Eff1n2ret

Voting is one of the few things we second-class citizens can do - if you're registered and can arrange a proxy, which is the only practical way to vote from Thailand. But as we're spread across 600+ constituencies and so few in practice probably do vote, you're right, they don't care.

The banks should be trying to tighten up their security and stop these fraudulent accounts, but they are attacking the wrong target in treating bona fide British citizens who have held an account with them for some time as potential criminals or problem customers simply because they live abroad. I would be more worried than I am if the address that my bank held for me was not where I am actually living, as they must be prime targets for getting shut down if the bank decides to check up. My bank has had my current address in Thailand for the last nearly 14 years. I can't say I'm not a little worried that they will shut me down, but I don't feel like asking them in case that provokes them into doing so.

Yup, we're second class citizens - frozen pensions, jump through hoops to replace a passport, don't end up in a hospital if you're visiting the uk or the NHS will bleed you dry, although you're still paying as much income tax as if you were living there. And yet, if you read the comment columns of many newspapers, they regard anyone who goes to live abroad as traitors, deserving of nothing. Nat West seems to have taken the lead in getting rid of their overseas customers, and Barclays is now following them. I don't really understand why, there's no law which compels them to do this. If there are extra costs involved in administering overseas customers I would hope that these are outweighed by keeping a hefty balance, as I do with my bank - but who knows what their policy is, they're so secretive.

There's no point in making things difficult for them. My pal renewed his marriage extension recently and it is the same every year, the witness is a standard requirement, fulfilled by my missis, who takes two copies of her i/d and tabien baan, and pal and I sit outside with a cup of tea while the two ladies deal with the IOs. It's all over in a couple of minutes. Their closest neighbours seem to be out or the houses are unoccupied, and sending the IOs off to find somebody else to talk to would only wind them up.

Already notified here:-

Sorry, as an "older person" I'm a bit curious. I was looking at one of these bikes in a shop a couple of weeks ago, although full size rather than folding frame. I can't say I was very taken with the fat tyres. In what sense are your bikes "too big"?

Ditto, before the imminent mad regulations do away with assured shorthold tenancies and prevent you and me from being able easily to reclaim possession of our properties when we need to. Also, improved interest rates mean that the proceeds of sale will earn nearly as much as I was getting after agents and their rapacious maintenance contractors have taken their cut, without any of the hassle. It will save my son and daughter the bother of selling the place when I'm gone, and I've no intention of going back to live in that miserable country in my 80s.

How many letters have you?

I skip all that stuff too. It's not so much that I've lost interest in them, but I'm happy with the diet that I've established and feel better for it. But on occasion I'll eat whatever I fancy. It was my birthday last week. and the place we were staying didn't really do cake, but the missis got them to come up with a massive banana split with loads of ice cream and some candles on it. When I get something like that now I really enjoy it.

I agree, and intend to ask my local immigration office that question before I apply for my next extension. My book shows transactions every month. I think it was the year before last when I applied that a couple of lines were overprinted. The IO went to a senior officer who glanced at the book and ok'd it. My account is Bangkok Bank, so if there is now a requirement for a statement I will find out a week before I apply.

No, Brit apparently. I live on the same Moo Ban and used to see him earlier in the year at the swimming pool with a pre-teen lad. I don't know if he was the dad or just step-dad, but feel sorry for the kid. I've not heard anything else beyond what is already stated.

For either his account security or money-laundering reasons his UK bank may well want to know what the transfer is for.

I agree that health insurance will be very expensive and keeping a fund to pay for your healthcare is the way to go. However, I don't understand what you mean by "will they chuck you out if...". There is no immigration requirement to keep B1m for "self-insurance". The requirements are 800k for retirement purposes or 400k for marriage. If you can't maintain those amounts then you are liable to be refused an extension when you next apply. 40k a month is not much to keep a wife and child on and have any sort of lifestyle, unless your wife is contributing.

