connda

Thank you for your research and explanations, CaptHaddock. I feel more comfortable with decision (actually the reality) that Hubby must forego Medigap since he hasn't been back to the U.S. for years and doesn't plan to return anytime soon. And since we no longer own property there. Good to someone has a two month window to enroll upon return and no penalty like there is when you forego Part B (which he did get).

Now the next hurdle will be to figure out how to obtain an exemption from the mandatory requirement for younger people (like Hubby's child bride -- me) to have health insurance under Obamacare. That requirement becomes law in a a year or two, doesn't it. Oh well -- guess we'll start a new Thaivisa thread on that subject......

NancyL. As long as you are an expat, you will not be required to purchase insurance under the ACA if you meet the requirements below.

See http://www.irs.gov/uac/Questions-and-Answers-on-the-Individual-Shared-Responsibility-Provision Topic 12:

12. Are US citizens living abroad subject to the individual shared responsibility provision?

Yes. However, U.S. citizens who are not physically present in the United States for at least 330 full days within a 12-month period are treated as having minimum essential coverage for that 12-month period. In addition, U.S. citizens who are bona fide residents of a foreign country (or countries) for an entire taxable year are treated as having minimum essential coverage for that year. In general, these are individuals who qualify for a foreign earned income exclusion under section 911 of the Internal Revenue Code. Individuals may qualify for this rule even if they cannot use the exclusion for all of their foreign earned income because, for example, they are employees of the United States. Individuals that qualify for this rule need take no further action to comply with the individual shared responsibility provision during the months when they qualify. See Publication 54, Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad, for further information on the foreign earned income exclusion.

@jingjoke, on 25 Apr 2014 - 14:17, said:

I don't think you have to worry about Karma. Karma is in a cosmic trance. It's spaced out.
Ever notice any of the alleged evil psychopaths in Thailand, or elsewhere in the world for that matter, meeting head-on with Karma? No - very unlikely.
Why? Karma is wishful revenge, and it's not going to do your job of setting things right as you see them.
Life isn't fair unfortunately; best get used to it....

I took the word 'fair' out of my personal dictionary long ago.

Laura Bush, the wife of George W. Bush, ran a stop sign as a teenager in Texas and killed the driver of another car, who apparently had previously been her boyfriend. It's not known whether LB was drunk at the time since she was never tested for alcohol and, indeed, was never charged at all in the accident. Pretty much the same story as here.

17 years ago a 20 year old boy took his truck around a hair-pin turn in the road a over twice the speed limit. He didn't make the turn and ended up crashing. End result: he walked away with out a scratch and my only daughter dies.

The kid got a ticket and had to pay a fine of $400 for reckless driving. I took him to civil court and he pleaded bankruptcy.

Twisted justice isn't just for the rich, although they get their disproportional share.

Now he's a 37 year old man with children of his own. Maybe their is a psychological justice that I'm not aware of. I wonder if he'll very let his daughter drive with a teenage boy at the wheel?

If you had got a judgment against, even if you were not able to collect on it because he had no assets at the time, the judgment is normally good for twenty years. "Revenge is a plate best served cold." In any case sorry to hear that your family was similarly victimized.

I don't think I'll ever 'get over it', but over time I've gained a certain level of acceptance...and even forgiveness. I've learned that if I hold on to it too tightly, the only one that gets burned is myself. Some things you just need to let go of in order to get on with your own life. But it is a life-changing event. And regarding forcing the kid into bankruptcy? I didn't against my attorney's recommendation. I didn't see how making his life difficult was going to serve any purpose. Would it bring my daughter back? No. So I let that go too. I'm not a revengeful person. Don't need that particular karma hanging over my head.

Laura Bush, the wife of George W. Bush, ran a stop sign as a teenager in Texas and killed the driver of another car, who apparently had previously been her boyfriend. It's not known whether LB was drunk at the time since she was never tested for alcohol and, indeed, was never charged at all in the accident. Pretty much the same story as here.

17 years ago a 20 year old boy took his truck around a hair-pin turn in the road a over twice the speed limit. He didn't make the turn and ended up crashing. End result: he walked away with out a scratch and my only daughter dies.

The kid got a ticket and had to pay a fine of $400 for reckless driving. I took him to civil court and he pleaded bankruptcy.

Twisted justice isn't just for the rich, although they get their disproportional share.

Now he's a 37 year old man with children of his own. Maybe their is a psychological justice that I'm not aware of. I wonder if he'll very let his daughter drive with a teenage boy at the wheel?

