This is really part of a bigger topic as to how many expats are unprepared for death.

I ask people: what about your Thai condo, your motorbikes, your bank account when you pass?

They just shrug their shoulders totally clueless.

How very stupid and ignorant.

My suggestion is to go to a good attorney and get your affairs in order.

We all will die.  So, make the proper plan for it....

1 minute ago, bkk6060 said:

This is really part of a bigger topic as to how many expats are unprepared for death.

I ask people: what about your Thai condo, your motorbikes, your bank account when you pass?

They just shrug their shoulders totally clueless.

How very stupid and ignorant.

My suggestion is to go to a good attorney and get your affairs in order.

We all will die.  So, make the proper plan for it....

Everything (cars, motorbikes, condos, townhouse, land, etc) is in my wifes name, except my Thai Bank Account that is needed for Extensions. All my assets/insurance/etc in the US are in my name only, she is the beneficiary, so assets here should be all set. 

16 hours ago, losworld said:

Hey usa embassy how about spending some effort to prevent aging veterans from being deported from Thailand with the recent visa changes you rolled over for instead of spending your time writing travel features!!!!

They could also better spend that time going back to writing income certification letters.

2 minutes ago, ramr said:

They could also better spend that time going back to writing income certification letters.

But it never was an income certification letter & that is where the problem began

 

Once Thailand realized it was just a certification that someone claimed something in front of them & nothing more

well we know the next step was Thailand telling them to guarantee it was true....they say they cannot

 

 

1 hour ago, Benmart said:

Oh dear. If you are a USA citizen and so unhappy, you are free to renounce your citizenship and find another country that suits your needs.

Actually I think many folks would secede if allowed but...none can give up citizenship unless they already have

another in place. Your not allowed to be Stateless & if you have decent $$ you also are required to pay an exit tax ????

 

 

On 5/2/2019 at 3:10 PM, losworld said:

Hey usa embassy how about spending some effort to prevent aging veterans from being deported from Thailand with the recent visa changes you rolled over for instead of spending your time writing travel features!!!!

I believe it was Thai Immigration, not the US embassy, that insisted on "show me the money." If your bogus income letter no longer works, adios mo' fo'. I'm sorry your career pattern didn't quite allow for a decent retirement. But that's certainly not a problem for the Thais to absorb.

44 minutes ago, JimGant said:

I believe it was Thai Immigration, not the US embassy, that insisted on "show me the money."

Funny how Thai Immigration is not insisting on the same for Canada, New Zealand, Germany, Russia, China, France, Italy, Spain, et. al.

On 5/2/2019 at 7:21 AM, wwest5829 said:

Aside from the inability to return stateside if too ill to fly, I am wondering if anyone has done an analysis of the cost difference if Medicare were to approve healthcare coverage to approved hospitals in Thailand? In Thailand, we can receive world-class healthcare at a fraction of the cost for the same care in the U.S. I support extending Medicare coverage in Thailand on the same basis that earned military medical benefits are paid in Thailand. By either military service or civilian service with premiums paid, the benefits have been earned.

Romney wanted to give people vouchers for Medicare... a total win win for all... I believe  Medicare cost the taxpayers about 1200 per person, per month.. 500 a month would go quite far here for health insurance or even self insurance.  Ever seen Democrats Abroad or AARP show support for vouchers?  No way... it just isn't in their DNA to take control away from the Federal Government.  Same reasoning behind not privatizing SS or even having a sovereign wealth fund.  Yet, the Left constantly laude Canada, Singapore, Japan, and Norway as socialist eutopias, but each one of them invest their nations wealth in private sector investments. 

On 5/3/2019 at 7:30 AM, jayboy said:

On 5/2/2019 at 7:41 AM, Emdog said:

Successful aging  health guide:

1. be born in country with universal health care, preferably Scandinavian

 

How about being born in any advanced country with the exception of the United States?

 

Why would anyone think the Government is going to take care of the individual better than the individual can take care of themselves?

 

Why should the Government be financially responsible to take care of the individual that hasn't been financially responsible to take care of themselves?

 

more democratic socialist (aka socialist) rhetoric 

 

It scares the bejesus out of me to think the Government wants to help me. 

 

 

36 minutes ago, zydeco said:

Funny how Thai Immigration is not insisting on the same for Canada, New Zealand, Germany, Russia, China, France, Italy, Spain, et. al.

So, all these countries are certifying income documents to the satisfaction of Thai Immigration? That Belgium was not was kind of a wake up call..... There must be some others out there that don't pass Thailand's certification requirement......at least the requirements put forth to the US, Oz, UK, and Danish embassies.

13 hours ago, MickeyDelux said:

Why would anyone think the Government is going to take care of the individual better than the individual can take care of themselves?

 

Why should the Government be financially responsible to take care of the individual that hasn't been financially responsible to take care of themselves?

 

more democratic socialist (aka socialist) rhetoric 

 

It scares the bejesus out of me to think the Government wants to help me. 

In the US the individual generally takes care of healthcare costs through employer paid for insurance or government schemes like Medicare.I don't see that this is much to do with individual initiative.The system is a patchwork with no universally accessible way to access it.The US system differs from all those of all other advanced countries so it takes a particular combination of stupidity and arrogance to believe there is nothing to learn from other countries' experience.It is also misconceived to think the US Government does not help with healthcare because it is hugely involved.

 

The great positive in the US is that at the highest level it is the world leader in healthcare and with unlimited funds I cannot think of a better place to be treated..The great problem is its affordability so that incredibly for an advanced nation, many thousands go bankrupt each year because of medical costs - even those who have some kind of insurance.There is nothing wrong with a patchwork system as such and many advanced European countries have a mixture of private and public elements.President Obama attempted to fill in the gaps but was opposed by an enraged conservative element, of which I imagine you are a typical member given your somewhat bizarre rant.

 

Meanwhile health outcomes are rather poor compared with other developed countries, sometimes dropping to third world levels.I would agree the average American receives good healthcare but many in the lower income groups do not.The public toleration of this disgrace has much to do with historic American individualism but also endemic racism.

 

 

 

 

Perhaps this is just one more instance that if you can't afford insurance in Thailand, then maybe you can't afford to live in Thailand.  We hear this daily out here for different issues, insurance is just another.

Edited May 5, 20197 yr by wisperone

On 5/4/2019 at 6:05 PM, MickeyDelux said:

Why would anyone think the Government is going to take care of the individual better than the individual can take care of themselves?

 

Why should the Government be financially responsible to take care of the individual that hasn't been financially responsible to take care of themselves?

 

more democratic socialist (aka socialist) rhetoric 

 

It scares the bejesus out of me to think the Government wants to help me.  

People who go bankrupt every year because of medical bills:

UK - 0
France - 0
Spain - 0
Portugal- 0
Denmark - 0
Australia - 0
Iceland - 0
Italy - 0
Finland - 0
Ireland - 0
Germany - 0
Netherlands - 0
Sweden - 0
Japan - 0
Chile - 0

America - 643,000