Robin

I keep my money in Singapore. No capital gains tax or inheritance tax if you are non-resident. Also easier to visit the bank if you need to. Many Singapore banks offer asset management services. I am with Julius Baer and they have done very well for me.

A very good way to lose money.

More fool them fro going on a boat trip with no life jackets.

Destroyed? Or parts re-assembled nd sold on to more criminals?

Yes! I have. After living together in Bangkok for 2 years, had to move back to UK for work. Married there, 36ye ago, and still together, living in Phayao. Now retired and hoping to make it to 50 yrs together. No marriage i easy, but it can work if you both want it to and both try.

Come in on non-visa entry and convert to Non IM for retirement after arrival. I did hid last year and it was simple. Just went to I/O with 'non-visa' an asked to convert. Initial extension to 90 day Non IM and ten final retirement ext. No problems and no questions about insurance.

Treatment for injuries caused in Pattaya bar brawls?

More quality tourists?

Little chance of identifying the guilty ship, and even less chance of getting any compensation. Clean the mess up and move on

Taksin was the first modern politician in Thailand. He stood for election with Policies and followed these through when elected. That was what frightened he Establishment. His policies actually benefited poor people so they were called 'populist' In that case every Western politician is just a guilty as Taksin of 'populism' Combine Taksin and Pita and there might be a hope that Thailand moves forward Taksin gave us Retirement Visas.

Dlgarco; Every year there are laws and waning about overloading and passengers travelling in the back of pick=ups. Not going top change until RTP get to work and fine the drivers. Therefore it will never stop. Can't cure stupidity of the Thais/Burmese riding the pick-up

Careful about asking for a 'Criminal Record Check' as my experience of this (in UK) is that you have to apply in person at your local police station and not that quick or easy. If this was required for every extension (yearly?) how many of us retires would want to go back to home country every year? Are we sure hat every M/c gang member has a criminal record? AS ever it would be far easier for criminals to get round this that ordinary citizens.

Could not agree more. But who is responsible for putting this right? The RTP or the retired Farangs living in Thailand?

Jut what is the point of the 90 day reporting? Other than to make sur Farangs do not feel too welcome in Thailand.

Emotional trash written by some hack to sell to western fiction. Will it do any good? No. Will it help the girls? No.

Put the money in my bank account and not tell anyone about it.

Isn't this what was wanted by the elite n the first place? An unstable coalition government with no mandate to do anything, letting Thailand drift for another 4 years and then hope to get the 'right' people in power again. Pita must have known , or have been told, that any attempt to change the Sec.112 law as political suicide, so why did he push to policy? Time is on his side as he should b back for the next election, and the one after that. He ahs shown that his policies ar popular with the majority of the public, and maybe even more popular next time. By 2030 Thailand could look very different.

An experienced politician would have known that his policy on sect 112 was going to cause trouble with the Senate, and kept quiet on that until he was installed in power, Inexperience and overconfidence are not good qualities for new PM.

Can anyone recommend a bank in Thailand that will give me a 'proper' credit card, not the glorified AT card that Kasikorn gives me. I have just been messed about trying to book a trip to Singapore online using my UK Mastercard, which was 'security blocked' as use in Thailand was 'unexpected. What I want is a credit car with a reasonable credit limit, say US$3,000, a proper credit card that I do not have to payoff completely every month, and can be used for on-line transactions. Also with monthly statements that I can access on line. I have asked my bank, Kasikorn, but these requirements as beyond their comprehension

My experience as well. I was told by I/O that it was 'important' that I had this book. Since then I have never found a use for it. I have shown it at SVB Immigration and local I/O when doing TM30 or 90 day reporting. Never had an I/O even look at it, just dismissed as 'not required.' Questions on this forum s to hat use it might be have never got a sensible response. Just write it off a part of the joys and fun of living in Thailand. I does contain your official address in Thailand, written in Thai, if that is any use.

Have you ever spent a long period of time living on a ship?

My experience has been that if you comply with the requirements for a Retirement visa, you can get one with no trouble, but if you try to do it 'on the cheap' you will get obstructions from most I/O I have no problems with keeping 800KB in the bank, and regard it as final ,emergency insurance sum. But.. my experience is that it is not easy t lie in Thailand without the frequent help of someone who is fluent in Thai. I live up-country, it may be easier if you live in a major urban centre. Do not burn any bridges you do not have to. At least for the first 2 years, try to keep a way out if you find you need it. A good rule to remember is that anything you bring into Thailand will have to stay there when (if ) you leave. Buying a car/ property is much easier than selling one and getting the money back to France, especially if you have to leave in a hurry.

Helmet?? Normal Thaihelmets are cheap plastic things that shatter n impact. I dropped mine from 3-4 ft. and it cracked in half. I f you can't buy decent helmet that will withstand an impact, then do not think the normal Thai thing will protect you.

Tke both old and new passports to your local I/O and ask them to make the transfer. if your new passport was issued in Bangkok you might get a letter from issuing office asking IO to make the transfer

Remember to close all hatches before leaving port