SurfRider

2 hours ago, JimGant said:

This could be problematic for geezers, who believe a "selfie" refers to masturbation.

Yes, that's the new rumor. 

After July 14, SCB will require a selfie of masturbation for any cash transaction over 100 baht!   ????  ????

On 7/6/2023 at 5:54 PM, Chivas said:

I have just had further Email back from them (they are quick to respond)

   

*** Could you please post the Email address you're using to communicate with SCB? 

Thanks! 

On 7/6/2023 at 2:07 PM, ChrisKC said:

In the next few days, I will be going to SCB branch with my Thai wife to ensure that after 14 July when the current system stops, I will be able to make transfers from my two accounts with them to wherever I choose from my PC and my phone, using the Internet!

Thanks for the idea! 

If you're lucky enough to find anyone at SCB who is helpful, could you please get a name & post the Branch & Name here?

Since SCB bank is eliminating Web-based online banking, I tried setting up an account on their Mobile App. 

I can't get past the first page requiring Passport Number and Birth Date. 

No further details or instructions are provided. 

Has anyone had this problem or any idea how to proceed? 

Thanks in advance for any assistance. 

Has anyone found a US passport renewal service in Pattaya other than Key Visa?

timendres,
  
Thanks for the information.  I saw that manual before - it's about signing up for a roaming service.
   
All I need is to send one SMS/Text to the USA right now, so your Skype and US Phone Number options wouldn't work for me.
  
I know it's just a simple matter of finding the correct format to send SMS from a Thai mobile to a US phone, but that format seems to be a well kept secret.
  
The AIS website is largely unintelligible and their "help" line is a voice mail jungle.
  

Does anyone know the current  specific format for sending an SMS (text) message on an AIS Mobile Phone from Thailand to USA? 

I've found various examples on TV dating back as far as 10 years - all vary on specifics and don't work with my phone.

Thanks in advance for anyone who knows the current AIS SMS (Text) message format.

Thanks to both of you for the comments.  Looks like I'll take the chance tomorrow.

Can anyone please tell me if Thai Postal EMS Service is currently operating normally in Bangkok during the lock-down?

Thanks in advance for any comments.

.  
"Anything valued over 1500 baht gets hit with duty"
 
Not in my case.  There was no duty listed on the Customs form.  The seller also made it very clear when I requested detail information on the additional charges, that they don't cover any Duties or Taxes - those are the sole responsibility of the buyer.
      
They identified extra charges only as "Endicia Insured", which they didn't explain.  Apparently they insured a $49 item for $150, which means they make out big-time even if the item vanishes in transit - additionally they get to keep their regular profit plus the overcharge to the buyer.   A very well rounded scam - they get their pay-day no matter what happens.
 

.  
"they added $85 for shipping and import duty ......... no thanks!"
   
WOW!!!  They hit you harder that they hit me.  Mine was a $65 "add-on" to a $49 item.

(estimated actual shipping cost $29). 

Not a bad scam since the buyer has no recourse.
   
Amazon should have a warning telling people something like:
You're leaving the Amazon jungle and going into wild unknown territory fraught with many dangers - tread at your own risk!
 

. 

I thought everything was good, but now I find out there's more to the story.

I attempted to ask Amazon about the $64 charge for shipping an item that cost only $49, but they referred me to the seller.  The seller claims there was a charge for something called "Endicia Insured", but didn't say what that is, nor would they give me the actual shipping cost.  There was no mention of insurance in the original sellers order form, nor did I request any insurance.  They made a point that they don't include or pay Customs and/or Tax charges and those are the responsibility of the buyer.  From the Customs document that was included with the package, there apparently was no Customs Duty charged.   

Assuming a shipping charge of approximately $30 that was referenced earlier in this thread for a similar order, that would indicate that around $34 was charged for "insurance" - that's a overcharge of 70% for insurance that was not needed nor requested.  Probably not yet worthy of the tag "scam" but suspicious.

I'm attempting to report the issue to Amazon but haven't been able to find any way of contacting them directly.  So far, only a list of publications on "How to Contact Amazon"  (Sold by Amazon, of course ???? )

.  .  . 

