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[QUOTE=Dg8787;2536779]Just maintain the same breathing, moaning and rhythm as the guy on the other side of the curtain and privacy won't be an issue.[/QUOTE]Usually, the music is so loud that you can't hear the next guy.
I was in a GC last night, and some guy got a BJ behind a curtain, it was like there was a Cone of Silence over him.
[QUOTE=HorseTrader;2536797]What you write about Fidelity card is exactly what I do and I can confirm what you say. The other benefit of the Fidelity card is that the exchange rate is excellent, it almost exactly matches what is posted on [URL]XE.com[/URL], which is better than any currency exchange place I've ever seen.
My backup card is my regular bank in USA, which doesn't have the sweet deal that Fidelity offers.
I also bring a small stack of cash in case all else fails.[/QUOTE]From [URL]https://www.fidelity.com/cash-management/faqs-atm-debit-card:[/URL] "For each foreign transaction, there is a foreign transaction fee (currently, 1% of the transaction for non-US dollar transactions), which may be included in the amount charged to your account. This charge may apply whether or not there is a currency conversion. ".
This foreign transaction fee is why I don't use the card abroad, although I have it. I use Schwab and First Republic Bank, which charge no fees and reimburse ATM fees.
[QUOTE=JimmyBoy99;2536827]From [URL]https://www.fidelity.com/cash-management/faqs-atm-debit-card:[/URL] "For each foreign transaction, there is a foreign transaction fee (currently, 1% of the transaction for non-US dollar transactions), which may be included in the amount charged to your account. This charge may apply whether or not there is a currency conversion. ".
.[/QUOTE]Very interesting that you have to pay such a fee. In February and March 2020 I used my Fidelity card extensively as an ATM card and never had a fee of any sort. Fidelity reimbursed the local ATM fee. Comparing the cash I got from the machine and the amount withdrawn from my account, I got an excellent exchange rate, which matched [URL]XE.com[/URL]. I'm wondering if you used your card at a store as a credit card while I simply used my card as a debt card at the ATM.
[QUOTE=BananaBoi;2536800]If you're from the USA, use Charles Schwab. Unfortunately, they do not offer free ATM fees services if you reside in many countries outside USA or possibly Europe..[/QUOTE]Yes they do. If your a US resident residing internationally, Schwab transfers your bank holdings into a Global brokerage account and then will issue you an ATM card.
That refunds your ATM fees accordingly. I'm been living here in Pattaya 8 years now and have used it since.
[QUOTE=BananaBoi;2536800]You need a Certificate of Residency to open a bank account in Thailand. Getting a legit 1-2 month Lease Agreement is difficult AFAIK..[/QUOTE]Normally yes, but its not difficult on the ground in Pattaya right now. Places are extremely flexible during covid times.
[QUOTE=BananaBoi;2536800]You need a Certificate of Residency to open a bank account in Thailand. Getting a legit 1-2 month Lease Agreement is difficult AFAIK. Majority of leases are 6 or 12 months. Someone let me know if I'm wrong. I'm looking for a good place to rent for cheap in Bangkok for a couple of months.
If you're from the USA, use Charles Schwab. Unfortunately, they do not offer free ATM fees services if you reside in many countries outside USA or possibly Europe.
Remember there is a forgotten rule that you have to carry 20,000 baht (equivalent Euro or USD may be acceptable too but I'd carry Thai baht to be safe) with you when you enter Thailand. The IO could technically not allow you in if you do not.
Always a good idea Cards fail in Thailand. One time I was trying to buy something at Central Festival from a legitimate store. Took me 3 credit cards to finally get the sale to go through. 1 of my cards was blocked after that.[/QUOTE]Not saying you are wrong I've opened a number of Bank account particularly with Bangkok Bank in Pattaya, the first account was open in 2000 on the Second Road across from Soi 6, 10 years ago, 2nd account on Sukhumvit, just before you get to Pattaya Klang, 3rd, 4 years ago, Darkside Siam Country Club all open with just my passport. Note: The first one I was still a tourist.
I've told a number of visitors who come several times a year wanted to open accounts have done so at Big see Extra on Pattaya Klang, the upstairs Green color bank also with just a passport. That is my experience.
