BB1955

You can go to the US Embassy or to one of their Outreach locations and get an affidavit of income. The US Embassy allows you to fill in any amount without verified income.

Thai Emigration accepts this affidavit without question.

Wrong there ,, They are now making you provide a letter from you pension company or a tax statement showing that you do in fact get that much money ... Marrage extentions are processed in Bangkok and then sent back to what ever location you applied . Thats why you have to come back 30 days later ..... It is different on a retirement visa thay are all done right there where you apply ....

I get mine at Rimping Hang dong I have them slice it paper thin . Its very greasey and has alot more fat in it than what I got back in the USA . I have had a few sticks shipped over from the US it was a real treat while it lasted ....... The best italian sausage I have found is from the [email protected] and I think I have tried about everyones ..... If anyone wants to see about splitting the shipping on a box from the US PM me ..... I might be able to get some shipped over .......

Too bad I did enjoy dropping in from time to time foods good .

True one point brought up . If you do buy a house and its in your wifes name . Its best to get a will done willing everything to you if she dies or falls in front of a big truck one day to leave you a widower.... The house becomes yours but you must sell or transfer it to a Thai within one year ... I have heard and know of different situations that a 30 year lease agreement is another form of protection .. But heard both bad and good I think it depends on where its registered .......

Here its every person for themselves ... There is no pro active enforcement here . I am amazed at the lack of crime here based on the protection you get from the police .... If in the USA police operated as they do here it would be complete kaos.... Having been a police officer for too many years learned serveral things you can do to deter being a victim .......

Dont be flashey with money be polite and dont kringe when its time for bed and everyone sleeps in the same room on the floor . If you ate beans that day everyone will know its you ... Remember its a squat toilet not a sit down one . And no that big cement thing filled with water isnt the bath tub... And dont double dip with your fork and spoon ......

Oh yea remember the experience because you go once you will go often ..... The fan also is used to keep the mosquitos off you ........

Best to just laugh and go on. They will use up there 9 lives one day ... Expect anything and be amazed at nothing ....

Just use good comon sense reguarless of how long you havve been together ... Like they say you never really know a woman until you divorce them . Im sure the same is true here as well . If you buy a house , thats what you ve done bought a house , maybe it will be yours maybe it wont ..... Like the saying goes dont spend what you are not willing to walk away from .... And here lending money is like giving it away .....

Asked:

My wife also is worry what she needs to do if I pass away. I am an American and she is Thai, not an American citizen, do not speak English, and dot have US SS number. She will need my modest retirement to keep life going...Can you tell me what you did to help your wife in the same case? Thank you.

Sam

Saudade53 at hotmail

Not much you can do unfortunately. THe rules for US SS is that for a wife to receive survivors benefits she must have resided in the US for I think it's 2 years and have a SS #. No exceptions. Looked into this in detail about 3 years ago for a friend that died here who had married a THai lady just 6 months before he passed away.

She has to have resided in the USA for 5 years living with you as your spouse ..... If thats not the case all she can get is one time death benifits ............

I have been buying what pills I take at the Pharmacy on Walking Street just down from Thaphe Gate . The two ladys that work there are honest and very helpful and they have most everything .

Thus far Bangkok Bank is the only bank that has a branch in the US . Being it has a routing number that can be used by any other bank in the USA to transfer funds . I have my funds directed to a US bank first as a buffer . Then a transfer from that bank to Bangkok bank NY branch . Becasue I do it this way I can transfer into a joint account that my wife can also access. If it was coming direct from my pension to Bangkok Bank. The account would have to be in my name only and no atm card on that account . You must go to the counter in person and transfer the money . Doing it this way I dont have to wire transfer where the fees are high . I usually have my money available in 5 days .... Good thing is I have everything set up automatic I do nothing just sit back everymonth and wait for the funds ....

I wonder if you could do like they do at Walmart in the US. Just pull into any Big Parking lot and set up house keeping ....

I will aggree the consulate here in Chiang Mai is little help to foreign spouses . I once helped a lady whos husband passed away . She spoke no english. They had her filling out all kinds of forms and had her thinking she would get monthly checks . Which was not the case ,, she had never lived in the USA and they knew it ... I emailed the embassy and explained to them what they were telling her was incorrect . Only to get an email back telling me how well trained they are in these matters .... B.S I wish they had used gramar check on the letter they sent me ....

