Posts Tagged ‘retiring’

How To Succeed In Business And Leisure In Thailand

Are you considering doing any kind of business in Thailand? Thinking of retiring in Thailand? Considering building a house  in Thailand, or simply just want to enjoy a holidy there?   

The way you go about any of these activities can substantially alter the outcome for you. The manner in which you interact with the Thais is very important and here are some words of wisdom from a person who has been very successful in business in Thailand for may years.   

I received this in an email yesterday and realised that it may be useful advice to visitors to this website so I decided to post it here exactly as it was written:-

Dear Alan,   

Thanks very much for your kind words again.   

As my father says ‘it costs nothing to be nice and good willed !’ Okay lets me go through your e-mail and answer various points.   

Thanks for your enthusiastic and positive approach to working with us Alan.  

Over the many years of helping people design and build homes, it is very noticeable that people with a good attitude are always the ones who benefit far more. Not just with our company but overall with doing business here in Thailand.  

They are the ones who get best help, and they are the ones who get better prices. I see this so many times and not just with our company.  

People who are rude, arrogant, think they know it all, or are overly demanding, always end up with problems in Thailand. They get less and they create far more problems for themselves.  

That attitude does not work here and only creates negative results.  

The polite, calm, positive and understanding way is without doubt the best approach here in Thailand.  

We have been very lucky over the years and all our customers have been exceptionally nice, positive, understanding and willing to listen to good advice.  

Over the years we have built a reputation for customer care, quality and excellent value for money, so we are always happy when customers reward us with kind words and compliments.   

Yos and I are enjoying working with you Alan and the architect looks forward to completing your designs. Any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me. I am here to help.  

Kind Regards,  

Chris Clayton  

(Managing Director)
Kensington Company Limited  

I can really recommend the Kensington Company Limited to you for many reasons if you are looking for a Thai Architect to design your future retirment home. Some of the reasons for recommending Kensington are in another post of mine called “A Thai Architect In Bangkok Is Making Our Retirement House Plans “. By the way, if you do go to Kensington, please let Chris know who recommended you to them because you will then get special treatment and perhaps a discount on their fees! 

Well, I hope you can take that advice from Chris and put it to use. I do in fact work as an engineer in the construction industry and deal on a daily basis with subcontractors and designers. I find that, as you suggest, I get better results from them than other people do because I win their respect by being honest, considerate and knowledgable. 

How To Work Successfully With A Thai Architect

Kensington, and more specifically, Yos, their Thai Architect are making an excellent job of translating my concept for our retirment house for Pakchong into real working drawings that can be used for a construction contract with a Thai builder. And all this design process is carried on with me and my wife here in the U.K. (Great Britain) and Yos being in Bangkok. Communication is by email with Kensington sending me drawings at various stages and me sending our (me and my wife) comments back.

I have started posting the drawings and our comments on the website. You can see one set of comments on the Comments On Thai Architects Preliminary House Design web page.

If you want to see the first concept drawings I made for our retirment house go to the How To Build A House In Thailand web page.

To see the plans made by the Thai architect based on our concept drawings go the the House Plans For Our Retirement House Produced By A Thai Architect web page. In addition to the plans (drawings) of our Thai house you will see perspectives of the house. these look like photograms of the house taken from different angles but they are in fact screenshots taken from a 3D (three dimensional) computer model of the house.

A Thai Architect In Bangkok Is Making Our Retirement House Plans

On 14th July 2010, we gave the go-ahead to a Bangkok-based Architectural design-and-build company to proceed with producing the construction drawings for our retirement house we want to build in Pakchong, Thailand.

The company is called Kensington Company Limited and according to their Thai Builders website they have designed and built many beautiful and prestigious properties and won several awards including the Conde Nast Hottest 100 Asia Hotels Award May 2008 for designing and building “The Villa Water Orchid”.

Although I was a bit apprehensive at appointing the company from arms length i.e. from U.K. via email and not having met them in Thailand, I must say that to date I am very impressed with their service and the quality of their design work. The architect has now produced the final ground and first floor house layouts which I have now approved. Also, he has produced some very nice perspective views of the house obtained from a 3D computer model he has made.

