samtam

As much as I may not have appreciated it at the time - I want to say thanks to those of you who goaded me to go and see the doctor, which I finally did on Monday. Frankly, I wasn't feeling well enough to go before that. Like you, my doctor was most concerned about the rash, and after blood tests which were negative to 'flu and dengue fever, she hospitalised me. I have only just returned home. The test results for measles, which she and her colleagues think it is, have not yet returned. But indeed, I have all the characteristics and symptoms of measles. The rash has moved from my face and is now largely on my torso and legs. The physical experience was very painful, (especially headaches and swollen lymphs below my ears).

The surprise is of course how I may have acquired the virus, as I'm a 54 year male, fit, and I had measles as a child. (The latter I gather does not provide lifelong immunity). But I think my immune system may have been low, and this may be a virulent strain.

Thanks. I know it's flu, I was just wondering whether anyone else was suffering, as it seems particularly virulent and nasty. (I find going to the doc an expensive waste of time on such matters.)

I am feeling thoroughly miserable and am just inquiring whether there are many others or others you may have heard of who are suffering from 'flu. My symptoms - aches in the joints, headaches, hot with a temperature of 37.8C, started on Wednesday night and have been with me since. During the night I sweated quite a lot, so I thought I might be on the mend, but this morning I have an "attractive" dose of spots and a rash on my face. I'm just lying low and drinking plenty of water. Taking nurofen occasionally. Rather hoping I'm getting to the end of it - it leaving me, rather than me leaving the planet!

Thanks. (What one might call "stating the bl**ding obvious"!), because of course a passbook doesn'y say any of that...

A fixed deposit passbook can be updated by bank at any time so it should not be a problem.

Yes a letter from bank of account balance must always be presented if using bank deposit method.

What should that letter say?

If one has a savings account with the requisite THB800k for the three months prior, does one need a "letter from the bank", and if so, what does that letter say? I have previously used a 3 month fixed deposit, and HSBC produced a letter showing the deposit amount, when it was placed and when it matured. As this seemed to cause IMM a problem last year, I will this year use a savings account. Does that savings account have to be accommpanied by any letter; I presume it's quite self-explanatory. I renew/extend at Chaengwattana. Thanks.

(With the announcement that HSBC will close to retail customers, I am trying to establish what if anything my new bank has to produce, if I have the savings passbook; HSBC seemed particularly au fait with what was required, so I've never really looked too deeply into that aspect of, but I suspect the new bank I choose may not be so blessed.)

Does anyone have experience of banking with Bank of Ayyudyah here? Failing using them, which bank would you recommend for a farang. I have an account at UOB, which is OK, but not the greatest.

Yep, all true - no more retail HSBC in Thailand, and customers will be offered a transfer to BAY, or whosoever they wish. Obviously will not get any HSBC Premier benefits at any other bank. I received Premier status here based on my banking status in other centres. Only use the HSBC here for Retirement Visa Extension of Stay deposit, which they made quite easy, but it was/is the transfer in and out that was quite easy and straightforward. Bit of a bugger, frankly. But I don't blame HSBC for exiting this segment of their business here.

I think everyone understand they are serving you to earn commission. No one debates that, nor the fact that they most likely need the money to top up a frankly abysmal salary (if any). My major point of consternation and it must come from my personality type which has an allergy to being sold to, is that I do not actually need to be sold to. If I enter a shop (which is rarely) it is because I have already decided to buy something and then just comparing a few things. It takes me an age to decide and I really do not want someone standing there (especially someone pushing tosh Thai brand when you are looking at something high end). In Home Pro for example, there is one employee for every 20 that actually knows anything. The rest are there for decoration (by the way, has anyone else noticed that the place does not really sell all the things you would need to buy if you are running a house?)

I do not think it is too much to ask to be left alone. If someone asks me to leave them alone, I would not bother them. Why? Because I do not think people actually buy things from people that annoy them. Not given a choice.

Spot on. When I go to the wine section of Central Food Hall in Chidlom, I pick up the brand of vodka, (Absolut or Finlandia) I like to drink. Some silly arsed girl tells me that Smirnoff is "better". I just give them an "old fashioned" look, and am on my way in seconds.

My contribution to the thread is not so much the pressure to buy, but the hordes of staff in all chains of supermarkets that clog up the aisles and stand in little groups picking their noses and chatting as if you do not exist and they are not in the way!

Yes, that was basically the gist of my original post, but my experience this time had "bells on".

when he was gung-ho for UK to join the Euro.

When was that?

http://www.economist.com/node/187778

http://www.revisionguru.co.uk/economics/emu7.htm

"The whole point about the single currency is that it has to correct the essential design flaw that that was there in the original concept when the politics and economics weren't in alignment."

...surely something that he didn't care to pronounce on when he was gung-ho for UK to join the Euro.

Thanks for your contributions everyone, it's cheered me up! I know when one is "just having one of those days" it is really best to go home and eat dog biscuits, or whatever the equivalent is.

I was in Central World today and popped into the relatively newly re-opened Zen. I stopped at a counter on the 4th floor which had various gagets for iPads and computers generally. Within nano seconds three sales staff appeared and rather than the usual inane comments on irrelevant discount prices, they proceeded to natter amongst themselves, and in the case of one of them, start playing with one of the items for sale, which necessitated standing between me and the display shelf. <deleted> is the matter with these people? I immediately walked off, but that didn't appear to bother them.

