AmericanInExile

I wonder if it's the same for driving with an expired license?

Even the photo of Howard Miller that Pattaya Times uses is scary (unless he actually looks like a lardy zombie).

I always thought he did...at least the "lardy" part.

a brick in the cistern of your WC so less water is used when flushing.

P in the sink or in the shower to save flushing the WC....

Doesn't everyone do this already

You will not have a problem. The letter is good for a year.

Barry

An embassy income letter is often good for 1 year or the year it is issued in. Don't confuse it with a bank letter confirming your balance, that is only valid for a few days.

The "embassy letter" is not "good" for a year...it is good for getting a 1-year extension of your visa for retirement purposes. Most immigration offices want it to be dated within a week or so of when you submit your extension application (or renewal). Up until a couple years ago, the Jomtien/Pattaya office would allow you to use the same letter for two years (so the letter was "good" for 2 years/extensions) but now they too require a "fresh" letter each year.

Generally, immigration offices want the bank letter dated the day you submit your application...best to go to the bank in the morning on the day you go make your renewal at your local friendly immigration office.

Isn't it time for all foreigners who sponsor a Thai citizen with a business to just withdraw their investments and send their employees back to the rice fields where they come from to go earn again 50 Baht a day with hard labour.

It may come as a surprise to many who spend most of their time drinking in the ticky-tacky bars of soi Bua Khow that these businesses add little to the over all Thai economy. So go ahead and withdraw you "sponsorship" and the only looser will be you and your dodgy "business" visas.

So you mean that those ticky tacky bars don't have thai citizens employed which earn a salary they could not earn in their hometown?Do you mean that the don't order their goods from Thai business people?

Do you mean they don't rent from and some times pay silly key moneys to Thai people?

All the rinky-dink bars, beer-bars, and other hang-outs operated by ferengs in Pattaya and the other tourist areas of Thailand could close tomorrow and the Thai economy would not miss a beat. People who spend their time in these places or are somehow connected to them get a warped sense of their importance to the overall economy (because they never get out of this environment and see the real Thai economy). If they closed, the employees would be gainfully employed in other areas of the growing service and manufacturing sectors and the buildings re-rented to more socially useful business.

You could take the "I know Thailand test."

How many bars are in Pattaya?

How many women work in the naughty nightlife business in Thailand?

What is the difference between money brought in to a bar or fleshpot and money brought in by auto sales? What is the ratio of actual money brought into the Thai economy?

Say I buy a car for 500,000 baht or spend 500,000 baht in a bar. How much money from the auto goes into the Thai economy as opposed to the bar?

What % of GDP is related to the bright lights business in Thailand?

Do you think the farmers in Issan get their money from growing rice?

What % of the Thai economy is agricultural?

Why the need to defend the sex-industry in Thailand...all I said was that the low-rent side of the bar/entertainment industry could disappear tomorrow and the OVERALL Thai economy would not miss a beat. Tourist numbers have been down for years now (both sex-tourists and normal folks) but the Thai economy is doing fine. Agricultural and manufacturing exports make up most of the Thai economy, with tourism a nice cherry on top.

If they closed, the employees would be gainfully employed in other areas of the growing service and manufacturing sectors and the buildings re-rented to more socially useful business.

Your serious aint you ???........

Most definitely...get out of the fereng ghettos sometime and see the real Thailand and its booming (non-fleshpot) economy [Thai stock market up 20% YTD...USA market flat YTD!].

Isn't it time for all foreigners who sponsor a Thai citizen with a business to just withdraw their investments and send their employees back to the rice fields where they come from to go earn again 50 Baht a day with hard labour.

It may come as a surprise to many who spend most of their time drinking in the ticky-tacky bars of soi Bua Khow that these businesses add little to the over all Thai economy. So go ahead and withdraw you "sponsorship" and the only looser will be you and your dodgy "business" visas.

So you mean that those ticky tacky bars don't have thai citizens employed which earn a salary they could not earn in their hometown?Do you mean that the don't order their goods from Thai business people?

Do you mean they don't rent from and some times pay silly key moneys to Thai people?

All the rinky-dink bars, beer-bars, and other hang-outs operated by ferengs in Pattaya and the other tourist areas of Thailand could close tomorrow and the Thai economy would not miss a beat. People who spend their time in these places or are somehow connected to them get a warped sense of their importance to the overall economy (because they never get out of this environment and see the real Thai economy). If they closed, the employees would be gainfully employed in other areas of the growing service and manufacturing sectors and the buildings re-rented to more socially useful business.

