willi2006

7 hours ago, FarangFB said:

I'm also not convinced that it makes any difference.

 

I have the regular 200mb fiber Does anyone here have this connection?

 

Here is my speedtest to an american server (San Francisco, Comcast server)

...

5 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

No one from 3BB has ever promised that their INTERNATIONAL connections to places like the U.S. (in your example above) are going to match the service maximums of their 200/50 Mbps fiber plan. The 200/50 numbers have always and only been shown as maximums for domestic Thailand usage.

 

I agree, the higher speed makes a difference only for servers in Thailand.

I still have a 3BB copper connection for 630 THB per month. According to the router I have:

- Downstream: 18845 Kbps

- Upstream: 639 Kbps.

Speedtest from Frankfurt in Germany currently shows 14 Mbps down and 550 Kbps up.

I regularly download videos larger than 1.5 GB from Germany with 12 to 16 Mbps.

The 200 Mbps fiber isn't really faster for this usage. I wouldn't pay 1 Baht for that. And I neither want to have an additional box nor an additional possible point of failure.

So since the normal death rate is 70 per day or 420 over six days, Songkran, has saved 114 lives, let's extend the holiday.

Guess, that's not the case. 70 per day or 25.000 per year is the number of people dying within 1 month after the accident according to police. Whereas 306 in 6 days is the number of people who died immediately or may be at the same day.

As far as I read 30.000 per year are dying within 3 months after the accident according to the department of health.

This is what google translate says ความสมบูรณ์

Well, Google translate.

My paper dictionary says "สมบูรณ์" means "completeness", "perfectness", "healthiness" but also "well-fed".

For "integrity" it offers "ความซื่อสัตย์", "ความจริงใจ". May be you can find these Thai words in thick dictionaries but they are not well known by Thai people.

You can register also with passport. The registration gives free access up to 5 h and is valid until the last day of the month. See http://www.ais.co.th/ictfreewifi/.

I recommend to read first before writing, e.g. Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedophilia:

"No cure for pedophilia has been developed, but there are therapies that can reduce the incidence of a person committing child sexual abuse. In the United States, following Kansas v. Hendricks, sex offenders that are diagnosed with certain mental disorders, particularly pedophilia, can be subject to indefinite civil commitment, under various state laws (generically called SVP laws) and the federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006."

Legalise and tax gambling, then those who enforce the law can concentrate on greater issues. It would also remove a significant portion of hypocrisy as those tasked with enforcing the law are the same people flouting it to the greatest degree…

Would this really help. There's a legal lottery but many illegal too.

Last year I got a Non-O 3 month visa and a 1 year extension based on a tourist visa at the same day in Khon Kaen:

• End of March 2010 I got a tourist visa in Vientane with two entries.
• End of May 2010 I used the second entry.
• End of June 2010 I went to the immigration office in Khon Kaen two times due to missing documents at my first visit.
  Documents required (1 copy for each application):
  • TM.86 "Application for change of Visa"
  • TM.7 "Application for extension of stay"
  • Passport
  • 2 copies of passport pages: foto, visa (tourist visa from Vientane), permission to stay, Departure Card
  • Confirmation of income from German embassy and a copy
  • Bank book and 2 copies of each page (combination of income and bank account)
  • Confirmation from bank and a copy
  • 2 copies of rental agreement for house
  • 2 copies of tabien ban of rented house
  • 2 copies of id card of house owner with original signature

  I received

  • Non-O visa with permission to stay until end of September 2010, payed 2.000 THB.
  • Extension of stay until end of September 2011, payed 1.900 THB.

"Dec 6 H.M. The Kings Birthday"

should be

"Dec 5 H.M. The Kings Birthday"

Now if Blackberry would comply with a request to open the logs for Thai prosecutors it would mean the end of Blackberry services worldwide for serious business.

Guess it won't happen!

As reported in the press Blackberry has given access to several countries already and not only to logs but to content also.

If I wanted my mobile communication encrypted I wouldn't rely on the provider. I would buy an Android smartphone and install public key encryption which is available for free and not breakable within a realistic amount of time.

You can get a Laos Visa at some border crossing points. There's a rather old list of "Immigration checkpoints for entering Thailand (visa runs)" http://www.thaivisa.com/329.0.html.

