BenBen23

2 hours ago, Pib said:

I'm a U.S. citizen...opened a new savings acct with Bangkok Bank in my name only at their head branch on Silom Rd in Bangkok just a couple of days ago.  No embassy letter required....but 13 months ago when I tried the letter was req'd.  I'm on a marriage extension of stay...no work permit.   In years past I have opened other acct when I was on a retirement extension of stay. 

 

They did make a copy of my Yellow Book as I showed it to them when asking to open an acct.  The Thai wife  had tagged along me and during the application process the bank rep asked if we owned in property in Thailand and we said yes....a house/land which is in the wife's name but I have a usufruct on it....they did not ask to see the chanote (good thing they didn't as we didn't bring along that oversized document).   After the typical 5 kilograms of paperwork the acct was opened. 

 

Thirteen months earlier I had tried to open the acct at the same branch (the wife and I already other accts there for many years) and couldn't without an embassy letter.  They were hard over in requiring the letter....Yellow Book and Pink ID card didn't help.  Since such a bank/notarized letters cost $50 at the U.S. Embassy (I didn't want to fork-out that much money for such a simple notarized "proof of address" letter I had never had to get before) and due to COVID causing appointment restrictions at that time I just decided to give it another try at the branch in a few months.   But COVID impacts caused the couple of months to turn into 13 months before trying again at the same branch.  As mentioned, this time I was successful with no embassy required.

 

When it comes to opening a Thai bank acct the only thing that is consistent is inconsistently whether you have lived here for many years, already have other Thai bank accts at the same or different branch or bank, etc.  Unless you really need/only want the acct at a certain branch a person should try another branch of the same bank or a different bank.  Remember the only thing consistent in opening a Thai bank acct is the inconsistently across banks/branches. 

Yea, just go to a different branch. Rules are fairly inconsistent here. I've seen someone denied at the counter on the ground floor (with some mumbojumbo about requirements). I told him to go up stairs and he had no problem opening an account on the second floor of the same branch. 

17 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I would imagine the sex industry is exactly the target market Pattaya should be concentrating on for the next 12 months. Families are not going to come any time soon, working age people are probably behind with bills after the pandemic and the only others really left are horny old retired guys - who will spend money

Yea, its typical wish thinking the nannies have been doing for years. The article admits there is zero chance of Chinese returning and that leaves Russians, Europeans and Americans. Why would Westerners come to Pattaya when there are something like 100 beautiful islands to visit? 

4 hours ago, Surelynot said:

What would possess a wealthy, group 1 type, to even bother considering any of this????

 

If I were a dollar millionaire I wouldn't even be here.

Thanks the joke! They think dotcom billionaires want to come live in Thailand

No death sentence, eh? But how long with this  guy survive in the monkey house?

On 5/3/2021 at 7:02 AM, BritManToo said:

80% of Thai citizens have never paid any income tax (figures available from Thai income tax website).

We all pay VAT on everything we buy.

 

If any government wants to do something 'for the public good', then it should also pay for it.

Well I'll admit to a certain prejudice. I want nothing from government. The European sense of entitlement and love for the nanny state sickens me. The spread of this mental illness in my own country alarms me. But hearing rich foreigners' living in a poor country complain about having to pay 15$ for a covid test just makes me laugh. 

BTW less than half of Americans pay income taxes and incidentally its the half that wants more and more free money from government. 

On 5/3/2021 at 7:04 AM, BritManToo said:

They definitely allowed Thaksin and Yingluck to live there.

They even sold them a football club.

If they were still there, they'd get free vaccinations along with any other Thais in the country.

So no... they don't. Notwithstanding the two politicians they allowed in. 

On 5/3/2021 at 7:57 AM, Fairynuff said:

And I’m just saying I’m not, but you are. Thailand is no longer a poor country, there are however poor people, as with any country.

Thailand GDP per capita was $7,800 before COVID, in 2019. In England it was $42,378. In USA $65,297. In Australia $55,000. So again, you are wrong.

What do you think of that new 300 baht tax on tourists entering the land of smiles? 

