carpediem

tom thanks for that info. i'll definitely check those alternatives - but for next trip i'm now booked with malysian. qatar had no seats back in august - not in the cheap seats, and i didn't go into the other possibilities. in the cheap seats she said changes would be 100 euros. wonder if the check-in people at bkk are sometimes lax about collecting these different amounts for different routes etc. anyway it's hypothetical for now. qatar certainly is competitive on price, and on a previous trip i found their planes and service as good as emirates. cd (see you're in bahrain - i spent the 1980s there, but haven't been since.)

But in the case of sole foreign ownership of a condo you have - legally speaking - a clean bill of health? That's what I wantto buy anyway. Phew, that's lucky!

Thanks for the responses. kdc Pleased to hear your positive views on The Sails. I was tending towards that as my first choice. The units I prefer are in the centre and haved the biggest balconies. Didn't understand that bit at all - would it be too cumbersome to explain? torrenova Appreciate your comments. The Sails, La Royale and Northpoint are bang on the beach - ie don't have the uncertainty of Northshore as to what might come up around it. La Royale has apparently put up its prices 20% since launch. On the other hand it is a fact that the spculators are now offering resales. And you are right thatit has been marketed for much longer than the Sails and hasn't sold out. Its advantage over Sails - to me - was that its scheduled completion is sooner, and it's a bit closer to Jomtien (but is the latter an advantage?) I visited the Sails office and show flats - La Royale not yet. Want to see everything and make a decision during next month in Pattaya. Comments will continue to be valuable to me. Thanks cd

would you expect even these 'top drawer' developers of these properties to be equally likely to not finish? especially as one of them has a contract with Meridian for their hotel next door? also they require half the money to be paid in a lump sum only at handover - the rest is paid in instalments during the 2-year construction. the only thing i've seen of a comparable standard is northshore in soi 5. but it's pretty much sold out (though i'm going to check again for resales there), and i think i prefer the jomtien beach location, a little away from the pattaya bustle. as to the water shortage, it is precisely to avoid this and other local problems/hassles that i'm going for the very best condo development, in the hope that the management companies etc will ensure proper maintenance/supplies etc. it costs, but to me it's worth it. yes, rental would give me everything - and the safety net and flexibility. i'm taking that chance in the hope that prices will harden in the long run, and also because i don't want the hassle of putting the money to a property in europe which i let at long distance - ie to generate the rental for pattaya. i am deliberately playing devil's advocate on those points; but i do appreciate and need your raising the points. cd

Sorry, I should have clarified that this would be a situation where the property is not in any way bought in her name (eg a condo). cd

To widen the original question, does a thai live-in acquire any rights simply by stating/proving she has lived there in a supposedly 'serious' relationship - when you try to get her out? I was stung in this way in England when a girl friend (with whom I did have a serious relationship) got a lien on my flat AND without my being informed of this fact by the land registry. And if not, is it a simple matter of having her 'thrown out' by security if she makes a scene, or does she acquire 'reasonable' rights of some sort for vacating?

cheshiretom Are you sure? $50 at the most? If so it'll be a big plus for choosing the airline for me, next time. cd

kdc Thanks for your response and comments. Yes, my objective is long term & I am looking for a decent quality of life - and certainly a minimum of hassle while there. But even from an investment point of view (theoretical sale or rental) I thought that in a situation of surfeit of condos and developments the safest bets would be at the top end. The Sails and La Royale are sold 60+% now; and La Royale has increased its prices 20% recently compared to launch prices - to my chagrin. From the attitude of the sales people I tend to agree that prices aren't running upwards for the moment, but I want to get on with it - ie get something done on my next trip next month. Anyway completion date is 1 and 2 years away. The Sails is sharing its (double tower) building with a luxury Meridian hotel. I thought this would enhance rentability - at least short term holiday lets. Don't know if you'd agree with any my thinking above. Am assuming you are are a (perhaps long time) resident. cd

I am new to Pattaya - been just once for a month; and even to Thailand - been a couple of times. I'm very seriously considering buying a condo in one of the high quality developments now, or soon to be, on the market viz. The Sails, La Royale Beach, Northpoint. The prices are in the 70/80k+ per sq metre. I'd very much appreciate comments, caveats, advice, encouragement/discouragement etc from residents and old hands of Pattaya/Jomtien - on the aspect of 1. living there (what I foresee) 2. as investment (re sale or rental if 1. above doesn't work out). cd

