sumrit

Igot a savings account with an ATM card and internet banking at Siam Commercial Bank in Pattaya without any problems. Just needed my passport (with a 12month non imm O visa) and they asked for my address and phone number but I didn't need to show any proof of address. Took less than 15 minutes from start to finish.

Tracy Chapman - Where You Live

My bank in the UK refuse to transfer money from my UK bank account to my Thai bank account without me being physically present, in the UK. Is this normal?

You can arrange to transfer money from Lloydstsb to a Thai bank by phone but it has to be set up initially in person in the UK. The maximum amount is £5000 per transaction but you can just do repeat transactions on the same day if you need to send more. It costs £20 per transaction.

I had a feeling it wasnt easy for us to open a thai bank account....well stick to swift transfers for the time being.....and as we didnt want to go down the company route we have a very thorough lease contract drawn up with our solicitor to cover us for most eventualities...should enjoy 60 legal years in the sun anyway !!

As for my earlier qustion re the best way to get a good exchange rate on our hols.....do you think cash/travellers cheques are now the best option ?

It took me less than 15 minutes to open a bank account in Thailand with Siam Commercial bank. All they needed was my passport (I have a 1 year multi entry non imm O visa). They asked my address here in Thailand, but didn't ask for proof, and my telephone number (only took my mobile, not my house number). I was also able to set up internet banking at the same time. It was very easy. As for the rates the UK banks are using I don't know about any others but HSBC are using the off shore rate, I got less than 64 baht to the £ from an ATM 2 days ago. Won't be using their card here again.

Have a look at their customer service website on https://nationwide.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/nat...php?p_faqid=145

Thanks John, I'll contact them to see if I can do it from here or whether it will have to wait until I go back to the UK to visit the family.

Open an account with the Nationwide Building Society and have your pension paid into that, you can then draw from any atm with no charge, you may need a UK nominal address to start with but then opt for paperless statements (internet) and you have no problem.

When I opened a new bank account in the UK last year as well as a UK address every bank I asked also needed a utility bill in my name at that address as proof of address, which is difficult as I live in Thailand and just use my daughters as a mailing address in the UK. I eventually opened an account at the HSBC who accepted my credit card statements as proof of UK address. Does anybody know what proof of address the Nationwide Building Society require?

I agree a U-Turn bridge would have been a cheaper option but since they've used the central reservation area to increase the number of lanes in both directions with only a narrow barrier separating them there is nowhere to put the support pillars to build a U-Turn on.

Although on second thoughts they could have left the central reservation wider just in those areas to take the pillars.

Use the standard reload button or the extended version that you can find at https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1410/ or load this one that reloads every so many seconds or minutes based on your iput https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/115/

I know I can use the reload button but IE does does it automatically, besides, as the wife says, I'm lazy, so much so, I've even got forward and back buttons on my mouse so I don't have to go to the trouble of moving the pointer to the top left hand corner of the screen. Why would I go to the trouble of getting that feature and then be happy to have to move the pointer all the way up to the reload button?

Seriously though, when I've got an hour to spare I tend to sit at my PC and browse. I might have thai visa open in 1 tab, an on line UK newspaper in another and maybe a sport site in a third. With the internet problems we've had lately it's sometimes difficult to access UK web sites. I've found that if I have problems on IE I can sometimes go on to Firefox and access the web sites without a problem (and visa versa). If I forget I'm on Firefox I'll click the back button but not the reload and then find I've missed something. Like I said, not a big problem, just frustrating. It would just be nice to have them both set up the same, then I wouldn't even have to think about it.

Thanks for the links. I can't get on them at the moment, either on IE or Firefox (internet problems again) so I'll look at them later.

After repeatedly reading and being told Firefox was better than IE I finally decided to install it. First immpressions were that it seems similar to IE7. However, when I use the back button the page I'm going back to doesn't refresh at the same time, as it does in IE. For example if I'm browsing the Tv forums I would go to say the 'view new posts' menu page to look at the latest topics.I'd then go to a topic and read that before clicking the back button to go back to the menu page. On IE this also refreshes the menu page and gives me the latest topics, but with Firefox it just goes back to the old menu page I'd been to before reading that topic. Just a bit frustrating if I'm following a topic and I miss a reply because the page hasn't refreshed. Does anybody know of any settings I can change in Firefox so the page refreshes automatically?

I have seen devices advertised that go inline with the mains power and help reduce the bill, the only thing i can think fo that would could cause this is something that does a change to cause leading or lagging power factor to confuse the meter that power isnt actually being used.

anyone seen these units around?

