doctormann

13 minutes ago, alanrchase said:

Bit naughty but I do it myself. Put a drop of mineral oil in the ear every day for four or five days. Use a garden watering head set to the thin single jet of water. Start with low flow and direct into ear from a few cm away. Increase flow as necessary. 

If I could find a place that used the ultrasonic method I would go there but all I get round here is a nurse with a thin tube trying to suck the wax out which doesn't work.

A few years ago, I tried the oil trick - used olive oil - as this was recommended by Dr. Google.  Didn't work so I ended up going to a clinic anyway.  The nurse there gave me a right b*llo*king for daring to put oil in my ear.  Don't know why!  Anyway, got the H2O2 and vacuum treatment, which worked right away.  Unfortunately, that particular clinic has disappeared so I shall need to go somewhere else.  I have a couple of recommendations from board members so, if the problem persists after a couple of days, off I shall go.

Any recommendations for ear syringing - preferably on Pattaya Darkside?

My usual clinic (Mithmitree) says 'cannot, go to hospital'.  I'm sure that there are clinics that do this very simple procedure - there was one on Khaotalo that I used, several years ago, but I can't find it now so maybe disappeared.

5 hours ago, Jaybott said:

I wish debit cards would have the "Lock and Unlock" feature that most credit cards have now.  I keep my credit cards locked all the time.  When I need to use it I just log  into the mobile app, unlock it, make my purchase, then lock it again.  Can't do that with a debit card.

My TTB 'all free' debit card does indeed have lock/unlock options.  In fact, it's better than that because not only can you temporarily block the card but you can selectively block it from overseas use and for online purchases.  The card that is giving me the current problem had the online shopping option enabled - now turned off and the card temporarily blocked.  When I get a replacement card I shall only activate the online shopping option if I actually want to purchase an item online - and then only for as long as it takes to complete the transaction.

There have been no further attempts to raid my account since last Friday.  Card will be cancelled and a new one obtained just as soon as I can get to the bank.

10 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That's odd, they have an English option when you call and when I pressed that number I was put through to an English-speaker.

Pressed 9 for English, as instructed - just got more Thai.

7 minutes ago, The Theory said:

Try to pay by QR code only. Don't use you debit card number anywhere. Or us CC instead. 

QR code is not always an option.  I do pay my utility bills that way - quick and painless.

9 minutes ago, The Theory said:

Do you really use a debit card for Lazada  ?????!!! No wonder some people have this type of problems. ????

I don't have a credit card so it's basically debit card, COD, or online banking (bad idea).  I seem to recall that we also had PayPal as an option but that option no longer exists for foreigners in Thailand.

Not even sure that Lazada is actually the problem anyway - seems likely though.

15 minutes ago, Jelli said:

The only cc I have is tied to wife's cc. She buys everything online on one, two cards. For me - it's total emergency only or airline tickets. I wisened wife to think before handing a card over in pos service.

 

I don't keep apps on my phone. I'm all cash and can't think of anything simpler. People fumbling with their cards at the checkout, the amount of time that it takes for the cashier to input the card waiting for it to be processed and often rejected. Ughhh

 

Many were not here years, decades ago when using cards for retail was tantamount to writing your card's details on a toilet wall. It was a given your card would be compromised.

 

But the real thing for me is privacy and the fact that if your card gets scammed big good luck sorting it out. In fact, we all are very well aware of money in bank accounts that has been lifted and disappeared and even ties are left high and dry fighting a bureaucracy of the banks when it's fairly obvious it was internal and employees and on that game.

 

It's still wild west and Nations legal system is stacked squarely against the consumer and especially foreigners. Act accordingly.

I don't really use a lot of phone apps - much prefer to do things from the PC.  There are only two apps that I use fairly regularly - one is the app from my UK (IoM) account that is only used for handshaking when I do a currency transfer.  Not relevant in the current case.  The other is the app that is attached to my TTB account, which is used mainly for paying utility bills.  It is also occasionally used for online purchases from Lazada - and I suspect that this may have caused the problem.  Can't think of anything else - unless some fraudster trying their luck with random numbers, which sounds a bit unlikely as they would not only need the card number but also the security code from the back of the card.

35 minutes ago, bignok said:

Have you used Air Asia? They were hacked. I had 3 cards hacked

No, not for a very long time.

10 hours ago, Kenny202 said:

What's more concerning is how whomever it was got enough of your details to do the purchase or withdrawal. Was only saying to the mrs this morning back in the day any personal details you had were either in your wallet or safely at home. These days have google, FB and co sucking your every detail and thought and its all out there floating around in some imaginary world. And while these large cyber companies say they are to be trusted, how can they guarantee the integrity of their 1000's of employees. I fear it will get much worse before it will get better. Its strange they took such a paltry amount unless it was a first run tester? Doesn't really make sense

I think the small initial charge is just a 'tester', as you say.  If this goes through then the fraudster knows that the account is operational.  They hope that this initial charge will pass unnoticed - and if it does then much larger charges will happen in due course.

