Retiring in Bangkok

[lonelyglobe]

For those who have plan to retire in BKK, how do you prepare for yourself? Perhaps learn the language, make some friends there, buy a condo, applying for the visa etc.....Recently found a place about 10 mins walk from a new BTS (construction of the station is completed), Robinson department and Big C supermarket, from the station to asoke BTS is about 30 min ride, is a 1 + 1 unit on a high floor at 40sqm and asking for 2.4 million baht (slightly less than 100k SGD base on the current exchange rate). The new project expected to complete in 2018, though partial furnished, I think it is quite a steal....anyone with other condo info can share yours too....Mature area in bkk the prices are already high and there seem to be a trend that more and more units are going under 30sqm, which I think is way too small.

 

For those who have settled in bkk, which area are u putting up and what was the price like before? For the past 5 years or so, I don't really see much increase in price for the condo there but I m not sure for the next 5 years if they have a strong government with a good economy, things may change.

[Guest Guest]

aiyah... got no money to buy condo in Singapore huh? so must escape to BKK to retire there? and you dare go on other threads calling other people "losers"? look at who is the biggest "loser" here.

[inbody123]

I am retiring to Bangkok soon, perhaps in 12 months time.

You need to do research well ahead of your retirement.

Only Age 50 and above will be granted a Retirement Visa, and this VISA is only valid for one year but can be renew for another year in Thailand.

 

Qualifications

• Applicant must be 50 years of age or over
• Must meet the financial requirements
  • Security deposit of THB 800,000 in a Thai Bank Account for 2 months prior to the visa application.
  • Monthly income or pension of at least THB 65,000. An affidavit from the foreign embassy or consulate has to be obtained as proof of the income.
  • Combination of the Thai bank account and yearly income with the total of 800,000 THB.

  Supporting documents as proof of the security deposit in a Thai bank are as follows:

  • Updated bank book or passbook
  • Bank letter stating that the money had been deposited to the account from an oversea source for not less than 2 months.
• Other documents that may be required to be presented:*
  • Police Clearance
  • Medical Certificate

 

I strongly advice to stay one year first before buying any property ! Re sale property is hard to dispose of. Thai like NEW property.

Find a location you like and stay a while. if you like this area,  than hunt for a property to buy. 

Property are cheap, if located outside the CBD or prime tourist area. 

 

if one decide to live permanently in Thailand, I strongly suggest you learn the language.

 

I am currently learning Thai at Lingo Language School on Beach Road. 

I would need to continue this when I am there physically. 

 

There is a big different holidaying and living in Bangkok.

You will need to make friends.

 

Retirement Visa prohibits one to work in Thailand.

We need to BUDGET which would mean less AGOGO show, massages and sauna (LOL).

 

Which Area will I will stay ??  

On Nut was an area I have looked into. 

I met someone who said the area around Phra Ram 9 is worth looking at, which I am currently doing research.

This guy is also a fellow SGrean who had done the research, master the language and bought a condo and will be retiring there is a few years time. A big thank you for all the advice you have given to me.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2016 by inbody123

[lonelyglobe]

u r welcome, the more constructive information we share, the wiser we became   i think my agent also mention ram 9 is an area to look out for.....Bangkok's BTS is going through an extensive expansion, so not necessary to stay in the tourist area, expensive and crowded, but out of tourist area, yes, ability to speak thai is crucial for survivor......cannot work but can open shop with my local thai friend right, financial aside, it is also important to have something to do there to pass time apart from the agogo, sauna and massage hee......

[gc0805]

hi, may i suggest looking at ladprao in addition to rama 9 and onnut in bkk. it's probably the best residential area if u want to live like a local thai, albeit a middle class one. infrastructure is very well developed and amenities are abundant. price wise, its more ex than onnut but slightly cheaper than rama 9.

if you prefer the bkk suburbs, try looking at nonthaburi. there is good value to be found there too. the best crab restaurant in bkk is there and imho, is a good enough reason to move there hahaha. there are also massage places there, and prices are definitely lower than central bkk.

further out from bkk, chiangmai is also great for retirement. you can get a decent condo unit there for 2-3 million baht. it's very popular with singaporeans, mainland chinese and farangs this last few years, and they are snapping up the condos quickly. the pace of life in chiangmai is slower, so it might be your cup of tea if u prefer a more relaxed retirement. the food, i must add, is truly amazing and very international.

these are just my personal observation. will be good to hear other views.