I have posted some of these drawings on the website on the Thai Architects House Plans page at http://retiringinthailand.net/house-build-thailand-2/thai-architects-house-plans. I have some more perspective views which I’ll post there in a couple of days time and as I receive more details I’ll post those on that page also.

In addition to the high quality of the drawings, plans if you like, the architect is producing I want to mention other things that has made me very glad that we chose to proceed with the Kensington Company.

Excellent Service. I deal exclusively via email with Chris Clayton the Managing Director of the Kensington Company. Chris is always quick to respond to my emails usually within hours and always on the same day.

Further, both Chris and Yos, the Thai Architect, keep telling me that they want me to be happy and nothing is too much trouble. If I want to change something or don’t like what Yos has proposed for a particular situation, Yos will change it if I ask for it to be changed. Here for example are typical snippets from some of Chris’s email:-

“I am glad it all seems clearer. I know it can be difficult doing it thousands of miles away by e-mail. But have no worries. Yos and I will work on this design until you are happy which I think will come together fairly quickly now. Now things are clearer to all.”

“No problem at all. It’s my pleasure and also my job to help. Yos will happily make whatever changes you ask for.”

Quality Assurance. Another concern I had was that I had produced sketches of my concept for the house and knew that there were certain areas where my concept needed some development to make it work. One example is the roofs. My concept is visually pretty but as Yos pointed out for several reason is unpractical and would lead to leaks and difficulties in construction. Hence the architect’s roof solution is different from my concept and I have to accept this. At every step of the way Yos is checking my concept to make sure that what he delivers is practical and complies with the Thai building regulations and standards. This is from one of Chris’s emails discussing my concept for the roofs:-

“Dear Alan,

Thanks for all the comments and ideas.

Yos has gone over them carefully. He is happy to help you in anyway and try to come up with solutions. However he is particularly concerned with your desire for this roof design you have created. Naturally he wants you to have the home as you like it but as an architect he has to point out to you and make it clear if your choices are potentially going to cause problems to you, the home or the construction contractor. He was worried about this roof and asked me please to point it out again to you. He suggested the roof style he did because it is practical for construction and Thailand’s weather. Whereas if he does it as you want, you will have problems with leaks and practical issues to be concerned about.

He has written a explanation with drawings to try and help everyone understand what he means. He is happy to do as you ask but wants you to know it could very easily cause you problems with the house.

Look forward to your comments and resolving this issue. If you have any thoughts or ideas please forward them. Very important you the customer is happy but at the same time the home will be practical.”

And this is an extract from Yos’s messages to me:-

“Dear Alan

What we are most concerned about is the house has to be comfortable for living, be suitable for the Thai weather, and be in line with Thai construction methods and practical. So as an architect I may make comments or observations that from experience in both design and construction I feel are necessary and the best advice for you as the home owner. I hope you do not mind me doing this but I would like to explain one more time perhaps better than before so it is clear regarding the roof. I can do whatever you ask but naturally I am responsible for the design of the home and I need to make sure everything is clear, in case something asked means the house will have problems or not be practical. Here are my thoughts and comments:”

Ease of Communication. I was again concerned about the ability to communicate ideas and thoughts across the world to a Thai company in Bangkok from my home in the U.K. In fact this has turned out to be very easy because as you can see in the message from Yos above, Yos has an excellent command of the English language.

In summary, therefore, we are very happy with the way the production of the construction drawings is progressing. Although the process is far from complete, the service we have received from the Kensington Company to date gives us confidence that the final set of drawings will be perfectly acceptable.

Assuming that will be the case then we will have proven that you can commission a Thai architect in Bangkok, Thailand to design your retirement home in Thailand even if you live half way round the world and never even visit Thailand.

Having said that, the drawings are not yet complete, there is still much work to do, and only then will I be able to give a 100% recommendation of the Kensington Company.

