Have you ever wanted to travel to a unique location?  Lakeshore Villas in Phuket is truly a unique experience that only people like you get to experience. Step away from your everyday life and experience tranquility in one spot. You may be asking yourself…what does Phuket have to offer someone like me? Stay tuned because there are a lot of reasons as to why a place like this can benefit you.

Just Like Paradise

Look out your window and tell your spouse what you see. You are probably looking at some dead grass and a knocked over tree. If you are tired of looking at the same broken landscaping, then you will love the view from the Lakeshore Villas in Phuket. Thailand is home to beautiful view of the ocean and people love to travel to this curious city. The history of Phuket is rich and you can learn about it while you’re there. Some people call this a paradise because there are so many things to see and do. Looking out your window you see views that you cannot see in other parts of the world.

Away from the Busyness

Your everyday lives are full of busyness. You are running your child here and there and there is never any time to just stop and smell the roses. While you stay at a Lakeshore Villas in Phuket, you get to experience quietness firsthand. Everything you do is on your timetable. If you want to lie on the beach, then that is your prerogative. Some would rather eat at local restaurants or just rest in their beautiful villas. No matter how you look at it, you are away from the busyness and away from reality. You need time to relax and recuperate and that’s why travelling to a place like Thailand is so important.

Villas

Some people purchase a villa to spend the summers at and others purchase a villa to make it their permanent home. The great food, breathtaking land and impeccable villas are just a few reasons why people move here. Balconies, decks, pools and plenty of room are just a few special perks you get while living in one of these villas. Keep in mind what your everyday house looks like and imagine what your life could feel like while living in Lakeshore Villas in Phuket. You only live once, so it’s time to step out of your shell and see the potential in Thailand.

Are you looking to move? Perhaps you are faced with retirement or you just want to move to a new part of the world. Phuket, Thailand is a part of the world in which many people are finding themselves living. If you are looking to move to another part of the world, then you need to know all about the real estate in Thailand. There are several different real estate options when you are moving to a new world. Who would want to live in a run-down house, when they could be living in a beautiful condo? Make sure you check out your options before you end up living in a place you are not familiar with.

Lake Villas

Villas are a great option when you are thinking of places to live in Phuket, Thailand. There are so many different options that you are bound to find one in your budget. Villas are unique living options because they are not always found all over the world. It’s almost as if you are living in a place of luxury, while you live in a country of luxury. Get to know the locals in Phuket as you live in a luxurious type home.

Condos

Villas are very similar to condos in the fact that they are affordable and beautiful. Many companies that rent out these condos make them to perfection. You can expect to have only the best while you are living in a condo in Phuket. The key to finding a good condo is matching yourself with a good real estate agent. Always look around online and with an agent before you purchase just any old condo. Once you purchase real estate it can be hard to sell it to someone else.

Apartments

Thailand is also a great place to find an apartment. If you are tired of living in other parts of the world, then you can find a place in Phuket that suits your needs. Most people choose villas or condos because they are a little more luxurious, but apartments can also fit the tab. The bottom line is that you need to find an apartment that fits your every need. Do not go cheap when it comes to finding an apartment that you would want to live in for a long time.

One of the best parts of Phuket, Thailand is that you can afford to live here. It’s not expensive to live in this community and most people and up retiring here because of the inexpensive cost of living.

There are thousands of properties in Phuket, Thailand that are available for rent or for purchase. With an increasing number of people looking to travel to Phuket while on vacation or simply move to this area, it makes sense as to why so many different properties are, in fact, available. One type of property that has become quite familiar in the Phuket area is little villas. These villas have been created within the past year and are designed to look modern and unique, different than what you might see in other areas of Thailand and other areas around the world. Most of the villas come equipped with a private pool and several bedrooms and are also completely spacious.

The villas in Phuket are often built in peaceful areas, surrounded by the beauty of nature and wildlife. The villas often have a few units, which means they are much like an apartment complex, only better. And, because there are only just a few units placed within the villas, there is usually a tightknit community of individuals living near one another. If this sounds like something you are interested in buying for a move to Phuket, you should know that you will have the choice as to which layout you want. Some of the layouts include multiple bedrooms while others are more simple, which is particularly ideal for those who are living alone. Whether you are moving to Phuket by yourself or with a family, the villas will be able to accommodate you and you will surely be able to find a place that you like. What makes it better is that the place will actually be functional, comfortable, and most importantly, welcoming.

