55Jay

Would there be mayhem on Walking Street if the bars and girls announced a 50% discount on ... errr, you know what (not allowed to say)? How many TV members would storm the place, condoms and viagra in hand?

Not many. A buy one get two more free promotion.........?

Do genuine Converse shoes come in plastic bags contained in one big cardboard box from China?

<snip>

BofA's Office of Escalation is in some windowless bunker in Pennsylvania, They have the computer overrides to make your problem go away.

Credit Card companies have them as well. Worth remembering when that fateful day befalls us all---sooner or later. Oh yeah, I dropped BofA asap.

"Windowless bunker in PA". I love it, great story, thanks.

There is nothing to figure out.

People that think one can simply downsize overnight from an employed lifestyle with commitments to a life of surviving on peanuts are delusional.

If you lose your job tomorrow and not be able to survive (jump to window?), it does not mean that another people same weaknesses as you are. and it can survive.

He said he could last here for 12 months on 3m Baht, which I presume means without altering (much) of his lifestyle or doing a swan dive off a high floor balcony.

I was down at the 7 just a few hours ago and damned if I didn't suddenly get all hangry myself. I was standing in front of the ice cream freezer looking down at the last one of those Japanese beauties. I peeked over at the guy next to me. Damned if he didn't look hangry himself, with crazy eyes and tongue hanging out. I pointed down to his zipper and, while he was checking it out, made a quick ninja move, seizing the last specimen. You should've seen on his face. Hysterical. Hanger on steroids!

Thanks! I got a laugh out of that, pretty good!

Wife and I used RIM Living, me for a foot problem, wife for arm pain/numbness. Coming down from Phimai, its out on the 304 road, about 1/2 way to the Korat Zoo junction.

They rubbed around with a hand-held ultra sound thing for about 10 minutes, followed by these electrical impulse/shock pads for about 20 minutes (that was weird), then a gentle massage. It did seem to help the first few visits but then not much later on, so we quit going. My issue sorted itself out over time. Wife, not so much.

Imagine that was a pretty bad frickin' way to die, as your gang buddies watch, unwilling to take you to a hospital to save their own skins.

Same ppl angry with the chinese tourist behave in exactly the same way. Thats the most contradicting thing about thainess. Pointing fingers at others but never at themselves.

I wonder..... did any of the ice cream grabbers actually see the Chinese prawn video and tsk tsk tsk at it?

maybe not exactly, but i see many thais comment on the prawn video on YOULIKE about this kind of unacceptable behaviour.

Oh, ok. I was reading the full Coconuts article and it was nice to see a bit of self-reflecting humility by Thai commenters that this was very much like the Chinese prawn video.

Same ppl angry with the chinese tourist behave in exactly the same way. Thats the most contradicting thing about thainess. Pointing fingers at others but never at themselves.

I wonder..... did any of the ice cream grabbers actually see the Chinese prawn video and tsk tsk tsk at it?

Thats why i never use atm cards in thailand...and if i did, it would only be in an atm attached to a bank branch so i know where to go next day to get my card back.

I prefer branches as well but in my case, was at Makro, which only accepts cash or 1 credit card that I don't have.

I had 3,000 cash but we exceeded that a bit, so I ran out to the stand alone BB ATM to grab some more cash, and good old Murphy paid me a visit.

Edit: Just curious, how do you hold and access cash in Thailand?

Dunno, NanLaew. Once in many years isn't too bad a run before having a glitch.

I had a card eaten here once, Bangkok Bank machine as well. Only one other time in my entire life, and that was due to me not pulling it out of the slot before it timed out and sucked it back in. Gone. It was a weekend night too. Grrrrr....!

The so called brokers knew what they were doing was illegal and the alleged students knew it was illegal.

They broke the law and deserve everything they receive as a result.

Some posters might think about blaming the law breakers rather than law enforcement.

Its still entrapment; the brokers wouldn't have committed that particular crime if the Fed's hadn't set up a bogus university. Maybe it's too much trouble to do some actual detective work.