More Information And Thai House Plan Drawings

Please make sure you visit the web page Thai Architects House Plans  periodically to check out the latest drawings and perspectives of our planned retirement house. In fact, to make sure you are alerted whenever I post new information why not join the Announcement List by entering your name and email at the top of this page? I will then send you an email whenever anything interested is posted on the website.

Get A Free Consultation For Thai House Plans – Have Your Retirement House Designed Or Built In Thailand

Chris, Managing Director of Kensington Company will be happy to meet with anyone who contacts him from this website or from my recommendation and he will provide a personal service and a free consultation. If you do contact  Kensington Company mak sure that you ask for Chris. To make is easy for you I have put a Contact Kensington Form on the website for you to use. 

Why I Chose To Retire in Pak Chong, Thailand

Pak Chong is the biggest district (amphoe) of Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) Province, and is about 250 km North east from Bangkok.

Close to the Khao Yai national park, Pak Chong is in the foothills of a range of mountains separating the Menam Plain from the Khorat Plateau. What this means is that apart from the natural beauty of the area, it is cooler and far more comfortable than the swealtering heat of Bangkok.

There. I have already hit on three reasons why I chose to retire to Pak Chong in Thailand. Let me amplify a little:-

Not Too Far From Bangkok

Although Bangkok has many attractions and can be great fun, it is simply too hot, too busy and too overbearing a place to live. But I don’t like to be ‘out in the sticks’ and far away from western civilisation. By this I mean that as a Westerner I like my western comforts. I could not stand living in the deep country out of touch with city facilities. I like my Tesco Lotus supermarkets, seafood restaurants, department stores and country and western music bars.

A Touch of American Wild West

Pak Chong, though, although away from the bustle of Bangkok is only a 2 hour journey by car. Pak Chong itself is not very westernised. There is only one half-decent hotel, The Landmark Hotel, a couple of bars and a couple of reasonable Thai restaurants. There is no western style restaurant so be prepared to eat Thai food if you visit Pak Chong.

Close to Pak Chong on the Chokchai cattle farm at Nongnamdaeng, though, and adding to it’s charm and reasons to retire there, is the Chokchai Steakhouse. A true American style Steak House serving delicious renowned steaks. This area of the country is true ‘American Cowboy’ country and at Christmas there is a festival in Pak Chong with many American style Country and Western bands, plenty of food and Thai men and women dressed up as cowboys/cowgirls complete with six shooters!

Although Pak Chong does not have any department stores and the nearest Tesco Lotus supermarket used to be about an hour’s drive towards Saraburi, Pak Chong now boasts it’s own Tesco superstore.

Cooler Climate

As I mentioned, because Pak Chong is away from the city-generated heat of Bangkok and being in the foothills of the Khorat Plateau at about 320 m above sea level, it is cooler and much fresher than Bangkok. Unlike Bangkok which is blighted with polluted , murkey and dust-laden skies Pak Chong has clear blue skies and feels far less humid.

Picturesque Hilly Scenery

As you can image, with Pak Chong being the gateway to the country’s largest national park, Khao Yai with it’s breathtaking natural mountaines scenery, the views all around are of unspoilt rolling hills and mountain ranges. I wouldn’t call the countryside around Pak Chong breathtakingly beautiful, that would do a disservice to the truly spectacular parts of Thailand, but it certainly is very pretty and relaxing.

Sizeable Expat Community

Although I said that there was not very much westernised in Pak Chong there are quite a few westerners who live there. Righfully so, Pak Chong is a week end retreat for rich Bangkokians and quite a few residential developments have sprung un in recent years. Westerners are attracted to these developments, propably for the reasons I am giving here, so it will not be difficult for me to build up a circle of western friends.

I should mention that our land, where we intend to build our retirment house, is not on one of these residential developments, but is located between two Thai households alongside the Pakchong Khirirom Resort. The location suits us fine we don’t want to be part of a housing estate and we paid a fraction of the price for the land than we would have to if we bought from one of the developments.

Yes, Today We Took Ownership Of Our Retirement Land In Thailand

I’m writing this a few days after we took possession of the land (on Tuesday May 4th, 2010) upon which we are going to build our retirement house  in Thailand.

