I've seen a few train wrecks recently will old guys losing their marbles.   You need to consider something that are very important if you want to keep living smoothly in SE Asia.

1)   You need TWO bank accounts from different banks at least one in the first world. You need TWO visa or mastercard credit cards.

2)  You need a check your online account regularly. You need to have a computer, laptop or good phone and keep up to date with pensions and taxes.

3) May need a virtual number like with callcentric. You can send and receive SMS, make calls take calls etc. To verify your banking.  You can get a western phone$ for 3$ a month.

4)   You need to think about your healthy. If your mental health is going, your memory etc. Age 65-90 You need to slowdown and find place to stay for a longer period of time or go home.  

 

I've seen a number of people end up homeless and deported recently because they forgot their pin code and could not contract anyone.

 

2 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

seen a number of people end up homeless and deported recently because they forgot their pin code and could not contract anyone.

Pin

123456

 

Everything else

Admin

Password1!

 

You'll never forget!

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

123456

Easy to remember!

244466666

If you live alone, how do you know if your mental health is going?

 

Does needing to check that you have your clothes on before you go outside count as mental degradation?  (I always check, just in case).

 

I agree about different bank accounts and different ATM cards - never know when a hungry ATM will eat one!

 

What is this strange word 'taxes'?  I haven't seen that word for almost 25 years 🙂

 

Ensure you have a smartphone

 

Cardless withdrawals 

 

Keep enough cash at home for a week or two

 

Once you develop dementia, Parkinson's etc you are doomed so think carefully how to proceed before it's too late

Find it incredulous that older expats here refuse to have a smartphone. Fear of the unknown likely and not wanting to ‘conform’, but they shoot themselves in the foot. It is quite dumb. If sht happens, you are fkt. 

3 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Find it incredulous that older expats here refuse to have a smartphone. Fear of the unknown likely and not wanting to ‘conform’, but they shoot themselves in the foot. It is quite dumb. If sht happens, you are fkt. 

We've had this discussion quite often -- and, yeah, a smartphone (are there any dumbphones now available?) is needed for phone calls. And the occasional message from my dentist about tomorrow's appointment. But for all my other digital needs, I still prefer my 32" monitor and Desktop, and the comfort of my home office, to handle my banking chores, Lazada shopping, whatever. The smartphone screen is just too small to see with my declining vision -- and my fingers are too fat to type on that miniature Qwerty keyboard. And as far as going cashless -- checking out with my cashback US credit card works just fine, in most situations (fumbling around for my phone, and QR app, just seems ludicrous -- but, yeah, that's probably just an age related bias).

 

Anyway, online banking seems to be going away, at least in Thailand (still quite available in the first world, however - thankfully, as much of my banking involves my US bank). So, if Bangkok Bank cancels its online banking, and I'm forced to go to mobile banking -- I guess a large screen tablet will have to do. And, hopefully my credit card -- or (gasp) cash -- will continue to suffice when checking out, so I won't have to embarrass myself fumbling around for a QR app on a miniature screen. 

 

Just another old guy's rant. Sigh. 

10 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Once you develop dementia, Parkinson's etc you are doomed so think carefully how to proceed before it's too late

I'm sure someone with mild to medium memory loss could get by just fine with cash, having the cashier do the math, and providing the change. Doubtful such a person could maneuver a QR routine. Anyway, if everyone goes cashless, one more hurdle for the old folks. 

10 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Ensure you have a smartphone

 

Cardless withdrawals 

 

Keep enough cash at home for a week or two

 

Once you develop dementia, Parkinson's etc you are doomed so think carefully how to proceed before it's too late

Time to start checking out nursing homes.

1 hour ago, JimGant said:

We've had this discussion quite often -- and, yeah, a smartphone (are there any dumbphones now available?) is needed for phone calls. And the occasional message from my dentist about tomorrow's appointment. But for all my other digital needs, I still prefer my 32" monitor and Desktop, and the comfort of my home office, to handle my banking chores, Lazada shopping, whatever. The smartphone screen is just too small to see with my declining vision -- and my fingers are too fat to type on that miniature Qwerty keyboard. And as far as going cashless -- checking out with my cashback US credit card works just fine, in most situations (fumbling around for my phone, and QR app, just seems ludicrous -- but, yeah, that's probably just an age related bias).

