CMBob

While I might agree that both of your sentences essentially mean the same thing, I wouldn't agree there isn't any difference at all in the meaning. Adding "dee" in my view makes the sentence a bit more polite.

If a western waiter said "what would you like?" or "what good things would you like to order?", most would argue that essentially the waiter is asking the same thing; however, to me, the second one is slightly more pleasant or more polite.

But, yea, not much difference.

Given that almost every Thai noun has its own classifier, it'd be a pretty long list. Try something like this: http://www.thai-language.com/ref/classifier-list

As I go back to the states for the summer every year, I definitely signed up for Part B as (in my view) it's critically important to have that coverage for any treatment while I'm in the US (plus you're required to have it to pick up any type of supplemental coverage). And I certainly don't know if I will ever return to reside permanently in the US (I think it's theoretically possible should I ever need long-term/serious medical treatment).

For anyone who knows for certain that he/she will never return to the US, then I suppose it's financially wise to opt out of Part B. Even if they end up returning anyway, they can still pick it up at a higher cost but (and this might be very important for somebody returning because of a immediate medical condition) you don't get coverage immediately (I'm not sure as to exactly how long it takes to get signed up for it).

Hmmm....do you think it might have been Claude Rains who grabbed the reins to reign in the rain-making plane? (Ok, slap me for that one)

The notion of the Thai air force chasing clouds to seed them in an attempt to make them rain so that might significantly lessen the air pollution around here is actually almost hysterically funny. And, of course, plain/plane stupid.

I had a few questions. I have to do my 90 days report soon. As their internet website does not work I have to prepare to do by mail....

There's a pinned topic - 90-day procedures - near the top of the Chiangmai forum with all the info you need to properly mail in the paperwork.

I'd guess that most people who come to a thread like this - one dealing with 90-day reporting experiences - are coming here to either learn how the 90-day system works or to ask a relevant question which would help them understand how to do it. Being perhaps a minority of one, I really don't see much value for those readers to read argument, carping about how the system works, or even suggestions as to how the system ought to work (for the latter item, perhaps it is helpful provided somebody at Immigration actually reads threads like this and has either the power or inclination to change things.....a very doubtful proposition).

In any event, thanks to Tywais, Nancy, and a few others for providing the information that's likely helpful for anybody who comes to a thread like this to actually learn something.

Is an on-line appointment appropriate for CMBob's concern? It appears that he should just show up for simple tourist extension and be referred to the appropriate desk. The on-line system is basically to handle long-stay extensions of stay

I think you're referring to the other poster, not me. The only reason I go to Immigration these days is to get my one-year extension based on retirement (other than a trip out to the Promenada office every five years for a residency certificate). As to the other poster, I'm not exactly sure what type of extension he's seeking (he refers to a "extend 60 days of my non O Thai child ") but I see no problem with it (but, ultimately, it only matters if Immigration sees a problem with it anyway).

on monday i will go to my first meeting online at 14h00 for extend 60 days of my non O Thai child

what i need to do ? just come and say i got online meeting ?

Thankss

Obviously take all the necessary paperwork and a copy of your online appointment. I'd recommend you be there about a half hour early (occasionally, they'll see you earlier than your appointed time). Once there, go up to the center desk and show the gal (or whoever is there) your appointment sheet which alerts them that you're there for your appointment; however, more than likely, they'll just tell you to have a chair and wait until they call you. If they still haven't called you within 5-10 minutes after your appointment time, go remind them again that you're there. Be cool and polite and they'll get to you (likely very close to your appointment time).

A medical certificate is stated as a requirement when replacing a one year licence with a five year. Does this have to be obtained from a hospital, the same as when originally applying for the one year licence? If so, which is the easiest?

