Selling gold - taxes

[mzmann]

Hi all, I just signed up after coming across this site in my searches for any info regarding Relocating to Chaing Mai.

I am wondering if anyone could help me with any information regarding a number of things. I am planning on moving to Chaing Mai sometime over the next few months or so and am looking at staying a minimum of 5 years (however I am sure that it will turn out to be more, haha) Any and all information would be greatly appreciated.

1. I work overseas in the Oil and Gas industry usually on a 35days on and 35 days off schedule. What would be my best options for Visa's? Obtain upon arrival? Get one arranged before leaving Canada? Also do I have to return to Canada to renew or replace passport when it is either full or ready to expire or can I do this there Via the Canadian embassy/consulate?

2. I am sure I would probably rent scooter/vehicle or do the taxi thing for the first bit, but what are the requirements in order for me to be able to purchase, register, insure, ect. also is a international license from Canada acceptable? I think I read something about tourist visa's not being acceptable in order to accomplish this, is this correct and if so, what would my other options be?

3. I have Bupa health insurance through my employer, but should I look at getting additional while living there? How much approx? And what are the general costs like otherwise for regular medical, general doctors visits, dental?

4. What are the approximate extra costs involved in living like there? Ie: Electricity, water, television, internet or any other regular or normal living costs that can occur.

5. I have found a fair bit of sites on the internet regarding finding a house to rent but are there any others that any of you could recommend to me as well? I am leaning more towards more of a rural, nature type setting/house but I may change my mind on that depending on the circumstances and just the place in general and I am looking at spending a maximum of around 25-30000 for the place but ideally would like a nice decent place for say around the 10000 mark. 2-3bedrooms.

And last but not least, any other recommended knowledge, information, recommendation, ect, ect would be greatly appreciated as well.

Thanks a bunch for your help and input/advice on this everyone

Mike

Edited March 13, 2010 by mzmann

[Nio]

1. Arrange 1 year in Canada

2. Scooter 45,000thb new 150 thb per day rent

3. Doctor never had a bill including prescriptions for over US $50. Dental cleaning and 2 fillings $20

4. Electric for my 3 bedroom house running aircon all the time 4,500 thb per month. Cable TV 1200 thb per month, Internet 1100 thb per month, mobile phone unlimited GPRS 900 thb per month

5. Rent you can find 10,000 to 25,000 best to drive around CM and find the place you like before make any decision over internet. This can be done in a couple of days. Locate areas away or outside of center of CM and surrounding small towns have many places

[mzmann]

Thanks for the info so far!!

Any other info/more details or anything in regards to this post will be of much help!! Really, the more info and opinions on this that I can get the better!!!

Thanks again all!

[Gigabyte]

Hi,

About your passport: I don't know about the Canadian Consulate in Chiang Mai, I think there is one, but you can get your passport renewed/replaced in a couple of weeks at the Embassy in Bangkok. It will be machine readable. Be sure to have your original birth certificate and if you personally don't know two guarantors you'll have to fill up an affidavit or at least meet the officer and explain that. Some more information and links to online forms here: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/thail...d=16&menu=L

For your rental home, I didn't see it mentioned here, but most likely the landlord will ask for a 2-3 month security deposit (which never seem fully refunded) so you better also plan for that.

Good luck!

Thanks for the info so far!!

Any other info/more details or anything in regards to this post will be of much help!! Really, the more info and opinions on this that I can get the better!!!

Thanks again all!

[mzmann]

It will be difficult for you to get a 1 year visa. Send in your passport to the Thai Consulate in Vancouver, and they will give you 2, 60 day tourist visas. Since you work out of the country, you are only a tourist here.

Might I ask why you want to leave Canada??

Thank you for the info Vibe,

My reasons for leaving Canada is a few actually. Just for a change and new adventure, Because I see that it is much cheaper and therefore much easier to save a better "nestegg" by living abroad for awhile, and also because I have always been intrigued by Thailand and also with my job I really have the option to live anywhere I wish so I figure why not!!!

[sarahsbloke]

1 If over 50 get a non - immigrant 'o' multiple entry Vise, if under maybe double entry tourist.

2 On any Visa (apart from entry and Tourist) you can buy a m/c and get a licence with a Canadian driving licence, there are ways round the buying on a tourist Visa.

