farangene

Saw a sign at Bullys Bar btwn soi 2 and 4 on sukhumvit this week offering superbowl party for 500 baht. No idea what is included in that price.

I asm hoping stickman Sunday column will have a more complete list of offerings.

GLBV

Read the PM I sent to you.

With Soi 7 beer garden right down the street, might not be a comfortable place for your wife to walk in the evening. Having said that, I have noticed a number of families living in both apt houses on soi 7.

Stickman reported today that Foodland Soi 5 will re-open in Dec 2011. Give the Took Lae Dee on Soi 16 a try it is much more pleasant eating experience than the old soi 5 was.

I used the atm near Asok and Soi 3 (?) in the Aeon Bank area of Oceans tower 2. It worked fine at 6PM -ish,.

I bought a 3 ft by 5 ft carpet at Robinsons home dept on Ratchada a few years ago that I am still using on a wooden floor. It has done a good job of protecting it from scratches from the chair wheels. The cost was about 1,000B. In my old place, I had floor carpet and found a plastic cutting board at the Emporium stationary dept that was about 3 ft by 4ft. I think the cost was also about 1000B+. It performed the same function as the plastic chair pad noted in posts above. Before I got it, I must have spent 2 or 3 weeks looking for a plastic chair pad all over BKK but never found one.

Thanks Everybody

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I

KarenBravo: thanks for that, I never knew that some units having a switching option from cold to hot air was possible. Having said that, I never touch my units physically and only ever operate them by remote control, so even if they do have an inversion switch somewhere, it'll not be the issue in my case.

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Cheers one and all

Aitch

My remote has a heat/cool switch which I have pressed by mistake resulting in a warm flow of air from the a/c.

Check the remote first to see if it has not been set incorrectly. This happens to me a couple times a year.

Aren't there some magazines/papers that have monthly social get-togethers? I think Bangkok Trader mag/paper is one of them. Can't think of any more, off hand.

Duc de Praslin (Belgiian chocolate maker in BKK) had Chocolate Easter bunnies etc last year. Not sure what they carried this year.

They are in the Emporium, Central World and other shopping malls in addition to their store on Soi 33/Suk and another on soi 49 (far off Suk. though) Google the name for all locations and think they have a website.

Was he the US ex-special forces monk?

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I I have personally never ever seen one kicked back nor has a single one ever been asked for additional supporting documentation when using just the letter from ACS-US Embassy. NOT EVER!.

Again, these are my experiences ONLY.. .

Until April 7 I had never been questioned about verifying the amounts either.

I have been using the 65K for the last 4-5 years and the 800K for 5-6 years prior to that.

New ball game?? I don't know but I would bring supporting documents with me if I were to go again. Might save a extra trip back to Immig.

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Interesting drill in financial semantics....

However the Social Security SSA-1099 tax form is a much better form to show Immigration, as it has a highlighted box with your gross amount in it, and only in smaller, aside print are your deductions shown. (And even friendlier, the highlighted box, while "gross," actually says "net" -- but meaning net of "benefits repaid to SSA.")

Anyway, not sure where all of this is headed.... But, never too soon to 'tweak' your supporting documents.

I agree the 1099 is a good way to go. It is official and shows the number to confirm your notarized letter.

I guess you could always baffle them by including your full income tax return,.

No I showed both govt pension and private co pension in the notary letter. He only wanted the US govt letter document related to govt pension.

But my govt pension is enough to meet the 65,000 B threshhold so maybe that's the reason he wasn't interested in anything else.

I dont know the reason he didn't want the private pension info.

Thanks for that excellent report. A detail please, you are using GROSS pension income before tax, correct, and that was accepted?

I have used the gross amount for several years because I read someplace (?) that it was the proper number to use. However, most of my pension support documentation (ie bank statements reflecting deposits) show only the net amount. Therefore, I used the net amount not the gross for this years application.

