watgate

It's all about greed and money over people. Truly pathetic.

What about bringing my cell phone (not a smart phone) with my US phone number I use when back in the states and give capital one that phone number. Would capital one then be able to send me a text message to that phone in Thailand if I use my credit card in Thailand to purchase something?

I have a capital one credit card which occasionally gets  declined when trying to use it on the few occasions I use it during the year> Unfortunately I don't have a smart phone so I can't get a text message from capital one asking me to input a number code they have sent me to verify my identity. On a recent attempt to use my credit card about a month or so ago Capital One declined my card and I had to get money from the bank. Upon returning to my apt I checked my computer and Capital One had sent me an email asking me to verify the transaction that they had declined. I have a flip phone but with a thai phone number so capital one can not send a text message to my flip phone. Short of bringing my laptop with me are their any other ways to use my capital one credit card in the event I get declined by capital one when trying to use my card?

I am planning on renting a car and was wondering if the collision waiver damage  (cwd) in thailand is like in the US. In the US when you rent a car and take out the cwd, if you have an accident or there is damage to your rental car you are covered and there is no out of pocket expenses to worry about. Is it the same in Thailand when renting a car here? Thanks for any info.

I have google chrome 80.0.3987.122 on my laptop which was installed on 2/25/2020. Does this mean I have the necessary patches (fixes) for google chrome now? If not.  how do I download the necessary fix for this security vulnerability?

I booked a flight for myself and my thai wife a couple of months ago to go to Krabi for 4 nites starting on March 3. Now I am a little concerned about this corona virus and am wondering if I maybe should reconsider my going now. What would you do?

In talking to a financially astute individual awhile ago he said that many chinese investors throughout Thaiand are acquiring properties utilizing a 30 year lease option. In fact a rundown boutique hotel in chiang mai which was in disarray and closed for many years was acquired by a chinese investor and was impressively renovated utilizing a 30 year lease. When now opened his customer base is almost exclusively Chinese tourists,

     Besides the chinese investor who holds a 30 year lease on this property, who else stands to gain financially?  From what I can ascertain this  boutique hotel was being utilized almost exclusively by chinese tourists either through tour groups or the occasional independent chinese tourist. Obviously business is  slow  now, as it is throughout Thailand due to the corona virus but I am wondering does the Thai government realize any substantial revenues  from this boutique hotel? It would seem that if this hotel was being used primarily by chinese tourists on packaged tours paid in China  that most of the revenue goes back to  China. 

     Lastly, this finance individual said that as more and more properties throughout Thailand are being taken over by chinese investors via 30 year leases and their clout grows, laws can change down the road and these properties which have been acquired by the chinese can potentially revert to ownership by the chinese.

     I am not a finance guy but this scenario does seem like a possible outcome. I would like to get some folks opinions who are well versed in financial matters. Yes I am sure there will be posters who will say I am a  racist for inquiring about what is currently going on but. nevertheless I would like to know if the trojan horse has been unleashed in Thailand and is Thailand on a fast track to becoming another country that will be taken over by the Chinese hegemony which is rapidly occurring throughout SE Asia.  

     I have serious concerns because profits and greed trump all in Thailand so I am not very optimistic about the future in Thailand. Hopefully I am wrong and someone can enlighten me.

My concern going forward is where I read recently where Prayut and his administration want to build an additional almost 30 more sugar cane factories throughout Thailand. This is maddening to me because, if built, I can just envison all the sugar cane burning that will be going on. Of course, the supposed mandate by the government that if any sugar cane was harvested by burning, the factories would not accept the shipment. I can see where that fell on deaf ears and the sugar cane burning has resumed in full force. 

     As another poster stated, if the government used the money they are planning to use to purchase a chinese sub was used instead to buy some harvesters for the sugar cane, that would significantly reduce the toxic smoke from all the sugar cane burning that is currently going on.

     It is pathetic, countless folks are getting gassed and the governments solution is to build more sugar cane factories. 

I need to get out of chiang mai and was wondering where is the best area or place to move to in thailand for the best overall air quality on a yearly basis? I think Phuket would be too expensive. I am considering Rayong but now the air quality index is more then 150 so I am perplexed as to how best to proceed. 

I read the first page of replies but then stopped. I imagine the dog lovers have already spoken and have rationalized the killing of this innocent child by now. It is truly a pity and pathetic how nothing is ever done to try and minimize this continued brutal assaults and vicious attacks by these totally out of control dogs that lurk all over Thailand. Time and time you read about these vicious attacks and I am truly in disbelief that nothing is ever done to try and prevent this from happening again. I can't believe the authorities are that insensitive but sometimes I wonder if they are more concerned about these stray dogs then its citizens who are mauled and killed time and time again.

Lopburi3- I am having a hard time getting a handle on this whole procedure. When I do my income tax return each year I use my US address since I still have a condo in the US which I go back each year around the beginning of April to stay in for the 1- 1 1/2 months I am in the US. I go back to see some DR's and take care of some business. Would using my US address on my tax return cause any potential problem with obtaining a ITIN for my wife?  

     Can you possibly walk me through exactly what I need to submit to the IRS to obtain the ITIN for my wife. I guess I would have to mail any required info to the the IRS. Do you think it would be better to try and obtain the ITIN in Thailand or obtain it in the US? I guess I  would have to pay a firm in the US to apply for the ITIN whereas if I apply in Thailand I guess I can apply myself at no additional cost.

     Thanks for any input and if this doesn't kill me nothing will. 

