NancyL

Real live staff are available in the U.S. Embassy and Consulate for emergency U.S. citizen services, like if you're arrested or die.  Needing to get a retirement extension and having a passport that expires in less than a year is NOT an emergency.  Passports are produced in the U.S. and, at this time, they don't have the ability to produce new passports.  You simply apply for your retirement extension at immigration and it will be granted until the expiration of your passport.  Presumably, passport services will become available again before the expiration of your passport and you'll be able to get a new one and return to immigration to be granted the balance of your one-year retirement extension.

If your passport has expired and you want to return to the U.S., the Embassy/Consulate can issue a one-time emergency travel document that serves the same purpose as a passport.  It is only valid for return to the U.S., not for travel elsewhere.

The American Citizens Services section of the Chiang Mai Consulate is answering their phone during business hours.

The solution is to move to a cat-friendly building.  Ours in Chiang Mai permits cats, but not dogs.  They used to permit any pet that was under 10 kg, but the dogs, or rather the dog owners, were causing so many problems that one year at the owners meeting they voted to go "No New Pets" and let the existing pets remain, but no new pets.  Cat owners got together and brought up a new motion the following year where cats are permitted, but no new dogs.  Seems to work.

Cats are just fine living in a condo, if they're neutered and never know life on the outside.  We've had them for years -- always two so they can entertain each other.  Their litter box is in a special cabinet that they access with a cat flap and we clean it twice a day -- no odor.  But, yes they can cause damage.  We've had scratches on cabinets, damaged furniture and window screens.  We accept responsibility and pay for the damage.

But if we chose to live in a building that didn't allow pets, we'd abide by the rules.  After all, you sign a contract.

2 hours ago, steve73 said:

If you are able to do it on-line I would suggest you continue doing so - even though you don't need to at this time.

 

One problem I could foresee is that once they lift the requirement NOT to do it, there'll be many more people synchronised to continually repeat it around the same time - which COULD lead to the offices being very busy each time.

 

By doing it on-line, you should avoid being in that busy period if you do need to visit the office in future..

 

JMHO..

Agreed.  That's why I filed online 90 day reports for Hubby and me yesterday morning.  Got the approval from Chiang Mai immigration within a couple hours.  They must not have much to do in the office.  Interestingly our next report date is August 2, when they'll be very busy, but I'll mark my calendar to file online again and hopefully avoid a trip to file in-person.

Centre of the Universe, but according to their website, they're closed until June 1 because of Covid-19.  Also, the rehab dept at CM Ram has a water therapy pool.

It's up to the landlord.  Some buildings won't rent to foreigners of any age because they don't want to file TM30s and disclose that they have tenants.  These same building owners collect the rent as cash and probably aren't disclosing their full income on their tax returns.

Indeed, some landlords don't want to rent to single, older, foreign males because of concerns that they'll get sick and die in their units, but it isn't a "rule" in Chiang Mai.  Others specialize in older, foreign renters. Check out http://www.wellnessresidencechiangmai.com/  They specifically cater to older, foreign renters.  When I toured the place a few months ago, they proudly told me of just renting to a new tenant -- an 85 year old European man. 

6 minutes ago, Lacrimas said:

Thank you guys, you gave me very wise advice. She is a good person and we love each other. I think she was taken advantage of but I'll make sure this won't happen again in the future by keeping all the money on a bank account in my name only. 

No, I'm sorry, but as you said, she's an educated person who you met in Europe. 

She just needs to be educated about how to handle money. 

3 hours ago, canthai55 said:

You realize this is Friday - and she left Wednesday ?

No, it got postponed to next Wednesday, 18 March, so I'm still open to ideas.  This is because the professor at Kasetsart sees patients only on Wednesdays and there wasn't enough time to get things organized for Wednesday this week.  My vet in Chiang Mai, a vet at CMU and the Kasetsart professor were going round-and-round trying to decide if it was best to do surgery here in Chiang Mai, radiation at Kasetsart and chemo at CMU or do everything at Kasartsart.  In the end, they decided it was best to do everything at Kasartsart because they thought it a good idea to do a CT scan prior to surgery and that can only be done at Kasartsart.  Meanwhile the lump is the largest of the five he's had,  Previously, they've come out within 3 - 4 days of discovery.

