gk10002000

Luckily back after the 2008 market drop, I did not have much invested so the crash did not affect me and starting in 2009 when I started making good money I was lucky to buy a lot of things at a good price.  This drop the last two weeks did shave about 18% off my equity values on paper.  But I am not selling and do not need to cash out as I am still working so time is on my side.  I have started buying some things slowly and nibbling at prices.  I added several hundred shares of ATT, and AGNC for example.  House price timing may work in my favor as I am close to buying my retirement home in Florida.   Over the years since I started working in 1982 I have seen several market crashes, home crashes etc.  Every time I was about to buy, the economy was always against me or I was moving, etc. so I did not buy.  Now maybe in the next year or so the economy and my near retirement may work in my favor

5 hours ago, Mitkof Island said:

My question is. Where does a American get tested for the virus and then find a doctor that is willing to give you the correct paper work? What insurance company provides insurance for the virus? It seems to me that any Americans considering traveling to or just trying to get home. Are SCREWED!

  Almost unbelievably, in many places and American can NOT get tested.  Some cities and states are only allowing testing with an appointment, and to get an appointment to test you must have a note from your doctor, and you must list why and where and to whom you were in contact with a person that had the virus.  All very hard to do.  And in New York City today I believe the announcement was they would only test people that had symptoms!  

The problem with the test, is it is basically useless for a test to travel. If you do get tested on Monday at 10 AM, you will not get the results back at 11 Am and many hours or days may go by before you travel.  And in that time interval you may come into contact with hundreds of people. 

I was planning to work through April, complete my retirement, then take at least take 90 days off come home, take another 90 days off (SETVs with a 30 day extension each).  This virus panic has put the kibosh on that.  Luckily I took a contract job in Mid January as I thought things might get dicey.  So I will just keep banking money, letting my Social Security grow another year and see what happens.  Plus there will likely be some buying opportunities in the Stock or Bond and even Real Estate market so building up some more cash for investment or buying is my plan. 

On 3/20/2020 at 9:50 AM, Lacessit said:

There is panic in high places.

Chiang Rai is business as usual, with the exception of the Night Bazaar. All the beer bars and girls on Jedyod Road are open for business.

People here are wearing masks mainly for the air pollution. Hand sanitisers at Big C and Central Festival.

Open eh?  Man I saw videos on youtube of Pattay walking street a ghost town, lights out etc. 

On 3/19/2020 at 9:15 PM, Nyezhov said:

You are supposed to say thank you when some one gives you money

We were given money twice in my working history.  During George Senior Bush was once as I recall and the next year the tax figures were changed and we all basically paid back the money.  The USA is already running a trillion dollar debt, so just where is this money coming from?  will it be tax free?  Will it be reportable on the IRS 1040 as miscellaneous income?

How did things end up like this?  They ended up like this because the government officials are panic reacting in the near term.  The long term effects of their actions will be worst than anything the virus would do.  The economic hardships, cancellation of educations, future job prospects, people's 401k or other investments lost so much value right when many retirees need the money, lost businesses can not be recovered.  So many people and Americans live on the edge on blue collar incomes, have kids, health insurance prices are ridiculous and now with no penalty for not having Obamacare plans, millions of people are not paying for insurance, and now if an illness or injury happens they will not be working and have no way of paying for treatment.

I am currently working in New Jersey on an engineering contract with a big aerospace firm working on Department of Defense things.  These so called stay at home orders are so vague nobody knows what they really mean.  The company I work at is NOT closing.  Do the orders mean I am not supposed to drive the 4 miles from my hotel and go to work comes Monday?  The orders apparently still allow people to go shopping for groceries, go to pick up take out food, or go to the bank, go walk outside, etc.  So many small businesses seemed to have closed so millions of blue collar workers are in a world of hurt.

" People are limited to traveling for only essential needs, such groceries, food, or medicine, if they are have to get to a job at a business that is still open, to visit family and close friends, or to seek medical attention. You can also go outside for walks or exercise. " according to the latest NJ news feed.

  According to the news there have been 287 deaths in the USA attributed to the COVID.  And quietly statistics have been presented that show the other "flu" has killed many more times that and typically kills over 23,000 each year. 

so travelers/foreigners to Thailand at the moment required to have such policies.