Those who move to the villas can enjoy a sundeck while also receiving the right amount of privacy, for anyone who does not want to be bothered at the moment. Many of the villa developments are built nearby some of the major shopping areas, which provide an added sense of convenience to everyone. Most of the villas are located near a number of attractions in Thailand, along with beautiful beaches, restaurants, and shopping areas, perfect for buying gifts, groceries, and whatever you can possibly think of. If you are looking for a comfortable place with a fantastic view that is also within a close proximity of important places, you will want to check out some of the villas that have recently been built in the Phuket area. They will provide you with everything you need and more.

The Lakeshore Villas in Phuket are the perfect little places to call home. Most people do not realize how convenient these villas can be. However, these villas, which have recently been built within the past few years, are quite modern and conventional. This is something that most people can appreciate, as modern and conventional have become quite the norm for living situations. One of the primary reasons people find themselves interested in these villas is because of their fantastic view of nature’s beauty. From their own home, just looking out the window, an individual will be able to see the sun shining, the plants growing, and the lakeshore.

Along with the fantastic view the owners can enjoy when they move into a lakeshore villa, these villas have much more to offer, which includes spacious rooms and a number of amenities. Most often, the villas will come equipped with about 2-3 bedrooms as well as bathrooms. This is specifically ideal for those who have a family, with more than 2 adults living in the home. Even for those with smaller families or those who are living on their own, moving into a lakeshore villa would make a lot of sense, because they are so inviting and are just genuinely comfortable.

In some instances, the lakeshore villas will come equipped with sliding doors, which adds to the modern feel. Those living in these little villas can feel comfortable in a smaller community, with only a few other units alongside of them. This provides people with the privacy they want but also allows them to feel comfortable, knowing that they have “neighbors” that are right nearby. Along with privacy and comfort, the villas will often have a pool attached to them, which is perfect for taking a dive or going swimming whenever you want, day or night.

These lakeshore villas have become increasingly popular amongst the Phuket area, as more people are learning about their modern look and affordability. If you have considered moving to Phuket, Thailand and are looking for a particular place in which you and your family can stay, consider these lakeshore villas. If you want to maximize your comfort, living in a safe environment that is located near several shopping centers and restaurants, one of the different units in the lakeshore villas will be the right living option for you. You surely will not regret your decision and will absolutely love your new place.

Think back to a time when you hired a real estate agent to sell your home. Were you satisfied with the services provided by your agent? If not, is your agent still in business? Chances are that if you were satisfied, you wouldn’t be reading this, and if you weren’t satisfied, your agent is not still in business. It is hard to fine good agents who appreciate you, and have the skills it takes to make it in the field. That being said, Phuket Real Estate agents pride themselves in having the experience and skills to make you happy.

A good, experienced agent such as a Phuket Real Estate agent should possess the following skills that will help them to prosper in the real estate industry:

• Organizational-Of course no one wants their house to slip between the cracks, and that is why an agent needs good organizational skills.
• Time management-When there is so much going on just to sell one house then you have more than one house on the market, an agent needs extremely good time management skills.
• Communication-When you sell a house, your agent should be the one calling you and letting you know what is going on. Communication on all levels makes for happy sellers and happy buyers as well as a quicker sell.
• Technology-Technology is a great tool for marketing, promoting, and selling houses and real estate agents should be taking advantage of it.
• Patience to handle conflict resolutions-It takes patience to sell a house, patience in dealing with people, and patience when conflict arises such as two buyers negotiating; therefore, it is important that agents handle everything with delicacy and patience.
• Marketing expertise- An agent should have experience in marketing houses in such a way that the person looking for a house is able to pick their houses out of the rest of the bunch
• Self-motivation- An agent should be motivated to sell your house instead of you always having to call him/her to find out what is going on.
• Projection of an outgoing personality-An agent should be friendly, helpful, and easy to talk to, not pushy or shy.

As Phuket Real Estate, the agents have mastered these skills, and have put quality over quantity. Their listing portfolio may not be the biggest one out there, but they are sure to provide quality, and desirable properties.  With world-class development, your agent is sure to be in business when you want your next house.

