning land, please come forward and introduce yourself , because I have never met one.

That should read "Aliens/Foreigners Cannot Own Land in Thailand". Bill Heinecke, a "farang", owns quite a bit.

Sorry, but if I am not mistaken Mr. H. has Thai citizenship and therefore can do so.

Also sorry to rain on your parade, and not wishing to generlise but, "Good Thai Girl to marry with man of Indian decent/background "!!

I agree with previous poster - that is a very tough call.

Perhaps yuo and he have never heard the Thai proverb about 'the Snake and the Indian' ??

Anyway do wish him good luck for what he wants, but still very tough call culturally speaking.

Seems this question below has gone unanswered..amid all the flying financial advice....

If i were you i would talk directly (no brokers/advisors needed) to some of the reputable private banks in Singapore (ICICI, Soc Gen) They are secure, low tax, better than average returns.

What are the requirements to transfer cash to one of these banks, could I just turn up at ICICI in Singapore with £20K in cash and change it into AUD's and stick it a 1 year bond at 6.25% or is it more complicated that that?

I dont see that cash in that amount would be aproblem, but most banks these days would more readily accept a bank transfer so they know the funds are authenticated as 'clean'. I use ICICI for years and they have been very good (head office in Mumbai - but they are listed on NY Stock exchange and mostly foreing held)

I have amixed portfolio with themand have had returns of not less than 8% for several years.

Enough has been said about the snow.

But the nations reporting !! Their English grammer and the whole context of their articles is terrible. WHo writes and who edits these terribly written articles - must be the same people who write their SMS servcie.!!!. Why i dont buy the Nation.

If I had put this forward in any other country specific forum in the world I am sure I wouldn't get so many posters refering to the use of prostitutes.

Beetlejuice, even in my city; Exeter which has high house prices, the average cost of a 2 bedroom place is 173,000 according to findyourproperty.com

290k not a lot of money! I think you will find that globally that puts me in the richest 10% in the world.

yes precisely.

Thats why, as an ex Singapore banker, i suggested what i did in my earlier post.

Any of the banks mentioned will happily welcome you as a private client with GBP 250k or more.

If they cant get you an 8-10% pa return on your money i would be very surprised and you can live comfortably on that in Thailand..

I would completely ignore any of the posts which mention prostitutes, the are not in yuor league..

all the best

How do you know pension will exist at 66?

Carpe Diem

INDEED. It seems your government has already spent your pension.

You could invest that 290k pound & get enough income to increase your wealth & live quite well in Thailand - visa issues seem to be your biggest drama on that front. The big HOWEVER & its a big however,

You happened to mention the GREATEST MONEY REDUCING AGENT, KNOWN TO MAN IN THAILAND, so you future looks very bleek indeed.

Good advice here. Makes sense to me.

£290000 sterling is not a lot these days. For example that's about the price of an average 2 bedroom house in a working class area within the UK.

In Thailand the OP would be fair game for female predators hungry for his cash, plus having to be fully financially responsible for his medical expenses that wont be cheap, plus I doubt if his health will improve with age.

My advice to the OP is; stay based in the UK where he will be secure. He could purchase a small studio apartment for around £100000 and bank the rest as savings. He would have the back up of the Social Security system if he were unable to work due to health reasons and perhaps a State pension if he makes it to old age.

The OP could spend a few weeks per year in Thailand. Plenty of short timers here if he wants women.

Now, would I lie to you?

Sorry but you obviously have not read the full thread or the Ops answers which cover all this...and he stated he wants awife ..not short times..

I have the name & contact details of a Bkk lawyer (Farang & US embassy recommended) who has handled issues like this ie: collecting $$) for 30+ years. If you want details PM me.

1) make sure i can get the best medical cover to allow meto be treated in Thailand.

Just to point out the chances of getting medical cover of any sort with his conditions is pretty much ZERO

Agreed, which is why he should consider staying with National Health or going to a country where the cash payments for such treatments are in reach. Thailand's trend is much higher costs for medical care.

Didnt say he should buy the cover from a Thai insurer. What i said was "make sure i can get cover" - he could do that in UK or even Singapore from an International Insurer , for the best cover available - sure i agree no other Insurer will cover him like the NHS will, but then if he takes that view (which it appears he is not) he would have to remain in UK.

If i were you i would talk directly (no brokers/advisors needed) to some of the reputable private banks in Singapore (ICICI, Soc Gen) They are secure, low tax, better than average returns.

If i were you in this situation i would do the following;

1) make sure i can get the best medical cover to allow meto be treated in Thailand.

2) talk to some of the private banks in Singapore (ICICI, SocGen,) and find out what they can offer me on my money in a fixed deposit or the like. They generally take good care of private banking customers and theire rates of return are above average. If that question is answered to my satisfaction then;

3) Move to Thailand with my health insurance in place and my money deposited with a reputable bank in Singapore (secure, low tax rates, world class private banking)

4) On the finding a wife, you obviously have experience but still take care. Nonetheless if your money is fixed in Singapore it is less likely to get sucked out of you, becasue you have to think before being able remove it from the bank.

Good luck..

Random checking.

It happens in many places, not only UK.