wpcoe

Did my retirement extension last Friday and didn't notice any signs for new requirements.  Same documents needed as in past years.

From the airport bus to Jomtien, I noticed a new wine/spirits shop on Thepprasit near the Thappraya intersection, on the north side of the street.  I'm not much of a drinker these days, but maybe someone would be motivated to check out the place and see if it's a discount shop?  It was a brightly lit, modern-looking shop.

@Srinakarin If you are looking for just a standard eye/vision test I might try to persuade you to look elsewhere.  For folks with a need for specialized eye/vision-related medical care, my recommendation could be different.

Earlier this week I had a substantial eye operation with complete sedation requiring an overnight stay at the facility.  As @Sheryl always says: "Choose the doctor, not the hospital."  Dr. Roy at Rutnin was recommended and I would echo that recommendation, BUT ... I was not at all impressed with the ability of staff to deal with a non-Thai-speaking patient.

In addition to possible language issues, I experienced a series of inconveniences/mistakes/attitude issues ranging from the first floor reception folks to the doctor's secretary to the admissions folks to the billing department.  I was quite shocked, based on what I had perceived as a general recommendation of the facility on this forum.  I don't want to get into specifics, based mainly on defamation concerns, but if it weren't for Dr. Roy, I'm not sure I would recommend the facility.

7 minutes ago, wpcoe said:

I signed up for mySSA online with a Thai address several years ago.  At that point I was just requesting benefit payout estimates.  I continued to use the same mySSA account once I started collecting SS payments, and have kept a Thai address with them the entire time.  Do they now require a US address to set up mySSA?

4 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Yes, they do, which has prevented me from being able to do it.

What a bummer!  Probably more of the Patriot Act and AMLO type of restrictions?  We are practically disowned as US citizens financially when we live overseas these days.  I hold my breath any time I have to make a query about anything related to my Chase VISA or Fidelity Investments accounts because I fear being "found out" and having my accounts closed.

I signed up for mySSA online with a Thai address several years ago.  At that point I was just requesting benefit payout estimates.  I continued to use the same mySSA account once I started collecting SS payments, and have kept a Thai address with them the entire time.  Do they now require a US address to set up mySSA?

A friend of mine (retired American living in Thailand, but with mail-forwarding in the US by a friend who works in a small-town FedEx office) called Chase to change the type of VISA card account he had.  When the Chase rep on the phone was verifying his personal data, she declared that his "home" address "looks like a FedEx office" as if she entered the address in Google Earth.  Yikes!

1 hour ago, GordonP said:

There is a new food market, Soi Watboonchantana. Still in its infancy. Approx 500 metres on the left from junction with Jomtien 2nd Rd heading towards Suk. 

There's been a food market for over 15 years across the street from the Majestic condo on Soi Wat Boon.  Where is this new one in relation to it?  The old one has been quite good after they renovated it about 10 years ago.

6 hours ago, topt said:

From the title I thought this was to do with IBM..........

Me, too.   Then as I scrolled down to read it, that photo threw me for a loop.

I was in the USA recently and met a fellow socially who sold a house in Thailand a year or so ago which he had bought via the company-owned scheme.  I don't want/need comments on the wisdom of buying via such a scheme.  What I am looking for is advice on what he was told when he tried to export the money back to the USA:  He could only transfer 49% of the cash because that was his ownership share.

Does that sound right?  I can sort of see the reasoning, but have no clue about buying/selling a company-owned property.

He still has THB2+ million in a bank here.  He's in his mid-70s and really doesn't want to make the long trip again.  Until he chatted with me, he was simply resigned to the fact that the money was gone.

As mentioned, I only just met him socially so I don't really expect him to trust me with his money, but I would willingly make multiple small transfers from my Thai bank accounts to him in the USA if he could make online transfer(s) to my bank accounts here, which he thought he could do.

Any other suggestions on how he might be able to get his money out without another trip over here?  I just hate to see that much money sit there and eventually end up in the Thai bank's pockets.

On 12/28/2018 at 8:43 AM, TaaSaparot said:

Would seem the doughnuts are not being made on site, but coming from Bangkok.

3 hours ago, wpcoe said:

Earlier in this thread it was said the doughnuts were shipped to Pattaya from Bangkok.  So, do they lose that signature freshly-made-from-scratch taste here?

2 hours ago, mogandave said:

They’re not going to ship donuts from Bangkok.

 

Guess I misunderstood.  I'll bow to the superior knowledge of people who know such things. 

If it's any consolation, I was in Mexico for three months and some Thai web sites were blocked there.  Had to use a US VPN to access them.

I just tried accessing the site using 3BB VDSL and got a similar, but interestingly different, message:

What happened?

The owner of this website (travelbag.co.uk) has banned the country or region your IP address is in (TH) from accessing this website.

On 1/1/2019 at 10:48 AM, lapd said:

The hype is that they cook them onsite from scratch.  So you get them super fresh.  They literally melt in your mouth when you get them within minutes of being cooked.  After sitting around for a few hours they are just like any other donuts.

Earlier in this thread it was said the doughnuts were shipped to Pattaya from Bangkok.  So, do they lose that signature freshly-made-from-scratch taste here?

17 minutes ago, Silurian said:

Rumored for 2019: Sony XZ4 compact

Well, that bodes well!  I knew there was an XZ2 Compact but when they released the XZ3 there was no Compact derivative.  Never thought to Google for XZ4 Compact, but there is quite a bit of speculation that there will be one in 2019.

Thanks to all who made excellent recommendations.  I will check them out, but suspect I might wait for the Sony (unless my iPhone SE gives up the ghost unexpectedly before then.)

