Pattaya Today Property Section

Pattaya Today 23 PATTAYA TODAY PROPERTY 1/23

Vol. 8 No. 19  16 - 30 June 2009

Thankful Knowledge Learning Center “Students Prosperity is our Priority”

True to its vision, the ‘Thankful Knowledge Learning Center’ offers courses in Thai, foreign languages and Thai culture in a fun, easy and effective way. Learn with their native qualified teachers at reasonable rates and in a friendly environment.

Established in 2008, the ‘Thankful Knowledge Learning Center’ initially began with courses in the Thai, English and Dutch languages.

The centre is ideal for tourists and business people who want to study the Thai language and

tutorials in elementary and intermediate Math, Science and Music.

With air-conditioned lecture rooms, the centre is the perfect place for learning; the centre’s location is easily accessible on 3rd Road, South Pattaya.

It conducts one-onone, private and group sessions at times suitable to your schedule.

They have a group of professional Thai and foreign tutors who are experienced and dedicated to giving the best education for local and foreign learners.

languages easier and in a fun and effective way.

More than just a learning centre, the ‘Thankful Knowledge Learning Center’ has also been involved with various activities within the community.

In November 2008, the centre participated in the celebration of ‘Loy Krathong Festival’ here in Pattaya, where one of their students, Narin Caroline Noyes, joined the annual Nu Noi Nophamas Contest and was chosen as the ambassador to English and Thai visitors, to

Standing is Glenda Stewart, owner and manager of the ‘Thankful Knowledge Learning Center’, in one of the centre’s lecture rooms

culture. Also courses for local residents, especially for students who want to learn a foreign language, with Pattaya City being one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world, said Glenda Stewart, owner and manager of the ‘Thankful Knowledge Learning Center’. Aside from their language courses, the centre also teaches

The centre’s language courses include reading, writing, speaking and listening as well as grammar and conversation. At the ‘Thankful Knowledge Learning Center’, they emphasise student interaction as their approach to teaching languages, they have a wide range of activities which help their students learn

highlight the attractions of the eastern seaboard.

Aside from that, the centre also sponsored Pattaya’s High School Musical Extravaganza 2008, held at the Royal Garden Shopping Centre, last December giving 100 hours of free English language lesson as prizes.

Having only established last year, the

‘Thankful Knowledge Learning Center’ has come a long way. The centre is licensed by the Ministry of Education of Thailand and now offers French language lesson as an addition to their other language courses. Also, they offer an ongoing free trial of Thai, English and Dutch lessons held from Monday to Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. For those interested in the free lessons, reservation can be made by calling the learning centre. As a promotion, discounted rates for their language courses are as follows, 100 Baht per hour for group session with minimum of 10 students, 300 Baht per hour for private session comprising of 3 to 4 students, and 500 Baht per hour for one-on-one session.

Glenda Stewart, owner and manager of the ‘Thankful Knowledge Learning Center’, also mentioned that they are currently working on, and will soon launch, the centre’s new website. The website will be designed in such a way that it is accessible to both visitors and students of the learning centre. One of the features of the new website will be the ability for students’ to log in, review their lessons and take online examination to keep track of their progress, even after finishing their language course. The website will also feature information about

Shown are the eager students of the ‘Thankful Knowledge Learning Center’ after a day’s Thai language lesson

the centre, testimonials, promotional discount and helpful links.

Nowadays, many books and CD-ROMs for learning foreign language are readily available in the shops and online; however, this is no substitute for a qualified learning centre. So if you want to begin or improve your language skills, in a fun, easy and effective way, at an afforable price, come

to the ‘Thankful Knowledge Learning Center’ where student’s prosperity is their priority.

Check out their website at www.thankful-knowledge.com.

Thankful Knowledge Learning Center is located at T.K. Apartment, Soi LK Pavilion in South Pattaya. For inquiries, please call 038-724239 or 038-723324 from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. or email at thankful. knowledge@gmail.com.

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Vol. 8 No. 19  16 - 30 June 2009

Thai Business Lady leads the way forward One of the best known and most influential lady business women in Pattaya is Kanlaya Samotong, who is involved in a number of business enterprises including:Pattaya Education and Computer School This was the first school of its kind in Pattaya, founded back in the dark ages in 1992, and legally registered with the ‘Thailand Ministry of Education’ to teach languages and computer skills. The school is supervised by the ‘Ministry’ thus, the premises and operations of the school are monitored on a regular basis, along with inspections ensuring staff are fully qualified and registered.

The student certificates issued by the school, on behalf of the

‘Ministry’, are in accordance with tight guidelines, and are recognised as such throughout the whole of Thailand.

The school is located on the Jomtien Beach Road, at the Soi Sirita Spa Hotel.

Tel 038 – 236 187 email: info@pecschool.com or www.pecschool.com Pattaya Cookery School This well known cooking school, situated on the North Pattaya Road was established in 2004, and since then the school has been training and sending out its students to spread the world about the sensational flavours of Thai cuisine.

The school, is recognised

by The Ministry of Education, and offers cooking courses

9.00am to 20.00pm Tel. 038 371 197-8 Email: admin@pattayacookingschool. com or visit www.pattayacookingschool. com

to all levels in Thai, English and German. With courses to suit every requirement, the small, intimate classes, maximum ten students, ensure a positive and enjoyable learning experience.

The courses are mostly conducted in fluent English and recipes have been chosen for their adaptability to the Western kitchen. With the emphasis on teacher demonstrations, followed by hands-on participation by the students, they will have you knocking up a delicious prawn soup, red and green curries, savoury pork salad, steamed fish, fried chicken and stir fried pork in no time at all. I am sure you will agree, these are more than enough dishes to impress

your friends and family at your next dinner.

The Professional Thai Cooking Course, is of course, much more rigorous and time consuming, with a full 240 hours of first class instruction to esure a solid grounding for the more dedicated student, in the fabulous flavours available in Thai cuisine.

A course for Thai chef’s looking to cook European food is available over 30 hours and foreign students, taking the 20 hour class will receive a diploma of achievement presented by the school.

The Pattaya Cooking School is located on North Pattaya Road (just before Tesco/Lotus), and is open from

This enterprising lady is also involved in the Nan Valley Resort, only 16Km from Nan Airport, where you will find 48 rooms which include air conditioning, refrigerators, hot shower, bath and TV with English and Chinese channels. For the more adventurous, tents are available for individuals or groups.

The Resort’s restaurant serves a good selection of delicious Thai, Chinese and European food with the emphasis on organic vegetables. There is also a modern meeting hall with facilities for seminars for companies and organisations.

This is the ideal venue for holidays, business conventions, honeymoons, sightseeing expeditions and cultural trips. It is conveniently located for the airport at Nan and the whole of the province, as well as a stepping stone to further destinations including Laos,

China and Vietnam.

For further information please check out the website at www.nanvalley.com or send your email to nanvalley 2007@yahoo.com Tel. 054 682 251-2.

Khun Kanlaya is also a

Director of the Best View Housing Development in Pattaya. Located only 600m from the Sukhumvit Road on Soi Chaiyapornwithi 1/1.

For further information please call 089 244 2080 (Thai) or 081 576 5383 (English)

Vol. 8 No. 19  16 - 30 June 2009

PATTAYA STYLISH LIVING

Is buying a home in Pattaya right for you? Count on it

by Khun Dee

If you’re questioning whether or not to buy a home in Pattaya, the answer may seem as easy as neung, sawng, sam (one, two, three). But before doing anything rash, count to sip (ten). We’ll count along with you, in English and Thai, as you ponder the following ten questions: 1-(Neung) Are you sure home ownership is right for you at this point?

Many farang visit Pattaya for the first time and decide to remain here, convinced they have stumbled into paradise. Relocating here may be a wise move, but pouring hard-earned funds into a house or condo—and getting locked in—may be premature. If you change your mind six months to a year down the road, it may be difficult to recoup your investment.

TIP: Rent a home or apartment until you are absolutely certain you want to stay here for a few years or forever— whichever comes first.

2-(Sawng) Is the purchase of a home the best use of your funds?

Many expats find they can live less expensively renting an apartment, a condo or even a house.

Beyond which, because it is difficult, at best, for a foreigner to get a home loan, you likely will access personal funds from savings or investments.

