bradiston

Well now you've dragged Thailand into the equation. No, I dont. And they aren't required to. But there again I don't know many Thais that actually pay income tax, and if they do it's probably a fraction of what they actually are liable for. But so what? It's the same everywhere. But your tax payments in Thailand aren't contributing to the UK economy, that was my point. And as for relieving the UK government of the burden of paying your dole money by moving abroad, well you may have a point. In more ways than one!

I worked out that over the next 10 years, a frozen pension would lose me about £10k at 2.5% annual increase. And I'm not even on a full one. But maybe my spreadsheeting skills are awry.

Excuse my ignorance, I'm intrigued, but none of this makes any sense to me at all. If you're not fully paid up I don't see how you will get a fully paid up pension. I mean, I've figured you're what, 57? You started work while at school in the UK, aged 15, ie ~42 years ago, for 2 years, continued on through 5 years of uni, but left the country sometime in your early to mid 20s? You returned maybe 15 years ago, aged ~42 maybe, but decided not to voluntarily pay class 3, but 5 years later, presumably aged about 47, you returned and found you were eligible to pay class 2. You backpaid 10 years, to age 37 maybe, but you seem to have only paid a fraction of the stamps required, if you started payment only 10 years ago, by your estimate. Of course, it's none of my business really. But as I say, it's intriguing. And I can't see why you bother paying stamps if you're a Bitcoin millionaire.

Paying contributions while living abroad is, surprisingly perhaps, not a god given right. https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/who-can-pay-voluntary-contributions Presumably you qualify under the following clause: "Living and working abroad Class 2 - but only if you worked in the UK immediately before leaving, and you’ve previously lived in the UK for at least 3 years in a row or paid at least 3 years of contributions." I have a Thai/UK daughter. She's worked since the age of 19 when she got a part time job at Nando's while at university to supplement her grant. She's worked every day of her life since then. She's 33. British or not, I suggest you must have devoted more than a few hours to studying the UK pension laws, to come up with the maximum benefit from minimal outlay result you seem to have achieved. I can only hope for your sake the UK parliament doesn't do what it did to us expats, and cut you out of what you consider to be rightfully yours.

It wasn't the class 2 contributions, it was the absence of paying any other "contributions", eg income tax and vat. If you think that £3.05 pw covers your predicted £179 odd pw, you should have Sunak's job.

What, in 11 years time? It'll be worth about £100.

Suggests to me the Kiwis, Ozzies and Canadians have some form of grassing up agreement with HM gov. How the hell would the latter know that 428,400 (510,000*84%) UK pension claimants were living in those 3 countries? And how much is HM gov saving annually via this infamous chicanery? Sure, while I'm abroad I don't contribute to the UK economy - my income is too low to pay income tax - but then neither do I take out what I would be entitled to were I to stay in the UK. Free NHS, bus pass, £200 winter fuel, TV licence, prescriptions etc etc. Probably turns out those 510,000 people are saving the government billions every year. <deleted> baffles brains I'm afraid. I think they tried to justify it once but can't recall their reasoning. £630,000,000 to rectify, amongst 510,000? How do they work that out? The 2.5% annual rise, which on a full pension equals about £4.50 pw, would cost them ~100m UKP. AND as a final kick in the nuts, they'll tax it if you go over your allowance on your taxable income.

If you have a lot of money to change, Vasu provides you with a private room. Rates not as good as super rich, but comparable. It was the place to go 10-15 years ago, and close by Nana. I once changed £20k there in 50s.q With the advent of eg Wise, carrying large amounts of cash around isn't always necessary. I used to use super rich at swampy to book $ and PHP prior to boarding for visits to eg Cambodia or Philippines. Also pretty good rates, but I'm not sure if their branches still provide that service.

Incredible. This guy is obviously working his ticket. Done his homework and has worked out how to milk the UK system for every penny. I wonder how many other overseas visitors are doing the same. Work for 3 years minimum in the UK, then leave. Continue voluntarily paying class 2 at £3.05 pw, and collect your full pension when entitled. Of course, class 2 cover only a fraction of the state pension. The rest comes from income tax etc. So ultimately the UK tax payer is footing his bill. Insane. Yet those who have lived and worked in the UK all their lives can't even get the index linked pension when they move abroad, at least, not to most destinations. It's most likely a common knowledge wheeze amongst millions of UK visitors. And then to add insult to injury, he says there are too many "entitled people" wanting their cake etc. They're called UK citizens, retired and living abroad for heaven's sake! The out and out chutzpah of this guy!

