simon43

Luckily I had the good sense to get a forecast some years ago and was able to voluntarily top up many years at the cheapest rate (because I was working outside the UK). So my 800 pounds or so is the latest forecast if I just pay the small amounts that will be due this and next year. Also, the insurance company who refused my claim was April International (France) - the expat insurer, not April Thailand. The reasons for their refusal were covered in a separate thread, but basically they refused my claim because I forgot to disclose a medical condition that was unrelated to the suspected prostate cancer. I could argue that this was my innocent error, but I certainly would not want to take out insurance with a company who uses their 'small print' to refuse a claim for medical treatment that's unrelated to the medical condition that I forgot to mention (minor BPH that was verbally mentioned to me years earlier). I do have new insurance now with WR Life (with the exclusion of BPH but including cover for prostate cancer).

Yes, it will be frozen when I start to receive it in 2 years from now. The Philippines is the only country in Asia where it is not frozen. Another destination where it would not be frozen is Mauritius, but you need to bring in $1,500 USD per month to qualify for an annual visa. Most other locations where the UK state pension is not frozen would probably work out rather expensive (EU countries etc), although somewhere like Bulgaria is meant to be cheap and pleasant.

To add my own comments, I went back to the UK for prostate cancer investigations after an MRI scan in Bangkok and raised PSA numbers suggested that early stage cancer was highly likely. My insurance company refused to pay, so I returned to the UK for hospital investigations and possible treatment. (Happily, cancer treatment was not necessary - the growths in my prostate were benign stones and I was able to return to Thailand and now have semi-retired to Laos. I had no family ties in the UK, so chose Blackpool as the cheapest place to stay in a guesthouse. However, it's only cheap in the Winter! Hotel and guesthouse prices shoot up when it gets into Spring/Summer. I was able to register for NHS etc within a few days and received free colon cancer check-up, free eye tests etc. Before my cancer results were known, I seriously considered returning to the UK permanently. But I rejected this because my UK pension (due in 2025) would see me living in poverty and reliant on social services handouts. Also, my lungs are (now what's the medical term?)... ah yes "<deleted>" in cold weather!! So I returned to live in Laos where I am currently enjoying a very relaxing time and spending less than $500 per month (to cover ALL costs >>annual visa, private medical insurance, detached house rental by the Mekong river, food etc etc). So my UK pension of about 800 quid should see me fine,, UNLESS I am forced to return to the UK due to some serious ailment or dementia etc. Wherever you reside, your small income won't go far if you spend it on booze, fags, women etc etc. Whatever you decide to do, please try to sort out your dependencies. Good luck!

Just eat plenty of fibre, muesli etc and you'll be fine!

As a child growing up in Leicester in the 1960s, it was common knowledge that immigrants came from the West Indies because there were few work opportunities at that time in the WI, and so many men came to the UK to look for work and they brought their families with them. I don't recall there being any anomosity towards these immigrants at the time. I DO recall being moved primary schools after large numbers of Asian immigrants arrived in the city and I was being taught some Asian language at school - my parents moved me to a prep school where I would be taught in English....

Sorry if I misunderstand here...... but surely it is illegal for a non-Thai citizen to engage in this type of work. Why doesn't he try selling his squid in Vietnam?

Now if he had used a parrot then he could have engaged in sex-chat at the same time, perhaps teach it some lewd phrases... "go on, go on, go on, oh you're such a big boy, who's a sexy polly?"

An update on the state of my lungs and the copious amounts of thick phlegm that I was coughing up (or attempting to cough up). Quick recap - I have suffered from what seems to be some sort of lung allergy for about 22 years, in that no lung disease has ever been identified and my lung health remains fairly constant unless exposed to colder climates, which is what happened earlier this year when I had to return to the UK for prostate cancer investigations for 3 months. The bronchitus and thick mucus in my lungs almost made me cancel the cancer investigations and return to Thailand, but I managed to stay for 3 months and I was given the all-clear for prostate cancer. On returning to Thailand, I continued to suffer from coughing, bronchitus and excess phlegm/mucus. In earlier posts in the thread, several medications were advised by forum members (thanks). Anyway, I started off with the following: - cough lozenges - Tiger brown mixture - Mucus thinner tablets - Anti-histamine tablets - Honey drinks - Gargling with salt water - Daily 4km fast walks. As my health slowly improved, I eliminated some of these medications until I'm at the current condition where I no longer have bronchitus, cough very little, and have phlegm that is thin enough to cough up. I feel much better although the underlying lung allergy is still present. I've found that in order to maintain my lung health I do need the following: - Mucus thinner tablets - Anti-histamine tablets - Gargling with salt - Daily 4km fast walks. Without anti-histamine tablets my nose gets stuffed up. Without the mucus thinner tablets I can't cough up the thick phlegm. Gargling with salt water several times a day really does make a positive difference to my lung health. Without daily long fast walks my lungs quickly fill up with mucus... So I'm happy with the outcome (no lung allergy would be even nicer, but my current lung health is not a negative and doesn't affect my daily activities). Hope this helps others who suffer from excess phlegm etc.

The name of the insurance company is clearly stated in the video

Only one out of all those officers needs to pull his trigger.......

