Tofer
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Posts posted by Tofer
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4 hours ago, Jingthing said:
Asking them will put you into suspicion.
It's known in general that US financial institutions are expat hostile.
There are a few exceptions but I need multiple accounts
A major exception is SDFCU which I do use
Fidelity brokerage which I've used over 50 years was cool about it over the phone before I moved to Thailand, then changed their policy and began aggressively treating me as a suspect.
Also banks frequently merge and then change policies.
The trend is always worse towards expats such as requiring US cell phones in your name, blocking voip for 2FA.
Is it not possible to simply use a US correspondence address and not tell them you're overseas?
My UK First Direct Bank (HSBC) have no problem with that arrangement, and also have my Thai phone number registered.
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4 hours ago, The Fugitive said:
Are there USA banks that will allow you to have an address abroad and will send renewed/replacement debit/credit cards to Thailand?
I don't know about US accounts, but I never had a problem with my UK bank when I was using OpenVPN, but they are well aware I reside overseas, and maintain my UK account through a UK correspondence address.
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On 11/13/2022 at 6:32 PM, recom273 said:
An interesting view, especially those on free VPN (or proxys)
If they're all as devious as the presenter / expert portray, then why would anyone trust ANY VPN provider.
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6 hours ago, Mutt Daeng said:
Surfshark now has the Wireguard protocol available. It's much faster than OpenVPN protocol. iPlayer works very well with Surfshark in my experience. I've just changed from NordVPN to Surfshark. Never had any probs whatsoever with Nord over 3 years, but decided to give Surfshark a go, largely because it's cheaper. So far I think SS is very good. Does what I want it to, but at a cheaper price than Nord. As already stated by @Tofer above, SS is now part of NordVPN's portfolio.
Sounds like the best option, and they've got a fairly good black Friday offer on at the moment.
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4 hours ago, it is what it is said:
it was between nord and surfshark
Just discovered that Surfshark is a subsidiary of Nord Security.
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1 hour ago, Richard 2020 said:
Unlike a "Real" VPS!
Thanks, would you consider Nord and Surf Shark as real VPNs?
Sorry for the inane questions, but I find the new technology / systems mind boggling.... ????
I understand, more or less, what they are intended for and do, but when it comes to checking them out it leaves me cold...
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16 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:
I just tried Browsec and VeePN. On one blocked website VeePN failed to open it.
Perhaps the cheap option is not then worth bothering with?
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20 hours ago, DezLez said:
The free browser extension is exactly that, a browser extension, NOT a programme!
Thanks, I discovered that yesterday. They have a decent offer though of a 5-year subscription for $99.99
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6 hours ago, DezLez said:
I also use and am happy with Veepn for watching TV and just showing my connection to be in the UK.
21 hours ago, elfpattaya said:I personally use Veepn, which I find satisfactory for my needs.
Thanks, sounds like it's certainly worth a try.
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20 hours ago, recom273 said:
If you want to mention what you want a VPN, where you want to egress, maybe your devices or how you are going to implement the VPN the response would be more detailed.
Thanks for the advice.
It would be for watching UK TV on a tablet / laptop, predominantly BBC iplayer and ITV player Not interested in watching anything on a tiny phone screen.
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23 hours ago, Peterw42 said:
OP, maybe explain what you want a VPN for, to get some more relevant recommendations.
If its just to watch TV programs from home, then the country you want to access would be relevant.
That is the reason. I want to watch BBC world news from the UK.
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Does anybody use Surf Shark VPN, and is it good service and value?
Alternatively, would you recommend another one.
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I also sent a PCX 150 via the Thai post from Koh Lanta Island to Lop Buri for around 3,000 baht, in August 2022.
It was carefully packed and protected in our local post office, was loaded into a post office van, then delivered to the doorstep of the recipient by the same van. I was assured it would not be transferred onto any other mode of transport, a great, cheap service.
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On 5/11/2021 at 9:19 PM, Tofer said:
Thanks.
