skurfer Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 So i'm thinking about moving to bkk to try and find some work etc. i've got enough cash saved up to buy a decent condo and have some money to probably last a year or so looking for work. Is there any work out there for a farang to find? i've been in the marine corps for 8 years now..straight out of university. hoping to find something worth while to do out there. anyone have any security contracting work they know of there? thanks for any assistance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falangboy Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 I would suggest trying the teaching gig at first and look for something more suited to your background while you're here. It will also give you a chance to see if you really want to be in Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizardo Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 go to the texas lone star bar on washington square....upstairs is a US service vets association....some guys work in security here in thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haiku_newyork Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Don't buy a condo for awhile! Spend a couple months just to find out if you like living in Thailandor not. It's not for everybody I hear sometimes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunsnow Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 go to the texas lone star bar on washington square....upstairs is a US service vets association....some guys work in security here in thailand. Don't know if it helps skurfer, but sounds good tip to me. Tf can be helpful too, not just bs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skurfer Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 About work ... No idea to help But if you want information about condo..let me know i will help always.. good luck bee Appreciate it peung! I've found some decent places online and am shopping around. not in a hurry, but if i am going to move there for an extended period i would want to own the place so i can possibly make a return on the money vice just renting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skurfer Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 go to the texas lone star bar on washington square....upstairs is a US service vets association....some guys work in security here in thailand. nice, i am aware of quite a few veterans gigs that are out there, any further info/Points of contact would be greatly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skurfer Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Don't buy a condo for awhile! Spend a couple months just to find out if you like living in Thailandor not. It's not for everybody I hear sometimes... haha, i should have left alil more background in here so ya'll didnt think i was jumping into this blind or for all the wrong reasons. I've lived in thailand before for about a year and a half. Only difference was I was being supported by the US Gov and was active duty Marines so didnt have to worry about **** as far as looking for a job or paying rent etc. and i dont drink. dont realllllllllllly womanize lol. so not just going to spend a year as a sex tourist. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skurfer Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 i would first understand that living here and working here is not like going on holiday, but i would be happy to assist, pm me any q's yup gotcha, see above post for details. But worked there for a year and a half already, just had a steady income and the US Gov paying my expenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpuiahsan Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Maybe you would like to try those Embassy which may need some bodyguards, since your background is in Marine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skurfer Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Maybe you would like to try those Embassy which may need some bodyguards, since your background is in Marine. Unfortunately the State dept Security officers etc are employed by the state department in the US and their assignments to embassies are rotational and by request. To work in the security section at the Embassy I would have to be a State Department employee and just hope i get assigned to US Embassy BKK. which isnt going to happen haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeusbheld Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 I've found some decent places online and am shopping around. not in a hurry, but if i am going to move there for an extended period i would want to own the place so i can possibly make a return on the money vice just renting. approach bkk real estate with caution. it ain't manhattan, there's no guarantee if you buy a place you can sell it easily if you want to leave and no guarantee you won't lose money if you do. also bear in mind that work permits only apply to the job you got hired to do, not freelance work. the upside is the cost of living (can be) tiny, and rents are pretty low outside of the expat and sexpat ghettos. purchases seem to be (potentially) reasonable outside the sexpat ghettos too. choose carefully you may be stuck with the place a long time (notice the skeletons of luxury condos the owners couldn't afford to finish all over the place). oh and best bet is get a thai person to help you look for a place to live, the places on the 'net that i've seen tend to be farrang prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skurfer Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 I've found some decent places online and am shopping around. not in a hurry, but if i am going to move there for an extended period i would want to own the place so i can possibly make a return on the money vice just renting. approach bkk real estate with caution. it ain't manhattan, there's no guarantee if you buy a place you can sell it easily if you want to leave and no guarantee you won't lose money if you do. also bear in mind that work permits only apply to the job you got hired to do, not freelance work. the upside is the cost of living (can be) tiny, and rents are pretty low outside of the expat and sexpat ghettos. purchases seem to be (potentially) reasonable outside the sexpat ghettos too. choose carefully you may be stuck with the place a long time (notice the skeletons of luxury condos the owners couldn't afford to finish all over the place). oh and best bet is get a thai person to help you look for a place to live, the places on the 'net that i've seen tend to be farrang prices. gotcha! ya i am sure they can be bargained with in terms of price. and i certainly wont be living in the sexpat ghettos lol from what i heard real estate out there (in the city) is not doing too bad, and that there is still a boom of places being constructed all over the place. i'll be careful though for sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeusbheld Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 the bangkok version of real estate not doing too bad is very, very different from the new york version of real estate not doing too bad... i doubt there are many sure bets,... