DGS1244

Definitely not normal, suggest you engage brain and find someone else. If it has started now it will never stop, you being an ATM I mean.

As I have said many times b4 in New Zealand if you are out of the country more than 6 months your benifits stop so why you think you will be any different in the future Times in the world are a changing

What has New Zealand got to do with this, we are talking about UK and their unfair payment system. Simple answer if you are a New Zealander then go back to NZ, make us all happy.

I am an expat, i am married here, no way on earth should anyone be allowed to claim anything from the UK if they have never paid tax there. Sponging gits. And i am not wealthy.

Get your facts right, half the UK wives have never worked or paid insurance so why should they be treated different to a wife in Thailand. It is also to do with insurance nothing to do with tax, I still pay tax in UK but wife here cannot get pension until normal retiring age. What is good for one she be good for the other.

Ten years ago they agreed that this would have to happen, now they state 'Amorn said officials would look into the concession contract regulations to see if station demolition was allowed or if they had to amend the regulations before demolition.' as usual TIT.

Widows of British Ex-pats do not receive any pension when their husband dies until they reach normal womens retiring age, it use to be 45 but changed last year. So according to the UK figures there must be a hell of a lot of 'elderly' UK widows in Thailand. The figures just do not add up.

Anywhere except Chiang Mai (and the North). I'd actually look at the greater Pattaya area, and then be a little outside of the main tourist areas.

Yes

Chiang Mai does have some problems but compared with Pattaya area they are insignificant in comparison. At least you have all the amenities that retires require without having to travel long distances.

As for 'Rubberduck's comments re cremations guess he must live in some remote area living in the past, have been to a number of cremations and never seen a body taken out of the box for burning or being burnt in the open for that matter in Thailand. Plenty in places like India etc. but Thailand has strict rules now on crematoria and they have to be certified and comply with national rules etc.

If you are from UK and have a Bangkok Bank account in Thailand then it is easier and cheaper as BB have a Branch in London and you can open an account there and do an internal transfer. Cheaper by far.

We've been through this one a number of times and although it is theoretically possible to do what you suggest, many people here have tried to open a bank account with BB in London but nobody has been able to do so, I'm not certain that BB London actually has a retail banking license!

I have friend here and he had no problems opening the account in the UK, guess he picked the right day.

If you are from UK and have a Bangkok Bank account in Thailand then it is easier and cheaper as BB have a Branch in London and you can open an account there and do an internal transfer. Cheaper by far.

//Edit: off topic. The OP clearly mentioned that he is using K-Bank (KasikornBank)

I think you are going to find it will have to be done out side Thailand.... Penang Malaysia will be the closest., that takes two days....

But it won't be an official retirement visa.... You can only do that in your home country.... I forget the type you get..... although it is basically, the same... (O visa, I think) ....

Wrong

You can convert a tourist visa to an O visa at immigration, about 2,000 baht then apply for a retirement permit the same visit. No need to go back to home country for retirement. You will have to show proof of income etc. as other posts have stated. It also makes sense to get a re-entry permit at the same time, either single or multiple, then you can leave at short notice, for emergency etc. without having to run around trying to get one at the last minute. If you leave without one then you will loose your retirement permit.

Have had retirement permit for over ten years and never a problem.

Having spent a lot of time listening to both sides I have a feeling that Cambodia put a better case forward and Thailand will loose the argument.

If you frequented the clip joints the OP uses you wouldnt have that problem,

rgs has no idea where I drink the above statement is based upon his own baseless assumptions.... Doh!

Personally I think your whole post a total waste of time if that is all you have to complain about. Just be thankful that you have a waiter and don't need to go to the bar each time to get a beer.

Don't get involved, walk away while you still can

Surely the oiffer of 20 baht was a joke which got passed on or taken literally, i suspect.

Personally I have never paid a penny, explianed that I was against it and we discussed it, eventually 40k baht was used, 1 baht gold given to wife which she kept, money returned immediately after the ceremony. Family save face, everyone happy.

Totally agree, even half a Baht of gold would have been enough. paying more??? they saw the ATM machine coming.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Hope it works out and you get your money back.

Things to do to protect yourself from this kind of thing in the future:

1) Set a low daily limit on your ATM card. (If you need more, take bankbook and passport to your branch).

2) Set up SMS notification for all activities over 1000THB for all your accounts.

