Another Sin Sod Thread

[shawndoc]

Don't worry, I'm not going to ask how much Sin Sod I should provide or how to get out of it.

Quick Background: I married my wife in the USA at the end of 2008. We are about to make our first trip back to Thailand in May, and her parents want us to have a "traditional Thai" wedding when we arrive. We were originally going to have it in Bangkok, but because of the political situation we will now have the wedding in her home city (NST), which has thrown a monkey wrench into things. Because different people will be attending, we need to make a show of Sin Sod, where in Bnagkok it wasn't required. This is a face saving exercise for her father, so we need to show a sin sod, which will be given back.

Questions:

1. How do I get the large sum of money to Thailand? I don't exactly feel safe walking around with a suitcase full of money, and I'm just a tourist for a few weeks so I don't have a Thai bank account and my wife had closed hers. Can I take it out of my bank account at a Thai bank? Do I need to transfer it to her family's account and have them withdraw it?

2. Must actual money be produced for the ceremony? Or can some sort of promissory document be presented in its place? (Wife isn't sure, but agrees that would make things much simpler)

3. What sort of protection do I take to make sure it isn't stolen?

4. How do I get the money back home?

I did use the search function, but with all the threads debating sin sod, I didn't see anything covering the actual procurement and display.

[simpathy]

how large a sum we bringing in the suitcase?

id just wire the $s into pops account .what could possibly go wrong

Edited April 12, 2010 by simpathy

[mizzi39]

I don't know why I am posting, since this subject has been well...... How much cold cash do you bring? None my friend. Number one it is dangerous to be hauling around wads of baht. I had the traditional Issan wedding a few years back, with the pig head procession and all. We had about 150 guests for the morning ceremony, and over 200 guests in the evening. I wrote a "rubber check" for 200,000 baht, non negotiable and that was it. Totally acceptable to the community.

Edited April 12, 2010 by mizzi39

[Soutpeel]

Not to be nosey, but how much you talking....as this will determine how you could do this, bear in mind, if a significant amount of cash, you may have problems getting it back out of Thailand legally.

You could draw it via a Thai ATM with your own ATM card, but you will get hammered THB 150 a withdrawal...

For sin-sot shows...needs to be cash, gold etc...dont think a presenting a cheque will cut it....

Which ever way you go....please do write again and let us know if you got your cash back...

[simpathy]

if all that is required is to show a non negotiable check that is of utmost contempt of the issan people. if i were issan i would want to see cold hard baht!

[a2396]

I don't know why I am posting, since this subject has been well...... How much cold cash do you bring? None my friend. Number one it is dangerous to be hauling around wads of baht. I had the traditional Issan wedding a few years back, with the pig head procession and all. We had about 150 guests for the morning ceremony, and over 200 guests in the evening. I wrote a "rubber check" for 200,000 baht, non negotiable and that was it. Totally acceptable to the community.

Writing checks acceptable now? That certiainly does not have any eye appeal, compared to hundreds of 1,000 bht notes laid out on a gold platter. I don't think many of the face-saving, status consious, keep-up-with-the-jones locals are going to go for some rubber check. Maybe if the took the check to the bank and brought the cash home in a wheel-barrow?

[saintofsilence]

Good Try but the fish are not biting today

[shawndoc]

Don't know if this changes anything, but she's not from Issan, she's from the south. Nakhon Si Thammarat. Parents are lower middle class, used to be higher up, but business has suffered due to health problems. Youngest daughter just graduated college in Bangkok and is trying to revive the family business, although she'd rather be doing other things.

[sarahsbloke]

Get "dad" to take out a loan for the week, that gives the cash to display, you pay the interest.

No need to move any money then.

[mizzi39]

I don't know why I am posting, since this subject has been well...... How much cold cash do you bring? None my friend. Number one it is dangerous to be hauling around wads of baht. I had the traditional Issan wedding a few years back, with the pig head procession and all. We had about 150 guests for the morning ceremony, and over 200 guests in the evening. I wrote a "rubber check" for 200,000 baht, non negotiable and that was it. Totally acceptable to the community.

Writing checks acceptable now? That certiainly does not have any eye appeal, compared to hundreds of 1,000 bht notes laid out on a gold platter. I don't think many of the face-saving, status consious, keep-up-with-the-jones locals are going to go for some rubber check. Maybe if the took the check to the bank and brought the cash home in a wheel-barrow?

Well in my case it worked. No, I don't have the locals coming around asking me for money for their sick water buffalo, and I fortunately have in-laws with class. I am by no means some rich falang . There are benifits to this you know. People leave you alone. Good Luck! Jing jing

[rebekka]

at my wedding to my thai man. i was a bit worried as a lot of strange characters hovered where the baht was laid out. and in fact not all was returned, the locals refer to it as leakage.

[needforspeed]

1) ATM every 20k costs are about 150 Baht, or take the cash maximum 10k usd a person.

2)Till a few years ago only cash or gold

3)No protection.

4)Handcarry the cash with you or open a Thai bank account and tranfer to the US.

Seems like you going to take a suitcase off money, how much you want to bring in????

[shawndoc]

It would be under 10k USD.

[shawndoc]

at my wedding to my thai man. i was a bit worried as a lot of strange characters hovered where the baht was laid out. and in fact not all was returned, the locals refer to it as leakage.

How much leaked?

[needforspeed]

It would be under 10k USD.

So no worries handcash in handcash out,

[needforspeed]

Get "dad" to take out a loan for the week, that gives the cash to display, you pay the interest.

No need to move any money then.

Very good idea, and very safe for the OP. The cheque thing is a no no, they want to see the 'fan' of cash on the table for sure or you WILL look a cheap skate. .