Weird comment. The marketing slogan for Philippines is "it's more fun in the Philippines". Renunciation? What planet are you on? In any case, it's a Catholic country, so for sure, if that's what they want, there's plenty on offer here.

For that to have happened, were it true, the DWP would have had to have established when he left the UK. They have no access to those records, so they presumably got a full statement from him. Cut to the chase, ring up the DWP and inform them you have moved to the Philippines. They'll ask for an address there and a phone number, and date you moved. Some of these posters who have had their pensions frozen since heaven knows when could see a £70 odd rise in their weekly amounts. Not to be sneezed at, I'd say. Actually the Philippines is not such a bad hang out. 99% of the population speak some form of English for starters. And they are a lot more friendly and less arrogant than the you know who. I don't like to see seniors getting screwed. Seniors is what we're known as in Philippines. We get to the head of most queues, and even have our own queue in many places. Plus reserved seats. And, it's more fun here!

You obviously don't know what you're talking about. Your statement re Philippines bank account is complete nonsense. And why couldn't you get your own residency details sorted? There's nothing wrong with my suggestion. Fly out to the Philippines and check it out. As you admit, signing a petition that's been turned down on multiple occasions is just a head banging exercise. How about you coming up with some suggestions? Or just leave the job undone?

Or a Welsh farmer's advice to me after I went through his gate on a tricky bend: "If you can't stay ON the road, stay OFF it!".

Is this a proper transliteration of his name? Ngampiches as they have it should read Ngam Piset, surely? Special Beauty. งามพิเศษ. But I can't find any reference in Thai. He's the outgoing mayor's younger brother's (that's Ittiphol, meaning Influence, ผู้มีอิทธิพล, a person of influence) assistant. The outgoing mayor was appointed personally by Prayut back in 2018. Unelected. No taxation without representation!

Just get an address and phone number in Philippines. Ring DWP and let them know you've moved and when. Job done. HM gov will never change their stance. It's been all the way to the EU court of Human rights and back. Dead horse I'm afraid.

Who knows of the accuracy of tourist spend? This site at least admits they have no idea how TAT and other agencies compute it, but there are some interesting numbers quoted. https://www.thaiwebsites.com/tourism-income-Thailand.asp

???? Love it. The toast test! I wonder how other nations score?

Yes, why indeed? My experiences with Russians - I live in the Pratumnak area - has been fine. The agent who let me my great value 1 bed condo apartment is Russian and thoroughly decent. Many of my neighbours are too. Sure, they like to get together occasionally, but that's true of all expats. I talked to one, he was horrified at the situation. Same elsewhere. I know a coffee shop on 2nd Rd, part owned by a Russian guy, a personal trainer. I spent 2 hours chatting with his friend about it. He too said all the Russians he knew where just completely gobsmacked. They have Ukrainian friends, relatives living in Ukraine, many close ties. In the spa I go to there used to be a good crowd of Russians. Now, hardly any. They were a good laugh, even though we hardly spoke a word of each others' language. Give you a good birching, to boot! So I really rely on my personal experiences. I have let my house to Russians and Chinese families. Amongst the best guests I ever had. The really bad ones in my experience were Canadian. Don't ask me why! But I never see anyone ranting about them. PS no doubt I will get a host of "sad" or "confused" icons from those unable to actually respond in a literate manner.

Just out of curiosity, is the photograph really of the Straits of Malacca? Looks awful narrow.

Know Your Customer. It's a PITA.

Along the river front.

Update and happy ending. Booked at SHA++ hotel near the airport for just over 4k. Got RT PCR test for outward journey for 900 THB at Pattayarak clinic behind Na Klua fish market. ATK just 250 THB. Philippines insurance ($35k cover) with AXA. Hotel in Philippines booked, no Qt, no arrival tests. It's less hassle in the Philippines (and more fun!).

Unfortunately a thing of the past. All are being/have been replaced with pedestrian controlled lights. Much less immediately recognisable for approaching traffic, and usually accompanied by raised pavements, ie road humps.

One problem I've encountered personally. Because most controlled cross roads have a left turn allowed on red, AND a pedestrian crossing on all 3 or 4 sides of the road right by the lights, it's easy to swing left, right into the path of a pedestrian actually crossing. Their light will be green to cross, but the driver can't see that. I think it's why in the UK the left lane is never allowed to make a left until the lights are green. Putting the crossings so close to the lights is simply a potential death trap for pedestrians. They need to move the crossings a good 50m away from the lights.

Once again I messed up. It was quoting me for 2 people by default. I can see it comes down to around 4k for 1. Apologies all round.