lanny

Last March I spent a week at Chula. Had to get there in their ambulance. Didn't have a private room like at BNH a little earlier; stayed in a room with three other guys (none of whom spoke English.) So-so food but it was filling and they gave me a choice of Thai or Western. The doctor and most of the staff spoke English and provided excellent service and care. Even with a large supply of medications to take home, the cost for the week was significantly less than for a one-night stay at BNH a few days earlier.

Fortunately, I came home before the Red Shirt invasion and evacuation.

The mail service at Big C is just that, not an official post office. There is another on the 4th floor of the old Sogo store, the Amarin Plaza. That it near the Rajprasong Intersection of Ploenchit Road.

There is also an official post office in the SCB/New York Life building on Petchaburi Road at Chitlom Road, a few blocks east of the Platinum Center.

Paying tax to Thailand is not a requirement for claiming the foreign earned income exclusion. However, if you don't you cannot use the bona fide resident test to qualify, you would have to meet the physical presence test. The reason is simple: How can you say you are a bona fide resident if you don't pay the tax? Paying taxes is one of the indications that you really are a resident, not a visitor.

Yes, you can. What matters is where you provide the service of your labor, not where the employer is located or pays you from. However, since you do not pay Thai taxes, you would not qualify as a bona fide resident; you would have to meet the physical presence rules to be able to claim the exclusion.

Your wife must have an ITIN to file jointly with you. In your case, an amended return with a W-7 attached would be required.

Before you do anything, though, be sure that filing jointly is the best option. If your wife has Thai income or potentially has such income, the election to treat her as though she were a permanent resident could have negative consequences.

Eliminating the foreign exclusion may not be such bad news for some taxpayers. Sine Thai income tax rates are higher than the US, the foreign tax credit should pretty well offset the loss. For those who do not pay Thai taxes, this doesn't help but I already have clients who use the credit instead of the exclusion.

Samitivej Dr's told me around 10,000 USD and their web site starts at 6,000 USD. So cheaper than BNH!

I don't understand your math. At today's conversion rate, those prices would be about the same or even higher than BNH or St Louis.

I, too, will probably need rotator cuff surgery. I've discussed this with doctors at three different hospitals. BNH was the most expensive, quoting me 270,000 to 300,000. Yan Hee was cheapest, at 100,000. St. Louis was in the middle, at 200,000. The doctor at St. Louis said he could recommend a government hospital that would probably charge about 100,000.

I am not in Chiang Mai but I do US taxes. PM me for details. (Forum rules prohibit me posting my web page.)

Fuji Xerox has it in stock. I don't have the phone number handy but you can Google for it. Two boxes (equivalent to a case in the US) sells for about 1,200 Baht, delivered.

The rules won't let me post my url here. PM me, I am a CPA in Bangkok.

Lanny Williams

The date you got your extension is not relevant. The 90 period starts on the day you entered the country so the correct information is on the landing/departure slip in your passport. Thais are not always very good at explaining this, so you probably misunderstood them.

For great steaks, I used to like Neil's Tavern on Soi Ruamrudee. Pricey, though.

I haven't been there for some time, so things could have changed. They bring several steaks out for you to choose before cooking.

After the meal, I liked their Irish Coffee. Prepared, with flair, at your table.

Is Fatboy's in Pnom Phen or do they have many locations in Cambodia??? Looks good!!!

Only in PP (heard they planned on expanding elsewhere): check this out

http://www.fatboysubs.com/

Remember, both Cambodia and Laos were once French colonies. One thing the French did was teach the people to make good bread. Much better than anything here in Thailand.

I regularly order a sandwich from Subway on Silom. Nearly always the club. Their meat and other contents always seem fresh and tasty and I love the fresh baked bread.

Can't remember when I last ordered the subway melt, though.

I'm not in Pattaya but I work with a number of clients there. The forum rules prohibit me from posting my URL but you can PM me for more details.

First, let me say that my expertise is with US taxes, not Thai taxes. That said, I know that the US-Thai tax treaty contains a provision that exempts teachers and researchers from Thai income tax for two years. I believe there are similar provisions in the UK treaty, as well.

If you do the paper work properly (and many schools help in this) no tax will be withheld. If not, you may have to file a Thai tax return to claim a refund.

This does not exempt you from US taxes. You still must file a US tax return and pay any tax due. At the rate most teachers are paid, you will not owe any tax because your income will be low enough to qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. If you don'e qualify for the FEIE, you can still claim the Foreign Tax Credit for taxes paid to Thailand.

I need to file my taxes and back US taxes for a few years, 10 acutally. I would like to use a local CPA and save some money.

Need to renew my passport and not filed taxes can cause them not to renew it, so figured i better get this taken care of.

So if anyone knows a local CPA that can do American Taxes, it would be very helpful.

The forum rules don't permit me to post my URL but you can PM me. I am a CPA and can help you with your problem. Unless IRS has information on file (such as W-2s or 1099s) for earlier years, they generally accept 5 years returns from non-filers who come forward voluntarily.

Lanny Williams

Nawarat, Williams & Co., Ltd.

Income Tax Services for Expatriate Americans

He is not my primary doctor but I have been treated by Dr Teerasak at BNH. He is competent and friendly and speaks good English. Lung problems are his specialty.

I think my dogs are well socialized - they are not afraid of visitors. In fact, I think it is just the opposite. I have many visitors and the dogs are always excited to greet them and be petted. Not all visitors are enthusiastic about the dogs but none have been mean or have in any way discouraged the dogs.

They also get along with other dogs at the previous owner had 13 dogs.

I have a rolled up newspaper in the house and shake it at the dogs but I never hit them. I don't want my dogs to be afraid of me.

I have two small dogs - a Maltese and a mixed Maltese/Yorkshire Terrier. We live in a two-bedroom condo and the dogs bark at anyone who walks by outside. And, of course, at anyone coming in.

The dogs are well fed, well exercised, and receive a lot of personal attention from me and the wife. But they persist in barking at any disturbance. We've tried a number of things to reduce the problem but nothing seems to work. The old method of splashing water on them accomplishes nothing - they shake the water off and bark again.

Any suggestions?

I have a bone spur and possible torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder. We've tried steroid shots, ultra-sound, heat treatment, etc. but they only provide temporary relief, at best. The ultimate solution, an operation, is not possible at this time.

So, I thought I might try acupuncture for pain relief. My doctors are not enthusiastic but did concede that it might help. The problem is, I don't know where to go. I've tried searching this forum but found nothing recent.

Anyone have any experience? Any recommendations?

Thanks

Turbo Tax may be OK, but the end result is no better than the data you input. If you aren't sure of your situation, you may not get the best result.

I'm not in Pattaya but maybe I can help. PM me, in interested.

Stan - you don't seem to understand the relationship between the individual partners and the partnership. I think you need professional help!

As a partnership, the business does not pay income tax. It is a so-called "passthrough entity" and each of the partners pay tax on their share of the partnership income. That's what the Schedule K-1 is for - to show each partner what his/her share is. The partners have to show this income on their own personal income tax returns (Form 1040 or 1040NR) and pay any applicable tax.

I use Yan Hee Hospital for my eye doctor needs. I see Dr Patamanuch there; she has operated on both of my eyes and does regular check ups for me. The service, etc. has been excellent -- and cheaper than hospitals on this side of the river.