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aslimversgwm
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Posts posted by aslimversgwm
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As a foreigner it,s not possible to have a internetbankaccount but for Thai people there are. I don´t understand this. When I am outside Thailand I can not look at my account on internet. I can´t make payment to people or company from my bankaccount when I am abroad. This is bad service from Thai Banks.
not true, I have internet banking at SCB and Kasikorn......
Kasikorn is better. I also have an online card (no tangible card, but all the details and no's to do online transactions), very handy.
Yep - I've got full internet banking in English, (easy navigation and better functionality than most UK or European banks), with Krung Thai Bank and Bangkok Bank - KT set-up in Phetchabun, BKK in Chiang Mai.
It helps if you have a Thai friend with you as in Phetchabun where no one speaks English and in CM there are many English speaking managers who deal with farangs every day and know the ropes.
It is easy to use, secure, and very fast on broadband.
I can pay bills, set-up standing orders and transfer money to the many different bank accounts my bf has - just like that! And he knows it, of course!!
The fees are minimal ranging from about 10 to 25 baht a throw.
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I will attend with my bf. David and Mix
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OK - this is April 1st! Great April Fool - well done whoever dreamt this up - nearly caught me out! Almost believable!!
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Here's a few of the things I love about living in Chiang Mai...
My motorbike...
Road trips on my bike...
My Thai friends...
Playing pool...
Friendly, helpful locals...
The view from my bedroom window...
That'll do for now.
Retired here last August after holidaying in CM, BKK and Pattaya on 4 previous occasions. Just felt so at home here. Its all been said before, but here's my '2penneth' worth:
The climate, the countryside, the old town, the wats, the boys, the moat, the lanes, the food, the cost of living (despite pound now at 50 and I budgetted at 66), the bars, the clubs, the boys, the massages, the spas, the CM people, the hills, hilltribe people, those smiles, even some of the farang (!), the boys - repeating myself - you get the picture!
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If you sell your house you should get a single entry from Hull it would make getting your extension a lot easier.
Ok. I didn't know that. What's the thinking behind that? David
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As you say. Do a border run just before the Visa expires and you will get another 90 days. If you then leave your permision to stay will be finished. Unless you get a Re Entry Permit from Immigration (1,000 Baht) This will keep your permision to stay date alive. It does not add days.
Personally I would go back to Hull and get another Visa. Up to you.
Thanks for that. Yes, another visa from Hull seems to be most sensible, unless I get my house sold quickly and at a reasonable price. Some hopes!
David
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I am a single, male, British citizen, aged 65, and I am living in Chiang Mai.
I have a Non-Immigrant, multi-entry, category 'O' visa, issued by the Hull Thai Consulate in England, which expires on 30th June this year.
My passport is currently stamped as admitted to 29th March 2009, following previous 'visa runs'.
I am going to Kuala Lumpur on 26th March and returning to Thailand on 30th March. This should result in a stamp admitting me to about 27th June.
I understand from previous posts that I can do another 'visa run' before 27th June and get a further 90 days to stay in Thailand.
My question is: If I subsequently leave Thailand to visit the UK in order to undertake some personal issues, like trying to sell my house, will I still be able to get back in to Thailand provided, it is within the 90 days allowed after my 'visa run' in June? May be this is where the visa expiry date does matter!?
If I do manage to sell my house I may have enough equity share left to meet the 800,000 baht rule, which means I would then apply for a retirement extension, I guess, but this is full of 'ifs' and 'buts', given the current economic downturn!
Advices please!
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Anyone been to 'Warmup' dance club in CM on a Friday or Saturday night? Scary or what? Never mind about a fire starting - trying to get out from the dance floor area to simply have a pee or leave the place is a nightmare. There is one narrow entrance/exit point with everyone pushing and shoving to get in or out and after about 10pm it is absolutely frightening. You feel completely crushed to death and the breath squeezed out of you as you try and push or are pushed in either direction. God knows what would happen in an emergency: absolutely no chance of survival. There is no one controlling the entrance or exit to this area so it is everyman/woman for themselves.
I was really frightened when I tried to simply exit for a pee, having entered before 10pm, when it was relatively easy to get in or out.
wow. Despite some really explicit photosLook at the exit and ladder pic. Imagine dozens of people pushing to get out and not knowing there is a ladder? You'd have dozens of broken limbs and concussions as people fell on top of each other.
Hi
Err.... i fail to see any single one picture in this entire topic? either i'm blind or stupid or my computer refuses to show them, however it does show pictures in other threads (if there are any) just fine.
Then - the exit (at least that fire exit i was referring to) is on the ground floor - what would you need a ladder for?? Maybe we are talking about different buildings?
