General Reports

[QUOTE=Crazy4Thai;2054852]My Visa debit works as a CC and all fees are refunded to my savings account. I set this up through an account with Fidelity. I understand that Schwaab offers a similar card. With a $500 daily withdrawal limit it saves me perhaps $12 a week.[/QUOTE]I have the Schwaab debit card and its great. All ATM & Bank fees are credited back into my account at the end of each month. $900 withdrawal is the total daily limit. BUT, I believe you have to be an American to open an account. I don't think it will work for our British, Euro and Aussie pals. You would think that there must be a banking institution in these countires offering similar arrangements.

[QUOTE=NattyBumpo;2054882]I have the Schwaab debit card and its great. All ATM & Bank fees are credited back into my account at the end of each month. $900 withdrawal is the total daily limit. BUT, I believe you have to be an American to open an account. I don't think it will work for our British, Euro and Aussie pals. You would think that there must be a banking institution in these countires offering similar arrangements.[/QUOTE]Citibank offers this in SG. So does DBS.

[QUOTE=Eszpresszo;2054876]That is not entirely true. You need to go to the lower level of BKK and there is another row of currency exchange places, that offer a better rate than the top floor. This phenomenon exists in other destinations as well. A customs officer at MDE advised me the currency exchanges on the lower level gave a better rate than the one in front of me. You pay for the convenience everywhere you go.[/QUOTE]Problem with those kiosks is they have limited operating hours (10 am to 7 pm I believe.) They are certainly not open at 6 am or midnight when many banks of longer haul international flights arrive.

As for Superrich BKK: the main branch office in town has better exchange rates than their affiliate satellite and kiosk locations including Suvarnabhumi Airport. And their remote locations have been known to run out of baht to sell during peak periods. As always YMMV.

SL.

[QUOTE=NattyBumpo;2054882]I have the Schwaab debit card and its great. All ATM & Bank fees are credited back into my account at the end of each month. $900 withdrawal is the total daily limit. BUT, I believe you have to be an American to open an account. I don't think it will work for our British, Euro and Aussie pals. You would think that there must be a banking institution in these countires offering similar arrangements.[/QUOTE]Fidelity has something similar. Zero fee from Fidelity. The ATM's fee is refunded to your Fidelity account. I set my daily limit to $500 per day, but higher or lower limits can be set. You must use an ATM with the proper symbol, of which there are plenty. Exchange rate is the same as used by the New York Stock Exchange; the various currency exchange places have much worse exchange rates. I verified that all these things work in practice.

If you are not getting the exchange rate posted on [URL]XE.com[/URL], you are probably getting ripped off on the exchange rate.

I have my ticket leaving us on August 2 and returning end of October. Do I need any kind of visa when I arrive there? I know I will have to get an extension. Can I get a 60 day extension easily? My biggest worry is not being allowed in the country with a return date that far out. Is that something I should be concerned a out?

Thank you for any advice.

Is it necessary to check ID of freelancers to avoid [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord902][CodeWord902][/url] girls? Is it customary to ask for ID before striking a deal?

Where is the best (cheap) place to buy nuru massage gel to take home? I need about 10 liters in total. Any brand recommendation?

[QUOTE=Horatio;2055684]I have my ticket leaving us on August 2 and returning end of October. Do I need any kind of visa when I arrive there? I know I will have to get an extension. Can I get a 60 day extension easily? My biggest worry is not being allowed in the country with a return date that far out. Is that something I should be concerned a out?

Thank you for any advice.[/QUOTE]Depending of course on the type of passport you have.

For instance I have a pasport under EU rules which allows me for a 30 days tourist Visa.

My return flights are always between 7 and 9 weeks after arrival; never had a question on that.

Since around 2 years it is possible to extend your 30 days stay into a 60 days stay (for 1. 600 THB. Around 50 $).

For that you have to go to Immigration Division 1 Office, Chalermprakiat Government Complex, Chaengwattana Rd (soi 7), Laksi, Bangkok ([URL]https://www.live-less-ordinary.com/visa-extension-in-bangkok-immigration-office[/URL]).

Laksi District is close to Dong Muang airport and your can take the BTS or MRT to the Chatuchak area (better known as weekend market or JJ market) and take a taxi from there.

Another way is a short visa run; I often go for one night to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore.