I spoke with A tax specialist from the US who works in Bangkok, namely Thomas Carden, and he said his company use to obtain the ITIN from the IRS but they stopped doing it because their applications were being rejected 1 or more times. He said clients were very upset at the delays and it became a money loser for their company so they stopped offering this service. He said the IRS has gotten a lot stricter and has tightened up their processing procedures considerably and he recommended using a firm that specializes in obtaining the ITIN.

My understanding is that both spouses have to live in the US for 5 years in order for my wife to be able to collect from my social security when I die.

I am considering not getting a TIN from the IRS because my wife has no income or interest. Also I don't see us living for 5 or more years in the US so she would never be eligible to collect from my social security when I die. She never changed her name so I don't know if that would make a difference if I did decide to apply to the IRS for a TIN for my wife.

     My only big concern is that when I pass on she would be the beneficiary of my estate. I don't know if she would need a TIN in order to realize the proceeds of my estate when I pass on.

     I really need to find a good tax atty in the Chiang Mai area but there doesn't seem to be one around. I am a little reluctant to use an atty in Bangkok due to the distances involved but I guess I could if the need were to arise.

     I try and simplify my life and it seems like I am continually being thrown curve balls and making my life more stressful. 

I was wondering if any knowledgeable income tax individuals would know of any impact for getting married to a thai national and then having your US income taxes prepared? My wife obvious does not have a social security number and does not have any income to report so what ramifications are there when preparing your US income taxes as a married individual versus doing your income taxes in the past as a single person? Any clarification would be appreciated. Also, I  know there used to be a fellow from the US who prepared US income taxes in the Chiang Mai area but he passed away several years ago. Are their any US tax preparers in the Chiang Mai area that someone could recommend?

I am interested to know what US military retirees would do if eventually ALL foreign retirees, including those with a Non-O retirement visa and annual extensions of stay for retirement  or marriage are forced to get medical insurance. Specifically for US military retirees, if the Thai government says their much better medical insurance (tricare overseas) is no good and they have to buy the Thai companies offerings of health insurance with undoubtedly exclusions for pre-existing conditions. what would US veterans do in this case? Would they buy the Thai health insurance offerings which, because of the pre-existing conditions exclusion would make these policies worthless because you wouldn't be covered for any pre-existing conditions and insurance companies are known for denying claims and attributing it to your pre-existing condition.

Sheryl- When I click on your link it says"This file does not have an app associated with it for performing this action. Please install an app or, if one is already installed, create an association in the Default Apps Settings page".  I have no idea what they are referring to. I don't have Word so can that possibly be the reason why I can't open up your link? Any info would be appreciated.

Since I can not open up your link can you possibly add it to the pinned topics so one can just go there to look at the offerings of insurance companies. It would be most appreciated.

We really enjoyed the boat ride from Bagan to Mandalay. The boat was very seaworthy and the ride took about 10-11 hours. We departed Bagan when it was still dark and saw a great sunrise as we were going down the river. It was very relaxing and you got a great perspective of the Myanmar country as we made are way to Mandalay.

Myself and my wife are interested in going to Penang Malaysia in October to spend a few days sightseeing there. A fellow told me about Penang and said it was a great place to go to I was wondering if anyone has been to Penang and what did they think of it. What are some things worth seeing there. Any suggestions for places to visit or go to and things to see would be appreciated. Thanks

I am planning on getting out of chiang mai next January with my wife to escape the burning season. I will inform immigration in person of my departure to Issan for 2 months. I will have a 90 day report due in February 2020 but am planning to visit Laos with my wife for a few days so that will take care of having to do the 90 day report. My question is when we get back to Issan I have to notify chiang mai immigration of my arrival back to Thailand. Should I register online and do the Tm.30 online to send to chiang mai immigration? I have never done it online.In the past I have either gone to immigration or just recently I moved to a new apt in chiang mai and the owner of the apt complex notified chiang mai immigration online of my moving to his apt. I take it I have to register online to use the online TM.30 reporting?

I am a US citizen and am planning on visiting Penang Malaysia next year with my thai wife. is it true that a US citizen does not need a visa to go to Malaysia? We will be going for around 4-5 days. Also, should I bring US dollars or thai baht to exchange for Malaysian currency while in Malaysia?  Thank you for any info or advice.

Next year I am going to be needing 3 re-entry permits so do I have to fill out 3 separate application forms for 3 single re-entry permits? If so. can I submit all 3 at once while I am doing my annual renewal for my retirement extension or do I have to do them separately each time I am planning on leaving Thailand?. If it is a hassle it will be worth my while to jut pay 3800 baht for a multiple reentry permit when I go for my annual renewal of my retirement extension.

I wasn't too clear. I was talking about departing back to the US before my 90 days had expired in regards to verifying that my funds were still on deposit in the bank. Now I understand that except for one office it is currently not required in the other offices at this point.  As for doing my 90 day report by computer how does one access the appropriate website and do you have to scan anything into the computer or use a flash drive to download something to send to immigration?

Next year I want to leave chiang mai once the out of control burning starts which is around the end of January. In the past I have always gone to immigration to do my 90 day reports. in order to do a 90 day report by mail you need a good address and I will be moving to a new place in chiang mai upon my return to Thailand this May. I guess I could  try to do a 90 day report by mail if one is due while I am away from chiang mai due to the smoke. Are 90 day reports difficult to do by computer?  Also, my understanding is that you have to report back to immigration 90 days after you renew your retirement visa to show them your 800,000 baht is still in the bank. So that means I will have to return to chiang mai since my annual renewal is due by Jan 4 unless I depart back to the US before the 90 days is up which I do each year. This has become quite daunting and a royal pain in the arse. Any suggestions for navigating the immigration requirements so as to not wind up in trouble with them for non-compliance?