rapom

Well, reading comprehension is once again, at the forefront of someone's misunderstanding. The OP was not asking for advice, on which visa to apply for. He is asking as to which of the 4 Thai consulates in the US, he should apply at for his visa. That is the question he asked.

Sort of like your post, you mean, where you didn't suggest one of the consulates?

And, technically speaking, he was asking for advice....advice on - and I'll quote - "where to get first O-A in the US?" (Hint: it's in the subject line of the thread.)

Yes, that was his post question and what I responded to. I gave him a choice between Chicago and LA, based on my experience last year. Maybe other posters have had experiences with New York and DC. I do not. Also, in case my vision is failing, tell me where in his post, did he ask how much it costs and especially what you paid for yours?

Well, reading comprehension is once again, at the forefront of someone's misunderstanding. The OP was not asking for advice, on which visa to apply for. He is asking as to which of the 4 Thai consulates in the US, he should apply at for his visa. That is the question he asked.

I have obtained 60 days entries from both Los Angeles and Chicago in the past 18 months and LA was definitely the easier of the two. I made my first trip to Thailand, in Dec 2013, on a 30 day stamp and stayed 3 weeks. When I got back to my home in Missouri, the temperature was 9 degrees and there was 10 inches of snow. I was still employeed at the time, but I decided to take early retirement and return to Thailand. Took my accumulated vacation to cover most of January and worked the last Friday of the month, to obtain company additional company benefits. During this time, I finalized my fight details for 60 stay. I called the LA Thai consulate and inquired about getting a visa in person. Was told I could apply and receive visa next afternoon. So I flew into LA, Feb 9, two days early to make consulate visits, prior to my LA departure. I did it this way because I was worried that mail service delivery might be delayed for home delivery. Everything went as planned. I decided to return to Thailand in July. for another 60 days. This time I decide to drive the 5 hour trip to Chicago and apply in person. It seemed like a good road trip, after 4th of July. Chicago and LA websites both offer two day service. I planned to leave home at 3 am, arrive well before lunch, stay overnight, pickup next day and go home. On arrival, submitted the required paperwork and included all the information that I had used in LA. Clerk says he needs to see airline ticket with return date and also letter from bank or copy of latest bank statement for proof of finances. Having neither with me, I had to call my bank to email a copy to the consulate and find WiFi service to download my flight information from Expedia. After getting this done, he accepted my paperwork and said come back in 2 days and pick up. I remarked that website said 2 day service. He said "that's right, tomorrow one day, next day two". I referred to my previous LA visit, picking up next day. His response "This Chicago not LA". That being said, I used LA mail service for my third trip. But even with considering how much effort my application process took, if you live near Chicago, I would take your wife with you. With her being Thai, it might be easier for you, than it was for me. PS If you do decide to apply in person, I would call them first and confirm what documentation you need to bring. Do not rely on the website.

You know if this had been titled how to Open TBH Account on a tourist visa I could understand the OP's problem but we are missing something here

I have only dealt with this WP mantra once, and that was when I opened a Bangkok Bank Account so I could take advantage of the NY branch's ability to process EFTS. When they started this work permit nonsense I told the young lady to call the main Bangkok Bank office and ask them, sure enough after a few minutes of conversation on the phone she got back on her computer and I had my account in a few minutes, with ATM card and the ability to start Internet banking using that card at a BB ATM

It was a coding issue and a specific code had to be inputted to override the WP requirement during the application process

The vast majority of us have had no problem getting a Thai Bank account using a Non Immigrant Visa without a Work Permit so, IMHO, the OP's story is the exception not the norm

The title of the post would make no difference. Myself and many others that responded have opened accounts on 30 or 60 day entries, with success. I have opened 3 in the last 18 months with less drama and did not require anyone's help. I consider myself pretty self sufficient and have some common sense. I think that helps alot.

Sorry I mean one of the sim cards I buy in the states. Thanks

I think the OP's question has been answered. Numerous posters have strayed from the question asked. He is not asking about what T-Mobile sim to buy. He wanted to know if the phone he purchased in Thailand can be used in the US, when he gets back home. It has been answered that it will work, if it is unlocked , it can be used on att, t-mobile or gsm networks in the US. That is the answer.

I did not consider TMB because they do not offer English language on their website.

Ever heard of Google translate?

What a drama, better to simply visit as many branches of as many banks as possible until success, as oh so many previous threads over so many years have instructed.

Hmm, there must be something wrong with my keyboard, I thought my "drama" basically described me doing just that. Or better yet maybe all future bank account seekers should just go to Krungthai Bank since they are willing to do the extra work required to open an account without a WP and they say so on their website.

