tpiety2

The USD is more likely to drop to 25 baht than ever going over 30 again.

would agree there, i would change now, or you might be sitting on it for a very long time !,

but you are better to keep in a secure safe in your home, and DONT TELL ANYONE that you have that amount stored there...

I got 30.13 baht to $1 today at Super RICH. The dollar has been over 30 for most of the past 2 or 3 weeks.

I have a lot of cash US$ and I don't want to leave it in my home, car, or on my person. I want to wait until the dollar is over 30 again (29.90 at Super Rich today) before converting. Bangkok bank wants 1%, SCB wants 2% for every deposit/withdrawal in a foreign currency acct.. SCB acted like they had never heard of safe deposit boxes let alone renting them and the BKK bank branches in Pattaya and Bang Lamung have them but none are available.

Any suggestions?

I bought my Toshiba in the US. The HD crashed last May and I took it to Toshiba in BKK (just off of Hwy 31 & 1) and they replaced it and transfered the data from the old HD in one day all under warranty.

Good question.

I have often had to wonder or guess who payments or transfers went to....

I guess unlike the US u need to log each transaction in a register, eliminating a big benefit of online banking.

It makes online banking in Thailand less than ideal. Like u say identical amounts become guess work.

Maybe if everyone asks their bank to identify each transaction with something other than a number? It could happen.

Stayed in many many of the cheaper hotels i.e (under 1000 baht) around Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The best value one IMHO is the Thong Ta Resort, which is currently on Agoda for 689 baht. Nearly all these hotels do free pick-up and return to the Airport.

Regards

Mr Conrad

Thong Ta is nice but the Great Residence Hotel has nicer and bigger rooms and better shuttle service and a pool for about the same money or less with parking. I use to stay at Thong Ta.

Try expedia.com or agoda for:

Great Residence Hotel1892/1 Lat Krabang RoadBangkok, Bangkok 10520ThailandPhone: 66 (2) 326 72 06

Why not open a Bangkok Bank account? ( If you dont already have one )

Then you transfer from Bangkok Bank UK London Branch direct to Thailand

I do the same from the USA using Bangkok Bank NY

I 've done the Paypal to Paypal and the rates are terrible. I do the Bangkok bank NY transfer now, much cheaper, but u must have a Bangkok bank acct. in Thailand.

As said do not forget the 90 day reports to Immigration or you will be fined.

Will do.:jap:

1. Any travel with a return after April visa expiration date will require a re-entry permit prior to travel to obtain a return permitted to stay date the same as you have at that time.

2. Honorary Consulates no longer are allowed to issue O-A visas in the US

3. About 3 weeks before your stay ends you visit Immigration with TM.7 form and 1,900 baht/4x6cm photo and proof of 800k in Thai account (bank letter and passbook) 3 months or 65k per month income letter from Embassy or combination to meet 800k per year and housing information. They provide a one year extension of stay.

4. You are required to report your address to immigration every 90 days when in country - new 90 day count starts on each arrival.

Thank you too LB3. I'll remember all three of you guys and read your future posts with interest.

<br />When you return Dec. 31 you will get 12 months.<br />If you leave and return just before the Visa expires you will get another 12 months.<br />The important date is the expiry date. This will be 12 months after the date of issue.<br />If you want to exit Thailand during the second 12 month period you will need to obtain a Re Entry Permit from Immigration.<br /><br />When your second 12 month finishes you can extend at Immigration for 12 months. 1,900 Baht fee.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Thanks a lot LB, that was pretty painless.

Can I do this indefinetly or will I have to get a new visa at some point?

No need to get another visa as long as you keep your "Extension of Stay" valid, just re-apply every year and obtain the re-entry permits when you want to exit to keep them valid.

Fantastic!!!! You guys are a great database and mighty handy to have around, thanks so much.

Stay well fella's I know we will need you again.

<br />When you return Dec. 31 you will get 12 months.<br />If you leave and return just before the Visa expires you will get another 12 months.<br />The important date is the expiry date. This will be 12 months after the date of issue.<br />If you want to exit Thailand during the second 12 month period you will need to obtain a Re Entry Permit from Immigration.<br /><br />When your second 12 month finishes you can extend at Immigration for 12 months. 1,900 Baht fee.<br />

Thanks a lot LB, that was pretty painless.

Can I do this indefinetly or will I have to get a new visa at some point?

A little help please.

I have read much of the advice here on Visas and extending, but I have not heard the answer I am looking for yet.

I arrived in bkk in April 2010 and returned to the US in Sept.(my house in florida was burglarized).

I am returning to bkk Dec.31.

I was told my US O-A multiple entry would be good for 1 year each time I leave and return to Thailand.

My question:

My visa expires in April, 2011, I'm thinking I can stay in Thailand until Dec.31 (1 year from reentry) but what effect will my

visa expiring in April have on my staying until Dec.? Or if I leave and return again in April before my visa expires

will I have another year from then until April 2012?

I want to live in Thailand most if not all of every year, what should I do and what is the best way to do it?

PS: The Thai Consulate in Coral Gables is no longer issuing NI O-A's.

I recently purchased a computer (Acer netbook $425 USD) in the U.S. . Shipped to a family member and reshipped to me by USPS at my Thai residence (Chiang Mai). I paid 300bt fee at the Mae Rim post office. Even with shipping in/from the U.S. it was cheaper than the equivalent in Thailand, and the particular model I wanted is not available here.