Somebody was selling some of these units at the market in Chonburi last month. I couldn't read the explanation as it was in thai but from the daigrams on the leaflet he gave me it looked similar to something sold in the UK many years ago untill they became illegal there. If I remember correctly they work by shifting the current phase by 90 degrees with respect to the voltage so when the voltage is at maximum no virtually current is drawn and it fools the meter into not clocking up any usage. They're probably much more sophisticated now but that was the principle then.

right...it had to do something with phase shifting. Now why did they become illegal? And why did they fool the wattmeter? According to that German guy - and he demostrated it quite well and I have a good understanding of physics - there is actually no current drawn out of the system.

They became illegal because when people used them they were stealing electricity. I think they fooled the meter because the meter needs to see both the potential and the current drawn at the same time. By phase shifting the current that the meter is looking at by 90 degrees when the potential (voltage) is there no (or very little) current is being drawn so very little is registered on the meter. Of course you don't get something for nothing and your still drawing as much power as always, its just that the meter can't see it (hence stealing the elecricity). Your German guy was wrong if he said no current was drawn from the system.

I have seen devices advertised that go inline with the mains power and help reduce the bill, the only thing i can think fo that would could cause this is something that does a change to cause leading or lagging power factor to confuse the meter that power isnt actually being used.

anyone seen these units around?

Somebody was selling some of these units at the market in Chonburi last month. I couldn't read the explanation as it was in thai but from the daigrams on the leaflet he gave me it looked similar to something sold in the UK many years ago untill they became illegal there. If I remember correctly they work by shifting the current phase by 90 degrees with respect to the voltage so when the voltage is at maximum no virtually current is drawn and it fools the meter into not clocking up any usage. They're probably much more sophisticated now but that was the principle then.

I looked into that hot water bacteria a bit. It was honestly the first thing I've ever heard about it, but it seems to be true.

When your water temperature in the heater comes under 60 degrees, you run the risk of getting legionella bacteria.

But, most sites having info on this particular problem advice two things, first keep the temperature higher if possible, and second, instead of drinking the hot tap water, heat cold water instead.

So to put the risk in perspective, I was wondering how many people in Thailand are using the hot tap water to make themselves a cup of coffee, or even use the hot water to rinse their mouth after cleaning teeth...

I'm no expert but I believe the hygiene regulations that restaurants etc. have to abide by in the UK include storing cooked food at either above 63C or below 5C because bacteria is only active between these temperatures. I should imagine bacteria is active within the same temperatures in water.

I opened a bank account yesterday at the Siam Commercial Bank. Just took my passport, with a non imm O visa, and they asked for my address and phone number but didn't ask for proof. They gave me a bank book, ATM card and registered for internet banking, and all completed within about 15 minutes.

Peter Andre - Mysterious Girl (not my choice!)

Peter Andre!

:D

55555555555555555555555555555!!!!!! DSK, we shall never again refer to you as the man we thought you were!!!! Welcome to the official Donz Soundtrack fan club!!!

Gary Moore - Ballads and blues

Ah! The man with a million facial expressions!

I like this guy. Always had my doubts, but I always revert to liking him.

Last week I was watching some great clips on youtube, of Gary Moore.

Search his name on you tube and you'll get them.

There was his performance of Red House. Him, alone on a massive stage and the stage wasn't big enough for him.

Gary moore Red House

Also, loads of stuff of him with genuine blues legends jammin. Aparticularly great one of him and BB king, where during the last few minutes they trade off licks especially in the last few minutes and BB King is so full of joy it's awesome... Gonna try and find the link.. BRB.

Gary Moore & B.B. King - Excellent tradeoffs during thrill is gone

Check out particularly about 4.10 seconds into the song where the trade offs start... just to see the Kings' Facials when gary copycats him 55555!

PS: I'm listning to a compilation called "In God's Country - The music that inspired the Joshua Tree". It's full of excellent classics - Blind Wille, Woody guthrie, Hank, 24 genius tracks

edit: youtube links added where appropriate

Was having internet problems when you first posted this and have only just got back to it but well worth it. Gary Moore and BB King - brilliant

I have a microsoft wireless keyboard and wireless optical mouse.Before it worked good but for the past week as soon as I open internet explorer it stps working properly,both keyboard and mouse.I noticed even that the biggest problem occures when opening hotmail,don't ask me how this is possible,but i hotmail I'm not able to type even my password properly and the cursor hardly moves.When I type a letter or digit it will either not react or type the same digit 5 times.With other websites there is also the poblem but it works better.I already reintalled the drivers changed battery's but still same.Anybody has an idea what creates this problem?Also when I open some programs it will stop working competely and tell me that the battery level is low however it are new battery's.I already moved the reciever aswell but can't get it cleared.

