Etaoin Shrdlu

It is possible that the insurance broker is trying to stop referring their clients to offshore insurers due to concerns about OIC regulations. If this is indeed the motivation, I can see how this could be a difficult situation for the broker to manage with their client at this point.

Yes, everyone needs to assess their own individual needs and risk tolerance and make their decision based upon what they believe is best.

Yes, it does raise the issue of how much enforcement power the regulator on Nevis has over a company incorporated in the UK. For me, it also begs the question as to how consumer-friendly the regulator would be and how well-developed the regulations are in Nevis. I think Nevis only requires $100,000 in capital for a non-Nevis company to register as a foreign insurance company. I do not know how the regulator on Nevis supervises capital adequacy ratios or loss reserves of insurers, but if only $100,000 is required to be come a licensed foreign insurer, the regulations might not be that stringent. I've come across another company that uses a similar setup. I think the company is incorporated in a state in the US as an LLC and then submits to an insurance regulator in the Caribbean. They have a distribution arm in a free zone in the Middle East which is outside the ambit of the local insurance regulator. Seems there are ways to become a licensed insurance company with minimal capital and subject to possibly light regulatory oversight. My preference would be to insure with a long-established insurance company with a known track record for paying claims. I would also want to be able to find financial ratings from AM Best or Standard and Poors and the insurer would need to be incorporated in a well-regulated and accessible jurisdiction. I would want to have this information before I entered into a contract of insurance.

I think one might have to engage the insurance regulator on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean. https://www.nevisfsrc.com/regulated-entities/#general-insurance-companies

My suggestion would be to try option c first. If you don't like the quality of care, then try option b. Meds from an independent pharmacy are usually significantly cheaper than from a private hospital's pharmacy. I don't think any oral diabetes meds require a prescription, but it may be a good idea to get the doctor to write down the name and exact strength of each med.

Our nine-year-old Jack Russell started to scratch frequently for no apparent reason earlier this year. The vet diagnosed allergies and we were given Apoquel to alleviate his symptoms. Apoquel from the vet is a bit pricey, but I haven't found a cheaper alternative so far.

Sections 362 through 366 of the Thai Criminal Code describe the offense of trespassing.

I opened a checking account with Chase while I was visiting the US about five years ago and have only a Thai address and phone number. I have my company pension transferred to this account each month and use this account to pay my children's tuition at university and make other payments in the US. After opening the account, Chase sent the debit card and box of checks by courier to me at my home in Bangkok. The checks have my Thai address printed on them. I don't think Chase supports IACH, but I can make wire transfers to Thailand and domestic ACH transfers from the account. I have the Chase mobile app on my phone with my Thai phone number and it works without problem. I can also use a web browser on my computer to log into my account and make transfers. If I make a payment with my debit card that gets flagged by Chase security, I receive an email asking for confirmation and the payment then gets re-submitted and is processed successfully. So far, so good. I hope it lasts. Good luck.

Crossy is right, of course. It isn't a new rule. Been this way for many decades.

I just checked. Indeed the request for confirmation comes by email, not the app.

Yes, generous expat packages are becoming quite rare these days and are often limited to very senior positions. I doubt whether any of my children will return to work in Thailand. It would not make financial sense in most instances.

Yes, small charges should go through unless the Chase fraud department also blocks non-US charges. Difficult to know what triggers Chase's fraud algorithms.

I have had transactions blocked when using my Chase Visa debit card. When this happens, I receive a message on the Chase app on my phone asking if the transaction is genuine. After confirming that it is, I re-submit it and it goes through.

Our children attended international schools here (Kindergarten through grade 12), and although they are verbally fluent in Thai from speaking Thai in the home and with their Thai friends, they would not be able to hold a job that required professional-level reading and writing Thai. They did have the usual Thai language classes in school much the same as your daughter. They have all graduated and gone on to university in the US and have not expressed any desire to return to Thailand to live and work. Given the cost of both their international schooling here plus US university, I would find it difficult to justify the expense when contemplating Thai salary levels. Perhaps when they are better established in their careers they could consider coming back if they wanted to start their own company or had a position with a large multinational firm that would give them a generous expat package. But it is their call in any event.

Your policy should contain wording that explains how refund premiums will be calculated in the event a policyholder cancels mid-term. Usually this is some form of "short rate" calculation which results in less than a pro-rata return premium. One would normally correspond directly with the insurer to cancel and obtain a refund of premium. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) is the regulator for insurance in Thailand. The OIC has the ability to mediate disputes between consumers and insurers. Here's a link to the relevant website: https://www.oic.or.th/en/complaint The OIC is generally consumer-friendly and you would get a fair hearing if you have a complaint. Best to have a Thai-speaker help you with your interactions with the OIC

The PersonalVPN service. As others have mentioned, you may need to clear cookies and cache of anything that Tracphone may have placed in your browser when you tried earlier to reach their website.

Some offshore insurers won't insure Thai nationals but will insure foreigners. I'm not sure of the reasons behind this. Could be concerns for regulatory issues, could be concern for something else.

I seem to be able to reach their website using Witopia vpn.

Unfortunately there isn't much in Thailand by way of regulation that prevents insurers from changing terms and conditions or introducing new exclusions at renewal. Thai insurers only issue policies for a one-year term and, with the exception of some regulations regarding how much they can increase premiums, there is no guarantee that cover will remain the same from year to year. This is one reason why it may be better to take health insurance from insurers domiciled in more consumer-friendly markets.

I had a prostate biopsy a few months ago. Not very painful, but a bit unpleasant. Best to have one done just in case you have cancer and it is the aggressive type. Catch it before it spreads beyond the prostate itself and the prognosis is much better.

I am not sure whether it needs to be with the same company, but I understand that one needs to be on a non-immigant B visa continuously for the three year period. I don't know if that is possible if one switches jobs. Yes, I have PR since the 1990s.

My guess is that it would, since that's the place of incorporation and where the company's assets presumably are.

I don't think immigration will accept an application from someone who isn't employed at the time of application. Thai spouse category does allow one to apply on that basis, but does not remove the minimum 3-year continuous employment and tax payment requirement.

Won't happen. Too much invested and too many wealthy Thais involved in vehicle assembly and parts supply. Any kind of competition not wanted.

I think there is another interesting twist to this issue: Does the second amendment allow the prohibition of ownership or possession of firearms simply due to a person's actions or activities for which he/she has not been convicted in a court of law? If the second amendment prevails, the question about drug use is unconstitutional and it becomes irrelevant how Hunter Biden answered it. This may go to the Supreme Court and put the gun-loving conservatives in a bind.