Newbe-how Much Would A Simpler Life In Thialand Cost To Set Up?

[mchristophermsw]

I was wondering, how much a simpler life in Thialand cost to set up?

Oooh I know this a mega-vague question, so I will try to be more specific.

I am looking for a small to medium sized city or town that is 1/2 to an 1 hr away from a bigger more bustling scene. I will be looking to eventually purchase a bunglow or small home (in cash, at local rates). (if this part of the plan has to happen after I fall in love with a local, I am pretty patient but having my a home is very important)

I may also want to open a small gym that may be tied into some type of non-profit deal as a place that the local could call their "workout" home with special programs for teenagers and youth who need to stay out of trouble ( kinda like a mini YMCA).

I am blind as a bat regarding the economic landscape (and wanted to get your opinions before I do some official research).

Lets start with Set up cost, including the purchase of a home.

For comparison in Cagayon De Oreo in the PI you get a real nice Bugalow for about 25K USD.

A little about me:

I am not your average American who is touristy. I have lived overseas in several different countries and I enjoy living beside the average person and giving back to my community.

I have a Bachelors and Masters in Social Work. Have worked as a counselor, psychiatric social worker, program director, community college instructor, tutor, youth minister and child abuse forensic investigator.

My home base has been in the San Francisco Bay Area but I have always felt more comfortable overseas and I am ready to start "really planning to make my move in the near future".

Any advice would be helpful

Michael Christopher Santiago Gutierrez, MSW

Edited November 12, 2006 by mchristophermsw

[ColPyat]

I was wondering, how much a simpler life in Thialand cost to set up?

Oooh I know this a mega-vague question, so I will try to be more specific.

I am looking for a small to medium sized city or town that is 1/2 to an 1 hr away from a bigger more bustling scene. I will be looking to eventually purchase a bunglow or small home (in cash, at local rates). (if this part of the plan has to happen after I fall in love with a local, I am pretty patient but having my a home is very important)

I may also want to open a small gym that may be tied into some type of non-profit deal as a place that the local could call their "workout" home with special programs for teenagers and youth who need to stay out of trouble ( kinda like a mini YMCA).

I am blind as a bat regarding the economic landscape (and wanted to get your opinions before I do some official research).

Lets start with Set up cost, including the purchase of a home.

For comparison in Cagayon De Oreo in the PI you get a real nice Bugalow for about 25K USD.

A little about me:

I am not your average American who is touristy. I have lived overseas in several different countries and I enjoy living beside the average person and giving back to my community.

I have a Bachelors and Masters in Social Work. Have worked as a counselor, psychiatric social worker, program director, community college instructor, tutor, youth minister and child abuse forensic investigator.

My home base has been in the San Francisco Bay Area but I have always felt more comfortable overseas and I am ready to start "really planning to make my move in the near future".

Any advice would be helpful

Michael Christopher Santiago Gutierrez, MSW

You cannot buy as a foreigner a house, or bungalow. You can only buy a condo in a block in which not less than 51% of the units are Thai owned.

You cannot legally open a small gym without having a properly registered business with a minimum investment beyond that of a small gym. For that you need to have Thai shareholders that hold 51%. You will need to employ 4 Thais in order to be able to apply for a workpermit.

etc.

My advice would be to come here on an extended holiday first, and make you due diligence, before deciding that you are going to live here based on advice from the internet.

[Maizefarmer]

Michael, hang on a sec, your intentions are admirable but you really need to come out here and spend some time looking at various communities, their lifestyles and what you like and what you don’t like. You may decide after 6months – 1year its not your cup of tea at all and want to return home.

You need to understand the legal mechanics of building and owning a house – the law as it applies to foreigners and the “owning” or long term rental of property (e.g. as one small point amongst many others you can own the house on which the land stands but not the land it’s self – and even then there are a whole host of legal fine points to consider).

Then you need to consider how you will stay here a long time i.e. what visa will you decide to ultimately opt for, and whether or not you decide to get a “work permit” or base your stay under some or other of the charity rules

And then you need to …… oh hel_l, it goes on and on, but the above of the 3 major considerations you need to get yourself familiar with BEFORE you make any commitments personal, business or financial wise.

The various threads of this forum are packed with hundreds of examples of the sorts of questions that have come up with respect to the above, but to answer the question you asked and nothing more I’d say against the background of the limited info you have offered, not less than USD25K and not more than USD 75K would be sufficient.

I will add this though – there is a desperate need for the sort of project you have in mind. As to how you’d go about it in practical terms I wouldn’t have a clue, but amongst those on your list of people to make acquaintance with would be the abbots of various Buddhist monastries and temples which often are often a focal point for the “troubled youth” in their area.