When you want to have discounts and great deals with different oil change services, then you should have the Jiffy Lube Coupons. It would surely help you in your worries with the oil changing services and would lessen your worries with having car oil problems. You can make sure that you are going to have an easy time in clearing away all those oil changing problems that would cost you hundreds of dollars. Now with having Jiffy Lube Coupons you can make sure that you are going to have your oil change services at a low price and would be worth it because of the discounts that can be offered though the coupons. You can have great deals for your oil change and would allow you to have affordable prices and high quality services just by having Jiffy Lube Coupons. It would be the answer for your costly problems with oil changing your car.

You can have different sets of discounts and would allow you to have the high quality of services just from having Jiffy Lube Coupons. It would be the best thing that you can have when you want to have your car oil changed at a low price yet with high quality of products used for your car. Jiffy Lube Coupons are made to make it easy for car owners to have discounts for their oil change needs and would allow them to have the services that they want for their cars done at a low price. You can make sure that just by having these Jiffy Lube Coupons your problems with oil changing will never be a problem but would just be an easy task for you anytime you want. Just make sure that the coupon that you had is not yet expired so that you can still have the oil services that you want for your car.

Knitting is a method wherein cloth and other crafts are made using yarns and needles. It can be made by hand or by using a machine. The cloth made can then be turned into clothes and the crafts are turned into accessories and decorative items for your homes and offices. It is a great hobby and a pastime that you will surely enjoy and also, it can also be turned into a business.

The yarn used in knitting can be bought from different arts and crafts stores. But sometimes, it is quite a hassle when the yarn that you need is out of stock or even not available in the craft store nearest to your location. And in response to this problem, the idea of online shopping enters the picture to provide an easy solution to your problem. Online shopping is the easiest way of purchasing the product that you need in making your craft. A lot of stores nowadays involve their business in online selling of products to cover and reach a wide range of customers. It is very accessible because of the internet wherein everything is just a click away.

Joann Fabrics in an arts and craft store that has everything that you will need in doing your craft. From quilting, knitting, sewing and crafts, you name it, and they have it. The yarns that are sold in the Joann’s Fabric store come with different types and brands. There are a lot of options to choose from. Every brand type and brand comes in different colors. You can also buy per piece or even in large quantities, you just have to visit their website and learn more about the how to order and the shipping process

Aside from the convenience offered, the products are also available in low prices. There are also coupons and promo codes which you can to use to avail discounts. The Joann Fabrics promo codes can be used in different Joann Fabrics outlets. You can get the promo codes and coupons from the store outlets. You can also have printable coupons and promo codes online for free. Just make sure that it is valid and honored by the store. Also remember that you can only make use of one promo code every time you purchase a product so better use the promo code in which you can avail a higher discount.

Roof leaks are common problems encountered by many people and dealing with this problem seems to be a bit irritating at times. Leakages on the roof must be settled as soon as possible because it weakens the structure of the roof and eventually this will make the whole roof give up. Aside from roof leakages, cracks and holes on surfaces that cause leakages are also related problems that need an instant solution that would probably give the most effective results and save your money at the same time. Luckily, products such as sealants are now made available for everyone to help them deal and solve the said problems instantly. In this article, we will do a Flex Seal review to tell you about our recommended sealant.

Flex Seal is an effective liquid spray that provides excellent rubberized coating and sealing. This product provides effective function therefore people are guaranteed with high quality and protective seal on surfaces that holds for years. The Flex Seal is the most recommended solution in sealing the surfaces that often cause leakages. It now comes in Original and Brite variations and both are equally flexible and effective in doing strong and protective bond.

Flex Seal certainly does quick repairs on different surfaces that need to be treated. This includes the surfaces of the roofs, tile, gutters, chimneys, gaskets, pottery and many more. Flex Seal also has the powerful capability of fixing broken objects by putting them together again. This is an effective liquid rubber sealant that sprays out liquid that deeply penetrates into the surfaces with cracks and holes therefore this product provides an instant fix and repair with quick performance and efficiency.

Flex Seal is a liquid rubber sealant is considered the best, cheapest and most effective on its type. This amazing product in sprays can help you save money. The features and characteristics of this product as well as its quality performance and reliability makes the product to be superior over the other brands of sealant offered by other manufacturers today.

Playing the same video game over and over again is quite dragging unless you are addicted to it.  Casual and avid gamers want adventure, fun, change and challenges on their games. With GameFly, it can help them break away from getting stuck to the restricted game titles.

How does it Work?

