californiabeachboy

Add one. I will be a bit jet-lagged so not responsible for what I might say.

Good Morning, Vietnam.

One of the best movies Robin Williams ever made. And he married his son's nanny, which gave hope to nannies everywhere.

Thanks for the info. I will start with the one near Nana BTS - hopefully I can get by with out the embassy letter, and it is always fun to run the gauntlet at Nana.

I just received my retirement visa and will be coming over to Thailand soon for about a month on this trip. I would like to open a bank account while I am there, and after reading the threads here I think Bangkok Bank is best for me (website in English, ACH transfers from US, etc.). I also learned that the branch you open the accoun at is important. I have a few questions:

1. Can anyone suggest a good branch in Bangkok - easy to get to, somewhere from downtown up to Lad Prao and close to BTS or MRT, and some stafff who speak English? My thought is to open it at the main branch - is that Silom? I stay most of the time in Ari/Lad Prao area, but downtown is fine

2. Do I need a local address? I will be staying at a serviced apartment for part of my stay, and could use that address, but I will be traveling, and once I leave Thailand I will not be in a position to get any mail there. If I need a local address could I give that address then go online and change to my US address when I leave?

3. I assume there wil be no English translation for the docs I will be signing. I have a Thai friend there and for the price of a cheap Thai meal she will be willing to take time off from work and come with me. Is it highly recommended that I bring a Thai person along?

I am mainly doing this so I can have access to local money for a longer trip (1 to 3 months) and then to make the lump sum transfer next year for my retirement visa.

Any suggestions are appreciated. If you want to name names you can send me a pm.

Cheers.

Just go to Bondage-A-Go-Go. South of Mission in San Francsico. You can get more than a face slap, at half the price.

Not that I would know.

Those that ridicule TC's probably haven't seen the bank fees associated with using an ATM. One my first trip to Thailand I used my US debit card for ATM withdrawals and had three fees - the ATM I was using (150 baht), a Foreign transaction fee (another $4 USD from my US Bank (Chase) and another fee charged by Visa/Mastercard. It came to about 8 USD in fees for each withdrawal, no matter how much you withdraw.

I now use TC's often, When I went into the local Bank near my hotel (Kasikorn) they charged me a 30 baht fee, and the rate is better than cash.

My suggestion is that there are some cards that waive or reimburse the ATM fees - Schwab is one, so you should consider that if you will be traveling often.

TC's may not be cool these days, but at least in my experience, they can come in handy.

Just to confirm what has been said above, I know it is Golden Gate Park because when I ran the Bay to Breakers I think I went by there, but I was gasping for air at the time, so not sure.

Not to be confused with Levi Strauss, who invented Levi jeans.

Years ago I listened to an interesting radio program in which they interviewed a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal disease (AIDS, back in the day when that was a death sentence). After a couple of years she discovered that she didn't have the disease. She was obviously relieved, but she said that when she thought she only had a few years to live, her life was so simple - live in the moment. Then when she found out she wasn't dying, her life became much more compicated - should I buy a house?, what kind of mortgage should I get?, should I go back to school, buy a new car, etc.

The big problem with worrying about running out of money is that it will make your life much more complicated.

Thanks guys, I am going to try it - something different.

I am planning my annual cool weather trip to Thailand and I am thinking about staying during Christmas and returning sometime between Christmas Day and New Year's Day. I have done this route several times (San Diego - Los Angeles - Bkk and return) but never over the holidays.

Obviously returning in late December to the US will be busier, but I have read some comments that it is not too bad because most of the people that are in Asia for Christmas stay over New Year's Day, so the big crunch comes a few days after the New Year. Any thoughts on just how bad it is to travel (security lines, congested airports, etc) during the last few days of December from Bangkok back to the US, compared to November?

For info right now I am seeing about 1600 USD return on Cathay Pacific economy, which includes the feeder flight San Diego - LAX. (I can knock 100 USD off that by flying back on Christmas Day). I want to use CX because I am Marco Polo silver member get some perks.

