TravelerEastWest

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

https://www.eyebuydirect.com/

Works now thank you

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I buy good quality prescription distance and reading glasses online, in the US for $30-50 with a nice frame. Same for sunglasses. $10 extra for polarized.

buyeyedirect.com

 

Just say no to nonsensical pricing.

Are they out of business? I ask as their website is for sale - unless I typed incorrectly?

On 3/4/2023 at 2:07 PM, udontomi said:

My Thai wife prefers Shoppee.  I prefer Lazada because it has more ino in English than I have found on Shoppee

The same.

11 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

You don't have a work permit and then a working visa based on that? 

 

Are you getting extensions based on your Thai family and working illegally without a work permit? 

I have a valid work permit good for two years at time normally.

My Thai visa is based on marriage again legal and valid.

I would never consider an illegal visa - but from your question it seems to be an option for you?

11 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

If you work, does your employer not take care of your visa? Mine always did. but I have to do it myself since I retired. 

 

I don't see anything wrong with people using an agent. 

 

 

I am my own employer...

4 hours ago, dlclark97 said:

Not cheap but myself and another friend have used them and they saved up lots.  Using again this year.  New address than shown below but right in the next building.

 

Client Manager

American International Tax Advisors

140 One Pacific Place, Unit 1804, 18th Floor

Sukhumvit Road, Klong toey Bangkok 10110

Phone: +66 81-890-6097

[email protected]

www.aitaxadvisers.com

Are they CPAs? I didn't see any mention on their website.

If they are (enrolled agents etc) they should be much lower than a CPA in cost...

3 hours ago, wmccpa112253 said:

CPA in Chiang Mai with over 20 years experience.

Tell us more.

I am in CM and could not find an active Tax specialist CPA;  only a CPA that seemed to be retired that i could not contact...

23 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

 

3 hours ago, Tropposurfer said:

Acknowledge this 'activity' as being unstoppable through penalty and other suppressive mechanisms.

Provide good free healthcare, nationwide contraception, far better single mother and orphan care, enforcement of patrimony when children are born and left here or there i.e supporting the cultural norm of families living together many generations but not allowing fathers to abandon their children through whatever mechanism they contribute to/create and leave women with babies with zero support, better social, economic, and educational transitioning for all of society not just the 1% who hold all the wealth in the nation.

A well written post...

Good question...

Zero belief in formal religions.

All the courier companies are usually expensive - but find a friend or local business taht has an account with volume discounts the price can drop to less than half the public rate

10 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Wanna have a laugh? I know off topic, but so Thai.

Looks normal to me for the post office - sent registered mail to America recently looked the same...

1 hour ago, Longwood50 said:

That is true if you are doing the 800,000 baht method.  It is not true if you are doing monthly 65,000 baht transfers.  That requires a 1 year statement and Bangkok Bank apparently is still using hand posting in ledger cards.  The branch has to request a statement from Bangkok and it takes about one week.  The statement is printed on an old dot matrix printer like you see in Makro.  The statement comes in paper that has to be burst and decolated. That means the sheets run continuously and have to be manually ripped apart and the perforated holes on the side of the paper stripped away. 

I have not seen equipment like that in over 30 years.  I find it amazing that I can go into a store open my phone and pay a bill based on a QR code but then go into a branch that can not look up my account history.  I started working for a bank in 1972 and we had better technolgoy than that 50 years ago. 

What you say sounds accurate.

I do not know anything about 800,000 baht methods (perhaps for retirement?) or 65,000 baht transfers - I normally have 400,000 in my bank account for 3 months and it is enough for immigration - now that I think about it I did need to order a 1 year statement once for my corporate account - I don't remember why - maybe for my annual audit? Anyway it did take time and i did have a problem for a moment with a commerce department statement that was required during COVID - why I needed the certificate - I don't know... But I told the bank manger taht i was not going to wait in line during COVID and she quickly understood and got the form for me online. All this happened in English - in a foreign country which was a good thing...

Just now, norbra said:

Yeah take your friendly bank manager to immigration for a chat  so the manager can be made aware of what immigration requires of him and his branch 

Simples

In 20 years I have never once had a problem with a letter or statement - so I would say that experienced bank managers in big cities know what immigration needs - from experience.