How did you arrive at that conclusion about the brokers?

It is a lot of trouble, as you will notice in the final paragraphs of the article.

So the data proves the FTA has been a tremendous success. Trump wants to tear it up? That would be dumb.

What about the trade agreement with Asia & Europe?

The TPP (asia) & agreements with the EU are underway and confidential.

Should we trust our Trade Reps.Trump says our Trade Representatives are bozoz. Is Trump right?

Lets pick one and verify Trumps claim.

From White House . Gov website I found the resume of Susan Schwab. She was a trade rep under GW Bush.

Here is her resume:

Ambassador Susan Schwab

United States Trade Representative

www.ustr.gov

Ambassador Susan C. Schwab was nominated to be United States Trade Representative by President George W. Bush on April 18, 2006, and was confirmed as USTR by the United States Senate on June 8, 2006. As USTR, Ambassador Schwab is a member of the President's Cabinet and serves as the President’s principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on trade issues.

Prior to her appointment as USTR, Ambassador Schwab served as Deputy USTR with a portfolio overseeing U.S. trade relations with Europe and Eurasia, the Middle East, and the Americas. In addition she is responsible for USTR operations involving the WTO and multilateral affairs; services and investment; intellectual property; industry, market access and telecommunications; and intergovernmental affairs and public liaison activities. Since her arrival at USTR, Ambassador Schwab has been actively engaged in the development of U.S. strategy in the Doha Round multilateral trade negotiations, and successfully concluded bilateral free trade agreements with Peru, Colombia, Panama and South Korea.

Ambassador Schwab served as Dean of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy from 1995 through 2003. Immediately before joining the Administration, she held the position of President and CEO of the University System of Maryland (USM) Foundation and USM Vice Chancellor for Advancement. Schwab came to the University of Maryland from Motorola, Inc., where she served as Director of Corporate Business Development, and where she was engaged in strategic planning and negotiation on behalf of the company in China and elsewhere in Asia. Prior to that appointment she was Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service during the Administration of George H.W. Bush.

Schwab spent most of the 1980s as a trade policy specialist and then legislative director for Senator John C. Danforth (R-Mo.), playing a major role in numerous U.S. trade policy initiatives, including landmark trade legislation that Congress enacted in 1984 and 1988. Previously, Schwab served as a Trade Policy Officer in the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. Her first job was as an agricultural trade negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Ambassador Schwab is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA). She previously served on the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Board of Trustees of the Council for Excellence in Government and the National Selection Committee for the Innovations in American Government Awards program. She holds a B.A. in Political Economy from Williams College, a Masters in Development Policy from Stanford University, and a Ph.D. in Public Administration and International Business from The George Washington University.

Ambassador Schwab has published articles and a book on U.S. trade policy and legislation (“Trade-Offs: Negotiating the Omnibus Trade Act,” Harvard Business School Press, 1994), as well as articles on U.S.–Japan trade relations, trade politics, and public policy education.

In addition to the time she has spent working overseas, Ambassador Schwab is the product of a Foreign Service family and grew up in Africa, Europe and Asia. She currently resides in Annapolis, Maryland.

I would like Trump to look this lady in the eye and tell her she is stupid.

Obviously Trump is painting with a broad brush, but do you really disagree with the baseline assertion?

Take the resume above.

1. Child of Diplomat.

2. Student in lots of awesome schools.

3. Revolving door political appointee.

4. Teacher.

There is an obvious component missing and that's precisely what Trump is saying. You couldn't of chosen a better example. Trump doesn't seem to differentiate between R and D on this, so choosing a former Bush flunkee doesn't resonate the way you may have hoped for.

You misspelled flunky.

Quik, somebody call FED-EX, Boeing, Caterpillar Corporation and tell them that 55jay says they invited a flunky onto their board of directors.

I think you've missed the point. But, I award you 3 gold stars for the spelling correction. Good job, Eddie.

However, if you're Hispanic, just rock on up to the S. border and waltz right in. No need for a visa. Just make yourself at home. No one will bother you.

