jeffandgop

I've lived in Thailand the last 8 years, and over these last 8 years filed my U.S. tax return using my Thai address and designating my refund be direct deposited into my U.S. Credit Union. Never a problem.

About a week ago my "stimulus" payment was direct deposited into that same account without a fault.

The IRS refund tracking website states my 2019 tax refund status as "Your refund was mailed April 17".....did they really mail it?  Don't ask me to contact my bank, I've already done that and they do not have the refund payment..... 

14 hours ago, Greenside said:

Windsor PVC guttering is OK.  Thai Vinyl on Hang Dong road next to the Geriatric Hospital or Veera Panich (now called Home Mart) next to the entrance to D-Condo by Central Festival are the main outlets in town. You can also go to their factory: 

The WIndsor showroom is on the third ring road, at the intersection with the road 1001.

If you drive from Meechock Plaza on road 1001 heading north, turn right on road 121, the showroom is on your right side.

I suggest going there if you can, Thai Vinyl seemed expensive to me.

Thanks..I know Windsor- its their PVC windows we installed in our home..they're just a few K away...

12 hours ago, CGW said:

Have to ask why? whats wrong with VG, I used same, it has been perfectly functional for 6 years now.

In one area the gutters began to leak thru a seam...their rep, who installed the system, no longer is in business.  Although VG acknowledged that the installation was performed properly, they refused to honor the warranty and I had to pay for the repair.  3X they came out to repair; each time it leaked worst than when they started work.  The repair area was near my pool; I shouldn't have to tell them to bring ground cover to protect the pool deck and pool, but I did before they came to repair.  They didn't, dropped a section of gutter with all of its debris, making a mess.  After finishing one repair, I climbed the ladder to check and discovered they had thrown all of their trash in the gutter.  They took the old section of gutter removed- about 20 feet, and threw it in the lot next to my house after I asked and was assured they would take it away to discard.  Their rep is too afraid to confront their sub who does the installation.  They're <deleted>.  I don't want them near my house again.

I'm replacing my existing PVC rain gutters that are installed to my carport. I want PVC only and if anyone has a product/manufacturer they might recommend, please let me know. We currently have a gutter system manufactured by VG Gutter but I am looking for another manufacturer........Thanks!!

29 minutes ago, toper3jr said:

From my experience, tellers here have VERY LIMITED, knowledge, training and capabilities.  They can't access accts other than yours at their bank, so transferring From another bank is OUT of the question.  And the response is typical when they don't know what else to say.

Let['s distinguish what the OP's states as his experience. He/she wrote "Wanted to withdraw from my bank back home and deposit it my accpunt here".  I understood that the OP had a debit card capable to make a withdrawal (or cash advance) at an ATM or OTC, but the teller would not effect an OTC transaction.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I did not consider that the OP's request was to have Krungsri take the responsibility or action to withdraw from the OP's bank without a debit card or was asked to do a transfer from the OP's bank into his/her Krungsri account. IF the OP's intent was to "withdraw from my bank back home" using his/her debit card, I have never had an instance where anyone at any bank here said it could not be accomplished OTC UNLESS that bank did not have the machine inside their branch.  THAT I have come across...

16 hours ago, gargamon said:

I have had many different banks refuse to do OTC withdrawals from my foreign ATM card. Even more frustrating is finding a branch that does do it but refuses because my card's numbers aren't  embossed. I have a branch now that accepts my non-embossed cards without issue. It's funny when they get temporary staff from other branches who initially refuse but need to be overridden by senior staff.

 

And no, I wont tell what branch as I'd hate if they got busy and I'd have to wait...

My debit card is not embossed as well but does have a chip.  I don't have any problems at any bank using it...

9 hours ago, Pib said:

My experience has been different.  I've done over the counter withdrawals using my US debit card at Bangkok Bank and Krungsri Bank multiple times over the last two years.  Both had a limit of Bt150K at the branches I used.  I asked for Bt160K to get closer to my US card's $5K daily/per transaction over the counter limit (only $1K at an ATM), but the branches quickly responded Bt150K was their limit....I said "OK. that's fine" and then proceed to process the Bt150K transaction.

I have my account at Bangkok Bank Chiang Mai (Meechok Plaza).  My bank limit is set at $5K (approx 15)K) but I can contact my bank to temporarily raise that limit and then go to Bangkok Bank and effect the withdrawal.  Done this any times. Possibly what your branches are telling you is really their limits as set by your US bank.  Try to request your US bank to allow a higher withdrawal amount and see what that does for you.....

7 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Has your card a visa or mastercard logo?

Yes

2 hours ago, pgrahmm said:

Usually only banks with cash exchange counters/services do this....All branches do not.....

