1 hour ago, Pib said:

From my almost two decades experience with the Taling Chang post office they seem very reliable.

 

I received my mail satisfactorily at my house until 2018. Then, I noticed two books were two months overdue as well as a letter from immigration 30 days overdue (immigration showed me when they sent it). I called the Taling Chan post office only to find that mail delivery to my house had been rerouted through a sub office somewhere. The sub office had all three items laying around inside the office. They didn't know what to do with them. That day, I went down and got a PO Box. It's only 500 baht/year. Well worth it.

Has anyone had problems mailing this form back to the US? I just took mine to the post office in Kabin Buri and they said they couldn't send it to a post office box because it would be returned 

54 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

The sub office had all three items laying around inside the office. They didn't know what to do with them. That day, I went down and got a PO Box. It's only 500 baht/year. Well worth it.

OMG, that's a new level of incompetence! 🤦  I wonder why on earth a home address would suddenly stop working.   My house is tucked away and delivery folks have a difficult time finding it. However, they usually just ask any of the street vendors where 'the farang' lives and that sorts it. That's effective, but unprofessional. 

My wife will go to the main post office (she has a friend who works there) and ask if there is anything on their computer about sending my mail to a sub office.  I am getting mail here. I had a DBS Singapore bank letter come to my house a few weeks ago, so that would indicate that my address works.

What a nightmare... thanks Elon and Brave Sir Donald. 😠

2 minutes ago, Mike k said:

Has anyone had problems mailing this form back to the US? I just took mine to the post office in Kabin Buri and they said they couldn't send it to a post office box because it would be returned 

I've been on Soc Sec for three years and always used EMS. It's way slower than promised and seems to get stuck in the US where it lands.  BUT, I assume it eventually reaches the destination as I've not had my SS suspended. 

I'm in Phuket Town and have yet to get mine.  I'll use Thai Post air mail (registered?) as many have suggested here.  It's frustrating waiting and it'll be frustrating wondering if it gets back to the US in time. They 'could' put '7162 form received' on my My Social Security page... nah, that would be way to helpful. 🤦

1 minute ago, Galong said:

OMG, that's a new level of incompetence! 🤦  I wonder why on earth a home address would suddenly stop working.   My house is tucked away and delivery folks have a difficult time finding it. However, they usually just ask any of the street vendors where 'the farang' lives and that sorts it. That's effective, but unprofessional. 

My wife will go to the main post office (she has a friend who works there) and ask if there is anything on their computer about sending my mail to a sub office.  I am getting mail here. I had a DBS Singapore bank letter come to my house a few weeks ago, so that would indicate that my address works.

What a nightmare... thanks Elon and Brave Sir Donald. 😠

 

I live in a fairly large village right off Borom on Phutthamonthon Sai 3. For almost a decade the mail went smoothly. Than, that summer of 2018 things started to go amiss. I order a lot of rare, used books from the US and UK. The postman on the motorcycle always got things right. When everything went through Taling Chan there were no problems. I didn't know about my service being moved to a sub office. And apparently they had problems with the address being in English. A PO Box in a large post office then seemed more reliable. And it has been. But you're right about the origins of this problem. People wouldn't be stressed had SSA mailed the forms out when they said they would on their website--in May or June. That is what caused the upset. And I have no doubt Musk's interference played a major role.

1 minute ago, Galong said:

I've been on Soc Sec for three years and always used EMS. It's way slower than promised and seems to get stuck in the US where it lands.  BUT, I assume it eventually reaches the destination as I've not had my SS suspended. 

I'm in Phuket Town and have yet to get mine.  I'll use Thai Post air mail (registered?) as many have suggested here.  It's frustrating waiting and it'll be frustrating wondering if it gets back to the US in time. They 'could' put '7162 form received' on my My Social Security page... nah, that would be way to helpful. 🤦

That's the way I always sent mine this is the first time I have been told this 

from ss office in manila  when i enquired via email a few years ago about not receiving the 7162


"The Annual Report Form (SSA-7162 / SSA-7161) is generally mailed to beneficiaries in June or July. A second notice is mailed around October or November. You need to wait until the end of November for your yearly form. If by then you still have not received it, please do inform us via email and we will give you further instructions. Social Security Administration

 

"The annual questionnaires should be sent to the office in Wilkes Bare PA.If you have not yet received the barcoded 7162 form, please wait until the end of November. There is a second mailing this September/October.

