watthong

Yes, I have read your thread carefully...I live on the 7th floor so that rules this sim out. Thanks for the input and especially the thread.

Lazada also has this dtac 30mbps unlimited sim and the price is close to 2000 baht

Sorry, yes, I meant data-only (was used to "cellular data" on/off option on the phone). This sim has both 4G and 5G and my ipad can take 4G so I guess I'm good to go. Thanks for the input.

I was looking for a new sim to replace the soon-to-expire one in my ipad. The last couple of years, I've got a "regular" sim, having both cellular and phone services (signals). Of course the ipad doesn't make phone calls so the phone part of the sim card goes wasted. This week however, looking around on lazada, I saw this dtac sim which apparently carries only cellular signals, which would serve my ipad to a T. The price is also cheaper, 1068 baht, as opposed to the full fledged one, about 1600 baht or so. Has anyone used this cellular-only sim? Do I understand correctly what it was meant to do? It's advertised in Thai as "unlimited, no speed loss, 15 mbps and good for 1 year, with 5G services." Thank you in advance for any input...

Thanks SheryL for all the helpful info. Much appreciated!

Thank you SheryL for the recommendations. I think the Chulabhorn would suit me best (for routine check-up). FYI, my last colonoscopy plus endoscopy were done at Chula (the Chula University Hospital across the street from Sala Daeng BTS in Silom.) Quite OK, the specialist came to my "sick bed" when I "woke up" and explained everything in perfect English. Again thanks for all the helpful info. Much appreciated.,

Thanks SheryL for the recommendations. Which one seems to you the best? The reason I was interested in Lifecare was because of many folks have voiced the same positive review.

Do they have branches or affiliates in BKK region?

Hi Sheryl, Could you give info on those "good nonprofit hospitals right nearby". I've been to Chula but not familiar with the neighborhood so would like to check out the ones you mentioned. Especially re getting a colondoscopy(spelling?), thanks.

In my case at first I thought of going in to do it in person as well. In addition to all the reasons stated above, especially re the handling of the passport by whatever shipping courier, I was also fretting about not getting the right kind of photos. So I thought if I was there at the counter then I would know right away if something was not kosher, instead of waiting for an email to be informed about that later and the hassle of whatever else needed to be done for the correction. However last minute I chickened out and resorted to doing it by mail. I then went home and started kicking myself... Not only the moment my passport and I parted that opened ample opportunities for my mind to roam about what else to be fretted about (shipping glitches, etc.) it also cost time and money for the mailing (600 baht via DHL, at the insistence of my other half) going to the bank for the bank drafts, and paying the renewal fees on line. In person all these items can be paid with hard cash. If you read between the lines of what the US embassy saying about on-line passport renewal on their website, they did NOT say you can not renew in person. One additional bonus in this scenario if that the processing started the moment they print out your receipt. In my mail-in scenario, it started a couple of days after the passport arrival.

Here's my recent experience to corroborate the above scenario: My old passport arrived at the US embassy on Monday of week 1. By end of week2 I checked for an update on travel state gov (or something to that effect) and there it said that my new passport had been mailed out on Friday of that week - from the passport center in the US and that it could take 10 business days to arrive at the embassy. There was one holiday day in week 3. Then Wednesday of week 4 I got an email from US embassy saying that they were going to mail out my passport in the next 2 business days. It arrived 2 days later on Friday. Just to make sure there was no mistake, the embassy staff had cut out the address written by me on my "return mail" form that was included in the original application package, and pasted on as mailing address on the return package. They also returned the 2 photos I had included as extras, beside the one stapled to the application form. From the date on the receipt included, it looks like the US embassy took a couple of days after receiving my application to really start processing. And as of Feb 2023 the whole process took 4 weeks .

My interpretation of why not is that sometimes if lapsed from many months without running the book through the machine the account would show weird looking lump sums of accumulated activities (or lack thereof) and the figuring out of those consolidated figures of withdrawal/deposit would cause industrial-strength headache for all concerned. The "secret of my success" is to keep a healthy margin above the 800k so that any accidental dip would not touch the threshold, and keep the fluctuations if any to a minimum. Something easy for the IO to decipher and brings a smile to their face (yes, they do smile whenever the stars, ie your paper work aligned.) Another thing I notice is since covid "re-opening", at least in Samut Prakan, they no longer ask to sign the 3 additional documents (not to lie, seek work, etc.) for the extension. Or maybe the IO folks there just want to do away with them... Also one note regarding the TM6, I did included a copy of it for the extension (keeping the tattered original out of sight.) But for the following 90day report on the same visit, I didn't. The IO asked for it, I mumbled and fumbled, then he asked to see the old passport, again I demurred, then finally he said, "Ok, found it (tm6)" gesturing to his screen.

(For the OP) The bank letter takes some time to procure as the branch has to contact headquarters, whereas the update could be done in minutes. I always get the letter the day before and the update the day of the extension, just to make sure things go smoothly on the bank paperwork side. Yes, that means two visits to bank prior to going to the Samut Prakan Immig office as the latter is not attached to a commercial center. Re monthly activities shown in bank book, my account produces monthly interests so that takes care of that and I only have to run the book at the machine outside, if that doesn't work I would go inside to do it, again that takes minutes. Last week at the Immig office for my extension, the IO also pointed out something about updating the book every month, I think she only reiterated what already been done in my case, so my guess is there's a new order about the monthly activities. But there was no statement for me to sign to provide monthly bank monthly statements next time/year.

