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rio666uk

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Posts posted by rio666uk

    Snorkeling Tour

    in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao

    Posted

    as no-one has replied ill suggest this -

    if youre on samui already, ask at a dive company, they will know of good snorkelling sites and many of the dive boats will take snorklers out on their day trip dive boats...

    obviously make sure that the scheduled dive is not a 40m wreck in open water - as you wont have much to look at, im sure youll be able to find dive tours to islands, reefs and pinnacles which can provide good snorkeling, the only problem with some sites is that it could be unsafe for surface swimmers getting washed into the rocks etc.

    many other island tours by speedboat will often stop somewhere for snorkelling... failing that, hire your kit and go straight off the beach, mind jetskis, speedboats etc.

    and if thats not up to much - say screw the snorkelling and do a PADI Try Dive or OpenWater Course, if you've not already.

    good luck

    National Insurance - Uk

    in Visas and migration to other countries

    Posted

    Guys,

    do you have to wait until your Mrs is in employment, to get the NI number or is there some way of doing it before.

    On another note, i suppose when she does start work, she won't have a P45 etc so will she just start on on emergency tax code?

    she will not have a National number until she starts employment, then her new employers will apply for one. BUT she will have a temporary number and it is very simple, first her initials then her date of birth then F for female. The NI no follows several months later and the contributions will automatically be transferred over. Her employer will also apply for a tax code, but until then she will use 489L from week one (like emergency code) but when she gets her proper number all the income tax will be refunded (unless she is earning an astronomical amount !!!). Of course if she started work in April it is unlikely she will get any refund.

    gerryuk - can you expand on the points that you've made, Ive responded with my own experience.

    "she will not have a National number until she starts employment, then her new employers will apply for one"

    This has not been the case for my wife - shes been employed for 10 months.

    "BUT she will have a temporary number and it is very simple, first her initials then her date of birth then F for female"

    Since starting employment my mrs has recieved a P60 with her tax rebate - and a P45 when she left the agency she was working for to go full time for the Company, neither the P60 or P45 or any payslips display a NINO.

    "The NI no follows several months later and the contributions will automatically be transferred over."

    The advice on the DWP website is that she would need to apply for a NINO, phone call to Social Security, Short Interview and copies of relevant documents taken before she is issued with a NINO.

    thanks

    National Insurance - Uk

    in Visas and migration to other countries

    Posted

    In terms of the 'advantages' of registering to pay NI, much as there's room for debate on just how 'advantageous' it is (or indeed not) it must be remembered that it's a legal obligation and certainly adds to legitimacy when dealing with other issues (eg: ILR, citizenship).

    Other than that, I can add that for my wife it certainly was a simple enough process. Just 'phone up to make an appointment and go along with all the specified documents. The only concerns we had on the day were navigating our way through the small gauntlet of already drunk guys, brandishing their bottles of wine and cans of Special Brew outside the main door of the social security office, and trying to avoid making eye contact with (or indeed look bemused at) the gaggle of young gents and ladies discussing the merits of rottweillers over pit bulls - I kid ye not, and this was the ladies debating - but the interview itself was a breeze (certainly not an interrogation in any way, shape or form), and the interviewer seemed to enjoy the experience, perhaps due to my wife's gracious air (if not mine).

    thanks Khon_fused - thats pretty much how a friend described the offices too... cant wait!

    National Insurance - Uk

    in Visas and migration to other countries

    Posted

    You need to talk to your local Employment Office. Your wife should certainly have a National Insurance Number, if nothing else she will be building her own pension entitlement, it will also be more evidence of her commitment to living in the UK when she applies for Indefinate Leave to Remain and perhaps later Citizenship.

    thanks GuestHouse, Im on hold to the Work & Pensions lot as we speak, hopefully get this one ticked off the "to do" list now as well.

    and for anyone interested - after some more googling...

    National Insurance - What do you get for your money?

    Unlike income tax, NI is the basis for a range of state benefits, the retirement pension probably being the most common. Those benefits are in many cases based upon the contribution record of the individual, and are not the same for everyone. Women get a particularly poor deal at the moment with respect to this, as they often take many years off to bring up a family.

