5 hours ago, Enoon said:

 

Because the EU did not declare economic war upon Thailand and the rest of the world.

 

The EU did not declare its utter contempt for Thailand and the rest of the world.

 

The US has sown the wind.

 

 

So Thailand has been at war with the US and every other nation with their high import duties and VAT?

You understand that Toyota and every other major car manufacture setup factories in Thailand because of high import duties. This helped Thailand grow. 

 

I guess you dont have a company in the USA and try to compete with small sellers from China that dont pay import tax and get special shipping rates to the USA which then enable them to sell something cheaper from china than something made in the USA.  My friend had to close up his company because his shipping costs from New York to other states was higher than shipping rates paid by sellers from China to the USA.

 

My friend is waiting to see what happens he's hoping to open his company again. 

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Not sure that's an accepted method for the SS people.

why???

9 minutes ago, ericthai said:

why???

Did you mistake me for SSA customer service.?

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

US address. Never needed.

However the rules mandate that you must change your address if you move.

So if for some reason they find out later that you live abroad there is a risk of frozen benefits. It is arguably fraud.

Keeping a US address when clearly an expat to avoid a form isn't exactly an innocent action.

On top of that if you do keep the US address you can use Medicare Advantage abroad for acute medical emergencies. Very popular with expats in Mexico. 

I predict sooner or latrr there will be a crackdown on that.

If you're on Medicare and lying about where you live, that is fraud!! 

On an advantage plan you can be out of the service area up to 6 months, some plans allow longer. 

 

11 minutes ago, ericthai said:

If you're on Medicare and lying about where you live, that is fraud!! 

On an advantage plan you can be out of the service area up to 6 months, some plans allow longer. 

 

I agree but lying about this is being heavily promoted in Mexico and Panama  In Mexico there is even at least one hospital that specializes in such claims.  I don’t understand how this has been happening without major legal consequences. 

 

Specialuzed agents advice on how to never tell Medicare the truth.

 

Also some plans are better for this scheme than others and paid agents advise which to choose based on zip code.

 

Medicare and SS are related. The address must match. You can't be an expat on one and a US resident on the other.

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Did you mistake me for SSA customer service.?

No, you said that you dont think that would be an accepted method for the SS people and I asked why.

As long as they receive it I dont think SS cares how it gets there. 

2 minutes ago, ericthai said:

No, you said that you dont think that would be an accepted method for the SS people and I asked why.

As long as they receive it I dont think SS cares how it gets there. 

No.

The receiving situation for these forms is specific at Wilkes Barre. 

I'm no expert on that.

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

I agree but lying about this is being heavily promoted in Mexico and Panama  In Mexico there is even one hospital that specializes in such claims.  I don’t understand why this has been happening.

The plans Advantage plans started covering clients outside the USA about 5-6 years ago.

 

The issue is Medicare has done nothing but talk about Fraud, Waste and Abuse for the last 10 years. They have annual training for agents, letters sent out to beneficiaries etc.

however, nothing happens. I've reported fraud committed by agents and beneficiaries and nothing happens.  I've had agents change people plans on them without the person knowing and submit a compliant against the agent and nothing happens.   I've worked for major companies (Anthem, Evelance etc) and they are all the same. If an agent is getting big sales numbers the plans dont care. It's all about money. I now work for myself got tired of major plans supposed ethics. 

8 hours ago, bdenner said:

Ahh! US expats on SS who have to return proof of life forms is just one example. Anyway snail mail is not affected.

= Engauge ya brain before the keyboard!

I don’t have to return anything.  While I reside 8-9 months in Thailand and spend the USA summer in California.  Mt domicile of record is the USA, with all the documents to back it up.

 

So is regular snail mail isn’t affected, what is?

 

Not that I care. I would use DHL anyway.

5 hours ago, elektrified said:

What a ridiculous thing to say! We send numerous parcels to the USA every week.

You still writing checks?

4 hours ago, amykat said:

Out shopping with your family before tariffs hit??? 

 

Nope .  Wouldn’t be caught dead in a Walmart filled with leftists welfare recipients.

 

Such as you. 

4 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

well  just ordered several target and shell gas gift cards.  They are sent USPS.  So some things really do get mailed.  Even stupid Medicare every month insists on paper mailing my premium bill even thought I pay it online.  SSA now and then sends me paper mail even though I have paper free selected on my account for years.  My credit and debit cards are paper mailed to me now and then when they are nearing their expiration date.  They are all sent US Mail.

There is a paperless option for the majority of your concerns 

 

Or get a USA digital mailbox.  They can scan for you to read before you hit the trash button.

 

It’s 2025 , not 1978.

