George FmplesdaCosteedback

On 1/14/2018 at 11:34 AM, billd766 said:

 

Here is a link showing the GBP/THB forex rates since 1953. This particular year is for 1992 but you can change the years and the currencies.

 

http://fxtop.com/en/historical-exchange-rates.php?A=1&C1=GBP&C2=THB&DD1=01&MM1=01&YYYY1=1992&B=1&P=&I=1&DD2=01&MM2=12&YYYY2=1992&btnOK=Go!

Okay, but the rate change at the time made me quite a bit of money over a period of about 18 months buying and selling.

Maybe it was 38 to 50, not 50 to 75.

I used a different set of stats but no reason to think these are any different.

The point remains, the pound is not plunging and the premise of the OP is wrong.

22 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

I note you are not equipped to discuss forex or economics, neither by virtue of knowledge or good manners, never mind, here's some reading for you:

 

http://www.economist.com/node/12814762

 

http://www.miketodd.net/encyc/dollhist.htm

 

The cheat sheet answers, should be too lazy to read the articles in the links I provided or not be able to understand them, confirm the value of the Pound has been falling since the second world war, indeed, even before that. Specifically, in this century it was overvalued twice, once up to 2007 and again at the time of and in light of the referendum on Europe - many economists foresee a third stage which will take place within the next two years. 

 

BTW the Pound was hard linked to the US Dollar until the Asian crisis in 1997, after which it was unpegged and allowed to float freely - it was in '97 and '98 that GBP/THB reached in excess of 80 baht but only for short periods, not during the early '90's, regardless of whether you were here or not! 

 

And the UK triple lock on state pensions is worth 2.5% per year, not 3.5%.

 

If you have any questions on this, do some research!

Thanks for the laugh. I can show statistics the pound was 80ish to the baht in about 92, maybe you should look that up.

All currencies devalue over time, and exchange rates fluctuate.

It depends on what currency you use as comparison.

The 2nd World War, well it financially broke the UK and we were still paying the US "lend lease" installments in the 21st century.

The pension increase in the UK is subject to the triple lock rules and again can differ year to year. An average since it was introduced may well show 2.5% but it is dependent on the factors that control it and the increase is intended to keep pensions above the rate of UK inflation.

You ignore my comment on the OP,  and the whole thread is nonsense as the pound is not plunging.

That is my point if you missed it, ignored it or it is beyond your English language comprehension ability.

Try to keep up with the news...

http://www.bbc.com/news/business/markets/europe/lse_ukx

If you are such a financial genius how come you are reliant on the UK pension to survive, if you have or when you do retire?

23 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

A devaluation was always possible, just like the world might end tomorrow is also possible, that doesn't stop us having empathy for the pensioners who are in this difficult situation and who are seeing their lives turned upside down during their twilight years, DOES IT!

Hey, I'm one of them! I have a fixed income too.

What annoys me is it has been like this for years.

Pensions rise by the "triple lock" at about 3.5% when you live in the UK and the lock on ex-pat pensions has been in force for many years for those residing outside the qualifying countries.

Fact remains that the major costs to live remain cheaper here than in the UK (with the exception of buying a car if you want to dice with death on the roads). Gas and electric goes up every year by 6-7% in the UK.

Inflation in Thailand is lower here than the UK too.

People have moved to Spain and got the pension increases, but lost a home in the land/condo scams and property crash that happened.

"The world might end tomorrow is also possible", indeed it could and in two years the Baht might be 70+ to the pound... (I was here in the early nineties when it was 80++)

What is that supposed to imply?

Invest in the NK Won?

My income has suffered, but unless the already over valued baht gets completely over blown (that will hurt exports, to which the opposite applies in the UK), I am reasonably covered.

I know people that live far above their means here and have spent too much on properties and left themselves with little in reserve. That is their problem for lack of planning.

The whole thing about this post is that it is essentially wrongly headlined and badly conceived as there is no "PLUNGING POUND".

It dropped about 18% 18 months ago, the value of the Baht has increased and the Dollar has decreased since.

The pound is the highest since late

June 2016 today...

Maybe you GET THAT!!!

Not just Thailand, happens in most airports.

16 pounds for a pint of larger in Abu Dhabi on a 3 hour stop at the bar in the boarding gate area?

The OP says the person is not employed as teaching staff.

I know and have met people (westerners) in high teaching positions and some who have risen to managerial heights. Only the very top guys make 60K+. It would simply put many of the small set-ups out of business and take out the backpacker element in teaching.

Given what Joe says (and other knowledgeable guys) I think this is a case of the wrong person on the wrong day, as can happen dealing with any officialdom here when they are looking for a hand out or just getting revenge for losing their row with the wife at breakfast.

20 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

Maybe not you, but perhaps for the 70-year-old retiree living on fixed income, a pension that hasn't increased for the past six years and a Pound that has devalued year on year, for the same period.

I say go back and see how you fare on the full pension you will get in the UK.

The pension regulations have been in place for many years, the devaluation was always possible, the pound dropped 18% after the referendum 18 months ago and has stayed almost the same since apart form normal fluctuation.

