statman78

Quite a bit of serious damage. Has the building been inspected and are people still living there? This is what I found after a quick search

It’s been about 14 years since we looked into different construction companies. Right now is a good time to look at different high rises being built and high rises that sustained little our no damage. If everything looks good and the company has been around for awhile there’s a good chance that they follow the building codes.

Thanks for the info! I think I’ll give it a try

Spidermike, it sounds like Fanytel is something that may work for me. I need a US phone number at times to receive a verification code for purchases with my US credit card. I also receive a SMS when I log in to my Us Social Security account. At times I need to call my financial adviser or I need to pay bills via a phone call to the US. In all cases I need a consistent US phone number. Will Fanytel work?

I agree that there are some Thai and Chinese companies that cut corners and do not follow codes. If you look around and you will see hundreds of high rises that are still standing with little or no damage. Our 27 story building has been examined by structural engineers and everything is fine. There a number of reliable construction companies working in Bangkok. We did a lot of research before we bought our condo years ago.

My policy is due for renewal now. The agent discussed this with me and told me that as long I continue to renew my policy on time, no changes will be made to my original policy I purchased 5 years ago.

Accord to my search, for US citizens Australia started the ETA in 1996

Get used to this. As an American I need to register prior to entering the UK and Australia. Later this year I will need to do this to enter the EU.

I had cataracts along with glaucoma and dry eyes. I waited to have the surgery done since I am partially blind in one eye due to nerve damage from glaucoma. My site got to the point where I trouble seeing things in shadows and seeing differences in shades of the same color. I lived with my cataracts for a number of years without any issues but then my site went downhill quickly. Once I had the surgery I felt stupid for waiting so long. I still have glaucoma and the nerve damage but the dry eyes disappeared.

I’m not a golfer but I have seen a driving range near the Ekamai BTS station.

There is a lot of great food in Bangkok from delicious street food to fine restaurants. There’s’ a fantastic variety. It’s one of the main reasons I travel from my home in Chiang Rai to Bangkok almost every month. I spend 10 days to 2 weeks there and head back to Chaing Rai a few kg heavier. Chiang Rai also has a lot of good places to eat but not the variety that can be found in Bangkok.

Walk 7km every morning outside but use a treadmill if it is raining. I then use some light weights followed by some sit ups. To cool down a bit I swim for 15 minutes. Now that I’m approaching 70 my walking pace has slowed and the weights are a little lighter.

khunjeff, Thanks for the info. You beat me to it. I’ve been coming to Thailand for many years and moved here permanently in 2018 when I retired. As long as I can remember, there has been plans to do this.

As a US citizen I find three advantages to the healthcare system here in Thailand. It is very affordable, It is easy and quick to get see a doctor or a specialist. Insurance is easy to deal with. I have had 2 claims and both were settled, without questions, before I left the hospital. In many European countries along with some others there are forms of universal health care. While it may be considered free or almost free it is supported by your tax dollars. I know several people in Portugal and Wales who had a similar income to mine before I retired. In both countries their tax burden was significantly higher than mine. So while the government may be providing free services, it is being subsidized by the working class tax payers.

For it should have little effect. This year I’m switching my retirement extension based on income to having 800k in the bank. This was already planned. Now I can keep my social security money in the US to pay my US based expenses. Here in Thailand we have rental properties. The rents cover our basic expenses here. We were lucky because we brought money over here when the dollar was stronger and used it to by our rentals.

I have my health insurance through Bangkok Life Assurance. In the 4 years I’ve had the policy I made 2 claims, both were paid promptly with no questions asked. My wife has a different policy and her agent mentioned that in the very near future policies will include deductibles and may even include copays. Our policies will not change as long as we keep paying our annual premiums. My policy has scheduled premium increases every 5 years and will cover me until age 85.

I have insurance here in Thailand. I have high blood pressure so my premiums are a little higher. It is difficult to find health insurance here if you are over 65. I got mine at age 64 and it will cover me until 85. My premiums increase every 5 years and the increase is already determined in my contract. My insurance has no deductible but I heard that new policies will have deductibles.

I’m not sure what the requirements are for you to obtain the non-o in your home country but I retired and came to Thailand in 2018 from the US. I found it easier to arrive on a tourist visa, obtain the 90 non-o here in Thailand and then extend it for retirement. Now you can enter visa exempt and stay for 60 days so no need to get the tourist visa. If I applied for the non-o in the US I needed a number of documents. In Thailand all I needed was to show money in the bank.

I did bring a little more than my SS benefits. Only the amount over my SS benefit was considered taxable. My overage was pre 2024 savings so was not taxed and, as you stated, it was below the taxable threshold. I also received a 190,000 baht tax exemption for being 65 or older

Regarding your last comment about being able to show that the money you transferred in is your SS money. I filed my Thai taxes and all I needed to do is show that the money I transferred to Thailand was less than or equal to my SS money. I did this by submitting my 1099. Since I have credit cards from US banks I leave some money in my US account to pay the bills.

I hope they do

Unlike the fee the UK will be imposing. I read in several sources that it also will apply to transit passengers. i just did a search and saw that a few weeks ago the UK dropped the idea of changing transit passengers, however, they are considering raising the fee.

At the beginning of this month I flew from Chiang Rai to Bangkok and back and at both airports I used the system. I checked it at the kiosk and had my face scanned. At the gate I used the separate line for facial recognition. I did not need to show my boarding pass or id.

They have already introduced facial recognition boarding passes, at least for domestic flights. I’ve already used the system and it works well. Thai Airways makes people board by group number but if you registered your face when you checked in at a kiosk you can board anytime. It’s great if you have carry on bags.

Yes