HELP! Investment advice please!

[Asiantravel]

I've got no investment advice but that 18 grand a year for 11 years and that more than enough until the old pension comes through, but if I was you I'd by a property here in England with it, live of the rental income for 11 years then sell the property which will increase in value and make more profit , this why your have more then 200000 and that with you pension fund make you a happy man In Thailand, I wish I had your 200000 grand happy days

" then sell the property which will increase in value and make more profit "

Are you sure?

[lvr181]

My advice is Not to invest anything in Thailand.

Too many people take the same view. And that is why thailand in the past has delivered higher returns than the "safe" markets.

The less people like an investment, the better the return the investor is likely to make.

Contrarian investing?

Always remember, not to bet/invest more than you can afford to lose!

[CapeThai]

54, 200k pounds and no debt? at 54, you are now too old to really enjoy life....so maybe spend the money on a 30-year old thai woman and make her happy!!!

i'm just kidding. i would bet it all on manchester united in their next game and then have some real money!!!

nah....how about buy 5 really nice cars and waste it all on nice things and then start over and make it a challenge!!!

they say the average american only has 3k in savings and tons of debt.....so you are not really living a fun life!!!!

look....200k pounds can get you a membership into my club. Actually, I charge 300k, but for a limited time I can hook you up!!!! offer expires soon!!!!

Wise Ass.....

[lumply]

Whilst there must be many arm chair investment experts out there, the best advice is not to ask for such advice on TV. Good luck with your new life in Thailand.

[Monkeyrobot]

Leave the money in the UK and draw on it as you need , All the investment advisors I have meet here are all broke. Just draw as you need and if the Baht drops buy. Don,t go buying properties or invest in get rich fast schemes. Good luck.

[Asiantravel]

Leave the money in the UK and draw on it as you need , All the investment advisors I have meet here are all broke. Just draw as you need and if the Baht drops buy. Don,t go buying properties or invest in get rich fast schemes. Good luck.

" All the investment advisors I have meet here are all broke"

............And also read this thread which coincidentally is now the next thread down

How I lost $250,000 in Phuket

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788104-how-i-lost-250000-in-phuket/

[Mr Wonderful]

Can I ask a previous question in a slightly different way?

I am from UK, aged 54, moving to Thailand on a Retirement Visa and have 200,000 pounds in a UK bank account. My accommodation and food are covered in Thailand but my pension will not pay out for another 11 years so the 200,000 pounds must cover all other expenses. There's no Thai girlfriend or wife (nor likely to be!).

Does anyone have any investment advice as to what to do with this sum?

As you can tell, I am a novice at this but want to be best prepared. Thanks for any and all

practical advice!

Thank you,

John

With minimum 5m THB on deposit you can open a Krungsri Exclusive account which pays 2.2 percent interest tax free.

The other half of the funds you could invest in a small but good condo (such as Hasu by Sansiri) for rent at around 35k per month.

I have been investing in business and real estate in Thailand for ten years and done very well thank you.

[changsinghleo]

I suggest you take a look at Cambodia which is very open to foreigners doing all sorts of businesses, etc. Visas are simple to acquire and the people are lovely.

[ronthai]

Just the title from the TVF newsletter:

DON'T

I think is good advice, especially if someone has to ask on a public forum

[gk10002000]

You could easily have enough if you live modestly but you can't risk losing too much. I suggest some modest conservative bonds or bond funds, tax free municipals if the UK has such a thing. The interest in them will compound and say you are earning 4 % per year, your money will increase by 50 % over the 11 years.

I go conservative when time is on my side, and in this case I think time is on your side.

[AyG]

With minimum 5m THB on deposit you can open a Krungsri Exclusive account which pays 2.2 percent interest tax free.

