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BKKJohn
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Posts posted by BKKJohn
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I am in this situation also, and I am confused about the affidavit. The US Embassy has two affidavits - one is the Certificate of Marriage, where I certify that I am single, divorced or widowed (and provide dates if applicable). How can I use this to declare that I am in fact NOT single? The other affidavit is blank, where I can write anything at all. Should I use the blank one?
A Thai lawyer keeps telling that I do not need this because I am already married and it makes no sense. But the translator I contacted for the marriage certificate says I have to go. SO I have an appointment for the Embassy, not sure what to ask for when I get there.
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On 10/23/2017 at 8:57 AM, csabo said:
Where can an American buy here in Thailand? Seems they are blocked out for some reason.
Coins.co.th will sell you Bitcoins for Thai baht through an ATM, which you can then trade for other currencies elsewhere.
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I live in Thailand, and I have a US Series I Treasury bond (a paper bond) I want to redeem. In the US, I would present it in person at my bank and sign it in front of a bank officer. Worldwide, I can also mail the bond with a completed Form 1522 to the Treasury Dept, and they will deposit the money in my US bank. However:
The form has a section that must be filled out and signed in front of a witness, who must give their name & Title and their "financial institution." I'm wondering if the US Embassy is acceptable. Or should I go to some Thai bank for this? Since I have to mail the bond, I want to be 100% sure I do it right. No reply from the Treasury Dept.
Thanks, John
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I'm at the end of my rope with Chase Bank, which has for years made it very difficult to manage my finances while in Thailand (like regularly blocking my debit card when I'm at the ATM or store). Now they've become impossible, changing their wire transfer rules... I won't go into all that.
So I'm looking for a new American bank that's friendlier to citizens living overseas. Any recommendations? I get monthly direct deposits that have to be to a US bank. I prefer a bank that can communicate via email, rather than forcing me to calling them LD (they offer collect calls, which I've never figured out how to do here), and I just reach a support office in Manila.
Thanks for any useful suggestions. Not particularly interested in your own horror stories; I have enough of my own.
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I was online and active all day yesterday and had virtually no problems at all. I lost signal for about 2 minutes, as I do every day. I power-cycled the router and all was well.
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Try these. I've used Dofix and Top Insulation when I was doing my movie room. Both are ok, but Dofix a bit more expensive. Tops is rather far out of town on the west side.
I've also been looking for O-C 703, with no luck. I'm suspicious of the Dofix products. Closed-cell foams are useless for acoustic treatment, and if hey sell that for acoustic treatment, their other foams may be also. If you blow into it, does air pass through. Even if their "PE foam (Pyramid Type) is open-cell, it's far too thin to work on anything but hihg frequencies, completely useless for bass traps.
Roxul's Conrock comes in densities of 100-150 kg/cu m, whereas O-C 703 is rated at ~48kg/cu m (3 lb/cu ft). I don't see anything on their site that would substitute.
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I've been getting a 1-year non-immigrant "retirement" visas with a multiple re-entry permit, for a few years. I get them in Pathum Thani (always the same clerk). Part of the process is reporting back every 3 months to hand them a piece of paper with my current address.
This year, I had an emergency and left Thailand 2 months after my last visit. When I returned, I was a a month overdue to report to the Immigratrion office. Do I have to pay a fine for not being here? When I was in the office the last time, an Indian man had left the country and reported late, and they were trying to fine him, and he was arguing and shouting. My (Thai) wife says not to worry, he was in trouble because he was not polite, but I am not so sure.
Does anyone know what the law says about this? And if I am liable, how would I have avoided it? I left on 24 hours notice, but will I be punished nevertheless for not reporting before I left?
Thanks!
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When Thanksin's people won their third election and Samak became PM, I asked a friend's Thai gilfriend (originally from Chainat but a Bangkokian for many years) who she voted for, and why. She said she voted for Samak's party because they were "real Thai". She didn't like the Democrats because they "were supported by the Muslims, not real Thais."
