Bubbha

I’ve used this bank branch before many times. The last time I did a counter advance was late December. Not sure why this is no longer working. A friend reports the same problem…

Sorry I wasn't clear. This was a cash advance at the bank counter. (Not an ATM) Money definitely cleared & available on the Schwab end.

Has anyone had recent problems using a Schwab debit card to access money from a Schwab account in the US? I was rejected at Bangkok Bank (error code) several times.

CEA is not a reliable indicator for the presence of bowel cancer. CEA is a more reliable indicator for tracking bower cancer once there's a confirmed diagnosis

I believe this is an ongoing requirement (not new for 2024). I use St. Brendan’s Isle (SBI) in Florida. I'm very happy with their service. https://www.sbimailservice.com/

I did this last week at Bangkok Bank - one of the larger branches in Bangkok. Schwab debit card (Visa) for 170K THB (about 5K USD).

I am closing in on 65 y/o and recently contacted the Manila SSA FBU via their web page contact form about how to go about applying for Medicare Part B. I have not yet started Social Security. Much to my surprise someone from the Manila FBU called me less than 48 later to tell me exactly what to do. After the phone call, she followed up with the same instructions via email. Given all the negative experiences many people have with the Manila FBU, I was quite surprised. I have not yet reached the date when I can apply for Part B – so there’s still plenty of opportunity for things to go wrong. But so far, so good…

Am looking for recommendations for travel insurance for Thai nationals for travel to countries within Asia. Thanks for any experience you can share.

Many thanks for your replies. Yellowtail - not sure what B & H is...?

Looking for experience ordering from Amazon in the US for merchandise that exceeds the Thai Customs duty free limit of 1,400 THB. Does the import fee that Amazon charges when making a purchase cover the Thai Customs fee once the merchandise arrives in Thailand? Or are you stuck needing to visit Thai Customs to negotiate the duty to get your merchandise? Thanks for any feedback.

Hello - Looking for experience and lessons learned about wire transfers from Schwab to Bangkok Bank in New York (domestic wire) in comparison to Bangkok Bank in Thailand (international wire). What are fees and rates? Does the domestic transfer take longer to credit to your account in Thailand? Also, how do wire transfers with Schwab compare to Wise? I understand Wise becomes less competitive with larger dollar transfer amounts.

That's what I have done. The all of my mail goes to this mailing address. It's not clear what, if anything, will get mailed to the residential address on file.

I use a CMRA in Florida and find that banks, investment companies, etc., accept this as a mailing address – but not as a residential address. Another factor to consider is exposure to state tax authorities when using the residential address of a friend of relative.

Hi - was the quarterly payment system established via the FBU office in Manila?

I am a few months away from eligibility for Medicare. I plan to apply for Part B through the Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) at the US Embassy in Manila. I have not started taking Social Security benefits yet - so will need to set up payments for Part B. Anyone done this before (Part B w/o SS benefits start)? Thanks....

This is quick follow-up for people who might be following this thread. I found a lot of very useful information about mail forwarding services in various RV forums. As GinBoy2 indicates (above), South Dakota and Texas are good options if you want to become a resident in a tax free state. Florida is also a tax free state and will let you become a resident (e.g. driver’s license, voting) via a mail forwarding service. Given that I am already a (virtual/expatriate) resident of Florida via my family’s home address, I am going to try St. Brendan’s Isle mail forwarding service. https://www.sbimailservice.com/

Many thanks for all of the great replies and sharing of experience. physicaladdress.com looks interesting as they are very competitive on price, don’t outsource their business operations, and get really excellent reviews on TrustPilot. I think I will try physicaladdress.com.

I’m looking for a mail forwarding service from the US to Thailand. My family has been helping me with this task for many decades but this is no longer feasible. Currently, my family address is in Florida so I would like to establish a virtual Florida address that I can use to forward US mail to Bangkok. Thanks for any recommendations.

I did the same - with no problems. The App is called Mywallet. Very easy to use.

If you’re an expat here with no plans to return to the US, it’s good to study and understand end-of-life care in Thailand. I have been through this with several (now deceased) expat friends. In my opinion, and from my experience, palliative care is underdeveloped and inadequate compared to the US and many western countries. Also, there are a real lack of hospice care options. There are also many cultural issues (differences) to consider regarding treatment of terminally ill patients for pain management. If you plan to die here, it’s best to understand the Thai legal system’s framework for death and dying. This is what your Thai hospital and doctors will be required to follow. For myself and my own experience, these are some of the important issues to consider regarding end of life care here in Thailand when weighing the cost versus benefits of enrolling in and maintaining Medicare.

I used this QR code and a copy of my last paper Social Security card to apply for the Thailand Pass. My Thailand Pass application was approved. Make sure to generate the QR code at the time you submit the Thailand Pass application so the date on the QR code will be current.

Was the cost of this shuttle transfer included in the price of 4,900 THB? And is there a dedicated shuttle for Test & Go passengers?

Hello – I am looking for a company or independent contractor to repair/replace water damaged parquet wood floors at my condo (see picture below). I live in central Bangkok. Thanks for any suggestions and/or sharing your experience. Edited just now by Bubbha

Hello – I am looking for a company or independent contractor to repair/replace water damaged parquet wood floors at my condo (see picture below). I live in central Bangkok. Thanks for any suggestions and/or sharing your experience.

For those who are retired and sill maintaining Social Security insurance as an individual payer (432 Baht per month) – Have you done anything for an ID card since the annual ID cards were discontinued four years ago? I went to the Social Security Office on Silom Road 3 years ago to apply for their new form of ID but never received anything.