wilson steer

I posted this early yesterday morning on 'Business and Banking' there are a few good replies. (There)

My paranoia, is increasing with Thai bank accounts. This guy (ATM victim) has been in Pattaya ages and I believe his story.

What can a falang do? I know in my heart that we (falang) have not got a chance, even in a bona fide dispute with a Thai bank.

Comments welcome.

Wilson Steer.

O.K. I accept; it might be unfair to prejudice people on their past and they might want to start a 'new life' in the LOS but there a lot of people who have been ripped-off by so called 'buddies' or smooth talking 'business' men/women.

It does no harm to check does it?

Business is business.

Thanks for that folks: here are my dial up results: as I said pretty good really;

:::.. Download Stats ..:::

Connection is:: 40 Kbps about 0 Mbps (tested with 97 kB)

Download Speed is:: 5 kB/s

Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/

Test Time:: Fri Apr 15 22:57:34 UTC+0700 2005

Bottom Line:: 1X faster than 56K 1MB download in 204.8 sec

Diagnosis: May need help : running at only 74.07 % of your hosts average (csloxinfo.net)

Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/stats/id-OJXI476ZS

Comments for dial-up appreciated.

By the way does turning off the Windows XP firewall improve speed?

Wilson Steer.

Almost every day I turn on the Pattaya News channel, there is a British subject in trouble: fell to death, robbed by ladyman, throat cut by taxi driver, drug dealer etc. the list is endless.

Then on a Friday I read the Pattaya Mail: More British in trouble, fighting, drugs, bars, etc.

Then I run a simple free search here:

http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/eiir/IIRRegisterNameInput.asp

50% of them are listed here with D.O.B. and home address and all their sins listed.

Knowledge is power!

W.S.

Terrible place. I think some freelance girls are in cahoots with the bar manager.

Do they urine test falangs?

From Pattaya Mail April 15th 2005:

ATM rip-off

Editor;

Please notify your customers that it is true that ATM numbers are being taken and used. I was down in Ban Chang playing golf with the ATM card in my pocket as 30,000 baht was stolen from my account. I notified Bangkok Bank - they made out a printout of my account and it showed that while I was on the golf course, 10,000 baht was taken out at the Thai Military Bank at Foodland and 20,000 baht more was taken out at the Bank of Ayudthya across the street.

I was told by Bangkok Bank to make out a police report. I did this and reported back to the Bangkok Bank. I was then told by Bangkok Bank to go to the Bank of Ayudthya and the Thai Military to identify who took my money as pictures are taken when ATM cards are used. I was doubtful but did this. As I suspected, no pictures were taken. (Just a bunch of bull) No one seems interested and doubted my word that my money was stolen. They tried to accuse my wife or someone else in the house. It was pretty hard as the ATM Card was in my possession on the golf course. None of the banks want to take responsibility for the stolen money.

A few months ago when I used the Siam Commercial Bank ATM at Foodland a strange thing happened. When I inserted my card into the ATM, the ATM screen came up with this notice: YOUR PIN NUMBER HAS BEEN STOLEN. I was shocked and quickly looked around to see if someone was near. No one was around. I reinserted my card and all processed normally. I checked the money in my account and all seemed well. I almost forgot this until 30,000 baht went missing from my account.

After all the running around I have come to the following conclusions. 1) The banks don’t care, 2) the police don’t care, 3) numbers are being stolen - I believe that my ATM number was stolen at the Siam Commercial Bank at Foodland where they do have personnel working, or at Bangkok Bank at Naklua where I have my bank account. I also believe that the bank that has your account should be responsible to replace the stolen money.

Anyway, let your readers know it is happening - if an ATM screen ever says your pin number has been stolen, change you pin number immediately. Also, the banks and police do not seem to be of any help.

Herbert H. Ishinaga

MY VIEWS:

This guy has been in Pattaya a long time and I believe this story, but just how does it happen. I have heard about 'skimming' cards but then they still need a PIN and what about bank workers, can they get PIN's?

Just how secure is it to actually own an ATM card for a Thai bank? I am checking my balance daily now...

Wilson Steer.

About ten years ago I had a romantic liaison with 'Bev Callard' . She is still a friend. Coronation Steet fans should know her!

The Philippines is great, I often wonder why I'm here and not there. But the truth is I prefer Thailand. Nothing to do with beer or women it's purely culture.

The people of the Philippines speak English and are so friendly, warm and hospitable, yet there is a kind of insincerity mixed up with their Roman Catholic belief.

