@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.

@Neville *******

keep in mind that the fee is usually the least cost item; the (bad) exchange rate is usually a larger amount for a midsized transfer. For ANY of the app services.

The real cost is a function of both.

And we have no way of knowing the veracity of this.

All we have is an innocuous problem with a money order purchased from a drug store.

Is there a lot of sick buffaloes? Sure. But there’s also a LOT of Thai women of all ages without any ability to find work of any kind and they still do not resort to scams.

I have a number of friends in Thailand and they are as reliable as any European is.

And. At this point in Thailand, people really need money to survive. If you have been FaceTiming and texting for half a year or more, I say that sending $300 is a cheap ticket to perhaps meet your dream woman.

And a very cheap teaching moment should you be wrong.

There is just too harsh a judgment that ALL thai women are having multiple sponsor. Many do. No doubt. Many are incredible good at keep up illusions.

But many forty year old women are looking for a savior. There is little left in the entertainment zone for a well grown woman.

And they can just as easily fool themselves into being in love. We really don’t know any of these people and judging individuals from stereotypes is bigotry.

Don’t forget that there’s a lot of farangs lying up and down about their wealth, their marital status and their intentions to thai women. Are all farangs bad? No we are not.

But if both parties approach a relationship with the conviction or fear that the other party is scamming to get what they want, the chance of the relationship being a success is pretty low.

Sending a monetary proof of confidence can easily be something to build upon.

Finally, we are slowly but surely approaching the time when the OP can travel, without excessive costs, to Thailand and see if things will work out.

I understand the warnings to Justin, and they have a place. What i react strongly to is the level of vitriol levied to the OP and his GF. (She looks like a ladyboy) That people are so sure that this is a scam, when we really have no indication that the woman is deceitful in any way.

After half an hour, incredibly cruel posters appear, exhibiting a serious lack of empathy.

Not all. Several serious posts are voicing warnings without attacking.

But the trolls who rule this group are just being mean. Accepting the story, it is hard enough to build a relationship though FaceTime or Line and texts. And the haters are certainly not making it easier.

@Christophe *********

I guess I pegged you pretty well.