Bahts Wanting A Home

[corkscrew]

My Thai wife has accumulated quite a lot of Thai money since we have been married. Currently she keeps it in the bank where the interest rate is very moderate.

Though I am familiar with investing in shares and bonds in the US and the UK, I am on unfamiliar ground here in Thailand.

I would like her to place her money in something that gives a little better return than the bank....but, still is relatively safe. She wants to keep this money in Thailand. Any ideas?

Incidentally, how does one buy company shares or government bonds in Thailand? Are there street level brokerage houses here?

Thanks in advance.

[HarryHacker]

Why not talk to her bank? They all have investment departments.

This link is for SCB, I'm sure they can all offer a similar service.

http://www.scb.co.th/eng/eng_main_retail_inv.shtml

[corkscrew]

Why not talk to her bank? They all have investment departments.

This link is for SCB, I'm sure they can all offer a similar service.

http://www.scb.co.th/eng/eng_main_retail_inv.shtml

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you....I checked out the web site. It was very useful.

[Thetyim]

Similar products can be had from Ayudhya Bank and Bank of Asia

[simcity]

i think gold will go higher next year ..

[LivinLOS]

Gold is trending into a serious bull stage.. the recent pullback is now hitting solid resistance and as long as it hold in the short term I expect the uptrend to continue solidly..

Personally I have taken a major stake in the yellow metal back at about 375.. I firmly belive we could see 800 late next year and even 1 - 1.5k in the longer term (3 years)..

[Sunny Valentine]

I tend to agree on your opinion on Gold, LivinLOS. But it seems that the upward trend of Gold corresponds with the Dollars downward spiral, as Gold in Euro has not made a big jump at all in the last few Years.

Maybe 1500 for Gold, with 3 or 4$ to the Euro?

What do the experts think?

Sunny

[Steve2UK]

Just a thought....... I noticed on the Siam Commercial Bank site that the interest rates for Sterling (GB Pounds) is 3-4 times higher than for Baht and better than all the other foreign currencies. Might be worth finding out about the benefit/cost of buying Sterling and keeping it in a Sterling deposit account at Siam Commercial or similar?

(Most analysts regard Sterling's future as good and stable - based on solid fundamentals in the UK economy). The rest depends on commission costs going into/out of Sterling........... unless there is a limit on buying foreign currencies? (I don't know). BTW, depending on the amount - you would probably get a much better rate through a currency broker rather than through any Bank.

The points above about gold are also sensible - its rise (in US$) is matched almost exactly by the fall in the US$ rate against the Euro & Sterling, so gold hasn't increased in those currencies' values by anything like the same amount. BUT - if the Baht is effectively linked to the US$ and if you're only interested in the domestic worth of the Baht, then holding gold when its US$ (and therefore Baht) price is going up has to be good.

Steve

[corkscrew]

My Thai wife has accumulated quite a lot of Thai money since we have been married. Currently she keeps it in the bank where the interest rate is very moderate.

Though I am familiar with investing in shares and bonds in the US and the UK, I am on unfamiliar ground here in Thailand.

I would like her to place her money in something that gives a little better return than the bank....but, still is relatively safe. She wants to keep this money in Thailand. Any ideas?

Incidentally, how does one buy company shares or government bonds in Thailand? Are there street level brokerage houses here?

Thanks in advance.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We finally decided on a condo in a nice building. At least we can live in it.

[Sunny Valentine]

Steve, this July I transferred a reasonable sum to Pound from Euro (the two-horses syndrom, and I rejected the dollar, wisely maybe). So far the Sterling lost some 5% to the Euro. I get 3.8% a Year instead of 1.4% in the Euro, that's by far not enough to cover the losses. Well, time will tell ....

On concentrating on the Baht: You're right, but only if everything runs as smooth as it did in the last few Years. When the shit hits the fan and the Baht goes the way it deserves with this populist treacheous governement, then expect high inflation, and pray to god/buddah/allah that you have your dough in a stable currency!

Sunny

[Harmonica]

Corkscrew: Cash is King at this juncture! Sometime within the next several weeks, the USD will very likely reverse course and outclass and eclipse ALL other currencies. Gold will be heading back to $350. The Baht, which is very strong now, will reverse and head towards 46 and above. The year for the Dollar is 2005. Switch from Baht to USD within the next 2 months. Open a USD account @ HSBC in Singapore or SCB in Thailand. Cash is King! Goodluck!

[ZOVOX]

Corkscrew:  Cash is King at this juncture!  Sometime within the next several weeks, the USD will very likely reverse course and outclass and eclipse ALL other currencies.  Gold will be heading back to $350.  The Baht, which is very strong now, will reverse and head towards 46 and above.  The year for the Dollar is 2005.  Switch from Baht to USD within the next 2 months.  Open a USD  account @ HSBC in Singapore or SCB in Thailand.  Cash is King!  Goodluck!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What is your reasoning ? Most experts seem to think the dollar will continue to fall next year.

[Steve2UK]

Hi Sunny - I think most people were surprised at the at the UK£ - Euro change (I remember the rate sitting at or near UK£1 = Euro 1.60 for quite a while and then it slipped to the current UK£1 = Euro 1.44.......... at about the same time that you bought into the UK£ )

For what it's worth, the consensus seems to be that the Euro is way overvalued (against the UK£, anyway) and that there will almost certainly be an adjustment. My comments weren't about UK£ versus Euro but rather about interest rates available for UK£ deposits. Having said that, even if Harmonica is half-right about US$ reversing course (personally, I think it's more like 2 YEARS - Bush needs a low dollar to boost exports/production/employment and thus partly counter the lunatic & growing deficit for as long as he can get away with it), then Sterling still looks good.

