chilly07

CCP arming Russia?

Again the UK treats it's 'citizens' appallingly when compared to european cousins. I am only allowed to transfer approx 12pc of my wife's personal allowance and she doesn't get any of my state pension when I die coupled with restricted access to the NHS despite me paying full tax on all my pensions

Can't find any such note on any of my stamps even the first one which was done by an agent. If such an annotation exists it's probably on Immigrations IT so they can identify the agent

I once did the same at Jomtien but the IO was most unhappy with what the 'agent' outside did and I had to rapidly redo everything

Exceptionally useful when you get to old or decrepit to stand in long Covid spreading queues at Immigration. Agents are reluctant to do marriage extensions as they and local immigration don't want to share the fee with HQ

Why do the French treat their expats so much better than the UK? I have paye deductions on all my pensions and am still told I can't use the NHS unless I intend to permanently reside in the UK. Coupled with an entirely unnecessary and expensive Brexit and having to put up with a government of clowns who are more right wing than Le Penn let this be a warning to all French presidential voters this Sunday. And I haven't forgotten that french expats in Thailand were vaccinated by their embassy whereas the UK ambassador said he wasn't the NHS- And that the French embassy still issues income letters whereas the UK Embassy refuses

I have done the opposite. My old passport runs out in April 2023 so I have already obtained my new UK passport so I have a full 12 mths extension from Aug 2022. Belt and braces but I felt happier doing it in advance despite loosing 9mths validity on my old passport. Uk passport took 4 weeks for HMPO Trendy to process and 4 weeks for it to be delivered from India all c/o Key Visa

Fax to fax machines preferred by legal profession as both offices are reputable and accountable and during the fax are directly linked and free from photoshopping and amendment and are an exact facsimile (fax) of the original

At Jomtien for 200 bht they did it on the spot! Passport Tabien Baan from wife and application form. Yes I do all my 90 days with them on line so approval was in passport

Been checking return flights UK to Thailand and they are at an all-time low-2 for the price of 1! Presume this is due to lack of demand so best to book now!

Always a good idea at Jomtien to have evidence of source of funds especially if you are applying for a retirement extension. I'm on marriage extension and always take evidence of pensions and tax.

I got photos from the office outside Jomtien Immigration which were pretty awful but HMPO also accepted them. Photos are sent by Trendy Bangkok to India where the passports are produced. They don't go to the UK so it's Trendy that accept or reject the photos and instruct India. If the new photos resemble the last passport then no verification is needed. Technically you cannot do an online application from outside the UK unless you use a UK address and get a trusted friend or relative to send it to you

Been bad for a week and coincides with slight south easterly winds blowing north across gulf of Thailand backing up all round polution across Chonburi Bangkok and all points north bouncing off the hills surrounding CM. You can see and smell the resultant haze everywhere which is a mix of smoke exhaust fumes and ozone

My wife gets 2/3 tickets everytime she drives from Pattaya to Kamphaengpet. I keep telling her she is driving a truck not a car but she insists she has to drive at 120+ to stay alert! Me -I always drive at 90 if I go as tailgating at 120+ causes me to bend the hand grips but she says it's good exercise for my heart

All I can say is that (apart from ripping open my mail) DHL added 70gbp to a 30gbp item covering customs and their fees so I returned to sender and successfully reclaimed my original MasterCard payment. Subsequently I located the support stockings I needed through Fascino for 30gbp- 1200bht. Wouldn't fancy your chances of persuading DHL/Thai Customs that your laptop is second hand!

No cover over 65!

Might explain lack of progress on eastern corridor!

Construction sites have been cleared along Pattaya bypass/railway for many months now (not related to flooding which still occurs despite a decade of pipework). No sign of any real start so 2-3 yrs is a joke.

As usual wife's family want to come for Songran holiday in Pattaya. Involves 7or 8 crammed into a pickup sleeping on the living room floor. Even my wife had to refuse despite booster doses due to Omicron risk at my advanced age and her lung problems. I am greatly relieved!

Explains why air pollution is at such a high level throughout Thailand! And no storms to disperse it!

Many organisations refuse to send items to a mailbox especially banks and the mailbox addresses are well known.

We pay 6000 pa for monthly bug spraying which also gets rid of cockroaches. City Hall seem to have stopped mosquito misting but we have families of gheckos and ever hungry fish to deal with them

I would have continued to rent out my house if the interest only mortgage hadn't finished. With low interest rates and a high rent coming in I was quids in but when I asked for the mortgage to continue the BS refused wanting their capital back. Realised a significant capital appreciation and invested that here but no capital appreciation in Thailand as they mistakenly restrict foreign investment in property

Sorry! That will come 2 w after yet another Omicron superspreading Pattaya festival. The Songran spike will occur just before so you may get your wish but Omicron spikes haven't prevented any other Festivals going ahead!

Out of interest we just got our Moderna boosters at BPH and the vast majority of those attending were young thais