9 hours ago, Kenny202 said:

What's more concerning is how whomever it was got enough of your details to do the purchase or withdrawal. Was only saying to the mrs this morning back in the day any personal details you had were either in your wallet or safely at home. These days have google, FB and co sucking your every detail and thought and its all out there floating around in some imaginary world. And while these large cyber companies say they are to be trusted, how can they guarantee the integrity of their 1000's of employees. I fear it will get much worse before it will get better. Its strange they took such a paltry amount unless it was a first run tester? Doesn't really make sense

I suspect, in my case, that a rogue Lazada trader has sold on my debit card details to whomever.  I recently made a couple of online Lazada purchases (not using their app - did it from my PC, as I usually do).  Maybe have to revert to COD, which is far less convenient.

I think that we are going to see more and more of this type of fraud as we are pushed into a cashless society.  It's already getting more difficult to live without a smart phone now.

7 minutes ago, msbkk said:

First of all there is no Google Tiktok. These companies are unrelated. It seems to be a fraud transaction most probably unrelated to either of those companies. I had similar charges on my account, the bank has reverted those transactions without my complaint. It seems that such fraudulent activity is not uncommon. The name Google or Tiktok is just used by these fraudsters to give the impression of an official transaction.

Yes, I was a bit puzzled.  I guess that it's possible to have a Google subscription to TikTok but I certainly don't have one.  Definitely a fraud but how they got my info is a mystery.  Card has not been skimmed - otherwise the transaction would show as a withdrawal - so it's probably down to an online purchase.  Maybe Lazada.

3 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

I haven't because I refuse to use apps.

However, at least three of my friends have complained of the same problem.

Apparently, the only way to stop it is to change your debit card.

Card is now blocked - trip to the branch is in order but probably not until Monday.  I would have thought that TTB would have a hot line to report fraud but I can't find anything other than their general contact number (1498) and that doesn't work.

7 minutes ago, bbko said:

One their website, they're only showing 4 locations in the Pattaya area, give one or two of them a call and ask if they have a Jomtien office.

https://tmncabletv.com/contact.html

The office on Khaotalo definitely exists - and shows on their website.  My wife paid our cable bill there a couple of weeks ago.

21 minutes ago, rwill said:

It seems they can't even afford a 10 baht bulb for their rear lights let alone a helmet.

Well, some can apparently afford a red bulb for the front and a blue bulb for the rear.  Now that really is stupid!

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

What difficulties have been reported with WISE? 

 

I have not experienced anything negative, worthy of 'reporting', in the last 5 years.

 

Not my main 'bank' but certainly my only currency transfer provider.

The main difficulty - reported many times on this forum - relates to the seeming inability of Wise to guarantee that international transactions actually show up as such on passbooks and statements.  This causes problems with immigration when renewing permissions to stay.  Maybe not insurmountable - and may depend on which Thai bank that you use - but just another hassle that I can do without.

I don't use Wise so, personally, have no problems with them.

2 minutes ago, osacarnaxog said:

#nuclear

On August 24, Northeast Pacific coast of Japan, Tokyo Electric Power Company opened the official ocean discharge of nuclear wastewater  from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Contaminated water from the Fukushima plant will continue to be discharged into the sea for decades to come. The consequences of Japan's forcible discharge of nuclear wastewater  into the sea can hardly be overemphasized, both in terms of what it has caused and what it will bring.

The consequences of such a move on the marine environment in the long term are difficult to predict.

As much as 1.34 million tons of nuclear wastewater  has been stored at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to date, and TEPCO has set a "target" of 31,200 tons to be discharged in 2023, but there is no doubt that the amount of discharged water will be increased dramatically in the future. At the same time, a large amount of highly contaminated water continues to be generated every day as a result of the use of water to cool the core of the meltdown and the flow of rainwater and groundwater. Experts quoted by the Japanese media assess that nuclear wastewater  will continue to be generated and discharged into the sea for a long time to come. Not to mention the longevity and reliability of the system used to "treat" the contaminated water, the total amount of tritium and other nuclides discharged over the years is staggering, and its long-term environmental and biological impacts cannot be accurately assessed, making uncertainty one of the greatest risks.

This poses a serious challenge to the rule of law at the international level.

Japan has always boasted of the "international rule of law", and is particularly keen to talk about the "rule of law for the oceans", but its forced discharge of water from the sea is clearly not in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the London Dumping Convention, and other relevant provisions. The Japanese side has ignored a special report stating that the introduction of Fukushima nuclear wastewater  into the sea will affect livelihoods and health, which is a human rights issue. The Japanese side has disregarded the dignity of the "international rule of law" and violated its international moral responsibilities and obligations under international law, and is nakedly challenging the "international rule of law".

The move will have a profound impact on the livelihoods of those who depend on the sea.

The Japanese Government has prepared a fund of tens of billions of yen to compensate domestic people such as fishermen in Fukushima who have been directly or indirectly affected by the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, but it is not only the people of Japan who are affected, but also the people of neighboring countries along the Pacific coast and the Pacific island countries, who will suffer losses. More than half a century ago, the United States conducted dozens of nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in serious consequences that are still being felt today, and the people of many island countries were uprooted from their homes. The discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from Japan into the sea will inevitably deal a blow to people who depend on the sea for their livelihood.