[Thaipwriter]

By simpler I assume you mean non tourist.

If your ready to ditch the rat race and go native you can house, clothe and feed yourself here in a location similar to the one you mentioned for as little as 10,000 baht per month. That includes a few cheeky beers also.

Its all down to disipline though. 20,000 naht per month income should be the minumum you have to get a reasonable life here.

Others will say a lot more but they would be the guys who come to Thailand for reasons other than the ones you outline.

Small bungalow start at 700,000 baht but you should rent for at least one year while you find you feet. renting is cheap....dirt cheap. Property ownership is another tricky subject here, you cannot as a foreigner own land. you can own the brick that make your house but not the land. this has to be leased for 30 years or registered in the name of a Thai national.

The latter normally ends in tears further endorsing the popularity of renting property.

I feel that your plan for a gym or some kind of community work would be well recived and that would do a little to enhance the image of the foreigners here.

Good luck!

[englishoak]

Is it me or have the posts here gone a little "Pete Tong"

[Thaipwriter]

^ just use the "edit " button to go back in and tidy up

[Maizefarmer]

Moderator

Thanx - but can you also deleate the text in the qoute block - that is part of another reply I submitted elsewhere - just leave the part underneath that starts with "Michael, hang on a sec....

Thank you.

Tim

[endure]

There you go...

[dave111223]

You can get a bungalow for 25K, but as others have mentioned you'll need go jump through some legal hoops in order to do so.

ie. You need to setup a company can have the company own the property.

The gym that you want to setup, as others have mentioned, also has quite alot of legal hoops, such as 1M (or was it 2?) paid-in capital. But this could work hand in hand with your property purchase, as you could use the paid-in capital for the bungalow.

Visas on the other hand, depending on your age you may be able to get a retirement visa. Otherwise you'd need to first be staying on a tourist visa, until you got your business setup at which point you could get a work visa.

If you talk to a legal advisor on the above issues you'd be able to get all the exact costs and stuff.

50K should see you through for the company setup and bungalow purchase.

[phibunmike]

Hi,

Tim's post is (as usual ) spot on, as are the other posts referring to company set-up for the gym.

However, if you live in a rural area, such as where I am (Isaan), things are rather relaxed, possibly more so than in major urban areas. My wife has a small business, with a full-time staff of four, set up on some rented land. No registered company, no papers, no tax paid.

If you had use of land, and built a gym on it (no planning permission here either), and just started running it, then as long as you had the blessing of your local community (especially the poo ban or village head man), I don't think you would encounter any problems.

You could probably build (but not equip) a building a simple building suitable for use as a small gym for 100,000 baht. Not knowing your requirements, call that 200,000 baht (US$5k). Write that off as a cost, not an asset, if your ownership status is dubious.

Cheers,

Mike

[dave111223]

Hi,

Tim's post is (as usual ) spot on, as are the other posts referring to company set-up for the gym.

However, if you live in a rural area, such as where I am (Isaan), things are rather relaxed, possibly more so than in major urban areas. My wife has a small business, with a full-time staff of four, set up on some rented land. No registered company, no papers, no tax paid.

If you had use of land, and built a gym on it (no planning permission here either), and just started running it, then as long as you had the blessing of your local community (especially the poo ban or village head man), I don't think you would encounter any problems.

You could probably build (but not equip) a building a simple building suitable for use as a small gym for 100,000 baht. Not knowing your requirements, call that 200,000 baht (US$5k). Write that off as a cost, not an asset, if your ownership status is dubious.

Cheers,

Mike

Key words 'My Wife', he would get a much different reaction i'm sure if he were to open up the gymn in this manner as 'the owner'.

I would expect to see many a policeman arrive with their hand out should you go this route.

If a Farang sets up their business in this manner all it would take is 1 phone call from a disgrutalled local to send the whole thing crashing down.

[mchristophermsw]

Thanks everyone for your kindness and words of wisdom.

Like I stated earlier, I need now to start doing some real research and touch ground. I am suprised of the property ting.....I thought Philipines had some loops but geez Thialand ups them one.

Sidebar, if anyone ever visits Trinidad and Tobago (Caribbean) you can own a home and the ground on it as a foriegner. Just one though LOL

[phibunmike]

Key words 'My Wife', he would get a much different reaction i'm sure if he were to open up the gymn in this manner as 'the owner'.

I would expect to see many a policeman arrive with their hand out should you go this route.

If a Farang sets up their business in this manner all it would take is 1 phone call from a disgrutalled local to send the whole thing crashing down.

Yes, Dave, you are probably right about that. My oversight