simon43

I'm not a townie person. I like places like Exmoor and Dartmoor. I can't imagine that Exmoor is packed full of Syrian immigrants, (or maybe I'm wrong!!)

Interesting eye colour...

Teaching jobs in Burma typically pay about $2,500 USD/month (after any local tax). Teaching science online pays me $29 USD/hour and I have more young students that I want! The demand is very high 🙂 (I used to have a waiting list of prebooked lessons on iTalki of more than 2,000 lessons, stretching out more than 1 year in the future. Now I wound that down a lot because - well - I'm getting old)

As I have mentioned on more than 1 occasion in my posts, I run my own educational charity in Burma that supports young students in orphanages and monastery schools (about 10 locations with a total of several thousand students). I fund the purchase of school books, design and print English language posters, record audio learning files, pay Adroid developers to create and manage an app etc etc. I've been doing this for years because I much prefer to use my money in this manner, rather than spend it on a greedy wife or waste it on beer and bar-girls 🙂 I receive no donations for my charity (except occasionally from radio amateurs). This is why I'm not sitting on a pile of $$$ in the bank, and I think it has been money well-spent 🙂 Garry, I have no savings to speak of, I have about $400 in my bank account and when I receive $2,000 from my online teaching in a few days from now, I will use a lot of that for my charity. I have lived in this financial manner for many years, often with only a few hundred baht in the bank. But everything has always worked out OK for me - perhaps someone 'up there' is looking out for me 🙂 Now that I start to receive my UK pension, I will return to the UK and stop teaching online, because it's getting a little difficult now (I sometimes have to abandon lessons mid-stream because of my uncontrolleable coughing). I guess that the authorities can't easily check if you have savings in a foreign bank account. I have no savings, so I don't have any concerns - they are welcome to see my bank details.

6th July: I grabbed this image from the Russian Meteor M2-3 weather satellite on their VHF frequency. This is an LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite that orbits the Earth about 450 km. Since the Earth's gravitational pull is still rather strong at this altitude, LEO birds have to orbit fast around the Earth to generate an equal and opposite Centrifugal force that cancels out the gravity. In fact, it only takes about 90 minutes for LEO birds to orbit one time around the Earth. There are not many VHF LEO weather satellites still operating. The USA NOAA-18 bird 'broke' about a month ago (after many years of good service), and their NOAA-15 bird is now experiencing technical problems. That leaves only NOAA-19, which is still working correctly, at least with its VHF payload. There are also the 2 Russian LEO birds Meteor M2-3 and 2-4.

[quote] ... You will probably find a place you like and can afford - then you can get a cheap place to rent (public housing?) ... [/quote] When you are a state pensioner in the UK (as I am), and have savings less than $16,000, (which is me again), the benefit systems pays about $750/month towards your costs to rent a private accommodation. So even though private rent is (IMHO) expensive, I will be able to rent a nice 1-bed apartment and can use my van to visit some nice places, national parks, coastal walks etc, without having to concern myself with paying for overnight hotel accommodation. Also, converting the small van will be a nice way to spend my spend time. And.... if everything is terrible in the UK, I can sell the van to get some cash so that I can fly back to spend my days in no-visa-hassle Cambodia, where my frozen UK pension money will be sufficient for my needs. There's no 100% perfect plan, but I'm trying to cover all eventualities.

Apart from the 'youngsters' who run out of money in Thailand (lack of job, lack of available type of visa etc), I think the most important reason for a foreigner to return back to their home country is for current or potential health reasons in the future. I've just reached 66 years old and now receive my UK state pension. If I remain in Thailand, that pension is frozen, (except if I relocate to the PI). Actually, I have no great interest in moving to the PI - if I'm going to make a permanent move, then it would be back to the UK, where my pension is index-linked and I get all of the other benefits that UK state pensioners without a pot to pee into also receive 🙂 My medical issues are managable right now, but that might not be the case in the future.. The only (unique to me) issue is that I might pop back to teach in Myanmar for 1 more year before I return to the UK. This is because I can save up some money (Myanmar teaching salary +my current online teaching income+UK state pension = about $4,500 USD/month), because I intend to buy a small panel van when I return to the UK. Why? Because 4-wheel transport would be useful, and I can convert the panel van into an overnight sleeper for occasional sleeps if I travel to visit other parts of the UK (I have the funds but absolutely refuse to pay the high rates to stay in some <deleted>ty hotel for a night - I'd rather sleep in my cosy van!!)

