JohnC

So now we have won how do we collect our winnings?

My village also has no phone lines, you dont say where you are but here in Pattaya I purchased a gprs modem for 8000 baht and get a top card for 500 baht every month that gives me 400 hours online this is done via your mobile phone, more than enough for my needs. If you want information on where to purchase send me a message as I dont want to be seen to be advertising for someone else's company!

Probably due to some pieces of Mcafee are still in memory and it's associated file is locked not allowing removal. Try starting the computer in "Safe Mode", hitting the F8 key while the computer is starting up. Then try to do the uninstall.

I would think that would do it, I found McAfee a nightmare when we put it on our computer suite. If the safe mode fails you could try start/search/McAfee then make a list of any files it finds and delete them manually through explorer.

As a Professional Fundraiser (retired) my advice to the mission would be to a) get an independant valuation and if they then decide to procede get a structural & condition survey. I know the latter will cost money but if they end up buying it they need to allow in their budgets annual maintenance costs. I would also shop around and see what property is available for 12Mill Baht. I know in the UK property prices get inflated if a landlord thinks his tenant does not want the hastle of moving.

Unfortunatley I am heavily committed on a number of projects in Pattaya and cannot help at this moment but will monitor the situation.

JohnC

I have used both Mermaids and Aquanauts, although both were equally as good I felt they were too comercialised and targetting tourists in large numbers which mean you coukd be on a trip with at least 12 others if not nore. In addition they had quite a few trainee divemasters who kept inerfering with us ordinary recreational divers, obviuosley one accepts advice and help but this got too much.

I now use real divers in Jomtien, a family firm they acn and do corporate events but they also have a mailing list and let me know when they are planning the more normal stuff. I can also just pop in anytime for the latest plans. I found them a great bunch of guys and was teamed up with one divemaster on each of my dives so I knew who I was dealing with andwhe did all our buddy checks as a team. In addition they dive from Sattahip taking us down there in the truck & cars. This means when we get to the chosen dive site you are not surrounded by all teh other Pattaya Dive Centre Boats and it makes for a good day out. They also keep a close watch on conditions and if it is not up to scratch i.e. poor visibility they tell you before you set out so you can decide if you jsut want to get some time in then you can go but if you want to see the marine life then leave it to another time. Contact is [email protected]. Highly recommended.

I live in east Pattaya over the sukhumvit highway and tried unsuccessfully to have a phone intsalled three months ago. TOT said one to two years unless I wanted to pay about 35000 baht for them to run the line up to the village! TT&T said they were sold out ! No lines available so I am waiting patiently as someone has justbuilt a new village next door and looks like they are running phone lines in!

I agree with above, I live in Pattaya but over the highway and our village has no phone connections my laptop had a pcmia slot and I tried that but it would not work so went back to the company that supplied it and they swapped it for a solomon gprs modem which apart from one hiccup has worked very well. I use ais as my mobile is on that network and I have a 500baht a month scheme where I get 400 hours, more than enough for my needs. I have uploaded and downloaded some big files with out a problem. My only recommendation would be to install some freeware to speed up downloads and something like http://www.yousendit.com/ for uploading bigger files. My usual speed is 115.2kbps which again is fine for my needs. I had broadband in the UK which was great but came at a price so I am happy with my current setup until such time that the village gets phone lines!

Yes, I remember the old 'canned videos' of horse racing: you won't find them now though.

Now there are state-of-the-art DVD computer programmes that generate random winners at virtual race tracks, whose fictional names include:

Portman Park, Steepledowns, and even a dog track called Brushwood.

So; the way to go, would be to contact any of the big three bookmakers in the U.K. Ladbrokes, William Hill and Coral and ask them how to get your hands on the hardware and software.

I understand that gambling is illegal in the L.O.S. but let me know when you are set up for a 'race night'. I will be on the front row...........

Thanks for that, I will follow it up and let you know if I have managed to organise a race night!

When in the UK a number of working mens clubs used to hire films of horse racing for a fun night, members could buy a horse at the beginning of each race and others could bet on them (not allowed here I know) in addition a small premium could be added to drinks and the money raised went to good causes. It was a good fun night and I was wondering if there was anywhere in LOS that one could hire these films/videos?

Hi , It was a statement in an official letter I received from the CSA asking for income details this was followed by the strange letter from the IR. I have not tried to find it on a website I just know what was in the letter.

It's not checked. The Inland Revenue will not divulge any information about your tax records to a 3rd party; even another government department.

Scouse.

Not true! The government now have a policy of cross department co-operation and sharing of information. I have recent experience of this when the IR sent me a polite letter asking to check my income as I was nearing retirement and needed to make sure I did not pay too much tax!