I signed up for Medicare Part B when I retired at the age of seventy. I'm forced to pay a higher premium due to my income. The more you make, the higher your premium goes! Right now it's wasted money but if I should have to repatriate due to poor health, it will be money well spent. I didn't buy Medigap or Part D because I am from California and having to pay state tax would take a huge bite out of my income. I'm not sure that the OP's understanding of the two-month window to enroll for a Medicare Advantage program upon repatriation is correct. If you miss the window for enrollment when you first sign up for Part B, I think that you have to wait for the yearly open enrollment season after you go back.

Just curious, but approximately how much are you paying for your Part B if you don't mind disclosing? Thanks.

Given adequate time, most modern free-market societies devolve into fascism. Thailand's well on it's way. Considering these boys have probably never done a productive day's work to earn their own money, chances are they will 'be placed' into positions of political power by their families and elite friends for lack of anything better to do. So yes, they probably will be Thailand's Future leaders. It's the way of the world. Nothing new under the sun. And to be honest, it won't make a bit of difference. So to quote Bobby McFarrin, "Don't worry, be happy!"

Phuket Police brutality at heart of mega-blockade

Phuket Gazette

The blockade left thousands of motorists caught in Phukets worst traffic jam on record. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Four police officers were removed from active duty last night to bring an eight-hour blockade of Phukets critical Thepkrasattri Road to an end at about 11:30pm.

The officers Lt Akarapol Siwilai, Sub Lt Manus Faipetch, Sgt Maj Sansak Choti and Sgt Yongyuth Ritplud, all of the Tah Chat Chai Police Station were transferred to Phuket Provincial Hall with immediate effect.

They will face an inquiry into allegations they struck three teenagers during questioning over the brutal rape of a 25-year-old pregnant woman on Sunday night. The three teenagers did not include the twin brothers who later confessed to the rape (story here).

Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut arrived at the blockade, just north of the turnoff to Phuket International Airport, at about 9:45pm after hours of fruitless negotiations by the Phuket Police to bring the roadblock to an end.

By that time, thousands of motorists were stuck in Phukets biggest traffic jam on record, with scores of tourists delayed from reaching their departing flights.

Negotiations were held at the Baan Mak Prok Mosque, where Governor Maitri presented the mob leaders with the official transfer order for the four officers, signed by Phuket Provincial Deputy Commander Col Peerayut Karajedee.

As per your second request, I will see if I can get the four officers to apologize, and to have civil defense volunteer bodyguards protect the three teenagers until they feel safe, Governor Maitri said.

I will also pass on your final request that the superintendent of Tah Chat Chai Police be transferred should this kind of situation happen again.

Governor Maitri also extended his apologies over the incident directly to the parents of the three teenagers involved.

While negotiations were underway, scuffles broke out among the crowd. One incident flared up as a teenager took photos of those taking part in the blockade.

Airport chief plays down delayed takeoffs

Phuket Airport Director Pratuang Sornkham confirmed that 26 flights were delayed by the blockade, as travellers could not reach the airport in time for their scheduled flights.

Flights were delayed by at least two hours as passengers could not make it to the airport in time, he told the Phuket Gazette. Most of the flights were international.

To assist tourists caught in the monster tailback, shuttle vans were dispatched to bring them to the airport along an old secondary road and airport officers launched a phone campaign to inform as many travel companies as possible of the blockade.

Even though a lot of flights were delayed, I have been informed that none of the passengers booked on those flights were left behind, Mr Patuang said. They were all able to board their planes.

Kritsada Mueanhawong

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phuket-Police-brutality-heart-megablockade/29228#ad-image-0

-- Phuket Gazette 2014-04-24

[/qu

Is it just me or is this report from the Phuket News completely different from the report from the Nation. The Nation states that the protesters blocked the road because the police didn't bring the 17 year old twins for a reenactment of the crime and the Phuket news states that the protesters were there because the police struck 3 teenagers during questioning about the crime.

No apologies to the passengers that missed flights. No repercussions for the mob leaders who caused a monetary loss to the airlines who now have to sort out the mess with rightfully angry passengers, and the passengers who will have to shell out additional funds while they wait for rescheduled flights.

Run the protesters over and call it a day. As for the twins... Cage match fight to the death will dull spoons.

Give them to Khun Newin. I'm sure he has some Muay Thai boxers that could take good care of them.

Moronic mob mentality, they ahve already caught the 2 responsible what the <removed> did they expect to achieve? Once again the paymasters(tourists) are made to suffer for this medieval village mentality. The fact we still refer, with some reverence/fear, to vilage chiefs in these matters beggars belief in 2014!

Yet again the BIB are powerless/clueless or unable to perform their civic duties - I am sure there is a law/word for this, time for the armt to take control

99% of the time I would agree with your statement but this case is so... evil that I understand their rage, medievel village justice may just fit this crime.

