chocolatesound1

Also flying in to Koh Samui from Singapore is an option if you have the time to travel up. I was a little worried about using too many VE entries and did this last week with no problems.

39 minutes ago, bojo said:

Just use Bangkok airways cargo. Especially as you're already going to be close to the airport.

Arrives normally in a matter of hours from drop off and all rates are online.

Really good value, so cheap in fact considering it's so fast.

I have used this service many times from BKK and Chaing Mai.

You need to present ID when sending by the way.

Wow! great to know about this. Do you know if the cargo station is easy to reach (walkable) from the international arrival or Departure terminal?

Taking an AirAsia flight to Surat Thani, then going to ferry to one of the piers. Was hoping to just grab a scooter near one of the piers and just ride to Bophut and returning it to the same place on my way out. Definitely looking for a place that will except a deposit rather than keep my passport. Thanks for any info in advance.

14 hours ago, jackdd said:

I think Ikea offers shipping, so you don't have to take this stuff to a post office by yourself

An alternative to Thailand Post is Kerry Express.

The 20kg for 305THB option will take about a week to arrive (they call this r-post or something like this), if you opt for EMS you pay more but will get your stuff in 1-2 days.

I'll try the EMS Thai Post since Ikea shipping down to the islands is pretty high and slow.

11 hours ago, noise said:

This works well if you can take it to the bus station and you can pick it up same day or the next day.

Do they have buses that run from Bangkok to Samui?

18 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Top right of their homepage has "Eng" and their rates are freely available on the site too.

 

20kg parcel =305 baht 

 

https://www.thailandpost.co.th/un/rate_result/?country_code=TH&weight=20000

 

Hope this helps. There is further post office info in the pinned topic at the top of this forum.

That's a big help, especially since there is a Thai Post at the Airport. Thank you very much!

Great, thanks. I looked on Thailand post but couldn't find any thing about rates or delivery timelines but most of it was written in Thai.

Flying in and will be staying near Suvarnabhumi airport. Want to ship a box of random stuff that I get from Ikea down to my Replay condo in Samui Bangrak area. Trying to find info from the US online has been difficult. I was told by DHL that they don't ship domestically but not sure if the operator knows what she's talking about since she's in the US. I would also like the box to arrive within a few days if possible. Any info is appreciated. Thanks

No CCTV on Chaweng Road???

9 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Some have reported saying they worked online, and this was accepted.  I have said I have a business in the USA (true), which was accepted.  When immigration has found entire offices full of farangs working remotely, no prosecutions occurred (including referring prosecutions to the labor-dept) for illegal working.  After all, the money earned originates outside of Thailand, but is spent in Thailand.  Recent legal re-definitions of the definition of work make a prosecution of this activity even less likely than before.

 

Thus, "illegal working" is not the core-issue driving this agenda.  In the case of those with no logical reason to want to work in Thailand illegally, questions of this nature are a cover-story, simply parroting what is asked of those entering higher-wage nations, who actually do have a motivation to stay to work illegally.

Denials-of-entry are currently being reported for those with valid Tourist Visas only at certain locations - Bangkok airports and the Poipet/Aranya land-border.  The issue is not a question of "does this person have money" - because obviously they are eating, traveling, etc - so they do.  And it is not a matter of "working illegally," when the person could earn far more in their passport-country than working illegally in Thailand. 

 

Reports indicate the complaint IOs give, is that the person has entered / stayed in Thailand previously for periods of time - with the "too much time" factor varying by report (seemingly customized to place the visitor's travel-history "over the line").  But because "too much time in Thailand" is not a legal reason for an IO to reject entry, rejection-stamps usually involve not having 20K Baht in cash (a legal but archaic rule), or the assumption that the visitor cannot afford their stay, even if they have the required cash.  This "cannot finance their stay" reason for rejection, absent any evidence this is the case, in-effect invalidates all Visas, as it presumes the MFA's financial checks for the issuance of Visas are de-facto invalid. 

 

The agenda at-play seems to be one of reducing farangs living in Thailand - especially those who are not "paying tribute" to immigration.  An "agent-assisted" extension can cost 10x+ the official extension-fee.  An ED extension through a school may cost 3K to 5K Baht per 90-days.  Elite-visas cost 500K to 2M Baht, some of which goes to immigration.  With the loss of embassy income-letters, many retirees will now be forced to agents.  This is the racket we are dealing with.

 

Fortunately, most IOs at most points of entry follow the law, so the safe solution to entering with Tourist Visas is to avoid the problematic checkpoints.  At any land-border other than Poipet, according to recent reports, one can enter with a valid Tourist Visa plus 20K Baht worth of cash or travelers checks to show, if asked. 

