Presnock

WoW! I have seen vehicle fires before but recently all the fires I have seen are just awesome to watch but must be horrifying to the owners/drivers hope all always escape!

but the common thread is lithium battery - guess if it is in a fire, difficult to douse it - vehicles burn everything flamable I guess.

Yes, 2024 overseas benefits include "unlimited" for hospitalization with anything fully covered according to the benefits package.

You are correct, GEO blue obviously didn't read their 2024 brochure of overseas benefits. It is very clear, hospitalization coverage says "unlimited" and ENGLISH meaning covered in full. Even if you went to a non-prefered provider, it should also be covered in full! I would contact bcbs immediately, complain and ask "wtf over". The sole reason we probably have this very insurance is it supposedly covers everything without hassles. I used to have the "wellness card" to from fepbku - had it for several years, responded every week doing my exercises, and reports to fepblu folks. BUT it doesn't give the same result as use in the US does in that no pharmacy in Thailand has the right code for one to use the card, even within the hospital, most times I had to pay up front and then claim it back on the card. I have several hundred dollars and the purpose of the card is to buy OTC meds, and things at the pharmacies - a joke so I told them I wasn't interested in that anymore. I am also on the advisory committee and will bring this up too. Pls advise whatever they respond as it will affect my contact with fepblu. thanks for this info too.

2 years ago, we used my VISA card to charge airline tickets...then I read that the ransomeware hackers had obtained data on 5-million workers and users of that airline but that the owner refused to pay them so I do not know if that data was released or if some other hacker stole my data but then a few days later I was advised by my bank of two suspicious charges on my acct but that they had frozen them. Yes not my charges at all. Same story, cancelled immediately my card and then had to wait 6 weeks or so to get a new card. But that is the only time I have had a problem. Fraud office at bank does contact me often though, so no I advise them of anything out of the ordinary that I will be charging or out of this country. Good luck to all.

totally agree especially that which I hate is the TM 30 which is the owner's responsibility to report signing in but which the expat themselves are the one's fined if the owner doesn't feel like doing it or won't provide ID card copy and blue book for the house/condo/apartment/hotel...Why not just re-instate the tm28 and let the expat report without all the other necessary extra person's id etc?

I have an LTR and never heard or read anything about a mail in 365 -day report. All I have seen is an agent, including one's wife or whatever could take the form 95 to the BOI for that notification which is to provide them with one's current address or the bit about leaving Thailand during the one-year period and upon re-entry the 365 days begin once more. I believe you should be able to find the tm95 on the boi website...in your own account if not elsewhere.

here it indicates that Thailand is actively approaching the US for closer ties, yet at the same time the Thai govt is working closed with FTA with China while the Thai govt asking to join BRICS seems like they want to have their cake and eat it too in my opinion.

actually, I have a US govt pension, so the tax remitted exempted wasn't a consideration for me...I opted for the BOI LTR so no more 90-day reports, no yearly extension with anything other than letting BOI know where on is living, in and out much easier for me and in the long run could be even cheaper than doing yearly extensions. Just saying...for me it was/is the best option going.

plus no 90-day reports either...then just an avisory to the BOI on your yearly address (however you do it by exciting the country and then starting the year over before next report) or have your wife or agent advise the BOI of your address. Some of us are still going to be protected by the DTA's with our native countries and our pensions. JUst saying...and I am sure that the BOI will advise those of us who have an account with them already, of any change to the benefits. No one could expect any office or person to PREDICT what his govt will do in the future - even if the current one is still in power.

I just do not understand why anyone with half a brain would ask any govt office especially in this country to PREDICT what the tax situation will be with the next tax program that is just now under discussion!

Yes, the move to BRICS, Thai strengthening trade deals with China and recently news reports of China pouring junk into Thailand...what a joke just like the 2017 deal with China to take their E-waste materials!

My daughter in the states mentioned that several EV fires in her area (MD) needed 4 fire companies to put out the fires all reportedly due to the lithium batteries so has turned off a lot of EV buyers there. Just saying...

I am amazed that advertisements so blatantly state that of course foreigners will be charged more than locals for any coverage. On top of that they state the average cost for a policy is less than 4K a year...when they want so many retirees to stay long term here, why don't they provide the age tier costs which openly show that older folks (most retirees) would be paying more than that average cost of a policy. And many retirees probably have a family still so family costs would go over that 11K+ per policy per year. Insurance costs here are ridiculous even compared to US costs which are really high as the cost of hospitalization and medical doctors is very high. Also if there are any questions about coverage of a medicale event, I would like the guarantee of a US or foreign company versus being a foreigner and fighting with a local company for any lack ofguaranteed coverage. These are my feelings about the health insurance here....though I have had accident insurance for me and my family plus I did purchase a COVID insurance policy - these were relatively CHEAP and the insurer did take care of us whenever we had a medical problem. Just saying....good luck to all!

Is definitely a small world especially when a group has members from within or around the diplomatic circles as though it may seem large it is actually a small world. In those early years of being in Thailand, while assigned to the embassy I spent almost the full time as a tech rep to the airforce at NKP, thus knowing folks in the Embassy and still remembering them has faded away. Later years in the Embassy I was an office chief and on the country team so would recall maybe the ambo and one or two of the other team members depending on interactions - I avoided most state political folks if possible. I spent one tour in the old embassy bldg and two later tours in the new bldg. The dip staff grew tremendously as did the locals numbers. I barely remember all those who worked for me let alone those I might occasionally interact with but one just never knows as some also belonged to the embassy golf club which I joined and played in all the tournments. Some years I also played on the one of the softball teams we had and of course bowling teams too but while I might remember some of them if I saw them again who knows. I have been in Thailand most of the time since I retired in 2005 and have only met 3 folks that I knew well enough to call them by name - met in immigration waiting room. BTW, under the 1987 rule change, civil service changed to a new retirement system where by their retirement could also include social security. I of course recommended my people to stay in CSRS as any change is to cut the benefits to save money but...to each their own. I am expremely pleased with the benefits that my office provided me in my retirement and my wife will enjoy that which she will get as I pass on before her (most likely). I plan to remain in Thailand until....take care have a good one