 

Once at a bank that does this you just ask for a cash advance with your Visa debit card & passport.....They'll process it and hand you the cash....Up to 400k at BKK bank....

I've run into some tellers that didn't know, or know how to process it - another teller usually takes over & runs it....

I don't think you were discriminated against....

Actually Bangkok Bank does not have a 400K limit for a deit card withdrawal. The limit is whatever your home country bank sets. I withdrew 500K last month

24 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

How can you demand from a bank in Thailand to withdraw from an other bank in another country. You have to either wire the money into the Thai bank from your other account or do it via the ATM. It is impossible for the bank to do that.

Instead of discrimination by the bank, it is stupidity from the customer in this case.

You’re wrong. I can go to my Bangkok Bank branch, present my US debit card and ID (Thai DL is fine), and at no fee or charge by Bangkok Bank, withdraw at the counter from my US account, any amount of baht up to the limit set by my US bank. Done this a dozen times in the last year. 

11 hours ago, Madgee said:

I use the 400k method for my marriage extension and was asked for a 12 month statement for the first time this year!

Apparently, it's to check that you are spending YOUR money in their wonderful country and not working illegally.

 

I can understand that but make it a legal requirement so that we can prepare for it and not just at an I.O's whim!

 

I use the Fixed Account method to "season" my funds.  This means once deposited I don't touch it. So it doesn't prove at all whether I'm spending money or not....did the IO tell you that they want a 12 month statement to check if your spending money?

13 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

It's to check that ALL the seasoning rules are met. 

 

Additionally, I was advised today that CM are now requiring 2 copies of all documents.

If one is applying for an extension of stay based on marriage, and is using the financial requirement of having 400K deposited in the bank, then the ONLY "seasoning" requirement is that the funds are in a Thai bank, in the applicant's name only, no less than 2 months before applying for the extension.  There is no requirement to show where the funds came from, nor is required to be in the bank for any period of time other than the 2 months before applying. After receiving the extension that money can be fully withdrawn.

For the financial requirements, did you use the method of having 400,000THB in a Thai bank account for a period no less than 2 months prior to making the application for extension of stay or the monthly income of 40,000THB and working in Thailand?

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

 

It's built in to the pump, but since your downstream valve stops the cycling that's not the issue anyway.

 

If you've already got isolation valves from your previous issues, time to start closing them. At least then when you find a plumber you can point him the right way.

 

I feared as much...thanks for the quick response and advice.....God I just hope it's not leaking in a few runs that are under concrete!!

27 minutes ago, saengd said:

That would be my guess also, especially since you said that turning off the downstream valve cause the problem to go away. Get under that house my lad and start looking, again.

I've looked already and could not find myself...that's why I'm asking/needing plumber person recommendation...

BTW- About 6 months ago I suffered a similar problem...After 3 days of crawling under the house and installing cutoff valves in the water lines feeding the house, a pin hole leak to an outdoor shower (the farthest point away from the pump)  was finally identified and repaired....I fear that a pin hole leak somewhere in the line is the culprit...

Saengd- Thanks for your input...my pump is less than a year old and is Hitachi Inverter Model WM-P400XV- a very high quality unit.  Do you think the bladder could actually lose gas in less than a year?  I had another Hitachi pump that had no problem for the 5 years that it ran before this current one...what do you think?

43 minutes ago, Crossy said:

It could be the pump inlet non-return valve leaking pressure back to the tank (we had a similar problem, you could just hear the valve burbling when the pump was stopped).

 

Does your pump have a shut-off valve on the outlet? Does closing it stop the cycling?

Hi Crossy!  I don't have a non return valve between the tank and the pump.  I do have a shut off valve I can close downstream from the pump and yes, when closing that valve it does stop running. I keep this valve closed now unless I need to do laundry or shower as I have a bypass that I open that provides water without going thru the pump but the pressure is very poor.  This added pic shows the run of water from the tank to the pump and the blue shutoff valve post pump.

I live in Chiang Mai (San Piseua) and need a plumber to locate/repair an apparent water leak.  My pump cycles on and off about every 4 minutes running about 30 seconds.  I have checked and re-checked inside the home for any leaking toilets, water lines, valves, etc. and no issues there.  I have crawled under my house and not have seen any leaks but it is a difficult area to see clearly and the leak is very small I suspect.  Anyone have experience with a professional competent tradesman?
Thank you.

Jeff

20 hours ago, LawrenceN said:

Similar story, I was there last week for a re-entry permit. I sat for over two hours. Used to take ten minutes. 

I was there last week for a re-entry permit. It took no more than 1 hour. I arrived at 1:30PM, received my question no. within 5 minutes, with 7 persons in the que in front of me.

