Marvest

I have to agree with bbko... definately seems like bringing U.S. politics into it. WWF is not a political organization. It is an independent conservation organization based in Switzerland working to sustain the natural world. It gave an award to Hua Hin and other cities to recognize them for their work toward an international goal agreed on by virtually all countries in the world. Recognition of progress toward this goal is natural and has nothing to do with Obama or Nobel Peace awards for efforts to strengthen international diplomacy. If non-related awards to American politicians (that you think are "idiots") even though you "don't follow awards" or know about WWF comes to mind, then it can only be viewed as bring politics into it.

There seems to be a lot of certainty about poor prospects for the Thai economy and how inept the Thai government is about forecasting and managing it. I would advise readers here not to take actions based on these inconsequential opinions. Most of the pessimism on this forum is exaggerated and uninformed. A 20% decline in a stock market index from 'recent' high is not a recession. It is the classic definition of a 'bear market.' A recession is not defined by a bear market. It is defined by two consecutive quarters of economic contraction. The Thai economy expanded last quarter. The S&P is down about 16% from its high over a year ago. The Dow is down about 12%. The U.S. has had one quarter of contraction and it will not be known if the U.S. is in a recession until August. The U.S. is not in a bear market, and we do not know if the U.S. is in a recession. Mainstream economists in the U.S. believe there is 30% chance of recession next quarter. The current weakness in the baht is good for exports which is one of the previously (and correctly) forecasted growth areas by the Thai government. Exports are up an incredible 18.9% y/y in March 2022. Thai GDP is growing at 2.2% y/y as of Q1 2022. On top of that, tourism is likely to grow and has huge potential upside for further economic growth. Household debt at 95% is in line with many industrialized countries. There are several countries in Europe with household debt over 100% of GDP. The U.S. is 75% and the U.K is 87%. Thai government debt is 58% of GDP which is far less than most industrialized nations. I would like to know what actions (investments, sales, hedges, shorts, futures, puts, calls, etc.) the pessimists here are taking based on their opinions. Personally, I have made recent investments in Thai real estate which is an indirect bet on tourism and the baht. I am also invested in baht futures and oil which is a major Thai export. I have sold other holdings to take these positions and I am considering more investments related to the Thai economy. I have no shorts, put options, or reverse EFTs for Thai or global markets. I do not have great faith in the Thai government, but I believe they are generally correct about their assessments and their policies with respect to the economy. I believe Thailand and their relatively inexpensive and educated workforce is positioned for growth into the next few years and beyond. The Thai COVID policies had a devastating effect on Thai economy, especially tourism, but in general were/are commensurate with other Southeast Asian nations. Thailand has a growing economy with newly developed sustainable strength in exports. Thailand now has an opportunity to build a new lower-volume up-scale tourist industry that their economy is less dependent on. The Thai government is making policies and infrastructure investments to support that very strategy. The biggest challenges and risks I see are uncontrollable factors such as war in Ukraine and interdependence with China.

Most the people here replied to the reason you are considering a crypto currency account, rather than providing the advice you asked for. I'll address both, but they are right in my opinion. I don't think a crypto currency account/wallet is the answer to your problem. While I am an advocate of cryptocurrency, I don't advocate it for daily spending. It's more complicated to manage, rate volatility, speed, and depending what exchange and wallet you use, it could be less safe than your bank. I agree with many posters here that it is best to get to the bottom of what is causing you bank money to disappear. Go into a branch and ask them to help you. It will likely be easier to discover the cause and fix it then it will be to switch to cryptocurrency for daily spending. Having said that, by all means, open a cryptocurrency account and learn!

Well said

Right! and besides, a receipt for alcohol with a time stamp on it is irrefutable evidence of a law being broken. But why should the vendors be concerned about being reported by foreign patrons who love and support them?

It's possible. Some 7-eleven's are company owned and some are owned by a franchisee. But most franchise agreements have strict conditions to follow for consistency of brand.

That's one way to punish the people who made this inconvenient law. Be damned if the vendor follows it. So what next? You go to a different market and start your shopping over, and still don't get your liquor? Win-win! Or should I say laugh-laugh?

Most laws are not legislated for convenience. Most laws are put in place to discourage an undesired activity or encourage a desired activity. Some laws are not well thought out and have unintended consequences or become outdated. While that may well be the case with the 2-5 alcohol ban, does anyone here actually know the original intent of this law? Once we know for sure, it will be easier to debate the merits of the law or whether is should be repealed.

I don't know what the concern is about masks in public parks. Lifting the requirement will have no effect on foreigners in my area. Foreigners don't wear them outdoors if they don't want to anyway.

My problem with the article is using a one-year-old picture of Soi Bintabaht. It's not what is used to be, but it's not as dead now as the picture depicts. Also, I heard Soi 94 is more robust than pre-COVID-19 and that a lot of bars have moved or opened there.

It seems the BHT36m is from foreign tourists only. The article is not straight forward, but it implies that a total of THB12.7b was lost in 2020 and THB17.3b was lost in 2021.

In the context of Japanese tourists, it doesn't matter what Thailand does until things change in Japan. Right now travelers entering and returning to Japan face a week long quarantine and can not use public transportation (including taxis) from the airport. There are also vaccination and testing requirements.

Cigna has strong and adamant views about their politics. They have been deceptive about donating to politicians and political fund raising. Look it up if you care about that kind of thing.

Another update 14 March 2022: The U.S. now accepts negative antigen tests for entry to the U.S.. Antigen tests are simple to administer with results in as little as 15 minutes. Read: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/noncitizens-US-air-travel.html#anchor_1634928201933 To be valid, the test must be administered by a medical professional (including a telemedicine) and be accompanied by a valid certificate. Details: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html Antigen tests in Hua Hin: ---------------------------- San Paulo Hospital - Cost: 500 baht - Antigen tests are given between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. - Appointment: not necessary, but must show up before 2:00 p.m. - Turn around time: within one hour with certificate (printed and email) https://www.sanpaulo.co.th/en/index.html Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin - Cost: 700 baht (including medical certificate) - Antigen tests are given daily between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. - Appointment: must make an appointment (no walk-ins) - Limited to 60 tests per day (make appointment in advance) - Turn around time: Within two hours https://www.bangkokhospitalhuahin.com/en/packages/covid-19-screening-test Tel. 032-616-800 Antigen tests in Bangkok: ------------------------------ Medconsult Clinic (popular provider among foreigners, bilingual English) - Cost: 500 baht ('fit to fly' certificate, omicron detection, extra) - Appointment: book online (7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.) - Turn around time: 15 minutes https://www.medconsultasia.com/covidtesting/ (02-018-7855) [email protected] There are many other locations in Bangkok including most any hospital.