Here in Pathum Thani, some vendors have been closing their stands to attend the rally downtown. Nobody is paying them.
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I'm having this problem too. I have the Zyxel 1-port router they gave me (they disconnected my old router for some reason), and I get that d***** screen often. It's especially bad when I am replying in a forum, because I can't back out, but have to save my reply, close the window, log in to the forum, etc. etc...
After ~10 calls to True I got someone to tell me to flash the router ROM. I went to the Zyxel site, downloaded the ROM update "For True Customers" and followed the instructions with the engineer on the phone. It didn't go away, even after 2 reboots.
Since then I've kept calling, and they act like they have never heard of this before. They tell me someone will call back, and when they do, they appear not to understand the problem (they tell me this will happen only when I first connect, but I am always online). Today they tried to send an engineer, but he called ahead, spoke no English, and then didn't show up.
I'm not sure which is worse - that irritating ad, or True's inability to admit they are shoving this down our throat.
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Yes, money is not a issue but I would prefer not wiring 800k into Thai banks if I can help it even if it is for only 3 months before applying for the retirement visa. My life style right now is such that I would be lucky to use 40% to 50% of it.
You don't have to spend it all.
Alternately, you an show a monthly income from outside (B 65k/month?), which presumably you need if you are retired. I showed them a year of US bank showing a monthly wire transfer, a letter from TFB stating I receive regular transfers, and for good measure (I don;t know why this has the most weight), a notarized letter from the US Embassy stating that I swear I in fact get money every month.
ALso, I thought the minimum age was raised to 55.
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BEWARE: Last week, one of my business colleagues was ripped off - twice - at the Kitten Club.
Seven of us were staying at the Marriott for a business meeting. My friend from Hong Kong - this is a guy with an MBA who counts his money before he leaves the hotel, and can tell you where he has spent every baht all night - got shortchanged 200 baht by the mama-san. Boss told him to forget it, as it wasn;t worth the aggravation. Anyway, later that night he took a girl short time in an upstairs room, and at some point she lifted a 1000-baht note from his wallet.
Here's the sad part: The sign in the toilet says, any girl caught stealing has to repay 30 times the amount takem , or face legal action. But check out this reply from the manager of the Penthouse Hotel (which owns the bar):
"What an impossible situation ..... "He says, she says" ... Please tell your friend to put it down to experience,! move on, and in future, keep an eye on his valuables when in a room with a stranger! ... I believe the hotel offers safe deposit boxes for its guests ... Basic rules of survival in Thailand ...
Sorry, I can't be of more help ..."
What a moron - we spend 10,000 baht in the bar that night, and all I asked was that he talked to the girl, and he blows it off.
The experience left a really bad impression at the end of an otherwise nice holiday. The hotel was wonderful, we had great food, and the other bars were fine.
It's too bad that some farangs have s**t for brains and then blame the Thais. Anyway, The Kitten Club is off my list forever.
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My favorites - in no particular order (each category)
Go-go's
Pattayaland 2 - Misty's, Classroom, Kitten Club
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BEWARE: Last week, one of my business colleagues was ripped off - twice - at the Kitten Club.
Seven of us were staying at the Marriott for a business meeting. My friend from Hong Kong - this is a guy with an MBA who counts his money before he leaves the hotel, and can tell you where he has spent every baht all night - got shortchanged 200 baht by the mama-san. Boss told him to forget it, as it wasn;t worth the aggravation. Anyway, later that night he took a girl short time in an upstairs room, and at some point she lifted a 1000-baht note from his wallet.
Here's the sad part: The sign in the toilet says, any girl caught stealing has to repay 30 times the amount takem , or face legal action. But check out this reply from the manager of the Penthouse Hotel (which owns the bar):
"What an impossible situation ..... "He says, she says" ... Please tell your friend to put it down to experience,! move on, and in future, keep an eye on his valuables when in a room with a stranger! ... I believe the hotel offers safe deposit boxes for its guests ... Basic rules of survival in Thailand ...
Sorry, I can't be of more help ..."
