Coming to Thailand

[westozguy]

Hello all, (sawasdee perhaps?), I'm Victor, I'm coming to Thailand with the idea to live there although continue on in my career in West Oz mining industry so therefore fly back and forth between the two countries...

I've never been married nor had children, never really felt a long lasting or worthwhile spiritual connection with a western woman so have come to the conclusion my personality is more suited to not only a Thai woman but also to Thai culture and to quote Albert Einstein, I'm not a religious man but if I were I'd be Buddhist... Buddhism definitely matches my life philosophies, except the part about me being a motorcycle-a-holic...

But truth is I am yet to test the theory that I will enjoy it there in reality and will be coming to Thailand for the first time in 16 days at the end of my next work rotation/swing on about 19th October...

I'm headed to Kohn Kaen to meet a seemingly loving middle class Isaan woman (no, not a bar girl) with whom I've been communicating with for a month or so and I'm hopeful it will be as good in person as it seems so far in the daily video phone calls... Quite an attractive occurrence to find a girl that laughs at all your corny jokes and can seemingly talk about anything with... Currently she is teaching me Thai language, not that I know much yet but I am learning and keen to immerse myself in the culture.

My longer term plan is find a way to live and work there... Yes I've seen the list of occupations it is not possible to get a work visa for, but diesel mechanic is not one of those and as I work for Caterpillar dealer here in West Oz I'm keen to get over there and find out how I may fit into the bigger picture, or create/invest in my own picture within the framework of Thai law.

I'm open to any advice any of you may offer, perhaps if you have a truck (rot-ban-tuk?) might be able to fill me in on the situation of finding a decent diesel mechanic there? Other than that, many of the questions I have are answered in the forum here...

Anyway, good day to all with regards,

Victor.

[BaitongBoy]

Welcome to the buffalo board, Victor/westozguy...
I'm sure you'll get lots of advice here...

[chedi]

welcome to TD!

[Loy Toy]

Treat the people as you would have them treat you and you will be fine.

Good luck with your adventure and welcome to the forum.

[westozguy]

Treat the people as you would have them treat you and you will be fine.

Thanks for that wise advice, I have every intention of doing so...

[SEA Traveler]

Welcome to TD "westoaguy". LT offers good advice, yet there is so much more that our occasionally vocal TD members might advise.

for starters:
- Learn the lay of the land.
- Don't be to forthcoming about your goals and financial position to your apparent Issan host.
- Make sure that you always have some free time for yourself.
- Don't be a big time spender.
- Take your time to feel your way around.
- See what the country has to offer before you settle down in one place.

[porkhunt]

welcome westozguy,probably be better to work in wa 3nths a time and travel back

[Bettyboo]

Don't bring more money with you than is required for a short holiday - say 30 or 40k for a couple of weeks (or much less if you like...).

[Ratchaburi]

Welcome Westozguy
It will take some time to find your feet 3-6 month.
I did ready a story I forget where, but there were going to manufacture
Caterpillar engine here in Thailand.
Any way good luck & welcome.

[westozguy]

Thanks for all the good advice... Booked to fly in to Bkk in just a few days now...

"probably be better to work in wa 3nths a time and travel back"

"Don't bring more money with you than is required for a short holiday - say 30 or 40k for a couple of weeks (or much less if you like...)."

Such decisions are an individual thing I guess...

Along with that is all my time in mining I have worked three months then take a month off always stifles my career advancement due to a perceived (by my employers) lack of ongoing comittment... Seems like I'm always having to start over with that approach.

Primary reason for the timing of my trip is to have my teeth fixed which I've put off long enough already... Have selected a dentist based on advice right here on TD... Going to have done over several one day sessions spread out over a couple of months on my way through Bkk each time, have been writing to and fro with dentist there... 30 to 40k here in Oz (dentist needs another new Ferrari)... Of course much more reasonable over there...

As far as living there as opposed to holidaying there every few months...
Firstly I want to find out quickly IF I want to live there by LIVING there, not just coming over every few months for holidays... I think would be completely different experience.

