BigOm19

Thanks a lot for the tip, siam2007. I will check Fortune Tower out. That's a very apt description of Pantip Plaza! I have been ripped off there before.

Hi, I have a Phicomm x100 that's still under warranty but their service centre in Singapore won't accept my posting it there for repairs. It was an impulse buy. I know Pantip Plaza but not specific repair shops. Could anyone recommend one please?

If you have an ASEAN driving licence you can in theory drive on your domestic licence. Getting a Thai driving licence is one of the easier tasks to accomplish in this country. The centre on Sukhumvit soi 62 should be able to rustle up an English speaker. Within 2-4 hours and after a few rudimentary tests (almost impossible to fail) and the payment of 550 baht you should walk out with your Thai licence. You get 1 year in the first instance then 5 years renewable. I went there for my 2nd 5 year licence earlier this year.

Thanks very much for the detailed answer, millwall_fan, especially on the 2nd question!!!

I decided to go with RSU Healthcare on Sukhumvit Road near soi 31 because it's near where I live. Found them by sending a bulk query on WhatClinic.

http://www.thaivisa.com/thai-driving-license.html

Q1. It says drivers holding licenses from Laos, Malaysia and Singapore do not need Thai licenses but I think this means if you're on a tourist visa. Otherwise, you'll need a Thai driving license?

Where can I verify this information if not here?

Q2. Also, could anyone recommend a centre in Bangkok where I don't have to bring along a Thai interpreter to take the tests perhaps?

Thank you in advance.

Thanks, all. Have tried WhatClinic.com. Getting replies now.

.... though generally want to avoid central business district areas past Chitlom.

I just had my first general check up, clean and scrape in Thailand at Bumrungrad Hospital Dental and found them a bit expensive (around 1400 THB plus miscellaneous charges).

Recommendations for alternatives? Thanks in advance.

Question is just how much water do you drink ?

The big 20 lt bottles delivered cost 15 baht each. if you use this water just for drinking = much cheaper per year then the replacement filters and UV lamp.. Then you have to buy the machine, plumb it in, maybe have a problem or breakdown in a few years....

I bought one + was expensive 11 years ago, lasted 6 years... now buy the 20 lt Mineral water @ 50 baht delivered

We would drink an estimated 90-100 18.9L-bottles/year from Sprinkle x 60 THB = 6000 THB at average current usage.

At those rates, it's likely we would need 2 changes of filters a year 1615 THB x 2 = 3230 THB

+ 1 change of UV light/year = 1600 THB

I think Sprinkle uses Reverse Osmosis as part of its process. Fluoride in tap water is a concern.

... It just occurred to me we do go to the loo more often here on Sprinkle than in my home country where I have an alkaline ionizer. Think I will have to consider that instead.

Dear All,

An update: I eventually decided on the eCosway Hexagon Alkaline Hydrogen Water Filter.

http://water-h2o-alkaline.blogspot.com/2013/09/hexagon-alkaline-hydrogen.html

It costs more than SPRINKLE in the first year. I spent more than I was expecting to but that's ok for what I'm getting. Now that we've started cooking occasionally, we're washing vegetables with fresh lime juice or vinegar with water to remove petrochemical pesticides. So we average more water than previously stated, nearer the 8,000 THB mark or more. The Hexagon should pay for itself by the second year. I wanted something that removes chlorine and fluoride. AquaTech offered to fit me an extra "alkalizer" with their existing 4-stage filter - it could have worked but they didn't have the write-up in English describing the materials and process. Although I’m sure if I pursued it some more, the very personable and helpful Khun Nippadol will have come up with something.

Again, my own experience has been that my body absorbs alkalized water better. Reverse Osmosis (eg. SPRINKLE) is not enough.

Do note that this is the budget model (there are 3 others on the eCosway website including a cheaper, more portable version), water flow is quite slow and works best for a family of 2. It takes around 13-15 minutes to fill an 18.9-litre water cooler drum three-quarters of the way. Since the spout is very short and the edge of the kitchen sink isn't level with the worktop, it stands rather awkwardly. When filling, the unit has to be tilted to reach the mouth of the water cooler drum. The drum fits my smaller than average kitchen sink. Empty drums available at HomePro at around 250 THB each,.

