JB300

Back to the subject of "Minimalistic Living", I enjoyed this documentary... http://m.imdb.com/news/ni56987329

"Synopsis: After breaking up with his girlfriend, Petri embarks on an experiment. Noticing that he is unhappy despite his wealth of possessions, he decides to place everything he owns in storage for a year, allowing himself to remove only one item per day, in order to determine the true value of his material possessions",

When it says "Everything he owns" it means "Everything he owns", didn't even have a stitch of clothes to wear.

Angkor Wat is amazing, but if you're asking "where are the bars/birds", try Pub Street

Absolutely agree with above comments - say nothing.

I made the big mistake of being open and honest ten years ago and I'm still paying for it!

NO entitlement to ANY benefits whatsoever - no free NHS health care, nothing in return for all the tax I still pay, and my state pension frozen.

I even had to battle with my bank to get my credit card renewed, in spite of being a solid and reliable customer for 50 years!

Thankfully, I can use my brother's address in UK and just updated my UK driving licence which I am not supposed to have either!

Hindsight has 20/20 vision as they say!

OK lets put some old wife's tale to bed (UK only):-

1/ It's almost impossible to emigrate to Thailand as it's very difficult to obtain permanent residence or citizenship.

2/ Should you choose to permanently live abroad you no longer receive the annual increase in state pension - true if you inform them that you decided to do so but if you're not sure yet then you are not obliged to tell anybody. I used to work for the government and I can assure you the separate departments do not talk to each other unless its an investigation. Not having a UK address need not be a problem as long as you can provide an address within the EEA - this basically is the EU plus Switzerland and Gibraltar. Anybody living within the EEA gets annual pension increases.

3/ You are a British citizen but if you choose to live abroad you lose access to the NHS - true but the powers to be are discussing changing this for people who have contributed more than 35 years NI contributions. Also, if you return to live in the UK you automatically gain access to all benefits including the NHS. So just turn up and say "I used to live in Thailand but I live here now".

4/ As a British citizen you are free to travel where ever you like and stay as long as you wish. You are not obliged to inform anybody or make any decisions about how long you will be there. However, if you decide to permanently live abroad then you are obliged to inform the International Pension Office. That decision does not stop you from choosing to return to the UK or any where within the EU.

5/ The border agency does not record you leaving the UK. The information you give the airline is for security services only (API). This fact was raised on Question Time TV last week as the Border Agency do not know if people who arrive on a visa do actually leave. No check is made. So the UK government does not know when you travel abroad.

6/ Every piece of information you give the embassy is kept on file so they know everything about you (including the Thai phone numbers you give them) but as previously stated this information is only disclosed when subject to an investigation. You could try using the data protection act to see what they know about you.

7/ You can usually vote in UK elections if you move or retire abroad.

8/ For people who have to send in a tax return this can all be done online.

9/ Your UK citizenship will not be affected if you move or retire abroad.

To add to point #2, pensions are not frozen if you live in a country that has reciprocal benefit agreements with the UK (e.g. UK Pensioners living in the Philippines continue to receive the annual increase).

Somebody mentioned using a U.S. Address, I believe pensions are frozen for UK expats living in the U.S., but not for ones living in Canada.

I have no problem using my Singapore Citibank card in any of the Thai banks (same can't be said of the banks in Singapore) but might be worth having a different banks ATM card in case of problems.

I can't recommend any particular bank, but would have thought you'd have no problems opening one as you have a work permit.

Looking at their mobile app, those are the only 3 ATM locations

I'd go with Citibank as I believe transfers are free of charge between Citibank accounts & know ATM withdrawals are (then again, they're free if you used your Singapore Citibank card in a Citibank ATM in Thailand).

My day used to be...

Wake at 9am....go to bar.

At 2am go to bed.

Then I met my gf.

Now I wake at 7am....read the day's Itinerary and sob gently.

Happy Days [emoji12]

Nothing better than an ice cold beer (hair of the dog) to help take the edge off a hangover & was once told that it has been scientifically proven to help breakdown the poison that alcohol turns to as its processed by your body... Just need to stop at 1 (beer not AM/PM).

Oh & not on a school (work) day, not on a day where you need to drive anywhere & not everyday [emoji106]

Thanks Paz, I'd assumed they would want to see a certificate of good conduct for the preceding X years (obviously the fact that I haven't been kicked out of Singapore is proof that I haven't been in trouble with the police here) & a couple of Brit friends are having a problem with this as they're looking to emigrate to Australia (will advise them to apply for a clearance cert in the UK[emoji106])

Thanks Joe, I haven't lived in my home country (UK) for the best part of 8 years & Singapore no longer provides Police Clearance Certificates to non-citizens so will struggle to get one here.

Sounds like the best way is to apply in another country, any recommendations for the best ones to try (nb I'm 11 months away from turning 50 but looking to arrange things so once I am 50 I can sort out the retirement visa as easily as possible... No problem meeting the 800k financial requirements & no intentions of working there).

