Burma Bill

Being a Brit myself, I bet these three were not sober at 4.30am!

Oh really! come come now!

Sorry I have no idea, and I fully sympathise with your no responses. When I contact UK International Pensions in Newcastle, and explain the situation, I also get negative replies from the call handlers. They deal with enquiries in hand but will not discuss DWP policy!

There could be various reasons and these are what I have experienced living in Thailand and Cambodia. Mail, whether it is being received or sent, should be registered/recorded Air Mail. This is relatively quick in delivery and can be computer tracked by the numbered bar code issued BUT can be expensive. Sending just Air Mail is a hit or miss method, it can arrive in a few days or a few weeks. For example, a Chritmas card posted in early December 2025 and sent Air Mail arrived at my local post office in Siem Reap yesterday (22 January 2026!) For a much cheaper alternative, mail from the UK can be sent by land and or sea BUT in my instance it took 3 months. This was my Proof of Life Certificate which arrived 3 months after posting and, annoyingly, after the deadline date by which it had to be returned. It took frantic phone calls to the UK Pensions Office to re-establish my OAP! So, my advice for you and your contacts in other countries, is to send mail recorded or registered by Air. (The UK Government will not do this)

Thanks, also sitting on the roof!! Very common practice where I lived in Northern Thailand. How the kids managed to dodge overhanging branches amazed me!

Misinformation? No unrest here in Siem Reap. Whilst shopping this morning I saw many tourists in tuk-tuks. walking and on bikes enjoying the sunshine and blue skies. No doubt Angkor Wat and the other temples and buldings were very busy. No demonstrations by local people and every where normal.

Possibly Bluetooth For reference (Google) You can find budget Bluetooth headphones that are more expensive than budget wired ones due to the added tech. However, the absolute most expensive headphones in the world, targeting ultimate sound quality, are specialized, high-end, wired audiophile models that far exceed the price of even premium Bluetooth headphones. Bluetooth headphones cost around 2,200 baht (Chinese) or 7,900 baht (USA) here in Siem Reap. I have the USA ones.

Thanks very much for the videos - happy memories for me. Glad to know the Junta damage can be repaired so that other tourists can enjoy when democracy returns.

Thanks, very much so. During the 20 years where I lived in Lanna and Isaan, the local villagers received 300 baht per vote, even at local village elections!

Known as the Yingluck Effect!

Well what a pleasant surprise when I discovered your post. I was issued a similar ticket when I also travelled from Mandalay to Hsipaw in 2017 (pre Junta). I've often wondered why Myanma Railways included Life Insurance - perhaps for crossing the famous Gokteik Viaduct at a snail pace! It was 335ft (102 metres) tall but now sadly destroyed by the Burmese Junta with bombs from fighter jets. My photo.

Sadly, yes. The northern Thai mountains (and in neighbouring countries) will be set alight to pave the way and provide nutrient for the new season mushrooms when the rains arrive! An annual event when I lived in Lanna.

What Thailand needs to do in the first instance is reduce prices from rip-off to affordable! No doubt like many of you, I have had the pleasure of visiting Vietnam on several occasions from Hanoi in he north to Ho Chi Minh in the south. A wonderful country - once you have mastered the Dong!

thanks, and I agree. Reference Google 19/1/2026 Thailand faces a significant mental health crisis, marked by rising rates of stress, depression, anxiety, and suicide, particularly among youth, driven by rapid socio-economic changes, debt, and stigma, with common issues including anxiety disorders, depression, and burnout, though gaps exist in accessing care, especially for marginalized groups like LGBTQI+ and migrant workers. The government is responding with awareness campaigns and digital tools, but challenges persist, including a shortage of mental health professionals and cultural barriers to seeking help.

I have just found this concerning Google report about Ital-Thai's presence in Burma (Myanmar) Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited (ITD) has historically been heavily involved in major infrastructure projects in Myanmar, most notably the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ), but its active role has been significantly reduced due to financial issues and project termination notices. In late 2020/early 2021, the Myanmar government notified ITD that its services were no longer required due to lack of progress and failure to pay concession fees. As of early 2026, ITD has been severely impacted by financial difficulties, accumulating heavy losses between 2020 and 2024, partly due to the failure of the Dawei Project. In January 2026, the company had several of its projects in Thailand suspended by the government following fatal accidents. Maybe cash strapped Ital Thai is cutting significant health & safety corners, and using sub-standard building materials, to stay afloat?

Thanks Simon. Best of luck and enjoyment in West Somerset. Being a raiway buff, I often travelled on your heritage line between Bishops Lydiard and Minehead. I have posted this for reference to explain further for UK ex-pats: To unlock frozen UK State Pensions (OAPs) for expats, the UK government needs to change its policy of only uprating pensions in countries with reciprocal agreements, which requires political will, legislative action, and funding, likely through a significant budget allocation (hundreds of millions annually) or by ending other benefits like the Triple Lock, a move facing considerable opposition from pensioners and campaign groups like the APPG on Frozen Pensions, potentially costing around £0.9 billion a year to fully implement.

What a dimwit! Canada ???????? For your information I am WARMING my arse relaxing on my verandah in Khmer Land - currently 31C (88F) with blue sky and lovely sunshine. My brain is 100% thanks. Look at the OP which refers to new Boeing 737 MAX planes, no mention of rare minerals!

Yes indeed, very friendly and welcoming people, not only in Rangoon, but in Mandalay, Bagan and Hsipaw when I visited before the coup.

With respect, what has Air Cambodia's fleet of new Boeing 737 MAX planes got to do with rare minerals in Thailand?

Thanks, my thought as well. The way is now open for Sino Thai Construction to bid for contracts!

Very much so - bad karma?

Her personal ATM?

So it is not all doom and gloom for Thailand!

For reference Google In response to a fatal crane collapse on a train in Thailand, the Chinese embassy in Thailand and the Chinese Foreign Ministry explicitly stated that no Chinese construction companies or workers were involved in the specific section of the project where the accident occurred. The incident happened during the construction of a China-backed high-speed rail project that aims to link Bangkok with Kunming, China. However, officials in Beijing and engineering consultants advising on the project stated the relevant section was being constructed by a Thai company, Italian-Thai Development (ITD). (as peviously quoted)