crazygreg44

Hello, I must point out that I agree with some posters, who say that you are planning based on a false assumption regarding the visa. Maybe there are types of visas in some other countries, for foreigners who enter the country to invest a large sum and live there, but seriously and factually, not in Thailand. Not even a 50 million Baht investment can buy you such a visa.

When you say that you are planning to contribute to the Thai economy, by hiring a driver, gardener, housemaid and tutor, this is downright laughable. Big investor ? Are you aware what you are talking about, Thailand does not need your investment, you might be in the need of theirs. Tourism and foreigners contribute around 3-5% to the Thai GDP, and there are many Thais who keep saying they don t need you, which is absolutely right.

You have obviously made up most of your plan using false information. This is regarding the visa type and also the fact that you need to live a low-profile life, otherwise you are violating the work laws of your host country. As for hiring locals, keep in mind that this is not the typical "hire-fire" country, when firing a local because of a small problem, in Asia this means "loss of face" and can result into a revenge based tragedy. You should learn a bit more about the culture and the social life before you impose yourself into a dangerous trap.

I give you one strong advice , the same which has also emerged in this post - go have a holiday in Thailand, experience the infrastructure, speak to expats living there, check out conditions and prices , Phuket has international schools as well as Hua Hin has one, both offer acceptable internet speeds for your needs ( however, illegal and i would never mention to the company setting up your internet that you trade stocks from out of there) and, most of all, please go check with the Embassy of Thailand in Canada on the visa types you will be able to obtain to give you a one year stay, without having to do border runs, as this is the weakest part of your plan.

I don't know what kind of problems you guys have ! I always take 500 Euro (!) banknotes to Thailand, and every exchange booth, bank or chinese money exchange take it. Sometimes they ask for the passport, sometimes they don't ! Al i make sure is that I do not take more than the allowed 10,000 Euros out of my port of origin in Europe.

As to the posters who are afraid of sniffer dogs : In the US, they already got scanners that can scan the little metal stripes inside each banknote. when you pass through the scanner, the machine knows exactly how much you are carrying on you. So beginners, beware ! These machines are on the wish-list of airport duty officers !

I recommend Khun Pat and her family's K C Guesthouse , Soi Kai Chae, Pra Sumen Road , Banglumpoo

it is not so easy to find for newcomers. It is right next to the 7/11 . . ..very close to the Old Fort and the small park by the river

I found no phone number except on this website . it says 0 2629 0342

location on interactive map : http://www.ebangkok.org/map.asp?id=7349

Just go there by taxi straight from the airport. They will have a room and if they don t , they will recommend you another.

If you have boxes and need security, they have the solution !

Lonely Planet review :

Sweet and simple, this welcoming family-run Guest House offers comfortable cheap sleeps behind a friendly outdoor restaurant. The location is excellent: tucked into the funky Pra Athit area, just minutes from both Khao San Rd and the Pra Athit Pier.

There might be no fancy frills or aesthetic thrills here but the sight of all those spotless tiles and fresh-painted walls is one for sore eyes in this neck of the woods. The rooms are all of a similar basic standard but prices increase according to the extras - specially tailored for travellers wanting to pay only for what's necessary. So you start with a basic, empty fan room, and for extra baht you can add air-con, a safety deposit box, towel, toilet/shower or even furniture. The place is well maintained by friendly Khun Pat and her family, who speak good English. There is also a relatively extensive traveller's library to peruse. You can read and hang out at the pleasant restaurant, amidst the fans and plants. Guests are not even obliged to order, but with the colourful juice bar and great curries you may well be tempted.

This is what the bomb shelters are like ! They don t talk about underground bunkers . This is Thai country style bunker !

Not all Thai women are scammers, and not all Farangs are fools.

It takes the two of both , to join the myth of Thai ladies milking farangs while they think that demise can be avoided with running illegal businesses.

Bought a bar, ruined it ? Sounds familar ! House in the village ? Why, the family can live in the chicken shacks more comfortably ! Shop in the Moo Baan ? What will you sell that makes a profit, Tom Yam Instant soup for 8 Baht ?

Wasn't it proclaimed in this forum, every year , from the very start : " never invest any more in Thailand that you are willing to loose" ?

I have no mercy with these soldiers of fortune. Som Nam Na !

To the OP I can give only one advice : RUN and never come back. Go to Costa Rica or the Phillipines for retirement !