I agree that a fire exit is not supposed to be locked - however this is unfortunately common practise here, but at least a guard with a key is THERE unlike many other places which i saw with locked (and chained!) fire exits with nobody at all anywhere close that could have a key for that lock (the place that tops it was in Chiang Mai, one particular shopping center - Central Kad Sun Kaew, ALL fire exits locked, chained with multiple (!!) padlocks and doors that open inwards - you can't even kick them in in case of an emergency.
Regarding that guard at DJ, i been standing at that particular spot a number of times (not because of that exit but because that corner is least crowded and one can actually breathe there) and that guard has never moved away from that spot, he sits there untouched by anyone or anything just sipping his water and looking around. The only people he talks to seem to be the waiters.
As to "combustible materials", i know well that electric lines and conduits can burn - however in DJ all visible conduits are made from metal, even the aircon outlets are metal. I stand firm in my belief that the only thing that could possibly light up into a fire large enough NOT to be extinguished by a bottle of drinking water would be the stage respectively the curtain, for the latter it would have to happen prior to the show though because later the curtain is rolled up and the stage full of people.
The largest plastic items i have seen in DJ are the loudspeakers - hardly a fire source..... sure they can accelerate a fire but one has to be there first, a fire does not START in a loudspeaker and with only concrete and steel surrounding the speaker... Oops, one of my diplomas is in the electric field, i know about cable fires and how they are caused respectively how they can and do develop - long before a wire or it's insulation starts to burn the surrounding material will go up in flame, and if there is nothing... well..... as long as they have breakers in their systems it's unlikely to happen there.
Oh, the DJ booth/desks. Visibly from the the second floor are two large fire extinguishers there, as pretty much all electrical equipment and panels are located there.
Again, i do NOT believe in DJ being a firetrap.
Oh, and i wouldn't invest in real estate unless it's in Chiang Mai (and out of the city, too!) and certainly not in petroleum futures - for petroleum has no future
Best regards.....
Thanh
PS are you guys also going for leisurely strolls in those clothes-stall-areas of department stores? Like the ground floor of MBK or Chatuchak market (worst!) or similar places? You will not find me THERE - because THERE you got it all: Plenty of combustibles, usually crowded, no fire extinguishing equipment whatsoever and shoddy electrical installations everywhere with sparks visibly flying. Ticking time bombs, such areas.
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Lite Beer is correct.
If want an O-A visa, it has to be from your home country.
If you go the do it in Thailand route, you start with an O (not O-A) and do an extension based on retirement.
Caveats: not all consulates in the home countries issue the O-As, but the embassies do.
I also think that not all the Thai embassies in the world will issue O-As, but most of the people reading this board are from countries where they will.
Thanks for all the repsonses. Now totally confused, of course!
Here is an extract from the Hull Thai Consulate website:
"Obtain a written confirmation of financial position which is available only from the British Embassy in Bangkok. Applicants need to demonstrate to the Consul at the British Embassy, Bangkok that they meet the financial requirements of minimum lump-sum equivalent to Baht 800,000 or minimum monthly income of Baht 65,000. See page 10/10 for more information."
Assuming the Thai Consulate in Hull isn't working in isolation from the rest of the Thai authorities - and I don't think so as this is now the recommended route for obtaining ALL types of visas for Thailand in the UK.
They are very helpful and efficient when you phone them, or apply by post. As was said in the other forum trail - they turn the visa round within about 24 hours or so: provided all is in order and you pre-pay postage for return by special delivery you will get your passport back, complete with visa, within 3 or 4 working days, incredibly, especially when compared to our (UK) bureacracy. Try getting an amended tax code for example - see how long that takes!
Re-reading the Thai consulates website definately implies you go for an 'O' visa first in the UK, then you come to Thailand and go for an 'O-A', but there again the website also implies that you need a UK police clearance cert and a Thai medical cert: but neither are necessary now!
Regarding the bank balance stuff, from the responses it appears its also not necessary to have a bank letter certifying the balance, as long as you have an updated passbook. I also have latest statements printed off my Thai bank's internet site - also very efficient, and in clear English. Looks like I won't have to troll on down to Phetchabun after all.
As I said at the outset my income in to Thailand is only a little short of 65k and with a bit left on deposit, from when I 1st got here, so the combined formula does make it up to 800k.
Anyway, because of uncertainty of all this I did the 'visa run' yesterday to Mae Sai. Decided to take a yello cab, and negotiated a 4k deal to take me, bf and ano friend there and back, including stopovers at incredibla white/mirror temple near Chaing Rai and hot springs on way back.
