Keeps

None whatsoever I'm afraid. Plenty of members on here though have lived there and will know. Others are very knowledgeable on tax matters and hopefully one will advise in due course.

Annual uplift increments applied to your UK state pension if you live in the Philippines. If you declare that you are living in Thailand your state pension is frozen.

Nothing whatsoever to do with Brexit. Pretty naive statement. How were 'all' the Brits bragging when the vote itself was a tight call. You had been posting quite sensibly up until this one. Nothing is worse post Brexit. If anything, the economy is in far better shape (certainly compared to the likes of France and Germany). In theory, we should be able to exercise our own rules more fully. That only applies if you have the people with the balls to ignore Brussels beauracy. Now we are out of that clown fest we should be able to make our own decisions. Wasn't that the whole point of exiting? Everything else was fully in decline prior to Brexit.

An excellent comparison between the two. I, unfortunately, still have to flit between here and the UK due to family matters and a long standing health issue. As soon as all matters are resolved I will reside in Thailand permanently. Vast parts of the UK are 'bandit country '. I live in a fairly affluent area outside of London. It is now becoming overrun with feral youths. I periodically have to travel to the City for business matters. I daren't look at any one on the trains, tubes, or on the bus in case it is misconstrued. I am honestly not exaggerating. One of the major contributing factors to the crime in the area I live (aside many years of immigration - both legal and illegal) is the Maggie led idea many years ago that everyone should be entitled to purchase their council house. This was at less than half price compared to the market value. I remember my parents scraping every penny together to gradually better themselves (and therefore myself and my brother) and stepping up on the property ladder by privately owning property. I remember having to stay in as a youngster during the 6 weeks school holidays when all my mates were out having a great time because Dad was at work and Mum worked nights and had to sleep during the day. You now have tribes of scum who managed to buy a 2 bed house in London for peanuts and are now selling them for 10 times the original value. They can now afford to venture out into more affluent areas but still bring their scum ways with them. Plus there are no longer a sufficient number of council houses for those that really need them. There is the added burden of all the illegals flocking in aswell. It truly is 'Broken Britain ' I can't wait to get away from the place once and for all.

Even the 'Indian' restaurants in London (of which there are very, very many) are not Indian. 95%+ are Bangladeshi. No problem with that though. Food is normally excellent and the Bangladeshi's are, in the main, fairly friendly and accommodating. The true Indians are a bit Hi-So and always think they know best.

I have never, not once, seen a fish and chip shop in London run by Indians. Not saying there isn't one but I've never seen one. Seen a few run by Chinese. They actually make extremely good chips - the fish, not so much, always overcooked.

That's the first I've heard of it that Sir Keir Starmer is an Indian. Stop the press! Breaking news....

Brown sauce in Thailand is very expensive as you are no doubt aware. I seethe when I see people slap half a bottle on their plate with their full English and then leave a big splodge when they've finished. It has to be brown sauce or English mustard on a sausage sandwich - none of that tomato muck.

I was about to rush out and buy a fruit smoothie. Don't think I'll bother now.

Today I retired to my bed with a bacon and HP sauce sandwich. I have a savage hangover.

Approximately 1/5th of the world's population are Chinese. In theory, that means in any family of 5 one would be Chinese. In my family I know it's not me. Pretty certain it's not mum or dad. That leaves my brother Mark or my sister Wei Wei. I think it's Mark. He eats a lot of rice and noodles and occasionally craps in the street.

Sometimes you have to forsake your morals and opinions to keep yourself in a job. I would struggle with that personally but he is a politician after all so no great surprise.

The roads in and around Chiang Mai are fine. No problems from the recent flooding that I could tell. We had a drive from Lampang yesterday which was around 2 hours. No issues whatsoever.

I have nothing whatsoever to say on this topic. Just thought it would be nice to respond first for once....

I'm just surprised there wasn't a Thai stowaway on top having a little nap 😴 Got to applaud the service in this instance.

Last weekend Big C, Panthip Plaza, Night bazaar had all the Mainland varieties including Vintage on half price special. 250 gram blocks for 119.50 baht. Had a fair supply of each variety. Don't know if the offer is still on or if they have any left.

Ironic really, compared to some of the stuff they will eat without giving it a second thought.

Good luck to you. I just watched the video by the Irish chap posted earlier. He spoke a lot of sense. Myself being British, I think I am screwed on having my choice of European destinations to reside post Brexit. I think that has screwed a lot of retired Brits who relocated to Spain. I could see myself splitting my time between Thailand and Spain but I would imagine there being endless complications being a Brit residing in Thailand with a Thai Mrs.

Haven't got a spare room have you? I'd be there in a flash. 555 Sounds perfect for what you need. Glad you found your ideal place 👍

There was definitely another thread about this somewhere between 6-12 months ago on here. Pretty sure it covered both Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Haven't got the gumption to try and find it though. You'll have to search the site. I do seem to recall though that it involved shopping malls and also people who could repair zips on suitcases. Try having a search on the site and it might flag up a few useful suggestions. Best of luck. Agree though that it's hugely annoying to have one wheel bust on a decent suitcase and it basically writes it off.

I remember Arthur Mullard doing a duo on a song out of Grease - you're the one that I want. Actually did very well in the charts. Can't remember who his partner was though. I'm thinking Hilda Baker or is that way off the mark?

Very cheap cut of meat when I was a lad. Very lean and healthy too. Butcher's always had plenty hanging up in the window.

Spatchcocked and very similar to squirrel. I've also unknowingly eaten 'noo noo ' (which I believe is mouse) Larb. It was delicious until they told me what it was. Tiny little bones which they told me were it's ears.

I told my Mrs I used to eat rabbit stew when I was younger and she looked at me with abject horror. Now, anytime an animal is shown on TV she asks me if I have eaten it. I just continuously say yes to wind her up. Yesterday, the baby hippopotamus was on TV (Moo Deng). She looked at me and I started licking my lips and saying 'aroi, aroi '. She punched me in the face.

Same here. Couple of the lads in Udon used to get bevied at night on Lao Khao then go into the fields with a lamp on their heads and an air rifle and pop a few of them. Big buggers they were. On the BBQ next morning.