DogNo1

What is an economic traction?  I wonder what Thai word it was translated from.

If you do not have 800,000 in the bank at the time of your first 90-day report, will you be arrested and deported?  Or if you fall below 400,000 at any time?  I thought that the purpose of the 800,000 was to prove that you could support yourself during the year.  The requirement of a certain amount of funds in your account at various times contradicts that purpose.  If the authorities don't like what some agents are doing, they should find a different way to enforce compliance with their rules.  What is the purpose of requiring the maintenance of a certain balance anyway? If a hospital is not paid, is it able to seize the funds in the patient's bank account?  A hospital is in just as much jeapordy of not being paid by those of us who transfer 65,000 per month or from short-stay tourists or from overstayers.  

Right now, finding English-speaking conversation partners with my friends stuck back in their home countries unable to return to Thailand for their 6- month stints herenis difficult..  Not every foreigner you meet is a good conversation partners.  I don't drink so don't go to bars.   Two years ago, there were plenty of foreigners passing through Central Chidlom so striking up a conversation with someone was easy.  Now I am limited to telephone calls and email messages.  Hopefully, my friends will be able to return in a few months.  There are, of course, gathering places like the Siam Society, the FCC and music concerts but meeting someone that shares your interests and wants to be in contact frequently whom you also like is a matter of luck.  Other than that lack, I am perfectly happy living in Thailand.  

For the OP,  there may be requirements for your happiness that you are not aware of.  It's a good idea to give Thailand a trial run or two.  When you come for a short time, it's easy to disregard things that irritate you.

Ever been to Japan?  Ceilings and doorways in newer houses are getting higher but chair legs are still too short.

There is a lot of magical thinking about the vaccines.  Even doctors on CNN say that a vaccine shot makes you immune!  A vaccine is a magic potion to many people.   Dr. Tony Fauci explained the vaccines at great length on Front Line.  I recommend people watch it.  Personally, I want the J & J vaccine.  Its efficacy is that 69 days after injection, there are zero hospitalizations from the virus.  

It is now gaining recognition that digestive problems and many other physical problems may be due to histamine intolerance.  Besides histamines, salycilates and sulfites can cause a myriad of reactions in sensitive people.  Dr. Georgia Ede is a psychiatrist who has a website devoted to digestive problems.  It is worth a look.  You may be surprised at the number of problems that eating unsuitable food can cause.  Her website is https://www.diagnosisdiet.com/about

There must be injury to the foot and ankle that are not detailed.  If it we're just a tibia and fibula fracture recovery should be pretty easy.  Many golfers play into their elderly years.  See you back on the links, Tiger.

After a serious motorcycle accident, it took my tibia and fibula two years to heal completely because I was overweight and the screws holding a titanium rod in my tibia started to fracture.  I had to wear a special shoe with rods that passed the downward pressure from my knee to my foot, bypassing the tibia.  I was on crutches for a long time but the leg eventually healed well but is stiffer than my left leg.  I have to be careful when I am standing or walking to put sufficient weight on my injured right leg.  If I am not careful, the left leg will get sore from overcompensation.  I don't know how extensive the damage to Tiger's muscles, ankle and foot are but I think that he will probably make a good recovery and be back playing golf within two years.  Good luck to him.

Thanks Dr. Jack.  No worries apparently.

 My extension of stay expires on May 13th so I plan to apply for my extension around the middle of April.  How long in advance should I reserve my extension appointment?  Is there a long appointment extension Queue?

Apparently can't be done in Thailand. I tried for two years and couldn't get it done.  I finally did at a Fidelity branch in Renton, WA about two years ago.  It seems that you need to be in America and either get a Medallion signature at an American bank or do it with proper identification at a Fidelity branch in America.

Yes, my financial advisor in NYC initiates all of the trades in my account on his own with no input from me except for occasionally filling out out a questionnaire aboutb my short and long term goals related to projected financial needs.  I can give him general directions.  For example, at the beginning of last year, I asked him replace all of my MLPs with alternative investments because I find collecting and filing all of the related K-1s to be onerous.  They were all replaced by January 1st at a handy profit.  

