bradiston

40 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

The Houthi's  from Yemen are attacking ships in the Red Sea , just in the

news , they attacked a British oil tanker...

 

regards Worgeordie

Yeah, well, the Israelis already sorted them out I believe. But is all freight being diverted via the Cape? I very much doubt it. Hey, Houthis, leave my cheese alone!

On 10/3/2024 at 1:44 PM, bradiston said:

Haha! I know the type. But I recently received, maybe 2 weeks ago, a letter here in Philippines from HMRC telling me I'd been fined £100 for a late (unnecessary) tax return. Date on it was June 6th. When I rang the number on the letter, I was told the fine was now £1,000 and I'd better do something about it quick or HMRC would be issuing a red notice blah blah blah and notifying the Philippines government etc etc etc.

Maybe I should have mentioned, I was advised by a much better CSR to formally notify HMRC I left the uk permanently 9 years ago and to appeal the fines on the basis I no longer had to file a self employed tax return.

1 minute ago, Lorry said:

Good post.

Bacolod was the place in Negros I meant. 

 

Of course,  keep in mind:

Someone I know in Europe suffered a heart attack in the countryside and got a stent within 45 minutes. That's the standard in his country. There is nowhere in the PI or in Thailand that comes close. 

Someone else I know moved to Thailand and suffered a heart attack upcountry. He died.  A stent would have taken days.

If I were to live in Bacolod, I would know whom to call and how to pay for an air ambulance to Manila. But most things,  they can handle there very well, at very decent prices. 

 

 

That's good to know. I've only needed a doctor occasionally. I always catch a horrible cold on arrival which sometimes needs something more than paracetamol. My inpatient insurance covers me here. I got all my dentistry done in Philippines, 5 or 6 implants included. Much better than Thai dentists IMHO, and experience.

I've only been to Dumaguete once, but it has quite an expat population I heard. Ferries to neighbouring islands, a domestic airport, and a charming harbour promenade a bit like Cornwall! Good bars and restaurants too. Probably a very economical place to explore. And maybe live in.

7 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

 

 

A car chase erupted in the Khao Talo area of Pattaya, involving gunfire and damaged vehicles, before being brought under control by local police. The dramatic incident, which took place at around 11:00 on October 3, began when a confrontation over a woman spiralled into a violent pursuit through city streets.

 

Officers from the Tourist Police Division 4, led by Pol. Lt. Col. Piyapong Ensarn and other local law enforcement, responded to the scene after receiving reports of gunshots and a car chase. The incident occurred in Soi Khao Talo 5/1 in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi.

 

 

Upon arrival, police arrested 34-year-old Mr. Tosawat, recovering a .32 revolver from his possession. Mr. Sitthiporn, 22, the driver of a damaged grey Honda Civic with registration from Chonburi, was also taken into custody. The other party involved, 33-year-old Mr. Thapakornkrit, was driving a white Toyota Camry with registration from Bangkok. The Camry sustained damage to its left front side, and a white Chevrolet pickup truck at the scene had a bullet hole in its rear hood.

 

According to police, the conflict began when Mr. Tosawat, accompanied by Mr. Sitthiporn, went to visit his girlfriend at a hotel in Soi Khao Noi. Upon entering her room, he found Mr. Thapakornkrit, whom he did not recognise, lying in bed. Enraged, he attacked Mr. Thapakornkrit, who fled the scene.

 

Shortly afterward, Mr. Tosawat and Mr. Sitthiporn attempted to leave the hotel in their Honda Civic. However, they were blocked by Mr. Thapakornkrit’s friends, who arrived in a white pickup truck. Gunfire was exchanged during the altercation, with Mr. Tosawat firing his weapon to clear the path for their escape. A chase ensued through the streets of Khao Talo, with Mr. Thapakornkrit and his friends in pursuit.

 

Police, who were patrolling nearby, witnessed the chase and intervened, bringing it to an end. Mr. Tosawat claimed that he fired his gun in self-defense after hearing gunshots and to avoid being blocked. Mr. Thapakornkrit, meanwhile, stated that the altercation stemmed from a misunderstanding and insisted that he and his friends did not fire any weapons.

 

Both parties were taken to the police station for further questioning, and charges are pending as authorities investigate the full details of the incident. CCTV footage from nearby residents captured part of the chase, including the sound of multiple gunshots and the sight of the grey Honda Civic speeding away with the pickup truck and Camry in pursuit.

 

Police continue to gather evidence and will determine the appropriate charges as the investigation unfolds.

 

Picture courtesy of Sattahip News.

 

-- 2024-10-04

 

 

Straight outta Keystone.

4 hours ago, worgeordie said:

High profit....