GameFly offers the gamers an option of subscribing to their service by renting 1-2 games simultaneously.  The games are mailed through the service of US Postal from any of their 5 regional warehouses. Most of the time, the games will be received within 2-4 days. The games are kept for an unlimited period and you return it back once you are done.  The moment they receive the video game, they will ship the next game immediately.

When you sign an account on their website, you need to create GameQ which is a list of video games that you wish to play.  By choosing the membership level of two games, the first 2 games available on the list will be delivered.  Two pre-paid return envelopes are included so that you can send the games back at a time. Since the envelopes are paid in advance, what you just need to do is to place them in the mailing box.

The whole process is easy. Once you setup the GameQ, ensure that you choose as many game titles as you can.  By keeping a variety of games in the request queue, the company will promptly deliver the succeeding game.

Can you Actually Save Money?

Imagine having 8,000 games available at the tip of your fingers.  You can access dozens of new games every month for a lesser price than purchasing a new one.  This allows you to try games that you are curious about without spending $40 to $60. You can now put behind the disaster of purchasing games that you do not even like. With GameFly, you can try every video game before deciding if you will buy it or not.

If you are craving for more Chuck E Cheese foods, but you want to get it at discounted prices, then you should get some coupons for Chuck E Cheese. It will definitely be the answer for those longings on fast foods and the fun that you can have from the games in Chuck E Cheese stores. Through these coupons, you can save a lot of money that you can use for other purposes and at the same time, enjoy the delicious foods from the store. You can make sure that these coupons are what you need to enjoy every moment that you spend in any Chuck E Cheese restaurants.

Getting these coupons will allow you to enjoy their latest offerings and get different promos that you and your children will enjoy. The ease of having your favorite foods from Chuck E Cheese stores is possible by just having printable coupons from their website or chosen newspapers. With Chuck E Cheese discounts, you can make sure that you will be able to have selected foods and drinks at a discounted price and have certain number of tokens that will allow your children to play some of their favorite games.

You can definitely provide the party that you want for your child by just availing some of their selected food items and collecting a certain number of tokens required for the party that you want. It is important that you are aware on how you can use their coupons to make sure that it will be worth your time and effort. It is also the easiest way on how you can satisfy your cravings at a very affordable price and save money at the same time, in different Chuck E Cheese stores where these coupons can be used.

PHUKET: Leading domestic hypermarket chain Tesco Lotus last week launched online grocery shopping and home delivery services for its customers in Bangkok.

Asked if the retail giant had plans to launch such services in Phuket, Ms Salinla Seehaphan, Corporate Affairs Director, revealed that: “Our plan is to offer a convenient online grocery shopping service to all of our customers in Thailand, starting in Bangkok before the service is rolled out to other big cities around the country.”

Initially established as a Joint Venture between UK-based Tesco and local retailer chain Lotus, (which was founded under the CP Group, but later sold), Tesco Lotus is currently operated by Bangkok based firm, Ek-Chai Distribution System Co Ltd.

According to a report in The Nation, the retail giant has already invested about 300 million baht in the development of its online shopping business in the Kingdom, with such funds allocated towards upgrading its IT systems, as well as stock management and related equipment, including the purchase of 30 delivery vans.

Commenting on the challenges and opportunities for the online shopping market, Ms Salinla commented: “Tesco Lotus is committed to innovation to meet the changing needs and lifestyles of today’s consumers.

“We will combine online technology with our retail expertise to provide a great online shopping experience for customers.

“In today’s hectic world our customers need more help to make their lives easier – an ‘extra pair of hands’ to do the shopping for them.

“Tesco Lotus is ready to do just that – have specially trained personal shoppers to pick the best products and deliver them to customers at the time customers choose.”

According to Tesco Lotus, overall internet penetration in Thailand is currently about 30%, up from 27.3% last year. However, in urban cities like Bangkok, the estimated rate is as high as 50% and about 25% in Chiang Mai and other northern provinces.

Meanwhile, the company said that more than 90% of people living in Thai-land’s urban areas had used smart phones.

Tesco Lotus CEO John Christie said that online shopping in Thailand, however, was quite small, accounting for less than 1% of total retail sales in Thailand.

In South Korea, online shopping accounted for 10% of total retail sales, and up to 12% of total retail market in the UK.

Tesco has operated its online grocery home shopping service in the UK for 12 years and online shopping business now accounts for about 4% of its total sales in UK.

