NanLaew

Yes, but how many countries will give you visa-free entry on your British passport compared to a Thai passport issued anywhere?

And issued there & then. I think you may be conflating cost and convenience with value.

I recall when these win first hit the Pattaya streets and pegged out their unofficial 'taxi ranks'. Woe betide anyone who they perceived was parked too close to their pitch. Lolling about on plastic chairs, whistling and clapping at anyone walking within sight and shouting abuse when waved away. Looks like the vermin persists.

After I have thoroughly researched the product I want online, including the manufacturer's website, I visit retail outlets to see if they have it, check the price and get the 'hands on' experience. Then I have look on lazada. Sometimes the genuine article is cheaper, some times not. If a vendor has a copy/paste description, or if it has errors and typos or if the pictures shown are inconsistent or show varying but similar products, they don't get my trade. I seldom order if the item is from 'overseas'. For example: I was in the market for a Haier 14kg top loading washing machine. The Haier website showed the two models; one white and the newer metallic black model which on research was more expensive. I hit four of the 'usual' stores and the one with the lowest price on the white one didn't have it in stock. Another one wouldn't allow me to order for collection because it wasn't available (despite having them on display and in stock at the branch in question). Another had only the display model left and wouldn't sell it. I checked lazada (I don't do shopee: the family advises the quality is lower on comparable items on lazada) and the prices were mostly upwards of retail. Just before I was headed to DoHome (best price metallic black and in stock), I dropped by makro and they had both the cheaper white and the newer metallic black one. The price for the white one was almost 1000 baht lower than all other stores. They showed me the metallic black one which was over 2000 baht higher than all other stores (closer to lazada prices). I said I was after the cheapest and they "revised" the black metallic price down to match the white one. So I saved myself 1540 baht on the newer, more expensive model. Now, back to doing the laundry.

Except I deposited 300k last week in two different banks and not asked for so while you are correct it's not always a practice ...and thus NOT empirical. Who knows, I may want to drop some cash in my account tomorrow and the teller will ask to see my passport. Still not empirical. YMMV TiT

It was this one. It didn't need any third-party activation like some resellers offer. DTAC's online self-activation didn't work for me (face picture unacceptable) so I popped into the local DTAC store and they did it in less than a minute. https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i2890010883-s10552775890.html Before I go down that speed test rabbit hole, let me know what specific broadband speed tests you recommend. An earlier thread by @Mickeymaus where he did extensive speed testing on AIS and DTAC data SIMS had a bit of a heated debate due to not all speed tests being the same. For now, I have had no connectivity issues whatsoever with Netflix or BBC iPlayer (via VPN). I tend to fire up the tests when things start to buffer and crash.

All this empirical talk while I made a cash deposit into my own account without providing any sort of personal ID at the Bangkok Bank, Central Plaza, Udon Thani branch just last December? That's December 2022 BTW, a month after the AMLO thingmie. Anyway, we are off topic, same as the attendant visa agent legality gurners, .

What bank charges 20 B to depisit? Follow the thread. Bangkok Bank charges a commission to take a cash deposit into one's Bangkok Bank saving account if the deposit is not being made at the same branch of Bangkok Bank that holds the account.

Same as something was done about the hand-built, double-decker, death-trap coffin buses that were supposed to conform to a standard, safe design and only be built at registered, inspected and approved factories under these new, strict guidelines. Then I woke up...

You are wrong, I NEVER watch it, I watched the original Top Gear, where folk learned something. The modern day Top Gear was just a comedy show, which I personally was not interested in. But, JC is very good on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire".... I stand corrected. Who Wants to be a Millionaire fan boy alert!

Not at Bangkok Bank, Central branch in Udon Thani they're not. PS: Account held at Bangkok Bank, Pattaya Sai 2 branch. You're trying to say that those counter transactions that normally require ID, i.e. ID card for Thais or a copy of a passport for foreign customers, are not required at that BBL branch? Foreign account holders do not need to have their identity confirmed? I believe that is a false statement. You claimed that "Cash deposits require ID also now." I would assume that this is probably based on your personal experience. I have not said you are making a false statement. However, your experience, like mine, is not empirical. Over the past five years, I have frequently deposited cash into my own account as detailed above. This was as recent as last December. I have only had to present my living and breathing body, my account pass book and the 20 baht handling charge. Now tell me, why would I lie?

