khunjeff

As many others have already stated, there are two issues here.

1) The exchange rates that you get using a foreign bank card in an ATM are set by MasterCard or Visa, depending whose symbol is on your card. In your case, you've already said that you're card is Maestro, so MasterCard does the conversion. The rates published by Krungsri or ABN have nothing to do with this (and the MasterCard rate will almost always be better than the rate at any bank).

2) You didn't get the MasterCard rate (or the Krungsri rate) in this instance because you voluntarily accepted the DCC offer from the ATM. You're correct that DCC is a scam that should not be allowed to exist - it's a pure money grab by the local bank, stepping in front of the transaction and helping themselves to a substantial amount of money for no benefit to you.

That having been said, the scam offer is presented in writing and you ALWAYS have the option of accepting or rejecting it, though the choice is usually presented in confusing language. If you reject it - which you should do, always - the transaction will go ahead at the MasterCard rate, plus the 220 baht local ATM fee and whatever ABN might charge. On the attached photo (from TMB, not Krungsri), clicking on the lower right, "Continue with Conversion", accepts DCC, and the lower left, "Continue without Conversion", rejects it.

You ask how we know that you agreed to DCC. Well, because you TOLD us when you quoted what was printed on your receipt - that ONLY shows up when you agree to DCC. You weren't aware of how this works, and now you are, so it will be easy to avoid in the future. Good luck.

Even if you use bank transfer rather than COD, Shopee does not release the funds to the seller until you have confirmed that the goods were received and are correct.

On 6/13/2020 at 4:35 PM, rooster59 said:

Pubs and clubs and discos, not to mention traditional and soapy massage, will be the last to open.

Traditional massage shops have been allowed to operate since June 1, though with (theoretical) restrictions on spacing and services (e.g., no facial massage).

15 hours ago, Why Me said:

Ok, so I guess you rent from an individual owner who simply gives you the bill to pay. I am in a rental building owned by one entity and all apartments rented out by the same. So my my meter readings and electric charges are shown in my monthly statement. I don't get to see the MEA bill.

 

Which raises the question if the building gets one giant bill from the MEA or individual ones per meter. I suspect I know the answer.

Since your landlord clearly owns more than five units, the law says that he can only charge the actual amount that he is billed by MEA, plus up to 25% for internal infrastructure. Even with that extra 25%, that would come out to no more than 5 baht per kwh. That happens to be what I pay at my building in central Bangkok, though my inquiry about MEA Covid refunds was met with a lot of hemming and hawing. (It's all but impossible to decipher the MEA website to figure out what rebates were actually given to apartment building owners as opposed to individuals.)

5 hours ago, khwaibah said:

 

She can do this with the US Consulate in Chiang Mai. No need to go to Bangkok. They are both still closed and I expect when they open she would get a polite "no can help." She needs to file a compliant with local authorities.

Correct, this has nothing to do with the US Embassy or the US Government. No country assumes responsibility for the private debts of its citizens abroad (or at home, for that matter).

7 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

I read that as 2/3 for 800k in account method you can have a bank letter up to 7 days prior to appointment?  1 is a bit unclear unless an out if you forgot these items or perhaps it means to update book on day of application or later?

The translations are poor. 

1. You must update the status of your deposit and bring your bankbook to show to the immigration officer on the day of application.

2. The bank letter verifying your deposit can be up to seven days old.

3. Only the person who reserved the slot online can use this service. Family members are not included. [i.e., a separate booking is needed for each person]

7 hours ago, mr mr said:

i found one of the illusive health certificates inside a chocolate bar with a gold wrapper. 

A "fit to fly" certificate is actually very easy to obtain, assuming it's at all possible to see a doctor in the departure country. Any physician can issue one, and all it usually says is that there's no obvious reason why the passenger shouldn't be ok to fly. Most of the time they're given when someone has some visible issue (pregnancy, plaster cast) that might raise suspicions of health issues with airline staff. With regards to the current pandemic, I can't see how a "fit to fly" serves any useful purpose whatsoever.

