rickudon

Banks closing accounts because you live abroad is worrying, because sometimes we need a UK bank. I was careful to set up my financial and legal affairs to work in the UK as far as possible when i moved to Thailand 13 years ago. I maintain a UK address ( relatives home) and have internet banking for all my banks. I use 3 main banks, have regular transfers between each bank ( a circular transaction through each bank in turn) to keep the accounts active. Also have a UK credit card. Means i have options if one bank is lost temporarily or permanently. Get pensions paid in, some direct debits paid out, and this allows me to move money around and take advantage of any higher interest accounts. Still get some issues - logging in sometimes requires OTP's, which can be an issue as one bank would not accept foreign telephone numbers. Also had issues with Nationwide refusing to send money to Wise half the time, so just use my Clarity credit card (which is actually cheaper, as long as you pay off your debt same day). And of course getting new bank cards requires them to be forwarded by family. So reasons to keep more than one account active. Especially important to keep UK bank accounts now as opening new accounts with Thai banks is a nightmare, even with a long term Visa.

Avoiding paying tax? But many of them are below the level where income tax is liable. And many others would only be paying less than 10,000 baht in tax a year. It just becomes uneconomic to tax them, and the paper trail for income is non-existent. Instead, they raise money via VAT, which hits poorer people proportionally harder. Also, if you run a small shop, there are many licences to pay for. My wife has to get one for having a shop, one for selling alcohol; such as beer, another for spirits, and yet another for Tobacco. There is also sign tax - which is one reason so many smaller shops do not have a name.

Dogs here are not just a bite hazard and a noise problem, but also a traffic issue - have seen 2 motorbike accidents just outside our house caused by dogs attacking the riders, also one accident on the road with one man down injured and a dog looking dead. Lost count of how many dogs i have hit with the car - they just walk or run in front of you as if you are not there - by the time they move they are already in your blind spot in front of the bonnet. Usually just a nudge to get them moving (you cannot always see them) but did get one run straight into my car radiator grill and cause damage. It survived. And of course the litter problem. Bins knocked over and contents spread everywhere. Finally, pets and domestic livestock killed. An annual dog barbeque should be held in every village!

For me the golden age of TV was the 80's, Mainly BBC and channel 4. There is a limit to how many good programs are made, the advent of Sky and Freeview was the end - 95% garbage and the good stuff was like needle hunting in a haystack. I stopped watching TV about 20 years ago, except for news. The rare occasions when back in the UK i have only a TV to watch, sees me channel hopping for 15 minutes Then deciding to take a nap. Can always find something to do on the computer. I do watch netflix sometimes, been some good films and series, and quick to browse and find some. But even there it is like one good one in a 100.

No. He was a very quiet man, also traumatised somewhat by what he saw during WW2 - especially when ordered to execute a girl because she was 'probably' sniping at them. Never really knew what he wanted in life - i think he was content to own a nice house, liked gardening, and betting a little bit on the horses. Spent most of his retirement watching TV or gardening. Gardening is the only thing we have in common. What is scary, a cousin has in the last 5 years become more like me every year - it is like looking in a mirror.

Then - Restaurant and fishing park manager - she saw me, and went fishing...... Now - small village shop, housewife and mother.

1. Yes, sometimes, Memories of good times in bed.... 2. Slovakia, in the Tatra mountains. 3, Nepal if i had to choose, but would like to see South America once.

My calculated budget when I came in 2010 was 30,000 baht a month. Never happened. Actual was 40-50,000; There were lots of startup expenses, house was wife's, but a bare Thai house, needed to buy fridge, TV, kitchen utensils, furniture, HP for car, etc. The house was basically a lot of empty rooms! And then a daughter came along. Also some big 'one off's' like house improvements (one room at a time). The good thing is it is still around 40-50,000 most months, as lots of those early expenses only happen when replacements needed. There are still a few 'one off's' but i limit it to one a year - digging fish ponds, still a few house improvements, this year a family trip to UK. Food - used to eat out more, now mainly at home, Groceries were cheaper in the UK except for fresh food. UK prices didn't go up much first 10 years, except for eating out, but have exploded recently. In Thailand has gone in bursts - some items still the same as 10 years ago, others doubled. Cartagenawarlocks hatred of British food makes me think he was either raised in an institution or was in jail - still prefer some English. Back in 1960 food was boiled beef and carrots, but not any more! Wife and daughter liked the cooked English breakfast, and pies, strawberries and cream. Cakes and biscuits infinitely better than Thailand. Eating English or European is more expensive in Thailand (not counting restaurants) but still need that fix. Only thing i agree with Cartagena on is Macdonalds fillet of fish burger - my go to if eating there.