I've had to do that twice - once for the 1-year licenses and then a year later for the 5-year licenses. The first was from a small doctor's clinic on Huay Gaew and the second was from RAM. So, no, you can get one from any hospital or clinic and you definitely don't have to use the same source. Easiest? I suppose that depends on how long you have to wait at a given place (it took about 15 minutes at the clinic as the doctor wasn't busy and I think the total time at RAM was about 40 minutes). I don't remember what I was charged....maybe something like 200 baht for the clinic about 300 baht from RAM?

Obviously, if you mail in your post by EMS, normally it arrives at Immigration the following day and, presuming they process it that very day, then you effectively have to report about every 77-80 days or so. Recently, realizing that if I mailed in my 90-day deal 15 days ahead of the due date then I'd end up having to do it again a couple of days before a scheduled trip out of Thailand, I intentionally delayed mailing it until 5 days before the due date and it worked like a charm (my next 90-day period will start upon my return). The earliest I'll ever mail in the next one will be 7-8 days before the due date (although, as Nancy notes, it's really no big deal to have to report a bit more).

I need to make my 90 day report on the 5th of May but i will be leaving to Europe on the 12th , this means 7 day's later.

Should i make the report or just leave it ?

If you're not coming back, don't bother; however, presuming you're returning, then, yes, you must report. If the online deal is functional by then (that's a weak "maybe"), do it that way; otherwise, why not just mail it in on April 20th?

I have an appointment at the end of April and, just to see if I could locate a cancel method, I went in to look at my reservation with both Internet Explorer and Google Chrome. I saw no method to cancel.

I do remember when I got the reservation (more than a month ago), I did see a "cancel" button somewhere in the process; however, it's not there now (which makes me believe that there is no method to cancel once you've done the deed). I wish Immigration would fix that so all the time slots could be used.

If/when they get the online 90-day reporting working, it'd be great if they made the 90-day reporting mandatory by either mail or via the online reporting....and then assign the 90-day dude to the appointment system (which ought to double up the number of daily appointments).

When I obtained a Certificate of Residency in December (2014), I picked it up the following afternoon (not the same day). A friend obtained one about 4 weeks ago and he also was told he could get it the next afternoon.

If the guy taking your application and 500 baht doesn't tell you (he likely will), just ask when it will be available.

The lyrics in Thai are here: http://lyricsthai.com/archives/37534

Just my experience, just another consideration: I have flown Korean Air to the USA twice in the last 4 months and to 2 different cities. Both trips had an 11 hour layover in Korea.

You're probably referring to the flight to Seattle. For the OP, the way to go is to Chicago and that flight leaves at midnight (11:59PM) here in Chiangmai, there's a 3.5 hour or so layover in Seoul, and you arrive in Chicago (ORD) at about 9:30AM the next morning. From there, easy to catch a flight to Philly. As others have said, so much better than going through Bangkok these days.

It's funny that Americans prattle on about freedom and liberty but the actual reality is that they are all born into servitude. No matter where they go or what they do they have to pay the American government 32% odd of what they earn for their entire life.

Absolute baloney. We Americans pay a whole lot less tax to the central government than do all Europeans. Let's see, last year I paid less than 3% of gross income to the federal government. As you may remember, Mitt Romney paid 13% of $27,000,000 during the last presidential year. And Warren Buffet has annually reported exactly what percentage of his gross income he pays to the federal government.....and it's never exceeded 18% (and he, like many others, have railed against how little the wealthy pay to the federal government). And, depending on who's parsing the figures, anywhere from 43% to 53% of Americans pay no federal income tax whatsoever.

The highest theoretical federal income tax rate for income over $406,000+ of taxable income (which isn't "gross" income) is 39.6% for a single person. And I have no doubt that there isn't one person in the country who actually pays anywhere near that rate on their total gross income.

I might buy your 32% figure to some degree if you included all the taxes we pay (state taxes, city taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, gasoline taxes, excise taxes on certain goods, etc., etc.).

