Thailand - the new Spain

[caller]

Dunno about that, there's Spain and then there is Espana. No claim to be an expert, but a magic trip to visit a friend in the south many years ago took me north-south through the Country. One of the most memorable trips I have made. Its like everywhere I guess, with its likes and dislikes.

I guess, as always, its what you're looking for?

My most recent favourite books on Spain have been by the author, Jason Webster, about the search for flamenco and then the moors. They have given me the urge to return. Doubt I will though - can't do everything.

[Burger]

mil_dos wrote:

It costs 10% in taxes etc. to buy then 35% capital gains tax on any profit should you be remarkably lucky enough to sell.

Would you still have to pay capital gains tax if it was your main residence, or if you owned it for more than 'x' amount of years ?
If so, thats well harsh.

Burger

[mil_dos]

If you become a Spanish resident for three years or more, CGT goes down to 15%. If you are a 3 year resident and aged over 65 it goes down to zero.

The downside is handing over almost half of your worlwide income as a resident.

Traditionally, the way round CGT has been to underdeclare the buying price, so called 'Black money'. This is all very well but there is little gain for the buyer and ultimately, he will have to find a buyer willing to underdeclare even more when selling. A buyer paying a high proportion 'Black' then selling in a few years for the real price can get massively stung. There is a clampdown on this practice of underdeclaring.

I've become pretty cynical about the whole Spanish property scene - you're not so much an owner, more a tenant of the state with your name on the deeds.

The saving grace at present is that if you buy on the Costa del Sol and most other popular Costas, (a) You won't be able to sell. (b) If you could sell, you're unlikely to make any money.

Sorry to paint a gloomy picture but a cynic is just a realist with experience.

And - don't even start me on Dubai! The next over hyped property dreamland.

[Norseman]

BANGKOK, Feb 22 (TNA)

Thailand and Spain plan to expand ties on trade, investment, alternative energy, security and tourism, as well as agree to meet every year, according to Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon.

Dr. Kantathi on Wednesday met with his Spanish counterpart Miguel Angel Moratinos, who is accompanying His Majesty King Juan Carlos and Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain on their ongoing state visit to Thailand from February 21-23 as the guests of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand.

"The future bilateral ties will be extended beyond what the two countries are doing together at present," Mr. Kantathi said "We agreed to exchange visits every year and cooperate more on various aspects, especially tourism."

The Thai-Spanish cooperation on tourism will extend at both bilateral and multilateral levels, as Spain is a large tourism market, visited by 56 million tourists each year, said the Thai foreign minister.

Meanwhile, Mr. Moratinos said he agrees that Thailand should be made a tourism hub in Asia for Spain, and Spain will be a tourism hub in Europe for Thailand.

Both countries, therefore, must work together more closely.

[theword1]

I certainly hope this is not the new spain , rude or at best indiferent locals , extreamly agresive driving , even more so with motorbikes , a rapidly rising cost of living , run away corruption especialy in the property sector , massive overdeveopment along the coasts and now the same in any village within 100km of the coast , more brits than locals no thanks Thailand should star clear of all this if it possibly can

[Jaime]

I certainly hope this is not the new spain , rude or at best indiferent locals , extreamly agresive driving , even more so with motorbikes , a rapidly rising cost of living , run away corruption especialy in the property sector , massive overdeveopment along the coasts and now the same in any village within 100km of the coast , more brits than locals no thanks Thailand should star clear of all this if it possibly can

Oooh! The Irony!

[Burger]

theword1 wrote:

rude or at best indiferent locals , extreamly agresive driving , even more so with motorbikes , a rapidly rising cost of living , run away corruption especialy in the property sector , massive overdeveopment along the coasts and now the same in any village within 100km of the coast , more brits than locals

Now describe Spain for us ................

Burger

[roberto]

I have been to several european countries with Thai friends and always find they like Spain the best. the markets and the tapas and the weather seem to be favourites but you see hardly any spaniards in Hua Hin and the last time I flew to madrid it went to Paris first which seemed bizarre. They certainly have a lot in common, thailand and spain and certainly the Thai girl who ends up in helsinki or oslo or trondheim would be better off in spain. Pity there are so many scandinavian husbands on offer in Hua Hin and not more spaniards which is an easier language anyway to learn. Its a world language too. Once you have learned finnish or swedish where else can you use it?

[Jaime]

Once you have learned finnish or swedish where else can you use it?

