gamb00ler

Why focus on the cheapest? Often for a few ฿ more you can save a lot of effort.

That list omits many of the better rates that some banks offer. For instance SCB has the EZ Savings account which pays up to 1.75% for deposits up to 3M ฿. That offering is not on the above linked list.

yeah.... a smidgeon of science "knowledge" makes some think they can have a worthwhile/informed opinion.

For sure you're right.... if Earth's population was only a few hundred thousand, there wouldn't be any noticeable man made climate change. Let's give every soul a sequentially numbered lotto ticket and those that don't end in 29864718 must commit suicide.

I am a compulsive record keeper so I usually know ALL my inflows by Jan 2 or so. However, this year SSA threw me a curve ball and finally approved my application for benefits that I filed in June '23. Between Christmas and New Years they notified me that they would pay my back benefits. That approval was dated Dec. 27, but the payment didn't hit the bank until Jan. 3. Now, I'm not sure if SSA considers that I received the back pay in '23 or '24. It's good to hear that those 1099's are provided quickly after the new year. I like to submit my very simple tax forms (online) as soon as the IRS starts accepting them.

You most likely can either get back all the Thai tax that has been withheld from your interest by filing a Thai tax form OR you can get the banks to stop the withholding by providing them a Thai tax ID #. Some posters have not been successful at the later approach, but it seemed to be no problem when I did it at SCB, Bangkok bank and Kasikorn. EDIT: despite dire warnings that I must wear long pants, shoes and socks when dealing with Thai banks.... I was successful while wearing my cargo shorts and sandals.

My experience with SCB EZ account does not at all resemble your experience. SCB gave me (for 1-200 ฿!) a statement covering all the months required for the retirement extension. I do request a free monthly statement (via the phone app) as well but that's just for my own records. CM Immigration gave me the extension but it did seem I waited longer than the others in the Imm. office that day.

Same for me as it was for @Gweiloman... an official (stamped and initialed) bank statement covering the preceding 12 months was acceptable to CM Immigration for my retirement extension.

It's a "targeted" tax... and the target happens to be primarily foreigners either as tourists or expats. Some consider that racism or at least the shadow of racism. Maybe it should be called wealthism. There are similar taxes in wealthier countries. For instance local governments impose hotel room, car rental or airport taxes so they can raise money from people other than their constituents. Isn't that some of of -ism, also?

Start early and determine the requirements ASAP.

My wife takes 87.5µg Euthyrox daily (1.75 * 50µg). She was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism 15 years ago and had her thyroid destroyed by taking some form of radioactive Iodine. She was initially treated by Dr. Thepe in Bangkok and then by a wonderful endocrinologist in USA. I don't remember what they set her initial dosage to be but it soon settled in the 85-90 range. She weighs about 60kg. She hasn't had the weight gain problem. It's a real nuisance that the thyroid hormone is only available in 50 and 100 dosages here in Thailand. My wife is getting to be an expert in pill cutting. It's so much easier with the dosages available in US:

I hope you don't own a business! You clearly don't have much knowledge about how that part of the economy works. Does an organization expend resources to conduct a poll just for fun? I don't think so. Polling organizations do so because they hope to get something in return for their effort. News media hope to gain readership, Opinium hopes to turn a profit by getting paid by other entities, universities/colleges conduct polls to gain information and experience for their students and staff. Political organizations are the usual suspects that discard/hide unflattering polls. They don't mind the wasted money/resources..... it's somebody else's.

Poorly trained staff that try to save face by giving some answer.

Most of your potential customers would be saying, "you're having a laugh" when they read your "methodology" section.

Just as in your case, it's the plane's attitude.

Bananas for me too, but I like the Thai numwa ones best, apples for sure, oranges occasionally.... but guava is my #1.

I share your concerns about weakening the support for the walk way. I think it should be just fine. The only load will be pedestrians. The concrete was poured in two stages both with reinforcement. The base of 15cm and then the stamped layer of 5cm. I will be trying my best to keep the tunnel diameter confined to the diameter of the 2" PVC "drill".

I grew up on a farm with various types and sizes of jacks available. But now I've become just a typical urban dweller in possession of only car tire changing jacks and no useful wooden shim material. Maybe I could get one of those to boost the forward pressure on the pipe.

My proof that remitted money is not accessable income would be my US tax return, my 1099-SSA, my 1099-Int and my 1099-R showing the same combined total as given on my 1040. It can't get any easier than that. If Thai RD is still not satisfied, my brokerage statement clearly shows the source of all incoming transfers from pensions and interest. The only concern I have is that the Thai RD may consider interest earned in a retirement account (401K/IRA etc) as accessable income. As a defense against an attempt by the Thai RD to tax those funds, I can show that no funds from those accounts were remitted to Thailand.

The walkway surface is NOT TILES. In Photo #1, I show two lines A and B. Line A is shorter but more difficult because there is little room to work between the walkway and the wall. Line B is longer but the right side probably has enough room to allow the tunneling operation.

At one time I had a strap with an attached handle that was used to twist off automotive oil filters of various sizes. I probably still have it .... somewhere. At least I could use it to turn the pipe in one direction which should be enough. If I don't find it I could drill a hole through the pipe near the outside end and use a small metal bar through the hole as a lever to turn the pipe. Hopefully I won't need to apply too much force to turn the PVC pipe.

Can you tell me what product the "salesman", Buffett, is selling? When someone buys BH shares it's the actual owner that gets the money, not Buffett. Buffett does sell some BH shares but not a significant portion of the total volume. The tug of war between buyers and sellers is what determines the market price, not Buffett. BH's historical returns is what buyers are paying for, not Buffett's charm. I would bet that on average the owners of BH shares are much more savvy than the average investor, so Buffett's charm/influence in that group is rather weak. So, Buffet's "salesman" effect has little value. To quote Joe Friday, "Just the facts, ma'am".

I think you're correct for the situation with less room to access the walkway.

People can conjure up truly amazing things out of envy and lack of success. Buffet has never been a fund manager. He's the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, a conglomerate, earns 100K/year in salary and gives 50% of that back to the company. He hasn't had a raise in 40 years. But of course you don't believe the public filings that publicly traded companies must produce... especially since you are unlikely to have ever read a single one.