Enzian

This is getting insane. Three weeks ago I ended up in ER in the middle of the night because a bacterial infection, till then unknown, centered in the lower part of my right lung reached a tipping point and I didn't know if I would make it to morning. When I recovered I booked a flight out, but not until the beginning of Feb.; now the pollution season is kicking in early and my plan to stay through the "cool" season and leave for 3 or 4 months in the "spring" season doesn't seem comprehensive at all. What sense does it make to live in this? The AQI index for Bangkok this morning is 165.

I always had some respect for Abhisit, but seemed he and the party could never distinguish themselves from the Establishment in a way that would make them relevant. (But of course that's what MFP did, and look where it got them.) I wonder what he will do next, and will the party simply fade away?

Doesn't this say somewhere that the first time I exit (as an American with a chip in my passport which was issued in 2018) under this new system I will still have to see a live IO to enter certain things in a certain way in their system so that the NEXT time will really be the first time I can exit through the automated machine? I have a 5 PM flight on Feb. 3 to the US, and one reason I selected that flight was so I can go to BKK around 1 PM and have lots of time for everything, and then be looking at my laptop which I would be doing at home anyway.

I'll stick it out in Bangkok for this winter. About 3 weeks ago I had a kind of near-death experience with a bacterial infection in my lower right lung leading to hospitalization for pneumonia, so for that reason and others I've booked a flight for the beginning of February and will stay out for at least three months, maybe longer. I'll be having a serious discussion with my US doctors about my condition, any lingering damage, and the wisdom of continuing to live in the air of LOS (as opposed to the Bay Area, where today the aqi is around 20). Luckily I own no property and have no children here, and am on a month-to-month rental agreement. Good luck everyone.

Hamas is playing Thailand and everyone else (with the possible exception of the IDF) like a fiddle.

1. For over 5 years I've been receiving treatment from a government clinic in Bangkok for a rare condition, the treatment for which is the same as for a much more common condition. The crucial drug has been subsidized by the government. I'm almost always the only farang in there, tho I go in with my Thai SO. This past week we were informed that the cost of the treatment would on short notice now go up by several orders of magnitude, except for government employees of any sort. The increase is more than many Thais make in a month. Will many patients simply forgo treatment and let the debilitating condition run its course? Or did they lie to me that it applies to ordinary Thais as well as me? They did say it was specifically a decision of the "new government". Would a different government (MFP?) have done the same? Is there any chance of a reversal? My point is that this government is capable of many things which might surprise us. I do appreciate the years they helped me, but my Kaiser in California will give me the treatment every 9 weeks no questions asked for a $10 co-pay, and they are a generation ahead in procedure. I can fly to CA (one way at least) to see friends and family for the cost of the difference. 2. I just spent 2 nights in Bumrungrad with bacterial pneumonia that left me weak as a kitten. Because it was a bona fide emergency Kaiser paid ((97K!).; for ongoing treatment they will not. Well over 80, I self insure. Pollution season in Thailand is almost on us. I like to walk outdoors. Hot season is soon. For 10 months of the year the air and climate in the Norcal Bay Area is among the best in the world. 3. Now the Thai RD is leaving things deliberately vague imo, so there will always be a gotcha. You can see where I'm going with this. Thanks for reading.

Who are the "all parties concerned" being referred to? I hope it doesn't include Hamas and their negotiators. They should all be given a fair trial and then executed. I've stopped reading Reuters because they keep referring to "Hamas militants"; they aren't militants, they are terrorists.

Wasn't there a sad ending to an important member of that group? Now they want to exploit it to some degree? Mightn't it be better to place it in the history file and move on?

Wednesday I got out of hospital after two days with what was diagnosed as a bacterial lung infection, mild pneumonia, but all the lab results were still pending. Thursday I have a follow up and chest x-ray and intend to ask all the questions I can think of. China delenda est.

A kind of win-win. You can defect, and your parents and siblings and in fact everyone even remotely related to you back in Russia get entirely new lodgings.

After two days, on Wednesday I got out of hospital with a diagnosis of lung infection. A mild pneumonia caused by bacteria in my case. I'll keep taking antibiotics for days, and in 4 days have a follow up chest x-ray; and take it from there. Even if the doctors in the coming weeks say I've reached a point where the infection is cleared, I don't see how I can justify staying through the upcoming season.