 

Although goods coming from Europe will have to come around the Cape

making transport costs higher...

 

regards worgeordie

Is the Suez canal still blocked? A war zone? Pirates?

2 hours ago, proton said:

What about the soi dog hazard, not to mention the monkeys 

And brake failure! Twisty roads. Rain. Other drivers.

35 minutes ago, Lorry said:

You can get good healthcare in the PI, for very reasonable prices. 

Manila, of course,  and Cebu City (most foreigners stay on Cebu) have very good hospitals.  But even a place like Negros, where you were fųcked 10 years ago, now offers very decent care. Things are improving very fast.

It helps that you can have a trusting relationship to the caregivers because they are not so obviously fleecing you as here.

 

You are right about transport.  If you live on an outlying island near Cebu, or in the sticks on Leyte - good luck.  It's like Thailand 30 years ago.

 

Slightly OT, but I'm sitting in my rented for 23,000 PHP excl taxes pm 11th floor condo in Bacolod. The sun is shining. The pool and gym on the 14th floor are empty. I have excellent internet, such that my TV box is in constant use for uefa, pl, MLB, NFL, sky, hbo etc etc. Breathtaking views of sea and volcanoes. I breakfast every day at a 12 PHP AC bus ride away cafe, eggs, bacon, toast and coffee, 230 PHP, and dine on excellent carbonara and lasagne at a bistro 3 minutes walk away, also 230 PHP. I'm 20 minutes from Silay airport from where I can fly cheaply to almost anywhere in Philippines. Mindanao, Palawan, Cebu, Siargao etc. People call it a dump. Good, then stay away!

2 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Amazing how 9 people laughed at this topic, as if it is something fun or you could blame this retirees on. It's 100% theft and unfair.

Maybe it's because it comes around on such a regular basis. Many antifreeze options and alternatives have been proposed over and over again. The chances of it ever changing are really minimal. Yes, unfair it may be, in fact, undoubtedly is, and totally illogical. But HM government is not rational and thick as, as we all know. You're dealing with an immovable object, so find a way round it!

1 hour ago, NedR69 said:

 

Problems with US banks / accounts??   Maybe it's you that has the problem.  If you have difficulty opening a bank account or applying for a new CC, it's you, not the bank or the lender....you, your problem.

 

If you're trying to open a bank account or apply for a CC while you are in a foreign country....it's your lack of understanding common business practices and maybe lacking common sense and piss poor planning.  If this fits you, then I'll put some things on FB marketplace to sell you.  After you transfer the money to me, I'll ship the items to you right away!

 

A few weeks ago (Sep '24), I opened new checking and savings accounts with a high rated and exclusive banking institution. that I've done biz with since '94. I did this here in Thailand, no phone calls, just my laptop.  It was simple to complete online and then I transferred/deposited about 2000 THB / $50 to each account.  A week later, I wired a large deposit using Swift from my BK Bank to my new US Bank account.  It was almost instant and the next morning it was there when I checked online. Using Swift to transfer to the US was my only reason for opening a new chk/sav account with this bank that I've used for other account types for a 30 years. Not every US bank accept Swift or foreign currency transfers.

 

If you're having problems, you may be someone that didn't have smart plans or any strategy and arrived in Thailand with ONE single debit card/ATM card, and probably one CC, or maybe no CC at all.  You can read those sob stories on social media when someone can't access their bank or their money back in their home  country.

 

When I moved here several years ago, I arrived with 3 debit/ATM cards and 3 CC.  The same 3 banks and cards I've had for 30+ years.  I have no trouble keeping these accounts and cards and living here in in Thai.  For those from other non-US countries...I feel grateful and blessed when I read about your woes and problems because you don't have the same freedom and liberties.  

Actually this thread was about US citizens having problems with US banks. Non-US have the same freedoms and liberties, so your smug suggestion we are some sort of poor distant cousins living in the dark ages is well wide of the mark. But most of us don't have the idiot's charter, which is  2A. I don't know what makes you think the chaotic gunfight that the US seems to be, is somehow superior to the relative calm in Europe and elsewhere!

1 hour ago, GinBoy2 said:

You are quite right the US was built on immigrants.

 

But my family didn't arrive at Ellis Island but walked over the border at San Ysidro. 

 

Different times, empty country looking for people.

 

But for immigrants back then they wanted to assimilate and become part of American society.

 

My Mom would actually rap my knuckles if I spoke Spanish outside the house.

 

In no way am I endorsing that, but it illustrates how immigrants back then are different from today.

 

And I hate myself for saying this, but I can see the difference between my parents and grandparents and today's people crossing the southern border.

 

A lot of European countries also contain a large proportion of immigrants, especially from former colonies who have integrated and become part of the fabric of those countries.

