Bob

I avoid the bugs and other weird stuff I occasionally see and I also do my best to avoid squid which, to me, has the texture of a tire. On one occasion, I tried some of the dried squid you see hanging up various places and I would describe that experience as about as delightful as eating a paper bag.

Every time I go, I actually take more stuff than even god could ask for. I keep a file just for immigration purposes and have extra photos, my lease, a couple of recent utility bills, copies of the passport pages and bank book pages, etc. So far, I've never had to go back because I didn't have anything. And, based on what many have written, I've always wondered why the immigration in Pattaya has some people come back the next day to pick up any final papers. I've done all my immigration work either in Chiangmai or Hua Hin and have always left after a short time with whatever I was looking for. When I first got the retirement visa (in Chiangmai), they cancelled my tourist visa, issued me a Non-Immigrant 0, and issued me the retirement visa and I walked out with all of that in about 20 minutes. I felt like giving them a tip (but I didn't).

I remain a strong believer in the concept noted by Smiles and others that it's painfully obvious that we falang have difficulty understanding the Thai political psyche. But I also happen to believe, rather strongly, that it's much too simplistic to put this whole thing down to Shinawatra or some people being "paid" to protest. For those that haven't, I continue to recommend the reading of Wyatt's history of Thailand and Hadley's "The King Never Smiles." Both books are filled with a very long history of one group using the "anti-monarchy" label to attack others politically and a history of the relationship of the north and Isaan peoples with their Bangkokian rulers. In my view, that history (along, of course, with the more recent history of the yellow shirts and the government's reaction or non-reaction to that mess) provides one with a perspective to understand at least a little better what's going on now.

I think many of the comments made relate to renewal of the one-year visa, not the 90-day reporting. There's not much required for the 90-day report (nobody's asked me for a lease or utility bill for doing that).

Attempting to not personalize this (as GB states, you ought to try it as it'll lengthen your longevity around here), yes, it's a non-starter for me. And, contrary to your comment, I don't believe I said anywhere that others aren't allowed to decide for themselves. I'm unsure, though, what you mean by my writing off a potential investment "based on an initial feeling." First, you have no clue what I have done and, although irrelevant to some degree, I've been lucky enough to retire early and reside in Chiangmai for a chunk of the year. Second, while I won't claim any maximum expertise, I am familiar with Chiangmai, it's current economic climate (including the bar scene), and Thai law regarding falang ownership of real estate.....and all of those plus other experiences as noted do help me (thank god) leap to what you call my "initial feeling." Many of the people on this board have been fully familiar with the history of bars in Thailand and I certainly would hope that this knowledge would factor into anybody's "initial feeling" as to whether it's wise to invest in a bar in Thailand. The OP, who very well might be a decent guy, is asking a foreigner to give a loan so he can buy a bar building in Chiangmai. I know for certain I can't own the building, I'm not willing to risk retirement funds to even attempt the corporation trick (especially in a business where the cops tend to get snotty if you won't pay up their monthly stipend), and I clearly would never invest in a security interest in bar assets (presuming one can legally do so in this situation). So, it's an easy "no, thank you" from me. You're free to do what you want (as they say in Thailand, "up to you.")

A foreigner cannot own land in his own name in Thailand (with a few exceptions - you can own a condo in certain areas if less than 50% of the units are owned by foreigners and there is an exception that a foreigner might qualify for if you invest something like 50 million baht or above). Some foreigners have gotten around this requirement by buying land in the name of a registered corporation where the foreigner owns less than 50% of the stock (Thai nationals own the balance and then the foreigner holds contracts with those nationals to attempt to control the property); however, while the Thai government hasn't (to my knowledge) actually gone after these owners, I've read various statements from various Thai governmental officials that they believe this set-up is not legal and they reserve the right to go after same. Oh, and you can also own land if you marry a Thai national and the title is held in your name and the Thai national (with some requirements as to unload it if there's a divorce). Presuming one is not willing to risk acquiring the building with the corporation trick noted above, I suppose that would leave the bar assets (coolers, tables, etc.) as one's security. In other words, absent the ability to secure the real estate (and presuming you're saavy about real estate prices in LOS - there's a whole lot for sale these days), it's a non-starter.

Nice post, PM. And, yea, TJ is a gem.

Being one of those damned yankees, football (soccer to me) is simply boring (but, then again, I don't think too differently about baseball or American football). I realize the players are tremendous athletes and many of them are fine male specimens too but, in the end, it's still rather boring to me. I also don't get the fan fervor over it - the fights and occasional riots - when what you're doing is watching a lot of over-paid guys run around a grassy field. So, to spice it up - and to get me watching more - I'd suggest they widen the net (so there's more scoring) and, perhaps, have them play naked. Then I'd watch!

