Phil McCaverty

10 hours ago, northsouthdevide said:

I tip my hat to you mate. 

Ive only ever been there once, and I hope I never have to go back ever again. 

Horrible place. 

Never had a problem extending my permission to stay at Jomtien. Always quick and easy. Trick is to ensure that you have all the right documentation, photocopies etc. before you go. Sounds like the OP has had an even quicker experience. I suspect that, due to Covid, the IOs just want people in and out as quickly as possible.

Just now, peleid said:

So what happens if your bank closes and you want letter/statements for your visa

Go to another branch.

2 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

The goal is using the qr code. Register within  your app for promptpay. I pay you with your phone number. No phone? I can pay directly to your bank account via the app. I have no cash but need to pay in cash and forgot my atm card at home?  Cardless atm. I tell my app I need 500b...scb sends a code to your phone, input the code in the atm and done. Kasikorn uses qr codes with your phone, point at the atm machine and get your money.

 

Thailand is way advanced. Really no need for plastic. Need a statement? The apps email it to you within 3 minutes.

Try using a QR code in a bar.

Just heard that the pool in my  gated village opened 2 days ago. Off for a swim shortly, first in a month.

If bars opened, my "new normal" would be the same as my old normal. Getting there.

12 hours ago, Yinn said:

Should be jail any man hit old person, kid or woman.

Anyone who hits anyone should be in jail.

5 hours ago, CLS said:

You have no knowledge of a real democracy. Initiatives and referendums are the antidote to dictatorship.

It was a referendum on the constitution that screwed Thailand. It was a referendum on the EU that screwed the British economy.

7 minutes ago, BigStar said:

  

Not simple, really, but in fact hard to say. The physical contact (in the bar) question wasn't addressed in the OP. But the strip bars in the USA are successful despite mostly no physical contact. As for the masks, they can look kinda cute, as they often do on the girls you see around town or in the supermarkets. Might even improve appearance.

 

It would be good marketing IMO if they relaxed the usual girls' dress code to compensate. And they might.

I've always been put off by girls with teeth like a horse and plenty of Thai girls have. How would I know if they're all wearing masks?

4 minutes ago, silver sea said:

Just because it was weeks ago does not prevent you from doing an internet check. To help you, I did another google search, as you seem to be too busy checking your next door neighbour’s son’s feet, and here is a link about a woman in the US, rather than the UK, with a blue toe as a symptom:

 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/science/new-coronavirus-symptom-look-out-21893870

 

Covid19 seems to cause in some people rashes and discolouration instead of fever and respiratory problems.

 

 

No, you're alright mate, I'll leave that to you. I don't want to die of boredom. 555

Here's another symptom for you to research on the internet, redness around the eyes, not in the eyes, around the eyes. Crack on!

Just now, mauGR1 said:

Although we will never know to what extent, it's not a secret that staying at home for long time is not healthy, and it weakens the immune system.

 

Depends on what you do at home. I spend at least 14 hours per day outside, gardening, walking round the garden, sat on the patio with my laptop and eating all my meals outside. I've almost run out of jobs to do around the house, just minor maintenance, mainly check the tyres on 2 pushbikes, 2 motorbikes and a car. I'm beginning to get bored now. The only reason my health may have suffered is because the communal pool in my moo baan is closed, something I loudly objected to and have missed the most.

4 minutes ago, silver sea said:

 

The toes in the two OP photos are not blue.

 

I did a google search, but could not find “blue toe”, only BTS (Blue Toe Syndrome). Is that what you meant? But patients often seem to be elderly; Covid Toe patients seem to be mainly children and teenagers.

 

Here’s one link to BTS:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4884725/
 

If you are referring to something else, then do you have a link to show that it is caused by coronavirus?

 

Maybe it is not a symptom that is new to you, but so far as I’m aware this is the first time it has appeared on this sub forum. 

It was a reported phenomenon in young children and from the UK. It was weeks ago so can't provide a link.

My neighbour has a 2 year old son who is often sickly. I have been checking his feet every time he comes around.

2 hours ago, smiggley said:

Everyone seems to be over thinking the problem. 167 live cases from 165 million population I cannot see why everyone is pannicking. Why don't we just close the country off to the rest of the world and be done with it then we don't have to put up with foot and mouth disease, bird flu, the horse virus and any other imported diseases that affect the country. The virus is under control even with everyone traveling home for the holidays, overcrowed BTS trains, overcrowded trucks for building site workers just to name a few. Get your heads out of the sand and lets get the country back to normal. I expect to get some flak but this is one mans opinion. Thank you and be safe. 

The country is closed off to the rest of the world. Internal new infections are down to zero. Numbers still in hospital is down to a couple of hundred. Not been a single case in Pattaya for nearly a month. Good job Thailand.

