Traveling Sailor

The dreaded birdman king of the creative price list.

I heard he retired. Hopefully for you lot that still live in Samui.

I've done 3 Retirement extensions in Samui. Never got charged more than the 1900. Last August I tried to give them an extra 100B because they were so nice and efficient. They wouldn't take. I asked if they had a "tip" box and they said, "no have".

One price box EMS to USA was THB 1400 before. Now it's THB 4800 (5kg). Up more than 300% overnight !

How will this help the struggling exports ?

Thai post ahs nothing to do with struggling exports, since exports are sent through sea and air cargo.

How much is a 5kg box EMS from USA to Thailand?

I guess the coorection was long overdue if you look at how much you pay for the same package in the other direction. Keep in mind that both directions use exact the same services between the borders..

4800 baht for 5kg!? That would make it the most expensive EMS country. (Please proof me wrong by checking all other countries' rates). I only checked US to Thailand which is around 2400 baht for flat rate up to 20lbs, and from Netherlands to Thailand which cost around THB 1400 for 2-5kg parcel.

EMS is express

2-5kg package international express mail from Netherlands to Thailand is 89.85 Euro.

http://www.postnl.nl/tarieven/tarieven-spoedservice/pakketten/?country=th

Up to 5kg express mail by USPS to Thailand is 90.95$

http://ircalc.usps.com/MailServices.aspx?country=10424&m=13&dpb=0&mdt=2016/01/05%2008:00&mt=24&dok=XX&dvi=100

So, does this make sending a package from Thailand to USA by UPS or DHL cheaper than by Thai post?? Does anyone know?

Bye Bye Thailand. This is the straw that breaks my back. I will do my retirement extension next month for the 5th and last time.

I will move to a country that actually likes expats. This one obviously does not. What a bunch of idiots. Killing the geese that lay the golden eggs.

Bye TS .

A couple of questions f I may......

1. Why bother with the extension ?

2. Which country has more to offer and what is the cost ?

1. Because I've been here 5 years and need time to get rid of accumulated stuff. I'm in no rush to leave. Just won't put up with the new income rules. Dealing with Thai banks is dicey enough now.

2. I need to do the research. I know that Mexico has very favorable climate for retired expats, but don't know the costs.

I may just go back to America. I really love the Bay Area.

Mexico ?

That would be a nice peaceful country to retire in

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/22/mexico-firefight-drug-cartel-region

Like I said, research is necessary.

I still consider the requirement to bring the same amount of money into the country every month as dumb. As far as I am aware, the rule now states that one must bring in a minimum of 65,000 baht per month. I transfer around $2100 from my American account to my Bangkok account every month. It automatically gets converted to Thai baht in the process. I never know how much baht will arrive because the exchange rate is never the same. So, bringing in the same amount of baht every month will not work for me. Plus, I need the flexability of bringing in more, if and when I need it. But then, the ability to think and reason is required.

Bye Bye Thailand. This is the straw that breaks my back. I will do my retirement extension next month for the 5th and last time.

I will move to a country that actually likes expats. This one obviously does not. What a bunch of idiots. Killing the geese that lay the golden eggs.

Bye TS .

A couple of questions f I may......

1. Why bother with the extension ?

2. Which country has more to offer and what is the cost ?

1. Because I've been here 5 years and need time to get rid of accumulated stuff. I'm in no rush to leave. Just won't put up with the new income rules. Dealing with Thai banks is dicey enough now.

2. I need to do the research. I know that Mexico has very favorable climate for retired expats, but don't know the costs.

I may just go back to America. I really love the Bay Area.

I live on Koh Samui and hear it, or them, outside my window, all hours of the day and night. I sometimes respond to it to have a conversation but I don't think it works. I have never seen one. They seem to be shy. Since my windows have screens and I have never heard one inside, I doubt that they are in my house. Gekos, well I seem to have a family of those. They are welcome because they eat bugs.

Great answers....thanks. The wife is Thai but is a US citizen. Also, I don't meet the 65K per month pension.

Thai Immigration requires you to show either/or/combination. I'm an American on a retirement extension. Depending on the exchange rate, my monthly income meets the requirement or not. I keep a small reserve in another account, just in case the exchange rate dips too low. 65K THB per month (the monthly income requirement) works out to 780K per year. Immigration requires 800K per year. So, if your monthly income is say, 50K a month, to be on the safe side, you would need to have 200K in another bank account.

I hope this helps.

This is maybe the third of forth post I have read on TV recently that states that the proof of income letter, notarized by the US embassy was not accepted as proof of income.

