Sambotte

There is enough liquidity for me on Bx :) For BTC, ETH, and XRP (added recently).

I see orders of 1Mo bahts on the lists everydays, so it depends, if you want to buy/sell 10Mo bhts, Bx could be short :)

Prices are around 10-15% more than average market price, but no problem if you buy-sell on the same platform. Or you can buy somewhere else and sell on Bx. And every market has his price, and varying. US, Japan, Korea, China, Europe, there are differences. I think prices in Thailand are like in Japan, around 10-15% up the average price.

Not a problem here i would say, volume and prices are ok on Bx. Inscription is very fast, Support is reacting pretty well, bank cash deposit are very easy and quick. Not like some other big exchanges... Bitstamp, Kraken... No support.

Localbitcoin is P2P so you have to be carefull, and paiement options are very slow sometimes.

Bitcoins.co i think they have a strange fee of 1%.

And Coins.co witch is from Philippines is a brocker, they sell you BTC taking 8-9% fee but on both way i think (buy and sell), so you lose a lot, it's a fee, not a price upper. Normal fee is 0.25% so to compare.

Bx.In.th is pretty good i find.

I went yesterday to a True commercial spot... I don't speak Thai so not sure about what i had, but like a transfert to another kind of contract lol... Supposedly permanent (not limited at 3 months), package with data and call, around 300 bahts per month, i paid the first. No credit card required. They took my adress and i should have a utility bill (witch i need somewhere else).

But so i think you can transform the tourist package to another...

Ok thanks. It's to immigration though i think.

Happens that i need a residency certificate or something like that for another purpose, and that i renewed my passport today,, so anyway i'm going to immigration, will see.

Got lost again :)

As tourist, renting a condo, do i have or not to report to immigration ???

It's for the owner to do it i guess no ?

Otherwise well any TOURIST should worrie about that, not to mention AirB&B users, but even for hotel in case hotel forget to do the report ???

That would be interesting to clarify. If tourist have to report within 24h for each new location, well bye bye the millions of tourists in Thailand... Or thousand queuing at immigration lol... Would be a total non-sense no ?

I see something scary on their website...

Upgrade options for Tourist SIM

And it's like 1000 bahts for 30 days ?!...

Edit... Not sure...

Nowhere i see a limit of 3 months, that's sound good ?

I just have to undestand the TopUp, but it's written : "get at least 30 days more validity for every top-up" on my enveloppe. So ten minimal top-up should give me a +10 months validity right ?

Thanks but by banking i mean receiving the mandatory sms codes...

Opted for the J2 Prime at almost the same price : 3600 bahts. Newer, bigger, will see...

Haa sh... !

Bought my first mobile (yes i know i know...) and opted quickly for a True sim... And it's a TOURIST SIM !

And i want to keep the number for banking etc. At least one year !

The girl, after my second visit, assured me it was no problem to extand to one year...

So ???

Truemove H 49 bahts Thailand tourist sim Pay as you go on the enveloppe...

Should it be ok ? I just don't want to lose the phone number after 3 month !!!

Please help ! Damn mobile phone mania :)

Just to share, i know nothing about phones, and just need one for banking.

After searching, i'm about to buy a Galaxy J1 4G. 3500 bahts around. Dual sim. Big brand in case of problem. Unlocked i think...

I would have prefer the J1 mini but it's not a 4G as i understand...

Any advice against ?

After that i still have to undestand how to buy the correct cheap sim/plan, minimal use but :

- International roaming on accasion

- Same number at least one year (looks like i have to "top-up" something :))...

I'm newbie here, i use a mobile computer (Apple) since ages, have now a MBP. and have always been very happy with Mac.

But the first price in Apple Phone is just ridiculous to mee, kind of half the price of my computer, so i will skip Apple on this. I did not need a mobile phone before (yes, i know, but i'm from earth though :)).

Ho ho Airbagwill... Looks to me you are just trying to be agressive, with no argument on your last post ? :) So much for "unsophisticated thinking", who is talking ? :)

I'm not in that way, i comment on the general topic and on practical proposal and analysis. Just opposite to, as you misinterpret, a statu quo supporting. Not the first post of me critizising the driving in Thailand.

