MarleyMarl
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About MarleyMarl
- Birthday 08/05/1980
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Bangkok
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Non-B Visa, work permit & property purchase
MarleyMarl replied to Phxdiver's topic in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
Just make sure if you buy through your company, you have control over who owns the other half of the company (if not US amnesty treaty company), you could also buy under your company then have the company lease it back to you for 30 years, but for it to be official you have to pay some tax on it and it goes onto the title deed. It's worth taking as many extra precautions as possible. If you are new to Thailand also, I would just rent for the first few years. -
Missed 90 day report
MarleyMarl replied to CrossBones's topic in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
Just putting this out there, I've lived here for over 10 years and never done a 90day report, and never paid more than 2k thb fine come extension renewal time... -
Some of these shop houses have been standing for 80+ years, I doubt they're going anywhere fast.
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Xray machines at Swampy airport
MarleyMarl replied to Bruce1054's topic in Suvarnabhumi Airport Forum
Pre-covid, 2 or 3 times I brought a cooler bag with me that I checked in when leaving, that I fill with frozen pies from Aus/NZ, then after arriving I just walk through customs with it on my shoulder, didn't get checked. -
Funny to see this topic after missed call from an unknown number. I don't answer my phone unless I am expecting a call or they're in my contact list, it stays on silent mode. There is an application called Whoscall that I use also. It uses a database so sometimes if the number matches on in the DB it will say something like "call center" "scam" etc. Got no time of patience to deal with unsolicited calls, I try put as many things in my wifes number as possible.
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It's pretty hard to stop someone determined from entering, as others said a few mins with an angle grinder and they are in. As we were closing the sale on a place, someone broke in, they didn't cut the padlock but around the sliding bolt, got into a small room and pushed a step up under the staircase and got in. Best best is make sure someone is on the property. When we go away we have family come and stay. Second best bet is contents insurance, I've got 1mb contents insurance. It doesn't cover cash or jewelry though, but things like computers, tv's, appliances are covered. Part of the stipulation is you need evidence to claim, so we have IPCAMs, we have cameras inside and out, and they upload/email clips when they detect motion. So if the cameras get destroyed there is evidence for insurance claim.
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My fiancé recently bought a car, about 3 months ago. We looked at Honda, Toyota and Nissan, thinking to buy a hatchback. I found the Hondas too small, and more expensive for same options Nissan provided. For Toyota, didn't get very good service at the showroom so just left. Ended up buying Nissan Almeria I think it was about 640k, about 9k per month repayments. It was more spacious than the Note, and the interior was high-quality. It had all the features of the Hondas/Toyotas but cheaper. I'm not a car expert, and just wanted something cheap, good gas mileage, and something with the latest safety features like break assist and the cameras. My fiancé is enjoying it, it's her first car.
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Immigration Want 20k. Again
MarleyMarl replied to Grayo46's topic in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
Be thankful it is only 20k? I had to pay 37k last month to renew my visa and I meet all the requirements easily. I learned my lesson the hard way when I didn't pay before, they messed me around went back and forth 3 or 4 times until my visa ran out and I had to go home to make a new one. Before covid for a few years I was traveling in and out every 3 months because I refused to pay, but with covid I had to cough up the money, it is really frustraiting. -
haha I agree, but I am already married to a lovely Thai lady. Being single and in Thailand is a huge benefit.
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I've now been here for over a decade but plan to leave, at least for a while once I purchase a holiday home back in my home country. Thailand's been good to me, and I've enjoyed my time here. Like everywhere there are positives and negatives. When I first came I had little money, it was very thrilling and cost of living was great at a time when I was just establishing my own business. Now I am older, married, and have more money, the cost of living advantage isn't that beneficial too me. The pollution, smog, traffic of Bangkok has turned me off. It would be nice to experience living in Samui or Phuket for a different take. I think the main negatives of my home country (NZ) are all just about money and cost of living, but if those aren't an issue, maybe it could be great? After I spend some real time back home again then I can fairly compare living in both places.
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Struggling with Thai staff
MarleyMarl replied to Farmer007's topic in Jobs, Economy, Banking, Business, Investments
I've hired (and fired) many Thai staff for my business, though we are only small and retain around 10-12 or so at anyone point, so it's not too difficult to manage. Along the way I've worked with some great Thai people and of course not so great. The ones who are unreliable and incompetent don't last long, that being said in a 12 year period there's only been about 4 of 5 that have been egregiously bad. The staff that have worked out the best have a very good understanding of English and typically have master degrees or working towards masters. Maybe aim at hiring on that level. Do you have any bonus/performance incentives also? I find this helps too. We also interview several people for a role and don't just grab the first one who applies. We have had our share of troubles along the way, when recruiting people, it's not uncommon to schedule several meetings and have only a couple show up. There is no courteous call saying they're canceling. Another problem is the high turn over of staff, most of our staff last 1 - 2 years, it's the same for our clients also. I think this is a problem with recent graduates, in the end they often move on to another company that is much stricter and find it tough. With such short tenure they don't have a chance to grow and earn more, my staff that have worked for me for a long time make good money.