I have to say Will, this made me really chuckle. This is Thailand, the right of way is to the bravest that muscles their way out first...!!! Even the Police here don't have a clue!
All due respect to the majority of decent law abiding Arabs and Muslims but, having spent a number of years in Arabic and other Islamic countries (including Kuwait), this comes as absolutely no shock to me whatsoever!
Not British military pensions mate. Doesn't matter where you are, you still get the annual pay increase if there is one. The state pension is a completely different kettle of fish! And btw, I'm NOT ex special forces!
I recently had an arthroscopy for a meniscus repair at a government hospital and including the MRI it all cost around 100,000 baht. It would have been a lot more at one of the private hospitals.
Funnily enough, I've just claimed a refund through Lazada and got it no problem. Granted, it was only a few hundred baht but I found them quite efficient. I also gave the seller an awful review! Sorry you're having this trouble.