vagabond48

Surface which I presume the longest time.

I have sent big packages weighing 25kg 3 times to the US using surface mail.

I also plan to ship large boxes.

I have sturdy boxes of 63in/160cm and 75in/200cm. Are these dimensions within their maximum limit, assume they have limits?

Should I reinforce the insides? I have to assume surface mail will get handled many times from Chiang Mai to the US East coast?

AS the OP, I do want to repeat that this type of large bill mistake hasn't happen to me before.

How do I know, I carefully count my change even if it's small loose change.

I didn't want to highjack the other short change thread.

Last week, I dropped by my bank branch at Festival Central to withdraw 15K. Normally when I deposit or withdraw, the teller 1st manually counts the bills, then uses the bill counter, sometimes several times. The pretty teller took out x bills and counted them by hand. The bill counter was right next to her but she did not use it. Perhaps, it wasn't working. Even if the bills are counted with the machine, I manually count them as well. I counted my withdrawal twice and I was 1000 short. Without blinking a eye, she handed me a 1000B bill.

Yesterday, I went to the vegetable/fruit market by the river, bought some mangoes for 30B. I gave him a 500B bill. He returned 370. After showing him the 3 100 bills, he gave me the additional 100 bill.

I don't recall this ever happening to me before.

Of course, neither apologized.

Honest mistakes or attempt to short change customers?

After reading the new comments, I checked my desktop and lo and behold, the gadgets are being updated again.

Just another unsolved mystery.

Thanks for the suggestions anyway.

For test ride paranoia, best is finding a gated condo or department store parking and taking the passport.

I personally trade in my bikes or sell them back to the dealer. Less hassle.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I could try the dealer. I remember when I bought the bike, they had a Click model that was a couple of years old and the price was only 4K baht less than my new one and it was an older model.

The passport and/or driver's license sounds like a good solution.

This is my 1st time selling a MC. I bought it brand new 1 1/2 years ago.

I was wondering how do you have the prospective customer test the bike?

As a norm, is it acceptable to start the bike and ride it around the customer so they can see and hear it?

What if (s)he asks to drive it as well?

Call me paranoid but i'd feel a bit uncomfortable allowing someone to take it for a test drive without me nor would I feel safe have a stranger test drive it with me in the back.

What does one normally do when selling a used bike?

I know they discontinued it in W8 but the W7 online update was working for me until yesterday.

I was hoping someone who is actually using gadgets such as weather and currency that need to be updated daily had similar problems.

I have been using the gadgets available on W7 for over a year.

I display a number weather and currency gadgets that access the web for updates.

Yesterday, the gadgets are no longer getting updated as if the internet was down which it isn't.

Any one using them or have a clue what's going on.

Thanks

Thanks so much. I got on this forum for a different reason and found your alert thread.

I am back on using my original log in.

On the 28th of February, I transferred $28000 to a US bank account. I used Krug Thai Bank. I paid 32.72 baht/dollar and was charged 300 baht service charge by Krug Thai. The recipient bank in the US deducted $20 for processing the transfer.

I hope you don't mind answering a few questions

What kind of transfer was it?

Do you have a Krug Thai account?

What kind of proof did you show?

Thanks

Thai clinics will provide you with a health certificate for licence purposes, 30 baht ,been that price for as long as I can remember.

Mostly they will take your BP and ask you "do feel you ok ?" and that's it.

Obviously if you need a serious check up you don't go to one.

This thread is about getting a certificate for clerical not health reasons. The clinic I was referring to doesn't examine you at all. I tried a Thai clinic 2 years ago and he wanted 100B and would go down any lower with no customer in sight.

"the second law of thermodynamics"…might make you feel smart to use this type of terminology but it doesn't apply to the styrofoam ac..my eyes and body temperature did not lie..and i just double checked to be sure..his electric bill is WAY down

I am not an "engineer poseur", I am an engineer with qualifications in physics and thermodynamics (and electrical and electronic engineering).

In which particular universe are you situated such that the basic laws of physics (thermodynamics) do not apply?

If your friend moderated his aircon use to the same periods and space that his cooler is used he would see even greater savings.

Temperature gradient achieved? Timings? Volume cooled? Actual total energy use?

If these devices are really more efficient overall than 'real' aircons, why are we not all using them?

Because most people want an easy and inconspicuous solution.

