wpcoe

9 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

Yes I was using the old ACH method and then changed to using SWIFT.  My broker required that I choose the correspondent bank and I chose Bangkok Bank NY.

 

For making monthly transfers of around $2000, using the old method my broker charged nothing, Bangkok Bank NY charged $5 and Bangkok Bank Thailand charged Baht 200.

That's interesting.  So, instead of using the ACH system to transfer money domestically to Bangkok Bank's New York branch, you use SWIFT to make the domestic transfer?  Do you use the SWIFT code for the New York branch and simply put the Thailand Bangkok Bank account number on the request form and they automatically transfer it to your account in Thailand?  (What is the SWIFT code for the Bangkok Bank New York branch?)

I used to SWIFT transfer directly to SCB in Thailand, but my bank started charging US$50 for an international SWIFT transfer.  Domestic SWIFT transfers are "only" US$25, which makes it more palatable.   So, I want to make sure I'm understanding correctly the exact method you are using.

What's the significance of B499,999?  Why not an even B500,000?

On 12/17/2018 at 6:34 AM, KhunFred said:

There is no excuse for dumping a child....NONE.

Assuming she voluntarily dumped the children.  What if she is being held against her will someplace or, worse yet, lying dead in a forest someplace?

Regarding not selling you the floor model: The store cannot sell the floor model because it's not theirs to sell.  The floor/display model (sometimes?) is property of the manufacturer (distributor?)  and not the store.  Hard to understand the reason, but it was confirmed to me at a couple stores.  This was in Hua Hin at Power Buy and HomePro a few years ago, but I have no reason to believe it's not the same situation here and now.

Agreed that Grab has become more expensive in Pattaya than it (and Uber) used to be, but still cheaper than taxi, with no negotiating.  And, they are available to summons pretty much 24/7.

2 hours ago, sirineou said:

 

 I am on business now in NYC...

I'd think there are plenty of places nearby to buy melatonin?  Even CVS, Duane Reade, Walgreens.

2 hours ago, bbi1 said:

 

Thanks. Is Jomtien Immigration on JomtienSaiNeung Soi 5 as per Google Maps? Basically Soi 5 off the road off the beach? So they're open Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm or what's their hours?

Not sure of their exact hours -- I think they open before 10am, and close at 5pm? -- but pretty sure they are not open on Saturdays.

Depending where you are coming from in Pattaya/Jomtien, it might be easier to approach the office from Jomtien Second Road, as the office is closer to that than from Jomtien Beach Road.  (If you are driving, probably not an issue, but if on foot, it might be.)

7 hours ago, Briggsy said:

@Langsuan Man

 

Non-Imm O-A are far more tedious and expensive to obtain in the UK than they are in the U.S.

But, they still are expensive/tedious to obtain for a US citizen with no real ties in the USA.  e.g.  How cheap & easy is it for a stranger (with no US health insurance) to walk into a doctor's office in the US to obtain a notarized copy of the medical statement?  With the litigation-driven medical care system there, any reasonable doctor who doesn't know the patient well will administer the battery of tests to verify that they don't suffer each of the conditions.  The cost of those tests adds up. I believe in some states it's relatively easy to get the criminal history check, while others aren't. 

If you have a long-time GP doctor and share doughnuts with the local police force on a regular basis, I think it'd be a lot cheaper/easier, but for someone who hasn't actually live there for a few decades?

18 hours ago, wayned said:

Isn't the primary mission of an Embassy to provide support of their citizens living in a foreign country or am I missing something?

 

11 hours ago, Ginkas said:

No, it isn't and never has been.

The primary function of an embassy is to represent their country's government in the host country, and provide a link from the host country's government to the embassy's government.

Supporting their citizens was never their function, but over the last century or so they have taken on some of this work (or been "lumbered" with it, as they would say).

It used to be that if you chose to be in a foreign country it was up to you to look after yourself, nothing to do with 'your' embassy or government.

It seems that many countries are now trying to get back to this original state of affairs.

I learnt all this (and more) in discussions with a Foreign Office official when I worked for a different government department - was a bit of an eye-opener as to what can reasonably be expected.

 

According the the official US Department of State web site:

The primary purpose of an embassy is to assist American citizens who travel to or live in the host country.

source:  https://www.state.gov/discoverdiplomacy/diplomacy101/places/170537.htm

What happens if they come and nobody's home for repeated visits?  e.g.  I sometimes leave for two to three months at a time.  Do they care?  I live in a large condo, own my own unit, and I'm sure the front desk has no clue to my comings and goings.

I have a computer running licensed/activated Windows 10 Home.  If I buy "Windows 10 Professional ESD (Electronic Software Download) - License Only" will it *upgrade* my Home installation (i.e. keep all programs & settings) or is it going to require a fresh installation and I re-install all my programs and tweak all the settings anew?

On 11/6/2018 at 7:53 PM, Nyezhov said:

This is Thailand. I have learned after 25 years of coming here the following: I carry tp in my bag, and if no bag, a pocket. Just roll and fold to hanky size, put in a ziplock, unobtrusive. And a bandanna. And hand sanitizer.

