Help Please

[stucar]

hi all

this is the first time i have used this forum, let me introduce myself, I am Stuart, single male 45 living in England ( i am Scottish though)

I am thinking about relocating to Thialand, just wondering which area would be better Phuket or the cha am hua hin areas, unfortunately i am not wealthy enough to survive with some sort of income, as i doubt that i would be employable locally would probally have to invest or buy some sort of buisness, small shop, guest house etc, but open to further suggestions.

also how are us farangs treated over there by the locals, do they all hate us or just tolerate us, still thinking about buying there seems a good investment, providing there are no hidden catches, I am sure there is, or would it be better too rent, what do all you guys do?

Will be thinking of going to Hua Hin and Cha am for about 3 weeks to a month in January next year with a view to buying somewhere unless I get bad feedback from you guys? any tipe on a good area to base myself, small hotel or even an appartment that i can rent or any trustworthy estaste agents.

Well thats all for now sorry its so long hope that you all havent fallen asleep, please feel free to e-mail me direct if you want all advice or tips accepted with thanks.

all the best

stuart

e-mail [email protected]

[frostback]

Stuart:

Good luck.

Phuket - HH???

Very different locales........."up to you" as to which is better.

HH-Cha Am more "laid back", smaller population, cheaper

Phuket- More developed, better shopping, more variety, or isolated.

I've chosen HH; so I'm biased.

Be VERY careful about business anywhere in Thailand........it's easy and common to get taken for an unpleasant ride........for any one of many reasons.

Thai business and society operate in unique and strange ways (to us), corruption is endemic and your recourses are limited.

Unless you behave badly, you'll find the local folks welcoming and helpful.

I strongly suggest you take a long and careful look around before committing to anything.........place to live and/ or a business.

Get a hotel for a few days when you 1st arrive and get a motorcyke/tuk-tuk or taxi with an English speaking driver to take you around the area........also chat up some local ex pats in the bars or businesses around town......get a "feel" for the place before you commit to anything long term.

Keep in mind that almost any Thai (including Thai wifes) will get a "piece of cake" (commission) for getting you to spend money.....so their motives aren't always purely altruistic (I'm not implying that they are dishonest).

You will be here during the peak tourist season and your stay will be short, so don't expect any great monthly "deals".

This year has seen an unusually high increase in real estate prices (close to a bubble), but who knows how long it will continue or if/when it'll burst.

Definately rent for at least the 1st year you are here......get your feet wet, get the lay of the land.......if you decide to stay long term, at least you'll be doing so as an informed consumer.

I've seen some guys do well in business here; but far more often they crash and burn financially.

If you can't afford to lose it, don't invest here.

Chok dee.

[Basher]

Excellent advise from Frostback, he has pretty much covered it all...

You could of course buy a bar in Bangla Road, fill it full of ladies that will have sex with men for money and be drunk all the time, seems to work for a lot of folk in Prat-ong.

Options options..

I would listen to Frostback myself....

Bash

[stucar]

THANKS

thanks for the advice will probally rent for at least a year, just to see if i like the area, am sure i will I prefer a more laid back way of life, getting fed up with the night club scene anyway ( to old maybe) just prefer a few drinks in the evening and some good food.

how big is the expat community in hau hin and cha am, would probally need to speak english occasionally, although will be learning thia( god that a bloody hard language to learn)

dont really thing running the girly bar is for me, although i dont mind visiting one,hahaha if January is the peek holiday period, when is the off season where things may be cheaper to rent, the only reason I was thinking about january was that is when my buisness here goes a little quiet, so i can spare some more time without loosing to much money( my scottish blood) hahaha, but suppose it would be a case of swings and roundabouts.

what do you guys do to make ends meet over there if you dont mind me asking? have buisnesses or have work there or lucky enough to be financially secure.

thank again, will welcome any more info from anybody

have fun

stuart

[frostback]

Hua Hin is the "bigger" town, and appears to have many more expats than Cha Am.

Some bars are hang outs for Golfers, others seem to get sports fans, others have bar girls, etc.

No problem connecting with English speakers.

Check out Billy's Bar, Scot owner, low key, pleasant place.

If you're only here for 3-4 weeks, the room rates won't vary significantly.........but off season is after mid-April until late November.

Like anywhere in the world your best rental rate depends on the legnth of time you are willing to commit to, and how many months you're willing to pay at one time.

You'll find that if you commit for a 1 year lease and pay in 2 installments of 6 months each, you can usually get a break.