I think you 'dodged a bullet' there. This 'woman' is well-known in the area for these scams. Actually 'her' real name is Khun Ham Yai and she is reknowned for enticing western guys with her tasty Isaan sausage......

No, you have to go to the NBTC office in Bangkok, (although check Blackcab's comments re Amorn at Tutkom).

Apart from the mentally-unstable point, the type of good GF would be a woman who doesn't consider looking 'flash' or rich as a requirement. All of my 3 wives were essentially only concerned about how much money they could get from me. Since adopting a strategy of putting myself first and only doing what I want to do and ignoring what others think of me I have been a much happier man ???? PS - Not having a partner means that I have more money to spend on fishhead soup....

After a couple of health scares, I've soft-retired at 64 years old and retired to a rural house outside Luang Prabang, north Laos. It's about 5km from the stunning kuang si waterfalls ???? There is about 400 square metres available to grow fruit and for my sole consumption - this is not a business and I wouldn't want to compete with the local villagers who sell their home-produce. Here is a picture of half of the land - the other half on the right is for my radio antennas and science projects. Buying fruit and veg is quite cheap in any case, but to get a good choice I need to visit the morning market in LP, some 20km away. So I can avoid a daily trip by growing my own. There is a mango tree on the land which produces tasty fruit ???? Being a complete beginner at growing my own, what can you suggest that will provide a regular crop, with minimal horticulture knowledge required? (I'll use the veg to make salads - today in the market I bought chinese cabbage, bell peppers, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, onions and some plant that I recognised from the salad that I ate in a restaurant recently. This is a nice location, with paddy fields to the back and .. er ... an elephant to the front!

I have been living on the island of Phangan for a while, after being unable to return to my teaching job in Myanmar, (the junta chaps don't like the British government right now!). Phangan is very nice, but I am aware that I am not getting any younger and more likely to have some medical issues as I get older. As I am fairly fit, exercise and have a vegan (ish) diet, the likelyhood of some sudden medical emergency is still low. About 5 weeks ago I was stung by a box jellyfish which normally results in a rapid death. I was extremely lucky to survive, but the experience was very scary and the local hospital could do nothing except watch me to see if I lived or died! They had no kind of medication, even though box jellyfish are common. The locals rubbed vinegar all over me while waiting for the ambulance! I don't expect to find box jellyfish in Chiang Rai of course, but I am thinking to move from Phangan to a rural location which does have a reasonable private hospital, such as Bangkok Chiang Rai hospital. I'd appreciate any comments or experiences of hospital care in Chiang Rai.

I did a blood/urine test today. The results indicated that I currently have bacteria and white cells in my urine (presumably caused by a UTI). My PSA result was 11. My last PSA test a few years ago (and previous to that) had a stable PSA value of about 6, slightly raised due to BPH. In the past couple of years, my BPH symptoms have increased, so I now take a daily tablet to enable me to pee. Should I be worried by the PSA of 11? Dr Google tells me that BPH will increase my PSA and a UTI will also increase it. How long should I wait before repeating the PSA test? I hadn't noticed any UTI symptoms - should I take some medication to sort that out? Thanks.

Concerned about the PM2.5 air quality, and the lack of online data for my location (the websites simply interpolate data from 2 distant monitors in other cities), I bought a monitor off Aliexpress. Well, the unit switches on, displays a PM2.5 value, and that value increases as the smoke density rises. But the values seem completely at odds with the online interpolated data. In my garden, the normal reading is about 20, which I refuse to believe as correct, (Phuket has very clean air and typically has a value of about 50 - I live in the hills with local scrub burning at times). Online data suggests about 70. If I walk past a dusty building site, the value rises to about 55. The monitor is made by a Chinese company called 'Total B0ll0x Factory #5'. Can anyone recommend an accurate air quality monitor that I can buy from Aliexpress (not Lazada - I live in Laos)?

So here is my situation: Having lived in Thailand from 2002, I am now working in Myanmar since about 2012. I'm just working to save money in the bank for my retirement (back in Thailand) in a few years from now. I can't buy a property in Myanmar (property ownership laws), and to be honest, I would much prefer to live in Pattaya (good jogging promenade, wide range of shops etc). I'm not into drinking, bar-girls or boys... So I'm thinking to buy a small condo in Pattaya. But I don't expect to rent it out (only a small rental income, agent fees to be paid etc etc). Here is an added twist - I have some goods in store in Phuket (some of my radio amateur equipment). I don't want to import these temporarily to Myanmar, and I'm stuck paying about 2,000 baht each month in storage fees. Now the storage company is closing down and I need to move my things. So how about this idea: Are there 'rent-to-buy' condos available in Pattaya? That's where I pay an initial deposit, then rent the condo each month, with a legal contract to purchase the condo at a future date, with my rental fees offsetting the purchase price of the condo. I could store my goods in this condo, use it during my biannual breaks in Thailand, and then finally move in when I decide to retire. Suggestions welcome!

Alas, no photos. I spotted a pair of these birds in the rubber trees next to my Phuket hotel. The bird is medium-large, about the size of aBritish Magpie. It seems to be completely black. It sits in the rubber trees and flies between different trees, displaying a very long feathered tail, about the same length as the body of the bird - (so this seems the most identifiable feature). Any Ornithon.. ortnithorn... bird-watchers know what this bird might be?