I haven't cut the hose it came with for the time being until I decide what to do about the positioning to make it more aesthetic. Likely wall brackets to lift it off the sink but close enough so that the spout can drip into the sink when not in use which it occasionally does. Water from the kitchen tap splashes on the unit when we're doing the washing up. Not that that would affect the unit since it operates without electricity. The casing of the unit is flimsy, wouldn’t hold the weight of the unit like drilling a hole into it to hang like a picture frame off the wall.

It costs 9,900 THB with all four cartridges, with an extra cartridges #2 and #3 free as these have to changed every 3000 litres. Cartridges #1 and #4 are changed every 6000 litres. eCosway members get a substantial discount – membership is free once you buy a filter.

The eCosway shop in Times Square Sukhumvit is no longer there as listed on their website, only at The Mall Ramkhamhaeng, open daily. English on the phone is limited - they couldn't answer questions on any of their filters – but in person Khun Wason was eager to help and great at demonstrating the self-installation (English plus body language).

Information from the US site:

http://www.ecosway.com/usstore/us/ProductDetails_us.jsp?prodId=48121&categoryRefNo=0&categoryGroup=DP

I may have considered getting one of the more expensive options if I didn't already have a water cooler.

Thanks so much, UbanJoe!!!

Hi Mario, are you addressing me? Foreign child studying in Thailand, I'm a non-Thai parent applying for a Guardian visa.

This is from the Bangkok Immigration website as of last night (20 October 2014):

Source: http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/base.php?page=service#

In the case of being a family member of an alien who has been permitted a temporary stay in the Kingdom
for study in an educational institution according to Clauses 2.8 or 2.9 hereof (applicable only to parents,
spouse, children, adopted children, or spouse’s children):

(1) The alien must have been granted a non-immigrant visa (NON-IM).
(2) The alien must have proof of relationship.
(3) In the case of spouse, the relationship must be de jure and de facto; or
(4) In the case of children, adopted children, or spouse’s children, said children, adopted children,
and spouse’s children must not be married, must live with the alien as part of the family, and must
not be over 20 years of age; or
(5) In the case of parents, funds must be deposited in a bank in Thailand, under the father’s or the
mother’s name, of no less than Baht 500,000 for the past three months. For the first year only, the
applicant must have proof of a deposit account in which said amount of funds has been maintained
for no less than 30 days prior to the filing date.

1. Application form
2. Copy of applicant’s passport
3. Copy of the passport of the alien who has been permitted to stay in the Kingdom for education
purposes
4. Copy of documents showing proof of relationship, such as a marriage certificate, a birth
certificate, registration of child legitimization, household registration certificate, child adoption
registration certificate, or other evidence issued by the government or relevant agency
5. Only in the case of Criterion (5), the applicant must attach a funds deposit certificate issued by a
bank in Thailand and a copy of a bankbook.

Hi all, I'm about to file my extension of temporary stay for the first time. I must have misread earlier - I have at least 500,000 THB in a savings account under my name in Bangkok Bank that's been maintained for the last 3-4 months.

Does it HAVE to be a deposit account? I think I will set it up today anyway to be safe.

Thanks in advance.

Question is just how much water do you drink ?

The big 20 lt bottles delivered cost 15 baht each. if you use this water just for drinking = much cheaper per year then the replacement filters and UV lamp.. Then you have to buy the machine, plumb it in, maybe have a problem or breakdown in a few years....

I bought one + was expensive 11 years ago, lasted 6 years... now buy the 20 lt Mineral water @ 50 baht delivered

We would drink an estimated 90-100 18.9L-bottles/year from Sprinkle x 60 THB = 6000 THB at average current usage.

At those rates, it's likely we would need 2 changes of filters a year 1615 THB x 2 = 3230 THB

+ 1 change of UV light/year = 1600 THB

I think Sprinkle uses Reverse Osmosis as part of its process. Fluoride in tap water is a concern.

... It just occurred to me we do go to the loo more often here on Sprinkle than in my home country where I have an alkaline ionizer. Think I will have to consider that instead.

Hi we use a Mazuma reverse osmosis water filter and have done for a number of years. They are a Thai company based in bkk and their customer service is excellent. Spare parts readily available and technical help too. Can personally recommend http://www.mazuma.co.th/

Hi Karen and all,

I have called both Mazuma and Aquatech. Customer service at the 2nd was a bit sketchy but they got back to me with an English speaker in about 15 minutes. Mazuma has a dedicated English service. Very smooth. At first, I was leaning towards Aquatech only because their HQ is nearer where I live but I really liked the ease of the customer service at Mazuma.

