richard_smith237

Simple answer: Yes with an accompanying IPD which can be obtained from the Provincial Land Transport Office. Slightly more complex answer: GF needs to hold a permanent or 5 year driving licence (not a temp 2 year license) to obtain an IDP. There are two main IDP Conventions - 1949 and 1968. Find out which Convention your destination countries are a signatory. Some countries (such as UK) have a mutual agreement in place and an IDP is not required (still, its best to be covered with an IDP if you are unsure).

Phones don’t need the ‘faraday cage’ protection - mine only works if the the payment is triggered with a double-tap & authorised with Face ID.

My Wife has a friend like that too… wealthy as muck, but incapable of doing things such as booking a holiday or even online shopping for herself…. But it’s not a full digital avoidance, just a lack of know how.

I’ve always found good hotels for about 4500-6000 baht a night in Tokyo. Similar standard hotels are a similar price here in Bkk (when friends visit) - perhaps a bit cheaper. Just paid 7300 per night at a ski resort for a 2BR cottage (full amenities)… can’t get a nice beach house for that here at a beach resort area. Long term rent - Yep, I can see how that is expensive in JP. Again - none of this is why there is no tipping culture in Japan.

Agree - the tap & go on with the card is very efficient. But there will still be people taking out their wallet only after they’ve been told the amount. The same characters are slow with cash too…. ….. perhaps even slower with promptpay.

Rather short sighted. Why did you come here ?? People just like to visit others places, even if the sakes things are there… Why do people go to different ski resorts? A ski slope is a ski slope right ? Whats about cities? Many are samey samey… Beaches.. and more specifically developed beach resort are what attracts people… Your understanding of beach in this context was too literal.

I don't need a website - I've just been there..... although that website is good information, its also misleading. The the 1000 JPY bowl of Ramen is far greater in quality than a 100 baht Thai meal. The beer (which is cheaper in a restaurant in Japan) is better quality than Singha in Thailand. The direct 'price for price' comparison, ignores quality. Regardless... none of the above is the reason for not tipping in Japan... The reason for tipping in Thailand is possibly a certain degree of Americanisation.

Do you tip your hotel receptionist ?... the breakfast staff (on the free BF buffet when there is no bill) ??? Do you tip the labourers who take your rubbish away in the middle of the night ? Where is your 'cheap charlie line drawn' ???... only at restaurants and massage shops ?

Agreed... but a lot of people are not logical... When did this 'cash requirement' come in ??? I've only known of it for 7 or 8 years (from this forum)... before that, it is something which could have caught me out. I know for a fact that family and friends who have visited here have not travelled here with that cash requirement, its something thats very often overlooked.

The price of a beer in in a restaurant or bar in Japan is cheaper than in Thailand (for the most part) - prices are not a lot higher than Thailand, a lot things are cheaper there. Tipping is not considered polite in Japan because its presents an implication that the 'serving party' is underpaid an needs the money, is undervalued by is company... its considered demeaning. Would you tip your child's school teacher ???? - Teachers salaries are abysmal in Thailand (non-Int'l schools).

Why not many of the things he said are coming true , !!!! what better way of controlling folks than how they can spend their money ....its coming . regards Worgeordie Lots of different forms of digital currency.... decentralised banking etc... ... its coming... ... Just as easily mentioned as the paranoid 'the governments are trying to control us' brigade.

A little bow and a smile.... are you getting tour nations mixed up ? do you give them a Wai in Japan ? I think the key point in all of this is the importance of showing efforts to be polite... So if its a nod and a smile, a hand-shake, even a bow (as above) or a imperfect wai.... there is no mistake to be made as the only mistake is to make no effort to be polite at all. So... as you mention Felton, a Wai is not expected of a 'Farang'... but that does not mean it isn't welcomed.

No... the Koreans are just notoriously unwelcoming of Thai's... particularly Thai Females. A friends Wife (travelling with her husband) was just rejected at Korea Immigration because of a spelling error on the arrival card. Another friends Wife has been rejected 3x in a row for her entry permissions (eTA). My Wife wanted to go there on a 'girls' trip... (all high-school friends - mid 40's now, all 'well to do' and financially independent)... They're going elsewhere, after the hassles their friend had (being rejected for eTA).

In theory, yes... which is an antiquated rule. I always keep US$1000 in my travel pack - just in case.... but thats for the more backward countries I sometimes end up in. In countries like Thailand where digital payment is everywhere, ATM's are everywhere the need to cary cash into the country is wholly unnecessary.... As I pointed out earlier - Immigration seem to use this rule to prevent entry to someone they've profiled as undesirable (for whatever reasons, suspected work etc)... But, without professional training, this also gives them the power to act with emotion, in some cases allowing prejudices to surface.

