Langsuan Man

For Thai public attractions I don't mind the dual pricing, since I am not a resident or taxpayer

What really frosts my b.... is private companies that feel they have the right to discriminate (yes, discriminate )

One poster already mentioned Ocean World in Pattaya, another that readily comes to mind is Mini Siam both of which I refuse to patronize

Funny story

My SCB ATM card had also become cracked and when I went to my branch (Pattaya 2nd Road) to get a replacement they were going to charge me 300 THB for MY new card

Until I showed the young lady the bottom of the card that said

This card is the property of the Siam Commercial Bank, PCL and not transferable

Since it wasn't MY card she gave me the new one free

Your purchase of a condo (or a house in a company name for that matter) has nothing to do with an Investment Visa

I would do a search here and familiarize yourself with the conditions of an Investment Visa before you make a mistake you will regret eventually

I have read it numerous times that somebody who gets a retirement visa has 6 months upon entering Thailand to bring in his household goods duty free

I have read numerous times that the moon is made of blue cheese but that does not make it right

The OP is going to have to pay, either under the table or through legitimate channels, whatever customs demands to import his boxes into Thailand

Hi Jing,

Well I was able to do my wire transfer from my etrade account to my TMB bank here about 3 weeks ago. Did it online as I have done for the last many years for the $25 fee. My account was initiated in the US when I lived there, after moving here in 2001 I changed my mailing address to here in Thailand, naturally, and haven't had any real problems with them to date....maybe I was just lucky???

Your etrade account web address is etrade.com or does it have the word GLOBAL in it? You are talking about a brokerage wire, correct? This is getting quite bizarre, as I have now been told two times (a long time ago and yesterday) by etrade that online SWIFT wires are NOT supported. The first time was after putting an actual wire order through where they made me call them just to tell them it wasn't possible.

I think that the crux of the discussion is the difference between E*trade Bank and E*trade Brokerage. There is no way to initiate an E*trade Bank Wire transfer other than via the fax method described in my post above, which obviously uses the SWIFT info for Wires since it is on the form and must be filled out

Also you can get two or three different answers from E*trade Bank depending which rep you end up talking to or exchanging secure messages with. Not one person, nor did the website, say a word about the ID requirement until they rejected my wire request because it did not contain the ID. This ID rule was adopted between March and June of this year

Jingthing here is some recent, last week information, the applies to E*trade Bank accounts ONLY

They will accept a International Wire Transfer request via fax only so long as it is on their form. The form must be faxed with a cover sheet and a copy of either your US passport or a US State Drivers license (I scanned the cover sheet with my DL to minimize the number of pages) If you are going to use a computer to scan and fax them make sure you use the option that will allow all pages to be faxed at one time (multiple page fax)

If the request arrives at E*Trade Bank before noon it will go out that day, after noon and it will go out first thing in the morning

If it is a large amount (over $50,000) then they will require that you call them so that they can do a Identity Verification via phone , which consists of answering three questions regarding your credit history

My last two wires, one in March and the other June cost me $25 to E*trade and $15 to someone along the chain for a total of $40 and SCB gave me pretty close to what the FOREX rate was on the day that the wire arrived, which was the day after I requested it before noon

For those nay sayers that say you should get another bank they certainly are entitled to their opinions. But find me a bank that will do Foreign Wires for $25 and will reimburse all ATM fees both foreign and domestic and maybe I will think about changing, until then, as we say in New York, Forgedaboudit

Attached are the forms you will need

etrade_faxcover blank.PDF

ETB_international_wire.pdf

E-TRADE BANK

I see.......

The problem there is E-Trade is not a physical bank it is a Cyber/virtual Bank

As such it will not be a full service bank & will be much more limited/cautious

Limited but all ATM fees (foreign and domestic) are reimbursed and International Wires and Domestic Wires are only $25

PS: Langsuan Man...That is a very limited bank you deal with eh?

I have wired money many times for various reasons to many different folks in LOS from the US.

I have done it from both US banks & US credit Unions

As others have said only a name & acct number is needed.

