Gaccha

The situation is bizarre for me.

Although, like everyone, I'm required to re-register, at the time I originally signed up they had already strengthened their KYC process, so they already have all my required documents. They are right there in front of their faces but "the computer says no".

I never have. 

The fast-track is not especially privileged. Any old people, any business class, any monks, any pregnant, and on and on, and then anyone prepared to pay around 1,000 baht to the various companies offering a VIP service. 

But if the queues ever again returned to the terrible levels of 2018 (?) when they reached the frontpages then I would consider it. But even at their worst, it was only at certain times (my memory is mid-afternoon was worst). 

I went through the all-new standard Immigration a couple of weeks back and it was remarkable. I think it was 3 minutes of waiting and processing. 

The fingerprinting has made the ID check extremely quick and certain. The computerisation of visas has removed paperwork and removed unnecessary dithering.

...So the system can now focus on dodgy tourists and problem arrivals. Those re-entering with 1 year visa extensions can now easily be waved through. 

The next step would be for Immigration to allow anyone with a re-entry permit to enter via the "Thai Only" gates as is the case in Japan (with foreigners entering under "Japanese Only" points of entry). 

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You can do it up to 7 days after the report date without being fined 2000 baht.

Are there documented cases of people fined when they have submitted online on time, only to be stuck in "pending-hell"?

I know from bitter experience that they are not flexible with fines, but surely a proof that the documents were submitted on time should cause the fine to be waived...

2 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

so-called vaccines do nothing to prevent transmission

This is a low-information voter response.

Whilst it's true that some remarkable vaccines do prevent transmission, most don't. The Covid vaccine is doing what you'd expect it to do. Well. 

I'm aware that in America, politicians and other hype machines made extravagant claims, but then why would you expect politicians to stick to the truth? Such a strange position to take.

Without getting too epistemological here, somebody is not lying if they knew you wouldn't believe them before they spoke; it can only be a lie if it was expected to be true. So... you only fooled yourself by expecting what they said to be true.

Thai opticians will not provide you with the prescription in order to force you to remain a customer. 

The best thing to do is to visit the large Rutnin Eye Hospital, pay the 700 (?) baht for the eye test, then take the prescription and order from Zenni online (download their App).

Zenni is very cheap and very high quality; I've used them for years now. I think they are an American company who manufactures in China. This is a no-brainer.

11 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Why anyone would even consider that I cannot imagine.

Two words: 5 baht.

1 hour ago, JimHuaHin said:

Can you please define the term/phrase "Traditional Thai culture"?

Sure.

We are referring to the fabricated culture created in the 1950s, by the political elite in Bangkok, to "civilize" Thailand in the eyes of the West.

I hope that helps. 

Over the years, I've tried every method to get to immigration. I've done:

-taxi

-riverboat + taxi

-riverboat + walk + old skool train + taxi

-mrt + bts + songthaew 

-river ferry+ bus + bus + songthaew

-bus+bus

And on and on. They vary in costs (the old train costs around 5 baht) and in time. And none are ideal. But now the BTS extension makes a big difference. 

I'm interested in the redline trains and the new MRT line being built next to Immigration. 

You'll really struggle as an American and as an Expat. Thai banks are groaningly bad for foreigners to invest in ETFs. But as an American you have it even harder.

But recent years have been very kind to Expats with the explosion in FinTech ETF companies. Within Asia, these are mostly located in Hong Kong and Singapore.

...but they are now entering Thailand. The well-known "Stashaway" opened a branch in Bangkok. Download their App and see if they take an American in the registration process.

If they don't allow you to register, that's a sign you're going to really struggle. You might have to send your money back to the USA and stick it in a fund there. 

A good choice would be White Zinfandel.

If you ordered it at a good bar, they'd probably smile, fall to their knees, choking back tears and offer you a free wine of your choice. 

The young ladies would enjoy it since the sugar propping up its flavour goes well in their still immature taste buds.

Also, you'll find ants stay away from it, and it also acts as a general surfactant. 

Presumably, it would get through Thai customs without paying the wine duty because on a metaphysical level, certainly the German Idealist period of Fichte, it could not be construed as a wine, as such. 

The big red flags:

-restaurants mostly catering to Farang tourists who are seeking the 'authentic' Thai food

-a lack of rats, cockroaches, sewage, suggesting too much time spent cleaning and not enough time cooking

-a menu written in English (a giant grand prix red flag if the English menu has no prices) 

-staff who speak suspiciously good English, or who ask how spicey

-places mentioned in ThaiVisa by aspirational Bangkok residents

Likely overpriced places:

-places listed in the Michelin guide (without a star)

I guess it's scabies (mites under the skin). Presumably very itchy. If it is, the doc will give you permethrin. 

