connda

Might want to add some words on Obamacare or the ACA. If people are living overseas for the proper amounts of time the can in general supposedly be exempt from Obamacare. Has anybody claimed that exemption and gotten confirmation on how the IRS accepted or handled that?

On the IRS form 8965 in section 3 you fill out your name and SSN and put a 'C' in the exemption field, and Bob's your uncle! That easy.

I've got FBAR issues. Attempting to download the NFFBAR.pdf file. To do this you go to http://bsaefiling.fincen.treas.gov/NoRegFBARFiler.html and click on Prepare FBAR. I get an Untrusted Connection Error in Firefox and Chrome. Although I can download it in IE, I don't get a SSL Lock symbol in the address bar even though the download web site is HTTPS. Here's a screen shot. Anyone else having the same issue?

As noted earlier, Turbo Tax kicked investment functions from Deluxe to Premier level in the 2014 software.

TT COMP.JPG

At least year, if you buy Deluxe and it forces you to Premier, the upgrade is free. Well, at least if you bought if from Amazon. I can't speak for downloads from other locations.

Once again we return to the perineal topic of 'other peoples negative views of Thailand' and the broad brush classification of people as 'Thai Bashers'.

The question I always ask when this topic comes up is, why do the opinions others have and express bother you so much?

Its a truism, if any of us make a choice we are truly happy with then the opinions others express about our choice will be like water off a duck's back.

And of course there is the 'if you don't like it, go home' line of response, which seldom stands scrutiny.

A guy has a bad experience, perhaps the only bad experience he's had for a long while - he writes about it on TVF, perhaps to let off steam, perhaps to warn others, perhaps to ask for advice, perhaps because TVF is the only place he can express his views with people who speak his language.

So now on the basis of a single complaint, someone else (usually more than one someone else) is ranting at him to go home.

Appart from the absurdity of the line of argument that an individual should up root their life for having expressed an opinion some others don't like, there is the observation I've made, not once, but many many times during my time in Thailand.

When it comes to the sudden epiphany, the conniption fit, the sudden uprooting and disappearance from Thailand to back home; the people I've seen do this have all, and without exception, been people who while in Thailand would hear no criticism of the place.

By example, a friend I've known for 20 years, 15 years in Thailand, recently uprooted and went home; I spoke with him in the weeks before he left, he was seething with emotion, couldn't get out fast enough. This a man who I've had dozens of conversations with in which his ranted against people complaining about Thailand, refusing to hear even the slightest negative comment, regardless of how well founded it might be.

I put this down to a sudden flip in the mind, when denial of the truth can no longer be reconciled with reality.

Far better I think, to take a balanced view, positives and negatives. And when we meet someone having a bad day, or a good day, accept the fact that we all have good and bad days - its the way the swing swings.

If other people's negative comments wind you up, ask yourself why.

The answer is almost certainly close to home.

I can say without hesitation that the TV forums are the most negative I've ever run across. This includes expat forums in other countries. It's not just people letting off steam, it's often people letting off a little racism. And it's often a case of somebody posting some innocent question or comment and the thread being hijacked.

My impression is that there are a lot of very unhappy people here. I think the reason you read comments about people going home is that it's clear that there are many people living in Thailand that absolutely hate it on every level. My solution is that I rarely visit TV anymore but it's a source of great entertainment when TV comes up with friends, "can you believe how angry all these people are that moved to this country?"

Anyway, it doesn't bother me anymore because I simply stopped reading much more than the very rare thread (this one obviously). But this will remain one of life's great mysteries to me.

And btw, there are plenty of things that upset me about Thailand. I don't like the corruption or any number of things. But I don't want to spend my days ranting on the internet about them.

Wow! What a scathing, negative post! <puut len>

I recently came across this. It makes sense. What do we really have control over? It started the wheels turning. I'm starting to reevaluate how I should be perceive things. I personally spend way too much time mulling over things that I have zero control over. It got me thinking. Perhaps it's time to simply work on ourselves, and effect change in the areas that we can, starting with ourselves. Food for thought.

Once again we return to the perineal topic of 'other peoples negative views of Thailand' and the broad brush classification of people as 'Thai Bashers'.

The question I always ask when this topic comes up is, why do the opinions others have and express bother you so much?

Its a truism, if any of us make a choice we are truly happy with then the opinions others express about our choice will be like water off a duck's back.

And of course there is the 'if you don't like it, go home' line of response, which seldom stands scrutiny.

A guy has a bad experience, perhaps the only bad experience he's had for a long while - he writes about it on TVF, perhaps to let off steam, perhaps to warn others, perhaps to ask for advice, perhaps because TVF is the only place he can express his views with people who speak his language.