3 hours ago, Isaan Alan said:

People's comfort factor. I heard that the elevator close door button is really cosmetic. People just feel the urge to press the button to feel in control.

 

I have seen people press the "I want to walk across the road button" at Australian traffic light about 10 times unto they get the walk signal. The dummies probably think that they did it.

It depends how things are set up. In many cases, like almost all of the elevators I've ever used in the US, the "close door" button appears to indeed be cosmetic, since pressing it doesn't seem to make the doors close any faster. In other cases - including most elevators in Thailand - it really works, and the doors close immediately after you press it.

Pedestrian crossing buttons are similar. In some places, they don't do anything at all. In others, they don't affect the timing of the light, but they do cause the light to give audible signals for the blind. In still others, especially where there's a pedestrian crossing separate from any traffic light, the "walk" light will not come on at all unless someone presses the button.

But none of that changes the fact that the Gold Line is not a monorail!

I went to high school with Michelle Robinson, who became Michelle Obama after marriage. I was also at university with Masako Owada, who is now the Empress of Japan, but I didn't know her.

Thanks for the informative report. Did they ask for any proof of residence/address? I've never been asked before, but I've read recent reports from people who said they had to submit copies of their lease and the landlord's ID/house registration. (Of course, some people just bring those things and hand them over without being asked, so it's not always clear whether they were really required or not.) I'll need to do my extension within the next few weeks, so I'm curious.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

A vinyl board during the presentation by immigration chief Lt-Gen Sompong Chingduang yesterday also indicated the involvement of the Saensuk (Bang Saen) police in Chonburi.

Actually, it looks like the vinyl boards have been replaced by a fancy LCD display.

12 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Sounds like this kind of thing would have been completely legal, had he been licensed to do so. So, all that was missing was the revenue paid to the appropriate persons or agency? Or, am I missing something here? How is this considered human trafficking, when all parties are consenting?

 

I think this entire story is deflection. Thailand wants desperately to appear to be doing something about trafficking and slavery. And they are doing nothing, thanks to an administration that does not have any interest in pursuing convictions against anyone who is in power, the police, the army, very wealthy or connected. So, they pursue a lowly individual for doing what, exactly? This does not sound like trafficking, at all. Not on any level. 

I agree that it's a big, big stretch to call it human trafficking - that label is probably just applied so they can hold it up to the US and EU in an effort to avoid watch lists - but surrogacy and fertility treatments for foreigners really are illegal under Thai law:

"Thailand bans commercial surrogacy for foreigners - BBC News"

Thai police arrest man smuggling semen into Laos - BBC News

Thanks for the "clarification"...

6 hours ago, webfact said:

the doctor, whose name is being withheld

Of course, if the accused were a foreigner we would have his full name and a photo of his passport bio page.

2 hours ago, GuyFawkes said:

I went to Big C in Khon Kaen yesterday and was unable to locate this beef.  Is it on display under the name of Bangkok Bob or do I have to ask for said beef?

 

Thanks

Here's what it looks like.

On 5/23/2020 at 3:54 PM, tlock said:

Foodland is good about bagging, they usually have an extra bagger at each checkout.

Villa Market as well.

5 hours ago, Moonlover said:

 

Nonsense. The measure was announced by the PM on the 2nd Apr and the incident whereby returning Thais rebelled at Suvarnabhumi airport and refused to go into compulsory quarantine took place on the 3rd Apr. 

 

All returnees since then have been placed into 14 day quarantine, including the 'Swampy rebels'.

You are quite right - my sense of time passing has been distorted by never leaving the house, and I totally misremembered the dates.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Kanit explained that “the MRO project will proceed as planned as it is a part of government’s mega-project to develop the Eastern Economic Corridor".

Oh, it's part of the project, so therefore it will proceed even if the company that was supposed to be the key partner has declined to participate. Got it.