MangoKorat

The value of my phone is very little, I believe I paid 5500 baht for mine and it does all I want it to. A friend always buys the latest iphone and pays a gazillion baht for them. I'm yet to see him do something with his phone that I can't do with my cheapie. We all, to a greater or lesser extent, rely on our phones for so many things these days. I choose to keep that to a minimum but even then, losing the content on my phone would be a major inconvenience. I periodically transfer photos and documents from my phone to my laptop but it would still give me major hassle if I lost it or it was stolen. For now, I think I can live without things like Google wallet although I'm aware things are changing fast. I doubt that cash will become obsolete in Thailand in my lifetime. The Revenue Department is currently looking for additional income and if/when they start looking closely at the financial activities of the millions of Thai's that claim to earn less than the tax threshold, I think cash will see a resurgence.

Thought so.

Air quality comes close to the top of the list when choosing where I live. However, as with many things, it can be wise to compromise. For me, the compromise is between pollution and convenience. I don't want to be miles away from shops and facilities etc. but I certainly would want to breathe the air in Bangkok for example. I'm not keen on carbon monoxide.

Almost certainly sarcasm but on the off chance that you are serious, just Google it.

Agreed, I also use cash as much as possible in the UK. Any form of payment where you don't see the money actually leaving you risks you losing track of what you spend. I do like the Kasikorn notifications system though - each time I use my card or a Direct Debit/Transfer goes out (or in), I get a notification of that transaction and an up to date balance.

You naturally assume that we all live in cities? Some of us think more of our health than living in those filthy, polluted, congested places.

So that's a big no from me then. Having witnessed a 'Moped Theif' snatch a young girl's phone out of her hand just a few days ago, I'm even more convinced that I don't any things to do with banking on my phone.

Fair enough, so there's a security benefit - although the hackers seem to be able to get around anything, given time which is another reason why I'm not too keen on many things 'digital'.

Is it really? Do you have any idea how much electricity cloud storage uses?

I don't find it difficult to carry a card but a card can be used for online purchases without physically having it with you. I have come across a couple of places in Thailand that didn't accept either of my visa cards and on those occasions I had to use the K Bank scan feature. That has only happened in Thailand though, in the UK just about everywhere accepts a visa card. I'm guessing here but the places in Thailand that wouldn't accept my cards probably didn't have card machines due to transaction fees. I'd actually rather not have K Bank, or any other banking application on my phone as I don't consider a mobile phone as secure but I was having problems getting One Time Passwords from Kasikorn when I'm in the UK. Kasikorn suggested that I use the K Bank App and that did indeed solve the problem. I just don't see the point of all these electronic wallets etc. Surely all it does is complicate things and make it more difficult to keep track of things? Surely you have to have a bank account in order to load money on to those wallets? I'm struggling to see the benefits. When in Thailand though, I mostly use cash.

Can anyone tell me why or how using Google Wallet is any better/easier than simply tapping your debit card?

Again, down to the police and their total lack of enforcement. Repeating myself but anyone familiar with the crossing at Nana? The intersection between Sukhumvit Road and Soi's 3 & 4? I was hit there a few years back, a foreign couple were killed there, there is a 'green man' light and the traffic, mainly taxis, ignore it all day long, right in front of a manned police box. What really got to me was that in my case, the copper did actually come out of his box, not to assist me - he wanted to arrest me for dragging the taxi driver out of his car!! Not a word said to the taxi driver. One could ask why there is a 'public outcry' about this incident when the same probably happens scores of times every day in Bangkok - its par for the course.

I'm just going by the information on the UK government's website about which countries want which licence and that information says 1968. https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit To be honest, it would be a fair bet that 99% of Thai police have no idea which licence they are looking at. You could probably print your own 😁

Couldn't agree more. However, as I've posted many times - In my opinion, the Thai police are the route of all evil as far as road safety is concerned. The government keep banging on, year after year about this new road safety measure, that new rule. None of that will do an damned thing until the police start enforcing the existing laws. Once they do that (never going to happen by the way), people will begin driving to a better standard and road safety will improve. We are not in the last century, Thailand now has better roads (even if they don't mark them correctly) and cars/bikes are capable of high speeds - you can't mix that with lawlessness. There are a few inbuilt problems like the traffic lights that flash at night for example. I'm yet to meet a Thai, and many foreigners for that matter, that understand how they are supposed to work. They are a complete recipe for disaster! Most of the problems however, are down to poor driver behaviour. Its way beyond time to stop talking and start doing. There are bad drivers and poor driving in most countries but enforcement controls them. On the whole, drivers in most countries stick to the rules because of the fear of punishment. In severe cases you can lose your licence but that's not a problem in Thailand where the chances are that a driver doesn't have a licence in the first place. And why would they need a licence? All a Thai driver has to do if they are stopped and asked to show their licence, is say they left it at home - naughty boy, 200 baht and on your way. No check at all as to whether they actually have a licence or not. We all know where the 200 baht ends up and therein lies the inherent nature of the problem. The police don't want to see improvements because they would lose revenue if systems were put in place to ensure drivers had licences and drive properly when they do. Imagine being able to know from a computer based in your car, that the driver you have just pulled over, doesn't actually have a licence? Or from the ANPR camera on your dashboard, their car is out of tax, doesn't have a current safety certificate or insurance? Granted, that's pretty state of the art but before ANPR, UK police officers used to be able to radio in a reg number/name and get those details in a couple of minutes - that's old tech but effective and fairly easy to apply in Thailand. I bet they hate the fixed speed cameras that are slowly appearing on Thai roads - no opportunities there! I've even heard it suggested that the police are behind the fact that many fixed cameras don't work - sounds a but far fetched but it would fit. There are three main factors that improved road safety in Thailand depends on: Enforcement, Enforcement and Enforcement. Most of the time it just doesn't happen and when it does, well its a waste of time - all drivers worry about is how much an offence is going to cost them and on most occasions, that is very little.