Mr Christie aid that Thailand is the 7

th country in the world for the firm to launch online shopping services, after the UK, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Ireland, South Korea, and Malaysia.

He said that Tesco had applied the same IT platform used at its online shopping service in many markets around the world to Thailand. It has, however, brought something new to online shopping in Thailand.

Mr Christie said that five Tesco Lotus stores in Bangkok – Rama II, Rama IV, Min Buri, Bangkapi, and Chaeng Wattana – were promoted as hubs for the home delivery of its online shopping service.

Mr Christie said that Tesco Lotus softly launched the grocery home shopping service at its Min Buri branch to test the system and trained its‘personal shoppers’, who will be
professionally trained for selecting products purchased by its customers online.

He said that more than 20,000 product items had been bought in the online service, including fresh and non-food products. About 30% of them are fresh products.

Tesco Lotus currently operates about 148 hypermarkets, together with 1,100 Express stores across Thailand, including Phuket.

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PHUKET: Island residents and tourists alike earlier this week welcomed the opening of the Evolution Cinema Planetarium, a new ‘edutainment’ attraction in Phuket Town.

Located in front of Central Festival Phuket’s main entrance, the new mobile cinema planetarium is the first of its kind in Thailand.

“The Evolution Planetarium is the newest generation of visualization systems for entertainment and studying, providing 360 degree panoramic views, [as] an option for children to develop their skills and imagination,” declared Project Director Sergei Kovalev at the grand opening ceremony on Tuesday (April 9).

Mr Kovalev said that there are plans to open similar planetariums in Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Pattaya in the near future .

Similar mobile theaters have previously been launched in China, Hong Kong, India, Russia and Ukraine, he added.

Sergei said that Phuket, well-known around the world as a popular tourist attraction, was an ideal choice for such a ground-breaking investment.

“No other mobile cinema in the world can display a resolution of 7.7 megapixels with an 8.1 stereo sound system in an air-conditioned hall,” he said.

“In the planetarium, the image broadcasts to the entire dome, providing a 360 degree panoramic view to the audience and creating an immersive viewing experience… with all internal surfaces of the dome acting as one big screen.”

Mr Kovalev said that target audiences include children, tourists and even businesses looking to promote events through advertising.

The project will be be staffed by seven personnel including a manager, five assistants and two PR staff – able to speak Thai, English and even a little bit of Chinese.

Project Manager Chanapa Jiso concluded: “We also support learning for disadvantaged children free of charge by working with a list of children’s foundations in Phuket, including the Laguna foundation, which will bring kids to join us on May 2,” Ms Chanapa said.

There are five movies in three languages – Thai, English and Russian.

The planetarium is open daily from 11am to 11pm. Programs are as follows:

*Guardians of the Sea (11am and 1pm);

*Kingdom of the Light (11:45am, 4:55pm and 7:15pm);

*Natural Selection (2:25pm, 5:30pm and 9:15pm);

*Dawn of the Space Age (12:20am, 4:10pm, 7:50pm and 10.10pm)

*A Starry Tale (1:45pm and 8:35pm).

Adult tickets are 495 baht, or 520 baht for a golden seat. As a special promotion, youth aged 12-18 pay 150 baht, while children under 12 get in for only 50 baht.

Children-related foundations can contact Ms Chanapa on 091-654 5916.

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PHUKET: Becoming and remaining an expat in Phuket, Thailand will require careful budgeting to avoid potential minefields or serious financial problems down the road. With that in mind, here are concerns or tips to keep in mind to help you avoid blowing a hole in your expat budget:

Track your living expenses

Most personal finance software like newer versions of Quicken will have a multi-currency function to track living expenses in any currency along with fluctuating exchange rates. If you have just become an expat, it would be a good idea to record every single living expense or transaction you incur (especially any banking or money transfer fees) for the first few months using such software so you can plan a more accurate expat budget moving forward.

Learn local price trends

It’s a good idea to live on a very tight expat budget for the first few months after becoming an expat and to use that time to learn about local prices and when the best time to buy something is. For example: prices tend to rise in Thailand during the tourism high season while countries that celebrate Chinese New Year may have sales up until the celebrations and big prices increases right after that.

