@Paul ********

if you are transferring that much just use a wire transfer from your bank. It is much cheaper than any money transfer site.

I use Remitly rather than Wise. Sometimes a Wise transfer happens quickly and other times it takes a week for the money to get to Thailand

Either way, money is withdrawn from my US account as soon as I place the transfer so I don't know why Wise sits on it for a week and yet the next time it goes effortlessly and within minutes.

Did you have PADI dive insurance? Did you provide documentation of your insurance coverage at the start of the trip? Every liveaboard I've been on required dive insurance before we left port. If you had insurance I wonder why the boat captain wouldn't assist in your evaluation by a medical doctor.

Regardless, I think you'll find that the attempt to get some legal remedy will be difficult as you likely signed away any legal recourse when you signed the paperwork at the start of your trip. You might contact PADI and see if they have a suggestion about how to proceed but it will be difficult.

You will likely find it difficult to open a bank account on a 60 day exempt visa. It can be done but the bank will try to get you to buy a worthless life insurance policy for 15,000 THB.

I've begun having the same issue of long delays with Wise. When I make a transfer it takes 5-7 days despite the fact the funds leave my account in the US within a day of initiating the transfer.

I've begun using Remitly instead of Wise. The exchange rate isn't as good but it is much quicker transferring the money.

@Alexander ***

yes

I'm 75 and got hospitalization insurance from AIA about 10 years ago. My yearly renewal is just under 100,000 baht. I've been hospitalised 3 times for surgery. I'm very satisfied with the coverage and the deductible for each time was <5000 baht.

BBL is getting difficult to deal with. Years ago you could do an ACH to the BBL branch in New York and get your money the next day in Thailand. Not anymore. Then they began closing branch offices im CNX by saying people want to use ATMs and don't need to deal with a person.

To top it off, my friend tried to exchange new 100 dollar bills at the Ruamchok BBL branch last week. They refused to accept the bills because they had a blue anri-counterfeiting band. The US Mint puts that on all new 100 dollar bills. They are on all new bills.

Meanwhile I keep 800,000 baht in a fixed account and get a measly 1.5% interest.

Customer service? Not at BBL.

He wants what what is between her legs and she wants what is in his wallet. Time to move on.

Tell her the vacation is over and it's time to leave. If she complains, call Customs and Border Protection in the US and turn her in.

Good write up.