Could be beacuse it was their land in the beginning.

Los Angeles

San Francisco

San Diego.

Names that could be a clue.

Texas was once named Tejas.

Tejas comes from the Caddo word for "friend." Tejas refers to the Indians, not Mexicans or Spanish.

Anybody from Texas knows the origin of the name. Google knows too for those so inclined to check their facts first.

Lampang2 would seem to believe the Mexicans stole the land from the indigenous American Indians rather than the slave owning white faced European settlers.

Now that's a refreshing thought.

Not only that, but the supposition that American whites invaded and took Mexican territory is ignorant virtue signalling at its worst. Every seventh grader in Texas knows that Anglo settlement in Texas began with Moses Austin who received but the first land grant directly from the Spanish crown, because the Spanish population of the region was so sparse that it could hardly be considered under territorial rule. The Anglos were invited settlers, not illegal immigrants. All the documents are still there to see today for anyone who wants to go to the Nacogdoches County Courthouse during everyday working hours and go through the property records. I've done so several times, in researching structures and places applying for state historical site designations.

Invited initially.

But did not turn out very nice after a while.

American history is not a nice story.

Starting with the Indians continuing with the West and South.

Moral and etics did not take to much space.

Nor did it in the goldrush of 1849.

Or the building of the transatlantic railway.

Not a good deal for the Chinese.

Not was it very fun for the US citizens of Japanese decent after pearl Harbor.

They fought bravely during second world War once they where allowed to participate even though their parents where kept in camps.

Not that the blacks people where allowed in either, but then again that story just repeated itself from the civil war, where they also fought bravely once allowed to do so, but that didn't help them much once the war was over.

Code of ethics.

I wonder where those first 'Americans' drew their Code of Ethics from?

Europe.

NORTH America, as we known to know it was designed by Europeans and their children.

Native Americans where not invited.

Nor was black people or Mexicans.

Europeans like myself.

And that's the point.

Don't consider yourself a better human than the cross border Mexican.

I don't.

Actually George Bush kept "inviting" them to get some debt in the company store, they where wanted in the southern agricultural business.

No revelation in any of that. The fact Mexican (and others) do "waltz" over the southern border quite easily, and live/work in the USA illegally, is a matter of fact, not opinion, nor makes any reference to feeling superior.

Do you fault Thailand for cracking down on over stayers here?

You didn't mention which country you are from in Europe. Quite a few could be considered a microcosm of what is happening in the US and what is yet to come if they don't get a handle on it. The visceral reaction by Americans is similar to that of many angry, frustrated Europeans. I hear about it quite often here in Thailand as most of the people I mix with are UK/Euro. They are angry and disappointed at what's happened/happening to their homeland, and mostly pleased they were able to "escape" to Thailand.

Immigration is good thing and like most good things, is best in moderation.

You really need to shop around, i was able only last week to get 2.5% in a savings account.

Can you give some more information:

Which bank?

Min/max amount?

Time?

Do I need a work permit?

Yes Hoffy , PM me where and how , if you don't want to post it here.

Hoffy or BuaBS, you can post it here. Or is it a secret?

A "savings" account at 2.5%, I'm all ears.

Hoffy66 was over on the Bank Interest Rate thread recently and may be referring to a fixed deposit accounts, which you can still find in the 2% range if you look around and don't mind trading time and liquidity for better returns. Likely to be taxed @ 15% but depending on a few personal variables, can file a tax return and have it refunded the following year.

Certainly Coconuts intends to parallel the Chinese prawn video, and quotes ones guy about just that.

Same dynamic going on here, just not the same fever pitch as the Chinese video.

Anyway, it's human behavior. We all have the same potential but our triggers are set differently.

Love the guy in the yellow shirt at the top right grab the girl by the shoulder and shove her out of the way.

Happens in the video at time 0:23.

I didn't see that. I watched it a few times. At 0:23, he's off screen then walks away.