Presuming you want to retain physical custody of the your children, presuming want to know what rights you have (or don't have) to take the children out of Thailand, and given there may be a concern that the mother may or may not take some action to affect either or both of those situations, there is only one intelligent thing you can do: go talk to a Thai lawyer who has at least some experience in family law. Asking for such important advice here, let alone acting on it, is probably rather foolish.

Some staff members at my BB branch were totally unaware of the refund option and yes probably lazy too

I wouldn't expect the banks or bank staff to know about the refund option as their offices and systems have nothing to do with that part of it; however, the bank staff certainly ought to know about how to provide the interest statement and, in this digital day and age, it really seems lame for any bank to claim they can't find the records past two or three years.

The first time I applied for a refund was in January of last year and I was wondering what kind of puzzled/goofy look I was going to get when I went to my bank (SCB) to ask them for interest statements for the prior two years; however, my wonder was needless as they immediately knew what I was asking for and promptly whipped up the forms on their computer within about 5 minutes. No issue either when I got a form for 2014 last month. They obviously provide those for a lot of customers.

At least two on the main thread have gone all the way through, yet to check if their applications have been accepted.

No big deal but I've read all the threads about the topic and I'll consider the first one solid or complete once somebody reports that he/she is finished (receiving an online acceptance?) with the process. Until then, we have no idea if the data ever reached Immigration (or if Immigration has any clue what to do with it when it reaches an Immigration computer).

Haven't read or heard of anybody successfully doing the online reporting as yet.....but will be nice if/when they iron out the bugs.

Sent my 90-day by mail on Monday (9th) and received the receipt back today. The mailing option is fine by me.

"yang" (ยาง) is the spelling for gum or rubber but neither I nor my dictionaries can figure out the rest of it.

As a final note this year, received the check for the refund today. Seemed a bit strange that the text message from the Revenue Department said they mailed it on the 7th (which was strange in itself given I didn't think they worked on Saturdays) and it took until the 13th to get here. And same type of check as last year - drawn on Krungthai Bank and an "a/c payee only" check which can't be cashed but only deposited in one's account (and takes 2-3 days to clear).

What will be fun next year is when I attempt to file for the refund online. I'm thinking of adding a few extra zeroes....

This is not a new SEC Policy, I ran into the same problem in 2007 with Scott Trade. If you live outside the US the law doesn't allow you to trade. You have to either lie and find a way to spoof your IP address. And of course use a US mailing address.

I have a Schwab account and I have no issue trading from here. Just bought some stock a few weeks ago without a problem (just a few clicks on my computer here in Chiangmai). I also access other financial accounts (my bank, Fidelity - although it's not a brokerage account, and others) from here without any problem.

All the accounts have my US address and I suspect, as has been noted, that the OP's problem was explaining his residence situation to the Fidelity person. Fidelity calls me once a year too but, other than wishing them a good day, I don't and won't discuss anything else with them (not because I'm hiding anything but because I don't need or want their assistance).

A long-overdue idea and one of the best gifts to both Immigration staff and those who have to report.

Whoever here in Chiang Mai uses it first, please report your experiences here. I'd give it a go but mailed in my 90-day report before reading the article.

CMBob -- Yes those were the same two forms I used -- Kor 10 and xxx 90. I was also given the choice of filing on line or using paper forms. I chose to go with paper since I wouldn't be able to do it on my own anyway. You needed the xxx90 form because if your tax withheld was 10,300 baht then your interest was approx 68k baht and therefore over the 30k limit.

Yes, that's what I thought she said (that I had too much interest to use the Kor 10 form - which I had previously used for 2012 and 2013). Next year, the interest figure will be under the 30k mark(as I reduced the amount in my "visa" account and also only set it for 14 months) so my guess is I'll be back to using the Kor 10 form. No problem, that form is shorter and easier to figure out.

As an added update, I received a text tonight at 10:50PM from the Revenue Department (text sender actually reads "e-revenue") saying they sent the refund check by mail on the 7th. Am expecting it in the mail tomorrow...we'll see.