The Fat Controller

A lot of confusion in various posts. Only post-2016 years will normally increase entitlement for those that have not yet reached SPA, you need to ask that specific question as you CAN buy years that don't actually do anything, it's a minefield. Each year you buy will currently increase your pension by £6.33/week Whether you can pay Class 2 or 3 depends on where you were working and if self employed etc. There is no "I need 35 years" for a full state pension UNLESS you started working AFTER 2016, which won't apply to anyone here! Some may need around that but if you were in a contracted out company scheme you will need many more, I needed 48 years of NI to get the maximum. There is also a deadline looming to pay older years. Suggest this as a bit of light reading. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/state-pension-topping-up

Only those that have started work since 2016 will need 35 years, so much confusion about that number. Those who started work well before that can need up to 49 qualifying years especially if, like me, they were in contracted-out company pension schemes I needed 48.

You can send 2 million THB with WISE in a single transaction to certain (3) Thai banks, that is a WISE limit. Other banks have incoming limits (Thai regulations), it's all on the WISE FAQs. You have to give a reason for the transfer on the WISE site. I have a Bangkok Bank account and sent 8 million to myself from the UK in one day, they did not contact me for any kind of declaration and I moved the money out to my wife without issue. It is not cheaper to split into smaller transactions with WISE. Fees for funding the GBP amount to WISE vary by method, Debit Card, Bank Transfer etc The WISE fees may seem large but as they use the mid-market rate it was still cheaper than any other method and I believe it is still so. This information is specific to the OP's requirements, GBP to THB, fees with with other currencies are different and there may be cheaper alternatives.

Phone banking is much more secure than using a card in the ATM. The face recognition system with Bangkok Bank is good for larger transfers, for those that haven't used it, the selfie camera opens and you put your face in the oval on screen It detects glasses and asks you to remove them and then asks you blink several times, obviously to prove you are alive and then approves the transfer. The only issue on my first use was that I could't see the instruction to blink as I had taken off my glasses and could no longer read the screen 😁

Teeveeing.com Cheap and works well

The app certainly has more offers than the website. There are also discount coupons available, coins to collect for free which can be redeemed for discounts. They also have some daily flash offers which are very good. You will get quite a few notifications which put off some but I find the benefits outweigh the annoyance.

The non-o married to a Thai document requirements have been slimmed down now, I applied a month ago. You need to apply online and can only get a single entry. Financial details are required, either a sum in the bank or regular income but cannot remember the exact figures. They have removed the need for copies of your last entry stamps and invitation from your wife. You need proof of UK residence (I used my tax bill), a recent photo and copy of your marriage certificate. In my Visa folder I also have my wife's ID card but cannot remember if that was needed this time. @QballQ Kay at the Glasgow consulate was a pussycat if you stayed on the right side of her. LOL

We have two cheap Chinese pumps. One is surface mounted and pulls water up from the bore hole and we use that to water the garden with no issues, no settling tank or any other treatment. This one has been in place since before I married 10 years ago and is switched on and off with a breaker. The other one supplies water on demand to our house from a tank that is filled by government mains water. It has been working fine for 6 years, not even had to replace the pressure switch yet.

What kind of job can she get a 3 month leave of absence from? How many kids is she supporting? Have a Google about the level of household debt in Thailand. If she won't tell you how much she owes and where that debt is held, time to get the running shoes on.

One working day ? Where did you get that information from ? With Christmas and New Year holidays don't be surprised if it is not processed before you arrive in Thailand.

One of the Thai rivals to Eire's Ryanair, Thai Rion Air.

Soi Pothole (Chayapoon) in Pattaya is privately owned, thankfully they don't charge you to take the risk of walking, riding or driving down it yet.

I think the clue as to whether your teeth need attention is the colour ! Black is not normal.

My non-o from London has the same name format. It took 60 hours from application to issue, the email confirmation arrived at 2107 so either they are working late of it was sent out in a daily batch.

I have done this several times in Ubon, the form was presented to me at the land office during the purchase process, not sure what you have downloaded but unless it is the specific form from the local office it's probably for the shredder. No lawyer needed, just make sure you see the original chanote and there are no conditions or loans recorded against the land, this will be on the reverse but all Thais should know that.

It is never wise to flout the regulations, one day it will bite you in the backside.

I wonder if the phone will have mysteriously gone "walkies" and have a flat battery by the time the shop opens. Best of luck !

Cellular means calls. You need a data-only SIM. Check which bands your device can use too.

The only issue could be boarding at your departure point without a visa if your exit/return flight is beyond the 30 days granted on a exempt entry. Some airlines are stricter than others, KLM and Emirates in the UK for example. You could always get a Non O visa based on your marriage if you can stick 90 days with your wife, alternatively a 60 day tourist visa is cheaper and less hassle than an extension at immigration.

The UK visa application page DOES advise that you should print a copy.

If you get all your documents in the required format and size evisa applications in the UK are a piece of cake. My Non O based on having a Thai partner took less than two working days to be issued.

Have a nice flight, though you'll probably be eating into that large sum due to increases in prices. As for an account when someone dies, that will be accessible to the heirs or beneficiaries when a will is produced and the executor contacts the bank.

@piston broke EDIT due to mistake. You can buy back years as far as 2006 until the July deadline. The final two years between your current age and 66 will be more expensive as the price is only fixed until 31st July and will then increase. I have never seen any reference at all regarding purchasing missing years at anything else other than the Class 1 rate of around £800. Each year purchased increases your pension by £5.29 a week (IIRC) You are the same age as me and I have done a lot of research on this, but as a higher rate Scottish taxpayer due to my company pension I will pay 42% of my state pension back to HMRC, therefore buying my missing 8 years will take a lot longer to recoup. EDIT IN : https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/savings/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/

See my previous post and the link to the Moneysavingexpert forum, all the information as to how to obtain the reference number has been posted by numerous people on many topics, happy reading !

You need a reference number from HMRC to pay for added years. You log in to the gateway with your UTR which is different.