However, if you're Hispanic, just rock on up to the S. border and waltz right in. No need for a visa. Just make yourself at home. No one will bother you.

Could be beacuse it was their land in the beginning.

Los Angeles

San Francisco

San Diego.

Names that could be a clue.

Texas was once named Tejas.

Tejas comes from the Caddo word for "friend." Tejas refers to the Indians, not Mexicans or Spanish.

Anybody from Texas knows the origin of the name. Google knows too for those so inclined to check their facts first.

Lampang2 would seem to believe the Mexicans stole the land from the indigenous American Indians rather than the slave owning white faced European settlers.

Now that's a refreshing thought.

Not only that, but the supposition that American whites invaded and took Mexican territory is ignorant virtue signalling at its worst. Every seventh grader in Texas knows that Anglo settlement in Texas began with Moses Austin who received but the first land grant directly from the Spanish crown, because the Spanish population of the region was so sparse that it could hardly be considered under territorial rule. The Anglos were invited settlers, not illegal immigrants. All the documents are still there to see today for anyone who wants to go to the Nacogdoches County Courthouse during everyday working hours and go through the property records. I've done so several times, in researching structures and places applying for state historical site designations.

Invited initially.

But did not turn out very nice after a while.

American history is not a nice story.

Starting with the Indians continuing with the West and South.

Moral and etics did not take to much space.

Nor did it in the goldrush of 1849.

Or the building of the transatlantic railway.

Not a good deal for the Chinese.

Not was it very fun for the US citizens of Japanese decent after pearl Harbor.

They fought bravely during second world War once they where allowed to participate even though their parents where kept in camps.

Not that the blacks people where allowed in either, but then again that story just repeated itself from the civil war, where they also fought bravely once allowed to do so, but that didn't help them much once the war was over.

Code of ethics.

I wonder where those first 'Americans' drew their Code of Ethics from?

So the data proves the FTA has been a tremendous success. Trump wants to tear it up? That would be dumb.

What about the trade agreement with Asia & Europe?

The TPP (asia) & agreements with the EU are underway and confidential.

Should we trust our Trade Reps.Trump says our Trade Representatives are bozoz. Is Trump right?

Lets pick one and verify Trumps claim.

From White House . Gov website I found the resume of Susan Schwab. She was a trade rep under GW Bush.

Here is her resume:

Ambassador Susan Schwab

United States Trade Representative

www.ustr.gov

Ambassador Susan C. Schwab was nominated to be United States Trade Representative by President George W. Bush on April 18, 2006, and was confirmed as USTR by the United States Senate on June 8, 2006. As USTR, Ambassador Schwab is a member of the President's Cabinet and serves as the President’s principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on trade issues.

Prior to her appointment as USTR, Ambassador Schwab served as Deputy USTR with a portfolio overseeing U.S. trade relations with Europe and Eurasia, the Middle East, and the Americas. In addition she is responsible for USTR operations involving the WTO and multilateral affairs; services and investment; intellectual property; industry, market access and telecommunications; and intergovernmental affairs and public liaison activities. Since her arrival at USTR, Ambassador Schwab has been actively engaged in the development of U.S. strategy in the Doha Round multilateral trade negotiations, and successfully concluded bilateral free trade agreements with Peru, Colombia, Panama and South Korea.

Ambassador Schwab served as Dean of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy from 1995 through 2003. Immediately before joining the Administration, she held the position of President and CEO of the University System of Maryland (USM) Foundation and USM Vice Chancellor for Advancement. Schwab came to the University of Maryland from Motorola, Inc., where she served as Director of Corporate Business Development, and where she was engaged in strategic planning and negotiation on behalf of the company in China and elsewhere in Asia. Prior to that appointment she was Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service during the Administration of George H.W. Bush.