Lufthansa got nice deals for 800 Euro both ways, but unfortunately only for Munich - Bangkok and retour, not vice versa ! Same applies to Thai Airways. If you are in Phuket, you can catch a flight one way to Germany for 350 Euros by Air Berlin . Go to their website. You can then fly back to Bangkok on a 500 Euro both ways carrier, and just don t board the return flight. It s still cheaper than anything we mentioned here . .

another Kayak search got me Egypt Air. If you accept one stopover, the price for a return flight from Bangkok to Munich and retour is 24,500 Baht which is less than 600 Euros.

If you need help, PM me your preferred flight dates and I run a search for them . . .

Long time ago I found out, when you fiddle with dates, and don t hesitate to re-do the search the other day, you end up with different results. also on this forum somebody has mentioned to get the best prices on Tuesdays and Wednesdays because of Airline management - which one could consider an insider tipp. Kayak offers some side menues which show fluctuations of prices and availabilities. It's always worth checking. For direct flights to Munich actually not many airlines fly, but if you accept a 14-16 hour - one stopover itinerary, it is not that bad and can often be done for 400-600 Euro less. Anyone with a small budget should rethink his/her travel sheme.

Hope this info helps. CG

You should modify you search, and try different dates which are close to your preferred travel dates.

I did a random search BKK to MUC , both ways, both flights on a tuesday, ONLY direct flight. Kayak gets me Air Berlin at 35,742 Baht !

You need to fiddle with options and be flexible, I bet a case of beer you can find flights for around 800 Euros !

Abreise: Di 17.5. Rückreise: Di 7.6. +1 Tag (Reisedauer: 23 Tage) 35742 ฿ Economy 1 Anbieter Air Berlin BKK AB BKK 11:40 MUC 22:0011:40 MUC AB MUC 15:00 BKK 9:4015:00 MUC 22:00 BKK 9:40 15:20 Std. 0 13:40 Std. 0 Details speichern teilen 9016375ba88833fc3a7db9bb37a641e0

You should modify you search, and try different dates which are close to your preferred travel dates.

I did a random search BKK to MUC , both ways, both flights on a tuesday, ONLY direct flight. Kayak gets me Air Berlin at 35,742 Baht !

You need to fiddle with options and be flexible, I bet a case of beer you can find flights for around 800 Euros !

in my GF's place - emerald triangle - the women of the village pluck the nests from the trees. These young , fresh from the nest ants, along with the larvae just hatching - which is said to be the DELICACY of ant-related dishes - these young ants are the toppping of a somtam-cucumber-style salad.

I would not expect a kid raised within Thai plus Farang customs to be overly surprised. Eating ants widely accepted. Maybe your son was just not expecting his Farang father from going as far as chewing onto a few eight-legged crawlers without the assistance of a good hot ketchup.

ya get used to it all . . takes time and antennas out !

TIT . . i never want to be asked how many times I escaped a near accident, by being foresighted and defensive in Thai everyday traffic. I was told . . open eye, open ears, high-up antennas. It is the only way to bear with Thais who "break" the law by defining their own "law". This is Thai Traffic. TITT !

Dude -- you gotta enter Cambodia in order to to get the casinos.

That's not true.

Most of the casinos are in no mans land.

this is true for Thais ! But not for foreigners !

ah yeah and I forgot to mention. Always seek to give all the landless , poor village inhabitants a chance to work . Hire them for field work harvest, planting , etc. Like the Thai always in their history did. It is cheaper than a Kuboto and good for the reputation of your family in the village. It feeds the landless and helps community life. Kubotos are only good for the traders. They don t really ease work neither do they simplify it. They just shift the job from the landless to one poor sucker who drives it every day . . .

it has been taught and said on this forum : If you invest into something in Thailand, be willing to loose it.

A Kuboto tractor is easily bought and used, However, know your family well. The question always is, do they know and are they trained to keep the tractor maintained and serviced well ? I doubt so. In the Eesarn, I have seen more than many numerous farm machine devices left to rot and rust after a few years of use. Nobody here will ever care about just oil the tools weekly. Before you can not be sure that your dumb family members know how to maintain a steel tool, you better never buy such for them. You will be dissapointed at the results on a long term. Your tractor will be inefficient and broke soon after the first little problem that arises. Make sure your family is rich enough to pay for the repairs

amazing all the comments made on this post. Let alone what it could teach a wannabe Thai electrician what he/she has to look out for. Just overwhelming how the death of the two poor innocent shower users has developed a minor occurence, while discussions that arose in the forum have reached sky scratching levels. I have always been amazed at the poor electrical wiring that welcomes you everywhere in Thailand. It is sub standard in most places, and I feel there is no excuse. Lets face reality and live with it. It is just too sad that young people are not aware of the dangers that await them in a substandard country. Somebody please tell them first.