But go see the doctor. 

15 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

but doent seem to wor

I think the psychological factor is being ignored here. The other replies are describing horrifying possibilities which will be increasing your concerns and creating vivid nightmares. We need to deescalate and resolve this. 

You don't mention this but this is crucial: are you scratching it? Are you washing the area with soap to clean away these terrifying nightmares?

I'm going to guess you are scratching and you are thoroughly washing the area with soap. 

You MUST NOT apply soap and water to the area. If you do, it will dry up and itch. It is a membrane surface, it is not supposed to be dry. 

If you are scratching, you must regard it as your highest priority to stop scratching. Get some Sudocrem and apply it each time you feel the urge to scratch. Do this until things calm down. It will dampen the itch sensation, heal up the skin, and even has a small anti-fungal capability, even though I doubt that is the problem. After a couple of hours, you will start to gain control. If this is not enough, for a very brief time, apply tiny amounts of Pharmavate. Your only focus is on stopping the itching so the Sudocrem can do its job of healing the area. 

Good luck!

With this GiffGaff, I can order a SIM from Thailand, activate it and use from Thailand, without stepping foot in the UK?

Is this something special or is it that GiffGaff are convenient because they'll send the SIM and allow it to be topped up from Thailand? (I.e. why GiffGaff in particular? What snag do they overcome?)

(My problem is one of the financial platforms I use have added a UK phone number as a requirement to access my accounts. They know I'm not in the UK)

On 10/12/2022 at 4:25 PM, proton said:

It will be broke if we keep forking out for any illegal immigrant who wades ashore

Lol.

Asylum seekers cost 1.5 billion pounds a year

Pensions cost 101 billion per year.

 Illegal immigrants are not even a rounding error. 

The only solution is to cut the unearned privilege of a generation who never paid the pensions of their grandparents (because v there wasn't one) and coasted on unearned house price rises by selfish Nimbyism. And who then capped off their harm to the UK by voting for BREXIT.

We must cut the UK state pension by 50%. 

Certainly very slightly worse at Wanglang (in central Bangkok) today at near high tide.

The naval base (for recruits to learn to row the old longboats) over the Bangkok Noi canal-- the notorious location of the start of flooding in 2011-- did not even have any flooding (last week it was ankle deep). Looks like they got their sandbags out.

8 hours ago, Lorry said:

Google understands almost everything I say in Thai

One rather bizarre explanation for this could be that even though in Thai language classes and Thai language books we are told there are pitches in the letter clusters, in fact, in everyday reality, Thais flatten the pitches.

You can prove this (they won't believe you because it's a matter of honour for Thais that they have their pitches 555...) by recording regular conversation and then running it through a pitch analysis machine. Then compare this with the actual pitches (be very careful, the  lowering pitch actually rises at the end,  and so on).

They deaden pitches and the machine might not cope. 

There could be lots of reasons, but this one is entertaining to think about. I say this as someone baffled by being told the pitch rules and then having an ear sensitive enough to notice it's all a lie! 555

Deputy Governor of Bangkok (the one in charge of disaster management) has called on Bangkokians to work-from-home for the next 3 days. 

I don't even recall those types of requests in 2011. 

In fact, when my place was under 1 metre of water in 2011, I had to take a canoe to reach dryland for my commute to work. The thought of not reaching my desk did not cross my boss' mind.

15 hours ago, eisfeld said:

15 hours ago, eisfeld said:

Unless the buyer didn't follow the procedure properly and missed the deadline.

This is what we've seen here in this thead.

Yes. Around 95% of these threads are people not following the procedures. If you follow the procedures, you get the refund. 

In Bangkok centre, it is high but still five inches off from localised flooding and even more from general flooding. 

This was Wanglang Pier at around 6pm:

That's almost high as it got today. 

Looks like there is no real threat until 28th October.

I've taken it. Goes to Victory Monument. 

I took it from the East Exit. I don't recall seeing buses at the South Exit. 

The buses are usually quite crowded and infrequent. I certainly wouldn't take in rush hour (6am to 10am, 4pm to 9pm)... you could be standing for 2 hours or more on it.

I now prefer a taxi to the new BTS station (around 50 baht taxi and then the BTS fare into the centre) and take that. More pricey but the reduced hassle is fantastic.