Caldera

Must have been a lucrative scam if they couldn't even afford a visa. Just saying.

3 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

I have not heard of 28% Interest Rates. This not to say there are not, it just means that I have not heard of them. I have heard many accounts of 20% rates, which is still Bandit Territory.

I just saw a Thai friend's "Personal Loan" statement from SCB. 28% interest, I kid you not. Shocking. I had seen credit cards that came close, too.

The BoT urgently needs to take the commercial banks on a shorter leash. That they can extend insane amounts of consumer credit to people - who can hardly afford to service that debt when all their overtime payments and bonuses are factored in - can only end in tears. In a sustained economic downturn with mass layoffs and pay cuts, that's a disaster waiting to happen and ultimately a threat to the stability of the banking system itself.

Also, I don't see any reason to allow a bona fide bank to charge 28% interest - that's loan shark territory. If a person's credit rating is that poor that such an interest rate is warranted to offset the high risk, that person shouldn't be given credit at all.

30 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

what I find is sad is how the laws concerning immigration are being trashed by foreigners.

What's sad is inane rants like yours. There's no rule of law in Thailand, the law is whatever the official you deal with says it is. Hence the vastly different experiences of people shared here. Foreigners generally don't trash Thai laws, but their inconsistent application, ranging from capricious to corrupt.

9 hours ago, Hal65 said:

 

I'm in country on ED visa.

 

UbonJoe said my ED can not be switched to Volunteer in country, and he probably has the best info for these things in a legal sense. But all 4 agents confirmed it was possible which leads me to believe there is a gray/black way of doing it, at least that's what was suggested in another thread.

You already have a non-immigrant visa entry, so the reason of your extension CAN be changed from studying to volunteering. You probably wouldn't be able to find an IO willing to do this on your own and without offering an incentive though. With an agent that shouldn't be a problem.

Unlikely but ultimately it's up to your local Thai embassy or consulate. Can't hurt to ask them, now that you've already signed up with a school for reasons I don't quite understand given the circumstances.

Same in Pattaya, I've seen several boarded up 7/11s, McDonald's and Starbucks there. None in Bangkok, on the other hand.

I use PayPal in Thailand and the US but not in Vietnam. You should be able to do what you plan to do, but it's slow (PayPal withdrawals to banks in Thailand take 3+ business days) and expensive - fund PayPal in VND, cash out in THB, converted at less than favorable exchange rates plus fees.

I'm not surprised. Vietnamese seem a lot more eager to study, learn and work than Thais - and for a substantially lower salary at current rates.

The Thai government, busy with silly factional warfare, has done nothing to keep Thailand competitive while other countries in the region have been busy catching up - and the painful reality of this is just starting to set in.

Thanks for letting us know.

Considering the air pollution, the rain must be outright toxic, so it doesn't really surprise me.

SuperRich is generally open, but of course I cannot guarantee that all their branches are. If it's a major hike for you, it might be a good idea to call ahead to ask. As for exchange rates, they're published on their website.

12 hours ago, Cranky said:

No sympathy for a bunch of dossers. Get a haircut and get a real job. 

How did that work out for you? You don't sound like a happy camper!

Having had the pleasure to converse (555) with Thai English teachers at Thai government schools, I would have to conclude that most schools in Thailand teach Thinglish. Now, if that has an American or a British flavo(u)r almost doesn't matter, does it?

Unless you commute from Ko Samui or Trat (where flights are exceptionally expensive due to Bangkok Airways' monopoly) to Bangkok weekly, this doesn't make sense - I cannot imagine anyone flying enough to break even.

Ah the CIA, wasting tax payers' money boozing, whoring and massacring people.

What took them so long? Causing a mad rush once again, completely unnecessarily.

20 hours ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

TBH I would try to avoid buying your son a smartphone as long as possible.  I have 2 sons, 16 & 13 & android phones are addictive & kill off family life.

Not really different from having a "home computer" when I was that age. Instead of not letting me buy one, my parents told me that I couldn't use it for more than two hours a day. I still think that's the better approach - teach children how to use their gadgets responsibly and make sure they get enough exercise. Being smart phone and computer savvy is great, being a couch potato isn't!

Great idea, General! How about starting with fake news reports about borrowing time pieces from deceased friends? I seem to remember them well, it's TIME to set the record straight!

So we need another coup, because only a coup maker can legally rescind orders of the defunct NCPO? Oh the irony.

I'd say it's impossible to predict at this point, but even this estimate looks optimistic to me.

Great, build a new city for the expected hordes of Chinese tourists and leave the existing town - which I consider quite charming - as it is. The same should have been done elsewhere.