shortstop2

I also suspect that there is a secret undisclosed limit. In the past I used my Fidelity Visa debit card linked to a Fidelity Cash Management Account. The 220 baht gets refunded in a few days. Visa imposes no fee. Fidelity imposes no fee. The exchange rate is (or very close to) the interbank rate. If the Fidelity card is linked to your Fidelity brokerage account then you don't get the 220 baht refunded.

This clears up my confusion. I don't want to drive from mid-June until mid-November with an expired license. I have a 2 year license which I will be renewing for 5 more years. Is the procedure for renewing my initial 2 year license the same as renewing a 5 year license?

As many have suggested enlisting the help of an agent for one year should solve the problem and then next year you can go back to doing it yourself. Contact a few agents and see what their pricing is. I am a disorganized slob. Sometimes I search for three hours to find something, figure I don't have it and then a year later I find it. Usually old bank books have a hole punched through it. It's also a possibility that an agent with special connections with Bangkok bank could get you the the printout you need. Mot in Pattaya is one such agent. Although her connection is with a local branch it is "possible" that branch could possibly intercede for you with the head office. Good luck!

I think the agent submits a letter recommending you. The bank staff can also do that but probably won't unless you buy their crappy insurance plan. Mot in Pattaya offers this service with Bangkok Bank. Did not need her to open an account but her services were quite helpful when I applied for a Thai Driver's license. https://www.mots-services.com/mots-services1

Wise is probably the most economical (banks other than Bangkok Bank, Kasikorn, and SCB have a low limit of 50K baht for Wise). Always good to have backups. Suggest that you drop by your nearest Fidelity customer service center and set up Standing Wire Order instructions. They will do the medallion signature guarantee for free. Probably a good idea to specify Bangkok Bank New York as your intermediary bank as the fee will probably be lower. https://www.fidelity.com/bin-public/060_www_fidelity_com/documents/bank-wire-form-standalone.pdf I have done both Wise transfers from my Fidelity account and transfers using the Fidelity Wire Transfer service. Note if you are in Thailand, it is doubtful that you will be able get the required medallion signature guarantee.

So looks like there are three options. 1) go to Immigration and pay 1000 baht. 2)get it at the airport for 1000 or 1200. 3) use an agent. 1500 on Soi Post Office according to a prior post. 2000 at the copy shop next to Jomtien Immigration. Personally, I would never get it at the airport unless I forgot and had no choice. But I suppose if I lived quite a distance from Immigration and agents I might choose the airport option. Since I live close to Immigration so I choose the 1000 baht option but I have to admit that 1500 baht is a good price if one wants the convenience of an agent.

I go to a bar watch 2 hour NFL replays. The schedule that I use shows when NFL games will be shown on True Sports 1 (Channel 666 on some cable systems). http://tvsmagazine.com/schedule_mob_en.php?category=Sport&ch=3 Does anyone have a different schedule source that shows which game is played?

Perhaps the sentiment in most countries. ????

For Cozy Beach you really need a motorbike or car or Bolt. For much of the Pratumnak Soi 4-5-6 area you can survive without a motorbike but even if you are not particularly comfortable riding a motorbike it's nice to have and relatively safe for going up and down the hill.

I run an Invision Forum and we have the Like, Upvote, and Haha enabled. Perhaps we should have enabled Trophy too but wanted to keep it simple. Not many posters use the Upvote except probably Redditors. I suppose Upvote is also appropriate when you appreciate the post but don't want to Like it, for example if someone dies. So some posters use the Haha to show their disdain for a post or poster. To further promote a friendly forum we don't show who gives Likes. There are downsides to this though. Keyboard warriors want free speech. Forum owners would reply that if you want free speech start your own forum.

I was going to post exactly what you said both about Damini and yellow exchange booths with names such as TG instead of TT.

If you do the math it was extremely close to being 8.8%. But I am quite happy with 8.7%, reduced Medicare Part B premium, and the appreciation of the USD! Pib, in another thread we were discussing responding to SS annual letter. For my peace of mind, I sent it registered mail and it was just received. Here are the details for those who might be interested: 13/10/2565 17:31 International (United States) Final delivery J D 13/10/2565 11:52 International (United States) Arrival at post office 30/09/2565 15:15 International (United States) Arrival at inward office of exchange 20/09/2565 14:49 SUVARNABHUMI MAIL CENTRE Departure From Outward OE 20/09/2565 08:20 LAK SI MAIL CENTER In transit 20/09/2565 00:42 SI RACHA MAIL CENTER In transit 19/09/2565 17:12 CHOM THIAN In transit 19/09/2565 14:59 CHOM THIAN Posting/Collection Note there was no signature but I suppose that JD initialed it.

