5davidhen1

MY source was a bank official at Lloyds bank in the UK.

Thanks once again to all respondents. I have made my decision. I'm agreeing with Dr Jack and will begin a transition to the income method, eventually transferring the capital in my a/c to my girlfriend's own a/c. She IS 100% trustworthy --- there will be NO problems in that area. To the person who suggested marriage: This would cause inheritance problems for my two children in the UK. I have NO desire to do that. To the people who have talked about POAs and being a co-signer to an account, I caution the following: Unlike a joint a/c holder, POAs and co-signers' authority both DIE (expire) with the death of the individual. One cannot be a co-signer to a deceased person's a/c!

OK, some interesting responses to my dilemma --- thank you. I'm very interested in the option of entrusting my girlfriend by depositing a substantial sum into her a/c, and changing my extension method to monthly income as Dr Jack and I think one other person suggested. Dr Jack, or anyone else who has done the following, please guide me through the following: For the first time, last March, I did the extension all by myself --- not entirely straightforward, but also not insurmountable. Now, I currently have c1,200,000 baht in my a/c. My renewal is due on 14th April. Please advise on satisfying the monthly income criteria in time for April 2026 if possible, or 2027 if not. Obviously, I want to run down the 1,200,000 baht, or the exercise would be pointless. Thanks again. David.

Hi folks, I wonder if anyone has any knowledge of the following: My family back in the UK are well taken care of and are aware that I wish that any assets remaining in Thailand after my death are to become the inheritance of my girlfriend --- they are quite content with this and will inherit much from my UK investments. For various reasons, I do NOT wish to remarry and, it would only serve to muddy the water further regarding inheritance. My girlfriend is quite content to receive the cash in my Bangkok bank account which usually contains somewhere between 900-1,400,000 baht, which I use for day-to-day banking and to satisfy immigration when renewing my annual extension of stay. I have contacted Bangkok bank and here I paraphrase their response: Even with a notarized will they require several other documents prior to releasing funds to any beneficiary. Moreover, the aforementioned documents have to first be sent to my embassy for "scrutiny." I suspect that this point means they will want to contact the authorities in the UK in order to check for any other beneficiaries, adding more delay and expense. Basically, it gets very messy and complex. I don't really want to join an account with my girlfriend since, I am aware that immigration will insist on doubling the required account balance which isn't the best option from an investment point of view. Would making my girlfriend a "signatory" to the account resolve this issue, or, upon my demise, would BBL still insist on all of the aforementioned rigmarole? I'm sure that some members would have heard of similar occurrences, but not personal experience obviously --- or they would be dead! Thanks in advance to any and all suggestions.

Nope! Still nothing --- just sends me round in circles. I tried a different browser and that didn't work either. I give up. The problem may be because I hadn't used Skype for ages --- they can keep my £6+ credit, I'm going to try some of the other companies which forum members have suggested. Thanks everyone for trying to assist me.

I just tried this to no avail. I get into Microsoft using Skype details as you suggest but, no mention of Skype, dial pad, contacts .... nothing!

Thanks to all respondents, but none of the suggestions work for me. Teams is cr*p! I tried both my phone and laptop again and cannot see a dial pad, or my contacts, or do anything except use the voice (echo) test.

I didn't! I've had the credit for several months as I rarely use it.

Do NOT buy a washer/dryer combo! I had one once and the drying result was deplorable. The machine has to expunge itself and the load of all moisture before it can even start to dry the load. This not only costs money but also takes a long time to effect a properly dried load. My advice: Either buy separate machines, or dry outside.

No profile opens up via top left (assuming phone usage, rather than laptop). I can access "profile settings" via another route but no "dial-pad" option opens up. Please clarify what the "profile logo" looks like and verify that you are talking about phone use rather than laptop.

Skype has emailed to tell me that I have successfully reactivated my credit (£6+). However, when I try to find a dial pad (or much else for that matter), the site just sends me round in circles. I have Skype installed on my phone and laptop but have failed to gain access with either. Can anyone help me please? Also, I'm aware that other forum members have complained about the "new" Skype/Microsoft Teams and I'm open to suggestions re using a different company. Thanks.

How do I "upgrade to 24H2"? Is it easy?

