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Cost of living in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai among the highest in ASEAN
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3
Best time of day for jomtien immigration?
I recall your detailed post in February this year and your clearly aware many folk attend early.. Post above is standard suggestion re time. One option is to use agent. Cost approx 4k which includes the 1900b application. Not sure of current "behavior" of Jomitien immigration. There were reports of some folk sent away and told to return closer to expiry of current permission of stay. Other immigration offices usually couple weeks early is fine. Note: for anyone who entered Thailand with eVisa a copy of that required. -
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Chrome
Not to worry, I appreciate your efforts and assistance regardless. It's a very old machine that just wont die, I wish it would so that I could have an excuse to buy a new one that will allow Win 11. It will be gone inside of 6 months, until then I'm OK with using two browsers, Chrome is a memory hog anyway plus I rather like DuckDuckGo. -
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"Medical" device ordered outside Thailand being held by Import Export Inspection Division
You have to understand that the problem is not you or the product you ordered, it is the customs. They are well known for that. About 10 years ago, when I was arranging my dental lab, which produces all the dentures like crowns, bridges, dentures for my dental clinic in Pattaya, I ordered a milling device from Germany. The price was something around 8000,- €. I had done my homework and knew that any medical device used on humans needs a special import license, but this was a milling unit which clearly was not used on the human body. It fabricated telescopic crowns which would later be glued to human teeth, but no direct contact between the milling unit and the patients. I don't know the actual regulations but at that time all you needed was a certificate of free sale from the manufacturer but no import license for medical devices. So I got the certificate and the manual and an additional letter from the manufacturer, had all that translated in Thai, notarized and certified by the Thai embassy. And I did not choose one of those big shipping companies but a smaller and much more reliable one called SCHENKER. And my contract with Schenker said “door to door service”. Guess what? Customs kept it anyway. Reason: that was a machine used on the human body and needed an import license. No matter how many times I showed them my certified and notarized documents, they said we do not believe it. I told them to unpack it and show me how it could be used on a human head or teeth. They refused. Of course, they knew I was right. They just didn't care. I told them to send it back. They refused again. They told me, if I could not get that licence, they would keep it for some time and then sell it on some auction. I said, then why don't you sell it to me directly, just name your price. Guess what? They refused again, laughing and telling me that whatever happens to the device I would have to pay for the storage, as long as it stays with customs starting from day one since they keep it. I was devastated and had nightmares of me paying for that storage until my very last day. Well sometimes God really works in mysterious ways and the whole problem was solved by coincidence, although my late mother used to say there is no such thing like coincidence. Trust me, more than once things happened to me in Thailand that made me think, maybe she was right. However, being a German dentist in Pattaya I know a few businesspeople and one of them used to invite friends for dinner in his villa every Friday. It was 2014, the military had just taken over the country and most big companies had sent all their managers and CEO's back home, leaving only the less important employees behind. And one of those guys left behind by his company was that handsome young man sitting next to me with a pale face scared for his life as he was sure it will come to a violent end in the next days. “Aww” I said “is that your first coup? Yes, that's bad. In these third world countries you never know when this happens but as soon as those revolutionaries have won, first thing they do is execute all their opponents and after that they will torture and execute all foreigners from countries which were good friends with their opponents”. He stopped eating as he had lost his appetite and stared at me. I continued: “Well, you might be lucky though, maybe some warlord thinks you are pretty and keeps you as his personal mistress”. Everybody else burst out in laughter while the poor guy looked more and more miserable with his jaws dropped. I said “buddy, you're in Thailand, things work differently here, there will be some mobs, a few fights maybe even a few people get shot, but not intentionally more likely because of collateral damage and that's it. That's how they do it here and they do it all the time. So don't worry, no need to write down your last will or say goodbye to your family just relax and enjoy the show. And besides, you're lucky, as you will have a story to tell. You're not the one with problems.” He looked at the others, everybody was nodding, and he relaxed instantly. “What bothers you?” He asked me and I told him the whole story about that very important lab device and my problems with the customs. “Which shipping company did you use?” “Bloody Schenker” “Well” he answered “then maybe both of us are lucky today because as fate would have it I am the last manager from Schenker, who is still in Thailand and I have a good friend at customs, or better a friend with a taste for good wine. You will have your device by next week.” I had to pay for a few bottles of expensive wine plus 30,000 baht storage fee for three months But finally got my milling machine. So my advice, thank you for reading my long story by the way, to you is: either you know somebody, who knows somebody at customs or if your wife has a certain level of education and is not afraid of authorities, she could talk to them, show them how much you paid for that device, convince them that was a single deal and you won't do it again and somehow agree on a reasonable price. Do not go by yourself. They don't negotiate with Farangs. I live here for some years, I speak, read and write Thai on university level, they still would never negotiate with me in such situations. If that doesn't help, consult a lawyer who again could talk them into some deal or at least tell them to destroy (aka keep) the device so that no further storage fees will have to be paid by you. Doing nothing might result in very expensive fees and never forget they are one of the most powerful authorities in the Kingdom. -
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Best time of day for jomtien immigration?
What a loud of rubbish. I've done 30 day extensions at Jomtien since 2018 and never had a problem. These idiots lining up an hour before it opens are crazy as my whole time usually lasted less than that. I found going at 09:30 - 10:00 worked well to get rid of the pre-opening crowd and finish well before the 11:30 lunch break Yes the last couple of years they may say to come back next day to pick up passport but in and out in 5 minutes -
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Rice cooker WITHOUT Aluminum ??
Sure Aluminium is not bad for you.. Neither is Fluoride, or MSG or Aspartame, or GMO food or bla bla...Which the the authorities say are all as safe as can be.. I would say there is a very good chance cooking with Aluminium on high heat could be very bad for your health.... -
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Thailand's Expats Urged to Register with TRD for Tax, Says Expert
That's a plan. You are prepared. I'm in the "if you don't owe tax, you don't need to file" camp. I get a couple thousand back from interest and dividend withholding. -
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Father and Daughter Killed, Son Critically Injured in Pickup Truck Crash
It looks like the lorry isn't completely blocking the road. Also the driver of the lorry says the guy swerved around before he crashed. Possibly he wasn't paying attention or fell asleep. I think the chances of him driving along and slamming into the back of the truck due to not seeing it are kind of slim (although he could have been speeding, maybe with his lights off?).
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