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sylver Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 ...gotcha! ya i am sure they can be bargained with in terms of price. and i certainly wont be living in the sexpat ghettos lol from what i heard real estate out there (in the city) is not doing too bad, and that there is still a boom of places being constructed all over the place. i'll be careful though for sure I think you should get the job first and look for the purchase after. Bangkok's trafic being what it is, you may not want to buy a place in advance and then find a job that's 4 hours away. You may also want to look into the new visa regulations. Things aren't as easy as they used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skurfer Posted October 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 ...gotcha! ya i am sure they can be bargained with in terms of price. and i certainly wont be living in the sexpat ghettos lol from what i heard real estate out there (in the city) is not doing too bad, and that there is still a boom of places being constructed all over the place. i'll be careful though for sure I think you should get the job first and look for the purchase after. Bangkok's trafic being what it is, you may not want to buy a place in advance and then find a job that's 4 hours away. You may also want to look into the new visa regulations. Things aren't as easy as they used to be. ya, i hear that about the traffic and location of residence. I contended with the sukhumvit traffic for over a year lol. ya i've heard they are getting alittle more stringent with the visas. Fortunately i get mine out of Honolulu, (at least for the entry ones) and they are reallly reallly easy. not sure what I would end up doing to keep it renewed in thailand. but i am definitly looking into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skurfer Posted October 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 the bangkok version of real estate not doing too bad is very, very different from the new york version of real estate not doing too bad... i doubt there are many sure bets,... ya, i'm not looking to make any money really. Just break even and not blow cash on rent when i could just buy the place and cash out later. thats why i've been saving money, so where ever i settle down i buy instead of rent or lease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skurfer Posted October 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 I bought a condo here in BKK a little over 3 years ago and am still happy about the decision to do it. Found a nice little place in a decent building, not right in the center but still on the MRT line and paid less 2m baht. Today it would probably sell for 2.4m. Just be careful, check out the second hand scene, alot of the new places have really inflated prices. Once you have an idea of the area of town you want to live, walk around the neighborhhod because there are alot of for sale ads posted on telephone poles etc. They are in thai so take a friend along to help you out if you cant read it. Happy hunting! thanks man! so you have been living out there for 3 years now? How has looking for work gone? any visa issues or work permit issues? how about purchasing the condo, was that a hassle? did you mortgage it or pay straight out? thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocDre Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 I bought a condo here in BKK a little over 3 years ago and am still happy about the decision to do it. Found a nice little place in a decent building, not right in the center but still on the MRT line and paid less 2m baht. Today it would probably sell for 2.4m. Just be careful, check out the second hand scene, alot of the new places have really inflated prices. Once you have an idea of the area of town you want to live, walk around the neighborhhod because there are alot of for sale ads posted on telephone poles etc. They are in thai so take a friend along to help you out if you cant read it. Happy hunting! thanks man! so you have been living out there for 3 years now? How has looking for work gone? any visa issues or work permit issues? how about purchasing the condo, was that a hassle? did you mortgage it or pay straight out? thanks! Hey Skurfer, now seems like a decent time to be looking with the somewhat unrest (I haven't seen a change outside of bars staying open later) My buddy (young guy) has been "doing" the real estate thing for about 8 months now in BKK (yeah not long but he has acsess to all the new listings) and he has seen a decline on the interest but prices haven't changed much, there is some speculation that prices might drop after high season. Come scope it out for 3 months doing propery visits a few times a month and you might get a steal come March. PM me if you want info, I'm not selling anything, getting the new listings isn't hard on your own if you know what your doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skurfer Posted October 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 I bought a condo here in BKK a little over 3 years ago and am still happy about the decision to do it. Found a nice little place in a decent building, not right in the center but still on the MRT line and paid less 2m baht. Today it would probably sell for 2.4m. Just be careful, check out the second hand scene, alot of the new places have really inflated prices. Once you have an idea of the area of town you want to live, walk around the neighborhhod because there are alot of for sale ads posted on telephone poles etc. They are in thai so take a friend along to help you out if you cant read it. Happy hunting! thanks man! so you have been living out there for 3 years now? How has looking for work gone? any visa issues or work permit issues? how about purchasing the condo, was that a hassle? did you mortgage it or pay straight out? thanks! Hey Skurfer, now seems like a decent time to be looking with the somewhat unrest (I haven't seen a change outside of bars staying open later) My buddy (young guy) has been "doing" the real estate thing for about 8 months now in BKK (yeah not long but he has acsess to all the new listings) and he has seen a decline on the interest but prices haven't changed much, there is some speculation that prices might drop after high season. Come scope it out for 3 months doing propery visits a few times a month and you might get a steal come March. PM me if you want info, I'm not selling anything, getting the new listings isn't hard on your own if you know what your doing. awesome brother! appreciate it! Not to worried about the interest on a loan/mortgage. i'm planning on buying 1 straight up if i do it. what are you doing for work? if you dont mind me asking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skurfer Posted October 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Hey Skurfer, I paid cash, as you will have to do, as mortgages for foreigners are almost unheard of, I think the Sigapore branch of Bangkok Bank does them but with less then ideal terms. For the past 3 years I have continued to do short contracts in the states, usually 2 months there 4 months here, so the visa thing hasnt been an issue. Try to get a 1 year non b visa in the states before you come here, not easy to get around here. Ya i will try to get that in honolulu before i go out there. when and If i do. ahha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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