KhunLA

Interesting, except no Big Cs near me. Wonder if they sell at the Big C Minis stand alone, or at the petrol station. Though maybe not petrol station if on main hwy, same as alcohol. New rule to be enacted ????

Yes, most, if not all TH ATMs will disperse 20k baht, or more. BBL will do 25k, I think, as will for 'their' ATM card.

That's nothing new, and been that way as long as I can remember, used, damn near 20 yrs.

Disagree. Tourist Tax is fine, and they already have or will for arriving & departing tax has always been there. Different pricing for same services, products (dual pricing) is not a local discount, it's theft. Have to A2D on this one. Supply & demand in a free market, not surcharges because of race, sex, religion, financial status. That's BS

Yep, rewriting history, now redefining the dictionary. Got to love it. 'stupid' - (adj) - use to describe high intelligence

Something we never do, JIC. Wifey will need to ask now, and yet another question: Dog Parking on site Brekkie - no want, is it mandatory Whitey surcharge ????

Been following Paddy Doyle (YT) adventures in Nan ... looking quite nice, and plenty of tourist/groups in the latest vid. Just started the series, and first 4 suck, rain, landslides, flat tires, sorting his scooter. Then he got out into the countryside....WOW, lovely place. Latest 4 are quite nice: https://www.youtube.com/c/PaddyDoyleYT/videos Infrastructure leaves a bit to be desire, but the rest, I can see the appeal. Buddy, ex-regular visitor here, loved Cambo & PI. He won't return to Thailand, although last visit, just prior to covid, he did enjoy Hua Hin, as his regular port of call was Patts, 30 yrs running.

Here's 5 yr chart, against some of their trading partners. Not sure 'grim' is the best term, good headliner. Down on a few, holding on a few, up on a few. Their recovery, not good, spending, not good, future, also not so good if no major change.

Good .. hope they keep self destructing. Less GDP, they be spending more of that reserve, and win win for us. No sympathies. Sh!t will hit the fan, when they implement that 10% VAT. Then the populous might wake up & take notice.

A tourist tax is understandable, and simply compensates for the cost associated with 'processing' tourists. General public not in the tourist industry really shouldn't be paying for that, as not really profiting from, abet a bit more customers & tax base, if doing busing is tourist area. But rest of the country don't see the benefit. Dual pricing is just wrong, and no justification for it. Apparently will be the new normal, eventually ... as so many things are now. I like it myself. Maybe the ding dong tourist will realize there are better place to holiday at. Wife makes reservations, and easy enough to simply walk away if price changes when whitey is spotted. Done it before in the past. As with all of this new normal BS, you can cower & comply, or simply walk away and take you business elsewhere. All easy enough. Plenty of vendors that aren't A-holes. Certainly nothing new, except now it may be govt endorsed & encouraged. That pretty sad & telling.

Since the powers to be, seem to like & keep it between 30-35, last 15 yrs anyway, I can't see it going much further, unless they truly have lost control. Good for us (non Thais), bad for Thai importer.

Not sure what is grim about it, for expats anyway. Only grim if you are Thai, and importing, then all a bit more expensive. Live local, work & buy local, then nothing changes.

If you watched the vid, then query answered. Eating wouldn't be my choice, as I'd prefer an instant buzz, not wait for. Although if you have respiratory issues, eating may be the way to go.

Not sure if any changes: https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011976

oops ... 2000 looks a bit better ????

No more smoke screen, and now people see the real Kamala. They're done with her, she served her purpose, the black & female vote for Biden. All she was good for.

The way the economy is going, Biden won't be running again. Even if he managed to recover any part of his administration, he's a loser in 2024. Vote time, that's all people care about, what's in their pocket. Trump is done, if he keeps harping about stolen election & 2nd Amendment along with pro-life. Desantis now would be a good frontrunner for the GOP. Anti left BS, and not too far right. Nobody else shines for either party, just the same ol' same ol' losers of the past.

Not sure what would be worse at a presser, him stumbling though while reading his notes, or her giggling all the time.

If the baht does get near or beyond 40, I think that would be a sure sign, Thailand has lost control of it economy. Maybe they've dwindled away that huge USD reserve already. As I was quite surprised they borrowed more than a few billion baht from Japan couple months back. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2304786/govt-accepts-japan-loan-of-b13-2bn Maybe some trade concession forth coming for Japan's auto industry, so they can complete in TH against the now dominant Chinese EV influx. Banks already moved to protect themselves, JIC, as no longer required to insure account deposits above 1 mill.

or even close to the 53 mark

I'm hoping for an entire lock down again, as in early 2020 ... ... but that's just me, being selfish ... ME ME ME Although, have to ditch the vax'd/test requirement to visit Phuket, as I want to go back again with no tourist there. That was awesome ????

Back to 40 would be nice, as that's where it was when I arrived 2020. I'm not greedy, and don't need the Apr/May 2001's high of ฿45/46 to $1 Can't see that happening, as last 15 yr, TH has kept it between ฿30-35 / $1

If you trade currencies, here's a trend that hard to ignore. A winning play most months ????????

That's what the topic is, NOT being charged/reimbursed for the 220 Thai bank fee. Cards mentioned already, do NOT charge Thai bank use fee. Though it does seem to be mostly USA financial institutions. Any UK or EU 'branches' not charging ?