Could you explain, please? Looking at the website Krungsri Exclusive appears to be a status with the bank which gives certain privileges (free use of health club, free chequebooks, etc.), not a specific account type. It doesn't (as far as I can see) offer any special, higher interest rate account.

http://www.krungsri.com/bank/en/KrungsriExclusive/KrungsriExclusive.html

[dotpoom]

I've got no investment advice but that 18 grand a year for 11 years and that more than enough until the old pension comes through, but if I was you I'd by a property here in England with it, live of the rental income for 11 years then sell the property which will increase in value and make more profit , this why your have more then 200000 and that with you pension fund make you a happy man In Thailand, I wish I had your 200000 grand happy days

Wouldn't have worked so good if he had bought a house in Ireland. Since 2008 they have dropped in value by almost 50%.....The bubble burst. They are only beginning to recover slowly now in the capitol....but still down in the country. Full of "Ghost" estates (unfinished). Seen where a lot of 20 houses together were sold off for 220,000 Euro. Two people told their story of paying 178,000 Euro each for two houses in one estate, the rest (exactly the same houses) are now trying to get prices of 60,000 Euro.

Mind you, having said that I seen on Google recently that the English are investing in the Irish property market now seeing as the prices are so low and the currency rate of Sterling v Euro is a real advantage,

[steven100]

Just hook up with a nice honest Thai bar girl and buy a good safe beer bar down Nana somewhere.

All your troubles will be taken care of ...

[jacko45k]

If you are waiting solely for the state pension it will be longer than that.

You are going to be drawing down on that money for the next few years so don't tie it all up on longer term investments.

Don't forget a need to put 800,000 baht into a deposit to qualify you for the retirement extension.

I suggest a few longer term deposits in Thailand banks for say £50,000, you can get about 3%pa, it can serve as self insurance wrt medical (until you sort out some insurance, if you need it). You can register with the tax office to get a refund on the 15% retention tax on interest.

I would be tempted to say keep the rest in the UK, even though deposits there earn miserable interest of little value, so you may be looking for managed funds.... your bank should have some financial advisers, but be cautious. It is shark infested waters and there is a lot of dishonesty about. Namely fraudsters. Avoid 'currency traders', they have made a poorer man of me.

Edited March 4, 2015 by jacko45k

[KittenKong]

You say now you've no intention of finding a Thai partner and having kids. I know very few people here that as time goes by haven't ended up in a Thai relationship of one kind or another or several

I've managed to avoid it quite easily over the last 40 years.

The idea certainly holds no attraction at all for me, but each to his own.

[KittenKong]

I have been investing in business and real estate in Thailand for ten years and done very well thank you.

I've never invested in anything in Thailand and I've done even better, thank you.

[Asiantravel]

Can I ask a previous question in a slightly different way?

I am from UK, aged 54, moving to Thailand on a Retirement Visa and have 200,000 pounds in a UK bank account. My accommodation and food are covered in Thailand but my pension will not pay out for another 11 years so the 200,000 pounds must cover all other expenses. There's no Thai girlfriend or wife (nor likely to be!).

Does anyone have any investment advice as to what to do with this sum?

As you can tell, I am a novice at this but want to be best prepared. Thanks for any and all

practical advice!

Thank you,

John

With minimum 5m THB on deposit you can open a Krungsri Exclusive account which pays 2.2 percent interest tax free.

The other half of the funds you could invest in a small but good condo (such as Hasu by Sansiri) for rent at around 35k per month.

I have been investing in business and real estate in Thailand for ten years and done very well thank you.

And do you think it's going to be equally rosy going forward?

[Monkeyrobot]

Leave the money in the UK and draw on it as you need , All the investment advisors I have meet here are all broke. Just draw as you need and if the Baht drops buy. Don,t go buying properties or invest in get rich fast schemes. Good luck.

[Griffo63]

Select an area you know and buy 4 one bedroom purpose built flats (no conversions) with £50k deposit on each.

The £ is awful against the baht leave your money in the UK

...I wouldn't invest a penny in Thailand......leave it in the UK.

Keep your money in the MAINLAND UK

So many people willing to offer advice either without reading/understanding the OP's situation (he needs income in THB, not GBP), or are utterly clueless about the real risks associated with exchange rate fluctuations.

Still, at least free advice is worth what you pay for it.

[Griffo63]

On the contrary. The advice is very sound - don't invest in Thailand.

Your post offers no help at all, only choosing to criticize posters looking to help.

What's your advice then - share your experience/ font of knowledge - if you have any.

[AyG]

On the contrary. The advice is very sound - don't invest in Thailand.

Your post offers no help at all, only choosing to criticize posters looking to help.

What's your advice then - share your experience/ font of knowledge - if you have any.

I presume that post is directed at me.