I'm sorry, I was having "one of those days", and I normally try and overlook these rather eccentric tactics (?) employed by sales staff in department stores, but it is not an unusual attitude. The other one, apart from the 20% or whatever discount, is following you around as if you are an habitual shoplifter. The last time that occurred I shouted at the shop assistant to get out of my way, so that i could look at the cooking utnesils (in that particular case, in Emporium...as in: do I look as though I'm going to stuff a wooden spoon down my trousers?

OK, rant over. Carry on.

Thanks Pib. Not sure I completely understand what you're saying, but things appear to be working OK now through my ADSL modem (which does have wifi). The problem with wifi is that it seems to have a short distance to be effective in several rooms, and I was wondering if there was "booster" that could be installed in other rooms to remedy that. I've seen these in large houses in UK and Hong Kong, so that internet is available and the signal strong throughout.

I wonder how many of the dear legislators will use the high speed train. Surely it's only for the plebs?

Hi-so s in Thailand have absolutely no humility. The way that that they treat other people makes me sick! I have seen them verbally abuse very very decent Thai people for things that were insignificant. I have also seen them pick over their food etc and send meals back when, I would suggest, there was nothing wrong with their meals. It is like they have to 'prove' their Hi-so-ness! I have even seen them in other Asian countries carrying on with their airs and graces. ( 'Airs and graces' = False ways of behaving that are intended to make other people feel that you are important and belong to a high social class). Sickening!

This is so true. As anyone who has lived here long enough knows, the rules in life are only for the little people. I am glad there is a serious resolution to this airport issue, but in general in this country there is no respect for laws or rules, which are designed to make life easier for everyone. The feudal system lives on.

Can anyone tell me the cost of having one additional "normal", (non HD) box?

Take a look at Post #22. Based on Post #22 which also matches with my monthly bill since I have two boxes, an additional outlet/box would be B282.48 for one additional outlet plus B155.15 for box rental...both a per month charge...totalling B437.63/month plus 7% VAT. This applies to either SD or HD boxes. HD boxes can also display SD channels, but not vice versa. But if also signing up for the HD service there would be another B490/month.

Thank you. Not cheap!

Thanks. Maybe only non Japanese banks can transfer in JPY and other currencies. I've heard that Japanese banks are pretty backward in many matters and that they make transferring money out of Japan as painful as possible - requiring reasons etc, although there is no exchange control.

There was a male couple, apparently in their thirties, squeezing together at a nearby table, giggling over their smoothies and computer tablet content. That was all, but they must have wanted to freeze the moment. You would want to do it for them.

Those four men must be like most homosexuals I know, people whose "happiness" focuses on the present

How does a gay couple become four men? Perhaps it's part of the deviancy of being gay - they morph?

Glad this isn't in the "Gay people in Thailand" forum, considering it's not about crossdressing.

I received a transfer into my HSBC account in Hong Kong from a Japanese bank. I had requested that the money be transferred in Japanese yen, (the funds were in yen), to my Japanese yen account in HSBC Hong Kong. The remitter asked his bank to effect this, but they advised him that he could only transfer in USD. So he transferred in USD, and then upon receipt HSBC converted to JPY, (so I had two exchange tranactions and incurred a loss of about JPY33,000 or USD428). The remitter was trying to be helpful, as I had asked for the funds to be received in JPY. Had I known that it could only be remitted in USD, (which may be the case, but seems bizarre), I would have just agreed to receive it in USD into my USD account. Does anyone have experience of Japanese banks insisting that outward remittances from Japan to overseas have to be in USD only?

Thanks. I will ask them about the additional routers. Also appreciate the comment regarding experience of the modem system.

For some time I have been having connection problems with my True router box, ("nlink"), with my service being disconnected frequently. True sent their technician yesterday and he suggested I should change to a modem that allows both TV and internet, (a cable connection rather than adsl). As my TV points are in the bedrooms, and my computer in my office is without a TV point, I think I established that it wouldn't work. But it did raise the issue I have long thought about and that is whether True provide a "booster" to enable internet in several locations in an apartment. Does anyone know?

Furthermore, is there any point in having an internet TV here in Thailand - are there any programmes, apart from the obvious torrent downloading?

Thanks for any advices.

Can anyone tell me the cost of having one additional "normal", (non HD) box?

I faced the same problem using OUB - having to get a OTP sms for each transfer. I went in to see them and discovered that they also provide a "security device" which is one of those little oval-shaped "number producers" - viz it produces a number every time you depress, that is required to effect a transfer. See if you bank can provide this as an alternative, as I'm sure many have found the sms OTP to be inconvenient.

Was just about to ask the same question, because my maid hasn't come in today. I was expecting her on Monday actually, but that's because I was relying on my Thai diary, which makes no mention of either day as a holiday. Where do they publish these things?

I note from last year's diary that NYE was indeed a holiday, but I was surprised by that then, given that closing of books is largely computerised. How many public holidays are there each year in Thailand? Seem to be more and more as time goes by.