I was hoping for some phone smaller than all the current ones.  The iPhone SE is 128.3 mm, whereas all the current ones seem to be 145-150mm.  Oh, well.

11 minutes ago, Kurtf said:

Or perhaps deposit it all into your Bangkok bank account and go to the NY branch and withdraw it all?

My understanding is that the NY branch of Bangkok Bank is not a retail office, i.e. they do not deal with the public directly, only commercial transactions.

I'm curious about the certified check, too.  Can Bangkok Bank issue a certified/cashiers check in USD?

My last two phones have been a Sony Xperia Z3 Compact and (currently) an iPhone SE.  I would like to update to current hardware standards of a top-end phone, but keep the smaller size.  "Op ed" pieces on the internet indicate that folks have given up on Apple issuing an iPhone SE2.  Sony seems to have abandoned compact versions of their flagship phone, too.  The Pixel 3, which I guess technically meets some definition of "compact" is an inch taller than my iPhone SE, and it's just too big.  Any pointers on a current-generation Android or Apple device that is compact but doesn't compromise on performance/features?

Sidebar question:  Since there were a couple mentions of white sheets, how many of you use them?  I've always thought of white bed linens as institutional items, like hospitals and hotels, and never really considered using them at home.

On 12/30/2018 at 4:51 PM, how241 said:

A strip of 10 tramadol usually cost from 50-100 baht in Pattaya.  Price varies so you need to shop around. 

Also take note of the size of the pill/tablet/capsule.  Off the top of my head, I think I've seen 50mg and 100mg pills/capsules.  Some is immediate-acting and some is time release, I believe.

Agreed, unless your motherboard has an M.2 connector.  On some motherboards it is actually on the bottom of the motherboard (i.e. you need to flip the motherboard over to see/use it), so double-check your motherboard documentation to make sure yours doesn't have an M.2 connector.

That SSD would require either an M.2 slot on your motherboard, or a PCIe riser card (an adapter than lets you run an M.2 SSD via a PCIe motherboard slot -- something like this:  https://www.lazada.co.th/products/kingshare-m2-nvme-ssd-to-pcie-30-x4-adapter-m-key-interface-card-suppor-pci-express-i222265316-s339268798.html)

15 hours ago, Sheryl said:

For the diclofenac gel, apply hot soaks first until the skin is very red.This dilates blood vessels so you get much more local absorption.

Sheryl, is that a good rule of thumb or any topical medication?

9 minutes ago, Thailand J said:

$0. Fido has just dropped the SWIFT fees lately both domestic and overseas.

I use SWIFT at Vanguard and Charles Schwabs , also free to me. HSBC or Chase as intermediary at $2 most.

Thanks for the good news.  So, if necessary, I can switch from the ACH transfers I've been using to SWIFT, still with no Fidelity fees.  Oh, wait, does Fidelity need an intermediary for SWIFTing to Bangkok Bank?

I've wondered about the taking of Zentel (or similar) as routine prophylaxis.  What if you have one of the infestations that requires a prolonged period of treatment?  Is it like antibiotics where if you take less than the required complete course to obliterate a bacterial infection, that the infestation would be able to build a resistance to Zentel?

e.g.  I've been taking Zeltel for years, usually once annually, as a precaution.  What if I have, say, Neurocysticercosis -- which requires twice daily treatments for 8 to 30 days -- would periodic one-shot prophylactic 400mg doses of Zentel make the Neurocysticercosis grow resistant to it?

22 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

No, it's not a domestic transfer, which is why my broker charges me $10, whereas with the ACH transfer it was free.

On the form supplied to me by my broker I indicated that transfers would be going to Bangkok Bank Thailand and included my Bangkok Bank account number and the SWIFT code for Bangkok Bank Thailand.

But my broker, and many US banks, has no direct connection with BB Thailand, so they required a bank in the US to act as the go-between, aka a correspondent bank.

So I chose to use Bangkok Bank in New York. They have a different SWIFT. Code from the one for BB Thailand. I don't have it right now, but if you need it,, PM me and I'll find it.

There are other US banks that can be used as correspondent banks if needed when sending money to Bangkok Bank Thailand, but some of them tack on a hefty charge.  I think I read somewhere that BB New York was cheaper and I've had excellent results using them with ACH transfers so they seemed the safer choice. Some US banks choose the correspondent bank they want to use, so you might get stuck with an expensive one. Luckily my broker allowed me the choice.

 

so basically I get the same results as before for the same charges as before, $5 and baht 200 as far as Bangkok Bank is concerned, but my broker now pockets $10 and the transaction is recorded as an international  transfer to keep the US government happy rather than simply a domestic transfer as was the case previously with the ACH transfers.

 

P.S. the SWIFT codes for Bangkok Bank Thailand and BB New York are 

BKKBTHBK

BKKBUS33

 

respectively.

Thanks a lot for the details.

I'm surprised, though, that your broker can't do a SWIFT transfer directly to BKKBTHBK.  My credit union with somewhat basic options was able to do SWIFT transfers directly to SCB bank in Thailand without an intermediary, although it was a few years ago and maybe things have changed?  I wonder what is different about Bangkok Bank vs SCB.  

Thinking out loud, I wonder if it's possible to do a domestic SWIFT transfer to BKKBUS33 (NY branch) and use the account number of the account within Thailand, like we currently do with the ACH process.  My credit union charges $50 for an international SWIFT and $25 for a domestic SWIFT.  I'm not sure what fees my broker (Fidelity) charges for any SWIFT transfer.  I've been using Fidelity for my ACH transfers (since my credit union was unable to get them to work) and am waiting to hear back from Fidelity if they use the IAT format for ACH before pursuing possible SWIFT transfers with them.