It might be difficult to explain to a Thai immigration officer why the amount shown in your supporting bank deposits should be considered 30+% higher to equate to what is show in your notarized letter. I agree that the gross amount is the common amount used when talking about pensions. Any amounts deducted (ie taxes, medicare, etc) could be handled in another way to increase your monthly net amount closer to the gross figure. (ie pay quarterly estimated taxes in lieu of withholding taxes from your check).

One way around the gross vs net debate is to show only the "award" notice letter that Soc Sec sends to recipients every year. This official letter shows the gross amount (which I would highlight as the amount) as well as various deducts (taxes, medicare, etc).

As I noted, the only thing the immigration official wanted from my supporting documents was a copy of the government "award notice" letter. He did not take any documents relating to my private company pension although I showed them to him.

I went to Bkk Immig at Chengwattana today (Apr 7,2011) with the US notarized income letter in my retirement visa renewal package. I had good rapport with the Immig officer who was checking the papers. He was very efficient and quickly reviewed the papers.

He saw the notarized US statement and asked if I brought along any supporting documentation for the stated amount. I have two pensions- 1 from govt for Soc sec and another for a private company pension. He wasn't interested in copies of my bank statements or my private co pension paperwork that I had brought. He only wanted copies of the US govt letter that specified the amount of pension which I had also brought.

He said that some people are getting the notarized letter and do not actually receive a pension or at least not for the amount they show in the notarized statement.

I guess the rumors are true. I didn't feel that I was singled out for any reason when he asked for the papers

Thank you. That is what I was told last year by the Immig. official also.

I am in Bkk and using the 65,000 bath per month basis for Retirement renewal. Last year, the Immig person said that I didn't need a "bank letter" for renewal. I still need to bring the passbook to show I have an account and copies of pertinent bank book info. Does anyone know if the bank letter is still not needed? I get differing opinions when I search Thaivisa but the need seems to be based on which Immig office you apply. I am interested in Bkk Chaeng Wattana only. Thank you

Find someone going to the us and sell it to them.

Twice, I have bought old US bills from tourists near exchange booths on Sukhumvit who had the same problem. They stopped me and asked what they could do.

I think this is the same place that offers a 2 for 1 alcohol drink special every evening from 5-8PM or so. It has never seemed crowded when I walked by. I don't relish the idea of drinking in the middle of a shopping mall at any price.

Maybe someone misread the market before they started their dream business.

Perhaps staff is disgruntled because they aren't seeing the business or tips they expected when they hired on? or maybe foresee the end of their jobs as a result of no business?

Hi JFC

I think I saw a gluten free display of various items in TOPS supermarket (under Robinson) near Soi 19. If you wish, I will note the location next time I am there and advise.

I heard that joke when I was in 3rd grade about 75 years ago...

I was in MBK a few weeks ago and asked one of the uniformed information gals about an Aeon ATM.

She told me it was on the 2nd floor next to the Nike store. It is also a two minute walk from the Nokia telephone Service center to get you to the right general area. She gave me a map of MBK with the location circled. It is in the main walkway right next to the Nike store as she stated..

I was surprised that it was so easy to find.

Sorry, I can't help with your Hualampong query.

There was an American Women's Club resale shop on Soi 49 near (or at?) the Racquet Club. I bought some old magazines there a few years ago but have not been there recently. Might be worthwhile checking out but suggest you call first as they were not open every day.

American Women's Club

Address: 171-173 Soi Phromsri, Sukhumvit 49/11 Bangkok 10110, Thailand.

Tel: (02) 381-9225,712-8054

Fax:(02) 712-8055

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://members.tripod.com/~AWC_Th/index.htm

Info: Nonpolitical, nonprofit group organized to promote friendship in the American community and emphasize friendship and cooperation with Thai women through social, cultural and philanthropic activities. Membership is open to woman of all nationalities living in Thailand. Involved in the local community through Welfare and the Scholarship Committees. Some club activities are bridge, tennis, golf or the book club. Excursions that are planned each year, visiting nearby countries as well as interesting locations within Thailand and Bangkok.

She married a thai-french guy a few years ago but is still living in Thailand last I heard.

Maybe she prefers a lower profile or her marriage caused a decrease in her fan/business exposure .