Live (well) below your means

The days of cushy expat assignments where all housing and schooling fees are covered, defined pension plans and even stable employment with annual cost of living adjustments are increasingly becoming distant memories – meaning living well below your means now may help you live a comfortable lifestyle in the future should your financial circumstances suddenly change.

Budget for inflation

Developing countries like Thailand tend to have much higher rates of inflation than developed Western countries. Ask yourself if you could realistically afford a hypothetical 5% or even 10% across the board annual increase in your current living expenses for items like food and housing. In addition, don’t forget that some living expenses, like the cost of health insurance as you get older, will be subject to much higher rates of inflation or annual price jumps.

Budget for emergencies

Emergencies for an expat can mean everything from something medical related requiring a medical evacuation to being forced to relocate home. In particular, you will need to have a much bigger emergency fund to cover the possibility (no matter how remote it might appear) that you will need to return home permanently and reestablish your life there – a potentially expensive endeavor the longer you have been away.

Budget for the loss of government entitlements and for taxes

British expat pensioners have for years complained about frozen pensions after moving abroad while Americans generally need to be a state resident (with a physical address) to qualify for unemployment compensation, work for an American company (or work in a country with a US tax treaty) to ensure their income is included in future Social Security payment calculations and are taxed on their worldwide income. Likewise, few (if any) western countries will pay disability or pay for medical care to an expat citizen while they live abroad. This means you need to be aware of what government entitlements you stand to loose out on when you move abroad (along with any taxes you may still be subject to) and you will need to budget extra for insurance or be prepared by saving more money.

Protect your credit score

Many international banks and financial institutions will do a credit check on you back home or abroad before they decide to do business with you – meaning any late payments or unpaid bills you skipped out on paying will come back to haunt you in the future even if you are now living it up somewhere else. Protect your credit score and your reputation at home and abroad by making sure your bills are paid on time.

Don Freeman is president of Freeman Capital Management, a Registered Investment Advisor with the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), based in Phuket, Thailand.

He has over 15 years experience and provides personal financial planning and wealth management to expatriates. Specializing in UK and US pension transfers. Call 089-970-5795 or email: freemancapital@gmail.com.

This article first appeared in the current issue (April 6-12) of the Phuket Gazette newspaper, on sale at newsstands throughout the island. Digital subscribers may download the full issue, this week and every week, by clicking here.

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PHUKET: Just the other day I had a client ask me how he can save some money on his next visa run. He wants to explore more of Southeast Asia and has gotten tired of making the usual trip to Cambodia, Laos or Kuala Lumpur.

That’s when I told him about Priceline.com. Priceline (PCLN) is the famous “Name Your Price” website in the United States. Here in Asia though, we use the Priceline subsidiary, Agoda.com, for hotels and in Europe they use Booking.com.

I have used Agoda.com to explore the Philippines, Bali, Malaysia and Vietnam. Each time I was saving anywhere from 10% to 50% on hotel rooms. The best part is that I got cash rewards for each booking and was able to redeem them on my other trips.

I’ve gotten free weekends from my reward travel. Those rewards come in handy for an expat that has to make a visa run and is looking to save money. Phuket currently has 1,117 hotels listed on Agoda ranging in price from US$20 to $1,800 dollars per night.

Priceline.com operates as a one-stop online destination to serve all your travel needs. You can book flights, hotels, car rentals, vacation packages and cruise trips. The company’s Agoda.com provides hotel reviews and lets you know the key attractions for each city before you book.

Personally, I use Agoda.com only for booking hotels. My last trip to Kuala Lumpur found me too busy to book a room in advance. I had the taxi take me to Bukit Bintang and drop me off in front of some moderately priced hotels. At the desk the price was $90 per night. Standing at the front counter I went online, which took me three minutes, and booked the same room on Agoda for $52. A 42% savings! The desk clerk had a big smile on his face as I handed him my reservation number.

Actually the best part about Priceline has been the stock performance. Over the past eight years, the stock has risen an astounding 3,000%. I have owned it since 2007 and it has been my best performer after Netflix. I still think the stock is going higher and here’s why: the company is best positioned among the online travel companies for the international market.

