@Jan *****************

I have a norwegian passport but I have lived as a resident in the US my adult life, so Norway has no records of my social security income. And the US doesn’t provide income affidavits.

Thanks for answering the question. I was wondering why this hasn’t come up before (now I know!).

I am sure this method would have been good for many near-retirement age. If it only had been possible.

I do also want to thank the moderators for their great work. At this point, I think I am better versed in Thai immigration minutiae than I am in the American rules!

Talk to the staff at the Norwegian Embassy in Bangkok. I got a (Norwegian) passport in May and it took less than four weeks to process and return.

I have rarely found a more helpful government post than the Norwegian Embassy.

@Darren ********

the IO had a stamp which he dated and signed and added the existing dates from the old passport stamp.

I did, however, have a letter from the (Norwegian) embassy declaring that the fresh passport was a replacement for my old passport. I don’t think the IO unfolded that letter, so he didn’t much look for that.

On the form, there is a spot where you have to declare the REASON for having your passport changed. Mine had songkran water damage and since I was near my embassy, I figured getting a replacement passport now was easier than doing it at home (in the US, where I need to go to Washington DC for the biometric recordings - annoying).

And now, the passport has Bangkok as the place of issuance, which is kind of cool. I thought. I please easily.

@Bob *********

I had a similar transfer done last week at the airport.

You do have to fill out a Thai/English application form asking for a stamp transfer at a station behind the immigration line. There’s a good amount of computer entry that needs to be done by the IO but the transfer took about 10 minutes.

Obviously not a line for this service!

And no cost.

I’ve been in a similar situation in Thailand and I had a dozen color photocopies of the passport ID page and the arrival stamp made up. I traveled a bit and every hotel took my photocopy AND explanation why I didn’t have the passport in possession.

Question: can you request the new passport at the Bangkok embassy with delivery in Canada? Then get the “emergency travel documents” the embassy will provide to get you back to Canada. Like they provide in case of a lost or stolen passport.

Might be worth giving them a call. The new passport most likely is produced in Canada and sent to Thailand for a renewal abroad, anyway.

@Terary *********

wise reports 33.90

Western Union reports 32.21

For USD transactions.

Wise is considerably more generous with their exchange rate.

@Terary *********

and don’t forget to factor in the exchange rate. This is were the services makes the big bucks. Not on the fees.

@Tito ****

my long response is not directed at you. I should have made that clear. It is to the many many posters who have lashed out at the OP and his girlfriend. Your comment was limited to in a polite way suggesting there being a scam. This thread is now so convoluted that it is difficult to extract the information points we have been offered by the OP.

I am not sure that many Thai women has seen a money order. They’re far more comfortable with apps. In my experience which does nit cover every dame in Thailand

I see it as very likely that the woman went to and tried to negotiate the money order.

Depending on where she lives I can see the next step would be to go to an exchange booth.

At that point she perhaps reached out to OP to find out where to go to cash the instrument and as you see he reports that she will try her bank, Bangkok Bank if I recall correctly.

I think many farangs have experienced that many branch personnel isn’t comfortable with international transactions and if the supervisor isn’t available then no can do rather than make a mistake.

You’ve seen all the stories where western tourists have trouble opening a bank account while the next day in the same branch, there’s no problem. I believe the problem often is fear of doing something incorrectly.

If these are the only known facts we have, I find it peculiar to reach to money laundering and scams.

It may well be, but I see NO indication of this being the case. Please show me what I’ve been missing.

But if your argument is that all thai women are scammers when they ask for money from a farang, I think you are displaying bigotry.

It’s one thing to believe - or know - that scams are common (I agree). But that’s when you’re dealing with a faceless group

When you are dealing with an individual you look at the persons actions and statement a. If you draw conclusion based on the group, it IS a very common bigotry.