I think not at the moment. One should always plan (as much as possible) for the unexpected....

I asked ChatGPT about this. The answer is very interesting and informative: Will I be financially better off living as a pensioner in the UK, (and receiving my UK state pension, housing benefit and other benefits that state pensioners are entitled to), or living in Thailand? ChatGPT said: Simon, the decision between living as a pensioner in the UK or in Thailand depends on a few key financial factors. Here's a direct comparison to help you decide where you'd likely be better off financially, focusing on income, living costs, benefits, and other considerations. 🇬🇧 Living in the UK as a Pensioner Income UK State Pension (2025 full rate): ~£221.20/week → ~£11,500/year (before tax) Pension Credit: Topped up to ~£218.15/week (if your pension is low) Housing Benefit or Universal Credit: May cover part or all of your rent if you rent Winter Fuel Payment: Up to £600 per year Free NHS healthcare Other perks: Free travel passes, council tax reduction, etc. Expenses Accommodation: Rent is high unless you own your home or qualify for Housing Benefit Utilities & food: Higher than Thailand Council tax: Can be reduced or waived depending on income Transport: Free or reduced with pensioner travel cards Bottom line: If you are low-income, the UK government heavily subsidises your living, especially with housing, healthcare, and top-ups. 🇹🇭 Living in Thailand as a UK Pensioner Income UK State Pension: Still ~£11,500/year (BUT it will not increase each year—frozen at the rate you first receive it there) No UK pension-related benefits: No Housing Benefit, no Winter Fuel, no Pension Credit, etc. Private pension? Only personal pensions or other income you bring Exchange rate risk: Pound vs. Baht fluctuates Expenses Accommodation: Much cheaper than the UK. You could rent a modest place for £150–£300/month Utilities, food, internet: Much cheaper than in the UK Healthcare: Not free. You’ll need private insurance or pay out of pocket Decent Thai private healthcare is good, but costs can rise with age No free NHS access unless you return to the UK Visa fees: Annual retirement visa (~£50–£200), plus financial proof or income Bottom line: If you’re healthy, don’t need UK benefits, and have a modest lifestyle, your UK pension stretches much further in Thailand. 🔍 Summary Table Factor UK Thailand State Pension ✅ Yes (annual increase) ✅ Yes (frozen) Pension Credit ✅ Yes ❌ No Housing Benefit ✅ Possibly full rent covered ❌ No Healthcare ✅ Free NHS ❌ Private, out of pocket or insured Cost of Living ❌ High ✅ Low Climate & Lifestyle ❌ Cold, variable ✅ Warm, relaxed Exchange Rate Risk ❌ Not applicable ⚠️ Yes Visa Requirements ✅ Citizen ❌ Annual renewal + financial requirement 🧾 Final Thoughts If you need help with rent and have no other income, you will likely be better off in the UK with state top-ups and housing support. If you are reasonably healthy, don’t qualify for Pension Credit or Housing Benefit, and want a better quality of life on a tight budget, then Thailand might be better financially. However, factor in healthcare, which can become a major cost as you age. In other words, for my own financial and medical circumstances, I should return to the UK 🙂

Can she do the same with a King Cobra??

What does it matter? I thought cannabis was for medical reasons to alleviate some illness etc.

Because UK attacking military aircraft is a terrorist action.... if that happened in the USA, the security guards would have been shooting to kill...

Lol, I was joking!! I'm waiting on replies from several properties for rent on the rightmove website

Easy! He was wearing a big sombrero...

Some weird trolling replies to the OP...... I live in a rural area in south Thailand. I spend about 20,000 baht/month on renting a detached house 10 minutes from a beach, $400k meecical insurance, internet, electricity and food. That's all I need to spend - I don't need to spend any more than that for a healthy and enjoyable life as a single person. My neighbours are village Thais, very friendly, always say hello. They know that I'm a retired teacher and no doubt assume that I'm poor (which I'm not!). I only need 1 pair of shoes - I only have 2 feet 🙂