DeanWeen

In Thailand I always touch any thing metal with the back of my hand first

I've never heard of this before. What does it do (or not do)? And why?

I don't think it's Thai-bashing to tell the truth, which is that the safety standards in this country -- including electrical -- are undeniably shoddy. The clock on our microwave can't tell the right time, which is something about currents not matching up, if I understood the electrical engineer who lives next door correctly. Whenever we get new pool lights installed, they burn out in a week or two, and the maintenance guys simply don't know how to deal with it. We've been living in our house only 18 months, and I can't count how many times someone's been over here to "fix" some electrical issue. (Water is another.)

I guess two other things I'm wondering are:

• If these are scam attempts, what kind of scam?
• Has anyone else experienced situations like these? Especially by Westerners? Recruiting Westerners to approach other Westerners seems like a smart idea.

“which seemed weird because she didn't look like the kind of person to need a black corporate case.”

How do you know if you were not there, unless your alleged friend went into every minute detail?

As I mentioned in the OP, my friend said the girl was a bit of a hippie. She said she didn't seem the type to need or want corporate accessories.

Did you ever find out where to get the briefcase?

My friend was the one with the briefcase, so yeah, we know where it came from. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Can we assume it's going to be on ASN?

Also, does anyone have any idea which games they will show, or which US channels they have a deal with? In the States the games will be on CBS and Turner (TNT, TBS, Tru) broadcasting. I'm hoping to get the CBS games, particularly on Fri AM....

One might have thought the such a festival located away from the protests might offer a nice break for those wanting to get away from it for a few days?

Eric Clapton is still performing in the protest zone (bangkok) in the coming days as far as I am aware.

Anyway, too bad it's cancelled.

That's what I figured. I wouldn't think safety should have been a big concern. My guess is that they canceled because 1) they're being overly cautious, 2) they're not selling enough tickets, 3) they were getting some push-back from the bands, or 4) a combination.

The thing had a half-assed feel about it from about two months ago, when the website still wasn't updated and a timetable hadn't been issued. Festivals typically issue the final timetable at least a month in advance.

Esp. around Walking Street. LK Metro, etc? Got guests in town and this is turning into a rather, um, anticlimactic weekend....

(Seriously, beer's all we're after.)

It's three months off, but http://www.silverlakemusicfest.com/!

Just to correct a couple of the misleading bits in this thread:

1. FBAR filing requirements apply to those who have either "signature authority" or a "financial interest" in a foreign account. These terms are carefully defined in the regulations. I won't lecture on them here, but anyone who thinks they can play games with the Feds by keeping accounts in someone else's name should study the regulations -- and the penalties -- very carefully.

2. You compute the $10,000 minimum test by adding together the maximum value of each foreign account during the year. So if you moved, say, $6,000 from one Thai account to another during the year, that alone would create the $10,000 minimum.

Two more points.

First, there is a question about foreign bank accounts and FBAR on Form 1040, at the bottom of Schedule B.

Second, if you've got more substantial funds and assets overseas, you may also have to file Form 8938. It's broader than FBAR, for the most part, covering more than just foreign accounts.

A couple of pages ago, I should have specified that I meant foreign spouse -- as many on this board probably have -- and that spouse having total ownership/ control of the asset in question. (Not sure if your comment was directed at mine or one of the many that followed.)

Re: your point in #1, "financial interest", I don't see how this applies to an American whose foreign spouse is the only one named/ with signatory power on an account or asset. For example, say someone's spouse owns an offshore account, or a property. If he or she owns 100% of the asset or shares, and is the only one who can legally sign to move funds and assets, and is, for all official purposes, the only one who benefits (or loses) from it, then nobody else -- including their American spouse -- has any demonstrable financial interest. This is the way my advisor sees it too.

Link to the final rule: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-02-24/pdf/2011-4048.pdf

The section defining "financial interest" can be found on p. 7, "I. Section 103.24(e)—Financial Interest".

Now, whether someone wants their spouse in absolute control of all their overseas assets is another question entirely. It's certainly not for everyone.

If Thailand doesn't cooperate it will force some Americans out of here. So hope they cooperate. The U.S. government won't quit this. That's crazy talk.

The other "option" is to give up American citizenship. More and more Americans are doing it. Of course, you need another passport.

The US has been taxing its expats for decades. It will never stop, and the government will only keep looking for more ways to intrude on our finances.

Not practical for most of us. Obtaining Thai citizenship is very difficult and most Americans wouldn't want it anyway. We aren't talking about taxing here though. We're talking about the U.S. forcing global financial institutions to report on Americans, and treasury filing requirements, etc.

Just pointing out a little trend is all. And whether it's paying taxes or disclosing assets, everything's related. The IRS is coming hard after US expats, it's often unfair, and a lot of people are sick of it.

I worked for foreign companies for nearly 15 years, and therefore I had no payments going into SS. I had to file taxes to the US anyway, for benefits I'll never receive.

And citizenship doesn't have to be Thai. For the low, low price of US$100,000, you can buy your way into the Commonwealth of Domenica!

If Thailand doesn't cooperate it will force some Americans out of here. So hope they cooperate. The U.S. government won't quit this. That's crazy talk.

I for one hope Thailand refuses to cooperate and other countries too..Who gave the American government the right to police the world...

For the record I'm not anti Yank but I am anti bully boy tactics and IMO that's what the American government have been trying to do for years..

I wonder how far they'll go in trying to tell China what to do...

Getting economically blackballed by the US isn't in most countries' self interests. If Switzerland caved, so will most everyone else.

If Thailand doesn't cooperate it will force some Americans out of here. So hope they cooperate. The U.S. government won't quit this. That's crazy talk.

