hioctane

9 hours ago, geisha said:

 

True, where I spend my summer months in a S of France beach resort, we often wonder about the age of girls off for a night out in the discos. I swear lots of 16 yr olds look over 18. That is what they are aiming for to get  into the clubs. 
Ive never heard of British in Britain being known for abusing underage  girls, except in some areas where there are groups of men who are born and raised but UK not the country of their ethnicity. I don’t live in UK but follow news daily. 
Of course, Thailand is known all over the world for cheap sex, Patpong, Bangla and Pattaya Soi 6 being plastered over the internet . You reap what you sow. 

 

If it is a bar with alcohol, it is likely a girl of at least drinking age. If the establishment is out in the open, they are likely legal. Of course there are no guarantees. They can use fake IDs or a "sister's ID." Know your environment!

We don’t want him back either. Just toss him into a Thai prison!

16 hours ago, Finlaco said:

@hioctane  I'd appreciate if you could give feedback when you sending money into Thailand. 

Same same but different!

17 hours ago, kinyara said:

Absolute nonsense, Vietnam's visa situation has been a disaster for their tourism industry since the end of Covid. While Thailand sensibly increased visa free entry from 30 to 45 days ahead of the last high season to kickstart tourism the Vietnamese pen pushers were still shuffling paper from department to department. It may have taken them 2 weeks to sign it off but it's actually taken them almost 2 years to get there.

 

The tourist numbers before and after Covid speak for themselves. In 2019 Vietnam attracted 45% of Thailand's total, in 2022 that number had reduced to 33%, so far to July 2023 it has still not recovered to 2019 levels. at 43%. Hence why they have finally decided to awaken from their coma and do something.

 

To tout the Vietnamese government as a model of fast responsive law making is laughable, it remains the epitome of a slow moving Communist style committee bureaucracy. 

 

 

 

 

Changing laws is a bureaucratic nightmare in any country. That is why the Thais did a smart thing and made a temporary “emergency” 44 day  measure that they could quickly push through.

Changing the laws from 30 to 90 days, I suspect, will take just as long as in Vietnam. Who knows when it will actually be implemented.

22 hours ago, Finlaco said:

@hioctane   have you recently done a transfer with Western Union?  If not,  could you give some feedback here, when you have done?  

 

Western Union always had a history of additional charges.  Maybe they have massively changed.

I just sent some money via Western Union to Colombia. No additional fees and better rates surprisingly.

On 8/17/2023 at 5:20 PM, Sigma6 said:

Are you USD based? Last I checked WU was still terrible for GBP based transfers

Yes, USD.

Edit: I just checked on the Western Union website.

250 GBP

XE: 11142.68

Wise: 11047.52

Western Union: 11111.85

On 8/28/2023 at 10:01 PM, stratocaster said:

I have a different slant on this. Firstly they have already tried increasing the VE from 30 days to 45 days and decided to revert back to 30 days. Maybe they discovered that there was no significant increase in VE arrivals so why did they not leave it at 45 days?. There could have been a situation that 50 % of 30 day VE entries extend their stay by 30 days at a cost of 1900 baht but 45 day entries only 10% extended. Secondly who will make up for the loss of revenue that will occur from less visas been issued. I am sure the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not be happy. Just take one consulate as an example, 200 visa applications day three days a week at average 2000 baht a pop is 1,200,000 baht/week. Also, can't see immigration sitting back while their income is slashed.

The 45 day change was a temporary change. They just let it expire (or need to keep renewing). Changing it permanently adds a lot more bureaucracy.

The amount that tourists spend will far surpass the tiny amount they collect from visas.

19 hours ago, nickmondo said:

wont happen.

will lose all the 1,900 they charge for extensions

The simple solution is to charge 1900 for 60 days or 3800 for 90 days. For most it isn’t about the money but the hassle of having to going to immigration to file an extension.

11 hours ago, ChipButty said:

why not let tourist open a bank account instead of the nonsense you need a work permit, recently my daughter had the idea of opening a account so she could transfer an amount every month for when the next time she comes she already has her spending money saved up, when i told her about having a W/P she didn't believe me, ok you go to the bank tomorrow and see what they say, this is Thailand and they like their rules, ok no worries I will open one for you, 

Abolish that TM 30 just madness even most Thais I know think it's stupid 

It’s already possible without a work permit (only tourist visa). The issue is that different banks have different rules and nothing is universal. It is a headache. Tell her to save hassle and hire an agent for 3500-5000 baht depending on where you are.

1 hour ago, NoDisplayName said:

If you initiate the transfer from the Wise website/app, there is a fee to transfer from your bank.

 

If you send from your bank or credit union from their website, there should be no charge.  Most banks should be offering free ACH transfers nowadays, and Wise does not charge for incoming ACH transfers initiated elsewhere.

I never knew you could that, but it takes 2-3 days correct?

On 8/15/2023 at 4:44 PM, NoDisplayName said:

Just for funsies, assume on 65K baht method, sending $2000/month.

 

ACH domestic wire from bank to wise is free, send $2000

Wise charges $13.75 and converts to baht at 35.37 (Aug 15 4:30pm)

No Thai bank fees.

You get....................70,250

 

SWIFT from your bank to Thai bank $25, fee deducted from total, send $1975

Thai bank converts at 35.20 (Aug 15 4:15pm Bangkok Bank) for 69,520

Bangkok Bank incoming wire fee of 0.25% is 175 baht.

You get....................69,345

 

So........income method guy pays an extra 10,850 baht per year.

How do you get free ACH transfers? My ACH transfer is $2.60 for $2000.

21 hours ago, SmokeandIce said:

When comparing transfer costs of different companies, the fees AND the exchange rate mudt be considered.

  Some companies give 3 to 6 % less in exchange...including Western union

As previous poster just said, Western Union is much more competitive now. I just compared it myself. I am not sure when they changed but it was common knowledge that they have horrible exchange rates. Also, I am not sure if the physical booth is the same rates as online.

12 minutes ago, FarangJon said:

I love it. Its time to change Euro on wise to baht.

I just did. Just in time for my holiday.

Another quality tourist!

On 6/3/2023 at 4:57 AM, Sticky Rice Balls said:

If youre not living on the edge youre taking up too much space.....life is risk amirite..

 

Ill be doing it again tomorrow as the cops come over and banter with me and my thai friend as he pays his weekly rate for the street space..  10 bt!

 

might wanna go down to that "begpacker" and tell him as well......

 

or you gents will all get to see how hansum I am when i make the thai funny pages ????

Keep working for her and when you get deported, you can come back here and cry about it.

On 6/1/2023 at 4:29 AM, Sticky Rice Balls said:

I used to sell food at night market with a shared table with a thai girl

 

i help my thai buddy sell stuff at market.....i dont get paid...just helping out...

 

You will get deported. There was an article about it a while back. You can’t even help a wife in her restaurant even if unpaid.

Why does all the Thai embassy sites say a O visa is a retirement visa that requires $1000 monthly pension AND medical insurance? And the O-A is a long stay visa that requires 800k (medical insurance not specified)?

Is this still a thing? 6 months ago I stopped Covid testing for every sniffle or sore throat I got.