The passport stamping stuff was a piece of cake and everything is well signed and efficiently organised - they've obviously done this be4 - I mean the Thai/Myramar authorities. I now have another 90 days to get my 'O-A' or 12 month 'O' , or whatever, sorted out. Apart form the taxi cost - and obviously the bus would have been a lot less - it cost me 500 baht paid to the Myramar official (you can pay $10 - which is slightly less, but I didn't see a place to get my money changed and there would have been a commission charge anyway, so not worth the hassle as a Brit sans dollars). The routine for issuing you a receipt, in lieu of your passport in Myramar, is highly organised and computerised. No worries: DON'T loose the receipt though - hate to think how you'd get your passport back without it!
You have to steadfastly ignore the street pedlars in the market place, or they will not leave you alone. The viagra and porn they offer probably wouldn't work anyway! Watch you pockets! The shops are full of 'genuine' high fashion label stuff (believe that and you'll belief anything!) But it is all very cheap and not necessarily rubbish. Always bargain, of course.
Our taxi man is someone my bf always uses and he fell in with everything we wanted to do. It was a great day out and loads of pics were taken. Lovely scenary en route and weather was perfect. The temple is a 'must see' and hot springs fascinating. Glad I didn't rush to get my 'O-A' (or whatever) as this was a very pleasant day out. Recommended to anyone in similar situ. and if you can afford to 'lash out' on a cab, I think it's worth it for the flexibility and a hassle free day.
Regards to all for your tips. David
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I got a 12 month extension 6 weeks ago it was as above except they did not ask to see my bank account. This part could change so i would take your bank book with you.
They did not want proof of income they wanted a letter from the consul confirming the income
I was told I needed to have a letter from my Thai bank certifying my Thai bank balance, etc. Went to CM branch of my bank and was told 'can not' as I was foolish enough to open my account in their Phetchabun branch!
So as there seems to be some doubt as to the strictness, or otherwise, of verifying/confirming bank balances - depends on who you talk to! - I am now going to do the 'visa run', making a day of it by going in luxury by taxi so we can take in some Chiang Rai siteseeing.
At least this will give me another 90 days to think about the 'Retirement Visa'.
p.s. The retirement visa is a type 'O-A' - and first of all I had to get a type 'O' Multi-Entry visa from the Hull Thai Consulate in the UK.
You CAN NOT get a type 'O-A' outside Thailand only a type 'O' - check this out on the Hull website if you don't believe me. After you get your type 'O' in the Uk, and you have been in Thailand for at least 60 days, THEN you can apply for a type 'O-A' (Retirement type). Sorry chaps - but you don't have up to date info if you believe otherwise.
Cheers and take care, David
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Yes, the immigration police colonel, talking at the CM Expats club mtg last month, pointed this out.
I believe he also said that an estate agent acting on behalf of the owner/landlord could do this, if appropriate.
David
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Strong $ is good for the world, and I think we have just seen the beginning of $ run like we haven't seen before. (Let the bulls have their day, week, month, and years)
by the way Brit my late mother has taught me not to use dirty and abusive words when i am forced to listen to bullshit. so i refrain to comment on your statement "a strong dollar is good for the world"
How about if we reword that statement to be "a US$ that doesn't collapse is good for the world", does it ring more true then?
YES, it does!
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I'm a newcomer to CM, and my 1st 90 days on my current multi-entry 'O' visa expires on 5th Nov.
I don't want the hassle of doing a 'border run' and want to apply for retirement 'O-A' visa. I'm 65, have a 'clear' police report from UK, but can't quite show 65,000 baht being credited to my Thai bank account each month, because of the 'crap' exchange rate recently. I do have a small deposit amount as well as my monthly income, and I can show UK sterling pension income exceeding the 65,000. Will this suffice?
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i have to agree Caroline is the best value for the money here and also carries a few difficult products of good quality such as Monterrey Jack, heavy whipping cream or sour cream
I am a recent resident in Chiang Mai. Can you please tell me where I can buy these cheeses? I can't recall seeing them in Tops, but perhaps I just missed them? I really miss my cheese and have only seen Philly as something recognisable!
Thai Banks Asked To Cut Foreigners Atm Transaction Fees
in Thailand News
Posted
Just been in to the Bangkok Bank branch in the main shopping centre here in Chiang Mai and at the Currency Exchange desk used my Barclays Visa Debit Card to take out 30,000 baht - it cost me nothing. Sure Barclays will charge me - usual UK bank rip-off amount but please leave the Thai banks out of it. They are either free or very, very cheap in comparison. What nonsense you guys post on here - get real.