Surasak

Currently Nationwide charge £25.00 on a SWIFT transfer. They use HSBC as the intermediery bank with the total charge still being £25.00. However, be very careful because other charges have mysteriosly come at a later date and can be a further £20.00 Again, ONE month later another £20.00 has been known to be charged. Nationwide insist these extra charges are from the receiving bank, but when checking this, it is found not to be the case. I am refering here to a transfer from Nationwide to Bangkok Bank. The dispute is now in the hands of the UK Financial and Banking Ombudsman. Be warned!!!

I just bought an Asus fonepad FE170 @ 4190Baht I consider it a bargin. Twin SIM and 64Gig Micro card it is a very useful phone/tablet. My 12 year old daughter thinks its the bees knees so I'm well pleased if she is.

From personal experience, although a few years ago, an international permit is valid for 90 days from date of arrival. If you have a motocycle licence from your home country and the international permit it may be possible to aquire a Thai licence. You would need a doctors note from any local clinic or hospital, a confirmation of your Thai address from immigration, but I very much doubt you would be granted the licence on a tourist visa. If I'm wrong here, I feel sure someone will correct me.

So is he is saying, "All water in each establishment has been passed by the management"

Everything will be fine as long as the chaos of Khon Kaen traffic is not use as the model.

Violence against suspected criminals or even proven criminals seems to be the norm here. I have seen a few arrests where the arrested male is punched and kicked while held down on the ground handcuffed. Irrespective of the arrested persons guilt or innocence, violence cannot and should not be justified except in extreme cases where the suspect is himself violent. Where violence is used by arresting officers it shows a total lack of training and discipline.

When I see and read of these sad but avoidable incidents, I can't help but think the UK health and safety guys could have a very high rate of employment in LOS. The whole Thai attitude is one of, "We've always done it this way, why should we change"! Education, Education, Education. Until the system is change, these kind of incidents will continue. Unfortunately it will most probably not be in my lifetime.

The Dear General should gather up the program makers for all TV stations and ask them if any of them have a brain big enough to think of something more interesting and intelligent to make programs about. These people get paid good money to come up with endless streams of banal garbage and have the audacity to call them programs.

One wonders if it is all part of the plan to keep the natives dumbed down, which is something that has been successfully achieved now for several decades. Time for a new beginning in so many ways and ridding the public of this TV trash would be a good start.

The Dear General has one of the finest weapons available in the Thai soaps. If properly structured they could be used to re-educate the Thai's. On the other hand, is that a good idea?

It is not true. Whether or not a foreigner living in Thailand needs a visa to enter another member country of ASEAN depends on his nationality and on the country he intends to visit, regardless of the status of his permission to stay in Thailand.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks for the info Maestro. I thought it a little odd when it was said to me but as with many things, it pays to ask around.

I have heard that as of 1st January 2015 it will be possible for expats with appropriate visa extensions to visit other Asean countries without first acquiring a visa to enter that country. Has anyone any idea if this is true and if so are any details available?

I also understand a re-entry permit will still be required for return to Thailand as normal.

Any info would be appreciated.

Many thanks

You know when there is something wrong in the education system when the girl at the counter needs a calculator to figure the change for an 85 baht pack of smokes and you hand her a hundred baht note.

Also the look of complete confusion when given 105Baht for the same 85Baht purchase.

With Dtac I was getting promo SMS at all times of the day and night. I went to their shop in central Plaza and complained quite politely that they were invading my privacy. That was 10 month ago, haven't had any since.

A few months ago a perfectly good road was dug up and then raised some 30Cm higher. This road is now a complete mess due in part to inferior materials being used and then heavy lorries using it as a cut thru to a building site. Why was a perfectly good road dug up in the first place? why were inferior materials used in construction? Why were the lorries allowed to use this road and why can the building company not be made responsible for the damage? Good questions which will never be answered by those responsible me thinks!

Totally agree, this is blatant racial discrimination. It has happened to me on few occasions and I just vote with my feet. A guy in Chiang Mai did relent but it took him 20 minutes to realise he was out of pocket but I did not give him the satisfaction. Where ever possible I send the wife or my son to do the shopping in places I feel we may be double charged but in the attractions or National parks I just refuse to surrender to their theft.

You may agree, so you're wrong too, not racial.

Please explain how it is not racial? If I looked to be from a S.E.A. country I could very possibly get the Thai price, but because I am obviously Caucasian I am charged the higher price. Whichever way you look at it, it is racial.