What a moron - we spend 10,000 baht in the bar that night, and all I asked was that he talked to the girl, and he blows it off.
They're off my list.
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It's always good to be told one has made the right decision (even when it's not true).
THe idea is that we rotate our Asia sales meeting around the region, although it's ended up in Bangkok twice - they were threatening to hold it in Beijing, so I promised them a great time by the ocean to dissuade them. It's good to know thery won;t be disappointed!
John
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Thanks everyone! I decided to go ahead and book the Marriott. The grounds look beautiful (amazing how 360-degree views make a great sales tool), and I figure the location is central enough the guys can into as much trouble as they want (maybe more). The "upgrade to win" is 200 baht if you do it on check-in.
John
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Hi all,
a friend emailed me - his boss is having a competition amongst the sales staff and the prize will be a week in Pattaya. He wants a list of all the upmarket hotels in the area, to choose from.
Off the top of my head, I can think of:
Marriott
Royal Cliff
Hard Rock
Dusit Resort
I, too, am looking for an upmarket hotel for 7 for a 3-day business meeting in 2 weeks. The boss said to splurge, so (within reason) price is not a big factor, up to about 4500-5000/night. Expense account, woo-hoo!!
I want a quiet place with a great pool, safe, but near enough to walk to the nightlife and good restaurants. It shd also be "friend-friendly".
My travel agent recommends the Marriott, but I doubt the 3 guys from Japan will appreciate Benihana's. Otherwise it sounds nice.
From their web site, Siam Bayshore Resort looks the best, but the rate I was quoted (B2800 deluxe) sounds too good to be true, and I wonder if the location at the south end of walking road is bad, have heard this is where the katoeys hang out. Travel agent a "twin room upgrade" is 50 baht more but their web site says there is a $40 charge. Is that if they nail you in the lobby?
I stayed at the Amari Orchid last December, which was okay, but I didnt see any "lush gardens"; my deluxe room overlooked the big concrete slab with a few potted plants covering the whole grounds with an average pool (not great) at the far end, and construction of a high-rise tower on the property all day. And it's a dead neighborhood... I think.
Hard Rock is definitely out; we have to stay there every year in Las Vegas, and the grotty clientele and constant old-fart rock makes me want to run screaming to the nearest Mozart concert.
Heard the Sheraton is nice - does it go by another name?
Thanks!
John
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Armed with the printout of members post (Express Lane to Retirement Visa in Pattya) I then proceede with:
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Step 2 get letter from U.S.Embassy for declaration of income, must be at least 65.000 baht.
I'm 54 and work for an American company all over Asia, and I "rest" between trips in Bangkok. I transfer over 65,000 baht per month from my US bank to a TFB account.
Fearful of being denied another visa-on-arrival, I just tried to get a non-Immigrant visa in Singapore so I could apply for a retirement visa. The officer said I could not get a retirement visa unless I was actually retired, so she wouldn't take my application for a non-Imm visa. So I got a 60-day tourist visa instead (at least I can come back).
Although there is nothing I can find in the law that says this, she said the letter from the Embassy declares whether I am retired or not (though how they know that is beyond me), and the Thai Immigratiin can always double-check with my Embassy to verify. Does anybody know differently?
Thanks.
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I have a related question: Do I have to be retired to get a retirement visa?
I'm 54, American working all over Asia for an American company (and paid in the US). I stay in Bangkok with my Thai wife between frequent trips, and I've been getting visas-on-arrival since 1997. The amount I have wired to Thailand each month for household expenses is over the minimum required for a retirement visa?
Does Immigration check, or even care, if my income is from a "tradiional" retirement source, or is any foreign income okay?
Thanks!
Registering US Marriage in Thailand
in Marriage and Divorce
Posted
I don't think the US Embassy ever had an affidavit declaring one is married. The Amphur office told my wife they need an embassy letter, duly translated. As a backup I am writing a statement based on the Marriage Affidavit, to be attached to a blank affidavit. Hopefully with an Embassy signature and stamp the MFA will legalize it.