I've owned both in multiple years, the answer is pretty easy. With the Everest (titanium) , you get better technology, many more cool features, more plush interior and ride, for the same money. I would go with the Everest if you aren't planning on keeping it for more than say 3-4 years (Be ready for a higher loss of value compared to Fortuner, especially when it falls out of its warranty period). BUT... if you wanna go for the long haul far beyond warranty, the easy choice is definitely Toyota, for the many reasons stated in this thread. Lastly, if you like upgrades, accessories and stuff, Ford electronics are complicated to be messed with, while Toyota is simpler and easier and more upgrade friendly. Hope all that helps, good luck.

@Ali *****

yes that sounds about right for WU. It's how they are making a killing as you have seen. The banks may be slightly less, but still there is going to be a some losses due to exhange rate. Expect the area of 2-3%, unless your Thai Bank account is a US$ (FCD) account.

Did they actually charge $250 or was that mostly their spread on the exchange rate? If you deduct typical wire transfer fees and charges for both ends (about $60), that adds up to about a 3% spread on the exchange rate for wiring US$6K, which is not too far from typical.

@Graham *****

Bank policies are often the law itself, by extension and fiduciary responsibility. It's not my intent nor desire to get into long discussions about this. My intent was to offer sound advise to the original poster as to the risks of opening straw accounts and leaving his money in the name and control of a GF. We all know how those often can end up. I suppose its up to him to decide what he wants and is free to do. I also tried to answer your original question. If you are not convinced of the risks I was trying to point out, that is prefectly ok. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Have a wonderful day.

@Graham *****

Not in 2024 anymore.

@Graham *****

the original poster stated that he is in Thailand on Tourist Visa/Extensions 6 months at a time. In Thailand, Tourists are not permitted to open a bank account.

@Graham *****

I think the original poster isn't allowed to open a bank account and he is asking if he should open one in his GFs name instead, which he intends to control. That would be circumventing the law that disallows him to open a bank account in his name. It would probably be wise for him to delete his post.

It is probably illegal to open a bank account with the intent to circumvent banking regulations. And then there is the simple matter of trust for an individual that will also have complete control of your money.

I was at Chiang Saen last week to do a border bounce. I crossed the river to Laos and back in less than an hour and got a 60 day stamp with no questions asked. Backstory: This is the first time I did it in 2024. I accompanied my son who has been in Thailand since June (prior extension was through Thai immigration CM office). Son used his US Passport, I used my PH passport.

I've been doing this for over 20 years, may I suggest: Have 2 separate phones for each country, as it will minimize all kinds of compatibility complications. Keep your US Phone, it's number, your operating system and all your apps intact on that phone. Buy an unlocked THAI based phone. Android is a better choice when outside the US. Make sure the country setting on that App store is THAILAND. Buy a prepaid SIM card, (I suggest with AIS), and depending on your needs, it will cost you $10 - $40 per month. You can use the Hotspot/Wifi on your Thai phone to feed your US phone any time. In my experience, this is the best way to go about it, as mixing multiple countries into 1 phone, is sure to cause problems. To make US calls from Thailand (with YOUR US phone number displayed on caller ID), I use Skype for $10/mo unlimited calls. Switching your US Phone account to Tello to save money works well too. Many US financial websites and apps may not work well when accessing it from outside the US. For that you may need a VPN, which has other travel advantages too. Hope that helps.