Posts Tagged ‘retiring’

I’m Travelling To Thailand Despite The FO Travel Ban And The Unrest

As I mentioned in my last post “How A Foreigner Can Get The Legal Right To Use Land In Thailand” it’s time now (Thursday 29 April 2010) to visit Thailand to sign the Chanote, pay the balance of the land cost and finally take ownership of the land upon which we (my wife and myself) will build our retirement house.

In fact I have my air ticket and fly out from London Heathrow to Bangkok on Thai Airways flight TG917 on Friday evening. (Friday 30 April 2010)

Is It Safe To Travel To Thailand – What Travel Advice Is Being Given Out?

On the British Foreign Office website is a warning for people to avoid all but essential travel to the whole of Thailand due to the increasingly volatile and tense political situation.”

So, I have been keeping a close watch on the situation in view of my own trip to Thailand. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Royal Thai Embassy have asked for a meeting with the Foreign Office to try to get this travel warning lifted – or at least downgraded, and insist that a travel warning should only apply to bangkok, where most of the disturbances are taking place.

Before now the Foreign Office’s advice was only to avoid traveling to Bangkok, where 26 people have been killed in the anti-government protests and many hundreds have been injured. but now the advice is to avoid travelling to any part of Thailand.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Travel Advice

There is a very informative article on “Political Developments In Thailand: Advice For Visitors “ on the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s website.

They report as follows:-

“For tourists visiting the Kingdom, it should be stressed that foreigners have not been targeted in the on-going political conflict. However, visitors and tourists are advised to be vigilant, follow news developments, exercise extra caution and avoid areas near the UDD rally site and areas where demonstrators gather.” (Thursday 29th April 2010)

Thailand’s Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Website

The website of the Thai Ministry Of Foreign Affairs is great place to get updates on the political unrest situation in Thailand.

They report that the ‘Red Shirts’ are now protesting without wearing red shirts making the situation more uncontrollable and more dangerous for ordinary people.

When the Police tried to stop the Red Shirts demonstrators attempting to stage rallies and pass through the authorities’ checkpoint on Viphavadee Rangsit Road in the northern suburbs of Bangkok, heavy weapons were discovered – apparently left behind by a fleeing demonstrator. These weapons included 62 M79 grenades and some parts of a M203 grenade launcher.

Clearly the checkpoint on Viphavadee Rangsit Road is one place to avoid.

On a practical note, my main concern about my trip to visit Thailand to buy my retirement land is that there is a chance- albeit a slim one – that the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport could be closed down by protesters.

Is Now Really A Good Time To Thinking About Retiring In Thailand?

Given the civil unrest in Bankok, and dangers to Thais and tourists alike, not to mention the inconvenience of not being able to travel around Bangkok freely, is now really the best time to be considering retiring in Thailand?

I don’t know your take on that, but here’s mine:-

In the first place I’m not retiring to Thailand right now. I’m planning my retirement in Thailand now, but it will be at least another year before I’m ready to finally retire. But right now I definitely am planning and getting ready to retire in Thailand.

Here’s why I say that.

Sure, I am buying a plot of land to build our retirement home on in Thailand as you can read on the web page “Buying Our Land In Thailand”

But having bought the land, and bought a a brand new car (Toyota Hilux pickup) in Thailand plus buying anew car here in the U.K. my pension pot has been eroded somewhat. Plus the retirement house we intend to build in Thailand that I have designed has been priced by a Thai Architect and at the moment it’s outside by current budget. So I need to stay here in the U.K. for a year or so to save up the cash to build the house.

Building the house I expect to be done in stages over a one year period.

So after a year (or thereabouts) I should have a place in Thailand to live. I already have a small (large for Thailand) monthly pension so I will have enough income.

Secondly, if you’re still with me, these troubles are temporary. Thailand has a history of unrest and Coups and I don’t suppose it’s going to change anytime soon. So I think that even if you postpone your retirement to Thailand for a year or even more, the situation will be more or less tha same.

In the longer term, there is some risk of things changing for the worst when King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand passes on. He is 82 now and has just made an appeal for stability in his first public speech since protests began in the capital seven weeks ago.

The people of Thailand love their King and has some stabalising influence on the country. “Our political system has been unstable all the time. So whenever there is a political crisis people expect the King to solve the problem” says Prof Suchit Bunbongkarn.

Former Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun describes King Bhumibol’s authority as “reserve power” that, because it has been used judiciously and sparingly, has been decisive in maintaining the country’s stability.

