citizen33

So, according to you. Pointing out a new story from the Beeb stating the post mortem shows exactly what I said it did, is intellectually dishonest???

I can't be bothered to get into a protracted discussion about this, especially with JD, whom I find to be intellectually slippery, but the BBC report contained only a summary of the causes of death. Earlier more detailed reports about the multiple wounds on Miller's body mention damage to his arms/hands. For example:

Maj Gen Pornchai Suteerakune, Thailand’s chief police forensics officer, told reporters that in addition to the severe wounds found on Mr Miller’s head, the examination had found an injury on his hand, indicating that a struggle may have taken place, according to the Associated Press.

http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/thailand-beach-murders-both-hannah-witheridge-and-david-miller-suffered-severe-head-wounds-9738170.html

Indeed I think there are photographs on the Facebook site that has been mentioned on the forum.

While I'm not a fan of Military rule in any country, this talk of the previous Government as being democratically elected is stretching it a bit I reckon.

Unless vote buying, threats of violence and demands by community leaders on who to vote for is part of the democratic process.

All the academic studies, as well as international observer reports on the last general election, contradict this. Speaking personally I've been in a NE village at the time of three elections since 2002 and am sure that the party with most support won. We had these debates while the last government was in power. With many of those who supported the coup now having second thoughts, we see these same tired old arguments trotted out as though they were facts that justify a less than good outcome. Sorry but this has zero credibility with me.

HUH?

Hit by a massive blow to the head In a blitz attack and there is no fighting back.

I am open minded about this case, but that theory seems out of kilter with information in many press reports.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/thailand-beach-murders-british-tourist-4273518

To all Anti-coup protests aimed at our beloved Gen Prayut in Milan, have you ask yourselves who are actually THE CRIMINALS against thais and our used-to-be peaceful democracy?

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/asia/south-east-asia/story/fury-thailand-coup-leader-prayuth-joins-club-world-leaders-20141016

Look at the comments after the article here - busy laddie! Thi Nou accuses another poster on the Straits Times website of voicing pro-demonstration sentiments for money. Just as well that that poster was not parroting the same post on multiple websites or his claim would have seemed more credible! Perhaps the barracks is so boring that one needs to while away the time online?

This story is getting prominent treatment on BBC News 24 today, complete with interview extracts involving the two mothers and a Burmese official.

He can say what he likes. Unlike previous PMs he really is in charge. All he needs now is a Mini-Me, a fluffy white cat on his lap and a sinister Dr Evil laugh.......

Or should we say closer to the small group in charge? My guess is that they may change the figurehead if things start to go pear shaped.

"As a woman I would like to express my gratitude for Malala's courage and determination. She fought for women's rights even though this almost cost her life...Today, everywhere in the world women still face gender inequality in many areas, including education, and women are still the victims of violence and torture, she said."

And what did Yingluck do to address the issues of gender inequality (Gender is a non factor when your family's wealth can buy you power), advancing education and domestic violence while she was Prime Minister? The only right she fought for was her right to take as many shopping trips as she could fit into her schedule.

It's difficult to parse this comment, but if I understand you rightly, you're claiming that the only way that people of Chinese-Thai ethnicity could 'seize' power was via a coup? Though I'm totally anti-coup - and if I have understood what you say correctly - this notion strikes me as particularly stupid given the ethnicity of Thaksin and Yingluck, and given that the man in the picture (one of the 'good people', one of the incorruptible reformers charged with bringing forth a new order of clean politics and rule of law), is Chai Chidchob, surely the epitome of the rural machine politician, a man who knows more than most about winning elections, I'd say. I have no idea whether he's Sino-Thai or not, but many if not most elected politicians in provincial areas are.

This is a well-argued counterpoint to the earlier post. I still wonder though whether the current anti-democratic turn, which undoubtedly has strong support within certain metropolitan circles, reflects a wllingness to look to China rather than the West as a political model. I'm not saying that the royalists want to take on the trappings of a 'peoples' republic', but I think they are attracted by the idea of elite rule unencumbered by popular elections.

