MartinL

1 hour ago, bbi1 said:

If renting a motorbike, is it possible to get insurance to cover any possible damage to the rental motorbike and any other vehicles or property if an accident were to occur? If so, what type of insurance is this?

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. 

31 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Sunbeam snake, harmless

Yes, 100%.

6 hours ago, Lestat777 said:

If you’re married to a Thai woman and live in Thailand, do you qualify for health insurance? 

Expats married to Thai citizens must apply for permanent residency to have benefits like universal healthcare.

 

Looks like you are incorrect. Once I get residency I can be added to her insurance.

When do you propose getting residency? What work are you doing?

I go to places like NPs for a bit of peace and tranquility, a rare commodity in Thailand, I find. "Record-breaking crowds" is a definite put-off. I can't imagine ever being willing to pay 10x the locals' price for an "attraction" that's overrun with precisely what I'm trying to get away from. In fact, anywhere with lots of people has me headed in the opposite direction.  

2 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

It's been a few days, why has this glitch not been fixed?

... or at least responded to by whoever. 

Topics and comments on the right - can see both Forum and Topics in a single glance, effectively read both at the same time.

Topics and comments on the left - terrible. Have to keep changing area of vision. 

A small problem on the surface but an annoying one nonetheless. It was fine before the change, why alter?

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The pictures  are from the incident scene as reported in the post, or do you think I just made it up? 
 

Right at the bottom of the picture, it looks like impact has ripped the top yoke away from the steering head. FFS, he must have been doing Stupid mph to do that!! The forks aren't at that angle to the frame because they're bent!

1 hour ago, Seppius said:

Two days in a row a Brit has died on a bike <snip> ...

 

Was he resurrected overnight? 

On 9/28/2024 at 7:04 AM, Lite Beer said:

Note ** Aliens can report their residence before 15 days or after 7 days from the due date.

 

https://www.immigration.go.th/?page_id=1648

From this, I'd understand I can submit 90-Day, say, 18 days before due date and 10 days after due date but not within the 15 day and 7 day period either side of due date. Maybe they should get a NES proof reader who'd correct it to something like " ... 15 days before or 7 days after ...". Anyway, this seems to relate to in-person reports not online.

2 hours ago, treetops said:

 

It's not the rules as I've understood them, but this pic (from CW) was posted the other day which would back up the statement.

This says that I can submit online between 15 and 8 days before due date. This is much clearer.

But just looking at the online application form, it definitely says:-

I've always understood the online window to be 15 days before until due date and I always try to submit 2 days before due date and never had a problem. Maybe things will change next time, around 4th. December, and I should be prepared for a rejection and a visit to IO.

8 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

It's not the IO's responsibility to complete the TM30.
Why didn't you suggest it and complete it there and then?

Why didn't I complete it????? Not me pal, some other bloke, if you read my posts. I was in another town at the time.

IOs make a number of suggestions when it suits them, IME, but equally don't help if they're not in the mood. Part of their remit should be to provide assistance where necessary but good luck with that.

1 minute ago, Liquorice said:

To make a formal change of address, you need to file a new TM30.

Of course and the IO could have suggested that to him, perhaps done it there and then, but didn't. 

41 minutes ago, Felton Jarvis said:

Immigration won't fix a damn thing. I went to Jomtien because my online 90 Day was rejected. That ran me two days late and the airheaded girls at the desk insisted that I owed 2000 baht for late filing. No mention of the grace period. Thieves and grifters.

I set-up a friend's 90-Day online account recently. The account was operational and we entered details for his first online application. He'd been doing in-person 90-Day reports for many years.

Name and address (street, tambon, amphur etc.), arrival date and extension renewal date were all as in passport and his yellow book. Presumably the yellow book address was the same as the blue book address it was tied to - I didn't see the blue book. Application was rejected.

He said he'd registered the address at the immigration office, many years ago, in the name of his village rather than the official tambon so we tried village name rather than tambon. Village name wasn't recognised by the online form so couldn't be entered.

I then suggested he do his 90-Day at the IO and, at the same time, ask for the address to be corrected to show tambon rather than village as in yellow book. The IO couldn't/wouldn't make the change for some reason.

Immigration office didn't seem at all helpful.

16 minutes ago, bdenner said:

Thank you for that, will get the TW's step son (executor, living in the UK and doing the leg work over there for them) to look into this.

This might also be useful.

https://www.gov.uk/tax-uk-income-live-abroad/personal-allowance

35 minutes ago, bdenner said:

We had a reasonably well off UK pensioner pass away some time ago. Both his TW and Daughter (18yo attending university) get a percentage of his private pensions paid directly into their Thai Bank accounts. The TW is not a UK passport holder pays UK tax at 30% (flat rate), the Daughter gets the tax refunded as she has a passport but does not meet the UK tax threshold.

 

Are they going to get caught up in this crap?

A Thai national living in Thailand is entitled to the £12,570 tax free allowance available to UK citizens. 0% tax on that amount then 20% up to about £50 k. There's some paperwork involved - isn't there always!! - but probably worth it if her inherited pension is a reasonable amount.

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/residence-domicile-and-remittance-basis/rdrm10340    (about halfway down the page)

A guess; Vehicle parked on the hard shoulder. Trailer truck in the left lane pulls out to give clearance to pass it, suddenly, without signalling and without looking as they so often seem to do. Unfortunately, the flour truck was pretty much alongside him, had nowhere to go so collided and overturned. 

On 8/15/2024 at 9:16 AM, Pouatchee said:

 

... most thais rely solely on their mirrors ...

They might occasionally look in their mirrors but for a long time I've been convinced that many don't understand what they see in them.

25 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

 

 Heading.....?????

Anticlockwise heading sort-of northeast, at the junction highlighted towards the right-hand side of the picture attached. They seemed to be coming from northbound Highway 2. Wrong direction?

3 hours ago, bob smith said:

it's been a while since i've seen the old tanks.

 

bob.

I saw 11 of 'em on transporters in Khon Kaen about a week ago on the ring road.