I just tried to google best Thai bank and got back a bunch of information that means little to me.  As in, I don't understand it.

Is there a Thai bank that pays interest on a foreign currency account?  Which bank and what kind of account offers the best, tax free, rates on 1M THB (or so) please?  Fixed term account is OK as I don't plan to use the money except for visa renewal.

Thanks very much in advance.

Yes, I paid cash for a new car, why not?  Indeed...  Many of the 'free gifts' on offer were only for car financed and so did not benefit from them, etc. etc..  Second new car is on 'the never never'.  More gifts and also was able to put the cash in the bank for my annual visa renewal requirements.  Finance charges are not arduous.

Bought an older pickup and a used motorbike from Baht and Sold.  Both were from farang sellers, the price was good and the vehicles were as described.  The PU is a Tata, BTW.  Great truck and good value as Thai people prefer other brands.

I know, I know...  This is a crystal ball question but...   i want to put 1M THB in a fixed account for my annual visa 'proof of wealth' requirement.  (Not that 1M THB is very much in the scheme of things these days).  Currently I have some Euros in a foreign currency account with BKK bank and they pay me no interest on it (I may even be charged a fee). 

Any comments on where the THB is going now that the UK has settled down and Trump has not yet started WWIII?

Thanks in advance for any Thoughts.

Thanks,  French banks will not transfer to a SWIFT bank address.  Or at least Credit Agricole, my bank, will not.   The IBAN code is the only one they will use.  Without looking, I think the BIC forms part of the IBAN code.  UK banks will transfer to a SWIFT bank address as I am sure many others would too.  French banks will not.  They will make such a transfer when I, or my proxy, are standing in the bank and able to sign the transfer form.  

I took a look at interest payments worldwide and most are not much better than the 1.5% paid by BKK bank.  BKK bank does not pay any interest on foreign currency accounts and it would be nice to find one that did.

Thanks for your interest and comments.

I have some money in a BKK bank euro account.  It seems that they do not pay interest on this money.  Is this correct?  Is there a bank that pays interest on euro deposits in a savings account?

I prefer to leave this money in euros hoping that the exchange rates will become more favourable again.  However, I would like to place 1M baht in a savings account with a Thai bank.  BKK bank will pay 1.5%.  Is there a better place to put this money?  I intend to just leave it there for my annual visa renewal.

I currently have accounts with K bank and BKK bank.  I live in the north of Buriram province and have become accustomed to not having any actual branch banks near to me (pain in the bum sometimes).  Is there a better bank to use?  Is there a Thai bank that uses a BIC number for international transfers?  

Thanks very much in advance for any comments.

It will be interesting to see comments about the post of Peter Denis.  Also, would a village marriage give the right to a yellow book?  I qualify for the retirement visa but a marriage visa would be nice.  We have no intention of going to a western country even for a visit never mind moving there.

Take a look at Zenni an on line supplier of prescription glasses.  Their selection of frames and lens types is extensive.

12 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

I suppose this mono vision thing (one eye for distance, one for reading) only works optimally when you are going to both eyes in rapid succession.

 

 

No, I understand the contrary.  Apparently one must adjust to the new lens before any further corrective surgery is done to the other.  If that is what you mean...

Potable water testing in Buriram area. I put in a couple of wells recently. One on the naa and one at home. Water from both is crystal clear looking.  We have town water at home and are in the habit of buying drinking water from a local supplier who delivers the big bottles for 12 baht each. I am not inclined to do all the extra work to pipe the well water into our home if we cannot drink it. Can someone let me know where I can get the water tested please? We are in the north of Buriram province, Ban Mai Chaiyapot. I understand that this service exists in the big white government building in Buriram city but cannot locate the office there. Any ideas please private or public services available nearby to me? Thank you.

Thank you all very much for interesting and supportive comments.  Happy to learn of your experience Sheryl and gives me even more confidence to go for the monovision option.  I have been surprised that more people are not aware of this solution given the amount of information posted on Facebook.  

