jfchandler

I don't know the place...where exactly is it, and what kind of bar? thanks....

When you actually do get the funds credited, please do post back here to let folks know the timing...

I'd be very surprised about the short end of the time range offered. The long end is about what typically is considered normal.

But either way, if they're really doing it without charging a fee, that's a pretty good feature of having a BofA account.

Some army chap on channel 7 now saying that Somchai has to go. I didn't catch the whole thing I'm afraid.

It's not exactly..."some" army chap.....

If I were PM, I will resign over violent crackdown on protesters : Gen Anupong

By The Nation

Army Commander in Chief Gen Anupong Paochinda said Wednesday that if he were prime minister, he would resign following the deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters on October 7.

"If I were the prime minister and a violent dispersal on protesters happened and caused lives and resulted in injuries like what happened on October 7, I would definitely resign," Anupong said.

Anupong said he was very sorry that the disperse on the protesters led to the dead and large number of injures.

Anupong was speaking in a news programme on Channel 3 in which other commander in chiefs; Navy Commander in Chief Admiral Kamthorn Pumhirun, Air Force Commander in Chief Itthi Supawongse as well as Supreme Commander Gen Songkitti Jakkabatr were also present.

Full article at:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/10/16...es_30086202.php

I have a couple of accounts at Bangkok Bank. I've opened them despite only having a 30 day stamp in my passport.

The big thing is, you need an actual address (i.e. your name on a house book). You need that to get the Certificate of Residency, which you need to open an account.

I've just gone through this yesterday to get an account for my dad.

My understanding is that, with just the 30 day stamp, BB will only let you open a savings account (no credit card, no internet banking). The ATM card works pretty much any and every where I've tried it.

My only limit seems to be how much the ATM will dispense. I've sat at one ATM and withdrew 120,000 baht, in 6 transactions.

A couple of points here....

For BKK Bank, yes, you do need some/any kind of residence address....but you don't need a Certificate of Residency to open an account. When I opened my BKKB account, I brought with me my apartment rental contract, but they didn't even ask to see it. Just wanted passport and to see my visa.

Re daily ATM limits, BKKB allows you to set quite high daily amounts for their ATM card, I think to a max of 500,000 per day. But, you can also tell them any amount less, when you establish your account. Personally, I'd never want that much exposure on a Thai bank ATM/debit card.

However, that limit (or others like it at other banks) are a separate issue from what their ATM machines will do in each ATM transaction. I believe the typical ATM machine limit is 20 bills per transaction. So if the machine is vending the largest 1,000 baht bills, they you could get 20,000 per transaction. And then if your daily limit allowed it, go back into the machine and do another...and another...etc etc..

Re BKKB's ATM cards, in the past, they were often issuing ATMs for some reason that had no 3-digit CCV security code imprinted on the back, meaning those cards could not easily be used for online purchases, even though BKKB maintained they could. So if someone is getting a Be1st card from BKKB these days, make sure it has the CCV code on the back.

I could be wrong, but I don't think foreigners are allowed to have bank accounts in Thailand. In fact, many foreigners are now reporting that even foreign ATM cards have to be handed over to customs upon arrival.

If I were you, I would convert all your money to rice before you arrive; that way you'll at least be able to live.

If you're working here, don't bother with a bank account. Just ask them to feed you every day.

Bendix...you been smokin' that weed again...or just auditioning for a job with Thai immigration???

All US banks charge some kind of fee for withdrawing money from a foreign ATM that's "out of network." I have seen this fee be as high as 3% of the transaction, and as little as $2.75 per transaction. (We currently have the $2.75 deal, but due to a bank merger it goes away 20 October to be replaced by a $5 fee.) You can not usually find this specific information easily, but a bit of persistence in either searching the website of the bank or very specific questioning of a customer service rep will pry it out. This fee means the bank gets their little cut so that they are less likely to rape you on the exchange rate. But do be sure to ask about both foreign currency exchange fees and fees for the use of ATMs out of country and out of network.

Visa assesses a 1% fee for foreign transactions, including using a Visa-logo ATM card in a foreign, out of Network ATM machine. So go for a Mastercard logo ATM card.