Thanks - good to know.

On the customs form what did they list as the contents and value?

Was it reboxed or shipped in original laptop box?

Did u send if first class, priority, priority express?

Did u insure it etc.

It was shipped USPS Global Priority, I believe. Not insured, and we listed only "Netbook" on the customs form. I figured just maybe they wouldn't know that a netbook was a computer, but yet I was telling the truth. It was in the original box, but shipping stickers covered the original shipper info.

I have received quite a few shipments of various products from the U.S. I always use USPS and generally, but not always, it gets through without being inspected by Thai Customs. Google "shipto" which is another alternative when a company will not ship direct to Thailand. (This has been discussed in other posts and I don't mean to get that discussion going again).

I used the rationalization that I was getting the computer I wanted (which was not available in Thailand) for less than one here IF I didn't have to pay duty or VAT. If I did have to pay, OK I still got the computer I wanted for probably a little MORE than a similar one in Thailand. "Do you feel lucky....." usually comes to mind

You may also want to take a look at this post that is currently running http://www.thaivisa....31#entry4036931 .

Thanks again, I know what to do now but I have one last question,

what value did you list on the customs form?

I recently purchased a computer (Acer netbook $425 USD) in the U.S. . Shipped to a family member and reshipped to me by USPS at my Thai residence (Chiang Mai). I paid 300bt fee at the Mae Rim post office. Even with shipping in/from the U.S. it was cheaper than the equivalent in Thailand, and the particular model I wanted is not available here.

Thanks - good to know.

On the customs form what did they list as the contents and value?

Was it reboxed or shipped in original laptop box?

Did u send if first class, priority, priority express?

Did u insure it etc.

What did it cost?

Dam_n!!!

I just had a laptop shipped from the US to Thailand by FedEx and all I had to pay was the 7% VAT, US$1300 laptop, the company sent it with a value of $300. All I had to pay was 777 baht for VAT

You must make sure the shipper uses the correct HS code, either of 8471.30.00.00 or 8471.30.20.00 works for laptops and both codes are currently exempt of customs tax. Mine was actually shipped under the wrong code of 8471.30.10 which is for PDA's and the like, but it still came through with no problems.

current tarrifs can be checked on the http://igtf.customs..../main_frame.jsp website. Laptops have a ceiling rate of 40% but are currently exempt.

Nice to know.

What type of address was it shipped to? Thai residential, business, APO, etc.?

Coming through the local grapevine (so not verified):

This guy runned the tool rental place in ban tai behind the 7/11 and did construction work on the island as well, used the name silva or singwa and stayed with his son and sometimes with a girlfriend or wife.

What i heard via via is that he committed loans fraud in Sweden a long time ago, used the island as a hideout and Sweden wanted him back before the charges back home expired.

Certainly sounds more plausible then him defrauding Thai tax system of 400 million baht.

Finally some facts? It's sad I had to wade through so much crap to find some Reason.

Sometimes I wonder.... is this a serious or cynical people bashing forum?(rhetorical question)

Indeed they are cheaper outside of Thailand. If you get one shipped in, where ever it is delivered to you will have to pay import tax, this could be anything between 20 and 40% of the invoice value, yes you will pay duty on the shipping.

If HK is the best place to buy one, go there for the weekend and have a break, you won't save any money but at least you can have some decent Chinese food.

As the Thai Customs are recognised as the most corrupt department (Thai Government Statement), and that is against some pretty stiff competition, personally I wouldn't recommend getting one shipped, I have already had some hefty customs charges on a food parcel from the UK, value 8000 baht, customs charge on total value of 14,000 baht, 3500 baht and that was DHL.

Thanks I think the weekend trips is a good idea I need to see HK and more of SE Asia anyhow.

I'm looking at a Nokia N97 mini 8 GB Unlocked Phone, Free GPS with Voice Navigation and Navigation/Car Kit on Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-Unlocked-Navigation-Kit-U-S-Warranty/dp/B002WB2P4O/ref=pd_ts_cps_11?ie=UTF8&s=wireless

It has free GPS downloads for life w/ Ovi Maps for Thailand and 73 other countries.

I don't know how well GPS will work and it only has 1 sim card. It's wifi and bluetooth stereo.

It is also 3G has 5MP cam, touch screen and qwerty keyboard and is quad band for $300.

My interest is mainly for the GPS. Any thoughts?

Yes send to a thai address. NEVER to a hotel. Also email the address in Thai to the seller.. I gotta ask though....WHY are you buying a laptop out of country. When they are sooooooo cheap here????

I must have missed something. Every place I have shopped in Thailand laptops have been much more expensive than in the US.

Tell me where to go.

I need the same info on having a laptop shipped to either my APO or to a thai address.

What about having the seller in the US ship it, or have u heard of HopShopGo from paypal and ebay.

I am hesitant to ship because of cost, theft, damage etc..

What to do???

Any info and all suggestions appreciated.

thanks

Are you guys telling me we are upside down I'm shocked! I'm also buying baht.:jap:

My gf just got appt. for interview for B-2 NI visa on Nov.4. It is her and my first time.

Does anyone have any suggestions that will help us to be sucessful in getting her a visa.