Paul DS

On 5/19/2020 at 5:32 AM, simon43 said:

Has no one ever heard of bank accounts that pay interest?  I currently receive 8% pa on my savings here in Laos with a Franco-Lao bank.  When I retire in 5 years from now, the interest from my modest bank savings, plus my modest UK part-pension will be more than enough to live happily on.

 

Do banks in Thailand not offer similar interest-paying accounts?  (I guess not!).

Sorry I do not believe 8%   Currently it is 4% and a very risky place to put money.

There are only 5 Banks in Laos with a total of 45 branches together!

As a foreigner you require a red Lao residence permit and associated business VISA/ residence VISA to open an account with a Lao Bank. you cannot open an account with just tourist VISA etc. You need to open a deposit account before you can open a term deposit account. All money placed within these accounts is in local currency.

Regardless Good luck!

"Bas....s"

What a sneaky trick!! (Run by the elite and will be again.)

Declare bankruptcy, absolve themselves of all monies owed to investors, restart Thai Airways again stating sorry but we are bankrupt, no money for you! 

Thank God I have no money invested in anything ThaI!!

I'm surprised no one considers out here a "shingles" vaccine....recommended in most 1st World countries. Having seen several friends with this trouble and the pain it causes I have had this vaccine.

I know some scoff at vaccines, but as you get older you are more prone to illness!

The only question I would have is the date of the vaccine capsule prior to getting it and where etc manufactured.  (ie Wuhan!)

10 hours ago, tribalfusion001 said:

South Korean tourists (men) might be interested in coming to Thailand, but no go go bars or massage parlours open, so no point for them. Hordes of Chinese tourists unlikely with a 14 day quarantine when back in China, Hong Kong and Macau, so that leaves not much.

With this anouncement as China etc being well managed ref Covid 19, the next step will be that any country (not mentioning China of course) that are removed from the banned list can enter Thailand without quarantine and amazingly within a few days China will reciprocate!

So there's the answer, all the EU and UK etc have to do is state we have no Covid 19 issues and we can manage and then we can all fly to Thailand! 

7 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

Ah! Another possible Chinese Special Economic Zone?????

Now that would be great, send the Indians and Chinese to Trat, what a fantastic idea!

8 hours ago, J Town said:

I looked on the map, there's nothing of interest there. Or maybe that will be the tourist attraction?

Ive been there several times, I'm sorry to say its not very nice! All the so called beaches from Trat to the Cambodian Border are filthy run down and deserted. Really really horrible. Sewage etc, deserted hotels in crappy state.

Trat itself has an area of very run down backpacker places, (two streets) which used to be busy many many years ago (before the ferries got really organised to some Islands.)

There are a few very good hotels, Boutique style, but of course you pay a lot for the name etc. 

There is absolutely no nightlife whatsoever, so as they say "up to you"

8 hours ago, possum1931 said:

Thanks, I am booked for a return flight to the UK in Sept, also have my hotel booked, it seems unlikely that flights and entry back into Thailand will be back to normal then and I just wonder if having used my UK bank debit card to pay for it, that it may come in useful if the airline gets difficult about refunds or changing the date.

In general, you will not have credit card protection on a debit card.  Visa offer protection only on VISA Credit cards. Here is my explanation:

Paying by credit card is convenient and it also gives you added legal protection if the company you’re buying from goes bust or doesn’t deliver what it’s promised.

You might get some limited protection when paying by debit card, but only  under a voluntary scheme called chargeback. With Debit cards though you don’t generally have other protection.

Chargeback isn’t legal protection like section 75 (Credit Card Cover) . It’s an agreement Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and American Express have signed up to.

The scheme enables you to claim a refund from your card provider if a purchase doesn’t arrive or is faulty.

It works by the card company trying to claim your money back from the company you’ve paid, by reversing the transaction.

There’s usually no minimum spend in order to be covered by chargeback, but time limits apply for making a claim – usually up to 45 days from making the purchase.

Chargeback claims can take some time to process because the card company has to get the money refunded before it can pass it onto you.

Most important you need to make a formal complaint to the Debit card issuer and request an acknowledgment.

21 minutes ago, Agusts said:

Not sure, guys commenting here not living in tourist area I think, and not much first hand info, here in Phuket hundreds of bike rentals take passport from tens of thousands of tourists every month in high season, before covid19 madness, most tourist don't give it a second thought, and that is just for a small scooter..., all goes on as routine as it can get, 3 of them just outside my apartment. You turn up and say I don't give my passport, will just be kicked out of the queue,  next.... !

