StevieAus

1 minute ago, StevieAus said:

From what I see happening not only here but in Western Countries you might you might be left like the proverbial

“ <deleted> on the rock”

as the use of cash is rapidly disappearing.

Dear me, don’t they realize that the word that has been deleted also refers to a type of bird , as I intended and also a type of tobacco.

19 hours ago, The Theory said:

Cash is king. buy COD, pay by bank transfer and never transfer from you major accounts. Only transfer from a low balance account for this purposes/ATM. ????  I use CCard only for international tickets (in Thailand). 

From what I see happening not only here but in Western Countries you might you might be left like the proverbial

“ <deleted> on the rock”

as the use of cash is rapidly disappearing.

9 hours ago, walailak said:

My experience... 

I have a KTC Thai credit cards (3) since 2011.

About a month ago the bank rang, late on a Friday night, and informed me that my wife's credit card (second card holder under me) has been compromised and they spoke to visa international and the card needs to be cancel immediately!! 

I immediately hang up thinking it was a scam call and I rang back KTC myself to find out if it was really them or not. 

 

KTB Call center confirmed the story and they strongly suggested that the card needs to be cancelled asap. 

So I got them the cancel the card and a replacement card arrived in few days. 

Apparently someone in Europe tried or was going to try using it. 

 

I'm very very careful with using my KTC and Krungsri credit cards here in Thailand, as if something goes wrong I won't have the same rights fighting with the bank as if I would have back home with the commonwealth bank of Australia. 

 

Both KTC and Krungsri apps notifications are on and an otp is required for any transactions over 1 Baht. better safe than sorry ????

 

I have had no issue with the Bangkok Bank here and was one of the group who had small amounts scammed plus from overseas twice in the last year.

They have given me as good service as anything I had with Suncorp in Australia  who I think are a top bank. 

( Unfortunately soon to disappear)

7 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

You are 100 percent right there.  

 

People are easily duped into paying more at a fancy private hospital....the same doctor also doing the rounds at public hospitals in the same area.  

 

But they are paying for the fancy decorating and staff papering them at the private hospitals. ....which has nothing to do with with actual medical work or recovery.

Have you walked through a public hospital recently, seen the people crammed  together in wards, the standard of cleanliness, the waiting times etc.

Its a lot more than fancy decorating.

You stick with the government hospitals and I will continue to be pampered by the private system.

I live in Thailand and twice in the last six months my card has been used in the UK for purchases, usually they start with small amounts to test the reaction.

I have no idea how they get the number but the only thing you can do from my experience is

1 have the system on your phone that shows an alert when any transaction is made.

2 Immediately contact your bank and have the card cancelled and a new one reissued

3 Have the bank cancel the transaction and a refund made to your account.

17 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

There is no official support for the banning of passengers in pickup beds as all the likely victims are poor, and thus of no consequence.

 

Same for seatbelts and child seats. The rich and well educated will use them (except for the arrogant) but the poor, who really need telling of the consequences, will not through ignorance and apathy. Their children will be the victims.

Unfortunately the people who appear to have money and those you would think are educated, from my observations also ignore  seatbelts for children.

My daughter attends a non government school and daily I see teachers nurses and business owners bundle their children into their cars without seat belts and often standing up on the front seats.

One would think that nurses, who must see the injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents would have more sense, but then I see them riding motor cycles without helmets.

Perhaps as you say they are arrogant, I put it down to stupidity or something I don’t understand about the culture.

4 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Sorry I thought it was you who said you had it done, in & out in 2 hours incl X ray etc for £35.

No I was responding to someone else and as a comparison

on costs mentioned what it cost me to see a specialist, x Ray and blood test equivalent of about about 35 UK pounds.

I had never heard of this other procedure and hope I never require it.

13 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Are you talking about the whole Rezum operation?

An earlier poster I think it was Klong Song stated it had only been available here since January 2022 perhaps he was talking about Public Hospitals.

I was responding to a poster who was suggesting that it is no longer cheaper for people to have medical procedures carried out privately in Thailand than the UK which I find hard to believe.

4 hours ago, connda said:

For me, buckling up as soon as I sit is ingrained habit.  Like wearing a motorcycle helmet (and shoes, and jean (at least), and gloves).
My body, my choice.  I see value in their use.

Everyone else?  It's up to them.  The laws requiring these items are essentially money-making schemes for the BIB.

They are only money making schemes if people don’t comply.

In other countries they are money-making schemes for the government.

Comply and the money  river dries up.

1 hour ago, Guderian said:

I know a guy who had it done a few months ago in Bangkok Hospital Pattaya. He was pleased with the results and, although it's not a comfortable experience having something stuck up your willy (unless you're into sounding, lol), he didn't mention any pain.  The cost was 200K Baht which his local medical insurance picked up. He had to wear a pee bag for a week afterwards but after that was removed everything was fine. I also read that it's good for just 5 years, but as it's a new procedure they may just be guessing on the safe side of things there. I also checked the price in a UK private hospital and that was £5K to £6K, so about the same. The days of Thailand being a cheap medical destination are well and truly over, at least for us Brits.

I don’t know if this procedure is considered expensive in Thailand because it’s relatively new but I think you will find many others are not.

I recently saw a specialist at a private hospital,  the total fee which included an X Ray and blood test was the equivalent of 35 UK pounds, all wrapped up within less than two hours.

13 hours ago, EricTh said:

Sumalee seems to have the most votes here. Is she the one with office in a gym?

