.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png.8488ab72b8bb2e508209bfe3211b6e08.png)
-
Recently Browsing 0 members
- No registered users viewing this page.
-
Topics
-
-
Latest posts...
-
80
Brian Thompson’s killing sparks outrage over state of US healthcare
It is weird. I had a medical incident 6 years ago that racked up $300,000. Before anyone thinks that is outrageous I was in the hospital with extensive care (part of the time in ER and on the operating table). 3 months in a private room. Near death and lots of specialists. I had/have Blue Shield/Blue Cross of California insurance. There are several levels of insurance one can choose and I wisely chose to buy a higher level than basic coverage BEFORE I had this incident. My cost out of pocket was $0. I have also had 2 knee replacements and a hip replacement. Hip was in 2023. In all cases my cost was zero. Also of note was the care I got in all cases was excellent. Plus the knees and hip replacements were scheduled within a few weeks of me deciding that was the only solution for me. No waiting list and I chose who I thought would do a better job. In my case excellent service and coverage. Of course I paid a higher premium and can afford to pay that. So yes advantage to having accumulated some wealth. I have a relative that is broke. She has had multiple surgeries and needs to be fed via a tube which is provided to them. He is so weak he can barely walk. He didn't work in America and doesn't qualify for some of the retirement benefits most Americans get. And she isn't a US citizen. They keep racking up bills which will never be paid but keep getting service when in need. Ambulances arrive and hospitals help them. Yes, on paper they have been made bankrupt for medical bills. In reality they will die with that debt and the hospital will eat that loss as they do for all the indigents and illegals that use the ERs. They pass those loses on to paying customers with higher costs that insurance companies pick up. Which covers it by charging me and like me higher premiums. I am reading tons of hate towards the insurance industry in this thread and claims they make huge profits. I honestly do not know if that is true and of course my experience is better than most. I'm not an accountant so perhaps someone savvy could provide the numbers for their profit margins. Keep in mind they take risks that a pandemic will make them lose money one year or like housing insurance a series of hurricanes can destroy their profits for years. So a reasonable profit for the shareholders doesn't seem unreasonable. Looking forward to hearing how they rank in large corporate profit levels. BTW I am not a 100% apologist for insurance companies. My wife was in a serious accident years back. She was rear ended while stopped by a pickup truck moving at 65 miles per hour (105 KPH). Car was destroyed and she suffered injury to her back which is still an issue. The state I live in has a mandatory minimum insirance level which is what the person who hit her had. Largest layout was $30,000 which they handed over since they totaled a near new Mercedes worth more. No other coverage. Fortunately I had purchase uninsured/underinsured coverage for us. Problem is my insurance company (same as above) tried to low ball me. Offered like another $25K on top of the other drivers coverage. Way low. I contacted a lawyer and he told me they should pay at least $125K for future problems she will experience. Told my insurance company I spoke with a lawyer and would make them pay $125K but if they pay me $110K and it's over. Nope. They play this game because too many people need the money NOW (I didn't) and will accept the low ball. End of the day I had to pay the lawyer to get the $125K. But of course it cost me a chunk of that to the lawyer. I lost and insurance company lost but they play the odds we will give up and take the low ball. -
5
Thai Singer Died from Blood and Fungal Infections, Not from Neck Massage
An off topic troll comment about covid vax has been removed. -
100
Thai lawyer argues most expats won’t be impacted by personal income tax
I think the video in the op overlooks or ignores several aspects of what has happened. It ignore the inevitability that as we get closer to tax filing season, the greater will be the number of people asking questions about what they are supposed to do now, even I have been asking myself that same question and I've been involved in the discussions for months. That curiosity is not the result of the debates that have taken place nor the videos. The changes made via Por 161/162 were announced far and wide over a year ago and most people will have flagged that. Everyone is now quite rightly asking, so what do we do now. The other point that has been ignored is the extent to which older less wealthy expats have been helped and their minds put at rest as a result of these threads and some of the media coverage. I've received a large number of messages from pensioners in Thailand, asking how much tax they will have to pay on income that I would guess is below average for the western expat community. Older people worry more, many of those people are on the last leg of their journey and don't have any other options for a home or for income. Leaving those people to stew and fret for a year is cruel and unnecessary, at least one spoke of self harm because of the stress and uncertainty. Being able to reassure those people and put their minds at rest, has been the main benefit of these threads, as far as I am concerned. As for the detractors and critics: the threads have seen a small number of vocal naysayers who have trolled the threads and their participants. Some are an inevitable function of social networking sites, others are anti-tax and many are anti Thai. Some have above average wealth and frustrated at the lack of clear answers and some are just plain anti-social and have too much spare time on their hands. A very small number are looking for perfection in the answers and will challenge any other comments that don't achieve that. Most if not all of the critics are the ones who have something to lose and don't want to be pulled into the tax net, not because they think it's unfair, but because they will have to pay up! The last part of all this is the extent to which the past year has finally brought Thai tax into focus for many expats, people who previously thought that tax was something they didn't have to be concerned with, in Thailand, ever! That increased awareness is a step change and has come as a shock for many. I don't know about others but I don't see that as an entirely bad thing. -
27
Agent for annual retirement extension?
Agreed.... Being told that 'is the 'going rate' is BS.... it is on the high side. As you say Maneerat is known to charge 8k, I have seen 7k advertised, Mots asked 8k last time. Only difference might be if they drive you to soi 5 in an AC car, or send you on a motorcycle taxi. Key Visa want 10k. -
1
Two Afghan Men Arrested at Phuket Airport for Fake Passports
Something not right about that story, they would had to apply for a visa to enter Thailand -
1
Odd things happening with my account
There is no record of you emailing Support. Medication rules ? You need to explain more please. Suggest you write an email to [email protected] and we can investigate further with more information. -
14
Thai Police to Crack Down on Crime During New Year Festivities
well spotted, strange, maybe filling a required quota of women in the photo? -
9
Split Tunneling
Thanks for that - but I already have 3 VPNs 2 by choice (Nord and Proton and 1 bundled in Norton) If surfshark can do it then why can't others? I'll ask them. NordVPN also has URL based split tunnelling in the NORDVPN browser extension as well as APP based. Check this out https://nordvpn.com/features/split-tunneling/
-
-
Popular in The Pub
-
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now