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bkkrox

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Posts posted by bkkrox

  1. On 8/6/2020 at 11:45 AM, ubonjoe said:

    Just did my 90 day report after skipping one that was due in April. No questions asked. New report due on November 3rd.

    Hi ,did you do the 90 day report at Chaeng Wattana? I received an email from Thailand Elite stating that the 90 day report (counter A) has been moved entirely to Muang Thong Thani Centre but that the 90 day extension (counter N1) must be done at Chaeng Wattana Immigration. If its the case, do you know which I should do first? Or would it make no difference? Thanks in advance.

  2. My son (Thai citizen) has been accepted to take a 2 week course at Kings College over the summer. Looking at the visa requirements, they state to bring his TB test results, but the very next page state that if the visa is for less than six months (it will be for 2 weeks) then its not necessary. The test has to be done through their approved hospitals, via an outsourced office, its time consuming and expensive! Anybody have any experience with this? I have emailed for clarification but have yet to hear back. Appreciate any info.

  3. I am about to get my 3rd five year elite visa (original programme member). I just spoke to the service centre regarding this exact subject. The information tpkhk gave regarding the elite visa is 100% accurate. I cannot speak for other visa types.

    I just had a new passport issued (blank booklet) here in Thailand. My old passport has the SE visa and the entry stamp.

    Need to go to Immigration in Chaeng Wattana to do a two step process;

    1. (Transfer / Restamp) the arrival stamp into the new passport. This can take a few hours.

    2. Once the arrival stamp is in the new passport, need to get in another queue/window to have the (SE) visa sticker placed into the new booklet. At a minimum, you will be able to conserve any unexpired visa time.

    The process is slightly different for those flying into Thailand with a new passport, issued overseas. In this case, the (SE) visa in the expired passport needs to be presented upon arrival and immigration will stamp the arrival details into the new booklet. You will need to go to Chaeng Wattana to get the visa sticker in the new booklet (which seems like a 15 minute process).

    Some countries allow you to continue to present an expired passport with a valid visa... no need to transfer it to the new booklet, but this is not the case for the above visa.

    Hope this helps,

    Do you have an official source from where that information can be verified ?

    • Like 1
  4. I get the Toyota Camry... I used to get the BMW 7 Series, but Thai Elite moved the goal posts a few years back.

    I purchased Life time Thai Elite Membership for 1 MB approx 9 years ago.

    Could it be that 'Original Members' (Lifetime / 20 years) are offered the Camry, and the 5 year members get the BMW 7 Series ?

    I've also been provided with the AOT Van when travelling with my family and a lot of luggage.

    I am going into my 10th year (original 1m) with Thailand Elite. Yes, the 5 year visa get a BMW 7 series transfer and we get a Camry. We don't have a limit on the number of times we use the transfer though (I use it roughly 4 times a month), golf or spa services. 5 year visa holders are limited to 24 transfers/12 months.

  5. One little niggle that I have is that this visa doesn't grant one access to any business lounges at the airport - I asked at Swampy last time and was quite surprised to be advised that I couldn't use any business lounge on the basis of that visa.

    The Thailand Elite visa grants access to all Louis Tavern first class lounges at BKK. You can see the Thailand Elite sign on the counter at the entance of those lounges.

    • Like 2
  6. <script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

    Most mentioned are "replicas" of what international schools should be. Managed by Thais and attempting to be different from local Thai school.

    As far as I am concerned, there is only 3 true international schools in Thailand. ISB ranks the top, RIS the second, third one I forgot as it's been a while. But definitely not those mentioned above.

    The curriculum consists mainly of international courses, with high school including IB programs and AP programs which is college equivalent courses. Most graduating students easily get into the top universities and colleges around the world, Harvard, Stanford, UBC, UCLA, and so on. Don't even need to mention thai universities. As much as I hate to say it, it's a guaranteed free pass. I was a graduate long long time ago, threw some applications around the top 3-4 universities, we should know which they are. C*****, A***, and so on. On the day that I wanted to go take the entrance exam, I looked down the list, every name had a time and a place, mine didn't. I ask them what's wrong. "Oh, you don't have to take it. Your from international school." While I disagree with this practice, it's how things work here. While the whole country has to fight for what's available of the seats left, that is thousands trying to get hundreds of seats left. And of course, everyone your kid meets at school is connected heavily. Name any large enterprise in Thailand, there's a kid there.

    The courses are top notched, your kid if they can graduate, could easily be the brightest 10% of Thailand, and definitely 30% of the smartest in the world. From biology with microscopes, dissecting frogs and cats, to business courses, accounting, algebra, calculus, economics, you name it. Everything. Recently I heard, every kid has their own laptop to use in school as well. They type while taking notes.

    So definitely recommended if you have the money.

    Not sure where you got your data. ISB is OK but left for dead by Bangkok Pattana and NIST. Look at the IB scores for NIST for 2014 class. median score of 37 against the global median of 34 and one student scored a perfect 45 (only around 175 perfect scores globally), students from both these schools going to very prestigious universities all around the world. RIS would not even rank in the top 10 in Thailand and this easily ascertained by looking at their graduating classes. Getting admission to the top Thai universities from international schools means nothing as their rankings internationally are laughably low.