Since I have been here on a non O (marriage ) visa, the notarized income letter from the US embassy is the only proof of income I have ever had to provide.

I understand that expats from most countries have always been required to show bank records or some other proof as well. But for Americans, the letter from the embassy has always been sufficient in the past..

I am starting to wonder if this is a change in policy / attitude toward US expats ot if these are just isolated incidents.

Have any other US expats been having this problem?

If so, what office have you had the problem at?

I am due to extend again in early July and have my letter already.......but it sounds like I may be asked for more proof this time???

Willy, I am an American expat, here for 5 years on a retirement extension. I go to Koh Samui Immigration and, as well as the letter from the American Embassy, I have always been required to make signed copies of every page of the Bangkok Bank account that receives my monthly income from America. My guess is that the reason for this is because, just because an amount of income is stated, that is not proof that you are actually bringing the money into Thailand to use here. I hope this helps.

I wish the Thais deported Farangs for slagging off Thailand and Thais.

If they did, there wouldn't be any more Thai Visa forum.

You will not be able to get a license , so don't bother. The Health Dept would require proof that you are a registered pharmacist (licensed in Thailand) or employed by a registered pharmaceutical company, and also want to see a work permit. This regulation is aimed at commercial import.

Technically, one does need an import license to bring in any pharmaceutical (inc. vitamins), even for personal use, unless it comes into the country with you (and in that case there is a 30 day supply limit). However most of the time customs lets small quantities for personal use through (especially if sent by regular air mail and not courier).

How have you been receiving this? If by courier, my suggestion is to just switch to normal air mail and keep the quantities small, and hope for the best.

Thank you Sheryl. I have been using the US Postal Service, not a courier. That is why I was really surprised by the attitude of the Samui Customs people.

Edit: Upon reading your reply several times, I finally "got it". So, it looks like I have to find a pharmacy that has an import license and work a deal with them. Do you think this is possible?

Possible provided the items are approved for user in Thailand - basically what would have to happen is that you would arrange for the pharmacy to import the items for you and then you buy them. But it would be a huge hassle.

Are you certain these items are not available in Thailand or nearby e.g. Cambodia?

no, I am not certain. I purchase them and have them sent by a California friend of mine who is a distributor. These suppliments are designed for and used by "alternative medicine" practitioners so I'm guessing they are not known in this part of the world. I have one more resource I will try. Thanks for all your help and advise. Very helpful.

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Suppliments for personal use. Nothing that requires a prescription in America.

without knowing exactly what you are bringing in , perhaps its now classified as a drug here ...if it is then forget it ...

You may be right, cdmtdm. After all, TIT, and they can do anything they want to do.

The suppliments I receive are from a company called Premier Research Labs and I get them through a company called Total Health Secrets. Each container is labeled 'Dietary Supplement". It seems to me that anyone who uses logic would not classify these as a drug. But, again, TIT. alt=whistling.gif> alt=facepalm.gif>

Thank you for your input.

Seems many so called manufactures/distributors of "Dietary supplements" end up in trouble with the American FDA !

http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/2014/default.htm?Page=8

Suppose the Americans can do anything they want to when chasing down the Quacks Charlatans and Snake Oil Salesmen !

Yes, nzexpat, same as every government in the world, I suppose. And, I am sure there are scams in most countries, including NZ. However, I have been taking these suppliments for over 10 years now and they work quite well for me. They have kept me off heart medicine, with all the side effects, and safe from type 2 diabeties for a very long time.

Have a good day.

Suppliments for personal use. Nothing that requires a prescription in America.

without knowing exactly what you are bringing in , perhaps its now classified as a drug here ...if it is then forget it ...

You may be right, cdmtdm. After all, TIT, and they can do anything they want to do.

The suppliments I receive are from a company called Premier Research Labs and I get them through a company called Total Health Secrets. Each container is labeled 'Dietary Supplement". It seems to me that anyone who uses logic would not classify these as a drug. But, again, TIT.

Thank you for your input.

You will not be able to get a license , so don't bother. The Health Dept would require proof that you are a registered pharmacist (licensed in Thailand) or employed by a fregistered pharmaceutical company, and also want to see a work permit. This regulation is aimed at commercial import.

Technically, one does need an import license to bring in any pharmaceutical (inc. vitamins), even for personal use, unless it comes into the country with you (and in that case there is a 30 day supply limit). However most of the time customs lets small quantities for personal use through (especially if sent by regular air mail and not courier).

