scorecard

few years back my Thai adult son went into a big branch K Bank in CM, where he already had 3 accounts. Came his turn he went to the service desk and told the girl: - I want to open a new savings account. I already have 3 at this branch - I don't want an ATM card - I don't sign bank forms in advance. All this time the bank girli s chatting to the girl at the next desk with an occasional yeahhhh... 5 minutes later girl puts a 'new account' form in front of my son and points to the bottom and says 'sign here'. Son says no I want to read the document first. Girl says 'not allowed'. Son discovers that the girl has ticked 'yes; for an ATM card. Son say 'no I already told you No ATM card'. Girl responds 'but it's a rule of the government, everybody has to have an ATM card. This continues for 10 minutes and says 'give me a blank 'new account' for, girl says no 'not allowed'. Son then grab all his documents, went to Krung Thai branch 2 minutes walk away, departed KT bank 15 minutes later with 3 new savings accounts. With 10 minutes son got a 'Welcome' phone call from KT Bank HO. urging him to call KT urging him to call KT HO if any difficulties. Never had any difficulty.

SSO monthly membership 345? Mostly it's 432Bht a month.

For Thai PR holders it never expires, issued for cheewit (lifetime).

Where was his hand?

At some airports there's sometimes 2 check-in agents waiting 20 metres before the cabin door with a set of scales. They can demand to check the cabin bag weight (and size dimensions), if over 7 kg they demand payment and give you a receipt and stickers sticker and they can insist the bags be taken and put in the check-in baggage hold under the aircraft. Last time I saw this was about 15 years ago at Karachi Airport in Pakistan, and not surprising. I had noted many passengers doing check-in with 5 or 6 suitcases held back as cabin bags. They got caught in the further check as per above. At same airport once saw people check-in large suitcase well over weight but accepted for a corruption payment. Then after security check someone was waiting to hand over several more small suitcases all obviously heavy. They weren't checked and they got onto the aircraft with the 2 or 3 additional heavy correct size cabin suitcases and travelled all the way to Hong Kong with these extra heavy cabin suitcases. And it wasn't just one passengers maybe half the passengers had these extra suitcases on their laps. After take off lots of confusion, mostly these same passengers trying to insist they were allowed to put these bags in the aisle and allowed to sit in the aisle to eat the food they had brought on board and also the airline food. Worst of all on a flight Karachi to Hong Kong a cabin crew member comes running up the aisle and yelling at a Pakistani family sitting on the floor, they had started up a small pump up kerosene stove and were cooking some food. More cabin crew members trying to douse the flame and confiscate the stove. Other passengers yelling at the cabin crew and threatening the cabin crew, mostly insisting, "leave them alone, they have to eat". This flight was a nightmare for many reasons and I was very glad to get off the aircraft in Hong kong. The flight was continuing to Singapore but I abandoned that part of my ticket and bought a new ticket on Singapore airlines to fly HK to S'pore. At check-in S'pore airlines had extra staff opening and thoroughly searching all cabin bags, over 7 kg and the passenger had to abandon the bag. When I bought the ticket at the S'pore Airline ticket counter at HK airport everybody was handed 2 copies of a printed handout advising numerous restrictions on baggage. Passenger had to sign one copy 'I Accept' etc. This was another case where just before the aircraft cabin door more check-in staff were checking cabin bags.

Is there a specific policy re bags of duty free purchases? Never heard of it before but who knows...

Not that difficult to set up an 'alarm' to remind you to do the 90 day report on line.

The SSO Chiang Mai accepted my K Bank account for the SSO generated Bank deduction about 5 months ago. My name in the K Bank bankbook is in 100% English. I don't understand your comment "I was trying to get monthly-deductions for health vs a refund, ...." At retirement I went to the SSO office at Din Daeng, they quickly processed the refund of all my member contributions. (Contributions for about 15 years.) I soon learned that the refund of contributions at retirement has no impact of being able to continue my Injury and Sickness benefits by transferring to the Voluntary Insurance scheme. I CONFIRM; YOU CAN CONTINUE THE INJURY AND SICKNESS BENEFITS BY TRANSFERRING TO THE VOLUNTARY INSURANCE SCHEME. TAKING A FULL REFUND OF MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS AT RETIREMENT DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE BLOCKED FROM CONTINUING YOUR INJURY AND SICKNESS BENEFITS (WHICH YOU DO BY TRANSFERRING TO THE VOLUNTARY INSURANCE SCHEME). THE ABOVE HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY: - THE CHIANG MAI SSO MANAGR AND THE CHIANG MAI SSO LEAD LAWYER. - TWO DIFFERENT ENGLISH SPEAKING SSO OFFICERS ON THE SSO 1506 HOTLINE. I SUSPECT THESE 2 LADIES ARE FROM THE SSO LEGAL DIVISION AT NONTHABURI.

