wwest5829

Currently traveling the SE USA with my Thai Wife and Stepdaughter after an eight year absence. It will take some time to recover from the economic hit but I can state that my reasoning for retiring to Thailand has only been reinforced.

The Sabbath? Ah, yes, sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. You see OP, if we allow personal beliefs to dictate government policy … equally, there is no end to “holy days”. Thus, the “Separation of Church and State”.

As an Apple user and small Apple Stock holder, as well as, a retired American in Thailand, I welcome such news.

That was my understanding having an O-A for reason of Retirement. My plan was to leave on my current trip to the USA and come back, Visa Exempt and then take the steps to gain an O Visa for reason of Retirement while in Thailand. As it turned out, I was able to change my O-A Visa for reason of Retirement to an O Visa for reason of marriage to a Thai national. Re-entry Permit good until end of Feb. 2024.

I do not think the same conditions are present, until/unless I see evidence that the Ukrainians have given up as a result of corruption on their side.

USA, mixed results on the healthcare. On an )-A Visa for Retirement for over a decade. Retirement got me a BC/BS Seniors Policy that will pay up to $5K annually overseas. Required O-A Retirement with a 200K deductible and excluding pre-existing conditions meant that was basically an unusable tax to maintain my Extension. just switched to an O Visa Marriage. Same basically self insured but saved the unusable 11,500 baht annual insurance. Yes, if I can get on the plane Medicare is an option but ... co-pays? Deductibles? Just slip me a pill for a peaceful transition ...

True dat! Heart attack in 2015 ... plane was not an option.

I am thinking that Thailand does lean more toward the Chinese social control government model.

Hmm, only as a “visitor”. Historical facilities mostly. I can honestly state that I have sat in the Electric Chair … this was at Eddyville, Kentucky as part of a “Leadership Kentucky” program where we were being exposed to the issues involved in Law Enfocement across the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Agree that everyone is different. I had 5 by-passes (inherited colesterol issues evidently) at age 58. So, when I could take retirement at age 64 1/2 (academic year made this the best rather than waiting for 65), I decided to retire. I feel fine, under a Cardiologist’s care but that was after an additional heart attack in 2015 ( evidently scar tissues from the by-passes had narrowed the arteries in a couple of places).

Just switched from an O-A Visa for reason of Retirement to an O Visa for reason of Marriage in Thailand previous to departing for a trio abroad. I cannot address the Pattaya immigration needs but after 12+years in the Kingdom I can state that using an agency for either Visa has been worth the cost to me. I believe therevto be some validity in a good agency knowing the latest local immigration office interpretation as to the stated rules. They know this, and who best to deal with the requests.

Just a note. Reporting required for account or combination of accounts totaling in excess of $10,000.00 USD.

Charging a room for a date where you had already planned to be out of the country and could demonstrate you were indeed out of the country? Yes, possible but I am thinking the weight of demonstrated evidence would support that it was a charge made by someone else.

Familiar with these critters having lived near the New Jersey shore area but not eating them. I seem to remember coming across reports of their blood (blue) being used in the treatment of leukemia..

While I can understand, nonetheless, that fellow passenger held a more frequent flyer customer status and on that basis got the perks accorded to the earned status. When I was flying more regularly before retirement, I also had earned small perks along the way. Ha! Today I am at Disney World in Florida. Those who pay an additional $29.99 per person a day get to go in the fast lane for the rides … grrr, but I have to suck it up. Afterall, as an American, I should be used to money according a different status … in Justice, in education, in healthcare … need I go on?!

The reason foreigners can not buy land is because it will drive up prices for Thai citizens … wait, what?! In all fairness, Thailand is not the only country where I have experienced this. 30 years ago my Czech friends also said if they allowed foreign property ownership the Germans could have bough the country. There was some reason to this outlook.

Yes, my thought also. Send a registered letter showing copies of your Passport exiting Thailand before the Agoda charge. This demonstrates you were not in Thailand to make the commitment for the room. My experience … a speeding ticket in the US on a car I had sold. Sent the Passport entries demonstrating I was not in the USA anywhere near the cited dates on the ticket and further explaining that the car had been previously sold.

Due to the amount of our luggage (3 check-in bags, 3 roll-on bags and 3 day backpacks), I chose to book a van through Booking.com.. We needed a van.

Good god!!! Ah, for the younger years. So refreshing to come to a country (generalized Asian attitude) … as I told my students in western conservative Kentucky … you eat … do you feel guilty? You breathe … do you feel guilty? You make love … why feel guilty … thanks to our Puritan forebear beliefs. (College students when touching on the founding of the country).

Certainly some validity there. Historically, looking at the USA and earlier in England the religious cycles can easily be seen. My Quaker forebears were imprisoned in Leeds and Yo4k Cas5les for not conforming. The Puritans under Cromwell and in Massachusetts would ban the celebration of Christmas due to so many pagan traditions (it would be like Thai Buddhism trying to root out any earlier influences on the current practice. I agree with the poster about coming to try to change native cultures but that is the message of Christianity and Islam … an obligation to bring all to their religious beliefs = cover those breasts in the hot countries! Ha!

Tricky place for China. Lethal Aid results in trade sanctions. Not a good move with its economy right now either domestically nor internationally.

PBS Newshour (US) reported that Russia responded by flying two bombers over the Sea of Japan.

If I recall correctly, there are also rewards at customer service desk if your purchases qualify. I do not know the criteria.

2016, if I recall the year correctly. We were to visit Laos by land crossing. Thai Immigration on exit said, well your Son can leave but we will not let him back in (Visa Exempt) because he will not have 6 months remaining on his US Passport. We had to go back to Chiang Mai and get a temporary Passport ... made the crossing ... returned and applied for his new 10 year Passport.

Starting on our US trip within a week. I fully expect to be accessing my Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn Bank accounts over the internet, usually through the hotels' wifi access. My "Bill Payments" and "Funds Transfer" accounts are already set up at the banks and long used via the internet access here in Thailand. I did the same on my last trip in 2015 (acknowledge things can change).