There's a current promotion price of 4990THB for the full Mazuma AQ-5F-UVS valid till 10th Oct 2014.

Replacement filters cost 1615THB for the set (to be replaced once a year) with UV lamp 1600THB.

I'm still waiting for the brochure from Aquatech....

Thanks again.

Thanks very much for the replies so far. Checking them out...

Links would be great.

Please describe your own experience in using it (them). Thanks.

Have done a search but the most recent threads are quite a few years old.

PS: I'm living in a condo, not a house.

Got back to Bangkok yesterday and went to the wet market at the Asoke/Ratchadaphisek Road junction, behind exit 3 of Asoke MRT station. I'm usually out by 5.30am for Khlong Toei to beat the rush hour traffic but we got to Asoke market before 9am. I don't recommend parking in Terminal 21 - at that time of day the entrances through the shopping centre are still closed and you have to make your way through the employee, delivery and rubbish collection entrances.

It's a small-to-medium-ish market but substantial. About five to six small fruit stalls facing Asoke with at least two stalls with a wide selection of vegetables, a few stalls of dried food stuffs and meat. Not too wet and smelly as wet markets go.

Very happy as saved a bundle instead of shopping at a supermarket, I don't have to go to Khlong Toei any more. Excellent. Thanks all.

I'm nearest Bumrungrad hospital but the last time I was there for numbness in my left arm, I was shunted to a sleazy ethnic Chinese male specialist from a female GP that I had requested who said I needed a specialist and paid over 2000 THB for the visit and some Vitamin B????!!!

I saw that Dr Donna at MedConsult in Sukhumvit 49/9 was recommended but this was a few years ago. What are the charges for a basic consult? It doesn't have to be a farang doctor at all, Thai is fine, English-speaking and preferably female. Please.

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know the limit for packages into Thailand before you are charged customs?

On the iHerb site, it currently says there's a limit of $80 for orders to Thailand though I can't tell if this is the same as the customs limit:

PS: I ordered about 3-4 packages under $60 including international postage of $4 earlier this year without customs charges to central Bangkok but the above notice is fairly new. First order to Bangkok took about 3 weeks, subsequent orders were quicker, around 10-12 days.

Suggestions please. We are off Lower Sukhumvit, only speak a little Thai, don't mind travelling. We've heard of Hair by Phonatip but his prices are steep.

Western supplements in Thailand are very expensive. I order from iHerb.com. International postage to Thailand is a flat rate of $4. I have kept my orders under USD$60 as I read somewhere on this forum there's something like a 30% customs tax if a package value is over that.

PS: My first order to Thailand from iHerb took about 3-4 weeks. Subsequent orders were around 2 weeks (to central Bangkok). Hope this helps.

Have been going to Khlong Toei, more occasionally Khlong Toei slum on Nana, Lumpini Park and a little clutch of stalls in the soi after Thonglor. Khlong Toei is vast and chaotic but can't beat it for variety and price. Just want something a little closer and easier as I go at least twice a week. Suggestions and directions please.

Might be a slightly obscure question but I have faith in this forum. I may be travelling in north India this summer and came across some Buddhist pilgrim clothes at a stall in the foyer of Ploenchit Centre yesterday that seemed to answer my question on what to wear that won't stifle me to death in the Indian summer heat but they were expectedly rather expensive. At something like 470 THB for a blouse. I have to get a few for daily wear but not willing to invest in things I'll only ever wear in India because of their regressive attitudes towards women. Kurta blouses have never really worked for me because of the straight down cut.

Thank you in advance.

Thanks for the response, Arkady. Yes, a small window, my child is already 18.

Just got this response from a consultant of the legal site link in my original post, dated 6 May 2014:

Dear .........,

Thank you for contacting us.

We regret to inform you that there is no way to circumvent the THB500K requirement.

Please, feel free to contact us whether you have any other additional requirement.

Thank you.

Best regards,

Valentin Declercq

Managing Director (Consultant)

Thanks so much for your lightning response, ubonjoe. You've also answered other posts of mine before with the same succinct thoroughness. Grateful!