daboyz1

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Unless you are already in Singapore I suggest you go somewhere else to apply for your visa.

If you want a single entry non-o visa you can get one with no financial proof in Vientiane. In Penang Malaysia you could get one by showing 200k baht in the bank or proof of income.

For a multiple entry visa you can get one in Savannakhet Laos with no financial proof or Penang with 400k baht in the bank or proof of income.

Thanks!  I'll go to Savannakhet.  It seems like the easier option.

It appears income is not an option.  They only mention 400k in the bank.  I sent them an email asking for clarification.  I'll come back and post when they respond.  In the interim if anyone could share their experience at the embassy in Singapore, that would be much appreciated.

 Thanks for the link by the way.

In the next few weeks I will be applying for a Non-O based on marriage at the Thai embassy in Singapore.  I did this 10 years ago with the help of a lawyer.  Basically he just filled out the forms, so it was a waste of money.  I'd like to do it on my own this time.

Over the past few months I've been transferring money to my Thai bank for various reasons, but I've sent well over 40k each month for the last 4 months.  I will be starting a new job in Singapore in November that will put me well over the 40k as well.  

My question is, in order to prove income can I show them my past 3-4 months Thai bank statements?  Can I just go to the U.S. embassy and get a letter?  Does the embassy require proof, or is it one of those "raise your right hand" things where they just give you a letter based on what you tell them?  I have an offer letter from the company in Singapore that shows m income.  Will this be helpful in any way?

52 minutes ago, CHRISTIANa9 said:

Hello all, im trying to send money from Singapore to kasikorn bank at nakhon chaisi via internet. Im unable to find the SWIFT code for that particular branch. Can someone advise me how to go about doing it or should i just fill in the forms at the bank counter and leave the rest to the banks. Transfer via internet is cheaper by about $15.

Best regards
 

I don't think you can send it to a particular branch.  You just send it to the bank.

Also, I 'd like to occasionally transfer money from my Singapore bank account to my US bank account.  However, the vast majority of transfers will be from Singapore to Thailand.  Is there a better bank for this?

I reside in the U.S but will be moving to Thailand next week.  I have a Bangkok Bank account as well as a Bank of America account.  I've figured out a free way (except for the incoming fee Bangkok Bank charges) to transfer money from my US bank account to my Thai bank account using Google Wallet and the Bangkok Bank ACH account number in New York.  Now I'd like to know of a way to transfer money from a Singapore bank account to my Bangkok Bank account in Thailand.  I noticed there's a Bangkok Bank branch in Singapore, but when I called them, they said it's not possible to transfer funds between Bangkok Bank accounts in Singapore and Thailand.  This left me scratching my head, but whatever.  

Is there a bank in Singapore that is better/cheaper at this kind of thing than the others?  I've seen talk that have a US dollar account helps somehow.  Not sure.

She had the surgery at the government hospital in Surin.  Apparently an appendectomy is almost an outpatient procedure these days.  Everything went well and she should be released today.  Seems everything was covered, except for a few hundred baht because she got a private room after the operation.

Thanks for everyone's replies!

1 minute ago, Pib said:

Yes, it covers surgeries, medications, wards, ICU, emergency room, follow-on visits, etc.  Now the person does need to use the govt hospital they are assigned to under the 30 baht program unless it's an emergency/gotta do it now type thing.

 

A lot of times in-laws will prefer to go to a private hospital if they have someone who will pay the bill.

It's an odd thing.  I'm offering to pay for the private hospital, but they are insisting on going to the government hospital.  I suppose i should be happy, but I kinda subscribe to the "you get what you pay for" theory.  I'd hate to see something bad happen because this relative is 17 years old.  Not that the age should matter I suppose.

18 minutes ago, Pib said:

Probably not unless they are able to see/copy/physically process the card.  And some govt hospitals don't even accept credit cards; cash only.  

 

Keep in mind, the country's national health coverage program (a.k.a.,  30 baht medical program) would cover the cost if the family member is Thai except any additive/special costs such as a private/semi-private room which would need to be paid for.  