The Philippines is like the Tony Blair government: full of hippocracy and lies and deceit. Everyone is absolutely bent (not sexual, I mean jiggery-pokery), including the priests. At least in Thailand you know where you stand, although money is still 'God' at least Thais admit money is 'God'.

I remember once a Manila taxi driver got very nasty with me: He wanted money, yet on his heavily carpeted dashboard were plastic popes, Jesus loves you stickers and even three kings. Likewise the lies of Philippine people is staggering, all to 'save face'. At least the Thai immigration are rude and ignore you, that is a good feeling compared to the absolute go-ho and bribe go-ho I experienced in the Philippines.

BUT, it is still a superb holiday destination; but to live there you must be either rich or stupid.

W.S.

I don't expect the GBP to exceed 77/78 to the T.Baht. I see a major correction of the US$ on the horizon: GBP-US$ back at 1.75 these 1.89/1.90 levels are good times for buying dollars.

I would guess 43 Thai Baht $ by year end. I don't think it will be a collapse to 50 as Harmonica suggests.

More interesting is the Dollar-Yen, I reckon that serious money can be made on selling Yen right now. I see 135-140 by year end. What do you think Harmonica?

If the original message is true, I doubt 200,000 pounds of unsecured credit in the U.K.is possible without resorting to fraud, for example suggesting that salary and employment was a lot higher/elite.

There was a case of an Englishman who had around 50K debts last year: he killed himself.

The six year rule is basically if no attempt to contact the debter is made, so it's a rolling six years. Credit agencies are very good these days in the U.K. I know of one friend who had credit card debts (only 3000 quid) who moved address and boasted that they would not find him: They traced him a month later!

I am 99% sure that minor debts upto £15,000 with credit card companies would not be pursued to Thailand; however if fraud is involved: that is a different matter.

Also: Bank Accounts held in England can be frozen instantly by a county court judge, and bankruptcy can be filed in the absence of a debtor.

Running away from debt is so common, yet it almost always ends in tears. Take for example our Swedish friend Carl Erikkson. He ended up bashing out the brains of a Pattaya girl after fleeing a large American Express Card debt.

Slimey Sue: My advice would be to return to the U.K. and make good. They can't jail you for debt, and if you are guilty of fraud and admit it you will probably get a suspended sentence. Don't let it all end in tears or a fall from a balcony.

W.S.

I am happy with my connection speeds: 52 and 50.6 and yesterday 48, but I notice sometimes there are days when everything is slow then other days when everything is quick. What is the reason for this?

Also the bbc homepage loads up really quickly yet the hotmail homepage is so slow. Why is hotmail so slow? I would have thought microsoft would have been fast in order to show off their expertise.

If/when I subscribe to broadband with 256 do they have slow days? and is it actually 'safe' to be online all the time?

W.S.

I have discovered a load of slides (photographic) but you guessed it, I have no projector so I can't bore the neighbours to death with a slide show on my white walls.

I visit Bangkok next week so does anyone know a photographic shop there that sells projectors and roughly the cost of one?

Am I right in saying that slides are much higher quality than normal photo's I think that is why I started buying 'slide' film in the first place.

W.S.

When they showed his passport on TV this morning it was definitely a British passport. I think the 240,000 must be exaggerated, I mean I wouldn't leave four thousand quid in the same room as anyone even a trusted friend.

The ladyman wasn't so easy on the eye as well, just like a Thai bloke in drag. With that amount of money the falanf could have woo'ed someone from Tiffanys show.

Sometimes I do a search with thumbnails of the kind .jpg yet these searches never show photo's received by email in my outlook express.

Another thing: when I got this laptop in the U.K. about two years ago, I received Microsoft Works 2002 which included word and an encyclopedia and some other stuff, yet not Outlook or .pp presentation software, was I 'done'.

It is such a pain when people send me power point stuff, plus My nokia stuff won't work without Outlook. Solutions? Opinions?

Thanks. W.S.

Maybe he was killed by laxatives. That is not a joke. There are tiny yellow pills that are so tiny that some 'bad' bar-girls give elderley 'clients' so they need the toilet 'urgently' within hours.

They then have time to search for valuables, watch some Thai T.V. and bid their 'farewells' whilst the recipient is passing loose motions in the bathroom.

Death by Laxatives is how the 'Pattaya Mail' described a similar incident about 3 years ago. Since then I don't eat tiny yelllow tablets, for any ailment.

This is yet another 'suspicious death' in my eyes.

W.S.