A good secondhand m/c can be had for 10,000bht but if you want a popular model (Honda Click or Air Blade) expect to pay 20-30kbht

3 Health care is cheap if you don't go to the private hospitals aimed at foreigners. Dentist vist 400-600 bht a go.

4 Electricity, $15 (900 bht) a month (no air con), water - $10 or less (nothing on my Mooban), drinking water $5 (150bht delivered), True/UBC sat tv $50 (1500bht) , internet $20 (600bht)

5 Find a house out here forget using sites as you will pay 2-3x as much. I live 18km out of CM in a rural Mooban and rent a 3 bed bungalow with 2 air con units for 7000bht ($250) a month (10000bht security). On the same MooBan there are about 10 outher houses for rent, 5500bht for 2 bed to 12000bht for 4 bed. They are all advertised by notices on the gate (in English!!), I have never see any 'official' ads for these houses. In CM town you can get a 3 floor unfurnished town house within the moat for about 8000bht. 20-30k is way over the top (tourist price)

Edited March 14, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[mzmann]

1 If over 50 get a non - immigrant 'o' multiple entry Vise, if under maybe double entry tourist.

2 On any Visa (apart from entry and Tourist) you can buy a m/c and get a licence with a Canadian driving licence, there are ways round the buying on a tourist Visa.

A good secondhand m/c can be had for 10,000bht but if you want a popular model (Honda Click or Air Blade) expect to pay 20-30kbht

3 Health care is cheap if you don't go to the private hospitals aimed at foreigners. Dentist vist 400-600 bht a go.

4 Electricity, $15 (900 bht) a month (no air con), water - $10 or less (nothing on my Mooban), drinking water $5 (150bht delivered), True/UBC sat tv $50 (1500bht) , internet $20 (600bht)

5 Find a house out here forget using sites as you will pay 2-3x as much. I live 18km out of CM in a rural Mooban and rent a 3 bed bungalow with 2 air con units for 7000bht ($250) a month (10000bht security). On the same MooBan there are about 10 outher houses for rent, 5500bht for 2 bed to 12000bht for 4 bed. They are all advertised by notices on the gate (in English!!), I have never see any 'official' ads for these houses. In CM town you can get a 3 floor unfurnished town house within the moat for about 8000bht. 20-30k is way over the top (tourist price)

Thank you for that info...very helpfull!...especially about the housing!!! However I am wondering about the vehicle buying/registring, ect? I am 32 so the one visa is out of the question I am assuming.

So I am under the impression that I will be faced with getting a tourist type visa, can you inform me of the possible options for buying/registering/insuring, ect in this case? You can PM if you like as well regarding this. Thanks again for your help.

[wynzlo]

Thank you for that info...very helpfull!...especially about the housing!!! However I am wondering about the vehicle buying/registring, ect? I am 32 so the one visa is out of the question I am assuming.

So I am under the impression that I will be faced with getting a tourist type visa, can you inform me of the possible options for buying/registering/insuring, ect in this case? You can PM if you like as well regarding this. Thanks again for your help.

A few weeks ago I bought a barely used scooter from a decent-sized used dealership in the city. They asked me if I wanted them to register the bike in my name or renew the registration in the previous owner's name. They claimed that it wouldn't make much difference either way, that I could still insure the bike for myself, and could come back to transfer registration any time.

Since I have a non-B visa I just went and got my residency letter from Immigration to put the bike in my name. However, I know a couple farang who have had bikes registered in previous owners' names for years. I'm not advocating this, but it seems quite common that people here are riding bikes registered to people they don't even know. Another possibility (if you end up stuck with a tourist visa) is to have a friend register it for you. Maybe others here can point out the downfalls of doing this, if any.

[sarahsbloke]

The problem with registering a m/c bought when you are on a Tourist Visa is that Immigration CM are under instructions not to issue a certificate of residence to tourist visa holders.

To register a m/c

To get a Thai Driving Licence

You must give the relavent authorities an original Certificate of residence (500bht each from Immigration CM)

Yes you are entitled to get a driving licence on a Tourist Visa .... but no CofR, so you are screwed.

Yes you can get a CofR from immigration (bribe involved) with a Tourist Visa

You can leave the m/c registered in the previous owners name or a gfs name, but nothing to stop them reporting the m/c as stolen and recovering it.

You could always get an Education Visa, 25,000bht for the 1 year course at Walen CM

M/c insurance, every m/c carries a compulsary government insurance (when you pay the yearly tax) and insures the rider upto 15k in hospital fees, a fuller insurance will cost about 3000bht on top of that, pretty much nobody insures the m/c just themselves and liability to others. The compulsary tax and insurance is about 450bht (but applies to the m/c not the owner, you just renew at the end of the year)

One point to note, the insurance is only valid while the m/c is driven by a person with a valid licence (so you are OK) but the vast majority of Thais never bother to get a driving licence, so lend it to your gf and you are looking at trouble. Also only people with Thai ID or a passport are insured ..... so don't date a hill tribe or Burmese girl as they are uninsurable. My friend had an accident with his Burmese gf on the back, full insurance, they refused to pay her hospital bills, no ID, no insurance.