I saw a very good article when I googled the subject, with all the bike sizes, zones and prices detailed for Thai Post, and the authors personal experiences, with glowing praise of that service.
I was just curious to know if anyone had tried the accompanied cargo route on the railways. I presume that would be the mode of transport for the Thai Post method also, but at least you would be able to load and check it's handling along the way, as well as getting yourself to your destination, assuming you are travelling there also, which I would be. Load up, climb aboard, get some shut eye, hop off and climb back on the bike at the other end, sounds like the plan for me if I run out of steam, and don't want to do the return trip home from North to South.
As an update to my earlier question, I can now confirm the availability of the rail cargo option for moving a motorcycle around the country.
I eventually completed my 7 week and almost 7,000kms ride around the country and, as I thought, did not wish to repeat the journey South to Krabi from Bangkok, since there's only one rural route aside from the highway, which wasn't that appealing in the first instance.
I booked myself into a 2nd class sleeper berth, and my Forza 350 bike into the cargo compartment on the same train from Bangkok to Surat Thani, for a total bargain cost of approximately 1,900 baht. The procedure was all well explained by the helpful staff in Bangkok station cargo booking office. I was required to present the bike no later than 1 hour before departure time, and 3 staff, who loaded and secured it in the baggage compartment, were quite happy with a 150-baht tip between them.
The top box had to be removed and, I presume, panier boxes would meet the same requirement.
On arrival at Surat Thani, the bike was being offloaded as I walked down the platform, I climbed on and rode out of the station. No dramas, no damage, I would certainly recommend this option for anyone moving their bike around the country.
I did discover, in Pratchuap Kiri Khan, that bikes in excess of 150cc need to be loaded at the main stations where the train originates, presumably because the intermediate stations are not staffed to handle large / heavy cargo.
What surprised me was the number of bikes being loaded, yet they didn't have a jack up platform to save them the stress of manhandling the heavy bikes from the platform into and out of the train. Obviously not heard of health and safety in Thailand.
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On 6/6/2022 at 2:17 PM, Badrabbit said:
is the ADV 350 the same engine and power as Forza?
Yes.
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Koh Lanta to Lop Buri - B3,000 for a PCX, post office to door step.
I took my Forza 350 from Bangkok to Surat Thani by train, Approx B750 for me in a 2nd class sleeper, and B1,150 for the accompanying bike. A tip of B50 each for 3 guys to load it, then I climbed onboard on Surat platform straight off the train and drove out of the station. Easy peasy...
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On 8/14/2022 at 6:41 PM, hotandsticky said:
Friends have said that the latest Forza is not as good to drive as the older version......more importantly the missus doesn't like the Forza and would favour a different bike that she could get her hands in 2/3 years time.
I have the Forza 350, and wouldn't say it's much different from the 300, except for the added power, which is noticeable.
If your missus is a petite Thai lady, she would likely not manage the Forza for size and weight. Get what you want, and buy her an appropriate bike when the time comes.
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On 8/14/2022 at 7:44 PM, Kinnock said:
The latest X-Max and Forza are so closely matched it would be tough to choose one over the other, but the ADV 350 does seem to have slightly better suspension and a different look.
For me, the Kawasaki Versys X300 or Honda CB500X are better options. With luggage added they are as practical as a large scooter, but they have the dynamics of a motorcycle. The X300 is also lightweight and easy to handle compared to the comparatively bulky Forza.
How do you cope with frying your manparts on a mid-mount engine / griddle, as opposed to a swing arm mounted scooter style, especially in this hot climate.
I hired, for a test ride, a Honda X-ADV 750, and it was bl..dy hot..!
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On 8/18/2022 at 5:09 PM, Brian Nose said:
I'm after a powerful scooter (I'm a bit wary of riding bikes with gears). A 125 - 200cc plus scooter would be OK though.
How much are you looking to spend?