3) Set up 2-part authentication for all online transactions over 1000THB. This means the bank sends a code to your mobile phone that you have to type in on your web session. Thieves have to steal your password AND your phone.

Constant vigilance is the price we pay for not getting robbed.

This makes perfect sense, I to have set up a low figure for daily withdrawals from my Thai Bank, when I do use a ATM it is in a 24 hr occupied area. To me it sounds like the card may have been copied somewhere else during a previous use, in house employees also have to be considered. I had a problem using a Thai bank with a ATM machine that did not give me any money but deducted it from my foreign account, after a few calls and form filling the money was credited to my account within 5 days, a real miracle for Thailand. One other thing which Airport Plaza was it?, there are several in Thailand.

"Some 2.5 million visitors arrive on Phi Phi, a part of Krabi, every day, with many staying the night."

I don't think so, 2,500 would be a lot but 2.5 million???

Fake phones, fake batteries, This is Thailand

Siam station has fitted the new platform gates similar to the MRT Underground. It was odds on that there was going to be a software problem, what's the betting that this was part of it.

Interesting this, Chachoengsao was the area that the government authorised for the dumping of waste and damaged goods from the floods in Ayutthaya in 2011. It included a lot of organic waste that was seriously degrading from being in contact with water. Wonder who sanctioned that?

It would appear that there are some posts in this thread that may be made by crotchety , nit-picking people with other dislikes causing them to direct negative posts regarding David and the River Market. Although I think most posters like and approve of this fine restaurant.

It may be just a coincidence that I read today that the Thai Govt has now banned the drug Xanax. Could some of the more negative posters already be experiencing a reaction to this government edict???

Its you who needs the Xanax, most us us tell it how it is.

Never taken a drug in my life, pal, I guess living in the good old US of A is enough to drive most of you to drink and/ or drugs!!

Wouldn't know never lived there

It would appear that there are some posts in this thread that may be made by crotchety , nit-picking people with other dislikes causing them to direct negative posts regarding David and the River Market. Although I think most posters like and approve of this fine restaurant.

It may be just a coincidence that I read today that the Thai Govt has now banned the drug Xanax. Could some of the more negative posters already be experiencing a reaction to this government edict???

Its you who needs the Xanax, most us us tell it how it is.

Sorry to disagree totally...but I will. This place is clearly aiming at the tourist/ occasional visitor. The prices are ridiculous for what you get served, and despite the "nice" setting on the edge of the (smelly) Ping River, its just not good value for money at all.

The (so called) Satay I was served was disgusting. It was a lump of indistinguishable meat or fish, and you literally couldnt tell from texture or flavour what it was (I ordered mixed Satay by the way before you ask).

I could but wont because I dont think I m allowed to on here name you at least three other upmarket Thai type restaurants also with a river setting where the food is both much better and less expensive.

If people think River Market is good, they really must be grasping at straws!!!

Totally agree with you, mediocre overpriced food. Might be OK for short stay tourists but as an long term stay Ex-pat here I now avoid it especially when there are many other far better places to dine. Quite a number of other ex-pats I know feel the same, poor service, tasteless and badly cooked food ugh!

They still not realize it, but the tourists make their paycheck on the end of the month. Still thinking they are the king and the customers are the poor people to get money out.......

Sorry your reply doesn't make sense unless I am thick and don't see it

Had they learned anyrhing from Ambassador hotel ??

Fire starting at several points at the same time !

Look like the hotel was not making profir enough !

From the article it seems to have started in one place and then spread to other places. Nowhere does it say it started at several points. Sounds like the fire spread up the building from the first floor storage cupboard, and then ignited the bedsheet trolleys that were probably stored at the same end of the building.

One day someone like you will get locked up for making such unfounded comments.

Sounds like another dumb statement, 99% says arson. Suggest you learn a lot more about 'fire' before opening mouth or using pen

Critics of this are sad and pathetic people who need to get a life. I have witnessed this tradition in a Thai Uni and at at no point did i see any one being coerced into doing it, in fact quite the opposite, the students seemed to greatly enjoy being a part of it and appeared to be having a jolly good time and much merriment..

To all critics, Yahboo sucks !!

Obviously you suffer from some form of blindness, hazing starts with simple stuff but somewhere always goes too far. I have seen students who walked out after the first day as they could not take it. Just bullying people to do what they want them to do!!