skatewash

Interesting recent news out of Phuket: https://www.thephuketnews.com/expats-caught-up-in-phuket-visa-scams-face-being-forced-to-leave-the-country-84812.php

Interesting about Kasikorn dispersing up to 50k baht. I haven't tried it. Know that Krungsri Bank's limit per transaction is 30 bills or 30,000 baht and Bangkok Bank's is 25 bills or 25,000 baht. Using the Charles Schwab card I have a per withdrawal/daily limit of $1,000 USD so wouldn't be able to take full advantage of the Kasikorn capacity unless there's a marked change in the USD-THB exchange rate. ????

In my experience I am able to take up to $1,000 equivalent out of Krungsri Bank ATM (maximum of 30,000 baht) in a single withdrawal, so in my case that is my single withdrawal and daily withdrawal maximum with Schwab ATM Debit card. This is the "High-yield" checking account.

Yes, but was able to open one from Thailand using a US virtual mailbox address (CMRA called Traveling Mailbox). US citizen. Schwab could have determined it was a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency rather than a residential address but they didn't investigate. This was about 7 years ago.

AEON is only 150 baht/withdrawal with foreign ATM card, which is the cheapest in Thailand except possibly using your CitiBank card at the CitiBank ATMs in Bangkok if you have a foreign CitiBank account.

Charles Schwab does, full reimbursement shows up at the end of the month in my account. There are no known limits to how often, but am limited to 1,000 USD/day by CS.

As stated, make sure you really "have" to use an agent and are not using one simply because it's "easy" or "convenient" or "all the cool kids are doing it" because sometimes it ends all rather badly. https://www.thephuketnews.com/expats-caught-up-in-phuket-visa-scams-face-being-forced-to-leave-the-country-84812.php

The current ATM withdrawal fee in Thailand for foreign ATM Debit cards is 220 baht. You pay the same fee if it's a Charles Schwab or Fidelity card, but you will get reimbursed for the full amount of the fee. In the case of CS you get reimbursed once a month (if needed) toward the end of the month. This article explains some alternatives if you don't have a card that will reimburse you the ATM fees: https://ramblingj.com/how-can-i-avoid-atm-fees-in-thailand-3/

Update: https://www.thephuketnews.com/expats-caught-up-in-phuket-visa-scams-face-being-forced-to-leave-the-country-84812.php?fbclid=IwAR0GePPllQJxEp2E_V8A1CfSTjq4sUNL_GpiYZtJmzCRBgkfIDjdkRC5EWo

Cardless ATM Withdrawal at SCB Instructions: https://www.scb.co.th/en/personal-banking/digital-banking/scb-easy/how-to/cardless.html I believe the ATM Debit card you can get from SCB is a Mastercard and costs annually something like 200-300 baht.

I got an ATM Debit card for my SCB EZ Savings Account and I'm not a Thai citizen (just a retirement extension holder). As an aside: I think it's possible to use an SCB ATM without an ATM card: https://www.scb.co.th/en/personal-banking/digital-banking/scb-easy/cardless-atm-info.html

It can seem like they ask for all passport pages, but really all they are interested in is the following: Copies from following passport pages: Detail page Current visa/extension All extensions from last Non-O visa or transfer stamp to new passport. (If applicable) Last entry stamp TM6 departure card Passport size picture.\ Item 4 can be a long chain if you're working with years of extensions and encompass many pages. That's why I was pleased that they seem to draw the line at your newest passport, which has been pointed out has the information relating to your original visa in the stamps that are transferred from the old passport.

Can confirm that they want all three of these at Phuket: Signed and stamped bank letter AND Signed and stamped bank statement showing the required money and duration before application date. Copy updated Thai bank book name page and last 12 months transactions. (aquire all bank papers and update bankbook on the day of the application or the application can be denied) Please make sure that all papers have the same balance mentioned https://piv-phuket.com/long-stay-extensions/retirement/

Good report, thanks! One point of clarification: I was able to get a retirement extension with just my new passport (which only had the stamps transferred from the old passport). However, advisable to bring your old passport just in case. Better to have things you don't use, than to need things you don't have. ????

Thank you for all the replies. It turns out I have a 1,000 Mbps download and 500 Mbps upload speed plan from CAT for 890.00 baht/month. It looks like there are 1,542 more different plans than there need to be but thanks to the previous suggestions I think I've narrowed it down to the following (in order of desirability). Note: all of these plans offer download speed of 1,000 Mbps and upload speed of 500 Mbps: 1) AIS has a fiber optic plan called "2 Power4 GIGA Special II" for 529.50 baht/month. Requires a 2 year contract and comes with the following free extras: Get a new SIM number, AIS Unlimited, Speed 10 Mbps, free calls to all networks, 200 minutes. AIS PLAYbox box, PLAY Family for 24 months, VIU Premium for 12 months. 2) True "Gigatex PRO CYOD" for 399.00 baht/month (Note: CYOD means that you have to purchase a router, available from True for 1,690 baht.). Requires a 1 year contract. (The annual cost of this plan is 6,478 baht, while that for AIS is only 6,354 baht.) 3) TOT "MAX DFiber" for 590.00 baht/month. 4) 3BB "GIGAFiber" for 700.00 baht/month. Seems like an easy choice at the moment. One seems to get a lot of extras with the AIS plan (phone data plan and calls, PLAY Family and VIU Premium TV). Doesn't seem like the 2 year contract is a bad deal with the 529.50 baht/month price tag. There are cheaper plans available at slower speeds but since I've become accustomed to 1,000/500 Mbps, it didn't seem advisable to downgrade just to save even more money. Hoping to be able to port my existing phone number from DTAC to AIS with option 1. Thanks again for the advice!