And your are wrong way too here : I've been driving only motorcycle here in Thailand, so much for your not so clear view... And have been driving millions kilos both with cars and MC small and big in many countries in my life, zero accident.

May i suggest you read my post more intelligently, and comment on reality, and on the the general topic ?...

Not interested nor impress by that kind of agressiv post. That said, no offense taken :)

On 06/05/2017 at 1:19 PM, Captain Jack said:

The person driving the bike, their thoughts, attitudes and behaviour are the ONLY factor that matters.

 

Add devices that limit the bikes speed and the teenage boys will be straight around to the local chop-shop to have them deactivated, just like they have their illegal exhausts, wheels, injectors and brakes fitted, mirrors removed, lights altered, etc. etc. etc.

 

Blame the roads? The rider is responsible for understanding the road conditions and riding accordingly.

 

Blame other road users? The rider is responsible for understand all factors pertaining to their safety on the road.

 

If your average motorbike rider thinks it's OK to ride on the wrong side of the road without a helmet while talking on the phone with 3 passengers then nothing is going to improve their safety on the road.

I agree with that. Driving a two weels with ONE hand is totally crazy, those who do this are dead/injured people in a near future. It's one of the 4-5 ENORMOUS mistake drivers in general make...

Makes me sick to see a baby in one hand of some motorcycle drivers for example...

BUT... Car driver are responsible for a part of motorcycle accidents, for sure, and the MC driver can NOT avoid it sometimes. Happens to my ex-girlfriend : she was at a stop, a car hurt her from behind (and run)... 

And i  do not want to be polemic, but driving slow can put you in danger in 2 weels. Cars, trucks, other MC, will pass you, sometimes in a non safety manner. And last, to limit MC speed may put them sometimes in death danger, because sometimes you have to speed to avoid a danger, from behind for example, or from a side.

I'm pretty sure that imposing a minimum of driving lessons (and adds on TV, and morality debat like for the babys), specially for the 4-5 BIG mistakes they make, would reduce well a fair amount of accident, maybe 50% or more.

But nothing is done on this BASIS.

I will not argue too much, but i'm very experienced in driving, both cars and small or big motorcycle.

The MAIN reason for accident here in Thailand is : no knowledge, and/or no care, of basic driving rules/habbits !!!

- Motorcycle (small) : many do very big mistakes (not looking mostly) ;

- Cars (some of them) consider motorcycle as not something to take care of !!! Happens all the time ! A car coming opposite way will use your lane, or a car engaging same way will not wait you pass.

Rules about speed, helmet (most are like nothing), will not change much ! Just convert deaths to injured !

A serious driving licence is the point, including for small motorcycle. Adds on televison too. There are only 4-5 BIG DANGEROUS mistake/behevior to correct here that cause the thousands accidents...

On 05/05/2017 at 11:11 PM, Flustered said:

My avatar is the world famous Hypnotaod. You  don't get out enough Look up Futurama, it's an American cartoon show.

...

 Very proud of their language/accent these Parisians.

Well a frog is a fr.. french :)

Off topic, i may open a new one since it's so cool : "According to different sources, 45% of all English words have a French origin".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_French_origin

And many other sources, google says.

I think Amercan like that fact (i mean when they know) more than the British, fighting spirit between brothers :)

I love the Brit (London i think) accent by the way. American accents too. And many things from those two big cultures.

And i must admit French usually don't speak english, don't want, and well the french accent is almost impossible to get rid of. Happens to me to say just "yes" and the guy pick up immediatly i'm french :) A shame :)

But French langage is so beautiful "indeed" when you master it. Langage of litterature, of love :) Etc.

And half british/american langage coming from french langage, well well well, what a surprise hé hé hé...

Thanks a lot ballzafire for the info, i may check that if i want to move from the actually good condo in DCondo Hyde. Walls and windows are good, doors are poor indeed, but almost no noise from corridor. Kind of medium-high Thai society. Very big swimming pool, nice gym, very well situated in front of central plaza, and well... 30 square METERS (lol) are just but ok. I feel good :)

Thanks John.