[QUOTE=BananaBoi;2536800]You need a Certificate of Residency to open a bank account in Thailand. Getting a legit 1-2 month Lease Agreement is difficult AFAIK. Majority of leases are 6 or 12 months.[/QUOTE]I do not think there will be a problem getting the lease. All it is is a piece of paper where they fill in the blanks of your name, how much you are paying, and how long you plan on staying, and put some kind of authentication stamp on the bottom. You basically get something saying the same stuff without the stamp even when you book a hotel online for 1 night. I can't see them saying no you can't get this piece of paper saying you are staying here.
The whole process is dumb anyway. They only make the certificate good for as long as your visa is good. Why can't the bank or driver's license place or whoever just look in the person's passport to see that, instead of having to go get a paper from the government saying that it says that? Bureaucracy.
[QUOTE=LittleBigMan;2536898]Not saying you are wrong I've opened a number of Bank account particularly with Bangkok Bank in Pattaya, the first account was open in 2000 on the Second Road across from Soi 6, 10 years ago, 2nd account on Sukhumvit, just before you get to Pattaya Klang, 3rd, 4 years ago, Darkside Siam Country Club all open with just my passport. Note: The first one I was still a tourist.
I've told a number of visitors who come several times a year wanted to open accounts have done so at Big see Extra on Pattaya Klang, the upstairs Green color bank also with just a passport. That is my experience.[/QUOTE]Spot on. I have helped umpteen visitors open bank accounts here. No big deal. Depends on the bank branch and what standards the local manager applies. Best use larger branches or head office and say you are staying for a lengthy period and want an account to be able to transfer money to. Helps if you have a chunk of change with you to deposit No need for residency or work permits, I have neither but have accounts with three different banks plus their credit cards.
[QUOTE=HorseTrader;2536835]Very interesting that you have to pay such a fee. In February and March 2020 I used my Fidelity card extensively as an ATM card and never had a fee of any sort. Fidelity reimbursed the local ATM fee. Comparing the cash I got from the machine and the amount withdrawn from my account, I got an excellent exchange rate, which matched [URL]XE.com[/URL]. I'm wondering if you used your card at a store as a credit card while I simply used my card as a debt card at the ATM.[/QUOTE]I never use a debit card abroad except at ATMs. Credit card is much safer and more rewarding. You are correct about no foreign transaction fee at ATMs with the Fidelity debit card. When I first got the Fidelity debit card long ago, I asked if there were any foreign transactions fees and was told of the 1% fee, so I never used it, carrying it with me just for emergency use in case my Schwab and First Republic debit cards were stolen or didn't work. I called today and asked specifically if there was a fee for use at ATMs; after some confusion and the representative contacting someone else, was told there was no foreign transaction fee for using the card at ATMs. Thanks, as I will now be willing to use the card.
1) I have been using the Schwab debit card for years and I highly recommend it. It has single handedly changed the way I conduct my affairs while travelling. Back in the old days before I had the Schwab card, I used to carry around thousands of crisp, clean, $100 dollar bills for a 2 month trip. What a pain in the ass! Nowadays I bring just $1000 cash for emergencies. Easy, Simple.
First Republic's debit card issued with their ATM Rebate Checking account sounds almost as good as Schwab, but I believe First Republic has a $500 minimum balance requirement while Schwab has no minimum balance requirement with their checking account.
2) Sim Cards: Of course, smart phones were a huge travel innovation when they first came out over 10 years ago, but what a pain having to swap out the home country sim card for a local sim card to text & download data, let alone make local calls every time you left a signed-in Wi-fi area.
They say knowing is in the doing, so I am not 100% sure of this, but I just switched domestic USA carriers from AT&T to T-Mobil. The reason I switched, aside from a $200 annual savings with the T-Mobil unlimited calling, data and texting plan in the USA is that T-Mobil promises (promotes) automatic unlimited texting and unlimited data (on their sim card) in over 200 countries including Brazil and Thailand, the 2 countries I am most interested in at the current moment. I checked with a couple of T-Mobil representatives and they both confirmed this travel innovation.
So I shall see what the truth is soon enough (next month). If my cell phone works in the taxi from GIG to my hotel located off Ipanema Beach, RJ, it will most definitely be a game changer. Ha! But I am bringing 2 cell phones to Brazil just in case the T-Mobil promise is not a reality.