Yes, Thanks for that, I see they issue cards with 2000-100,000 baht. It seems to me like a pre-paid loaded credit card with a password.

I already have an account with TFB (Kasikorn) so if I could get a card it would be great for online purchases, hotel booking, etc.

I don't know why there aren't more pre-paid credit cards available in set amounts, it is far safer than debit cards and credit cards, which it can take several months to get the money back after fraud.

Wilson Steer.

someone must have some experience of these eweb cards: Please tell;

My girlfriend overheard (last night) in a local eatery that the staff of the Siam Sawadee Court were informed by a fellow resident that foul play was at work in room 501 yet they chose to ignore the falangs report.

The falang said to a maid allegedley: (sic) 'Someone is being killed in there, it will be on Pattaya News in three days'. {It was on in two}

Then another falang (German) witnessed the bag dragging episode and informed reception. A Baht bus was summoned (I won't say the number). And he dumped the body.

I reckon that there are loads of witnesses to the whole event(s) yet they don't want to get involved. Including Driver and partner in the Baht Bus.

W.S.

1. All of a sudden my speakers are playing the internet tune AFTER connection. It has never happened before and has come out of the blue. I have searched HELP and come up with a slider for modem volume but I didn't alter it because I think that is something else. Meanwhile I have checked mute in volume, but soon I will want to listen to radio...Help!

2. On XP home, it sometimes says, when I close all windows in a box...disconnect now? Yes or No? I never do. I want to stop this? Any advice?

3. Windows Messenger? Never used it but it is on my toolbar, I logged in with my email address, but nobody seems interested. Whats the idea? Is it just for webcam people? Is it any good? Am I missing out on something? Is it just for hotmail account holders?

Cheers.

W.S.

Thanks for that advice: I have just heard today a few 7-11 delay stories. I paid in Carrefour at customer services, 10 baht and a computer receipt.

I have Thai internet banking but when I try to transfer money it says 'sorry we cannot process this request' yet I have already set up the internet banking in the bank. In fact all I can do is check my balance!

Is bill paying possible on all internet banking accounts?

20 mg of valium plus alcohol is far too much for an old lady without an alcohol/diazepam 'habit': Surely?

Pain relief comes under the umbrella of anesthesia: All opiate analgesics are dependent upon the liver function to work: eg. Codeine in 'Para-codol' drugs rely on the liver to break down the codeine phosphate into morphine.

Pain relief differs from person to person, much of it CNS (Central Nervous System) related: Hence acupuncture is often an excellent 'pain' reliever.

Drugs are a last resort or else a 'short term' solution.

Paracetamol is actually a superb analgesic, yet pooh pooh'd by those in pain.

Four grammes a day with a healthy liver will dull most pain in a human. Only the human mind convinces the body that stronger more exotic analgesics work better.

W.S.

Neeranam: Yes you are spot on; Once you are hooked on benzodiazapines that is it: death or withdrawal:

I once got hooked on Librium; very quickly when I needed to get off the booze and into a job: I wish I hadn't bothered.

It's easy with booze: ten days reduction then bingo no side effects. With benzodiazapines it is a much more prolonged withdrawal. The symptoms of withdrawal only helped by...more benzodiazapines.

There are not many people who can take Xanex (alprazolam) without getting to like it. And ex-boozers are worse, when it comes to quick addiction.

The happy ending is this: People who think they need anti-anxiolotics like benzodiazapenes should seriously consider taking an anti-depressant such as Lustral or Prozac. That would sort out the 'nervous tension' and 'screaming abdabs'.

Good luck, original poster of this topic: but to be honest a hip flask of scotch is a far safer route than Xanex or Valium.

W.S.

I have been told I can pay telephone bills in 7-11. Please can someone tell me the process: Take the bill in and then what? The girls in my local 7-11 seem so dim, they even give wrong change.

Any words of advice?

W.S.

I know a similar horror story. A British acquaintance of mine, decided to buy an apartment and bar in Pattaya and transferred nearly 3 million baht into the Siam Commercial Bank.

He was staying in Centre Condo on Pattaya Tai and suffered a burglary. Not much was taken; passport a bit of cash, a watch etc. BUT also his paying in book for his savings account, which he overlooked initially.

His money was withdrawn in full by a third party; who had shown original (stolen) passport, which was photocopied and date stamped to show proof of I.D. during withdrawal of cash.

Result: loss of cash; return to U.K. to earn another 45 grand by hard work. I think I might have jumped.....?..!

Wilson Steer.