Location is the key.

You can get a very decent 3 BR house, with basic furniture and at least 1 air con for 9-15,000 By per month.

You can't officially work here without a work permit (usually gotten by the employer)...........even as a business owner you can't "work", just manage.

In my case, I'm semi-retired and go back to Canada for 2 months each summer to earn a few dollars.

I live very comfortably here for about 30,000 month all in.........have a car, but don't drink and have a Thai/Chinese wife that hates to spend my money.

[Goosethai]

Hey

Most of the questions have been answered by Frostback, and may I say how refreshing to listen to some advice that is genuine and more importantly by someone who seems to have it sussed.

The best advice is to come and rent and suss the local genuine farrangs in Cha Am and Hua Hin, not the ones that are tied up with Ex Bar girls as they have lost it from day one.

Prices do not vary much but the low season will give you more choice, rent a vehicle and find ot where the owners live, find a genuine farand ex pat he can cut down the leg work, a thai will do it for comission.

Cha Am and Hua Hin is really catering for family's and sporty types, Phuket is the full on Bar scene, Pattay may be the biggest brothel in the world so Phuket is a close relation. The other thing about Phuket is it is geaographically further away from Bangkok and yopu will need to go to Bangkok.

Hope this helps.

[Deadcert]

I am afraid I am going to contradict everyone, I visited Hua Hin once fell in love with it and jumped in with both feet on that first visit. My experiences have been A1 and not a problem in sight. I would agree with everyone though, its who you deal with so find people with a track record.

My only question is when to make the move more permenent.

I would be happy to pass on my contacts to you or tell you about my experiences.

E mail me on [email protected]

[stucar]

hi again

Thanks again for all the helpful advice, cant wait till i get over there , shame not till january though, I have checked out a few property prices they do seem to be going up quiet fast, and the rental market seems quiet good, maybe i good time for buy-to-let, is hh a booming holiday resort? i have bought properties here which i have rented out has alwalys seemed a good investment so far. know any good real estate agents, or management companies?

More questions for you, is it easy to have bank accounts,or do you all walk a round with great wads of cash, and store the rest under the mattress? and are there local taxes, what about the utilityity bills, gas electric, telephone etc, will I need an interperater to understand them. ( at first anyway) more expense hahaha. and how good is the medical centres etc, expensive no doubt, and is there insurance that can be obtained?

well thats all for now, happy easter dont suppose you celebrate that over there, mmm will miss the chockolate egg, only joking, as long as the beer is ok.

stuart

[Chiangmai]

Hi

why Phuket HuaHin, Chaam ???

there life is so expensive with no service

Think about CHIANGMAI (I move from europe 4 years ago after working in Thailand as an civil engeneer in 1987-1988)

Chiangmai,

life is very cheap (2 or 3 time less than Bangkok or Phuket )

weaher is so nice and cool

there is all facilities & services (for examples investigate about a good hospital in HuaHin or Phuket and let me knows !!!)

The city is quite big (200 000 ) but the style is still upcountry style - not the fake style of thai-farang beach resort life (Pattaya, Phuket , ..)

if you plan to have your own business you do not believe that you have to find a place with more customers than HuaHin or Chaam ???

ChiangMai have a lot of big university (if you plan to work as teacher or else..)

and so on ...

contact me directly at [email protected]

if you want more details

CM

[charleyboy]

OP. Why not try buying property in the UK and renting, through a reputable letting agent.

I've lived in Cha-Am for the past 2 years, rent a 3 bed bungalow and pay 3,000 baht per month. It was unfurnished and needed a few baht spent on bringing it up to my standards. Utilities are very low, as long as you don't have A/C.

I pay about 100 baht PCM for water, 350 baht electric, bottle of gas lasts about 8 weeks 350 baht?

As for cable TV, I plugged my TV in, and have been experiencing "Charleycable" for the past couple of years for free! I believe they charge about 350 baht per month.

I'd travelled extensively throughout Thailand ( 11 years ) before deciding to settle down in Cha-Am.

As for a business, leave well alone....I know many people in HH and Cha-Am who came over here with big ideas, if you don't need the money, give it a wide berth!

Tony.

PS. Chiang Mai would be nice, if it had a beach!

[Duckthai]

Sound advice here, I have lived in the Hua Hin area for 4 years, best Beach's in Thailand.

Very laid back, choose your friends well and come for the right reasons (You) and you should have no problems.

Enjoy the LOS.