I just returned from there. I put everything I learned here: https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kalasin. I suggest other TV users also contribute to WV.

Just to avoid any confusion, the 'Red Sun' mentioned by Seligne on Wiki is the same Tawan Daeng that some of us mentioned on past threads. This is one of a chain of music venues found in several Isaan towns. It is up some steps to the right of the bus station as you look in from the main road. I don't know whether Dara Bar is still open, but it was a few yards along from Tawan Daeng towards the main road on that same side, and down an alley on the left. The bars close to King Karaoke, near Tesco, can also be interesting. You'll see on another thread that some posters mention Black Canyon Kitchen cafe in the PTT services between Kalasin and Yang Talat, which sells western food. I've never been there, but plan to look in - though I get the impression it just offers slightly expensive fried food.,

P.S, Looks like Darabar is still going, and also a map of L-Club in a link from this page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Darabar/318740431596314?rf=117073591754185

So now I have internet via tethering on my tablet, my laptop and two phones for around $32 CAD for the month and I just watched a movie and two episodes of Walking Dead.

I'd be interested to hear how the 12G lasts for streaming through the month. I tried a True package in conjunction with 365 Sport for football, but the fast data allowance went more quickly than I was expecting and (like other 3G packages) you are then pushed on to a default slow internet (I think at 384K) which isn't enough for streaming. I also subscribe to Netflix (in the UK), but didn't even get around to trying that as my data had gone. I think my True package was only about 3G. The 12G package seems more promising but DTAC 3G does not reach my village in central Isaan (only Edge). I'm just an occasional visitor like yourself, and am only looking for about a month fast 3G at a time.

Here is the most recent thread on the drinking side of things. There are a couple of earlier threads on Scott's bar etc.. Suggest you do a search on the forum.

www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/619898-night-life-in-kalasin/

Maybe a coup ?

Have we had that already in Thailand?

What, arrange a coup to get himself out of office?

Obviously he would not, but one wonders about the extent to which the PM represents a single united interest group. It is probably a little fanciful, but might one see the violet ribbons lined up against the yellow flag, or colonels versus generals? Position on that which we may not discuss could be a key issue.

I posted this yesterday but still relevant to the above:

'Currently, 72 % of Thailand's general public expenditures are being spent in Bangkok, which is home to 17% of the country’s population and produces 26% of the GDP. In contrast, the Northeast, which holds 34 % of the country's population, receives 6% of the expenditures.' http://www.worldbank...t-review-report

The PM is facing the dilemma of cutting the spending of Bangkok and evenly distributing expenditure to the country areas. All farmers deserve the right to some social programs, but it needs to be ones that will increase production or increase the education and the ability to an education of rural families. There are other social programs, but they need to be adopted on either a area by area basis or a state wide basis.

It may also be a time to look at major infrastructure programs to the rural areas. Which would inject money and spending into these economy's

The reason why the T's were respected in the rural areas is that they were seen to be taking care of business for these areas. They were implementing social programs, which were appreciated and helped the rural poor.

The General appears to be relying on a propaganda program of law and order; but it does appear it is a clearing out of support to the T's. I can’t recall a major spending program developed and up and running by the current crop of coup leaders.

The way in which the PM will sought this problem out, could turn out to be a big burn to the coup leaders. The rural Thai population may end up seeing the hot air pass them, meaning that they were not better off under the coup? It’s time for the PM to step up and give clear direction to the rural population.

Have a look at this report from 2005. (http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2006/05/05/000160016_20060505123413/Rendered/PDF/35353.pdf)

It shows that economic development was happening in the North East long before Thaksin came along. Thaksin just happened to come along at a time when the global economy was booming.

I think you're expecting a bit too much from the current government if you're looking for any programs up and running after just a couple of months in government. The governments over the last 15 years haven't sorted this out. The current government are unlikely to sort it out in the couple of years that they will be in power. The government's main purpose is to sort out the political and democratic issues in Thailand, not to "make everyone rich in 6 months". They will put in programs to keep the economy moving, but it's not like they are doing things to make sure they get re-elected at the next election, which is what most governments are worried about.

