I just did a $1,000 wire transfer from the US to my Thai bank. My US bank does not charge for international transfers. I looked at what was deposited in my Thai bank and it looks like I paid 133 baht in the transfer and exchange.

@David ****

Insurance is impossible to price for others because it depends on you age, your health status, your deductible, and coverage.

I bought my policy when I was 62. I am 68 now. It is a 10 million baht policy with a 40,000 baht deductible. I pay 78,000฿/yr which includes a no claim discount.

Check to see if your bank will accept sending codes by email. My credit union allows this. My primary US commercial bank identifies me using a security usb stick.

I do have an AT&T phone number but I rarely turn it on.

@Bob *******

Yes, with no insurance, the US is much more expensive. Insurance in the US is pretty expensive though my Thai policy is about the same price but with a 40,000 baht deductible. In Thailand I am paying the first 40,000 baht because healthcare here is so inexpensive.

My US insurance policy deductible for an emergency room visit was $150 (5,150฿). I pay less than that for an emergency room visit in a private hospital in Bangkok without insurance.

People from countries with government health care of course have a different perspective.

@David ****

Earlier this year I paid 20,000 baht to stay 2 nights in a private room in a private hospital in Ubon Ratchathani. I was recovering from Dengue fever so there weren’t any medical procedures involved other than blood tests and monitoring.

So you can extrapolate to a motorbike accident that requires surgery and a hospital stay of 2-4 weeks possibly in a more expensive or less expensive hospital. It could add up to 500,000-1,000,000 baht or $15,000-$30,000.

A recent interview about the tax issues

@Nan *********

Then your assertions about 2 million baht dowries need to be put in context.

@Nan *********

My Thai wife’s cousin married a young Thai man. They work factory jobs in Bangkok. The sin sod was 50,000฿. The same ceremony and same place we were married in Sisaket province. The family keeps the money.

Yes it does vary from place to place and on the family circumstances.

This is mildly interesting with regards to what a Thai male is interested in with regards to Thai women. As a westerner, intelligence is a plus but a university education is not the only marker of intelligence. Get to know her first. Career aspirations may or may not be interesting but if a westerner is wealthy enough then that may matter less. Introvert/extrovert is about personality and that is a factor in relationships no matter where you are from. Again . . . get to know her first.

Sin sod - there is a sharp divide among foreigners about this. My take on sin sod is to look at the costs of marriage holistically. Son sod is just a line item. If the wedding is what you both want and can afford then go for it.

I’m going to assume from your comments that you are not considering age gap relationships.

The cost of the plan will also depend on the deductible. Choosing a higher deductible will lower the cost. Routine care is very inexpensive in Thailand. Pay for this out of pocket. My plan deductible is $1,200 and in 7 years have never had a medical bill more than $600 and that was only once and included 2 nights in a private room.