Thanks

P.S. Sorry about the headline - how do you edit the headlines here??? US and NYD

You might have a reaction with toothpaste. Most toothpastes have sodium lauryl sulfate (just google it).

I now use Dentiste which is more expensive but haven't had any ulcers or tender gums for ages. As far as I know this toothpaste doesn't have the SLS in it.

I agree with this. I occasionally get what I call canker sores - not life threatening but really really annoying because it hurts to eat! When I stopped using toothpaste (and some mouthwashes) with sodium lauryl sulfate, they were reduced by over 50%. I have been told that sodium lauryl sulfate is what makes the toothpaste foam, but it also eats away at the lining in your mouth and makes it easier for cuts to turn into sores.

Thanks for the responses.

I think there are two things I am stuck on. One is the weather, often discussed here. I notice that many Westerners living in Thailand come from Britain and Northern European Countries, and I can understand that. If I had a choice between lousy cold weather and lousy hot weather I would choose lousy hot weather every time. In my travels I haven't come across nearly as many Southern Europeans making their home in Thailand (but I have met quite a few Aussies, so maybe that theory has a flaw)

But as others have said, I can deal with the weather. The bigger problem for me is the lack of rules, or the lack of enforcement of the rules. From reading these forums, I think many come to Thailand because they like that. My neighbor here in the US thinks the Western countries are becoming a "nanny" society - trying to protect everyone from everything. But I like traffic laws and leash laws (I can't ride my bike in Thailand because a pack of soi dogs will be on me in a matter of minutes - good for the speedwork though).

I don't want this to sound like an anti-Thailand rant, there are many things I love about Thailand - I have found the people to be warm and friendly, the street food the best in the world, and I have never been asked for money by the police.

But for the moment I think I am a short-timer. That could change, if I meet a sweet, kind-hearted, Thai woman who can take care of me in my advanced years, which is, I believe, how many Westerners ended up living in Thailand.

As a fellow Californian, I do not think you ever adjust to the humidity. But I noticed, as I was standing on the BTS platform in Silom, sweating like a dog in a Korean restaurant, I just stopped thinking about it. I think our genetics never change, but our minds can change. You will never stop sweating, but you will eventually stop thinking about it.

I have been coming to Thailand for a couple of years now, but I am stuck on the third phase..

My first time was for 10 days. Nice warm evenings, very inexpensive, and the Thai woman all thought I was a very handsome man. I could live here.

My second time/phase was for a bit longer (three weeks). Still cheap, still a handsome man, but wow, it sure is hot here. But still, so cheap, maybe I could live here.

My third phase,,,, wait a minute, Iowa is cheap too, but I don't want to live there (apologies to anyone here from Iowa).

After jumping through a few hoops, I just received my retirement visa, and I am making my plans for my next visit. But the strange thing is, even though I can spend as much time there as I want, I still only want to spend a couple of months there. Those damm motorcyclists flying by my ear on the sidewalk, and oh that shocking humidity!!

The point of this is that I would like to know there are others out there who can spend as much time as they want in Thailand, but still only want to spend a few months there. Are there TV people who lived there for a while and then said "great time, I am going back home!"

Cheers.

I will be following this thread as I am in a similar situation, although my winters are not nearly as cold as yours.

You mentioned an "O-A". I just received my O-A (retirement) here in the US and there is no need for visa runs. There is only a 90 day reporting requirement, in which you go to the local immigration office and report where you are living - no need to go anywhere. I am told you can even do it by mail.

The one problem I see is the short time frame to rent an apartment. In my search (Internet) I find anything less than a six month lease can be a problem for some landlords. My budget is a bit more than yours (maybe 20,000 to 25,000 baht per month) but I want a pool and a basic kitchen. Others on the ground in Hua Hin maybe can give more specifics as to what you get for your monthly rent budget.

Good Luck.

I don't think you can get a reliable estimate of occupancy of a building by looking at lights on. I look out from my place and its all dark. Yet the building is all sold out

Sent from my HTC One X using Thaivisa Connect App

I have found a number of building like this. I haven't checked in the last 6-months but condos seem to sell out as fast as the build them ... people actually staying there is another story.

