sanuk247

Without taking exception to what anyone says, the OP said he still has his working and functioning Visa-card; it will just not trigger the ATM cash advance option. He wants cash post haste.

He can go to any bank branch in a Tesco or BigC and they will be open on the Monday holiday and he can try the cash advance option with his card AND his passport. If that doesn't work, he can then try the gold thing as that is a merchandise purchase rather than a cash advance transaction. If he calls the fraud unit at his bank back home, then he is S-O-L until a new card arrives via courier.

Indeed you are correct. Call the fraud department and your SOL. I had same thing happen only the ATM ate the CITI Bank card. CITI Bank has what they called a Emercency Cash Option which would get you about $500 (USD) in emergency funds, so I figured that would be enough for me until they issued a new card so I called the fraud department in my home country and cancelled the card.

Went to a CITI Bank branch (I was in Phils) the next business day to get emergency funds. Turns out the CITI Bank in the Phils only had some kind of loose relationship with it's naming to CITI Bank International, hence no emergency funds. Long story shorter.. Bottom line: No emergency funds... New card issued but only to address previously listed in your home country.. Won't send new one to a existing CITI Bank branch.. Had to get friends involved and resend card from home country... Local CITI Bank branch was absolutely no help... 48 days later received new card that had been remailed by friends. Be careful out there!

I am in Klaeng, it is ok but not a lot to do . Near to Laem Mae phim though , so that is ok. Would rather be in Rayong though.

Understand there was a big fire that took a few restaurants out in Laem Mae Phim over the last Loy Krathong celebration. Have not been able to get down that way since Loy Krathong. Any knowledge what the area is like now? Rebuilding?

This van service I mentioned in front of Petra store has always been great for me. Used them a couple of years and now they come pick me up at my house when I make a trip out. I think if you get their business card and call them after you've cleared the airport asking for the next van coming out of Bangkok to stop at Lad Krabang station to pick you up, they could accomodate you.

I take public transportation out of Ban Phe to the airport and also use the public transportation for return back to Ban Phe and what works best for me is:

Flying out: Van out of Ban Phe to Lad Krabang railway station then BTS into the airport. I use the van service located right in front of Petra's Market on the main road in Ban Phe as have found them to be best.

Flying in: There is a express bus service to Pattaya ($150 baht) leaving from the same level the taxi's leave from. Walk to your left just before exiting the terminal and their booth is all the way down to the end of that corridor. From Pattaya you can get a van into Ban Phe ($200 baht). Other option is a bus out of Pattaya to the Rayong bus depot, then songthaew from the depot into Ban Phe. Be aware the songthaew service ends around 7pm if you decide to go into Rayong.

Not surprising each immigration office in Thailand can have different requirements in regard to 90 day check-in. In Rayong office, each 1 year renewal of the 1 year retirement visa requires proof of

a) residence

b)meeting financial requirements (new each year)

Those requirements have been stated above in previous posts. For 90 day check-in, filling out the TM.47 is all that is required and they will issue you a new 90 day stay form attached to your passport page. You need only visit them again on or near the issued to date stamped 90 days in the future from this visit where you will go through the process again.

Korean Air has 1 year air tickets where the return can be changed at any time during the 1 year from purchase date. $100 USD.fee for change.

Most of my farang friends here in Rayong Province are living a family lifestyle. Married or living with a Thai lady, sometimes children, choosing Rayong Province as the province has excellent Thai and International schools, adequate shopping and services, good transportation network and doesn't receive flood runoff from the north. Beach living if desired, moderate rent or home purchase cost and for the most part single pricing rather than a double standard. Most friends go about their daily lives seeking only a good quality of life for themselves and family.

What's not to like? Perhaps the heavy industrial areas incorporated into the province, well traveled truck traffic on barely adequate roads leading north towards Pattaya as well as littered beach area's that lack a display of pride. Certainly there's more that you can pick apart, but for the most part Rayong Province holds a pleasant lifestyle.

Sounds like it's where the bookstore was right behind Christies. Christies is easy enough to find as right on the main drag in Ban Phe.

Sad to see the loss of future Thunderbird support as a great email program with hardly any downside. Used it since inception, but with the ever changing internet landscape I suspect Mozilla experienced less and less demand for the program as more users navigated to the online email services. The big somehow keep eating the smaller which is without a doubt no benefit to end users. Let's hope someone will continue the project.

Ban Phe and Ban Chang are areas we are looking at moving to. Preferably buying land (about 1 rai) and building a house about a km away from the sea. Have only found a couple of agents so any contacts will be useful.

Many 1 Rai land parcels being sold for building sites all around BanPhe/Rayong area, 1km or less from the sea. Average price seems to be 1M bht although I have seen several selling for less in the past year as sales have slowed. Many agent's here but my suggestion would be to make the trip, talk to several agent's, look around on your own, rather than lock into an agent's listed property's. Plenty available to see by word of mouth and of course better "deals" can be had.

Old thread... but hey!... it's ongoing news.

Live in the small fishing village BanPhe. BanPhe is best known for being the water gateway to Koh Samet island. Has several piers where there are water taxi's and ferry's to make the short trip. Not a bad place once you get over the drying fish smell from the sellers stands that line the main Soi catering to tourists.

Primary local income derived from fishing, catering to along with transporting tourists.Good to above average restaurants in the area, Tesco-Lotus, local shops, along with a seaside Aquarium that is worth taking the time to view. Nice beaches that are clean and uncrowded just past the southeastern end of the city. Good local markets which open up several times a week. Many foreigners live here full time from several different country's with most having Thai wife/gf. Two prices for most things. tourist and local. Not surprising really as this is a high volume tourist area with most tourists going over to Koh Samet for only 3-4 days. Transportation is great as you can quickly get transportation in and out BanPhe from/to most anyplace in Thailand. Rayong.. larger city.. (hospital, malls, etc;) is 15-20 minutes away by songthaew.

All in all, happy here!

Two years lerking is long enough! Thanks to all the great posters that allowed me to make the transition from retired USA, to U.S, expat retired in Thailand. Living along the beach south of Rayong with a great Thai lady and her 12 yo son. Enjoying the experience and wish I had made the move much sooner in life than I did. Enjoy sailing (in Mexico), diving, water related activities. Much respect to the T.V. community.

Hard to find a truely professional airline around anymore unless your a first-class traveling passenger. Air Asia in my experience seems to have the same type issues over and over without any effort of correction. Flight delays, cancellations, misinformation to the traveling public, unproffesionalism, are right at the top of the list. Sorry to hear of your bad experience.

Two years now in Thailand but new to the board. Living along beach near Rayong Great communications at this site so hope to be active in the future. Saying hello!