From a financial point of view, for the price I can rent a nice secure town house in KK + the price of commute air fares + cost of living, is still MUCH less than it costs me to maintain a place of residence in Perth + live in Perth. Hence I have already rented out my Perth house, I now don't even have anywhere to stay there other than a motel.

NOW, if only I could get my motorcycles into Thailand without having to take them out every month... One of the first thing I want to do when I get there is find out if I can buy my favourite bike new over there. (Although yes, I know, not able to license in my name).

[westozguy]

I did ready a story I forget where, but there were going to manufacture
Caterpillar engine here in Thailand.
Any way good luck & welcome.

Yes I'm already on to that... And my last job was RE-building Cat engines, transmissions and components so I've got my eye on that ball..

Although I'm ready for a complete career change and am currently reviewing/investigating/contemplating investing in business opportunities so have been reading lots about Thai company law etc... Not in any hurry to rush into things.

[mikem]

You'll feel right at home in Esarn. Its hot,dry & Thailand invented hi-vis clothing.

[Bung]

No worries to get a bike, car whatever in your name, just not land. if you search the motorbike threads you will see how, give you something to read while you are in the bush waiting to come over!

What bike are you after? You can buy Triumphs, Harleys, Ducati and BMW all from factory authorised dealers here now. Kawasaki also have some big bikes. Most of the big towns have Farangs and Thais into riding, it's nice.

My advice (been here 12 years and just divorced this year) don't rush into anything concerning love and land, it can end badly very easily. You have potentially the rest of your life here, have a look around and enjoy yourself first and see what you want to do. I wish I found this forum 10 years ago before I dived in......

Welcome and you will find plenty of good advice here. I'm thinking of going back to the mines myself.....I may need to ask you for advice.

[westozguy]

No worries to get a bike, car whatever in your name
You mean I can rego in my name there even though not married or have any kind or permanency? Initially I'm only coming on the 30 day no visa required entry basis. Yep I'll have a bit more of a read, maybe I've misunderstood what I have read on the subject.

What bike are you after?
I collect Yam XJR1300's (naked retro) Bringing a brochure and headed straight to a dealer on the first trip was in my plan just to find out if can buy there, seen them adveretised second hand there occasionally...

My advice (been here 12 years and just divorced this year) don't rush into anything concerning love and land, it can end badly very easily.
Yes I'll be pretty cautious about such matters and I've since cooled somewhat on my Isaan girly friend, kinda looking more to make my own way somewhat.

I'm thinking of going back to the mines myself.....I may need to ask you for advice.
Sure, any time I can help...

You'll feel right at home in Esarn. Its hot,dry & Thailand invented hi-vis clothing.
Cool, that means I won't need any new clothes to go clubbing in!
Today 09:18 AM

[khmen]

.


Yes I'll be pretty cautious about such matters and I've since cooled somewhat on my Isaan girly friend, kinda looking more to make my own way somewhat.

Welcome to the board Westozguy, Very wise decision! You seem like you've done your research and have your head screwed on so I'm sure you'll be fine and will settle quickly. TD's a really good resource for info so if you come unstuck while getting settled I'm sure you'll find the answers you need here.

Like others have said, take your time and get to know how the land lies before committing to anything (especially anything concerning money or women) and she'll be sweet mate!

[Bung]

To get vehicles rego'd in your name you would need a non immigrant visa and be renting a place so you can get a letter from the embassy stating where you live.

XJR 13's Nice. I don't think you can buy new but loads here, quite popular second hand but I doubt you will find one with a book, the best you will find is one with an invoice of the import and the tax on that paid. That way you can ride it (although you won't have a plate) worse case scenario will be you would get a small fine for riding without a plate but the cops won't be able to confiscare your bike. You can also insure them like that but really for piece of mind it is best to buy a new big bike here and have all your paperwork in order.

I forgot to mention, KTM also are selling their road bikes here now

Better do some OT at work first and be sitting when you ask how much....

[westozguy]

^^ thanks for that advice I appreciate it, now I know where I stand and what I have to do to make it happen.

