jacko

Hull is a good visa source..... I have the same arrangement you are considering, but with the option of converting to a retirement visa at any time. As I like to return to the UK a couple of times per year, this isn't necessary. You will need to factor in costs of 2 UK flights every 15 months,and of course 2x visa runs per 90 days. The flights are going to get more expensive. I don't know how long Hull will be so liberal with the issuance of the Non-Imm O... German friends I talk to cannot easily get such a visa from one of their consulates or embassy. I could not live on 60k/month, I support my Thai GF... admittedly I rent accommodation (but it isn't that much outside the tourist traps), also a car and 2 bikes to keep. Occasional big ticket items can hurt... annual medical insurance, vehicle insurance, a new TV or computer, flight tickets..aircon packs in. Listen to Owen regarding money issues... keep asking questions here regarding day to day living in Thailand, plan well.... calculate the budget on the high side and good luck.

Do you and/or your wife intend to get Thai work permits? I was curious to know what type of visa you and your wife would be using to live here, at only 38. Currently I guess you pay withholding tax on your UK building society account, you could obtain tax free interest (once non-resident) but strangely the interest rates are often poorer in that environment. Inflation will kill you.... it is quite high here right now, driven by rising oil prices, hence transportation and basic food prices. It has me concerned and I am somewhat older than you, without a farang wife to keep, and a bit more cash.

I thought the OP was asking about a Bangkok Bank ATM card... some people seem to be confusing the subject with foreign ones. As I said, I seem to be limited to 25k per withdrawal, and accept that I could put the card in again and get more. I also recall setting some daily (or 24 hour) withdrawal limit when I opened the account. I was interested in Joe's statement 'free Thai transfer'... tell me more. Outside of Thailand,I have always reverted to my UK ATM cards... with ensuing high expenses.

There has been some rule changes of late regarding validation of monthly income.... having documents verified by your embassy, and for a while having that verification verified by some Thai ministry ... money for the boys, but that went away for now. It seems a lot of effort to verify income ..... the option of just keeping 800,000 in a Thai bank has a second benefit, it is money on hand to cover any emergency medical treatment while the insurance guys look at the policy small print for get out clauses. Your ATM will get you treated.

I seem to be limited to 25,000 per withdrawal when using a machine stocked with 1000 baht notes.. less if the machine is loaded with 500s. I seem to recall setting a daily limit with the bank when I opened the account, but I find 25,000 / day suffices! It can also be used like a debit card if buying big ticket items.. I bought an LCD TV using it recently, 50,000 baht.

They are illegal...... well for farangs they are. It is regarded as a non approved modification of a motorcycle to attach a side car. Of course they turn a blind eye to Thais... as it is often their means of doing business. A farang I know uses one though and has learned to accept the occasional 'fine'

This statement has some perception when given thought...if the airlines can make money on this it will go ahead! I only ever used the on-board telephones 3 times on many many flights myself.....

You can get an extension on the 60 days at immigration without leaving Thailand, then do a visa run. A second extension can be obtained on the second entry. I believe they are issuing 15 days extensions now...if I am wrong someone will post a correction.

I don't know, I can't see it.....

I went fishing yesterday and darn the back of my neck got burned... a baseball cap only protects the eyes and forehead, and it increases the risk of cracking one's nut on the Thai - height boat. There is a hat popular in Oz that looks like a hood which keeps the sun off all round... sure looks daft though.

Well my rent is more, my internet less, but I really mess up on the 'Misc'

I would say that in Pattaya, as opposed to being in the middle of a 100 acre farm in Ohio, boredom can be alleviated more easily, if you have a bit of cash in your pocket, and don't mind transfering it. Simply having a better climate, and the sea nearby, offers diversions. There is always the pleasures of an airconditioned GO-GO or massage parlour on a hot afternoon.

No problem as long as they go outside to use them.

A baseball cap works well enough when I am out on a boat..... on the right way around! I carry a small towel to wipe the brow now and then.

