pjmorton
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Everything posted by pjmorton
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I have not flown Thai Airways in a long time, but I flew Thai Smile frequently between Bangkok and Khonkaen. I found them very competent - I never had any problems more serious than the occasional 30 minute delay. I tried to make a reservation yesterday with Thai and had a couple issues which I was unable to resolve on the website and I tried to call them - absolutely nobody home. The local ticket office in Pattaya has been closed so I can't even walk in. That brought me here and after reading these posts I don't know what to do. Does anybody have experience with VietJet?
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Thai Smile is no more after Dec 16.
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I have a fully valid Thai driver licence, but I usually carry a laminated copy in my wallet to minimize the likelihood of loss or theft. The originals remain at home in my safe. I have never been stopped, so I don't know if I am committing some kind of violation by not carrying the original. I do the same with vaccination certificates and passport and tabien baan. Does anyone know from experience whether I am asking for trouble?
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Thai Central Bank defends new controls on cash deposits via CDMs
pjmorton replied to webfact's topic in Thailand News
I sympathize with bank customers who want to avoid fees for ATM services involving debit cards. The underlying problem may be the recent increases in fees for card-based services. At least one major bank has now started charging its own customers for using its own cards in its own machines if they are not not located near the customer's home branch. Prohibiting abusive charges like this might make customers more comfortable about using their ATM cards. -
US and Thailand seeking a way for Biden to attend APEC meeting
pjmorton replied to webfact's topic in Thailand News
Everyone's entitled to their opinion. If the U.S. government can find the time to stay in touch with this region despite all the other issues to be dealt with in the next couple of months, then so much the better. When somebody tries to pick a fight, sometimes the commonsense response is not to respond. It won't solve anything. -
Flying the morning after visa expires?
pjmorton replied to Adam219's topic in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
I believe that any overstay of any duration would make you permanently ineligible to apply for an elite visa. Of course that would only qualify as a "consequence" if you were thinking seriously about it. -
I recently had a culture done for a skin infection and the doctor then prescribed the weakest antibiotic that showed effective against the bacterium. This is probably the safest approach since the strongest ones often have the most side effects. It also preserves the effectiveness of the strong medications for cases where they are really needed.
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A small "scam" of prepaid data packages?
pjmorton replied to wn78's topic in Mobile Devices and Apps
I have a similar problem with my old phone which I keep as a spare but seldom use. Found a very cheap monthly data plan and don't want anything more, but the company keeps supplementing it with unsolicited special short term deals. I can't read the fine print well enough to know what gives them the right to do this, but I have been to the shop several times to cancel, and try to bar them from doing it in the future. -
Casual letters are seldom sent by post anymore - mostly just legal documents for which proof of mailing is required. So maybe the post office is raising rates and red tape for letters - treating them more like packages. I was recently charged 1200 Baht for a single page EMS letter to the U.S., which is the same as they charge for the smallest size package. I checked with DHL and found (no surprise) that they had raised their rates for letters in lockstep with EMS.
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baht against the dollar
pjmorton replied to Harveyboy's topic in Jobs, Economy, Banking, Business, Investments
The last couple of months has seen the U.S. central bank becoming more alarmed about inflation, and raising interest rates fast to make up for a slow start. The U.S. also has fewer concerns about imported fuel supplies. Both of these factors operate to weaken the Euro against the $. But I would guess that the recovery of tourism in Thailand will see the Baht strengthening against both in the near future. -
When requested to update passbooks, Khonkaen branches of both SCB and Bangkok Bank have a policy of only printing the most recent three months of transactions in the book. If you have a passbook that has not been updated for a period longer than that, you will get the net amount of all the earlier transactions collapsed into a single line entry. Of course this makes it impossible to prove that the balance never dipped below the required amount. You can demand a detailed listing printed on bank stationery for an additional 100 baht service charge. I don't know how long this policy has been in effect - but I first noticed it in 2020. So far, immigration has failed to object - but it has the potential to become a sticking point in the future.
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I do find the e-mail notifications very useful, as well as entertaining.
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Applicants for Elite visas within Thailand are forced into the same quandry because they must cancel any other valid visa they posess at their local immigration office before going to Chaeng Wattana to get the Elite stamp. If something does not go right, (maybe a positive covid test or some objection or delay at the local office), they risk being forced into an overstay situation.
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ferry possibility from pattaya to hua hin?
pjmorton replied to capcase's topic in Thailand Travel Forum
The previous ferry service that ceased a couple of years ago was extremely comfortable and safe but I never saw it anywhere close to full. Maybe the problem is that a boat that is not so impressive would fail to inspire confidence among a clientele base who often can't swim. -
I think all over the world, greater availability of refrigeration and transportation of fresh produce has reduced the demand for canned food. The added weight of the water and metal probably also discourage retailers from handling it. Also, those tomato products the OP is fond of pose special health risks as the acidic contents leach metals and other chemicals from the containers. We are probably better off not being able to buy them in bulk.
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Long waits and intricate menu interactions with robots are the norm. Skype works fine for making calls but of course for receiving calls you have to put up with the horrible foghorn sound effects.
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Bank letter for retirement extension.
pjmorton replied to rutteketuut's topic in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
Someone please explain how to get bank statements. I have passbook accounts at 3 different Thai banks and have never recieved a mailed bank statement on any of them in 17 years. Are you logging into a website and downloading these statements, or applying for them on an ad hoc basis? I do get credit card statements but that is irrelevant for immigration purposes. -
Why can’t the Thai government reduce the prices at the pumps?
pjmorton replied to webfact's topic in Thailand News
To the extent that a boycott of Russian oil feeds into the high prices here, I am glad to do my part if it will help bring the war to an end.