I believe at CW the queue window opens till 3pm if not later. So the worst scenario is you will have to go to the bank for the paperwork the same day and make it to CW before 3pm. However I trust, though others might not agree, that the IOs will be reasonable ie understanding enough to give some leeways.

I can't talk for CW but for Samut Prakan where I did my extension last week, one day old bank letter is fine. Just make sure you get the update the same day you go for the extension though. YMMV with CW, but I have seen elsewhere reporting that the letter could be a week old and still acceptable. I also think that the update could be a day or two early, but I think that's to the discretion of the officer who takes care of your application.

Still have time to contact the lawyer who is now handling Kaitlin Armstrong (the fugitive who fled to Costa Rica for a, ahem, face lift.) Tubtim looks like she could afford him...

"Side effects from the COVID vaccines are rare and mostly minor" - this is a straightforward statement of a simple fact, based on real numbers and studies by experts and governments over the last 2 years and a half since the 1st covid vaccine came out. Quite simple but majorly critical in making one's own decision regarding vaccination. To label such statement "patently false" is "patently" misleading. You are free to state the earth is flat, but only a mad man would say that's false when it's been proved beyond a doubt the opposite. Yes, but as a member of society you don't have the freedom to yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater. Just one minor example. Also one can delude oneself to one's heart content, however that delusion will become a danger to society when it steers one into a direction of becoming a danger (such as transmission of covid) to others.

Those who demand for a perfect vaccine or perfect anything should find a perfect world and move in. For the rest of us in the real world, anyone of us can get run over by a car at any time, but that shouldn't stop mass transportation - is the motto for everyday living. And that goes for planes, trains and vaccines also,

Best-acting Oscar this year falls mostly in this category: If you're around long enough, they'll give you one. One thing for Michelle though, besides being around long enough, is that she can both act and kick asses at the same time. In a perfect, read white-r world, she should be as busy as Helen Mirren who's now getting into her 80s and making her foray into the Marvel universe. A detour here: James Hong who plays Yeoh's father in the movie is 94... No Oscar but finally a star on the boulevard (thanks to the movie no less.) He's certainly been around long enough. He 's been everywhere, played every kind of secondary roles where they need an Asian that can enunciate English clearly. He played the house valet in "Chinatown," one among his 600 + screen credits. Back to the topic, Yingluck started out a babe and will remain one. Unfortunately age doesn't spare her (or anyone else.) However she could afford all the anti-aging goo available between here and Mars.

Thank you ubonjoe and DrJack for your advice and input. Much appreciated

Just went down my condo front office to get a new TM30. Well, surprise, they don't do TM30 anymore. In its place I got, as a receipt of registration, a print out of a screen shot from the receptionist smart phone, featuring a registration number (with immigration) along with my name, address, (new) passport number - and something to the effect of "this person resides here as of today." It also features the date of my last extension application. That's all. No matter how I insisted I need a TM30, this is what the condo office staff can produce for now - "any problem please have Immigration call us." Anybody has similar experience re TM30?

I am sure you are still hearing of "covid" as a virus, whose current name is covid19. Until one morning when we wake up and the whole world is abuzz with news of its total eradication, until then: Yes, it is still a thing.

TallguyJohn, you're a saint, first for your tireless update of the covid vax scene, second for still managing to calmly deal with those who are triggered by the word "vaccine" and unable to find their inner peace when people around them keep going to the clinic to get their shots. What a feeling to find out we are still living among lunatics straight out of the dark ages. Following your lead, we went to the dermatology place on Monday and were in and out in 1 hour. Quite a lot of people there where the staff got overwhelmed at some point, but somehow we all managed. Just walk in, you will spend about 5 - 10 minutes longer than those with appointments, for having to register on site. Considering the size of the crowd that day, it was also announced that the clinic will be able to provide the bivalent booster till the end of this month, so "don't panic." For those who are interested and not sure of the timeline, get your booster shot 6 months after your last shot, whether it was the parent shot or another booster shot. We now are getting into the 3rd year of getting vaccinated, and the medical authorities are still in the observing mode, so they (tell us) just have to play by ears, in short nothing is set in stone. If you suffer vaccination fatigue, just pencil this in your calendar, get the latest booster every 6 months onward. In the meantime, keep washing your hands, wearing your mask, and checking back in this forum periodically to see what TallguyJohn has to say. Think of the time in recent past, say a couple of years ago, when we had to push and shove and were willing to pay any price for any shot down the arm... Oh, and don't let those bawling at the moon fool you.

Thank you for the info. I try not to get confused regarding what goes before what. So I'm going to list below what needs to be done and the order of steps to take: 1) Don't bother with TM6 anymore (no need to fill out the card number on any form or include copy of it with any application.) 2) Get new TM30 from landlord that shows new passport number. 3) Go to CW for transfer of visa stamps. The required documents include "copy of TM card" (item no8 on the list on page 2 of the application form) so I assumed it's the TM30 (not the TM6 since this one has been discarded.) 4) Go to SP for the usual annual extension, and the 90 day report (which also is coming up) with the usual set of copies of documents. 5) Re TM30, way back when I submitted the TM30 (made in Samut Prakan) for 90 days report at Samut Prakan, it went though for a couple of times without any hassle, then when I submitted it for the following extension, the IO gasped at my TM30 and had us take it to another window to get a certification signature and stamp. So my guess is that the new (with new passport number) TM30 will also go through certification at my next extension at SP? Or CW will do that during transfer of visa stamps? Am I doing the procedure correctly? Thank you in advance for your advice. Much appreciated.