Regarding refrigerators and freezers, I was always under the impression that it was more efficient to keep them as full as possible since the units continue cycle on and off. If your freezer/frig had the room to store 1 or 2 gallon jugs then would it cost less than running an AC?

I do agree that it would be silly to purchase a freezer just to make ice since it would probably be cheaper to buy ice directly from ice making shops.

I for one only use fans both here, and back in the days of NYC hot summers. I believe a major part of the discomfort healthy and fit people experience is that they don't try to acclimate to the indoor temperature even if it means using the AC closer to 75-80F. I can easily bicycle in the afternoon in this weather because I'm not going from an AC room of 70-75F to outdoor temps of 90F+.

Back in NYC during the summer heat, I always wondered how many more degrees the city gets due to the heat produced by huge number of ACs unless the AC produces the same amount of heat as it extracts.

For the last couple of years, my wife and I have been going to this old health clinic (don't know the name) going east on the moat past Chiang Mai Gate. It is on the left side of the street before you can make the next right going across the moat. The cost has been 30B. They only have morning hours and it has been always empty. Less than 10 minutes to get the certificate. I don't know how they make any money. We were there this past January.

This Saturday, I bought 5 KG bag of beautiful medium sized beef style tomatoes for 25B at the big market (I always forget the name) next to the river and US Consulate. Last 5KG bag of large beef style tomatoes I bought for 40B took a week to use up. Since they have probably been bombarded with pesticides, I didn't need to refrigerate them. I know I can't do anything about the pesticides absorbed by the tomato but at least, I wash them thoroughly and peel off the skin.

I know many foreigners who could afford to live in other places that choose to live in Thailand as well as some who have homes in places like Hawaii, France, London and San Francisco, but they spend half of the year here. Chiang Mai has its own charms.

I have been in CM for over 7 years and I too have felt that CM had something very special that really attracted me to it, but again for me, over the last 3 years, it has been losing that charm quickly due to the increased building construction, increased number of cars crowding the limited roads adding more pollution through out the year. Let's not forget the major influx of Chinese tourists and investors. Now this may benefit the rich Thais and those of you that have built long term businesses but for it has decreased the quality of life here.

As for the well off foreigners you mentioned, if they are retired couples enjoying warm weather during the winter months then I am happy for them but I "suspect" the majority come here not only for the weather but for the cheap much younger part time GFs that they probably could not get or afford back in the West.

When it comes to using BoA cards outside the U.S. it's generally best NOT to!!! Their cards are fine for use within the U.S. and their 1, 2 or 3% cash back credit card is a very good cash back card, but don't use it for a foreign transaction because it comes with a 3% FTF. BoA indeed has some healthy fees in some of their services/products but not all. In fact they have one credit card called Travel Rewards card that does not charge a FTF. Generally for American citizens who become expats BoA would not be the best bank to have..far from it since there are many banks with lower fee or fee free products/services.

Sent from my Samsung S4 (GT-I9500)

I have the BOA Visa CC which I originally got from Schwab. I am not charged any FTF and get a cash reward of 2% of supermarket purchases and 1% on the rest. I just got the CapOne Quicksilver Visa and I get cash reward of 1.5% on all purchases.

I just got off the phone with Fidelity, since I have an account with them any way. They do charge a 1% FTF, plus $1 for any transaction over 5 in a billing cycle, but yes they reimburse the local ATM fee. And yes they do use a Visa debit card.

The official word, printed and spoken from Fidelity, is that they do charge a 1% FTF ("charge" in the sense that they pass on the 1% Visa FTF). However, existing customers -- at least several on this forum -- are reporting they aren't being charged this 1%. Stealth customer service?

I have their debit card and that is correct. Contrary to what is being told by their CS reps, Fidelity does not "currently" pass the 1% Visa fee.

I should note that I only have used it to withdraw cash from ATMs.

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=3565

From the above article,

Environment CityNews – Local reporters have taken to social media – though oddly not the mainstream media - to slam Governor Wichian Puttiwinyu for recent comments.

This morning, following another meeting, the governor asked the members of press who were surrounding him (many with face masks on) to refrain from wearing face masks as it would alarm people, including visitors. There are Line and Facebook groups where many members of the press are currently sharing their shock and outrage at the governor’s comments, with most showing their displeasure that the governor is more concerned about the image of Chiang Mai than the health of Chiang Mai’s people.

