richard_smith237

I've been doing the Bangkok-Dubai-Birmingham route a couple of times per year for well over a decade now... Here is what I know from that experience. - Yes, Bags always through to final destination (unless laying over more than 24 hrs) - 1.5 hours is more than sufficient time to *transit from flight to flight. - You may want about 2.5 hours if you fancy chilling with coffee between flights. - An excellent option is a Dubai **layover. *When purchasing a ticket the airline is responsible for ensuring you make the connection or placing you on another flight - they wont sell you a ticket (on the same booking) if the connection time is too short. **Getting a nights sleep in a hotel between flights (in the summer there are lots of cheap hotels within 10 mins of the airport for £50) - you can be in a pool chilling within an hour of touching down with just hand carry while your baggage is automatically forwarded onto your onward flight (if within 24 hours) - IMO a far more relaxing way of travelling if not going business class and sleeping on a direct flight. - There is also a hotel within the airport (Airside) that we used to break up the journey when my Son was particularly young, now he's older we spend the afternoon messing about in a pool !!...

Probably very little. Thai's are generally extremely tolerant of people acting out. He was probably escorted out of there and told to piddle off... unless of course he was on overstay or something similar in which case he's feeling the full girth of a shafting.....

Especially when one makes strange sweeping generalisations !!!!

It's not waived. But PR status is achieved on a points system and being married to a Thai spouse 'gives you points' and the language requirement is no longer 'mandatory' - an applicant can accrue points through other means.

Not so much PR for PR's sake and longevity of stay etc... But as a route to citizenship. One of the 'brick-walls' many of us will face in the future is the prohibitive cost of private health insurance. If we can secure citizenship, then Thai health care becomes a viable alternative.

Its a strange one... but some Debit card transactions are blocked while the same credit card transaction works... I've encountered this with Airlines.

Valid point.. nearly... here's how that query works out. In Thailand there are: 21,452,050 motorcycles in Thailand. 10,530,697 Cars (up to 7 seats) in Thailand. 6,897,580 Vans & Pickups in Thailand. 435,360 mini-busses (7 seats and up). There are 25,000 road fatalities yearly in Thailand (*WHO estimate) Of which 80% are motorcyclists. In Thailand there is: 93 deaths per 100,000 motorcycles. 27 deaths per 100,000 cars, pickups, vans & mini-busses Thus: Per vehicle type a person is 3.3x more likely to die on a motorcycle than in a car. Another interesting stat: It is statistically safer to drive a 4 wheeled vehicle in Thailand than in USA. (Thai hates are going to hate and question that sat - but I've crunched those numbers a handful of times and always come up with the same result).

It's a pain in the neck when each time a UK credit card is used overseas the Bank applies the block due to 'un-habitual use'... My Bank also has an App which I use to 'approve' online purchases, that prevents one block... but direct use overseas is often blocked. It can be quite irritating when checking into an overseas hotel late at night, then having to call up the the UK Bank while data roaming and having an expensive 10 minute conversation for the privilege of using your on money (debit card) or own account (credit card). As Per the Op a local credit card is extremely convenient. Solution IF married (and not working in Thailand) - the Partner can have a Credit Card with a second card issued to the foreign spouse. This works perfectly for us (Wife and I) and we accrue points etc and can use the card overseas without it getting blocked as frequently as the UK cards.

Perhaps we could all send our posts to you for quality control to prevent some of the anally retentive forum members from commenting on irrelevant typo's and grammatical slips....

You were the sacrificial anode !!! They nail me too… Load up with deet before hitting the sand…. Take antihistamine tablets & apply antihistamine cream once attacked. Thats all I can do… Koh Samet & Koh Chang are the worst areas in Thailand for this IMO.

Not that tricky to understand was it ??? got to love the propensity for sone to argue the irrelevant & still get it wrong !!!

I'm assuming the Op is intelligent enough to know the difference between coughing and choking. We can understand someone such as yourself may not be able to distinguish the difference and thus judges others by your own limits.

Bingo.. The Op (potentially) saved someones life and received a verbally abusive response. He's now getting an abusive response from some of the muppets on this forum. Op... You did the right thing... I hope you let this one slide and continue to do the right thing in future. Y'never know, you could be saving the life of one of the miserable old farts on this thread who find reason to abuse you rather that offer commendation. My mother is still with us today because a few years back someone 'helped out' in a very similar situation. I wouldn't look very kindly up myself or any person who knows how to help but chose not to for fear of receiving a negative response. Props to you for helping out.

But after that post no one has you confused as to what you may be... Sounds like the Op saved someones life.