As much as I despise and loathe the evil that is Bank of America I really have to recommend them for overseas banking. If you live in BKK, they have a lone ATM machine you could use at the large-business-accounts-only branch of BofA N.A. in BKK. And they only charge a $5 fee, depending on the US state in which your account was opened.

YMMV

Cathyy, don't take this personally, but part of your advice above is simply wrong... and another part is very bad advice...

The wrong part: "All US banks charge some kind of fee for withdrawing money from a foreign ATM that's "out of network."

That's absolutely not true, as my own bank accounts can attest, and other banking posts here on TV can reinforce. There are some U.S. banks that specifically do not charge transaction fees for foreign or even out-of-network domestic use, as a perk for their accounts. And there are others that reimburse those charges every month, either unlimited or up to a certain amount per month.

The one part that you cannot avoid, I believe, is the 1% exchange rate cut that VISA takes. But that's VISA taking it, not your US bank, whichever one holds your account. And that typically never shows up as a discrete fee. Some however, like BofA and HSBC, decide to pile on and charge a 3% transaction fees, taking the extra for themselves, in addition to BofA's flat international transaction fee of what... $5 per use now.

The bad advice part: "As much as I despise and loathe the evil that is Bank of America I really have to recommend them for overseas banking."

As a long time and still current BofA customer in the U.S., they are very convenient to use there. But they're about the last U.S. bank I would ever use in Thailand. Their wire transfer fees (U.S. to Thailand) are extortionate. Their office in BKK provides absolutely no retail banking services for BofA customers. And why in the world would anyone want to pay 3% and $5 every time you use your BofA debit card in Thailand, when you could use any number of other U.S. bank or credit union cards and pay only 1% and often no flat fee.

Sorry, but you need to brush up a bit on your finances...

Usually, that kind of episode tends to be triggered by some farang encroaching..at some point...on a Thai lady whom a Thai guy feels belongs to him...

Nothing in the OPs report makes any mention of female involvement anywhere along the way. But such things aren't always immediate. It could have been something much earlier in the evening, and the attackers could have waited until the right moment, or reinforcements, arrived.

Only the OP would know if this was possible in his case. My comment is only, a woman is often involved in these things somewhere.

I'd concur with SBK... For mainstream Thais, engagement of a daughter is a serious thing...

You shouldn't go down that road, unless you're pretty sure you're going to finish the job.

Just doing that to take the heat off a living arrangements problem, particularly when you're not sure about the long-term yet, would not be a great thing to do, in terms of Thai etiquette.

Simple answer here is... teach Thais to love guacamole....

Presto... rotting avocado problem solved.

The local news coverage on this... as might be expected... is a mess....

The Nation says the NCCC decided to ask the Justice Ministry's (Somchai's Justice Minister's shop???) Civil Services Committee to "consider retroactively firing him from service as permanent secretary for Justice."

Then, if the Civil Services Commission upholds any firing decision, Somchai "could be disqualified as the prime minister as the Constitution does not allow anyone fired from government service to become an MP."

But the BKK Post today reported as follows:

"Corruption commissioner Wichai Wiwitsewee said if the NCCC rules Mr Somchai is guilty as accused the case will be forwarded to the Constitution Court for a ruling on Mr Somchai's status as prime minister."

Then, the paper went on to add:

"If convicted of committing a serious disciplinary offence while a civil servant, Mr Somchai would not be qualified to be an member of parliament or prime minister, said Mr Chamnan (the agrieved judge). He added that even though Mr Somchai quit the civil service in 2006, a conviction in this case would have a retroactive effect.

"Parinya Thewanaruemitkul, a law lecturer at Thammasat University, said if the NCCC ruled the allegation against Mr Somchai had grounds, he would have to immediately resign as prime minister."

So...take your pick:

1. referral to the Justice Ministry's civil service office.

2. referral to the Constitution Court, or

3. the guy's been found guilty...he just needs to quit now...

Here's an interesting take...I haven't seen argued before....

See the bolded section... If they were/are not Thai... who are they?????

Thai troops released, says Cambodia

October 16 2008 at 12:55PM

Preah Vihear, Cambodia - A Cambodian commander said on Thursday his country had released 13 Thai soldiers who surrendered during a deadly border shoot-out, although Thailand denies they were ever in custody.

Major General Srey Deok, commander of Cambodian troop operations in the disputed border area, said they had agreed to release the Thai soldiers after talks on Thursday with senior Thai military officials.