Doubtful. That 1 percent accounts for 20% of Thai GDP, and easier to assess 1 percent than 50 percent of people. So half the Thai population would have to start filing tax returns, with very little paperwork available as proof. And, of course, most would always earn just under the tax free limit! You would need to double the number of tax inspectors, probably cost more to employ them than what they raise. Finally, how do you get 50% of the voters to stop voting for you? Raise their taxes.

tell the builder some roof sheets are loose. He will probably fix it. If he doesn't come, just get the wife to moan to a neighbour about the builder and the roof. News spreads quickly. Then you get a result either way.

what you eat is decided by culture, not ethnicity.

My Thai wife was older than my daughter, but not old enough to be a step mother. Daughter didn't want me to have more kids, thought it would be unlikely, but it happened pretty quick. I think my UK daughter had issues with me being out of the UK, but has got to accept now she has a family of her own. And for the neigh Sayers, i had no problem becoming a father at age 60, have a good relationship with my Thai daughter (now 11). Someone said you should have a Vasectomy at 40? sad person. Age difference of 20 years is fine, works in Thailand. UK relatives a bit funny about me having non-British wives and younger ones, got called the 'black sheep of the family' by a cousin! And all my aunts and Uncles expected that quiet retiring lad to stay a Batchelor..

Sounds like me 12 years ago..... I wanted a small hobby style farm income and had some good ideas - all came to nothing. 1. Bell peppers. when i first arrived, they could cost as much as 100 baht each. Surely it would be a winner? Soon found out Isaan climate too hot, lucky if they grew bigger than fingernail size. And died off in hot season. 2. Duck eggs. F-in-L did this and seemed to make a small profit. I did it for one year, and money from eggs just about paid for the food the ducks ate. 3. Fish farming. I had training in this, so knew what i should be doing. stocked a pond with 2 fingerlings per sq. metre, and started feeding. But wife, because she is Thai, knows best and put 3,000 more fish in. Pond now overstocked and fish stunted. spent 8,000 baht on food, a year later got 1500 baht back for fish..... some were probably stolen, but fish were far too small. Also water was poor quality, growth was always slow in all ponds we had bar one. Tilapia fingerlings should grow to over 500 grams in less than a year, but ours would take 3 years! (and sometimes survival rate very low). We get a modest income from running fishing lakes. Tried many vegetables. Soil was mainly clay. about 50% of vegetables tried either failed to grow, suffered disease and pest problems or cropped poorly. Some vegetables would do much better in cool years, but would do well once in about 4 years. Only vegetable i tried that worked most years was Okra - but couldn't find a market, Thais not keen on it. After a slow start, have had limited success growing limes, now harvest enough to feed extended family - my lime trees grow extremely well, look much healthier than those grown the 'Thai way'. Mine organic. Eucalyptus usually quite successful, but not a monthly crop. And bare in mind that if you want to change to anything else afterwards, restoring the land is a major exercise. And not a big earner. As to what will work, depends on your local climate, soil, water, drainage and security. Can only experiment small scale and see if anything works. There is no magic answer, if there was, all the Thais would be rich!

My wife doesn't have a birth certificate, the amphoe couldn't find a record of it - we needed it to get our daughter a UK passport. Wife having thai passport, ID card and in the blue book didn't matter to the Amphoe. Wife had to find a teacher at her old school who would vouch that she attended there to get a replacement document from the Amphoe. Amazingly, still a teacher at her old school who remembered her 35 years ago! Thai bureaucracy can be pretty ridiculous. The daughter has school reports from her old Thai school? Then good chance the school will provide the 'proof'.

No witness required?

The one aspect of whether you should get health insurance that has not been mentioned, is cost versus income. Many of us moved to Thailand for the cheaper cost of living, but paying insurance premiums means an impact on your quality of life options. Some of the premiums mentioned here are over 50% of my annual income - getting health insurance would mean having to choose whether to eat or turn on the air-conditioning. Or feeding the wife. I would be reasonably happy to spend 10% of my income on health insurance, but whenever i have got quotes, it was around 25% plus. That would have meant burning through my savings (which i did have to anyway, to attain a reasonably comfortable existence here over the first 5 years), or only existing, not living. So, i have chosen to 'self insure'. Over the last 12 years, this has meant a saving of about 2 million baht in premiums, against an expenditure of around 60,000 baht (including one potential health emergency which resulted in a quick return to the UK for diagnosis). If i had used my savings to maintain my lifestyle and pay health insurance, i would now be broke. A gamble, yes, but paying off so far. By the time i will be in my 80's, insurance premiums could exceed my annual income. Health insurance is for the rich.