.
For anyone interested, I mentioned that I would report back on the order from Amazon.
 
The running shoes were shipped on Oct. 1 and arrived today (Oct 11)
 
It isn't clear who handled shipping on the Thai end.  All labels and documents indicate it was Amazon all the way, however I doubt Amazon has their own delivery service in Thailand.
 
There was a Customs document with a valuation of $150 but the value of the shoes was only $49 and the total amount charged was $113
 
I've sent a message to the 3rd party seller in an attempt to clarify the Customs duties and whatever refund is due, if any.
 
Given that my last two attempts at shipments from the States were unsuccessful (lost on the Thai end), I'm quite pleased with these results.  The estimated delivery date was between Oct. 17 and Nov. 1, but the product arrived today, Oct 11
 
I'll report later on any further information I receive on Customs, refunds, etc.
 

"you might see if you could cancel the order"
  
Thanks for the information.
 
The order has already been handed off to USPS and the credit card charged.
 
Didn't you say that Planet Express uses Thai Postal?  That's exactly what I wanted to avoid, but thanks anyway.

I'll post further comments as I learn any good/bad news so others might avoid future problems.

TallGuyJohninBKK,

 
Thanks for the information you provided.  I never found anything like that.
 
Again, the key might be "4E".  The instructions I found were to choose the size option first from the drop-down list (see button below)

  
DineshR,
 
Thanks for the information.  I've searched all over Amazon several times and did not find the detailed info that you found.  I wish I had - it would have been very helpful and I might have made a different decision.
 
Just a guess, but the key might be "4E" - that's a very wide shoe and that's what I need.  At the very beginning of the search I chose 4E, which presumably guided all additional processing.
 
Today, when I searched for the specific shoe, NICE KICKS did not even appear in the options.
 

There were four possible "shops" on Amazon that had the shoe in my size.  I chose the one with a 98% rating, the listing was similar to the "shoecity" one below - it was called "NICE KICKS" and had  good comments from customers. "NICE KICKS" is not in the available list today - hopefully that means they're out-of-stock and not out of business!
 
The actual order details are in the second image below - can't tell about the "fulfilled by" status.
 
Probably the worst news is that the tracking shows they handed it off to USPS - I had hoped that would not happen - two previous USPS shipments (not Amazon) tracked to their Chicago shipping center, then vanished from the system - presumably when they entered the Thai Postal system. They never arrived.  I had hoped to have a choice of shippers and would have used FedEX, UPS, or DHL, but no option was offered.
 
I almost chose a more expensive pair of shoes but decided to do a "test" order with a less expensive pair in the event that something went wrong - as the data compiles, it sounds like that might have been a good decision  ????
 

Just a pair of running shoes, probably less than 2 kilo. 

Seems strange there were no choices for shipping and nothing about Duties or Taxes. Implies those will need to be settled on the receiving end.

Apparently an Amazon shopping experience differs widely from one person to the next. 

The shipping alone was $65 - no taxes or Customs duties were listed.

This is the actual final summary

DineshR,

Well, I took my chances.  The product was only $50 and the shipping $65! 

No choice on shipping options nor any indication of what service they'll use. 

Seller has 100% rating.  Delivery between Oct 17, to Nov. 1, so doubtful it's FedEx, DHL or UPS.  ( Fingers Crossed )  ????

 
Thanks again for the additional information.
 
Since their Global Shipping merges with the Thai Postal System, that sounds too risky to me.  Twice in the past everything tracked good on the US side but vanished when it reached Thailand (TiT).  I think I'll request FedEx or UPS - more expensive but it is door-to-door under their control with no Thai Postal involvement.
    
About your warning on the dealers on Amazon, the only comments I can find are on the product itself, no reference to any vendor other than Amazon.  Does Amazon ship directly from their own stock on some items (Running Shoes?) or only through 3rd party vendors?
 

Thanks very much DineshR. Your comments are exactly what I needed to know. 

Do you know what shipping carrier they use for Thailand? I've had problems with "USPS Priority" in the past and wouldn't trust them again. 

Thanks for any additional comments.