 

I think the jury is certainly out on how this new wave will work out

 

 

Totally agree, every nation in the world is made up of diverse cultures, races and peoples, the results of centuries, millennia even, of human migration. Multiculturalism is a  hated concept amongst many, but it's driven the human race forward, encouraging diversity which is essential for survival. If your gene pool dries up, inbreeding and stagnation is the result. Monoculture spells doom to artistic expression and creativity.

1 hour ago, watchcat said:

 

Name and shame is unfortunately not allowed in Thailand.

It seems that policy is applied discriminately. Some get named, some get shamed, others, dead silence.

50 minutes ago, BruceWayne said:

Is anyone surprised UK Govt won't give pension rises to male viagra boomer crew?

It's an easy one to sell to the UK public who suspect we ain't here for the temples and culture.

 

This is why it'll never change - not that it'll stop the inevitable threads every few months

Yes, but it's not just here the pensions are frozen. But there are still plenty of alternative destinations, and many antifreeze options.

1 hour ago, 3NUMBAS said:

blame starmer and reeves ,the usual labour crowd of dumbos who cant think  straight

DOH!

So who are the ringleaders mentioned in bold in the article? We only have the names of the networks.

28 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Sounds like lost in translation.

As far as I know all letter mail is sent by air. So the term airmail and sticker might have vanished.

When I sent a letter to Germany I request registered mail ("long tabien"). I can then track it and see Suvarnabhumi and Frankfurt. Mail from pension office was 8 days in July. Letters to Germany almost always held up for days at Frankfurt customs.

 

The collecting/storing at the post office here is indeed possible. 

I received the pension letter on July 2nd while a friend in Jomtien still waiting at the end of the month. Told him to go and ask at his post office. But as he doesn't listen to anything I gave up.

Haha! I know the type. But I recently received, maybe 2 weeks ago, a letter here in Philippines from HMRC telling me I'd been fined £100 for a late (unnecessary) tax return. Date on it was June 6th. When I rang the number on the letter, I was told the fine was now £1,000 and I'd better do something about it quick or HMRC would be issuing a red notice blah blah blah and notifying the Philippines government etc etc etc.

22 hours ago, bubblegum said:

Just open a Wise account, it's in Belgium with a Belgium bank nr. and IBAN.

A Wise Euro account you mean? A Wise $ account is held in New York. A £ one in City of London.

2 hours ago, marin said:

Its sure as hell as relevant as this quote from you..

 

Then you out to know the law better. 

In both photos you are in the intersection while the light is red.

 

Now go after the other 10-12 posters who say you ran the light, while you are at it could you point out any posters agreeing with you?

 

I agree with him. It's not a yellow box junction. If people stopped on a green light waiting for their exit to clear, there'd be hell to pay from the traffic behind, and you'd probably never get to turn right! If the lights were working properly, there'd be a right filter light, which there appears to be, showing green upon entry to the junction, and allowing the right turning traffic priority. So what's held the traffic up? Probably somebody jumping their light going in the other direction.

I protested a supposed red light violation ticket. Cop claimed I'd run it, pointing to the cameras as evidence, which he didn't have. He said ok, go to the cop shop on beach rd and tell them. I did, and they showed me a huge wall map of the cameras at that junction (Thepprasit and Thappraya). None were pointing in the direction I was alleged to have been driving. They tore up the ticket and sent me on my way. Thais can be extremely helpful if you keep your cool, explain in simple terms your problem. Don't disrespect them, treat them as you'd wish to be treated. And don't behave like you do on this forum!!!

A4 documents, 10 days roughly to and from the UK via EMS. Costs about 700 THB. Small package from India, $23, about the same timescale, including customs clearance and taxation. The tracking was hopeless. By the time I got notified by the sender it had been delivered to the post office in Pattaya, it showed as still at Mumbai customs.

7 hours ago, jori123 said:

Of course you could ask the organiser(here) of the letter from DWP,why he did it? what purpose was it for? were you (with your partner) so jealous that a hoax had to be played out......all these could be answered ,and have been...its on record anybody been prosected

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• Advanced Member
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Posted 4 hours ago

  4 hours ago, proton said:

I have already posted it, just for you again

Expand  

..and I've answered, it was a hoax,  if you go to past threads on the subject the recipient (he did quote earlier) admitted he volunteered information to DWP for them to take action(wanted that letter).  You will see comments like "bingo" and "wow" from him, but you will have trawl through past quotes

•  

Posted 4 hours ago

  4 hours ago, bradiston said:

I'd like to see the original letter. This appears to be a mock-up.

