Familyonthemove

This topic has been discussed time and time again.

Mike111, the real questions are (not for publication, but for you to work out):

1) what amount of your nett wealth do you want to tie up in Thailand?

2) what would happen IF the properties aren't rented for a period of time?

3) if the worst possible scenario happened and you lost everything in Thailand, what difference would it make to your lifestyle?

4) do you know, not as a tourist but someone who lives there, Thailand?

5) have you previous property investment experience ?

I have invested in Thailand for over 15 years now and, providing you don't put all your eggs in one basket, would advise anyone to do it IF THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

There have been doom and gloom people here since day 1.  They are happy renting and thats fine.

Depending on your expectations, I would budget for a 6% return.  If you get better, well done.  If you don't, well, you may do better with your money elsewhere.

Lastly, where are you going to live? In a rented apartment or are you going to use one of the ones you buy as your residence?

noitom, on Yesterday, 07:42 , said:

Thailand is not the same as many/most other countries, defamation/libel can be a criminal case.

Criminal Defamation
Defamation as a criminal act in Thailand is defined by the Thai Criminal Code as a statement made by a person who imputes anything to another in a manner which is likely to impair the reputation of the latter or to expose him to hatred or contempt. Under the same Code, such person is liable for an imprisonment up to two years or he can be ordered by the court to pay a fine of 200,000 Baht or may be both.

thailandlaw

However:

Civil defamation in Thailand is defined under the Thai Civil and Commercial Code as a statement made contrary to the truth which is asserted or circulated as a fact which is injurious to the reputation or credit of another or his earnings or prosperity in any other manner.

chooka, on Yesterday, 08:44 , said:

Doesn't really matter, if it can be proven that it causes damage to someone reputation.  If I tell you that you are fat, and it offends you, technically I have caused hurt and damage to you under the Thai way of looking at defamation.  Of course, that then comes down to a he said, she said situation, but since when did anyone with enough money worry about that in Thailand.   They aren't the ones being inconvenienced and arrested.   By the way I think you are thin.

The funny thing, is that this law could be used and abused by millions of people every day here in Thailand, but it isn't because most people don't even know it exists.  All they know is don't criticise the pooyai or you'll be in for it.   A restaurant reviewer is dicing with his freedom every time he writes one word, fortunately they are always very complementary in Thailand for precisely this reason.  To write anything negative would be so easy to prosecute under the defamation law in Thailand, never take and review written in Thailand's word for it.

If I privately express an opinion about someone's financial position to another person, and that opinion causes for example someone to pull out of an investment, that causes damage.  Now it is down to he said she said.  If the woman has any sense, her lawyers will be telling her to say absolutely nothing, the obligation is on the accuser to prove everything.  

Hardly conducive for free speech and actually performing things like due diligence,

tinfoilhat, on 2012-05-24 10:46:26, said:

If you make them just a little bit shorter, you can get six out of an A4 sheet.

Motorbike taxi and short time hotels especially ones with curtains across the front.

bendix, on 2012-05-18 12:30:10, said:

for someone who tries to make witty   ,entertaining and mainly  condescending  posts ,some of what you write comes across
as petty , tiresome and prety feeble atempts to belittle others ........

are you not the same bendix of such great  intelliegnce  that crashed his car into a wall (was it a moving wall ? )  while trying to turn in a car park ?

should we really take  heed  of the advice of suh a wise and skillful individual ?

Done a few minor mods, seat is really comfortable.

Me and my Bonnie



Cheers,

Pikey.

Triumph Tiger 1050 - Touring bike
Yamaha R1 - Soon to be track bike
KTM 690 SMC R - Super Motard

I believe there a couple of Taxi hubs around that area. Since it was close to midnight, there is a high probability that they were on their way to return the taxi. I believe their 12 hour rental expires around midnight. During this time the taxi might only pick you up if your destination in on the same direction as where they are heading to or if they are late, they might not stop as all. Most of these taxi's are out on 12 hour rental cycles, a very few of them are actually owned by the driver.
So I guess, you were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. My guess is that half an hour earlier or later would probably have worked out for you.

