loppylugs1

Renewing a passport at a Thai address probably did it for me.

We're once again 2nd class citizens when it comes to receiving any sort of service from HMG these days.

No probability about it, mine Aussie,no problem

This all has its funny sides and downsides. Here daily life goes on. The government functions where it has to, vast amounts of food are made and eaten; the river appears still full of fish in spite of the dams; there are crowds of Thai tourists. My wife says: What if the drug trade dries up or moves away? What if there is a China water problem? What if there is colour shirted turmoil\? Do you think what happened in Cambodia could not happen here? I know it sounds alarmist; but we have young children. I would probably take the risk having lived here for so long. It may all blow over or it may all blow up. I am not prepared to put them at risk. If it all works out they can come back; and who's to say where in the world might be "safer", whatever that means. We are not rich but they do have to be educated and make their lives. I don't think France is ideal nor the UK. And I would go no-where near the US. There is a lot of tosh on a Microsoft website about "education" changing the world. What changes the world for one person is having the skills to perform in an occupation and earn a living. Education may contribute to that. But you only have to watch Thai TV to see how those much valued transferable skills/communication skills/team working expertises etc.etc are singularly lacking in the Thai so called elite. Add to that being a luk kreung and your only route to success really is a foreign education and self employment..

Agree but channel 7 soaps are far better than channel 3 soaps. So you are saying Thailand is buggered?,could just about go along with that statement...why here? cinco perros (something like that anyway) otherwise Spain or Portugal

The OP is in an unfortunate situation, due mostly to the unethical actions of others.

He is looking for a "workaround" where none exists.

Yes there are but not on here

Hi All,

FYI: I'm currently in UK and have this evening tried to register and use the Govt gateway in order to apply for state pension forecast. As soon as i entered my passport details I was fobbed off at the high port with some old chestnut about "you have lived or worked abroad' & offered a link that I had naively assumed had been superseded by the online process. I gave them a flea in the ear via the feedback form that appeared after the failed attempt.

I didn't bother trying to renew my UK driving licence...

Note: Gateway currently sends a 4 digit code to UK landline or mob no's every time you log in so you can more or less forget about trying to do anything from Thailand.

On a lighter note I was able to establish that my state pension age will be 66 years and 6 months/11 years from now.

You have to become computer savvy to overcome,VPN etc, shifting that computer clock on computer etc too,cookies ,do not track even obtaining UK based phone no,that rings 'phone in Thailand and vice versa all local rates to UK...suppose Thailand would have made unfrozen list,if short timing and cost of setting up deals those 40 odd years ago was agreed. Up until the 70s inflation was not a problem,that's why the white commonwealth countries were not included,got enough money ,do not need any more

Never been asked for money from Thais as now,coming out of the woodwork asking,and these are people Ive known for years. initially gave a little,but as always leads to more until I refused,then massive lip curl and watch your back attitude adopted

If Trump does get presidency and does as he states with China,this place will be as barren as the Sahara. As for Thai kids doing well in UK after re-location,maybe just maybe formative years,but later on ,no chance

India have increased the visa application fees to about two hundred quid for UK nationals. I've found some recommendations but after adding these fees, it isn't much different.

Probably for 1 year visa $60 for short term 30 days,can get medical visa cheap but yes India starting $700

Bernard Manning had this absolutely right.. "A dogs born in a stable,does the dog think its a horse?"

Most of you should be ashamed of yourselves. There are many different faiths in England and if his faith doesn't suit you then you're a pool soul. English is English. How about congratulating him on chasing down the thief?

Ashamed? not one bit England or UK is not a multi cultural society,its a multi cultural state,totally different,if he adopts clothing or appearance not of UK ethnicity,up to him,to describe as English is absurb

The yanks have it right,African American etc., this one Asian English would be right,to say English no matter if born there would raise eyebrows

Should say Asian UK the ethnicity,is not "English"

at a guess ,i would say at least half of thai meds are fake

i know a pharmacy owner so this comes from him

watch out for big famous western brannds like phfizer and upjohn etc

especially if theyre controlled drugs tyou cant buy in usa /uk

theyre likely 90% fake

try a thai or indian generic ,usually real and waaaay cheaper

Agree with this Indian off shore pharmacy for one The " British Dispensary" is an actual drug producing company here in Thailand,part of the Boots empire

You did not have to fly back to the UK for this kind of treatment,for one Christian hospital Calcutta ,just two hours from BKK would have determined and treated I know been there,done it and got the T shirt

That wasn't partying for party's sake,that was power of the people ,probably not knowing it (yet)

Of course Terminal 21 will improve property prices in Naklua/North Pattaya even Pattaya in general, it might not be overnight but will definitely add to Pattaya being a prime destination in Thailand for tourists and eventually families moving to Pattaya from Bangkok on the back of the fast rail.

When the Bangkok companies moved in to Pattaya in a big way such as Central Festival, Raimon Land with Northshore and then Northpoint etc prices moved up big time. Land prices have increased considerably in the last 5 years.

My condo in Naklua has risen 75% in the last 7 years. The prices in the block of 103 units range from THB19m to THB80m, only 3 for sale/sold in the last 3 years.

Wether you buy or rent is completely up to you and your finance, but for some people to say only spend what you can afford to lose is complete hogwash, do your research first and enjoy.

My condo in Naklua has risen 75% in the last 7 years. The prices in the block of 103 units range from THB19m to THB80m, only 3 for sale/sold in the last 3 years.