Amphora That looks a very good price. But it might be more for a longer validity. And it may be more also if it wasn't from elsewhere in Europe with the necessary change in Amsterdam. I was offered 805 euros from Paris 30th april to mid-august. Do you book directly on their site? carpediem

So how do I find these people and houses - for a rental of 3+ months? I'll be in Pty next month, at a hotel, but would like to arrange a place for the next time.

hi druid - yes i think so & have just bought it. thanks a lot for coming up wiht the info which showed my deal to be a good one. perhaps on my next trip i'll try china air. since you've used china airlines do you happen to know which other airlines' ff programme china air is attached? (malaysian's partners i'll find out when i travel.) carpe

Thanks to everyone for their info and, mostly, strong recommendation of CA. I'm convinced & will immediately join their ff programme, as I intend to make a few trips a year. I'll also investigate what precisely their policy on return date changes etc is. Alas I cannot afford the dynasty class ticket for now. This particular trip however I decided to use Malaysian because they offered an extremely good fare - and also come highly recommended.

thanks for the website johnny i'd ruled out gulf air myself. carpediem

thanks seabass it looks good. i noted their leg room is more than most too. now need to ask about their date change rules. carpediem

hi druid thanks for the response. i'm flying from paris, and i intend to leave on the 30th for a stay of 3-4 months. i knew about the competitiveness of etihad, but unfortunately it doesn't yet serve paris. is the etihad price valid for a stay in excess of 3 months? malaysian was available to me at around £505. (and the etihad rates you mention may apply only to manchester, not heathrow. anyway i'll look into their prices tonight.) the short/long combination of sectors is roughly the same isn't it - though in reverse order? carpediem

I was about to book China Airlines (and still might) but have just found a Malaysian offer some £65 cheaper. I'd like to decide over the weekend - latest. Would appreciate any comment on the airline. My most important criterion for this trip is flexibility/charges for a change of return date. Thanks

Just checked BA. They quote 827 euros. One of the big draws of CA for me is that some bm s have found them lenient about charges for a change of return date. The video etc is not a big factor for me. Still mulling it over - probably decide over the weekend. Thanks for your response.

In my above-quoted question I had meant to write "where do you guys buy your CA ticket?" Which website? Would be helpful to know. Only Lancashirelad has been critical, in part, of the airline. I thank everyone for his response.

Gabor, just in case each branch has its own policy would you specify the ayudhya branch where you opened your account, and how recent that was? Thanks.

Thanks for that encouraging info Bob. If anyone has recently done it in Pattaya or Jomtien I'd be grateful to know which bank/branch.

Thanks valentino My preferred dates are 30april, return around 25august - for which I now found China Airlines at 805 euros - several BMs have had good experience with CA and I'm thinking of going ahead with that. I've had more than one bad experience with Gulf Air and don't want to use that airline.

Cenn - only the hotel I'll be at. But surely the lack of a permanent address isn't going to sink the whole exercise of getting a bank a/c as a step towards buying a condo. Maybe the developer/estate agent - or one of you guys - will know how to overcome any such technicality. (I can't be the first overseas buyer of a condo.)

Your responses have pretty much swung it for China Airlines; and I'll certainly join their frequent flier programme as soon as I can - which I presume will be after I've got on the plane and collected the form etc. Do they offer their best (or similar) deals at their own website or town offices - or only through the consolidatiors (I was using opodo)? Barbarian & Amphora said what I wanted to hear about flexible return dates and non-penalties - do you guys buy your CA tickets? Thanks again.

Thanks Spacebass. Your advice and tips are clear enough (except what's a 'chanute'?). However it looks like I have a logistical problem because I'll only have thai bank account opened when I can get there to do it. (How much cash will I need as an initial deposit to do that?) My next (or simulateous) step will be to decide on the condo. I've noticed that the devlopments want a reservation fee, followed within 7 days by signing of the contract and payment of a more substantial amount. At that point I'll need the money for the initial payments in my thai bank. I could then download/complete/print/sign and post the transfer form to nationwide - from thailand (they refuse to act on a fax). I certainly can't walk into their office as you did. I guess I'd better speak to them about this. But I'm hoping that there is something I'm missing which will solve my problem and that someone will spot it. carpediem