DFPhuket

For an iPhone, while you can have multiple eSIMs installed, only 2 can be turned on/active at the same time. I have a US and Thai eSIM but when I travel and install another eSIM for that country, I must go to cellular settings and temporarily turn off one of my other eSIMs.

It would make so much sense to have an announcement on board saying something like, "At immigration, you will be asked to show your boarding pass and passport. Please hand over both."

I expect there will be some fluctuation in prices over the next 4 months or so. I often travel around Christmas and find prices far in advance are often higher than they will be later. I'd suggest waiting a while especially since BA has announced they will restart the route. With more competition, prices may change. You can use Google Flights to set a price alert to get an automatic email sent to you when the price changes.

I've gotten into the habit of submitting an online TM30 when I return from my last trip before going for my annual extension. I have the online TM30 set up so it only take a couple of minutes. I realize that I'm not supposed to have to do that, but I'd much rather spend 5 minutes doing it at home instead of getting to immigration and being told it's missing/required.

I only use eSIMs (that's the correct name, not virtual SIM). You can have a large number of eSIMs in your phone, but at least with an iPhone only two can be turned on at any one time. They can be turned on or off under the systems > cellular settings on your phone. I currently have both a US and Thai eSIM installed, but when I travel I order an eSIM for that country from one of the many eSIM companies, install it (by scanning a QR code) before I go, and then connect to the network when I land and am still on the plane. I've used MobiMatter, Nomad and Airalo. They and similar companies all offer different country, regional and worldwide packages with different amounts of data and different validity periods. eSIMs are much easier to manage than hard SIMs.

I've been asked on American, United, Qatar, AirAsia (sometimes, in some countries but not others), and Vietnam Air (who for my friend entered his onward trip confirmation into their system). There were likely others but I travel a lot and don't really keep track. I wasn't asked on Singapore Air or Scoot.

I have a US passport and I'm on a Non-0 retirement visa. I flew into Thailand 11 times in 2023 on a one way ticket (or the second half of a round trip ticket). In 7 out of those 11 times I was asked about my onward ticket. Of course once I pointed out my re-entry permit I was ok. What's supposed to happen is that the airline's check in screen should tell the check in agent the visa and other requirements they should check, based upon the passenger's citizenship and visa status. Some are more sloppy than others.

Since you're visa exempt, you should only need to show your new passport and the biometrics/name/birthdate should match the two. I would carry your old cancelled passport with you just in case there is a question.

Regarding Vanguard's website, I was having some issues last year trying to login both with VPN and without a VPN. I cleared my cookies and since then it works fine. I'm no longer using a VPN with it and have no issues. The Vanguard app always worked on my phone so you might also try that.

The digital arrival card can be done up to 3 days in advance (similar to Singapore) and on the first entry if you go to the booth on the far right, they will take your photo/fingerprints and then you can immediately begin to use the automatic gates both to enter and leave Malaysia. The auto gate process take about 5 seconds and saves space in your passport since you don't get a stamp. I've entered Malaysia 3 times using the auto gates in the past couple of months. For each future visit, you must complete a new digital arrival card up to 3 days in advance. Then you get off the plane, go through the automatic gates and you're on your way. It's extremely fast.

Follow the exact instructions as listed on the embassy website and you'll be fine. Any omissions or mistakes will slow things down. I have a relative who is a US consular official at a different embassy. He told me that what happens is that a person in the embassy reviews your submitted details and documents. If everything is correct, the details are electronically sent to the US passport printing office in the US. Since everything has already been confirmed as accurate, the passport is printed in just a couple of days. Passports then go in the diplomatic pouch, but depending on the embassy, the pouch may only be sent weekly and their could be a lag of several days between the printing and sending. Add in some weekends and holidays and that explains why some people get their passports back in 3 weeks while others take 5 or 6 weeks.

The Bank of Thailand publishes a daily update of savings and fixed deposit interest rates for all Thai banks on their website here. The average for a one year fixed deposit is around 1.6%.