    The self-employed get a poor deal too, but then they often pay less than an employed person on a similar income. For example, they are not entitled to Jobseekers' Allowance or the Second State Pension.

    National Insurance - Uk

    in Visas and migration to other countries

    Posted

    My Thai Wife has been in UK since October04, she started full-time work January05, to date her employer has never asked, mentioned or suggested getting herself a National Insurance Number... this isnt was bothers me though.

    NI contributions are deducted each week from her wages, and her NI No: is "None" - as you would expect.

    Can someone tell me if..

    A: you've had experience of getting your thai wife/husband an NI Number and Card?

    B: what are the benefits and why hasnt she been contacted previously about applying for one? - i guess its not compulsory - would it be helpfull to have next year when we apply for the "ILR visa"?

    C: is it really as simple as they say on their website, just phone em and ask for an interview date, bring yer docs and there - its done! (see link at bottom of page if youre thinking of doing this)?

    As always any advice is much appreciated.

    http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/ni_number.asp#what

    Rememberance Day

    in General Topics

    Posted

    normally i tend to stay away from topics that have all the hallmarks of turning into a flaming match... but i think SirBurr, TM & Tax have made good points here, that will hopefully end the thread before we get page long diatribes about the pros and cons of war.

    ill leave you to it.

    Eculyptus Farming

    in Farming in Thailand Forum

    Eculyptus Farming

    in Farming in Thailand Forum

    Posted · Edited by rio666uk

    Hi - now i aint no farmer - and i live in the UK... so this is my suggestion - goto the issan forum and have a look through each of the farming related topics, you will find stuff on rubber, sugar-cane, palm oil, peanuts, fish farming, pig farming, beef and dairy cattle, irrigating the land, bore holes and water pumps, vetinary costs.... the list goes on

    In the thread that I posted earlier about "farming issan land" there were a few replies from "random chances" - he is one of the best sources of advice particularly when it comes to cattle - although he looks after dairy i believe he has good all round advice about beef cattle farming... there are lots of other chaps that have knowledge on issan farming so its probably worth emailing/PM them for their advice - 250 rai isnt a small area and will take some considerable investment, planning and maintainence - I would think!

    The question that springs to mind for me is - are you doing this to make a living or just keep you ticking over - almost as a paid hobby...?

    and when you say "we" - what do you mean, are you married to a thai, if so will her family be involved in taking care of this venture?

    cheers

    Dell Latitude Notebook

    in IT and Computers

    Posted

    MrBoJ - Once you have a WindowsXP CD, follow:

    1. with windows already running - put the XP CD into the drive

    2. wait for Welcome to XP window

    3. click Check System Compatabillity

    4. chose either option depending on whether your online or not

    Once this is all done - you will be shown a report of what will work what wont - make your decission to upgrade, backup or data transfer onto a CD-R etc and reboot with XP CD in drive. Follow on-screen instructions to format and rebuild.

    Any problems feel free to PM me.

    PS you may be better off doing the upgrade directly from the CD whilst running windows - depending how confident you are.

    PPS - additional memory will always help your cause - especially in the case of XP

    PPPS - dont forget, once done, to Service Pack it to SP2 plus all the critical updates.

    Eculyptus Farming

    in Farming in Thailand Forum

    Posted · Edited by rio666uk

    this is pretty much the same question i asked for my first post to the forum - ill try and dig it out for you to read... but in short dont bother with eucs was the bottom line - very distructive plant that ruins the soil for future crops of anything else.

    found it - take a read through this little lot - will hopefully answer some of your questions.

    http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=35579&hl=

    Problems With Thailand

    in General Topics

    Posted

    I'd like to add to his list that it seems like half of the time the rice they serve you is in a basket, of all things, and it is all stuck together into one sticky ball.  You have to pull pieces off and then sometimes they get stuck to your fingers......this is the orient for christ sake....can't they even cook rice right?

    :o yeah ive noticed this strange behaviour too

    ...and dont get me started on the bread!

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