I don't know about anyone else but my bank will only do International Wire Transfers to an account with MY name on it. No third party Wires allowed so this "hypothetical" must be grounded in reality

You should be able to change your insurance carrier due to your "change in residence" and not have to wait for the Annual Open season

I would suggest that you check with the benefits coordinator with your former agency who should be able to make the change for you

BUPA is not an option, nor is any other vendors other than Blue Cross for overseas coverage

Get Blue Cross now, and when and if you are eligible for Tri care, you can cancel out of Blue Cross

dup

Here is the one I support in Bangkok, Father Joe Maier at the Mercy Center in Klong Toey

see:

Mercy Centre

For those bleeding hearts who feel that they are punished more severely than is warranted, maybe it is evening out for the Aussie up in Chiang Mai who is only having to do 2 years for the cold blooded murder of an American

Center Condo (Pattaya Tai, next to the Wat) has a nice pool and it costs nothing to use, just buy a drink at the Pool Bar and enjoy

AEON. Japanese bank, limited ATM's

In Thailand it is not a Bank but a credit card issuer who operates ATM's throughout the Kingdom without the 150 Baht fee

See this for locations

http://www.aeon.co.th/lang/en/menu/Service_Location

I have heard/read from multiple sources that a foreigner can transfer up to $20,000 US into Thailand without the government being concerned/getting involved.

Is this $20,000 per transfer? Or per month Or per year?

Thank you.

It was a rule for a short period of time after the last coup and was designed to prevent speculation in Thai Baht, it has since been rescinded and the limit was per transfer (when it was in effect)

The US$20,000 is a myth:-

See above, it is not a myth but was a restriction two years ago

I just transferred $145,000 USD from USAA bank to Siam CB. Wife went in on Tuesday and opened an account, she has changed her name to mine. Wire took less than 48 hours. Amazing. I transferred USD and it was converted here in Thailand.

She got a call within 24 hours from SCB asking what the money was being used for, and if it was her own money being brought in. She said it was her money that she earned in the USA and was using it to buy a house. I guess there is a report that has to be filled out...maybe for the AMLO?

Next day we went to the branch and it was transferred into her account. I did not go with her, thought it would be better that way. They asked her the same questions at the branch. And she had to sign a form that she was using the money for a house purchase. Very painless...and very fast! Cost me $35 from USAA...no costs were charged by SCB...at least that we know of!

SCB needs to fill in a block on the Currency Transfer form, (Reason for transfer) therefore they want a signature on the form with a reason

Lost my 90 Day calcuator when I switched to Win7....I could use a new one

Thanks Jim

Here, just input your start date, add 90 days and it will give you the 90 day report date

Calculator: Add to or subtract from a date

You have raised two issues, not just one

Almost all Thai Banks offer Internet Banking, yet only one allows you to do International Funds Transfer via Internet Banking and that is Bangkok Bank via their branch in New York. Go to their web site and see how it works

All other banks require International Wire transfers from your overseas bank, which, once credited to your Thai bank account, can be accessed via Internet Banking

Thailand sovereign bond risk rises.

Baht weakens

source Bloomberg

Yes in theory, but not in reality

Same rules, the Land Transport Department treat everyone equally BAD

Who is the doctor that diagnosed this wana- bee to be Mentally Ill

I will join Microwave in the thank you's to Thai Visa, without the Bangkok Red-Shirt Rally - Live it would have been impossible to know what was going on since Thai TV IMHO was horrible

Kudos to all involved

Don't use the street address for your branch. All International wires MUST go through the main office in Bangkok

Use:

Siam Commercial Bank

9 Ratchadapisek Road, Lad Yao, Chatuchak, Bangkok, 10900

Thailand

Swiftcode: SICOTHBK

As long as you indicate your SCB account number it will get to your account in Pattaya, if the amount is over $20,000 US you should provide a number where you can be reached to approve the conversion date

I think everybody must be at the Floating Market, parking taking up two lanes of Sukhumvit again, and the back car park is full!!

A license to print money, don't you just know the people who bought houses in the Beverly Thai House development next door just love trying to get into their entrance

As disgusting as this picture of the brave Red Shirts