Buy her a Thai Airways ticket. Thai Airways staff will always help her, in her own lingo. Any problems arise, her lingo. Any help needed, her lingo. Why would you ever consider any other airline than Thai Airways to book your Thai girlfriend's first ever flight ? To make it aseasy and comfortable a trip for her ? It has never been a question to any of the GENTLEMEN who are reading and commenting this forum !

DHL is offering an extra bagagge transport in Germany. Maybe they offer a similar service for the UK , it would be worth while to check

that's but all I found

http://www.dhl.com/en/logistics/freight_transportation/air_freight/heavy_goods_air_freight.html

Same with me. So when I read something interesting which I find worthy to keep, I mark the text , copy and paste it into my Windows Editor. Name it with the topic and store the file in my "THAI VISA TEXTS " folder . . . . .

From out of the Editor, printing is easy . . . .

OK so maybe 30K minimum extra if needed.

When I was in BKK last time I just used the local buses/boats which was a loy better than using taxis the time before. Not just price but actually enjoyment of blending in.

If I stay in BKK id still like a flat within a 30 min walk of Lumpini park. How much would this cost. Just a studio would do but maybe a flat wih kitchen appliances would be nice so I can shop at markets and take cooking classes, and invite people around for dinner.

google for 9apartment . . it gives you all the locations, all the condos and apartments, and all the info . .

I am surprised - aside from your questions - that you can hold two citizenships. I always thought , that when a luk krung turns 18, he/she must decide which one of the two citizenships he/she prefers, and reject the other one. As far as I know, German authorities do not allow multiple citizenships.

WW, might I ask what do you do during the week when you are not warrioring, presumably?

Regards

WW probably is molesting cows via the backdoor , when he is not out mutilating them on his picnics . . .

Maybe they just don't trust the staff / other guests at their backpackers?

Or more likely, they're just on their way in / out of the city? Everyone has to pass through BKK, if you're on a budget though you're probably better off heading to the next destination as quickly as possible

I'd probably agree with SlyAnimal. When you are staying in the cheapest of the guest houses they aren't all that safe. Back packers lose their stuff all the time... to other back packers. I've often wondered what they are carrying, myself. If you are back packing there usually isn't any more room to buy ANYTHING. Even when I'm traveling by motorbike I can only carry so much stuff, and I'm always loaded with extra stuff like cameras and fishing tackle.

Well, I am not talking about "backpackers" but about "quality" tourists. And they are wearing their backpacks, albeit small ones

when they are exploring the city. Do they do this when they return to their home countries? I think not. Hence my question.

Whether one is a tourist or at home - a small backpack is very useful to hold shoppings and the water bottle, it hides the camera from sight and is regarded much safer from snatchers than any odd handbag as it is not so easy to entangle it from your grip ! In Germany many people walk the cities equipped with backpacks, they have become a useful utility when out shopping or just enjoying the breeze. Literally all tourists there carry them. When lodging in a guesthouse in Thailand, I take my valuables in my backpack, as I regard it safer than leaving it in the "security" of a small guesthouse ( I have been robbed three times in these premises already with things vanished from my room ) . I guess many "backpacking quality" tourists just don t want to carry their waterbottle in one hand , while the camera dangles openly from their neck , vulnerable and an open invitation for grabbers, and the unavoidable mobile phone in the other hand. It's a piece of equipment of our modern times, the brandnames mimicking social status ! Personally I find a small backpack essential when you are touring a foreign country - ever tried to board a riverboat taxi loaded with both hands full ? Backpacks also add a whole new meaning to the famous question " What's in a lady's purse?" ! You might eventually see more ladies with backpacks than men, thus having answered two thirds of your question , as these baggies have replaced the good old "purses". Your question actually is the modern version of this old phrase, millions of men have wondered about this yet. Dare to ask HER - expect some surprises !

If you dislike grills by the windows and broken glass on the walltops, just post a large sign in front of your house that says : " Dear thieves, my money is in the bank, my TV is 15 years old, my wife does not wear any gold and my living room is haunted by a ghost" . . it will surely help a bit !

I consider as long as you see them lugging around their backpacks, they are still looking for a decent hotel or guesthouse ! Or would you go for a drink at happy hour dragging your stuff around ? You see what you see, and it's not what you thought it is . . . . . .

If you reread my op, I clearly said: after they found their hotel of choice.

How do you know they already found their's ? You been asking them ?

When I am out for a walk. I usually take a small backpack , just in case I end up buying something

I consider as long as you see them lugging around their backpacks, they are still looking for a decent hotel or guesthouse ! Or would you go for a drink at happy hour dragging your stuff around ? You see what you see, and it's not what you thought it is . . . . . .