I think possibly you were the cause of all the drama, when you walked into each bank. My take of the scenario is you walked into the bank, asked to open an account and then started explaining why. "I need to put 400,000 baht in a bank account, to get marriage visa". This could be a red flag for the bank to question your legal status. Never explain anything, only supply enough information to achieve your goal, any more only complicates everything else. It took you 3 weeks to achieve what most of us, that responded to your post, have done in less than a day. I myself have saving accounts at 3 Thai banks, all opened since the US government implicated the new tax information. It took me less than one hour to open each account. This was my scenario when I opened my first account at Krung Thai bank, on which I had a 30 day entry stamp. The other two opened with 60 tourist entry. Went to the bank with future BIL who had account at the bank. Asked to open a savings account, to get an atm card. Put passport and money on counter. Signed all the paperwork and set PIN code. Whole process less than 45 minutes. Have since opened accounts at Kasikorn and Bangkok Bank without reference assistance. Also have set up account with New York branch of BB for money transfers. Living in Thailand is only as hard as you make it for yourself.

I believe I saw this computer at Tesco today. On the bottom of the spec sheet attached to the display, it says DOS.

I do not usually make but one critical post to a topic, but this has to be my exception. To all the posters that refer to the mahout's death "as getting what he deserved". What did he do to deserve to die? Did any of you even read the news reports, completely? All three articles? Do you lack reading comprehension? Nowhere in the articles did it say that he had or was abusing the elephant. According to the police investigation, his death was the result of the elephant seeing a "former" mahout, that had been abusive to him. The man who died, tried to calm the elephant down, but was trampled and gored to death. The former abusive mahout ran from the scene. So I ask again "why did he deserve to die? Just because you think he did? Justify your reasoning to the deceased man's family. Get off your soap boxes and try not to display your lack of intelligence, common sense and humanity.

You are not registering the phone, only the SIM card phone number. And yes the SIM providers are discontinuing service, if the number is not registered. I have used a AIS 3g hot spot for internet service, since March 2014. Returned to Thailand July 18, renewed my service and on August 20 added next 30 days. Two days later, I could not connect to internet. Went to AIS service center the next day and was told, SIM had been deactivated, for account not being registered. They entered id information and reset my account. I do believe that if you are not able to register your SIM by the internet, that you will still be able to have the same phone number, if you register in Oct on your return.

It amazes me, the number of people that read TV articles, then respond with some of the dumbest questions and ignorant comments. Here we have a person who has died a somewhat horrible death and three people certainly terrified, by their ordeal and then a successful rescue. The man killed was apparently not an intentional target, but the result. If you read the article and have more sympathy for the elephant than for the lives, lost or endangered, pity you.

As a side note to this article, the last person listed, Sgt Rodney Griffin, was a resident of Centralia, Missouri, 13 miles from Mexico, MO where I lived. Although I did not know him personally, nor meet him in-country, his older brother was a car salesman at the local Chevy dealer and did serve on the city council in the late 80's, when I was on the police force. The Sgt's family always had hoped that he had somehow survived the war and would return home. The family had been informed when he went MiA, but for several years did not know the details of his disappearance. His hometown had named a street in his honor. Over the years they learned the details of his last mission. They also had held out hope that a photograph of a blindfolded captured soldier, that they were sure was him. His brother displayed a POW-MiA flag till the day the family was informed his remains had been recovered and identified. May he rest in peace in the land of his birth, with his family near.

Thailand phone service works on same bandwidth as ATT and T MOBILE, plus some minor carriers that buy service from the former, Net 10 or Tracphone as example. If your Samsung was used in Thailand it will work in the US with the correct network SIM card. My Amazon Fire phone which uses ATT works in Thailand. I use DTac.

A nice retirement golden handshake from Sig S for the police chief. as for them selling them on its easy .

Get an independent ballistics firm to record the unique markings each gun makes when fired then if that gun is used in a crime the officer it was sold to initially would be held responsible unless he sold the gun with written official permission.

As for the other guns that the officers (allegedly) have they would not get the new gun until they returned the old one and if not ,,,,"Where is your weapon me old son"? no reasonable explanation "Bangkok Hilton" would have a vacancy i'm sure.

What a waste of money and useless ideal. Any so-called unique markings can be changed, with less than 5 minutes polishing of the barrel bore, firing pin and extractor.

MIL has a dog that sleeps a lot. Total exhaustion, there's not a female dog, in the village that hasn't had a litter of his offspring.

Well I see our resident racists have shown up, a couple still missing. Mike Brown doesn't have to be a baptist preacher, he was murdered. That cop didn't know diddly crap about him so his past has nothing to do with anything. Dawg whistles, dawg whistles. Many of you have a suspect past, admit or not.

