Chivas

Yes you can now. Its not the best website to navigate though....I had started written communications because it was unclear.....it takes months for them to respond literally the last one was 7 months period and they start with "apologies" lol In the interim mine got updated unknown to me on Government Gateway as well

I've commented on a few threads lately that I had been having communications with DWP in the Uk over qualifying years of which 35 full years of contributions is required for full pension entitlement I have spent so long in Thailand this last 4 decades that the contribution record was fractured I had at times been paying voluntary stamp to ensure years were complete Fast forward to final letter received yesterday. I had queried the fact that 2 years were missing. I had previous correspondance and quite simply the numbers didnt crunch correctly On 2 of the tax years there were only 51 weeks paid out of the 52 required....how I have no idea I dispute the fact entirely but as its only £15.85 (for each of the 2 years) to complete the record I've organised to pay it obviously That total outlay of just £31.70 actually equates to around £11 a week for ever on state pension (at current rates) ! Moral of the story....check !!

Hence my post 2 up from this one I quoted on Page 1

Exactly this......around 2014 my SCB card literally stopped working. Not expired just literally gave up the ghost probably the "chip" Went SCB by Pattaya Klang and hadnt updated passport. Didnt have old one for whatever reason Had to get Police report from Soi 9 to "confirm" I had lost the old one ! As you can imagine i spent half a day in there

Fair enough. I was a bit short of 35 years but after bit of communications with DWP have been able to add some monies on to certain years that were close to full contributions but not quite Am up now to 31/35 years and the current tax year will make it 32 (will need to pay voluntary contributions October thro March as wont be working as in Thailand) I'm happy at 32/35 considering how many years I've been in Thailand over last 4 decades Couple of 5/6% increases before claiming will go down nicely. Others will disagree but I always considered our state pension as "bonus" money and to suddenly be getting around £11,000 per annum give or take (bear in mind what I said above) is great for me

My laptop is developing a complete terminal rash with these uber threads

What basis are you getting that 6 to 7% from ?? Not disagreeing per se but other estimates I've seen is around back to around 3% ?? (Edited in....average wage growth via triple lock ? )

Whatever happened yet again its not a good look

Well we are going to see moving forwards during the rest of 2024. Off the record I dont think you're right but I suspect what I have mentioned (and linked in previously) is accurate over 2 x 60 day visa exempt entires (plus extensions) in the same calender year being the limit Time will tell whether the Embassies have updated completely wrongly these last 3 weeks or not. Common sense alone dictates not even Thailand would shoot themselves in the foot and make the SETV completely obsolete and of course all the income from it I suspect a lot of whisky token apologies are inbound 😁 😁

I'm crying with laughter here since my last post How the hell some of you actually manage to tie your shoelaces in the morning is a source of some wonder I'll explain it again and we'll use Sterling as the example There is no direct exchange rate. Its calculated as such (Sterling/Dollar) x (Dollar/Baht) equates to Sterling/Baht Movement is either of those pairings effects the bottom line Substitute AUD Euro CAD etc etc for Sterling in that first pairing to calculate your own currency Only the USD has a direct exchange rate with the Baht (and every other currency) Hells Bells its hard work lol and more surprisingly its this "senior" forum (and the best this last 20 years) that has the most people who cant grasp foreign exchange

Clueless Countries "buying" their own currences on FOREX markets is not "manipulation" per se There is a lot of utter shight on this thread to date ! Again so many thinking that every currency has a "direct" exchange rate with the Thai Baht.....only the USD (as the worlds Reserve currency) has that priviledge (with every worldwide currency).....never in my last 19 years on this forum has a "pinned" post been more necessary over foreign exchange The rest of us have to make do with a two pairing number crunch and either pairing effects the bottom line

Just go to the relevant Thai embassy of your own country and it will tell you For Brits its already been updated on 18/7...the answer is 2 arriving from air or land

Never has there ever been any topic in this entire forum that requires a "wait and see" approach than this one Dont red flag yourself at this point

Absolutely and I'm reading the media who have stated he has fled the UK using his foreign passport in the last 24 hours Needs an extensive stretch Blokes a weapons grade nutter

Which is exactly the link I provided days ago which rattled a few peoples cages It was updated 18th July 2 Entries only per calender year utilising new 60 day visa exempt entry status

Previously was maximum of $2000 Fairly recently (nothing to do with Thailand I might add) it was increased to maximum $10,000 for a denial and of course airline responsible for immediately returning you to port of origin (that again was always the case) Seems it was around in 2020 it changed https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/157007/how-much-would-an-airline-be-fined-if-the-immigration-officers-of-the-destinatio Edited in.....this was why I was very close to being offloaded at Gatwick in 2007 on Emirates when on the return portion of a Bkk-GTW-Bkk ticket (so now one way) with no tourist visa Took me to asking to see head of station for Emirates at Gatwick who agreed I could sign an indemnity instead should I be declined Its nothing remotely recent

Further down the same page the reference to land/air entry is made. In short its 2.....!

Now updated on the 18th July Royal Thai Embassy London How is it remotely viable that we have so called visa experts claiming this is inaccurate ! 2 times a year utilising the new 60 day visa exempt entry....period

Precisely and exactly the comment I've made elsewhere. Will only come to light after any attempted 3rd entry under the new 60 day visa exempt entry in the same calender year Ground handling at check in airports are going to be all over this as an immigration denial fine has now increased to a maximum $10,000

Well done @paulikens Just glancing through my saved videos I have 6 more saying exactly the same but 3 of them from out and out visa agents When reality bites I will be expecting more than a few whisky tokens in apologies a few from this forum but many more elsewhere Only someone completely and utterly brain dead could remotely believe that the SETV and all the vast income generated from it would be obsolete dead and buried

.............and after 168 entries into Thailand neither am I 😁 Lets wait and see

No No No No lol They have NOT ENTERED under the new 60 day VE entry since 15th July !! They have entered maybe 3rd 4th or 5th time etc etc under previous calender entries etc etc but NOT under the "new era" from 15th July

I hope this thread can be archived because I genuinely believe people are in for a shock probably later this year when people try to enter on the "new" 60 day exempt entry in the same calender year for that the 3rd entry and its declined (ignore existing 30 day VE entries in this current year) I've already had contact with Tod over this and we somewhat disagree. I've seen the websites and seen the agent videos and they sing from the same hymn sheet You aint getting in more than twice (whether air or land) in the same calender year via the new 60 day VE entry. Embassies are already highlighting this on their websites. I recall a post couple weeks ago I made over this (different thread) If this 60 day VE entry is unlimited (assuming actual discretion via immigration officer) than the SETV is totally obsolete and with the amount of revenue it generates for embassies worldwide that simply aint happening Time will tell.

Recent article stating Thai immigration want the process done on average in 45 seconds Strictly enforce this 20,000 and it'll end up multiple times slower Has anyone on this thread ever been asked ?? I certainly havent

Certainly the introduction of 60 day plus 30 extension is going to make my application null and void for METV this autumn winter which will be trip just under 6 months Pop down to Cambodia or even over to Angeles after 90 days rinse and repeat