So now on the basis of a single complaint, someone else (usually more than one someone else) is ranting at him to go home.

Appart from the absurdity of the line of argument that an individual should up root their life for having expressed an opinion some others don't like, there is the observation I've made, not once, but many many times during my time in Thailand.

When it comes to the sudden epiphany, the conniption fit, the sudden uprooting and disappearance from Thailand to back home; the people I've seen do this have all, and without exception, been people who while in Thailand would hear no criticism of the place.

By example, a friend I've known for 20 years, 15 years in Thailand, recently uprooted and went home; I spoke with him in the weeks before he left, he was seething with emotion, couldn't get out fast enough. This a man who I've had dozens of conversations with in which his ranted against people complaining about Thailand, refusing to hear even the slightest negative comment, regardless of how well founded it might be.

I put this down to a sudden flip in the mind, when denial of the truth can no longer be reconciled with reality.

Far better I think, to take a balanced view, positives and negatives. And when we meet someone having a bad day, or a good day, accept the fact that we all have good and bad days - its the way the swing swings.

If other people's negative comments wind you up, ask yourself why.

The answer is almost certainly close to home.

I can say without hesitation that the TV forums are the most negative I've ever run across. This includes expat forums in other countries. It's not just people letting off steam, it's often people letting off a little racism. And it's often a case of somebody posting some innocent question or comment and the thread being hijacked.

My impression is that there are a lot of very unhappy people here. I think the reason you read comments about people going home is that it's clear that there are many people living in Thailand that absolutely hate it on every level. My solution is that I rarely visit TV anymore but it's a source of great entertainment when TV comes up with friends, "can you believe how angry all these people are that moved to this country?"

Anyway, it doesn't bother me anymore because I simply stopped reading much more than the very rare thread (this one obviously). But this will remain one of life's great mysteries to me.

And btw, there are plenty of things that upset me about Thailand. I don't like the corruption or any number of things. But I don't want to spend my days ranting on the internet about them.

Wow! What a scathing, negative post! <puut len>

The proposed ban is based on the theory that Thais never think far enough ahead to stock up for the holiday, and completely overlooks that most are quite willing to break laws to make a profit.

I think they should ban Alcohol 100 per cent 100 per cent of the time

We never eat fruitcake because it has rum,

And one little slice turns a man to a bum.

Oh, can you imagine a more pitiful fate

Then a man in the gutter with crumbs on his face.

Away, away, with rum, by gum,

Rum by gum, rum by gum

Away, away, with rum, by gum,

The song of the Temperance Union.

I don't think we're more negative, but we are one heck of a lot more knowledgeable about the world because we travel. Perhaps the OP is confusing negativity with expats and world travelers who have a clearer understanding of world affairs, and then are not afraid to voice an opinion on subjects that are spun in a different light within our home countries by media outlets with an agenda. According to Business Insider, six news corporations control 90% of the news outlets. So, generally I don't agree with folks in my home country who devour main stream news hook, line, and sinker. All you need to do is look at MSM reporting of events in Thailand and compare them to the day-to-day realities that you yourself experience. There are always discrepancies inaccuracies, and sensationalism.

What is the best time of year to start tomato plants in North Thailand, and what varieties do well here in Thailand? This is my first year growing them, so I'd like to experiment with various varieties to see what works.

If you live here in Northern Thailand, you'll agree with me that the annual slash and burn of agracultural and forest areas is totally out of control during the hot season. So, not only don't I want to add the the problem, but instead of burning garden wastes, I think it's time to learn the put them back in the soil. It I had the extra money, I'd probably go to Pun Pun north of Chiang Mai and learn from experts. But I don't, so as usual, Thai Visa is my friend, well, as long as I can separate the rice from the chafe if ya know what I mean.

I didn't find much on the subject here on this forum. I looked on the Internet to get ideas about composting. I was originally thinking about building a cider block style 3 bin setup against the far wall of the land boarding our home. However, we also have three large cement cylinders, approximately 5 feet in diameter, that were left over from setting up a water holding tank and increasing the height of our well walls. So, not wanting to waste anything, I believe I have my 3 bins already.

In our yard I have a number of trees: mango, tamerine, lumyai, banana, farang, and other trees I don't know the name of. What I have a excess of is: Leaves. Typically my wife would hire someone to rake up the leaves a couple of times of year, which would then be burnt. So I'd like to start composting this stuff instead. We also have garden waste during the rainy season from things we plant, and of course grasses and weeds.