I always carry TP when I travel, too.  Removing the cardboard tube makes it plenty compact.

It's been a few years since I lived in Hua Hin, but when I did there was a retired American doctor who was kind of a farang ambassador at Bangkok Hospital-Hua Hin and was a go-between for foreign patients and hospital staff.  I asked him for a recommendation for a doctor to use as a "GP" and he recommended Dr. Narawadee in Internal Medicine. 

I used her as first point of contact for several years until I moved from Hua Hin.  You can check to see if she's still there and if she'd be willing to fill that role for you.  Her English is very good and she's very compassionate and understanding.

On 10/13/2018 at 11:10 PM, lopburi3 said:

More likely your kidneys caused the gout - allopurinol often helps prevent or lessen damage to kidneys is current thinking.  

 

That's possible, but in my case Allopurinol did mess with my kidney and liver function tests.  My doctor monitored a bunch of blood level statistics while we searched for the best treatment for my chronic gout.

While my kidney function numbers only slightly elevated with Allopurinol, the liver function numbers went up quite quickly and quite high.  My AST went from 17 (normal is 0-40) to 56, and my ALT went from 28 (normal is 0-40) to 132 (!).  She immediately took me off Allopurinol, and put me on another treatment drug which also elevated my liver/kidney numbers, but not quite so bad.  We ended up on Sulfin which I've been taking for over a year now with reasonable kidney/liver function test results.

It's all a matter of YMMV, I think.

30 minutes ago, wpcoe said:

 

I'm out of the country until the night of 12/27, so I hope the US Embassy will offer appointments for 12/28 and/or 12/31 .  The Embassy web site hasn't opened up appointments for December yet, so I'll just have to wait & see.

15 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

I have an appointment at the CM Consul on Dec 20th thru their online appointment system ...

And, what's that got to do with the price of fish?

(a) Even if I wanted to go to Chiang Mai, their latest appointment date is 27-Dec, which is too late for me

(b) Bangkok Embassy is only accepting online appointments right now until 30-Nov

I think the little fella needs a bigger (or, at least thicker) watch.  

15 hours ago, Scottjouro said:

Er no they dont get issued a fast track card anymore, that stopped a while back need to present your business or first class  boarding pass to the IO, one presumes too many fast track passes were ending up in the hands of those on the other side of the curtain

15 hours ago, Scottjouro said:

There is no fast track "hall" at swampy, when you get to the arrival hall, business and first class turn left, but it all in the same hall 

 

It sounds like you are quoting the procedure for THAI passengers.  Passengers of other airlines do get a card and proceed to a separate Fast Track area between the two main immigrations halls.

On 9/30/2018 at 10:34 AM, Dick Crank said:

 

Yep, never got the attraction of a taxi to pattaya. Bus is comfortable, cheap and don't have to deal with the driver much which is a plus ime.

Agreed, for a single traveler without a lot of luggage.  Add additional passenger(s) and the economy of scale tips more toward a taxi.  Also, taxis are available 24 hours/day whereas buses aren't, and even if you use Bell Travel with mini-van shuttles within Pattaya/Jomtien, the convenience of a non-stop taxi ride has a value component.

On 9/28/2018 at 12:34 PM, janclaes47 said:

 

 

As if anyone on this forum really would know how much the taxi driver get paid.

Several years ago I used a local guy whose number I received from a friend to book an B800 taxi to Suvarnabhumi.  The driver was a fellow from Bangkok and he paid the booking agent right in front of me:  B600!

I see a doctor at Bangkok Hospital-Pattaya on a regular basis to monitor and treat my chronic gout.  She requires a blood test before each consultation to monitor not only the gout, but liver and kidney functions. 

On a recent visit, I decided to ask the nurse at the intake desk to throw in an STI panel and HIV test since it has been several years since I've been tested, and I've had asymptomatic syphilis before.  You would have thought I was the first person in the history of civilization to request such tests.  I was asked by several nurses, both individually and as a group, why on earth I would want such tests.  They just couldn't seem to wrap their mind around it.  The nurse who finally agreed to the addition of the tests scowled and sneered that "Farang t'ink too mutt" (!).

I had to specify which tests I wanted, and all I could think of off the top of my head was syphilis, gonorrhea and HIV.  She declined to test for gonorrhea since I showed no outward symptoms.  

For a revenue-motivated institution, I was quite taken aback at their attitude.  I mean, don't they make money on those tests?

On 9/28/2018 at 6:45 AM, ThaiPauly said:

Sorry, I don't recall.

 

I am now taking Ambien every other night for sleep, but again it is a very powerful drug which leaves me like a zombie for the following day.  Awful, I am going to discontinue it.

 

I think my body just cannot take the hard stuff.

Did you inquire about taking a lesser dose?  I have a friend who is on medications for a psychological disorder and he required a bit of tweaking of the meds to find what worked best.