Good guess, well if you have seen other posts of mine, probably not. Tell me, here, http://www.scb.co.th/html/exchange/bk-txtexchange.htm, what does T/T represent? Now where did I put that biro and Xerox copy?

The States is one of those countries that went against the flow wrt cell phone standards. So if you do buy one there you need to be sure it supports the system in Thailand, GSM. Also it might well be locked to a particular provider. Buy one here, plenty of models available, only annoyance is the Thai characters on the keys making them hard to see. Not sure about video games, everything seems to be available in Tuk Com... my bet is you will be into outdoor pursuits due to the climate and indoor pursuits with company, would not likely be playing games. Your plan on accommodation sounds good, although I would pass on the hotel idea for long term. A serviced aparment (on a long term deal) or condo is the best.

The commissions on travelers cheques can be cancelled out by a slightly better exchange rate. But it is not really a method I would use if residing here, they are for tourists. An ATM card with a bank that does not have charges (both upfront and hidden in the exchange rate) can be a good way to work. Nationwide is often recommended. For me, open a Thai account and telex transfer money into it (an internet instruction to my UK bank). Quick and easy, if the amount is over £4000 the telex charges are covered by the slightly better rate for telex transfers.

Lot of questions mixed in there.....I will take on a few. Plenty of golf clubs, and plenty of bars that use it as their 'raison de etre'...The Caddy Shack, The Golf Club, Travellers Rest, Bowling Green, Outback Bar.. for example. They organise golfing days once a week or more. That is daytime covered... £20,000 pa to live on....103,000 baht/month...I would say a fair figure for a quieter person, I manage on a little under that but big ticket items can hurt the budget (car, insurance, motorbike, TV explodes, computer packs in, flight tickets, sick buffalo, TGF runs off with safe!). If you own your accommodation, rather than rent, likely enough. Depends on partying habits a LOT! Times to avoid Pattaya, Songkran and the New Year high high season....I have never visited Nam but other parts of Thailand are worthy of visiting. Good luck.

Yes free drinks. Not sure about IFE and food. If you fly in and out of Doha with Qatar, you will have been checked in for both flights in the UK. Delays leaving the UK are a more likely concern!

My idea of the new phone was for whenever (if ever) 3G internet connection becomes available. The Hutch modem comes free with a one year unlimited (download) subscription for 12500 baht. But I don't wish to shell out on something that might go away or I cannot get positive feedback on.

Yes. pretty sure (Samsung SGH D900)..there is a small Icon showing 'E' when an Edge network is available...sometimes, in other locales, it switches to 'G' for GPRS available. Not sure wrt class. I used GPRS with my previous D500, and to be honest, I don't see an improvement. I put it down to the network being busy and getting full here, plus my cheap package having a low priority. If 3G is on it's way perhaps I shouldn't pay a 1 year Hutch subscription...especially if coverage is limited. I will likely get a new phone in the not too distant future.

I use AIS Edge here, just on the East side of Sukhumvit in Pattaya. It is super cheap, at about 200 baht (+tax) for 50 hours usage in the month. Extra usage is charged at 1 baht/minute. It is useless, no worse than that, an exercise in frustration. Easy to get onto the network, and have my time deducted, but frequently unable to access internet, particularly outside of Thailand and very slow, the rare times it does work. I have to avoid peak periods, 7-9am, mid afternoon and all evening! I get the impression that access to the internet is prioritised, with my name at the bottom. Frequently I have to disconnect and switch my phone off for a while. I found it worked better when I was travelling in the North last year. I am looking at Hutch MBI, 12500 baht/year unlimited and free hardware.... any opinions!

This doesn't work for me, I just get redirected to the same error page.... http://www.scb.co.th/errorpage.html

Is there any flooding concerns in that area ? Seeing the flat land around made me wonder. My GF likes the style with a house on stilts.....up on concrete posts. Seems they like to gather under the house, next to the rusting out-of-order motorcycles, chatting and eating. Plus it is up out of the way if there are floods.