Jingthing

Never say never. Plans are plans. Predicting the future is something else. Paying the Part B doesn't really change my quality of life in Thailand. I know it will probably end up being a massive waste of money. That's an individual choice expats need to make. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer for all on that.

I don't really have political reasons for this, but I also don't intend to repatriate. But I realize that push come to shove many expats that don't plan to end up going back anyway. Because of that I pay for Medicare Part B. As far as usefulness of a good credit score going back, my income wouldn't qualify to rent an apartment back there anyway regardless of the score. So where would I live? I really don't know.

Well you can buy dry herb vapes in Thailand but you won't have the full choice of brands and models.

It's for everyone who joins one of their affiliated organizations. It cost me 5 dollars one time to do that. Their main focus of course is State Department employees in the D.C. area and embassy employess abroad. But again, it's really open to everyone with a little tweak.

I have another "fun" sort of related question. Many of us with U.S. credit cards do so while posing as U.S. residents and not revealing that we live abroad. Suppose you get a Thai credit card either a regular one or secured by a bank account deposit. In that case, you would of course be giving them your Thai address. Couldn't that cause a problem with your U.S. credit report as you're telling Visa or Mastercard that your residence is in the U.S. in one case, and abroad in another?

Yeah I'm sure similar issues would apply to other nationalities, but as I only know about the U.S. system, I limited it to that.

I have a rather specific question. Many expats including me opened an account at State Department Credit Union while living in Thailand. Generally you can't open a new bank account while living abroad. I've heard a number of people being rejected for a new account by SDFCU. I wonder if they check credit scores as part of their screening process.

That's true if they can but I suppose many are still more comfortable speaking Russian. I don't have much an ear for Ukrainian except that it does sound quite different from Russian.

You replied to the wrong person. I never said I don't know about it.

I came to this question because of something that I read saying older Americans shouldn't stress about maintaining (or obtaining) a good credit score as they age. As someone who has an "excellent" credit score and has for decades, I found this interesting as I do take pains to maintain that level. Like never making a late payment, etc. I remember the last time I rented an apartment in the U.S. before before buying a home that the rental agent said Wow you have really good credit as if she had never seen an applicant that had before and/or she was surprised that anyone with such good credit would even want to live in her dump. The older lady above me was eventually evicted so I guess she was the more typical tenant there. Of course I understand the benefits of a good credit score living in the US and the penalties for having a bad one, but living in Thailand it doesn't seem to matter at all either way. Now IF repatriating, that would be different. The same ball game buying a car, renting an apartment, etc. Unless you will be buying a car with cash, buying or already have a home, etc. I guess the advice I read before being about living in the U.S. older people assumed older people have cars they bought for cash and mostly own their own homes. As expats if we don't expect to repatriate, I guess effort made to keep the number up will be wasted.

The trend is not their friend. The Russian economy is in the toilet. After the war, Russia won't be the same country. 1 RUB to THB - Russian Rubles to Thai Baht Exchange Rate (xe.com)

I know about it as you will find many Russian expats working in Silicon Valley USA. They have the talent pool but the industry there itself isn't all that much as far as percentage of their GDP.

Well a weed unfriendly country might have laws against paraphernalia. I've had the experience of my carry on bag being inspected in a transit airport. The checked would presumably be x-rayed. I can't offer you a legal opinion, but I will say there is no way i would risk that.

I think that's pretty darned silly, but I will defer to our members from New Zealand for confirmation.

New or used?

The rules of this pageant are defensible. The trans men and women entering when they're not allowed should get over themselves. A recent pageant in Holland allowed trans women. Different pageants different rules OK either way.

It's kind of like porn. You know it when you see it.

Too late.

Source: Heartland Institute Credibility: LOW That article reads like right wing propaganda.

Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Yes. But Liam is an Irish name regardless. Are these non Irish background Liams going to feel pressure to learn about Irish culture?

Yeah it's very easy to identify the Russian language but it is spoken by a number of other nationalities including many Ukrainians.

Could be but to me it's such an Irish name that I still find it's popularity odd. What's next? Paddy? Cillian?

Can they redo the last season of House of Cards now?

He's not a politician. His party affiliation is irrelevant.