• Priceline.com is acquiring the US travel software company Kayak.com

• The company is trading with a cheap forward P/E (price/earnings) of 15 and has a 35% operating margin

• Priceline has $103 per share in cash and the stock is trading above both the 50 and 200 day moving averages

• Booking.com is the #1 online site for European hotels

• Up to 80% of the company’s profits come from international travel the company continues to take market share from Expedia and Orbitz

• Priceline is using pricing power to negotiate hotel rates for customers

• Subsidiaries traveljigsaw and rentalcars.com have strong growth in car rental market

• JP Morgan raised its target on the stock to $835 and Jeffries upped theirs to $820

• Priceline has beat earnings estimates for 12 straight quarters

• The stock has a PEG ratio of 0.95, anything less than 1 is undervalued

Priceline.com is currently trading at $713.50 with a 52-week range of $553 to $774. The stock has dipped recently because its Kayak acquisition will close later than expected. Kayak will give a big boost to the company’s bottom line due to Kayak’s metasearch software.

Metasearch allows users to send requests to other search engines and databases to get a single list of results. This acquisition will put Priceline ahead of its rivals Expedia and Orbitz.

The technical picture looks great. Priceline.com gained over 50% in 2012 and has been forming a quiet consolidation for 12 months. Often leadership stocks will post strong price gains (50 to 100%) then fall asleep for 6-12 months before heading higher once again.

The one uncertainty overhanging the stock is Europe. Many analysts are worried that Europe may stay in recession longer than expected. The recovery that many had hoped for this year has yet to materialize. Uncertainty with the recent Italian elections and Cyprus bailout aren’t helping to calm markets either.

I’m not as concerned as others though, considering the company has weathered the storm very well for the past five years that Europe has been in crisis. Bookings in Europe have been rather consistent and considering that only 25% of the European hotel market is online, there’s plenty of room for growth. Priceline has less than 10% of total hotel bookings in Europe. There’s considerable room for growth in Europe and people are still traveling to Europe and making hotel reservations.

Besides penetrating the European hotel market further, the fastest growth for Priceline is in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. These regions have a burgeoning middle class that want to travel. Among the online travel sites, Priceline is best positioned in the growing $600 billion international travel market.

So when the time comes to make your next visa run or when you need to just get a break from Thailand, take a look at Priceline.com and one of their sites. They can help save you up to 50% and if you’re looking at Priceline for your next investment, give me a call and we can discuss the merits of putting Priceline in your portfolio.

Don Freeman is president of Freeman Capital Management, a Registered Investment Advisor with the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), based in Phuket, Thailand.

He has over 15 years experience and provides personal financial planning and wealth management to expatriates. Specializing in UK and US pension transfers. Call 089-970-5795 or email: freemancapital@gmail.com.

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PHUKET: Of the 6,000 job vacancies offered through the “e-jobs@Phuket 2013″ job fair held recently at Phuket Rajbhat University, only 118 positions were immediately filled, the Phuket Gazette has learned.

Phuket Provincial Employment Office chief Yawapa Pibulpol said that a total of 1,578 job applications were submitted.

Of these, she said 548 were submitted at the fair itself, while the rest were submitted online leading up to the event.

The available positions – in Phuket, as well as in neighboring provinces such as Krabi and Phang Nga – were at more than 100 companies, including hotels, shopping malls, medical clinics and real estate businesses.

“The positions that were filled immediately were [examples of] perfect matches between employers and employees,” Yawapa said.

“Before the fair launched, job-seekers could post their credentials online through our website and employers could post details of their vacant positions. It saved time for both parties in finding their ‘match’ for the job,” she added.

As for the remaining vacancies, she explained that employers still need to screen applicants through the interview process.

“We expect that by the end of this month, no less than 30% of the vacancies will be filled as a result of the job fair, as well as the continued processing of new applications through our website.”

Asked to speculate on such a ‘low match’ ratio, Ms Yawapa said that a lot of the applicants were either over qualified for the available positions, or that benefits and salary did not meet the applicants’ expectations.

She noted that many of the applicants were not necessarily unemployed, but may have already been employed and were considering making a career change.

Ms Yawapa went on to give a break-down of the applicants’ levels of education: More than half, 834 or 52.8%, had a bachelors degree while only 12 (0.76%) had a masters degree. Meanwhile, 240 or 15% of the applicants had an advanced vocational diploma (in Thai, commonly denoted as PorWorSor).

Another 173 applicants, or 10.9% of the total, had either a general vocational diploma (Por-WorChor) or technical diploma (PorWorTor); while 154 or 9.7% of those applying had obtained a high school diploma as their highest education. Another 94, or 5.9%, had a 9th grade (Mattayom 3) diploma.

