KhunBENQ

For opening a savings account (fully sufficient for most applications) a WP is NOT needed. But many banks/clerks either don't know, take you for a ride, don't want foreign/US customers for the extra paperwork etc.etc. If you want to use Transferwise or similar fintech to transfer money TO Thailand: Kasikorn, Bangkok Bank and SCB are currently more recommended because other banks are hit by a mysterious 50k Baht per transaction limit. Might be irrelevant for you but hits many typical expats. Better wait for hints on best bank branches for foreigners in Bangkok. I can't help.

There is much hype about "DeepL". Considered better than Google. I haven't tried it because it does not include Thai language. https://www.deepl.com/en/translator Just translated the first paragraph of the OP to German. DeepL in this case a minimal fraction better than Google (one word matches better/I like it better). https://translate.google.com/?hl=en&sl=en&tl=de&op=translate Complicated Thai text translations from Google are most often hilarious. My favorite are accident reports from Thai online sources

Beware of 40 year old falling F16's. Helmet recommended. That was in Chaiyaphum north of Korat.

Obviously ATK testing has been increased strongly. First time I saw a woman from health volunteers walking around in a hazmat. Daughter who is also a health volunteer was very busy yesterday. Yesterday 51+ cases in our three villages detected. A dozen or more houses quarantined. And one or two seriously sick people in hospital. The others killing time more or less useful on their plot. Some don't like to hear it, but number of deaths also goes up because of the death WITH Covid in hospital. Well documented in Denmark. Don't know how accurate they work out the death certificates here.

Touching story and I was not aware about the border to Slowakia. Many try to get westward to Poland and on to Germany. Berlin main station overwhelmed with refugees. About 13000 yesterday at the main railway station.

This is a picture of an SCB "passbook" from the net. They are all very similar, almost(!) same size. In the background you see other banks books, upper right is Bangkok Bank, the orange/green is Kasikorn.

This describes an ordinary savings account: https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Save-And-Invest/Save/Savings-Account (click on "TH" for the Thai version to show)

That's the antiquated part of banking here. Usually you don't get proper detailed statements on a monthly basis or so. But instead you have a book which contains the account details on the first inside page and then have blank pages where you can update/print single line entries at one of the machines (age old dot matrix printers from the ribbon ). You can also update at the desk/clerk. Thai banks will almost never send any postal mail to you. I think I get one per year with a "balance confirmation"/"audit result".

You are on the wrong path. The easiest to open (and for many foreigner the only type) is the savings account. It has not much to do with what you might think it is. JUST: no credit, no minus/in the red. The full amount is available any time. Interest rates are a laughing stock. You can send/receive money domestically, do payments, top-up prepaid phone, all in an instant. At Bangkok Bank it comes with Mastercard (debit) which can be enabled for online purchase. (I think they stopped trying to talk you up for Union Pay, Chinese system) Real credit card is a separate topic. I also recommend to have internet access and setup the mobile app. This includes the cashless option of QR code payment and cardless withdrawal at any Bangkok Bank ATM nationwide without fee.

Looks like something went wrong with your post?

Friend from Jomtien paid 150'000 at Bangkok Hospital for multi-focal plus laser (included?). He is not rich and wish he would seek advice before running to the cash drain again. German guy living in Udon was quoted 85'000 for monofocal. He went to Khon Kaen RAM (still considered expensive private one) and paid 50'000.

That you were able to contact an agent is proof of health, isn't it

So they forgot to follow their rules. Lucky escape.

Rules have changed since a while (last year?). Now always required which makes sense BTW

? I am not a native speaker but this sounds like a perfect analog word like in German. And it says that he is "practicing" at his doctor's office/practice (differences in British/US English also). Doctors don't work, they practice, that's my understanding.

A bend AND rain! Too much really. Yesterday I thought: what is the Thai word for aquaplaning? It's one of the WiKi articles with no Thai language version. Surprised?

Phuket: no tests required. From own experience around Christmas and two mates being there until end of January and end of February. Temperature taken when entering the party strip. After that nothing. Pattaya: when I was there they started with that craziness after New Year. Few places took it serious for a while. It was more my own caution that kept me from mixing in at the most crowded places. Nowadays it seems gone almost completely. That "swimming pool club": yes they are under the spotlight. Maybe raided after real crazy crowded/wild partying before New Year. When I wanted to enter it took me some effort to show them my Thai vaccination certificate which (at that time) was sufficient without test. From a friend in Jomtien: completely unrestricted madness at a WS gogo which can not be described here. Bangkok? Maybe still check at Khao San? And vaccination certificate should be good without test.

And why even publish statements from a Russian entity. As their leader lies when opening the mouth they lie when hitting the keyboard. Stop reading this B.S. Bad for your mental health (referring to another thread). Nonetheless: Thai government should do all possible to stop citizens interfering for any party!

Oops. Time to shutdown the PC?

They could start with well founded news about Covid and it's rapidly decreasing health risk instead of throwing the increasing infection numbers. And please: how many countries have TV news anchors/presenters wearing face masks? Even sitting alone in front of the camera. Why produce such fear?

Well, but he went with his wife? Couldn't she assist?

That results from Xenophobic propaganda. Ultra nationalists blaming all evil coming from abroad. Always be aware that a significant number of Thais fall for that. Exceptional that you would not even be welcomed with your money as this usually brings a smile to their faces. Fortunately my positive experiences outweigh the others. Which region do you stay?

That is one of the few clear facts here. Wait for explanation why Udon Thani is explicitly named as a "land border". Maybe similar arranged pre booked transport to hotel like for Pattaya.

Just learned that there would be return routes via Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar (Emirates/Fly Dubai/Etihad/Qatar). Both still seem to fly to Moscow and St Petersburg from their hubs.

No. not legal to drive. But typically people are out of country or don't drive for other reason while the license expires. It is expired legally but can be "revived" within one year.