That is odd. Two clicks and I had every detail I could imagine for both tourist visa and visa on arrival, both with sufficient details for any visitor. Perhaps thats just my computer... ( I tried with Brave and Chrome )... ... and you are right... it works perfectly now (I didn't earlier for some reason) - so my comment is rather moot, the information is there at the correct source (although for Indonesia it should perhaps also be in Bahasa).

There's definitely a few people on this thread whose favourite author is George Orwell !!!

Fear of development... warranted or not, is a very common thing as we get older. The phone thing... is as quick as tapping a card... it works wirelessly just like the card - I just double tap the power button, look at the phone (face Id) an its ready to pay.... I think you might be thinking of PromptPay and scanning that way.. some people unfamiliar with the system are slower. I used PromptPay a lot and find it quicker than cash.

Kids reading comics, adults reading books.... At home, public transport etc... this 'distraction' has always existed. The phone, just just an amplification of this.... Before you couldn't get your Photo Album out at a dinner table and show friends, now you can - its a great thing. But, as with all change and development, there are negatives and lot of people concentrate on those negatives.

I hold the same membership which is life time and can be sold on for 30 years (S.E. Visa - 5 years validity each time, renewable for life, but have to do 90 day extensions, its a bit weird).... I didn't know it could be sold on for a 20 year P.E Visa. Thai Elite provide one 'concierge service per year' thats why they don't do the 90 day extension every time (just once per year) but you have to go ourselves anyway, so its the same as doing it yourself - but its still a PITA... Given the amount I travel and the unreliability of taxis / Grab etc... the airport transfers and fast track are an exceptional convenience. How much did you buy your memberships for (2nd hand) ? I've always been lowballed by offers in the past and never sold mine on.

How did phones destroy the night life ???? IMO - they made it easier to make arrangements and meet up.

Exactly... every generation seems to look back on the past with fondness and of future generations with disdain. Back in our parents days it was 'put that book down and go out and play'.... Phones, iPads etc are incredible educational and entertainment tools when used well. As with everything, it comes down to parenting.

... han-sum man... .... or do they call you a bonnee-jock before trying to slap one on yer mush ? I still like the Wai / Handshake combo in many situation, generally when meeting people. I find that with people of similar status the Wives will Wai me and I'll return it, the men will extend a hand and 'go international'.... I recently saw a surgeon for consultation - of course I wai'ed him... primarily for the position he represents and the fact that he'll be the one cutting me up !!!... and yes, he wai'd back. Walking onto a plane, yes, I wai back. In a restaurant, yes, I wai back. When the In-laws Pop round, I wai first. Too many foreigners 'over think the wai'.... I often wonder how many additional and unnecessary daily struggles some encounter simply because they exude an arrogant air of superiority preventing any degree of endearment from those they encounter. Another point of thought - how many of those who refuse to Wai are on their 3rd or 4th divorce !!... is there a correlation? The reason for the supposition: I see westerners who are clearly less respectful of their wife, also less respectful of others around them and refusing to wai...

Is not tipping being a cheap charlie ? If you tip in Japan its considered an insult. Why don't businesses (i.e. US) pay their staff a decent rate so tipping is not needed ?? - isn't that being a cheap charlie ? I want to ask all the 'big tippers'... ?? Do they tip their hotel staff in the breakfast buffet?... do they tip the flight attendant on the way over here ? We just arrived in Bangkok after holiday.. we had 90 kgs of baggage (and I was injured), 2x baggage handlers helped us, they each got 100 baht - which I thought reasonable. Personally, I don't like the practice of tipping at all as I struggle to know where to draw the line ? Tip the taxi driver ? the bus driver ? the Pilot ? In most cases over here its obvious though. So is a tip suggesting that 'I get paid more than you so you should be happy with my scraps' ? Its a very grey area that is often complicated. On the surface of it I prefer the simplicity of a non tipping culture, but a tipping culture also has more people around to help with the small things.

Pro's and cons... I'd not want to be without either. The convenience of just tapping your phone and paying is excellent, as is just tapping your card. I was in France for 2 weeks and didn't even take any cash out - very convenient. I was in Japan recently - a bit more like Thailand on the cash front, I had to use cash for about 10% of transactions. But there are also negatives of cashless society - we certainly need both.

I agree... I'm 99% cashless now, everywhere I go... Where I used to leave a little change... paying digitally, I don't anymore. Being British, tipping has always seemed a strange custom to me. I'm paying for something, including a service, why should I pay more if I'm satisfied with that service... I expected to be satisfied, thats exactly what I've paid for. I love Japan for this reason... No tipping expected, yet service is impeccable. Most places in Thailand now have a 10% service charge so that takes care of the tipping IMO... and when there is no services charge my tip (or not) will depend on the situation...