Edited May 31, 2016 by gc0805
spelling error

[Cube3]

On 23/05/2016 at 9:08 AM, inbody123 said:

I am retiring to Bangkok soon, perhaps in 12 months time.

You need to do research well ahead of your retirement.

Only Age 50 and above will be granted a Retirement Visa, and this VISA is only valid for one year but can be renew for another year in Thailand.

 

Qualifications

• Applicant must be 50 years of age or over
• Must meet the financial requirements
  • Security deposit of THB 800,000 in a Thai Bank Account for 2 months prior to the visa application.
  • Monthly income or pension of at least THB 65,000. An affidavit from the foreign embassy or consulate has to be obtained as proof of the income.
  • Combination of the Thai bank account and yearly income with the total of 800,000 THB.

  Supporting documents as proof of the security deposit in a Thai bank are as follows:

  • Updated bank book or passbook
  • Bank letter stating that the money had been deposited to the account from an oversea source for not less than 2 months.
• Other documents that may be required to be presented:*
  • Police Clearance
  • Medical Certificate

 

I strongly advice to stay one year first before buying any property ! Re sale property is hard to dispose of. Thai like NEW property.

Find a location you like and stay a while. if you like this area,  than hunt for a property to buy. 

Property are cheap, if located outside the CBD or prime tourist area. 

 

if one decide to live permanently in Thailand, I strongly suggest you learn the language.

 

I am currently learning Thai at Lingo Language School on Beach Road. 

I would need to continue this when I am there physically. 

 

There is a big different holidaying and living in Bangkok.

You will need to make friends.

 

Retirement Visa prohibits one to work in Thailand.

We need to BUDGET which would mean less AGOGO show, massages and sauna (LOL).

 

Which Area will I will stay ??  

On Nut was an area I have looked into. 

I met someone who said the area around Phra Ram 9 is worth looking at, which I am currently doing research.

This guy is also a fellow SGrean who had done the research, master the language and bought a condo and will be retiring there is a few years time. A big thank you for all the advice you have given to me.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Am curious, do yo have a large group of friends there now? Won't it take time to form strong bonds of trust and kinship...?

[inbody123]

3 hours ago, Cube3 said:

 

Am curious, do yo have a large group of friends there now? Won't it take time to form strong bonds of trust and kinship...?

 

It will take time, and effort to make friends. 

There are many organisations and groups or interest groups one can join.

 

Learning the THAI Language is essential.

 

A very nice guy from Blowing Wind has been chatting to me re my retirement plan.

He has given me loads of valuable info and advice, he has done all the research and planning to move there in a few years time.

He is planning this with a few of his close Singapore friends, and one of them has already made that move. 

 

I have done the maths and research.

(one can survive in Thailand on SGD$1500/- easily per month)

 

- check rental properties prices, and even viewed a few,

- check supermarket prices for food and essential items,

- visited wet markets,

- reece a few language schools and gyms,

- enquired on insurance,

- opened a bank account with ATM card and internet banking

(very difficult without a work permit, but is possible if you walk into enough branches)

- check out public transportation and their costs ( even ride a song-taew )

- open a AIS telephone account

 

I am very excited about the move.

 

If there is anyone planning this, please do contact me.

 

 

 

Edited June 1, 2016 by inbody123

[lonelyglobe]

$1500 per month is more than surviving liao hee......that's like $50 per day, I would say u can get by with the basic and essential @ perhaps $30 per day which work out to $900 per month, so the idea is to rent out your whole place here and enjoy life in bkk.....chiang mai is indeed a good place, nice weather, slow pace but can be too quiet at times and if u don't drive, is not so easy to move around like bkk, another place is Phuket, especially those who love life by the sea will love it there....once u stay in bkk, use it as a base and can travel to other parts of Thailand

[gc0805]

inbody123:

we met in yunomori last trip in bkk.

my mates and I go up every month. do join us for meals or activities if u r there.

it's important to find good local thai friends. but we are strangers in a foreign land, so we must very careful about making friends there.

 

[inbody123]

29 minutes ago, gc0805 said:

inbody123:

we met in yunomori last trip in bkk.

my mates and I go up every month. do join us for meals or activities if u r there.

it's important to find good local thai friends. but we are strangers in a foreign land, so we must very careful about making friends there.

 

 

Hi Gc0805, yes we did met at Yunomori, had lunch and a massage there.

