DrPhibes

Reporting back everyone.  Mr T's service was on time (very late arrival at Swampy) and as advertised.  1,000 baht from Swampy to hotel in Pattaya and about to head back Pattaya to Swampy with Mr T for the same 1,000 baht price.

See previous comment on this post for contact details.

19 hours ago, USPatriot said:

We not out on his terms.... I also won't be a burden to anyone.

 

As for me   a few drinks a sunset then off to the bottom of the ocean.

 

 

As I have told my dive buddies, sunset heading out for a night dive with a couple of drinks in me, overweight and overboard.  Nitrogen Narcosis will keep me feeling warm and happy all the way down.  Then they spoiled it all by reminding me that without a body, it takes much more time for the family to collect on the life Ins.  I hope to be able to rationally choose my time.

3 minutes ago, Farangdanny said:

What's the email address ?

[email protected]

Will respond with an e-mail with phone #'s if a problem.  At Airport will have sign up with your name on it.

Just now, Briggsy said:

I like the email confirmation from Keak. It gives me more confidence that someone will actually be there when I go to/arrive at the airport. They always have been.

Got an e-mail confirmation with phone numbers to call if a problem.  There will be a driver with a sign with my name on it at the airport.

15 hours ago, Briggsy said:

I have used Mr T and now I use Keak. Same deal 1000 Baht incl. tolls. Usually very good. Is it the same crew?

Not sure yet, don't take Mr T for another 4 days.  Will ask and report back.

4 hours ago, marko kok prong said:

The sheep models are cheaper.

Done't you meean "sheeper"?

Thanks everyone! I got a tip and then found Mr T for taxi transport from other TV posters to Pattaya for 1,000 baht.  Lot's of good reviews.  Will report back on how it went.

4 hours ago, oilinki said:

I hope assisted euthanasia would become a common practise anywhere in the world. It would allow dignifying and painless departure for those who wish to end their journey. 

 

Some countries already offer assisted suicide as a service, but it's still a rarity.

 

It's not the length of the life, it's the quality of it. 

Turkey basting bag, Helium tank, hose, duct tape.  You don't fight when air is displaced by Helium.  RIP, you chose your time.  Hope I can be as brave when my time comes.

Looked though various searches  on TV and could not come up with an answer.  So, last minute change of plans for a friend who arrives BKK at midnight and wants to go to Pattaya for 3 days.  Figure out of immigration with bags about 1-1:30am.  Are there minibuses at that time of night to Pattaya?  Thanks in advance.

16 hours ago, BuddyDean said:

So how does the foreigner own the house in the first place.  You won't get any form with your name on it, that is for sure.  Condo would be different.  I have sold seven homes in the US and was never required to show proof of cost basis.  It is one of the few honor systems still left as they now know what your cost basis for stock sales is.

If the houses were personal residences and were sold below $250k USD there is no 1099S reporting requirement if you legally swore (in writing) to the escrow company that the code section 121 exclusion of gain on personal residence sale applies to you leading to no gain, so don't have to report on the return.  If they were rental properties, absolutely would be having to show basis info on the return and yes, the IRS does spot audit personal residence and rental property sales requiring basis justification.  A couple of years ago had to pull out my Windows 95 machine (old programs won't run on newer machines so keep several machines at certain Windows versions) and print for a client the rollover form from the old rules where you got one time $125,000 gain rollover to your next personal residence, to justify basis.  The look on the auditors face was gold.

33 minutes ago, andersonat said:

 

P,

 

My (Thai) wife and I were told the *exact* opposite in Chiang Mai, ie that it was *my* responsibility to report, and that *I* would be liable for a fine if I didn't report within 24 hours.

 

They probably meant the two of you but got lost in translation.  For Chiang Mai, it is the person renting or owning the house that needs to do TM30 reporting in person with you there (best) when you enter the country and show back at your abode.  As CMBob says, have showed up at immigration a few days after returning to our house and no fine.  Wife does the reporting (she rents the house) as our landlady is really busy and we have time.  We bring the rental agreement and filled out TM30 (fill-in .pdf http://donslifeinthailand.com/Immigration_Forms.html  Thanks Don) and they just stamp and date on the TM30 slip in my passport I got when I originally came in 1.5 yrs ago.   Pretty cut and dried.

There is an Astropark being built now off the bike path between 700yr stadium and Farm Cowboy in Chiang Mai in her name.  Will have a planetarium and visitors center when finished.  My guess, about mid to late '18.

Does this mean Thai Airways will start to fly non-stop BKK to the US soon?

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

It starts with dormant account that 'could be useful to the government'

for 10 years, later on, it will continue with inactive accounts of 5 years,

soon, the government will see fit to use other form of assets to convert

to cash, 'just to use'.. where will it stops no one knows...

Exactly what happened in California.  Went from 15yrs to 10 to 7 to 3 and there was almost a 1yr dormant account law!  They were drilling safe deposit boxes even though the rent on the box was paid to date.  The State Controller had to step in and say there would be no more enforcement until a way was in place to look up dormant accounts and 3 yrs was it for the limit.  Now you can look up online via name, city,  or SS#, then start collection via online application.  Sad on things like stock or hard items since you get what the state sold it for not the real value.  For some states, it actually a good chunk of their revenue.  Here is a good recent article on what is happening in the US.

https://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/29/hungry-for-revenue-states-hanker-for-unclaimed-assets.html

5 hours ago, Luckysilk said:

“They quoted a female Swiss tourist called Damara as saying that she understood there should be no nudity on the beach but didnt agree with the smoking ban.”