"We handed their weapons back to them already," Srey Deok said, adding that the troops had been released and allowed to walk around the disputed area.

Thailand, however, has maintained that none of their troops were captured by Cambodia.

"They are not Thai," said Lieutenant General Wiboonsak Neeparn, Thailand's north-eastern army commander, after the meeting with Cambodian officials.

(more)

The source web site credits this article to AFP...

Full article appears at:

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&am...23725604C741053

Looks like the above was originally from AFP.... Note the highlighted passage in bold....

Here's the rest of a longer version of the above article from ChannelNewsAsia.com

Governments from both countries have said they are seeking to calm the situation and mend relations, and the United States, the United Nations and the European Union have all called for restraint.

Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, meanwhile, said his country was ready to mediate between Thailand and Cambodia.

But officials from both sides continue to insist they did not ignite Wednesday's fire-fight, which left two Cambodian soldiers dead and two injured, and seven Thai soldiers wounded.

A third Cambodian soldier who had already been ill died early Thursday of smoke inhalation from repeatedly firing his rocket-launcher, said Cambodian Major Meas Yeoun.

The Cambodian army said it had released 13 Thai soldiers Thursday after they surrendered in a disputed area during fighting, but Thai officials denied any of their troops had been captured.

The situation on the border appeared calmer Thursday as soldiers smiled and exchanged cordial words, an AFP correspondent there said, while officials from both sides toned down their rhetoric.

Lieutenant General Surapol Puanaiyaka, of Thailand's top security body the National Security Council, said there was little danger of outright war.

"I am confident that the situation will not blow out of hand or escalate into full-scale warfare," he said.

Civilians, however, have fled the area and Thai expatriates and tourists are leaving Cambodia.

A Thai official said that 432 Thais who were in Cambodia when the border fighting broke out returned home after the Bangkok government appealed for anyone not on urgent business to leave.

Cambodian riot police were deployed Wednesday in front of the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, which was set on fire by anti-Thai rioters in 2003.

Cambodian interior ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said undercover police were monitoring Thai businesses to ensure their safety.

"We're protecting all Thai businessmen and citizens in Cambodia in case our people get furious and do something wrong that would not benefit either side," Khieu Sopheak told AFP.

The current stand-off first flared in July after Preah Vihear was awarded World Heritage status by the UN cultural body UNESCO, angering some Thai nationalists who claim ownership of the site.

The situation quickly escalated into a military confrontation, with up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops facing off for six weeks, although both sides in August agreed to reduce troop numbers in the main disputed area.

Tensions flared again this week after talks on Monday aimed at cooling the standoff failed.

The Cambodian-Thai border has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

Full Article HERE

- AFP /ls

Thailand and Cambodia 'agree to joint border patrols'

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to introduce joint patrols in disputed areas along their border after deadly clashes between the two sides, a Thai army official said.

Last Updated: 11:29AM BST 16 Oct 2008

Thailand and Cambodia 'agree to joint border patrols'

"We will introduce the joint patrol to avoid this kind of incident happening again," said Lieutenant General Wiboonsak Neeparn, Thailand's northeastern army commander, after meeting with a Cambodian counterpart.

Two Cambodian soldiers were killed and seven Thai troops injured on Wednesday when a three-month long dispute over land near the ancient Preah Vihear temple boiled over into a shootout.

Gen Wiboonsak said the atmosphere at the meeting had been good, but said that little headway was made on the deeper issues of ending the stand-off and withdrawing troops from a number of disputed border areas.

"The meeting has not made much progress, but the two sides agreed to stay where they are," he told reporters, adding that Thailand had no plans to remove any of the heavy weaponry along the border.

Gen Wiboonsak said talks between senior military officials would resume on Oct 21 in Cambodia's Siem Reap, but cautioned that more fighting was possible.

"Thailand keeps our promise, but if Cambodia does not it may happen again," he said after the five-hour meeting.

Major General Srey Deok, commander of Cambodian troops in the disputed border area, said the Thai and Cambodian generals had agreed that soldiers would not fire their weapons, but troops would remain in the area.