There's absolutely no reason not to invest in Thailand provided you know what you're getting into. The banks here are financially secure - much more so than many in the UK. (Look at the dire state of RBS and Coop. And consider that Mervyn King recently said that British banks are too weak to weather another financial crisis) Furthermore, bank deposits are currently protected here up to 50 million Baht (just over a million pounds). UK banks only have depositor protection for the first £85,000.

My post helps the OP by pointing out that those posters who are looking to help are giving seriously flawed advice because they are totally ignoring exchange rate risk. If the OP had a lot of money this would be less of an issue, but apparently he doesn't.

And I shared my advice back on the first page. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/805166-help-investment-advice-please/#entry9139317

[Asiantravel]

On the contrary. The advice is very sound - don't invest in Thailand.

Your post offers no help at all, only choosing to criticize posters looking to help.

What's your advice then - share your experience/ font of knowledge - if you have any.

I presume that post is directed at me.

There's absolutely no reason not to invest in Thailand provided you know what you're getting into. The banks here are financially secure - much more so than many in the UK. (Look at the dire state of RBS and Coop. And consider that Mervyn King recently said that British banks are too weak to weather another financial crisis) Furthermore, bank deposits are currently protected here up to 50 million Baht (just over a million pounds). UK banks only have depositor protection for the first £85,000.

My post helps the OP by pointing out that those posters who are looking to help are giving seriously flawed advice because they are totally ignoring exchange rate risk. If the OP had a lot of money this would be less of an issue, but apparently he doesn't.

And I shared my advice back on the first page. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/805166-help-investment-advice-please/#entry9139317

How can you possibly know how secure the banks are in view of the numerous recent articles such as in Forbes magazine warning of Thailand being a bubble economy. Even three Thai people that were tycoons before the 1997 crash said the conditions in Thailand now are just the same as they were then because of a huge build up of debt. The banks may well end up sitting on huge volumes of non-performing loans once again.

Edited March 4, 2015 by Asiantravel

[Griffo63]

On the contrary. The advice is very sound - don't invest in Thailand.

Your post offers no help at all, only choosing to criticize posters looking to help.

What's your advice then - share your experience/ font of knowledge - if you have any.

I presume that post is directed at me.

There's absolutely no reason not to invest in Thailand provided you know what you're getting into. The banks here are financially secure - much more so than many in the UK. (Look at the dire state of RBS and Coop. And consider that Mervyn King recently said that British banks are too weak to weather another financial crisis) Furthermore, bank deposits are currently protected here up to 50 million Baht (just over a million pounds). UK banks only have depositor protection for the first £85,000.

My post helps the OP by pointing out that those posters who are looking to help are giving seriously flawed advice because they are totally ignoring exchange rate risk. If the OP had a lot of money this would be less of an issue, but apparently he doesn't.

And I shared my advice back on the first page. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/805166-help-investment-advice-please/#entry9139317

So your advice is put your money into Thai banks where the interest rate gets no where near covering the effect of rising inflation. And if you really believe that the government will indemnify losses in the case of a bank failing then you have much more confidence than me. The vast majority of posters suggest avoiding direct investment in Thailand due to the volatile nature of the economy and government. Currency fluctuation has to be managed I do agree but if, for what ever reason, you need to return 'home' urgently or quickly having your funds in Thailand leaves you massively exposed to being penniless.

[AyG]

How can you possibly know how secure the banks are in view of the numerous recent articles such as in Forbes magazine warning of Thailand being a bubble economy. Even three Thai people that were tycoons before the 1997 crash said the conditions in Thailand now are just the same as they were then because of a huge build up of debt. The banks may well end up sitting on huge volumes of non-performing loans once again.

The best way to know how secure a bank is to look at its credit rating. After all, these ratings are prepared by experts in the field with the full cooperation of the bank and so are far more reliable source of information than an article written by a journalist in a magazine.

So, for example, Krung Sri's long term debt is rated Baa1 (Moody's), BBB+ (S&P), A- (Fitch). Bangkok bank is similarly rated BBB+ (S&P) and BBB+ (Fitch).

Compare that with The Co-op Bank at B - rating watch negative (Fitch) and Caa2 - negative outlook (Moody's)

Or Royal Bank of Scotland group at Baa2 - negative outlook (Moody's), BBB- (S&P) and A (Fitch)

There's absolutely no reason to think that Thai banks are particularly insecure. In fact, some are in better shape than some UK banks. And even if they were, there's still the government's generous depositor protection scheme.