 

 

I live in Nong Khai, previously Hua Hin,  if I need a hire car or bike, I produce a photocopy of passport etc, they just look surprised and smile, I give them back there padlock and helme, producing my own! Rental always okay.

Look I can tell you having been in your situation that this is the reality:

The hire bike was in your hands at time of accident, you are responsible for its safe return.

The Police will not be interested.

The hirer has your passport and you will not get it back until money is paid.

Tough luck that you cannot get the other guy to pay, it happens all the time.

What to do: Get your Thai Lady to take the bike to a shop and ask how much to fix "cheap"

Go see the renter and not argue or get angry, remember he has your passport etc and Police will not be interested!

Offer him half of estimated repair costs and go from there!

I've lived in Thailand many years, this is not a Farang rip off, it happens all the time, the Thai or foreigner with the potential money pays, regardless of who caused the accident! 

(In future stay at the accident, say nothing, and get Insurance Company to come out and sort, SIGN NOTHING, SAY NOTHING, TAKE PICTURES, never let your passport or driving licence out of your hands, I have have had tugging matches with Cops, trying to get them out of my hands)

(Be thankful you are not being asked for money from the guy who caused the accident!)

Good luck!

2 hours ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Are you going to put up a source or not?? I assume not.

Not!!

Fairly easy to fix the stagnant water issue, every week or so pour some oil over the water, then the Mosquito larvae cannot proliferate. If smelly water chuck in a bottle of bleach.   If it looks blocked, carefully throw in regularly some caustic soda.

I do this regularly, one advantage of the bleach is that it encourages Thai's to get it drained  ...it seemsd they dont like bleach either!!

20 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

14 to 16 million.  Optimistic bunch, aren't they? lol

The tragedy is that 15.5 million tourists will be Indian and Chinese

(with 50 baht Covid free certificates!)

19 hours ago, ukrules said:

You're not likely to find this answer anywhere.

 

It's going to be an embarrassment when compared to many other countries.

 

I'd like to see the number of tests per 100k people in Thailand then directly compare it to places like South Korea, Japan, Singapore, etc.

They have tested millions....so they say!  Stick a temperature gauge on them...tested!!

3 hours ago, nchuckle said:

From a practical perspective all they would do is not pay up having pocketed the premium. They only investigate once a claim is made. So if he was registerd with a uk doctor when he was treated in uk for these conditions he would be asked to supply a copy of his uk medical report (the insurers can’t just access it -data protection-) and not doing so would stop his claim . Most uk insurers don’t allow you to take insurance once Yoir trip already started anyway 

They would refuse payout I think, ref the Gum disease they would ask when was your last regular dental chack ups? No proof...no payout.   Likewise the Kidney issue, they would tell you it has been a long time issue and pre existing..no payout. 

Of course you can lie...but having worked for a large insurer, I can tell you they have heard all the stories, good luck and stay well/

Okay, I'm sure youve had some suggestions, firstly I am not a builder etc, but I have repaired and advised on many roof leaking issues in Thailand with success.

Firstly it looks like on your pictures you have no gulley?? So where do you expect water to go? I think thats quite unusual. 

My experience generally oftens comes down to one of a few faults:

1. The tiles were not overlapped enough, normally the overlap from one tile to the next should be atround 1/3rd of the tile, less and water will run inside.

2. There is no tar paper etc internally.

3. There is insufficent support beams for the roof / tiles, creating a bow effect in the roof itself.

3. The gutter down pipes are not large enough, creating a backup...this can be easily tested by removing the down pipe and letting the water flow straight out, if resolved you know the problem.

If the tiles were not overlapped enough, then the only real permanent answer is to lay the tiles again, alerntatively as you will often see around the country...the tiles have had cement laid under the tiles (this can work if lucky)

You will also see in many hardware shops very large heavy duty plastic sheeting on rolls.... I have seen this used very effectively inside the roof, preventing the leakage inside.

So cheap is plastic and cement, better is relaying the tiles with gulleys.

Best Paul

7 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Looking at the announcement it's just if going through the checkpoints

<deleted> !!!  Just carry your passport and wear a mask!! Its not for ever!