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At minimum people should place a page alongside their will indicating where all financial accounts are held, including digital accounts. For UK elders approaching 75 years of age, be sure you've extracted the tax-free cash element from your personal pension before your 75th birthday, otherwise beneficiaries lose the benefit.

No. It's the opposite of blind stupidity.

May I gently suggest that anyone who commands their own investments dumps, at minimum, US large caps, definitely S&P500 and Nasdaq and instead invests in a EuroStoxx600 ETF (which includes the UK). I began the shift away Q3 last year. Europe's grown some balls, at last. Good. AI will definitely benefit old-school businesses and industrials, there's plenty of that in Europe and it needs taking into the 21st century.

I'm currently 63yo and live (in Thailand) from the proceeds of investments, for which I declare being a non-UK resident already for tax purposes. If anyone is interested, I use taxd.co.uk for filing my UK tax returns from Thailand. I still maintain a UK address for which I've since completed UK electoral registration and my UK bank and credit card accounts are also listed at the same address, including Wise. I plan to have the state pension paid into my Wise account (GBP) from which I can then transfer to Thai bank accounts or investment accounts depending on situation and/or need, also for improved foreign exchange rates and convenience. That's the plan, but like most things could change should better alternatives surface. Written correspondence seems so antiquated and such a pain in this digital world, but such is life.

In a few years time I'll be getting my UK state pension and will also declare myself living in Thailand. It's hard to believe they are still using 150 year-old methods to communicate around the globe. If that letter gets lost in the post you're as good as dead 😵

I haven't knowingly used AI beyond muscle girl videos. The future looks exciting.

I lost very similar to you in the last half of last year, although my efforts stalled in December after I'd caught a heavy cold and cough which took about 3-weeks to clear completely. So during that time my daily early morning one-hour walks stopped so I could focus on sleep, but I maintained my eating schedules and intermittent fasting. I too do not consume any rice, potatoes or pasta. I also do not consume fat-free yoghurt as I want plenty of good fat in my diet. What I do not want is anything starchy or sugary. Pretty much everything I eat is a whole food. Plenty of nuts and seeds on Greek or Bulgarian sugar-free unflavoured yoghurt and I eat a lot of pork belly with tomatoes, onions cooked in an air-fryer, with sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower on the side drizzled in EVOO and salt & pepper. I add quite a lot of salt to my food because I do not consume any processed food at all. I live in Pattaya and only cook for myself now using an air-fryer. My breakfasts commonly comprise of 3x eggs with sliced tomatoes on toasted sourdough bread also, but add melted cheddar cheese on top. I do not eat any cereals at all and only limited fruit. I will be honest, as delighted as I was with my weight loss last year I think I have now plateaued. I am stuck at 80kg (down from 96kg) but know I still have more fat to lose but it won't shift. From what I understand is that the body accommodates and becomes accustomed to what you do and realises it is the new norm and your existence is not under threat due to scarce nourishment. What I am now trying is to jumble things around and mix things up by not intermittent-fasting to the same extent every day and giving myself a few more treats, plus including some starving days and extended fasting times, plus not walking the same routes every day or even walking every day, but when I do walk, I walk considerably more. I think the general rules to help with weight loss are similar or the same across most people, but the smaller details and refinements are very much per each individual person. What works for me may not work for you and vice-versa.

I watched this video throughout and gleaned two pertinent points which relate to my own circumstances. Perhaps an element of cognitive bias, but nevertheless they were good to hear. Firstly; Dr. Bos listed pork belly very highly on her list of good protein. Good, as I eat a lot of pork belly, perhaps 3 times per week and love it. Most proponents of this type of lifestyle go on and on about fresh caught salmon and quality beef which is simply not practical when living in Thailand. Yes, good beef is available but price-wise compared to pork belly there is no contest. Secondly; she spoke of dark skin areas around the elbows being a sign of potential issues. I have seen obese men with dark areas around their ankles. Myself, I have dry dark areas just above my knees at the front to the outer side. I've had these for years. However, I should use past tense here now because I did have. After 5 months or so of intermittent-fasting and much reduced carbs and sugars resulting in much weight-loss and improved overall health these dry dark areas of skin are almost undetectable now and vastly improved. Good video and thanks for posting as I don't subscribe to DOAC due to so much undesirable content on his channel.

Stories such as these definitely hinder my own personal decision-making when it comes to me investing further into my expat existence here. I am a retired single man with no dependants anywhere, so in a way feel at least lucky for that morsel. Replacement fridge/freezer, new sofa and office-type furniture, high-end desktop PC and numerous other potential improvements for the house in which I've rented for many years put on hold. Everything I currently have is fine but was considering numerous upgrades. Now I'm reminded again why spending money beyond essential living like this should just remain on the back-burner until clarity emerges. Again back to thinking I'll only buy something if I'm able to carry it away should I ever choose to leave. I know I am not alone, but my existence here is funded through investments from back home, not some simpleton's assessment of how farang are funded by work, rental income or pensions. The 'This is Thailand' mantra can only waft through the air for so long until the final straw that breaks the camel's back is heard.

