cybers1b

So in fact you have a debit card from the Siam Commercial Bank and not a Credit Card which is something completely different. Did I understand that right? A debit card like any Visa Electron CArd for example, is omething that you can get with any savings account and also use worldwide as long as there is money on your account. A Credit Card however is something different, at least the way I see it. With a credit card (as the name suggests) there is no need for any money to be in your account and you still can pay with it, right? And i doubt that a Thai Bank will give a Credit Card out to f

Excuse me? What limit are you talking about? Certainly not daily withdrawl limits and certainly not about limits for withdrawl from ATMs unsless the banking business in europe has changed completely in the last year? And: 25,000 Euro are approximately 1,250,000 Baht and not 100,000 Baht but I guess that was just a typo. If you mean 2,500 Euro - that would be 125,000 Baht (approx). As for credit cards for farangs from thai banks - it is not an easy thing to get one, you will have to have a work permit and also meet certain other requirements. I think that some Banks are willing to give

Just like my post was only a question - I only asked you why you would think that you could pay in a foreign currency for food, drink and services? Some Tailors sure take USD (and some at even better rates then exchange boots) but in general (restaurants, department stores,...) will just shake their heads. But I really wouldn't bring cash, it's just not necessary as ATMs are virtuallt everywhere in Thailand (OK, upcountry you could have to try a bit harder to find one). cheers cyber

That's not correct. ATMs pay out 20,000 Baht per transaction or depending on the card can even pay out 40,000 Baht per transaction. That is for ATM cards issued by Thai Banks. With a Bualuang Premier ATM card from Bangkok Bank you can get 40,000 per transaction (but weekly limits still apply). Having said that, it might be different for ATMs or CCs from foreign Banks though but it is not the ATM machine that limits this. cheers cyber

Hmmm - why do you think that you could pay in USD for food, drinks and so on on Thailand? Can I pay in Thai Baht at a restaurant in New York? They wont even take 100 Dollar Bills from the 1996 series at the Bank in Thailand As torrenova said - TiT and you pay in Baht. But as others said it is much easier to use a ATM or Credit Card to withdraw money and that way you don't need to worry about how much to bring too. Just make sure that don't rely on only one card. cheers cyber

Just check the current rates: http://www.bangkokair.com/en/ or http://www.thaiair.com cheers cyber

The last time I flew out to Utapao from Samui it was only Bangkok Airways servicing the route Phuket - Samui - Utapao (not a direct flight then but that has changed) and the price is 3285 Baht including taxes one way. Thai Airways One Way Phuket to Bangkok is 2740.00 including taxes. You have to add the taxi fare to this and that already makes it more expensive then the Bangkok Airways flight. Add the time from Bangkok to Pattaya and there is no real reason left to fly to Bangkok. Well, only one I could think of and that si that Thai Airways operates many flights a day and Bangkok Airways onl

Soi7 - some branches still do this but the policy of any Bank in Thailand now is to follow the laws and only give accounts to people with a non immigrant visa and we will soon see all branches follow this policy. So overall the statement that opening a Bank Account requires a Non Immigrant Visa is correct in terms of the Banking laws and regulations. Bangkok Bank in Bangkok (Head Office on 444 Silom) is one of the strictest enforcer of these rules and was the first. cheers cyber

Omni is always nice even though they did increase their prices recently. Prices are now at 1980 for a Studio and 2700 for a One Bedroom Suite. But these are the prices quoted on the website and you still can get the studio for about 1300 Baht if you talk to them in person and they are not full (which can happen) and the One Bedroom for 1900. Check out their website for more info: http://www.omnitowerbangkok.com/home.htm Another good one is the Grand President - one that SunnyValentine has recommended once I believe. I had a look at their rooms a while back and they are just the rig

Some good info - one thing though - the 30 day permit is NOT a visa. The real Tourist Visa allows you to stay for 60 days. cheers cyber

