I Just Met This Girl

[Swiss1960]

Am not talking about you having company of other expat... am talking about your requests "not too rural" and "Looking to live somewhere with good Internet access, coffee bars, restaurants American and Thai.* which you will not find in places where no expat are living (specially the american restaurants).

Do you mean to suggest that Thais don't frequent McD, KFC, Starbucks, etc. and they are only found where US expats live?

In America I can eat Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Lebanese, etc, without a large community of the nationals of those countries living nearby.

Thailand must be more different than I thought!

you DEFINITELY have no idea... since Thai in general can't afford McD and co. (specially in rural areas), there is no business case for those companies in those places where there is no money... and money is in cities where there are enough expats like you who think they will die when they have to buy and eat food from the street vendors...

YOU are not fit for Thailand... so my next recommendation is, keep your house in the US, pay the taxes, you will need it fairly soon again when you crawl back..

[arthurwait]

Invest the money from the sale of your house in a coffee shop for her, you'll make a fortune. If that doesn't tempt you buy a bar.

[besth]

The OP mentions in his first post that he has been through "a messy divorce" in America and is still paying US$ 300.000+ in property taxes every year??? I think anyone who wants to know who this guy really is only needs to search who has built a huge monument to a lawyer in America recently.

[thaibeachlovers]

Lucky guy.

I bet she really loves you as well.

Can anybody else smell troll shit?

It's really hard not to suspect that, isn't it?

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Invest the money from the sale of your house in a coffee shop for her, you'll make a fortune. If that doesn't tempt you buy a bar.

I didn't accumulate my money by giving it away to anyone. If I buy a house or a business it will be in my name.

(Nor did I lose much money in my divorce, the messy bit was to do with betrayal and false friends, and nasty accusations)

I'm just looking for advice on where to live in Thailand, thank you. Oh, and I don't like bars too much.

Edited March 6, 2012 by AnotherOneAmerican

[thaibeachlovers]

Invest the money from the sale of your house in a coffee shop for her, you'll make a fortune. If that doesn't tempt you buy a bar.

I didn't accumulate my money by giving it away to anyone. If I buy a house or a business it will be in my name.

I'm just looking for advice on where to live in Thailand, thank you. Oh, and I don't like bars too much.

The first thing you need to understand is that you can't own the land, so even if you had the house papers, it still belongs to her.

Can't own a business either.

If you are in fact a genuine first time in Thailand found true love, try renting for a year or two, till you know the rules.

Plenty of dead end towns in Thailand to live in if you "don't like bars", but even the quietest of Thai towns has it's quotient of bars for Thais, and often a disco or two, that you will be able to hear from 5 miles away.

[thaibeachlovers]

Where to live ? That’s possibly the sole reason why renting is the only intelligent option until you can decide.

So where do you suggest I rent?

This will be my first time living outside the US, so I don't have much of a clue where to start.

Which is why I started this topic, not that I have had much in the way of sensible answers.

Even though you state that you don't like bars, start in Pattaya. there is an expat club there, with lots of fellow Americans, to join, and they will help you all you need to find your way here.

[Swiss1960]

Invest the money from the sale of your house in a coffee shop for her, you'll make a fortune. If that doesn't tempt you buy a bar.

I didn't accumulate my money by giving it away to anyone. If I buy a house or a business it will be in my name.

(Nor did I lose much money in my divorce, the messy bit was to do with betrayal and false friends, and nasty accusations)

I'm just looking for advice on where to live in Thailand, thank you. Oh, and I don't like bars too much.

Another stupid reply from you... you not only don't know that you can't just buy a house, you also can't just buy a business...

Do I assume correctly that you don't even know the requirements to apply for, receive and keep a retirement Visa for Thailand????

[Colin Yai]

22 replies, none of them about where to live, apart from Mr. Canada who I believe was joking.

1 moderator reply, having remove who knows what.

Are the posters on this forum really so unhelpful?

Quite disgraceful!

I would have thought some people here would have some idea of a nice place to live.

Was it my fault, let me be more specific.

Looking to live somewhere with good Internet access, coffee bars, restaurants American and Thai.

Not too rural, where I could buy or build a house for 4-10Mbht on a few rai of land, money is not really a problem.