So consider: Do you have a few million baht in cash you can put into a home?

How many rental payments is that? How much of your current investment income will you forfeit if you reallocate those funds to property?

TIP: First do the maths.

3-(Sam) How much can you afford?

If you’re swimming in nguhn (money) and also want to swim in your own pool, by all means buy that mansion. But if savings and income are limited, think twice before jumping in.

Besides the purchase price and reduced investment income, you’ll be facing new monthly obligations (power, water, insurance,

etc.), repair bills, furnishings, decorating costs, and a realm of unforeseen expenses. Also factor in any ongoing and/or existing expenditures: credit cards, health insurance, travel, child support, etc.

TIP: Do the maths again.

4-(See) What do you want?

Now that you have an idea how much you can spend, it’s time to determine what you want.

A house or a condo? Why? What size? How many bedrooms? How many baths? One story or two?

Do want a yard? A view?

A balcony? A western-style kitchen and bath?

TIP: Outline all features of your ideal abode, then determine which particulars are absolute necessities and what you are willing to settle for.

5-(Ha) Where do you want to live?

Location, location, location.

Those three most important dictates in real estate should be the major consideration when buying any home.

Not only for reasons of convenience and lifestyle, but also because it directly influences the future value of your purchase.

Think about which part of Pattaya—or Jomtien, or anywhere else--you find most desirable (keeping your price range in mind).

Do you want to be near the action? Near the beach?

Close to shopping? Near work or school?

TIP: Look at your prospective home as an investment. At some future date when you are ready to sell, how attractive will that neighborhood be to prospective buyers?

6-(Hok) Why do you want to purchase a home?

Keep in mind that foreigners may not legally purchase property in Thailand. Yes, you may employ legal machinations to circumvent existing constraints, or you may record the sale of the dwelling in the name of your Thai mate. If certain you will be happier, more comfortable or more secure in a place of your own, fine. But if you’re motivated by your significant other pressuring you to do

something you otherwise would not do, maybe you should not do it. Is this an act to prove your love? To provide her with security?

Are you buying a house because she wants to move in her mother/kids/cousins?

TIP: In the unlikely event that you can get a loan, you will need a co-signer who will guarantee repayment.

Have your thee rak cosign on that loan. Then, if she decides to dump you, you can walk away, leaving her to make the balance of payments. (It might be easier just to hand her two million baht and say “Sawadee krup”, thus avoiding the hassles of a home purchase.)

7-(Jet) Do you know the local real estate market well enough to purchase a dwelling on your own?

Even if you’ve been here a while, you may not be aware of problems endemic to certain neighborhoods (gangs, traffic, noisy neighbors, poor sewage). You may not know of future projects planned for an area and their impact on property values. Problems with water, power or telephone access. And you may need input on fair market value versus the asking price of your intended purchase.

TIP: Find a knowledgeable and experienced real estate agent to help with your search. Get referrals from friends and associates.

Interview several agents to find one you are comfortable working with, someone who will answer your questions honestly, identify homes that meet your specifications, and handle all negotiations and paperwork.

8-(Paet) Must you buy a home immediately?

It’s not a good idea to rush into such a major purchase. It may preclude due diligence; you may be too influenced by your emotions; your relationship might end next week.

TIP: Allow time (up to several months) to see a number of houses or condos so you have a good basis for making a final decision.

When you find a home you like, inspect it carefully.

Tour the neighborhood and see the house at different times and days to check

traffic patterns, noise levels, and other factors that might affect your decision.

9-(Gow) Can you read and understand the Thai language?

Even if you can, odds are you are not an expert in Thai law. Consequently, you cannot be certain what is contained in those myriad documents you will be asked to sign upon committing to your purchase. The seller, agent and your Thai mate can provide rough interpretations, but consider their ulterior motives.

TIP: Engage a trusted,

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outside attorney to review all documents before you sign anything. Get referrals from friends, associates or your embassy (not from your agent or soul mate).

10-(Sip) Is your new home everything you thought it was?

You’ve made a nominal deposit on your intended purchase, but before you sign a purchase contract and part with the bulk of your hard-earned cash, revisit the premises one last time in the company of a contractor or someone who knows everything about

houses or condos. Check for quality of construction, existing or potential electrical and plumbing problems, roof leaks, infestation, etc.

TIP: If the inspection uncovers major defects, now would be a good time to renegotiate with the seller; have him make the repairs or reduce the purchase price to cover your expected costs.

BONUS TIPS: On your final walk-through, ask the seller to show you how to operate major systems and appliances, and don’t forget to get the keys. When you move in, change the locks.

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Katoeys Yearn For Gender Recognition Most Thai katoeys apparently are seeking better integration into society. “I wish we would be more accepted in society nowadays. The reason I joined this contest is to tell society that we are human and we think just like normal, real men and real women,” said Miss Tiffany Universe 2009 contender, Kotchakorn Surajan. But what they most want is the right to legally change their gender on ID cards to female in accordance with their appearance.

COERR Takes Over Hmong Refugee Camp Following the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) pull out from the Hmong refugee camp in Phetchabun’s Khao Kho district, due to alleged military restrictions, the Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees (COERR) will take over their humanitarian ministrations. MSF and the Asian Human Rights Commission are pleading that Thailand and Laos stop returning the Hmong to Laos.

Thailand is adamant, however, the repatriation programme will continue and Laos demands the Hmong not be treated as refugees.

HIV+ Kids Banned From Schools in Esarn Following the disclosure that some of its charges are HIV+, four children from the Yasothon-based child welfare organisation, Baan Home Hug, have been banned from schools in an unnamed Esarn province. “The ministry’s campaign to educate people on the (HIV/AIDS) issue has failed. Many people, even knowledgeable people like teachers, still lack understanding of this disease,” said Suthasinee Noi-In, Baan Home Hug’s founder, while others said all children, including the HIV-infected, had the right to an education.

Booze Ad Restrictions Stringent new alcohol advertising restrictions may soon come into force, following cabinet recommendations.

Radio and television commercials for alcoholic drinks will be limited to the late night hours and a ban placed on any display of the products or their packaging, and no encouragements to drink will be allowed. The Public Health Ministry is to demand that alcohol advertisements must contain messages, promoting social values, sound knowledge or cultural enhancement.

Over 14% Of Thailand’s Elderly Suffering from Alzheimer’s Currently, an officially estimated 1,000,000 plus of Thailand’s over 7,000,000 elderly citizens are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Consequently, 68 health stations in Bangkok between June 1-5 ran voluntary memory tests for the over 60s. “If we detect any risk from the very beginning, we can work towards the prevention,” said Khunying Uraiwan Sirinupong, Deputy Chairperson of the Thailand Alzheimer’s Foundation. Some attribute the high numbers to previous bad karma!

Vol. 8 No. 19  16 - 30 June 2009

Swine Flu Hits Tourism The fear of being infected by influenza A (H1N1) will cause at least 15% of potential future tourists to avoid Thailand (despite there only currently being 10 confirmed cases in the country – at the time of going to press), according to The Thai Travel Agents Association (TTTAA). To date, the drop off totals include 95% of Chinese and Japanese, 50% from Hong Kong, and 30% from Scandinavia; all of whom are paranoid of air travel. TTTAA advocates encouraging domestic tourism to compensate.

GM Asia Pacific To Go ‘Green’ In line with the Thai government’s ‘green’ fuel drive, specifically its promotion of ethanol, GM Asia Pacific aims to launch vehicles running on biofuel later this year in Thailand. The vehicles will use the ethanol-based fuels, E85 and E20 (the numbers reflecting the percentage of ethanol) are 40% & 20% cheaper than normal petrol, respectively, and will substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as reducing oil demand by an estimated 30%.

Sukhothai Promotes Antismoking To mark ‘World No Tobacco Day’, May 31, Sukhothai has announced itself Thailand’s first historic antismoking city and 30 public and private agencies in the city declared their offices smoke-free zones. A prominent health official, Dr Boonterm Tansurat, said the campaign was essentially an attempt to save the lives of 33,110 out of a total of 93,709 of Sukhothai smokers, who run the risk of dying from lung cancer.