No, he was not murdered. It was ruled justifiable homicide. His death came as a result of his own actions, after he had assaulted a police officer, attempted to take his gun, tried to flee and then charged at the officer, while being instructed to stop. Case closed. My question to you. What suspect past, do you have? For people to vilify this officer and make Brown a racial hero of this incident is distasteful. One year later, supporters are having a so called silent protest, today. There has already been vandalism committed, police officers shot at and at least one looter, shot by police. History repeats itself. All this,"because black lives matter". If the officer had been black and the victim white, it would have been second page news.

Would they, like normal conscientious/informed purchasers, require a sample shipment of, say, 100, to be inspected/tested/verified

before placing the major order ? Have they vetted the maker ? Or, and I am afraid it is, just another Golf ball detector or Drunk-o- meter- story to tell one's grandchildren ?

Fred. This hand gun is the number one police force weapon in the USA it was designed as a police carry weapon. It's not a prototype or a small company!

In the top 10, but nowhere near being number 1. I believe more police departments use Glock's and S&W's than Sig's.

Additional information:

My fiancée talked to Kasikorn again (the first time she did not emphasize that it should be a TBH account) and she was given another number to call. The person that she talked to at the new number said that bank requirements are that one must have a WP to obtain an account; however, it is up to the individual branch's discretion as to whether or not they follow those rules. She suggested that we visit different branches until we find one that will allow us to open and account. I have only been in Thailand one week and already I am understanding all that I have read for these many months about how things work here.

I posted over a year ago that BOT had changed the rules over visa status but everyone ridiculed the post.

This is what I was given by the bank in May last year. My multi Non O based on marriage was considered acceptable.

1. For Customer with Work , please bring these items:

A) Your passport. (Branch staff will take care of making copies of certain page such as Visa page and immigration stamp page).

A copy of your Work Permit

2. For Customer with no Work Permit but possessing a visa for long-term stay:

You can bring your passport to branch but please make sure your visa is a type that allow for minimum stay of 9 months.

3. For Customer who is currently enrolled in academic institute and has no Work Permit.

A) Your passport.

A letter from your academic institute to certify your status as a student.

C) A copy of your student ID card.

If these rules by BOT are in effect as you say, how was I able to open saving accounts at Kasikorn and Bangkok Bank, last November with only a 60 day Tourist Visa. In fact, the bank officers only looked, at my photo page information and not the stamped entries.

How can you not see a pick-up? Unless he was driving with no lights, which is always a possibility in Thailand. More likely, after being on the road for 11 hours, she was tired and/or lost concentration. By the way, it is also illegal in Thailand to ride in the back of a pick-up, for obvious reasons. But somehow the police never notice it happening thousands of times a day.

If it's illegal to ride in the back of a pick-up, why do the police transport those arrested, in the back of one?

The case is from a police hit by two cops who provoked a homeless intellectually disabled citizen in March of last year in an isolated spot.

As with the very recent police hit murder of an unarmed black citizen in Cincinnati which involved a missing license plate, the homeless man was straining a law that threatened no one; did not hurt or injure anyone. Police enforcement in each instance, as in many instances nationally, was a chickenshit police enforcement of a chickenshit law.

Yet the police murdered with abandon, if not for the fun of it. The Cincinnati bodycam showed the cop antagonizing the driver of the car in much the same way the Texas cop relentlessly pursued Sandra Bland OTT to her death in police custody with no witnesses, and in much the same way Ferguson cop Darren Wilson shot an unarmed man to death beginning with jaywalking.

"Folsom Prison Blues"

When I was just a baby my mama told me. Son,

Always be a good boy, don't ever play with guns.

But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/johnnycash/folsomprisonblues.htm.

Not jaywalking, but walking in the roadway ( which is illegal, if sidewalks are running parallel to the street). Then after he and his companion, were instructed to walk on the sidewalk. He then, in defiance of a lawful command, instead attempted to assault the officer (which is a FELONY) and was shot in the hand, while trying to take the officer's gun. Unsuccessful in his attempt, he tried to flee. While being chased by the officer, he ignored the officer's demands to stop. Instead, he then turned around and charged the officer, was then shot and died, at the scene. All this occurred shortly after, he had committed a strong arm robbery and assault of a convenience store employee. A grand jury was convened, who then reviewed the evidence and witness's testimony, and subsequently found, that Officer Darren Wilson was justified in his actions and WAS CLEARED OF ALL CHARGES. Why do news articles and people still continue to refer to this incident, whenever there is a white officer involved in a shooting, with questionable circumstances. If the race, of the officer and felon were reversed, this story would have been forgotten, the next day.