Even under the old system prior to April 2015 whereby expat pensioners could be treated free in NHS hospitals, that was only for emergency treatment, you couldn't go back there for elective treatment, say, a hip replacement. Manchester Hospital wouldn't have refused to treat you if you were seriously ill, but you would have copped a bill if you had been admitted for treatment. I expect they told you to go to your GP and get a referral to a hospital consultant. This happened a few years ago to a neighbour who had pains in his knees and went back expecting to get them fixed. He came limping back.

Yes, I'm afraid "non-person" and "second-class citizen" are my habitual shorthand terms for the callous disregard with which the UK public services seem to treat us expats. If you go on the NHS website, as I have just done again and tried to find my NHS number, you will be asked for name, date of birth and postcode. I put in the postcode of my last address (where in fact I still own the property, which is rented out). Up comes the answer, We can't trace those details. If the NHS number is stored somewhere, as sandyf maintains, I wouldn't take bets on it being easy to retrieve it. If I went to a GP's reception I would expect to be greeted with blank stares and head-shaking.

I think it depends on when or if your GP knocks you off their records, and then your National Health number gets deleted. I left the UK in late 2009. In 2016 I had an acute bout of asthma when I was back there, Saturday morning, the surgery was closed so I presented myself at A & E. I gave the receptionist my name and dob, and she immediately said, "Oh that's XX, YZ Road?", my former address. So, nearly 7 years later I was still on the system. More recently I've searched for my record on the NHS website (I can't remember my NH number) and I've become a non-person. Treatment by a GP, if you can get an appointment, or at A&E is free even if you're a non-resident, the 'cost + 50%' applies to in-patient treatment.

Absolutely right. I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic just a year ago, and now prepare most of my own food, much more chicken, fish and salads than I ever ate before, and almost no rice. I lost over 10 kilos in weight and my blood sugar readings come down quite a lot. I go out once a week to a good restaurant and don't worry about what I eat and drink there.

In a naive attempt to discover what that mysterious reason might be I used the messaging function on the HMPO website to ask why we had to undergo the inconvenience of two trips to VFS or the extra expense of hiring an agent while, as you say, it's possible to apply online from many other countries. The reply came back as follows: "Thank you for your email about applying for a passport. Unfortunately, not all countries follow the same rules. Regards, His Majesty’s Passport Office" I can't decide whether the person who wrote that is stupid or just doesn't care - probably both.

Quote from the 17th Century:- "......before any payment can bee had one muste give half as much for bribes; truly a verye greate knaverye, the like whereof is not used in all the Indies,..." - from the description of the first East India Company visit to Bangkok in 1612 on the vessel "The Globe". Corruption is part of life here, they imbibe it with their mothers' milk. Edit: That's the London East India Company. The Dutch were here already, and the Portuguese before them.

Banchang, Rayong - still quite intermittent.

Go for it. I'd be terrified of going back to Miseryland and having to cope without the superb healthcare I've had (and paid for) here. Just make sure you keep a good wedge in the bank and don't blow it on buying land and motorcycles for some girlfriend and her family.

I'm glad to escape the cold. Good luck in whatever hellhole of a care home you're consigned to - unless you're filthy rich.

Why? The name originates from Roman times, when it was known as Aquae Sulis, as they harnessed the natural thermal springs there to create a spa, which still exists. Or is this some cheap gibe at the cleanliness of Brits?

The snag with changing off employment is that your permission to stay lapses when the work permit is cancelled. Whether you can put your application in for retirement whilst your WP is still active, I don't know, but a dozen years ago I got my WP cancelled at Chonburi then the Non-B at Jomtien, then was given a retirement extension at Rayong the following day, at the cost of a fine for an "overstay" - so it can be done in-country, but you have to get your ducks in a row.

I don't know if it's the same make, but I saw one of those with the ridiculously fat tyres in a cycle shop in Rayong, just after Homepro on the main road going into town. 35k Baht. It looked as if it's been in stock there for some time.