Schwab spent most of the 1980s as a trade policy specialist and then legislative director for Senator John C. Danforth (R-Mo.), playing a major role in numerous U.S. trade policy initiatives, including landmark trade legislation that Congress enacted in 1984 and 1988. Previously, Schwab served as a Trade Policy Officer in the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. Her first job was as an agricultural trade negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Ambassador Schwab is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA). She previously served on the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Board of Trustees of the Council for Excellence in Government and the National Selection Committee for the Innovations in American Government Awards program. She holds a B.A. in Political Economy from Williams College, a Masters in Development Policy from Stanford University, and a Ph.D. in Public Administration and International Business from The George Washington University.

Ambassador Schwab has published articles and a book on U.S. trade policy and legislation (“Trade-Offs: Negotiating the Omnibus Trade Act,” Harvard Business School Press, 1994), as well as articles on U.S.–Japan trade relations, trade politics, and public policy education.

In addition to the time she has spent working overseas, Ambassador Schwab is the product of a Foreign Service family and grew up in Africa, Europe and Asia. She currently resides in Annapolis, Maryland.

I would like Trump to look this lady in the eye and tell her she is stupid.

Obviously Trump is painting with a broad brush, but do you really disagree with the baseline assertion?

Take the resume above.

1. Child of Diplomat.

2. Student in lots of awesome schools.

3. Revolving door political appointee.

4. Teacher.

There is an obvious component missing and that's precisely what Trump is saying. You couldn't of chosen a better example. Trump doesn't seem to differentiate between R and D on this, so choosing a former Bush flunkee doesn't resonate the way you may have hoped for.

Does BB point out that, unlike with US credit cards, you have no statutory protection from credit card fraud with any Thai CC? So, that means you are on the hook for all charges on the card including fraudulent ones. While it's possible that a bank may decide to make you whole in the event of fraud such a step is entirely at their discretion.

No promotion could persuade me to assume such a risk.

Now that you mention it, recall reading that here in the past, maybe that's what put me off previously. Thanks.

I'm not going to argue that Thai Consumer Protection Laws equal such laws as in many western countries...nope, not going to do that. However Thai banks do have processes/policies for lost/stolen cards, disputes against charges you didn't make, etc.

For example review the Bangkok weblinks on their credit cards especially the FAQ link, Forms Download/Credit Card Dispute links, etc. A few are listed below.

http://www.bangkokbank.com/bangkokbank/personalbanking/dailybanking/creditcards/Pages/CreditCardPromotion.aspx

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/DailyBanking/CreditCards/FAQs/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.bangkokbank.com/bangkokbank/personalbanking/dailybanking/creditcards/formsdownload/Pages/Default.aspx

Yes US consumer protection is stronger on CC

As you mention protection consumer protection exists in Thailand, just not as strong. As a customer, I've had the odd dispute or fraud transaction related to my CC in my time. All resolved in my favour.

Also when previously working for a bank here I'd come across cases where complaints had been made / fraud etc and there were processes in place. CC are not my specific area, but as a senior person in the bank, I'd see specific cases or general procedures/ systems come up from time to time when escalated in different forums.

When people say "no statutory protection in Thailand" for CC that's just plain wrong.

Thanks, Fletch.

Go to a Bangkok Bank that has a currency exchange desk...Take your ATM card & passport.....

Ask for a cash advance - they should give you a slip to sign & you can take out up to 60,000 per day....

Does anyone know if this works with Krungsri Bank (yellow bank)

Tia

Sent from my Vi10Pro using Tapatalk

Varying reports on Thai Visa about different banks and different branches of the same bank, not accepting Debit/ATM cards for over-the-counter (OTC) transactions like this. Some report success using a credit card instead of a debit/ATM card.

Just rock up to the counter of your Krungsi branch and give it a go, mindful that branches not familiar with exapt/foreigners might say no simply because they don't know. If you hit the "No" wall and detect hesitation and unsure body language with the front line teller, ask politely for the supervisor and don't break the face of the teller who said no. I've been told no at my Krungsi and Bangkok Bank branches in the past, but patience and a little persistence resulted in success.

Is there a budget to keep the big beautiful wall maintained and secure?

Lets see. 2,000 miles? You would need a guard post every 1,000' or so. About 10,560 guard posts, each post would need at least 2 on duty with 3 shift a day. About 85,000 full time guards.

