Bear0Mack

Yeah, you're right. I've heard (and experienced) many trust issues with banks not allowing their customers to do what they want with their money, like transferring it overseas or even domestically. Thankfully, my friend already banked it a few months ago. It looks like the Bangkok Bank rate for buying AUD for telegraphic (SWIFT) transfer today is 26.40, not quite as good as the cash rate from SuperRich, which is 26.10. Not as bad as I thought it might be though.

Thanks Peter

Well, the money is in a close friend's bank account. I withdrew it out of Kasikorn and gave it to her in cash before I left, as I didn't trust the bank (yeah) to handle it.

I had the same experience PocoLoco, Thai banking is a nightmare for any worldly individual or business. I was fortunate enough to have someone that was trustworthy enough with money. But you never know, right? One day things could change. Good luck.

I'm transferring a large sum of money out of Thailand after selling some vehicles, and looking to find the best way to transfer it out of Thailand into Australia. I'm not currently living in Thailand (anymore), although I still have a Kasikorn Bank account, but I'm not sure if the card works in Australia.

This is largely going to be opinion, but what way do you think is the cheapest (best exchange rate) to transfer money out of Thailand?

I would imagine it would be Telegraphic Transfer using the SWIFT system, and just finding out which bank is best, but what do you think?

There is no possible logical justification: if I work here, pay taxes here, am a resident here, I should be charged like the Thais.

If one really wants to introduce a two-tier system for residents, it should be based on the tax return form and not on the nationality.

Good thinking. By that logic the money we bring into Thailand have already had the tax paid on. Therefore, isn't it accurate to say that we paid the tax for the foreign earned income as well? Especially considering we then pay VAT on everything we buy too.

PT Cargo sounds like the ticket, if only I could understand what their quote means. I've left the country now, so it will have to wait until I can get someone to lug my other bag down there. Thanks guys.

http://postimg.org/image/4luvevwej/

I just found out today that my airline won't allow me to buy enough baggage to move everything with me to Australia, and I'm just 25KG out. Not exactly enough to fill a 20 foot container is it? Anyone got good ideas for cheap options? I'm really in a hurry, sorry for not searching the forum more but I couldn't find it on here yet.

Not sure. But I wouldn't highlight it. Keep them distracted with amusing conversation.

Well, in the end I didn't renew it because the whole point of doing it a year early was to get my IDP. But I am 100% confident that she would've renewed it for me there and then if I were satisfied to renew for another 2 years.

Oh. Ray, I guess your right. I'm reading an old version. That's unfortunate. I commend you for doing such diligent research.

Rayk, as does the constitution clearly state that discrimination based on origin is illegal. Yet we still have government endorsed dual pricing in national parks. The law just like the road rules are works of fiction. What is law and what actually happens are two different things.

PS. It works in your favour for a change. Usually that's not the case.

I have a visa exempt stamp.

I got all my licenses from the head office in Mo Chit, Bangkok. I would suggest that the branch office is not aware that visitors have the right to travel in Thailand.

The head honcho at Mo Chit didn't have a problem with me renewing the license. So long as I had a 500 Baht proof of residence either from my Embassy or immigration.

Ah. Could you point me to the thread Ray?

A year ago a friend of mine got his license on a tourist visa. It wasn't in Bangkok though.

I recently was rejected at Mo Chit to renew my driving licence to a 5 year license and IDP because I was on a tourist visa. I use the visa exempt stamp.

Has anyone has any luck doing this, and where did you go, and how did you do it?

I go as fast as I can when I see the police. Nothing good can come of them.

The part about being able to renew the temporary licenses to 5 year licenses after 1 year is no longer true. They will initially tell you to go and pay 500 baht and waste away a few hours or a few weeks to get a document that lists your address, which you ultimately just tell them anyway and then you will be told you can't apply for the 5 year license. For those of us that use tourist visas of any kind, I have been informed directly by the staff at Mo Chit that they refuse to renew my license for a 5 year license. Therefore, they also refuse to issue me an IDP. Extremely frustrating to say the least.

Roomuck, I agree. There's alot of discrimination in Australia. Hard to know and admit if you're not the one being discriminated against.

Would it be accurate to say that you reject all forms of unfair discrimination regardless of country in question? I commend you for such an open mind.

But let's not get into who is the biggest discriminator, or who treats tourists (let's not forget foreigners living here too) the harshest. There are terrible injustices in both Thailand and Australia. Both persecution and discrimination from the people and the governments.

True Dante. We live in a very corrupt world. It's disappointing, isn't it?

Here are the facts, anyone care to correct me if I am mistaken?

1. Discrimination based on origin is a form of racism.

2. Offering different prices to people from different countries for the exact same product or service is discrimination.

3. There is no additional reasonable benefit received from paying the 3 to 10 times higher cost for entry into national parks.

4. The discriminator in the case of national parks is the Thai government. Not all Thai people are hateful people.

5. All visitors to Thailand already pay taxes in the form of GST/VAT, fuel excise, airport landing taxes, and visas.

6. The kingdom of Thailand receives the benefit of new foreign money that has already had the foreign tax paid. If you have foreign shares by the way, you need to pay tax on the dividends.

7. Discrimination of based on origin is already illegal in the Thai constitution.

I therefore believe that this practice is racist and illegal.

Not a problem - just don't go.

Most of them aren't worth the Thai price of admission anyway.

..take a book..sit in the car with the air on...about time discrimination was outlawed here.

Discrimination based on origin is outlawed in the constitution, but it is not enforced. Even the Thai government break their own laws as it suits them.

Having lived in four foreign countries as an expat and traveled to 45 countries, it has been my experience there is dual pricing most foreign countries.

There should be!

Most citizens in foreign countries that tourists and many expats come in contact with did not have the same money making opportunities. Woman in Thailand

over 25 have difficulty getting jobs competing with younger women. When many reach 40, it's very difficult for them to earn money. The elderly depend upon family members for financial security, primarily their daughters.

The dual price system is increasing with the loss of Thai jobs, food inflation, currency exchange rates, increased taxes, and more tourists spending less money and spending less time in the country.

Without dual pricing many citizens and elders would be homeless, hungry or be forced to crime.

Be thankful for the dual pricing and it's better not to even talk about it. Just be thankful what you have and the more money you spend, the power of money dictates it will come back to you in the future. Feel good about it as you are proving a gift to feed the needy, help with rents, medical expenses, and social security for the elderly, school uniforms and much more.

The land of smiles are not smiling as back in the day.

Be calm and show empathy.

Pabula, I understand you're thinking and I think you have a very generous heart. However, I had learned that this only adds to the problems of increasing taxes, inflation, and homelessness. You see, the central bank and government in Thailand like many countries collude to steal your money through taxes and inflation. It's the biggest conspiracy and corruption of our time. The taxes are mostly spent on corruption in some way, bailing out businesses that deserve to fail. Inflation, which is even bigger than the taxes, which robs us all. The idea of taxes is grand, but the more money Thai people have, the higher the taxes (fuel tax, motor tax, toll tax, VAT, fines and penalties, income tax, etc). I pity the common man in this world, but my money isn't going to help him, it's just going to prolong the inevitable.

Vietnam is extraordinary. I can certainly see myself living there as a base for holidaying, but not sure if I would because I'm not sure about the visa cost. Although I don't think I'd want to work there. Not enough money to make it worth my while same like Thailand.

Global Guy, I appreciate your story and you do a good job of illustrating it except what I still don't understand is what was it exactly that made you hate it so much? Being taken advantage of as being the nice guy? Was that the one thing?