Edited March 14, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[IanForbes]

It will be difficult for you to get a 1 year visa. Send in your passport to the Thai Consulate in Vancouver, and they will give you 2, 60 day tourist visas. Since you work out of the country, you are only a tourist here.

Might I ask why you want to leave Canada??

For the same reason why I come to Thailand for 5 months of a year... sunshine, heat, cheap accommodation and lovely women.

I'm also Canadian, and have been doing this since 1996. I love it.

The OP can PM me if he wants and I'll reply with what I know. But, there have been hundreds of similar threads on thaivisa. Not everyone's life style is the same. About all I can suggest is to come over with SMALL expectations and learn something about what goes on here. Nothing is as it first seems. I'm not sure about the OP's age, but a Canadian citizen can get a triple entry tourist visa if he/she applies IN CANADA. A triple entry tourist visa gives you 3 separate 60 day stays in Thailand. After that you can only get three more 2 week stays after WALKING out of the country. If you fly out then you can get three more 30 day stays.

[sarahsbloke]

Ian

Not to forget that you can buy a 30 day extension at CM immigration on any Visa for 1,900bht

So a 3x 60 day tourist visa can be turned into a 3x 60+30 day visa for a total stay of 9 months

also

there is a Visa bus to Vientienne from CM every day that allows you to get another double entry 60 day tourist visa (2 day trip at a cost of about 3000bht)

Edited March 14, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[mzmann]

Great info from all! Thank you!! One can never have too much information when it comes to making a decision such as this!

All previous and future info is greatly appreciated!

Cheers and thanks again all,

Mike

[IanForbes]

The only other further advice I would give is to NEVER invest in anything in Thailand that you can't walk away from on a moment's notice... and acccept your losses with few regrets. That includes relationships. Consider anything you've invested as a charity donation to the local economy. Rentals are less hassle in the long run, except when it comes to motorscooters. Then, if you like to stay here on a semi-permanent basis it is better to have your own. If you ever have the intention of living FULL TIME, then visit Thailand in the off season when things are too hot and humid. It will give you a better understanding of what it is like when everything ISN'T perfect.

[mzmann]

The only other further advice I would give is to NEVER invest in anything in Thailand that you can't walk away from on a moment's notice... and acccept your losses with few regrets. That includes relationships. Consider anything you've invested as a charity donation to the local economy. Rentals are less hassle in the long run, except when it comes to motorscooters. Then, if you like to stay here on a semi-permanent basis it is better to have your own. If you ever have the intention of living FULL TIME, then visit Thailand in the off season when things are too hot and humid. It will give you a better understanding of what it is like when everything ISN'T perfect.

Thanks again Ian, and when exactly is this not so perfect off season? as it stands right now I believe that I will be coming there for my first 5 week stint sometime in the vicinity of august to october.....quite possibly earlier though! Mind you I am somewhat used to extreme heat/humidity from working mainly in the middle east for the last x number of years....offshore Iran was the worst so far with near 100% humidity and temps up to 55-60 at times.......ugh! Terrible yes, but still tolerable as long as you have ac or a cooler place to retreat to when needed!

[ataloss]

Excellent advice, Ian. Been here 20 years and totally agree. Regards....

[sarahsbloke]

Ian is completely correct

Wet season late April to June

Hot season late June to September

I didn't find last years wet season all that wet (still better than anything the UK has to offer)

and the hot season wasn't unbearably hot, maybe 3 or 4 really bad days, the rest just had a few more beers

[whiterussian]

1. I work overseas in the Oil and Gas industry usually on a 35days on and 35 days off schedule. What would be my best options for Visa's?

Get a non-o visa, ask on the visa thread, main forum page

3. I have Bupa health insurance through my employer, but should I look at getting additional while living there? How much approx? And what are the general costs like otherwise for regular medical, general doctors visits, dental?

medical - no idea, never been in 4 years here. dental - maybe 1000 baht a filling or less. Root canal maybe 3000? prices vary. Can get very cheap at dental teaching hospital.

4. What are the approximate extra costs involved in living like there? Ie: Electricity, water, television, internet or any other regular or normal living costs that can occur.

- electricity 3 bedroom house: about 800-1000 'cold' season (6 months); maybe 1500 when air con is on.

- water 250 baht a month

- TV - no idea, suspect about 500 baht a month, plus initial few 000's to get dish

- internet, under 1000 baht for very high speed line (all the farang moan, but i get stonking downloads on ToT) - you may need landlord permission etc.

- other costs: farang food prices very high, and many places dont have kitchens, but as you are an oil worker, i wouldnt worry. Prices do vary incredibly, a thai meal will cost maybe 30-50 baht, a farang 'meal',burger etc much more. There is a tourist trap around Taphei gate. The thai's call it "farang zone". Its easy to blow your cash there. Real thai bars serve large beers for 50 baht.