So how do a start? My guess is that I'll need some sort of 'starter'. I know this is commercially available in the West, but not sure about here. Right now I'm starting with leaves, but where do I go from there? I sure that putting leaves in a compost bin and keeping them moist isn't going to do the trick. More to it than that, I'm sure?

I'd appreciate any constructive advise on how to get started from someone who has been down this road before. I firmly believe that organic material from the yard belongs back in the soil, not in the air.

Yep, prohibition. Let's also ban powder, water guns and pails. Heck with it, let's ban water. There's no stopping these idiots. When they realize how much damage they're going to inflict on the Thai economy, they might wake up.

Once on the path of the liberal, Nanny-state, "Ban-wagon", there's little to do but get out of the way. Stupidity reins until it doesn't. Wash, rinse, repeat ad-infinitum. Human nature. Those who wish to have power over the activities of others simply FBAR the entire system.

Here's a stake and a hammer: Now feel free to hammer that spike right through the heart of the Thai tourist industry.

Eddie Murphy on ghosts:

"It's real scary. You know what I was wondering about movies? I was watching those movies -- I'm moving out of my house, I was watching movies like Poltergeist and Amityville Horror. Why don't the people just get the hell out of the house? ... You can't make a horror movie with black people in it 'cuz the movie'd stop, you'd see n****rs runnin' down the street, the movie's over! ... That's the movie. You can't have a movie like that. See, white people, you all sit on the toilet, see blood in the toilet, and you all go get Ajax. ... Brothers won't sit on the toilet. ... Movie be just like this:

[brother's voice] "Wow, baby, this is beautiful. We got chandelier hangin' up here, kids outside playin', it's a beautiful neighborhood, I really love - this is beaut--"

[demonic whisper] "Get out!"

[brother's voice] "Too bad we can't stay." "

Graphic language warning: Eddie Murphy on Haunted Houses

So, you either leave, or have the monks over. You've got to get your 'spirit houses' set up just right too. Your ghost needs some place to call their own instead of inside your house. lol

PM to lift martial law, invoke Section 44 of interim constitution

BANGKOK: -- The government is preparing to lift the martial law, which has been imposed since May 20 last year, and will instead invoke Section 44 of the interim constitution to exercise its power to maintain law and order in the country, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said after the mobile cabinet meeting in Prachuap Khiri Khan's Hua Hin district on Friday.

When asked by reporters about the criteria for lifting the martial law, Gen Prayut declined to go in detail, saying only that it is his responsibility to keep the situation under control.

“To make it clear, I am now preparing to invoke Section 44 (of the interim constitution) to replace the martial law,” Gen Prayut said.

Gen Prayut said Section 44 would be exercised in the form of an order of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). An NCPO order is more powerful than any other forms of laws or orders, he added.

He said the invocation of Section 44 would depend on the situation. It would be mainly used to guarantee safety of the people’s lives and property and prevent unrest and violence in the country, he added.

Gen Prayut said Section 44 of the interim constitution would be invoked after the martial law, which has been imposed since May 20, two days before the May 22 coup, has been lifted.

The prime minister said the next step for him to do was to forward a draft announcement to revoke the martial law to His Majesty the King for endorsement.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-to-lift-martial-law-invoke-section-44-of-interim-constitution

-- Thai PBS 2015-03-27

Here. Let me channel Hillary Diane Rodham: "What difference does it make?" lol That about sums it up. Personally I could care less what from of governance this country adopts. If folks aren't rioting in the streets, all's well imho. Look at the reality of this world. How many of the most vocal proponents of 'Democracy' are DINOs. What's a DINO: Democracies in Name Only. Unless Thailand devolves into a Stalinistic totalitarian state where folks are being taken out to the rice fields and made into fertilizer, I don't really care. Remember? We're just guests.

They could ask Holland for technical assistance, but that's just not the Thai way. They'll probably wait until the city is partially submerged, they'll authorize a 5 trillion baht mega-project to fix the problem, 3.5 trillion will be siphoned off the top, the ineffective stop-gap measures will be deployed to alleviate the problems where the richest folk live and work, the system will eventually fail leaving the perimeter of the city surrounded by partially completed sea-walls that will become an historic anomaly 1000 years from now, and the capital will be moved back to Ayutthaya (or Chiang Mai if Phua Thai is back in action). Now I'll guess I'll dust that crystal ball of an put it back in the closet.

I also became a refugee from TurboTax since they decided to make taxpayers with investment income upgrade this year. Filled in my forms using TurboTax as usual. Right before had to pay $40 to file electronically (discounted price through Vanguard), previewed my 1040 online (which I couldn't save or print for obvious reasons), wrote down the significant numbers, and abandoned TurboTax. Went over to TaxAct, filled in my forms, made sure I got the same results and using TaxAct filed electronically for free. Although I prefer TurboTax to TaxAct (due to familiarity and and overall belief that TT offers a better experience), if next year TurboTax costs money and TaxAct is free, I will repeat what I did this year.