Totally agree, this is blatant racial discrimination. It has happened to me on few occasions and I just vote with my feet. A guy in Chiang Mai did relent but it took him 20 minutes to realise he was out of pocket but I did not give him the satisfaction. Where ever possible I send the wife or my son to do the shopping in places I feel we may be double charged but in the attractions or National parks I just refuse to surrender to their theft.

A Friend of mine has had the same happen to him. The UK bank was Nationwide BS the Thai bank was BKK. The internet banking statement clearly showed a deduction from his UK bank in sterling at the rate of £20. When applying for funds to be transferred there is a question as to which bank should pay any additional charges and we have always stated the Nationwide. We both use the same one in UK. As I have not as yet had to transfer funds myself I am not sure what will happen as I use Krung Thai bank. However, a double dose of transfer fees is I think, going a bit beyond a joke.

The OP appears to know something about Thailand and where he would like to reside. I would suggest a six month stay in you chosen area with days out to explore other, possibly cheaper options. As others have said, it is doable, but don't burn bridges until you are sure. Health care could become a major problem especially as we get older and should be a priority consideration. Someone has said about having the pension transferred to a Thai bank direct from DWP. I would look into this as I believe the exchange rate given is not as good in this case. No doubt someone will correct me if I am wrong.

What a novel idea, considering public opinion?

Wonder if that will catch on?

Yes it is a novel idea and it would be very nice if it did catch on, and not only here in Thailand. There are a few other countries which would possibly do better to think like this.

It is possible to renew a UK driving licence while living in Thailand, I did it almost a year ago now, in fact 27/6/2013. The only problem I had was the dispute regarding a new photo. But because my passport is still valid until 2016 this was overcome easily enough. All the authorities know I live in Thailand so I was not trying to hide anything by using a UK address. Having sent off the relevant paperwork the new licence was duly returned to me three weeks later. So sorry to say I do dispute this particular item in your thread.

You committed a criminal offence when you applied to renew your licence and stated that you were a UK resident. It matters not that you think "all the authorities know I live in Thailand" You filled in the form, and you stated that you lived as a resident in the UK, and later signed stating that what you had written was correct. Renew your driving licence

Renew your driving licence online with DVLA if you have a valid UK passport issued in the last 5 years. Apply using your Government Gateway ID. If you don’t have one or need to re-register, you’ll get an ID as part of your application.

What you need to know

Start now on driving licensing online

• Before you start
• What you need to know
• Other ways to apply

You can’t apply online if your name has changed or if you want to renew a 5-year bus or lorry licence.

To apply online, you need to:

• have a valid UK passport issued within the last 5 years
• be a resident of Great Britain - there’s a different service in Northern Ireland

In fact I did nothing of the kind. I phoned the DVLC and they sent me the forms to my address in Thailand. I do not and have not had an address in the UK for the past 8 years and neither did I use a relatives address. If the DVLC, having sent me a replacement licence then it is they who are at fault not I. So, may I suggest you ask the questions instead of making unfounded accusation?

It is possible to renew a UK driving licence while living in Thailand, I did it almost a year ago now, in fact 27/6/2013. The only problem I had was the dispute regarding a new photo. But because my passport is still valid until 2016 this was overcome easily enough. All the authorities know I live in Thailand so I was not trying to hide anything by using a UK address. Having sent off the relevant paperwork the new licence was duly returned to me three weeks later. So sorry to say I do dispute this particular item in your thread.

Might I suggest PROSCAR (finasteride MSD) 5 mg once per day. Available from a good pharmacy. I would recommended seeing a urologist before doing so as there may be other complications.

Good luck to Him. He is the Abe Lincoln of Thailand.

....or Pol Pot. Time will tell.

'The constitution was replaced after 2006 with one intended to curb Thaksin's electoral influence.

"This time, the constitutional changes will be more thorough," Thai politics analyst Paul Chambers said.

He said measures could include "electoral gerrymandering, even more power granted to the judiciary, and finally -- and most ominously -- more power granted to the army." Centnews.com 24.05.14

Got to be one smart constitution next time to curb Mr T?

Maybe there is a lot going on that one is not allowed to discuss?

Thailand is changing but some are trying to hold onto a past.

Mr T could be curbed quite easily by revoking his passport. I'm sure that is possible.

I have a feeling this general is being shown the way?

A few months ago I made an enquiry regarding car hire on a Thai licence to a company in Poole Dorset. I was assured it was possible as the licence was printed with both Thai and English language. Had it been only Thai they would reuse the hire even with a citified translation.

Asking a bit much I know, but why are there not dedicated bus lanes. Any infringement by other road users incurs a fine. Keeps the traffic moving and busses have it all their own way. I'm dreaming of course!