I agree with you Flustered, more choice in CM, but yes too you still can find enough offer in CR when you meet people, very easy and cool here. I've seen some kind of condo/room for cheap, like 3.5K bhts, not amazingly good though...

Joking mode on :

Am i dreaming or your avatar is a FROG ? I'm the Frenchman How dare you Brit Brother ?

Or the Farang-set, name that came from Fran-çais with Thai prononciation ! Yes, yes, yes :)

But i like the American and Internet though hé hé... Well except for the DAMN Brit-American non-metric non-scientific system of mesure ! Guys when will you evolve upper than inches and feet seriously ? That's a shame

So... HA ha... Better Vientiane then ?

Ha no lol :

http://www.pcscenter.sb.police.go.th/eng/news-detail-eng.php?lang=eng&newskey=28

"The Police Clearance Center would like to inform you that a Certificate processing period is approximately 30 business days. This announcement is affective from 21 July 2015."

Of course... :) Makes something like 1 month and half to get this document...

Still lost and more and more actually...

So... Well, still have 2 weeks to figure it out :)

Vientiane looks a no-go because of the requested criminal record witch takes more than one month...

Then should i try Savannakhet with money proofs, no pension ? With back-up plan not sure : make a tourist visa if can't have the non-O, and then to TRY to convert it here in Chiang Rai ??? Or Bangkok with adress in Chiang Rai ?? Quite lost :)

Or should i definitely consider to go to Penang by plane IF it's ok there ???

I totally agree. Would be surprise if they get lot of customer with that, so i will go to ask them.

Thanks for the contact, i send John a e-mail.

Makes me crazy :)

A income letter when 800.000 bahts in bank is a legit solo requirement ?...

I should the reconsider Vientiane with a criminal and medical record (from Thailand ?) witch i can get... ?

A little bit worried since those info looks like Thailand is not very willing to have retiree now ?...

Less than CM anyway i could bet on that :)

For info i've seen the condos :

- DCondo is well located indeed, BigC just 50m, and most of the studios are not direct on the main road, quiet i think ; 8 to 12 K bahts depending on the owner.

- QHouse is not that well located but ok, except more studios and appts will have the main road noise. 7 to 12 K bahts and even a few 50sqm appt i think.

- Like Condo i didn't see, but talked to a cool American living here. Half appts are on the back, not sure about the noise. Prices around 10K or more if biger.

- Condotel not seen yet, looks crazy expensive first month.

- Absolute condo i saw construction far away after the airport. On construction so...

Will sign in DCondo probably tomorow, 2 months minimum, deposit 10K, internet will be installed in one day.

Easy Thailand :)

Not suppose to be raining in March april though in Khao Lak :)

And according to a local, last rainy season was dry on the opposite. Climate change...

To answer to the topic : where similar to Chiang Mai, well, Chiang Rai looks very good... Smaller but develloped, more relax, less traffic, and less pollution ! Because it's not in a small valley like CM, and less traffic, less diesel...

And more air ! Appreciated with the smooky season not yet finished, although it has been raining, dangerous level of pm2.5 re-raise again and again...

On 26/08/2016 at 9:10 PM, kanook said:

Ironic that this topic came up, just moved back to CR 3 weeks ago after 2 years in CM.  Wife's international employer moved their regional office with very little notice so we didn't have much time to look for a house and never found one we liked at our preferred price, so moved into a condo.  

 

Looked at the 3 main ones that have just been built in Muang; D Condo, Like Condo and Q House.  All of D Condo's units are 29 sq M and even though they have the biggest pool & gym and you can use the overhead walkway to Central the size and layout makes the units feel even smaller than they are.  Like has larger units available and a nice salt water pool with gym - viewed a 37 sq M, but the owner wouldn't budge on her 8500 baht price. Went with a unit in the Q house which has several layouts, I believe 29 to 37sq M - salt water pool and gym. Got a great price and very happy with the staff, just the usual Thai Condo problem of not enough parking and Thais with multiple cars leaving their nicest car to occupy a premium spot permanently.

