BritManToo

It's very easy, Voluntary contributions made to years before 2016 (new pension start) rarely make much difference to your pension expectations. Its years after 2016 that make the difference. If you had asked the Future Pensions "what years should I buy to increase my pension?" They would have told you.

He should have left when he had the chance.

I feel safer in my gated village, than I do out in the public areas.

I don't socialise with anyone. I prefer to stay at home with my rabbits!

School is free up to age 12, then the schools start changing, and many Thais just can't afford the high school fees. My local government high school demands 4kbht/term, my son's government high school charges 5kbht/term. I'm already paying another kids fees, but I can't afford to help everyone.

High schools, so they have 11 years speaking the local language first, and nearly 80% of Thais never attended high school.

Well, my MiL is definitely Thai, and she only speaks some village language. When she comes and says (rarely) there are only three other old ladies in our gated village (250 households) that can chat with her. Now there might be a majority of Thais that can speak Central Thai as a second language, generally they don't, and they won't.

I thought it was the Dems that wanted men to compete in the womens sports and hang out in the womens toilets and changing rooms?

I prefer to think of it as 'hiring them for a test drive'.

Yeah it does, but mainly about groups of animals. flock of geese, murder of crows, herd of cows, pack of dogs, etc.

You and your fantasies, eh Fred! How are the fairies at the end of your garden doing these days?

or ........ I've told you to stop bringing your work home.

I spent two years learning central Thai (speaking, reading and writing). It was completely pointless because. 1. Most Thais we encounter don't speak central Thai (Southern Thai, Lao, Lanna are more popular). 2. Many Thais are too stupid to realise a foreigner is speaking Thai. 3. They hate you for knowing too much. Obviously I only speak with low class Thais, and don't know any Bangkok CEOs like the rest of you. Lots of tribal girls hanging about Chiang Mai, most of them can barely speak any Thai language, Akha, Lissu, Hmong, Arabic all fairly common.

Use full sentences then the tones don't matter!

I avoid all contact with my wife's mother. If forced by circumstances to speak about her, 'Granny' (or Yai) is good enough.

She translates English 'hot potato' to 'problem' when speaking Thai. Not sure what that has to do with anything on this thread. I used to sit in the cinema listening to the English movie, and reading the Thai subs ....... they never matched.

It took them 9 years to notice my passport had changed numbers. It took them another 2 years to notice I'd never done 'facial recognition'. I'm prepared to bet I'll be dead before they notice my SIM isn't in my name.

I only have government minimum insurance, and they pay DL or no DL.

I've found a wife that can't speak my language is an advantage. Zero interest in her wittering on 24/7. Sadly mine learnt to speak English very quickly.

Easy, I don't socialize with bunches of Thais ........ problem solved. Just me, and one female Thai is enough.

I thought 'Ni How' was Hello in Chinese, and all the Thais like to boast about their Chinese ancestry. So how can it be offensive?

All the 12V I've had, the entire pack is bad by the time I've used one.

Here she is ........... blond on the left.

How much income tax would they want on 2M being brought in? Hell no!

Finally got my banking app working, no thanks to the lazy branch staff. It wanted 'facial recognition' set up ....... why didn't the branch staff know that. So I went back to the bank and said 'facial recognition', pointed at my face, pointed at their camera and they reluctantly took my image, then another 10 forms/photocopies/signatures. And it all works again, not only on my old phone, but on my new phone too! It uses the facial recognition to log in for the first time in a new phone (deleting the access in your previous phone) But the bank staff don't seem to know this. Still using the 14 year old SIM registered in my wife's name with no problem.