"Six warning signs you're headed for diabetes" - would be better, especially for a title. Please don't shout, just saying. Physical exercise is obviously good for the body and its function, but also assists with exercising the mind too. Having lost 16kg in 5 months my own personal feeling is that intermittent-fasting was the most effective of the steps I took in losing weight/body fat. It is now normal for me to only consume within a 6-hour window during the week. Weekends I stretch that a bit further to an 8-hour window. What intermittent-fasting does during the periods of ZERO consumption (only water) is allow your insulin level to drop, this is where fat-burning takes place. Within minutes of eating any food your insulin level rises, more sharply for sugars, for example. I've said it elsewhere but will do again .. Low or baseline insulin level = fat burning mode. The body uses stored fat for energy. Raised or high insulin level = fat storage mode. The body uses incoming fuel and stores the rest. During periods of fasting insulin is given an opportunity to fall, such as when you're sleeping. This is why breakfast is called break-fast. Make the most of those opportunities to add a few hours either side of sleep to increase the low insulin level periods. Delay your breakfast for a while and do not eat at least 3 hours prior to bed time. Then build-up those periods until your eating window is reduced to around 8 hours. If I ever feel naughty I eat sourdough bread, a fruity greek yoghurt or any fruit in general I do so within the first few hours of my eating window, rather than waiting towards the end. This allows the impact of spiked insulin from that consumption a longer time to dissipate. Otherwise I eat eggs, chicken, pork and veggies and love them. Cut out sugars and fizzy drinks, cut out deep fried anything, cut out white bread and white rice and anything cooked in seed oils. Add whole foods and don't avoid fat in fresh meats. This would be a good place to start for anyone trying to loose excess belly fat and overall weight.

I found myself reading this old thread and people were giving this guy a hard time. However, what he wrote here has worked very well for me. I have lost 16kg in 5 months, down from 96kg to just under 80kg. Intermittent-fasting is something I hadn't heard of until earlier this year and combined with much of the food listed above has worked wonders. It becomes a lifestyle which I'm happy to continue. Once I achieve the look and feel I want I'll still continue, but perhaps allow a treat from time to time. The above, plus an early morning brisk 6km+ walk 5 or 6 times per week. What works well for one person may not have the same results for another, so it's up to you to tweak and adjust methods and diet to suit yourself, but general rules apply to all.

I used to have one of those firm bellies mentioned in the video clip in the link. It never hung down over the waist of my trousers, but rather looked like half a football under my shirt and was solid to the touch, plus a spare tyre around the waist. I was a fatty for sure on the way to diabetes, if I wasn't there already. At the time I was unaware of things such as insulin resistance or intermittent-fasting etc., but something caught my eye on the sidebar in Youtube one day. I watched and thought I'd give it a go. 5 months later and I've lost 2½ stone (36lbs / 16kg). Down from 96kg to just under 80kg. It becomes a lifestyle and is no problem to maintain and continue. The effort required is minimal, just some determination and self-control, which becomes much easier over time. Skin tags have fallen off, skin looks and feels healthier overall, much lighter on my feet and taste buds quickly returned. I love food, just not the type of food I used to eat and it is delicious. I love eating and now cook for myself with an air-fryer, only consuming between certain hours of the day. I live in Pattaya about 10 mins walk from Friendship Supermarket and they have so much of what I like and want, such as fresh pork, chicken, eggs and plenty of cruciferous and other vegetables and a great selection of nuts and seeds. There is always something else which could improve things, but doing 95% of it is fine with me. Your life. Up to you. I'm so glad I did something about mine. It's not as hard or difficult as some may imagine. Don't let your health become an issue when it takes just a little effort for it not to be, starting right now.

I go where the internet is best and rent and food are the cheapest.

Try reading what people write, instead of coming across like a self-righteous plank.

When people see you driving a car such as those mentioned above, they don't see YOU, they see themselves in it and imagine how much others may envy them. Personally I would never want to own such a vehicle as I'd feel like a pratt who is lacking elsewhere in life. Any idiot can spend or waste money. Up to you.

