cswift1

Combining that power with PMS, what a scary thought.

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Maybe we could call it PMRS: Pre-Menstrual Revenue Sluts!

Hi Everyone,

I have a friend who is a US citizen. He needs to renew his passport real soon. Here's the thing: he defaulted on a school loan about 20 years ago and owes back taxes!

All US passport renewals are now running through a "clearing house" of sorts in Vermont and ALL are sent there first.

Any experience with this, folks? Will my friend get busted? Passport revoked? Next stop GITMO???

Thanks,

Dude

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I renewed my U.S. passport last year, I was in the U.S. and I sent my application (w/ photos, old passport, etc.) to Pittsburgh. AFAIK this is still where you would send a renewal if you are in the U.S.? If your friend is here in Thailand I think they have to submit the application to the Embassy? They say it takes two weeks, so presumably you are without a passport, as your old one gets submitted (and subsequently returned voided), with the application. Does the Embassy give you some sort of paperwork to cover any requirements for a passport in the interim?

Not sure about your frien?. What choice does he have but to apply for a renewal and wait to see how bad the damage is? Who holds the college loan? How bad are the back taxes? Federal and state?

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Not sure of too many details from him. Not being a US citizen, I'm not sure of all the details. He a good guy. Screwed up a long time ago, but a good guy none the less. I think he has to go to Bangkok, fill out a form (duh), pay the cash, submit the old passport, then they send the whole deal to the Vermont guys.

He hasn't really delved into details but my impression is that the load is big (5 figures US?) and possibly the taxes, too.

Anyway, you're right. No choice here. Submit and hold tight.

Dude

Thanks very much for the quick feedback - much appreciated.  Glad to hear mainly petty theft and stuff like that - am I correct to assume then that any violent crimes are few and far between?

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As some others have already said, yes, there is violent crime here but you have to be involved in some pretty shady stuff. "Live by the sword" kind of thing.

I've been living in Thailand for almost 15 years, about 1/2 that in Phuket. Again, as others here have said, after the Tsunami and the inevitable economic downturn, crime took an upturn.

I have two friends who live in the Chalong area. One has had his house burgled FOUR times in the last year. The other friend, twice in the last 5 months!! And on another occasion, someone stole his pure bred bulldog that was tied up outside a restaurant he was in - same area. A third friend with a house close to Phuket Town has been hit within the last 2 months.

My impression (anecdotal as it is and I could be way wrong) is that the Chalong area with it's high concentration of farang, is ripe for house breaking (although, certainly, break-ins are occuring in other areas).

By the way, the friend who was broken into the last time - bastards stole his 50 kg safe. He found it in a field near his house the next day. It had been opened with an acetylene torch!!

On the upside (meagre as it is), they will not take credit cards, only stuff that is immediately "saleable" - the obvious stuff; computers, cameras, cash, rings, AND REALLY BIG SHOES!.

If you do move here, renting or otherwise, GET HOUSE CONTENTS INSURANCE. It's extremely cheap.

Don't mean to scare you. All in all, it's an OK place to live and, by and large, you should have a pretty sabai sabai time. I know I have!

All the best,

Dude

Hi Everyone,

I have a friend who is a US citizen. He needs to renew his passport real soon. Here's the thing: he defaulted on a school loan about 20 years ago and owes back taxes!

All US passport renewals are now running through a "clearing house" of sorts in Vermont and ALL are sent there first.

Any experience with this, folks? Will my friend get busted? Passport revoked? Next stop GITMO???

Thanks,

Dude