info on ss site
https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0302655010
 

17 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

from ss office in manila  when i enquired via email a few years ago about not receiving the 7162


"The Annual Report Form (SSA-7162 / SSA-7161) is generally mailed to beneficiaries in June or July. A second notice is mailed around October or November. You need to wait until the end of November for your yearly form. If by then you still have not received it, please do inform us via email and we will give you further instructions. Social Security Administration

 

 

 

And I bet for those who wait to the end of November and then ask Manila via email what to do the Manila response will be like below mid Nov 2019 Manila FBU email response to my wife when she hadn't received her 7162 by 1 Nov 2019.   Summary: Manila will send you a blank 7162 to complete with instructions to mail back to Wilkes Barre.  And maybe, Manila will also ask for a copy via email.

 

If a person waits to the "end of November" to ask Manila what to do and/or mail back a manual 7162 when you consider that the 7162 mailing will be flowing back to Wilkes Barre in the Christmas/New Year's holiday mailing season and also hoping the form arrives "and is processed by the Wilkes Barre SSA Data Operation Center" before mid Jan 2026 when the benefits suspension process begins just may wishful thinking.   Oh yea, don't forget the Donald and Elon govt disruption is surely impacting Wilkes Barre's efficiency not only now but probably still come late this year and early next year.

 

Personally, I would mail a manual 7162 back to Wilkes-Barre in late October....and if a bar-coded 7162 arrives later then be sure to complete and mail back.  Play it safe.  

 

 

Manila FBU Nov 2019 guidance to wife

Quote

 

Since you have not received the Annual Questionnaire (Form SSA-7162), you may print and fill out the attached.

Please mail the original signed form to the address below.

 

Social Security Administration

PO Box 7162

Wilkes Barre PA 18767-7162

United States of America

 

 

Regards,

Had a disabled friend in Hang Dong for four years. Nothing from the government would get through, including a 7162 or SS 1099 or announcement of payment amount. It might have been a minor problem with the address format, but when we called SSA and asked to make a minor change (such as Amphur Hang Dong, Subdistrict or Tambon Hang Dong), the guy refused. They just couldn't grasp the Thai terms or that a city and subdistrict could have the same name, who knows, but they aren't all very bright. Or it could have been the Hang Dong post office, no one knows. This address finagling took 3-4 hours. We finally thought we had a way that might work and asked for a test letter to see if it came and it did, but that was the end of it, not a thing came through from the US government after that. Nothing. The 1st year her payments were suspended even though she hadn't been here six months. They were embarrassed when we called about that but it wasn't hard to fix. Since she couldn't get the form for the next three years, I would use the blank method  which worked ok. Since she moved to another village four years ago there have been no more problems. Everything has arrived fine since and never a problem sending back ordinary airmail.  

12 minutes ago, cusanus said:

Had a disabled friend in Hang Dong for four years. Nothing from the government would get through, including a 7162 or SS 1099 or announcement of payment amount. It might have been a minor problem with the address format, but when we called SSA and asked to make a minor change (such as Amphur Hang Dong, Subdistrict or Tambon Hang Dong), the guy refused. They just couldn't grasp the Thai terms or that a city and subdistrict could have the same name, who knows, but they aren't all very bright. Or it could have been the Hang Dong post office, no one knows. This address finagling took 3-4 hours. We finally thought we had a way that might work and asked for a test letter to see if it came and it did, but that was the end of it, not a thing came through from the US government after that. Nothing. The 1st year her payments were suspended even though she hadn't been here six months. They were embarrassed when we called about that but it wasn't hard to fix. Since she couldn't get the form for the next three years, I would use the blank method or a scanned barcode template which worked ok. Since she moved to another village four years ago there have been no more problems. Everything has arrived fine since and never a problem sending back ordinary airmail.  

Holy cow, what a fiasco. 😲

What do you mean by "scanned barcode template"

I haven't gotten mine yet. Someone earlier mentioned adding a cover page to explain that the form didn't arrive and I thought it might be good to scan last year's barcode and put it as an image on the cover page.  I don't know if the overworked crew would actually take the time to read a cover page. They must be swamped.