They not stupid like that, they all planned the leaking cash already so that is going to be a BIG NO.

[shawndoc]

Get "dad" to take out a loan for the week, that gives the cash to display, you pay the interest.

No need to move any money then.

That's actually a good idea, but I don't think they'd be able to get a loan for that amount. "Dad" suffered a stroke end of last year and will never be able to return to work, and they've already got a loan taken out on some land they own out by the airport. But certainly a good idea for other people who might read this thread.

[Soutpeel]

Get "dad" to take out a loan for the week, that gives the cash to display, you pay the interest.

No need to move any money then.

That's actually a good idea, but I don't think they'd be able to get a loan for that amount. "Dad" suffered a stroke end of last year and will never be able to return to work, and they've already got a loan taken out on some land they own out by the airport. But certainly a good idea for other people who might read this thread.

Bet "Dad" can...it just will not be from a bank thats all, and interest rate will be very high, a very good suggestion BTW

[hawthorne]

Get "dad" to take out a loan for the week, that gives the cash to display, you pay the interest.

No need to move any money then.

Sounds like the best solution so far!!!!!!!!

[chickenslegs]

Get "dad" to take out a loan for the week, that gives the cash to display, you pay the interest.

No need to move any money then.

I was going to suggest one of those giant cheques

But this is a much better idea.

[wallhigh]

It would be under 10k USD.

make sure people know exactly which flight you are on, which date, time,

how you plan to travel in country.

i am sure many people along the way will be more than happy to help you.

on a practical note, buy a kg of fake cold necklaces on ebay, they look the

same, the locals wont know the difference, show that off.

that way there will be no leakage for sick water buffalos, broken fences, seized

up motorbike engines, the third cousin's brother's in law's niece's medical bills

to help out with, you get the drift...

[samuibeachcomber]

10000 US is about 330,000 baht.Is it possible for your wife to open an account on arrival and then you can arrange by phone to transfer to her account.Then it can go back to her account after the ceremony and transferred back to your account in the states?

However a word of caution, your in laws sound as if hard times have fallen on them,it might be time to give some of the sin sod as a gift to them to get them out of trouble,would be a nice gesture if you can afford it.

[BigWheelMan]

10000 US is about 330,000 baht.Is it possible for your wife to open an account on arrival and then you can arrange by phone to transfer to her account.Then it can go back to her account after the ceremony and transferred back to your account in the states?

However a word of caution, your in laws sound as if hard times have fallen on them,it might be time to give some of the sin sod as a gift to them to get them out of trouble,would be a nice gesture if you can afford it.

I quite agree.

If the OP really loves this girl, he should show his sincerity by given the future bride and her family <deleted> loads of cash. After all, this is a third world country populated by desperate people living on the breadline, or should I say, riceline.

My best regards to the happy couple and I’m sure the OP will always be remembered. Perhaps they’ll name a buffalo after him.

Edited April 12, 2010 by BigWheelMan

[britmaveric]

travelers cheques is an option.

[smokie36]

Open a bank account on the day you arrive in your own name. All you need is your passport and an address. Takes less than half an hour. As soon as you have this you can call your bank and have the money sent through in 2-3 days. Same process in reverse after the ceremony.

Well if you are lucky...!

[Birdman]

Exchange that and bring it in a money belt, that would be 15 500€ notes or 10 1.000Swiss Francs notes.

[simpathy]

It would be under 10k USD.

make sure people know exactly which flight you are on, which date, time,

how you plan to travel in country.

i am sure many people along the way will be more than happy to help you.

on a practical note, buy a kg of fake cold necklaces on ebay, they look the

same, the locals wont know the difference, show that off.

that way there will be no leakage for sick water buffalos, broken fences, seized

up motorbike engines, the third cousin's brother's in law's niece's medical bills

to help out with, you get the drift...

ive never been to a village.

are they a bunch of neanderthals?

in awe of fake rubber checks and fake jewelry

[simpathy]

10000 US is about 330,000 baht.Is it possible for your wife to open an account on arrival and then you can arrange by phone to transfer to her account.Then it can go back to her account after the ceremony and transferred back to your account in the states?

However a word of caution, your in laws sound as if hard times have fallen on them,it might be time to give some of the sin sod as a gift to them to get them out of trouble,would be a nice gesture if you can afford it.

I quite agree.

If the OP really loves this girl, he should show his sincerity by given the future bride and her family <deleted> loads of cash. After all, this is a third world country populated by desperate people living on the breadline, or should I say, riceline.

My best regards to the happy couple and I'm sure the OP will always be remembered. Perhaps they'll name a buffalo after him.

sarcasm????????????????????????

[streetlife]

I was going to suggest one of those giant cheques

But this is a much better idea.

^ LOL.

Someone I know did the Sin Sod thing, he took 100, 1000 Baht notes and they laid them on the floor in front of him and his missus at the ceremony.

He showed me the picture later on, it was an absolute classic of classics, in the background were hoards of on lookers, eyes wide open and excited pointing at the cash with him kneeling there looking absolutely gutted and the look of "i really don't want to be here"

Anyway he took her back to the UK 4 months ago, shes heading back here in a few weeks, had a gutful of it over there and told him I'm going home, sin sod? poor sod!

[Loz]

KTB Online bank, You can open an account online from home. THen you can transfer cash into the account and withdraw locally. Then deposit back into the account locally and transfer back online.

Be sure to collect the passbook for the account when you arrive in thailand for the wedding. then you will always have an easy way to use funds in thailand when you travel back there or whatever.. maybe you will get an atm card and give it to her dad so you can send him money as his health inevitably declines and requires expensive treatment.

Good luck with the wedding.

Edited April 13, 2010 by Loz