Hi folks, For months now, the above update fails to install on my Windows 11 laptop. I retry it periodically, but it never succeeds! I chose to ignore it but, annoyingly, my laptop constantly reminds me that it "is an important security update which needs to be installed." Any ideas?

Has anyone experienced this before? An email popped up in my Gmail "promotions" tab. I was about to move it into one of my folders for later perusal, when I noticed an option to edit it as "not promotions". I clicked on this whereupon the email completely disappeared. It didn't appear in my primary tab as a 5-year-old response from Gmail suggested it should and it's not in my trash! Any ideas?

He did NOT ask for a TM30. I had one ready in my phone but, I take your point. Maybe next year I'll print one out. I don't have a printer but I suppose a Kodak shop would be able to assist.

When I recently did my extension, my BBL branch issued the docs, for 200 baht, on the spot. Perhaps this is only possible because I did it at Jomtien 2nd road branch, which is my home branch where I originally opened my a/c.?

Back in March, I had similar problems with the I.O. -- maybe the same one, quite young, I would guess in his 30s. I was renewing my extension based on THB800,000 in the bank. He asked me for my live-in girlfriends I.D. card. Her name, along with mine, is on the lease. He also asked me for my Landlady's I.D. card. I told him that I didn't know where she was but he sent me away saying "try to get it!" He had NO right to demand these items under the money in bank method --- only in the monthly income method, according to their own notes which I had earlier collected from the side office. When I returned the next day with a photocopy of my landlady's details, he didn't even examine them but just put the copy on top of the printer. I said, "If you're done with that, may I have it back, lest you ask for it next year?" He gave it back to me and asked for a load of bank documents, whereupon I told him that he'd had them yesterday! "Oh, OK he said, go and collect your passport at the next counter. I'm convinced that they make up their own rules and simply try to make it as difficult as possible for us because they know that they're not getting any agent's backhanders. This was my first time doing it on my own but, traumatic as it was, I'm still doing it again next year. I will be armed with experience from my visit this year and will make a point of NOT showing the I.O. anything which has not been asked for. Under the money in bank method, I should never have let him have sight of my lease.

Ok, so, to you guys who are trying to convince the saner people on this forum that right means left and vice versa, take a look at the photo below. It was taken by me at the "roundabout" at the southern end of Patong beach road, Phuket, in 2020. I challenge you to argue that there is nothing wrong with the signage! I have since looked at the location on Google maps and, am pleased to notice that the ridiculously confusing arrows/chevrons have been removed.

They are blank on the other side.

How on earth do you arrive at that conclusion?

No, but the chevrons are clearly visible on Google maps.

Am I going nuts, or what??? I just travelled along Jomtien 2nd road from Rompho to Soi Wat Bun Kanchana. I don't know how long they've been in situ but, today was the first time that I noticed them. About halfway down, near Copacabana condos, the road bends to the LEFT. Sited in the meridian strip there are four chevrons pointing to the RIGHT! Surely this is incorrect.

Until I opened a Thai bank account, I used to change sterling at one of the many FX kiosks. Not once did anyone attempt to short-change me. In 2018, I spent 3 months mainly in Sanur, on the south-east coast of Bali. Almost every time I exchanged currency, there was an attempt to short-change me. One of the tricks they employed was to try and pay me in low-denomination notes, making it more difficult to check the amount. On another occasion, with the FX rate clearly displayed, and a notice claiming "No commission" the man tried hid darndest to fiddle me. I had put 2 £50 notes under a rock on his counter. He was putting bundles of IDR on the counter but, as I was counting them, in my peripheral vision I noticed he was removing some which I had already counted. When I challenged him, he said, "I have to make a little commission!" I swiftly retrieved my 2 £50 notes and walked away. On the subject of food, I thought that the fare may have been even more diverse than here in Thailand --- what a misconception that turned out to be? A lot of the meals seemed to be topped off with the same boring sauce/gravy. Also, because there is a hefty import tax, or so I was told, the Aussie steaks were more expensive than some here in Thailand.

I don't like the man --- but to coin a recent phrase which he used ---- can we say that tomorrow is Pattaya's "liberation day"? Will we be able to venture outside without fear of being drenched? And, as an add-on, a friend of mine has told me that many businesses will still be closed on Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd. Does anyone know anything about that?