Actually on Tuesday 4th May 2010 we went first to see the land and check that the marker posts had been replaced in the correct position and then we went to the Land Office, completed the land transfer transaction, paid the balance of the money for the land and took possession of the land as recorded on the Chanote (Legal Land Title deed). Here is a picture of the actual  Chanote with the name of ownership changed to my wife’s name:-

Above, the Front Page of of the Chanote (Land Title Deed) for the Land We Have Just Bought in Thailand.

In this post and a few more plus on the website proper, I am going to share with you all the details about how we found and bought our retirement land in Thailand. First I’d like to tell you where the land we bought is located…

The Location Of The Land Is In Pakchong, Nakhon Ratchasima

Our retirement land is located near to Kirirom Resort just on the outskirts of Pakchong ( Amphur), Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) province.

Pakchong is a beautiful area 2 hours drive northeast of Bangkok, close to the Khao Yai National Park. The area is hilly – almost mountainous – and much cooler than the blistering heat of Bangkok.

The Process Of Buying The Retirement Land In Thailand

The first step was to go to the land we were buying and check that the marker posts ahd been replaced correctly. The vendor (person selling the land) arrived together with two people with a measuring tape and a plan of the land showing the positions and numbers of the marker posts.

We checked the land and the positions of the marker posts against a copy of the previous Land Title Deed (Chanote) that I already had a copy of.

Having inspected the land to make sure that the marker posts were in the correct position, the next step was to visit the Land Office with the land vendor.

We arrived at the Land Office 1040 and the whole process was completed by 1230, less than two hours. There was much printing and signing of papers and then the land was registered in my wife’s name. We were handed the Chanote (Land Title Deed) in my wifes name showing the transfer from the vendor to my wife’s name.

Only then did we have to hand over the balance of the money for the land purchase. Now I think that shows a great deal of trust on behalf of the land seller.

How We Paid The Balance Of the Money For The Land Purchase In Thailand

On a previous post “Buying Land – The Land Office Procedure”I explained the problems we had when transferring large funds to my wife’s bank account tin Thailand from the U.K.

That was resolved and we opted to take the balance of the money to pay for the land in cash.

It was very scary carrying so much cash around in Thailand. Anyway, before we went into the land Office, we asked the land vendor if she preferred a Cashire’s Cheque (Banker’s Cheque) or cash. She replied that either would do . My wife wanted to pay cash because we would save the fee on the Cashire’s Cheque (which she later told me amounted to 30 Bht (about $1.00). As it transpired, we also saved a lot of time by not having to go to the bank to get the Cashire’s Cheque because the bank was about 1 1/2 hours drive (round trip) from the Land Office.

I was also a bit embarrassed at handing over such vast sums of money in front of everyone in the land Office. but the vendor appeared not to mind and happily set to counting the notes I haneded over. Nine packets with one hunderd X 1,000 BHT notes in each packet!

That’s the financial side of the transaction explained, now what was the legal processs and what documents were needed?

The Legal Process Of Transferring Land Ownership In Thailand

Bearing in mind that I can only read a little Thai and then very slowly and that there was no one to explain the land transfer process to me, this can only be a rudimentary explanation for the land purchase process in Thailand. Nevertheless, I am sure that if you have not done this yourself before, you will find some value in my explanation.

Step 1. Check The Land Title Deed (Chanote)

The evndor did not have a copy of the Land Title Deed (Chanote), she said that sha had lost it, so the Land Office produced a duplicate (marked as such) and also produced the original which is always kept in the land Office itself.

The plan of the land and the Land Title Deed number matched the copy of the previous copy I had, and everything appeared OK.

Step 2. Print And Sign The Forms

The lady in the land Office printed of approximately 20 sheets of paper on a dot-matrix printer. Some of these were then stamped with a variety of stamps (ink-pad type) and the vendor and my wife set to signing them where indicated by the Land Office lady.

I had to sign one of them. Unfortunately, in the turmoil of the signing process I forgot to ask what it was and to take a photo copy.