The other "option" is to give up American citizenship. More and more Americans are doing it. Of course, you need another passport.

The US has been taxing its expats for decades. It will never stop, and the government will only keep looking for more ways to intrude on our finances.

The US can and does consider what your wife owns, your truck, your house, etc. as part and parcel of your overseas 'money' or holdings. You can find yourself screwed over this. Also be aware ignorance is no excuse and they can come after you for not filing even if you really didn't know about this. Some governments are refusing to cooperate, I don't know about Thailand. If enough do not sign on, this will fail as it should. This was enacted allegedly to go after the big tax cheats, the only people they have gone after so far are average ex-pats. After all, we are easy fish to fry, the big tax cheats own the government.

But they can only come after it if the assets in question also have your name on it. I guess it's like Andy's line in "Shawshank" -- "Do you trust your wife?"

I'm curious more than anything, since all my work is referral-based -- but do most people on sites like that quote a similar hourly rate? I.e. US$14-15?

Looking on Crossfit.com there's no Crossfit affiliates in Pattaya. There's 3 in Bangkok, 1 in Chiang Mai and randomly one on Koh Tao.

Yeah, I saw that too. Considering how many big guys I've seen here, there would seem to be demand. Maybe they don't need it.

Big guys generally aren't into Crossfit as it's not the best way of training for muscle mass.

All right, maybe I should have said "fit", not "big". But there are plenty of them too.

I am amused by this passing fad to ....

tl;dr

Looking on Crossfit.com there's no Crossfit affiliates in Pattaya. There's 3 in Bangkok, 1 in Chiang Mai and randomly one on Koh Tao.

Yeah, I saw that too. Considering how many big guys I've seen here, there would seem to be demand. Maybe they don't need it.

Bit confused "Any classes in Pattaya" there are tons of gyms about 5 along No 3 road.

I'm talking about CrossFit classes. http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/what-is-crossfit.html

Thanks, everyone. I don't think it's in Pattaya. I don't see it on Tony's website, and I haven't heard of it anywhere else here.

Any classes or gyms in Pattaya?

Hi,

I'm bringing my 4 small dogs to Thailand from UK on 12th November. I've done all the paperwork myself and so far have found it relatively straightforward, thanks to a website called '8 miles from home' who have given step-by-step instructions.

I have just been issued with import certificates and the export certificates are on their way. I am flying with Eva Air and taking the dogs as excess baggage. They charge $45 per kilo, so quite reasonable I think.

The one thing that is really worrying me is, what are the chances of my dogs having to go into quarantine, even though they are in tip-top health and if they do, what are the conditions like?

Has anyone else had their dogs/pets quarantined?

Thanks Sharon

All I can give you is my experience, which involved no quarantine. We flew our dog from Hong Kong on Cathay, and like yours, she came as excess baggage. We picked her up at one of the big steel doors right next to the luggage carousels inside the passenger bag claim area. (Make sure you're clear on which number door it is -- we waited an extra 30 mins because I was standing at the wrong door.) You have to show the papers and pay a few baht at the import desk before you can pick up, and a few more baht to get through customs (1,000?). Then you just wheel 'em straight on through.

So, there was no quarantine from Hong Kong. Can't imagine there would be from the UK, so long as all your vaccinations are in order, but you might just want to double-check.

Maybe some airlines do it that way. Many don't. Again, I'm talking about transporting the pet as check-in baggage. That's the way I did it, and that's the only way I've been talking about. So do me a favor: Quit thinking about cargo and Google it. I just did. For example, on a KLM flight from the US (or further) to Amsterdam, it's US$200 to transport a pet that size in the luggage hold.

And even if an airline charges more for weight/ size and distance, I can't imagine the cost approaches what was quoted to lemoncake.

No. All airlines charge based on volumetric weight or actual, whichever is the highest. Do you think you can transport your 4kg chihuahua in 1 cubic metre cage and be charged for the 4kg only?? Suggest you google it.

You're refusing to address the very specific subject of international pet transport via passenger airline. You've been confronted with facts from two airlines -- from a guy who very recently did this -- yet you're still banging on about the general principles of cargo. Fine, from KLM: http://www.klm.com/travel/us_en/prepare_for_travel/baggage/excess/bagagge_piececoncept.htm

Scroll to the bottom where it says "Fees for Pets". You'll see that unless you're transporting an English mastiff, this airline has a very specific way of handling and charging for pet transport on passenger flights, almost irrespective of length of flight and size of dog (up to 75kg). You could fly to/ from Amsterdam to/ from anywhere the airline flies around the world, and it's US$200 to transport a dog as check-in luggage -- whether it's a Chihuahua or a German shepherd. (Nobody would allow you to transport a Chihuahua in a 1-meter kennel, so that's a dumb hypothetical. You're required to get a kennel that's appropriate for your dog.)

Now, if you still insist on arguing unrelated points, then you're either being willfully ignorant to save face, or you're a troll. Whichever -- I'm done here.

Maybe some airlines do it that way. Many don't. Again, I'm talking about transporting the pet as check-in baggage. That's the way I did it, and that's the only way I've been talking about. So do me a favor: Quit thinking about cargo and Google it. I just did. For example, on a KLM flight from the US (or further) to Amsterdam, it's US$200 to transport a pet that size in the luggage hold.

And even if an airline charges more for weight/ size and distance, I can't imagine the cost approaches what was quoted to lemoncake.

No, no more than you would carry your suitcase on your lap. The dog goes where the luggage goes. That's different from freight. Your luggage isn't charged like freight, and neither is the dog. If you have an extra 15kg in your bags, you'll get charged an extra $300. If you have a 15kg dog, you check it in just like your luggage and pay an extra $300. Capiche?