Could I have some serious suggestions from people who live in places like this

Where to live?, a good question ,IMHO at least 300 kms from her "family" other wise you will be looked on as just another rich Farang who has never had to do a days work to earn his money because of our "money tree's" who should bankroll the "family" into a never ending cavalcade of your hard earned dough, on no account buy or build a house simply cos it will never ever be yours, plus you will be inundated with her "friends" who will regard the contents of your fridge as "their property",you asked for advice ,I see nothing wrong with what has been offered so far by those who have seen the pitfalls (and there are plenty) that awaits the unwary when starting life afresh here in Thailand ,of course I could well be wrong in my Assumptions ,but if you do get married just remember you are marrying one person not all her family ,Best of luck .

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Another stupid reply from you... you not only don't know that you can't just buy a house, you also can't just buy a business...

Do I assume correctly that you don't even know the requirements to apply for, receive and keep a retirement Visa for Thailand????

Once I get my Thai ID card, I can't imagine having problems in those areas.

Just a little bit of paperwork to fill in.

[mackes]

You guys really enjoy this kind of game, don't you???

[metisdead]

Some troll posts removed.

[pmugghc]

If you're truly genuine: don't buy anything, just rent for a few months. Try e.g. a condo in Jomtien or Hua Hin. Don't "invest" in anything here, except your time and money to live on for a few months. If you have a Thai birth cert you should get a Thai passport so you don't need any visa.

Posted from my Galaxy Nexus.

[Swiss1960]

Another stupid reply from you... you not only don't know that you can't just buy a house, you also can't just buy a business...

Do I assume correctly that you don't even know the requirements to apply for, receive and keep a retirement Visa for Thailand????

Once I get my Thai ID card, I can't imagine having problems in those areas.

Just a little bit of paperwork to fill in.

555... best joke so far... little paperwork and you get your Thai passport...

[Swiss1960]

If you're truly genuine: don't buy anything, just rent for a few months. Try e.g. a condo in Jomtien or Hua Hin. Don't "invest" in anything here, except your time and money to live on for a few months. If you have a Thai birth cert you should get a Thai passport so you don't need any visa.

Posted from my Galaxy Nexus.

That is not so simple. His Thai birth certificate does NOT guarantee Thai citizenship. He voluntarely did give up his Thai citizenship on his 18th birthday when he decided to NOT apply for dual (American / Thai) citizenship. For the Thai, he is an American applying for Thai citizenship independent of his birth given by a Thai mother.

[pmugghc]

After his tour of duty they moved to the States where I was born.

I have never been to Thailand before but I still have my mothers (now deceased) Thai passport, her Thai birth certificate, and my Thai birth certificate somewhere.

This is amusing. So you were born in the US? So how on Earth can you have a Thai birth certificate?

You don't have to be born in Thailand, but one of your parents must be Thai, then you can have a Thai passport.

Posted from my Galaxy Nexus.

[Moonrakers]

I once met a young Thai lad at immigration getting a visa extension. Yes, I said that right, a Thai lad getting his Thai visa extended.

He had dual nationality, and his British passport meant that he had to jump through the same hoops that we all do. He had a Thai Birth certificate and everything but still had to get visas and WP's and stuff. I didn't ask him about buying houses etc.

I may or may not have recalled the above perfectly but that's the general gist of it. I know the OP troll is American so things could be different, but I doubt they will be that different.

[Payboy]

I once met a young Thai lad at immigration getting a visa extension. Yes, I said that right, a Thai lad getting his Thai visa extended.

He had dual nationality, and his British passport meant that he had to jump through the same hoops that we all do. He had a Thai Birth certificate and everything but still had to get visas and WP's and stuff. I didn't ask him about buying houses etc.

I may or may not have recalled the above perfectly but that's the general gist of it. I know the OP troll is American so things could be different, but I doubt they will be that different.

Wasn't Tiger, was it?

[Swiss1960]

After his tour of duty they moved to the States where I was born.

I have never been to Thailand before but I still have my mothers (now deceased) Thai passport, her Thai birth certificate, and my Thai birth certificate somewhere.

This is amusing. So you were born in the US? So how on Earth can you have a Thai birth certificate?

You don't have to be born in Thailand, but one of your parents must be Thai, then you can have a Thai passport.

Posted from my Galaxy Nexus.

Yes, you can apply for a Thai passport, BUT if you want to have dual citizenship, you must apply for this BEFORE your 18th birthday, otherwise you forfeight your Thai citizenship as the OP obviously did (as he is an American). Therefore good luck with all the paperwork to be produced, specially validating / approving 60 year old documents...

look here... http://www.multiplecitizenship.com/wscl/ws_THAILAND.html

[nong38]

Let me blunt. A fool and his money are soon parted. A 24 year old bird on your arm is a dream come true. You cannot own land in Thailand, the girl can, she is Thai, you are not. Can you link these threads together?