4 hours ago, Matzzon said:

No, I wont! Only the ones that can´t accept they are in another country and another culture. Like people that don´t understand that their values, way of thinking and way to deal with things don´t mean sh*t. That´s already too much. If I would concentrate on all, then It would take up too much time. 

blah blah blah.  But your views and opinions trump those of everybody else. 

23 hours ago, Canuck1966 said:

 

any foreigners seeking to extend their stay must have

“The letter must be from the embassy or consulate requesting that the Royal Thai Police Immigration Bureau allow the foreigner to stay in the country longer. It must name the foreigner and it must have the sentence that the foreigner is unable to travel due to the COVID-19 coronvirus situation,” Lt Col Udom said.

"It must be an actual letter, to be hand over with a copy of their passport at the Phuket Immigration Office during office hours,” he said.

so a person would have to travel to Bangkok to their embassy, which flies in the face of shelter in place.  Then what guarantees that anybody's embassy would actually issue such a letter?  My USA embassy does not work for me nor do what I say

This source of income is quite a potential problem for some.  I get over 65,000 USD a year in dividends and interest.  I do NOT have a pension.  Do you really think a Thai official would understand or accept my Etrade Estimated Income for the next year, or my printouts of my IRA transactions that showed the dividends and interest that went into those IRAs?  The IRA dividends and interest are NOT reportable income so that does not show up on my IRS 1040 tax form as  income. 

  I am sure the Thais expect and the system always kind of assumed income in retirement was pensions.  That is the mentality.  But how in the heck are the Thais going to handle modern other types of income from investments?   Worse, there seems to be no guidelines on what an immigration office would, could or should accept.  This won't be an issue for me as I am postponing any sort of retirement visa to Thailand due to the virus thing of course, not to mention the nutty Thai Insurance thing, and other immigration annoyances. 

19 hours ago, faraday said:

Is that a bit like 'Titus' Oates in the Antarctic...?

 

"I am just going outside and may be some time".

 

*Laugh emoji*

 

@gk10002000

Good grasp of history there Mr Faraday.  Well done

19 hours ago, Matzzon said:

And I am pretty sure you understand how irresponsible this kind of behaviour is, without any general BS.

I do not think it is irresponsible at all.  But you will bash anyone so it does not matter what any body does

On 3/3/2020 at 10:48 PM, Moonlover said:

 

Taking into account that the money was in 'foreign currency' and that the lady had a Swedish driver's licence, it's likely that she spent much of her time in that country. There's plenty of outdoor activity to enjoy in that country, so to me there's no surprise.

It is possible that the Swedish driver's license is not hers.  Maybe is her Hubbies.  The article text says: " with a Swedish driver's licence. " That does not necessarily mean it was her Swedish license.

18 hours ago, mercman24 said:

so HUA HIN is a separate country then ? i didnt know that

well, even in the USA not all cities in all the states are shutting down, closing, "shelter in place" etc.  Most large scale venues such as Disney land are closed.   I don't know how country wide the Thai official orders have been about closing down places.

8 hours ago, Matzzon said:

What? Is there something seriously wrong with you? What does it matter if they are drunk or not? Do you believe that people get immune against the virus if they are not drunk? Seriously! What a stupid comment.

When I see fellow foreigners behaving this way, I feel the shame they put over all of us. That places would try to keep open anyway was expected, but that fellow foreigners can´t get of grip of the severity is totally unfathomable. Shame on all of you that are doing this, showing disregard and disrespect to your fellow human beings.

I am pretty sure that drinking in general lowers one's immune system, more or less depending on the person. 

11 hours ago, runamok27 said:

To me the statistics coming out of nearly every country but South Korea are useless garbage. South Korea is the only country who did massive testing so their numbers should be the closest to reality. Even with their massive testing these numbers are most likely lower because of all of the mild symptom people. All of the other countries are only testing the sickest of the sick, so their numbers are useless and only server to scare people. When looking at South Korea's numbers, it would seem we are looking at the regular flu or maybe a slightly stronger strain.

