phaethon

I used:

A bloke with a bad back, a truck and a couple of lads to help. A bit of English spoken. Charge by the trip but they did my 30m2 room in one trip. about THB2k plus a little extra for the lads.

Your old or new place should be able to recommend someone or even organize it for you.

Nationwide OTC transaction: you get 2% fee by Nationwide + any other fees ? Do they transfer using TT rate ?

Last time I did OTC with Nationwide FlexCard there was no fee and the rate was within a couple of percentage points of the rate published on the BBC site for that day. But... that was over a year ago.

This last SWIFT transfer came in at 48.31THB/GBP yesterday's rate was 48.59644 according to http://www.exchange-rates.org/history/THB/GBP/T (GBP25 fee appeared as a separate item at source, equivalent to ~0.42% on GBP6k)

Also my old Halifax login name has now been changed to a set of numbers! Nothing at all to do with me, nor did I get any notice that any of this was going to happen.

I don't get that.... first page username/password, followed by a second page of randomly selected characters from a memorable phrase. Perhaps they just haven't got around to screwing me in that way yet.

wanke_rs!

But I do 'get' that

I've been getting dry eyes for a while now, mainly due, I suspect, to my using a fan rather than AC during the day while sitting at the computer. I can limit it by aiming the fan lower so it cools the body but the air-stream misses my head.

Do you use a fan at night?

If anyone should be charged <snip> it should be these two loyal subjects <snip> defiling the 'realm'...

Locals stood by watching but, possibly wisely, not intervening. I blow a whistle to get them to look up into the camera, but as a foreigner I'm disinclined to get involved unnecessarily with any Thai authorities. I do wonder what I could do with photos like the above and several others, including a BMA drains contractor, without risking compromising myself. Has anyone tried?

Eight months after the soi was completed alongside an undeveloped, pleasantly green area the edge of the road is now some 30% occupied by rubbish. Eventually, and poignantly, someone has improvised a sign:

หัาม ทิ้ง ขยะ - stop dump(ing) rubbish.

There was a slight wrinkle in the Nationwide transfer as I didn't give a reason for the transfer (I think they must have expected me to put this in the 'note' section, but didn't make this clear) but they DID contact me via their online message system (with notification about the new message via email) and accepted the response via the same, so at least they kept it online.

The money left on Thursday and was in KBank by this morning (Saturday), but dated as 16/12 (Friday)., so pretty quick.

Of course with the Nationwide I have to use my bank card and little encoding gizmo to generate an authorization code for online transactions which has caused problems in the past when my card wouldn't work...

I think I will, though, go back to the 20th century and make smaller more frequent transfers OTC at BB and then walk the money down to KBank and save the GBP25.

When you say "Anyone can fly" you mean as passengers? I only ask because TIT.

The project is intended to encourage customers at all its stores in Phuket to use fewer plastic bags in

Are they kidding? Have you tried getting a Tesco (or any other store) cashier to use less than one bag per item?

The local rat/dog-catcher...

I suspect quite a few operations contribute, here's one from a while ago:

http://www.just-food.com/news/mcdonalds-supplier-sees-2001-demand-increase-by-42_id92700.aspx

Yes, I handle all my messages via Nokia PC Suite, most phone brands will have something similar.

Don't eat yellow snow...

In case you're apt to try and get cash transferred online in a rush...

I tried to do a SWIFT transfer of about GBP6k yesterday to find the new Halifax online system has dumped all previous transaction records and I had to set up a new one to my Kasikorn account.

The real problem came when I found they now insist on making a telephone call to confirm the transaction and, guess what , the system doesn't accept overseas numbers.I tried entering my Thai mobile number and although that failed I was informed (later when I called to complain) that while the change would have been effective immediately, my changing a telephone number would lock the account down (for SWIFT transfers) for SEVEN days.

It was suggested that I could use a Thai number if my address where Thai also, but I foresee that causing more problems than it solves.

I could apparently do it by telephone but in the time it took to get to that advice I had carried out a transfer online from Nationwide for GBP25 instead of Halifax's GBP9.50 - a GBP15.50 hit but I was tired and fed-up and I wanted to teach them a lesson by losing money.

MORAL: Don't leave your SWIFT transfers to the last minute and expect that the bank won't have thrown something new into the mix to screw up your day.

Does anyone know which bank has the current highest limit for free over-the-counter withdrawals on a Nationwide card? Used to be Bangkok Bank at about THB100k/transaction (Kasikorn only THB50k)

Buy an InterSim from True (50THB?) top up and dial 0060044+uk-number-less-lead-0. Usually just over 1 THB/min to a landline.

What's next? Coffee by proctologist?

Already available - Google "coffee enema"...

(Not available at most Starbucks...)

Whatever problems Tops - Bangna at least - had with supply seem to have been resolved as of yesterday - new stock arrived en-masse and overwhelmed the shelf stacking staff. Most of the aisles were partially blocked with deliveries in boxes or pallettes or rolling cages and the whole rear and one side aisle was completely chocker with stuff waiting to go on the selves or into storage.

At BigC, Tipco apple juice has finally re-appeared BUT is now 69 baht/litre (was 55)

Why would the US buy it back? They have others, I am sure.

It has sentimental value...

I've looked on the net but the wealth of disinformation doesn't really help...

That's why they invented ophthalmologists. Go find one, NOW.

That's what happens when you (the HD manufacturers) put all your production in one basket-case.

Did he say 'Please'?

That was my first thought... doubt it.

They can always wait until it comes up on eBay and buy it back... No, wait, China can out bid them now...

It's a bitch being the world's only broke superpower.

Could the OP contact the airline, explain the situation and get them to agree in advance of travel? Something in writing to present at check-in.

I am a Nigerian Viscount in the 22nd United States SAS Legion. I have a black belt in Karaoke and could kill you will my little finger (which was shot off in 'Nam or the Crimea, I can''t remember which, and is in a very heavy jar). The boathouse at Hear-Ford is green.

I could tell you how I helped von Stauffenberg kill Hitler or, most recently, how I helped Gadaffi escape to Bolivia leaving a double behind in a drain, but then I'd have to eat you.

My half-Vulcan heritage makes me incapable of lying.

Why don't they use Karl Pilkington.. Ambassador for Thailand?

"I've got something to tell yer.. I'm a bloke."

"Is there really nothing else to do 'round 'ere?"

"Why do you need your arse doin'?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avd2qlB7dcA

"I'm s'posed to be in Australia swimming with Dolphins and I'm in Thailand getting me 'ead kicked-in"

etc...

Where in BKK are you? Here in Bangjark it's been sporadic for the last week, mornings especially. Landline and 3G.

Last week I forgot my wallet and used my UK Nationwide card to draw 10k from a K-bank ATM for the first time since charges were imposed.

I was informed of the 150THB fee at the ATM and the transaction was charged at 209.86GBP, so that's a VISA rate of 48.36THB/GBP. The rate published at http://www.exchange-rates.org was 48.43THB/GBP.

In addition Nationwide itemized two international charges: 4.19GBP (2% of 209.86) and 1.00GBP flat rate for fun.

So the banks, in total charged me 3.08 (150THB) + 4.19 (2%) + 1.00 (because we can) = 8.27GBP on 206.78GBP worth of THB, or 4%

Normally I pull money over via Halifax Swift to K-Bank 250,000 at a time for 9.50GBP charge or around 0.2% + whatever K-bank skim on the exchange rate on arrival.

Bloody Red Shirts up to their tricks again!