That is a very narrow-minded viewpoint 🙄 I'm retired and have lived in Thailand for 14 years and WILL be getting that increase, in time. Reason being that I am not currently receiving my UK state pension as I have not yet reached retirement age, but will do in 2029. So all these annual increases have been and will continue to compound until my SP kicks-in. I do have 35 years of NI contributions in place and have no intention of 'pretending' to live in the UK, so I accept the freeze if I stay here. Still 3 years to decide if I wish to continue my retirement here in Thailand as they are not doing themselves any favours in terms of lack of a stable situation and the potential taxation impact with ever-changing and uncertain rules and reversals and speculation which forever hangs in the air. So when it comes to decision-making for long-term staying foreigners, including me, any semblance of stability could not be further from the reality. I retired to simplify my life, not to make it unsettled, uncertain or more difficult and awkward. Fortunately I am single and shall remain that way.

Markets go through cycles and one thing guaranteed for certain is that there will be a correction and/or a crash some time in the future. Whether that happens this year, next year, or next decade .. Who knows? If you feel the risk is too high with your investments according to your own personal risk-profile, then the answer is to de-risk. My personal accumulation phase has ended and the retirement funding targets have been met, so I have de-risked over a period of months this year to a level where I feel more comfortable. There is no point taking risks with your finances for money you don't need.

Good point. True.

All I can do is speak from my own experience. I live in Thailand and have done so for 14 years. 14 years ago I acquired confirmation from HMRC re: my NRL1 application (non-resident landlord) for renting that property and receiving rental income without tax deducted at source by the agent, but I had to complete annual SATRs since then. Sold my UK house earlier this year, which I'd lived in for 11 years prior, and paid the necessary NRCGT to HMRC using a UK accountant (no VAT charged on any fees for buying or selling, including original stamp duty on purchase). Now I live off investments from SIPP, ISA and GIA and report as normal on any gains. The house sale proceeds were transferred from WISE to my GIA in chunks each month of £70k due to transfer limitations of WISE, but I was aware of that limit beforehand. I don't believe the disregarded income would be the right way for me to go, as it is a choice. I completed my SATR online earlier this month for tax year 2024/25 using www.taxd.co.uk and a non-resident test is carried-out during that filing process. I recorded the questions at that time because I halted the process to obtain accurate information. www.taxd.co.uk is accepted by HMRC and there is assistance on-hand, if required. The non-resident questions were: You were a non-UK resident throughout the whole of the previous three tax years and present in UK for less than 46 days in the 2024/2025 tax year.* YES / NO You were a resident in UK in at least one of the previous three tax years and present in UK less than 16 days in the 2024/2025 tax year.* YES / NO You are working full time overseas and were present in UK for less than 91 days and spent less than 31 days working in UK.* YES / NO Not sure I am answering what the OP is asking, but I hope this helps. If you use this link https://taxd.co.uk?ref=TAXDREF_y2fzdehxur .. you will receive £10 off the £99 charge and I will also get a bung. If you complete a tax return via taxd you will also receive a link to share for the same. As my posts do not create click-able links then you'll need to copy/paste it into your browser. Also, I paid for next year's tax return in advance and received a further 30% off. taxd is very good, read the Trustpilot reviews if unsure. p.s. A non-resident may pay £2,880 into their SIPP each year, if they choose, and receive £720 tax relief. I used to but don't bother anymore. As mentioned above, cannot contribute to an ISA when non-UK resident.

May I recommend mixing in some chia seeds with a plain greek yoghurt, followed by a healthy dollop of vitamin G. Once calmed and rested, see what those chaps at Google have to say. However, remember, the answers can only be as good as the question posed.

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Thankfully, Main Street and Wall Street are two very different worlds. I walk only one and will never visit the other. Last week was a whopper! 😁 .. but I have withdrawn some chips from the table due to my investment horizon.

If you're a non-English born speaker, I forgive you.

I like when they stand next to me outside if I peruse an available external menu. It can get lonely standing out there and being a dumb-dumb farang I need the assistance of Thai staff to turn the menu pages before I'm ready and point at irrelevant items on their menu for me. It's usually around then I walk away. Plenty of other options. Vote with your feet but don't forget to smile as you depart.

The driver of any vehicle, especially those on two wheels, must assume each and every other road user and pedestrian is a complete idiot and about to perform the most stupid and dangerous manoeuvre. When the time comes that they do, at least you may be ready to avoid a serious collision or accident. The danger comes primarily from other road users and pedestrians, regardless of how careful or skilled you (the rider/driver) thinks you are yourself. I live in Pattaya so no need for any driving license, although I have possessed both car and bike licenses in the past but never needed them. They've long since expired but I may renew next year in case I wish to hire a vehicle for a few days at some point. If I lived in one of the cheaper, more easily affordable areas surrounding Pattaya City, such as Pratamnak, Naklua or Jomtien or beyond, personal transport is probably a necessity. The cheapest and most affordable being your own motorcycle, probably an ex-rental. Cheap-living can introduce further risks in life, such as personal transportation, likely a poorly maintained and only looked at when something goes wrong-type scooter. Your life is up-to-you, not me.