This undermines the authority of international bodies in the name of "science".

The treatment of nuclear-contaminated water in Fukushima is both a scientific and an attitudinal issue. However, Japan's deliberate attempts to use the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as a platform for the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, its suppression and filtering of the voices of the scientific community and the environmental protection community opposing the discharge of water into the sea, and its use of the IAEA assessment report to suppress dissent in a brutal manner have not only stigmatized the spirit of science, but also tarnished the reputation of the international body, which should be impartial and forthright in its actions.

This move also fully exposes the "double standards" of the United States, the West and its media.

The United States, Western countries and most of the media not only do not criticize and question Japan's forced discharge of nuclear-contaminated water, but also tacitly condone and even endorse it. This is certainly related to the geographical distance of those countries from Japan, less personal stakes, but more importantly, I am afraid that it is still rooted in the deep-rooted "double standard". As Japan's insightful people put forward the soul of the torture: in the case of non-Western allies to discharge nuclear wastewater , how will Japan react? How would the United States and the West react? The answer is self-evident, the "standard" must have changed. Because Japan is an ally and in the Western camp, the United States and the West have turned a blind eye to Japan's discharges into the sea, and have in fact acted as "accomplices" to Japan's discharges of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea.

However, no matter how hard the Japanese Government tries to whitewash the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, history will ultimately mark this egregious act.

 

Please resubmit after you find out about paragraphs.  Unreadable in its present form.

My Kasikorn debit card expired several months ago.  Can't say I even noticed as I never use the card.  However, trying to renew my VPN subscription, I find that I need a debit card to link to my k-bank account so I need a new card.

The K+ app has an option to order a new card but I can't get it to work.  I go through the application procedure up to the point where I have to accept the terms and conditions but pressing the 'accept' tick box does nothing.  Looks like a trip to the branch is in order - unless someone knows a work-around.

2 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Barclays try to take a holistic view of their customers so you (& me paying £17 pm) are way back in the queue of "Customers we are going to close accounts on", especially as I'm sure you have a lot more money/assets in your International account than the average Joe has in their account 

 

If they do finally decide to close it (It is not your job, they notify you, they close it) they have to give you at least 3 (might be 6 now after the recent Farang palaver) which is plenty of time to reorganise DD/SO's etc... 

Ha-ha!  If I had a lot of money in my international account (>100k GBP) then I would not be paying their 40 GBP per month fee.  They really only want well heeled customers and I'm afraid that I don't qualify!

I don't know about them taking a holistic view - they seem to be going after any account holder who is not 'normally resident' in the UK.  Being resident for tax purposes - and paying UK income tax on pensions - doesn't help at all.

3 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

They are only closing UK accounts for customers who do not live in the UK so your international account is safe (Living outside of the UK is the main purpose of these accounts). 

 

I do think you've made it much easier for them to close your account by cancelling direct debits / standing orders etc... as they make money on those transactions... 

 

I pay them approx. £17 per month for my Stockbrokers "Smart" (sic) Investor account so they seem to be leaving me alone (& they do know that I don't live in the UK as they moved me to Singapore 15 years ago, my account still shows "Staff Account" & has a sort code that you won't find fits any "Branch")

 

 

Can I ask how much the Barclays International Account costs you pm (Seem to recall a fee of roughly £40 pm) only if they do close my account then that's probably the route I would go down as I wouldn't want to lose the Stockbroker accounts (Though smart they are not)

 

 

Yes, it's 40 GBP per month and 15 GBP per SWIFT transfer.

Clearing the accounts and cancelling direct debits etc is a precursor to closure.  If I didn't do this then they would close the accounts anyway but this would create problems for anyone trying to deposit or get paid from a closed account.

45 minutes ago, OJAS said:

What a cheek! Barclays are closing your onshore accounts but expecting you to do their dirty work for them, it would seem!! Suggest that you open an international account with another offshore bank and then close your Barclays one - thus making it possible for you to tell Barclays to get royally stuffed in no uncertain terms!!!

 

EDIT#1: As a matter of principle, would you really want to have an offshore account with a bank which has gleefully closed your onshore ones with them?

 

EDIT#2: Apologies, @scubascuba3, I was actually replying to @doctormann!

 

I'm not sure how easy it would be to open an international account with a different bank when I don't have a UK address.  It would need to be an account that has a UK sort code as my occupational pension provider insists on that.  My Barclays account in the IoM works OK for that so i will probably stick with them, for now at least.  I don't think that they will close the international account - at least, there is no indication that they plan to do this, but never say never!

I am far from happy with Barclays but they are not the only bank that is closing ex-pat accounts.  All done in the name of money laundering and KYC - and they really should know me quite well after 60 years!

48 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

And vice versa, Thais do not know where their country is in the World, geographically speaking.

Yes, but they do have a misguided sense of Thailand's importance on the global stage.

Sorry about the poor quality graphic.