[Asiantravel]

How can you possibly know how secure the banks are in view of the numerous recent articles such as in Forbes magazine warning of Thailand being a bubble economy. Even three Thai people that were tycoons before the 1997 crash said the conditions in Thailand now are just the same as they were then because of a huge build up of debt. The banks may well end up sitting on huge volumes of non-performing loans once again.

The best way to know how secure a bank is to look at its credit rating. After all, these ratings are prepared by experts in the field with the full cooperation of the bank and so are far more reliable source of information than an article written by a journalist in a magazine.

So, for example, Krung Sri's long term debt is rated Baa1 (Moody's), BBB+ (S&P), A- (Fitch). Bangkok bank is similarly rated BBB+ (S&P) and BBB+ (Fitch).

Compare that with The Co-op Bank at B - rating watch negative (Fitch) and Caa2 - negative outlook (Moody's)

Or Royal Bank of Scotland group at Baa2 - negative outlook (Moody's), BBB- (S&P) and A (Fitch)

There's absolutely no reason to think that Thai banks are particularly insecure. In fact, some are in better shape than some UK banks. And even if they were, there's still the government's generous depositor protection scheme.

" The best way to know how secure a bank is to look at its credit rating "

What? The rating agencies LOL. they were dishonest in 2008 and they will still be dishonest this time

Inside Job - The Rating Agencies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Bumfpo4FW0I

Edited March 4, 2015 by Asiantravel

[KittenKong]

The best way to know how secure a bank is to look at its credit rating. After all, these ratings are prepared by experts in the field with the full cooperation of the bank and so are far more reliable source of information than an article written by a journalist in a magazine.

The ratings agencies were so far off the mark just prior to the last crash that they seem to have been on another planet entirely.

Nearly all central bank employees and politicians apparently also had little or no idea of the true state of things.

Personally I doubt any of these "experts" could empty a dustbin without making a complete pig's ear of it.

[AyG]

" The best way to know how secure a bank is to look at its credit rating "

What? The rating agencies LOL. they were dishonest in 2008 and they will still be dishonest this time

I didn't say it was the perfect way. I simply said it was the best, which it is. In fact, there's really no reasonable alternative. Nobody else has both the expertise and the access to detailed bank information.

The ratings agencies do have a conflict of interest where they are paid to rate the bank concerned and could be tempted to be generous in the rating they give. However, as my previous posting indicated, the different ratings agencies are perhaps surprisingly consistent. And whilst they may not provide a perfect, absolute measure of risk, they are an effective tool for ranking bank depositor security, and that's good enough for me to convince me that Thai banks aren't inherently particularly insecure and are a safe haven for my money.

Edit: removed video from quote

Edited March 4, 2015 by AyG

[Asiantravel]

The best way to know how secure a bank is to look at its credit rating. After all, these ratings are prepared by experts in the field with the full cooperation of the bank and so are far more reliable source of information than an article written by a journalist in a magazine.

The ratings agencies were so far off the mark just prior to the last crash that they seem to have been on another planet entirely.

Nearly all central bank employees and politicians apparently also had little or no idea of the true state of things.

Personally I doubt any of these "experts" could empty a dustbin without making a complete pig's ear of it.

Were they are unaware? Or was it simply a similar way to Goldman Sachs giving advice to clients (or more accurately referred to as Muppets within the office of Goldman Sachs itself) who were paying them a handsome premium for such “ respected “ advice only for Goldman Sachs to do the opposite behind the backs of their valued Muppets

Edited March 4, 2015 by Asiantravel

[Griffo63]

Much talk about the Deposit Protection Scheme. In 2016 this will be 1,000,000 baht only not the 50,000,000 quoted elsewhere. Thai banks safe as houses - not

[AyG]

Much talk about the Deposit Protection Scheme. In 2016 this will be 1,000,000 baht only not the 50,000,000 quoted elsewhere. Thai banks safe as houses - not

Uh, it might be one million, but there's been an history of successive governments deferring the reduction in cover. After all, there is a lot of incredibly wealthy individuals in parliament. Would they really vote to remove their own protection?