Etaoin Shrdlu

Thanks, I'll look into that.

We have a Philips 1215 air purifier and it works well. Replacement filters from Philips Thailand run about 1,500 baht for the charcoal filter and 2,000 baht for the HEPA filter. Replacement filters on Lazada cost less than 350 baht for both. I suspect the Lazada HEPA filters aren't really up to standard, but will test one using an air quality monitor and see if it is ok.

If you started your contract in August of 2023, then you only worked for five months in 2023. Your average tax rate for five months' salary will be less than the average tax rate for the full year's salary you'll earn in 2024 under your two-year contract. This is due to progressive tax rates used to calculate your tax liability.

Chances of getting a tourist visa may not be so great for your stepson. With a parent in the US and no strong ties to Thailand (no job, assets, etc.) he may be turned down. Consular officials deny tourist visas to people whom they suspect will seek to convert a tourist visa to a green card once they arrive in the US.

Yes, it's a major thing here. Just try to get a table in a popular restaurant on Valentine's Day evening.

Valentine's Day. Everyone taking their tilac out to dinner tonight.

Yes, and this is also true of some medical insurance policies, so careful review of policy terms and conditions is advisable, as is clarification from the insurer in the event of any ambiguity, before entering into a contract of insurance.

Personal accident and travel insurance proposals don't require the same level of underwriting scrutiny as medical insurance policies for a number of reasons. For starters, the limits are low and the coverage is fairly narrow in that it only covers urgent care and the policyholder is expected to return to their home country once able to fly if longer-term treatment is required. The insurer isn't going to pay millions of baht to treat cancer, stroke or heart problems on an on-going basis. Also, the definition of pre-existing conditions is anything, whether diagnosed or not, that is present at the time of policy inception or start of travel. This gives the insurer broad latitude to deny or limit cover. Detailed disclosure of pre-existing conditions isn't normally required for the type and level of cover this policy provides.

Yes, medical expenses arising out of an accident, unless an exclusion applies and subject to the policy limits (and sub-limits if applicable), are covered. The main insuring agreement in the terms and conditions actually refers to "injury or illness". I think the term "injury" is actually broader than "accident" since an injury could be the result of a foreseen or intentional event, while "accident" requires a lack of intent and/or being unforeseen. Being assaulted in the course of being robbed isn't an accident, but injuries sustained should be covered. Some coverages, such as the optional Accident Extension Benefit would only apply in the case of an accident and not illness. Sorry to digress.

With respect to your final paragraph, my reading is that this limitation applies only to the optional "Accident Extension Package Benefits" that provides a cash benefit of Euros 50 per day subject to a two-day deductible. I don't read it as applying to necessary urgent hospitalization expenses arising from a covered accident or illness. This is a typical cover under a personal accident policy and a previous employer of mine referred to it as "hospital cash". In my opinion, it isn't a meaningful benefit. With respect to your penultimate paragraph, I suspect that the underwriter is trying to differentiate between non-urgent manifestations of a pre-existing condition and acute exacerbations of a pre-existing condition requiring urgent care. The former would be excluded, but the latter possibly covered. As you stated, it is worth asking for clarification from the underwriter to make sure.

I think this product is primarily marketed in EU countries, so these shortcomings may be less of a disadvantage. Still, the low limit would seem to preclude adequate limits for serious accidents or illnesses requiring lengthy hospital stays and/or medivac to the home country. These are things a good insurance broker should be pointing out to their potential clients. Thai insurance regulations also prohibit an insurance broker licensed by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner from inducing someone in Thailand to contract insurance with an offshore insurance company.

Another thing to consider: If a serious accident or illness occurs, and in the insurer's opinion the policyholder is fit to travel back to their home country to obtain treatment, coverage would not continue if the policyholder decides to stay abroad. If the policyholder repatriates, coverage under the policy would also terminate and further treatment in the home country would be at the policyholder's (or their regular medical insurer's) expense. Read Article 6 2.2.