Not that I have ever seen.

About two years ago she relocated to Chang Puak where she lives and had new offices built.

As a retired lawyer myself I certainly would not have used her if not 100% satisfied.

7 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Shouldn't even be allowed to sell flammable panel's, seems madness

One could say the same about that high rise in London that was clad in flammable material and went up in flames.

I understand there are many others including in Australia.

Its all about saving the $.

2 hours ago, proton said:

Thanks for that, very informative

I can confirm they work never used on a large surface but on other items even left them out in the rain to check and no rust.

19 hours ago, Tropposurfer said:

There hasn't been a mass shooter events in my home nation for 30 years. Why? Because the government in the interest of public safety and oh what else was it ??? ... oh yes sanity .... banned all semi and automatic weapons and placed an amnesty on handing them in as well as hefty fines and jail for anyone who kept one.

Hence zero, yes zero mass shootings since.

I'm sure it will make some here mad as heck but as a reasonably sane person I am loathe to take any, I repeat any American advice about guns, gun death, and prevention.

If your referring to Australia, maybe not mass shootings but still plenty of other shootings, usually between gang members of Middle Eastern origin, so perhaps that’s not a problem.

On 8/6/2022 at 7:47 AM, MikePBrown said:

Hi I recently used Sumalee Jennapa (26 Tanin Road) to update my Thai Will, Living Will, UK Will and Enduring Power of Attorney for Bt20,000. In my case everything was very simple and all in English only. I understand that it is best to have your Thai Will in English and in the event of your death it is translated, if signed as a Thai language Will there is a risk of someone challenging your Thai Will on the basis that you did not know what you were signing.

I have used Sumalee and her practice for over 15 years as have many other expat friends, including a friend who had a consultation with her last week and was very happy with the outcome.

Her contact number is 053-142366.

She will happily discuss her fees prior to undertaking any work

22 hours ago, NancyL said:

Also there's an Australian JP (Neil Kilah) in Chiang Mai, in addition to the Honorary Consul.  Not exactly close to Si Sa Ket, however.

Australian JP’s are appointed by the various States.

My appointment is from NSW and still valid.

From memory only JP’s appointed by the Queensland Government can certify documents outside of Australia.

I seem to recall that this was confirmed by our Honorary Consul in Chiang Mai a couple of years ago.

10 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

I smell a lot of apologists replying here. Sure, medical care is cheaper in Thailand than in the West. That a corrupt court or tourism promoter says it's 'legal', that's much different than 'fair'. Human bodies are all warm whether Thai or foreign & must be treated the same.

Not all private hospitals charge foreigners higher rates, I can quote two in Chiang Mai one of which I have dealt with for over ten years.

If I am an apologist so be it but preferable to being a bigot.

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Or... you can only bang the Aussie half of her.. 

I will have to think about that.

10 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Thanks, I wasn't really sure if it's cool to show both passports. I can't take anything for granted anymore.

My daughter holds Thai Australian and UK citizenship.

On leaving and arriving in Thailand we use the Thai passport and the others as applicable.

Has been traveling for years and never a problem

9 hours ago, Crossy said:

This explains Madam's "headache" last evening

 

Fortunately my wife doesn’t read ASEAN now, but as she also holds Australian citizenship does this mean she only abstains for half of the time?

4 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

The car exiting the junction from a side road (turning right) has priority over the car on the main road turning right into the side road. 

Thanks for the clarification.

On 8/3/2022 at 10:04 AM, Bangkok Barry said:

Completely agree. Can't fault them in any way, and that includes when they came to install the system and worked until nearly midnight on a Sunday - fortified with Leo and potato chips - to sort out a problem.

I suppose by giving them Leo it wouldn’t have affected their concentration or

ability !!

But agree their service is  excellent.

My wife always tips them in cash.

On 8/3/2022 at 11:39 AM, JBChiangRai said:

Traffic lights is a different case.  What I said is actually the law, not custom. When you are turning right into a side road, traffic exiting turning right onto the main road have priority.

 

I saw a poster about this on the steps up to the 2nd floor in the Pattaya driving licence centre and it sometimes features in driving tests on the computer.

Are you saying that the driver turning out of the side road has priority over all traffic traveling towards them or only the car turning right into their road?

If the former is the case it would potentially cause mayhem on two or three lane roads.

7 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

well yes.  and as I was saying, that is why your average shop or business can't retain people.  A few lunches here and there don't seem that notable after a while

Some business seem to retain them. Where I live in Northern Chiang Mai Province I see the same people working for the same business and they have been there more than ten years, maybe they are looked after.

On 7/29/2022 at 8:11 AM, JBChiangRai said:

I am from the UK, we also drive on the LHS.

 

I have only noticed one difference with the law here, if you are on the main road turning right into a side road, people exiting the side road have priority and you must give way, it is totally the opposite in the UK.

 

Then you have local customs, in Chiang Rai we only have one roundabout, it is fed by a dual carriageway each side and two side roads perpendicular to the dual carriageway.  All the approach roads are clearly marked with white stop lines on the road, but drivers on the dual carriageway think they have priority.  I witnessed an accident there once and discussing with the insurance assessor he told me that the guy who thought he could cross the white line straight onto the roundabout was at fault, i.e. exactly the same as in the UK (I think France is different)

I think what you state in. your second paragraph might be common practice rather than law.

At traffic lights drivers turn right in front of oncoming traffic.

According to the police and DLT officials I have spoken to they do not legally have the right of way.