Thank you so much for the ride back to the main road.

Your advice are priceless and by the way, you "phoot pasa thai geng maak".

 

My sister told me to be careful with my monies when I move there.

She said "You make the wrong "friend" you will crawl back to Singapore.

I know she is referring to MB or potential partner.

I know the sentence "Phom MAI MEE NGERN"

 

I will be back to Bangkok soon, will definately keep in touch !

 

[lonelyglobe]

Indeed got to be careful be it oversea or local, the moment when u have someone in their 20s or 30s interested in u, straight away the alarm must go up and put yourself on high alert.....common reason like "I like to upgrade myself" or "my family in the rural area need help and support".....perhaps one of the thing is try not to let people know u can speak thai so when they converse in their language, u actually understand the actual meaning, of course there will be genuine nice people around but before u find out, just got to protect yourself.......by the way, I m planning to go again end of jun to seek out more condo deals, anyone interested can pm me

[passinthenight]

Hi Guys,

             Great topic/thread!

 

 I've been looking at this for a while now. I've travelled a bit around Thailand now for around10 years.

I've read that if you enter Thailand on a Non Immigrant O Visa..... you can then apply for the extension (retirement visa).

No Police checks or medical checks are required.

 

 A Thai friend said that many Westerners now live in the On Nut area.

I'd like to stay in the Sathorn area if I had a choice but I think it may be quite expensive.

 

One rule, I have heard is..... do not buy real estate.

Just rent,until you are absolutely and completely sure. 

And then sleep on it for as long as you can.

In other words, just rent.

 

I I've been looking to retire in Thailand since 2010.

I just don't know if I have the balls to sell everything and just do it.

If I do, it will be sometime next year.

 

 

Cheers Guys

 

[inbody123]

13 hours ago, passinthenight said:

 

I I've been looking to retire in Thailand since 2010.

I just don't know if I have the balls to sell everything and just do it.

If I do, it will be sometime next year.

 

 

Nothing venture, Nothing Gain.

In life there is no guarantee, One need to take chances.

 

Are you living in Australia ?

I currently also hold an Aussie Citizenship !

 

[abang]

Singapore does NOT allow dual citizenship.

I used to toy with the idea of staying overseas but now, due to my lungs condition, I put it on hold.  Actually living in Singapore isn't all that expensive.  I am frugal with my expenditure and if I cook my meals at home, take public transport and pamper myself once in a while, the amount is definitely less than SGD 900 (as stated by some above).  

 

Suppose I prefer to retire in Bangkok, there are a few considerations.

1.   Cost of rental, food and eating out

2.   Medical cost including hospitalisation

3.   Transport cost - unlike Singapore, one can die of pollution or impatience there

4.    Language barrier with Thais.  

       I am after AMDK so there is minimal problem but I have to take lessons.

5.    Entertainment cost - Soi Twilight and Babylon

6.    Helplessness - who can I call for emergencies

 

Simple pleasures in Singapore that I will missed

1.    Free stuff and admission with annual fee

Now that I am nursing from my illness,  I usually ride the train before 7.45 am to get the free ride to Chinatown.  I will board the bus to Vivocity after my breakfast at the hawker centre, all done within 45 mins.  Since I paid for an annual admission, I cost me nothing to        go to Sentosa.  I could relax at Tanjung Beach for the entire morning before heading back.  So the damage is less than $2.

 

Alternatively, I may go to the museums for free.  I especially like the National Arts Gallery.  I allow myself to have 3 hours there before taking a leisurely walk across Padang, Esplanade and the Marina Bay area featuring Gardens by the Bay.  I have the annual pass ($68) so I go into the domes monthly.

 

I go to Toa Payoh's SAFRA gym.  The average monthly fee is about $35 and I can use the spa facilities there. Hence no need for the saunas' admission.  Boy, I have not been to a local sauna for ages. 

 

2.     Shopping and grocery

There are plenty of such shops where I live.  If I have nothing better to do on weekdays, I hop on the MRT and changed to Bus 170 for JB. I could walk over to the "older" area where the bakery is.  I stock up my spices and beverages as prices are much lower in JB.  The transportation cost me $4.50 for the round trip. Sometimes, I even catch a movie there.   Yes, I have plenty of time so the traffic jam means nothing to me. 

