Sawasdee 4 (Thai K-1s in 2010)

[CJ&Jum 0]

Enjoy the travel and glad you are keeping the Sawasdee thread alive, I remember many years ago it was always on the first page.

[HYENA 4]

I got the open satellite stations. They're from Laos and Thailand. I watch it for the Russia Today news and Al Jazeera. She watches some of the stuff but after being here for a while, the quality and content of programming is very different (I'll just say that) so she doesn't watch much of the Thai stuff. It's all the same, anyway, some colored shirt did something to another colored shirt blah blah king blah blah overthrow, riot, etc. Nothing new in 40+ years in Thailand.

[ThaitoUSA 15]

When you're out in LA, you may wish to visit Thai town. They have some supplies that are tougher to find here on the east coast. I was out there two weeks ago and sent home a box full for my wife.

[Tom and Teaw 1]

Thai Town is not what you think it is. You think of it as an area that looks like Thailand or is full of Thai stores and buildings in one area. While there are many Thai stores and restaurants, if you didn't know it

I imagine you could drive right by it. But there is at least one great book store that I know of where you can get Thai books, CDs, movies and magazines. And there is a great Thai bakery that has tons of great Thai

desserts and stuff too. I plan on taking Teaw there when we head back out to So. Cal. in December so she can get some reading material to keep her happy reading Thai stuff.

[Kang Lang 7]

hi all! a little help. my MIL has an emergency and we need to send her some money, what's the least expensive and quickest way to send money, wells and bofa want $45 bucks which is alot on a the few hundred we are sending.

thanks in advance.

[rsn 135]

hi all! a little help. my MIL has an emergency and we need to send her some money, what's the least expensive and quickest way to send money, wells and bofa want $45 bucks which is alot on a the few hundred we are sending.

thanks in advance.

how soon does she need the money?

[toma1 10]

We pay for our place over there by depositing money in an account here and having friends in Bangkok withdraw the money with an ATM card and make the payment... costs 150 baht per withdrawal.

I assume that would be the cheapest way for you too, but you might not have the time to do it now. Good idea for the future, though...

[rsn 135]

hi all! a little help. my MIL has an emergency and we need to send her some money, what's the least expensive and quickest way to send money, wells and bofa want $45 bucks which is alot on a the few hundred we are sending.

thanks in advance.

If you have the time, send over an ATM card for a bank that also credits your account for any ATM fees. That way, you get an excellent exchange rate and you pay $0 in fees. It doesn't get any cheaper than that. Unless you have already done this, there is no quick way to send money without either paying a transfer fee or dealing with a poor exchange rate (or both, in some cases).

Edited November 16, 2010 by rsn

[Kang Lang 7]

hi everybody, thanks for all the responses, turns out western union was only $11.99 and my SIL could pick it up at bangkok bank in ratchaburi. this is the only time we have ever been asked for money so no need for a bank card, unfortunately my MIL was in a motorcycle accident and needed some money this month to pay her mortgage to the bank and hospital bill since she won't work for a bit. main thing is she will be fine!!! unfortunately though she killed a dog, she feels pretty awful about that too.

btw exchange rate is lousy right now!!!

Edited November 16, 2010 by Kang Lang

[rsn 135]

hi everybody, thanks for all the responses, turns out western union was only $11.99 and my SIL could pick it up at bangkok bank in ratchaburi. this is the only time we have ever been asked for money so no need for a bank card, unfortunately my MIL was in a motorcycle accident and needed some money this month to pay her mortgage to the bank and hospital bill since she won't work for a bit. main thing is she will be fine!!! unfortunately though she killed a dog, she feels pretty awful about that too.

btw exchange rate is lousy right now!!!

Hope your MIL feels better soon.

The exchange rate is about 30 THB/1 USD right now. Western Union and any other transfer services will use a much less ideal exchange rate. Bank to bank wire transfers or ATM withdrawals provide some of the best exchange rates.

Edited November 16, 2010 by rsn

[Tom and Teaw 1]

The problem is bank fees for wiring money are too high. Western Union, which I have used a few times in the past, lowers the exchange rate but it's usually cheaper to send money unless you are sending thousands at once.

Sure, an ATM card with a bank that does not charge the fees or reimburses them is great but not easy to find and then you have to have an acct. with that bank.

[toma1 10]

The problem is bank fees for wiring money are too high. Western Union, which I have used a few times in the past, lowers the exchange rate but it's usually cheaper to send money unless you are sending thousands at once.

Sure, an ATM card with a bank that does not charge the fees or reimburses them is great but not easy to find and then you have to have an acct. with that bank.

Online banks often refund ATM fees. The main problem with them in this circumstance is that you have to mail in the deposit which, in turn, makes it less than useful for fast transactions. I don't know of any local banks that refund foreign ATM fees.

Charles Schwab Bank is what I use. They refund all foreign ATM fees (no limit) and charge none of their own, but that's my regular account. I wouldn't give someone an ATM card on that one.

The best exchange rate in Bangkok (maybe the whole world) is at Superrich (there are two companies that are both called Superrich, and both have similar rates).

Superrich rates today are USD100 BUY29.95 SELL30.10

That spread is a little worse than normal, but knowing that place, it's probably the best there is right now... I would guess the worsening spread is related to current USD instability.

Edited November 17, 2010 by toma1

[rsn 135]

Online banks often refund ATM fees. The main problem with them in this circumstance is that you have to mail in the deposit which, in turn, makes it less than useful for fast transactions. I don't know of any local banks that refund foreign ATM fees.

Use a local bank for deposits, do an e-transfer to your onliine bank, keep a sandboxed account attached to the ATM card you send over to thailand. No mailing in deposits, no fees, no hassle, no problems.

[toma1 10]

Use a local bank for deposits, do an e-transfer to your onliine bank, keep a sandboxed account attached to the ATM card you send over to thailand. No mailing in deposits, no fees, no hassle, no problems.

In order to get a system like that with no fees from a local bank, they want direct deposit of my salary. Otherwise the local fees are crazy these days.

[Nicoco 26]

Hi, I want to know....how much evidence is needed for the K-1 visa? We want to get married now, but we're so young, so I'm afraid that will make it difficult. We talk for six hours on the phone everyday, and we plan out our future, but we are also just above the poverty line. Are we doomed?