Panda Cub Born In Chiang Mai A cub was born to panda, Lin Hui, at Chiang Mai Zoo, recently, following artificial insemination; a method only followed in China, Thailand, the US and Japan. The zoo’s director, Thananpat Pongamorn, said “She did not want to get close to caretakers or any other people, but we didn’t know what the problem was”. He said they had no indication that the panda was pregnant. Mother and baby are both healthy.

Tattooed Western Body Discovered On Beach A distinctively tattooed Westerner‘s corpse was discovered washed up on Phuket’s Nai Harn Beach, recently. The male body, thought to have been dead for about 7 days, had the tattoo of dragon on his left shoulder, a dolphin on the right and a tiger on the back of his left hand. The body was uninjured, but no causes of death have been ruled out, including murder. Judgement will be made following an autopsy.

Sex-Workers Encouraged To Sell Sex To Attend Aids Seminar A sex-workers advocacy group, the Empower Foundation, intends to sell its members’ sexual services to raise money so more can attend the 12th National Seminar on Aids. Chiang Mai sex-workers, for instance, were offering Bt1,000 for short-time and Bt2,000 for long-time, to some 135 customers in the 11 days before the seminar opened. Normally, the Public Health Ministry sponsors 45 spokespersons from each of the 18 networks nationwide, but it’s only prepared to fund 10 this year.

Court Bans 72 Games Websites After Pre-Teen Suicide Following the suicide of a 12-year-old Bangkok online gamer whose father forbade him to play Internet games, the Criminal Court has demanded 72 games websites be shut down. Mental health expert, Bundit Sornpaisarn, asserted games addicts aged 12-13, with aggressive mentalities, were more prone to commit suicide than others. Some of the websites to be banned also encourage online-gambling, raking in an estimated Bt100 million plus from online betting per night.

Hordes of Chinese Come to Teach the Thais The Thai Ministry of Education welcomed the first of 1,028 Chinese Mandarin-teaching volunteers to Bangkok recently, the largest batch ever. The volunteer teachers will teach at the 1,105 schools and colleges nationwide now running Mandarin courses. Mandarin is becoming increasingly popular in Thailand, which now boasts a total of 400,000 Thai language students learning Mandarin, who

will play a key role in fostering Sino-Thai social, economic, cultural exchanges and friendship.

Q1 Unemployment Rates Encouraging The unemployment rates for Q1, 2009, measure up favourably to those in the same period last year, with only 27,717 workers laid off, compared to 55,546. Those industries hardest hit this year were manufacturers of electronics parts, textiles, cars, furniture, and tanners.

Samut Prakan, Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, Bangkok and Chachoengsao experienced the highest layoffs, respectively, which were attributed to business losses, cash-flow problems and a reduction in purchase orders.

Rift Widens Down South Once Buddhists and Muslims co-existed harmoniously in Thailand’s Deep South, but with the government’s crackdown, plus the intensifying jihad, the insurgency is now afflicting the very fabric of society, creating unprecedented tensions, suspicion and animosity between the two religious camps. The 3,400 already dead, the majority Muslims, include monks, teachers, shopkeepers and rubber tappers, officials and innocents from all walks of life. “The government fights the insurgents, politicians fight each other and the villagers suffer,” said one villager.

Tot Boss Goes All Out for Phuket Phuket’s Regional Tourism of Thailand Director, Sethapan Buddhani, intent on making the island a maritime-sports destination, whilst making valiant efforts to regenerating tourism, is ebullient in his innovative schemes, which include hosting individual Chinese clan reunions; sinking a train offshore, embossed with celebrity handprints in concrete, to complement the existent artificial reef of sunken aircraft; heightened security; extra police; a 5000-capacity conference centre in Phang Nga and an offshore underwater post-box!

PM Optimistic About Reducing AIDS PM Abhisit Vejjajiva, presiding over the 12th National Seminar on AIDS in Bangkok, said Thailand should strive to reduce new HIV infections by 50% by 2011. Over the past 20 years, Thailand has had one million cases, with approximately 500,000 fatalities and the same amount still living with HIV. Of new infections, 1 in 4 are male homosexuals, with housewives joining the at-risk groups, constituting 30-40% of new cases. PM Abhisit advocates fidelity to scotch the virus.

CHKV Epidemic Afflicts South Chikungunya(CHKV) virus infections in 28 of the Southern provinces have now exceeded 22,276, causing considerable concern to the Ministry of Health.

The disease initially causes high fever (40 degC), extreme headaches and a rash, lasting 2-5 days, followed by arthritis-like joint pain, sometimes lasting for months, especially in the elderly. Pregnant women can transmit the virus to their foetuses. The disease is spread by the bite of the striped garden mosquito, active in the day.

First Domestic Case of Human-To-Human Swine Flu The first case of domestic human-to-human transmission of the A (H1N1) influenza was recorded recently in Northern Thailand, when a son contracted it from his mother, returning from the USA. Both his parents were infected, but all three have now recovered. The Minister of Health, Witthaya Kaewparadai, is concerned that airport scanning is ineffective, as cases in Thailand have now reached 10, all but one having returned home to Thailand by plane.

Kung Fu Icon David Carradine Dies Mysteriously In Bangkok David Carradine, famed Kung Fu screen icon who popularised the martial arts in the West in the early 1970s and 90s as renegade Shaolin monk, nicknamed Grasshopper, was found dead in his suite at Nai Lert Park Hotel, Bangkok on June4. Mystery surrounds his bizarre death, attributed to auto-erotic asphyxiation. Family and associates want to involve the FBI, suspecting a cover up; his lawyer has even surmised the involvement of secret martial arts assassins.

Vol. 8 No. 19  16 - 30 June 2009

B U S I N E S S M AT T E R S

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Are we heading for a second credit crunch?

by Simon Philbrook Independent corporate finance advisers Close Brothers is urging banks and investors in the UK property sector to devise alternative financing solutions in the face of a potential GDP140bn price fall and a GDP125bn debt refinancing bill over the next four years.

Going into 2009, it has been calculated that banks are exposed to approximately GDP250 bn of UK commercial property debt, of which 50 per cent needs to be refinanced in the next four years.

Close Brothers believes the scale of this issue has not been fully appreciated and is likely to trigger further write-downs and, combined with the impact of a worsening wider economy, a second credit crunch in due course. ‘The commercial property world has not seen a significant downturn since the early 1990s when the financing structures deployed were much simpler and less aggres-

sive,’ say Gareth Davies, a managing director in Close Brothers’ European restructuring and debt advisory group. ‘Banks adopted a strategy of selling assets into a distressed market however; this caused a death spiral with ever decreasing prices. Therefore, alternative solutions to restructure the indebted sector are required this time round, for example debt conversions, new third party investment or partial asset sales.’

Davies says there will be significant risk and difficulty of implementing a consensual funding strategy between the multiple stakeholders in these complex structures. ‘For instance, there will be many differing agendas to align,’ he adds.

‘In addition to enhancing the risk of a restructuring or refinancing failing, secondary market investors will increasingly take advantage by acquiring ransom strips with the aim of exploiting their nuisance value to be refinanced or bought out at a profit further amplifying the problem.’

Today, appetite among banks to write new loans has evaporated, with a corresponding drop in acquisition activity and price depreciation. Close Brothers predicts that by the time the market has

bottomed in late 2009 or early 2010, pricing will have fallen by 50 per cent to 60 per cent, which is more than most other commentators.

Close Brothers believes the combined factors of no available debt finance and a limited number of investors with equity to fund acquisitions mean that any property which needs to be sold will only realise distressed values.

Based on the assumptions of an average 70 per cent LTV, a 50 per cent price fall from peak to trough, Close Brothers anticipates there will be GDP140bn total unrealised losses on commercial property, split equally between debt and equity. With such a rapid fall off in valuations, most LTV covenants across the sector have been breached already rendering equity investments now worthless.

Close Brothers believes, given the number of cases involved, the banks are unlikely to take action on an LTV breach, preferring to either waive the breach or re-set the covenant.

However, in 2009 and 2010 there will be more interest and capital payment defaults across the sector as tenants seek to lower costs or go out of business. This will escalate the issue for borrowers because banks

will start to take a much more pro-active stance.

Davies says: ‘Whilst in the 1990s banks took possession and sold assets when investments hit difficulties, past experience shows this is not always the optimal strategy. Selling property into a distressed market causes a death spiral of falling prices and ever widening losses on the remaining portfolio. Quite often, however, banks do not want to consolidate property on their balance sheets and therefore they are also reluctant owners.’

