seykota

My wife always says No No No! to any family members who 'put the bite' on her.

I never need to get involved. I explained early on that the myth that farangs money grows on trees, was exactly that a MYTH.

They all know they are on a good wicket & only a couple ask, rarely.

I agree that it gains their respect.

pete

3 years, very happily married to a Thai with 3 boys. We live in the North East in a 'village' & our farm is a couple of kms away.

I am an Oz Investment Adviser (Self Managed Super Funds), thus I spend a total of 4 months in my office in Oz split over 5 visits per year.

Thank 'which ever God' for the Net.

Will be 'retiring' in LOS in the not too distant future.

regards to all, pete

My kids will be a school & the family working. I will ring my Mum in Oz & leave it at that.

New Years Eve, now thats different.....

pete

I electronic transfer AUD to BKK bank account on a regular basis, no problems. 24 hours & can ring BKK bank dedicated line to check if funds have arrived.

However, both the Oz bank & thai bank are obligated to report sizable (>A$10,000) or 'suspicous' transactions re criminal proceeds, money laundering, terrorists etc.

Regular $5 -7 k (monthly schedule) appears acceptable.

regards pete

Do some research first. Mutual funds, as a generalisation, suck. Look for Listed Investment Companies, better Buy / Sell spread, lower management fees, less institutional influence.

Also do not limit yourself to the Thai market as the Corporate Governance issues etc are still at infancy stage (read: SET a tad dodgy eg mkt manipulation.....) & smaller investors (punters) are the "patsies".

Many opportunities but do not rely on a broker.

regards pete

Bronco, thanks for the info. I will check the site & hopefully arrive for a chilled article in the near future.

pete

Many thanks Steve, he was born at the Nong Bua Lamphu hospital.

Australia definitely  allows dual citizenship & you confirm other information I have been provided.

ta pete

samuisam, I assume you are bored?

"and their low self-esteem is revealed by them attaching themselves to reject  unattractive Issan females."

I will assume this is a generalisation?

I am married to an attractive Issan lady & have 3 boys. We live in the Issan region and have a good size cattle farm. Personally I hire my brother in law (Issan Thai- a more honest chap I have never met! farang or thai)  I am 43 yrs old & have a very successful investment advisory company in Australia. A farmer I am not!

My Thai family earn a good living from the farm rather than the subsistance rice farming their neighbours under take

My point is, if I am a BUM, you must be the Sultan of Brunei?

Generalisations leave much to interpretation.

pete

jayenram, thanks for that info, is the name of the establishment you frequent a secret or an Australian chap join in? we're not bad at spinning a yarn etc

pete

We live on a farm in Nong Bua Lampu province and I agree that the vast majority of items/services are cheaper than my country of origin, Australia].

My experiences are that stereo's, tv's and electrical appliances are definately cheaper. Obviously, the profit "margin" for a business (ours is cattle farming) is greater here because in Australia, as with most western countries, labour is the largest component in business expenses.

This is not the case in northeast Thailand, punters are very happy to have employment, short term or more permanent, though the employer must accept the Thai work process ie work flat chat for an hour then have 1/2 hour smoko but when they only expect 2-3,000 Baht per month, a good deal in my experience.  

seykota

I agree with SeaVisionBurma

My then GF, now wife,  applied for a holiday visa saying she wished to spend 6 weeks in Australia.

The purpose? To meet my family & be a tourist. She presented phone records showing daily calls, a joint account with Bangkok Bank 300,000 Baht.

Also a letter from me to her family explaining MY future plans which were/are to spend 2 months in Thailand & then 2 months in Australia for the forseeable future, leading to fulltime living in Thailand. Plus a letter stating my position in my company (owner) & salary directed at the visa section Australian Embassy, on company letterhead.

She was granted a 3 month Tourist visa, HOWEVER, the consulate official told her she could stay for 2 months only, thus we ensured she returned to Thailand in 7 weeks.

The 2nd visa was granted within 1 hour of applying no interview and for 3 months.

Slowly, carefully & thoughtfully; remember in this situation "the customer is NOT always right"

seykota