tooninthai

3 weeks back in the UK.

Weather cold, damp, miserable and snow at times.

So many shops and businesses closed.

Beer prices high on average.

People constantly complaining about life there.

And more .....

Ahhhh, it was good to get back to Thailand !!

Best exchange rates are usually found at the airport. So if you want to bring cash, exchange it there.

visa charge ridiculous rates for withdrawals from ATM + Thai banks wanting their 150 Baht on top.

Travellers cheques are not a cheap option either.

Not always that easy to open a new bank account without an O or similar visda in the passport.

Who told you that?Is it your experience??I think you mix-up seling/buying rates.

In LOS Airport - rate is not to bad,but always little bit worse,then in town.

There are ATMs,which do not charge service fee - from finance company AEON

OP comes with wife here - he can use her account for transfer or local deposit.

The diff between ATM and money changers are noticable if you change much(,if you buy house or car),

then you can find branches of the same bank offering better rates and it makes sense to shop around

or go to SuperRich and try to bargain.

Have a ChockDee and be mindfull.

Personal experience.

2 hours 30 minutes stopover for me.

Maybe depends on the flight you book. Overall an hour longer than Etihad for Lon - BKK. Worth saving £100 + for an hour - pays for the train tickets (UK) and the fuel here to get home and have a few baht left over for a celebratory beer

All those men wearing 'pretty pink'

Best exchange rates are usually found at the airport. So if you want to bring cash, exchange it there.

visa charge ridiculous rates for withdrawals from ATM + Thai banks wanting their 150 Baht on top.

Travellers cheques are not a cheap option either.

Not always that easy to open a new bank account without an O or similar visda in the passport.

I think you will find very little difference between Oman and Etihad. Enjoy the trip

Today Thursday 11 Feb 2010

I and the g/f walked into Bangkok Bank branch to open an account. The man at the desk went off to talk to a superior and the g/f heard them talking. The discussion was, basically, that they did not know what to do to open the account. They sent us down to the main branch where everything was done without a hitch.

Passport only for me and I.D. from the g/f.

Non O visa for 1 year.

Account in my name only.

Verified I can go to the bank and use my Barclays Bank visa card to transfer funds. Now no need to use ATMs at an average cost of 2,800 Baht per month !! Saving on the % charged by Visa and also on the 150 Baht fee each time.

Added bonus.

I was given a 100,000 Baht life insurance policy valid for one year. Part of a special promotion on offer.

Further, as I am a UK resident, I can also transfer funds from my Barclays account in the UK to the London branch of Bangkok Bank.

I am happier now

edit - to add I have 1 year Non O visa.

I just wanted to say that I flew to the UK and back with Oman Air. Booked here in Thailand for the return trip. £480 including taxes.

Service was very good. Flights on time. Airbus with tv on the seats. Food very acceptable. Friendly staff.

An e-mail query was answered same day too.

The one let down was Muscat Airport. But you can't have everything

Every bit as good as Etihad who I refused to use this time because of their higher prices and with whom I have now lost my Silver status - no great loss at near £700 for the same flight to Heathrow.

I came in on Oman Air at 7 p.m. on Tuesday and there were no queues at all.

Oddly enough, I was met off the plane by some Thai airport 'official' who waltzed me down to passport control with the intention of getting me through quickly - though he was not needed as the queues were non-existant.

Same person took me to baggage claim and got my bags for me.

Seems my name was lifted off the computer for this service. Very nice of them to pick me at random.

farmerjo - Thanks for that. It helps to have independent confirmation. It looks like I will be letting her take over the land. Had a look at it today and it is as stated.

gotlost

As for paperwork, that is all in the hands of family which leaves no worries there.

This is a small start up. Once I am confident and happy things are running smoothly I am happy to let her take on more in the future and I can become a farmers husband LOL.

I am hoping some of you who are into farming might be able to give me some insight into this.

The girlfriend is wanting to earn a few Baht and has been offered two lots of land from a relative. 1 of 10 Rai for rice and also 5 Rai of land that has recently planted Sugar cane on it.

This is obviously not meant to be a vast money making machine and these questions relate to the 5 Rai of Sugar cane. I'll hopefully come back on the rice questions later.

I am not into farming in any way so please excuse my ignorance in these matters

She has been offered the 5 Rai of land and given me the following information (and I would like some idea if this information is realistic as I will be paying the initial outlay. Also I do not want her and myself to be wasting time, effort and money if the quoted figures are way off the mark.)

The land will be at her disposal for 3 years.

1 Rai @ 1000 per year rent = 5,000 Baht total for 5 Rai

5 Rai of baby sugar cane plants 15,000 Baht

Fertilizer @ 2,000 Baht per year for the 5 Rai

Planting by vehicle 5,000 Baht for 5 Rai

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I am led to believe the local factory buy sugar cane at 70,000 for the 5 rai, but that this may be reduced by up to 10,000 if the sugar cane is not good quality.

As these are new plants I am led to believe they will not need to be replaced in years 2 and 3.

There is no cost given for water as it is included. The reason being that the the relative is absorbing the cost of watering the plants and the 'local man' will water the plants when the relative has hers done.

The same relative has another 25 Rai of adjoining land that also has sugar cane on it and this small scale scheme is seen as a way of helping the girlfriend out financially as the family do not want me to be supporting her constantly for every little item.

Any informed insight would be welcome. Thanks.