Check the increase in gas and electric prices in the UK as a comparison before you leave though (it's cold over there)... and no council tax either!

You sound like a "remoaner".

Banning E-cigs must have a sub-plot, self righteous nonsense or money.

I have tried them when staying in the UK, but I found the experience  unsatisfactory.

The UK has introduced regulations on them now which I think are appropriate as the strength or amount of nicotine was not limited before. The plus of E-cigs is the lack of tar and other noxious chemicals found in real cigarettes.

Also the fact is it has not been proved that the secondary inhalation of the vapour is dangerous.

Regulate and allow, and tax no doubt.

On 1/8/2018 at 2:32 AM, beautifulthailand99 said:

well looks like we will get neither and a rinsed pound as the tories have guaranteed no hard border with Eire which will mean some sort of paid union fee. Thanks for that I will salute your Bulldog spirit when counting out my satang on my next visit. We have all greatly lost - you do see that - hope the feelgood factor you got when watching Uncle Nigel celebrate on that ghastly night has proved sufficient recompense.  Can I have my 50 baht to the pound back I would happily settle for that in these straitened times. 

A selfish view if I ever read one.

I guess you haven't considered if your income comes from the UK you should want a weaker pound to boost exports and make imports more expensive to push the bitter EU into a better trade deal.

Once we are out it will balance and the Baht is over valued as all but those in total denial admit.

Rejoin the world, not taken over by a bureaucratic EU dominated by the French and Germans who have craved that for hundreds of years!

Billions of German and UK money pouring into new member countries to keep the vote high.

It's not difficult to see what is going on, and it is no conspiracy theory, it is happening under your nose...

Wake up and smell the bratwurst and garlic.

Who cares where she is.

Maybe a few lovers of rich older women might but not many "Toy Boys" on TV let's face it.

Sensible people will rejoice she has gone...

12 hours ago, Prairieboy said:

It appears to be a well established venue - where is the TSPCA?

 

Animal fighting[edit]

Killing animals according to religious ceremonies or beliefs and animal fighting according to local custom, such as cockfighting, is still permitted under the Prevention of Animal Cruelty and Provision of Animal Welfare Act.<sup>[6]

Certainly a puzzler - animal fighting is legal but gambling on the outcome is not.......?</sup>

There is still bullfighting in Spain...

20 hours ago, firefox999uk said:

Funny you should mention Chris Rea....he came from the same town as me in the UK.

He's in a bad way at the moment, just recently collapsed on stage.

He has had a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Road to hell is my favorite of his...In fact the whole album...a master of slide guitar.

Road Songs For Lovers, his new album, ain't that bad either.

 

 

Have a Nice Day

Mark Knopfeler was his mentor. Ice cream was the funds!

North East has produced some great musicians.

Brian Ferry, Gordon Sumner and Eric Burdon are a start, how many can you get?

A Boro boy eh?

I wish Chris gets well soon.

I have a question: why has there only been 2 or 3 bankers prosecuted in either the UK or the US for their total incompetence?

The UK Gordon (ex-chancellor) Brown government ignored what was going on in the US so Brown is culpable for what subsequently happened in the UK. As chancellor for years before he was responsible, and even with one eye should have seen what was coming. Ludicrous unsecured loans and crazy funds could never last, which were just invented to increase performance bonuses for unscrupulous predators.

IMHO Brown should have let some banks go bust and recompensed the customers for their losses, not bailed out his mates with tax payers money.

22 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

The funny thing is that Hendrick's voice was almost as bad as Dylan's. Yet somehow, the music works.

Maybe that was because Jimmy could play guitar?

Most of Dylan's stuff was poetic protest, not innovative music.

He struggled to play guitar and harmonica and had a lousy voice.

His stuff has given us some of the all time best cover versions, and I do not dismiss his talent.

Try this:

On 1/4/2018 at 10:53 AM, TVGerry said:

If they ever get him, it's probably just a 500 baht fine and MAYBE a couple of weeks suspension of his taxi license.

 

I can't wait for the day these idiots are run out of business and everyone goes Uber or Grab.

Well I can't wait for the police to enforce the law and the App Cabs to go out of business.

"dixie"

7 minutes ago, Air Smiles said:

Allegedly, his friend agreed to be guarantor...

Thanks.

I guess he didn't check out the airport taxis themselves about using the meter...

Yep, a pizza shop is about the right place to call for action.

Sorry I dropped into this topic 6 pages late, but has anyone explained how a guy with no money or job got a Thai girl who works in a bar a US visa?

These guys are unsung heroes in my book.

Amazing what they do and I have no idea what they are paid.

Well done.

2 minutes ago, Watchful said:

James, please help me here. With Brexit won't the UK government have a smaller deficit?

 

I mean, the UK government no longer would have to send all that money to Brussels to support the EU bureaucracy.

 

I must admit that I am most confused by present currency valuations. Trump wants a weak dollar to help US exports and make domestic producers competitive against imports. At the same time, he'd like interest rates to return to "historical" levels. Normally these two things would be mutually exclusive!