Goodluck with this.

What is a CodeWord902 ? Man things have changed.

Edit: So that is an [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord902][CodeWord902][/url] thing? I see.

I meant [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord902][CodeWord902][/url].

Jesus! Let me try to fool this damn thing. So that mean U-n-d-3-r A-g-3 right :)

I took this service for the first time and liked it.

I was staying around Nana, so I took the BTS to arrive at Ekkamai BTS station. Follow the sign to exit for bus station, it is right there within 100 meters.

There are few counters for buses. AC buses fare ranging from B108 to B135 depending on the bus companies. There are also minivan and micro- buses running. There are counters for that too, though prices are little higher.

I bought a ticket for the cheapest bus for B108. The bus departed on time and though the travel was about 2:30 hours mentioned but we arrived at Pattaya within 2 hours non-stop. At Pattaya bus station, took a motor cycle taxi for 100 baht to my hotel. Total 28 (BTS)+108 (Bus)+ 100 (MC Taxi) = 236 baht and I moved from Sukhumvit to Pattaya hotel to hotel in 2:30 hours in total.

I liked this very much. Followed the same procedure for return and reached Bangkok in on 1 hour 50 Minutes. Both my travels were during noon (starting at 11 am and reaching about 1 pm). So if you are a single traveler and wish to travel to Pattaya cheap but faster, this is one of your options.

T. F. E.

[QUOTE=PosterLion;2055812]What is a CodeWord902 ? Man things have changed... . . So that mean U-n-d-3-r A-g-3 right :)[/QUOTE]My smart imagination makes me think too this has something to do with a risky birthday year of the girl in question, if you know what I mean. 555.

The smart forum software doesn't seem to like tricky words that could lead to some legal issues.

[QUOTE=TfEight;2055920]I took this service for the first time and liked it.

I was staying around Nana, so I took the BTS to arrive at Ekkamai BTS station. Follow the sign to exit for bus station, it is right there within 100 meters.

There are few counters for buses. AC buses fare ranging from B108 to B135 depending on the bus companies. There are also minivan and micro- buses running. There are counters for that too, though prices are little higher.

I bought a ticket for the cheapest bus for B108. The bus departed on time and though the travel was about 2:30 hours mentioned but we arrived at Pattaya within 2 hours non-stop. At Pattaya bus station, took a motor cycle taxi for 100 baht to my hotel. Total 28 (BTS)+108 (Bus)+ 100 (MC Taxi) = 236 baht and I moved from Sukhumvit to Pattaya hotel to hotel in 2:30 hours in total.

I liked this very much. Followed the same procedure for return and reached Bangkok in on 1 hour 50 Minutes. Both my travels were during noon (starting at 11 am and reaching about 1 pm). So if you are a single traveler and wish to travel to Pattaya cheap but faster, this is one of your options.

T. F. E.[/QUOTE]I am pleased with Bell Transportation. I fell very safe on those large, AC buses. On my first trip, we plowed into a small automobile (not really sure whose fault it was), but we rear-ended them and neither the car nor the auto faired very well. Very sad. But while the car was destroyed, the bus seemed to only have a dented panel with some scratched paint. I can imagine that poor car / driver being a power taxi / me!

Anyway, I have never taken the bus from BKK to Pattaya. The timing is never right so I take a taxi. (I always take the bus back to BKK.) But I carry a checked bag and a large carry on, so taking a motorcycle taxi is not an option. Any one know what a fair tax cab fare would be from the bus station to a Soi 13 hotel? Thanks.

Are they still limiting the hours of operation on soi 6 Pattaya?

Any boots on the ground?

[QUOTE=Sockboy50;2056638]Are they still limiting the hours of operation on soi 6 Pattaya?

Any boots on the ground?[/QUOTE]Check my TR in Pattaya Board. Only alcohol prohibited before 6. Get there early to get the hotties. Beware of overcharging on BF's.

[QUOTE=FLHawk;2056636]. Any one know what a fair tax cab fare would be from the bus station to a Soi 13 hotel? Thanks.[/QUOTE]An actual "taxi" will charge you 200 baht. If you use the baht bus that is backed in to load passengers, and their big luggage too, they will take you for 50 baht. It takes a little longer and you are crammed tight but those are your options.