Etaoin Shrdlu

I had never heard the term "butt naked" until a few decades ago. Back in the day, people said "buck naked". I know both mean the same thing, and neither is wrong, but I wonder why this change came about and when.

I don't think 7% VAT is going to level the playing field.

Too large a deal to entrust to a Thai sole practitioner, but perhaps too small to interest one of the big names. I will send you a PM.

I've always been punctual with my 5-year check-ins with my police book. Last time I went, Mrs. Shrdlu came with me and asked the police officer what would happen if we were late making the report. I think she was a bit annoyed at my being so insistent on not missing the report date. The officer said it was no big deal, but if it was more than a few months late, they might have to request the file from wherever they are kept offsite. If I understood correctly, the file is kept at a central storage location and only shipped out to the individual police stations a bit in advance of the expected reporting date and get shipped back after the date, apparently regardless of whether the report was made or not.

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I renewed my passport while out of the country once and had no problem coming back to Thailand. I showed both the new passport and the old passport with the still valid non-quota immigrant visa along with the TM 17 with the valid endorsement and was stamped in without comment by the officer. I got a new non-quota immigrant visa and a new endorsement a few weeks later and submitted both the new and old passports with my TM 17 and police book. I am not aware of any requirement for a PR holder to otherwise notify the Immigration Department when getting a new passport. Perhaps another PR holder can advise where there is such a requirement. No need to make a special trip to the police station to update the red police book.

I think it would be better to sell these coins to collectors or shops in the US that would pay for the coins' numismatic value instead of selling to a gold shop here that probably would only pay for the coins' gold content.

There are really several questions here. In the event that the money would be taxable if remitted into Thailand but is intended to be a gift, then the gift may need to be completed prior to being remitted into Thailand. In other words, you would have to transfer the funds to your girlfriend's overseas account and then let her transfer from her overseas account to her Thai account. I don't think it is clear yet that funds transferred from your account abroad directly to her account in Thailand would be considered a gift until they were deposited in her account. In other words, when the funds crossed the threshold into Thailand, and not yet in her account, they were still your funds and could therefore potentially be assessable income for you and not yet a gift to her. I'm not sure whether this issue has been clarified yet. If it has, perhaps someone else can advise. If the remittance from your overseas account to her Thai account would be considered your remittance and not her gift, then all the issues involving timing, source, DTA, amounts of tax paid and more come into play. Just my opinion on this. You need to consult a tax expert.

A futile search. Everyone knows that all hammers in the northern hemisphere are right-handed. You have to go to the southern hemisphere where all hammers are left-handed. This is due to the Coriolis effect.

Your best bet is to ask the Thai insurer currently covering the car here in Thailand. Auto insurance in Thailand is a commodity and it can be difficult to get an insurer to offer anything other than their standard product and extensions, so don't be surprised if they won't help. If they do agree to this, make sure the insurance company issues a formal endorsement to the policy before you go. There are specialty insurers that offer world-wide cover for autos, including physical damage, but I'm not sure they would be a good solution for a short-term trip to Laos from Thailand. Here's one intermediary that can arrange cover: https://www.clements.com/personal/international-car-insurance/worldwide/ But when I think of Clements and other specialty solutions, I think diplomats in their Mercs, Arabs taking their supercars from the Middle East to London, not so much the occasional jaunt into Laos.

If I remember correctly, the insurance sold at the border shops is for third party liability cover only and is required for the car to legally travel on Lao roads. It does not cover loss or damage to the vehicle or theft of the vehicle.

If the foreign father had PR and did not bring the funds to purchase the condo from abroad, then I can see that there would be an issue. There may be other aspects of the particular case as well, including a Land Department office not following the rules or not having proper paperwork. I would certainly recommend that anyone in a similar situation get proper legal advice specific to their situation.

My understanding is this: If the testator was a foreigner who brought money into Thailand for the purpose of purchasing the condo, and this was duly documented at the Land Department at the time it was transferred to the testator, then the testator's foreign beneficiary would not need to have permanent residency in order to be able to register and keep the unit in their name. The foreign beneficiary inherits not only the condo itself from the foreign testator, but also the foreign testator's right to own the condo by virtue of the funds having been brought in from abroad. If the testator is a Thai, then the foreign beneficiary will need to have PR or sell within 12 months. I don't think there is a work-around involving money from abroad for this scenario. But I suggest you get this clarified by a lawyer.

