Etaoin Shrdlu

I have permanent residency, so I'm familiar with the process, although I received it about 25 years ago when it was slightly easier than it is now and wasn't as expensive. I think I spent less than 50,000 baht all in. Technically, I'm an immigrant (and resident) and not a tourist, but not being able to buy lottery tickets online does not bother me. And to correct an error on my part, the residency requirement on the lottery ticket I bought in the US years ago wasn't state residency, it was US residency.

At any given time, the majority of foreigners in Thailand are tourists who won't have tax ID numbers or bank accounts, so I suppose it might be to avoid issues with this if a tourist were to win. Easier to ban sales to all foreigners than to check to see if they are resident with tax ID and bank account. Perhaps the same issue would arise with printed tickets, but much more difficult to administer. Of course this is just speculation on my part. In a similar vein, I bought a lottery ticket in the US some years back and read the small print on the ticket. It stated that sales were only permitted to residents of the state where I bought it. Not too different, I guess.

The phone call from Manila SBU only takes about 10 minutes or so and they just ask questions to verify that it is really you. I was also instructed to fill out and submit an application for a new SS card although I still had the card I was issued some time back in the 1960s. My benefits started within a month or two and for some reason I also received about three months' backdated payments even though I did not request it. This was six years go.

Yes, it is fairly common for larger US companies and institutions to use mailing services in other countries when sending mail to non-US addressees. I also receive mailings from the US that are similarly franked.

Several insurers in Thailand offer outbound travel insurance. AIG Thailand's TravelGuard product will cover up to 85 years of age, however after 75 the medical benefit levels are reduced. AXA Thailand also offers travel insurance, but I don't have any information as to benefit levels or age restrictions. Ask a broker to help you find a product that most closely meets your needs.

Read your policy to see how the insurer applies the deductible.There are different ways that deductibles may be applied. Some policies have an annual aggregate deductible and all covered treatment incurred during a policy year contributes towards satisfying the aggregate deductible amount. You would not receive any claims payment for the small claims until the aggregate deductible is satisfied. After the aggregate deductible is satisfied, covered claims would be paid according to policy terms and conditions. If you have an annual deductible, you should be submitting all treatment charges as soon as they are incurred so that the insurance company has a record of them and so you don't run afoul of any time bars that may prevent them from being accepted and contributing towards the aggregate deductible. But first, read you policy so that you understand how the deductible applies. If you don't understand the policy, ask your broker to help you

This company imports Swedish snus. You can buy online or contact them and ask about a retailer in CM. https://swedishsnus.co.th/collections/snus-smokeless-tobacco

Wine will continue to attract a tax based upon volume and the alcohol content, although the rate of tax has been reduced. Under the old formula, wine was taxed at 1,500 baht per liter per 100 degrees of alcohol. Under the new tax regime, the rate will be reduced to 1,000 baht per liter per 100 degrees of alcohol. A 750 cl bottle of 14% alcohol wine will attract a tax of 105 baht. (.75 x 14/100)*1000. Under the old formula the tax would be 157 baht.

So far, I've only encountered its use by speakers of American English. It is a regional usage if the US is considered a region, but I don't think it reflects a regional usage within the US. I think it is often a marker of informal versus formal speech, or educational attainment/socio-economic status when used in a more formal setting. Same with "I didn't go there yet".

I'm aware that there are regional usages and informal speech which don't conform to generally accepted norms. But I've seen and heard "have went" in enough instances, including in situations in which I would expect the speaker to use more formal speech, that its use appears to have become quite widespread. I am not a grammar Nazi, but this one tests my patience.

I often see "have went" instead of "have gone" in written English as well hear it in spoken English. To me, this seems to be a recent development. I wonder where it came from.

Sight bills are used in international trade as a means of payment. In a sense, they're like a cashier's check. I don't know why they would attract a preferential rate.

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Phuket. https://edition.cnn.com/travel/2023-worst-destinations-overtourism-avoid-crowds/index.html

This is a few. years old now, but may still be correct.

Received my payment yesterday, January 3rd. Haven't yet received the annual letter from the SSA advising of the new, inflation-adjusted amount, however.

Zolpidem. It's marketed here as Stillnox, in the US as Ambien. I ask my doctor for a few tablets during a visit if I'm planning to go to the US.

I remember watching the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour as a teenager on the family's black and white television. For some reason, the routine that comes to mind when I think back is the one where Tommy goes on about the pumas in the cravices (crevasses). Tommy waged war with the censors at CBS over political content criticizing the war in Vietnam. Tame stuff by today's standards, but cutting edge back then. An icon of the late 1960s.

There are two major road conventions that different countries have entered into. The Geneva Convention on Road Traffic is the older of the two and an IDP is issued for a one-year period for use in the countries that have ratified. The US has ratified this convention. The Vienna Convention is newer and one gets a an IDP with a three-year validity. The US does not observe this convention but many European countries and others do. The DLT will ask which country or countries you plan to visit and will then issue the relevant IDP, either per Vienna or Geneva convention and your IDP will have either a one-year or three-year validity. I suppose it would be possible to need two IDPs in some situations for trips involving multiple countries.

Some states in the US require the IDP in addition to one's foreign drivers license. Not having an IDP could potentially void the insurance of the vehicle if driven in one of those states. For this reason some rental companies will insist on an IDP.

In the instructions for form 8833 there appears to be a carve-out of reporting requirements for individuals who claim relief under a tax treaty for, among other things, pensions. What is your take on this? Does this mean that form 8833 is not required if claiming tax credits under form 1116 for Thai taxes paid on remittances of private pensions or IRA/401k withdrawals?

I don't know about Simon going to the OIC. One can always take an insurer to court if the OIC does not give a satisfactory result, but I would first go to the OIC.

Filing a complaint with the OIC would likely resolve the issue more quickly than going to court and with much less expense.

If there isn't a policy condition that stipulates that the policyholder must obtain a blood alcohol test after an accident, then I would question how an error or omission of a hospital that is not a party to the contract of insurance could void coverage for the policyholder. I do see how an insurer might take this stance, but I'm not sure it would stand up if this were taken to the OIC. Is there something else in play here that isn't mentioned in the OP?

There is no evidence that Christ was born near the winter solstice. Christianity just arrogated a pagan festival to convert Germanic and Nordic tribes. I kind of like to think that all the lights, trees and other decorations are just celebrations of Yule, which is completely pagan and has nothing to do with any of the Abrahamic religions.