it is what it is

child benefit is not linked to amount of tax paid. uk pension is based on national insurance contributions, not tax paid. everyone has the opportunity to keep up their NI contributions, and therefore qualify for a full state pension, via voluntary class three payments. indeed, there is a generous timescale to allow people to keep payments up to date in order to qualify for a full state pension. it is one of the best investments you can make. if you chose not to do this don't complain, as the thais like to say; up to you.

most of my thai friends are professionals who have studied abroad either to bachelor or master degree level, in their second or third language i might add. the standard of english they speak, even though many do not use the language on a daily basis, is generally very good. i feel most foreigners in thailand tend to hang out with lower class, uneducated thais and judge all thais by this experience. they are lacking an understanding and experience of the 'real' thauland, and missing a great opportunity to meet and know some great people.

i use k bank and find them pretty good and helpful, though english speaking staff can be few and far between, next time just give HO a call, they have english speaking staff available and can efficiently iron out any issues.

haha, well, large infrastructure projects are years in the planning and construction, does that answer your question?!

bangkok confinement

oh they use it alright, all over the world in major coffee chains, that's often the reason why many of their drinks have horrific calorie content.

DTAM boss Thongchai Lertwilairattanapong says cannabis is for medicinal purposes only and should only be used under a doctor’s supervision. really? well they certainly messed that piece of legislation up.

*Deleted post edited out* I won't wear anymore this useless uncomfortable mask (only good against pollution) the masks worn by the vast majority of people are pretty much hopeless in giving any kind of protection against pollution. Masks need to be airtight against the face, and, according to experts, FFP1 masks, N95 masks, and cartridges are known to be the most effective. The FFP1 masks, or the N95 masks, are known to be the most effective clinically, and can effectively limit the inhalation of pollutants suspended in the air.

i'm not so sure, was on the BTS and the announcement stated that is was 'suggested' passengers wore masks, no mandatory requirement. i've never seen a non mask wearer asked to wear a mask on the BTS or MRT.

why didn't they put out a mayday call, launch the lifeboats, get in them and wait for rescue?

if they start being lenient with these offenders then it will encourage others to follow suit. it is not difficult to be here legally. a friend went to CW immigration this week and was in and out in 30 minutes. easy.

i've used OFX, find them reliable, professional, good value

he could have capsized and banged his head, banged his head on an overhanging branch, had a heart attack... wearing a life jacket is sensible but not 100% protection from all possible incidents. without further details we don't know.

OP, you need to keep up, there has been massive corruption in the EU since it began. so to answer your question, no.

what relevance is that? if you speak french you can't be fluent in another language? i know many excellent english teachers with english as a second language, and vice versa

it wouldn't be thailand without a cloak of vagueness and uncertainty

if you don't know how to take and attach a photo with your phone either have a look on youtube or ask a younger person, that's what i do when i'm stuck.

Taking time away from her career at 28? They mean she quit? not at all, many organisations offer career break opportunities to staff. indeed, it often has the opposite effect, prevents staff from quitting.

while the authorities are well within their rights to track down and prosecute over stayers, they are breaking the law after all so can't complain (it's not difficult to be legal here, the vast majority seem to be able to manage it), they do seem to be going for the low hanging fruit.

packed my possessions into boxes and storage when i left due to covid, returning 2.5 years later i was amazed at how much the plastic and rubber components of some of my possessions had degraded...

ease off on the control freaking... it's her career, it's her culture, it's her decision, she's an adult not a child, let her decide.

how can answering the phone give someone access to your bank account? to paraphrase winston churchill; the most likely cause is the most obvious cause... are you 100% sure exactly what your wife said and did?

anyone who's lived here a while will be all too familiar with the continual rip up and replace perfectly good footpaths and roads shenanigans, that take weeks if not months to complete and often result in an inferior result. i have no evidence, but common sense suggests backhanders involved...

a team that can't even get the name of the sport correct. er, no, sorry to say you're a poster that cant get their facts right. Soccer is a correct noun, derived from association football. you're welcome. ????

agree; if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.