MartinL

Yes, a letter was received, not a statement, relevant to the first year's payment only. A 'statement', to me, implies something different to a letter. The person to whom I was responding subsequently said that he gets annual statements from DWP and that's exactly what I was hoping to clarify.

Thanks for that. It seems that, in my case at least, the DWP and my 'main' pension provider are being negligent and it's something I should be chasing up.

I receive the same type of income from UK as you. DWP statement - what's that? I've certainly never received such a thing since becoming eligible for SP in 2019. Nowhere on my P60s from company and private pensions is my SP mentioned. It appears on the HMRC annual Tax Code Notice and shows the tax-free allowance being reduced because of it and then that tax code being applied to my 'main' pension. That would have to satisfy Thai RD because there's nothing else to show that the SP has been taxed. At a glance and without knowing precise details of how the UK tax code works, I can see some small local tax offices saying "You haven't paid tax anywhere on the SP" and I'd feel they could be justified for saying that, leading to hassle in trying to tell them how it works. Bank statements - easy. Don't use Wise.

I did, years ago, but he wouldn't/couldn't give a clear answer, lack of which doesn't stop me wondering.

In our local travelling market, there's often a bloke with no arms, no legs. Not even stumps of previous limbs. He's just placed on a sack barrow and left to attract donations. There's no way he could get himself about. He must be under someone's control - 'owned' if you like. He's alert, talks to folks, smiles, he doesn't seem in the least unhappy but I find it impossible to imagine how his life must be. I always wonder how much of the money given to him he gets to keep for himself.

I saw this on TV this morning. The chicken owner seemed to be living in a shack on a riverbank with chickens running free all over the place, an open invitation to a dog whose nature is to chase. If the welfare and safety of his chickens is so important, maybe he should think about enclosing them in future. The dog should also have been confined, of course. I'd fear for my life if I was the driver of a car that ran over some of his birds.

Best advice, as previously stated, is to write a Will. Especially if you're the last survivor. In your case, intestacy means no statutory heirs so the state would get everything. I'm sure you wouldn't want that! Intestacy laws are summarised here:- https://www.thailandlaw.org/intestate-succession-in-thailand.html There are many similar documents out there but I've found this one clearest for me. This is how I understand it, but might be wrong:- As there is a grandchild, I assume there are also your wife's children, if living. In that case, Class 1 statutory heir applies - spouse and children. 50% for surviving spouse, 50% divided equally between children. NOTE NO PROVISION FOR GRANDCHILDREN. If there are no surviving children, then parents come into the picture and so on down the list. I'd guess parents are deceased. My own UK and Thai Wills both state that any assets I leave go to my Thai grandchildren (no descendants in UK) if my wife dies first, both those already born and any future births. The grandchildren's parents are OK financially so I'd want my assets to help the kids in their future.

Excuse my ignorance of US politics but what are " ... #45, 47 ... "?

You follow your path, I'll follow mine and that won't involve 'worrying' - just mild curiosity; "What if .....".

My first COVID certificate had a 13 digit number that wasn't my PID card number, alongside my passport number. On certificate 2, the 13 digit number was changed to my PID card number at my request and was shown alongside my passport number. Certificate 3 (showing all 3 shots) had PID card number only.

Years ago, my local tax office told me that, since I had no income from Thailand, there was no need to register for income tax. I left it at that. Now, things are different and it's remittances into Thailand that are considered. I remit money into Thailand (of course) so I'll try to register. My query - if I go to the local tax office and am again told, for whatever reason, that registration isn't necessary yet one day in the future the TRD says "You didn't register and now you owe LOTS of back taxes", what proof would I have that I attempted to register and was refused? Tax evasion is a serious offence and maybe non-registration is, too. IMO, lack of proof of attempted registration could lead to all sorts of <snip>!!

Thanks. That explains what an IEP actually is, rather than what I imagined it to be which seems more akin to an immersive programme. Very good post. Yes, permanently in Thailand. Before the lad started school, my wife - who's a retired teacher and could also help with other subjects - and I discussed having him with us - 200+ km from his parents - from time to time to help with his English. It was such an exciting prospect. His parents, specifically his mum whose own family live live next door to them, squashed that idea, preferring for him to stay in the village and learn about the farm. Which then begs the question "So why put him in an IEP then?". Now he's getting old enough to have an input on decisions affecting him, the boy refuses to stay with us unless his dad's there too, which would sort of negate the point of having him stay. We only get to see him for occasional weekends and, during those times, we catch up on recent events with him, have some fun and enjoy his all-too-short childhood. I ask him exactly the type of questions you suggest and have done so since he first began to acquire language but he still isn't able to respond without translation. We call him most evenings and, almost without exception, he's either eating or laying in front of the TV or his tablet. It's disheartening to see his receptive years being wasted like that. That's not his fault of course, rather the fault of his environment in which his maternal family - very nice people but ... - have almost no education and no ability to help him with his schooling. As I said in the OP, we can get no information on teachers, curriculum or anything else re. the IEP although the boy has occasionally mentioned a 'foreign teacher'. I'm rapidly coming to the same conclusion you express - that IEP (at this particular school, at least) is a waste of time and money. The things you mention are exactly the ambitions we had for the lad when he began at nursery school. Unfortunately he's in a horrible village about 65 km SE of UT and, as mentioned above, the lad won't stay away from home. His parents, despite paying for the IEP, don't seem to share our ambitions, which is sad. They're both Uni. graduates - as are my wife and myself - but the mum's connection to her parents and village life seems to override her son's educational advancement. Thanks for all the responses, folks, but I think we'll have to accept that all our 'wants and desires' for the lad are irrelevant. We're only the grandparents, after all. 😞 😞

This topic was posted not long ago. It might also apply to bikes - I don't see why it shouldn't but who knows here.

My grandson is enrolled in the Intensive English Programme at his small-town school in Udon Thani province, 200+ km from us. He's 10 and has been on the programme for about 4 years. His English is almost non-existent as far as I can tell although maybe he's just not confident - I hope that's the case. He seems to be no further along than 'How are you? - I'm fine, thank you' and some obviously scripted conversations that we've seen in videos. His grades in most subjects are good - high 3s - but poor in English. I remember a long time back, when I was 10 and l had been learning French for about a year, I was shy to use the language, so I understand that aspect of it but I could at least make simple and spontaneous replies to questions from my teachers. He can't do this when I ask him very simple questions. My question for those 'in the know' is this; What is an IEP? Is there any official definition/curriculum for these courses or is it just a designation used by the school for 'prestige'? What level of English should I expect, as a concerned grandad, at his age? My own interpretation of 'IEP' would be a course that concentrates on teaching in English but, while that might be the case in Big City schools, I'd guess it's different in schools of his type. I can get no information from his parents about the course content - I'm not sure they've actually asked about it at the school - and am left wondering whether or not he's wasting his time and his parents money on IEP.

Nearly 71 y.o. 2 minutes plus each leg - could have continued but felt that was long enough. Initial wobbles disappeared after 10 secs. or so, then more stable. I'm a keen 2 wheel rider - human and mechanically powered - so I'm sure that helps improve balance.