It is a travel insurance policy and the coverage, limitations and exclusions are typical for this type of cover. It isn't a medical insurance policy and won't provide the level of cover that a real medical insurance policy is intended to provide. The limit of Euro 100,000 is also too low to contemplate a catastrophic accident or illness and/or full medivac expenses.

Option 2 is likely your best bet. Our children attended international schools and had outside tuition in Thai language, but this would not have been adequate preparation for a Thai university's domestic program. Some Thai schools have very good bilingual programs. I saw evidence of this when our children competed against students from Thai schools in debate competitions. I would avoid the government schools.

I have no illusions about teaching you anything.

Give me a child until he is seven and I will show you the man. - Aristotle.

Johnny Carson is a native Iowan. John Wayne, too.

Just about very Thai citizen is registered in a house registration book and recorded in an amphur somewhere. Not too difficult to get a fairly good estimate based upon this.

Yes, this is true. What the five-year limitation might best address is a situation in which the non-disclosure is not related to the claim in question, leaving recission of the contract the only means for the insurer to deny paying the claim.

Section 865 of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code actually bars an insurer from voiding an insurance policy for non-disclosure after five years have elapsed from the time of inception of the contract. "Section 865. If at the time of making the contract, the assured, or, in case of insurance on life, the person upon whose life or death the payment of the sum payable depends, knowingly omits to disclose facts which would have induced the insurer to raise the premium or to refuse to enter into the contract, or knowingly makes false statements in regard to such facts, the contract is voidable. If such right of avoidance is not exercised within one month from the time when the insurer has knowledge of the ground of avoidance, or within five years from the date of the contract, such right is extinguished." I do not know how this plays out in practice, especially if the insurer were to allege fraud.

First it would be necessary to control for the claims that are clearly not covered by the policy terms and conditions or are fraudulent. Then also for cases where the policyholder did not abide by his or her obligations under the terms of the policy or failed to make full disclosure at the time of application. Some people consider these to be "technicalities" or "fine print", but are actually essential elements of insurance and insurers are within their rights to deny claims for these reasons and can be expected to do so.

The OP's interest is in having a company incorporated in Singapore lease land in Thailand. By law, this is a foreign company regardless of shareholding since it is incorporated outside Thailand. I am quite certain such a company would require a license under the Foreign Business Act before it could undertake any activities in Thailand, including leasing land. It is not easy to get a license from the Ministry of Commerce under the FBA and there are other restrictions and licensing requirements including a specific license for foreign companies engaged in "rental services" of movable or immovable property. I don't think the MoC would grant a license simply for the purpose of leasing land. There is no business case to support the license application. Here is an article describing the FBA: https://thailand.acclime.com/guides/foreign-business-ownership/ And one with more detail, including the application process: https://thailand.acclime.com/formation/foreign-business-license/ The FBA basically makes it too difficult in most instances to use a foreign company to do business in Thailand except in very special cases unless the company comes under either a Board of Investment promotion or the US-Thailand Treaty of Amity.

While a natural person could lease land for purposes other than conducting business, I don't think that would be the case for a juristic person. Entering into a lease agreement for land in Thailand would likely be considered operating in Thailand. I suspect that The Land Department would need to see the license issued by the Ministry of Commerce under the Foreign Business Act before registering the lease.

Yes. For a long time, SCB's branch at Mega Bang-na had one. That is until Mrs. Shrdlu and I took our hoard to be counted. We were informed that it had been removed to SCB's headquarters on Vibhavadi-Rangsit. I suggest calling the bank to find out where their coin-counting machine is stationed before lugging coins about.

It isn't a viable work-around for an individual seeking the use of land for a residence or a small business, if that is your intent. Foreign companies may not be prohibited outright from leasing land, but the Foreign Business Act imposes restrictions and licensing requirements on foreign companies. Obtaining a Foreign Business License requires approval at the Ministry of Commerce at the highest levels.