In any event, given the unpredictability of the Thai & neigbouring economies, I would still want to keep the bulk of my money in a "hard" (stable) currency.

[Steve2UK]

Corkscrew:  Cash is King at this juncture!  Sometime within the next several weeks, the USD will very likely reverse course and outclass and eclipse ALL other currencies.  Gold will be heading back to $350.  The Baht, which is very strong now, will reverse and head towards 46 and above.  The year for the Dollar is 2005.  Switch from Baht to USD within the next 2 months.  Open a USD  account @ HSBC in Singapore or SCB in Thailand.  Cash is King!  Goodluck!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What is your reasoning ? Most experts seem to think the dollar will continue to fall next year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Couldn't agree more!

[Steve2UK]

BTW, just 5 mins ago CNN carried an interview with an analyst from BusinessWeek.......... who said that she sees a strong possibility that the US$ will slide another 10% in 2005.

Just another economist, I guess

Edited December 15, 2004 by Steve2UK

[thaistick]

Corkscrew:  Cash is King at this juncture!  Sometime within the next several weeks, the USD will very likely reverse course and outclass and eclipse ALL other currencies.  Gold will be heading back to $350.  The Baht, which is very strong now, will reverse and head towards 46 and above.  The year for the Dollar is 2005.  Switch from Baht to USD within the next 2 months.  Open a USD  account @ HSBC in Singapore or SCB in Thailand.  Cash is King!  Goodluck!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sure.

Lets see.

1.The world's central banks are dumping dollars for euros.

2. China is using its dollars to buy asian currencies and gold and oil fields and mining companies.

3.America's debt levels are the highest of any country's in world history.All categories of debt have been pushed to the limit - internal, external, private and public.

4.America's Walmart/Mcdonalds economy is 75% a service economy whose world famous brands/exports are big macs and coke(lardburgers and colored water).

5.The American borrow and spend society has third world literacy and educational levels and basically a zero savings rate.

6.Greenspan's easy-money policies has created a real estate bubble to dwarf any past stock market bubble.

7.OPEC and other oil producers like Russia are slowly switching to to euros to trade oil.

8.The USA is not exactly too popular with the world.

9.Everyone from billionaire investor Buffet betting 18 billion on shorting the dollar to poor third world people refusing dollars spells lack of confidence in the king dollar.Sound as the dollar?

10.There is now nothing the USA can do to prevent the collapse of its currency, and its economy. It has no reserves to support its value, and as the most indebted country in the world, is dependant on the credit from Asia.Russia and China have said they will be switching their considerable dollar reserves into Euro.The Japanese central bank president is so nervous of the billions they are losing every day he is considering hari kiri.Billions are spent trying to stabilize Iraq.Think Rome and the sorrows of empire.This will only hasten the lack of confidence in the dollar, creating a global lack of confidence in the currency, and setting into free-fall. It will soon bring about the total collapse of the dollar, and the American economy.

The dollar's future sure looks rosy!

Edited December 15, 2004 by thaistick

[aughie]

BTW, just 5 mins ago CNN carried an interview with an analyst from BusinessWeek.......... who said that she sees a strong possibility that the US$ will slide another 10% in 2005.

Just another economist, I guess

CNN's viewers for the most part don't like Bush. So CNN finds those experts who will bad mouth Bush policies, the economy, etc. It's good for their ratings. CNN is not C-SPAN. CNN is a news service seeking to make a profit. They give their viewers what they like. If the ratings go up they can charge more for their commercial spots.

Concerning the dollar, it may drop 10%. It has lost 42-44% against the Euro in the past four years. Let the Chinese come in with all their dollars and shop for office buildings and golf courses like the Japanese did. In 10 years they may be selling them off at a loss too. Never underestimate the yanqui trader. When it gets down to it where do people invest for security? Not Russia, China, or Europe. I am an American. I gotta see a favorable outcome for the U.S..

-a

[Harmonica]

Zovox:

Yes, most analysts are very bearish the USD and some have even gone public with statements suggesting the decline will continue into 2006 and beyond. The general public too, being usually heavily influenced by these fat cats, is vehemently negative about the USD.

My earlier statements stand! Basis? Technical Analysis. When will the turn occur? Don't know, except that it is inevitable. I have already made my moves and wait patiently. Considering the opposition I could very well be wrong and take a big hit; nevertheless it is my stance.

Regards

Harmonica

[Harmonica]

Thaistick:

Very compelling arguments, all of which I'm aware of and could probably add even more to your list of reasons WHY the Dollar will collapse even further.

Were you one of the fellows, along with the pro analysts who stated similar things back in early January this year? None were prepared for the Dollar rally and the corresponding collapse of the Baht and SET Index. The SET lost about 225 points and thousands of poor unfortunates with reasoning similar to yours, are still holding and sweating it out!!!!

Since 2000, three other occassions come to mind where the herd put forth equally compelling arguments and each time they were so busy being negative, they failed to capitalize on the rallies, some of which were quite rewarding.

This time though, I am not talking about just a several week rally -- I am expecting a several month, perhaps 1-2 yr. major upward surge.

It's a differing opinion, granted!

Regards

Harmonica