[QUOTE=NattyBumpo;2536977]1) I have been using the Schwab debit card for years and I highly recommend it. It has single handedly changed the way I conduct my affairs while travelling. Back in the old days before I had the Schwab card, I used to carry around thousands of crisp, clean, $100 dollar bills for a 2 month trip. What a pain in the ass! Nowadays I bring just $1000 cash for emergencies. Easy, Simple.
First Republic's debit card issued with their ATM Rebate Checking account sounds almost as good as Schwab, but I believe First Republic has a $500 minimum balance requirement while Schwab has no minimum balance requirement with their checking account.
2) Sim Cards: Of course, smart phones were a huge travel innovation when they first came out over 10 years ago, but what a pain having to swap out the home country sim card for a local sim card to text & download data, let alone make local calls every time you left a signed-in Wi-fi area.
They say knowing is in the doing, so I am not 100% sure of this, but I just switched domestic USA carriers from AT&T to T-Mobil. The reason I switched, aside from a $200 annual savings with the T-Mobil unlimited calling, data and texting plan in the USA is that T-Mobil promises (promotes) automatic unlimited texting and unlimited data (on their sim card) in over 200 countries including Brazil and Thailand, the 2 countries I am most interested in at the current moment. I checked with a couple of T-Mobil representatives and they both confirmed this travel innovation.
So I shall see what the truth is soon enough (next month). If my cell phone works in the taxi from GIG to my hotel located off Ipanema Beach, RJ, it will most definitely be a game changer. Ha! But I am bringing 2 cell phones to Brazil just in case the T-Mobil promise is not a reality.[/QUOTE]You will love the switch, don't know what took me so long getting hammered for many many years with att, I've used t mobile now in Medellin and Thailand with great success, and amazing costumer service, and even if you want the calling in and out feature free is very reasonable but I decided it's not even needed, the free stuff offer is good enough, now I need the Charles Swab card so I'm not also every trip bringing stacks of cash, I pm you bud, stay safe.
[QUOTE=NattyBumpo;2536977]They say knowing is in the doing, so I am not 100% sure of this, but I just switched domestic USA carriers from AT&T to T-Mobil. The reason I switched, aside from a $200 annual savings with the T-Mobil unlimited calling, data and texting plan in the USA is that T-Mobil promises (promotes) automatic unlimited texting and unlimited data (on their sim card) in over 200 countries including Brazil and Thailand, the 2 countries I am most interested in at the current moment.[/QUOTE]Prior to 2020, my Thailand travel buddy used T-Mobil and I used ATT international plan in Thailand. His worked most of the time, mine worked all of the time. He paid just his normal USA rate while I paid my normal USA rate plus $13 per day extra. Modest difference in performance, huge difference in price.
For our 2020 trip, he continued to use T-Mobil and had spotty service. I spent about $15 for a Thai SIM card that lasted the 35 day trip and had great service.
Next time I buy a phone it will have dual SIM cards. Until then, I'll swap SIM cards upon arrival and upon departure.
I researched to get a dual sim card phone, the one plus six. Went to tmobile told them why I wanted that phone and bought. One plus six is dual sim except the ones T-Mobile sells. I don't think they sell a dual sim phone.
[QUOTE=HorseTrader;2537044]Prior to 2020, my Thailand travel buddy used T-Mobil and I used ATT international plan in Thailand. His worked most of the time, mine worked all of the time. He paid just his normal USA rate while I paid my normal USA rate plus $13 per day extra. Modest difference in performance, huge difference in price.
For our 2020 trip, he continued to use T-Mobil and had spotty service. I spent about $15 for a Thai SIM card that lasted the 35 day trip and had great service.
Next time I buy a phone it will have dual SIM cards. Until then, I'll swap SIM cards upon arrival and upon departure.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=HorseTrader;2537044]Next time I buy a phone it will have dual SIM cards. Until then, I'll swap SIM cards upon arrival and upon departure.[/QUOTE]Many mongers have two phones so that the home number can still be used for regular incoming and outgoing calls and the second phone can be used for extra curricular activities with no risk of confusing the two nor either seeing the other. I'd agree that local SIMs are easy and reliable.
It's a bit like pro athletes who keep one phone just for drugs test labs. It rings and you know straight away who it is. 🙂.
[QUOTE=NattyBumpo;2536977]Back in the old days before I had the Schwab card, I used to carry around thousands of crisp, clean, $100 dollar bills for a 2 month trip.[/QUOTE]$300,000 for a 2 month trip; you are the mf MAN!