Thailand Thread

[rsn 135]

Brother rsn...how is your wife doing (and you too, of course)...I have seen that WI is getting buried in the snow!

My wife now likes the snow, ever since we moved from Detroit to DC...now...it only snows a couple inches at a time here...that is the snow she 'imagined' when viewing Christmas cards and Television while she lived in Thailand. When she lived in Detroit with me for that first winter she was like.... !!!

I hope you guys are doing alright. My sister in Minnesota (she graduated from UofWis) said that it took her husband and her three hours to shovel her driveway, because of the massive snowdrifts the wind had built up...UGH!

Peace! Mark

Hello Mark! Kat is doing fine and enjoying the snow quite a bit. It's all very new and interesting to her. She spent some time yesterday posing for pictures in the snow (at her request of course). We got between 15 and 20 inches yesterday (depending on what part of the Madison area you live in). I ended up working from home. No additional snow today but it's currently -4F. Ouch. How is the weather in DC?

On a separate note: has anyone changed money (USD to THB) in Udon Thani or any city w/in 1 hour of Udon Thani? I plan on exchanging some traveler's cheques in Udon Thani in January and I want to see if

1.) the exchange rate is different compared to Bangkok

2.) All the banks there will exchange TCs.

Anyone know? I'd rather not exchange in BKK and carry the money w/ me on the plane.

Edited December 10, 2009 by rsn

[JD63 4]

I have a general money changing situation. I need to bring a large amount in (sin sodt, engagement expenses, etc). What would be the best way to do this? Some combination of techniques? I'd wire the money to my fiance's account, but she's not in thailand yet and I would have no way of knowing if it gets there or not.

[AaronLV 12]

I have a general money changing situation. I need to bring a large amount in (sin sodt, engagement expenses, etc). What would be the best way to do this? Some combination of techniques? I'd wire the money to my fiance's account, but she's not in thailand yet and I would have no way of knowing if it gets there or not.

Just bring your atm card go to the bank and do an over the counter withdrawl. Whenever I need big money that is what I do, my bank gives me the exact exchange rate at the time of the transaction and no fees. Check with your bank to make sure, but this is the easiest way, I have taken well over 10K out with no problems.

[rsn 135]

I have a general money changing situation. I need to bring a large amount in (sin sodt, engagement expenses, etc). What would be the best way to do this? Some combination of techniques? I'd wire the money to my fiance's account, but she's not in thailand yet and I would have no way of knowing if it gets there or not.

Just bring your atm card go to the bank and do an over the counter withdrawl. Whenever I need big money that is what I do, my bank gives me the exact exchange rate at the time of the transaction and no fees. Check with your bank to make sure, but this is the easiest way, I have taken well over 10K out with no problems.

Do you happen to remember what bank you visited? Will this work at any Thai bank? How did you initiate this withdrawal at the bank (what did you need to give them)?

[AaronLV 12]

I have a general money changing situation. I need to bring a large amount in (sin sodt, engagement expenses, etc). What would be the best way to do this? Some combination of techniques? I'd wire the money to my fiance's account, but she's not in thailand yet and I would have no way of knowing if it gets there or not.

Just bring your atm card go to the bank and do an over the counter withdrawl. Whenever I need big money that is what I do, my bank gives me the exact exchange rate at the time of the transaction and no fees. Check with your bank to make sure, but this is the easiest way, I have taken well over 10K out with no problems.

Do you happen to remember what bank you visited? Will this work at any Thai bank? How did you initiate this withdrawal at the bank (what did you need to give them)?

I did it at Bangkok Bank, and Siam Commercial, along with one others. You just go up to the foreign remittance counter give your debit card and tell them you want to do an over the counter withdrawal, they take your passport and card, go run it fill out the paperwork and give you the money. Very easy. I have a Wells Fargo PMA account, and then also anothe rprivate management account and it has been no problem. I bring cash with me just to have as an emergency back up, but never end up exchanging it. I always use the ATM card that way I get the current exchange rate and not the discounted rate you get when you exchange cash.

Sitting in Taipei, 5 more hours until I am back in BKK!!!

