it is successive British governments who have refused to make an agreements with most other countries, mainly Canada,Australia, New Zealand etc etc.
By living in Thailand he is actually saving the British Government money as he does not receive a free bus pass, possible subsidised housing and of course the use of the NHS. Just think if all the elderly British ex - pats returned home the NHs would collapse. He and all the elderly ex - pats are in fact saving the British Exchequer billions a year, what I cannot understand is why successive government have not been savvy enough to realize that by encouraging the elderly to emigrate the country would save a fortune.
Another factor to consider is that British pensioners receive approximately £10,000 pa, maybe after paying into the system for 40+ years, while the cost of the Illegal Economic migrants is approximately £42,000 pa.