Oh by the way when I run the signal test it will show me the result that the signal is strong and the battery level good.

Don't know if this is any help but I had a similar problem with my cordless mouse, its always locked up when I was using skype(acted the same as low batteries for a few seconds and then stopped working altogether). I still can't think of a reason it should why but that's what it did. The receiver for the mouse was plugged into a 4way usb hub then last week I was tidying up the cables on my PC and plugged the receiver directly into a usb socket in the back of the PC (too lazy to pull the PC out before) and since then the mouse hasn't locked up at all. I don't know if it's just coincidence or not but might be worth looking at how yours is connected.

Hi Couthy, here's another experience of TB. About 13 years ago a Thai girl who had come to the UK with our company for training was diagnosed with TB whilst in the UK. I was tested and the results were negative. However about 1 month later and after a trip to Thailand I started to feel ill with what I thought was flu. When it didn't clear up after about 3 weeks I went to the doctor who started to do tests for maleria and any other disease he could find in his book on tropical diseases (he ignored TB because my test had been negative). All came back negative. After another 2 months I'd had enough, the symtoms I had were I felt weak all the time, night sweats,aching joints, feeling really exhausted as soon as I did anything and I'd lost about 3 stone in weight. The sweats and exhaustion were the worst, even going up the stairs became a real effort so in the end, with my doctor not seeming to be doing much, I got a friend to take me to the local casualty dept and say he'd found me collapsed on the floor (when I'd tried going there before just saying I felt ill they wouldn't see me, they told me I had to go back to my GP). This time they Xrayed me and diagnosed TB within half an hour. I'd had a TB jab at school as a kid but they told me those jab were only about 80% efficient. The doctors put me on a 6 month course of antibiotics and after taking them for just 2-3 days I felt great, still weak but feeling good for the first time for 3 months. I still got exhausted very easily, even doing the simplist of tasks, and those symtoms lasted for well over a year but gradually improved, although even now I still get out of breath easily. It's most important to finish the full course of medication and not stop when you feel OK. Apparently stopping the treatment early is what causes the disease to mutate and then it becomes much more difficult to treat. By the way the company paid for the Thai girls treatment and she made a full recovery.

Chris Rea - Road to hel_l

hi guys , i have been seperated from my thai wife for over 2 yrs now , we both want a divorce , we married in bkk signed papers etc etc ! we are both living in uk ! i have had different information from ppl regarding divorcing a thai ! i was told that if we divorce in uk , the divorce would not count in thailand ! .....this came from somebody i was chatting to and there father was a thai lawyer !!!!!! can anybody please clear up this matter ? many thanks ! i have tried emailing thai embassy and was told go see a solicitor , not very helpful !

I don't know if it's valid in the UK but you can get a Thai divorce at the Thai embassy in London providing you both agree. You can download the form from the embassy's website, it's all in thai I'm afraid but very easy and straightforward, then you make an appointment at the embassy, take 2 witnesses with you and it's completed the same day. Check that the UK will recognize the divorce but as you were married in Thailand I believe they do.

Itook a friend to the immigration office in Jomtien to extend his visa and there was a guy there from the british embassy outside. Apparently he's there every day from 8-30 to 9-30am to deal with any problems british people might have. He told me if I took my pension details etc to him there he could write the letter for me. Might be useful for people living in the Pattaya area and save a trip to Bangkok.

pandora.com

This is a new idea for me, you simply type in your desired artist and pandora finds similar music, good if you're bored of you current music collection but still want to find similar music...

I tried this site but when I tried to register they needed a zip code. I'm not american so can anybody tell me a zip code I can use?

I've used Airline Warehouse from Birmingham for years now. I can book over the phone or on line (10% reduction on line) and check my booking on line at any time. Also, with living in Thailand I can book a return ticket from Bangkok to the UK online with them. With all the other travel agents I have checked out if you book on line the outward journey must be from the UK and you have to book over the phone to get the outward journey from Bangkok. Looking at the airline web sights (etihad, emirates,etc) they seem quite competative as well now if you book on line.

I'm going through the same process myself now - moving this summer to Phuket.