Thanks for the info. A local friend told me about the DCondo. Have to check the two other too.

And according to another poster, Absolute Condo north the river.

And Condotel : will check too, the website says :

1st Month 28,000 THB
2nd Month 18,000 THB
3rd Month 10,000 THB

Chiang Rai look pretty nice and relax. I was for years in Chiang Mai too, and it's quite different here, more friendly/less tourist oriented, and less pollution !!! It's smaller, less traffic and diesel, and not in a small valley with no wind. Have very positive experience here... well, since two days only :)

Thanks again.

And good news but again except one thing not obvious : i do not have any pension...

It's supposed to be ok since i have the 800.000+ no ? And 50+ year old.

Savannakhet is kind of the same travel i think from Chiang Rai, night bus anyway. Not to much to do there but 1-2 days is very ok.

Perfect would have been Luang Prabang since there is a direct flight from CR (i don't think i can fly to Savannakhet easily and cheap).

Last think : due to week-end, the bank letter will be from Friday, apply in Savann a Monday, i guess it's good...

On 20/02/2017 at 1:16 PM, ubonjoe said:

Savannakhet want proof you are retired to issue one. Perhaps a pension statement or a income letter from your embassy.

Hi again, i'm still lost in this non-O visa :)

Looks like Vientiane make it very difficult, so where to go ? Savannakhet i guess. Not close since i am in Chiang Rai but i do not want to lose time in Vientiane for nothing...

But Ubon, they (in Savannakhet) do issue the non-O based on 50+ year and 800.000 bhts in bank right ?

Any idea of the documents required ? Their website is in Thai...

Especially :

- Proof of adress ?

- Letter from bank (recent ? need funds since 2 month or ?) ?

And someone could confirm how long it takes ?

Thanks again.

Yes it's totally wrong data without the pm2.5 imo, shame on those site indicating good or moderate air quality because they do not count the most dangerous pm2.5. If they don't have it, they shoud indicate "unknown air quality index" !

But the data you have say bad air so ? With the pm2.5...

Got a little misleaded by that a week ago. Well i thought after, that they was no chance of such a difference between CM and CR. Although rain is the big saver :)

Kind of annoyed right now, i wanted to visit CR (and will receive my new passport there in 2 weeks), and had no plan to go back to the south immediately, but it's all about rain (big), or not (enough to clean this mess)... Should be raining today or tomorrow maybe, will see. Otherwise it could be one more month with dangerous air quality in the whole area... In that case i should evacuate even if it mean i have to make a short trip to CR for my passport when it arrive.

Have been in CM two time years before, during the whole smooky season, i was annoyed and not feeling very well, but this time, just after 2 weeks, i have now a little lung inflamation ! This pollution is indeed very very bad. And nonsense to burn all the fields like that, it's crazy stupid (no rocket science to feel it's very harmfull, not to mention bad for the climate change). And bad for tourism, hope this could change something when health issue does not :)

Well, rain within 2 days or i evacuate :) I don't know where though, south is kind of far from here, just for 2 weeks...

Well opinion differ :) I really feel it's going worst personnaly.

More traffic = more pollution, since you can see a lot of diesel emission or other small clouds going out from certain cars, songtaw, tuk-tuk and a few old motorcycle.

In a valley. With very dry air. No wind.

In comparison air is much better in... Bangkok !

Concerning the stupid mass burning in all area (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand), well i came to CM because it rained, i thought it was the end of pollution. Was not... It's awfull again since more than a week.

Visibility doesn't seem to reflect the pollution imo, maybe just the pm10, i don't know... Because visibility is not to bad, when pollution is crazy bad :

http://aqicn.org/city/chiang-mai/

181 pm2.5 at 6 am, it's dangerous !

By the way i can't find the pm2.5 for Chaing Rai, anybody knows ?

The aqicn could be totally false without it, like it indicate a good air for Chaing Rai ???... because of the absence of pm2.5. That's a shame imo for a "scientific" (?) data website on air pollution.

A interesting blog, talking about efficient mask too :

https://www.tielandtothailand.com/chiang-mai-smoky-season/

Hope the rain will come those days.