Opened a checking account at 13 while earning money delivering newspapers and mowing lawns. Lied about age to get weekend work in a fast food joint at 15. At 16 got a full-time job on the evening shift in a factory making polyethylene drainage tubing while still going to high school. Worked as a security guard midnight to 8 am shift while in college and sold books door to door in the summer. My kids haven't had to do what I had to do, and I'm glad that they haven't. They do understand money and are very responsible. I don't think hardship and having menial jobs are the only ways to instill good values and habits.

My experience is the same as yours, but with four kids instead of two. All got into good universities or colleges in the US. Two have now graduated and have good jobs in the US and two are still studying. I was also born an expat. I think my children benefited greatly from being born and raised here compared to most of their peers in the US.

Perhaps the three-cylinder two-strokes they used in the 96 back in the day. If so, they'll need to throw in the freewheeling transmission.

Regency is itself another broker or intermediary and the actual coverage is provided by the insurance companies they have distribution or agency agreements with. Claims-paying attitude and ability is largely a function of the insurer and not the broker/intermediary, so it can be difficult to comment unless one knows the identity of the underlying insurer. Regency's brochure for health insurance does not disclose the identity of the insurer or insurers they use. Personally, I'm a bit leery of insurers that are incorporated in Caribbean tax havens or other places with lax regulatory oversight as well as insurers that don't have AM Best or Standard and Poor's financial strength ratings.

In addition to needing a re-entry visa, a PR holder needs an endorsement in their TM16/TM17 booklet (certificate of residence). This is also valid for one year and can only be obtained at immigration. I do not know if it would be possible to get a non-quota immigrant visa at the airport if one still had validity on the endorsement but had used up a single entry visa. I have always gotten a multiple entry non-quota immigrant visa at the same time I got an endorsement. Getting these stamps at CW has never been difficult. There is a separate section for this and there are usually only a handful of applicants present. I hand my documents in by 9 am and have them back around 11. There are a couple of forms to fill out, photos to present and fingerprints go give, but it is painless and the officers have always been courteous. There is no requirement to submit any financial documents, proof of marital status, proof of employment or anything like that. Just the application forms, photos and fingerprints along with passport, TM16/17 and red police book. Oh, and the fees.

PR holders need a re-entry visa (non-quota immigrant visa) in order to be able to retain PR if they wish to travel abroad. This visa is good for one year and the PR holder has to be back in Thailand before it expires.

I think the info contained in the link is correct and fairly comprehensive. The summary in the post omits the possibility of inheriting from another foreigner.

My understanding: If your girlfriend is a Thai citizen, you would have to have permanent residency or be here under a promotion scheme (BOI or other investment) in order to inherit and not have to sell within one year. If your girlfriend is a foreigner and brought the money into Thailand for the purpose of buying the condo, then you would inherit from her the right to own the condo without having to sell it.

I think the link that TigerCat provided earlier explains this fairly well: https://bangkoklegal.com/bangkok-foreign-condo-ownership-condo-inheritance-laws-in-thailand/

I'm not sure the Land Department will transfer ownership of a condo to a foreigner other than a PR holder without the foreigner showing that funds were transferred into Thailand. I don't think there is an exception for inheritances.

Permanent residents are allowed to purchase condos without having to transfer funds into Thailand. Those without PR must show that the funds to acquire the condo were brought into the country for that purpose. I think this is the issue.

Permanent residency is a separate process apart from acquiring citizenship, but has some similar requirements such as being employed and paying taxes at the time of application among other things. I successfully went through the process of obtaining PR back in the prior millennium. With PR, there is no annual renewal at immigration or 90 day reporting and one's name is entered into the blue tabien baan. It does not allow land ownership or very many other rights associated with citizenship, but it is permanent in that it is not subject to renewal. It can be lost or revoked, but Thai citizenship can also be revoked if one is naturalized.