The g/f just called about a house we want to rent and actually managed to get the price down on the phone. Being a farang, is it best to let her sign the lease papers and then show my face, or is it ok to come out of the bushes now that the price has been agreed and I can sign the lease myself? Would they be likely to cry FARANG and bump the price up when they lay their eyes on me?

Any constructive comments gratefully appreciated.

Great idea. Let the GF do it all then emerge from the hedge.

If she already did the talk, let her do the walk and sign the contract. Particularly in Pattaya it has been my experience that a farang is often preferred, not only by landlords but also as the responsable for telephone and cable tv. Strange but true

Some places in Bangkok, too, prefer farang tenants and will actually charge them less than Thais.

Cheers guys. I'm actually in Chiang Mai and according to the security guard on the gate, he said it'd be best for the misses to call as they may hike up the price.

hmmmmm, well i was renting 2 5 storey shophouses 8 years ago for 5000baht per month each, i then realised i really didnt need 7 thai style bathrooms and 1 farang style bathroom for me the galfriend and me kid, so i went a looking, i wanted sea views but a shophouse with nothing done to it by thais, ie ply wood partitioned rooms and green foking tiles all over the place, i found a block of empty shop houses on jomtien beach rd and got the galfriend to phone em all up for the rental price, 5000 to 6000baht per month for an empty shell, i then got her to phone em all up offering 3000baht per month and to call back if they were interested, i mean these were empty shells without even windows or doors or electric cables inside let alone outside, anyway one phoned back and agreed to 3500 baht per month for 6 years, now after our 6 years are over we are paying 6000baht per month while our neighbours are paying 15,000 to 25,000baht per month.

the moral of the story is get in there early and make wild offers till somebody agrees, most thai landlords in tourist destinations want farangs to rent, they know they will get their rent money, in fact most thai motorbike renters will not rent to thais...

as for the security guard he has probably had 7 years schooling and u r taking his advice???

as for the security guard he has probably had 7 years schooling and u r taking his advice???

He actually spoke to the owner first, to which the owner asked if it was Thai or farang and the guy dropped the price from the original when passed on to the misses. Most of the guards are useless on the estate, but he was a diamond, if he only had 7 years schooling, it was a good 7.

as for the security guard he has probably had 7 years schooling and u r taking his advice???

He actually spoke to the owner first, to which the owner asked if it was Thai or farang and the guy dropped the price from the original when passed on to the misses. Most of the guards are useless on the estate, but he was a diamond, if he only had 7 years schooling, it was a good 7.

No doubt the owner treated him like a kwai ahd that's his way of gettin even.

hmmmmm, well i was renting 2 5 storey shophouses 8 years ago for 5000baht per month each, i then realised i really didnt need 7 thai style bathrooms and 1 farang style bathroom for me the galfriend and me kid, so i went a looking, i wanted sea views but a shophouse with nothing done to it by thais, ie ply wood partitioned rooms and green foking tiles all over the place, i found a block of empty shop houses on jomtien beach rd and got the galfriend to phone em all up for the rental price, 5000 to 6000baht per month for an empty shell, i then got her to phone em all up offering 3000baht per month and to call back if they were interested, i mean these were empty shells without even windows or doors or electric cables inside let alone outside, anyway one phoned back and agreed to 3500 baht per month for 6 years, now after our 6 years are over we are paying 6000baht per month while our neighbours are paying 15,000 to 25,000baht per month.

the moral of the story is get in there early and make wild offers till somebody agrees, most thai landlords in tourist destinations want farangs to rent, they know they will get their rent money, in fact most thai motorbike renters will not rent to thais...

what about when it rains???

dont all your stuff get wet?

must also be hot without a/c and no lights or tv must be a real problem.

hopefully you have a toilet or things would be dam right awful.

ply wood partitioned rooms and green foking tiles all over the place

Know the feeling there. rip em out immediately.

Just remember that if she signs the documents....she can kick you out and move another farang in!

Usually once a price has been agreed (most) Thais will not go back on it.