So many people say get a job. Not that easy. Age 64 (or there abouts), heart condition, no recent employment history, no address. Most applications will be ignored. And an alcoholic. I found it damn difficult to find a job when i was just 55 and recently made redundant. The only job i could get involved some lifting and physical work, i ended up at the chiropractor (not free) or in Physiotherapy every few months. In my last year of work i was signed off on sick leave more than 50% of the time. I gave up, took early retirement and came to Thailand. Fortunately i have survived here for 13 years without any major issues and have enough pension money to live comfortably if not lavishly. But major surgery like the OP would wipe me out. Reality - getting somewhere PERMANENT to live is an issue. Rents have gone through the roof. He would be dependent on help from his local council, if he can find one which will take him on (you have to prove a connection to the area). Also because he has been living outside the UK, no automatic benefits (JSA, universal credit, etc.) will be paid for 3 months. Those first 3 months will be a struggle. Some financial assistance may be found, but not a given thing. Yes, the local council has a responsibility, but they are hopelessly overstretched. Do not know how much the OP has left in cash or what monthly income he has if any, but if he cannot survive 3 months it will be a struggle. A van, if he can afford it, is a possible thing. As for living on the streets, even in the summer temperatures can fall below 10 degrees Centigrade in summer; i remember night fishing some years ago and 3-5 a.m. it was COLD even in summer. I doubt if the OP would survive 6 months with his age and health. I feel sorry for the OP, but he has some tough decisions to make. My advice to everyone - circumstances change, and you need to maintain a lifeline to your home country if it has a decent social system. 3 important things to maintain.... 1. A bank account. You cannot open a UK bank account without an address and utility bills, and without one you cannot rent accommodation. 2. Maintain an address - either with relatives or friends, it helps (with point one, for instance). 3. Keep enough money there to survive 3 months - if you have been living abroad, you are a non-person for those first 3 months (my son experienced this TWICE on returning to the UK, after living abroad for over 6 months).

Their lice.

Actually probably Golden eels. They are not that rare, we have had 2 as lottery fortune tellers in the last 5 years or so. The first one provided 3 wins, the second zero.

1, Worst advice - "invest in stocks and funds" from a financial advisor of what to do with my redundancy money in 2007. I decided he was an idiot, and was proved right. 2. Best advice - Always have a backup plan. 3. What i will be remembered for, and what i would like to be remembered for, are totally different (and depends on who you ask, one relative called me "The black sheep of the family")

In the cars. There talking about petrol, diesel, LPG. As for in houses, you would be surprised. In our village, hardly any air conditioners 12 years ago, now in about 30% of houses. And it is not a rich village.

Knowledge of History, Geography and even Science is sadly lacking. Very few people comprehend that the world as we know it today was shaped by events of the past - that famous quote "those who do not know history are destined to repeat it". Unfortunately even in the west people make bad decisions because they have little understanding of WHY and WHAT motivates people in other countries. In Thailand, my F-in-L has a wealth of skills and local knowledge, he knows many herbs etc. Unfortunately it is all learnt by watching others - not necessarily from those who were actually good themselves. As a result poor quality is perpetuated. My personal experience here - i was trained in freshwater biology and some aquaculture. But when it comes to managing, stocking ponds with fish, the Thai family know best - so we get abysmal growth rates due to overstocking, never make a profit. I stock the right amount of fish, of the right types, 1 week later the wife puts in 3 times as many - but often will not tell me, so i have no idea what fish are in the water until i see/catch some..... I have largely given up after wasting thousands of baht. Just let them grow by themselves, get enough to feed family only.

3% increase in fuel consumption more likely to be because the air-conditioning has been turned up higher in the cars due to the extremely hot weather.....

Cheese in Makro went up by over 10% last week. I know, probably not in the Thai CPI. Main problem is shrinking packet sizes, e.g. 85g instead of 100g, same price. Bet that isn't accounted for.

It does amaze me how many empty properties there are in Thailand (and i am not counting old derelict farm houses). Just 2 cases - 1. I drive past a small block of condos every day on the school run, in 6 years i have never seen a sign of any occupant - guess just for money laundering. 2. A whole row of about 10 shophouses was built on the ring road here in Udon about 8 years ago, rent was quite high i heard (about 14,000 baht a month, back then). They stayed empty for about 2 years, last time i drove past i had a good look and only about 3 appear to be occupied. Just doesn't seem to make financial sense.