Dakhar

It wasn't even the latest model.

They left, only to come back with pillows in order to finish what they had started

Either way, someone was doomed, if the driver of the truck would have hit his brakes hard, the guy in the back would have flown over the truck.  

Can't cure stupid

4 hours ago, sahibji said:

for the poor guy whose house is under water or the farmer whose crops have been washed away by floods? dead cheap?

sure it is, try driving a car that distance for 3K

Did you know China has more people too?

20 minutes ago, outsider said:

 

I can tell the difference between Chinese Mandarin and Taiwanese Mandarin, thank you.

Wow, so can I, our parents must be so proud.

(and you are welcome)

56 minutes ago, outsider said:

Working-class Chinese, including expats, are more educated and therefore, more civilised, than the average Chinese tourist. This means they are less rude and less raucous. I have bumped into quite a few at some restaurants and bars, and sometimes I have to strain to hear them speak, although I was at the next table (no, eavesdropping isn't my hobby - I'm just curious to hear what language is being spoken). This bunch is different from some of the loud and rude ones, most of whom are 'farm fresh' i.e. straight from the farm to the rest of the world. 

Taiwanese?

Wait, something was stolen from a Chinese.....    seems so backwards

according to the photo, she is rather busted

That photo sure makes me want to bucle up, slow down, and drive with caution

Rip family

Yes, Thailand is the most innovative country in the world, which is just a bi-product of it's superior education system.

1 hour ago, SMEinBangkok said:

Make sure that your friend has his lawyer, either in Thailand or the US, fully explain the ramifications of the affidavit of support he'll be required to sign as part of the process.

 

Here's a few highlights:

You have to show a minimum of around $20k income per year (or a much larger amount of fixed assets) if it's just him and his wife, more if there's children

This affidavit of support is for LIFE.  The only events that will stop it are:  his death, his wife gaining US citizenship, his wife working full-time for 10 years and paying into social security, or his wife giving up her green card and leaving the US.

The affidavit can't be waived in a pre-nup.  It is enforceable in local, state and federal courts.

And here's the really fun parts:  a green card holder (legal permanent resident alien) is not required to seek full citizenship.  They can keep their green card for life.  There is no requirement for the spouse to work and he/she cannot be compelled to do so under the affidavit.  Divorce does NOT revoke the affidavit, neither does remarriage.  

 

When you sign that affidavit of support is a lifetime agreement to provide monetary support to that person.

 

I know....hard to believe.  Feel free to do your own online research.  You'll see that I'm not kidding.

I was married to the devil's sister for 10 years.  She had a green card, and I had signed the affidavit of support.  

We moved to Thailand, and after 10 years of marriage (5 spent in the USA, and 5 spent in Thailand). After our tenth year together, she explained to me that she had met her one true love (and he wasn't me.)

She asked for a divorce so she could be married to her new love.

After he dumped her, she asked to be forgiven, and to return to the USA.   I said, "absolutely not."    I suspected her intention was to enforce the affidavit of support.   I would have been nailed with alimony, child support, and a life time support for her due to the affidavit.   The  mandate is to  maintain the relative/spouse/ex-spouse at 125% of the federal poverty line.

Alimony would have been around 30K a year (and I would have had to pay that for 5 years)  child support around the same amount.   

The divorce was finalized in Thailand, she still walked away with far more money/assets than she deserved.   But over all, it was a bargain to get divorced in Thailand.

(just telling you what actually happened)

and getting divorced to her was actually the BEST DAY OF MY LIFE :)

46 minutes ago, dotpoom said:

I somehow knew the word  "scum - - - "  would crop up when I read this story. 

   This is a word I rarely ever heard used before coming Thailand (I come from Western Europe). It appears to me it is used by peoples from one particular nation on a regular basis.

    At home, if a person used this word, most people within earshot would physically cringe with disgust. When I see it written down it appears even worse. ......I can assure readers that I am no "shrinking violet"...and have been pulled up on more than one occasion myself for using the "F" word. But the word I'm referring to, for me, is in a completely different category. It''s on a par with calling a lady by the "C" word.

    For me, it says more about the person using it ....than it does about the person it is aimed at.

"Oh my, I do declare, someone used the word scum, Ive got the vapors.....  someone catch as Im about to faint."

If u wired the money over to your Thai account, during the same year you earned it, then yes you would be required to file/pay tax.

But if you earned the money in 2015, and the money simmered in your bank account abroad, and moved the money into a Thai bank account in 2016, then the money would be considered "savings" and there would be no tax on that money.

I could be wrong, but that is my 2 cents

E36 euro spec m3

Clk 55 amg, secretly planning on a kleeman supercharger

14 hours ago, ukrules said:

So they go to the computer and generate a list of where the foreigners live.

 

They should be able to see that their visas are up to date and a valid TM30 is on file with immigration so they then decide to visit the address, to check what ?

 

They already know the foreigner has complied with all the regulations based on their computer records.

 

Or perhaps they're only visiting foreigners who they know have not complied with all the rules, like those who don't have a TM30 against their record in the immigration databases - that would make more sense.

 

 

They came by my place for a spot check, all my documents are in order

I see an oppertunity for coruption.  I do believe the rules are if you get caught working with a retirement visa, your assets are taken, and you are tossed putof the country.   the deffinition of work is ver very very broad.

You could in theory get busted for working, if caught washing your car, cutting your grass, painting your fence, gardening, checking your mail box....

The opertunities are boundless, and if an immigration officer says "Pay me 50k baht, and we can make this infraction go away, " who would not pay?

Lawyers will accept money from anyone!

Totally agree, which is why i have a clk 55 amg rather than an accord.   milk and juice comes in 2ltr

My wife got a 10 yr visa to the usa without any issues.  we brought in a stack of paper work, and they didnt even review.  As we made a lot of effort and spent money on tranalating docements etc etc I was a bit surprised.  the io said to me, she is your wife, if she wants to imigrate, there isnt anything we can do to prevent that from happening.

I was really surprised by how care free they were about the process, and she got a 10 year visa. 

6 hours ago, rwdrwdrwd said:

For most the ones I know that would be 2 - 3 months, but I guess we move in different circles.

Still utterly ridiculous to pay that as a fee to a third party for the 'experience' and 'community' when both are freely available to anyone with the correct skills.

Skills!   Facebook?   

If one was "digital savvy"  you would think they would already have all the social media. contacts etc etc figured out.  

That Thai guy, throws punches like a girl  

A bad a33 falang wearing flip flops,

thats too funny

5 hours ago, Strange said:

 

This price range I can have over 500 crank hp easily on pump gasoline with no turbo and drive it everywhere in the states. 

 

And I can buy all the parts online without ever leaving the house. 

Trade offs

That house u speak of, probably cost you 5 times what you would pay in thailand for.