I've been in self isolation (have serious pre existing conditions) since the very beginning. However, now I feel confident enough to re emerge.

I have 2 go to restaurants in Pattaya, if either of them reopen I will visit, assuming that safety measures don't totally detract from my dining experience. The nearest bar to my house did reopen on Saturday night, unfortunately raided by various authorities.  Had it reopened legitimately, I'd have been in there and wouldn't have worn a mask.

Its over in Pattaya, lets get back to enjoying our lives.

I first read about this several weeks ago when it was referred to as "blue toe". Nothing new here.

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I think that is rich for Thailand, rents being relatively low.

Every time I've rented in Thailand, I've had to batter potential landlords down to that figure.

On 5/4/2020 at 9:07 AM, cornishcarlos said:

Those who stand to make a lot of money from vaccinations..

If the Oxford University lab wins the race, that will be no one. Just pray that a US lab doesn't win the race.

Just now, scubascuba3 said:

unlikely, i did a comparison a while back and the TT rate is similar to the Clarity card rate +\- 0.25%, depending how volatile the rate is that day

Yes, I found similar. I was referring to the rate from one day to the next. Exchange rates go up as well as down. Swings and roundabouts.

5 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

The visa and MasterCard rate aren't known until the following day so you are comparing apples with oranges, check again tomorrow

Yep, could be an even bigger differential.

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

For Clarity they get processed as cash withdrawals, you are maybe missing the interest which seems to get hidden in the statement a month later. I've used Kasikorn and Krungsi, both the same, not Bangkok bank but i can't see them being different, same tech

They don't for me.

1 minute ago, Leaver said:

I rent, so I don't care what happens.  

 

I don't see any problem discussing Pattaya's property market, and if it's "doom" than it's doom, and if it's "boom" then it boom. 

 

No problem either way for me.  I am just calling it as I see it.  

When I rented, I always calculated what I deemed to be a fair rent by comparing the current value of the house to the amount of rent paid over a 20 year period. They should be equal amounts. Rent x 240.

Effectively house values do determine the amount of rent you pay.

5 minutes ago, BillStrangeOgre said:

Thanks to a fellow Halifax Clarity card user! ????

Apart from Kasikorn do you know of any other banks that don't charge for over counter withdrawals? Preferably in central BKK?

Cheers

 

Bangkok Bank.

3 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

Good educational material on this subject...including ATMS, Bank withdraw, Wire Transfers, and more options:

Best recommended method is a wire transfer if you have any sort of Thai bank account you could send to.

https://www.expatden.com/thailand/thailand-currency-exchange/

If by wire transfers it means inter bank transfers, which is how I now transfer the bulk of my money from the UK now, my bank charges me £9.50 (383 baht) and I have to be careful to send the money in £ and allow Bangkok Bank to do the exchange. More expensive than using my Halifax Clarity inside the bank. The site is concerned with sending money from the US. I'm led to believe that there isn't a CC in the US available as preferential as Halifax Clarity.

1 minute ago, Pib said:

I bet they do...but you think they don't.  Banks know when the transaction is a cash advance or purchase thru underlying transaction coding the customer does not see.  

 

https://www.halifax.co.uk/creditcards/clarity-card/

I have always used this method to transfer funds from the UK, even when I came here as a tourist. When I relocated here and used the same method to transfer my monthly funds, I kept a very close eye on my CC account and kept all receipts from Bangkok Bank, carefully calculating exchange rates received, interest charged and any hidden fees.

For the period of my observations (several months) I consistently got an exchange rate equal or better than what Bangkok Bank was offering, paid zero interest and zero bank charges.

I'll take that bet.

3 minutes ago, Pib said:

When I use to use my US credit cards for cash advance at the Thai bank, yes, it's processed like a purchase but additional underlying transaction coding identifies it as a cash advance.  This underlying coding tells your card issuing bank it was a cash advance and it's treated as such.

Not with Halifax Clarity via Bangkok bank.

11 minutes ago, Pib said:

Keep in mind that Halifix Clarity credit card begins charging interest on day one for a cash advance....no grace period like with a purchase.

 

https://www.halifax.co.uk/creditcards/clarity-card/

 

If you make the transaction inside Bangkok bank via a card reader, the Halifax doesn't recognize it as a cash advance. For the purposes of interest calculation, its treated as a purchase.

Just now, Pib said:

No, the exchange rates you get with your Mastercard are "not" better than the exchange rate like shown at a FX website like xe.com.   Your Cap1 one debit or credit cards use the Mastercard/Visa exchange rates--match the Mastercard/Visa exchange rates exactly.   And I personally know because I use Cap1 debit and credit cards.

Its usually better than the exchange rate offered inside Bangkok Bank.