[rsn 135]

I did it at Bangkok Bank, and Siam Commercial, along with one others. You just go up to the foreign remittance counter give your debit card and tell them you want to do an over the counter withdrawal, they take your passport and card, go run it fill out the paperwork and give you the money. Very easy. I have a Wells Fargo PMA account, and then also anothe rprivate management account and it has been no problem. I bring cash with me just to have as an emergency back up, but never end up exchanging it. I always use the ATM card that way I get the current exchange rate and not the discounted rate you get when you exchange cash.

Cool. I guess I'll plan on doing that myself. Hopefully the banks in Udon Thani work as well as the banks where you tried this at B)

Sitting in Taipei, 5 more hours until I am back in BKK!!!

Have a safe trip. The longest part is over, which I'm sure you are thrilled about.

[AaronLV 12]

I did it at Bangkok Bank, and Siam Commercial, along with one others. You just go up to the foreign remittance counter give your debit card and tell them you want to do an over the counter withdrawal, they take your passport and card, go run it fill out the paperwork and give you the money. Very easy. I have a Wells Fargo PMA account, and then also anothe rprivate management account and it has been no problem. I bring cash with me just to have as an emergency back up, but never end up exchanging it. I always use the ATM card that way I get the current exchange rate and not the discounted rate you get when you exchange cash.

Cool. I guess I'll plan on doing that myself. Hopefully the banks in Udon Thani work as well as the banks where you tried this at B)

Sitting in Taipei, 5 more hours until I am back in BKK!!!

Have a safe trip. The longest part is over, which I'm sure you are thrilled about.

Thanks. Shouldn't be a problem in Udon, I did it in Buriram without any problems.

[JD63 4]

I'll have to check with my bank first. That's crazy, it won't let me take that much out here in the States.

[daboyz 36]

I want to go back for Songkran. I am getting all this resistance. Tickets are $1k USD. Anyone else getting this?

[rsn 135]

I want to go back for Songkran. I am getting all this resistance. Tickets are $1k USD. Anyone else getting this?

Is the problem "resistance" or the ticket prices? I assume you mean resistance from your wife. If so, I can't say the same. I'm sure mine would love for me to go back for Songkran. In fact she tells me all the time that she wants me to go back and see it.

[daboyz 36]

I want to go back for Songkran. I am getting all this resistance. Tickets are $1k USD. Anyone else getting this?

Is the problem "resistance" or the ticket prices? I assume you mean resistance from your wife. If so, I can't say the same. I'm sure mine would love for me to go back for Songkran. In fact she tells me all the time that she wants me to go back and see it.

Well that's precisely the problem. I've been through a few Songkrans over there with her. Any time I bring up going back there for whatever reason, she doesn't like it. I took her to Detroit a couple weeks ago and she didn't have a problem with that. Maybe she likes it here and is worried we wont come back. Maybe she's just cheap and doesn't want to spend the money. Who knows.

[rsn 135]

I want to go back for Songkran. I am getting all this resistance. Tickets are $1k USD. Anyone else getting this?

Is the problem "resistance" or the ticket prices? I assume you mean resistance from your wife. If so, I can't say the same. I'm sure mine would love for me to go back for Songkran. In fact she tells me all the time that she wants me to go back and see it.

Well that's precisely the problem. I've been through a few Songkrans over there with her. Any time I bring up going back there for whatever reason, she doesn't like it. I took her to Detroit a couple weeks ago and she didn't have a problem with that. Maybe she likes it here and is worried we wont come back. Maybe she's just cheap and doesn't want to spend the money. Who knows.

Hmm, Thailand, or Detroit, Thailand or Detroit, which would I prefer, hmmmm.

Does she understand that $1K is a really good price for a RT ticket to LOS? I can understand her liking Texas. Move to the midwest for a winter and she'll be glad to visit Thailand.

[thongd4me 69]

Passport Ring Arrested in Thailand

[JD63 4]

Wow, that's insane.

[daboyz 36]

Passport Ring Arrested in Thailand

I need a Canadian Passport. I wonder if they can help me out when they get out of the pokey.