That’s why there is such disconcerting concerns about a post-King Bhumibol era.

According to what my wife tells me there is no readily apparent suitable heir to the throne.

So post King Bhumibol I can expect Thailand to change. I’m not particularly referring to civil unrest – my concern is more related to any laws that may change and make life for a retiree in Thailand more difficult.

So perhaps now is a good time to retire in Thailand – before any laws change!

The Cost Of Buying Land In Thailand

Three weeks ago my wife and my son went to Thailand to look for land upon which to build our retirement house.

How To Find Land For Sale In Thailand

Unlike in the west where you can go to estate agents or simply seach on the Internet for land for sale, a different approach is needed in Thailand.

I searched for land for sale in Thailand on the Internet and fouind nothing of any interest. Sure, there were some large commercial developments but we wanted a piece of local land, not part of a commercial development.

What they (my wife and my son) did was to drive by car to the area of interest and ask. Ask who? Shopkeepers, people in existing houses, people working in hotels – anyone.

That’s how they found some plots of land available in the Province (Jangwat) of Nakhon Ratchasima which is the area we are interested in.

I’ll post some details, including photos, of the plots of land for sale on the website proper, this is just a quick post to let you know our current situation.

Well, as all things in Thailand, the situation is a bit confused (from here anyway) and although my wife speaks very good english, it is difficult to get much detailed information over theb phone.

Anyway, they found two sellers of land. One had 2 Rai available for 1,500,000 Baht, the other had two plots each of 1 Rai asking 1,200,000 Baht each.

(Thai Land Measurements (Rai, Ngan, Talang Wah, Talang Mett) are explained here)

The 1 Rai plots have a connecting road, have been cleared of trees etc and have water and electricity connections available. Also it will be possible to have broadband Internet connected.

The 2 Rai plot is not cleared, has no connecting road nor utility connections.

There is lack of clarity if the they have Chanoht or Nor Sor 3 Gaw. At first I was told they had Nor Sor 3 Gaw, now it appears they have a Chanoht.

If you are wondering what Nor Sor 3 Gaw and Chanoht means I’ll explain briefly here and give a fuller explanation on the website proper.

Basically these are different forms of legal documents relating to the ownership and right of use of land. There are several more types of lesser value and I’ll explain those on the website, but here is a simplified explanation of Nor Sor 3 Gaw and Chanoht.

What Nor Sor 3 Gaw and Chanoht Mean – Thai Land Deeds

Nor Sor 3 Gaw

Nor Sor 3 Gaw is a legal certificate allowing the person named on it the right to use the land, including the rights to build a house or run a business.

The document includes an accurate map defining the boundaries of the land. Note however that it is not a certificate of ownership.

Chanoht

A Chanoht is the top level of land deed and is a certificate of land ownership. It is a true land deed.

Like the Nor Sor 3 Gaw it has an accurate map defining the boundaries of the land.

Land with a Chanoht is more expensive than land with lesser land certificates.

Confirming Ownership

Their seems to be some lack of clarity over whether the land actually belongs to the person offering the plots for sale. It should be straightforward because their name should be on the Chanoht. Anyway, when I phoned today my wife and her daughter were checking in the local Land Office.

The Architect’s Drawings

If you have seen the drawings I made of the house we want to build in Thailand you will know that I have  designed the house we want to build in Thailand, at least in outline form anyway. These drawings are enough to show builders and Architects what we want but not good enough to actually build the house or get a fixed (and reasonable!) price for building it.

For those purposes we need proper house drawings made by a Thai Architect.

How to Find An Architect In Thailand

Yes, you can find some architects in Thailand on the Internet. But they tend to be the bigger (and more expensive) practices in Bangkok. We wanted a local architect.

As with finding land my wife found a local architect by knocking on the door of a house they admired and asking who designed their house!

Put in touch with their designer my wife handed over an information pack on CD ROM I had prepared including the drawings of the house we want to build in Thailand and a brief Specification plus a Pricing Schedule.

The architect happily took the information pack away with him and they agreed to meet again in two weeks. That was two weeks ago so they are meeting later this afternoon. Quite what the architect is going to show my wife later today isn’t clear to me. Whether he has made all the drawings or just prepared a price for making the drawings I don’t know. Seems like my wife doesn’t know also!

Anyway, whatever we get I’ll put it on the website for you.

That’s all for now, be in touch later.