Rama

If it's a one time transfer, just swallow the $5-10 and do the proper paperwork, other wise you're going to raise unnecessary flags with the US banking regulators. If it's on-going, get an ATM card and do ATM transfers at an Aeon ATM in Siam Electronics or at Tesco. Doesn't go through the Bank of Thailand, no $5 charge,only what your bank charges.

If you have a Citibank account in the US and you open a Citibank account here in Thailand, they have a flat rate to transfer from 1 Citibank account of yours to another of yours. I think it's $10.

Not a currency, currency is a misnomer. It's a currency exchange similar to Western Union. The US is now clamping down heavily on Bitcoin exchanges making them do the same paperwork and reporting as other currency exchanges. Pursuing fraud and other things for those that don't comply. Currencies have Central Banks, etc, etc. It may survive, but the wild ride is over.

Yes, japanese not chinese. It's a calico cat. Across many cultures it's thought to bring good luck in money. Calicos are sometimes called money cats in the US..........

Yes, I know someone else that had the same experience last week. He then went outside and talked to one of the fixers outside and got it fixed for 3 or 4,000 baht....................

I think but I've never had it confirmed, that different ambulances work for certain hospitals. They will only take you to their hospital. Then the hospital procedes to rip you off. Happened to a friend of mine.

Norton has a free tool to clean your registry. I've used it and it works well. Do a search on "Power Eraser"

I have gotten them also. Sometimes they know my name. I think the best thing is not to hang up, but just respond with 'yes' to whatever question they ask. Wastes their time; they would prefer that you hang up on them so they go to the next number. Saying yes gives them no information and can sometimes waste 3-5 minutes of their time.

Where is Nakorn Ping hospital? I have a friend I want to get enrolled. thx.

The lawyers at Sunbelt dropped the franchise name. They are now Lanna associates, located in the old city on Arak Rd. www.lanna-associates.com

I go to Lanna Hospital. The owner is the same for both Ram and Lanna. It also depends on what you want done. For a 'everything' hospital I like Lanna. I've used Ram, Lanna, McCormick, and the one to the south of Chiang Mai gate before. If you are looking at surgical options, Most surgeons work several hospitals and will adjust their bill according to the hospital they are working in. you can get the same surgeon at a different hospital at different prices..........

Why would you use a broker? - because most new people coming from oversesas use brokers all the time overseas (including other Asian countries), so the first thing they do is to contact brokers. TO get maximum exposure to as many buyers, a seller should list with a lot fo brokers. THere is no MLS like in the US.

Prices from one broker to another can vary for 2 reasons - 1) one of the brokers is dishonest and pads the price to make more money (happens all the time, especially the thai agencies) and 2) the seller changed the price and notified one of the brokers and not the other (happens all the time)

A good broker will do a written listing agreement with a seller clearly stating what the sale price is and what the commission is. If you're buying, ask to see the listing agreement. If they don't have or don't do written listing agreements with sellers, then it allows the broker to play with the sale price...........

The only US document that I've ever heard where they put witnesses on is a Last Will and Testament. And even with those, lawyers routinely have their assistants sign without ever actually witnessing the signing. Have your witnesses just sign later after you leave the consulate.

Decaprio was in a movie about such a place - wasn't that 'The Beach"? it took place in a similar idyllic place.....we all know how that ended......

Go to the British embassy in Lagos, I'm sure they can help.

there is no such thing as an 'official' translator in Thailand. Any one can buy their own stamp pad and put official translator on it.

Whether or not you need an additional 4 thai workers at the other company is up to the local labor department. many labor departments don't enforce it on the 2nd company when you have it on the first. I speak from experience.

Height of building was not the problem. Occupancy permit was issued and about 6-8 units were sold and occupied. Lily abandoned it during the 97 crash as she had used US dollars for the loan rather than thai baht, like a lot of the developers at the time did.  Korean with a Thai partner bought it from BAM a few years ago, the Korean was doing the financing but then the Korean came to realize his Thai partners were taking him for a ride. He stopped financing it. 

One caution when signing up for SS. If you use an overseas address as your home address when signing up, they will send you a letter every year that says you have to respond to verify that you are still alive to continue getting benefits. If you use a US address as your home address, they don't do this.........................

"Don't worry -- they don't share this info with other gov't agencies, so your location is still unknown to the I.R.S. and state agencies looking for back child support payments! But, if you end up unconscious in hospital or if there's a big natural disaster like an earthquake, you'll appreciate having this info on file with them."

- no one that is except, of course, the NSA.....and now we found out also the Israeli government.........

Reigistering just makes the NSA's job simplier..........

Best to go directly to the insurance company. I know several instances where the 'brokers' never gave the money to the insurance company and the 'insured' found out when then went to the hospital.

18 years is not old for a plane. A commercial plane is not a singular unit, it is rather made up of components that can age differently. Engines age differently than wings and wings age differently than the airplane body. Electronics in cockpits and interiors can age differently also. An 18 year old plane might have engines that are 5 years old, wings that are 3 years old.

Asked:

My wife also is worry what she needs to do if I pass away. I am an American and she is Thai, not an American citizen, do not speak English, and dot have US SS number. She will need my modest retirement to keep life going...Can you tell me what you did to help your wife in the same case? Thank you.

Sam

Saudade53 at hotmail

Not much you can do unfortunately. THe rules for US SS is that for a wife to receive survivors benefits she must have resided in the US for I think it's 2 years and have a SS #. No exceptions. Looked into this in detail about 3 years ago for a friend that died here who had married a THai lady just 6 months before he passed away.

If it is not a US government pension, there was a change in US banking regulations recently regarding the paying of pensions to people (including US citizens) with oversea home addresses. THe new banking regulation does not allow direct electronic deposits into US banks (most if not all private pensions in the US will only make electronic deposits into US banks) if the person receiving does not have a US home address on file with the pension giver. They will now send a paper check by regular mail. I speak from experience. 2-3 weeks for delivery, 2 months for check to clear. $30 charge from Thai bank. Your US government working for you!

If they are getting a non-government pension, they ought to setup a mailbox at one of those mailbox providers in the US so that they get electronic deposit........

There is licensed US attorney here in CM - but he is not practicing. There was a guy working a major law firm here in CM a few years ago who said he was licensed in Colorado, but I guy I know checked it out in Colorado and he wasn't licensed. There are licensed US attorneys in Bangkok. 2 that I know of at the same Bangkok thai law firm. One is licensed in New York, not sure where the other is licensed. I've used the one licensed in New York before. PM me if you want his contact info. I agree, however, that laws vary widely from state to state, and you may want to consider consulting a licensed attorney in the US in your state.