27 minutes ago, Antonymous said:

I've been here 30 years and moved lock, stock and barrel, selling my house and everything I had in the UK and investing every penny I had in Thailand. It always makes me laugh when I read comments like 'never invest in Thailand'. Well, those people will never make any money in Thailand! What a lost opportunity.

I bet you wouldn't make the same move now, Covid aside. 

 

9 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Then find the flight cancelled with no refund ......... 100% loss.

Still better than maxing out the credit card from back home and being in debt, and many do.  ????

43 minutes ago, Antonymous said:

I've been here 30 years and moved lock, stock and barrel, selling my house and everything I had in the UK and investing every penny I had in Thailand.

After the Tom Yum Kung crisis? It's always a good time to invest at the bottom. But now there are a lot more places than just SEA that are going to have a dip.

9 hours ago, bert bloggs said:

we also have joint bank accounts in the UK we used to live there

My wife has a joint bank account with me but has never lived in the UK.

Credit Unions give 6% interest.

3 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

After the Tom Yum Kong crisis? It's always a good time to invest at the bottom. But now there are a lot more places than just SEA that are going to have a dip.

The world is definitely a very different place today. But there is no other place I would rather lay my hat than Thailand. One of the reasons I chose to move here originally, apart from all the opportunities, was the relative freedom that Thailand allows, particularly to expats. That's still a valid reason. I'm not in the slightest bothered or affected by Visa regulations. By the way, it is much easier today to set up and do business here than it was thirty years ago!

4 minutes ago, Antonymous said:

The world is definitely a very different place today. But there is no other place I would rather lay my hat than Thailand.

Where else have you been?

11 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Credit Unions give 6% interest.

You gotta link to that ?

16 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Where else have you been?

All European countries, most of the Middle East, Africa and the USA for my work. Most countries in South and SE Asia, Japan, China and New Zealand for pleasure. I also pay close attention to global expat newsletters and wealth related research studies that discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different countries. You may be surprised to know that Thailand is right up there in the latter category.

 

What Thailand is not good for is expats with little money. But the OP is clearly not in that unfortunate category.

On 8/20/2020 at 2:38 PM, BritManToo said:

I'd invest in a Gik

Gik is singular - that gets boring after a while

10 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Me Too .......... and it lasted 30 years before she moved on with my house, my car, my children, my dog , my savings and half my pension.

Nobody can claim marriage success until after one of you is dead. 

killed  by the other no doubt

23 minutes ago, Antonymous said:

You may be surprised to know that Thailand is right up there in the latter category.

Of course it is, when you have invested every penny in Thailand.  ????

 

Thailand is fast losing its appeal to western tourists, and investors.  

1 hour ago, Antonymous said:

Lots of amusing answers here about buying bars and girls and I hope you don't fall for that!

 

I've been here 30 years and moved lock, stock and barrel, selling my house and everything I had in the UK and investing every penny I had in Thailand.

Although you may have been better off keeping the house in the UK and renting it out , the house would be worth about 10 times now as what you sold it for 

42 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

You gotta link to that ?

Don't know what Credit Union Ivor was taking about, but a lot of banks in Vietnam are paying 6% on term deposits.

 

Here's one of them.  

 

https://portal.vietcombank.com.vn/en-Us/Personal/IR/Pages/interest-rate.aspx?devicechannel=default

3 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

Although you may have been better off keeping the house in the UK and renting it out , the house would be worth about 10 times now as what you sold it for 

Whilst the house in Thailand is worthless.  

4 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Don't know what Credit Union Ivor was taking about, but a lot of banks in Vietnam are paying 6% on term deposits.

 

Here's one of them.  

 

https://portal.vietcombank.com.vn/en-Us/Personal/IR/Pages/interest-rate.aspx?devicechannel=default

 

That's not in USD though... so inflation will eat away at your gains. Unless you expect VN currency inflation to quickly drop to near 0?

2 minutes ago, Barnabe said:

 

That's not in USD though... so inflation will eat away at your gains. Unless you expect VN currency inflation to quickly drop to near 0?

I would never suggest depositing your life savings in Vietnam, or Thailand, but I know a few expats in Vietnam that have moved just enough to live reasonably comfortable off the interest. 

 

The cost of living in Vietnam is  lot cheaper than Thailand, so easy to do.  

On 8/20/2020 at 12:59 PM, fdsa said:

In selling girls online - it's one of the very few profitable businesses in Thailand.

You will lose your investments in any other business here with 99% probability.

        Correct . 

       That Explains why , the pretty one's , under 30 , dont work the Bars , anymore..

 

10 minutes ago, Leaver said:

I would never suggest depositing your life savings in Vietnam, or Thailand, but I know a few expats in Vietnam that have moved just enough to live reasonably comfortable off the interest. 

 

The cost of living in Vietnam is  lot cheaper than Thailand, so easy to do.  

 

But if you live off the interest, then your principal still gets eaten away by inflation?

