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[QUOTE=Crocodilexp;1636601]Citibank is charging the 150 baht ATM fee as well, but they may not be explicit about it. Started well over a year ago, was free before that. At the moment, I don't think any ATM networks are without that fee.[/QUOTE]I seem to recall they disclosed the fee before I made the transaction. I like Citibank because I can make much larger withdrawals, the machines inside and usually a bank employee was present when I made my withdrawals.
I usually end up adding a few contacts to whatsapp during each visit to Thailand.
However whatsapp does not really offer much privacy and I am always worried of my GF questioning me about various contacts. On top of that sometimes one ends up getting messages from girls in awkward situations. Time difference between east and west compounds the problem.
Is there any way of having something a dual whatsapp subscription so one can login to "special" one only when required?
How are you guys managing it?
I've been reading through the Thailand Forums for some months now, as I'm trying to decide whether visiting Thailand for the first time would be worthwhile.
Although I have read numerous posts from others here about what some Thai ladies can and / or will do to you if you get too involved, it was interesting to follow the misfortune of Aussie Rob who was shown on tonight's episode of Channel 9 Australia's "The Embassy" program.
A relationship with a Pattaya Thai gogo bar girl of around two years, he's sent her around $70,000 dollars over that period, as he believed that they'll be married and she'll relocate to Australia with him. Instead, she asks him for 1 Million baht so as to open her own karaoke place, and when he says to her he'll think about it, she takes his passport in an attempt to extort money from him. He gets it back, but not easily, and the Thai police don't come off looking good at all.
If only Aussie Rob had gone to Pattaya for the reason that ISG members go there, and if only he had read through some of the posts here before going, he would be better off both financially and emotionally.
I still laughed though.
(I was going to post this in the Pattaya Forum, but I figured it was more general than specific to Pattaya.).
[QUOTE=Margaya;1637018]I usually end up adding a few contacts to whatsapp during each visit to Thailand.
However whatsapp does not really offer much privacy and I am always worried of my GF questioning me about various contacts. On top of that sometimes one ends up getting messages from girls in awkward situations. Time difference between east and west compounds the problem.
Is there any way of having something a dual whatsapp subscription so one can login to "special" one only when required?
How are you guys managing it?[/QUOTE]You could use one app like facebook messenger for communication with regular friends and only use what's app (or line) when you are actually in Thailand. Then when you go home, deactivate whatsapp from your phone. You can activate it again later. It might be inconvenient but you won't have to worry about the GF.
[QUOTE=Margaya;1637018]I usually end up adding a few contacts to whatsapp during each visit to Thailand.
However whatsapp does not really offer much privacy and I am always worried of my GF questioning me about various contacts. On top of that sometimes one ends up getting messages from girls in awkward situations. Time difference between east and west compounds the problem.
Is there any way of having something a dual whatsapp subscription so one can login to "special" one only when required?
How are you guys managing it?[/QUOTE]LINE seems to be universally popular in Thailand and not many other places, so installing on your way in, and uninstalling on your way out is a good idea.
Whatsapp does not support dual accounts, most mobile apps do not. Android tablets (but not phones) theoretically support multiple user accounts, but I wouldn't rely on that (since chat apps use your mobile SIM number as the I'd).
If you have a GF or worse, wife, consider getting a burner phone. Cheap Android phones can be had for 3-5000 baht or so, cheap price to pay for your peace of mind (especially if a divorce is a possibility). You can wipe the phone if you want to bring it back home (and toss the SIM card, of course).
Never, ever, ever, add anyone on Facebook if you don't want that to be public. Facebook's privacy settings are a sham, and it's virtually guaranteed information will leak. Even if you create a fake / secondary profile, it's still likely to come back at you eventually.
More broadly, a good practice is to _never_ let other people (especially your GF or wife) browse through your phone on e-mail, and consider it a serious offense. Put up a pattern lock, and change the pattern regularly. This is good to do from the start, harder if they are already able to dig freely. If your partner is jealous and digs with the intent of finding that you're cheating, they will find something, even if there's absolutely nothing to find and you've done nothing wrong.