I believe most NFL games in Thailand are on True Sports 1. Looking at the True Vision website they have replays on the following days after the games which are only 2 hours because the dead time is cut out. But it doesn't say which game is on at the times provided. Does anyone know of a website where I can find out about specific NFL replays? are there stations besides True Sports 1 in Thailand that shows NFL games?

I re-entered Thailand without an arrival card. Did they do away with Arrival Cards? Therefore it is no longer required for a 1 year Extension of Stay, right?

So then everyone using a Thai address for SS should have received this letter by now? I will be back at my Thailand address in mid-September and I suppose there will be a letter waiting for me. How do you guys return the form? Regular mail or some sort of registered mail? While it doesn't matter too much if I have delayed SS payments for a few months, it seems like it will be a hassle to sort it out.

Do you remember how long you ad to return the form? I ask because I am not always at my primary Thai address. Living abroad do we get these letters once a year?

Jingthing, I understand that the following is not answering your question but nonetheless think it could possible be helpful. How does US Bank know that a number is a Google Voice number? I recently had a friend in the USA help me setup a Google Voice account and it is working well for me so far. Once you get the number you probably won't be able to put the Google Voice app on your phone unless you are in the States but you can still use the landline service (actually in my case my friend came to Thailand and managed to put the app on two of my phones). I made a rare trip to the USA and went to a Fidelity office and updated my account so that the Google Voice number is now my official number. Not sure how easy it would have been if i had not gone to the Fidelity office. I'm also using Google Voice for Wise. Perhaps if you already had a Google Voice number registered with US Bank it would be OK as maybe they only verify new numbers. If you can use Google Voice to your Etrade and Truist accounts maybe that would be a good idea before new policies are implemented for phone number changes at those institutions. I was quite worried about being cut off form my money and the primary purpose that I went to the USA was to set up Standing Wire Transfer orders from Fidelity to Thai banks. So now I have Fidelity and Wise set up as well as SS. Even though it was an expensive trip I got to see a bunch of friends for perhaps the last time so I didn't mind the expense despite living quite frugally.

The baht has been strengthening recently because insiders knew that the BOT was going to raise interest rates 25 basis points yesterday. Of course strong tourism also creates demand for baht. There is also speculation that in September the Fed won't raise interest rates another 75 basis points. Personally I think the Fed will continue with aggressive rate hikes as the reason July inflation moderated in the US was because of fuel prices while everything else was on the rise.

Most probably true especially for small dollar amounts. If it works for you then go for it. But that's not my interpretation. According to IRS guidelines the correct procedure would be to go to a Thai revenue Office and get a Thai Tax ID number and then fill out a Thai tax return to get back the withheld interest.

Guys have reported that Immigration accepted the EZ Savings for the 800K. But like you I still use my Krungsri to be on the safe side.

Keep trying Skatewash as SCB is no longer withholding tax in my EZ Savings. I opened the account at the Central Festival Branch and the bank rep said tax will be deducted. I tried again 6 months later and found a rep who now how to do it at the same branch.

I don't think any of my banks got it right on my first try but now I don't have anymore withholding. Persistence worked in my case. I did prevail! Part of the problem is that there is no easy way to check if withholding has stopped until you next receive interest which on some accounts is just twice a year. I'm not sure if certain banks are easier than others. It seems to depend on the employee. Showing the employee what you want on Google Translate can also help in coem cases.

It too longer than expected but eventually went through. It was a small 3000 USD wire transfer. If I had known, I would have used one of the other banks. Thanks for the input guys!

This week I set up a standing wire transfer authorization from Fidelity in the USA To SCB and Krungsri in Thailand. I then initiated a 3000 USD transfer (about 108K THB) transfer from Fidelity to Krungsri with Citibank as an intermediary bank. I just read today that due to new rules I can only wire 50K THB at a time into Krungsri. But I also read on a Bangkok Bank website that these rules do not apply to Americans. I'm confused. Has anyone wired more than 50K internationally into Krungsri? Has anyone had an uncompleted wire transfer if wiring more than 50K into Thailand for a bank other than Bangkok Bank, SCB, or Kasikorn? On another note I was reading that for a transfer of any size that the reason for transfer must be specified. When wiring the money, Fidelity did not ask for the reason. I don't need any special coding for a condo purchase. I just want my transfers to go through. Has anyone had transfers accepted or rejected this year if you did not specify a reason for the transfer?