What the Governor should have said was " don't bother wearing those face masks since they are worthless against our current serious air pollution problem"

As for asking 30 baht from a tuk tuk driver, that is kind of like taunting him, especially for one of the 'wait around do nothing' ones at the bus station. TUk tuks don't typically go anywhere for less than 50, other than perhaps an incredibly short hop. And then the ones at the bus station especially don't go anywhere for less than 70-80 so it's really best to just say no: they're not providing a reasonable service so you're not interested. No need to pretend you are by offering an unacceptably low amount.

Yeah, I guess it's ok for him to ask 100B for a 3 minute trip while it's a no-no for me to offer 30B which is double the 15B songtaews have charged me so close to the bus station.

Well this was an incredibly short trip and would have brought him quickly back to the station.

But your right, I probably should have said no since I had intended to walk. I was feeling just a bit lazy and I figured what the heck for 30B.

Regardless, the cursing wasn't necessary and certainly doesn't support the LOS image (myth).

Btw, I am not saying this is the way most Thais behave.

I am sharing a story a long the same theme as the OP's.

We plan to declare the money when we arrive in the US since it will be more than $10K each.

My one concern is the proof. I withdrew the money over year ago and no longer have any receipts.

Besides most receipt's ink over time fad so you would need to photo copy them.

The only proof I have are my US bank's monthly statement showing the ATM withdrawals which I will bring with me.

I assume that will be sufficient proof if I am asked for it. The proof is my biggest concern.

That sum of money can be quite thick. Does anyone know how someone would hide it?

I don't think we want to store it in our carry-one luggage. I guess I could have 2 custom money belts made to distribute the money around our waist.

don't hide it, declare it! what about your Thai bank book (although i doubt US customs will ask you for any proof).

Perhaps you misunderstood what I meant. I wrote "We plan to declare the money when we arrive in the US since it will be more than $10K each"

The part I wrote about hiding the money was not hiding it from customs since we plan to declare it but from the general public.

Besides the US bank statements, I plan to take our Thai bank books to show the deposits as well as the withdrawals.

Which brings me to another point, money changers.

How much cash in $20 bills does a reputable money changer usually have on hand on, before someone like me walks through the door?

Since this is Thailand, can you be sure that even if the money changer is supposedly reputable, that none of the bills will be counterfeit.

Do Thai banks exchange $20 bills for $50 or $100 bills, assuming they have enough on hand? It's worth a few dollars to me to reduce the size of the bundles.

We plan to declare the money when we arrive in the US since it will be more than $10K each.

My one concern is the proof. I withdrew the money over year ago and no longer have any receipts.

Besides most receipt's ink over time fad so you would need to photo copy them.

The only proof I have are my US bank's monthly statement showing the ATM withdrawals which I will bring with me.

I assume that will be sufficient proof if I am asked for it. The proof is my biggest concern.

That sum of money can be quite thick. Does anyone know how someone would hide it?

I don't think we want to store it in our carry-one luggage. I guess I could have 2 custom money belts made to distribute the money around our waist.

I did this 2 years ago for my non-Thai wife

Here the sample of the letter I included with her application.

I don't recall if the letter had to be notarized by the US Consulate. Call the IRS.

February 26, 2014

To Whom It May Concern,
Ms. Jane Doe was a non-resident alien and Mr. John X Smith, a U.S. citizen, on the last day of tax
year 2013 and choose to be treated as U.S. residents the entire tax year.

YOUR SIGNATURE HER SIGNATURE

JOHN X SMITH JANE DOE
SSN 999-99-9999 ITIN pending

YOUR ADDRESS YOUR ADDRESS
ON 1040 FORM ON 1040 FORM

I did this last year for my non-Thai wife

Here the sample of the letter I included with her application.

February 26, 2014

To Whom It May Concern,
Ms. Jane Doe was a non-resident alien and Mr. John X Smith, a U.S. citizen, on the last day of tax
year 2013 and choose to be treated as U.S. residents the entire tax year.

YOUR SIGNATURE HER SIGNATURE

JOHN X SMITH JANE DOE
SSN 999-99-9999 ITIN pending

YOUR ADDRESS YOUR ADDRESS
ON 1040 FORM ON 1040 FORM