I wrote a nice letter back saying as I was approaching 60 which they can tell from my NI number I was not eligable for a state pension for another 5 years in addition thye have my P14s and my tax affairs are up to date. I added that as I am 60 next year they might like to consider sending me my over 60s cold weather payment to my home in Pattaya. No response to date and all this was triggered by the CSA who did not believe I now live in Thailand but that is another story!

Its always the same, find a solution and you raise new questions! I suspect I am not alone in that I came to Thailand for a quiet retirement, I have no wife or partner therefore transfering to them is not an option. The other point is if I did have a wife and transfered the property to her and then took out a lease whats to say the land office will not investigate where she got the money from to "buy" this x mil baht home? I know of a case recently in Pattaya where a Thai applied for a bank loand and stated his salary to be 15000 baht, when he went for interview they had checked his social security number and asked him why his taxable earnings were only 6000 baht!

So if you follow this through there is an outside possibility that the same could happen to anyone who takes over the ownership of your house! I think the earlier thread is probably right in that once the election is over things will settle down as they really cannot afford to lose all the money that farangs pump into the local economy of their respective regions. As an aside line when I had my retirement visa approved last month the boss lady asked if I owned my house or rented, I said I owned the company and she laughed and said same same no problem!! I await developments with interest as no doubt we all do!

Hi Dave, Yes I am a UK citizen, there is an honary consul in Pattaya and they are currently looking at opening a full time consulate. I had with me a letter from my local county constabulary saying their search on convictions and cautions revealed no information relating to me, in addition they also sent me one from New Scotalnad Yard saying there is no information about me on the Police National Computer. These were notorized by the Thai Embassy at Hull prior to my departure, I then gave them to the consul who provided a letter on embassy paper that said "xMr JohnC passport number xxxxx date of birth xxxxxxx has indicated he wishes to apply for a long stay visa in Thailand. He says he lives at xxxxxxx and there is nothing in my consular records to his detriement. I have seen evidence he is in receipt of pension income worth £££££££ on a regular monthly basis. Any assistance you can offer Mr C in his application for a long stay visa will be appreciated>" Signed and stamped British Embassy Bangkok. The terorist bit was something he said to me, I presume they have access to a computer system which he checked.

I trust this helps!

John

I think Lopburi3, is refering to my earlier comments on the 44000baht in the bank which is what I was told by Pattaya Immigration. T o reiterate, I had my uk pension letter which I had to give to the Pattaya Consulate who then wrote me a letter saying I had sufficient Income and had no criminal past or terroist connections. When I returned to immigration this was accepted and I was given my retirement visa with no problems. Two points to add, they told me to keep the original letter from the consulate and use it next year although my pension will have increased by then and secondly prior to retirement I followed this forum closely and its only with the advice here malnly from Lopburi3, that I had a trouble free settlement. I do not have a Thai wife or any wife now for that matter) so I cannot comment on the different procedures. Again if anyone wants to question me on my very recent experience (two weeks) I am happy to oblige but I think the advice from Lopburi3, is always spot on.

Lots of good advice here, I thought I would detail my experience as I have just been granted my retiremnt visa 2 weeks ago. I applied through the Thai Embassy at Hull and had all the papers duly notarised and sent of with a cheque for £90, returned within 24 hours as promised. Arrived at Bangkok Airport and immigration approved my three month stay on a single entry to apply for retirement. Went to immigration in Pattaya that week just to check and was told no problem come back in your last week of current visa and make sure you have at least 44,000 baht in your Thai Bank and a doctors letter from Thai doctor! english letter no good! This I did, unfortunatley it coincided with a four day holiday so when I arrived the place was packed so had a bit of a wait.

Saw the man who checked everything , then said my pension letters had to be signed by the consulate in Pattaya despite being signed and stamped by the Thai Embassy, he gave me the consulates card and told me when he would be in the Immigration office and once I had that then come back and he would process it. I called the guy and he came down that day and seen me, he returned next day with an official letter supporting my pension and my police clearance he also advised me to copy it and keep the original. Saw the man again and no problems, Thai Doctors Letter (110 baht) acceptable, letter from embassy acceptable (he took the copy and told me to keep the same letter for next year!) Bank Letter Ok, Bank Book OK although there was a 5000 baht difference between the letter and my passbook as I had spent some money but still had the 44000 required. He then passed me to boss lady who finished everything and said be ready 9am tommorrow no problem or maybe 4pm tonight. She gave me a laminated number and I went back next morning at 9am straight to her desk where my passport was returned complete with retirement visa dated one year from date of entry (29th April) I have a pension that exceeds the 65000 baht minimum so they told me just make sure you have 44000 baht in your bank, no idea why! I am also with the Nationwide and they told me I can only do a swift transfer in person at one of their branches so that ruled out transfering regular sums. I just use the atm with no charges and my pension letter clears me with immigration I think that covers everything but am open to questions if I can help anyone.