Very interesting report that shows that there was accelerating growth in Isaan from the 1970s onwards. One point the report makes, however, is that other regions of Thailand were growing even faster.

'Economic growth, while decent by international standards, lacks (sic) behind Thailand’s other regions. Since 1970, annual economic growth fell short by one percentage point compared to the national average, and the Northeast’s contribution to Thailand’s GDP fell from 16 percent to only 9 percent even though the population share remained constant at around one third.'

It is hard to deny that the 'populist' progrrammes introduced in the early 2000s, especially the 30 baht programme and the village loan scheme did not make a big difference in the NE.

New man, same as the old one.

Echos of the lyrics of that famous Who song?

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/who/wontgetfooledagain.html

as you leave yang talat in direction of kalasin a couple of km out on your right is a new service area .its in that.if you see a road on your left to the reservoir you have gone too far !the ultimate source of reliable information is pianoman.

Thanks. Since I posted, somebody else told me it is in the PTT service station (which also has an Amazon Cafe) just before the reservoir turning, and that the full name is Black Canyon Kitchen. Will check it out in due course,

Had something similar happen in Family Mart. I bought a pair of nail clippers that did not cut. As I was staying right nearby I took them back. After some equivocation, the assistant tried them out and agreed they were no good. He got another pair from the shop, carefully put the first set into the new cellophane packaging and then stuck them back on the display rack.

I received a reply from the Department of Health namely Earl Howe who is Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Quality in the DoH (whatever that entails!) and he said that they have not yet made a decision (surprise surprise) but would be by then end of the year though he gave no dates (yet more surprise).

Yes, I was looking at this recently and that seems to be the position. The Immigration Act 2014 has now passed through Parliament, but revised guidance on NHS charging rules for overseas visitors has not yet been produced.

The old framework was the National Health Service Act 2006 read with The National Health Service (Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2011 (i.e. regulations made under the provisions of the statute). It seems that at the moment one still needs to consult the 2011 regulations.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1556/note/made

with the 2012 amendments,

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1586/regulation/2/made

as well as the associated guidance,

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/254530/ovs_visitors_guidance_oct13a.pdf

but work out whether this has been affected by the 2014 Immigration Act.

Look here for an interim document which gives guidance on changes to Chapter 5 pending the publication of new guidance.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-overseas-visitors-hospital-charging-regulations

All very complicated I know, but I think some of these original documents were what people were searching for earlier in the thread.

It could be a good time to present. I can't imagine that most hospital Overseas Visitors Managers (OVMs) will be any less confused than we are!

plenty of flang around msk but as often mentioned keep themselves to themselves.meeting places change as girlfriends change.

if you want flang food go to black canyon near yang talat.myself im in si suk between msk to kalasin and every small village has some flang.

I'm not in Thailand at present, but spend quite a bit of time each year near Kantarawichai. I often drive along Highway 213 to Mahasarakham or Kalasin but have somehow missed seeing Black Canyon. Where is it exactly in relation to Yang Talat? It is true there are a lot of westerners in this area.

That is a depressingly lazy response if I may say so. You have simply posted a CAB summary of the 12 months rule - regulation 7 from the 2011 Regulations (quoted in full in my last post). There is no mention of a requirement for six months residency. I cannot debate this further as I have better things to do with my time, but there is enough information in the thread to help any readers needing answers. The key point is that no returning expat should mistakenly believe that they need to spend 6 months in the UK before they are eligible for NHS treatment; their eligibility will depend on establishing intention to return permanently or that they fall under one of the exemptions. Similarly the OP of this thread should not take as gospel your suggestion that his widow would not be entitled to a UK personal tax allowance on pension income originating within the UK, though there are some exclusions and the rules may change in the future.

It would help if you could please provide a link to the 'six months rule' - because as far as I can see it does not exist.