 

Enough said..  It is very different to visit Bangkok and Thailand for a week from staying put there for months.  I know of farangs who live there and they are bored to death.  Given a choice, Bangkok should be a base.  Budget flights to Chiangmai and other areas ain't that costly.  

Edited June 2, 2016 by abang
Alignment

[gc0805]

Wherever we choose to retire, we will always need some savings. But your dollar will stretch further in Thailand than in SG.

I suppose to maintain my current lifestyle (by no means extravagant), I'll have to retire outside Singapore once the money stops coming in. If I retire here, I'll have to be very frugal. There's always a trade off, especially if you don't have a trust fund hahaha. SG is cleaner and more organised, but I have to watch every dollar I spend. Or I can bear with the inconvenience and chaos of bkk, and have a bit more to spend on food and travel. 

It's not a decision anyone should make hastily. I've known Thailand and the Thais fairly well for twenty years, and do know that Thailand is not what it seems to the occasional tourist. That's why I have very realistic expectations about retiring there.

[lonelyglobe]

Everyone have their ideal place to retire, some would like to go Australia, some Malaysia and there will always be die-hard fan of Singapore 

 

Every place got its own pros and cons to be evaluated, important thing is to base on your own needs and requirement, be realistic and move on, of course it will be good to have friend who share the same retirement place but that is not easy, so be prepare to make new friends wherever u go but be cautious with new found friends.

 

Hopefully this forum can shed some light for those who planning to retire in Thailand and yes, use bkk as a base and can do some regional traveling, with so many budget carrier around, can always come back to visit friends and families and catch up with your missed food here, not to forget we still have medisave here although the cost of medical treatment in a private hospital in bkk is rather similar to the government one here.

[inbody123]

22 hours ago, abang said:

15 hours ago, gc0805 said:

Wherever we choose to retire, we will always need some savings. But your dollar will stretch further in Thailand than in SG.

 

 

 

I think the key word is expectation.

I know that Bangkok has traffic jams, polluted & dirty ( and many soi dogs)

However I am moving there knowing these facts already and our SGD definately goes further in Thailand.

I fully agree with GC0805. 

 

Steps for a smooth relocation/retirement in Bangkok.

 

1)Smile, make friends. "Friends" are essential. Building a network would be a important first objective for me.

 

2)Learn some Thai before you "make" that move.

 

3)ASAP, Open a Thai Bank Account with an ATM card or Debit Card, to facilitate drawing monies or making transactions.

Kasikorn Bank is very foreigner friendly.

Bangkok, Krungsri and SCB rejected my opening of account cause I do not have a work permit or apartment lease.

 

4)Know the area you want to live in, spend some time in the area to familiarize with it before making the move.

 

5)Read Blogs about (foreigners or retirees or digital nomads) who have moved there.

These 2 blogs give fantastic advice.

 http://afarangabroad.com/ 

http://www.thethailandlife.com/cost-living-thailand

 

6)Get a health check before making the move.

 

7) Decide whether you need a local Thailand Medical Insurance. 

Medical Fees are cheaper in Thailand though.

 

8) Leave some monies in your place of origin, who knows, you might not like Bangkok after a few months.

Living there and Holidaying there are different, the novelty will wears out.

You cannot go for massages, shopping, clubbing everyday.

Find some hobbies, eg join a gym or do some weekend volunteer work. 

 

A good Australian Friend (who has been living in Bangkok for a few years) gave me a few pointers listed below :-

a) Find a place near a hospital, you do not want to be caught in a rod dtit (traffic jam) if you are in an ambulance.

b) Rent first, do not rush to buy any property. One might not like the area or living in Bangkok. Resale property hard to dispose of in Thailand.

c) Find a place, if possible, where the electricity is charged by the Govt and not the condominium management. 

 

If anyone has anymore advice do list them here. 

 

 

[lonelyglobe]

Thanks inbody123 for sharing the blog, quite  a good read, while the points are valid for renting rather than buying a condo in bkk, it must also take into consideration that the blog was written by a farang and their culture and mindset of buying vs renting is very different from Asian. For Asian, having our own place is more for security but for them seems more of a liability and they love the freedom of able to move around. Having said that, I believe it is still good to buy if:

 

1.) can find a place that u like and suits your budget with a long term plan to stay on (not easily bored type)

2.) buy a new project (yes, there is risk) but that also mean u can get the best price first hand

3.) avoid taking a bank loan if possible as the interest rate can range between 5 to 8%

4.) take advantage of the 2 to 3 years of construction period to save enough for your final payment which is normally about 70%

 

There is really no right or wrong of buying or renting, both got pros and cons, end of the day it still boil down to your expectation, needs and requirements.

