Flashermac Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 << I've been pushing the Malaysia as a alternative for years now, good to see at last many now agree. >> I like Malaysia, especially Penang. But I feel nowhere as much at home there as I do in Thailand. I suppose I could get over that feeling though, and the language isn't that difficult to learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 Penang is good but I think I would go with Kuala Lumpur for the airport and more of an international city. Apartments are priced OK, the infra structure is OK, but a serious shortage of massage and "fun" places, compared to BKK. I have only been to Penang for work, quick in and a quick out (sounds like P4P) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 most speak better english than here too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 In 2001 I opened a personal and a business $ bank account at my favourite farang friendly bank branch, bangkok Bank Soi 8 no problems but expensive fees Checking Bangkok Bank Website: Individual Non-Residents 1. Passport and evidence declaring the source of funds together with a letter of recommendation as follows: - A letter of recommendation from a reputable company, an embassy or an international organization located in Thailand. - A letter of recommendation from your bank abroad. This must be a bank which is acceptable to Bangkok Bank and sent to Bangkok Bank via SWIFT. - A letter of recommendation from a person acceptable to Bangkok Bank such as an existing customer of Bangkok Bank. 2. Work permit (if any) 3. Any additional documents or reference which we may require. Now, it seems that I have to have a letter from J.H. Christ for them to accept my $$$, I hope the folks at the bank will be slightly more customer friendly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 Cavanami, as I said before, the rules vary bank to bank, forget what the web site says, try Bangkok Bank Soi 8, on memory the USA$ accounts opened 1st floor (ie above ground floor) on the left hand side, been a long time since i was there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 OK, I will give it a try in a couple of days...now under house arrest (bad boy again ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickfarang Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 About banking, (this is not a dollar account), Krung Thai in udon told me that I can open a 6 month or 12 month time deposit and get interest rates from 3.75 to 4.75 baht, depending upon the amount and the term. I just opened a couple of checking accounts wtih them on Monday, using only my passport and O retirement visa. I believe the reason the government discourages personal dollar-denominated accounts is that they want to discourage currency speculation -the kind that cavanami enjoys with his account in Japan. Back to the subject of the thread for a moment, a fellow posting on this topic on udonmap.com mentioned that while at the Thai embassy in Vientiane, he heard a rumor about new immigration rules on November 15th. Anybody heard anything more than that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 A neighbour just renewed his retirement visa and told me there are signs up all over at Bangkok immigration telling about the changes in tourist and investment visas. Don't know what more they could do. He also got told off for not having 800,000 baht in his account for three months before visa renewal. They let me go this time, but said not next year. (He had dumped in about 700,000 baht just the week before though. I've heard from others who only added say 100,000 to top it up and had no problems. Seems like the main thing is you have to keep most of the required amount in the account you are using.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 I was chatting on Sunday and this young man mentioned to me that he just got his O-retirement visa and was able to show the equivqlent of 800,000 Baht in his USA bank account, not a bank account in Thailand, not a Thai baht account. He also had a letter from the US Embassy certifying that he did have the funds in the US bank account. This puts a new light on things, as you do not have to lose with the Baht being so strong at this time (and the dollar weak). I think he did this thru the Denver Thai Honorary Consulate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 << most speak better english than here too >> But not as good as they used too. I remember how well many Malaysians spoke English in the 1970s. But the emphasis on making everyone speak Malaysian has taken its toll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.