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PHUKET: As part of the Bank of Thailand’s (BoT) policy to make its banknotes more modern and user friendly, 4 billion baht worth of new series-16 20-baht banknotes are being put into circulation.

Until now, the Kingdom’s lowest-value, yet most widely used banknotes have not been fraud-proof in synchronizing with electronic finance machines.

“The new design incorporates a range of advanced anti-counterfeit features to facilitate authentication by banknote sorting machines, vending machines and the general public, including visually impaired persons,” Tongurai Limpiti, BoT deputy governor, explained last week at a press conference to launch the new banknotes.

Like the new 50-baht bank notes issued last year, the new 20 baht banknotes are marked with braille indicating the value of the note (the braille symbol 2 for 20-baht and 5 for 50-baht).

The new banknotes should now be available for exchange at commercial banks in Phuket and nationwide.

Ms Tongurai said that there are currently about 1.4 billion 20-baht banknotes in circulation (28 billion baht), which represents 35% of four billion – the total number of all types of banknotes in circulation.

Ms Tongurai said that within one year, the BoT will look to replace all series 15 notes, which have been in circulation for as much as 10 years.

She insisted that their would not be a shortage in 20-baht banknotes, adding that the base cost for each new banknote was only 80 satang, about 33% less than the series 15
average cost of 1.2 baht per banknote.

The series 16 banknote is still green, and will be the same size as its predecessor. Among the key security features are a watermark depicting the portrait of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej alongside the number 20 clearly visible when viewed against the light.

“The portrait of King Rama IX in the Royal House of Chakri gown will be displayed on the front of the banknote. On the back will be the images of the royal statue of King Ramkhamhaeng.

“Another security feature is color-shift along the thread located on the back of the note. It is embedded inside the paper and partially emerges to the surface at regular intervals. Its color changes from green to magenta when viewed from different angles, Ms Tongurai explained.

Also, irregular shapes printed on both sides combine to form the numeral 20 when the note is held up to the light.

To help visually impaired people identify the new note, it features raised letters and numerals and two tactile marks in the shape of flowers, which represent the number 2 in braille.

The announcement of the new 20 baht banknote follows the issuing of a new 16 series 50-baht banknote last year.

The BoT will gradually replace all five types of series 15 banknotes – 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 notes, Ms Tongurai said.

She explained the reason for starting with 20 and 50 baht notes: “Since ATM machines don’t use these banknotes, there has been negative impacts for the financial system as well as [economic and disabled] minorities.

“The new series can be exchanged at commercial banks. The existing and previous series still remain legal tender, Ms Tongurai added.

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PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office expects upcoming festivities this month to generate between 600 and 700 million baht for the local economy.

TAT Southern Region 4 Office director Chanchai Doungjit talked about the current tourist situation ahead of the upcoming two-week festive period.

He announced that the holiday period officially starts tomorrow, with Chakri Memorial Day, which will be officially celebrated nationwide from April 6-8.

This will be followed next week with the Songkran Festival, starting on Thai New Year’s Day, Saturday, April 13 and officially celebrated until Tuesday, April 16.

Mr Chanchai said that April is already a busy month for tourism since it is during the Thai summer school break (early March to early May): “From our inquires with hotel operators, both at the beaches and in town, occupancy is at about 75 to 80%. It will definitely increase during the Songkran period.”

“Even if the Songkran Festival in Phuket is no match to Chiang Mai in the North, or Bangkok, but here we still have a number of noteworthy Songkran events, whether in Phuket Town or in Patong, where there will be the ‘Water Festival on The Beach’ event on April 12 and 13. Also, there is Big Bike Week, which will feature more than 5,000 big motorcycles coming to the island from April 14 to 21.

These activities will add a lot of color and vibrancy to Phuket’s Songkran celebrations.” he said.

Moreover, Mr Chanchai noted that European tourist arrivals to Phuket are still strong as it is still cold in Europe, adding that their numbers are expected to start declining next month.

Nonetheless, he remains bullish about the tourism industry overall, thanks to an influx of mostly Asian tourists from China, South Korea and neighboring countries, as well as Russia, the Middle East and India.

“Average occupancy around the island is at 60 to 65% and this [stems] from having direct flights to Phuket from all over Asia, which has made tourism in Phuket strong year round… There is no low season here like in other tourist destinations,” he concluded.

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