Pantah

I close friend did this several years in the past, paid in David. I was with him. He got a big piece of paper stapled in his passport that gave him a week to leave. I know la migra was friendly and smiling when he gave them the money ($700). Maybe one can pay at Paso Canoas, for those who decide to fly out of San Jose, but I would confirm that. Anybody know?

Why the snark? You got anything better?

Checking www.numbeo.com, I have found 3 large cities that are safer than Boquete. Having said that, those cities are outliers, as most of Mexico is pretty bad.

If you are in Colombia more than 183 days they not only tax worldwide income, but worldwide assets, where the imputed return is 4% of the value of those assets.

I share Keith's desire for statistics to know if the checkpoint is really effective. Since my last post on this I learned of three more crimes in my neighbourhood, all done by locals. So there is no confusion, I moved here from a city where they changed their resource allocation of community policing after years increasing crime, and it worked. Again, it is not about me. I am willing to change my stance if I can get facts instead of opinions on this. Also I have been talking to some merchants in Bajo Boquete, and they talk about response times on the order of hours. According to one of them, she knows of four holdups on the Feria bridge at nighttime. I learned all this yesterday, just by going out and asking.

The police commander is to say, here is what I stated "Now the police will be reassigned to actually where crimes are occurring". There is crime in Palmira and Potrerillos, etc. It is not about me. BTW I attach the blame on the perps, no one else.

Can anybody provide actual statistics to the crime decrease. All I have is my own personal experience (facts) that counter opinions of others. I was informed that the initial idea was to provide Boquete area residents stickers to show at the checkpoint. Is that still possible? Is there anyway to persuade the transitos to actually patrol for cell phone users and drunks, rather than checking vehicle docs at the checkpoint? Wasn't the checkpoint established to counter violent crime. Lastly, does anybody have more info on the home burglary with a pistol wielding maleante reported in the Panama press very recently in Bajo Boquete? Appreciate any light that can shed on this.

Gladly, in my neighborhood (of 10 houses) 3 of those experienced these crimes (one attempted home invasion, one successful breakin) and a theft from a car. Furthermore 3 of the houses installed bars afterwards. I live in a poor neighborhood. I believe one of the crimes was from a local, the other 2 probably, as my neighborhood is not likely to be surveilled by outsiders. Since nobody was caught, no way to check. BTW there was a home burglary in Bajo Boquete in the last couple of weeks, where a young ladrone was photographed from behind in one of the major news publications. He used a pistol. I can't find any details of where, who, etc. I would like to know.

Good news for me. Now the police will be reassigned to actually where crime are occuring. I had to wait 25 minutes for a serious crime in progress (attempted home invasion) in Bajo Boquete. I am sure the tow company operators are bummed though. Better optics for tourism (no Norieaga like garitas). Makes the point moot of staffing a second checkpoint when the Potrerillos - Palmira road is completed. PS: crime in my neighborhood actually went up after checkpoint was installed, probably caused by the 20k persons that live north of it. PPS: there has always been 2 routes to circumvent the checkpoint.

For "other residences", here is the spanish version: 2. 0.60% sobre la base imponible excedente de B/.30,OOO.01 hasta B/.250,000.OO. Not sure what other residences are. Condos?

The lady who ran the old recycling center next to the Boquete Brewing place has returned. She will be opened for business next Monday, Sep 25 8am to 5pm at the cabina next to the old Amigos (now a church). Somebody posted a foto of this a while back. It is the same place, the cementario is just behind it. She told me, no plastic, no tires, no colored glass (only clear). She only speaks Spanish. Buena Suerte

If you have a Panama address for your Schwab account they will not issue a Visa credit card. You get a Visa debit card. Excellent customer service and $5 to $0 dollar trading fees for investors. The article quoted is incorrect in saying Schwab provides banking. PNC bank is used for the cards, but is branded "Schwab".

Consider yourself blessed. There was a home invasion and shooting that was reported in upper Volcancito a year and a half ago (after the checkpoint). I think the guys name was Moore. I had the traumatic experience of an attempted home invasion last March.

Sadly the crime in my neighborhood (Bajo) has gone up after the checkpoint. The checkpoint is not manned 24/7. Too many criminals live north of the checkpoint. It diverts manpower that is more needed in Boquete. It took 25 minutes for the police to get to me on a serious issue recently and they are 5 minutes away. The transitos are diverted to checking documents there rather than patrolling for drunk drivers, dangerous cellphone users, and speeders. Which are in my opinion are much more needed for public safety, as the recent carnage fotos show. The police are rotated every several months, so their maleante recognition is short lived, unfortunately.

I think they should allocate resources from the checkpoints (where nobody speeds) to patrol. It would cut into their towing revenue however.

Mexico is one of the five countries who's flag flies over North America. Custom and usage and context defines the term american, and norteamericano. Being called a "Norteamericano" here is ambiguos in definition but not in usage. People are also conflating the geographical and political "american". Kind of silly to even discuss this and also is how many continents are there. Hint: the count is different between Latin America and English speaking North America.

Do Canadians believe they are true Americans, using the same logic? Does this also apply to people from St. Pierre and Miquelon too?

Good pointer for others. Amazon order, not powder.

My EDTA has been held up over 6 wks now. No prescription needed. WTF. Multiple visits to MBE to get this processed. I am making an attempt to get healthier and they are throwing up BS roadblocks.

I think the people may be better served by pulling the transitos off document checking duty and have them actually patrol for dangerous yellow cars. Although document checking is easier and pays better

Spent a month recently in Medellin. The lights never even flickered. Makes you wonder. (BTW it was rainy season with lightning and thunder). This part of the infrastructure is private in Chiriqui. Makes my wonder why such crappy service.

Same here, waiting on MBE to call me when my "crema" is ready to pick up after several weeks. Item bought on amazon with all proper docs. This is really crap, i still don't know what I can buy or not now.

This will be my last response. I don't want to get into any further dialog. The ladrone used one of the large rocks to hammer in a window frame partially to attempt entry. That was the first sound I heard waking me up. There was a home invasion with a shooting up the hill from me in cerro verde, its in the press. 3 of the 10 houses on my block have been burgled lately. What if any statistics are there?? I think a bit of empathy is needed here.

I agree Bonnie, I don't know how it ended up here.

Please be careful! It was attempted. About 3 weeks ago. 20 minute barrage of fist sized rocks breaking many windows. The criminals know there is bad police response and take advantage of it. Why are the police resources used for checking documents at the Caldera and not patrolling Boquete where the violent crime is taking place? The crime in my neighborhood has actually gone up after the checkpoint.