Do people think "Well, that's nice of Hamas to co-operate" when taking innocent civilians like that is a criminal act barely short of murder, and for which every terrorist involved should die (including the negotiators) and hopefully soon will.

I just on Wednesday got out of 2 nights in hospital for something that started as a late night crisis and was diagnosed as a lung infection (combined with an all day case of diarrhea which was simply a food poisoning that weakened me enough that the infection came to the fore, or perhaps a symptom of the infection). In other words, a mild pneumonia, caused by bacteria. I'm recovering. They told me it was good that I hadn't waited til morning to come to ER. In the x-ray my lower right lung is clearly different from the rest. Today the aqi station nearest me in Bangkok reads 54, better than most of the city. The nearest station to my home in Berkeley reads 10 right now. And the contrast will no doubt be getting worse.

Re: that video, if someone in my home country gifts me money for my living expenses, and it can be shown if asked (how I have no idea, but leave that aside) that it was really their money and always their money, then it's not assessable income?

There was a ceasefire in effect on October 6. What else does anyone need to know?

Not sure I understand yet, but if I do, not sure how this changes what has been understood so far. My question is, if I spend for personal expenses every year most of the profits spun off by my business/investments (in US), so in the following year have to remit current year excess cash flow/profits, are those remitted monies now to be subject to tax, as we've been assuming?

Isn't a big part of the problem that Srettha is just a stand-in for Thaksin and they all haven't yet figured out how to pilot the ship until the big guy gets a clear grip on the situation? His health may be a bit of a real issue at this point. And they may be trying to figure out which Shin to be the best front person. We're all waiting for the other shoe to drop. And those who have said Srettha will only last 6 months may be right on point.

I can't forget an interview with an Israeli woman I saw some years back where she was asked what's the solution to these constant attacks? She looked at the camera and said "carpet bombing". Maybe if that had been done back then we wouldn't be where we're at today.

And then how do I "show" that without turning over my bank records and possibly my tax return to the Thai bureaucrats? Understand I'm not trying to argue with you.

I appreciate the answer, but because money is fungible how does anyone really know where that other $30K came from? Or it came from where I say it came from, like a combo of SS and savings from previous years, prove me wrong? But the banks break down every item that goes through the accounts, so in that way it's doable. But of course i will pick the items that are to my advantage and ignore others, so it's really what I say.

So say if I bring into Thailand $50K during a year, but because of major construction expenses, general repairs, lawyer fees and losses for tenants that stopped paying and can hardly be evicted, previous years' depreciation schedules, exemptions of various kinds, on and on, I only had US$20K "taxable income" (on which my tax owed is based), is that $50K money I have already paid taxes on in the US? (Ignoring SS and any other misc.)

But isn't that the case with every person? This is what I'm here to learn. If someone gets to one's home office or hacks one's social media accounts or completely takes over their computer, then they might harvest enough data to do what you suggest. Everyone tries to avoid these things. But surely they can't just put the real bank app on their phone simply by using my real full name.

My TGF convinced me to have my Krungsri branch take the mobile app off my phone, and I never wanted a debit or credit card. Thus nothing can happen (short of an inside job?) without my appearance in front of a teller or manager. I suspect the GF's motive (besides concern for my wellbeing and solvency) was partly that if any monies ever disappear, she cannot be suspect--that's also fine.

Since the condo I'm in is for sale (Bangkok, Nana station), I'm on a month-to-month rental agreement, which is fine with me. Last evening talked with the rental agent (owner is out of country) and she said there is almost no one interested in even looking at this unit, though it is priced at what until a few month ago at least seemed like market. Further, she said the big banks have repos they can't sell, and just finished condo buildings, ones coming on line, even older buildings can't find buyers. The market is dead. That's one agent's observation; anyone else hear anything like this? I wanted to ask her if the tax uncertainly entered in, but her English is not great, and I don't know how to describe such a big "IF" to her; I may try later.

And this might be why a long stay visa involves on renewal checking a box marked Other rather than Retirement (there is no such box). There is no such thing as a Retirement visa in Thailand though that is what we often call it. I often wondered why they did it that way, now I'm getting a clue.