I hope people who planned to come to Thailand from the US were able to establish residence in a state-income tax free state (and thereby avoid leaving the country from a state with income tax) before coming here. Saves the poor taxpayer from the continuing unwelcome attentions of their former states, some of which may suffer from chronic separation anxiety (e.g, Maryland, Virginia, California, etc.) and require taxpayers to pay or file income tax returns even though you no longer live there.

Tell me it ain't so. Skatewash, are you saying after paying the full price for the Premier version of TurboTax® @ 54.99 USD you were then told you'd need to pay an additional $40 to file online? I hope I misunderstand your post because if that's so it's egregious.

We can file this under "...And All The Other Fun", Lol!

I recommend to purchase Turbo Tax from Amazon. I bought the TurboTax Deluxe 2014 Fed + Fed Efile Tax Software for 29.99 at Amazon.com. That included a software upgrade to Premier for free if the Deluxe forces you to upgrade. I don't have to file state taxes so I get off a bit cheaper. There are some blistering comments in the Amazon comment section that are being address by one of the upper-level execs at Intuit (Turbo Tax). I'm getting the feeling they understand the sh*t-storm they created with the 'new and improved' marketing model. Anyway, check out Amazon because they are offering free upgrades and refunds, and the comment section is worth reading to get Intuit's view on the controversy and how they are trying to mitigate the customer uproar.

FYI, I just keep it all in perspective. My CPA in the US was charging me $115, and when I started working in Thailand a few years back when I first got here, I needed to report that Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. My CPA didn't file my taxes until Oct of that year. She had been my CPA for 15 years, but I dumped her and hired another CPA. Mistake! The new CPA charged me per hour while she was learning how to report the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and the foreign unearned income for interest on my bank account I use to cover my Non-O Marriage extension. Criky, she nailed me for about $250 and couldn't even E-file my return, money-grubbing b.......nevermind. So when I received the return, I went to Amazon, bought Turbo Tax, punched all the number in from the CPAs 1040, checked the accuracy, and E-filed! It probably took me less than an hour. I fired her buns too and have been using Turbo Tax ever since. So, even if Turbo Tax forces me to upgrade to Premium, it's still well under the $115 that my first CPA was charging me. I have no plans to switch to another product.

I'm working on my taxes this evening TurboTax Deluxe 2014 Fed + Fed Efile Tax Software, annnnnd I had to upgrade to Premier. But, no problem at all. It's free, at least with this version that I bought from Amazon. I got to a place in the tax questionnaire where it popped up the screen saying I had to upgrade, it explained it was free - just put the button. So I pushed the upgrade button, saved my return, and the system queried the Internet and returned a receipt and confirmation number. Clicked 'Continue' and I'm now working with the Premier versions. Easy breezy!

I also became a refugee from TurboTax since they decided to make taxpayers with investment income upgrade this year. Filled in my forms using TurboTax as usual. Right before had to pay $40 to file electronically (discounted price through Vanguard), previewed my 1040 online (which I couldn't save or print for obvious reasons), wrote down the significant numbers, and abandoned TurboTax. Went over to TaxAct, filled in my forms, made sure I got the same results and using TaxAct filed electronically for free. Although I prefer TurboTax to TaxAct (due to familiarity and and overall belief that TT offers a better experience), if next year TurboTax costs money and TaxAct is free, I will repeat what I did this year.

I hope people who planned to come to Thailand from the US were able to establish residence in a state-income tax free state (and thereby avoid leaving the country from a state with income tax) before coming here. Saves the poor taxpayer from the continuing unwelcome attentions of their former states, some of which may suffer from chronic separation anxiety (e.g, Maryland, Virginia, California, etc.) and require taxpayers to pay or file income tax returns even though you no longer live there.

Tell me it ain't so. Skatewash, are you saying after paying the full price for the Premier version of TurboTax® @ 54.99 USD you were then told you'd need to pay an additional $40 to file online? I hope I misunderstand your post because if that's so it's egregious.

We can file this under "...And All The Other Fun", Lol!

I recommend to purchase Turbo Tax from Amazon. I bought the TurboTax Deluxe 2014 Fed + Fed Efile Tax Software for 29.99 at Amazon.com. That included a software upgrade to Premier for free if the Deluxe forces you to upgrade. I don't have to file state taxes so I get off a bit cheaper. There are some blistering comments in the Amazon comment section that are being address by one of the upper-level execs at Intuit (Turbo Tax). I'm getting the feeling they understand the sh*t-storm they created with the 'new and improved' marketing model. Anyway, check out Amazon because they are offering free upgrades and refunds, and the comment section is worth reading to get Intuit's view on the controversy and how they are trying to mitigate the customer uproar.