54 minutes ago, cusanus said:

Had a disabled friend in Hang Dong for four years. Nothing from the government would get through, including a 7162 or SS 1099 or announcement of payment amount. It might have been a minor problem with the address format, but when we called SSA and asked to make a minor change (such as Amphur Hang Dong, Subdistrict or Tambon Hang Dong), the guy refused. They just couldn't grasp the Thai terms or that a city and subdistrict could have the same name, who knows, but they aren't all very bright. Or it could have been the Hang Dong post office, no one knows. This address finagling took 3-4 hours. We finally thought we had a way that might work and asked for a test letter to see if it came and it did, but that was the end of it, not a thing came through from the US government after that. Nothing. The 1st year her payments were suspended even though she hadn't been here six months. They were embarrassed when we called about that but it wasn't hard to fix. Since she couldn't get the form for the next three years, I would use the blank method  which worked ok. Since she moved to another village four years ago there have been no more problems. Everything has arrived fine since and never a problem sending back ordinary airmail.  

Hang Dong area has always been an issue.... First one needs to know what area...  A1..A2...A3...B1...B2...C1...so on.... then what Soi....  it's a maze in there until you actually live there.

Got mine today so obviously it didn't get swept down the Nan River like my poor truck nearly did. (Dated July 31st)

 

Now the question is, do I send it back by Pony Express or Homing Pigeon? ..... suggestions?

 

Note: unable to rotate the pic for some reason 🤔 

8 hours ago, Galong said:

Holy cow, what a fiasco. 😲 What do you mean by "scanned barcode template" I haven't gotten mine yet. Someone earlier mentioned adding a cover page to explain that the form didn't arrive and I thought it might be good to scan last year's barcode and put it as an image on the cover page.  I don't know if the overworked crew would actually take the time to read a cover page. They must be swamped.

No, not for her probably. I can't recall the circumstances, another friend or what, but I would edit last year's form to replace the date at the top and fill that in and send it because the barcode is the same. But this year that wouldn't work with different format and now a qcode. I am sure it would work next year if for some reason the form didn't arrive and the format is the same. The barcode facilitates timely processing as opposed to filling in a blank one and has always been the same year to year until 2025. Covid disrupted business as usual, too.  

1 hour ago, cusanus said:

But this year that wouldn't work with different format and now a qcode.

Are you saying it's a QR Code now instead of a Barcode?  If so, yes, that is a substantial change.  Darn, it's as if they're trying to make it more challenging. 

It is in their interest to NOT make it very likely that anyone gets suspended. It's a hellofa lot more work/stress on our end and more paperwork on their end.  All of this is to prove we're alive.  There are so many easier ways to do this... government efficiency this is not. 

2 hours ago, Galong said:

Are you saying it's a QR Code now instead of a Barcode?  If so, yes, that is a substantial change.  Darn, it's as if they're trying to make it more challenging. It is in their interest to NOT make it very likely that anyone gets suspended. It's a hellofa lot more work/stress on our end and more paperwork on their end.  All of this is to prove we're alive.  There are so many easier ways to do this... government efficiency this is not. 

It's both. There are 3 QR codes and a vertical string of odd characters on the right where there used to be a barcode on page 1. On page 2 there's the usual barcode as before and likely the exact same, but I'd be reluctant to reuse it given the changes on page 1.

Arrived this morning in the mail 61110 Nong Chang Uthai Thani. 20 days from mailing and 15 days after some in Bangkok got Thiers, Also, mailed to them a downloaded 7162 on 28 July registered mail and still not delivered. Got to New York in about a week and still there.

1 hour ago, pmarlin said:

Arrived this morning in the mail 61110 Nong Chang Uthai Thani. 20 days from mailing and 15 days after some in Bangkok got Thiers, Also, mailed to them a downloaded 7162 on 28 July registered mail and still not delivered. Got to New York in about a week and still there.

The one you sent via registered mail was probably treated as regular 1st class mail after it arrived/left NY which means in-transit and delivery scans probably stopped which makes it appear it went MIA.   But it probably arrived Wilkes Barre within approx 5 days after leaving NY.

Got mine yesterday in chiang mai 

2 hours ago, Pib said:

The one you sent via registered mail was probably treated as regular 1st class mail after it arrived/left NY which means in-transit and delivery scans probably stopped which makes it appear it went MIA.   But it probably arrived Wilkes Barre within approx 5 days after leaving NY.

Yeah, I've used EMS for the past three year and I agree, it seems to get stuck where it land in the US, then eventually moves after a few (5 sounds right) days. 

2 hours ago, Pib said:

The one you sent via registered mail was probably treated as regular 1st class mail after it arrived/left NY which means in-transit and delivery scans probably stopped which makes it appear it went MIA.   But it probably arrived Wilkes Barre within approx 5 days after leaving NY.

