melmalinowski
American looking for information about Thailand
Forum posts
29
About me
American
Lives in Rattanaburi, Surin
Speaks In order of fluency: German, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, French, Thai
Registration: 11 March 2019
Water well drilling report in Surin near Rattanaburi by melmalinowski
I married a Thai woman from Baan Khok Kong, Nong Bua Ban, Rattanaburi District, Surin in the summer of 2019 in the USA. We will be living 6 months a year in the USA, and perhaps 3-4 months a year in Thailand. We have begun building a house on her ...
@Cheryl I could update our well experience, but the comment about this being in the wrong category is valid.If you can fix that, I'll update. Read More
How to get a hydrology report for an area in Surin?
We drilled a well at our home in Surin about 132 feet deep. We get about 500 liters per hour from it, very hard water, and a bit salty. We use it for irrigation and bathing, but don't drink it. We drilled a similar well out at our family rice ... Read More
Which banks are OK for required THB 800,000 by melmalinowski
I have a bank account at Bangkok Bank where I keep my required minimum balance per the visa requirement. My Thai wife says she has heard that only Bangkok Bank can be used for this. I'm not too happy with BB and would like to establish a joint ...
Thanks to Leeds, whose comments are mostly positive and helpful. We are taking the route of getting full 'legalization'. Our county in USA issues Certificate of Marriage, embossed and sealed, $15. Submitted to our state, they emboss and ... Read More
Which banks are OK for required THB 800,000 by melmalinowski
I have a bank account at Bangkok Bank where I keep my required minimum balance per the visa requirement. My Thai wife says she has heard that only Bangkok Bank can be used for this. I'm not too happy with BB and would like to establish a joint ...
Perhaps I have the exact wording wrong. I currently annually renew a 'Non-O Immigrant' visa. You are allowed to change this to one based on marriage to a Thai citizen, which is commonly called a 'marriage visa'. That is what we hope ... Read More
Which banks are OK for required THB 800,000 by melmalinowski
I have a bank account at Bangkok Bank where I keep my required minimum balance per the visa requirement. My Thai wife says she has heard that only Bangkok Bank can be used for this. I'm not too happy with BB and would like to establish a joint ...
From what? From 'retirement visa' Read More
Which banks are OK for required THB 800,000 by melmalinowski
I have a bank account at Bangkok Bank where I keep my required minimum balance per the visa requirement. My Thai wife says she has heard that only Bangkok Bank can be used for this. I'm not too happy with BB and would like to establish a joint ...
Please don't get in a 'flame war' over my post. I just want people's various experiences with their banks, and what they know of the rules. Read More
Which banks are OK for required THB 800,000 by melmalinowski
I have a bank account at Bangkok Bank where I keep my required minimum balance per the visa requirement. My Thai wife says she has heard that only Bangkok Bank can be used for this. I'm not too happy with BB and would like to establish a joint ...
Thanks. I hope you're right, that personal with beneficiary is possible. Read More
Which banks are OK for required THB 800,000
I have a bank account at Bangkok Bank where I keep my required minimum balance per the visa requirement. My Thai wife says she has heard that only Bangkok Bank can be used for this. I'm not too happy with BB and would like to establish a joint ... Read More
Generate electricity
We need electricity out at our rice paddy to pump water. Our neighbors don't want to allow power poles out to our area, even if we pay for them. My Thai wife favors a little diesel generator, but I expect that the electricity will cost much ... Read More
Cable versus internet by MKeil52
Can anyone tell me a good cable provider. We are moving to a house and will need to get cable as the internet doesn't carry some channels we like
We have a home in Surin, and use 3BB fiber to the home. It is excellent, and very fast (claims to be 1Gb. I have measured 650Mb download, 100 Mb upload, which is phenomenal for a rural village!) We pay yearly in advance, getting a one month free ... Read More
Payment methods in Thailand by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Once youre settled in Thailand, you will need to make some basic purchases, like groceries or pay bills. Hence, it is essential to know the payment methods available in your host country. Which are the most common payment ...