The official government site is here: https://www.evisa.gov.kh/. Fill out the form, pay with credit card, and in a few days get the visa that you print out, and then just walk straight to the immigration counter, skipping the visa on arrival counter. My US credit card (MC) was charged $36 for a visa in November. That's $6 more than getting it at the counter, but for me that small amount is worth saving the hassle of queuing up and paying at the counter.

I've been using Mint since last May, switching from Ting, which didn't support eSIM. I have the cheap 5GB per month plan. I had to activate the eSIM when I was in the US. I tried activating in Thailand (and on a stopover in Doha) and couldn't. Once I landed in Chicago, it took about 10 minutes to activate. I've been happy with it. I'm in the US this week and I have found that in some rural areas the service can be spotty (but perhaps that's also true with other carriers). The wifi calling works well. When out of the US but connected to wifi, phone calls via wifi calling are free.

My lawyer is Audy at Inchan Law Firm and I've been happy with this work. Prior to Phuket, he worked for several NGOs and his English is perfect. While I didn't use him for property purpose, I know he does a lot of work in that area.

It seems like it would be worth it get setup so you can do the online TM30. Once it's setup, filing a new TM30 again takes just a couple of minutes. I travel domestically and stay in a hotel or go out of the country every 3 or 4 weeks. The only time I submit an online TM30 is after my last trip when I will be going to immigration for my annual extension (in Phuket). I'm uncertain if it's needed, but it just takes a minute and I want the process to go as smoothly as possible. Because I travel so often I never need to do a 90 day report.

I was in KL two weeks ago and completed the digital arrival card in advance. For those who didn't do it, it appeared you could do it at the airport when you arrive. I also successfully registered to use the new eGates, now available for citizens from 10 countries. Complete the digital arrival card, and at KLIA look for the immigration desk named something like "e Gate registration" toward the right where they set up you up. They will review your data and take your photo and fingerprints. You can then immediately begin to use the automatic e gates on entry and exit and you no longer have stamps added to your passport (saving pages if you travel to Malaysia often).

I'd say there is less chance of an issue at check in because you're on a round trip ticket. But as technology related to visa and immigration gets more sophisticated, the check in screen could notify the check in agent to ask for proof of an onward ticket within the 30 days. For peace of mind and for a small amount of money, I'd get an onward ticket at https://onwardticket.com/

I actually noticed an issue with that section of the road where it appeared to be cracked and sinking on Monday so I avoided driving to close to the edge. It appears that it took four days before the authorities took notice.

I've been using See Finance for many years and found it very good, but it sounds like you're using a PC and it's for IOS and MacOS only. Unlike many other financial products, it will track easily manage bank and investment accounts in different currencies so my US accounts are in USD, Thai accounts in THB and Singapore accounts in SGD.

For renewing a 5 year license you must watch a video, but you no longer need to sit in the room. You can watch an online video and print out the certificate at the end of the process. Go here: https://www.dlt-elearning.com/. Create a "for foreigner" account, watch the video (It's about 1 hour) and it will pause three or four times where you answer some easy questions. At the end a certificate with your details is generated, which you print take with you.

I've used this system in Singapore a few times (as a tourist). It was fast when both entering and leaving - maybe 15 seconds. Then again, it is Singapore where technology is a few decades ahead of Thailand.

When my 1 year fixed deposit matures and interest is deposited, I go to the bank and remove the excess, leaving about 801,000 in the account. Thai taxes are usually debited on the same day as the maturity, but make certain they have been deducted before you decide how much to withdraw.

I renewed mine in Phuket in July. The only change was that the map (which had been required in previous years) was returned to me and I was told it wasn't needed. All other docs needed were as listed on the volunteer's website. When you arrive they now give you (or you may need to ask for) a queue number. When it's your turn, the immigration official sitting outside who checks your documents is quite young, fast and efficient. He has a computer and checked it for something as he went through the documents. I'm pretty certain it was to check for a completed TM30 since the person ahead of me was told that was missing and to return after doing it.

El Al's flights from Tel Aviv to both Phuket and Bangkok (LY87 and LY83) continue to fly with no cancellations. I have no idea how full they are, but perhaps it would be cheaper, easier and faster to put them on commercial flights.