A security headquarters every 25 miles, each overseeing 100 guard posts. About 3,000 staff there.

Every 100 miles you need a big government building with 75 people doing paperwork. Thats about 1,500 paper shufflers.

Each state will need a huge main headquarters too.

And a large building in DC with 2,000 staff might be a good estimate.

Maintenance centers every 50 miles sounds about right. Around 40 facilities with lots of trucks and heavy equipment, warehouses etc. Probably 4,000 staff.

A fleet of choppers too so you need 15 airfields, pilots, fuel stations and hangers.

And there better not be one place anywhere where some clever guy builds a ladder one foot taller that the wall. Then your whole plan is like...screwed.

A wall/fence is not a singular solution to keep people out of a defined area.

It is one aspect of an integrated system to define and defend a perimeter, and the asset(s) contained therein.

A wall/fence establishes a line of demarcation. It provides a psychological and physical barrier, and diverts people/traffic to a defined, controlled ingress/egress point.

For those who do attempt to breach, it creates delay, which increases their exposure and detection by visual and/or electronic means.

Trump's wild proposal is really just Physical Security 101. A no brainer.

T

<snip>

Trump really is the death spiral agent of the party, unraveling generations of proud Republicans, smearing them with his slime, causing many to support him and make themselves look like idiots, as we've seen on this forum, and making them hang their head in shame.

I know, isn't it great?

Other relevant comments taken into account..... I still think this one was a good effort.

Not sure what you're able to do, but I tried to link my Schwab checking account to BB NY for ACH xfers. No can do online. Called and the guy said no as well, told me to try Bill Pay.

Turns out I could link the default brokerage to external accts on line, no problem. I just did my first ACH last week. Xfer from checking to brokerage, took a day to reflect, then brokerage to BB NY.

Unless something has changed from a few years ago you can setup ACH transfers link from the brokerage account online...that is, the ACH trial transfer deposits to validate. Can do all online...just as you figured out.

However, but, to setup the transfer links for Schwab Checking or Savings accounts you can not do it online....you must mail in a form with the routing/account number requesting setup of the transfer link. For a Schwab checking account the online link will appear for use once the form is approved. And for a Schwab Savings account once again you must mail in a form with the routing/account number requesting the setup of the transfer link..once approved the online link will still not appear online but you can tell "call-in the transfer" as the Schwab rep will see the link is approved in the system and accomplish the transfer for you...the Schwab rep called it a Phone-in Transfer Link.

A person can easily do an internal transfer from his Schwab Checking or Savings account to his Schwab brokerage account...from there a few seconds later you can do the ACH transfer out from the brokerage account to Bangkok Bank or whatever bank you have a transfer link setup to in the brokerage account transfer section.

Schwab pushes ease of use for its brokerage account but for the checking and savings accounts they are still mired, probably intentionally, in the "mail in a form" world to setup certain things. They much prefer to get you to use their brokerage account in trying to get you into the stock trading world so they can make stock buy/sell commissions. And still to this day if you have a Schwab Savings account you will get a Schwab Savings account statement by mail monthly if the balance change during the month...otherwise you still get a quarterly statement mailed to you---can not turn it off....I've asked several times. They do not do e-statements only for the Savings account although they do e-statements only for the brokerage and checking accounts if desired.

Yeap, the Schwab online system and policies are geared towards your brokerage account with much less emphasis on the Checking and Savings accounts.

Yup, that's what it was. Oddly enough, when I set up some investments through a private broker a couple years ago, Schwab was one of the accepted custodial brokerage firms to hold and monitor the assets. My broker and the investment fund group didn't want to use my existing Schwab brokerage acct, so they did the paperwork to open another, tagged IA managed (independent advisor), so now I have two. Schwab takes their monthly fee straight out of it, as well as funds my broker's quarterly fees to him. That's probably the rub.....

The original brokerage acct stays at zero but happy that I finally figured out it is my ACH platform to external accounts.