 

Anyway, online banking seems to be going away, at least in Thailand (still quite available in the first world, however - thankfully, as much of my banking involves my US bank). So, if Bangkok Bank cancels its online banking, and I'm forced to go to mobile banking -- I guess a large screen tablet will have to do. And, hopefully my credit card -- or (gasp) cash -- will continue to suffice when checking out, so I won't have to embarrass myself fumbling around for a QR app on a miniature screen. 

 

Just another old guy's rant. Sigh. 

I prefer doing things on laptop or desktop as well.

Sadly it seems like banks and retailers prefer us to use smartphone apps and sometimes don't leave us the choice.

I don't think I can do my online banking on a laptop anymore, in any event it has been made more convenient to use the smart phone so that is what I do now.

 

Seems like Lazada is pushing the sue of the phone app as well.

 

I prefer the computer but whadda ya gonna do?

2 hours ago, JimGant said:

I'm sure someone with mild to medium memory loss could get by just fine with cash, having the cashier do the math, and providing the change. Doubtful such a person could maneuver a QR routine. Anyway, if everyone goes cashless, one more hurdle for the old folks. 

It's not mild to medium memory loss sadly, keep it real

2 hours ago, JimGant said:

Anyway, if everyone goes cashless, one more hurdle for the old folks. 

Once 'everyone' goes cashless  it won't just be the old folks with problems..once in the digital panopticon  there is no escape...they will know everything about every aspect of your life  and will attempt to control and manipulate it to their  despotic ends.

1 hour ago, cdemundo said:

I prefer doing things on laptop or desktop as well.

Sadly it seems like banks and retailers prefer us to use smartphone apps and sometimes don't leave us the choice.

I don't think I can do my online banking on a laptop anymore, in any event it has been made more convenient to use the smart phone so that is what I do now.

 

Seems like Lazada is pushing the sue of the phone app as well.

 

I prefer the computer but whadda ya gonna do?

Move with the times or else 

21 hours ago, Don Chance said:

I've seen a few train wrecks recently will old guys losing their marbles.   You need to consider something that are very important if you want to keep living smoothly in SE Asia.

1)   You need TWO bank accounts from different banks at least one in the first world. You need TWO visa or mastercard credit cards.

2)  You need a check your online account regularly. You need to have a computer, laptop or good phone and keep up to date with pensions and taxes.

3) May need a virtual number like with callcentric. You can send and receive SMS, make calls take calls etc. To verify your banking.  You can get a western phone$ for 3$ a month.

4)   You need to think about your healthy. If your mental health is going, your memory etc. Age 65-90 You need to slowdown and find place to stay for a longer period of time or go home.  

 

I've seen a number of people end up homeless and deported recently because they forgot their pin code and could not contract anyone.

 

Have 1 & 2, no idea what a virtual number is but have a dual sim phone with Thai & Oz sims.

The trouble with 4 is I need to think about it too often.

I had a huge bowel movement while checking my accounts on my Smartphone. I made it another day.

On 11/27/2025 at 1:27 PM, JimGant said:

Anyway, online banking seems to be going away, at least in Thailand

Yes, thing is - and this has been discussed before - when you can only access your Thai (or other bank account) through an app on your phone you are very vulnerable. Just today, SCB app was down for a while this afternoon. It wasn't a big deal - my transfer could wait. But what if it couldn't wait, or what if the app was down for a longer period? Lose your phone? You still have your cash card I guess. 

 

Some overseas banks in our home countries won't even let us download their phone apps in Thailand and will only allow it when we are in their home country (though some will). This is another reason Web banking is still a vital life line... Some won't send renewal credit cards or renewal ATM cards to Thailand... which also means when you get back to that country, you have no card to use in their ATM. What goes around...