KhunBENQ

Died 2012? No, it's Chalerm Yoovidhya. And WiKi claims 20 billion USD? All numbers reflect single persons while they usually form big families worth much more. Just distributed among heirs. The "CP family" Chearavanont (7/11, True, Makro, Lotus's, CPF, Chinese car brands etc.etc.) is surely more then 30 billion USD.

My primary SIM is AIS. Second one DTAC for internet on the road. And DTAC almost everywhere has lower signal strength than AIS. Short outages during trips up here to Khon Kaen and Udon with DTAC. I am quite certain that AIS still has better coverage.

Wonderful. How I missed that: early morning, coach stopping on beach rd. Chinese in bath suites/speedos, flip flops and towel crossing the road (full stop, closed group not care for traffic coming), having a dip and then back to bus for next attraction.

If you want to go by bus, at least look for a company that has a fairly good reputation: Nakhonchai Air They have buses from their Bangkok terminal to Nong Khai. Gold Class (VIP) 32 10.15 20.14 First Class 30 19.50 05.30 Gold Class (VIP) 32 20.30 05.27 30/32 is the number of seats. No swaying double deckers. https://www.nakhonchaiair.com/view/busroute-กรุงเทพฯ-13-หนองคาย 600 to 800 Baht. Their terminal in Pattaya is here: https://goo.gl/maps/xJYqjTxxr31DFYhHA I haven't checked but quite sure you can also go from Pattaya to Bangkok with them. Go to their terminal and ask. From Nong Khai after Thai immigration there is a 20 or 30 Baht bus over the bridge. On the Laos side there are taxis (or minibuses as far as I know) after Laos immigration. Short ride.

You can try to open an account with them. The agricultural bank (BAAC) up here? No thanks, branch often completely crowded, mass gatherings waiting under gazebos on the premises. And branch network probably quite thin nationwide?

Some of my comments are simply based on local observations. But what can I think if Bangkok Bank withdraws from shopping centers, biggest bank and no ATM, no micro branch at the mall? All ATMs in the region shabby old aged. Often defunct. At the same time SCB fancy modern machines.

I doubt that the garantuee is worth a penny if one of the big 5 (6) private banks goes bankrupt. Bangkok Bank Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) KrungThai Kasikornbank ("K-bank, Thai Farmers Bank") Bank of Ayudhya ("Krungsri") ttb (merger of TMB + Thanachart) Bangkok Bank, the biggest (the "Chinese"). Currently shrinking their network and employee base heavily. SCB is "Royal". KrungThai is THE "state" bank, bank teller of the Revenue Department, paying all government employees, paying "old age" pensions etc. etc. Not very foreigner friendly from what I read. Often very crowded branches. Kasikorn, very modern, "fancy". Also heavy shrinking expenses for branch network, employees, ATMs etc. ttb former TMB, M for military. I don't how much military they are. Seem modern but don't know how foreigner friendly they are. E.g. in Khon Kaen they post on the door "no currency exchange", kind of exceptional. I have accounts with Bangkok Bank, SCB and Kasikorn. No problems worth mentioning except broken machines, the antiquated bank book system.

Do you have 220 V supply in Mexico? 110 V, 4 5 kW is roughly 40 A! You must have serious cabling there. Is the electricity net (state monopoly?) generally reliable and able to supply the needed power? We have a 4.5 kW, 220 V here and with the fairly cool temperatures it's fighting to get warm water not to say hot. Do you have morning temperatures of 14 C? With "Pattaya climate" I would assume 4.5 kW is good enough for a normal shower head. If you need it turbo strong massage shower maybe not.

Always wondered why there is so little to find for Phuket live cams while for Samui there are excellent cams which I never experienced down. (rough weather/surf there now ????).

Slight technical problem ,????

Showing the speed of 114 is not the smartest move. 24 over the limit in the night on unlit road. Totally careless. There are countries where you would be heavily penalized just for that. And killing a pedestrian from this negligence would bring you to prison.

You have opened two threads now and I am confused. Other thread says "visa run". But your question seems about domestic flights Udon Thani -> Don Mueang -> Surat Thani with a one hour layover at Don Mueang?

Don't know whether AirAsia is better but my experiences with Thaismile lst year were bad. Two examples: Flight reschedule announced three hours before departure. Delay of more than 2 hours in the afternoon. It has never been that bad during COVID. And one hour from domestic to international with immigration checkpoint? I would not risk it. On the other hand: didn't find any delayed arrival of AirAsia at Don Mueang today(!). Where you come from, where you go to?

Travelled domestically10 times during COVID times (any many more since 2011) to different hotels and never done TM30. No complaints at immigration/90 day report. First time was after border run to Laos and applying for Non-O at immigration.

Possible since long. Did it in July 22. Can't comment on visa, I am visa exempt. At the time no checks for COVID vax. In the meantime there were reports that Laos checks vax. status. I am not up-to-date on that.

Last time must be a while ago. Rule has changed. Medical cert. for every new/renewal since maybe 3(?) years (could look it up).

At our office (Khon Kaen province) always yes. I have book and pink card. Both with me and copies. From another post today: two original medical cert. needed. No copy (I had done only motorcycle license today)

Easy walk in today here in upcountry. 12h in, apply. Wait until 13h for test. Out 13:50h. https://aseannow.com/topic/1283526-drivers-licence-renewal/?do=findComment&comment=17848384

Thai bureaucraZy at it's best ????

That has changed by new rule. Maybe two or three years ago. Always needed (makes some sense).

Done. 11:30 at the doctor, certificate, 100 Baht. 12:00 walk in at DLT (no queue/appointment). Copies of passport, yellow book, pink card. Medical cert, old DL, eLearning QR printout. Told to come back 13:00(!). About 15 applicants for tests. Colorblindness Reaction Depth perception Picture taken 13:50 out with new DL. 255 Baht. That's how it works out here.

Seems to depend on what machine is defect or not ???? Years ago there was color blindness and reaction test. Watch some people at reaction and wouldn't want to have them driving behind me ????

Mandatory? Maybe not but then you have sit at the office tutoring and watch age old videos in Thai?

It's the "DLT eLearning" where you register: https://www.dlt-elearning.com It consistent of four videos, two in Thai with subtitles and two in English. Although they are nothing but YouTube videos you have to watch them completely within that website. About one hour. A few questions popup at random times. A few clips from Australian and Canadian traffic offices are mixed in. Mostly some shocking stuff about accident victims. In the end a personal website link with the QR code opens. Print/save/bookmark on mobile. I just made it and today will try to apply at our DLT. Will report back.