Enzian

3 hours ago, MJKT2014 said:

Just out of interest how much dollar (USD?) above the estimated 800kTHB using exchange rates was deposited. Was there no mention of daily exchange rates to ensure the dollar amount never dropped below the THB requirement for each and every day?

I thought in terms of overdoing it just to avoid that issue. I started out at the beginning of August depositing US $500 cash which is what Krungsri likes as a minimum to open an account, then three weeks later had my son in CA wire transfer $30,000 into that account. By my calculation the baht would have to go below 26.5 for me to be under the requirement, and that's not something anyone presently contemplates. Krungsri said I was good for 925K baht. No one in the Immigration office brought up the question of exchange rate, nor did their own calculation that I saw. I assume they just looked at the 925K estimated by Krungsri.

4 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

OP wrote > Also, there was no mention of a TM30 (which has never been done on me) or insurance.

As no mention was made of insurance, I presume your extension application was based on a Non Imm O - retirement Visa.

Can you confirm?  Thanks!

Yes, tho I have never understood the lettering system. About three years ago I got a tourist visa in CA from LA consulate, came here and converted it to some kind of 90 day visa which I then was able to extend for one year by reason of retirement. Now every extension is for one year. That's how I remember it; friends and my Thai girlfriend helped me through the stages, or I don't know how I would have done it alone.

On Monday I got my one year extension of stay by reason of retirement using a Foreign Currency Deposit (denominated in dollars) account at Krungsri bank to show proof of at least 800,000 baht on deposit. I had the paper trail showing the date of the deposit (August), the first month's mailed statement (though the bank didn't keep doing it every month), and the certified letter from the bank, made that morning,  showing the balance and indicating the money had been there all the time since August. The problem came in because Krungsri doesn't provide a paper bank book for such savings accounts, but rather a plastic card that one is supposed to present to the teller whenever one goes in to request information or do activity. This detail was almost too much for the chief officer in the office to get his head around. We called the bank and they confirmed to him on the phone that this is the way that bank does things, though they couldn't give him any confidential information about me specifically. All this added more than an hour. Finally he had me write out a statement explaining the situation in good faith, and he put the stamp in my passport. I intend to ask Krungsri if I can pay them something extra for a paper book so this doesn't happen next year. Also, there was no mention of a TM30 (which has never been done on me) or insurance.

I know this won't be a popular opinion, but I really don't know what else Prayut could do under these circumstances. Rainsy seems to be trying to put Prayut on the spot, and there is nothing in it for Prayut to take the bait. One can have all the sympathy in the world for Rainsy, but Cambodia is a closed and lost case for the foreseeable future, and for Thailand to take sides will help no one. It has to come from within.

I've tried both and it is always accepted, so I assume if they think different then they take care of it before they stamp you on your way.

Bottle of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo that costs 5 Euro in a supermarket in Italy costs 700 baht here. Is that going to change?

In CA separate property remains separate if it is treated as such and not commingled. But we are talking about Thailand. To the best of my knowledge, and I've read a lot, common law marriage does not exist in Thailand (as it somewhat does in CA, with "palimony"). Also, what if we just leave the country? How would a "common law" wife follow you if she cannot get a visa? I don't HAVE to live here. All very interesting. That lawyer, though, is a troll.

Today I reported a digital currency come-on on my FB feed. It had a picture of Taksin so I hardly needed to skim the text. I wonder if he could sue them? Or is he them?

Light choppers since they have only light enemies. 

My Thai girlfriend, when I met her, thought Norway was somewhere close to Thailand, because she had met several people from Norway. She thought NYC and LA were close together in the middle of the continental US because she had heard about them in the same context.

Does anyone have a link or just information regarding this academic's assertion that Greek artists created the first known images purporting to represent the Buddha? I know there was Greek contact with India, in the times of Alexander and other, but this is something I've never come across.

When I first came to LOS and needed something I went to Bumrungrad because I assumed it was the best and English there was good; I assumed the government hospitals didn't treat foreigners. Now that I am in a relationship with a Thai, she and I go to both Bumrungrad and a couple of government hospitals (we both have health issues), but gradually are shifting to the government because we are able to evaluate which ones are best, language is not an issues, and if you pick and choose the government are as good as Bumrungrad, much more reasonable in price and less chance of ordering unnecessary procedures.

All men are pervs, they just want to...  I'll leave it at that.

Krungsri is not difficult.

I just moved to a Thai bank an amount more than sufficient to meet the 800,000 baht requirement when I extend my long stay visa in three months. But I created a Foreign Currency Deposit account, denominated in US dollars, to receive it. At some point next year it might be worth it to change a little into baht, but certainly not now.

If it was grown outside the law it almost surely will have a lot of pesticides and chemical fertilizers on and in it. Will they test it?

1 hour ago, Tayaout said:

Some users reported using a pound denominated deposit account in a Thai bank and it was accpeted by immigration. So basically you don't ever need to exchange to THB. 

A friend has used a FCD (Foreign Currency Deposit) account at Bangkok Bank, denominated in GBP, for over three years and accepted by Immigration. I just opened a FCD account at Krungsri Bank in USD to use for my next extension, planning on leaving in 30K or so to be on the safe side. Talked first to K Bank and Bangkok Bank. K Bank wants an opening deposit of 10,000 USD, in cash, banknotes! Bangkok Bank, if you don't have a work permit, wants a letter from Embassy, a pain in the ass, or a voucher from your US bank, another pain in the ass. Krungsri was satisfied with my passport, Yellow Book, and pink card (and my Thai girlfriend sitting there translating): opening deposit 500 USD in banknotes.

Where can we go (on the internet I mean) to review the lists of meds and prices of the ones that DID report according to law?

So which is it? Will the baht follow the yuan, or is the relationship inverse? Or does it depend on the dynamics of the moment?

People complained that the military government was bad for the economy, but the baht has just been getting stronger for the past few years; how does that work?

What relevant Thai banks offer FCD accounts? I'm trying to decide which to use.

I have a baht acct at K-Bank, but they want US10K cash to open a FCD account, wire transfer not ok. I'm trying to do Bangkok Bank, but Chase in CA is being difficult about providing the required recommendation letter. Looks like someone above mentioned Siam Commercial Bank; do they offer FCD? Can anyone suggest any others to check out? Thanks in advance.