TravelerEastWest

That's what I have experienced - although you are more diligent with your filter cleaning...

Simple answer - pay someone to care for your dog...

Why every 4 to 6 months for service? We do them about once a year (Daikin and Carrier) and rarely have problems... But we are in Chiang mai so maybe not as much use as Bangkok? Carrier has an interesting history in the AC industry but Daikin seems to have better parts availability in Thailand.

Correct - I understand...

Some of us are working long hours and have children - for us using an agent to get an appointment and be in and out of immigration in less than an hour is well worth it. If I had lots of time and not much money I would do all the paperwork myself... Most of the visa extension requirements are simple except when iO add or change things at the last minute and different offices require different things...

I am only concerned about income so I am OK and I keep buying a small amount regularly...

Just started this month getting SS so no 1099 yet... But the letter looks very official maybe it will work along with another form/letter from my old home state with an absentee ballot form which has my name and address. Either way I can wait its not urgent...

Not sure about the no ATM rule for direct deposit as I just started receiving earlier this month a SS direct deposit to a normal Bangkok Bank savings account which allows ATM cards. As for filling out the form as with most things in Thailand you just need to politely patiently talk to teh bank - ask for teh manager if staff don't understand...

Many thanks for your detailed reply. I got up to the point just before the video. They agreed that I didn't have what they need on that day. But I didn't think about my annual Bangkok Bank statement. I usually get one to renew my marriage visa. Also I do have my recent Social Security award letter which is in English and addresses to my Thai address - so perhaps that will work?

The reminder email is a great feature!

ID.me was not possible for me as I don't have a document in English to prove my current address. My Electric bill etc are in Thai. But I recently got a Social security letter in english with my Thai address perhaps taht will worK? "A document that provides/proves your current address, matches with what you submit for verification (Unfortunately, this is going to be one of the more difficult documents to submit as the document needs to be in English or provide an English translation)"

Online accounts are not always easy to setup - at least not for me - I have an American passport and social security number and family house in the States (as well as a house in Thailand where my social security mail goes to) but do not have a current US drivers license which may be my problem? Anyway I can't do an online account as they say they can't verify me...? Going to the states to do SS paperwork is not an option for me for more than one reason... So I may have to use our friends in Manila again - slow and poor communication skills but in the end they get the job done...

For me online is not possible - I got an error message that they could not match me to my social security or address or something like that - it wasn't clear... I will try to call and if that doesn't work go through our friends in Manila...

I agree with your comments about Manila. I am going to change from a Thai bank to US bank but I will send teh money once a year as the transfer fees are too high....

Thank you. But how do I do this? I am in Thailand and do not visit America.

Update: I just received my first Social Security payment to my normal Bangkok Bank savings account. Everything went smoothly but I think I will change to having the money sent to my American bank account and once a year sent to Thailand as the transfer/sending amount was too high. Anyone know how long it takes to change to having the money sent to my American account? Should I go through Maryland or the PI office? (I am in Thailand)

Worldwide income for Americans is taxed except for exceptions such as earned income to a certain amount etc. if the US Thai tax treaty has an exemption for your certain investment you would be OK.

Not sure how wide you need but I wear a 9 - 6 E SL2 last (wide toe box) New Balance shoe and so far I have not found anything available in Thailand so I order from America - no problem at all just expensive. although I get them via my sister as I get other clothes at the same time. Good luck with your shopping!

You are taking some information out of context. Masks are not perfect (nor are vaccines) but properly sued are very helpful in slowing teh spread of covid lots of good information out there in support of tis here is just one example from the Mayo clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449 I notice that you have no links in support of masks not being useful... Vaccines are what is saving us from many many more deaths and hospitalizations... plenty of information to support this. From what I read vaccines clearly help to prevent covid infections but even more important they help keep you out of the hospital and not dying - sounds good to me. Again no one thing will protect you from COVID you need to get the vaccine and wear masks use alcohol and wash your hands and so on... I wonder what the habits were of the teachers and students in your local school that you cite as an example? Also maybe even more important did teh get Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the less useful, Chinese vaccines? Sweden: https://sweden.se/life/society/sweden-and-corona-in-brief They have a high vaccination rating Sweden: Are you saying that the Swedish government didn't know what theywq ere doing and wasted their money ? "Swedish Covid-19 vaccinations started in December 2020. At the end of March 2022, 87 per cent of the population aged 12 or older had been vaccinated with at least two doses. Of the population aged 18 or older, 62 per cent had been vaccinated with three doses." Actually Sweden had restrictions but relied on a public information campaign to persuade citizens

The flu is very different - for example vaccines for most of the strains have been available for a long time.

Certainly. I have a garden and an orchard so lots of organic fruits and beans and vegetables as the base of my diet. So my food is fresh with plenty of nutrients and clean.

Good point about eating outside and masks - I do not eat in restaurants since covid and have no intention of doing so in the near future. Eating at home is much healthier at least for me it is. Good news if Delta does not exist anymore or new similar varieties can't evolve but I am not so sure about that so for now temperature checks seem useful although not as useful as before.

I do think/hope that over time vaccines/ and covid treatment will be more effective and COVID will be under reasonable control. Sorry to hear that you feel that masks and temperature checks are pointless; every doctor that I have asked about this doesn't agree with your view. Masks especially are very useful. The West does not always do what is correct. A friend of mine in California recently got COVID and after five days his ATK results were still positive yet current rules in California allowed him to go outside...

Thank you for your kind words. Of course kids need to go back to school but all teachers and students need to be vaccinated (unless there is a special reason not to) - masks need to be worn until the situation is under control. As well as temperature checks and regular ATK checks and Zoom meetings for school conferences shood be available just like disabled parking and wheelchair access etc. My two teenagers have been back at school for roughly a couple of months now. My paint is that things are not normal now and we shouldn't fool ourselves into thinking that they are...