luther

It seems like it's impossible for an American resident of Thailand to buy short term medical insurance at any price for a trip to the US. Why can a Thai buy coverage for the same trip, but not an American?

I'm aware that World Nomads and other organizations will sell you trip insurance, but there is great debate as to whether this would cover say medical bills after a car accident.

If anyone can explain why this is or has figured out a solution, I'd appreciate it.

Does anyone know where I can buy or order a large (2 meter) Koinobori (Japanese carp windsock) ? I was cycling today and saw them flying on the other side of the Ping River. Lazada only has small ones.

In theory, the solution is simple: more law enforcement.

In my 20's I was pulled over for changing lanes too often. I blew slightly over the limit, but was only given a warning. These days the officer would be fired and I would be out ten thousand dollars. (A niece recently itemized her costs...fine + court fee + lawyer + tuition for drunk driving school) Not to mention insurance premiums increasing 80 to 300 %.

Running a red light typically costs hundreds of dollars.

I also don't agree with the article heavily attributing dangerous driving habits to cultural factors. The part about motorcycles cutting corners because of not wanting to lose face is ludicrous.

1 hour ago, OneZero said:

Good question ganb00ler: "Do you have any idea how I could follow up with the IRS to see if Carden's method has been determined to be legal?"

 

How do we get an official answer?  Who to contact at the appropriate level at the IRS?

Was going to wait until I was back in the US and the phone call was free and could be made during business hours.

From the IRS...

"I can provide you with the prompts for the Individuals Tax Assistance Line. Please dial 1-800-829-1040 to put you into queue to speak to a live representative. Fist select your language. Once you have selected your language please press prompt 2 in the first menu, 2 in the second menu, 4 in the third menu, and 1 in the fourth menu. Keep in mind the prompts are subject to change without notice."

I taught at an international school in Thailand for a number of years.  In the late 90's a group of us consulted a lawyer about getting refunds for taxes paid to the Thai government during our first two years of employment. We were successful and got fairly large checks, but the lawyer made it clear that the refund was worth pursuing because there was an exception to the "savings clause" which applied specifically to income earned by teachers. The treaty has since been amended by both countries to say that the tax exemption for those first 2 years only applies to teachers who leave before they begin their third year. Many new teachers now have a big decision to make, because if they decide to stay beyond two years and the school has not withheld taxes, the teacher must cough up two years of tax.

The only thing the whole experience taught me was that very few people dig or read very deeply into tax law including school lawyers, administrators, and tax officials, the folks who have a vested interest.  Almost all of these folks were confident or pretended to be confident they knew what was what, because they had consulted the ministry of education, the American embassy, and tax officials back in the states.  All of them were wrong

At 65 a pension paying you $10,000/year adds $125,000 to your net worth. Most retired people I know here in Thailand have a net worth over $500,000.

A couple with earned income of $20,000 owes no US federal tax. It's hard for me to imagine many couples crossing the $20,000 threshold without also crossing the $500,000 net worth threshold.

I have lived in Mae Rim for 6 years. The plaza is ripe for somebody to open a restaurant that will be packed. The farangs are here and many have the money to spend, and word will quickly leak out.

9 Moo 9 down the Hang Dong way is what somebody should be emulating...excellent salads, light food and or a substantial piece of meat or fish.

The breakfasts and pizzas across from Steak of the Day were excellent. I'm surprised they didn't make it go.

After 3 or 4 lunches or dinners at STOD, I gave up. Too heavy, meat overcooked. It is very difficult to produce great western food in Thailand even in your own home.

I played a lot of golf when I lived near Pattaya. I have only played once or twice since moving to Chiang Mai five years ago.  I have a friend visiting who would like to play.  I live in Mae Rim about 5 minutes from Green Valley, so my questions are all  about that course.

1.  How much would a 60 - 65 year-old farang resident expect to pay walking in off the street?

2.  How much does the 18-hole price fluctuate during the year?

3.  Starting out mid morning in this rainy season, will a 2-some play quickly or get bogged down behind 5 and 6-somes?

I want to change the renewal date for my retirement extension.

Is this how it works?

I leave Thailand without renewing the extension. Let’s say May. Back in the US, I send my passport to the Thai consulate in Washington D.C. with forms, pictures etc. and obtain an O-A visa. I bring that back to Thailand. I present my passport, bank documents, etc. to Chiang Mai immigration.

Questions:

Let’s say I re-enter Thailand with the new visa August 1. How do I control when my retirement extension will be renewed from then on? Is there any timing I need to think about. Can I get the renewal right after I re-enter Thailand?

To get the visas from the Thai embassy in Washington, they require a medical certificate. http://thaiembdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Medical-Certificate-Form-For-Non-Immigrant-O-A-Long-Stay-Only.pdf

Has anyone had a doctor fill this out in the states?

My wife renewed a 5-year yesterday. Again, no health certificate required. In the morning, the movie starts at 9:00. If you are going on what you thinking might be a busy day, get there very early. After the movie, she was 131 for paying and getting a new license printed... 2-hours wait. Fortunately, unlike immigration, part of the staff at the land transport office keeps working through lunch hour.