45...that's too young to check-out. Hope he had a good run while it lasted.

As to filing that IRS form, just tell them where to shove it!

It's a treasury form and the fines are huge if you tell them that.

So no doubt this rule doesn't apply to you...

Well as seeing that our current Treasury Secretary didn't file proper tax forms when he was working in the private sector and that he is also the titular head of the IRS (as it is a department of the Treasury), they have very little moral claim to demand that anyone else file any required forms.

Your question, I can't definitely answer but I think that is coming quite soon, or by 2013. The USA is demanding that foreign banks spy on US customers for them. I fear many or all will just not accept new US accounts or even close our accounts.

It's already very difficult to open domestic financial accounts for Americans living overseas (with USA based banks and brokerages) if you don't have an actual physical address (house or condo/apt.). Post Office boxes and mail-box forwarding services don't count. Soon we'll be reduced to paying in gold to buy a beer in Pattaya.

As to filing that IRS form, just tell them where to shove it!

There used to be at an outlet at "Royen" Garden but they closed-up a few months ago...not much demand for cold weather parkas and calf-length hiking boots in Pattaya.

Have you figured in any Thai income taxes in your anticipated returns? Does Thailand have automatic withholding of estimated income taxes?

dividends from SET listed companies are subject to 10 % withholding tax and paid to investors (Thai and overseas) net of this. For Thai residents there is no further personal tax to pay and there is no obligation to declare dividends (from SET listed companies) for tax purposes. Though in certain circumstances, for Thai tax payers , there is a potential tax advantage (ie ability to reclaim tax paid by the company ) in declaring dividends received..

So for Thai "residents" [Thai citizens and expatriates legally retired or working in Thailand?] it's a straight 10% tax on dividends, regardless of total income? Does receipt of these dividends subject one to filing Thai tax returns?

Also, what are commission rates at the local brokerage houses...is it based on number of shares, the total value of the transaction, or flat rate per trade regardless of the aforementioned?

Have you figured in any Thai income taxes in your anticipated returns? Does Thailand have automatic withholding of estimated income taxes?

Well I can understand a bank's security concerns given Thailand's reputation for scams and fraud, I too have not had any problem having ATM or credit cards sent to me from my USA based banks. It should not really be of concern as the cards have to be activated with the account holders security codes before they can be used.

"We now had to pay for there [sic] incompetents [sic]."

Or your wife's. Can she really read Thai or did she just tell you that before you married her so you would think she was educated.

But Thailand is still an IT "hub" isn't it?

New Amazon Kindle announced: $139 WiFi-only version:

Smaller, lighter, faster, one month life battery, etc.

Yeah...just announced yesterday and already added to my Wish List! Supposedly 2x better contrast, 1 month battery life (no 3G sucking up power), and better [more clear] fonts [maybe better screen resolution. WiFi version is all I need and will have friends bring one from USA in about a month.

I already read Kindle books on my PC and smartphone (Android HTC Desire) but a dedicated Kindle would be nice to have as well.

Good breads? Ever been to Germany?

Does Nalkua count?

I stumbled on a mention of the Boingo WiFi service for notebooks and smartphones recently and checked-out their website. It seems like they have a pretty cheap service for wifi around the world. They have packages from around US$ 8 per month for unlimited access at thousands of locations around the world. They list 300+ access points in Bangkok alone (with many more in other provinces/cities).

Does anyone currently use this service or have in the past and does it really work? Is their list of access points up to date and accurate and are there really no local charges or other requirements to use the service?

I think the answer to your question would be that most Americans, myself included, are taught to try to play by the rules, however they exist.

And, this being a foreign country and given our status as guests here, it kind of makes sense that one would want to proceed cautiously and play within the rules, especially since Thai immigration has it within their discretion to ask for backup documentation verifying any income claimed on a consulate letter.

Sorry I was never in the Boy Scouts so I guess my values are different from yours. In any case, have you ever know an immigration officer to request back-up documentation? I have never been asked for any in over 10 years of renewing a "retirement visa" via the monthly income method.

Cheeky!

Check dragoncastle, there are a few leads.

Nice firm ones I hope.

One would hope that visa threads would be troll free. Oh well ...

Mai kow chai...what's you point?

I was being sincere...why would any American (myself included) be concerned with your question as it never has to apply to them (unless and until the American embassy changes its policy or Thai immigration officers learn to read better English.

Great news...I'd marry one in a heartbeat...Latin men are HOT!

Great...now married Irish gays can have a 60% divorce rate just like their straight married role models. Be careful what you wish for!