The next (and last) paper I had to sign was a declaration (in Thai and English) that the money paid for the land is for the personal onwership of the land by my wife. In other words I have no claim over the ownereship of the land.

Step 3. Pay The Tax And Transfer Fees

The total I had to pay for land transfer fee, stamp duty (land tax) and other charges  started out at 45,750 Bht (about 914 GBP 0r $1,525 dependent upon exchange rates) but after some negotiation about the taxable value of the land the total payable dropped to 32,000 Bht.

I paid this in cash and when counting it out from a 100,000 wedge of 1,000 notes I did feel a little uncomfortable and nervous.

Finalising The Deal

After all the papers were signed by my with and the vendor, and i had paid the taxes and fees, the pepaers were taken to the ‘manager’ to get the new Chanote signed.

Myself and my wife checked that the new Chanote was properly made out in her name and that the land title Deed number was correct.

After that I handed the balance of the money over and when the counting had finished, we (our party and the vendor’s party said ‘sawatdee’ and went our separate ways.

It was interesting to note that as soon as the Chanote had been signed by the ‘manager’ and it was time for the cash to be handed over that the lady from the Land Office (the person conducting the transfer of name) disappeared. Apparently she has no part in verifying that the money paid was correct and I don’t think that the amount paid appeared on any documents. (Don’t hold me to that though because I didn’t read all of them)

Just Arrived In Thailand To Finalise The Land Purchase

Alan In Bangkok To Buy The Land In Pakchong May 1, 2010

Above, A Photo Of Alan Arriving At Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (Taken Saturday 1st May 2010)

Saturday 1st May 2010 and here I am in Thailand to see the land transferred into my wife’s name.

And what happened when I arrive?

Problems, Problems, Problems.

Why, oh why is everything so difficult in Thailand? What would take minutes in UK can take hours or days (or may never be achieved) in Thailand.

It seems like The whole system is stacked against you.

And I’m not just talking about the Thai laws – even the phones don’t work. Well, they work, but depending upon where you’re calling that dictates which phone to use!

This became a major issue on day 1 because the money I had sent to my wife by bank transfer last Monday (5 days ago) had not yet arrived in her bank. i had made many previous bank transfers and they normally took only a few 9ie 3) days. So what had happened here?

I only have one week here in Thailand to finalise this land purchase (due to business commitments back in UK) so we can’t afford any delays.

The first thought is to call my bank in UK where they would still be open for an hour due to the time difference.  And that’s when the phone problems began to kick in. There are three phones in this house, one landline and two mobiles. I could call the bank on the land line only but then it ran out of money! yes it’s a pay-as-you-go phone with a SIM card. So off we went to get a new SIM card… not so easy… well the rest of this tale I’ll fill in later because it’s not really telling you what you want to know. And that is…

Exactly How The Land Purchase Process Works

As we go through the actual process of buying our retirement land in Thailand over the next few days. I’ll be photographing and recording every detail and posting it on the website for a permanent record for anyone to follow if they are considering buying land for their retirement to Thailand.

For now, let me go back to how the problem with getting the funds transferred was solved.

Transferring Funds (Money) to Thailand

As I said, on Saturday 1st May and I just arrived in Bangkok – a bit jet-lagged but not tired, it was only an 11 hour flight – and the funds I transferred have not yet arrived into my wife’s bank account. frantically trying to call my bank in the UK failed dismally due to not having a clear phone connection and also the UK bank has a security system where you have to enter a string on numbers about you and your bank account before you are even queued to speak to an advisor. the the queue is 20 minutes long and just as the adviser says hello the phone drops out… then it’s bank closing time in the UK!

Fast forward to Sunday and off we go to my wife’s bank (Kasikorn Bank in Bang Kapi) to check again to see if the money has arrived. She puts her bank book into the machine (Thai banks issue customers with a little book and every transaction is printed by the machine in the book – no paper statements) and well… there were the funds!

But arranging the means to enable those funds to be handed over to the land seller on completion of the purchase of the land was not so simple.