One miserable feature of any property downturn is negative equity. 20% of all U.S. residential properties that had a mortgage on them were underwater at the end of 2008, according to a report by First American CoreLogic.

That’s more than 8.3 million mortgages compared with 7.6 million three months earlier. It’s a problem that is expected to get worse as home prices continue to fall.

“The accelerating share of negative equity, combined with deteriorating economic conditions, means that mortgage risk will continue to increase until home prices and the economy begin to stabilize,” said

Mark Fleming, chief economist of First American CoreLogic, adding “The worrisome issue is not just the severity of negative equity in the ‘sand’ states, but the geographic broadening of negative equity that is expected to occur throughout the year,” he “Sand” states include California, Nevada, Arizona and Florida.

More than half of all mortgage borrowers in Nevada were upside down on their loans at the end of the year, although California ranked first in the sheer number of borrowers with negative equity, with more than 1.9 million borrowers in that position.

To make matters worse: An additional 2.2 million mortgaged properties throughout the country are approaching negative equity, the report found. These properties are within 5% of being underwater, with home prices still dropping in most areas.

Negative equity is “the first requirement for default,” according to Sam Khater, s nior economist for First American CoreLogic, in a phone interview. When you owe more than your home is worth, you’re especially vulnerable to foreclosure.

“If you have equity in your home, you can sell it. You have that selling option.

The next condition (for foreclosure) is some sort of household balance sheet problem. “The biggest shock right now is losing your job”, With American non–recourse mortgages system, negative equity owners are apt to be more inclined to just send back the keys.

The US government’s much debated mortgage plan is probably little more than a sticking plaster on an amputation.

Things could go from bad to much worse for US and western property markets.

For those wanting more information on this or other financial topics then please contact Simon on simon@hamptonsthailand.co.th The above data and research was compiled from sources believed to be reliable, however, neither Hamptons International Mortgages (Thailand) Ltd nor its officers can accept any liability for an errors or omissions in the above article nor bear responsibility for any losses achieved as a result of any actions taken or not taken as a consequence of reading the above article

Raimon Land acquires additional 25% stake in “The River” from Lehman Brothers Bangkok Riverside Development Pte Ltd Luxury condominium developer Raimon Land Plc has consolidated its investment in “The River” by acquiring an additional 25% stake in Taksin Hotel Holding Co., Ltd “THH” from Lehman Brothers Bangkok Riverside Development Pte Ltd, and boosts the construction program.

THH is a parent company

of Taksin Properties Co., Ltd “TPC”; TPC is the owner of “The River”.

The acquisition has resulted in an increase of Raimon Land’s aggregate investment in “The River” from 60% to the current 85% shareholding (74% held directly by Raimon Land and 11% held through “Contemporary Property

Co., Ltd”, a Raimon Land subsidiary). The balance of the shares is held by Raimon Land’s two major shareholders, IFA Hotels & Resorts 3 Ltd and Istithmar FZE, both headquartered in Dubai.

The transaction is another step in Raimon Land’s reorganization program which has entailed the refinancing of several loans through local and international sources, the reduction of overhead expenses by 40% and the revitalized focus on existing projects currently under construction, insuring their timely completion and transfer to buyers.

Raimon Land Chief Executive Officer, Hubert Viriot, said “the recent acquisition of these additional shares in “The River” is an indication of our long-term commitment to our on-going projects,

as well as our commitment to maintaining the construction schedule of this landmark development”.

As a result of the acquisition of Lehman Brothers Bangkok Riverside Development’s stake in “The River”, Raimon Land’s revenue stream for the next three years is expected to increase from Baht 9.0 billion to Baht 12.75 billion.

Similarly, the resulting profit sharing from proceeds on the project will increase by 25%.

Raimon Land has achieved over Baht 7.7 billion in sales revenue since it launched “The River” 18 months ago, and has sold close to 55% of its overall inventory. Despite the recent economic and political turmoil, sales at the project have continued at a brisk pace.

“The River” has

secured a syndicated loan of Baht 5 billion towards the development of the project; participating banks include Standard Chartered Bank, Thailand Military Bank and Siam City Bank.

All piling and sub-structure works have been completed and construction on the superstructure commenced early this year. Beginning in mid-August, an aggressive construction program will be implemented with one level rising every six days.

Construction progress is on

schedule for completion by quarter four 2011.

Raimon Land recently won four awards at the Thailand Property Show 2008: Best Developer, Best Condo Development (Phuket) for The Heights Phuket, Best Condo Development (Eastern Seaboard) for Northpoint and Best Development Website for the second consecutive year for www. theriverbangkok.com.

(Please visit www.raimonland.com for updated construction progress.)

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Vol. 8 No. 19  16 - 30 June 2009 suffer from bone marrow cancer, myeloma, which kills almost 2,500 a year.

The drug ‘Durg Revlimid’ can boost life expectancy by at least three years, a Glasgow seminar heard, Dr, Steve Schey, of King’s College Hospital, London said.

“It’s a major step forward in turning myeloma into a chronic disease rather than a death sentence.”

Is this end of the Labour Party?

THOUSANDS of Labour voters will desert Gordon Brown at the next general election if he refuses to hold a referendum on the EU constitution a poll reveals. Almost a quarter of the party’s life-long supporters, 24 per cent, say they will kick the PM in the ballot box unless they get a vote.

A Sun survey has revealed that four out of five voters want a say on whether Britain signs a treaty giving more power to Brussels. And half say they will switch to the Tories if Mr. Cameron pledges a referendum if he wins.

Trouble at the airports NEARLY 200,000 British travellers a month lost luggage at air ports in the last two years. About 25% more bags go missing in August than in any other month, according to a survey by an insurance firm. January is the best month, with a relatively low 156,000 affected passengers. Figures are set to rise this year because of the baggage chaos at Heathrow’s Terminal 5.

The number of passports reported missing this year is expected to reach a new high of 268,000 up from 212,000 in 2004.

‘Panglish’, a new world language?

ENGLISH as we speak it will disappear and be replacedby a global language called PANGLISH, experts predict.New words are being created as old ones die out, US linguists said.

The biggest changes are driven by people learning English as a second language that will create a language ideal for global use by 2300.

Save the Planet NEARLY a third of Brits are ignoring calls to save the planet, a new poll has revealed, a massive 11.5 million can’t be bothered to recycle, save energy or drive less.

The Government findings came as Ministers are poised to take tougher action to make people adopt greener lifestyles.

An American philanthropist Jeremy Grantham has donated a total of £24 million to two London universities to create an institute for climate change research. It is the largest private donation for such studies in the UK, he gave half to the LSE and half to Imperial College Scale of the Century THE fastest growing age group is now among people over 100 years old. There were 9,000 in England and Wales last year, seven out of eight being women.

The figure is expected to reach 40,000 by 2031 official statistics show. The number of centenarians has surged rapidly since the 1950s. Survival rates are increasing thanks to better hygiene, diet, housing and living standard.

Brits eating out more BRITS will spend more than £43,000 on eating in restaurants during their lifetime. We pay around £59 a month for two meals out, research Halifax bank has revealed. Spokesman Andrew Norton said.”That figure gets even worse when you include takeaways.”

Education pays BRITISH education is a more lucrative export than the declining car industry, according to figures. Foreign students learning in Britain helped to boost the value of the education sector to £28 billion in 2003-04. That figure beats exports of food and drink (£9.4 billion) and the automobile industry (£20billiion).

SOARING numbers of students from Eastern Europe

are coming here to go to university, as the number of UK undergraduates falls. New figures show the number of Polish students studying in British colleges rose by 56 per cent to 6,770 between 2006 and 2007. There are more Polish students in Britain than those from Spain or Italy, the Higher Education Statistics Agency said. There were also big rises in Lithuanian and Latvian students.

Meanwhile a report said population changes would see 70,000 fewer full-time British students over the next decade.

Mosques beat Churches MUSLIMS are becoming the UK’s biggest religious group. Figures show that Islam will have the most active followers if current trends continue. The number of Roman Catholic worshippers at Sunday Mass will fall to 679,000 by 2020 while 683,000 Muslims will be praying in mosques on Fridays.