FYI, I just keep it all in perspective. My CPA in the US was charging me $115, and when I started working in Thailand a few years back when I first got here, I needed to report that Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. My CPA didn't file my taxes until Oct of that year. She had been my CPA for 15 years, but I dumped her and hired another CPA. Mistake! The new CPA charged me per hour while she was learning how to report the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and the foreign unearned income for interest on my bank account I use to cover my Non-O Marriage extension. Criky, she nailed me for about $250 and couldn't even E-file my return, money-grubbing b.......nevermind. So when I received the return, I went to Amazon, bought Turbo Tax, punched all the number in from the CPAs 1040, checked the accuracy, and E-filed! It probably took me less than an hour. I fired her buns too and have been using Turbo Tax ever since. So, even if Turbo Tax forces me to upgrade to Premium, it's still well under the $115 that my first CPA was charging me. I have no plans to switch to another product.

Thanks To Each Of You!

I'll Fill-In-A-Few-Blanks.

+ I've lived with her in BKK for about 180 days, over 5 visits.

+ She INSISTED on a marriage Pre-Nup agreement. She owns a BKK condo, gold and a big stock portfolio. She does not need or want what I have. Nor do I want what she has.

+ We met on-line. I was looking for a "Currency Exchange" person for my distribution business. She did not like me at first.

+ She has no interest in bringing any family to Maui.

+ Maui is NOT expensive. If you know how and where to live.

+ I did the "25 year old GF thing". Got tired of that. I don't want children.

+ Patricia does not have children.

My son had her work 15 hours in his business to help him and paid her the standard $13.50 an hour in cash. She is not going anywhere soon.

Best to each of you always!!

I agree. If she was a SET day trader, successful, has assets, she isn't looking for a Sugar Daddy. You got the real deal. Congrats. And Hawaii isn't 'American'. Hawaii is Hawaii and the transition will be a whole lot easier for her than if you lived in some place like Boston, Seattle, Atlanta, Fargo, or even North Hollywood. As long as you can afford the cost of living there, then the best of luck.

Echos of George 'Dubya' in the US. "Of course we need illegal Myammar workers to do the jobs Thai refuse to do."

Give it time, the day will arrive.

There are no jobs people won't do, just wages people won't work for...

Obviously I came from a different time and era, because if I could find a job, I worked. And I did some pretty back-breaking, dirty, dangerous jobs in my lifetime. But it always beat the hell out of being unemployed. People nowadays? I don't know because I simply don't have that "I don't wanna work" mentality. What's the option? Sit on you ass and smoke crack all day? I don't think so.

Every notice just how fast the authorities can get data out of a black box...well, until that plane falls out of the sky over Ukraine. Must have set a precedent. Those two little words: 'national' and 'security' put together seem to have the effect of just sucking the light right out of the room. Just saying.

Hold on to power indefinitely? Ask Saddam and Gaddafi how well that worked out for them. You're only allowed to hold on to power indefinitely until those folks with drones, Tomahawk missiles, and advanced Electronic Warfare systems decide to upset the apple cart (or Somtom cart in this case).

I've no real opinion here, just a casual observer of events on the world stage.

For those traveling to Northern Thailand, the wrong image was posted in the article. This is more like it:

Echos of George 'Dubya' in the US. "Of course we need illegal Myammar workers to do the jobs Thai refuse to do."

Give it time, the day will arrive.

Oh common I do not think Power is the reason for sexual advances. Yes the Powder made me do it

I don't think so They will find another excuse to grope some girl or lady boy

I keep giving beautiful Thai women powder, but I've yet to have them grope me. Darn!

In this day and age why can't they set up a machine gun with pin point accuracy linked to a computer and simply press a button?

It's just substitution a mechanical trigger for an electric one. Someone is still touching it off. Same with hanging, electric chair, gas, drugs - someone has to pull the trigger.

Some of these most evil people like Timothy McVeigh who blew up the federal building in Oklahoma and killed 160 people shouldn't have money wasted on them. Bullets cost money. They should have just hanged him in the public square as notice to everyone that society doesn't tolerate that behavior. Deterrent or not, he won't be doing it again.

Look up the Julian Gallows which was used on Tom Horn in the 1800s. Nobody wants to 'pull the lever' as with the Julian Gallows the condemn steps on the trap door which unplugs a water filled counter weight. Once the water empties, the trap opens. Interesting history.