[passinthenight]

On 2 June 2016 at 10:28 AM, inbody123 said:

 

Nothing venture, Nothing Gain.

In life there is no guarantee, One need to take chances.

 

Are you living in Australia ?

I currently also hold an Aussie Citizenship !

 

 

Thanks for your question.

 

I have dual citizenship: UK & Aussie.

 

I would like to stay in Australia or even retire in Singapore.

But these are both 1st World Countries and the cost of living in these Countries are very high.

I can see my money going further for longer, just as long as I don't sweat the small stuff when living day to day in Thailand.

 

 

[wisely03]

As with everybody else in this thread, I am also planning to apply for the retirement visa in 6 years time. During which, will continue to accumulate wealth, stay healthy and learn the language. thanks for sharing experiences!

[gc0805]

wow glad to hear more people are exploring this option!

learn the language diligently. it will make your retirement there easier and more interesting.

feel free to pm me if u need any info or help.

[lonelyglobe]

gc0805 is always so helpful

[gc0805]

nah, im just doing what any other guy would have done. we are retiring in a foreign place, so we need to look out for one another.

keep this thread alive and going, and we can discuss any relevant issues here.

[inbody123]

To keep this thread alive it should be move to the main room

 

Today SGD is buying 25.85 baht at Golden Mile !!

I will need to transfer more SGD to my Kasikorn Bank soon.

I do that every time I get my salary.

Last transfer was made at 25.68.

 

Hopefully the exchange rate will stay high. 

 

[gc0805]

thanks for the heads up! will change before going up tomorrow.

this is really an excellent way to save for ur nest egg!

the highest i've changed in recent memory is at 25.9, a couple of months ago, at golden mile too.

if u r working in the suntec area, fountain xchange in marina square is equally good.

also, never change baht from fri to sunday, when demand is always higher and rate is usually lower.

[lonelyglobe]

shit, kena cheated at the tanglin shopping centre money changer, only got 25.70 despite exchanging a few k sgd

[inbody123]

10 hours ago, lonelyglobe said:

shit, kena cheated at the tanglin shopping centre money changer, only got 25.70 despite exchanging a few k sgd

If you change a few K u can ask for a higher rate.  Will you be going to DR BEAR again. Was not able to go with you last trip !

When are you heading up?

 

11 hours ago, gc0805 said:

thanks for the heads up! will change before going up tomorrow.

this is really an excellent way to save for ur nest egg!

the highest i've changed in recent memory is at 25.9, a couple of months ago, at golden mile too.

if u r working in the suntec area, fountain xchange in marina square is equally good.

also, never change baht from fri to sunday, when demand is always higher and rate is usually lower.

 

Have a good trip ! really Envy you able to go to "Krung Thep" so often.

I am learning the 44 consonants now, it is not easy ! Maybe you can give me some advice how you manage to remember them LOL

 

 

 

[lonelyglobe]

that's the best rate they offer, normal is 25.50 only....dr bear maybe but would like to try the onsen, heard so much but never been there before.....I will be there from 25 to 28 jun

[gc0805]

yayaya consonants are a nightmare!

I think we need to sit down like primary school students and keep writing them. very tedious but there's no short cuts. 

the group of us moving over was thinking we would need to study thai together for 2 hrs everyday in the condo library, as part of our daily routine 555

incidently i changed at 25.87 just now. the xchange guy knows me cos i usually bring back a stack of 100 pieces of 100 bahts for him. he is always running out of 100 baht notes cos bangkok bank usually just gives out big notes.

 

[lonelyglobe]

good rate for thai baht today, change 25.92 at bugis

[gc0805]

26 at golden mile today

[inbody123]

29 minutes ago, gc0805 said:

26 at golden mile today

What was the highest you ever changed GC0805?

 

How was your Bangkok Trip ?

Sanuk Mai ?

 

I have mastered the 44 consonants but I sometimes cannot recall them.

We learnt 6 vowels last week ! There are 12 more ..

Now I can write / read so many words ... It is getting exciting !

 

Gaa ( crow), Dee ( Good), Have ( mee), Long time ( Naan),  Money (Ngern)

Naligaa (watch/clock), She (Chan),  Weather (aagaat), Eye (Dtaa) Snake (Nguu) ......

