elena edwards

Several years ago I changed from using well water needing a filter tank to city water - do I still need a filter tank as well as a storage tank to ensure clean, bug-free water? I admit it's a stupid question as it would seem the local water company is well regarded - but having had an e-coli bladder infection recently, I'd like to be sure! Also, the old metal filter tank is now showing signs of rust.....eeeuch!

I'm really confused - am on city water but have one of those large cylindrical metal filter tanks as well as a large green water storage tank. Leakage yesterday resulted in my handyman telling me I need a new metal filter tank as its inside will have rusted - 13,000 baht was the quote. Can't work out why filtration etc should be needed for town water, but can't speak Thai so can't ask the local water supplier. I'm just outside a small village in Sannameng, Sansai - advice would be very gratefully received!

Sorry, guys - meant 'identity' rather than 'dentity' - nothing wrong with anyone's teeth!!!!

Is it just me or is it all farang shoppers who're being forced to prove their identity when paying for the weekly shop? I've been using Big C in the superhighway for almost all my regular shopping needs for 16 years - not just for food but often for one of their wide selection of other offerings. I've usually paid by using my Kasikorn Bank card and very rarely spend more than 2-4 thousand baht. Went in today mostly for dog food and fresh meat plus the usual toppers-up such as olive oil and cheese - paid by my card as usual - some 2,600 baht in total. To my surprise, the cashier asked me to produce my passport and flicked through it including my identity page. Surprised and more than a little annoyed as well as relieved that I'd got it with me - I don't always carry it every time I leave the house - I decided to ask a supervisor to explain the store' reasons for this breach of my privacy. As expected, no reasonable or justifiable reason was given - but at least the supervisor had a chance to practice her spoken English. Is this just happening to me or is it a new rule set by Big C's head office geniuses? Not sure whether the details the cashier typed on her machine would prove a threat to my security - has this ever happened to any expat readers of this post and should I be concerned?

Still involved in WW111 attempting to get the return of my just under 7,000 sterling from FPI - their so-called helpline doesn't now even bother to reply to my emailed comments and requests....even the IFA who managed the 'investment' for me is now attempting to help me get what's mine! Good Man! Over the past few years, FPI has changed hands more often than a British football team's members listing and I'm now seriously furious at their so-called helpline's lack of even fake polite responses to my comments. I've found a good number of former issues I've asked the firm to deal with - mostly online, in my Word folder and in piles of sent stuff over the past years, none of which make any sense to me. - should have dumped them then!

Don't touch MBMG or even Friends' Provident with the proverbial barge pole - unless you want to lose your life savings as well as your sanity should you attempt to withdraw your own cash from your failed investment.

What's 3BB's English language programming like - I've just about had enough of True TV - and it's far too expensive for what it provides.

Update to my post above -- just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, they did. Now my Standard Bank account and its debit card are blocked for the second time - no reason given except the usual <deleted> about security. As of now, placing of my life savings in a 'secure' account has only resulted in my being denied all access to them when I choose to close the account and transfer the cash to Kasikorn . Interestingly, the reason I decided to close the darn account was that the bank refused to even consider investigating the large number of unauthorised transactions - scams - or to refund me some of the money I'd lost as a result. It's their 'policy' to only check three such - but I've seen no refunds and the investigation is now closed. I've some cash and some in a small account with Kasikorn - enough to keep me going for a month or so - God only knows what I'll do when that runs out. Got another call from Standard this morning - the guy cut off when I started crying. Hasn't called back. If you were duped into placing your life savings in Standard Bank - do be very, very careful when you decide to transfer it elsewhere. I'm a 78 year-old widow with an existing health condition who's lived some 16 years in CM - apart from the LMIM scandal years ago I've never heard of a bank known for providing services for expats behaving in this manner before. Take care and remember this tale of woe when you place your hard-earned cash and pensions.

I'm in hell right now as my offshore I O M Standard Bank account is stuffed with fraudulent charges - the fraud staff are pretty useless, froze my debit card leaving me without any way to access everyday funds , now want only three months' worth of fraud details- they only sent me two statements over some years so I couldn't check in a continuing manner. Their support staff mean well but won't accept what I'm telling them - now they're only interested in the past three months' scams but this has been going on for some years, totalling around 1,000 pound sterling in losses. I'm thinking of taking the entire mess to the financial ombudsman, after which I'll close my Standard Bank account and transfer my remaining funds to Kasikorn Bank here in CM.