The statistics from Christian Research also suggested that over the same period the total of practising Muslims would overtake Church of England members going to Sunday services.

Muslim bar a hit ALCOHOL free Islamic pubs are set to spring up across Britain after the success of the first branch. The bosses behind the Halal Inn in Oldham have received offers to open branches of their venue, which offers snooker, darts and food, in Birmingham and London.

Co-owner Muzahid Khan said. “We’re shell shocked with the media attention. We’re all exhausted and have had non-stop phone calls.”

Testing your eyes A MACHINE that can predict if you will go blind in your 60s by testing your eyes in your 20s is to be launched.

The Macuscope screens the macular pigment, the area at the centre of the retina that lets us see fine detail and colour, to pick up early warning signs of age-related muscular degeneration (AMD). Tom Bremridge of The Macular Disease Society said.”We welcome investment by opticians in this equipment.”

AMD is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly.

More than 500,000 people in the UK suffer from it and numbers are expected to soar in the next 25 years.

No logging off THE average Briton will spend an astonishing 24 years and eight months of their life sitting in front of a computer. A survey also reveals we spend two hours and 47 minutes on the Internet every day. A spokesman for the poll company said. “The results of this are quite incredible but will serve to demonstrate the importance of the PC in a normal person’s life.”

Talking about health...test for hidden heart disease.

A URINE test developed by British scientists could detect hidden heart disease. The test now undergoing trials at Glasgow University looks for a specific combination of proteins. Their presence suggests that blood vessels are already in the early stages of decay due to heart disease.

Every year, around 270,000 people in Britain suffer a heart attack, and heart disease remains Britain’s biggest killer. Cholesterol and blood pressure checks can provide clues on who is at risk, but there is no simple way to highlight who already has diseased arteries. The new urine test could change that.

Live long big ‘C’ pill A NEW one-a-day pill for blood cancer could help victims live longer doctors said last week. More than 20,000 Brits

Lab cells advance SCIENTISTS have created the first part-human part-animal embryos in the UK, it was revealed last month. The embryos which survived for up to three days were made by injecting DNA from human skin cells into eggs from cows.

Newcastle University’s experiments were disclosed a month before MP’s debate the future of so-called “Frankenstein” research. The Catholic Church has called such lab work “monstrous” but researchers believe it could lead to cures for conditions including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Fighting prostitution PROSTITUTION could be banned under Government plans to tackle the misery of sex slavery and human trafficking. The move would end the world’s oldest profession for an estimated 80,000 hookers working in Britain. Ministers believe action is urgently needed because of the influx of foreign women who are forced into a life of suffering as sex slaves.

Women’s Minister Harriet Harman said the Government is looking at laws in Sweden where paying for sex has already been made illegal. Home Office figures show the number of trafficked women has increased since Labour came to power. In 1998 around 1,420 trafficked women were working as hookers, whereas in 2003, the latest figures available, officials put the number at 4,000. Police believe the true figure could be far higher.

Say “NO” to Marriage.

MARRIAGE rates have fallen to their lowest level since records began in 1862. Figures show there were 236,980 marriages in 2006, a fall of 4% on the previous year, according to the Office for National Statistics. The average age for a first marriage in 2006 was 31.8 for men and 29.7 for women. Since 1992 there have been more civil ceremonies in the UK than religions ones, Religions ceremonies are down 7% since 2005, while divorce rates also fell by 8% compared to 2004.

And the number of children living with one parent has almost doubled in 20 years. One in four youngsters lived with a lone parent in 2006 compared with 14% in 2004.

But Britain is better off than 20 years ago, despite a widening gap between rich and poor, figures released last week show. Average disposable income rose from £231 a week to £362 in real terms, while net wealth including assets such as property doubled. But the top ten per cent now get four times as much as the bottom ten per cent says a report published by the Office for National Statistics.

A warning to internet addicts INTERNET addicts can become mentally ill, a psychiatrist claims. Dr. Jerald Block believes too many hours spent on line, triggers a disorder with symptoms, including anger, tension, depression and losing track of time, He warned the American Journal of Psychiatry “The Internet addiction is resistant to treatment.” British psychiatrists claim up to 10 per cent of users are addicts.

The failure of the ‘Immigration Policy’ FOREIGNERS commit one in five murders in Britain.

Migrants were to blame for 96 out of 461 homicides in the year ending last April. They were from 28 different countries, and critics are fuming that the Government has failed to protect Brits.

Immigration will trigger an explosion of violence in UK towns in 2009, according to most Brits. Two-thirds of people quizzed for a new poll reckon tensions are likely to spark major riots before the year is out. The survey of 1,000 people, commissioned by the BBC to mark the 40th anniversary of Tory MP Enoch Power’s infamous Rivers of Blood speech, revealed that 60% said the UK had too many immigrants Half wanted foreigners to be encouraged to leave, six out of 10 said immigration had made parts of Britain feel like a foreign country. e-mail gerd.treuhaft@btinternet.com

Vol. 8 No. 19  16 - 30 June 2009

OUR COMMUNITY

Pattaya Today7/29 29 PATTAYA TODAY PROPERTY

Father Ray Foundation receives a grant from ExxonMobil to attend the Global Women in Management Program

From left to right: Khun Suporntum Mongkolsawadi– Managing Director, Mr.Mike Langcaster –Development Director, Khun Isra Sunthornvipart-Community Relations Advisor of ExxonMobil, Khun Pathum Sukkerd and Father Lawrence Patin

From left to right: Father Lawrence Patin – President of Fr. Ray Foundation, Khun Isra SunthornvipartCommunity Relations Advisor of ExxonMobil, Pathum Sukkerd – Executive Projects Planner

Khun Pathum Sukkerd, Executive Projects Planner at the Fr. Ray Foundation has won a grant to attend the Global Women in Management Workshop in Washington, D.C. from June 8 – July 3 2009. She is being sponsored by ExxonMobil Foundation. The Workshop brings together mid-career women from charity, community and faithbased organizations who are working in development programs at community, sub-national or national levels.

Khun Isra Sunthornvipart, Community Relations Advisor of ExxonMobil Limited presented the grant to Khun Pathum at the Fr. Ray Foundation Welcome Center. Father Lawrence Patin, the president of the Fr. Ray Foundation, thanked ExxonMobil for their support and Khun Pathum promised to bring back new ideas on strategy development to help strengthen the management at the Fr. Ray Foundation and to develop its work in the community in Pattaya.

In Washington, D.C. Khun Pathum will be representing Thailand and will meet with 26 women leaders from other countries. The workshop will be organized by CEDPA

Left: Father Lawrence Patin – President of Fr. Ray Foundation Middle: Khun Pathum Sukkerd – Executive Projects Planner Right: Mike Lancaster- Development Director

Khun Pathum Sukkerd – Executive Projects Planner at Fr. Ray Foundation, the only woman from Thailand to be attending Global Women in Management, Washington DC

(The Center for Development and Population Activities) a Washington, D.C. -based international non-profit organization working to empower women at all levels of society. The major themes of the workshop are; Dimensions of Leadership, Strategic Communications, Project Management and Fundraising.

From left to right: Khun Isra Sunthornvipart – Community Relations Advisor of ExxonMobil presenting the grant to Khun Pathum Sukkerd of Fr. Ray Foundation

Father Ray Foundation transforming a poor family’s life

The house in North Pattaya, if it can be called a house, measures just three by three meters and is home to three young children who live with their mother. Like many homes around Pattaya where the very poor live, there is no clean running water, no electricity and no proper sanitation.

When it rains the water pours into the house as there is no roof, just an old piece of plastic sheet, dirty and ripped. The nearby stream overflows and floods the area and the children are covered in mosquito bites. When they need to go to the toilet the children use the stream or find somewhere in the nearby field. The children spend Nong Yiin’s having her nutritious meal at their days running and playing and having a great Fr. Ray Day Care Center time, they are loved by their mother, but there is a risk of these children contracting a disease or being involved in a fatal accident.

This family was recently discovered by the Father Ray Foundation who immediately jumped into action to try to improve the lives of these unfortunate people.

Whilst the two older children, an eight year old boy and a five year old girl are attending local schools, the youngest child, a little two year old girl whose name is Yiin is now spending her days at the Fr. Ray Day Care Center, receiving a basic education, nutritious meals, regular health checks and by being in a safe environment she is away from the risks that can befall a child living in these poor conditions.