If this becomes law I suspect the situation in respect of extra years payments will remain the same as now, at the moment those of us that left school at 15 have a working life of 50 years however, the state pension contributions reach their maximum at the 44 year point therefore if you never miss a year you pay an extra 6 years contributions (50 - 44) without being able to increase your state pension. By deduction therfore if you only need 30 years contributions any extra years from then on will go to the government pot! I note there is no mention of ex pats who are denied the annual pension increase despite having completed 44 years contributions! I am considering raising this with the European Parliament as I think it infringes our paid up rights!

I find this interesting, in preperation for my retirement Iopened a savings account with the Bangkok Bank here in Pattaya. I was given an immediate card with my name and the visa logo on it and have been using it for a year now. However, I have not tried to use it other than the atm so not sure if the visa logo actually means anything! perhaps I will try it one day and see what happens!

I have researched the forum and I am now comfortable about where to go for phone line & Broadband but I cannot find anything on ISPs (Internet Service Provider). I used Wanadoo in UK but they do not provide in Thailand so what are my options chaps and any suggestions on the best/worst? Who should I avoid? thx

John C

I doubt if your panels are asbestos, however when left alone it is stable, its when its disturbed (broken up, cut etc) that the fibres are released that cause the problems when they penetrate the airways(asbestosis, lung cancer etc) hence when it needs removing from a building in the UK it has to be done by a specialist company. On the bright side there is another type of panel that looks similiar but is not asbestos and totally safe. Im having one of my c.r.a.f.t moments and cant remember what its called. I had it in my workshop in UK and caled a specialist in to check it out.

Anyone had any experience in duty free shopping in Doha? I am stopping over there en route on Friday and Im fed up with Manchester Duty Free! Any comments and/or advice would be welcome.

JohnC

Well my B/F applied for a one month visa last summer to come and stay with me, I had to supply copy of my bank statements, details of employment plus certificate from employer showing I was employed, details of home to show I could accommodate plus details fo how we met, how we keep in touch and what was our relationship. In addition I had to say who would take care of him if something happened to me.He was then given a six month visa with no problems.

However, when he arrived at Manchester Airport (where I was waiting) he was held by immigration for three hours, no reason given (well his english is limited so he didnt understand) The annoying part was I was in the terminal and they could have called for me and explained! Anyways he was eventually allowed to go and we had a wonderful holiday!

I have been a forum member for nearly a year now in preperation for the big retirement day! Well it has now arrived and I fly out next friday to LOS! Thanks to the huge amount of information/advice/helpful people on here I have managed to get everything sorted! My luggage went of last tuesday. I sent my papers to the Thai Consulate at Hull last wednesday and got them back today complete with visa! I spoke with them on the phone prior to sending the papers in, following this I had my solicitor "notarize" my documents which were 1) Proof of income 2) Medical certificate 3) Police check to say I had no record. The proof of income were letters from my pension companies showing what my income will be for the next financial year. I also completed a certificate stating I would not seek employment plus a payment certificate. They charged me £40 for the visa plus £40 for the legalization of the documents. Attached to the documents was a hand written note explaining that I had to take them to immigration when I apply for the retirement visa. All the forms I needed were available from the Thai Consulate in Hull and had certain parts already completed (reason for visit - to apply for retirement etc) http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/visas1.asp so all in all fairly straightforward! I only hope the final part in immigration in Pattaya is as straightforward at the end of the month! Then I will try and obtain my Thai driving licence so watch this space and I will keep you posted! Once again thanks to the Thaivisa experts for their advice!

Yes very cute! I think we could give at least one of these pups a good home, unfortunately I do not get back to Pattaya until a week on Saturday (29th) but if they are still looking for a good home I will be whizzing up to the lake to have a look see!!

Why not do an internet search for cheap flights? I do this every time and so far have never used the same carrier twice! I have travelled back and forwards 4 times in the past twelve months I also use www.travelocity.co.uk a lot and can book online to travel from Bangkok to UK with electronic ticket. My favourite stopover was Dubai with Emirates, smashing duty free area and no problem changing small amount of euros or bahts to local currencey. Quantas was the best flight with no stopover, direct to/from heathrow. Air france were OK with good food! KLM were a nightmare! 4 hour delay in Bangkok meant I missed my connection to UK from Copenhagen and after hours of waiting we were sent on a shuttle to Berlin where again we had hours of waiting! I am making my return journey to Bangkok next friday courtesy of qatar with a stop over in Doha so watch this space!

Download Avast free edition, www.avast.com you can then schedule a boot scan of your hard drive and reboot, it will scan before windows kicks in and has an excellent reputation in picking up trojans other programmes have missed. If you struggle with it give me a shout.

John