So what's the best way of getting a retirement visa?

1) Apply in own country

2) Go to Thailand on a visa exempt / Tourist visa & apply in country

3) Apply for it in another country

I do not believe the baht is pegged to the $.

Would someone that believes it is please link to something that supports their belief?

However I read (wish I could find the article again) that this basket was made up of multiple currencies of which 80% was USD which would go someway to explaining why the THB is doing so well as the USD flourishes.

Seems like a good strategy is to "Pre-Load" your UK/US credit card then take the cash out transaction & interest free ... I've generally found I get a better rate from my Barclays UK Credit Card Vs Debit card so maybe a double bonus with the avoided ATM fees [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

Edit: thinking about it, I'm pretty sure I got stung for around £4.50 (225 Bhat)'last time I used the Barclays credit card for a "Cash Advance" so maybe best to give it a try 1 time and checking the full charges.

I read somewhere (sorry, I can't find it again) that although the Baht is no longer pegged to the US$, it is now pegged to a basket of currencies of which the US$ makes up 88%.

If true, it could explain why the Baht continues to mirror the US$ rises & falls.

Getting cash on a credit card would be considered a "Cash Advance" which is usually subject to a charge & interest is payable from that day rather than at the end of the billing cycle so no chance to pay it off without incurring at least a day or twos interest.

Of course this is not the case in every situation. A timely online payment can eliminate this, as can the use of an appropriate card. I use this method and incur no extra charges whatsoever.

Thinking about it, I guess if you "Pre-Loaded" your credit card (I. E. Got it into credit so it has a negative amount owing) you could avoid the interest charge but then you would need to be careful that you stay in credit or you could find a purchase on the card in the same billing cycle triggers the interest.. e. g.. If you put £1500 on your credit card, took out £1,000 cash then later bought something for £1,000 on credit, you're likely to be charged daily interest on the £500 as the cash advance is the last thing to be paid off).

Getting cash on a credit card would be considered a "Cash Advance" which is usually subject to a charge & interest is payable from that day rather than at the end of the billing cycle so no chance to pay it off without incurring at least a day or twos interest.

CNY is 19/20th Feb

Might be an idea to be at least 3 hours drive away from the gf's family unless you're happy with them pitching up at your place everyday.

I liked Gone Girl too, but HATED the ending - although it was fun getting there! I really did not have problem with Neil Patrick Harris playing a straight guy though.

Sorry but against my better judgement (I have Ben Affleck in the same acting league as Keanu Reeves), I wasted 2 & 1/2 hours of my life watching this drivel tonight... Who do I sue???

Personally I'd only transfer as much as I needed for the next few months as I don't feel the GBP:THB rate is good at the moment.

All rates except the U.S at 32 Baht to a dollar are down. Canadian dollar usually 29 baht down to 26.

Nearly all currency is down against the Baht. Not a good time to change or invest in Thai Baht.

I wish I had crystal balls like you two. Those of us not blessed with great powers of divination can't tell whether now is a good time or not to transfer money. The exchange rate might go up; the exchange rate might go down. If it were possible to predict these things with any accuracy then currency speculation would be a doddle. It's not. It's something best left to hedge fund managers and the like - and look how well many of them did over the recent Swiss Franc debacle.

To me, only two strategies make sense: transfer in one lump sum, accepting that day's exchange rate and not worrying about what happens to the rate in the future; phase the transfer over a number of months and get an average rate which may, or may not, be better than the current rate. Trying to time the market is a mugs' game.

No crystal ball & don't profess to be an expert but I personally believe that the rate is a little low at the moment so if it was me I'd edge my bets by moving some over now & look for future opportunities.

Obviously it's impossible to time the market, the rate could just as easily go against you & you'll take a hit on Transfer costs but I think there will be an "Event" in Thailand over the next couple of years that will cause the Baht to drop.

Again, just my personal opinion if I knew 100% (or even close) I'd be forex trading [emoji4]

Personally I'd only transfer as much as I needed for the next few months as I don't feel the GBP:THB rate is good at the moment.

Sorry but any request for individual information has to be from the individual requesting (maybe under DPA) or a court order, there's no way a bank would allow any external agency unfettered access to its IT Systems or data...

Just my opinion having spent almost 30 years working in the IT department of a top 10 global (UK) bank, last 6 of which being responsible for its IAM...

Just finished the final episode of the first series of "The 100" & it has every sign of turning into another "Lost", somebody please tell me it's worth watching S2 (or save me from the misery).

So I guess a Citibank "International" account is the best way to go [emoji17]

True, you cannot reclaim the withholding tax on UK company dividends irrespective of nationality or residency status, however the good thing about being a non-UK resident for tax purposes is its limited to the 10% withheld & you won't have to pay more if the dividend income takes you above the higher tax rate thresholds.