I did it myself one time leaving Thailand at Chong Mek and several times including last week at Nong Khai. At the latter the Laos officers streamlined the process and are very friendly too. When there's no queue (no Visa run bus) you get it within 10 minutes including entry stamp. No second enqueuing necessary for the entry stamp, just enter Laos. Best to pay in US$, but take also THB at a bad rate. From 6:00 to 8:00 and 16:00 to 22:00 and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays they charge 1 US$ in addition for overtime.

When the wall plug isn't earthed correctly which is common in Thailand than a proper adapter won't help.

As you mention Windows XP I assume you ask for Bluetooth devices. Most notebooks now have Bluetooth build in already. If not there are Bluetooth USB adapters available.

There are two quite different types of Bluetooth devices available. Mono for mobiles which can be used also with a computer for about 300 THB at mobile shops having telephone quality (small frequency range). Stereo highquality devices for music (broad frequency range) which can be used for phoning also are available in electronics shops, e.g. from Sony "DR-BT100CX" for 1900 THB. On the internet you can find descriptions of the latter. It's also sold in other countries.

I don't know the special situation in Chiang Mai. In Bangkok you can get them at Pantip. In Khon Kaen at Tukcom, similar to Pantip, or even in Central Plaza in mobile and Sony shops.

In electronics shops there are also other devices available which come with a sender and a wireless stereo headset. They don't use Bluetooth. The sender can be connected to the audio outlet of receivers, TV sets or computers. The price depends on the headphones quality but starts well below the above Sony device.

HSBC and other banks have foreign currency accounts. Must it be in THB or is an equivalent or higher amount in another currency accepted?

Kasikorn has online banking called "K Cyber Banking". There you can make scheduled funds transfers up to 12 months in advance. I do not know if you can do the same at an Kasikorn ATM when you have an ATM card. May be worth to try it.

When you have an ATM card you can nowadays apply for online banking at an Kasikorn ATM. For a description see http://www.kasikornbank.com/EN/PromotionPr...ly_for_ATM.aspx.

Within online banking you go to

* Funds Transfer

* Select either

** Other Account Funds Transfer in case of an Kasikorn account or

** Inter-bank Funds Transfer plus any Transfer Method in case the receiving bank is not Kasikorn

* First you have to add the account: Click Add More Other's Account

** Fill in the fields

** As PIN2 user you have to fill in, print and send a form in additon.

** As OTP user you get a OTP (one time password) via SMS to complete the addition immediately.

* When the Other's Account is added you can make scheduled transfers to the account up to 12 month in advance.

Willi

Last September I crossed the border at Chong Mek / Vangtao. Laos immigration there accepts only US$. 30 US$ for German passport holders. No queues at all.

On Sunday January 24th I crossed the boarder at Nong Khai at 17:00. At Laos immigration I was the only one at the counter. I got the visa application form and the arrival card handed out, filled them in and returned both, payed 30 US$ + 1 for overtime. Within 5 minutes I got my passport with visa and entry stamp back together with the departure card, the arrival card was kept. Thus I could enter Laos without enqueuing behind the about 15 people waiting for the entry stamp.

This was a real pleasure and also cheaper than the 1200 THB plus 200 for express (10 minutes) which I paid last year at the Laos consulate in Khon Kaen.

9:15 Give papers:

[*]Can not get 3, only 2 entries.

[*]Get ticket back with stamp.

[*]Free until March 4th, 2010.

Were you not required to wait in the airconditioned room (left side of the compound when you walk through the gates) to pick up a receipt for your passport?

No. I think they streamlined the procedure for the currently free tourist visa. At the free air counter on the right side signed "Application" I handed in my application After a quick check the officer gave me my ticket numbered 47 back with a red stamp as a receipt and told me to come again next day with this ticket to collect my visa. Others who had to pay for their visa had to go to the other building on the left side which is signed payment and collection to pay their fee in the airconditioned room. A man who had the next ticket number and applied for a business visa which is not free came back in a couple of minutes. My impression of the whole procedure: very well organized.

Report: First tourist visa, double entry, new German passport, living in Khon Kaen

Monday 23.11.: Khon Kaen Laos consulate to get visa for Laos in new passport. Required:

• Application form.
  
• Foto (3x4 cm).
  
• Fee for German passport 1200 +200 THB express to get in 10 minutes, else next day.
  
• Asked to see old passport.
  

Tuesday 24.11.