I think Swedish is destined to become the official language of the Independent Swedish Republic of Hua Hin!

[Bamboo Grove]

roberto wrote

certainly the Thai girl who ends up in helsinki or oslo or trondheim would be better off in spain.

Maybe, wheather should be better, but I think the attitudes of the Nordic people towards Asian females are more open than those of southern-Europeans.

Once you have learned finnish or swedish where else can you use it?

On the internet, at least.

[Jaime]

I think the attitudes of the Nordic people towards Asian females are more open than those of southern-Europeans.

This is definitely true, and particularly so amongst the insular population of the Balearics, from whence half of my family hails. Most Spaniards (who it must be remembered have not travelled extensively since the end of empire) are very conservative, if not downright dismissive in their attitude to non-Europeans. Sad but true.

I do think that Spanish is generally a more useful language though.....

[Jimiherf]

Indeed, Spanish is the first spoken language in the world.

[Guess]

I have been to several european countries with Thai friends and always find they like Spain the best. the markets and the tapas and the weather seem to be favourites but you see hardly any spaniards in Hua Hin and the last time I flew to madrid it went to Paris first which seemed bizarre. They certainly have a lot in common, thailand and spain and certainly the Thai girl who ends up in helsinki or oslo or trondheim would be better off in spain. Pity there are so many scandinavian husbands on offer in Hua Hin and not more spaniards which is an easier language anyway to learn. Its a world language too. Once you have learned finnish or swedish where else can you use it?

You are comparing apples with oranges here. Fistly to talk of taking Thai visitors to Spain where there prefer it to other countries. I am sure that this would be true in Italy, Portugal, Greece and many other Southern European countries. Great places to visit on holiday and many Northern Europeans visit Spain. beacuse of the relative cheap cost of living and the favourable climate.

I would imagine Thais would have the same opinion..

I think you will find that are infinitely more Thai people in Northern Europe than in Southern Europe. If you live in a country you need employment. This will always be easier in Northern Europe. So better off in Spain, I think not.

As far the learning of the Language. By what criteria have you made the statement that Spanish is easier to learn than any other language. I think you will find that there are many more Thais who speak English than Spanish. I would not be surprised if there are more Thais that speak Finnish than Spanish.

As for there being no Spaniards in Hua Hin. That is not true but I agree there are only a few. For some reason the Spanish do not seem to venture out of their own country as much as Northern Europeans. I think If I lived in Spain I would be less likely to vacate abroad than if I lived in the North.

As for Spanish being a world language, that is true, but it is not a Universal language like English, Mandarin, Malay, Russian, Hindi and Arabic. So in linguistic terms it is no different. from Finnish or Swedish.

Anyway I love Spain and the Spanish and their culture but had to give it nup because their was no gainful employment available and I holed a EU passport.

[Guess]

Indeed, Spanish is the first spoken language in the world.

Que??????

[Jaime]

I think you will find that are infinitely more Thai people in Northern Europe than in Southern Europe.

This is undoubtedly directly related to the popularity of Thailand as a holiday destination for northern Europeans and the resultant number of poo-yings with northern European husbands, rather than any particular emigration preference. There is as much work available for Thai people in Spain as in any other country. Restauranteurs, seamstresses, masseuses and hospital cleaners are needed everywhere.

I think you will find that there are many more Thais who speak English than Spanish. I would not be surprised if there are more Thais that speak Finnish than Spanish.

Ditto above

For some reason the Spanish do not seem to venture out of their own country as much as Northern Europeans. I think If I lived in Spain I would be less likely to vacate abroad than if I lived in the North.

This is true, as I stated in my earlier post, and is the principal reason for the two points above.

As for Spanish being a world language, that is true, but it is not a Universal language like English, Mandarin, Malay, Russian, Hindi and Arabic. So in linguistic terms it is no different. from Finnish or Swedish.

I don't understand what a 'Universal' language is or how it differs from a 'World' language but to compare the influence of Spanish with Swedish or Finnish is extremely misleading. Whichever way you look at it, Spanish is undoubtedly 'one of the big ones.'

One thing I do know for certain is that the handful of Thai people I know who have been to Spain on holiday do love it, as Roberto posted. They love the food and the climate and the 'accessibility' of the place. Obviously these are resorts and whether they would like to live there is a question I can't answer, although I suspect that they would be oblivious to the dismissive attitude towards non-Europeans that I know exists there.