Ok, I thought the 30 Baht thing was just for doctor visits.  I didn't realize that it covered surgeries as well.  Good to know.

I have a family member that needs an Appendectomy in Surin.  They are going to get this done at the main government hospital in Muang Surin.  Can I pay for this with a credit card over the phone?

I use this transfer method about 5 times a month. I still haven't seen a letter. That said I'm in the US. Do they send the notice to the thai address where the account is registered?

"The U.K. could be dethroned by the U.S. as Thailands top tourist source..."

More Americans? Well, that defeats the main reason most American expats are living in Thailand.

This.

You can take your niece abroad without passport legally.She needs ID and xerocopy of birth certificate.

She will get Border Pass at any border check point to Laos.She may stay there 3days/2 nights.It costs about 200B.

For instance - you can take her to Pakse,4000thousand Islands and Wat Phou,In the same manner you can enjoy VienTian/VangVien.

and other border areas;travel by bus,minivan or taksi.

Going to Cambodia is even more simple - she will not need anything,they even do not check her ID.But! - on Cambodia she is allowed to stay only

24 hours in direct border area - it means:casinos,hotels and dutyfree market.It means that ChangJom/Osmach makes sense as well as Poipet and BanPackard.

The one near SiSaket is empty and there is nothing there to enjoy.

I made many trips with family on BorderPass without any problems and little cost.

Recently passport regulations were changed and all family have passports now.I think your niece should apply for passport,she will get it.

Cheers!

Incorrecto info. A valid Thai Passport is required for exiting Thailand and entering Cambodia at Choam Sa Ngam and Choeng Chom border crossing. This was verified this morning.

We visited ChongChom/Osmach border couple of weeks ago.

Thai person can visit casinos without passport,ID is sufficient - info from Thai Immigration;the same we were told in hotels there by receptions:Thai people check-in with ID or passport.

To aid insult to the injury:

Cambodia Immigration do not stamp Thai people passports when they enter Cambodia going to SiemReap and coming back,only Thai stamps:exit

and return.They do not bother with Thai visitors,they do not check them at all.

Bad news: new bus service: Siem-Reap to Osmach is not doing very well,there is morning bus every day,but evening bus - only on weekends.

Good news: casinos are full.

Absolute nonsense. Last year (August) I drove to Siem Reap from Bangkok via Chong Chom/O'smach. Went with my Thai fiancée. Her passport was stamped and in fact, Cambodian immigration charged her 100 Baht and made a mistake in the process (gave her 2 days). At the customs checkpoint 300m from the border her passport was checked (I should have known better to check it myself as I usually do, this was the first time I didn't) and we were made to go back to get it corrected to 14 days.

Khwaibah has been telling us that Thais need passports to cross here for at least 2 years (since the coup started), he lives there so should know quite well.

I don't know what's the big deal about getting a Thai passport anyway, it's just 1000 Baht. Whoever isn't drowning in poverty can afford that, especially those that can afford to travel to another country, Cambodia included. Even more so, anyone who can afford to blow money at a casino isn't poor. 1000 Baht is nothing. Aussies pay almost 10,000 Baht for a passport. Thais are getting off ridiculously easily.

Driving a motorbike at night with no tail lights (I think about 5% of them have working tail lights in Isaan) can not be considered intelligent.

First off I have driven a vehicle without realising the back light had blown many times, I was always taught to check them before moving off, but that does not stop bulbs failing or electrical faults. I am thankful that the big bikes I ride these days tend to have duel back lights so one of the issues does not happen anymore.

But more importantly trying to measure someones intelligence is not going to change the situation. Nobody is going to start fixing it anytime soon either.

The only way is to adopt the way we ride and drive to the system.

I understand the occasional burnt out bulb. That said, that doesn't explain the 80-90% of them that don't have working tail lights. Keep in mind I'm not describing one night's drive in Isaan. This is 100s of nights driving. No tail lights on almost every motorbike. Even a lot of cars fail to turn on their lights. Not sure why.