1 hour ago, NeeNoon said:

I was waiting for you.  I knew someone here would twist this to be my fault.  You can state all you want that I "should have known" what to bring, but the reality is, I specifically did a dry run there with my documents to GET THEM CHECKED, and they failed to tell me the rental contract is not accepted, nor that I need the ORIGINAL KorRor22, or that I need the company certificate (original not required) or that I needed the owners chanote.  

 

Do you get the picture?   THEY are the officers who accept the documents, its not up to me to try to guess what is needed.  I WENT TO CHECK.  Just because I had previous 8 extensions does not mean I knew exactly what is needed, especially since some years I used an agent.  About the lease agreement, I am not saying they should have accepted it, I did not even know that it was expired, however after having my documents checked, if they KNEW that the expiry date in the rental contract is important, than why not check it at that time and advise me?

 

Why try to say I should have been better prepared?  Thats a stupid thing to say when I tried my best to be prepared and then went there for them to cross check before I brought my family.

 

What about when I first went to get the application form, I asked for a list of whats required for this extension, and the lady gave me the print out and the application form, but, she did not give me the "official" paper that the map needed to be drawn on, I knew about this and had to ask for it.  Also, the "list" does not have many many of the items that are required is using Thai income.  Is that so difficult to make one complete list of all the requirements so people don't have to make multiple trips?  It seams that THEY don't want people to be able to do this themselves, as they do not receive kickbacks from the agents then.  Its that simple.

Your statement "Just because I had previous 8 extensions does not mean I knew exactly what is needed" still indicates some level of non-preparedness on your part.  If you used an agent then you should have all of the information and documentation that the agent used to assist you in your preparations.  Blaming the IO for not catching your expired lease? That's still you. I went to IMM last month and also asked for and was given the same list you said you were given.  Item 7 of that list specifies the monthly income requirement as well as a requirement for a copy of the company business registration if you're employed in Thailand (7.2).  Anyway, in pre-checking your docs yes, the IO may have missed it the first time...but it is STILL your docs and you missed it too; that you might get away with something wrong the first time doesn't mean it is right.  Sorry sincerely for all you had to go thru...

22 hours ago, NeeNoon said:

They don't just have interns checking the paper, they have the actual officers.  But that does not matter, as they are not correcting all the paperwork at the front desk when they check them, on purpose I believe.

 

I went to renew a non-O visa based on marriage, and using my income from my Thai company as proof of funds.  Went in on a Wednesday afternoon with all documents.  Pass paperwork to the intern at the desk and as she is looking over all the documents, she actually says, "Oh my god" and then passes it to two officers next to her.  They each take a stack and begin to go through all the documents.  They asked where is my wife and 2 year old, and I said I am here to check documents only, so as to minimize the time inside with my toddler.  They find 3 items that are missing or wrong, one is a marriage certificate that we need to go to the Amphur to obtain.  The lady writes down on a piece of paper the items needed.  I take that and leave.

 

We get the documents then on Friday morning I am there at 7am.  I just got in with the first batch of 50.  Wait for the second que number then call my wife and tell her what time to be there.  They are there at 9am and we are seen shortly after.  Same two ladies at the counter checking documents.  I give them mine.  Then they ask me where my company certificate is.  I said what?  I show her the paper and the list, and she did not write that down.  My blood pressure is rising now.  She holds up an application with the certificate to show me, and I said, yeah, but you did not tell me to bring that.  She gives me my documents back and I get a number, so I think it must not be a big deal.

 

We wait.

 

Get called to counter 4 and hand my documents in.  Lady there asked where my company certificate is?  I told her I was here a few days ago to check documents and they did not inform me I needed it.  She said they only check documents but don't know whats needed??  That makes no sense at all.  This lady then rejects our rental contact, saying the date in it is expired!  I am not happy at this point.  She then also asked where the original copy of our marriage certificate is, the one we were told to get.  I showed the list and no where did they write bring original in.  Everything else is two copies of everything, but this they want the original.  I happen to have it with me, so no issue.  This lady writes down a list of and tells my wife what we need.  We leave.

 

Next week I am there at 5am, a few people in front of me.  Call my wife and tell her to show up at 8:30.  Now, the lady officers that originally checked my documents are at the counter and the other one is checking documents, so they switched places, which tells me they ALL know what documents are needed.  I go to the counter, wife and baby shows up and had the lady, who we last saw, our documents.  She checks everything then asked us where is the chanote copy of the house we are renting?  Now, my wife holding our baby is not happy, and tells here we where here multiple times and they never said anything about needing a chanote copy.  How can three offices all working on screening the documents not know what is needed?  Are they really that incompetent or are they corrupt?   I don't believe that when someone does this day in day out that they do not know what documents are required.