How have you been receiving this? If by courier, my suggestion is to just switch to normal air mail and keep the quantities small, and hope for the best.

Thank you Sheryl. I have been using the US Postal Service, not a courier. That is why I was really surprised by the attitude of the Samui Customs people.

Edit: Upon reading your reply several times, I finally "got it". So, it looks like I have to find a pharmacy that has an import license and work a deal with them. Do you think this is possible?

Suppliments for personal use. Nothing that requires a prescription in America.

For 4 years now, I have received a box of suppliments from America almost every month. Most of the time the package comes to the post office, I go to the post office and pick it up. Sometimes I have had to pay a fee, most often not.

Three or four times I have gotten a notice saying I must go to Customs House to pick up the package. At customs house they have me open the package, show them what is inside, pay a fee and be on my way.

In late March I received a notice saying I should go to Samui Customs House in Nathon. When I showed up on 1 April, I was charged a 30% import tax and told that before I received another package I must obtain an import license. I was handed 2 sheets of paper, almost all in Thai. There was a web site listed which I accessed on the web. It was 100% Thai so no help to me. I showed the papers to a pharmacist I know and she said I have to go to the Health Department in Surat Thani, fill out forms to get license.

Has anyone else experienced this?? Does anyone know what I should expect in Surat Thani??

Any information or advice will be greatly appreciated.

Power also called on countries in the region, particularly China, to stop sending North Koreans seeking asylum back into the country, which was one of the inquiry's concerns. China did not allow the commission of inquiry to visit China for its work.

So our good Chinese friend dare to send back the poor North Koreans seeking asylum. What an incredible shame!

Yes. Is this the kind of friend that is really good for Thailand?? Perhaps, for the current government it is. How truly sad.

So will anyone notice one less taxi?

It seems that these Thai quasi-governmental organizations have an ossified culture frozen in time from the 1970s, resistant to change, and staffed by bureaucrats who have jobs for life.

They need an injection of proactive professionals who can keep up with the times, with independent directors who ask the right questions.

It seems you are not familuar with the Thai education system. Thai children are taught not to question. In fact, if a Thai school child has the audacity to question a teacher, there are sometimes dire consequences. The only way that a director will be comfortable asking questions is if (s)he has spent time studying outside of Thailand and has learned that it is OK to ask questions and enguage in critical thinking. I don't think that Thailand has produced too many people who are comfortable with being proactive. I don't know, but I would guess that being proactive is against "Thainess". To put it another way, "proactive" and "ask the right questions" is not a sheeple trait.

Whether we agree with his release or not is not the issue here. But to throw him back into prison for not recharging a battery is pure spite.

or just a loophole to get him put back inside..how he didnt get life for 40 rapes is amazing..in any country i would have thought...

For 40 rapes he should have gotten death by firing squad or maybe castration and release. Either way the cost of keeping him alive would have been reduced to zero.

What I don't understand is, what right does the temple have to place stuff any place they feel like it? I can understand if they placed the "advertisement" on their own property, but on public or someone else's property, I have to agree with the villagers.

I don't agree that countries should be allowed to carry out penalties that are just plain wrong, without criticism.. Who agrees with the public beheading of women in Saudi ? Yes Indonesia has expressed their right to carry out the sentence, which some posters agree with. But I look at it and say that they have already been punished for 10 years in a terrible environment, but still in that environment, as a lot of people believe, they have reformed. They were only very young when they performed this crime.

Additionally if the execution is stopped it is not that they go free, they will still spend the rest of their days in an Indonesian jail.

It is true that they will not go free. However, by keeping these idiots in prison for the rest of their lives, the Indonesian government would have to pay for their keep, which is very costly.

The government is doing the smart thing. Upholding their law, not giving into sloppy governments who cannot seem to keep their nationals from exporting drugs and saving themselves the possible expense of taking care of these people until they die of natural, or un-natural, causes.

The dollar remains strong and will for the next few months. Must remember that we live in a financial world that speculates..., often recklessly..., so these moves (or non-moves) by TH have little bearing in the near term because the baht is pegged (mostly) to the dollar.

So either way, we should see the baht devalue to the USD in coming weeks. I think it will get back to and hover around 33THB.

I sure hope so!

Get rid of the lot! So many Thai schools seem to be run by Neanderthals.

April 8??

What timely reporting.

And what about insurance when a pick up takes 10 or more people on the back of the truck?

Yes! And what about the thousands of vans, nation wide, who cram 15-16 people in and drive them everywhere, for a fee??