Briggsy

In thousands of visits to 7-11, I was almost scammed just once. I paid for an item worth, say, 80 Baht with a 1000 Baht note. The way the cashier handed me the change was not the normal way. I counted the 100 Baht notes on the way out and one was missing. I immediately wheeled around and before I could say anything a 100 Baht note was thrust at me. No sorry. No questions. No confusion. In my opinion, it was a clear attempt to steal 100 Baht with a plan B if I noticed to immediately give me the 100 Baht. It worked as I did not take the issue any further. This was a 7-11 I used regularly as it was underneath my apartment block. This was the cashier's first day in this branch. The next day she was gone, never to be seen again.

Where in Thailand is this? I'm stupid. Chiang Mai forum 😳

Was there any need for that unrelated story at the end in the last paragraph? It seemed like a death threat in itself. I am not criticising the story, the source or AN just the juxtaposition of a stalking story with a horrific murder story.

It is called 'critical thinking' Frank rather than blind devotion to a cult of personality. What part of what I said is a 'crock'?

It is quite remarkable how the MAGA bunch just go along with Putin narratives because they have been told to. If Trump flipped, they would all flip their views and talking points. Putin is conducting an invasion of a European country. His troops have slaughtered and raped thousands of Ukrainians, bombed their cities, kidnapped huge numbers of children and imprisoned and murdered those in Russia who oppose him. This is a pivotal moment in the history of the World just as the coming down of the Berlin Wall was. Just because the current president of the United States is in hock to Putin for bankrolling him when he was bankrupt and no bank in the West would touch him and who knows what blackmail threats, is no reason to risk the lives of millions of Europeans by caving to a tyrant.

@NE1 That seems to be for fines. This is the one I was thinking about from the Thai Highway Code. It is potentially confusing. Section 71 Driving past a junction or roundabout if two conveyances reach the junction at the same time and there is no other conveyance at the junction, the driver shall let the conveyance driving on his or her left side pass first; provided that at any junction where a main road intersects a secondary road, the conveyance driving on the main road has the right to pass first;

Apart from the cost, it has been repeatedly shown that Thais struggle greatly with the priority rules on roundabouts. I suspect this is due to driving indiscipline (as superbly demonstrated by the video of this crash) but you do also have some weird rule in Thailand about giving priority to those on the left. However I think indiscipline is the reason they simply can't (I mean absolutely can't) do roundabouts.

Watch the video. Particularly with the odd music, it is like a bizarre game of chicken. You stop, No YOU stop, NO YOU STOP, NO YOU STOP! Smash....

Let this be a lesson to all you heavy drinkers out there. Lay off the booze. ☠️

Thailand 54.73% debt to GDP ratio. UK 101.15%. UK gilts anyone??

For those not familiar with the UK, if you can get on "the PIP", the benefits are amazing. I know single blokes picking up £1400 a month tax free. In addition, they have 90% of council tax paid (this might typically be around £2000 per year) and their rent paid up to around £400 per month. If they took any job for less than £30,000 a year they would immediately be financially worse off and they would have to get up in the morning. They just have to apply for PIP, get rejected and then appeal where they usually get it accepted and all back-dated. There are websites telling you exactly what to say, along with the best medical claims to state and some GP's are more flexible in signing you off work. It is the goal of huge swathes of society to get on the PIP in the UK so they don't need to go to work. There are huge numbers on it. Once you get it, you are pretty much left alone for years and the money just rolls into your bank account.

I would not bet on any prison time despite the strong evidence. Money will probably change hands. The police will urge the widow to take it.

You are employed. Unfortunately employment is prohibited on the visa exempt permission to stay. Aim to resolve the situation soon.

From the London Embassy website. "Visa Exemption Scheme for the purpose of tourism and short-term business engagements..."

Yes, I remember. The important thing now is that your Work Permit is no longer valid. So, if you wish to obtain a new work permit, you will need a non-imm visa and then have to reapply.

Why does this "British man" hide his name?

Oh, I see. I notice too it is Phetkasem Highway. The insanity of speeding on that road is something else.

The photos are post-hydraulic cutter but I take your point.

Has anyone thought about this? Rubber bullets?

Unlicensed too. Looks like she hit it pretty hard.

Interesting question. If you want to, anybody can register for self-assessment in the UK and fill in a tax return. (Take care to do it right!) In all likelihood, HMRC will de-register for the following year if there is no point. Proof of tax paid is shown on P60's for employment and pensions, official DWP letters for state pension and interest certificates for bank or building society interest. In fact, all sources of income have to provide proof of tax deducted. (There are other sources of income I have not mentioned here.) I see your point by putting it on a tax return, it would be 'all in one place'. This is called an SA302 (tax calculation) in the UK. Even if you don't fill in a tax return, you can print off a similar document from the Government Gateway. My advice is not to fill in an unrequired UK tax return but wait and see what supporting information the Thai Revenue Department require.

Non-residence for tax purposes in the UK is determined by the statutory residence tests. https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2016/01/statutory-residence-test-flowchart.pdf Non-residents are taxed on UK income even though they are non-resident. State pension is never taxed at source but is taxable income. (Any tax due is generally collected by adjustment of the tax code of other income, e.g. company pension) I hope this clarifies your understanding.

It was a message to Donald to state defiantly she is not a porn actress. He likes porn actresses. She is drawing a line, differentiating.

For the Brits, is this the Thai version of the Premium Bonds?

This is a repeat of the policy that he enacted in the early 2000's through the National Housing Authority (NHA). It was wildly popular and massively oversubscribed. You can see it throughout Thailand. The housing is referred to as a "kankheha" and is usually either 3 or 4 storey numbered blocks or small houses. By putting the right person in charge of the NHA, it also offers much opportunity for syphoning off of a certain percentage either to enrich oneself or to pay off political friends. So, it is popular, resolves a public issue and great corruption opportunities, win-win-win.