On 5/3/2021 at 3:54 AM, DrDave said:

Correct - students need only provide uniforms, and a very modest tuition for the last 3 years. I don't recall paying more than a few hundred baht per term when our daughter attended M4, and prior to that the only expense was her uniform.

 

As to pension systems, all Western countries do not have universal participation. The US for example does not have a system that applies to everyone. Social Security payments, for the most part, are available only to those who paid the corresponding tax to fund the system during their employment, as well as their surviving spouses. Currently, the employee the employee and employer pay an equal share of this 12.4% tax. Medical coverage (Medicare) however, is universal for all over age 65 regardless of whether they paid the corresponding employment tax.  Private pensions are generally a thing of the past, except for select groups such as government employees and school teachers. Most private employers began phasing out their pension plans in favor of primarily employee-funded 401(k) plans starting in the late 70s.

The U.S. social security system is not optional. All people who work are required to pay into it wither they like it or not. And incidentally if someone is unable to work because of a developmental handicap, crippling injury or otherwise, who pays for their life? The Social Security administration. 
 

On 4/25/2021 at 6:19 PM, Fairynuff said:

There’s a sizeable number on here that think because they consider themselves “guests” that they have to take any rubbish that’s thrown at them without complaining. I don’t live in my home country but I’m aware that there are lots of things wrong with it and I have no issues calling those things out, so why should it be any different here? Every country has its good and bad points right?

I have a great life here, there are lots of things I love, but the things I don’t like, I should just shut up because someone tells me I’m a guest?

I for one am not telling you to shut up. I'm just saying you are wrong. By all means, complain away if you enjoy it. 

A poor country making a massive public expenditure during an economically crippling pandemic is well within both ethical and moral right to require rich foreigner tourists to pay 15$ for a covid test. If you are not a life-long tax paying citizen, the government owes you nothing. 

On 4/22/2021 at 3:28 PM, 473geo said:

I see way ahead of you guys, because you are so wrapped with knocking Thailand, the whole bloody world is laced with pretentious fake moralising hypocrites, discrimination is alive and well, despite attempts to make life appear otherwise by the 'conformists' so just give it a rest eh, because knocking Thailand is becoming boring, especially if one is such a hypocrite to do so and continue living here under the pretence that having the 'right attitude' will make a difference!!! One of the endearing things about Thailand is that it is different, vive la difference!!!

BRAVO! Virtue signaling male feminists should remain in the west if they like the authoritarian rule of all who complain. 

On 4/24/2021 at 3:04 AM, DrDave said:

No public education - are you sure about that?  Government schools are free until students reach the last 3 years of high school (M4-M6), and even then the fees are insignificant.

 

Like many countries, pensions are available to those who pay into the system during the course of their employment. For the most part, government employees and public school teachers. Or, are you referring to a socialist-style system in which everyone receives a pension regardless of whether they paid in or were ever gainfully employed?

Dr. Dave, I believe education is subsidized but not free. Though I am going off what Thai people have told me, which might just be complaints about having to pay for uniforms, books, and other fees they find difficult to afford. Yes I was speaking of a socialist-style pension system which applies to everyone. As far as I know, all Western countries have such pensions systems. Police and school teachers in the US also have employment based pensions, which they get in addition to Social Security. 

On 4/23/2021 at 7:40 PM, 473geo said:

On this I have to agree

If true its a distinction without a difference. Thailand is still a poor country, even if it has a small elite of rich people in it. Most poor countries do. 

On 4/24/2021 at 12:18 PM, 4MyEgo said:

 

What part of "WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE THAI ECONOMY" don't you get, which is more than most Thai's would be able to contribute to their economies due to low incomes earned, that said, I don't believe the cost of living in Thailand is much cheaper than where I came from, if you have a property paid off back home, it would be 6, 2, 1 half dozen the other, but most of us sell that asset to avoid heavy capital gains tax when we are forced to become non-residents, but that is the price we pay to be able to enjoy a better retirement here at an earlier age, but as I said, if you have a property paid off back home add the old age pension your no worse off, free Medicare, travel and an abundance of pension discounts, and although it is another story in short, I intend on returning in 7 years to claim the old age pension and purchase a property in a coastal town, as I said above, the only reason I am living here is to be able to retire 12 years earlier than I would normally of had to back in my home country, e.g. 55 vs 67.