I've talked briefly to two shipping firms in London, Anglo Pacific Co and Excess Baggage Co, both of which are experienced in small household effects shipments to Thailand. I shall have probably the equivalent of one-quarter or a fifth of a 20ft container to send. These firms seem to work well with very small shipments, which they dispatch in groupage containers. Excess Baggage Co definitely has a container going direct from UK to Phuket about every two weeks, so you do not have to receive in Bangkok. If you have just a few boxes, I think that this would be the best way for you.

I didn't go into fine details with either of these firms (whose rates were similar) but I got the impression that small amounts of used household effects would be "cleared" easily at the Thai end by the local agent and delivered to your address. You possibly have to provide passport/passport copy to the local agent, but I didn't hear anything about having to have receipts to prove "used". It'll be interesting to see what comments come up from people in Thailand who've recently been through this.

I shipped a 1 cubic metre box of personal effects from the UK to Bangkok for £150 about 4 months ago. The local agent in bangkok charged me another 11000 baht for 'customs clearance, tax and transport' to my home in Chonburi. They needed my passport (not a copy) to get the box released from customs and delivered it the same day once I provided it. They insisted I had to pay the tax (2500 baht) even though I'd been told everything I was sending was tax free and I think I was overcharged on the delivery to my house but at least nothing was damaged. I don't know what the customs clearance charge should have been but I was charged 6500 baht.

Tracy Chapman - New Beginning

I shipped a one cubic meter box containing my computer, scanner, printer, CD's, etc from the UK to Thailand when I moved here last year and ended up paying about 11000 baht in bangkok for customs clearance and duty, tax and transport costs from the port to my home in Chonburi even though I had been told there was no import duty on electrical/electronic items.

Did you write clearly on the box in both Thai and English, "CUSTOMS DUTY DOES NOT APPLY. REFER REGULATION 2B SUBSECTION 3C". - or whatever?

And did you have a copy of the appropriate customs regulation in your hand at the time you were incorrectly charged duty? If you are being ripped off, it's up to you to stand your ground, for the benefit of the rest of us, if for no other reason.

Still, 11,000 Baht is not a great amount. Without knowing the value of the contents it's difficult to judge whether or not it was worth kicking up a fuss about.

The box was clearly labeled when I left it with the transport company in the UK but the label was damaged and not readable when I received it here in Thailand. The UK company automatically arranged for an agent to deal with things in Bangkok and they were who I had to pay, and when a Thai friend I had taken with me queried the cost they just refused to dicuss it and walked out of the office. After they'd done that four times I just paid them (the PC etc was worth a lot more than 11000 baht to me). The bill they gave me showed 'customs clearance -6500 baht, tax - 2500 baht and transport from the port to my home -2500 baht'. I know the transport should have been 500-600 baht but I don't kow about the other 'costs', and, believe me we sat in their office for over two hours asking what the costs were for and all they did was shrug their shoulders and walk away so in the end I paid, deciding 'this is Thailand'.

The TV will not be of much use without conversion (which may not be an option) as the PAL system is used here rather than NTSC. If printer uses ac motors there could also be a frequency issue as 50Hz is used here rather than 60Hz in USA (which could mean slower motors/clocks). Can your turntables work on 50Hz? The AC voltage is 230v so you will have to use transforms for all electric items. As this is a very humid climate the shelf life of books is not great. Very few places will have central air conditioning so you may have to keep one running just to take care of books and slides - or at least a dehumidifier.

Everything you bring will be subject to customs duty.

The TV is too old and heavy to bother shipping. The second hand value is so little it's a write off. I'm in Australia, not the US. The voltage is the same as Thailand, 220-250 volts at 50Hz. (Similar PAL system too). Humidity is not a problem. I've lived in Darwin on the north coast of Australia for a number of years. That place is about as hot and humid as you can get.

I don't understand why second hand personal possessions should be subject to customs duty. If an item is fairly new and expensive and attracts a luxury tax, like a motor vehicle, then maybe. Computers, cameras and electronic goods in general seem to be cheaper than they are in Australia. There's no reason for Thailand to tax such items coming from Australia, except sheer bloodymindedness.

I shipped a one cubic meter box containing my computer, scanner, printer, CD's, etc from the UK to Thailand when I moved here last year and ended up paying about 11000 baht in bangkok for customs clearance and duty, tax and transport costs from the port to my home in Chonburi even though I had been told there was no import duty on electrical/electronic items.