Info below from websites of Thai Embassies in Washington, Doha, Wellington.... All state the same thing: • Travelers entering Thailand under the Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme must possess adequate cash of or equivalent to 20,000 Baht per person or 40,000 Baht per family. https://doha.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/visa-exemption-and-voa?page=5d7e6a3c15e39c032c006dba&menu=5d7e6a3c15e39c032c006dbb https://thaiembdc.org/visaexemption/#:~:text=Travelers entering Thailand under the,or 40%2C000 Baht per family. https://wellington.thaiembassy.org/th/publicservice/19038-visa-exemption In the past on these forums there has been much debate about the need for such a measure as its rarely if ever checked by anyone at Immigration so the likelihood of the Op being checked is minimal. Nevertheless, the rule has been used (sparingly) by Immigration to refuse entry to whomever they consider 'undesirable' for whatever reason - i.e. suspicion someone is working here but can't prove anything so use the cash 'technicality' has a reason. IMO - there's no harm in carrying US$600 emergency cash and covering your basis just in case, yes a very rare just incase.. but.... Also, onward flight ticket is required if entering visa exempt - there are mixed reports on this, but for many travelling to Thailand Visa exempt the Airline will check for onward travel at Check-in.

IMO… really not an issue at all. Have an onwards flight & you’re fine. 20, 000 baht cash stipulation too, but that’s never (extremely rarely) checked)… [ argument will naturally ensue]…

I don't think there is too much to worry about in the village, if riding carefully *(slowly) and wearing a helmet etc... risk is much lower.... But when getting into busier areas, the inexperience of the younger folk would be a great concern.... just doing things like going up the inside of a lorry when its turning left etc... and many other potential 'line of fire' opportunities they'll not think about or be aware of until they gain road experience. A motorcycle in any area busier than a quiet village is just too risky IMO... All a person can do is their very best for them while also allowing them certain freedoms... a cheap car is the best solution IMO but can the Op afford 200k for a car ?....

A bit strange how SCB seems be saying they CAN'T do the facial recognition registration for foreigners, but other Thai banking companies seem perfectly capable to do so... Kinda makes one wonder what's going on with that. from @aublumberg 's post above, the different Thai banking companies seem to be all over the map on this one. I suspect it's more of an issue with 'cannot' simply because that wasn't thought about by SCB 'higher-ups'... Meanwhile Banks such as Bangkok bank simply also set up a system whereby the Account can be verified with our Passport when going in for the Facial recognition process. SCB tried to be cute and use the 'Chip & Dip' method whereby Facial recognition was tied in directly the Chip info on Thai's ID cards without any thought to setting up a 'manually input system' to add facial ID to a passport number or other forms of ID. Simply unintelligent, short sighted and ultimately someone just didn't think it worth bothering with to push this (i.e. SCB Management). Would SCB care if it lost all of its foreign custom ?

You can only visit and inspect the school and its culture if you are applying. Prospective parents can visit any International School they wish, before applying. We were able to visit numerous schools before submitting application forms and fees etc.

IMO - this would be the best Bilingual School in Bangkok. It's not an international School.

Patana is a non-profit school... Best in Thailand IMO. #1: Bangkok Patana #2: Harrow Bangkok #3: NIST #4: Bangkok Prep Don't worry about tests... its not like they are 'entrance exams' - it more like the teacher talks with your child and assess their 'ability' (i.e. ensuring the child does not have particular special needs). Not all the schools will - 'bite your arm off' as per 'Will B Good's comment. You may well find your children on a waiting list, particularly for a School such as Bangkok Patana who carefully manages the 'spread' of nationalities of Students - its been traditionally harder for 100% Thai children to secure places at these schools.

Agreed... I know the subject is 'motorcycle'.. but expanding that to 'personal transport' there is another alternative IF the Op can afford it.... https://www.one2car.com/en/cars-for-sale?min_price=50000&max_price=200000&min_year=2015&max_year=2023&page_size=26&page_number=1

Indeed.... I spoke directly with SCB about this... As foreign customers are unable register our NDID with SCB the responsibility for any fraudulent activity is now on the account holder. SCB is also ending SCBEasy (online banking on 14th). SCB's response - NDID is not available for foreigners (it is with other Banks). They said I can make multiple <50,000 baht transfers each time you want to transfer a large amount !!! I told them I have the facial recognition already set up with Bangkok Bank - I'll close my SCB account and simply move everything across. Response.. OK sir, if you feel that way !!!.... (I hung up !!). SCB are offering no protection for transfers of over 50,000 baht and no viable alternative.

Erm... someone who's beat his wife ??? Allegedly, of course... then allegedly whitewashed... https://www.thaienquirer.com/12305/thai-progressives-say-that-pita-limajaroenrat-must-answer-questions-about-his-history-of-domestic-abuse/ Yet... still, even with a 'darker history' than many of us would find agreeable, he still appears to be the better candidate than alternatives... 'Some' Thai's also have a nickname for him... Pita-cchio (as in Pinocchio) because he has been caught in numerous lies....

Time for consistent rules.... the article highlights how easily this mistake was made, especially when range finders are permitted in all tournaments bar this one and one other. It is reported that the PGA also provided competition mode range finders for other tournaments.