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On 9/20/2022 at 1:39 AM, richard_smith237 said:
IMO - thats the most dangerous place to be...
100% agree.
Also drivers turning left in front of you, thinking you are only crawling along at a snails pace, or not even bothering to look in the nearside mirror.
I've just completed a 2 month tour of Thailand over 6,500kms, and never used the bike lane, unless someone was tearing up the road behind me and I wanted to get out of their way on a narrow 2-lane A/B road.
Get the bigger bike, e.g. Honda ADV 350, with more presence on the road, more power and huge storage capacity.
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On 7/18/2022 at 4:21 PM, richard_smith237 said:
This..... totally agree.
If HMPO were a business it would have failed as people move to the competition... They would be forced to get rid of the half-wits hiding behind covid to continue their self entitled laziness.
When government business models operate without consideration for making improvements and pushing the weakest common denominators, those weakest common denominators; the lazy slow and ineffective people stagnated or even get promoted to positions beyond their ability and those who were effective have moved on elsewhere.
It's an utter embarrassment.
Unfortunately it is a business, since HMPO have outsourced the service to a private company, and they appear more interested in achieving their required performance targets to retain their agency for the gov. than actually performing. Hence they spend, probably, as much time justifying the missed performance target dates by finding spurious reasons / excuses to delay / withdraw applications.
An extremely sad and pathetic state of affairs, which appears all too common in this day and age. All these fancy computer programmes, thought to make the processes of business more efficient, have created a workforce incapable of independent thought and / or prevented from using common sense and logic to solve problems outside of the tick box systems.
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On 6/29/2022 at 7:50 AM, Andycoops said:
So you consider 5 months a reasonable period ahead of time then.
I don't and consider it a disgrace.
BTW my passport doesn't expire for another 2 years.
I was asking a legitimate question of the consul/embassy on behalf of others whom I have discussed the subject with as we fund the so called service through our income taxes.
Just received mine after exactly 4 months of HMPO inefficiency and intransigence, regarding it being a second passport, despite a promise of a 4 week turn around for a digital application.
They've also withdrawn 2 other applications stating "documents not sent", except that I have emails from them confirming receipt of documents. They sent repeated / automated requests for documents, with the note at the bottom saying, "ignore if already sent".
I finally received a phone call from them, following my critical complaints, wherein they said they require the second passports be sent, or colour copies of every page of them. This absolutely was NOT identified as a requirement in their repeated standard / automated document requests.
I now have to send paper applications if I wish to request they reconsider the original applications without further charge for new applications. By the way, you cannot download paper applications from the website, so my sister has to pick them up in a UK post office and send them to me in Thailand.
They would not reverse their misguided and incorrect withdrawal, to enable me to add the passport copies simply by PDF online. It all smacks of jobsworths power mongering to me, by people incapable of functioning outside of an automated / tick box system. Perhaps we'd be better served by a bunch of acknowledged robots, or trained monkeys...!!
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14 hours ago, jack71 said:
how long will it take for the grout to dry. they come tomorrow to put the grout in between all the gaps of the tiles. How long should we wait before using the shower in there?
thanks
Did they lay the tiles on the cement screed or on a tile adhesive layer?
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If he's laying the tiles directly on a cement screed as the bonding for the tiles, it will likely take more than 3 hours, even though the screed mix is usually quite dry.
I would consider this method carefully, as there is more likelihood of the tiles de-bonding, than with a dedicated tile adhesive.
Surf Shark VPN
in IT and Computers
Posted
Thanks for all your advice and recommendations.
I finally plumped for Surfshark, as it had your good reviews and an incredible offer for black Friday, 26 months at 1.69stg/m plus a further offer on sign up of 12 additional months at 1.72stg/m. I've now got a subscription of 38 months for 65stg, and I got 25stg refund from my cancelled 6 months remaining on my old OpenVPN account.
It was extremely easy to sign up, download install and set up, and I've viewed BBC news live the last 2 days with a good fast connection.