owl sees all

You mentioned cricket. TBH, since the start of covid, I've lost touch. Have to get back with it.

My first computer was the Sharp MZ80K. I wrote a few of games for it; including Trail (which later morphed into snake on mobiles), Marathon man and Hitman. But that was a long time ago, and the world has moved on, and left me behind it seems. Or maybe I left it behind. I see the dangers of 'smart-phones' and it's everything but good. The populas are being steam-rolled into an ever more reliance on tech. I don't want one and - in this particular instance - have to decide what to do about the dis-continuation of some KTB services. I want a secure, simple life, where the most important stuff is not looking at a little screen. There is more to life than that for me. So I will NOT be getting a 'smart phone'; well not one any smarter than the one I recently forked out 500 baht for. Just have to work round it.

Thanks for that LL. Hope that clears up any confusion, for the members, regarding the bits of the bank that will not be working proper next month.

Thanks for the clarification LL.

The purple coloured bank in my nearest town has one. Just pour in the coins and your account get credited. First time we did it about 10% of the coins were rejected. Put them through again and the machine took about half this time. Last time - about mid August 2022 - the machine was behind the counter. We handed over 7 'pringle tubes' of coins. The daughter's acc' out was credited a few days later. Even then we got a few coins returned; only about 200 baht though.

Thanks for that HP. Good advice, well intentioned. Fortunately I've got time to think about the situation. I'm not rushing into anything. Unfortunately I can't enlist the wife's help. I'll keep an eye on events.

I've safeguarded myself for a while. Did a bigger than usual transfer yesterday, and did all the usual internal transfers, for insurance and bills etc. Now that I'm covered for a couple of months, I'll relax and see what happens. But on a side note, a relative has returned from Chonburi where she worked as a cashier; so she knows how to handle money. I get on well with her. But importantly she has a really expensive 'smart-phone'. Does video slow-mo; the lot. I've a good mind to ask her if she would download the Krungthai app and help me with money transfers. I'll not tell the wife about the arrangement obviously. Some Thai ladies have a jealous way about them. I could just pop along to see her occasionally, and things would be sorted; double quick. I'll sleep on that idea for a while; no rush for now.

It was simple and efficient. It did the job for me over many years. I also liked the code that was sent to your phone. I'm not after a complicated experience; just secure simplicity.

But are we happier? We are fooled into thinking that we need all this tech. More like we are forced into using it. I'm quite happy feeding the chickens and watching my favourite fish come up from the depths to take its food. However, I am in Thailand and I have to use some banking facilities. KTB netbank services has only a few days left before it is no more. Then I'll have to change my system. I don't like too much change.

The KTB netbank service is ending at the end of this month.

Of course the obvious answer would be to hang a paper plate round their necks and the duellers aim at that. If they missed the plate, it wouldn't count.

If a farang lives in Thailand and has his money sent through to Krungthai bank there is gonna be a level of inconvenience, due to KTB being discontinued. However if that same farang has his account frozen in the UK then it is double trouble. I know from personal experience that it can be difficult to get to even speak to the correct person. And at the present time, Santander seem to be the worst for this.

I'd be OK with this; as I have been for years. But from next month I can't, cause KTB banking is discontinued.

I don't think that Prawit was ever in the army. I calculated that he is only 1.47 metres in height. The height requirement for the Thai Military is 1.5 metres. Something's not quite right here.

Well said. Not all that glitters is gold. There will be strings attached when the digital stuff becomes commonplace; as it surely will be. Carbon footprint evaluation, movement detection, social scores etc.

At least the last line (above) didn't read; "Its becoming a strange world old Owl!" It is indeed HP. Especially for those of us that still eat with a wooden spoon, and drag women away into our lairs by their hair. Don't do that in Thailand though; I quickly add!! Even web-site coding is double-dutch to me now. Though I used to build them!! And still do run a couple.

OK then. Thanks for that lkn. Would you suggest moving to Kasikorn, if I still wanted to use my laptop, rather than those awful and scary 'smart phones'? I do already have an account with Kasi. Would it be easy for me to get Internet Banking on that account?

It is certainly gonna be difficult for some of us. I'm doing one last transfer later today. After that;;;,,, well I just don't know. It's a worry.

Little bits of gold will see us through. Sorry HP, but what is an 'eftpos' machine. I'm familiar with the 'After Time Money' machine, but trying to work out eftpos has kept me awake all night.

We did use cash a lot more back then. I can remember my first pint in the Duck and Rabbit. Cost 1 shilling, and 8 and a half pence (d not p). You are too young to recall those days HP, but they were exciting. And the joy of hearing that cash jingling in ya pocket, as you walked through the doors of ya local, was uplifting. I'm gonna try to download the app tomorrow. Can't do it now, as I'm busy getting information on AN.

People are getting blocked from using their accounts. Santander in the UK seem to be the worst. Once they block the account, it devilish difficult to get it unblocked if you are not in England. My Barclays account was blocked a few years back. I spoke to an India sounding lady on the help line. She couldn't understand me and I couldn't understand her. Got it all sorted a few days later however. And since then I've changed banks.

A droll post that HP. Big C is OK for paying the leccy bill. And I'd rather Mrs Owl bought gold than handbags, shoes and glasses. I was happy when I lived in the Caribbean 40 years ago. No phones. No internet. Just music, dancing, clear blue water, soft sand and a splash of rum. But seriously! Are we more happy for all this technology? I admit I'm peeved about the Krungthai bank thing; but I'll get there.

What!!?? Are you saying that I've gone and bought one in error? No wonder it's so complicated. I'll see if they'll take it back. But if they don't I'll just have to accept the 500 baht loss.

I have a mobile phone. Just invested in an 'all singing' 'all dancing' bit of kit (on right). My old Nokia battery just couldn't cut the mustard, so I dug deep and bought a new one. So I'm no caveman, but I only want the phone for call and texts. """"How do you stay in touch when you're away from your laptop? How do you compare prices for instance? Find places? Read messages/emails? Pay anywhere for anything?"""" I do use the mobile if necessary. Just for calls and maybe a text. I buy the same stuff all the time. Don't really waste money on non-essentials or new things. I don't often go anywhere new, or where I don't know. However; If I do and I think I might get lost, I take my map-book. It's about 16 years old and has pages missing; but I manage OK. Don't access any internet stuff when I'm away from the house. I use cash whenever possible. Using them little squares with dots is too complicated and not for me. If I start using a 'smart phone', I'm playing into the devilish hands of the 'globalists' and 'banksters'. And then there is 5G!! At least my conscience is clear.

@Bradiston reckons it will be difficult; if not impossible, for me to load the Krung Thai Next app onto my laptop. And he is probably right.. But I'll have a go tomorrow. TBH HP, I think it's a liberty what the banks are up to virtually everywhere. Customers getting blocked etc. But, I have to suck it up. There is no way I'll get a smart phone. I'd rather go and live in a chicken pen. But on the upside, the ladies who sort out the individual problems at my local bank, are nice and efficient.