As for this problem she should open up a Bangkok Bank account and it must be in her name only . Then have the checks directed to the NY Branch . very small fee attached ......

They also will not take your blood if you take blood thiners as in warfrin ....

I always worried about the ones that didnt say it , but I knew they wanted to casue harm and havoc . The ones that threaten thats usually all they ever do .....

Dont quite think the job market here is as open as you would think . Understand that if you dont have a work permit you can face some serious punishment and fines if you are caught working without one . Its also my understanding that in order to get a work permit to teach you must have atleast a bachelors degree . Most office jobs are taken by Thai's at Thai wages . If you are not dependant on an income here by all means this is a great place to live ....

What I was told was there was a time when a foreign husband or wife of a Thai who was in the country under a spouse based visa and obtained a yellow book showing there residence in Thailand was added into the registry when the Yellow book is processed in Bangkok . At that time there ID number was placed into the health care system and allowed them to get care under the 30 baht plan . I was told since then they have stopped adding the ID numbers into the system in Bangkok . So when you go to the hospital show them the yellow book they attempt to enter your ID number but the computer will not except it . Thats what happened to me and I was standing right there at the computer when she tried . She went on to say that those already in the system where being honored ... So if you got on it good for you .... Still if I just got a yellow book I would still attempt to get on it , never hurts to try . Again if someone else knows different share it with everyone .

Grace bakery has the best Crosants I have had anywhere . I think they are about 18 baht each but well worth the extra . They are on Somong Road next to the Texas BBQ > Great sandwiches too . But if you want the crossants get there when they open because they dont last long .... Grace is on face book too

Another..... see Remarks at the bottom of page :

http://whothailand.healthrepository.org/bitstream/123456789/590/1/National%20Health%20Act_2007.pdf

Both are easy to understand but didnt seem to answer the question . Just how the sytem is set up . Or did I miss something ?

Open your book. Top of the first page, 4 numbers then a dash then 6 numbers. If the first number of the 6 is not a 5 or 6 your stuffed. That's what I was told. I have a 0, and that's what it means.

I have a 0 as well and was not able to get on it ....

Ok I got the yellow book a couple of months ago in Hang Dong . We had gone to the hospital a few weeks prior and they were not sure if I would be covered or not . After getting the book we took it to the hospital they checked on the computer and advised I could not be covered . She stated that there was a time it was open to foreigners married to Thai s . But that has stopped . Now please if anyone knows different please tell me ..

Prior to that my wife got her book for the house . She took it to the hospital and was excepted and has used it a few times .

But Please if anyone knows insurance can be got with the yellow book and a way to do it I would like to know ....

When my wife worked back in my home country she sent 3 to 4 thousand a month home . She has one older sisiter and one older brother . Often times I would notice a somber look on her face after calling home , later to find out family needed money . I later learned it was her older brother presuring her to send more money home . I never gave an inch . I learned later he was making about 6 or 7 thousand baht a day from his wife cooking at the road side cafe we had bought her parents . Well his greed got him his wife took to gambling and left him leaving about 100,000 baht in un paid gambling debt ... No one to cook and no money coming in and two kids to put through school . I still did not budge .

After we moved here he called wanting to borrow 3000 baht , I said no ,,, We are not starting this .... Wife said give it to him he will not pay it back so next time he calls we can say no you never paid back last time ... So I did and sure enough three years later never paid it back ... If MIL sick wife will go down and help out , we dont send money every month , sister helps little bit but not much. Brother inlaws kids just suck up what the MIL and FIL have ... Wife went down and tossed one of the kids out , only to come back and find he had moved back in with his girlfriend .... Its sad but the tendency is to have kids let the grandparents deal with them while the parents are off doing what ever they want ....

Word to the wise if you start giving the more will be expected .. Best to nip it quick even if you have to sleep on the couch a few nights ....

When I smoked and walked that area I always put my cigarette out and keep them until I see a trash bin or get to a 7/11 they always have a bin outside ... I just wish the litter thing would catch on here everywhere ... Not just in the tourst areas ...

Hi guys, thanks so much for all your help! I will go over to cigars for a few days until Im back home. Cheers and thanks again. Joakim

There is a shop at the Moat near Thepae Gate that sells it a block past Mad Dogs on the left . Nice people she keeps it in the cooler and its 250 baht per can ....If you need better directions let me know ... Its made in Thailand and pretty good ..