Has Thailand Caught Up with the 21st Century?

[KannikaP]

13 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

As always, my opinion.

And whilst on this subject, I had to go to Bkk Bank last Friday to get a new Debit ATM card as they had noticed a Bht 0.00 transaction from Microsoft. I signed 5 papers to cancel the old card, and another to get the new one. TWO copies of my passport were taken, one sided only of course. There was no charge. 

Yesterday we went again to open a Joint account when another copy of my passport, and her ID was taken, five papers for each of us to sign, and pay Bht 400 to get an ATM card.

However, when I got home I could not add this new account to my online and phone banking apps, getting a message to say that I must go to my local branch as I am a foreigner.

So today another 65km round trip to the bank, get my passport and her ID copied AGAIN five papers each to sign, to be told that the papers will now be sent to head office, and I should be able to get online in a week.

Progress in the Banking industry...I think not.

[SoCal1990]

28 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

And whilst on this subject, I had to go to Bkk Bank last Friday to get a new Debit ATM card as they had noticed a Bht 0.00 transaction from Microsoft. I signed 5 papers to cancel the old card, and another to get the new one. TWO copies of my passport were taken, one sided only of course. There was no charge. 

Yesterday we went again to open a Joint account when another copy of my passport, and her ID was taken, five papers for each of us to sign, and pay Bht 400 to get an ATM card.

However, when I got home I could not add this new account to my online and phone banking apps, getting a message to say that I must go to my local branch as I am a foreigner.

So today another 65km round trip to the bank, get my passport and her ID copied AGAIN five papers each to sign, to be told that the papers will now be sent to head office, and I should be able to get online in a week.

Progress in the Banking industry...I think not.

I think the digital, wireless, cardless, and online payment aspect of the banking industry has made a lot of progress in Thailand. But setting up accounts at local banks and getting things done at a bank can still take ages and multiple trips to the bank as you experienced. I have had similar experiences in the past getting things set up with BBL and UOB with lots of errors and mistakes until everything started working correctly. But once everything is running, then it goes pretty smoothly and return trips to the bank are rarely ever needed.

[MangoKorat]

12 hours ago, BritManToo said:

But at least the Thai police aren't knocking on my door about a Tweet they didn't like!

No but they might arrest you if you give a hotel a bad (but truthful) review.

[dinsdale]

19 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Cops in the west may not want backhanders, but try getting any action on a burglary; not going to happen unless very lucky. What's worse, corrupt cops or useless cops?

Mate got his pushbike nicked. BIB wouldn't do anything unless he handed over 2k and that amount was knocked down because a Thai was helping him with the BIB. As for "What's worse, corrupt cops or useless cops?" the BIB are both.

[harryviking]

On 1/21/2025 at 3:58 AM, SoCal1990 said:

Today, I went to fill up my motorcycle with petrol and paid using my Wise debit card through Apple Wallet on my iPhone, simply tapping my phone on a contactless card sensor that was wireless and held out by the pump attendant. This got me thinking; has Thailand already truly embraced the 21st century to where it has everything one would need?

 

People often say that Thailand is decades behind the West in some respects, and perhaps it is in certain ways. But in others, the country has made remarkable progress. Sure, we could spend all day pointing out the flaws, Pongsak this, Pornthip that, but I’d rather think about the positives. These are the aspects of life in Thailand where it genuinely stacks up against, or even surpasses, life in the West.

 

For example, I can order food, drinking water, cannabis, a massage, or even companionship through one app or another on my phone and it all gets delivered. I can pay for nearly everything using my debit card in my iPhone, my banking and utility payments are done online, many are even automatic. I can also schedule appointments for visa and driving license renewals online whenever necessary.

 

Healthcare and dentistry in Thailand are also excellent, prescription medicines are inexpensive, internet speeds are fast, Wi-Fi is everywhere, and cellular signals are reliable. Plus, nearly everything I need is within walking distance such as a gym, banks, supermarkets, dozens of restaurants, and 24-hour convenience stores. If I want to head out beyond my neighborhood, there’s an extensive and affordable public transport system, including electric buses, trains, and a network that leads straight to a sprawling, high-tech shopping mall.

