CMBob

Sorry, can't help there. The US Consulate does have a list allegedly certified translators which you can find here (it's about the 4th item down titled "Translation Service Providers in Chiangmai...": https://search.usembassy.gov/search?affiliate=dos_emb_eap_bangkok&query=translator

Given their track record (the Thai government having to regularly pony up gargantuan money to keep this "national" airline alive), the first order of business is to totally privatize Thai airline. A sure way to screw up an airline business is to have a government owning or controlling what should be a private, non-public, enterprise.

You'd do your partner a favor by also having a second original Will in Thai as either that or an English Will with certified Thai translation will be needed for Thai probate. The video you refer to may be comforting to your partner but it won't have any effect with a Thai court. Typically, the Thai probate process takes about 6 months and, presuming you desire to have your partner have adequate funds during that time period, you'll have to figure out some method (separate bank account for the partner, cash in a safe, whatever) to provide for that. Absent your partner getting lucky that presentation of your Will (in Thai or English with Thai translation) to your bank manager will cause some release of funds up front, your partner will have to wait at least a couple+ months before probate will help to dislodge your bank funds.

Very good reason you haven't heard of it....it's because they don't do that. Edit. After the death, they will accept a valid Will in English that does the things mentioned (naming local executor and preferably explicitly stating that the named executor has full power to handle all funeral arrangements) and then the US Consulate/Embassy will cease the "next-of-kin" search and issue the needed letter to release the body.

Give the original post was 7 hours ago, not likely the person has entered Thailand as yet. I think the person ought to enter with their expired Thai passport given it appears it's unknown how long the person will stay in Thailand. And, if for some unforeseen reason the person is rejected because Thai passport has been expired for too long (I doubt if this will be a problem), then can turn around and just use the foreign passport and enter visa exempt for 30 days (presuming visa exempt is available for the person's country).

Back when people actually wrote their homework on physical paper, "the dog ate my homework" trick worked occasionally. I'm too old now to know if it'll work to say "the dog ate my keyboard"........

Perhaps irrelevant to the OP, your experience doesn't seem to match what happens to others as: (1) Any extension given will never exceed the expiration date of your passport (if one is applying for one-year extension and your passport expires in 8 months, your new extension will only be for 8 months); and (2) An extension does not expire when you get a new passport (it and a re-entry permit can be easily transferred into the new passport).

As primitive as it may seem, one has to have a bank account here to cash a Thai Treasury check (and perhaps a check from any source, not sure); however, you can deposit the check in any bank you have an account. And, yea, regardless of the amount you have in your account, it's deposit only and it takes a couple of days for the check to clear.

If you're using the same airline to leave CM and then Bangkok, you possibly might be going through Immigration here in CM; however, more than likely you'll be doing the Immigration exit in Bangkok. You'll find out for sure when you check-in for your flight out of here.

No problem, and that's why you don't have to show medical insurance.

Not sure what you're talking about but apparently you have not watched them lay the individual tiles. For the most part, they are doing an excellent job lining up the tiles. After laying a concrete base, they then mortar in the larger yellow tiles. Then they mortar in the smaller sorta pink tiles with the redder tiles on the edges. As to the gaps on either side of the larger yellow tiles, I have no clue what's going in there as they haven't done that anywhere as yet that I've seen.

Unusual as everyone I know here in CM with a Non O-A original visa has needed the medical insurance to obtain an extension. I know less of them now as a few have intentionally exited Thailand without a re-entry permit to intentionally kill that status (then returned visa exempt, converted to a Non-O, and have since obtained annual extensions based on retirement - all done for the purpose to getting rid of the medical insurance requirement).

No problem with obtaining your annual extension but, as Red Phoenix says, your new extension will only be given until May of 2024 when your passport expires (and your annual renewal date will change to that date). You might want to ask as soon as you get in the UK how long it will take to get your new passport because, if it can't be done easily within the time you are there, you might want to consider just waiting until you're back here in Thailand to renew it. Also, presuming you get your new extension and a re-entry permit before leaving and you do get a new passport in the UK, you'll need to present both old and new passports when returning to Thailand (and be watchful that the immigration officer stamps you in to the date your new extension expires).

Back to the topic somewhat, they are (slowly to the max) installing the new sidewalks which likely will be pretty nice when finished (this year?). They are using rather small tiles and different colored tiles as shown in the attached photo. They are filling in the two gaps you see with mortar but leaving about a 3/4" depth and I presume the final deal will be another thinner tile of some color.

While you may exercise legal rights, it would seem to me that a friendly (or non-hostile) neighbor is somewhat desirable. So, why not ask again (If you are willing to pay some or all of it, maybe that makes the neighbor more agreeable).

Would appreciate if if you could post an url to an article about that topic. I've been watching them tear up and now installing the new sidewalks for quite a stretch of Huay Kaew (mainly the north side west of Maya Mall) and I haven't noticed any burying of electrical wires under the new sidewalks. And haven't seen any activity on Nimman regarding sidewalks or anything else of note.

About 7 years ago, had hernia surgery at Chiangmai Ram hospital (private), they used open surgery (doc told me it was just as easy to do it that way in my case), and the total cost was 58,497 baht. In by about 9AM, home by 5PM. A mesh was installed and they used glue to close the incision (since after about a year later, I can't visually even see where they did the deal). Simple procedure, painless, and OP's fear of some "big scar" is simply silly (and incorrect) in my opinion. The quoted price of about 300k baht seems way out of line to me.

Do you intend to ask the condo office if it's okay to do this? Or, if not, do you intend to advise the condo office that you've had an extra keycard made? If I owned a unit in that condominium, I certainly would want the office to keep track of all keycards out there simply for security purposes.

Does the statute prohibit owning shares in a "registered media company" or a "media company?" Could be a difference.

You can get a living will (called Advanced Directive) via the Chiang Mai Expats Club website (Resources tab, then CEC documents tab). While technically allowed under Thai law I'm not too sure how effective they are (meaning whether local doctors will or won't follow instructions from your health care representative).

Checked it out, attaching photo of part of the water tank and pump (the cover is off the pump when the landlord did a repair a few years back....as the pump was leaking a bit). The pump is (according to sticker on the cover) Hitachi GX Series, WT-P 250GX (don't know what that means).

Actually don't know. All the townhouses around here have them. If it's important, I'll go look and see if there's a brand and other info on it.

My townhouse gets PWA water on the west side (off of Sirimangkalajarn). As for water pressure, I'm a bit puzzled by your complaint as I thought everybody/most had a water tank and the bulk of the pressure is provided by the pump next to the water tank. If that pump didn't work, I have no idea what the water pressure would be but clearly a lot less than what we get. Showers and sinks on all three floors have plenty of pressure (in fact, we have to be careful to not fully open the tap at the kitchen sink on the first floor as it would blow water all over the place).

The US embassy here stopped providing the standard "transfer letter" only 2-3 months ago.

Unless you qualify (see US Embassy website for info), you can only obtain a new US passport via the mail. While in the recent past the process took less than 3 weeks (in December, 2021, I mailed mine from Chiangmai and the new and old passport was in my mailbox 11 days later!), I've heard it's now taking much longer. When you get your new passport, take new and old along with info mentioned above to Immigration and they'll transfer what's necessary. I'm doubtful anyone but you can do it but don't know about your B visa. Here in Chiangmai (obviously different elsewhere), they wanted the Transfer form, photocopies of every stamped page in the old passport (including non-Thai stamps), and a copy of the photo page in your new passport. There was no fee for this in Chiangmai.