Yes, Bangkok seems to me to be an "impulse" market. People from other countries come here for a few weeks, are seduced by the low prices relative to other major cities, and end up buying something. Then they live here for a few weeks/months, and decide they really don't want to live here (wow, it is really hot in Bangkok - all year long!), so they don't live here too much of the year, thus the lights out.

It is so easy to build "up" here, so supply can always be increased, I would think it will always be a long-term soft market, with short-lived booms when money is easy.

I am very familiar with San Francisco and SOMA, and somewhat familiar with Bkk. As someone said, artists in Thailand mostly come from those who do not need to make a living.

I am familiar with Ari neighborhood in Bkk - too trendy and expensive for what you are looking for. But if you go one BTS stop North (Saphan Kwai) or South (Sanam Pao), you will find more working class neighborhoods, and a bit cheaper, but still close enough to get to the other areas of Bkk that may interest an artist.

Good luck

I got the economy and got the emergency exit seat. Oh god, so amazing and very cheap. Best flight i've ever had to Asia. Great airline, highly recommended. Would love to see more flight options from them.

I find requesting the emergency exit seat so risky. Sometimes the seats don't recline in that row--especially next to the window/door. Has something to do with special configuration for the emergency row. Nothing worse than a 10-14 hour flight sitting ram-rod straight up--no matter HOW MUCH leg room!

I can only speak for exit row seats on Cathay Pacific - wonderful! No problem reclining the seats. I could stretch my legs. And they let me plop my carryon in front of me, even though it was blocking the exit door (rest assured, I would have moved it in case of an emergency landing, if I wasn't sleeping).

I like a hotel called Bishop Lei. It is on HK Island just steps from the escalator so you can get to other places easily. Not cheap by Western standards (but HK hotels are shockingly expensive). They have a free shuttle that takes you to the MRT.

I prefer HK Island to Kowloon because it is a part of old HK - mix of East and West.

Google the hotel and you will get tons of info.

Good luck.

So if I want to go from the area around Chiang Mai University, up Canal Road to 700 Year stadium, can I hop on the Orange, or would I have to get a Red and negotiate the price?

Thanks.

Thanks for the info.

After my posting, I did some more research and came across a webpage from the Uniserv department of CMU, which apparently arranges student/staff exchanges with other universities. The page indicates that "outsiders" can use the fitness center for a fee of about 35 baht per visit or 900 baht per month. It did not say whether that allows you to use the other facilities of the University.

I have sent them an email to find out, and will post here if I get any useful information.

Cheers.

I am in the process of applying for my O-A (retirement) here in the US (Los Angeles Consulate).

The Applicaton for Visa form contains one sentence that I do not know how to answer:

"Name and address of guarantor in Thailand"

I have friends in Thailand who can act as references, but I would feel uncomfortable asking them to "guarantee" anything.

I did a search here and found some older comments about just leaving it blank or putting in self, but I am not sure which visa that applied to. It seems to be a "one size fits all" form.

My thought is to just put in "self". I am using the 800,000 baht method and they have my bank statements.

I would appreciate any thoughts.

I am coming over to CM for about three or four months, and looking at some condos to rent near Chiang Mai University.

Does anyone know if you can use the sports facilites at CMU (fitness center, pool, and badminton courts) if you are not student/staff? I don't mind paying a fee.

I sent an email to CMU but didn't get a response.

Thanks for any info.

I speak from experience. I kept dislocating my shoulder, and it hurts!! The problem is (I am no doctor), the sheath that keeps the ball and joint in one place stretches, and it gets worse. Finally, the ultimate - I was in my car, threw my briefcase into the back seat, and my shoulder dislocated, my arm stuck behind the passenger seat. Not pleasant.

I think you should see a doctor - they can staple the sheath to correct the problem. I don't think it is one of those injuries that heals with time and fixes itself.

"rehabilitation" means that the executives can continue to pull money out until there is none left, then no more rehab.

The problem with fitness centers, whether in Thailand or elsewhere, is that the business model is based on getting the money up front, thus the "lifetime memberships". Eventually, it will die.