I have opened accounts at Krung Thai on 30 day stamp in Dec 2013, Kasikorn And Bangkok Bank, on 60 day tourist visa, last November. Only needed US passport for id. Bank officer never even looked at visa entries. At Krung Thai, future wife's BIL had an account there and was used as a reference. Other two banks not required, I just put the money on the counter and said I wanted to open an account. Signed the paperwork and received my passbook. These branches are in Surin.

Papayas grow extremely fast and provide an abundance of fruit within a year

In early March, I transplanted a Papaya tree that was about 2-1/2 feet tall and about 1 inch in diameter. Watered it every day and liquid fertilizer, once a week for first month. Went back to the states in early April. Told wife to water at least once a week, if it does not rain. Came back July 18 and tree is at least 8 feet tall and over 3 inches in diameter. Has about a dozen fruit and more flowers. We have 4 Mango's, which had their fruit ripe, in late April and May.

You do know that this free upgrade to Windoz 10 comes along with some rather egregious invasion into your privacy, right?

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-08-02/surveillance-state-goes-mainstream-windows-10-watching-logging-everything

If Edward Snowden's patriotic exposure of all things 'super secret surveillance state' in America were not enough, Newsweek reports that, as 10s of millions of hungry PC users download the free upgrade, Windows 10 is watching - and logging and sharing - everything users do... and we mean everything.

You do know that every time that you use Google or Yahoo or any search engine, it also collects information and shares it with online advertising companies. Most websites you visit, attach cookies to your browser. Microsoft isn't doing anything different than Android, Apple or Amazon.

Most notably, Missouri made no change to its law on when police can use deadly force, even though it apparently doesn't comply with a 1985 U.S. Supreme Court ruling barring deadly force against unarmed fleeing suspects who pose no serious danger.

So in Missouri it is OK to shoot and kill an unarmed fleeing suspect. Disgustingly warped and degenerate people must live in Missouri..

When you are fleeing from the police, that means you are running away. This was proven to not be the case in Ferguson. This suspect who had already attempted to take the officers gun, was shot as he running back towards the officer, not away, with the intent to assault him. A grand jury found that the officer was justified in his actions and should not be held criminally responsible. The 1985 Supreme Court ruling that you quote had no bearing on this case.

Oh sorry for the confusion, let me spell it out for you, they are utterly pathetic and I'd be worried if any of my loved ones needed their help in an emergency.

Most are untrained. Watching them pick somebody up off the road is frightening. They just grab arms and legs and hike them into the back of a pick-up truck or van. no thought for spinal injuries or internal bleeding. Often those who are rescued also find their wallets lighter when they get to their destination. It is a racket run much like to tow truck rackets in the west. We see them roaring down major roads in Bangkok, sirens blaring in a hurry to rescue their next victim and, ironically, almost creating more accidents because of their haste.

Says who? I'd love to see your evidence, and justification, for your promulgation of this urban myth.

You're obviously overlooking the general use of backboards by the rescue services. As for the lighter wallets bit, you think that the rescue services do all this thieving with all the witnesses that always congregate at the scene of these incidents? They travel rapidly using sirens precisely because they are en route to emergency situations, what would you like to see them do, sit in traffic and take their time?

As for their "almost creating more accidents", an accident either happens or it doesn't. An "almost" accident doesn't exist, that would be a non accident.

Listen up Sunshine. My post is based on personal experience. I suffered an acute medical emergency here (Bangkok) some years ago. I was fortunate enough that a neighbor witnessed my misfortune and was busily contacting significant other when I was descended upon by a bunch of guys in a pick-up truck who had been alerted to my situation by the nearby moto taxi chaps. (They get a commission for spotting such instances and radioing them in.) Suddenly there were two bunches of 'rescue teams' and a kind of a stand off ensued while they argued about who would carry me off. I was unconscious - I was hauled into the back of the pick up truck, despite the remonstrations of my neighbor. In the process of hauling me into the back of the pick up truck - one guy on each foot and one guy on each arm - they tore my rotator cuff joint in my shoulder. (This was the opinion of the doctor who treated me - he said it was not an uncommon occurrence and he had seen it occur before ) My shoulder has never fully recovered. When I came to in the ER some time later my wallet was considerably lighter - as in all cash gone as was my watch. The latter were probably removed en route to the hospital.

As for the nuisance they are on the roads - well we can agree to disagree on that but let's just say they probably sometimes use the sirens unnecessarily and that their driving is sometimes reckless. The rest of it is certainly not promulgation of an urban myth. This is real and it happened to me. Your serve!

You seem to have good cognitive memory of the incident, even though you were unconscious at the time.