hotandsticky

13 minutes ago, bignok said:

He is 67yo.

So am I.

If I had to change tomorrow I would do; age is only a barrier if you allow it to be.

There are few better places than Thailand for finding female company (if that is what you refer to)  -  at any age.

16 minutes ago, Shop mak said:

However most export except rice, has been down last 11 months, reported weekly by the local news.

Arrival numbers are much lower than predicted.

The time to increase is not now.

 

Even a small increase from 800k to 1M for retirement, would see a significant drop in expat community.

 

* Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Philippines doesn't have these 400/800k criterias, so single expats on retirement have alternatives.

 

Agree, and some people are very concerned (sleepless) if they can continue their life here in Thailand, due to endless scare mongering by some.

 

Stay calm and stop read obvious rumours.

 

Just prepare a Plan B if you haven't done it, years ago.

I disagree about "a significant drop in expat community".................. quite simply, more will just use agents.

2 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Bad choices in partners inhibit growth in life, at least temporarily.

Yes indeed.

But can be corrected.

48 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Have many, most of which can't be done here. And what do others do here to stay busy? I know a lot of foreigners, and most of them go to bars almost daily. That isn't my thing. Temple visiting ended the first year, when you've seen many, especially the bigger ones, you've seen them all. Only one I'd like to see is Angkor Wat in Cambodia, someday before I leave here. If the beaches were closer, I'd be fishing there, but since I'm in Isaan, there isn't much to do here. Seeing the Hill Tribes around Chiang Mai are on the list before I leave, but that's just one more thing. Watching the rice grow isn't too inspiring, so what more is there here? Most Isaan cities all look the same. Same villages, same shops, same food.

You REALLY screwed up, didn't you?

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.

Maya Angelou

26 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Calling him out on his behaviour was not the mistake.

I didn't say it was. I have already said what I thought he should have done.

The circus that followed was pathetic.

13 minutes ago, Tug said:

Well that’s all for rubalis he resigned imo good he had no business trying to steal the woman’s team lime light in their moment of triumph 

I don't believe that HE was seeking the limelight.

Whilst he was in the wrong (and should have resigned immediately the woke world decided to make an issue out of it) it was the limelight that was thrust at him.

Badly handled all round.

1 minute ago, fredwiggy said:

How could you doubt anything about anyone you don't know? Yes, I knew about Thai and it's ways, but came here to take care of my now ex wife and my daughter. Going back home to the US as soon as possible is because of seeing it more firsthand. It's not a good place for little, or for that matter, big girls. Thailand tries to learn from other countries for decades, and adopts some of their ways, but prejudice handed down from generations has slowed this progress. There's a reason thousands of locals have moved out and never came back. And it's not only because of money.

Of course it's because of money, and they don't really want to be rice or rubber farmers - they will. of course, scuttle back for the 'culture' at New Year, Songkran and big Buddha holidays.

7 minutes ago, bignok said:

99 baht on ebay

 

Free in most areas  -  if you apply yourself correctly!

23 minutes ago, Terry2905 said:

How I wish I had my passport in hand, to refute your misinformation. 

 

  

 

 

It can't be far away as it is the property of the British government and it is your responsibility to take care of it.

Just get hold of it, take a picture of entry stamp, post it on here, and all will become clear.

20 minutes ago, Eff1n2ret said:

 

 

I can't decide whether the person who wrote that is stupid or just doesn't care - probably both.

 

Probably not as daft as the person who:-

1. Bothered to correspond with HMPO.

2. Expected a sensible reply from that communication.

1 hour ago, NextG said:

In case you missed it, the OP was specifically discussing sending US$…

I did miss that - my apologies. 

34 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

You know nothing.........post it up  - using my 65k per month transfer

I can see this may take a while - or even be beyond you. So, let's take the example of a transfer of £1,500 which in your case starts off by costing you  £1,504.

I am using Kasikorn so they receive £1,500 which they convert 44.003 (9th update today - source:- http://bankexchangerates.daytodaydata.net/default.aspx)

That is 66,004 Baht from which they deduct 326 Baht being their 0.25% min 200, 20 Baht to transfer it out of Bangkok and a 0.1% charge for goodness knows what....... net amount received 65,618 Baht.

With WISE,  £1,504 less fees £9.24 = £1,494.76 remitted at 44.4075 = 66,378.55 Baht ...............or, 760 Baht than you received - Oh, and my money arrived in 6 seconds.

Try it on 1 million Baht ....... the difference is £96 in favour of the WISE transfer.

(the thread is about WISE fees versus banks).

3 minutes ago, NextG said:

I KNOW you are wrong, as I run the figures many times, along with others here. It’s you who doesn’t know what you are talking about and now I have to spend my time putting together an illustration for you and the other naysayers on this thread…

You know nothing.........post it up  - using my 65k per month transfer

4 hours ago, OJAS said:

Easier said than done for the OP if he is not, given that, according to @hotandsticky elsewhere on here, new Government Gateway accounts can these days only be created by those with UK addresses.

 

Personally speaking, I think that it would not be unreasonable to conclude from the OP's (and others' similar) experiences that the UK government as a whole could well be pursuing an agenda aimed at making the lives of us Brit retirees living in LOS just as difficult as is humanly possible, with both HMRC and DWP playing their full part by adding insult to injury to those on frozen State Pensions through taxing them as if they were in receipt of the full whack. And this coming on top of the cumbersomely bureaucratic  procedures which have been inflicted on us over the last 10 years or so by DWP and HMPO in the areas of State Pension life certificates and passport renewals respectively.

 

And then we have the Thai government who IMHO have clearly demonstrated, through various actions directed against those of us on annual retirement extensions over the past few years in particular, that they would be more than willing to provide their UK counterparts with whatever assistance they might require in this connection!

 

Rant over!

 

Confirmed re UK address.

When setting up Government Gateway for a friend recently I resorted to trying his last known UK address.

1 minute ago, Spock said:

So long as the Russians largely confine themselves to Phuket I don't particularly care as it's an area of Thailand I have no desire to ever again visit.

Logical, if slightly selfish, reason.

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

It would be interesting to know whether it is just you, or does this apply to ALL expats renewing their extension at Jomtien, with all banks or just Kasikorn. Any answers please.

I must be a lucky bugger because P'lok IO let me do mine via Combination Method i.e. Bht 420k in the bank plus Bht 40k per month via Wise, into Bkk Bank as FTT, adds up to 900k. I have a specific 'Immigration' bank account/book, so 40k per month in, and 30k out only needs one bank book page and one sheet of a statement.

 

Jomtien are known for being user friendly but I would be disappointed if I had been singled out for special treatment!

In fairness the guy at window 8 is pretty efficient and I have never really had a problems - minor issues with rule changes or an extra copy of this or that. He knew exactly what he wanted from Kasikorn and gave me a specimen form to take away.......I don't know if it is different for other banks.

17 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

So are these Trade Finance transfers accepted by Immigration for monthly transfers if you do your Extension that way?

Have you not read my earlier replies.

Jomtien Immigration insist on a specific certification from Kasikorn bank.

I turned up with bank letter, 12 months statements (with 65k x 12 highlighted) and 12 WISE PDFs for each monthly transfer.

No....I needed the Kasikorn bank certificate which I could only get from the Pattaya Klang branch 

Bit of an inconvenience, but I know for next year.

4 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

 

It is Srettha who is reined, and saddled. He will be ridden hard, and will take the whip.

 

He has absolutely no power whatsoever.

 

He'll be but a skid-mark in Thai history.

 

 

 

 

Such a shame  -  but you are absolutely right.