sandyf

No, both can be tapered or parallel, BSPT or BSPP vs NPT or NPS. Historically I would think that Thailand would be British Standard Pipe rather than National Pipe. After all they are still selling imperial nuts and bolts. Every chance that in your photo there is a mix of straight and tapered, but would think your right in it being BSP threads. Don't think I have seen a straight pipe nipple here, but would think the sockets on the brass valve are straight.

Indeed, but in China they have complete control. Unlike Laos, the Thais do not want to give them complete control, hence the delays. No big deal for the Chinese, the Kumning - Singapore project is not scheduled until around 2050, what's a few years here and there. I don't think they have started in Malaysia yet.

The media shouldn't mix up 2 different projects. The 3 airport HSR was never a done deal, you need more than one party to sign a contract. CP didn't get what they wanted from the BOI so SRT never agreed to work starting. The EEC is now tryng to get SRT to agree to proceed without the BOI which means revising the contract.

Don't think you will find a cheap one anymore. They all closed down for covid and some have not started up again. Others have disappeared with redevelopment. The LK Empress breakfast on beach road is not too bad, last time I was there it was 250 baht. I don't know of any doing the evening anymore, other than possibly the BBQ type.

What is the significance of 67 birthday? The state pension would be frozen from the date the DWP were aware you left the UK. If you are not yet in receipt, you will tell them where you are living when you claim, 2 different application forms, UK and Overseas.

If you want to read the GG that way, up to you. The letter is more likely the reality.

Pattaya is a mock up intended for tourists, there is even a train station at the far side. Yes indeed, they have dual pricing, was 40 & 200 baht. If you have a pink card you can get a pass that get's you the Thai price. The problem is that you have pay to go inside to the office to get the pass. First time I went it was with a fairly large group of Thais and they said no one would be going in if I didn't get the Thai price, someone came from the office and did the pass for me outside. Think I have only been back once since, and that was some time ago.

I went to Amphawa 12/13 years ago, mainly to see the fireflies. Very few at the market then but not been back since. As said, most are now just a tourist trap. Best one I ever saw was found by accident on our way back from Nakhon Pathom but can't remember where.

Are you trying to say that venom or toxin aren't poisons? With a limited vocabularly the Thais will use the word "poison" , that's good enough for me.

I think you are misreading that. Under the 2 tier system you had to pay the basic part of NI but the additional part was not required to get the basic state pension. If you were unemployed the government would pay the basic part for you. Previously you said you had been here 15 years so the list of £824 looks to me like a list of years you never paid any NI and a shortfall in the 35 years required. This appears to be missing years rather than anything to do with contracting out. Missing years could be paid for with some constraints, time may well be one of them.

Not much different to the pantomine taking place in the US, with a lot less global significance. When it comes to jokes, Ukraine has done quite well from putting a comedian in charge. Remember how the forum ridiculed that at the time with their "know it all" attitude.

I only quoted the thread as confirmation that it had it had stopped, if the thread mentioned 385 it must have been sometime later, I certainly never paid that. I pay 299 at Holiday Inn, more than happy with what I get. What are you finding so difficult with that?

As far as i am aware there has never been any such option. When contacting out was an ongoing arrangement, i believe that those that had contracted out on a personal basis could wind up their personal pension and contract in again, those on a company pension scheme didn't have that option. The terms "contracting out" and "contracting in" referred to the governments Earnings Related State Pension which came to an end with the 2016 pension reforms. It became the New State Pension as opposed to the previous 2 tier arrangement of Basic State Pension plus Earnings Related Pension.

The last entry on my Casa Pascal card is 28th Oct 2022 and I was 650 baht for 2 people. If I remember right it stopped the buffet brunch shortly after the Christmas, confirmation came in the thread I referred to. I don't live in Pattaya so not familiar with day to day changes. I haven't claimed anything, I said i started going to the Holiday Inn as it was only 299 for breakfast, and you are free to sit outside if you want, often take the last coffee out. If you prefer Casa Pascal up to you, having been many times I obviously thought it was good, but not for me at 385. Yes, you need to get a card to get the discount at Holiday Inn and you can only use the Executive Tower, my preference anyway. You pay 500 baht and you get a voucher for the 500 baht which can be used for purchases in the hotel, no real cost involved making the breakfast 299. You also get a discount with the card at any of the hotel restaurant facilities.

And you are proud of that? No different to paying people to vote. I let my wife make her own decisions, it is called respect. Some nations think they have a god given right to tell others how to run their country.

Some will vote, unlike Rishi Sunak, appointed by default. It is the way of the world in so called democratic governments.

Would only be your business if you had any say in the matter.

Indeed. I see many whinging about a reduced state pension due to contracting out without any acknowledgement they are receiving their Additional State Pension as part of an occupational pension. One of the main problems was a lack of clarity from the government. In recent years they have introduced COPE but I doubt many have paid attention. https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/blog/retirement/cope-and-the-state-pension

It did stop, unfortunately before I had redeemed my card. Think it was 330 at that time, if restarted at 385 I will give it a miss. Have started going to the Holiday Inn, 299 there, a bit more extensive with fantastic view.

I don't go very often these day so you may well be right. The point in question is NI and I seem to remember It was some time after April before the NI history was updated.

I live in Chonburi but used to use the Lek regularly, normally bought a book to get the cheaper price. Fortunately book had just finished and hadn't got another before the covid came along.

Obviously you believe that Bodgit & Scarper don't operate in any other country. Bit strange that some countries even run a TV series on them.

Casa Pascal, think they stopped that as well now.

They stopped the buffet breakfast during covid and haven't heard of it starting up again. The breakfast at LK Empress just down the road is ok.

What you haven't indicated is your summary from the government gateway which would indicate your overall position. With the age now 66 there can be 50 qualifying years but only 35 are required. The summary for mine says 48 complete years and one incomplete year. Yours may well say something like 32 complete years and 18 incomplete years. The other thing is when were you told you had paid the MAX, if it was in 2009, or sometime before 2016, then the requirement would have been 30 years and they probably meant you had paid over that, but may not be the 35 years that came in in 2016. From what you posted earlier I suspect you are missing 3 years so it would all depend on whether they can be paid for or not. What you should accept is the government gateway doesn't operate in real time, the information cannot be said to be contradictory, just not up to date.