• 7:00 Buy ticket for direct aircon bus Khon Kaen to Vientiane. 180 THB.
  
• 7:45 Bus starts.
  
• 9:15 15 minutes break, rest room.
  
• 10:45 -11:30 Crossing of boarders: I intended to leave Thailand with old and enter Laos with new passport. Not possible, transfer of last entry stamp from old to new passport required. Done in immigration office at the boarder. Bus does not wait so long: Bus over bridge 15 THB, Bus (Song Taeo) to Vientiane 20 THB.
  
• 12:00 At Vientiane bus station.
  
• 12:20 After a slow 20 minutes walk at Budchadakham Hotel, check in 700 THB.
  

Wednesday 25.11.

• 8:30 After a slow 10 minutes walk at Thai consulate to apply for Visa (open 8:30-12:00).
  
• 8:35 get ticket no 47. Pick application form and fill in sitting at a table in the shadow: 3 entries requested.
  
  • 2 Foto 3,5x4,5, clue available on tables.
    
  • Passport copy of main page.
    

  9:15 Give papers:

  • Can not get 3, only 2 entries.
    
  • Get ticket back with stamp.
    
  • Free until March 4th, 2010.
    

Thursday 26.11.

• 13:00 At Thai consulate to pick up Visa (open 13:00 t0 15:00), wait in the sun.
  
• 13:22 Gate opens. Ticket no. 117.
  
• 13:30 Issuing of visas starts, about 3 per minute.
  
• 14:05 Get Visa. To boarder with minivan 150 THB per person.
  
• 14:30 - 15:20 Crossing of boarders.
  
• 15:30 Got a lift with a private car.
  
• 17:30 In Khon Kaen.
  

I saw reports on Thaivisa forum about Nong Khai and Pattaya immigration offices requiring bank books and bank letters showing the monthly income. A Nong Khai officer told me he wants to see 65.000 THB monthly. Details see http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Visa-Renewal...75#entry2518775

Nong Khai immigration officer told me in September 2008 bank book and bank letter confirming monthly income from abroad is sufficient, embassy letter is not required but sufficient for first extension if there is no bank book. I propose to ask at your immigration office.

He gave me the paper. He told me what is required or may be what he requires. This I reported in my above contribution ("He told me: ...") and not my interpretation of the paper. I think we should not discuss the paper: it differs from official documents referenced or copied on Thaivisa and does contain neither author nor date. I could have produced it myself but of course did not.

TJAN, this is the first time I hear that when you do the marriage extension based on income you have to give immigration, in addition to the embassy letter, a letter from the bank confirming that 40K Baht is paid into you account from abroad every month. Has this been you personal experience? At what immigration office? Did they ask you for the bank letter, or did you offer it without being asked?

--

Maestro

In 2007 I got my first extension at Nong Khai immigration office: retirement, not married, embassy letter confirming monthly income of more than 65.000 THB (http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Report-1-Yea...ar-t138436.html).

September 2008: The officer gave me the attached paper stating the requirements in English and Thai. He told me: Items 4 and 6 apply, circled in red. For the first extension the embassy letter is sufficient. For later extensions bank book and bank letter showing monthly income from abroad of 65.000 THB are required and sufficient, an embassy letter is neither sufficient nor required. He showed me the bank letter of another foreigner who would presenting this already for years. Because I could not fulfill these requirements afterwards I should start with a new visa, e.g. 3 month from Vientiane.

I gave up dealing with the immigration office, travelled to my home country, visited my family and got a new visa: straight forward, no surprises.

In the meantime I read other reports on Thaivisa forum about Nong Khai and Pattaya immigration offices requiring bank books and bank letters showing the monthly income. One member wrote that officers do not understand the difference between the word "and" and the word "or". May be this is the problem. I think I will stick to travelling home.

When I renewed my one year driver licences last year to five year licences in Khon Kaen my old address (Pattaya) was printed on them instead of my new one (Khon Kaen).

Having no or almost no assets and relying on a pension does not mean you are broken if your pension is high enough to meet your needs.

Have a look here http://www.udonmap.com or aks in the forum http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/

Bank of Thailand"s table of interest rates of Thai banks: http://www.bot.or.th/BOThomepage/databank/.../interest_e.asp.

In Singapore you get also about 8% on NZD without tax deduction as in New Zealand.