junkofdavid2

Hi!

I know that for many foreigners, it's a requirement to have a fixed deposit with Bangkok Bank before getting a credit card with limit equal to the fixed deposit.

I was able to get a credit card with Bangkok Bank this way.

However, my fixed deposit is maturing on July 23; and I was never informed by the bank or credit card management that I must re-deposit it or roll it over.

1) From your experience (if you've experienced something similar), will my credit limit suddenly drop to zero on July 24th?

2) Do I have to go to the branch ASAP and roll over the fixed deposit, in order to keep my credit card active?

3) Or, do I now have a legit credit card without need for fixed deposit anymore because I already had the card for 1 year.

(I have no outstanding balance from the previous bills, by the way; if that makes a difference)

Some might say I should go and "ask the branch" (whose officer will no doubt "suggest" I rollover) but if I can keep the credit card without re-depositing, then it would be better for me.

Thanks!

If not having had pre-exposure vaccination you should also have human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) to be absolutely safe. If having had the pre-exposure vaccinations this is not needed. I believe the HRIG is more expensive and not as widely available as the normal vaccines.

I paid 40 Baht per vaccination when I had them at the local health centre in Bangkok in 2011.

Sophon

In my case I can well-afford vaccines and am never far from a hospital (I'm a city person). I wonder if it's still worth getting a pre-exposure vaccine..?

Thanks for the info.

But makes me wonder even more on whether it's worth getting a pre-exposure vaccine (I've been on a vaccine binge lately, taking advantage of cheap shots at Red Cross).

I've lived here 10 years and never been bitten.

Vaguely remember being "kinda" bitten as a child by my aunt's dogs (no rabies for sure), long time ago.

I don't see how much benefit rabies pre-exposure vaccine is... 3 vaccines pre exposure and if you get bitten you still have to get another 2 .

Whereas if you don't have a pre-exposure vaccine you must get 4-5 vaccines if bitten (can choose the 2-1-1 regimen instead of 1 x 5 separate days).

So it's kinda the same, right? What am I missing?

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350 baht at Saovabha Travel Clinic at Red Cross (Henry Dunant road, bkk)

As an update in case anyone is interested, Red Cross' Saovabha Travel Clinic (near MRT Samyan) is doing the flu vac for 350 baht

Thanks for the ideas Fletch; yes I checked which option is best for me and it seems that it's best if I do the (7,000 x yrs) x 0.5 instead of treating it as usual net income (I'm on a high tax bracket coz of my varied sources of income).

No severance for me as I left on my own, and I'm too far away from a pension

@Misty extremely helpful, thanks!

Exactly what I was lookin for. Im not 55+ and I resigned after 5 yrs and 1 day so I fall into case 2 of your page.

Also, now I understand why my nice boss prevented me from resigning earlier and said I should resign a few months later to complete a 5 yr period "because of social fund" (I was puzzled coz 'social' didn't seem like the right word) but now I guess she meant provident fund.

Cheers!

Cheers!

Yea, I looked at Emirates too, but it was 41 or 42K... so I just got Korean based on the feedback on this thread as well as Yelp.

Sorry guys, I thought I had enabled notifications for this thread but I apparently didn't.

Thai company, Thai work permit holder, for work done in Thailand (my apologies I thought this would've been assumed on a Thailand forum).

When I left the company, they gave me a withholding tax certificate with salary income for the year and how much was deducted for that, and it also included the retirement fund amount but zero tax deducted for that and payroll officer just told me "it's different" (hardly spoke English).

In my monthly pay slips, there is nothing indicating a deduction for this "retirement fund," only deduction for tax, so I would think that it was completely a company contribution or employee benefit equal to 40% of salary x number of years (dunno if that matters). They said that for employees who have stayed for 20+ years, it will be 75% x number of years. So it seems to be a company benefit of some sort and not a government required benefit.

I'm wondering if I should treat it as regular salary income.

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I ended up getting Korean Air, only 33,850 round trip.

Just booked flight for Dec. 2 nighttime, so I should be okay after the 7-day extension.

Tempted to just do a 1-day airplane run though; Thai Airways has good promos now (Bkk Phom Penh for 870 one-way); might be better than paying 1,900 to the government

if you leave before the "Enter Before Date" and come back before that date you will get another 90 days.

The "Enter Before" date is 1 year away; I'm aware of this rule and this is not related to my opening post. Thanks.

Bangkok Bank Siam Paragon branch, get credit card with limit equal to fixed deposit... was easy peasy (no proof of income docs were required).