Whilst the little girl is being taken care of at The shack wrapping with plastic sheets

the Fr. Ray Day Care Center, several volunteers from the Fr. Ray Foundation are transforming their little plastic shack into a bricked wall with a real roof that can protect the children from the risk of severe diseases and the toilet where the children can have their proper sanitation. A roof is being built with tiles that used to cover the old Fr. Ray Drop-In Center and which had been donated by the Pattaya International Ladies Club just three years ago.

The Father Ray Foundation helps almost 850 children and disabled students who live underthe care of its various projects, and it also has a scholarship programme which assists many children who live with their families in similar poor conditions as these little children.

You can get more information about the work of the Father Ray Foundation at www.fr-ray.org

The roof job is done, the house is almost ready to move in.

30 Pattaya Today PATTAYA TODAY PROPERTY 8/30

Vol. 8 No. 19  16 - 30 June 2009

Farmer Joe’s Accident

Farmer Joe decided his injuries from the accident were serious enough to take the trucking company responsible for the accident to court. In court, the trucking company’s lawyer questioned Joe. “Didn’t you say, at the scene of the accident, ‘I’m fine,’?” asked the lawyer.

Joe responded, “Well, there is more to that story. I had just loaded my favorite mule, Bessie, into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge eighteen wheeler ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurting real bad and didn’t want to move. However, I could hear ol’ Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans.

“Shortly after the accident, a Highway Patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie suffering, so he went over to her. After looking at the mule, he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes.

Then the Patrolman came across the road with his gun in his hand and looked at me. He said, “Your mule was in such bad shape I had to shoot her.”

“How are you feeling?”

Restricted Fishing

One morning the husband returns after several hours of fishing and decides to take a nap. Although not familiar with the lake, the wife decides to take the boat out. She motors out a short distance, anchors, and reads her book.

Along comes a Game Warden in his boat. He pulls up alongside the woman and says, “Good morning, Ma’am.

What are you doing?”

“Reading a book,” she replies, (thinking, “Isn’t that obvious?”)

“You’re in a Restricted Fishing Area,” he informs her.

“I’m sorry, officer, but I’m not fishing. I’m reading.”

“Yes, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment. I’ll have to take you in and write you up.”

“If you do that, I’ll have to charge you with sexual assault,” says the woman.

“But I haven’t even touched you,” says the game warden.

“That’s true, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment.”

“Have a nice day ma’am,” and he left.

MORAL: Never argue with a woman who reads. It’s likely she can also think.

I’m having a Bad Day

There’s this guy on a bar, just looking at his drink.

He stays like that for half-an-hour. Then, this big trouble-making truck driver steps next to him, takes the drink from the guy, and just drinks it all down.

College Finals

The poor man starts crying. The truck driver says: “Come on man, I was just joking. Here, I’ll buy you another drink. I just can’t see a man crying.”

“No, it’s not that. This day is the worst of my life.

First, I fall asleep, and I go late to my office. My boss, outrageous, fires me. When I leave the building, to my car, I found out it was stolen. The police, they say they can do nothing. I get a cab to return home, and when I leave it, I remember I left my wallet and credit cards there. The cab driver just drives away. I go home, and when I get there, I find my wife in bed with the gardener.

I leave home, and come to this bar. And when I was thinking about putting an end to my life, you show up and drink my poison...”

At Duke University, there were four sophomores taking Organic Chemistry. They were doing so well on all the quizzes, midterms and labs, etc., that each had an “A” so far for the semester.

These four friends were so confident that the weekend before finals, they decided to go up to the University of Virginia and party with some friends there. They had a great time, but after all the hearty partying, they slept all day Sunday and didn’t make it back to Duke until early Monday morning.

Rather than taking the final then, they decided to find their professor after the final and explain to him why they missed it. They explained that they had gone to UVA for the weekend with the plan to come back in time to study, but, unfortunately, they had a flat tire on the way back, didn’t have a spare, and couldn’t get help for a long time.

As a result, they missed the final.

The professor thought it over and then agreed they could make up the final the following day. The guys were elated and relieved. They studied that night and went in the next day at the time the professor had told them. He placed them in separate rooms and handed each of them a test booklet, and told them to begin.

They looked at the first problem, worth five points.

It was something simple about free radical formation.

“Cool,” they thought at the same time, each one in his separate room, “this is going to be easy.” Each finished the problem and then turned the page.

On the second page was written: (For 95 points): Which tire?

How Faithful Is She

Three men died and stood in front of God. God asked the first if he had been faithful to his wife. He admitted to two affairs during his marriage. God gave him a compact car to drive in heaven.

The second man admitted to only an affair and was given a midsize car.

The third man was asked the same question and said that he had been faithful to his wife until the day he died.

God praised him and gave him a big luxury car.

A week later the three guys met in a parking lot. The man driving the luxury car began to cry.

“What’s the matter?”

“I just passed my wife, and she was riding a bike!”

Drunk needs a Push

A man and his wife are awakened at 3 o’clock in the morning by a loud pounding on the door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.

“Not a chance,” says the husband, “it is 3 o’clock in the morning!” He slams the door and returns to bed.

“Who was that?” asked his wife.

“Just some drunk guy asking for a push,” he answers.

“Did you help him?” she asks.

“No, I did not, it is 3 o’clock in the morning and it is pouring out there!”

“Well, you have a short memory,” says his wife.

“Can’t you remember about three months ago when we broke down and those two guys helped us? I think you should help him, and you should be ashamed of yourself !”

The man does as he is told, gets dressed, and goes out into the pounding rain. He calls out into the dark, “Hello, are you still there?”

“Yes” comes back the answer.

“Do you still need a push?” calls out the husband.

“Yes, please!” comes the reply from the dark.

“Where are you?” asks the husband.

“Over here on the swing!” replies the drunk.

Remove the Curse An old man goes to the Wizard to ask him if he can remove a “Curse” he has been living with for the last 40 years.

The Wizard says “maybe, but you will have to tell me the exact words that were used to put the curse on you.”

The old man says without hesitation “I now pronounce you man and wife”.

Life before the computer Memory was something you lost with age An application was for employment A program was a TV show A cursor used profanity A keyboard was a piano A web was a spider’s home A virus was the flu A CD was a bank account A hard drive was a long trip on the road A mouse pad was where a mouse lived And if you had a 3-1/2 inch floppy ..... you just hoped nobody ever found out

PATTAYA TODAY PROPERTY 9/31 Pattaya Today 31

Vol. 8 No. 19  16 - 30 June 2009

Home at last

by Mr Pobaan

It’s not all chores at Khao Talo Towers. In fact, my faithful life companion Mrs Pobaan and I have just returned from a few enjoyable days in Phuket where we lounged on the beach with our in-laws and two young nephews.

During the 12-hour car journey home, insufficiently stimulated mentally by the succession of tailgates that fill my field of view, I pass the time by compiling three messages for those who contributed so richly to our holiday experience.

The first is to the council of Phuket town: Sirs and madams, could you please put up some road signs to let drivers know where they’re going? My plea is born of bitter experience, having driven in circles for an hour in your town searching for the road to the aquarium.

I don’t know if you’ve ever caged two young boys in a hot car with four stressed adults for an hour

and got lost in a town a bit like Phuket, but if you have you’ll know their enthusiasm for spending the rest of the day pointing at fish ebbs away pretty quickly and takes a dive every time someone says, ‘haven’t we been along this road before?’

Come on, Phuket Council!

Lost drivers create traffic and burn unnecessary fuel which can’t be good for our wheezing planet. Mrs Pobaan and I would be pleased to host a delegation from your council at Khao Talo Towers, our unassuming residence on the Hill.

Following modest refreshments, we offer to lead a tour of Pattaya road signs to give you the general idea of what’s needed.

Please let Mrs Pobaan know of any special dietary requirements.

My second message is to the various highway authorities responsible for the 1,100-odd kilometres of road we used to get home from our

southern jaunt: Excellent job, chaps. Not one hold-up the whole way, and the Pobaan jalopy recorded an average of 90km an hour – without exceeding any speed limits including stops for life’s little necessities as defined by the pearl in my oyster, such as noodle soup. Our highways are a wonderful service to the nation and should be a source of great pride for all residents.