I ordered glasses from 'Zenni' online using the prescription provided by Rutnin and they arrived without any surprises.  The price for quality coated, armoured lenses and frames was much, much, (much) less than basic glasses from the local chain store outlet.  They work very well and I am surprised how quickly my brain adjusts to seeing with them on (vision gets progressively better after a few moments).  After a day of driving using the glasses my brain takes some time to adjust and see 'normally' without them when I get home.  Funny ai?  My vision is not too bad and it is primarily for problems driving at night that I am having the cataract surgery done.

Thanks again.  Look forward to the next exchange of ideas in the future.

50 minutes ago, tifino said:

 

The AllFocus type of IOL doesn't always work as well as supposed... (well, in my case anyway) 

The Dr much later on says the Pre-op eye pressure reading must have some err at the time of measuring - relative to what the prseeure would have normally averaged out to be... 

Anyways, what was supposed to be an AllFocus IOL, ended up being one that about the only thing that was in focus, is the Moon! What I am thinking about is that if you opty for a Short focus one eye, and Long focus the other... have the eyes done one at a time (not same session) 

you can then at least re-appraise your options for the 2nd one...

 

why Glaucoma drops? for Cataract situation?  what's the medication name on label?     Before the Op, I had a pair of near sighted eyes. Afterwards, I found out that you have to be lucky to get a good optometrist, that can deliveer a set of new glasses than can have one lens with a high +ve factor, and the other with a high -ve factor - and you not result in migraines... 

 

A far as having one long and one short focus eye now - yes luckily the brain does quickly adapt. 

I often quip how one shuts off (brain ignores it?) when reading... just like right now in front of the computer.

 - and then when driving, I can do the long distance stuff for the road ahead, and the other eye for the Speedo etc 

There will be a month between ops on eye 1 and 2.  Long vision 1st on strong eye then will see how it goes.  The glaucoma drops are a standard treatment to stop degeneration of, I think, the optic nerve.

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Nice story. 

Congratulations. 

Is there any way to tell beforehand whether your brain will have a problem with that adaptation or not? 

Not sure but I think one option is to try out with contact lenses b4.   

FARMING & AGRICULTURE

Five Agencies to Study Cannabis Farming in Northern Thailand

The farm is also a part of the study of cannabis growth to prove that cannabis can grow well in regular soil. Outside of special green houses. Cannabis plants from the first cycle will be delivered to the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine for further research and extraction for medical use.

On 12/31/2019 at 8:21 AM, Nyezhov said:

Thank god for an armed trained citizen in a country that allows the helpless to fight back when confronted by evil.

This sounds surprising similar to the position of the NRA.  You a paid troll or just ???

Thank you Thaibeachlovers and Peter Denis.  These thoughts have certainly crossed my mind.  The requirement to appear at the end of all the 'providing translated documents' to make a sworn statement that I am 'free to marry' makes a nonsense of the whole process.  The amphur requires only this sworn statement, it seems, although they would like a whole bunch of other stuff too given a chance.

I was not married or divorced in the UK so who is to know?...  If they really check they could find my tax records and applications for various UK documents but how likely is that?

The UK embassy requires all documents in English and the amphur requires same in Thai.

I have a small sum paid into my account each month by a private pension fund.  It ends with my death if I am not married.  How will they know I am dead?

The land my house is built on is in the name of my partner (paid for by me).  The usufruct ends with my death.  She automatically gets everything unless somebody (my children) appear and want to move the house and pool off the land, 555.  

Further comments welcome.  Thanks.

Happy New Year!

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You will have to do the affirmation at the UK embassy in Bangkok. 

Info is here. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-thailand#affirmation-of-marital-status

You should be able to get the translation of your divorce decree translated by mail to some translation services in Bangkok.

Thank you.  MeePeeMai sent the name of a translation service so the French to English to Thai may be much easier.  'A Language Lover’s Translation Centre Part., Ltd.' in BKK.

Do you think I will need to provide my original marriage, now divorced, certificate or will the divorce documents be enough?

Thanks a lot for this and other comments you have taken the time to make in the past.