2 minutes ago, cmsally said:

Best of luck Nancy. Quite honestly when you take into consideration that car hire would be door to door and not much waiting time anywhere, it takes only a bit longer than a flight. Just play his favourite music on the journey !

When he's awake, he likes watching CNN -- not listening to it, just watching.  I think it's all the split screenings, changing images, banner on the bottom, etc.  Much motion. 

We don't play much music but there is a Diana Krall CD that he likes.  I'll see if Hubby can load it onto my phone.

15 hours ago, Mapguy said:

After the surgery and just before the trip, get Dr. Nok to dope him up to quiet him down so he can stand the travel and hire a van (or car).  It works.

It's beginning to look like this is what's going to happen.  Incidentally, a website called BringFido helped me to find a pet friendly hotel near Kasatsat University.  They want to do the entire procedure there now -- CT scan, surgery, radiation and chemo.  Most of this will be as an outpatient.  I hope we don't get tossed out of the hotel!

One upside is that it's close to Chatuchak market, so I should be able to get some new clothes and toys for Mr. Bitey.

6 hours ago, cmsally said:

Don't Thonglor Pet Clinic (Chiang Mai) have the equipment needed. Just a thought as they seem to be the most well equipped.

On the up side it would be easy to get a car hire with driver as they are all crying out for business at the moment.

Checked with Thonglor Chiang Mai.  The vet I talked with on the phone was most helpful.  She agreed that since Mr. Bitey has had five lumps in four years on different parts of his back that CT scan, surgery, radiation and chemo would be the way to go.  They can do all that here except for the radiation and she said Kasatsart Univ would be the best to have all the treatment done at one place.

3 hours ago, connda said:

Have you ever flown in a C-152.  I used to fly one.  You probably couldn't hear Mr. Bitey over the engine noise, but the cat would be a wreak.  Imho.

Yes, but he'd be tranquilized for a shorter period of time than if I rented a car and driver.

1 hour ago, Just Weird said:

You're right with your priorities, the cat's comfort and lack of stress is so much more important than it's health and survival.  How on earth could anyone consider temporarily stressing an animal (that could easily be lightly sedated for car travel) in favour of it's health?

We don't have a car.   

21 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Aircon overnight First Class train

2500 THB for one person for full compartment

https://www.chiangmaitraveller.com/bangkok-chiang-mai-overnight-sleeper-train/

 

Thought of this mode of transport already.  Unfortunately, pets are permitted only on 3rd class  of Thai trains.  People have smuggled small dogs onto 1st class compartments of Thai trains, but Mr. Bitey is very vocal so this option is a no-go.  

35 minutes ago, tonray said:

I have no personal experience but..

 

http://www.thailandpetmover.com/index.php?name=services&file=readservices&id=96

Thank you for the link, but this didn't work out.  They use the cargo services of the commercial airlines and no airline in Thailand permits a pet to be in the cabin.  While I know that the cargo holds for animals are climate controlled, I don't want him to be out on the tarmac or in a warehouse and the cargo transport vehicles in the heat.  This company can't arrange for a private flight.

Driving is definitely NOT an options; it's what, a 12 hour trip to Bangkok? He never settles down in a car, not even on a return trip from the vet.  Most animals figure out that they're coming home from the vet and calm down, but Mr. Bitey still keeps up 12 complaints a minute on the return trip.  Loud meows like he's a Siamese cat. He'd be totally worn out on a long trip.

No problem in carrying this amount of cash in Thailand during the day for a short period of time.  I've carried much larger sums -- heck this is only 50,000 baht -- only 50 bank notes. 

Nearly every week Hubby goes to the bank and gets 100 - 100 baht notes and 100 - 20 baht notes plus a few 1000s for our spending money and carries it home in his cargo short pockets.  50 baht notes is not going to cause much of a bulge in the pocket of a pair of cargo shorts and wouldn't be noticed in a manbag.  I'd jump that the chance for a 10% cash discount.

It doesn't make sense to me that they are no longer requiring an "update" to your TM30 when you return from an overseas trip since your TM6 departure/arrival card number will change.  Or have they stopped using TM6 cards?  There was talk of that.