And lastly, I turn to the hundreds of Vigo drivers we encountered along the way, the guys with towering loads of pineapples or coconuts, pushing down a little on the back suspension, who drive at 60kph in the right hand lane. My simple message to you is: could you please shift over to the left to let the Pobaan limo glide past?

- Why would I want to do that?

- Because the right-hand lane is for faster traffic.

- Also for making U-turns.

- Are you making a U-turn?

- Not yet, but I might want to later.

- Could you move into the slower lane until you need to make a U-turn?

- Mmm. That would involve pulling over into the left-hand lane and then possibly shifting all the way back into the right-hand lane to make the turn. I don’t think it’s going to be worth it. I think I’ll stay here on the right, krap.

- Could you go a bit faster?

- Not with all these coconuts.

So there you have it. No resolution on the slowpickup-in-the-outside-lane problem, and confirmation that Mr Pobaan’s diplomatic and persuasive skills are not unlimited.

Mr Pobaan may be a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to snappy dressing or digging the latest vibe, as I think the expression is, but in the use of the internet as a window on the world, he ranks numero uno, at least amongst residents of

Khao Talo Towers, to wit Mrs Pobaan and myself.

Researches on the worldwide web reveal that there are more than 20 million vehicles in Thailand and that these machines run around on a total of 180,000km of tarmac. This means that if we all decide to go somewhere at the same time, we’d have about nine metres of road each in which to do it.

I’m not suggesting for one moment that we should do this, especially not today as I have to go out later for a couple of items of shopping and I’d prefer not to find Pattaya in worse gridlock than normal.

‘Nine metres. That’s a lot,’ claims my teerak, the love of my life.

‘It is?’

‘You could make a dress with nine metres. Possibly even a wedding dress. I saw a beautiful cream one in Royal Garden.’

‘But we’re already married. Why would you want another wedding dress?’

‘It was so beautiful, ka.’

I feel my point about roads has been submerged in tulle and lace. I’m finding it difficult to breathe.

‘Actually, compared with some countries, we’re a bit snug for road space. If drivers in Japan all took to the highways at the same time, they’d have 17 metres

for each vehicle, and in the vast outbacks of Australia they’d find themselves with a whopping 64 metres of road. ‘ ‘That’s way too much for a wedding dress. But maybe with bridesmaids...’

Losing the will to live, I muse on the smoothness of our journey home.

‘Considering how tight we are for space, it’s amazing how well the traffic flows. Perhaps the dreadful jams in Bangkok reduce the national average of metres for each car. They’re bumper to bumper in Krung Thep.

That’s why it’s still OK on the open road in the country, and why we had such a good trip home.’

‘Could be.’ My beautiful wife still has a dreamy look. I don’t think she’s listening.

‘What did I just say?’

‘It’s good to be home, ka.’

Kuhn Pobaan’s by-theway When embarking on a 12-hour car journey, don’t put your wallet in the back pocket of your trousers. It takes a surprisingly small amount of loose change to cut off the blood circulation to the right leg, risking numbness, circulatory perambulation and, in the case of large wads of cash, amputation. Email your travel tips to kuhn.pobaan@ gmail.com.

TAT’s brave new world of tourism

Pattaya figured prominently in the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) promotion of the attractions of Thailand at the Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2009, held in Bangkok, which concluded on June 8. The main target of the TAT thrust was the lucrative Indian tourist market, which has long appreciated the multitudinous attractions of Fun City.

The Indians are also ready and able to travel, due to having a burgeoning middle class, which still has the necessary funds and the inclination to do so.

Also of crucial significance is that the Indians don’t appear to have been put off by the recent bad publicity engendered by the Red riots, political uncertainty and airport closures, or even by the threat of Swine flu, unlike some nations.

The TAT thrust was twofold: the corporate sector and the private family tourist; each of which qualified for different incentive schemes. The corporate thrust, spearheaded by

the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), highlighted the lucrative MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention, Exhibition) market, specifically located in five separate zones or “clusters”.

Pattaya was paired with Greater Bangkok, and the other four zones were Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai; Nakran Ratchasima and Khiri Khan; Hau Hin and Chan Am, and south of Phuket. All these zones are ready to go in that they all have hotels with MICE facilities already in place. The 23 Perspective Company has also built a website aimed at boosting both tourism and the MICE market on the TAT’s behalf, www.WiKalenda. com ,“The Public Event Calendar”. The website’s content, apart from highlighting tourism and MICE events, will also publicize shows, concerts, sports, seminars, dining, golf, spas and massage, diving, etc; in short, everything relating to the lifestyles of businessmen and tourists.

The target audience is the

estimated annual influx of 16 million tourists, plus the 700,000 MICE delegates, especially those from SE Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom, North America, China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, and New Zealand.

To return to the Indian private tourist market, customised incentive packages to restore confidence will be promoted at forthcom-

there will be weddings and honeymoons, especially the underwater variety offered at Trat and Phuket.

For the shopaholics, special discount schemes will be available for Indian bargain hunters from between 10-80% at the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale from June to August 2009, as well as special services at spas, hotels and restaurants, as

500 boats, and a monorail system, as well as touristfriendly buses, guidebooks in Hindi and an additional 30,000 extra hotel rooms.

The Chairman also had a revelation which may come as quite a surprise to our citizenry, namely that Pattaya City Council recently conducted a survey of our citizens to ascertain the attractiveness of a casino, to which

ing trade shows and TAT roadshows in India; these include special deals for medi-tourists as well as Wellness Tourism and spa aficionados. For the normal tourist, eco-tourism, sociocultural-historical tours to ancient sites, and cycling tours feature prominently and catering to newlyweds or those who shortly intend to plight their troths,

well as the eligibility to join the Amazing Video Contest 2009.

The Chairman of Pattaya City Council, Tavich Chaiswangvong, revealed the contributions Pattaya is about to make to encourage Indians specifically and tourists in general. These include the proposed marina near Bali Hi Pier to accommodate

75% apparently expressed their approval. One can only assume this survey was conducted among the select few, in camera. Of considerably more significance, however, is that The Beaches will soon be finally going ahead, which Pattaya Today has on the assurance of the project’s CEO, Liakit Dhanji, albeit that the

schedule has changed to build the Water Theme Park first, which will gladden the hearts of both its investors and the avid tourists, who will then have what is reputed to be the most superior tourist attraction in SE Asia.

Bangkok, according to Taya Teepsuwan, Deputy Governor of Bangkok, intends to flaunt the attractions of river sightseeing cruises along the Chao Phraya River.

The capital will also be offering a discount-rich ‘Bangkok Smiles Card’, giving substantial reductions at shopping, dining, spas, golf and massage venues. Swift transportation will also be facilitated by the Suvarnabhumi Airport-Inner City Link as well as extensions to the Skytrain network. All these various improvements to the tourist facilities in Thailand look like being very positive attractants, which will undoubtedly improve confidence, just so long as there are no repetitions of the recent tourist-off-putting fiascos!

32 Pattaya Today PATTAYA TODAY PROPERTY 10/32

Vol. 8 No. 19  16 - 30 June 2009

So You Want to Build a House

Whether you are new to Pattaya or have been living here for quite some time, before you build here are some guidelines that will help assure you of a pleasant experience and a home you will be happy living in.

1. As with most things in life, it’s not a good idea to jump right in without some planning and deliberation.

Therefore, if you are new to Pattaya, rent for at least six months and get familiar with your surroundings. If you have already been a renter, this still applies to you since chances are you have been enjoying the many attractions of Pattaya and haven’t given careful consideration to what is important in the building process.

Location, location, location: During this six month period determine if you are happy here and want to stay long term.

Pattaya is very diverse.

Look around and see what location suits your lifestyle best (convenience to work, shopping, leisure activities, medical, schools, amenities

for the kids and family, etc.). Talk to co-workers, your friends, anyone you come in contact with. The house is only one part of what has to fit you (and your family if you have one). You don’t want to make a mistake and build in an area and find out it would have been better if you had built in another location.

2. Renting gives you time to check out different builders. Look at their show homes, determine their level of quality. Ask for references, but don’t just talk to the builder’s references. Go to villages, subdivisions or areas where the builder has built and ask people who are living in his houses how they like them, did they have callbacks, did the builder take care of problems? All new construction can have some problems, or call-backs.