[QUOTE=Crocodilexp;1637689]
If you have a GF or worse, wife, consider getting a burner phone. Cheap Android phones can be had for 3-5000 baht or so, cheap price to pay for your peace of mind (especially if a divorce is a possibility). You can wipe the phone if you want to bring it back home (and toss the SIM card, of course).[/QUOTE]Second phone is a great idea too. Just have to hide that little fucker when you go back (and hope she doesn't find it). But the guy worried about the phone thing has more to be concerned about. I would be worried about bringing something back and giving it to the GF. LOL.
I am from Europe and here nobody really uses wechat (or weixin as it is called in China).
In Asia almost ALL girls use it.
For my real home friends I use whatsup, facebook, line.
For my activities in Thailand / China I use wechat, once back I delete all messages and contacts in there.
Or even delete the app from my phone and I am save.
The software "bluestacks" simulates an android mobile device on your windows pc, including chat programs etc.
It is running in a "sandbox" means it does not leave any traces on your pc, perfect for using in office.
I use a second "secret" email for my Asia girls, never my real email, use a local prepaid card, each time I go a new one, which will be destroyed after the trip.
Never use my real name or address with the girls, so at home I am fully clear. My wife can freely browse my iPhone as much as she like.
Wechat has a good function, you can see who is near by and filter female only. Had surprisingly good success, even with non hookers in Thailand and China.
Enjoy your hobby and be careful, our wives are very careful too!
[QUOTE=Crocodilexp;1636601]Citibank is charging the 150 baht ATM fee as well, but they may not be explicit about it. Started well over a year ago, was free before that. At the moment, I don't think any ATM networks are without that fee.[/QUOTE]There's a way to save the fee, it must have mentioned before.
Walk into the branch and ask for a cash withdrawal using your debit card. I wasn't believing it myself, as it sounds just too easy, and I have never seen any other bank in the world doing it, but it's doable in Thailand. After AEON started charging the fee, I went at Kasikorn in Pattaya Central twice, for 20,000 Bt each time. I happen to have an account at the branch, but they didn't care, only wanted to see my passport. In less than a minute the money was counted, I signed the transaction, and left.
Just went through immigration a few days ago in Phuket (I guess this applies nationwide), the officer looks at the arrival form you fill, if you have no visa and you have multiple Thai stamps in your passport he calls the supervisor, this happened quite often, many times I saw them coming and checking, including me.
A guy ahead of me pulled out and then back to the desk after a quick chat with the supervisor. We talked before and after he said he comes twice a year and he told him that and all was OK.
Later it was my turn, I quickly turn the page to my exit stamp 1. 5 year ago and showed it to the supervisor and he waved me on and to the desk. They just come around behind the desk or on the side and check.
Later I asked him what was the criteria / point when he would not permit entry, with his broken English he finally understood what I was saying and said no more than "6 entries per year". I guess they feel you could stay 6 month with 6 entries so that would not be acceptable. This is fair enough I think, even UK (and many countries) has restriction of 6 months limit on tourist visas. Though I am not sure what would happen if you go for visa run, I heard they sometime take you to the office and then you have to "negotiate" before letting you pass !
Also I went to use the Bangkok Bank ATM that I always use, it said no more than max 12,500 baht (I didn't have time so I took it but later I found it only gave / had 500 bahts (hence 25/500 = 12,500 - ATM machines only give max 25 notes or 20 k baht or so here), so I should have tried another ATM, it was probably ran out of of 1000 or it was a machine that only gave 500.
By the way check latest bank rates here:
[URL]http://bankexchangerates.daytodaydata.net/[/URL]
Someone mentioned TMB giving 30 k, but from this page I find their rate for GBP is usually low (by nearly 1 baht) - need to check a few days for a good average, so not worth it for GBP, but their USD rate is OK. Bangkok Bank have consistently good rates for GBP. Note that even 0. 5 rate difference on 500 GBP gives you 250 baht short (more than 180 baht bank charge!