 

Mandatory testing of people regardless of being a Thai Citizen or other should be a Thai Government cost, not a cost to others other than Thai's, this is clear discrimination and if you cannot see it for what it is, then I and others cannot help you realise your potential, the key word here is "mandatory", if it were up to me to get tested, then I would cover the cost, but "mandatory" is a use of force, free if your Thai, but not if you are a different race, two faced if you ask me. What next, Thai's can use a speed of 120km, farangs 100km an hour ?

 

Never been about the money, it's the principal which some people cannot see, or choose to see it another way, next you will be calling me a Thai basher.  

 

 

If you "CONTRIBUTE TO THE THAI ECONOMY" then stop complaining and contribute already. Why expect anything else? They allow you in the country because you contribute and for no other reason. Does your country allow Thais to come live there? 
 

On 4/22/2021 at 3:55 PM, Fairynuff said:

Have you looked around you recently? Mercedes, RR, Porsche.... shopping malls full of every high end brand name. World class private hospitals and condos and houses with eye watering price tags. Who do you think is driving/buying/shopping?

Are you serious?  The average Thai person makes 350$ a month working 10 hours a day 6 days a week. There is no public education or social pension. The luxuries you are talking about are out of reach for 90% of citizens. Those luxuries are there for you. 

20 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

I don't pay income taxes here or anywhere else, do I expect free medical care in Thailand no, I have full private cover, it costs me in excess of 100k baht per annum. I did come from a rich country, I don't expect a poor country, if you are referring to Thailand to provide me with free services, I am not asking for the test, they are, so it should be free as it is for Thai's, why else would they offer us free vaccinations, but then want to charge us for a test that they want us to take, doesn't make sense.

 

If I wanted to get tested, sure,  should pay for it, but it would be better business management to just leave things alone in times like this when businesses are suffering and have no charge for test conducted that are a requirement of the government or Phuket, I can see those in businesses in Phuket rolling their eyes back on this one as they know it's going to cost them in the long run.

 

Pathetic it is !

Still, you benefit tremendously from the low cost of living in Thailand. How much have you saved living there? They don't have to allow you to be there at all. They are dealing with a very tough situation. The least you can do is... well nothing I guess... or you could just pay 15$ and thank your lucky stars you are not in England, Australia or the United States. 

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. If you don't pay income taxes in Thailand why would you expect free medical care?  How can you come from a rich country and expect a poor country to provide you with free services?  Pathetic!

And here I thought the tough COVID measures were the very thing preventing tourism. 

This is what they said about New York City and San Francisco, right before they turned both into a Disneyland shopping mall. Fortunately, that won't work here. Pattaya is no NYC or London. You can clean up Bangkok but if you clean up Pattaya, people really will stop coming. 

...pardoned for good behavior after 14 years in jail for killing 5 women...  That's less than 3 years per woman!  Can this possibly be for real?  I refuse to believe it. I've seen some stupid things but this is too much. 

This sucks and should not happen but I have to say, if you conduct yourself with some common courtesy, common sense, and respect this doesn't happen. Arguments over the bill can be avoided by simply paying attention to the bill, which they put in paper slips right in front of you. If you do get into disagreement with Thia men, don't be rude and DON'T WALK AWAY. Stay until the matter is settled one way or the other. Making a $hity comment and turning your back to walk away is really bad idea. 

9 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

It's a way forward, but unless they are prepare to really enforce the law, i.e. jail those who drive/ride unlicensed because we all know how many don't have licenses, or do we ?

 

Cops on the take can sort that, i.e. turn a blind eye.

 

Will this be linked up to the motor registry to cancel registrations/licenses unless the fines are paid, or will they give a 50% discount if paid on time ????

 

I will give them credit for wanting to make it work, but until they get serious about enforcing it, well it's just another plan with no umphf and may fall beside the roadside, as most others have.

 

" jail those who drive/ride unlicensed"??? Man, go back to 1930's Nazi Germany please!