 

That is, higher interest rates increase a currency's value.  As crazy as it is, Trump is getting what he wants.  The Fed is raising interest rates to it's member banks, yet the 10 Treasuries remain, for the most part, unchanged!

U

The US government is certainty issuing debt, but who the hell is buying all of these Treasuries?  The equity markets in the US are booming so it can't be US investors.  All I can surmise is wealthy folks in Venezuela, Iran, Russia, Syria, Lybia etc are desperately seeking a safe haven. Possibly even European investors given German interest rates below 1%?

Good comment, but you forgot China.

5 hours ago, bangrak said:

To the British posters here, this old Belgian guy remembers getting special classes, a little over 50 years ago, to learn converting our little BEF into UK £ and vice -versa, with the complication of your insular medieval intricacies of the time. Then, with 1 UK £ one could buy 240 BEF. The BEF entered the € at 40.33 BEF for 1 € (the DM at 2 DM for 1 €), what would have been 6 € to 1 £... After that came the fast slippery slope 180, 140, 120, 90, 80 (still to the BEF), and nowadays about 1.20 € (~49 BEF) will get you 1 £. When that's not a 'Titanic', historic, devaluation (for an industrialised country, a former World Power), well, erm...

I'm not some monetary 'guru' but I'd bet my best Borsalino (nothing more, mind you), that the Brexit fans, alas together with the majority of British citizens (pro-EU voters, and all the silly ones who didn't come out), will not even be able to sit, so big the blisters will be... When so, sadly, it will be well deserved.

To your credit comes that you are a special kind of insular, imperial, ostriches, with the, genetically programmed, wrong habit to stick your head in your backdoor and then complain not to see the light...

Enjoy your Theresa May and other loonies à-la Farage and his UKIP lies. It's alas long ago good English oaktrees' branches were used to hang wrongdoers...

And a happy new year!

"the majority of British citizens (pro-EU voters, and all the silly ones who didn't come out)"

You are wrong, the majority voted OUT.

And how much does Belgium contribute to the EU expenditure?

No worries about the next payment without the UK money?

Give me a better laugh if you can.

Case closed...

5 hours ago, dunroaming said:

Depends on the type of beer, area and type of establishment in that area.  Where I live a pint of proper beer is about £4.00 a pint I think, but we all drink gin and tonic or Pims so wouldn't really know 

 

My gas/electricity works out at twenty pounds a week in total.  Average wage in this area is north of £40,000 per annum though many are on double that plus.

 

My wife travels back and forth to Thailand more than me and she says that food is cheaper in the UK and the food standard is higher. Clothes are also cheaper if you stay away from designer labels.  (She buys clothes in the UK to take to relatives in Thailand). Houses are ludicrously expensive and so are hotels and of course with houses you have to pay council tax.  However cars are considerably cheaper as they don't hold their value like they do in Thailand.

 

It definitely costs more to live in Britain than Thailand but then again the wages are seriously higher.

I sort of agree as you admit overall living in the UK is more expensive.

Alcohol (average) comparison: beer or spirit, or herbs and wine (Pim's), was the point but I asked as alcohol is heavily taxed in Thailand much the same as the UK. London was the question, and prices do not vary that much within the postal codes of central London, not Watford or Luton. Some places do discount, as they do here.

Commuting costs are much morein the UK, petrol is still cheap in Thailand*, and trains and buses are much less.

£20 a week in the winter for heating and power, unless you live in a 1 bed tiny flat that isn't realistic.

The difference in earnings and cost of living, well then you have to include housing too.

Cars are indeed expensive to buy in Thailand due to tax, but lose less money for some unknown reason when sold on than 2nd hand cars in the UK and cost less to run*.

On clothes, happy to hear you wife (and kids) don't insist on designer rip offs.

Food: eating in or out is cheaper.

Thanks for some interesting comments though.

Pim's and G&T?

17 hours ago, StreetCowboy said:

Now you're selling it!  I love Weetabix.  

Ah! The wrong cereal for beer then.

Better than some "craft" that taste of fruit, nuts, flowers or chocolate etc.

Rap, techno, house, hip-hop and rave etc "music" started in the 90s along with the the start of POP nonsense of Girl and Boy bands in the 80s.

Of course we had some wonderful movie soundtracks too, and that continues to a big degree.

There was some fantastic music written in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries also don't forget or neglect.

Some things I like but not much of 21st century tunes are actually musical, just "formula" and there's been many beautiful songs ruined by over dubbing a rap track. The "DJ" mixing culture has taken the music out of music these days.

Owl City's Fireflies is excellent but pure pop and mostly synthesized.

I love things from the 40s - 70s and quite a lot of early 80s too and have a wide appreciation of different types, but not much Country or Folk as I'm really a rock and roll fan 1st and foremost.

Good topic.

12 hours ago, james1995 said:

I was just in London recently and found it surprisingly cheap(although not the houses).  Wasn't expensive at all.

How many pints of beer for a fiver?

What's the cost of gas/electricity?