5 hours ago, ericthai said:

The price changes all the time on these things.  I've bought several things on amazon and a few weeks or months later end up buying the same things again and either the price is up or down. These companies use programs called dynamic pricing, they will adjust price dependent on demand, inventory etc..  

true but $30 in one year is exceptional and not normal at all. All these things are imported from China so it must be related to the trade war.

14 hours ago, wimpy said:

WTF? Thai Post ships to the EU which hits everything with VAT and duty. No issues. Why can't they do the same with the US?

And who is president of the US? 

4 hours ago, ericthai said:

So Thailand has been at war with the US and every other nation with their high import duties and VAT?

You understand that Toyota and every other major car manufacture setup factories in Thailand because of high import duties. This helped Thailand grow. 

 

 

China is so insular and paranoid they would never do this in America even if we wanted them to. They don't even allow Google to map their roads.

 

Your friend certainly got screwed. Instead of of blanket tax on all products regardless of whether the US even has facilities to produce  them it should have been more targeted where it's actually applicable (like your friend).

6 hours ago, ericthai said:

why????

it helps allot of people (mostly low income earners) with low costs goods, providing thousands of jobs. They are always thinking and improving, 95% of the time the stores are clean. You can get just about anything you need in one place along with getting your eyes checked, pick up medications and at some places get a health exam. All at a reasonable price.

So why get rid of it? 

One stop shopping for many.  Prescription medications are fast and courteous.

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I wouldn't say that will happen but I will say it could happen. 

just in case ... for ( people in the actual USA )  Sept 30 ..  No more paper checks mailed.     

choice A..   direct Deposit   choice B: you can get a "direct funded debit card from SS )

 

18 hours ago, webfact said:

This exemption, previously set at approximately 28,649 Thai Baht ($800) daily per person, enabled the smooth import of small packages.

Unfortunately China spoilt it for everyone

Posts with derogatory nicknames, intentional misspellings, or personal remarks will be removed. Spell names correctly for all sides of the debate.

https://external.fnak1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/emg1/v/t13/11826039323649112823?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg-s-msn-com.akamaized.net%2Ftenant%2Famp%2Fentityid%2FAA1L5HUB.img%3Fw%3D1024%26h%3D685%26m%3D4%26q%3D94&fb_obo=1&utld=akamaized.net&stp=c0.5000x0.5000f_dst-jpg_flffffff_p500x261_q75_tt6&_nc_gid=1htVFkYClEcdp-VOeq5nVQ&_nc_oc=AdmimAEL9dswh95zgTasV4FEPSBUFjwYNrFXfPdp5drQMquVgewe1I3ozYWXXMxTIk0&ccb=13-1&oh=06_Q3-2AbFImu6-75C6pcMFbB7GudTS5L9ZmBx-aGui39udeQuf&oe=68AC1C4A&_nc_sid=215617

 

msn.com

Indian and European postal services will suspend shipments to US over tariffs

Postal services worldwide are pausing certain deliveries to the United States due to President 

28 minutes ago, khwaibah said:

https://external.fnak1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/emg1/v/t13/11826039323649112823?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg-s-msn-com.akamaized.net%2Ftenant%2Famp%2Fentityid%2FAA1L5HUB.img%3Fw%3D1024%26h%3D685%26m%3D4%26q%3D94&fb_obo=1&utld=akamaized.net&stp=c0.5000x0.5000f_dst-jpg_flffffff_p500x261_q75_tt6&_nc_gid=1htVFkYClEcdp-VOeq5nVQ&_nc_oc=AdmimAEL9dswh95zgTasV4FEPSBUFjwYNrFXfPdp5drQMquVgewe1I3ozYWXXMxTIk0&ccb=13-1&oh=06_Q3-2AbFImu6-75C6pcMFbB7GudTS5L9ZmBx-aGui39udeQuf&oe=68AC1C4A&_nc_sid=215617

 

 

msn.com

Indian and European postal services will suspend shipments to US over tariffs

Postal services worldwide are pausing certain deliveries to the United States due to President 

What a mess.

To me, the bigger issue is the lack of forethought BEFORE signing Executive Orders.

 

The de Minimis process was introduced in 1930 by legislation. "Anyone, anyone, class, the Smoot-Halwey Act", And was meant to streamline intensive and expensive Customs-clearing procedures.

 

If you want to change legislation, that's a job for Congress, not some geriatric, senile fat man with a Sharpie.

 

Change the law after debate, then implement it over the course of a year or so. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18 hours ago, Galong said:

That is potentially one way to prevent his latest blood-sugar-related decision to stop mail-in ballots. 

On another thread, those of us who get US Social Security here have to file form 7162 (Proof of Life) now. It's very late this year and a lot of people haven't gotten them yet. We now have 60 days from July 31st (when they were mailed from the US) to get them back to the SSA. This is a new hiccup we don't need.