10 - 15 Km out from town is best. If you ride a bike 10 is better. After a lot of trial and error, it's possible to ride into town on back roads without running into many cars or agressive dogs. You can run a few errands, eat lunch and bike home. I would also look for an area where to can bike to a market or a store without hitting a major interesection. I can spend days without getting in my truck. Once you have narrowed things down I would run it by this forum again. There's a good mix of snyde, off-base, and sold advice on here.

If you are talking about a "certificate of residency", you can see many other threads on this. It is no longer done at the immigration office near the airport, but at another building across from Promenada mall. 500 baht, pick it up in a week has been standard for the last year or so.

I am welding stuff that now includes candle "drip pans." I can find them. There is a metal shop out Charoen Rd past the train stationg where I buy a lot of stuff, but they don't have them. Anyone know of another metal shop that has these pieces for sale? Thanks

Returning to the US for 3 months. ACS from AA insurance will not cover Amercans returning to America.

Anyone bought any insurance for this kind of trip?

Just want to confirm the information in this thread.

5-year license renew for another 5 today.

Went at 12:30. They were still processing the last few people who had watched the movie at 9:00, so those people had been there 3 ½ hours plus. There were 30 of us to watch the video at 1:00.

50 minute video, 30 second color recognition test, 40 minute wait to pay, 10 minute wait for photo to be taken and license created.

To reiterate…documents needed:

Photocopies of old license, Passport (Front page, visa page, entry card/entry stamp page)

Certificate of residency

Actual Passport and drivers license

Application form which I downloaded from here and was accepted.

http://donslifeinthailand.com/files/Application_For_Driving_License_Blank.pdf

Cost 655 baht.

I dropped off the residency certificate paperwork at the immigration office across from Promenada. They gave me a slip stating when to come back at what time (one week, 11:00 AM) Drop off and pick up took 5 minutes each.

Birthday was 2 days ago. New License expires 5 years and 363 days from today.

In my opinion this is the best source of seeds in Chiang Mai. They sell arugala, italian basil, and a lot of other stuff you won't run into any where else. They are located close to Tesco, close to where the superhighway passes over the Ping. Not easy to find the first time, but worth the hunt. The seeds mentioned above are not on display on the walls. You have to ask for them. As you are cruising along the west or mountain side of the river you are looking for Soi 3. The tires in picture 1 are the big landmark.

Picture

Don't know where you are, but if you drive out the Mae Jo road past Mee Chok plaza and then past the 3rd ring road, after about two Km. you will see a yellow Susco gas station on your left and then quickly a large outfit that sells bricks, cement, tile, rocks, etc. Worth the trip even if you don't find what you are looking for. Friendly staff. Manager speaks excellent English. I buy small pepples there for paths. I would bet they have read, but not sure.

I've always been surprised at the lack of stones available around here. Moved here 4 years ago. There was tons of stuff available down on the coast. Never thought to ask where it came from.

It's very easy to cancel on line. I've done it. If you go back to the website with your reservation number you can do it.

Always thought the same thing until I went to Singapore a couple of weeks ago. Friend I was visiting asked me to buy a bottle of Tanqueray. Duty free 24 Sing. Outside it was twice as much or three times. Depends on the country, I guess.

Has anyone seen these tiles anywhere other than at Home Sukkapan?

Thanks for the tips drtreelove.

Yes, they are in a restricted space, a raised bed, but the soil was dug very deeply and there are only two plants in a ten-foot space.

I don’t fertilize them that often, about 3 times a year with a cup and a half of manure.

I probably have over-pruned them and will leave them alone. The shoots at the top are hitting ten, eleven feet.

The leaf damage is usually caterpillars. See picture 3.

(Not sure where you can buy lemon trees in Chiang Mai, except at Kamtiang.)

Occasionally, I buy Italian basil plants at Kamtiang market or Rimping. I have asked the woman at Kamtiang how to keep the plants alive without using pesticides. She rolled her eyes. She showed me what she uses to keep the plants pest free while she markets them and it was organic, but as I was walking away, she said, “Don’t eat the leaves for three weeks. They are sprayed in a greenhouse almost daily.” She said she was getting her plants from the same grower that supplies Rimping.

Italian basil is difficult to grow in Thailand. Pests move in quickly. My only real success was when I was living near Rayong on the coast. The plants were attacked, but after five or six years they had stalks 3 or 4 cm thick and could withstand a bonsai treatment – complete pruning of stalks and roots, all new soil.

I would love to hear from someone who really knows where and how “western” herbs are being grown in Thailand.

Anyone know where the rocket is coming from?

About 3 years I transplanted several Italian lemon trees into my garden in Chiang Mai. After 2 years they are producing. 2 questions...

The new leaves get eaten regularly by grasshoppers. How do I discourage that organically?

and

Last April and May is when they did most of their flowering and fruit formation. When should I prune them, how much?

They are extremely healthy, shooting new branches up ten feet or more. I prune them so that I can walk down the path and top the most extreme explosion. They have plenty of light, soil depth, and water.

I have never taken care of citrus trees. I'm wondering if I should be taking more extreme measures.