How could you possibly know what your property is actually worth if only 3 have sold in the last 3 years? The only way you know what it is worth is to actually sell it since there are no direct comps to compare to.

We have 3 types of condo in our block, 167 sqm - 256 sqm - 334 sqm and 1 x Penthouse 1067sqm. In the last 3 years there have been 3 sales from foreigner owned only, and 2 of them were my size on my side of the building. so when working out my buy price 7 years ago and their sale price last year, the difference was approx. 70% increase. Now add to this I am a few floors higher and higher quality fit out, I came up with 75%,

Yes, there have been a glut of shoebox condos built. Since the Russian tourists have declined, many developers have put on hold new builds awaiting the Chinese or Indians to take up the slack. There is a real shortage of 3 bedroom new condos, because most of the new condo developments were aiming at the market in front of them, the Russian tourist and Bangkok investor/weekender.

People here saying traffic congestion around Terminal 21 are assuming many things. One thing for sure is Pattaya is moving forward and property prices will continue to climb over time.

Yes thought the Chinese/Indians would be taking up the slack,but who in their right mind would want to share anything with the like

Songran should be 3 days everywhere in Thailand. Pattaya seems to feel they are a law unto their own. As a result of this madness- most of the markets are low on food because no one can deliver. Where in the World does essential items not get delivered and essential services shut down for a period of 5-10 days. How much productivity is lost and how much water wasted. Thailand is a Third World country . Sadly, it will always be and the majority of its population always poor. They have wonderful people in Thailand but with no responsibility or law- what you see is what you get. The Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Rio do not even come close to the madness of Songkran- I've been to both.

Amen to this bro,Amen to this

"..uncontrolled mayhem,there could not possible be another country on earth that carries such a simplistic pleasure to these extremes..."

One suspects the OP has a rather limted view of the world. Such displays are common all across the world. Mardi Gras in New Orleans and the Carnival in Rio are two examples that dwarf Songkran in Pattaya. Others include Bike Week in Daytona or even St. Patrick day in Savannah. The Beer Festival in Munich is suppose to be pretty wild.

It seems that the endless negative posts on TV say a lot more about the posters then how bad Songkran really is.

TH

Which one GA or TN? Go further, tiddleywinks championship Arbroath,nothing mentioned here comes close to events mentioned last night. yes did mow couple of zombie like figures down,but got back up again,headlight hunting now

They might dwarf Songkran Pattaya,but nowhere near as close as intensity or potential injury /problems caused

Hard to put descriptive terminology to events last night,or night before,to see here it was to believe it. More than tens of thousands,hundreds of thousands ,heady mix of hot night, heavy trance music blaring out and booze taking a hand,the inner sois in Pattaya itself would not compete.

uncontrolled mayhem,there could not possible be another country on earth that carries such a simplistic pleasure to these extremes and now like a light switch ,turned off for another year,likened to it never happened.

Little wonder the then editor of the Nation newspaper screamed out that Thais were 50 years behind their counterparts of neighboring countries through lack of colonisation,there was far more primitive motives at work. Gridlock was total for miles ,ambulance could not get through ,same same police,Thais themselves trying to escape it all,U turns a-plenty. Stuck in a car bad enough,pockets of it could and would have been frightening to farang as night progressed and booze took more of a hand,just what is up with these people?

There was no other solution for him.

He could not just keep on going like everybody else does? Sounds like a violent boring nutcase without any sense of humor.

Difference is he asked water throwing farang not to farang threw the water obviously not knowing of consequence. Now if this poster is a non-boring humorist water throwing styled nutcase ,a bucket of water is what you will need when decked

Hard to spot older Thais throwing water,especially as more than enough brain deadening farang delivers it,sad lives they must lead to get maximum enjoyment that Thai kids revel in

go the other way Naklua on Suk gridlock tens of thousands pick ups galore

spend more

holding injured dog driving bike,told farang did not want drenching,he did, but for that dog Id have stopped and beaten that guy to a pulp and I mean a pulp

Most people here are born with a death wish, leave 'em to it

Just read that Jeremy Corbyn has a pension pot of £1,500,000 in the M.P's pension fund, this should produce a weekly pension of nearly £1,000 with yearly increases,added to this his state pension,again subject to a yearly increase and you then wonder how he and his fellow M.P.s can possibly continue to deny ex-pats in certain countries their dues.

..well he can,as others of his ilk have done,dumped most in a mess,while enjoying the fruits of his labour...apart from his £1 and a half million its yours to do or die. Should not question your political masters either

One must wonder where it all went wrong for Thailand

if u care about your daughter I would never let her set foot in Thailand until shes 18+, I personally find the Thai culture abhorrent, selfish un-caring , engrossed in their religious fantasy indoctrinated with bs throughout

Amen to this,and it gets worse. buried in their stupid 'phones,Previously mentioned spacial awareness is lacking,any awareness is lacking I consider. just got absolutely no time for any of them,totally ignore any and all painful ailments they suffer . Times Ive been out shopping ,a moron in front think he/she has all day to complete,just leave the dumped stuff on conveyor and move on

she could walk away from it in 7 days .

It would be better if the poster walked away from the whole family before he got dragged into it and ends up guilt ridden, penniless or worse.

my wife

Make up your mind.

There are also high priced private residential programs but very costly.

Thats where the usefulness of the farang boyfriend/husband comes in.

Well you could consider that too,but I think GTTFOOI comes in,not one penny,not one thought in your direction