 

"In South Korea, for example, which had an early surge of cases, the death rate in Covid-19 patients ages 80 and over was 10.4%, compared to 5.35% in 70-somethings, 1.51% in patients 60 to 69, 0.37% in 50-somethings. Even lower rates were seen in younger people, dropping to zero in those 29 and younger."

You know, sometimes evolution, as harsh as it may be an as unfair as it may be to certain creatures does decide things.  Old are weak.  Many of us today are strong and healthy because our ancestors survived the Black Plague, Smallpox, and a host of other issues, and that resistance or strength was passed on to us.  That sort of natural selection is not common any more. 

  Over the centuries many societies dealt with old and non working old people in different ways.  Many societies believed and embraced on serving the greater good and when they got old, the people would happily and voluntarily leave the family or village so as to not be a burden on them.  In other societies, old people are revered, and lavished and praised and sometimes their wisdom really was  useful and benefited the society.  

3 hours ago, URMySunshine said:

You are a pleasant chap aren't you. Nothing like a virus to bring out the misanthropes and eugenistics. You will be pleased to know Hitler agreed with your analysis. The weak , mentally deficient and undesirables get rid of 'em. My solution - eat the rich.

I am a very pleasant chap.  I have no interest in Hitler's analysis nor his beliefs although you seem to be. 

Has anybody gotten said insurance policy?  Is it a policy only issued from Thailand similar to the way the new Non OA visa insurance policies have to be purchased?

4 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Travellers to Thailand have to now show authorities a health certificate, issued no more than 72 hours before travelling, confirming that they have been tested and are free from the virus

So why did they make those Italian guys that tested negative still go into 14 day quarantine?  A health certificate 3 days old does not prove much.  One could have gotten exposed after testing and before traveling. 

On 3/16/2020 at 1:11 AM, hashmodha said:

 

 

 

 

The suspect was connected to Pure Reservation Ltd that was involved in bogus credit card payments for non-existent hotel bookings that amounted to 4 million baht.

 

 

if there were bogus credit cards how can they be authorised?

Does anyone believe such stories!?To defraud 4 Million Baht takes many many many bookings and a  very long time,and most surprising no one comes forward by showing printed images of this fraudulent bookings and transcripts 

It is a misplaced modifier.  The credit cards were not bogus.  the credit card payments were bogus. 

well, if no outbound flights, I guess it will be hard for them to deport overstayers!  

My thoughts?  Stop all this over reaction.  Let it run its course.  If 2 % of the population die, so be it.   The virus is like a giant electrical signal.  It will find the shortest path.  You try and close off this path (tourism), or airlines, and all that happens is people and the virus will go somewhere else.  Now you close businesses, shut down cities, etc.   People can not work, lose money, businesses fail, no GRE or SAT testing so people can not get into schools or colleges.  People in college can not graduate, lose current job offers or future job offers.  And some required courses offered every other year now delay things.  Kids home from school ratchets up tensions in a house hold.  Dual working parents now have to sort out child care during the day or lose their jobs.  So now their kids are in contact with other people anyway while out of school.  The long term effects can be quite daunting and might kill more people than the virus.  Look at the financial markets.  Billions if not Trillions up in smoke.

  Now add in the number of elderly people that are living but really not in good or strong health.  Very un natural for a species.  They sit around in the reclining chair all day, watch Jerry Springer, minds go to mush as they do less every day.  Many are in care facilities that drain a family's finances, or are at home with a  younger relative and that can strain things quite a bit.   Is society better off with so many aged?  It may sound in humane, but until you see friends or relatives linger for years and years and how it affects a house hold, you may not understand.

21 hours ago, JimGant said:

You're kidding. The gov't can't tell an airline it has to fly an empty plane (with all that cost) to Thailand to pick up stranded tourists. Maybe, if there were no alternatives, the gov't might charter a flight, like the US did for its citizens in Wuhan. But right now, Taiwan is still off the corona virus radar, and flights to Taipei from Bkk, with connections to North America, and Europe, are still being advertised. With such escape routes, don't look for your gov't to provide you a charter flight (at least not at this juncture).

watched on the US news this morning where the USA did help arrange charter flights home to the USA from Asia.  But many people were stranded in Morocco and Honduras and Guatemala.   So order of precedence, numbers stranded, etc...  N