I am looking for the best value for fiber optic (FTTH) internet provider in Phuket. I have been with CAT's C Internet service for 8 years at 952.30 baht/month. Service is satisfactory, but I have been told that I am overpaying. I erroneously thought I was stuck with CAT, but I guess there are other competitors that offer FTTH in this area, such as True, 3BB, and maybe others. I will be going to CAT office in Phuket Town to see if they can find a better (less expensive) package for me. I have an enquiry in with True to see if they have a package for me. Anyone have a Fiber Internet package for Phuket you would like to recommend? Thanks. If I found the online information available from the providers the least bit helpful I wouldn't be asking. ????

Use the site:aseannow.com tag in a Google search to restrict looking to just the aseannow.com site. If you forget this tag just do Advanced Google Search and restrict the site to aseannow.com. Google site:aseannow.com obtaining refund of tax withheld on thai bank fixed savings account returns results such as: Using search within Aseannow.com is not worth doing in my estimation. Yes, the link referenced answers the question posted.

There are two different busses that go to the Phuket Airport. The so called Airport Bus goes from the Phuket Bus Terminal to the airport. The Smart Bus goes from Rawai Beach along the west coast (including Kata, Karon, Patong, Kamala, etc). The maximum cost for either is 100 baht. Phuket Airport Bus: http://www.airportbusphuket.com/timetable.php Phuket Smart Bus: https://phuketsmartbus.com/

Also recommend the Smart Bus. If you're pressed for time it's not the fastest, but otherwise very nice. It drops off/picks up at limited number of stops (basically one in a village/tambon, so only one stop in Patong) so you need to consider how you are going to get from the bus stop to your final destination. Smart Bus information: https://phuketsmartbus.com/

I acknowledge that you don't see what point I'm trying to drive across. I wish you much happiness with whatever decision you make.

In my experience the developer's agent will tell you what they need to tell you to get you to purchase a unit. I bought my current unit seven years ago. The first Annual General Meeting was held this year, seven years after I started living there. Parts of the common area remain unfinished. There was no oversight of the developer's management. We, the owners, do not have access to our sinking fund (meaning we don't know where it is, what the balance is, etc.). We do not have access to the account where our maintenance fees are kept. We do not have business records to support the expenditure of the maintenance fees. The developer was stripped of voting rights at the first AGM and subsequently they have not cooperated by sharing any of their business records concerning the management of the building and are completely unresponsive to our queries. Many units remain unsold and are still owned by the developer and/or the bank holding the mortgage on the units. Some owners who have paid for their units in full do not have their chanotes because the developer will not go the the Land Transport Office and complete the registration. Yes, there are several ongoing court cases involving owners and the developer, some of which have been going on for years. The owners who haven't received their chanotes have had to pay ongoing legal fees to have their units removed from auction. But hey, the pool is done. Looks nice. ????

I would be interested if there is a functioning board of directors as specified under the Condo Act. When was the last Annual General Meeting? Can you get copies of the minutes of that meeting? What is the monthly budget of the condo? Which of the current owners if any are not current with their maintenance fee payments? With unsold units (that is, units owned by the developer) there may not be a functioning board of directors and the condo may be "managed" by the developer without any oversight by the other owners. A developer tends to finish those parts of the common area that will have the most appeal to potential buyers, such as a swimming pool.

A unit/building/property before construction is completed which is being developed according to a plan (off-plan) but hasn't finished yet. Colloquially referred to as "buying a pig in a poke." Much riskier than buying an existing building, because the range of things that can go wrong is substantially greater than with an existing structure. Often there is some reduction in price from the anticipated price once the structure is completed offered as compensation for the added risk. Rarely if ever worth it, in my opinion.

Three points, only one of which answers your question. The other two, however, might be more important to you long-term. Let's start with the answer first. 1) Unless you are legally working in Thailand, meaning you have a work permit issued by the Labor Department, the money to buy a freehold condo under the Condo Act must come from outside of Thailand and be documented to have done so. So in your scenario, the money would have to be sent outside of Thailand (for example, using Dee Money) and then transferred into Thailand from outside (using perhaps a service like Wise or directly by a wire transfer from your non-Thai bank using SWIFT to your Thai bank). Using either of those methods you can get from your Thai bank a document that specifies that the money was internationally transferred into Thailand for the purpose of buying a freehold condominium. 2) While true it's a buyer's market it's even more a renter's market. The list of things that can go wrong by renting versus by buying is considerably shorter. Something to really think about. 3) Buying a unit off-plan puts you effectively into business with your developer. The success of your developer (for example, selling sufficient units to other people to make your condo a going concern) becomes of great concern to you. The list of promises made by your developer is very long. Your satisfaction with your purchase is very much dependent on the success of the developer in being able to keep most or even any of those promises. In the event your developer cannot, for whatever reason including general economic conditions, his problems will become your problems. By definition buying off-plan means buying into a condominium which does not yet have a functioning board of co-owners. There's no guarantee that such a board of co-owners will ever exist (or as in my personal case it may take 7 years after purchasing the condo for it to exist).

If you are not married to a Thai, are under 50 years of age, and not legally working in Thailand, then the Elite Visa might make sense for you. If you are married to a Thai, are at least 50 years of age, or working legally in Thailand, you are much better off with a Non-O visa for marriage or retirement, or a Non-B visa for work. You can get a driver's license on any non-O visa, Non-B visa, or long-term extension, and also on the Elite Visa.