7 minutes ago, Barnabe said:

 

But if you live off the interest, then your principal still gets eaten away by inflation?

How old do you think these guys are?  How many years do you think they have left?  They maintain assets in their home country, which are also income producing, which they can call upon if needed, otherwise, they will be left to their kids upon their demise.  

 

22 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

Although you may have been better off keeping the house in the UK and renting it out , the house would be worth about 10 times now as what you sold it for 

 

Actually, not so and I wanted to use the proceeds of the house sale to start a business, which is much more interesting, gave me some authority and status in my chosen country and was a multiple more profitable. Besides, having the bother of managing tenants in the UK and then being taxed on the income doesn't bear thinking about. I rarely visit the UK and may never do so again.

 

I checked the most recent prices that my past houses in the UK have sold for (wish we could do this in Thailand). One up country has appreciated at just 3% a year. The two in fashionable parts of London have appreciated at 8% a year. My investments in land in Thailand have appreciated at 15-20% a year

Just now, Leaver said:

How old do you think these guys are?  How many years do you think they have left?  They maintain assets in their home country, which are also income producing, which they can called upon if needed, otherwise, will be left to their kids upon their demise.  

 

Ok I see what you mean. I do like Vietnam, although it won't be my choice for retiring, especially if I have money.

2 minutes ago, Barnabe said:

 

Ok I see what you mean. I do like Vietnam, although it won't be my choice for retiring, especially if I have money.

What are your top 3 choices?

Just now, Leaver said:

What are your top 3 choices?

 

I'm still far away from it, but if I have enough money I think I'll probably spend the rest of my life between my home country in Europe and Thailand, with long leisure trips to other places around the year.

 

All in business class flights of course ????

4 minutes ago, Antonymous said:

My investments in land in Thailand have appreciated at 15-20% a year

Link please.

 

If talking about property in Thailand, good luck selling.

 

Any appreciation in value is only perceived value, until it sells, and nothing was moving even before Covid.  

1 minute ago, Antonymous said:

 

Actually, not so and I wanted to use the proceeds of the house sale to start a business, which is much more interesting, gave me some authority and status in my chosen country and was a multiple more profitable. Besides, having the bother of managing tenants in the UK and then being taxed on the income doesn't bear thinking about. I rarely visit the UK and may never do so again.

 

I checked the most recent prices that my past houses in the UK have sold for (wish we could do this in Thailand). One up country has appreciated at just 3% a year. The two in fashionable parts of London have appreciated at 8% a year. My investments in land in Thailand have appreciated at 15-20% a year

Those two houses in London must be worth at least £ 500 000 GBP each by now , probably closer to £ 1.5 million for both of them . Would have been worth £50 000 30 years ago 

  Would get at least £ 2000 a month rent per house .

That would be £48 000 per year and you would still  have £1-1.5 million in assets

Not sure about land, but anyone holding condos (and possibly houses) in Thailand right now only has paper gains from the last 10 years. If you try to sell it for hard cash you'll be lucky if you recover even 50% of that paper gain. And I'm being very generous.

10 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

Those two houses in London must be worth at least £ 500 000 GBP each by now , probably closer to £ 1.5 million for both of them . Would have been worth £50 000 30 years ago 

  Would get at least £ 2000 a month rent per house .

That would be £48 000 per year and you would still  have £1-1.5 million in assets

But that can't match a bar in Pattaya and a pig farm in Issan.  ????

6 minutes ago, Barnabe said:

Not sure about land, but anyone holding condos (and possibly houses) in Thailand right now only has paper gains from the last 10 years. If you try to sell it for hard cash you'll be lucky if you recover even 50% of that paper gain. And I'm being very generous.

A paper gain isn't worth the paper its written on.  ????

 

You are correct.  Not only has the property depreciated with age, but it has depreciated due to market forces. (supply and demand)

 

They keep building and building here, with no town planning, and no thought to property values and a sustainable property market. 

 

The western theory of "rent is dead money" is not applicable in Thailand.  No point in buying when the money for the exact same property you are living in, if invested elsewhere, returns more than the cost of renting the property, plus, you have the capital on call and not tied up in a worthless Thai property.   

Invest in business in Singapore or Malaysia where the laws are in English that you can read, the contracts you sign are in English.

Does the law protects you in thailand? Do you trust your Thai lawyers? Rip off by lawyers in thailand are not unheard of.

In Singapore or Malaysia if you are not satisfied with the court case decision you could take the case to the Queen's counsel in England.

First rule in thailand do not invest your money here or even buy properties. Rent not buy.

There are many countries where you can enjoy living but you do not do business- why? Go check it out.

Oh I enjoy living in Thailand so much so I am going to invest my money here and enjoy even more. Wrong move. Enjoy living here is different from doing business here.

Invest your money in safe country near to Thailand so you can travel there to check on your business.

Have good Thai friends is very very good. Business? Well, look around , ask around you will find out.