 

So, what more do we really need that isn’t already available in Thailand? Or, flip that the other way around, what conveniences available here are still missing in the West?

Many places in the "West" are decades behind Thailand when it comes to convenience and service!! That is why I love to be here 6 months a year!😄

[PomPolo]

On 1/21/2025 at 3:58 AM, SoCal1990 said:

prescription medicines are inexpensive

Not sure I agree with this one the medication that I am on would definitely be cheaper/free in the UK.  most of the other stuff agree with but also some very good points raised by posters on crime, corruption, availability of half decent looking ladies, road accidents etc.

But for sure Thailand are very good at giving you convenient ways to take money from you.

[EVENKEEL]

22 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

I am leaving and largely because of want for a better life for my daughter. Women here are considered inferior, and that isn't what a woman deserves. This I see weekly and have in many areas............

Why would you not simply drive your kid to school yourself? And not to a Gov school, 

[thaibeachlovers]

41 minutes ago, PomPolo said:

Not sure I agree with this one the medication that I am on would definitely be cheaper/free in the UK.  most of the other stuff agree with but also some very good points raised by posters on crime, corruption, availability of half decent looking ladies, road accidents etc.

But for sure Thailand are very good at giving you convenient ways to take money from you.

The NHS is great, but not many of us live in the UK, so being able to buy medicine over the counter that I have to pay a Dr to prescribe every 3 months here was also great.

 

In Thailand I had a far better life at far less cost than I do in NZ. My accommodation was far superior to what I can afford here, and I could afford to eat at restaurants there- no way here. I have to have a car here, unlike Thailand where I used affordable public transport, and as petrol costs so much here I hardly use it

 

Thailand is far superior in affordability to the west.

[thaibeachlovers]

5 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Mate got his pushbike nicked. BIB wouldn't do anything unless he handed over 2k and that amount was knocked down because a Thai was helping him with the BIB. As for "What's worse, corrupt cops or useless cops?" the BIB are both.

LOL. Cops that don't sort criminals are useless, whether they are corrupt or not. Your point has no merit.

[thaibeachlovers]

12 hours ago, KannikaP said:

And whilst on this subject, I had to go to Bkk Bank last Friday to get a new Debit ATM card as they had noticed a Bht 0.00 transaction from Microsoft. I signed 5 papers to cancel the old card, and another to get the new one. TWO copies of my passport were taken, one sided only of course. There was no charge. 

Yesterday we went again to open a Joint account when another copy of my passport, and her ID was taken, five papers for each of us to sign, and pay Bht 400 to get an ATM card.

However, when I got home I could not add this new account to my online and phone banking apps, getting a message to say that I must go to my local branch as I am a foreigner.

So today another 65km round trip to the bank, get my passport and her ID copied AGAIN five papers each to sign, to be told that the papers will now be sent to head office, and I should be able to get online in a week.

Progress in the Banking industry...I think not.

Don't blame the bank because you chose to live so far from a bank. It wasn't their fault that you didn't make sure you could do everything you wanted before leaving the first time.

 

As for a joint account, LOL. No way I'd have made a joint account. My wife was entirely capable of opening her own account, and without any input from myself.

[thaibeachlovers]

11 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

No but they might arrest you if you give a hotel a bad (but truthful) review.

If one lives in LOS and thinks they can post negative reviews on public media that can be traced back to themselves they have only themselves to blame if they have a problem.

Seems a lot of farangs think they are still living in a western country with a load of brown coloured immigrants, so they don't need to pay any attention to the fact that life in Thailand is different, and then moan about Thailand when it bites them on the bum.

[simon43]

On 1/21/2025 at 6:11 AM, DonniePeverley said:

Literally every country, even REMOTE areas in Africa are taking compliicated card payments. 

 

rELAX.

In 2012, I was teaching English to a class of young adults in Yangon, Myanmar.

 

We were reading a passage from The British Council.  The English vocabulary was not difficult, but my students were all having a hard time understanding some of the words and phrases.

 

I asked them which words they didn't understand.

 

"Teacher Simon, can you please explain to us.  What is a credit card and what is an ATM?"

 

This English language passage from the British Council would have been understood in almost every country in the world.  But Myanmar in 2012 still had no credit/debit cards nor ATMs....