Then build good credit rating and perhaps get another one from other bank in one year with no need for fixed deposit.

Btw, Bangkok Bank "Rabbit" Visa credit card is super ultra convenient if you go into Bangkok city a lot.

Hi, I normally go to St. Louis or more pricey Samitivej but all I need now is a flu shot which is the same everywhere, so I'm looking for a cheaper option.

Last time I went to St Louis (supposedly a "non-profit" Catholic hospital) flu vaccine was 3X the price of Red Cross; but Red Cross is a long, hot walk from the BTS.

Any other suggestions?

No Thai wife, so maybe 7-day extension... I guess I can leave Dec. 2 (night time) instead? >.<

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Hi, I have a multiple entry B visa.

From my last stamp "in" I am allowed to stay til Nov. 25. However, I plan to leave on Dec. 3.

Is there a way to legally extend without paying a "fine"? (I don't want any violation on record)

I also don't want to do a land-border run..

How much would the extension fee be?

Thanks!

Very nice responses, thanks guys!

Yes, I'm avoiding U.S. airlines as well...

Hi guys, I do NOT want this to turn into a racist or Chinese-bashing thread; I just pose a factual question and request a factual answer from our experienced fliers out there. *Btw I'm ethnically part-Chinese

Which of the following airlines BKK-JFK (or other NY) would have the least number of mainland Chinese, from your *experience* (not assumptions)?

(Again, I have *nothing* at all against these passengers; just that customs of their majority are incompatible with mine on a long haul flight.)

Cathay Pacific (Note that this is a HK airline, not a mainland Chinese one)

EVA Air (Taiwanese)
Asiana

Emirates

Korean Air

*Also welcome other airline suggestions for economy class.

No racial bashing please

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Yup, I don't mind that. Better than my money sitting in a savings account doing nothing. To each his own, of course...

And in a related note, Bangkok Bank easily issues Visa CREDIT cards to foreigners if you have a fixed deposit in the bank equal to your requested credit limit.

Got mine at Siam Paragon branch.

Btw, the OP seems to have disappeared
Already "got out of Thailand" even with this very solvable "BS?"

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Other than the convenience, I forgot the real reason I wanted one was that I would DROOL at the benefits my Thai friends with credit cards got... such as buy 1 get 1 movie ticket promos, 50% off 5-star hotel buffets, etc.

...plus a great accounting in realtime (via card website login) of what I spent on, where, and when. Can easily manage my budget as long as you're disciplined. (But for undisciplined spenders, credit cards have been found to increase spending by around 15%)

Close the accounts where they will not issue you a Credit card.

Bangkok Bank seem to throw them at you.

But you have to put an amount the same as the 'credit' limit on fixed deposit,so it isn't really a credit card.

That's right it's only a 'convenience card', that carries 20% interest.

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True, but you can close/end your fixed deposit after the initial term (I think they asked me how long I wanted my fixed deposit to be; as though it was up to me); and by that time you'll already have an (I assume good) credit history established with which you can even get credit cards in other banks; you'll probably even start getting "pre-approved" offers by then as the other card companies find your name in the credit bureau as having good credit (which may be one of your objectives).

I don't have 20% interest since I always paid my full credit card bill ever since, even in my home country. So yes, it could be considered a "convenience" card for me with rewards points, BTS transportation, digital cash, etc.

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I can confirm that Bangkok Bank (Siam Paragon branch) gives the credit card easily; no income/job proof required at all as long as I opened a fixed deposit in the same amount as the credit limit requested (the job/income might even reduce chances of getting the card; as the credit analyst may base your application on income/job instead of your deposit guarantee.)

I chose and highly recommend Bangkok Bank's ultra-convenient "Rabbit" Visa credit card if you live in the city. It has triple function as a 1) Visa credit card 2) BTS card, and 3) digital cash card for many merchants such mall food courts, fast food outlets, grocery stores, etc. (and you get "rewards" for using it in all these different establishments); so it reduces the number of cards to keep in your already thick wallet.

Not to be confused with Bangkok Bank's Rabbit Visa *debit* card; but I'd guess that has the same non-credit benefits.

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Hi, I recently resigned from a company as a full time employee; and they gave me a small lump sum "from your retirement fund" (note that this was not "severance").

Since I have multiple jobs/professions (including my own business), I file my own income tax at the end of the year; adding up my different incomes from different sources and applying the corresponding tax rate based on the total annual income.

So the question is: How do I treat this "retirement" lump sum? Is it added as part of my salary income and therefore included in my overall income... to which I apply the personal income tax scale?