Wonder how it can be really accurate about let say alcool... bad driving and speeding and alcool is counted how ?

IMO alcool is a sure issue, you can't drive well when drunk ; speeding... not sure, alone, if the driver is good he is 100% focus, and many time on motorcycle you are in danger if you drive slow ! I mean it, and i'm very experienced, 0 accident in y life - and i do speed when i can, or when i must, for my safety (dangerous situation, big truck coming from behind...) - ; but i don't drink.

The main deaths and severely injured are motorcyclists.

(-cheap- helmet will not change much to that)

(-> It's criminal to throw water on a motorcyclist, what measure here or control by police ? Or simply public debat ? I mean it, this is criminal ! At least obviously very dangerous )

Usual suspects otherwise :

- Motorcyclist "driving" with one hand ! That's just suicidal... Sometimes with wife and kid back, and mobile phone on use

- Mobile phone use by car driver too...

- Motorcyclist (or cars) joining a main road without checking and if necessary waiting there "turn"...

- Or changing direction without any visual control.

- Car driver not taking any care of motorcycle : this happen all the time, in front of you on the road - not much in town -, a car pass another, thinking the motorcycle has to avoid him, or maybe does not represent a danger for him... So too many car driver do absolutely not care about motorcycle...

Same with some car before turning left - usually in town here -, they start to pass you, then realise they can't really turn, so they then slow down : total non sense : so some car driver have zero driving lesson, seriously.

Last, driver tend to make mistake but veryyyy sloooowly :) Like if it could be less dangerous, or like they know they are doing bad but can't refrain :) Typically : car joining a main road, they can't wait safety for passage, they try to insert slowly.

What are the law and measure about that ?... I think those main mistake could represent 80% of accident. Easy to fix with some good TV spots, and a real exam for driving license. So what ?...

That said, ok Songkran will be a bloodbath like usual, but otherwise, generally (being in different part of Thailand in many years), the driving is slowly improving i would say.

Could be natural selection though :) Sorry have to joke, because so many dead and injured for just 4-5 basic big mistake witch could be easilly adressed, it's so crazy...

Thailand does not want this image of the last country on earth for driving, it's bad for business anyway :)

But police control (except for drunk driving), helmet, safetybelt, regulation about trucks, etc. will not change a thing ! Or what ? Less dead, more injured ?

The root is basic driving education, witch is not provided ! Obviously. Easy to fix, by better license exam (for motorcycle too), and TV spots. It's just always the same 4-5 big mistakes that create the danger and the accidents.

It's so crazy that it would be very easy to improve. Government's call. Easy call. I mean, theorically :)

Somehow... Take USA... Have been many time there. Immigration play too many time with foreigner, just to play "power game". I've experienced it, recently, after Trump so. A young guy just wanted to make problem for zero reason, i have nothing to hide or suspect, i am always polite, etc. After one hour and half checking in detail my belonging, a supervisor told him by phone to let me pass, and he expressed then publicly his frustration ! I have to fill a complain btw in case there is still justice there. Pissed me off, especially to be unable to do anything again that absolute nosense. ? Many travellers have had stupid problem like this recently, it's a shame ! For no reason, and by so immigration US or homeland is not doing their necessary job. It's in USA, and i think many Thai can't even have a visa or ESTA for example. But could be same in France (i just don't know obviously since i'm French :) And well i don't plan to come back anytime soon...

Never had a problem in Thailand. With lots of tourist visa cumulated. Always welcome.

Second point, well, USA (sorry guys i like you in fact :)) again, they just don't need you to fill form to spie on you, no ? :)

Just talking, it's all relative, and well i'm fine with Thailand, easy country, nice people, very good services. I've been in many places around the world, and well i'm back here and happy to be :)

But i agree with you, pollution in Chiang Mai is a big disappointment. Big problem i mean.

The funny ting is i am near Phuket to avoid pollution in CM, and guess what ? :) I've got a cold after the too many planes and a transit for business in USA, and... It's damn raining every day ! Can't believe this :) Weather become crazy, not suppose to rain now so much here... Rain that would be so welcome now in CM :)