 

 

[lonelyglobe]

nice...I m planning to use the skill future credit to continue my thai lesson

 

Maybe GC0805 can advise the money changer to give BW members the best rate ya, there are so many of us going Thailand, sure they will get good business lor

[gc0805]

yes can. ill get u guys the address n name of shop. but how do we identify ourselves?

 

Edited June 21, 2016 by gc0805

[gc0805]

3 hours ago, inbody123 said:

What was the highest you ever changed GC0805?

 

How was your Bangkok Trip ?

Sanuk Mai ?

 

I have mastered the 44 consonants but I sometimes cannot recall them.

We learnt 6 vowels last week ! There are 12 more ..

Now I can write / read so many words ... It is getting exciting !

 

Gaa ( crow), Dee ( Good), Have ( mee), Long time ( Naan),  Money (Ngern)

Naligaa (watch/clock), She (Chan),  Weather (aagaat), Eye (Dtaa) Snake (Nguu) ......

 

 

 

hiya!

26 is the highest in recent memory actually. of course the best rate ever was during the financial crisis many years ago when it was 33 baht to a local dollar. that was mind boggling.

this trip, me n my mates had roadside chicken rice just down the street from r3 and also noodles at talart rod fai (railway market) behind esplanade mall, and we all had

severe food poisoning on the last day. it was really brutal hahaha! must say we are all very seasoned street food gluttons, so we r a bit surprised by the attack.

its rainy season in bkk now, n the rain there can last whole day whole night. in fact, parts of bkk were flooded this morning. so if u heading there, remember to take an

umbrella everytime u leave hotel.

when is ur next trip there? I'm always there middle of each month.

let me know if u need info or help in any form.

 

ps: perhaps u can ask ur thai teacher to look for these three books. they r brilliant learning aids. 1) the bua luang compact english-thai dictionary 2) the bua luang what you see is what you say thai phrase handbook 3) reading and writing thai by somsonge burusphat

                      

 

[lonelyglobe]

17 hours ago, gc0805 said:

yes can. ill get u guys the address n name of shop. but how do we identify ourselves?

 

do they know your name? we can say refer by u...otherwise we can say from BW Club, depend on how gay friendly they are, if not we can mention is a Best Wine Club that go to Thailand regularly to source for best wine

[gc0805]

lonelyglobe, i like ur best wine club idea!

the boss and his staff at the exchange are all indian muslims, so they won't b too gay friendly i bet.

i will tell the boss tomorrow that i am recommending my wine club friends to his shop, so please give best rate! 

[lonelyglobe]

[inbody123]

12 hours ago, lonelyglobe said:

nice...I m planning to use the skill future credit to continue my thai lesson

 

 

 

A chap in my Basic 2 Thai class uses the Skills Credit Future to do Basic 1 at Lingo.

https://www.lingo.edu.sg/

 

Hope to see you at LINGO soon.

[inbody123]

27 minutes ago, Since u r here said:

retiring at bkk but learning in Singapore?

 

 

 

 

Prepare mah !! After landing in BKK will need to continue to learn. 

 

[gc0805]

The exchange in golden mile complex is called singa exchange on ground level facing main road. It's the shop closest to grassland office. It has a vertical standing flashing money exchange sign in front.

Tell him u r from wine club. Friend of Tim.

Today wine club members get 26.05.

 

[lonelyglobe]

wow wow...thanks to our wine club leader for such a fantastic rate

 

20 hours ago, inbody123 said:

 

A chap in my Basic 2 Thai class uses the Skills Credit Future to do Basic 1 at Lingo.

https://www.lingo.edu.sg/

 

Hope to see you at LINGO soon.

 

planning to do basic 2 but haven't decide which school to go, beside lingo, there is another one call linguistic, both offer similar course....I suppose need to learn some basic conversation first and once u r there, can further study advanced level or in writing.....

[lonelyglobe]

On ‎21‎/‎6‎/‎2016 at 10:09 PM, gc0805 said:

The exchange in golden mile complex is called singa exchange on ground level facing main road. It's the shop closest to grassland office. It has a vertical standing flashing money exchange sign in front.

Tell him u r from wine club. Friend of Tim.

Today wine club members get 26.05.

 

went there today but the rate fall sharply from yesterday 26.15, today was only 25.85 and after I told them I m from the wine club, they gave me 25.90. I got their number and will call next time to check the rate before I drop by.