Congrats. A compact naked bike that's not a heavy small cruiser, carbed, aircooled, big tank with tubeless tires; get the brakes to your liking and it sounds like a perfect city runner. Look forward to updates on this model - and good thing my son can't ride anything over 110cc till he's 18 because this is the style of bike he likes. And to be honest I can't see it giving you any more headaches than a 15 plus year old CB 400 Honda.

Top Ten Proofs You Have Been Acculturated in Thailand

10) When you ask for directions, any hesitation from the helper is understood as politeness when they lie to save face.

9) You make friends with the guy selling fried insects.

8) You fix a broken chair leg before work. When you come home for dinner, you find that your wife has had all the furniture reupholstered. You accept this as normal behavior. Then you kiss her for it.

6) Running out of sweet chili sauce is on the same emergency level as a grease fire.

5) It crosses your mind that a katoi is no stranger than a punter who repeatedly makes wagers and loses every time.

4) You equate tea money and bills paid without receipts.

3) You are a twin. You accept that Thais are different than westerners. Your twin is convinced they are all liars and thieves. In a moment of clarity you realize that both of you are wrong, and then accept perpetual un-enlightenment.

2) Your Thai wife is angry, and you pretend not to understand because her English is broken.

And the number one indicator of Thai acculturation is ...

1) You remember your own home country in the context of a failing nation and hope Thailand avoids the same mistakes.

Just be sure you know you can't rely on the bike, and know that it will be less dependable then a Japanese bike from the big 4. I broke a friends Chinese bike the day he bought, by just standing on the pegs.

Are wear items obtainable, and in stock for the Keeway? Simple things, like the nylon lock washer on the rear axle are a concern if you can trust them after several loosing and tightening cycles. Great price for a new bike, but believe it should be stripped down before any riding; upgrade nuts and bolts, grease bearings and pivot points, learn where the faster wearing parts may be such as (maybe) unsealed wheel bearings, in 2 continents most Chinese bikes I've seen have carburetors that leak, using good quality sealing washers with the oil cooler and brake line, etc. Nothing against Chinese bikes, but feel this is a requirement for safe riding on the current models available in Thailand.

Paul Keating (oh hail) said it best: Bangkok has a raffish charm about it.

I must admit though, it helps a lot to live and work there, and have friends so that you can take advantage of the place.

On the stints where I haven't been living there, and just passing through, I must admit the place didn't feel the same. But once you are there, and get even 10m beyond the main roads, the place does charm you.

Nisa, on 2012-04-11 06:53:08, said:

Personally, I would imagine it would go down like this:

"Show me where it says I can't carry balloons on the trains. "It is stated/shown right here."" Oh well, there you have it!" I believe the station manager was after the fact, part of episode #2. Episode #1 is still missing.. ;-)

Actually, if there was a sign, the balloons possibly would have already been dealt with, at the first station.

In this case, we don't know what transpired during the initial encounter. All we have seen is the emotional aftermath. Maybe Mr. Behan was out of line. Maybe the guards went off unprovoked. We don't know.

Some say "The guard had spoken!", and that is that. Some of us don't chose to blindly capitulate to authority.

"Everyone knows" there is a rule against taking balloons on the BTS. Yet, no one can point me to where I can actually see this regulation posted. When asked, even the ever vigilant guards couldn't show me! At this point in time, after reading everything I can, walking some stations and asking authorities, the only evidence of this rule is a photograph of a sign, a picture that could have been taken anywhere.

Actually, the sign is very important.

Since this entire situation exists because of this "regulation", it is the most important factor. Not only would such a sign be required, it would be required at the stations in question, stations which we have been told that no such sign exists.

Had this encounter happened in the States, Mr Behan would have hundreds of attorneys trying to get rich off this case. Without such notification, not only are we talking discrimination, we are talking possible assault and battery. The "regulation" is the only thing that the BTS has for defense. All the "he started it" rhetoric is simply rationalization.

I often come to TV to find things I can't find elsewhere. Many members are very knowledgeable about Bangkok. As a whole, it's one of the best informed sites about this city.

Yet, no one can point out this sign. Isn't that amazing. Kinda makes one think .........