Keep in mind that the news agencies get mileage from the original report but no mileage from further reports / follow up.

Crossy, sounds like you're making progress. When I got to the point of giving the SSO my bank account number I gave them a K Bank a/c number opened about 14 years earlier, a joint a/c, myself and my Thai adult son. SSO man rejected this saying "Cannot use a joint a/c." Yhen the SSO officer said "what about that K Bank a/c, pointing to another K bank bankbook on the desk. I opened the book. The a/c name is myself only, opened at the same branch / same date as the joint a/c with my son*: *K Bank asked for no details to open the a/c in my and sons' name except my passport and I offered my PR book but it was ignored, and son's Thai ID card. For son obviously just his Thai ID card. The SSO officer looked at the bank book for me only and instantly said "Chai Dai! (can use) and within a second he had typed into his SSO screen: "K Bank, account name (my name all in English), and the account number", and it was all accepted. Note, the account name (my name) in the K bank bankbook is in English only. The SSO officer typed my name into his SSO screen in English, copied from the K bank bankbook. The SSO staff asked me no questions whatever / asked for zero details of opening the K Bank account.

Good information / advice.

Many farang also. I have a US neighbour, highly qualified consulting engineer. His Thai wife a stunner, a recognised economist. After 3 beers he's a monster and she gets hell including insulting abuse about growing old and more, all of it not correct / nor appropriate . Many times friends on the scene have called his daughter and pushed her to come quickly and quickly remove her mother from the abuse. She returns the next morning, and he insists he wasn't drunk or abusive etc.

I add for clarity: The 432 Baht monthly member contribution payment (for the Voluntary Insurance scheme after retirement) is activated by the SSO. The SSO starts a process to get the 432Baht from the member's bank. The member DOES NOT need to set up a recurring payment in their own personal bank account details - it doesn't work like that. As just above the SSO handles the whole process. I was asked by the SSO at Chiang Mai to give them the Thai bank name, account name, and account number which I wanted the SSO to use for them to get my monthly payment. As already said the SSO does this process on the 15th of every month, if 15th is a Sat or Sun or public holiday the deduction from the member's account automatically delays until the next working day. On the 16th of each month or the first working day after the Sat, Sun, Public hol. I open my internet banking and check that bank account to confirm the SSO has activated the system. It seems that the deduction generated by the SSO happens late evening. When I look at transactions for the 15th (or later if need because of week-end / pub hol.) I see in the withdrawals list '432 SSO'. If the member wants to ensure the funds have been received by the SSO go to ' https://www.sso.go.th/wpr/main/login ' and you can find a list of deductions and you should see your name and member number (pink ID card number). If the member's bank account doesn't have enough funds (bank account balance is under 432 then obviously there's no payment. Don't panic, go to any 7/11 with a printed copy of the SSO main screen (not compulsory, just to make it easier to explain to the 7/11 staff which agency you want to pay), passport and 432Baht cash. The 7/11 staff will quickly open this facility and ask 1 month or 2? (usually 1). Then staff take the cash. Within a few seconds the 7/11 staff will give you a receipt. I had to do this once. Two days later I opened https://www.sso.go.th/wpr/main/login and my late payment made at 7/11 was showing. There's no penalty for short term late payment.

My Thai nephew has a helmet (expensive one,I took him to a professional shop and bought it for him). The helmet lives full time in the dedicated cavity under the motorcycle seat. When asked by anybody 'you have moganock, why don't you wear it', his response is 'never mind, I'll put it on when I'm going to have an accident'. This response is popular, it's been shared on this site a hundred times.

No, it's Baht.

Maybe same for old age pensions from other countries?

If you mean which K Bank account does the SSO direct bill from (I guess when you say 'direct bill' you mean which K Bank account does the SSO deduct the 432Baht monthly member contribution from)? Answer: The SSO auto deducts 432 from the K Bank I nominated to the SSO / asked the SSO to deduct from. One account only. Hope that answers your question.