[gc0805]

Baht has dropped back to 26.08 today, so moneychanger rate also drop correspondingly.

Also today is Friday. Try not to change from Fri-Sun. Rates usually not so great.

[lonelyglobe]

maybe also because pound drop drastically followed UK exit EU, Asian currencies rise accordingly....yap will try to change between mon to thurs

[passinthenight]

What are peoples thoughts on, when the much loved King passes?

I've heard that there could be some kind of a power struggle.

The heir apparent is not very well liked by the people.

Which means people in high authority could try and dismantle the whole monarchy system without much concern from the people.

But then again, the people could get very upset.

 

Such a scenario if it happens could make Thailand very unstable.

 

[inbody123]

Hi Passinthenight, nothing is guarantee in this world, one needs to take chances.

Do not cross the road, you might get knock down by a car.

Do not take a plane, it might crash.

 

Some postive news: - 

 

1) It seems that property rental are falling.

A good friend of mine managed to rent a studio (30sq meters) 120meters from ONNUT BTS for Baht 9500.

He took a 12 months lease. 

According to website hipflat, this apartment block was asking on average, a rental of Baht 12,000

(MY condo on Suk Soi 52) 

 

2) An article on why Bangkok is one of the most incredible cities in the world 

http://whatsonsukhumvit.com/37-reasons-why-bangkok-is-one-of-the-most-incredible-cities-in-the-world/

 

3) On a lighter note, you can view this video about Chinese Tourist fighting for thai souvenirs.

 

http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/07/06/me-first-chinese-tourists-fight-7-eleven-battle-thai-souvenirs-video

 

สวัสดี

 

[gc0805]

17 hours ago, passinthenight said:

What are peoples thoughts on, when the much loved King passes?

I've heard that there could be some kind of a power struggle.

The heir apparent is not very well liked by the people.

Which means people in high authority could try and dismantle the whole monarchy system without much concern from the people.

But then again, the people could get very upset.

 

Such a scenario if it happens could make Thailand very unstable.

 

 

 

I would take this stand:

We are guests in a foreign land and as long as we remember that, and not get involved in the politics, foreigners are always left alone. Thailand's past has proven that true, time and again.

With regards to the delicate and sensitive power play in their politics, it's best we keep our opinions to ourselves. Remember we are just guests.

[passinthenight]

13 hours ago, inbody123 said:

Hi Passinthenight, nothing is guarantee in this world, one needs to take chances.

Do not cross the road, you might get knock down by a car.

Do not take a plane, it might crash.

 

Some postive news: - 

 

1) It seems that property rental are falling.

A good friend of mine managed to rent a studio (30sq meters) 120meters from ONNUT BTS for Baht 9500.

He took a 12 months lease. 

According to website hipflat, this apartment block was asking on average, a rental of Baht 12,000

(MY condo on Suk Soi 52) 

 

2) An article on why Bangkok is one of the most incredible cities in the world 

http://whatsonsukhumvit.com/37-reasons-why-bangkok-is-one-of-the-most-incredible-cities-in-the-world/

 

3) On a lighter note, you can view this video about Chinese Tourist fighting for thai souvenirs.

 

http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/07/06/me-first-chinese-tourists-fight-7-eleven-battle-thai-souvenirs-video

 

สวัสดี

 

 

Thanks for your Post Inbody123,

 

When I was a much younger man, I took many risks as I had nothing to lose and I wasn't worried about mistake making.

Today, I'm much older and wiser and after working all my life, I'm less Gung-ho, I suppose.

 

I do think I will make the leap either 2017 or 2018 at the latest.

 

 Thanks for the update on the rental market in Bangkok.

 

 Yes, I did see that regarding the Chinese tourists. I have asked my friend in China for a translation on why they chose to make such a specticle of themselves.

[passinthenight]

9 hours ago, gc0805 said:

 

 

I would take this stand:

We are guests in a foreign land and as long as we remember that, and not get involved in the politics, foreigners are always left alone. Thailand's past has proven that true, time and again.

With regards to the delicate and sensitive power play in their politics, it's best we keep our opinions to ourselves. Remember we are just guests.

 

Thanks gc0805,

 

 Yes, I do entirely agree with your post about keeping our noses out of their politics.

I was just wondering if someone had an opinion on what might happen?

I would much prefer to make the move to Thailand after........ rather than before..... what I see, could possibly happen in the future.