curtklay

Who is in the picture? Suspect? Victim? Shopper?

My mail up country has been extremely slow since Songkran. International mail that usually takes 2 weeks has been running 4 to 5 weeks. The Thai Postal System was supposedly shut down for a week to relocate computers or something. I'm hoping that is the cause, and that things will get back to normal soon. Right now I'm waiting for 3 packages that were sent the first week of April.

No time to comment. I have to go out and bury my bamboo shoots.

I've never seen a motorcyclist driving the wrong direction in the USA.

No one is saying that the USA is a shining example. But your statistics aren't valid. The average rate of alcohol related deaths in Thailand is 26,000 per year. The population of Thailand is 1/5 that of the US. I think we all saw the latest ranking that Thailand has the second highest number of road deaths in the world, with 26% involving alcohol. The US came in at 97. The Thais extremely poor driving habits, coupled with lots of booze will soon win them the number 1 spot.

What's wrong with these Thais?...Plenty!

It's nice to hear about good and honest people, and the same things happen in almost any country. But when it happens here, one feels compelled to tell everyone about it. That seems to say something about the general state of things.

Just more useless rhetoric from the Big Kahuna.

Drunk driving carnage...smiling cops pointing at dead bodies...just another day in "Paradise".

Sad and sickening.

Sharktooth: You are absolutely correct. Hygiene is beyond belief in Thailand. To be expected with street food perhaps, but not at Rim Ping.

I have seen it at PowerBuy and computer shops. The price was always more than 400 baht. At that price, they can keep it.

Thank you for clarifying, gentlemen. I have never seen that 90 day notification that was posted last year. It certainly is hard to keep up with the "ambiguity and inconsistency" even though I try my best. I use the Nan office, and they seem to make their own rules. They still insist on a medical certificate when doing the annual extension, and require 90 days seasoning of bank funds if doing the combination method. Last year they said my income letter from the US Consulate wasn't fresh enough. When I showed them the new notice (posted on this forum) stating that 6 months was the revised time frame, they asked if they could keep the notice. It would be nice if they posted their idiosyncrasies, but last year they moved their office and didn't inform anyone.

As I said, I mail my notice a few days before the due date. They have never balked, and EMS always gets it there within 2 days. But I strive to be in compliance, and appreciate this new information and will make note of it. I will certainly welcome the new online procedure if it ever becomes universal.

Thanks again to all. I couldn't sleep last night, thinking that Ubonjoe may have made an error! Whew!!

The big stores all seem overly security conscious. At Tesco, I see them body frisking employees as they go out and in for lunch breaks. The pilfering and shoplifting must be much more serious than we know. I just wish the customer service people were as diligent as the security people.

I think some of you are reading the time frame incorrectly. It says the notice must arrive within 15 days before or 7 days after the due date. That doesn't mean it has to arrive or be sent 15 days before the due date. There is a 23 day window. So if the OP's due date is Monday, and he sent it EMS on the prior Friday, he will not be late (aside from the missing sase envelope). He still has 7 days after Monday to be in compliance. I always send mine in about a week before the due date, and have never been told I am doing it wrong.

Am I misunderstanding the comments made by skatewash, big3116, and even Ubonjoe?

When did they move the ocean to Hua Hin or maybe Hua Hin to the ocean?

Isn't Hua Hin on the water? Last time I checked it was?

I think that blue stuff is the ocean.

The article and subsequent posts make the the entire country sound like the center of Hell.

The electronic ballasts work well for me. No more of that annoying buzzing, and when I replace a bulb, I don't have to deal with that plug-in socket that holds the starter crumbling in my hand.

Don't you just love it when people who don't know what they're talking about can't resist posting their comments?

Yes, they do include the shipping cost when calculating the duty.

Also, even shipments by postal service are now being flagged if the declared value is over 1000 baht. My recent experience was a pair of shoes valued at $50 and marked "gift" on the customs form, got nailed for 30% plus 7% VAT. I have never been charged previously on imports shipped by postal service. Just another one of many changes courtesy of the regime.

The postal system used to be an almost sure way to avoid import tax. That has changed with the new government. I recently ordered a pair of shoes from Germany. The declared value was $50 and "gift" was checked on the customs form. I got nailed for 30% import tax and 7% VAT. A year ago, this would have sailed right through. On my receipt, it said anything with a declared value of more than THB 1,000 is subject to import tax and VAT. Also, if the declared value seems suspicious, they have the right to open it and declare the value as they see fit. It's something to consider when shopping Ebay.

Like Pib said, the postal system is still the least likely to get flagged (never go DHL). But it's worth noting that things have changed.

Aahh...there's nothing like smoking a refreshing butt after getting your head smashed in.

Screw trying to reverse the charges. It doesn't cost much to dial direct if you use the 009 prefix as suggested by Khun BENQ. I recently called a US bank direct and talked for 45 minutes. The charge was 200 baht. And do call the number on the back of the card, not the one in the email. You will get everything straightened out quickly and cheaply.

A side note: When I try to call "collect" to a bank, the International Operator will usually tell me "that number does not accept collect calls". So I dial it direct, and the first thing I hear is a recording that says. "Yes operator, we do accept collect calls". Does anybody know why they play that game?

P.S. You don't need a credit card to set up a Skype account, and if you dial toll free numbers, you don't need any money in your account. At least that's how it works for USA 800 numbers.

Thanks for sharing.

Like Headgame said, my TOT has been sluggish lately, but seems OK today.

The wife says it's called "saleeum" or "sadow".

It's happened to me twice in the past few months; always 100 baht, and it's definitely intentional. At 7/11 the clerk didn't even close the drawer. I pointed out the shortage, she pulled out a 100 baht note without looking at the change in my hand, and said "solly". At True Visions shop, the girl gave me the short change, then immediately turned away. When I tried to get her attention, she ignored me. I raised my voice, and another clerk gave me the missing 100 baht, with another "solly".

I am also convinced when they hand you change in a big pile with the receipt and coins on top, they are hoping you will just stuff it in your pocket without counting it, or better yet, spill it on the floor. I never move an inch until I have counted my change.

At Big C, they always count the change twice in plain view before handing it to me. A good policy.