My I direct you to my post #43 which you appear not to have read or perhaps not understood.

Are you a Thai citizen then? I f you are then maybe you can own land and house but you do not seem know too much about any of this I would suggest you stand back and look at the realities of the situation and ask if this is a dream? I think I and enough others have alerted you to the alarm bells ringing. By all means come to Thailand but be aware of the way life operates, its not the US! Its very different and your time away has not helped you. Look and learn, travel around see what you think and what you like and if the girl is still with you, you assess the situation, do get the book I told you of. Thats all from me.

[dean999]

He is a troll for sure. He keeps adding little bits to keep people interested and replying. Keeps adding the bait.

Thai girl old man, immigration, housing ect. He knows exactly, what subjects to slip in, to get the most reactions. Whats he going to move onto next, soi dog sh_t or maybe grumpy brits. Here's one you should try...........Thai police.

[DLock]

Some troll posts removed.

irony.

[IanForbes]

22 replies, none of them about where to live, apart from Mr. Canada who I believe was joking.

1 moderator reply, having remove who knows what.

Are the posters on this forum really so unhelpful?

Quite disgraceful!

I would have thought some people here would have some idea of a nice place to live.

Was it my fault, let me be more specific.

Looking to live somewhere with good Internet access, coffee bars, restaurants American and Thai.

Not too rural, where I could buy or build a house for 4-10Mbht on a few rai of land, money is not really a problem.

Could I have some serious suggestions from people who live in places like this

The replies were not disgraceful. They were honest. The same story has been played out and told so many times on this and other forums it's impossible not to be cynical. However, if you left out the female part of the story and just asked opinions on where the most comfortable place to settle in Thailand you might have got more realistic replies.

I have traveled all over Thailand and settled on Chiang Mai to make it my center when I'm in LOS ("Land Of Smiles" if you haven't already been informed).

There are a lot of grumpy expats living in Thailand and all have valid excuses for their complaints. And, hence the cynical replies on many similar topics they see over and over.

To me, Bangkok is just too big and congested. It takes too long to get anywhere unless a super highway is right beside your residence. The sky train is not a lot better, but an improvement to how it was in 1996. However, the little country villages that seem so appealing when first experienced quickly become boring and rather annoying if you want fast internet, or the common, every day supplies that you would find on every corner in Bangkok. You've got to learn to do without if you are living in the country.

That is why I enjoy Chiang Mai. It has most of what a big city has and yet it's relatively easy to get around. And, you can walk from one corner of the city to the other without getting tired.

[KeyserSoze01]

Smokie, thanks for your suggestion but currently my US taxes (state and property) are approx $300,000 a year.

Considering the average property tax rate for the state of Maine is 12.5%, that would place the value of your home in the neighborhood of $2,500,000 - $3,000,000.

As a general rule of thumb, folks with this kind of net worth don't fall for waitresses in coffee shops or go off on a lark because they are getting a little attention from the opposite sex.

Another stupid reply from you... you not only don't know that you can't just buy a house, you also can't just buy a business...

Do I assume correctly that you don't even know the requirements to apply for, receive and keep a retirement Visa for Thailand????

Once I get my Thai ID card, I can't imagine having problems in those areas.

Just a little bit of paperwork to fill in.

Clueless or as others have noted, a very poor trolling attempt.

[UbonOz]

Mahasarakham is nice this time of year.

Plenty of land available, might need a little more than 10million unfortuantely.

Fantastic for raising buffalo.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Considering the average property tax rate for the state of Maine is 12.5%, that would place the value of your home in the neighborhood of $2,500,000 - $3,000,000.

I don't know where you get that rate from, I pay just under 2% - Homestead Exemption.

Edited March 6, 2012 by AnotherOneAmerican

[oldsailor35]

Don't we all.............lolololololol

[watcharacters]

It really IS hard not to be cynical, isn't it.

seems to be for this lot.

[KeyserSoze01]

Considering the average property tax rate for the state of Maine is 12.5%, that would place the value of your home in the neighborhood of $2,500,000 - $3,000,000.

I don't know where you get that rate from, I pay 2% - Homestead Exemption.

So you actually own a $15,000,000 home in Maine.

People with that kind of ass don't troll internet forums for information. They have someone do it for them.

We have now transgressed to the absurd.

Nice try and enjoy your stay

[oldsailor35]

Hope you read what you have just written in a couple of years time.