5. I have found a fair bit of sites on the internet regarding finding a house to rent but are there any others that any of you could recommend to me as well? I am leaning more towards more of a rural, nature type setting/house but I may change my mind on that depending on the circumstances and just the place in general and I am looking at spending a maximum of around 25-30000 for the place but ideally would like a nice decent place for say around the 10000 mark. 2-3bedrooms.

25-30,000 bloomin eck, you can live like a king on that! 10,000 should find you a great moobaan house (estate). If you are looking to be away from the crowd, try looking around the doi suthep (mountain) area, or out towards Mai Rim area. Finding a pad with real nature around might be difficult... I have seen one farang rent a plot out in the mountains for only a few grand a month, then he spent the savings installing air con, doing the place up. awesome view. If you cant find a country pad ( i hate living on a housing estate!) then maybe you should try the neimenheiman area, its close enough to town, but upmarket enough to relax.

anyway, my two pennies worth... have fun

[mzmann]

1. I work overseas in the Oil and Gas industry usually on a 35days on and 35 days off schedule. What would be my best options for Visa's?

Get a non-o visa, ask on the visa thread, main forum page

3. I have Bupa health insurance through my employer, but should I look at getting additional while living there? How much approx? And what are the general costs like otherwise for regular medical, general doctors visits, dental?

medical - no idea, never been in 4 years here. dental - maybe 1000 baht a filling or less. Root canal maybe 3000? prices vary. Can get very cheap at dental teaching hospital.

4. What are the approximate extra costs involved in living like there? Ie: Electricity, water, television, internet or any other regular or normal living costs that can occur.

- electricity 3 bedroom house: about 800-1000 'cold' season (6 months); maybe 1500 when air con is on.

- water 250 baht a month

- TV - no idea, suspect about 500 baht a month, plus initial few 000's to get dish

- internet, under 1000 baht for very high speed line (all the farang moan, but i get stonking downloads on ToT) - you may need landlord permission etc.

- other costs: farang food prices very high, and many places dont have kitchens, but as you are an oil worker, i wouldnt worry. Prices do vary incredibly, a thai meal will cost maybe 30-50 baht, a farang 'meal',burger etc much more. There is a tourist trap around Taphei gate. The thai's call it "farang zone". Its easy to blow your cash there. Real thai bars serve large beers for 50 baht.

5. I have found a fair bit of sites on the internet regarding finding a house to rent but are there any others that any of you could recommend to me as well? I am leaning more towards more of a rural, nature type setting/house but I may change my mind on that depending on the circumstances and just the place in general and I am looking at spending a maximum of around 25-30000 for the place but ideally would like a nice decent place for say around the 10000 mark. 2-3bedrooms.

25-30,000 bloomin eck, you can live like a king on that! 10,000 should find you a great moobaan house (estate). If you are looking to be away from the crowd, try looking around the doi suthep (mountain) area, or out towards Mai Rim area. Finding a pad with real nature around might be difficult... I have seen one farang rent a plot out in the mountains for only a few grand a month, then he spent the savings installing air con, doing the place up. awesome view. If you cant find a country pad ( i hate living on a housing estate!) then maybe you should try the neimenheiman area, its close enough to town, but upmarket enough to relax.

anyway, my two pennies worth... have fun

Thanks for all your great input WR! much appreciated along with all others here as well!!

However, after looking a little bit further into to "O" type visa I do not believe that I qualify for that type as it look as if any of the requirements needed for it do not apply to me. I think what I may just end up doing is just head to the Thai embassy/consulate office in Vancouver and ask them to help me on what my best option would be.

Again, I thank you for your great info/recommendations and especially so on the housing part. Much help.

Mike

[sarahsbloke]

So you are under age 50

[mzmann]

So you are under age 50

Correct

[phetchmeporn]

I want to leave Canada too because it's almost permanent winter here. The name of our (american rules) football team is appropriately named Edmonton Eskimos.

[IanForbes]

I want to leave Canada too because it's almost permanent winter here. The name of our (american rules) football team is appropriately named Edmonton Eskimos.

Well, coming from Edmonton that would explain it.

My son's wife is from Edmonton and her dad still lives there. Edmonton has 10 months of winter and 2 months of poor sledding... or snow mobiling.

Just funnin with yah, though. If a guy likes the outdoors then the prairies has something to offer. There's great fishing and hunting not far out of Edmonton. And, if you have a 4x4 or jet boat (which I do) there truly is some remarkable areas to explore.

What Edmonton DOESN'T have is warm beaches and hot women. And, under all that padding the gals have to wear you never know what to expect when they start peeling off all those layers. In Thailand you can see exactly what you are going to get... unless you accidently pick a katoi.