My financial advisor is looking for new customers, so if you want a good advisor for retirement income investments, I can recommend him.  He can work through either Fidelity or Schwab.  You can find him online at LFFA.

Vaccines for the elderly?  When we elderly can get vaccinated is a matter of concern.  It may be much later rather than sooner.  Just yesterday, an article was published in the Japan Times quoting a government spokesperson who said that the vaccination of a small number of the elderly will begin in several months and proceed slowly after that.  Other groups will have priority over the elderly.   Thailand appears ready to vaccinate the elderly in phase 3 whenever that begins.  Both countries appear to want to vaccinate people important to their healthcare systems and economies first.  

Since I am over 75, going out for shopping and coffee everyday feels like playing Russian Roulette but I don't want to stay isolated in my room despite the risk.

Regarding the vaccine in Thailand, if I wanted to spend the smallest amount of money possible outside of the country, I would do what the government is doing now.  

What both countries are doing makes sense to preserve the nations and their economies but a lot of elderly people are going to die as a result.

In my case, if the Chinese vaccine becomes available first, I will take it unless I become aware of any bad side effects.  Some protection is better than no protection and there doesn't seem to be any bad effect from getting the AstraZeneca vaccine later.

Regarding getting the vaccine from a private hospital, I think that the government has forbidden them from buying their own supplies  so I assume that the only shots that they will be able supply will need to be bought from Siam Bioscience.

I have a rather special situation.  My paid financial advisor is located in NYC and does all of my trading from there.  I have no financial activity from Bangkok or Tokyo other than making wire transfers from my cash management account to my account at Bangkok Bank.  I planned this very carefully because there is a 50% inheritance tax on all of your financial assets held in Japan when you die.

Perhaps Biden could incorporate the mandate for a 25mx2 room for everyone into one of his future executive orders.   He should provide rooms first of all to the people crossing the southern border.  The small border town mayors are complaining that they can't accommodate the people flowing in.  

The address I have registered with Fidelity is my Japanese address.  I have had no problems.  I wire $2300 monthly to my Bangkok Bank account for no fee at all.

Just telephone Schwab and ask whether you can use their mobile app to deposit.  I used the USAA mobile app to deposit mine.  Done in ten minutes, funds available immediately.  Regarding destroying the government chack: of course I did.  Deducting it from payable taxes should be fine.    I don't know of any law against not cashing US Government checks.  How could they prove that you received it?   I live here and have both Schwab and Fidelity accounts.  No problems so far.  

It can take a while for mailed-in reports to be answered but I've never had one not answered.  Just send by registered mail and confirm receipt by immigration using the tracking number.  For those who are paperwork averse, there are many agents who will do the paperwork and sending for you for a small fee.  A friend recently paid an agent on Sukhumvit 350 Baht.

Could be gallbladder or histamine intolerance.   Histamine intolerance is gaining recognition as the cause of many symptoms, including psychological symptoms.  Dr.Ede, a psychiatrist who is a Harvard graduate, has a website worth looking at for information regarding histamine intolerance.  It causes many problems that often are not diagnosed correctly.

I wish that we expats over 75 could be in phase 1!

The amount of time and expense involved for reporting in person are much greater than for mailing your report.  There are offices on Sukhumvit that will complete your mail-in report for you.  A friend did his recently for 350 Baht.

I can understand why the Israelis don’t want to give the vaccines to Hamas or Palestinian residents of the occupied territories. May not be safe though.

Quarantines are likely to continue for many years.  Previously infected people can catch the virus again, especially if it is a different strain.   As was said on DW yesterday, everyone in the world will need to be vaccinated.  That doesn’t seem likely to happen until adequate supplies of the J&J vaccine are available.  It requires minimal refrigeration and only requires one shot.  Reports say that 69 days after receiving the shot people are 100% protected from getting a moderate to serious case of the virus.  None of the vaccines can protect you from getting the virus and it IS known that with mild to no symptoms can transmit the viral infection.  We will have to live with the virus for many years and governments and people will have to decide what level of risk is acceptable to permit international travel.  The reason that this hasn’t died out as SARS and MERS did is because it it very contagious and can be transmitted by people with mild to no symptoms who don’t know they are sick.