Source: The Telegraph, UK

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...er-patrols.html

I don't read French, but I was just looking through the web sites of a bunch of English language news outlets in Cambodia... and everything they're showing tonight is from Wednesday... and nothing there mirroring the TOC report posted above saying Cambodia admitted shooting first...

Here's a recap of one was listed on one site's headlines...gives you a flavor of things...

The Thai-Cambodian Firing Happens Three Different Places

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Preah Vihear Province: After Thai black uniform troops had opened fire on RCAF that caused two Khmer troops died, the foreign affairs minister and deputy prime minister Hor Namhong said in a press conference on Wednesday evening that the firing had broken out three different places. First, it happened at Preah Vihear Pagoda, where the two Khmer troops died, about 700 meters from the border. Second, the fighting occurred at Veal Intry, which Thai troops invaded on 13 October, and finally, at Phnom Trop about 1600 meters from the border.

Relates news

* Two Cambodian Troops Die, Injured at Veal Intry Firing - Wednesday, October 15, 2008

* PM: Veal Intry Will Become Death Area If Thai Troops Don’t Move - Tuesday, October 14, 2008

* Cambodian Troops Station at Uth Temple near the Border - Monday, October 13, 2008

* Thai Troops Ask Khmer Citizens about Uth Temple - Saturday, October 11, 2008

* Thai Armed Troops Menace Khmer Villagers - Thursday, October 09, 2008

* Cambodia Deploys More Troops along the Border - Thursday, October 09, 2008

* Thai Troops Distribute M 16 Bullets to their Comrades at Pagoda - Tuesday, October 07, 2008

* Thai Troops at Preah Vihea Pagoda Afraid after the Firing - Sunday, October 05, 2008

* Thai Troop Chief: the Firing is the incident - Sunday, October 05, 2008

* Both Side Armed Troops on the Alert after the Fire - Sunday, October 05, 2008

I know this will get a few chuckles and or comments...but how about lactose-free milk? I assume that's not available.

Sorry.... by saying "lactose-free milk", I had assumed you meant non-dairy milk... Oh well.....

A few people are wandering off point here...which certainly isn't uncommon on TV...

I'd suggest, the point of the OP WASN'T to argue who was or wasn't responsible for the damage to the jetski...

The point of the OP WAS that a couple of farang got into a difficult situation, wanted help from a supposedly neutral third party (the TP) to help fairly mediate a question of reimbursement, and no one was home to even answer the call.

Someone talked about TP volunteers above. Yes, in Pattaya, and maybe elsewhere, there are farang volunteers who help the actual Thai tourist police. But the majority of Tourist Police folks are regular Thai police officers, who may or may not speak English very well.

There have been prior posts here out of BKK about people talking about having called the main TP number in BKK and getting no answer, and/or about having to deal with TP officers who couldn't speak English. I've never dealt with them personally, so I can't give any first hand account.

But I did deal with the regular Thai police in BKK once in a somewhat similar situation, where a motorcylist came along curbside just as I was getting out of a taxi and hit the rear door that I had just opened starting to get out. The whole thing ended up at the local Thai police station where the officers spoke 0% English (fortunately I had a Thai lady friend along).

I'd never encountered that kind of situation in Thailand before (property damage). So I was clueless about the local ways. I would have hoped and expected that the motorcylist and the taxi guy would have gotten repair estimates, I would have seen them, and then covered my share. But.. no way...didn't work like that.

An officer at the station, who'd never seen either the taxi or the motorcycle, after talking to everyone involved, decided I was responsible for a certain amount, so much for the motorcyclist and so much for the taxi guy. Period, End of story. No estimates, no repair bills... The total baht bill wasn't so bad. But the process and the lack of any sense to it made me crazy.

NOW.... you know how WE feel about Thai women!!!!

There's an old saying..I assume American.... that goes like this...

(Thai) Women.... Can't live with 'em.... Can't live without 'em....

I've never used the dental services at Bumrungrad....

But, as a veteran and active reader here, there have been some recent posts, and past ones as well, with other people complaining about relatively rough handling by the dentists at Bumrungrad -- more such comments than you might normally expect... Do a TV search, and you'll find the posts I'm referencing, including one just in the recent days.

I've seen a lot of good comments on TV about the Silom place... And, likewise, many people here on TV speak well of the Dental Hospital Bangkok on Sukhumvit Soi 49. Based on TV folks recommendation, I did go there for cleaning and to fix a broken tooth, and consider them excellent.