After my first year as husband of a Thai woman in Surin, I'm beginning to know how to make things work better. I use a USA international Visa card for big purchases as long as there is no surcharge, or in some cases, if the surcharge is 2% or ... Read More
Affidavit of Residency by melmalinowski
I am married to a Thai woman. We live 6 months a year in the USA, and 3-4 months a year in Thailand at a home we are building in Isaan near her family. I had not realized that an American driver's license in English is no longer acceptable in ...
I got my certificate of residency at immigration in Chong Chom. Wow, no more waiting in line at immigration in Bangkok to renew my 'retirement visa'. Chong Chom makes it easy and fast. Then, getting my license in Rattanaburi was easy. Watch ... Read More
3 million Thai Bhat new build home? by Geordie farang
Hi I’m looking into buying land in Thailand and and building a new home on the land. This will be up north around udon Thani, Nong bua Lamphu. This would be a holday home for my wife and I. My wife is Thai and her family is from this area. ...
We wound up spending about 4M THB on our 220 SM house. Costs were driven up because I insisted on some premium durability details, such as AAC concrete block (R10 insulation value), an engineered roof truss system, extensive tile, and a premium ... Read More
Water well drilling report in Surin near Rattanaburi by melmalinowski
I married a Thai woman from Baan Khok Kong, Nong Bua Ban, Rattanaburi District, Surin in the summer of 2019 in the USA. We will be living 6 months a year in the USA, and perhaps 3-4 months a year in Thailand. We have begun building a house on her ...
Our 40 meter deep well is working reliably now. The electricity cost is about 1 THB per 1,000 liters. The cost of village water is 15 THB per 1,000 liters. I have yet to find a practical local way to test the water for salinity and health. For now, ... Read More
3 million Thai Bhat new build home? by Geordie farang
Hi I’m looking into buying land in Thailand and and building a new home on the land. This will be up north around udon Thani, Nong bua Lamphu. This would be a holday home for my wife and I. My wife is Thai and her family is from this area. ...
I'm currently building a 200 SqM 1 story house near Rattanaburi. The 10-15,000 THB/SqM range is looking plausible so far. We've chosen to build with 20 cm thick AAC concrete block for insulative value and termite resistance. This is not ... Read More
Water well drilling report in Surin near Rattanaburi by melmalinowski
I married a Thai woman from Baan Khok Kong, Nong Bua Ban, Rattanaburi District, Surin in the summer of 2019 in the USA. We will be living 6 months a year in the USA, and perhaps 3-4 months a year in Thailand. We have begun building a house on her ...
I have found a solution for the control of my submersible pump. In short, the problem is that the 1 hp pump draws the water level in the well down in about 4 minutes, after pumping about 400 liters up to our 1000 liter tank. Though we have a float ... Read More
Affidavit of Residency
I am married to a Thai woman. We live 6 months a year in the USA, and 3-4 months a year in Thailand at a home we are building in Isaan near her family. I had not realized that an American driver's license in English is no longer acceptable in ... Read More
Water well drilling report in Surin near Rattanaburi by melmalinowski
I married a Thai woman from Baan Khok Kong, Nong Bua Ban, Rattanaburi District, Surin in the summer of 2019 in the USA. We will be living 6 months a year in the USA, and perhaps 3-4 months a year in Thailand. We have begun building a house on her ...
Our well system entails a submersible pump that lifts water up to a 1,050 liter tank at ground level. From there, a little 'constant pressure' pump will supply the house and grounds with water on demand from the tank. Unlike systems common ... Read More
Expat interest in politics in Thailand by Bhavna
Hello everyone, As an expat, your day-to-day life in Thailand is impacted by decision-making at the political level in your host country as well as in your country of origin. We would like to know how involved you think expats should be in the ...