[QUOTE=Uzinuzin;1639131]Later I asked him what was the criteria / point when he would not permit entry, with his broken English he finally understood what I was saying and said no more than "6 entries per year". I guess they feel you could stay 6 month with 6 entries so that would not be acceptable. This is fair enough I think, even UK (and many countries) has restriction of 6 months limit on tourist visas. Though I am not sure what would happen if you go for visa run, I heard they sometime take you to the office and then you have to "negotiate" before letting you pass !
[/quote]There is no such written rule, it is something they make up when it suits them.
[QUOTE=Uzinuzin;1639131]Someone mentioned TMB giving 30 k, but from this page I find their rate for GBP is usually low (by nearly 1 baht) - need to check a few days for a good average, so not worth it for GBP, but their USD rate is OK. Bangkok Bank have consistently good rates for GBP. Note that even 0. 5 rate difference on 500 GBP gives you 250 baht short (more than 180 baht bank charge![/QUOTE]Exchange rate at the ATM are not determined by the Thai bank, but by the international circuit used, Visa or MC. You can check that on their respective websites, using the rate for the working day before the transaction.
[QUOTE=OldNewGuy;1638598]There's a way to save the fee, it must have mentioned before.
Walk into the branch and ask for a cash withdrawal using your debit card. I wasn't believing it myself, as it sounds just too easy, and I have never seen any other bank in the world doing it, but it's doable in Thailand. After AEON started charging the fee, I went at Kasikorn in Pattaya Central twice, for 20,000 Bt each time. I happen to have an account at the branch, but they didn't care, only wanted to see my passport. In less than a minute the money was counted, I signed the transaction, and left.[/QUOTE]What exchange rate did you get? The interbank ATM rate or the bank's local rate for exchanging cash notes?
[QUOTE=JimmyBoy99;1639590]What exchange rate did you get? The interbank ATM rate or the bank's local rate for exchanging cash notes?[/QUOTE]The Visa or MC rate. The transaction appears immediately, in one case it got a very small adjustment few days later.
[QUOTE=Crocodilexp;1637689]
More broadly, a good practice is to _never_ let other people (especially your GF or wife) browse through your phone on e-mail, and consider it a serious offense. Put up a pattern lock, and change the pattern regularly. This is good to do from the start, harder if they are already able to dig freely. If your partner is jealous and digs with the intent of finding that you're cheating, they will find something, even if there's absolutely nothing to find and you've done nothing wrong.[/QUOTE]In my experience a locked phone is no security. The conversation goes: 'If you have nothing to hide, then show me what's on your phone', or variations on that theme. Having your partner know the password gives her confidence in your fidelity, and increases your diligence in removing all phone numbers, photos, etc etc.
[QUOTE=Mouse1;1639747]In my experience a locked phone is no security. The conversation goes: 'If you have nothing to hide, then show me what's on your phone', or variations on that theme. Having your partner know the password gives her confidence in your fidelity, and increases your diligence in removing all phone numbers, photos, etc etc.[/QUOTE]Isn't that what all governments are selling us? "If you have nothing to hide, why do you need strong encryption on your emails"?
[QUOTE=Mouse1;1639747]The conversation goes: 'If you have nothing to hide, then show me what's on your phone', or variations on that theme. [/QUOTE]That's a shit test question, the variation on the "if you love me you'll buy me gold". The only proper answer to that is a firm "no", and if there's any further discussion, the reply is "if you don't trust me, you're free to leave".
Once you accept their terms / frame and start being defensive, you lost the battle. If your partner broadly suspects you of cheating, there's no way of proving you're not doing it, anything you do to placate them is likely to get them even more suspicious. If you engage in that sort of discussion, the possible outcomes are "tails I win, heads you lose".
Of course, if they had the free reign of your phone (or wallet, or bank account, or setting the tone / frame of arguments) for a long time, and then suddenly you put your foot down, they'll get rightfully pissed and suspicious. That's why it's critical to set boundaries early on, and difficult to claw back ground you already conceded.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not some sort of an ultra-macho woman-spinning alpha, just a regular guy that learned this stuff the hard way (although quite not as hard as some people I know).