However, I'm not certain whether documents are included in this.  Chat GPT sites references that say documents are exempt. It's "goods" that they're after.  We'll see.

I just filled mine out I'm not in Thailand but I'm in another Asian country and meant to stop the fraud now it has a lot of questions on it not too many but it's important that you do fill it out and send it in it is true you have 60 days otherwise they will stop your social security and by the way it cost me almost $5 to send it from decision country to the United States. It goes to Pennsylvania social security office for overseas people. The big problem is is people that are in the hospital doing medical treatment that have long-term medical treatment and they may be aware of this and it's a sad situation but they had no other choice with hundreds of thousands of people on social security that don't belong on it so you can blame the bad people for this.

3 hours ago, Luuk Chaai said:

just in case ... for ( people in the actual USA )  Sept 30 ..  No more paper checks mailed.     

choice A..   direct Deposit   choice B: you can get a "direct funded debit card from SS )

 

This is what happens when fraud takes over the Goodwill of the people it's sad but it's true. Many of you don't know this but if you're on welfare which is very difficult to get by the way in this country they have the right to enter your apartment or your home and check your refrigerator and check for ashtrays and beer cans and they find it you can actually lose your welfare the money getting for welfare is for the children not to be blown away with smoke and alcohol is tough and it should be that way in America too but America got so soft it's gotten ridiculous for common sense has gone out the window 

 

19 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

So what happens the parcels accepted, paid for but not yet sent?

Does it affect incoming parcels?

 

It's not only parcels. I was in our local postoffice and they would not accept ANYTHING AT ALL  for the US. Not even an ordinary letter to a friend.

They apologised but said their computers are not yet programmed to deal with anything and until they are....nothing accepted.

Great news for American consumers. They get to go without and save their money.

19 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Because you have an absolute maniac in charge there, who cannot make up his mind from one day to the next, and has imposed punishing tariffs which will result in a severe decline in the US economy, in the near term. Just wait. The stock market might be roaring now due to a statement from the FED, but just give it a little time. 

1. has nothing to do with  tax, the market in all metrics is overpriced,and a correction of 30% is nothing unusal

2. the last 20 year the world is yelling, foul  , argument the US living on depts,ove rcomsumption ,payed by the       world 

     now trump change want to change it , and the world is yelling again

 3. The tradedefficit is a significant LT problem , what need to be solved . In the US their was low taxes for       imports,and only low local sales taxes, in contrast to europe  where charged not only a importduty,,as well a 18-21% turover tax on imports  ( taxes in other parts of the world could be even higher)

4. EASY, The US dont need  import taxes if, they introduce a VAT of 20%, a turnover tax on imports and son on, but this would leed to highinflation, and not bring any profits to US industries(bcs all Goods underly the 20% even us goods) , the negative affects would outpace the positive ( for the statebudgtet) and it could avoid a tradewar.

 

i still think Trump is going the right way, but to solve problems what build up over 20 years , in all sectors of the industries and goverment is not easy to rebuild. but if goes on, like  the policys before,  it would sure and finally bring all  and everything to hell.

 

 

    

13 hours ago, Jingthing said:

You don’t need to be leftist to know Trump is a dangerously incompetent moron. Ask Bolton.

Or any of the other 65 A team officials fired during the 1st Trump administration disaster. 

20 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

Trump is way off the deep end with his trade war.  Nothing will be gained from this and Americans will be harmed. Here's a real world example. Last year I bought this pair of headphones for $80. I'm back in the US now and wanted to buy another pair and the price has jumped to $109.  The only winners here are the government sector and taxes they will collect.

 

 

Similar here. I am following some items in Jomashop and B&H so I know what the prices used to be. They are 20-30% higher now than what they were a couple of months ago. I remember Amazon threatened to break the price down to show the cost of tariffs, but Trump threatened Bezos out of it. Reality is, though, that already now many Americans are paying more for products, and that will only increase when the old stock piled up before April sells out.

 

PS: I've used JBL Quantum TWS, and just threw it away after 1 year and 1 month. Sounds heavenly, but of the 8+ hours (I think it said 8 hours per charge, 24 hours total assuming 2 recharges in the case), it never actually lasted more than 2 hours, even less with dongle. It came down to 1 hour with all noise cancellation disabled after a year, and a month later literally dropped to 0 on one of buds. Seems since Samsung took over, the longevity of their products fell through the floor. Back to Sony.

So, according to one poster @bdenner snail mail or aka regular mail isn’t affected by this new Thai mail regulation.

 

So what type of mail is and why are the majority going bat shi- crazy over this regulation?

 

 

All.