For 34 years, I represented a whole lot of those "private lenders" attempting to recoup what turned out to be unwise loans and, based on my experience, the only issue I take with z909's statement is he should have added "very" to the "risky business" description. I'd be rich if I got a dollar every time I heard "I should have known better...." Some private lending works out fine but it's a much riskier business because usually the borrowers seeking that private lending simply can't qualify for institutional lending (and, even though I'm no fan of banks and professional lenders, they do tend to set requirements that have proven over time to increase their odds of being paid back). Another critical problem of private lending for business transactions is that the business "assets" are often worthless if the borrower goes under. In the instant case, we falang with few exceptions are not legally allowed to own real estate. Even presuming you could successfully lien the real estate to secure a loan (while you're at it, it might be wise to talk to a Thai lawyer about what the rules are for doing that and to determine if it's legal in the first place), I personally wouldn't gamble with commercial real estate anywhere in Thailand. My eyes - reading too many stories about how bad business is right now in Thailand and also seeing too many empty shops and buildings - are trying to tell me something there.

Regardless, even semi-intelligent people don't make private loans to individuals they don't know and trust. And I'd guess that nobody here knows you, Ray.

As an added note, it would be wise once you report to actually report the interest you earn on your Thai account (I didn't the first few years as it was paltry and in some years just forgot - but I've done it since I started the annual reporting a couple of years ago). And - of course this pissed me off - I found out from my accountant that I cannot deduct from the interest the various charges which SCB nails me with (99% of which are using ATM machines or updating the passbook out of my "home" province of Chiangmai).

Well, it's because I'm unimaginative and probably would forget anyway....so it's always just been boring old "Bob", my real first name (or nickname - if anybody actually called me "Robert", I knew I was in big trouble). And, given I signed up on the various boards (Ned's, GB's, GP's, SWD, Tingtong, etc.) early on, I was able to grab the moniker.

The form is named: TD F 90-22.1 and can be found here: Annual Treasury Form Yep, it's a PDF file. I file mine every year with Treasury versus its subsection of the IRS. I'm not sure if that's why you couldn't find it on the IRS website.

Crack? I presume he's a specialist in pharmaceutical and/or vaginal injuries (or at least that's what my crack Thai attorney, Phra Dtologist, told me....)

Exactly, in fact she had become on occasion an actual embarrassment to the press corp. But, given her long and distinguished career in prior decades, I wish her a pleasant retirement.

You're one scenario (using a credit card to buy tickets for yourself and your companions) isn't an issue as you just show the credit card when you're all checking in. You keep asking why someone doesn't ask the airline how you buy a ticket for a friend with your credit card. If you really want to know, call them!

Like Khor Tose, I've admired her work in the past (mainly 20-40 years ago!) but, frankly, it's time Helen went out to pasture. And this is not the first thing she's said that's been a bit wacky, she's been losing it for years. She voluntarily retired (at least that's how it's being reported) and she likely made a wise decision.

I actually did that a year or so ago buying an Air Asia ticket but my guess is people generally don't pay cash for airline tickets anymore - especially international ones which cost a whole lot more; besides, paying cash for a ticket is a sure way (much like buying a one-way ticket) to ring the security bell these days.

Had she simply said that the Israelis ought to get the hell out of the West Bank and Gaza (as those boundaries were before), I would have agreed with her. But the rest of her comments where simply......senile/stupid. Helen reminds me a bit of Larry King in the sense that, when they die, a lot of people are going to immediately think "didn't they die years ago?"

I looked for it too but couldn't find it. But don't get your knickers in a knot, GT, I probably wouldn't use it even if I could find it.

You're the first falang that I've ever known to actually say you like the loud music! All of my falang buddies dislike it and it's a continuing topic to bitch about it (although it doesn't stop most of us from showing up once in a while). So, poll or no poll, I'd guess that most falang would wish the bar owners would turn it down.

I've flown EVA exclusively from the states for the last 6-7 years and they've required me to show them the credit card with which I purchased the ticket each time. It's standard practice with them (i.e., be prepared). It makes no sense to me - given they surely know who I am via the passport being produced - but that's the way they do it.

I'm not so sure about the described noise strategies here in the US. I've never experienced that before and I can't recall a single incident of music being loud (let alone too loud) in any venue other than a nightclub or bar with a dj or a band. Restaurants have never generally been noisy here (other than due to general conversation and bad acoustics). They (the Thais) just seem to like it louder than hell. In one bar in Hua Hin, even the owner will occasionally get up and insist they turn the music down (yet, when he leaves, they immediately turn it up to deafening levels in spite of repeated complaints from customers). And it's not just the bars.....the deafening noise levels are everywhere including, for example, at long boat races on serene rural lakes and even during monk funerals. The street noise can be deafening anywhere (the enforcement of muffler standards for motorsys and tuk tuks seems to be about as successful as their concern about vehicles spewing clouds of pollution). It's simply endemic, almost cultural, and difficult for many westerners to take.

It's been a few years now but I've stayed at Tui's at least 6 or 7 times (probably more) and, being biased (because I love the place and always got great service), I believe Tui.

I can't figure out why you're singled out. My only guess is your name is the same or very close to somebody on their watch list. All that I, my laptop, and cameras ever get are a "welcome home."