Overall, I think that we often and I include myself in this, fail to appreciate that new measures are not always brought in as a response to anything Westerners do. There are other large foreign communities in Thailand and one of them is well known for its 'dodginess' in visa matters in the UK. They are probably an even bigger headache for Thai Immigration. That same group were responsible for fake documents being used to allow marriages a few years back that resulted in a lot of Amphurs refusing to marry foreigners for quite a long time and at least one Amphur manager being fired - scapegoated for accepting documents he had no idea were fake. Immigration have far more groups of foreigners to deal with than us. Their responsies don't always seem logical though.

We were previously discussing the fact that it is not always possible for someone with leaves of shorter than 75 days to obtain a 12 month extension of stay. I thought you were adding the 4 weeks rotations in regarding that.

Yes, I can understand that as well. I've seen plenty of reports of craziness over 12 month extensions........photos on the bed, maps etc.

Yes, but 4 weeks is 28 days. Not even close to 75.

I am not actually and never was. I still could never have left my business for 75 days and I can't think of anyone who could. Although self employed, I was mostly under contract to provide advice and services 24 hours per day, 7 days per week if necessary. 75 Days is a hell of a holiday - although I did once stay 6 months.

Clearly you have used a multi to 'live in Thailand'. I'm not criticising you personally but it is a fact that the correct method for someone living with their wife full time in Thailand is a 12 month extension of stay. The 12 month Multi Entry Non Immigrant Visa (MENO) based on marriage is intended for those who do not live with their wife in Thailand but visit regularly. I'm pretty sure in my mind that the new(ish) 400k requirement has been brought about by people using a MENO to avoid having the same amount for an extension of stay. I can't see any other reason for the change. There are many reasons why someone wouldn't want to put 400k in a Thai bank account. I'm not looking forward to having anything more than 20k in mine. Its so easy to keep your cash where its safe and transfer it in within seconds.

Yes, another craziness from Immigration. I'm sure we've discussed this before but a few years ago when I was married to a Thai, I didn't see the point of obtaining a MENO every year when I only stayed 2 or 3 weeks each time - especially when London stopped issuing them and I had to go to either Savannakhet or HCMC. I then entered on 30 day exempts. On, I think it was the second occasion the I.O. spotted the expired visa in my passport and asked me why I didn't have a visa this time. I was told in no uncertain terms that was not considered as a tourist I would not be allowed in next time without a visa. A few months later my mate did the same with the same result. When I left and had more time, I went to the immigration counter at the airport to discuss the matter. I told them that the RTE London's website stated that a tourist visa was suitable for short family visits. They said that THEY made the rules on entry, not the Embassy. I wish I'd thought about extensions at the time - I would have asked them why, if I was not considered a tourist, I could extend a 30 day exempt for 60 days based on being married.

Thank you. That has been my point all along, in both this and other threads.

Would you care to explain what you mean by that statement? I can think of more than a few who might find it offensive as written. If what you actually mean is that they can get a 12 month extension of stay instead of using a Multi. I'm pretty sure we've argued that point before. Many of those living/working abroad find it impossible to stay in Thailand long enough to be able to obtain an extension. As far as I know, an extension can only be applied for during the last 15 days of a single entry Non O. Then there is around 1 month waiting time. I don't know many guys who's employer will allow them 75 days holiday.

Yes but unless they've changed again, a multi cannot be obtained at the RTE London - money in the bank or otherwise.

Its not ridiculous to simply request proof of funds. The problem is the requirement for them to be in Thailand. You don't seem to realise that the majority of MENO users don't actually want to stay 17 months. They don't use that visa to in effect live in Thailand without having to put money in a Thai account. The people you seem to be refering to is those who DO NOT used the visa as intended. Most of the people I know or have met that used Multi Entry Non O visas based on marriage, used them as intended.