Foxx

On 10/9/2024 at 3:45 PM, Foxx said:

there is currently a 15 week backlog

It now occurs to me just how ridiculous this backlog is.  The processing is simply looking at gaps, identifying the cost of filling each gap and working out the pension uplift from filling the gap.  This is the sort of thing that a computer could do in fractions of a second.  It could even be put online.  The Luddites at HMRC just don't care.

(It rather reminds me of how, when HMRC computerised tax returns, they didn't bother to include the pages for non-UK residents.  20 or so years later, those pages have still not been put online, despite how that would be most beneficial to expats, leading to a much slower, manual processing.)

35 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

There was not the slightest suggestion that he was working on his own property.

Yes there was.  In my experience, building a house commercially is seldom a one man job.  The original post didn't mention any other workers or an employer.

(That said, user stevenl subsequently provided additional information suggesting that it was indeed a commercial arrangement.)

Whoever wrote the title "Move over ChatGPT, Meta’s AI chatbot now speaks Thai" is clearly unaware that ChatGPT already speaks and understands spoken Thai.  Meta's playing catchup.

Here's a demo:

There's a deadline for paying additional NI contributions going back more than 6 years of 5 April 2025.  I started the application process online today thinking there'd be plenty of time.

I was therefore surprised to learn there is currently a 15 week backlog.   Assuming the backlog doesn't get longer (which it probably will), I can expect them to post out a reply on 24 January.  Add a couple of weeks for post from UK to Thailand, and then I'm getting very close to the deadline.

If anyone else is thinking of making such contributions, I suggest you do it a.s.a.p., and do it online.

10 minutes ago, mancub said:

Have just applied for UK probate (via power of attorney ) on behalf of the Thai widow.

The only remaining UK asset being a bank account, which holding over gbp5000 required it.

For such a small amount, probate is probably not required.  For example, Nationwide will release up to GBP 50,000 without Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.

https://www.nationwide.co.uk/about-us/information-for-lawyers/deceased-customers/#:~:text=a new window)-,Closure of deceased customers' accounts,-Where the balance

He had a history of dangerous, reckless driving.  Glad he killed himself, not anybody else.

https://www.ksstradio.com/2020/03/blogger-nathaneil-nathan-narra-jailed-in-hopkins-county-texas/

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

The price of imported alcohol, beer and wine in this country id ridiculous...

we're forced to consume the rubbish the Thai brewers make.

The price of imported spirits is much lower than in the UK (and probably many other countries).

No one is forcing you to consume any alcohol.

I just wish they'd import slimline tonic.  I don't want all that sugar in my G&T.

Quote

 Old rancid oil ... Food dripping with oil.

That's inherently nonsense.  If the food is dripping with oil the oil will need to be topped up with fresh oil, so no "old rancid oil" - unless you think the vendors have a special supply of rancid oil with which to top up.

11 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

Prepare to see the Republicans flood the zone in October with bogus polls showing Trump with a big lead.

That would be counterproductive.  Republicans seeing a big lead would then be less likely to vote since it's all "in the bag".

29 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

what @SAFETY FIRST is claiming his very substantial investment IS securing his card

If his card is anything like the Krung Sri Exclusive you have to have money in the bank for certain period (5 million baht, six months) to get the card.  You are then free to withdraw the money, yet keep the card, so the substantial investment is not securing the card.  (Yes, I'm certain.  I have a Krung Sri Exclusive card and have done this.)

1 hour ago, Thailand said:

There is no obligation to use them.

Myself and many others are more than satisfied with the service and we live in Thailand

Perhaps you could explain how one can renew a passport in Thailand without using VFS?  (In Thailand meaning without making a return trip to the UK.)

On 9/22/2024 at 6:08 PM, Thailand said:

Yes, the service is awesome

No, the service is abysmal.  In other countries such as Malaysia one can apply for a new passport online without the need to make two (or even any) trips to VFS.

9 minutes ago, JoseThailand said:

 

What if I try to do the first report online - will the electronic system allow it?

It will allow it, but you'll later get an email rejecting the report stating that it has to be done in person.  By that time it's too late to do it by mail, and you may not be able to get an appointment (at least at Chaengwattana) and be condemned to waiting hours to do so in person.

1 minute ago, swissie said:

 Instead we are still forcing them to analyse Sokrates and Plato's "inner meaning" of what they thought over 2000 years ago.

And even worse, we're forcing them to do it in English, rather than in the original Greek.  How standards have slipped! ω καιροί, ω ήθη.

The same advertising displays are about to become artwork with blurry images from the Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson.  (Yeah, I too thought I hadn't heard of him until I remembered the "sun" in the turbine hall in Tate Modern which was actually pretty cool.)

https://www.timeout.com/london/news/olafur-eliasson-is-going-to-blur-out-all-the-advertising-screens-in-piccadilly-circus-092424

36 minutes ago, billd766 said:

And is that stopping you from looking up and reporting different reports from The Guardian and Independent?

Yes.  The rules of this site state "27. You will not post any copyrighted material except as fair use laws apply (as in the case of news articles). Only post a link, the headline and three sentences from the article."

I would therefore not be permitted to quote long reports from any newspaper - unlike the authorities here.