Happy New Year,

Notrub.

My GF and I would like to get married after 5 years of generally harmonious partnership...  It is not a life (or visa) threatening situation but it would be nice to do.

I would like to find a service that could help smooth the way to enable us to be married sometime in 2020.  There are a few complications regarding my circumstance although being legally divorced is not one of them.  I am, in fact, free to marry and it is providing the paperwork to prove it is what I need help with.  Here is me and my situation.

I am a 71 year old male with dual nationality, Canada (born) / UK (by marriage later).

I am in Thailand on on my UK passport with an 'o' non res. ret. visa and comply with all the current requirements to renew.  Including cash in the bank and income.  I own my house on usufruct land etc..  No criminal record or other antisocial history.

Married in Canada 30 odd yrs ago to a UK national, legally divorced in France last year.  Documents for this are in French.

It appears that I will have to translate and present my divorce document in English to the UK authorities.  Then have them translated to Thai.  At some point I must swear that I am telling the truth about everything before some sort of qualified (UK?) official.  

I live in Isaan and only go to BKK under duress so finding a service near Buriram, Korat or Khon Kaen for example, would be nice.  Doing everything by post would be good too.  Appearing in person to do the swearing on my honour etc. would be nice to do at the office of some official near to me. 

Any ideas re. an honest, economical agency that could help me please?

Thank you very much in advance.

I recently posted about buying gold online here in Thailand.  Buying gold as an investment is one thing, displaying your worth as gold worn daily is another.  In the west 24K is generally seen as being too soft to wear every day; 10, 14 and 18K are seen as 'gold' there.  So we Johnny Foreigners are not simply being cheap when looking for 18K gold, it is what we have learned about what is practical gold usage.   The high price of pure gold today shows that it is probably not such a good idea to buy it as an investment just now.

I bought a nice looking chain (which can be easily returned) online for about 40 Euros (1,450 THB).  The local gold shops here in the fields of sunny Isaan do not sell 18K.  As long as it does not turn my wife's neck green I will see this as money well spent and a long way from the 30,000 THB for a 24K 1,5mm dia chain that I was planning on.  On the other hand, if I could buy a nice looking 18K gold chain from a reputable seller for a bit more I would prefer to do that.  Or even the name of shops that sell this type of gold outside BKK. 

The various tests described by 'https://bullionexchanges.com/learn/test-gold-real' are interesting and will try them out, just for fun. 

All comments welcome, of course, and thanks in advance. 

Here is where 18K is stated on a different screen

I just ordered a necklace from 'Goldshop_Mall' on the Lazada web site.  They are selling jewellery made from 'scrap gold' and claim that this item is 18K solid gold.  As in - GOLDSHOP Necklace Gold Necklace Gold Necklace Real Gold from Scrap Gold Chinatown 96.5% Real Gold Jewelry . 

I paid 1,340 THB for a chain 24" long.  (see below)

Here are a few questions.  Has anybody had any experience with this seller?  What is scrap gold please?  Any comments regarding whether this is a realistic purchase?  It seems pretty inexpensive to me. I saw that I can test it with nitric acid but have never tried this.  I can send it back as usual with Lazada purchases.  Any comments please?    Thanks in advance.  

While we are at it.  Can anybody suggest a reputable gold jewellery seller offering 18K gold items?  Thanks very much.

Happy Season's Greetings - BTW.

They are in the same 'boat' as 'Sir' Philip Green who robbed BHS pension fund in the UK to buy his 3rd 100M+ GBP yacht (175M for this last one).  Such greed and disregard for any but themselves is disgusting.  

On the same subject...  I would like to buy my wife a gold necklace and, as a farang, I am looking for 18K.  All of the (few) local shops I have looked at sell 24K only.  In the west we see that as being too soft for daily wear.  We have 14K as standard and 18K as a bit special.  What I buy for her is not an investment in gold, it will be for wearing.  Any comments about reliable shops in Thailand or perhaps reliable mail order outlets would be gratefully received.  Thanks in advance.

(Please excuse me for inviting myself onto your post Number 6)