 

So we give the documents to the two ladies at the counter and are protesting that they are now requesting the chanote copy of the house we are renting.  They say ok, we feel sorry for you, so bring it to us later.  Thank <deleted>, as the house owner is in Europe, so its not so simple to get.  They accept our paperwork and we leave, and I vow I will leave this county as soon as I can.

 

Then, we get a call that because this is our first extension, the police will come to investigate us.  I had previous 8 years of visa extensions in my passport however forgot to get a re-entry permit one year and everything lost.  How crazy is that? 

 

Police come like a week later.  Call us and say bring a witness.  Wife gets next door neighbour.  Police show up, walks in house with a laptop and printer!  Sets up his desk.  Asked me a few basic questions, then proceeded to grill the neighbour with what are ridiculous questions.  Asking her, what my job is, what my salary is, what is my licence plate number, what is my passport number!!  Jesus, my own wife would struggle with those questions!  Am I a drug dealer, have I ever fought with anyone in the area.  It was ridiculous and we had to apologize to her for this.  He printed off a bunch of documents, had her sign then left.

 

This country has NOT been progressing, its been re-gressing and we have had our fill of it.  Plans are in place to exit.  I pay income tax here of almost 10K a month, yet get no social benefits are are subjected to this kind of treatment every year.  People say use an agent, well, we have in the past, and even using an agent we were called to go back to immigration to RE-SIGN every document as the officer said I did not sign where he stamped.  Well, I signed first, then he stamped, so logic would say HE did not stamp where I signed!  Every single year its something else.  Agents wanted 9000 to do the extension, which I thought was a bit high, so decided to do it myself.  If they would just tell us whats needed the first time, there would have been no issues, but THEY want us to be frustrated so a we use certain agents so they can get tea money.  This is what is going on and its pathetic.  I am sure there will be some posters here that will try to spin this to say it was our fault somehow.  

 

 

 

22 hours ago, stament said:

I have sympathy with you, they sound completely incompetent. I always take originals with the copies in case they ask to see them, I know it's not asked for but I always prefer to be prepared just in case.

 

While I too empathize with NeeNoon's struggle, I have to wonder that, after 8 previous extensions based on marriage and income based on company funds, why he would need to be told to bring originals of any or all documents he may have- one should always have originals in the event IMM wants to compare the copies given- I mean, did the list have to state for you to bring your "original" passport in order for you to submit your request?  For marriage extensions, a KorRor 2 or KorRor22 (depending on your marriage registration) is required every year- why didn't the OP have that as part of the routine?  An expired lease agreement? Why would one expect that to be acceptable?  Now the chanote request was way off base- I would expect copies of the owner's ID & Blue Book is all that is required.

No, I do not agree that the incompetency was solely on the part of the IO's in this case...OP's experience should have enable him to be better prepared.  IMHO.....

39 minutes ago, Pib said:

Review the link given in post #22 of this thread....extensive IDD info and your questions answered in that post link. 

 

But to give you some semi-short answers, the currency rate used for IDD is determined by the US Treasury or a contractor bank the US Treasury uses for the IDD payment...the rate is determined several business days before the actual payment date.  The IDD rate used is not published anywhere but can be easily calculated by knowing how many USD "net" (i.e., after taxes, Medicare Part B, or other deductions) you are paid along with review of a Thai bank credit advice or the Thai bank SMS notice of the payment like how Bangkok Bank provides a free SMS notice of international transfers if you are signed up for their free SMS Remittance Alert.  

 

The only IDD fee is the Thai bank "Bahtnet" receiving fee which is typically Bt100 but could be higher if your acct is at an upcountry Thai bank (i.e., outside the metro Bangkok region). 

 

As with the Thai bank "ACH" receiving fee of 0.25% (Bt200 min, Bt500 max) which is "not" reflected on your passbook or ibanking but is reflected in a credit advice or SMS notice, the Bahtnet receiving fee is also "not" reflected on your passbook or ibanking but is reflected in a credit advice or SMS notice. 

 

And here's some updated info to the link given in post #22 regarding IDD use, exchange rate, fees, etc.  The below chart shows info for the 3 Feb payment via IDD or ACH along with an "eight month" average of payment via IDD or ACH.   I have a family member receiving SSA pension via IDD since Jul 2019 so I've been tracking payment data like exchange rate, fees, etc.  But see the link in post #22 for more info.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pib- My bad....I read the post #22 but did not read the full linked post.....thanks for taking the time to still point the info already being on that linked post and your add info in your reply to me.....

Regards,

J