If my post above (@scorecard) upset you or in your view is arrogant, I apologize.

Wow, how can we ever survive, if not a youtube king?

Why do you need to use the word 'SMUG'? - In old history the SSO had it's own exclusive member numbering system. - Then the SSO decided to change the member numbering system to be the Thai national ID number. And within a short period the old exclusive number system died. - Plus the member number for foreigners who already had a pink ID card was also changed to be the number on the pink ID card. - But this change over wasn't so smooth (E.g. my employer didn't change my SSO member number from the old SSO system number to my pink card and they continued to send my monthly member contributions to the SSO using the old member number for about 7 years. - When I retired and applied for the member contributions refund the SSO at Din Daeng realised that my SSO member number on payments received by the SSO was still the ancient numbering system. They did a long month by month check of member payments received via 2 employers to eventually establish the total amount of member contributions I had made over 13 years. And I got the refund. The member card: this has had a roller coaster history: - card issued on joining (initially a cardboard card with a photo stuck with glue) - then a plastic card, - then member cards abandoned completely, - then reinstatement of the plastic cards, - then changed to 'you can apply for the plastic card if you want it, but not compulsory'. On the SSO website there's still an option for members to apply for a plastic card.

Suggest call SSO 1506 hotline for an answer.

That depends: - When you retire most foreigners probably take the refund of member contributions which can be quickly arranged at an SSO office. - The member can also elect to continue their membership for Injury and Sickness benefits. Having already received the retirement payment DOESN'T cancel the entitlement to continue Injury and Sickness benefits using the 'Voluntary insurance' facility. You can inform the SSO officer at the time of receiving the retirement payout that you wish to continue Injury and Sickness benefits using the 'Voluntary insurance' facility, or you have six months to inform them that you want to continue your Injury and Sickness benefits. This is called 'Voluntary Insurance'. Some details: - 'Voluntary Insurance' can continue until death. - The SSO website gives comprehensive details of what health benefits are available. Hospitals in the scheme have paper handouts of the benefits available. - Small downside; Single occupancy hospital room is normally not totally covered. Check at the hospital you nominated for full details. - Dental is covered to a max amount per year. I've had inspections and 2 fillings in one year and this didn't reach the max benefits entitlement for one year. Excellent professional dental work, dentist spoke good English. - Member completes a form which gives the SSO the members approval to automatically deduct the monthly member contributions from a Thai bank account nominated by the member. Super easy to set up / let it automatically operate if you have internet baking. - The standard member contribution deducted from your bank account is 432 Baht per month. This can change. - The 432Baht monthly member contribution is auto. deducted on the 15th of each month but it moves to a day or 2 later if the 15th is a Sat or Sun or a Thai public holiday. - Easy to check your bank account on line to see if the deduction has activated. Or you can go into the SSO website and find the facility to check that the SSO has received your monthly payment. -

The SSO 1506 Hotline has Thai and English language options. If you select English and nothing happens it means that an English speaking SSO officer is not available at that time. Don't panic / don't give up. Call again later or call the next day. It's worth waiting till you can get an English speaker, they are all good listeners, they check that they understand the issue. when connected they occasionally ask you to wait 1 or 2 minutes so they can get advice from a more senior SSO person. But you will get specific clear advice. For anybody who is already a current SSO member you can go to the SSO website (easy to find) and look for the Chat facility option. This opens up a typical chat line. You can ask questions in Thai or English. If no quick reply in English it means the system is waiting for an English speaking officer to be available. The chat facility will ask for typical details: name, SSO number mobile phone no etc. You will get a telephone call when Eng. speaker is available, could be well into that evening (e.g. 10.00 pm or similar), because it seems the SSO has a policy the member must get a reply the same day. It works.

Not true. My 5 accounts (K Bank) are all in my legal western name, copied from my western passport. These accounts at the suggestion / push of the K Bank supervisor were updated in the customer details database to show my pink ID card number. Two of the 5 accounts were opened at this K Bank branch. The other 3 K Bank accounts were opened at 3 different locations: CM different branch, Bkk, Pattaya. As mentioned above all 5 have been updated in the K Bank customer details database to show my pink ID card number. The update of all 5 accounts was done at my local big branch in CM.