Point is, it's not safe. Chalk it up to poverty, chalk it up to inadequate education, hell blame Thaksin. I'm sure it results in a lot of unnecessary deaths and injuries.

That's the problem with always looking for fault and blame in others who don't conform to your own rules. Because they are breaking your rule system then they are obviously doing wrong. But if we move beyond the finger pointing it could be said that they are following the rules. If the majority of road users are doing the same thing then that is the rules of the road.

To drive or ride in Thailand the answer is to work within the system, not try to change it. In the UK for years people have blamed SMIDSY's on speeding riders or ignorant drivers not looking. But neither offers a true picture of the situation. For that we need to look at motion camouflage and the limitations of the human brain. Often experienced drivers scan the road less than novices as their previous experience fill more of the picture from memory.

see: The roles of motorcyclists and car drivers in conspicuity-related motorcycle crashes pdf

or: INFLUENCE OF RIDING EXPERIENCE ON GLANCE BEHAVIOR, BRAKE RESPONSE TIME AND DECELERATION RATES BY DRIVERS AND MOTORCYCLISTS pdf

But of course that does not cover the issues on Thai roads. The land traffic act says at a four way junction road users should give way to the left. So due to the complete lack of on-road interactive training, coupled with the poorly constructed theory test containing conflicting and confusing questions, Many road users go back to using the only rule system they know, the one they learned as a pedestrian.

Accidents happen when people are "surprised" by the unexpected. If we want to keep ourselves safe the best way is to limit the surprises. How many times have you been "surprised" by something unexpected? Count your surprises. No Surprise = No Accident้

Thai Safe Rider

Your post could be condensed into 5 of your words "limitations of the human brain "...because here they certainly suffer the most of that. Driving with no lights and many other moronic things they do doesn't make that the new rules of the road,it's simply stupidity which is what explains their almost worst accident statistics on the planet

Just calling people stupid will never address the situation. You can call them what you want, the situation will never change. Not in the near future anyway.

The op was "Three tips for driving in Thailand", how is just calling people stupid a driving tip? If someone believes this life is only part of a greater journey and considers death as only part of "an ongoing learning curve" they maybe they are misguided, but that is not for me to judge. Many christians and muslims believe in an afterlife as well. I personally do not believe it, but I cannot change their beliefs. That is just the way it is.

Driving a motorbike at night with no tail lights (I think about 5% of them have working tail lights in Isaan) can not be considered intelligent.

Don't drive at night out in the country.

I have a friend who's house seems to get flooded every time it rains, and it's causing foundation issues. Can anyone point my in the right direction regarding someone that could take a look at this and possibly fix the issue?

This guy will never see the inside of a jail, unless its on TV.

Last night I'm in Rasi Salai eating dinner and everyone there says it's over. It was last weekend. We happened to run in to a few of the wife's relatives from Yasothon this morning, and they say no its this weekend for sure.

I've never seen such confusion over the dates of an event before. TIT I suppose.

What could go wrong?? The OP could get it wrong. I'm here now in Yasothon on the 7th and am told its not till next week......thats what could go wrong!! Oh well it looks like a relaxing weekend!

We'll I guess that clears that up. I sent an email to TAT and they never responded. I planned for next weekend, so looks like I got lucky.

Well I hope you have accommodation already.......everything seems to be booked out (on internet). Going to try a couple of the resorts on the outskirts on our way home Monday. Shame I was looking forward to it.

What could go wrong?? The OP could get it wrong. I'm here now in Yasothon on the 7th and am told its not till next week......thats what could go wrong!! Oh well it looks like a relaxing weekend!

No dark skinned lovelys then

Are those dates right? I've been hearing 14th and 15th.

I was planning to make a trip there next week. I wonder how long it will stay closed?

You think the 'us and them' thing is unique to Thailand?

Where I'm from, we have a word for outsiders too. Sometimes it's derogatory, sometimes affectionate. Depends who you're talking about.

Seems pretty needy to expect everyone to like you, wherever on earth you might roam. Better just to concentrate on being yourself and hope for the best.

If you spend all your time worrying about what others think of you, I suspect you'll be pretty unhappy.