 

Bloody Swiss got it backwards - ban smoking and allow nudity :)

No, Some of those girls would still be "SMOOOK'n!" per The Mask (movie) and would have to pay the fine out in goods and services :-)

So, in the US, this is a State issue. Each of the 50states has their own laws on taking dormant assets. in a couple of states, this "revenue" accounts for 20% of the state overall budget income.  It was about 15 years in CA, then all the way down to 3 years, and they were going after 1 year until the State Supreme Court ordered no more seizure until a better system of tracking ownership was in place.  Now you can search online to see if any unclaimed property that might be yours.  Here is an article on the subject:

https://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/29/hungry-for-revenue-states-hanker-for-unclaimed-assets.html

I'm on the second ring road, not far from Mee Chock Plaza and ya, the aircraft noise in the last year has increased significantly.  For me, the jets do a tighter turn now after take off and are in full throttle in a turn right overhead.  I love where I live but, when my lease expires, I'm moving. 

There seems to be a lot of confusion on the subject of Foreign Income Exclusion. The exclusion applies to earnings from working, either as an employee, or self-employed overseas.  No other types of income are excluded.  If he meets the time criteria overseas (which can be confusing since it can span different calendar years), he can qualify for excluding his working income up to $101,300 USD. By the sounds of it, he is self employed and making under $101,300 so that his working income is excluded but he will have to pay Self-Employment taxes (Social Security and Medicare- S/E tax).   When he sells stock (or has any other kinds of income), the tax calculation will figure any capital gains tax (short term or long term) or tax on any other income without regard for the income exclusion.  His working income will end up being excluded from tax (save the S/E tax), the rest of his income will be taxed at this theoretical higher rate.  One thing I cannot stress enough, if the sale price of the stock only, put into your tax return, would cause you to have tax, you must file a return.  The IRS assumes you have no basis (purchase price) in the stock until you justify it by filing a return.  All US citizens and Green Card holders are on the hook for taxes until they are no longer citizens or Green Card holders no matter where the income is earned in the world.  Hopes this helps.

I saw on several web pages such as City Life that there will be free transportation from several locations around town to the cremation ceremony over at the International Exhibition and Convention Center (IECC) but can not find when these services will start nor when the IECC will be open on the 26th for proceedings.  Anyone else know anything about these times?  Would like to take the wife and kids to pay our respects as early as possible.  Thanks in advance.

4 hours ago, nongkhaidude said:

If it was your primary residency for 2 of the last 5 years capital gains of up to $400,000 ( or so ) are tax exempt so reporting  it not a problem .

 

you can transfer 50,000 US a day from Thailand with out a any kind of a reason other then personal use 

 

 

Just a bit of a correction, if your personal residence 2 of the last 5 years looking backward from the date of sale, you can uses the 121 exclusion to exclude up to $250,000 of gain ($500,000 if a married joint return).  You can not have used the 121 exclusion within 2yrs of the sale in question for another property.

11 hours ago, ramrod711 said:

Classic description of a leaking turbo hose.

Which exactly what it was.  Had another shop dealing with the intercooler and they did not tighten the clamp on the hose.  AutoPro caught that, a universal joint going out (obvious when you looked at it and by the noise) , and a mistake by B-Q- - - - k on the air con that had been "repaired" 4 months ago yet was leaking coolant (aircon is going out) as they had not completely seated the replacement valve in the line and it looks like they put on the wrong shocks for the truck which were changed at the same time. Nothing but good things to say about AutoPro so far. 

Thank guys,

I now remember reading another request for CM auto repairs some time ago and this shop got high marks

I'll head over today.

Hi all,  I live near Mae Chok Plaza and am looking for an auto repair place.  Have a 2005 Hilux Vigo diesel 4x4 that when you accelerate quickly, it makes the sound of a old steam locomotive train whistle.  Also starting to make sounds like a belt is slipping or a bearing starting to go when taking off from a full stop.  Any happy success stories with any of the shops in town?  Thanks in advance.

6 hours ago, Deserted said:

I noted some time back that in the Khmer community in Long Beach CA was a hotbed of crime. I wondered then how they were getting away with it and that was over 20 years ago.

Yup, lived near Redondo and Anaheim LB in the mid to late 80's.  Liv'n cheap as a new Douglas Aircraft engineer.  The more west you went on Anaheim, the dicier it got in the Cambodian section.  But, damn!  their young ladies would do you if you just took them out for a McD's happy meal!  Ah those were the days...

On 10/11/2017 at 1:22 AM, katana said:

Haven't seen the 2nd movie but the first was based on the Philip K. Dick novel, Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep? and had a really good plot with some interesting ideas.
He wrote some really great science fiction. Always thought his book, Ubik, is just waiting to be made into a movie.
Looks like the 2nd movie suffered from not being based on one of his stories.

Ya, that Dick get's around!  Here is a surprising list of his works that have gone on to make other things:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_adaptations_of_works_by_Philip_K._Dick

Have read a few of the books (Do Androids Dream, Ubrik) and some stories (We can remember it for you whole sale, etc..).  Was about as surprised at the list as I was of the many movies from Roald Dahl books (I only knew of Willy Wonka).