Finally. Thanks for playing.

Forgot to add: The offence as provided in the first paragraph, if the offender being the man commits against the girl over thirteen years but not yet over fifteen years of age with her consent and the Court grants such man and girl to marry together afterwards, the offender shall not be punished for such offence. If the Court grants them to marry together during the offender be still inflicted with the punishment, the Court shall release such offender.

A good long, if a little bit dry read but it seems that this chap had previously been arrested by Thai police and deported but was back here full-time only 8 years later. "Bouhouche was arrested, and Beijer spent the next two years fleeing government officials in various countries. He was spotted in Spain, Portgual, Brazil, Vietnam, and later Thailand - where he was then arrested for using a fake passport in 1991, and then extradited to Belgian authorities. ...Beijer was released in December of 1999, and shortly thereafter moved to Thailand. He has been there ever since,..."

As long as your friend's local bank codes the transaction as a wire-in from overseas or overseas remittance, it shouldn't* matter who's account it comes from. Not all banks do this as they may not be direct correspondent banks with the foregn bank. Thus the money arrives via another Thai bank and is transferred domestically. These transaction would be coded as a local deposit and immigration typically won't accept that. However, some immigration offices also want to know the exact source of these remittances, ie. pension, etc.. I trust your friend isn't dealing with that sort of assholery at his local immigration office. Good luck. * Original wording was it doesn't matter but once again, there may be a pedantic local immigration officer exercising their legal right to request more information make it up as they go along .

Child Protection Act 2003 Sec. 4 "Child” means a person below 18 years of age, but does not include those who have attained majority through marriage. https://www.icmec.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ICMEC-Thailand-National-Legislation-updated.pdf

Nobody's being charged or accused of rape here. The legal definition is until one is fifteen, one cannot consent to sex. That's why the OP clearly stated molestation. Age of Consent: 15 years old Criminal Code of Thailand Sec. 277 Whoever, has sexual intercourse with a girl not yet over fifteen years of age and not being his own wife, whether such girl shall consent or not, shall be punished with imprisonment of four to twenty years and fined of eight thousand to forty thousand Baht. If the commission of the offence according to the first paragraph is committed against a girl not yet over thirteen years of age, the offender shall be punished with imprisonment of seven to twenty years and fined of fourteen thousand to forty thousand Baht, or imprisonment for life. https://www.icmec.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ICMEC-Thailand-National-Legislation-updated.pdf

Very possible. That's why they need to find the kids on bikes and any other witnesses. Until then, it's all reasonable conjecture here. Apart from the trolls with their mindless comments on his widow. The guy was a husband and a father so I hope when they fall off their bar stools and break their necks, it's picked up on The Pattaya News and posted here so we can have a right good laugh at their sad souls.

Maybe, like myself, @Mickeymaus finds trekking around the shops for the ubiquitous 'no hab' or sales staff that don't know what they're selling as all a bit painful and pointless? You can top-up SIMS from your smartphone. No need to walk to a 7-eleven. BTW, for exercise, I ride a push bike.

Many thanks. Another good suggestion. I bought one of these on lazada last month for 3317 baht. I also got the DTAC 1-year data sim for around 1690 baht. Both have been working flawlessly in my man cave. As mentioned earlier, all carriers offer special SIM packages either directly in their stores, online or through resellers on lazada. The price you see/pay today may not be the same tomorrow. It's a very dynamic market. Over the years, I rate TP Link's equipment over Netgear. I wouldn't bother with D-Link. Edit: I see you've gone with D-Link and it seems to fit the bill so far. My experience was based on setting up a friend's Wi-Fi on the D-Link hardware that he insisted on buying and was quite frankly a major faff about to configure and had rubbish stability.

Hard to find one that can speak it properly let alone teach it! That's what Nigerians are for, no?

Like TEFL'ing?

No need to buy 'the day after'. At Suvarnabhumi, you can buy at any of the kiosks that AIS and DTAC have in the aisles coming from the jetways before immigration. However, they tend to be very busy so best bet is to buy at AIS or DTAC booths inside baggage claim area after immigration. My mate followed this advice and AIS had his UK phone on a 30-day data package before his bags arrived on the carousel. The AIS, DTAC and True shops after you exit Customs is the last option to get connected before you leave the airport. PS: You can't go far wrong with either AIS or DTAC. True?...mehhh.

Lazada really is your friend.