Seed Money to Move to the LOS

[JaiDee]

funny, I just got off the phone with a friend who says now is the time to BUY


regardless, I don't see myself ever buying; it holds me to one place when I like travelling around, and I don't want to be a landlord.

[PigDogg]

(JaiDee @ Mar. 13 2009,05:09)  it holds me to one place when I like travelling around, and I don't want to be a landlord.

This is my feeling exactly.

[JaiDee]

ya, I kinda get the feeling you may be living for a year or 3 on that diamond-shaped island not too far from the mainland someday...... and I may join you there! At least for a while....my first destinations will be further south, but who knows what may happen, I change my desires and attitudes greatly every 5 years or so.

So no way I will buy; imagine if I am stuck with a 3 or 4 million baht condo on Phuket or Samui, decide I have had enough of laying in the sun reading books and playing my music and want to live in Chiang Mai or Bangkok? And then I can't sell my place or will sell it at a loss? I don't get that point and I think a lot of people buying in Jomtien [aka the Russian Riviera] and Pattaya will or have already made that mistake.

Renting is so cheap in Thailand and not being held down to any one location seems to be the way to go.

I like this topic, gives the punters like me who are still a couple years off some good things to dream about

[manarak]

I think the best time to buy will be in 6 to 12 months.

The unemployment and financial loss waves still have to reach the shores.
Give them some time.

For professional reasons I am having a look at the Singapore real estate market, and it came down nicely, but I don't think we are done yet.

[Stogie]

There is no such thing as 'a good time to buy' in Thailand.

[JaiDee]

 agreed

ask the people in Jomtien who thought it was a grand idea to pay 4 million baht for an average condo on the waterfront 3 years ago;  only to see it worth less now and have the streets loaded with annoying fat people from ex-commie countries,  while they need to take a baht bus over the hill to have any fun.

[manarak]

Well, in my defense I must say the following:

- I'm not talking about condos, which are way overpriced anyway, even if it was possible to get them at half the price (because of the building's admin which will screw you anyway).

and before I get flamed because it is not possible to safely buy house & ground in Thailand, please read in this thread why I think I found a way... -> https://theladyboyforums.com/cgi-bin....t=21935
(post number 12)

- second point is that the reason is financial. If you do the calculation, you will find out that if you rent the place, you will have paid in only 15 or 16 years the full price it would have cost to buy it.
Yes, this calculation takes into account earned interest of 5% on the funds you initially keep if you rent the place.

- third, I agree that it is cleverer to start with renting for 6 months or a year and then look for a good place.


I would stay in LOS with an "O" visa.
If your children are dependent on you (i.e. if they are of minor age or if they are students), they will be allowed to study in Thailand, and you (and your wife) as parents will also get an "O" visa.
This visa has a yearly renewal. This has been explained to me by a very reputable private school.

[1hotholder]

Does any one know of the E.Visa?The greatest advantage of the Ed Visa, is that you can remain in the country without the constant threat of overstaying and what€™s more, accord with the desires of the Thai authorities, who themselves recommend this method of long-stay. There are currently two language schools in Pattaya that offer educational visas, the one , CTLS, offers a far more comprehensive service. The Ed Visa offers virtually all the benefits of a residence visa, namely the eligibility to acquire €¢ a Thai driving licence
€¢ medical insurance
€¢ a bank account
They state thats it's also a great way to learn the Thai culture

[1hotholder]

However, if you want a method which is fool proof, doesn€™t require frequent laborious border runs (each of which effectively mean wasting days of your life) and can guarantee you a stay of up to 10 years or more in Thailand, then there is a radical new alternative, the Non-Immigrant Educational Visa (Ed Visa).

[Stogie]

Good luck getting one! Only a small fraction of teachers actually have these.

Documents for the application for further stay to study / work in Private Education Institutes.
Required Documents

In case of student

Immigration Form 7 (Tor Mor 7)
Copy of passport
A 4 cm. X 6 cm. Photograph
1,900 baht application fee
A certified document from the governor of the province in which the Private Educational Institute is located or from the Government Department or equivalent that takes care of the institute, document must contain details about the applicant:
Name, Family name
Age
Nationality
Passport number
Total academic years - curriculum - funding
Education transcript of the applicant - length of further stay
School license (Sor Shor 2)
The Permit / certificate to be school manager (Sor Shor 5) or Principal (Sor Shor 8)
The officials reserve the rights to examine or ask for additional documents if necessary

In case of instructor

Immigration form 7 (Tor Mor 7)
Copy of passport
A 4 cm. X 6 cm. Photograph
1,900 baht application fee
Work / Employment Contract
Education background, degrees of diploma of the foreign national
Teacher license (Sor Shor 11)
Teaching permit (Sor Shor 19)
School license (Sor Shor 2)
The Permit / certificate to be school manager (Sor Shor 5) or Principal (Sor Shor 8)
A certified document from the governor of the province in which the Private Education Institute is located or from the Government Department or equivalent that takes care of the institute
The document must contain details about the applicant:
Name, Last name
Age
Nationality
Number of passport
Position
Length of teaching
Salary rate
Work Permit or document showing the acceptance of the request for working permission
When applying for further stay next year, evidence of income tax payment (Por Ngor Dor 91) of the previous year is required.
In case of having dependents (husband / wife, children), the certified document from the applicant accompanied with evidence showing their relationship with the applicant is required. All documents in other languages must be translated into Thai and certified by the embassy or Consulate of the foreign national(s).
The officials reserve the rights to examine or ask for additional documents if necessary.

For more information, please call 0-2213-2556

[1hotholder]

Stogie: thanks for your post .. not all is as easy as they would have you believe.To acquire an Ed. Visa, you must enroll at the school for a Thai Language and Culture Course of 200 hours, at the rate of four hours per week. This will teach you spoken and written Thai, thus enhancing your communication abilities, endearing yourself to the Thai people and immeasurably enriching your experience of the Land of Smiles, not least because it will reveal the mysteries of Thailand that most foreigners forego through an ignorance of the language and culture.

The teaching method is the latest communicative method, emphasising speaking and is crafted so that all levels of language learners can be accommodated. There is effectively no age restriction; students being eligible from 12-99 and all nationalities are welcome. On enrolling and submitting 12 passport-sized photos, all the necessary paperwork is then completed to acquire a 3-month temporary Ed. Visa, which must be obtained from the Cambodian border.

On returning to Pattaya, further paperwork must be completed and submitted and at the end of the three months, one goes to Pattaya Immigration in Jomtien Soi 5, who will issue you with a one year Ed Visa, which has to be renewed every three months, but again at Pattaya Immigration, no border run ever again being necessary.
at the end of the year i.e. 15 months from initial enrolment, you have to submit to a simple oral Thai exam to obtain a further extension; no one has been known to fail. You then enrol and pay a further Bt28,000 for another year, being able to do the same each year up to five years. After which, you can enrol on other courses at the school to remain eligible. All in, it€™s a far better method than constant visa runs and far more beneficial.

[jadeite]

Totally agree with that. The other thing is the ed visa is the best kind of visa (non-immigrant) that gives you many priviliges other types of visas do not. You can get a 5 year driving license, move a shipment of your belongings to Thailand tax free, not deal with border runs, little worry over the constant rule changes to various visas, etc. The only real downside I see is your place to stay is limited to certain areas where there is a school. Though these cover probably 90% or more of where people tend to stay anyway.
So by all means get the Ed visa, get up to speed on Thai, and stay as long as you need. It's a great way to go.