 

Chang Mai airport may be OK as well (no bad reports, so far), but be aware that denial of entry by air will force booking a last minute trip to where you just left - and hopefully you can get entry upon arrival there, or another unplanned and overpriced ticket to your passport-country could follow.

Do you get sent back to your last connection point or all the way back to your original departure city? I usually fly from the US but alway have a connection in Taipei or Manila.

I was told at Bangkok Bank that to open an online account that a thai number is needed. If I get a Thai Sim & #, would it work in other countries (US)? Can I use my US sim while in the US to do my online BKK Banking?

I keep reading about Africans on Sukhumvit... really small part of Thailand.. from what I’ve seen and from all the sh#t stolen from me and crime I’ve seen in Thailand an African was never involved. I’m not saying they’re not involved in criminal activity but to treat all black tourists as criminals is retarded. I’m really not that surprised what I’m reading on this thread, sounds like the US in the 60’s... and the last 2 yrs.

I keep reading about Africans on Sukhumvit... really small part of Thailand.. from what I’ve seen and from all the sh#t stolen from me and crime I’ve seen in Thailand an African was never involved. I’m not saying they’re not involved in criminal activity but to treat all black tourists as criminals is retarted. I’m really not that surprised what I’m reading on this thread, sounds like the US in the 60’s... and the last 2 yrs.

Guess I haven’t been in Thailand enough.. been going every year (twice a yr most of the time) for the last 15 yrs to different areas.. I see some Africans but rarely & def not enough to notice any major concerns over another race... My guard is usually up more around the “Bro’s” who can’t handle their alcohol.

3 hours ago, muratremix said:

Cleaning bill should be 250 and laundry costs about 250.

Assuming it is studio room 26 or 34 sqm.

Thank you....Yes, it is a 34sqm. 250 is around the price I was thinking. Is that from independent house keepers or from Replay house keepers?

1 hour ago, JamJar said:

 

How many 'white' guys came to Thailand to take advantage of poor brown girls?

I guess those types think that as long as they are spending money they should be welcome.

There are low-lives of all types. 

 

Don't you think they are already 'hitting them hard' in the USA? What would you like them to do more to the dark skin guys in the USA?

 

I somehow imagine that if they had a better quality of life in the first place, many wouldn't be turning to crime in the first place.

 

Much like the little brown girls in Thailand. If they weren't poor, they wouldn't have to fraternise with socially inept foreigners.

 

Think less about colour and more about poverty.

 

If they are so poor in the NE of Thailand that they have sex with unsavoury foreigners, how do you imagine the life of the Africans?

 

People do what they can to survive.

 

So whilst I am not condoning their behaviour, perhaps you shouldn't be so quick to judge.

I Agree that it's more about the poverty.I'm here in the US and see a lot of "light" skin crime... violent and non violent. We've just had a couple more mass shootings last week by "light" skinned people. The white collar crimes they commit aren't a joke either. Sh*t people come in all colors!

I have a condo that I recently purchased at Replay in Boh Phut that's on Air BnB. I'm out of the country most of the time and I have a onsite manager that's getting 15% to do the check ins and outs but the cleaning bill for each check out has been averaging 400baht to clean and 400baht for the laundry service. Last time I was there transferring the title, I didn't have much time to research a manager so I just used what was available since I knew I'd be back soon. Just looking to see if those prices sound about right or if anyone has info on a reliable service. Thanks

Palawan, Philippines... El Nido is nice and not too expensive.

5 hours ago, Brunolem said:

Kids with beards???

Lol.. now that I’m almost 50, I call any one up to 30 a kid.

Way over thinking it.. styles come and go, mustaches, beards, side burns, baggy pants, tight pants, etc. no meaning at all... kids just follow what ever popular people wear.

Lost mine last year.. not a problem at all.

If you're going to stay on the north side you can book a place at Replay Residence. Gym and pool is included. It's in Bophut/Bangrak. Gym isn't big but it's decent. You can get a small room as cheap as 700 baht, or 34M suite for as low as $1,000 bt. It's cheaper if you book on Airbnb.

The north side of Koh Samui is nice and still close to every thing. Check out the Bophut & Mae Nam area. Beaches are clean. Choeng Mong area is ok too and only a 10 minute scooter ride to Chaweng or Bophut area.

HiFX is pretty good too, they beat Transferwise's rate. I just had to tell them and then they gave me a better rate.

1 minute ago, Fairynuff said:

Maybe I’ve been lucky but no agent/vendor/purchaser has ever tried to con me. Transfer fee can vary but not much either side of 2%

and is that split 2 ways?