    If you are the type that prefers lower end fake international schools, by all means go ahead, settle for less, choose BPS and NIST. No bother is stopping you. Others prefer quality, and that you have to experience yourself.

    What utter rubbish ! ISB is top tier along with NIST,BPS,Harrow and Shrewsbury. RIS is not close to the top 10 list. You clearly have no idea what you are talking about, when did you last visit the RIS campus or compare results of these schools. Name calling other schools does not make your opinion correct.

  7. It is well known among the elite Thais and moneyed or diplomatic expats that there is ONE and only one international school in Thailand that is worth it if you wish your children to get a very good education to prepare them for the world. And that institution is the alma mater of Timothy Geithner..... (ISB)

    All other "international schools" in Thailand are for the unwashed masses and range from good to mediocre to terrible.

    ..if you are American.

  8. Busy body tony. Thai have democracy the thai way. Nothing to do with farang; especially British.

    I dont care what you say about Tony Blair, or your racist comment about British people, but there is no democracy in Thailand right now, that is a fact. Even if you think you have "Thai style ,you farang you ,no understand, democracy". So find another name for what you want to call your system, but dont call it democracy.

    • Like 2
  9. I payed 21000b for 28 months at True fitness,can use all three clubs (Zen re-opening Feb16th). If you are gonna sign up for 3 years you should get a better deal. Disregard the initial sign-up fee, no-one pays it,although they will make it seem like they are doing you a favour waiving it. Just take your time with the sales rep...keep umming and arhing and throw in the odd "thats expensive,I will have to think about it"....and watch the price plummet.

    PM me if you want the name of the sales rep that I dealt with (shes at True asoke,exchange tower).Good luck.

  10. I am looking to buy kefir (already made). Seems finding it in Pattaya and Phuket is no prob but have searched in Bangkok with no luck. Do you have any idea where I might find it ? If not I could give growing it by myself a shot but isnt it a fairly difficult process? Any leads would be great. Cheers!

    • Like 2
  11. BA used to serve several short-haul domestic destinations in the UK but gave them up to partners and latterly rivals.

    So nothing new with a large national airline relinquishing some of it's less profitable domestic routes to it's low-cost partner. I wouldn't be surprised to see some routes being dropped completely in the summer as the load factors make them even more of a money loser.

    The Thai online booking/purchasing always has been pretty basic and I am sure that the fact that the sprawling metropolis of Phitsanulok and other 'fobbed off' destinations aren't available for booking online isn't due to any perceived 'lower status' of passenger and/or destination. For example, you can't but infant fare tickets online with Thai's website; I still have to make the adult bookings online and then call in for the infant add-on or traipse into one of their offices.

    What I want to know is whether I get ROP miles on these routes.

    Apparently on a TG ticket, yes you do.

    Yes,you will accrue miles ifTG issues you the ticket..however, buying the ticket through TG,DMK-PHS,is approx 5000b which is what they used to charge BKK-PHS in business class. It is far cheaper booking off of Nok Airs website.

  12. I have been using Aeon ATMs since the 150b started at the other banks with no problems....up until today. I went to the Siam Paragon ATM and requested 20 000b using my visa/cirrus debit card...the ATM took a while before a message appeared saying that it was unable to process my request and to contact my card issuer. I thought it srange as I knew I had enough in my account to cover the withdrawal so I tried again, only to get the same message. This was around 1 30 today. About an hour ago I checked online to see if there was a block on my account or something similar and ,you guessed it, a withdrawal of USD 599 was made today at Aeon ATM Siam Paragon !!I have been trying to call them with no luck but did fill in a form for them to contact me. Will post the outcome here and if anyone else had this message from Aeon ATMs today, check your balances. Saving 150b may have cost me USD 599!!

    I started this thread about a week ago. You may want to read it. Hope it eases your mind a bit.

    Btw, I have used Aeon twice since then.

    Thanks vagabond...I just got hold of someone at Aeon who explained that the "contact your bank first" was the standard procedure worldwide . He also said that they can tell whose money they didnt dispense but cannot credit it back until they hear from the card issuing bank. Yes, your earlier thread did ease my mind! Cheers! Will post out come on your other thread, dont want to hi-jack this one..

  13. I have been using Aeon ATMs since the 150b started at the other banks with no problems....up until today. I went to the Siam Paragon ATM and requested 20 000b using my visa/cirrus debit card...the ATM took a while before a message appeared saying that it was unable to process my request and to contact my card issuer. I thought it srange as I knew I had enough in my account to cover the withdrawal so I tried again, only to get the same message. This was around 1 30 today. About an hour ago I checked online to see if there was a block on my account or something similar and ,you guessed it, a withdrawal of USD 599 was made today at Aeon ATM Siam Paragon !!I have been trying to call them with no luck but did fill in a form for them to contact me. Will post the outcome here and if anyone else had this message from Aeon ATMs today, check your balances. Saving 150b may have cost me USD 599!!

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