If you talk about clubman who is a member on this site - I think the sign does not talk about imaginary bars cheers cyber

It is true, most sites nowadays want the 3 digits on the back to confirm that you actually have the card in your posession (and not found a copy of one in your fathers desk ) It is equally true that you should be careful when making online transactions of any kind. Never send it via an unsecured Email (eg unencrypted) or use a website that is not SSL secured (in IE you can tell from the little lock that you will see in the bottom right corner of your browser, click it to see the information for the SSL Certificate. If you don't want to give out that 3 digits, you can't do business wi

i would also recommend you to join the members section tog et the most out of this site - a lot of info there that you can search through without having to ask and the members section is not restricted in terms of content as is the open section http://www.pattayatalk.com/joinmembers.html cheers cyber

welcome to the board daz. a place to start looking for people who are in town would be the calender, sure, not all people insert their stays there but it is a good start. http://www.pattayatalk.com/forums/index.php?act=calendar I will be down to Pattaya for the weekend, hope you have a nice first trip cheers cyber

Any Listerine that you canget in Bangkok, you can get in Pattaya as well - even tough at a 7-11 sometimes the choice is limited. Go To Tesco, BigC or so and you will have no problem finding it. cheers cyber

I buy cigars (even though I don't smoke one very often) at the Cigar Cafe at the Hilton in Bangkok - never knew that they also have a shop in Pattaya, another point to be checked off on my list of prerequisits before moving down to Pattaya I like the list of cigar friendly places on their website as these days it is absolutely not normal that a bar or restaurant is cigarette friendly, much less cigar friendly. http://www.siamhavana.com/friendly.html cheers cyber

I found that being able to speak and write the language opened a lot of doors for me that would not open to a farang who does not speak the language. Whoever said that learning Thai is a waste of time probably never made it above Grade 6. Learning a foreign language to the extend that you can fluently communicate is never a mistake. cheers cyber

Just don't let them know that you understand them and you have the time of your life listening to their bullshit... cheers cyber

It's nothign new but http://www.learningthai.com is a great place to start to look for information - cheers cyber

clubman, not that I want to insult you, but from your posts you do not appear to be an expert on business in Thailand, neither an expert on anything else. I think some people here on this board already run succesful business with Thai partners, why don't you let us all know about your personal experience and why you thknk you are competent to comment on it? cheers cyber

Another thing about Phones which really confused me. Today I went to a Hutch Shop to change my preoaid SIM for a postpaid (well, that was the thought, I wanted to keep the number, only they don't offer that service so I got a new one but still have the prepaid one until I can communicate the new number, the new SIM isn't active until wednesday anyway). Usually, for a postpaid contract you need to have at least an NON IMM Visa and a Work Permit as a farang. Hutch never asked for any of that, they asked for (now it comes) my last 3 electricity bills and my last 3 bills form my landphone

I am very satisfied with BUPA - it really is something to consider for people lingin in Thailand. For Tourists (even longer time) it may be different. BUPA for example has arrangement with a load of excellent Hospitals where you only have to show your Insurance Card and the Hospital will settle the Bill directly with the Insurance...no advance requested. Can't say anything bad of them, they also covered all bills for the birth of our daughter (though naturally that is an extra option and has to be chosen well in advance). cheers cyber

Winston, we all should by now understand why no BG talk should be made here, there is the members section for that and I fully understand why Pete set it up in this way. If you discuss which Hotels allows BGs in and so on, the discussion will no doubt drift into a very different topic soon. I would love to give the reaons why the Hotels do this and why it is a good idea, but it would include some things that just do not fit in the open forum. Maybe Martin or Petet can move it if needed. cheers cyber

I would be glad to answer that question in the open, but this is the open for all forum where no bargirl discussion should occure. Plrease try to follow these simple rules for the benefit of everybody on this forum... cheers cyber

i agree it can be a bit confusing because you have to change the time span in which to search, but goive it a few tries, it is not all that hard and can get you good results... cheers cyber