I have already posted it, just for you again         It was hoax,ask him,his details are above

I don't follow. What exactly are you saying? You're saying it was a hoax, but your explanation is unfathomable. Jealousy? you don't provide any evidence it was a hoax.

3 hours ago, proton said:

 

This appears to be wishfull thinking, I posted this earlier, a poster living in Thailand but not telling them got a penalty and had to pay the over payments back- regarding his state pension, not pension credit or any other benefits:

 

You have been overpaid State Retirement Pension amounting to £194.30 for the period 16 April 2016 to 26 May 2017.

The overpayment occurred because on 25 June 2015 you misrepresented the fact that the residential status of yourself, or one of your dependents within Great Britain or Northern Ireland had changed Social Security law allows us to recover this amount from you

Civil Penalty

Social Security law allows a financial penalty to be imposed if it is decided that you were overpaid benefit because you:

. negligently made incorrect statements regarding your claim without taking reasonable steps to correct them or

o failed to provide information or evidence about the claim without reasonable excuse or

",,':,

.promptly without reasonable excuse.

failed to report changes in circumstances regarding the claim

We have decided that a Civil Penalty of £50 is appropriate because you negligently made an incorrect statement negligently gave incorrect information in connection with your benefit claim/award without taking reasonable steps to correct the error, resulting in an overpayment of benefit to you. The amount of the penalty has been added to the balance of the overpayment above. Under Social Security law, you must pay this penalty in addition to paying back the overpayment.

The total amount of State Retirement Pension and Civil Penalty you have to repay is £244.30.

How to pay
lf you already have an outstanding balance with us this debt will be added to it. We will contact you if we need to review how much you are currently paying back.

Contacting Debt Management
Please call Debt management on 0800 916 0647 or for textphone users 0800 916 0651 from the UK or 0161 904 1233 from outside of the UK, even if you cannot pay the amount in full you can discuss mutually agreeable repayment terms. Advisors are available from 8.00am to 8.00pm Monday to Friday and 9.00am to 4.00pm on Saturday.

By deduction from benefit
lf you are receiving benefits and the amount you have been overpaid has not been repaid within one month of the date of this letter deductions from your benefit will be taken to repay this. There is no right of appeal against these deductions.

I'd like to see the original letter. This appears to be a mock-up.

13 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

 

Not just Thailand, UK ex-pat pensions are also frozen in neighbouring Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore.

 

When I lived in Thailand at the age of 65 I started on 102 GBP per week. 15 years later at 80, I still get 102GBP per week. Fortunately I get 2 additional UK index linked Government and Local Government pensions.

 

For reference should anyone be considering moving from Thailand-

 

Here is a comprehensive list of countries where UK State Pensions are currently frozen, according to data provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP):

 

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctic Territories (British), Antigua, Antilles (Netherlands), Argentina, Ascension Island, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbuda, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bissau (Guinea), Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde Islands, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China (People’s Republic), Colombia, Comoro Islands, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire), Djibouti, Dominica (Commonwealth), Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands & Dep, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Greenland, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kampuchea, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nevis (St Kitts-Nevis), New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Principe and Sao Tome, Qatar, Republic of Armenia, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Georgia, Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of the Congo, Republic of Turkmenistan, Republic of Uzbekistan, Republic of Yemen, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Sabah, San Marino, Sarawak, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sharjah, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, St Helena & Deps, St Lucia, St Vincent & Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tahiti, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tristan Da Cunha, Tunisia, Turks & Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City State, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (British), Western Samoa, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

And here's a list where it's NOT frozen:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-pensions-annual-increases-if-you-live-abroad/countries-where-we-pay-an-annual-increase-in-the-state-pension

2 hours ago, NoshowJones said:

I see your point, but you will have to keep changing your addresses every six months.

No. You're resident in Philippines if you live there for 6+ months of the year. Or that's my understanding. I simply rang DWP and gave them my address and a phone number in Philippines. They were very friendly and totally unconcerned. Sure, you could check with DWP what the exact rules are. For instance, I'm not sure if it has to be a block of 6 months or is it just total days spent there. Of course there are many other countries where your UK pension doesn't get frozen. I posted a link higher up. Turkey has always seemed a possible alternative. Here it is again:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-pensions-annual-increases-if-you-live-abroad/countries-where-we-pay-an-annual-increase-in-the-state-pension

2 hours ago, NoshowJones said:

I didn't know. are you calling me a fool??

Well, not knowing seems to be your excuse. Is it a valid one? You're a grown man. You can take care of yourself. You can do your own research. Yes. I'm calling you a fool!

1 minute ago, NoshowJones said:

I never knew about the UK stealing money from OAP's living in Thailand by not giving them their annual increases until after I had moved here.

So what is stupid about that?

You could have found it out before coming. Not stupid, just careless.