I will be mailing the original tomorrow regular air mail.

No Mail

 

Thailand puts a screw in the butt cheek of retirees.

 

Should be temporary. When you're winning as much as the Donald does, it's nothing but a speedbump. 

This Executive Order (effective August 29, 2025, $800 or less) shouldn't apply to letters/postcards, IMO.

 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/suspending-duty-free-de-minimis-treatment-for-all-countries/

 

Having every single country pause shipments to the U.S. doesn't seem like "winning" to me.

 

 

 

 

8 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

This Executive Order (effective August 29, 2025, $800 or less) shouldn't apply to letters/postcards, IMO.

 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/suspending-duty-free-de-minimis-treatment-for-all-countries/

 

Having every single country pause shipments to the U.S. doesn't seem like "winning" to me.

 

 

 

 

This is what Chat GPT said when I asked, "does this mean regular letters, like my Social Security Form 7162, can't be mailed to the US from Thailand?"

 

Short answer: No. This order targets packages with goods, not ordinary letters/documents. Your SSA-7162 is just paperwork, so you can still mail it from Thailand to the U.S. as a regular letter.
 

A few practical notes:

• Documents ≠ merchandise. USPS rules say First-Class Mail International letters/flats that contain only nondutiable documents (under 16 oz) don’t need a customs form—and they’re not subject to duties. Keep it strictly “documents—no commercial value.” 

• Parcel slowdowns ≠ letter bans. Some foreign postal operators have paused parcels to the U.S. while they retool for the new duty rules, but they’ve explicitly said letters without goods are unaffected. 

If you want tracking/peace of mind, send it as Registered Mail or EMS—but you don’t need to change anything because of the de minimis suspension.

35 minutes ago, Dcheech said:

No Mail

 

Chat GPT says:  

Thailand Post has paused all regular international mail to the U.S. (letters, registered, EMS, small packets) starting 22 Aug 2025, until further notice. They’ll return and refund anything they already accepted. Their premium “Courier Post” service still operates.

What that means for you (SSA-7162):

• You can’t send it via normal Thailand Post letter right now.

• You can use a courier (Thailand Post “Courier Post,” DHL, FedEx, etc.).
  ⚠️ Most SSA addresses for 7162 are P.O. Boxes in Wilkes-Barre, which don’t accept courier. Send to a trusted U.S. contact to drop in the mail domestically, or use an official street address if SSA provides one.

• Otherwise, wait for Thailand Post to lift the suspension.

4 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

pause shipments to the U.S. doesn't seem like "winning" to me.

 

Sarcasm  - you have to laugh these days.

 

I was going to mail some postcards and they wouldn't accept those either. Now I could send pic or PDF to my brother by e mail. Reconstruct, and he could sign for me. But will wait for now.

 

All the MAGA heads who are dependent on SSecurity over here, should start group CLUCKING, even clueless wanks in DC might hear

 

 

 Friday, between 11 and 2PM. Time to buy a bottle.    .

"Send to a trusted U.S. contact to drop in the mail domestically" by courier 

 

That is exactly what I will do if it goes on longer than two weeks. 

 

Thanks

1 minute ago, Dcheech said:

"Send to a trusted U.S. contact to drop in the mail domestically" by courier 

 

That is exactly what I will do if it goes on longer than two weeks. 

 

Thanks

I haven't gotten my form yet, so my window of mailing opportunity is getting smaller. 

However, the plan to send to my brother seems potentially flawed because it will show that the form was mailed within the US and not from Thailand. I don't know if a 'cover letter' would satisfy Wilkes-Barre... who knows?

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the clowns running this show actually TOLD US WHAT THEY WANTED??? [Rhetorical question]

Maybe the FBU in Manilla will have some insight soon.  I doubt it. They don't seem to really care about doing their job well. We're (potentially) screwed. 

1 hour ago, bamnutsak said:

This Executive Order (effective August 29, 2025, $800 or less) shouldn't apply to letters/postcards, IMO.

 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/suspending-duty-free-de-minimis-treatment-for-all-countries/

 

Having every single country pause shipments to the U.S. doesn't seem like "winning" to me.

 

Thanks for the weblink.  Everyone should go to the link and read Donald's executive order to fully grasp how horrendous it is....and try to grasp the impact and cost to America it will (is) causing.