I too get uncomfortable when some dental places start jabbing at my teeth and gums with the metal picks... But the Dental Hospital folks were reasonably gentle, and do a lot of their cleaning with the ultra sonic water device, and thus limit the use of the metal pick devices...

There have been a lot of past threads here about the best dental offices in BKK... Many opinions offered.

PS - No cloth over the face for the patient at the Dental Hospital. But the nurses and dentists wear the usual masks and shields... typical protocol.

I only know of this second hand...from a Thai friend who applied once...

From what she told me... she paid the money at the post office, and they issued her some kind of receipt document that she then had to submit at the U.S. embassy as proof of payment along with everything else.

But that's second hand. Hopefully others here have more hands on knowledge.

And, the PO mentioned above is on Suk Road between Sois 4 and 6, just around the corner and down the street from Nana Plaza. They are open now 7 days...and the staff inside speak reasonable English, depending on who you get.

That's what I was going to ask...

1. How can a "house" be legally owned by a individual farang?? That's not generally legally allowed, unless he's jumped through a lot of hoops to set up a company property ownership.

He could be renting a house or leasing a house, and then it would depend on whose name or names is on the rental agreement.

and 2. If he has the laundry business, wouldn't he be required to have some Thai partners, at least in name??

It's hard to understand how, given what the OP reported, he opened the laundry shop/business for her.... but she never had her name on any of the documents relating to it????

But as to the broader question, she could do what any number of other local women have been known to do in similar circumstances.... such as... tell him she's pregnant with his baby.... or... threaten to cut off his balls with scissors unless they come to some reasonable terms..... or .... have some acquaintances pay him a late night visit and send him back to the hospital again....

Can you come home a bit late tonight, please... James???

Much appreciated.... JFC.

Thanks to the suggestions above of Longball and MeaMaximaCulpa, I stopped by today the large Amorn shop on the 4th floor of Fortune Town IT plaza in BKK near the Rama 9 MRT station, and sure enough....

On the back wall, they have a whole section of various spray cleaners and such, including the Kloud compressed air dust sprays and even small and large cans of WD-40 spray lubricant. I picked up a small, 6.5 oz. can of WD-40 for 83 baht.

By the time I got to Amorn, I'd already also found bought the same Kloud compressed air dust spray cans at a smaller computer accessories shop on the third floor (phone 081-337-9804) for 199 baht per can. Someone earlier was saying they were getting nicked for 300b per can????

So, in BKK, forget Tesco and Carrefour and Office Depot and the big general retail stores, and head over to Pantip or Fortune Town IT... That seems to be the ticket.

PS - Glad to have Thai Visa to rely on for sorting these kinds of things...

so no need to be beautiful or smart, just being Thai woman....so easy to attract foreigners

No, I only socialize with women who are smart, beautiful and Thai... thank you!!!

Ya right!!! I agree with Tropo....totally....

Oooopss.... gotta go.... The big pot of water on my kitchen stove that I'm boiling my prime rib of beef in is boiling over... gotta turn the heat down....

Hey... who stole my beetroot????

I'm at the top of the list when it comes to looking for and wanting a very good price/value for my housing... After all, it's the one expense that's likely to be the largest single item in your monthly budget... (except for those inclined to pay hefty sums to/for ladies ).

Having said that, it all depends on where you want to live in BKK and what you want to live in..

Indeed, all around town, there are countless "Thai" apartments to be had for 3,000 baht and up, and you don't have to locate far from centre city or even BTS or MRT. That's pretty much the normal for any number of regular Thai working singles. But in my experience, "apartment" in that case typically means a single small room with little or bare furnishing, and maybe a small bathroom inside or even outside on the balcony. That's it.

On the other hand, if "apartment" means something more in western style, a home with a couple of different rooms (maybe one bedroom, one living area and a kitchen or cooking area), furnished with a refrigerator and washing machine for clothes, and other amenities, and you want a location convenient to mass transit, then 15K and up (virtually unlimited on the high end) is more likely going to be the range.

Some people just want a place to crash at night. Some people want a home that's a home. As if often the case, you get what you pay for. But certainly in BKK, there's a very wide range of choices to accommodate all the different living styles.