Saghalien

Hi. This is the OP here. I got my son to put 20 Baht in a AIS machine and I got a month extra. So it looks like I don't need to fly over to sort everything out. Thanks to all for the advice .

I have internet banking with KTB. Also I have two teenage children in Isaan who I support while they go through college.

My son and daughter also have KTB accounts and it used to be very simple for me to transfer money to them. Now as an extra measure of security, KTB starting making OTP (one time password) mandatory every time you send money. [ The bank has your mobile number, when you press "transfer" on KTB website they send you a 6 digit code to your mobile which you enter into their web-page to allow the money transfer to procede ].

Now the problem is I now live in the Philippines. I have a Thai SIM from AIS which I drop into my phone when I want to do any bank transfers in Thailand. I was looking at my computer calendar recently and saw "AIS SIM validity expires" on the 9th of next month [ December ]. I guess the SIM (which I bought in Thailand of course) was one of these time-limited tourist SIMS. Does anybody know of any way that I can extend my SIM's life ?

I could get my son in Udorn to buy me a new SIM and sent it out to me. I think for that to work I would have to send my KTB bank card to him and he would have to go to a KTB ATM and update my registered phone number. The problem with this is that many things can go wrong ... the Philippine postal system is not the best.

I really don't want to make a trip to Thailand just to buy a new SIM and sort out this problem. Has anybody got any suggestions ?

Thanks for all the input guys. I will try Avander's solution as soon as I arrive in Thailand.

               Thanks ...

Hello

     I have a banking problem which I hope somebody can give me advice for.

I have two teenage children going to college in Udon Thani (their mother and me separated five years ago). Now all three of us have accounts at the KTB and it was very easy for me to give them money as need, though the KTB online banking facility.

    All well and good until about a year ago when KTB increased their security. Now when ever I want to do an online banking transfer I receice a six digit code on my mobile phone which I must input to my computer in a certain time frame. 

    The problem is, nowdays I spent most of my time outside Thailand.

   I will be arriving in Thailand on the 24th for two weeks. When I arrive I shall try …

1) To go to my local KTB and ask them if they can stop the extra security on my account. (I don’t expect any joy here).

2) Go to other banks and see if their online banking systems don’t involve mobile phones. 

3) Look into mobile phone roaming. I have a mobile phone but am not so up to date with things mobile, I am afraid. My iPhone only has one SIM slot.

Hopefully somebody here can help me. Interested in a banking solution first.

OK guys ... thanks for the information.

I am a British National who has spent a lot of time in Thailand. In fact I have two teenage kids in the North East.

Two years ago I married a girl from Mindanao. She has qualified in Hotel and Restaurant Management and is keen to work.

She has a job offer from a 5 star resort up near Chiang Mai. The thing is, this resort has never employed a non-Thai before and I don't think that the manageress of the resort or the owners of the resort have any idea about how to get her a work visa.

Should she start working on a 30 day visa-on-arrival (extendable once, for another 30 days ... right ?) and we will try and get things sorted out later or would it be best for the resort to sort out all the paperwork before hand. I believe that the resort must take the initiative on this. Is that right ?

Also I am aware that there is meant to be changes coming after the new year.

Why oh why must everything be so complicated :-(

Hi

About two years ago my Thai girlfriend got involved with a direct selling company called Gold U Gold. Also at the same time she bought a small car on credit to help her get around on business. It was a Chery (Chinese) she bought. 69.000 Baht down (8%) and 6,800 Baht a month for six years. I tried to dissuade her as it was obviously a pyramids scheme and I could not see Gold U Gold continuing to grow as it was for six more years. Well she never listened to me (would you believe that) and the car went back to where it came from about a week ago.

All fair enough and no problem. But now she reckons she is on a credit blacklist and can not leave the country. I was hoping to take her to the UK next summer with our two kids to see my 82 year old Mum for one last time.

Now I don't know how credit works in Thailand (or the UK for that matter). I can see that Finance companies would get together and have a "blacklist" but why would the immigration people have this blacklist and stop people leaving the country ? Also I can not see the Finance company or the Chery distribution company being out of pocket. I would have thought they had both made a small profit from the whole thing.

Does anybody have any comments on the above ? I tend to think that my girlfriend has been given a bit of bad information, but I wouldn't like for us all to be heading to the UK on holiday, only for the Misses to be apprehended at immigration. Just a little bit stressful ...

Moved to here.

Hi L.B.

Yes we have been in Ban Phue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphoe_Ban_Phue) for about four and a half years.

Before that we stayed in Chiang Mai but got out of there because of worsening traffic. We are also happy in Isaan :-)

Hello

I want to take my son (11 years old, Thai citizen and Thai passport) and my daughter (7 years old, Thai citizen and Thai passport) together with their mother (i.e. my long time Thai partner who I have never got round to marrying) to the UK for a 3 weeks holiday this summer.

Could somebody tell me what process I will have to go through in order to get them all UK visa's.

We all live up in Isaan out in the sticks.

Thanks for the info guys.

Mmmm ... I do not usually travel to Thailand with a ticket back out.

If I was to ask the company that I work for to buy a ticket ... say Bangkok to Vientianne sometime next month ... then once I was in Thailand, just tell the girl in the office to cancel the flight and get a refund.

Do you think this would work ?

Hello

I am a British National who turned 50 a few months ago.

I am working in the Gulf of Mexico but expect to return home to Thailand soon.

In my new passport I have Thai stamps that show I have been in Thailand from 30 July to 8 Sept

and from 11 Sept to 15 Dec 2009. During these two periods I had an O non immegrant visa which has now expired. I will probably be flying into Suvannabhumi around the 22 of this month. I have calculated that on the 22nd, out of the past 180 days I will have spent 138 in Thailand.

The question is ... will they give me 30 days when I arrive at the airport or must I try and get a proper visa ?