You want a builder who will take care of them.

3. Renting gives you time to check out all options on financing. Will you be required to put $XXX down as a deposit

and the builder obtains the construction loan and makes draws from his bank, then your mortgage or final payment pays the builder when the house is complete and you close on the property (same function as buying an existing home), or will you be required to purchase the lot and secure construction financing, the builder builds on your property and he gets paid either on the presentation of bills or at specific stages of construction (i.e.: foundation, basic structure erected, dried in, completion)?

This second method can be on a percentage of completion basis or on a $$$ amount basis, spelled out in the contract.

Either method of financing the construction has its advantages and disadvantages. Your builder may not offer both methods.

Using the first method, where the builder has the financing, if you are not satisfied with the completed house you may refuse to close the

deal, however, acceptable reasons for refusing to close should be spelled out in the contract. If you fail to close because the house design wasn’t what you expected, or you changed your mind, these are not acceptable reasons and you will most likely lose your deposit, maybe even sued and forced to close.

If you obtain the construction loan, treat it as YOUR money. You don’t pay interest on the construction loan total, but interest starts accruing on the amount of each draw at the time it is paid out. Using this method, the contract should require the builder to supply you with itemized bills for materials, labor and subcontractor’s invoices for work and materials used on your project. Some banks require the builder to submit the bills directly to them and they pay the builder out of your construction loan. If this is the case, ask your banker if they have som one personally go to the job and inspect the construction to

see if the bills are in fact for work and materials on your house. Even if the bank makes an inspection, it is in your best interest for them to notify you that a draw is being made, what it is paying for, and you should also inspect the house yourself. Remember: You must have sufficient money to close the contract when the house is complete, including the construction interest when you hold the construction loan.

IMPORTANT: If you have the construction loan and your contract has the builder making draws which are a percentage of the contract (Example: 10% upon completion of the foundation, 20% upon completion of basic structure, 30% upon drying-in and wall texture, and 40% upon completion), structure it so the final draw upon completion is at least 30% and requires the bank or a building inspector to approve occupancy. Reason: If you are not happy with the construction or notice a major problem the builder is trying to pass on to you,

you have leverage to force corrections if the final payout is substantial. If you only have 5% or 10% to pay at completion an unscrupulous builder may stand fast until you give in because you need to move, don’t want to incur more interest, and don’t want to be out the money you have already paid. Keep the advantage on your side. Just as important, be reasonable. Don’t hold up a builder from closing over petty problems.

4. Scrutinize the banker’s estimate (not the salesperson’s estimate) of ALL closing costs (including construction interest) before signing ANYTHING. Too often buyers are short the required money to close and things get complicated. Also, know what your mortgage interest rate will be and lock it in.

Be sure to pick up the July 1st issue of the Pattaya Today newspaper where “So You Want to Build a House” continues with contracts, planning, designing and allowances.

Pattaya Today 33 PATTAYA TODAY PROPERTY 11/33

Vol. 8 No. 19  16 - 30 June 2009

Ask Andy

Looking for a solution to problems in or around your house?

Email questions to: andypattayatoday@gmail.com Quick Tip When drilling though ceramic tile or natural stone, place masking tape over the surface where you plan to drill a hole. The tape not only makes it easier to mark your target (which often is difficult on tile), it also reduces slippage— helping to keep the drill bit in one place.  Mounting Pressure Our house lacks adequate water pressure, Andy. I love a pounding shower and my wife complains there isn’t enough force to properly rinse dishes. Also, it seems to take forever to fill the cloths washer or the bathtub. Is there anything I can do to improve the water pressure?

Charles The problem may be minor and easy to correct, Charles. Start by removing the faucet heads and checking the aerator screens to see if they are clogged by sediment. With faucet heads removed, check the water flow. If sufficient, clean out the silt or replace the problem parts. Those are the most common and easiest problems to deal with. The next step would be to look for broken or congested pipes, clogged water heaters, or a defective pressure tank. If those systems are in working order, you might have to install a water pressure booster. They are pricey but ensure a steady stream of water, particularly in homes with old plumbing or with more than one level.

Finally, consider whether your water supply lines are too narrow and need to be changed.  Ding Dong I can’t hear my doorbell when visitors come over, Andy. It was once loud and clear but now the sound is faint. Part of the problem is age (mine, not my doorbell’s), because my hearing isn’t as good as it used to be. Is there something I can do to increase the volume of my doorbell, or must I have it replaced?

Hua Hin Hal Before replacing the doorbell, Hal, clean it.

When the sound of doorbells

or chimes fades, it’s usually because the mechanism is dirty. If dirt, dust, grease, or other foreign elements have coated the clappers or plungers, the ring becomes muffled or muted. So remove the cover from the box inside your home and look for dirt at the points that strike the chimes or bells. Clean it all out using a cotton swab or an old toothbrush dipped in alcohol or lighter fluid.  Slippin’ and a Slidin’ Andy, I have a nice house in Chiang Mai, all cement & tiles, the problem is the bathrooms are dangerously slippery when wet, I’m afraid someone or myself will slide arse up and brake something. I’m currently working in Australia and will be in country July, I have some heavy duty rubber matting I could take with me, but the weight, maybe 7-8 kilos lugging on a plane. Is there another solution, can I buy good quality rubber mats or a paint/sealer ? Thank you for any ideas.

Bungalow Bill G’day BB. Forget bringing the heavy rubber matting. There are any number of alternative solutions to your problem. If mats are your first choice, check major retailers and home centers in Chiang Mai. A variety of colorful non-skid bath mats are available and relatively inexpensive.

I would opt for non-slip slats made of a rubberlike substance that is mold resistant. Also reasonably priced. Another option is coating your tiles with HG Permanent Anti-Slip; the liquid formula, enough for two bathrooms, sells here for under 500 baht.

Finally, you might consider applying non-slip tape or appliqués made specifically for wet surfaces.

Tick Off Before relocating to Pattaya I used to dread the return of Spring because it meant the return of ticks as well. No such anticipation here in Pattaya because ticks seem to attack my dog year round. I mentioned it to the vet last week when I took David (my dog) in for a rabies shot and, sure enough, the doctor found three ticks.

He deftly removed them with tweezers. My question is this: is there a better way to get rid of ticks?

Bruce in Banglamong There is another way to remove ticks, Bruce. You can decide for yourself if it is better (it may be less painful for your dog, cat or other pet). Apply a few drops of liquid soap to a cotton pad or cotton ball and swab the tick for about 20 seconds. The tick should come out on its own and adhere to the cotton when you lift it away.  Pot and Acid I bought 4 large unglazed terracotta pots to use as plant containers for the terrace.

‘Unglazed’ seems to have been a mistake as over the course of just one year they have become very stained and unsightly. Is there any way that I can restore them to their former glory?

Reg in Najomtien The experts seem to agree with your conclusion, Reg: unglazed was a mistake.

One of those specialists suggested that after exhausting all methods to get rid of the stains, you might try muriatic acid as a last resort. It’s a dangerous chemical that is used for cleaning hardened cement off of aggregate, and should have the same effect on the discoloration of

your pottery. But first try removing the stains with a concrete-and-grout cleaner containing phosphoric acid; it’s almost as effective and not as hazardous. If you are forced to resort to muriatic acid, take all necessary precautions because it is one of the most dangerous chemicals you can buy. It can damage most anything it touches, including clothing, metal, eyes, and skin, and it

emits a suffocating odor that can quickly burn the lining of the nose, throat and even the lungs. So wear gloves, goggles and respirator. Use outdoors only. Dilute and use according to label directions. Keep ample water and garden lime handy in case of contact with skin or accidental spills. In fact, learn all you can about muriatic acid before attempting to use it. If you elect to give it a try, you

can probably purchase a small quantity from suppliers of concrete or construction supplies, though I have not checked locally. Test the diluted muriatic acid in an inconspicuous area first: apply to a small part of the stain and allow it to be absorbed for a few minutes, then soak overnight with a mixture of baking soda and water.

--Handy Andy

34 Pattaya Today PATTAYA TODAY PROPERTY 12/34

PROPERTY MISCELLANY Vol. 8 No. 19  16 - 30 June

2009