HauptmannUK

Thank you Sheryl. I've followed your advice. I had an MRI done at 'mrithailand'. As expected, quite a lot of age related degeneration showing up. Also slight spondylolithesis. I'm currently trying to get an appointment with the doctor you recommended at BNH.

Last night there was some kind of fight amongst some young Arab guys in Soi 17 near the 'Roger Tailor' shop. About half a dozen guys going at it. One lad sitting on the kerb holding his shoulder - looked like a stab wound.

Thanks for the replies. Still a totally confusing situation though... This week I received an item (a plastic moulding) from AliExpress - picked up from BangLamung PO. I was told nothing to pay because the value was only ฿1000. I asked how much I would I have to pay on a ฿5k item and was told that they 'don't know, wait until it arrives'?! I want a particular product from one seller in China - they will do DDP to EU/UK but not Thailand. Maybe I'll just order it and cross my fingers....

I split my time 50/50 between UK and Thailand. My (Thai) wife has businesses in both the UK and Thailand needs to be in UK at least half the year. I have a business that ticks over without me but I have family there that I like to see and also a collection of cars I mess about with and am restoring. The DTV is perfect for me. Five years for £300 and 180 days per entry. Was easy to get. I doubt they'll revoke it.

I want to buy a particular Android headunit to experiment with. I can only find it on AliExpress. Cost around ฿5-6k. I know that the law was changed recently to apply import tax on items above ฿1500. Does anyone have any RECENT experience of having to pay tax on items sourced from AliExpress wi่th a declared value over ฿1500?

I have bought a number of bikes into Thailand over the years. New and used. Tourist visa and spouse visa. They are all still in Thailand. I never declared anything - just put through Emirates oversize baggage. Only got stopped once with a very large bike box. The customs guy asked 'What is it?'. I said 'a bike', an he waved me on. Bought lots of tools through, a big trolley jack (that was a struggle), hi-fi system, race exhaust system for a motorbike etc. Customs have never shown much interest.

Many thanks for the replies. I'll probably get an MRI then and try the specialist in Bangkok. For years I have had mild tightness around the shoulders and massages help a bit, but I specifically ask for my neck NOT to be massaged for fear of causing more problems. At the moment the pain comes and goes and there is no radiculopathy. I did bash my shoulder about six years ago but recovered from that (a friend bought himself a brand new Toyota Fortuner and was under the impression it was a Porsche - he managed to flip it onto its side near that big zoo in SriRacha - despite my protestations to slow down! Took a year to fully recover).

Could you get a DTV (soft power?). You'd be good for 5 years.

I'm over 60 and for the past six months have had neck pain. My daughter is a doctor in the UK and when I was last there (about a month ago) I asked her to take a look at my neck. She is always very dismissive of my health conditions and she just prodded my neck a few times, got me to move my head around and declared that its age-related deterioration of the vertebrae and nothing can be done. She isn't a GP though (works in a hospital) and doesn't do orthopedic work. She said its a waste of time getting an X-ray. I find that hard to believe and would like to get an X-ray done in Pattaya. Any suggestions for a local orthopedic specialist who would order up an X-ray and interpret it?

I obtained a DTV from London a few weeks ago. I simply wrote a letter using Limited Company heading with the title 'Confirmation of Employment'. I just stated that I had been an employee of the company since xx.xx.20xx and then signed it. Nothing mentioned about remote working, hours, pay etc. Keep it simple.

Strange. I received a DTV a week after it launched. No flight details given or requested. No contract or tax return requested. I just wrote a short letter on Limited Company headed paper entitled 'Confirmation of Employment' and stating I was an employee of the company. Signed it myself. I know someone who is a 'hobby vlogger' - early retired and makes 'walk through videos'. No real income generated. Just supplied a link to his webpage/online portfolio. Got the DTV. Probably depends which administrator deals with your application.....

I think some applicants are making heavy weather of the DTV process in London. There is no requirement to have the 500k THB (£11k) 'seasoned'. They just want to see something showing £11k in your name at the time of application. There is no requirement to show an income either. In my case I simply wrote a letter with our Limited Company logo and address. I headed it 'Confirmation of Employment'. 'To who it may concern. I can confirm that Mr Joe Bloggs has been an employee of this company since xx.xx.20xx.' Then I signed it. No mention of remote working, or any other details. Finances were a screenshot of a YBS account balance showing my name and address and over £11k on the day of application. Location dealt with by sending a recent energy bill. I got the visa 30 hours later. I doubt there is much, if any, checking being done at the moment. That might change of course....

Bored waiting for my wife to finish having her hair cut so I thought I would look for Toffee, the computer repairing ladyboy. Searched in Thai and s(he) popped up straight away. One of the less convincing ladyboys IMHO....

Stories and photos are becoming increasingly bizarre and difficult to make sense of.. A 'computer repairing ladyboy' and a photo of a Chiang Mai temple by the sea??

Believe it or not there are some well educated ex-pats out there. In Pattaya/Jomtien area I am friends with a retired Professor of Ionospheric Physics from the UK, a Professor of Hydrology from France and a Professor of Biochemistry from Norway who also speaks about a dozen languages including Thai, Chinese and Japanese. I suspect there are plenty more retired academics elsewhere in Thailand. I have a BSc and PhD in Physics, MSc Advanced Engineering, BA East Asian Studies and an MBA.