[Bazzy]

Primary reason for the timing of my trip is to have my teeth fixed

Welcome.

I've taken advantage of this in the past, better than paying some dentist's private school fees here in Sydney.

I found the dentist I used in BKK to be of a high standard. A personal friend of mine was also very happy with the one near his wife's family in Sisaket.

[westozguy]

Okay here's an update that''ll make some of you smile...

I'm here in Kohn Kaen, been here for a few days, bit of a culture shock, can't work out if the smell is mouldy pussy or sewerage wafting up through the city drainage, now I know why people wear those masks...

I gotta say I'm looking forward to getting out into the countryside...

My Isaan host, ummm, well here's the laugh... I'd already worked out long ago that missy with paying off her house, living an okay life by local standards, driving quite a nice car and yet NOT working but previously married to an Aussie guy was perhaps living life a little outside her means...

I'd questioned her about this and always received evasive answers so I thought I'll leave it until I got here to "evaluate" the situation for myself...

Well I'd barely got off the plane with little more than two hours sleep in the previous 24 before, over my first decent cup of coffee since I crossed the equator, she slaps the dossier of house plans, prices and block locations from when the previous ex-husband bailed..

And from then on it struck me...

Well It wasn't too many days into my first week before I'm standing in a department store with her buy a F**KING VACUUM CLEANER (of all thing) before I decided okay that's enough... So I asked her to drop me back at my motel When she dropped me off I said "Cio baby", to which she replied, "what that mean?"... I said run it through your google translator, explains it much better than I...

And immediately I've moved motel to one down the road and will spend my remaining few days here going it alone...

Having already done the maths on what it costs her to live I figure I can rent a much later high performance model with sleeker lines for much less money than it going to cost me to have this...

sawasdee-khrup to all...

regards,

Victor.

[Bazzy]

Yeah no need to make a lifetime commitment in a hurry. Plenty to choose from.

[Bung]

Oh well at least she got a vacuum cleaner out of you

Good you got to see how some of these scammers work anyway. Enjoy your stay and have fun playing the field. It's actually much better to be single here but easy to fall into something.

[westozguy]

Hahhahaha, yes but the good part is she got 15% off the price... Apparently she must be a regular customer.

And I would have got more value for my 1800 baht if she'd have got my joke about it needing bigger diameter hose to be any good to me...

[nigelandjan]

Welcome mate ,,, I was gonna warn you about the stink in KK ,thats where I started off in the LOS ,,,,,,,, wasnt dissapointed with the women but them open sewers are something else !

From there I ended up loved up in Nakon Sawan , then Trat ,, then found me wife in Udon Thani ,,,,,,,take your time mate as said plenty of choice ,do your homework ,, then do it all over again ,,,,,, if you can try if poss to get into the family a bit further ie family debt ,,,,,,,, I know its not easy but if you do end up marrying someone ,, you could also find your marrying into family debt .

BTW Sea Travellers advice is sound

[westozguy]

Actually I'm really glad of ALL the advice in this and thread and others too...

It has very much helped me keep my head straight... Because of course the gals are quite enchanting, alluring and otherwise quite convincing...

About KK, well I'd wondered whether the rest of Thai cities smelled this bad, I don't think I'll ever come back to this one again especially now if I read between the lines that maybe I can be hopeful not all the food throughout the country is influenced by that smell of excrement which is severely affecting my appetite... How the hell anyone could tout or even consider this as a tourist destination is beyond me.

I bought some food from a street vendor today, took one bite, spat it out and threw the rest to a three legged dog who looked like he needed it more than I but seriously, if it were my dog I wouldn't have even given it to him/her... I kinda wondered if I'd just spent 20 baht on a deep fried turd.

Flying back to Perth on Wednesday for another month stint at the prison camp (that is what mining is to me nowadays) and next month in I think I'll try Bangkok or Pattaya especially as it's just one direct flight and either of those two has a Bangkok Smiles dentist...

[OhOh]

then Trat

I have been through Trat a number of times en-route to the nearby islands. How did you survive living in Trat?