I suppose I'm not technically an 'expat', as my Thai wife and I are residents of the USA 6 months or more each year, and only in Thailand 3-4 months a year. I would guess there are many like us. Our ties to my Thai wife's family are ... Read More
Marriage visa?
I married a Thai woman from near Rattanaburi, Surin in the summer of 2019. I'm a US citizen, retired. I obtained a O-A (non-immigrant) one year visa in January 2018 because it seemed the best option as we plan to be in Thailand every year to ... Read More
Water well drilling report in Surin near Rattanaburi
I married a Thai woman from Baan Khok Kong, Nong Bua Ban, Rattanaburi District, Surin in the summer of 2019 in the USA. We will be living 6 months a year in the USA, and perhaps 3-4 months a year in Thailand. We have begun building a house on her ... Read More
Payment methods in Thailand by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Once youre settled in Thailand, you will need to make some basic purchases, like groceries or pay bills. Hence, it is essential to know the payment methods available in your host country. Which are the most common payment ...
A ฿ account at a bank and their mobile app makes so many payments easy! I've had good results using transfer.xe.com to exchange/move US$ into my account. Bangkok Bank limits you to 100,000 ฿ per day, which is usually OK. Currently, ... Read More
Where to renew retirement visa in Surin Province? by melmalinowski
I have my first one year retirement visa. I need to renew in January 2020, and will be working on our new home near Rattanaburi, Surin Province. I'd rather not go to Bangkok (ever). I'm trying to find out a definitive answer as to ...
Thanks. I asked a senior officer at the Bangkok Immigration office if I could provide proof of the required income level in the form of US IRS certified tax return records, or any other such proof, and was told that that was not acceptable. That to ... Read More
Where to renew retirement visa in Surin Province? by melmalinowski
I have my first one year retirement visa. I need to renew in January 2020, and will be working on our new home near Rattanaburi, Surin Province. I'd rather not go to Bangkok (ever). I'm trying to find out a definitive answer as to ...
Thanks. It's my understanding that 400,000 is only allowed if you are married to a Thai. I could be wrong about that. It appears to be easiest to meet the intent if you just put that much in the bank, and leave it there. As I am outside of ... Read More
Water well drilling in Surin Province? by melmalinowski
I will be having a deep water well drilled on my Thai wife's property near Rattanaburi, Surin in November. I'd appreciate any advice on this from those who have done this. I'm told that you need to drill down perhaps 100 meters or more ...
Thanks for the info! I'm not at all sure about the depth. I think it's normal to line the well shaft with a pipe until you go through a solid rock layer, which would keep the dirty water out. Did they do that? If so, what material is the ... Read More
New members of the Thailand forum, introduce yourselves here - 2019 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Thailand forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
Your first problem is that you must get a regular visa to stay longer than 30 days. It is no longer possible to do a visa run every 30 days, as you can only do this twice in two years. I'm not a visa expert, so I cannot advise you. I personally ... Read More
Water well drilling in Surin Province?
I will be having a deep water well drilled on my Thai wife's property near Rattanaburi, Surin in November. I'd appreciate any advice on this from those who have done this. I'm told that you need to drill down perhaps 100 meters or more ... Read More
Where to renew retirement visa in Surin Province? by melmalinowski
I have my first one year retirement visa. I need to renew in January 2020, and will be working on our new home near Rattanaburi, Surin Province. I'd rather not go to Bangkok (ever). I'm trying to find out a definitive answer as to ...
Thanks. Since I'm not technically moving (never had residency certificate or whatever anywhere) I'm not sure what I have to do. I guess I'll wait till I return to Surin in November and go down to the local office with my (new) Thai wife ... Read More
Where to renew retirement visa in Surin Province?
I have my first one year retirement visa. I need to renew in January 2020, and will be working on our new home near Rattanaburi, Surin Province. I'd rather not go to Bangkok (ever). I'm trying to find out a definitive answer as to ... Read More