'Ordinarily resident' has been the key test. This is not a 'concession'. If a person is not ordinarily resident they must show they are covered by one of a number of 'exemptions' to be eligible for the full range of NHS treatments. The 2011 regulations mention several exempt categories of persons. These are:

There is no connection between income tax payment record and NHS eligibility.

I would be interested to see your rule spelled out in black and white, but otherwise I am not going to debate this further because you are providing no concrete reference points. Any interested readers can follow the links I have provided. The guidance will be updated within a few months to incorporate certain changes to the NHS charging rules arising from the Immigration Act 2014.

P.S. Should have said that the Immigration Act 2014 changes the definition of permanent residence by making this more difficult to establish for immigrants. This will have knock on consequences for some of the NHS regulations mentioned above (e.g.eligibility of students and visitors legally resident for at least 12 months), but - as I understand things - this does not significantly change the position of returning expats.

I'm afraid that Chiang Mai has produced another misleading post, just like his imaginery six months residence rule for NHS eligibility. Why don't people do a bit of research? The current position to quote from the link below is:

'In the UK, with some exceptions , non-residents with taxable income arising from the UK currently benefit from the UK’s generous Personal Allowance.'

However, it is true that there is some controversy about whether this concession can be maintained, given the fact that countries like the US take a different position. Thus there is an open consultation on the issue. If you feel strongly you can express your views.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/restricting-non-residents-entitlement-to-the-uk-personal-allowance/restricting-non-residents-entitlement-to-the-uk-personal-allowance

It's not clear to me which post you refer to when you say, "another misleading post" and "needs to do research" and/or why, perhaps you can clarify?

But as far as the UK NHS six month residency rule is concerned: It was made clear from the white paper and the subsequent green paper that six months residency in the UK would be required before citizens were allowed free access to NHS services. There were always loopholes/concessions in that, one was the requirement for a returning expat to declare their permanent return, the second was that those in receipt of the state pension and having paid in a minimum of ten years NI contributions, would be granted access also (I have yet to see it confirmed that the latter has come into force).

EDIT: I have re read your post (and mine) several times, trying to see what irked you, I think I finally spotted it.

In a preceding post I talked about a US pension being taxed at 30% at source, that cannot be offset against the UK personal allowance unless the recipient is resident in the UK or the US. That's not a function of UK tax law it's a function of US SSc policy, OK?

The other misleading post is this one, on a different thread in this sub-forum:

What Green and White Papers do you have in mind? The Government's response (Dec 2013) to the recent consultation says:

(My emphasis in bold font)

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/migrants-and-overseas-visitors-use-of-the-nhs

Guidance on the application of the charging regulations (updated 2013) is here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/254530/ovs_visitors_guidance_oct13a.pdf

In fact the whole issue is more complicated than one might assume, with each of the four UK home countries having different rules on NHS eligibility, none of which involves a six months residency rule. Are you perhaps getting mixed up with the rule that says that overseas visitors, such as visiting academics, who will be residing legally in the UK for at least 12 months are eligible for NHS care (overseas students on a course lasting at least six months are eligible on arrival)? Or is it perhaps the rule that requires UK persioners who spend part of the year in the EEA/Switzerland to spend at least 6 months per year in the UK to retain eligibility (Scotland and Wales only - England 182 days)? This is nothing to do with the test applied when an expat from outside the EEA returns to the UK seeking NHS treatment.

If I have missed a genuine six months rule then please post the relevant extract from the legislation or guidance.

You neatly side-stepped the fact that most overseas residents with UK income are still able ot get the personal allowance, and that the proposed change in the law is likely to allow an overseas resident whose main income (75% or 90% of total) comes from the UK to keep the allowance.

My remark about the need for research was made because I think it is important not to mislead forum members.

It seems bizarre that after Terry and Sheryl both gave excellent advice early in the thread, so many posters then went off at a tangent. The SSS does not exclude pre-existing conditions. With that scheme you will be required to have the surgery at your hospital of registration or one in its referral network. It is true - as Si Theo01 says - that for those living in Isaan, Srinakarin is the best bet for anything serious (and good value for the uninsured when compared with the private sector).