I understand their rage too, but it's so incredibly misdirected. Block the road around the police station and rant and rave.

dwcrist, on 23 Apr 2014 - 17:14, said:

All these accidents recently only go to show how disorganized and unprofessional the systems and people in charge are here. You are put in charge of something here because of who you know, not for what you know or can do. And keeping your position is based on who is in power and not on how you or those under you perform.

No legal reforms will address this. And even if laws are made to remedy this, they will just be ignored whenever convenient like so many are everyday. Reforms need to happen to the Thai mindset and mentality more so than the laws.

Agreed

Dude needs a change in diet. Too much roughage.

If opening up an account in either HK or Singapore then expect to have the overhead of an occasional visit there. If you don't want that then stick to Thailand.

You do know that HSBC has been in the papers lately?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/08/08/hsbcs-1-9-billion-money-laundering-fine-and-the-somalian-cost-of-bank-regulation/

Wasn't that something like $1.9B fine for laundering about $9B in cartel drug money, and nobody goes to jail. I'm still trying to process that one. That's like 5 weeks of operating profit -- whack whack -- nice hand slap. Go with HSBC. Too big to fail, too big to jail. You're money will be in good hands.

So the bars now have not bar girls and the massage shops have no masseuses. Must be terribly boring in Pattaya.

What do you think of cheating farang husbands ?

Yermanee

They probably have cheating Thai wives.

Hasn't he personally arrested Suthep yet?

Really? Justice prevails? Mom and Dad didn't pay the right people the correct amount of money. Wow! I'm shocked! Not

"The prison term, however, was commuted to four year probation instead with 48 hours of charity working for one year."

Yeah, this is still Thailand!

The nasty side of Songkran.

Nasty side of Thai males.

Let me sum it up:

If you don't like hanging out with the in-laws in their village, then don't go.

I you enjoy hanging out wth the in-laws in their village, then go.

If you have never hung out with the in-laws in the village, at least try it once before forming an opinion. Once you have an opinion, stand by it.

If your neutral, some times you go and some times you don't.

Always be willing to send the Tii Rak even if you don't plan to accompany her.

Easy breezy!

No shocks there, the day is coming!

Then the West can bring in the Al-Nusra Front to foment a Syrian type chaos in the LOS. Gotta keep the Western defense contractors in the green. Nothing like a good civil war on somebody else's turf to make that happen. Red against Yellow, Yellow against Red, and imported Wahabi jihadists added to the mix to counter the Hezbollah insurgency, while destabilizing the region and loping off the heads of Buddhist and Shia infidels. Let's see if that fire get's stoked up or not. What do the Shi'ite's gain by attacks in Thailand? Their a long way form home, and for what purpose? The majority of Thai Muslims are Sunnis. This doesn't add up. All it tells me that there is a good chance of bomb attacks starting to happen throughout Thailand and then blamed on Hebollah. Who's really behind the curtain pulling the levers?

Just my humble analysis. I know nothing.

"Just my humble analysis. I know nothing."

Indeed.

Prehaps you can enlighten the rest of us? I'm simply looking for answers. You must have an opinion. I'd like to here it.

Yeah, very brave. Having a professional Muay thai boxer kick the sh*t out of someone with limited fighting skills. The Newton should get in the ring first to show how much of a man he is. Pathetic. Under these circumstances, I hope the Human Rights Commission gets invovled.

If I get called farang I point out that I am not a farang, but Khymer.

Pom mai pben khon farang, pom pben khon Khymer na khrap.

This usually confuddles their two brain cells for a couple of days.

Probably as they are trying to figure out if that is the same thing as 'khmen'.

Considering they call Cambodia "Cam-bo-ria", lord only knows how they pronounce Khymer.

Cambodian:

เขมร

kà-măyn

Cambodia:

กัมพูชา ;

ประเทศกัมพูชา ;

เขมร

gam-poo-chaa ;

bprà-tâyt gam-poo-chaa ;

kà-măyn

yeah, no "Cam-bo-ria" there...

My Thai wife pronounces it Cam-bo-ria. "Hey wife, how do you say Cambodia." Yep, Cam-bo-ria. So you can't find it in a dictionary or online. I talking to a Thai. That's all.

In some countries police car are not painted just ordinary car to enforce road users , hope Thailand will these cars one day.

Sadly wont make any difference. I took a minibus recently from Hua Hin to BKK and on a three lane highway without any thought or fear the driver overtook a marked highway patrol police car on the inside doing 120 KPH.

I've never seen a 'hot-pursuit' or a police officer issuing a moving violation to a driver. Only roadblocks.