Not sure about small town banks in the countryside...

8 minutes ago, norbra said:

He doesn't want another branch he wants an alternative bank

Thank you for your comments - you are very focused in your ways - I would make a joke and suggest that you are an accountant but actually most accountants that I know are clever and like thinking creatively.

1) My guess is that he wants an alternative that works; if he could stay at his current branch and have his manager there take care of him - he would probably be happy but if not he can speak and act for himself. he might be so upset with the bank that no matter what he wants a new account.

2) I very much appreciate it when someone takes the time to offer a positive suggestion that might even work - if it is off course or outside the box a bit, so much the better.

24 minutes ago, Longwood50 said:

Well that is not saying a lot.  I have worked for major banks in the USA for over 30 years.  In 1972 I worked for a regional bank, very small by today's standards.  We could print a bank statement for a customer at any branch any time immediately.  

I have been with Bangkok Bank now for 4 years.  Each time you qsk anything it is like the customer service person has never heard the qustion before.  They must have thousands of expatriates who require bank statements and guarantee letters, yet they have that look like a deer in the headlights of a car.  Totally blank stares. 

One way or another this nonsense about only being able to get information at the branch you opened it at is ridiculous.  What if the person lived in Chaing Mai and moved during the year to Phuket.  Even if they opened a new account in Phuket some of those transactions would still be on the old account.  Does Bankgok bank really expect someone living in Phuket to have to drive to Chaing Mai to order a statement and then drive there and back again to retrieve it.  Given my experience there is little to no chance that even if someone was willing to do that, they would get the right papers and statements the first trip. 

I agree 100% with you service in banks these days is not very good - including Bankbook Bank and most of the US banks taht I have visited (which is few and none in person recently) We could discuss the pros and cons for a long time but as you know banks we don't need to...

I go to the same branch of Bangkok bank all the time and don't have problems. I can get an immigration letter and bank statements and be in and out in about 15 minutes. But i use my home branch and know the tellers and manager. Very simple old fashioned business practice to know who your are dealing with I think you will agree?

As for your moving example I don't think it will normally be an issue as you only need I think around 3 months of a bank balance (and immigration will probably accept two letters and bank statements if you want to show them six months - but if it was going to be an issue again go see your friendly local bank manager before you go and explain and ask him to help. 99% chance he will help you - it is his job.

2 hours ago, norbra said:

The op is looking for alternatives not testimonials

You are correct - and if you reread my post carefully you would see that my point is that it is all about the people so the implied alternative is to go to another branch or create a relationship with the bank manager. or both...

39 minutes ago, Everyman said:

I am not aware of any US bank that will do an international ACH transfer. Only domestic ACH and wire transfers. Bangkok Bank will reject domestic ACH as per their new policies to comply with stupid new laws.

At the moment Schwab is as you say - not able to do an I-ACH - but they told me last week that they could, as they are merging with Amritrade which does offer this service - or so they said. turned out the staff person I spoke with jumped the gun a bit...

From what i was told the issue is just one of formatting - so just an expense not an impossible issue....

But if the transaction takes more than lets say three days then a wire is just fine as it only costs $15 for $10,000 (with Schwab) and maybe it would be $10 with an I-ACH transfer so not a big savings.

23 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Been with Bkk Bank for 12 years with no problems whatsoever.

Bangkok bank so far is the best bank I have used in Thailand in the last 20 years or so...

Update - my money was returned to my Schwab account and I was able too end a wire - cost $15 to Scwab and a small fee to BKK.

The Ameritrade merger is moving along and soon Schwab in theory should be able to do I ACH transfers...

Charlie,

Thank you for moving the post!

Bangkok Bank US Int ACH transfer -how many days?

A few years back I used to ACG bank transfers from America to Thailand via Bank Bank New York - then it became difficult so i switched to wire transfers from Schwab.

Ended up being very quick and about $15 a time - usually $10,000.

Recently Schwab started doing Bangkok Bank Int ACH transfers again. I sent one a few days ago which has not yet arrived.

Anyone know how long till it hits my local Bangkok bank account?

Thank you?