simon43

I bank with Bangkok Bank for 23 years. My most recent visa/extension was using an agent in Pattaya to provide the 800k, which I've done many times before). I have been investigating returning permanently to the UK (not without problems because of the dire property -enting issues in the UK). My Thai visa comes up for renewal in September, but I can't be bothered messing around with these new rules from the bank. I've decided to return to Luang Prabang (Laos) for 1 more year, save up some funds and then have another go at renting a UK property with a wad of cash :). Anyway, plane booked for a week's holiday in Luang Prabang, fly tomorrow, rent a house, return to Thailand just to collect my bags... 🙂

Filipino? It was a man? 🙂

I think you have a problem with the female gender....

Brave or crazy to jump from 'space'. I watched a documentary about that jump where he said that he almost died of cold on the way down! RIP

Too many unhinged people on the streets nowadays. The UK was a much safer place to live when mental asylums were in vogue...

IMHO, staring in that manner at a lone female is the act of an 'unhinged' person..... If he tried that in the USA with a man, then he might end up eating lead...

Jealous Thais (or those who don't like foreigners) might tip off the police that you're 'working' without a work permit....

Hi Jim, thanks for your thoughtful post and comments. Yes, my desire to return back to the UK is primarily based on medical concerns and 'what if?' questions about my future years. I do have estranged family in the UK, who I don't expect to care for me. Being of limited financial means is a blessing, because the local authority is required to freely provide care assistants etc if needed. Although I speak fluent Thai, I'm not so sure that I can fully trust 'the system' here to provide good palliative care, morphine etc to reduce pain. As a scientist, I do know how to end my life painlessly (jump off a tall building lol). If I were to slowly 'degrade' in the UK or Thailand, then I certainly could make provision with various substances that would enable me to end things quickly and painlessly. But in any case (as previously mentioned), it seems rather difficult to actually return to the UK because of the lack of rented accommodation in nice localities. I could certainly rent in Blackpool, and from a visit a few years ago, it's not too bad a place. But I prefer the West Country. Right now, I have stopped actively searching for a rented property in the UK. I have decided to stay put one more year in south-east Asia (not necessarily in Thailand), and save up about $20,000 from my online teaching, then return to the UK with that money, which would allow me hopefully to rent a place by putting down several months of deposit. (I don't want to return to the UK without enough funds in case I have to stay in an expensive Air BnB for a few months). Anyway, plans for our latter years is something that everyone must consider. Best just to drop dead (as my dear father did at 89 years old). Update: Your friend has a problem and conflict of interest, having a Thai wife and kids. I have grown-up kids and ex-wives (3) who only loved the money that I earned in my previous career as a space scientist. I wouldn't expect any of them to lift a finger to help me!

It's free in my home country..

Some posters may have read in the UK forum that I am seriously considering leaving Thailand after many years. There are many factors in my decision, but those that relate to Thailand are: - I live alone, so no support network in case of sudden illness etc - I don't have 800k baht, and I do not like using alternative 'unofficial' methods to extend my visa - I like the sun, but after 23 years, I also miss 4 seasons in a year That's about it, so no major negative reasons... Having said that, my efforts to actually return to the UK are going nowhere fast, because of the desperate shortage of rented properties - I've found typically 50 people chasing each available property.

At least charge him for stealing the shopping trolley...

In terms of earning an income, they do not seem to have any skill that would allow them to earn an income. He's an HGV driver, but that and a whole list of manual-type jobs (which I guess they are both capable of doing), are out of bounds for non-Thais, or the rate of pay is dismal. Teaching English even at a basic, low-pay level requires a degree (any degree) to be legal, and that's also the case now in Cambodia and Myanmar. Some sort of online income might be the solution, but not a vlogger, please!!

Yep, with some of my young Chinese online students, the noise from the other family members is deafening. I have to say "Hi, can you please tell your mum to shut the feck up, 'cos I can't hear a word that you are saying!"

[quote] ... When he gets older, he will face significant financial challenges because leaving early means receiving a smaller Old Age Pension. ... [/quote] Nope, you can do voluntary NI top-ups at about 178 quid/year. I left the UK 23 years ago, paid my top-ups for most missing years, and as from last month, receive a 29-year UK state pension of about $1,100/month. Enough for a single person to live on in south-east Asia 🙂

.. and that is a problem, because there are many people chasing each available property. I never realised how bad it is. The property that I previously highlighted was ideal, and the landlord said 'yes I will certainly rent it to YOU', but he wanted to meet me personally in the next few days, and that proved impossible to organise. My concern is that if I return to the UK without having a rented property ready to move into, I might find myself taking up van life! 🙂

Perhaps she has clipped its flight feathers?

Assuming that I had the money for the fees, the decision to go to Harvard would not be mine - it would be a decision made by my offspring as to whether the university offered a suitable course for them. My 2 brothers went to colleges at Cambridge, but I declined that location and instead went to London University (UCL). Why? Because USL offered the course (MSc in Microwaves and Fourier Optics) that I felt was more relevant to my intended career (radio frequency Engineer). Cambridge offered no suitable course..

Virtual signalling by so many politicians and leaders with their condemnation. The burning of this fire was a very clear message from the 'common' people about their concerns of unchecked immigration and the discrimination by these politicians/leaders against the native population. Those in power ignore this message at their peril....

Did I just stumble on a kindergarten chat forum?! If you haven't worked out yet that of course men and women can just be friends, then I'd say you're beyond help....

.. and here are the 2 certificates issued for the 2 lucky Burmese students 🙂

I may be a tad ignorant here, but why on Earth is it possible to switch off the fuel to the engines when the plane is in flight? Do some pilots like to save fuel by 'coasting' in the air?!! (bit like switching of your car engine at the traffic lights). Surely that should only be possible if a fire warning in the engine was sounded?

What would you do if cannabis cards are restricted only to Thai citizens?

Yes I know that! How many posters actually suffer from one of those conditions? Perhaps 4 or 11??

I wonder how many of the posters who comment are also AI bots.... aseannow - the hub of AI bots 🙂

So what ailments are you all going to claim to have? 🙂