Hal65

My apartment has square windows perfect for a boxy window AC like seen in the US. In Thailand most units are long and thin and don't actually fit into a window. They tend to be mounted high and have special holes cut for their tubing.

Is there a way to use the Thai style window ACs with a square window, without any cuts? I don't know precisely how much exposure they need and hope that maybe running the tubing through the window would suffice.

If not that then is exposing about 70% of the unit to the window opening enough?

Really that common eh? 

I used to live in BKK (BTS OnNut and also Asoke) but didn't really look for them. Next time I'm there I'll look around

I read on the forum that Chinatown has a good amount of them. Any other areas where gold shops have a significant presence?

Is this generally allowed? If so what fee do they ask?

I am heading to Bangkok from Pattaya. But also curious about how it might work in other areas too

I was ready to twist their arm on sending me papers based on this thread. This is how it went:

"Hi this is Hal, I'm in Pattaya and would like to sign up?"

[they don't catch it the first time so I say it again]

    "Oh you in pattaya? Ok I send you papers to your email? What your email address please?"

Just signed/scanned/sent back the Deemoney papers also. Looking forward to see how they perform

Question for anyone who does this:

I have a BKK Bank account and have only ever transferred funds to it. But now I would like to do transfers the other way, back to the US. Anyone know if it can be done using their NY branch?

What other good fund transfer options do we have from Thailand to the US?

Checked out the pricing for gold bars and 3 shops that carried them (out of 7 total) quoted 400 baht extra. 

Was going to ask if this is normal but I guess the uniformity of pricing answers that. I suppose this is because the bars have less subjective value? Or is this one of those things that you're supposed to negotiate down?

Is there any direct way to do this, or is the only option to deposit my USA checks in an American bank and then do a wire or ACH transfer?

I went 5 days early (to Jomtien) and was in and out 20 minutes after getting my queue number, thanks for the tips guys

3 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

I doubt they'd give you a pass? It's your responsibility to renew within the correct timeframe. 

So if you're in line do they just say "Lol have fun paying the fine tomorrow CRIMINAL"?

3 hours ago, Cheops said:

1500 per month is a lot. I rent out rooms for 2000. How much space do you get for 1500? Seems quite a lot. Maybe I should divide our rooms into storage space ????

1,400 thb to be exact. 2 x 2.4 x 2.4 meters for a medium: http://www.ustoreitpattaya.com/unit-selector.html

45 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

If you have a Thai Bank Account, it's easy to top-up using Online/Mobile Banking and if you're on AIS, every top-up adds an extra month to the validity of your SIM up to a maximum of 12 months. 

 

If you don't have a Thai Bank Account or Online/Mobile Banking, I've used these guys https://mobiletopup.com/ a couple of times with no problems (Again, every top up added 1 month to my AIS valid to date).

Yes, I did the rounds and these were my findings too.

Bangkok Bank charges 50 thb per month after 1 year of no activity. Lady said doing a purchase on Lazada every 6 months should prevent the fee.

At $45 per month, $550 per year I'd need to be gone for 6 years. I plan to be gone for 1 to 3 years.

I'm thinking now, if i just store the weights then it'll cost 550 thb per month so about $15 per month, $180/year. I might be able to get the bicycle in there too. Those are the things I want to keep most. It's pushing it though.

15 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

I’m not sure on the storage costs, but I’d be thinking sell everything off and re-purchase when you come back. 

Depends I guess on how definite your plans are.

But as you stated a ‘few' years, and a lot can change in a couple of years, so I personally would err on the sell up everything for now, save on the storage stuff and re-start when you return.

The other option of course is to ship everything home. You might want to do the math on storage for several years versus a freight shipment via sea.

I’m assuming you are are a US citizen, so everything is imported into the US tax free as your personal property

 

Any Idea how much it costs to import about one room worth of stuff? That may be a better option

9 minutes ago, Rc2702 said:

Putting it into storage. Sounds costly what kind of stuff don't you need to take that you need to keep?

 

Selling if off not a  option?

I have 40,000 baht worth of weight equipment, including something few others would want (a trap bar, and no straight bar).

So I either try to sell that, probably at a hefty loss, and rebuy again, or pay the 1,500 a month for 2 years, maybe 3 to store it. Storing it would then let me keep my bicycle, blender, air fryer, mattress topper, and a bunch of other lower value stuff too.

Time to go back to the US for a few years. So far my moveout checklist includes

- putting everything into storage

- giving notice to the landlord, 

- maybe talking to Bangkok Bank about putting the account into dormant status.

- canceling True internet

- looking into suspending AIS but keeping my number (I'm on prepay so maybe no action is needed?)

Is there anything else you guys do when leaving for a prolonged period? I don't have a vehicle to worry about. I was here on ED visas for years, currently on a tourist one.

I have parked my bicycle under Royal Garden before but rarely. Now I would like to park it there late night.

Anyone know their rules on how long one can park there?

There is an abundance of wooden railings and concrete seating which is what leads me to believe they might have been using their stuff to appear like owners of the bike.

Then again if one were to use bolt cutters to steal it, hanging around probably isn't a good idea. 

I am nervous enough about this incident to look for a U lock now. Not nearly as convenient as a chain but I do leave my bike on beach road for long periods.

Here is the area I parked my bike: https://www.google.com/maps/@12.9284615,100.8759191,3a,75y,297.67h,76.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1IvOViXKvWyl8FTH6QmfKg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

As you can see there are many places to hang one's clothes that are public property.

I park my bicycle on beach road in Pattaya near the concrete circle (a place with about 20-30 people hanging around at most hours). I have a little bike chain that I lock it to a pole with.

Yesterday after about 5 hours away from the bike I came back to see some clothes placed on the seat. There was also food surrounding the bike. I took the clothes off and a thai guy in his 30s who looked like he hadn't showered in a few days came up to me and took back his clothes. Another guy came up and moved the food as I was unlocking the bike chain.

I was not happy that my bike was being treated as a campsite, but didn't know what to make of it. If they were just hanging out by it then I guess no real harm was done. My fear is that they might have been using the clothes and food to see if someone in the crowd would react for a possible theft next time when that person was away. Only takes a bolt cutter to liberate the bike from the poll.

Curious what you guys think was going on and if anyone else has encountered this. 

5 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

15 hours ago, Hal65 said:

 
Just to be clear, are you saying this for the Thai DL? I have a 2 year one and don't need the 5 year DL immediately (no vehicle). But my 2 year one expires in 1 week.
 
I'd be happy to put it off for a few months if it doesn't cause any issues renewing later.

You may know this already but you can't get a 5 year one with a tourist visa

Then I definitely have to wait for my ED. 

Just in case the timing is weird for future renewals I'm curious: can you get a 2 year license on a tourist visa?

On 9/28/2018 at 3:30 PM, johng said:

You can renew a short while before expiry (maybe 90 days ? not sure) and upto a year after expiry.

 

 

Just to be clear, are you saying this for the Thai DL? I have a 2 year one and don't need the 5 year DL immediately (no vehicle). But my 2 year one expires in 1 week.

I'd be happy to put it off for a few months if it doesn't cause any issues renewing later.

How much money does the 5 year DL cost? I have a 2 year one expiring in 1 week.

Also, what is the easiest way obtain a "Certified letter of address from the applicant's embassy, or from the Immigration Bureau"

Immigration is a few km away but my embassy requires a BKK trip. Not sure how to get immigration to issue a certified letter of address.