Everything posted by SamSpade
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British Expat Shares Thai Retirement Costs, Inspires Moves
I do none of the things you describe (Live with my longterm partner) but still spend more than twice that amount per month and would be bored shirtless if I had to live on less... When was the last time you had a holiday? After spending 33K on basics like Rent, Electricity, Internet, mobiles etc... I'd be left with 12K that wouldn't cover a decent grocery budget (for 2 people I spend 30K pm, Expensive but GF loves to cook & I eat different things from her because of allergies to Seafood/Fish + I can't stand Chicken, but we eat 95% of our meals at home so it's cheaper than going out to eat for equivalent meals). I'm not doubting that people can live on 45K & I applaud the ones that do, but not all people who spend more than that are pissing it up the wall in bars, some of us are just living our version of a Happy/Interesting life which for me involves spending more money on decent food/groceries (not much in expensive restaurants, we eat more in Pier 21 foodcourt than we do in other restaurants) & holidays away (Doesn't even have to be overseas, we visit GF's family down South a couple of times a year, Koh Lipe is always a treat 🙂- Just back from a 5 day trip to Koh Larn, I could see our Condo in Wongamat from some of the restaurants we ate in there but it still made a nice change from the norm, getting lucky with the weather always helps). I can guarantee I would be bored shirtless with your lifestyle, and you might feel the same about mine, To each his own.
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What Movies or TV shows are you watching (2025)
I just really hope I can get it with Subtitles (I watch whatever lands on WizzTV), love both actors but struggle to hear what they say at times 😔
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British Expat Shares Thai Retirement Costs, Inspires Moves
I pay 30K pa (2,500 THB pm) for 3.5Million THB in-patients + 450K accident cover, no Out-patients. I’m 59 & am on Pacific Cross “Visa Friendly” policy which I don’t think is available to new entrants but am sure they’ll have something similar. Take a look on CheckDi (was Mr Prakan)… https://checkdi.com/th/main?lg=en&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=678184766&gclid=CjwKCAjwiY_GBhBEEiwAFaghvqSkvxmVrtZL0TKXArU2ctA90jtutUebxVqWp-fE7EDkywPsDS4qNRoCmJAQAvD_BwE Edit: Guy in the Photo looks low-mid 50s, when I took my policy out 5 years ago (age 54) it was 24K pa so I can well believe he has a decent policy for 48K pa.
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UK DC Pensions - Options for Non-UK residents
There's no mention of a Credit Check (You have to agree to a Security identification Check) & they've not asked if I live outside of the UK for my Defined Benefits pension so I'm going to carry on with my Parent's address. I'm going to take the cash for the DC pension, I'm not concerned about Credit Checks as I still file a UK Tax Return every year showing a pretty decent UK Passive income & have no debts, but I will run it by PensionWise & tell them I'm non-UK Resident for tax to get their sign-off that the extra 6,500 THB pm won't materially impact my lifestyle. HMRC already know I'm non-UK Tax Resident (for 17 years), it benefits me as it means I don't pay additional tax on my UK Dividends/Gilt interest or Capital Gains from shares + I managed to swap 2 years of UK PAYE at Higher Tax Rate for 12% Tax in Singapore when I 1st moved there which that was nice 🙂
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UK DC Pensions - Options for Non-UK residents
I think Financial Advice is only mandatory if you're transferring >£30K out of a Defined Benefit Pension but I will speak to PensionWise when I'm in the UK next month.
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UK DC Pensions - Options for Non-UK residents
Thanks for your reply, I was trying to avoid taking it all as cash due to the Tax, but I would Guesstimate this would take this tax year's taxable income (Excluding Dividends/Gilt Interest which are treated as Disregarded income) to around £40K so would pay £5,484.20 in tax which is not as bad as I had in mind + I would end up paying this overtime if I were to do something like go down the Draw Down/UFPLS route anyway. Added to this, I do have a Defined Benefit pension with the same Company from the 1st 20 Years I worked there as well as passive rental/dividind/guilt income so taking the lump sum upfront in lieu of losing approx. £150 per month is starting to feel like a no-brainer. Is it easy to just take it all in cash? I've asked the pension company for the applcation forms but all they've sent me is the stuff about PensionWise and the fact that HUB should have contacted me 2 months ago.
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UK DC Pensions - Options for Non-UK residents
I have DC pension pot of approx. £38,000 and up until now was assuming I'd leave it with the pension provider and take an annuity however now I've started reviewing the paperwork it seems this option is not available for Non-UK Residents so was wondering what other's have done in this situation. All my addresses with the pension provider & Company I worked for (which is also my UK Bank) are my Parents address so can I just claim that as my residential address based on the fact that I'm not a Legal resident of Thailand even though I live here as the UK is the only country where I have the legal right to be resident. I'm not UK Tax Resident (haven't been for 17 years) but Tax Residency is not the same as being Legally resident somewhere.
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What Movies or TV shows are you watching (2025)
Deleted… But I’ll still watch it 👍🏻
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What Movies or TV shows are you watching (2025)
One of my favourite movies and I'm yet to watch a movie starring Denzel Washington that I didn't enjoy... Edit: Come to think of it, not sure I've ever seen a bad movie/series staring Gary Oldman either...
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What Movies or TV shows are you watching (2025)
Apologies if this one has already been mentioned, it's new to me... Atomic https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32386301/ Two civilians get caught up in a cartel's uranium smuggling across North Africa. Facing a nuclear threat, they must decide whether to save themselves or stop the bomb delivery while evading agencies and traffickers.
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What Movies or TV shows are you watching (2025)
I really enjoyed season 1, but haven't got around to the later seasons yeat, Theme Tune is brilliant... Bowie...
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Buying a new Samsung phone soon
I believe this (and other AI features) is only Free until end of this year, no idea of the cost after that.
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Expats living with high season
Agreed. There’s not much difference to us in Wongamat except it can be difficult to get a Bolt at times during High Season.
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UK Plans to Move Asylum Seekers from Hotels to Barracks
He has it taken multiple governments so long to come up with such an obvious solution. Get some land, stick a big fence around it, build the kind of temporary accommodation they built during WWII, have a team processing the claims, genuine claims come in, non-genuine get out. Too simple?
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Should immigration know where your money originates as income?
Was this when you were opening the account in which case it’s a pretty standard question to be asked so they can get a gauge on what products they might be able to sell you, as you say they don’t look to verify it. Am sure anybody who remembers the old TM6 form remembers there was an “Annual Income” question on the back.
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What Movies or TV shows are you watching (2025)
I think you’re stretching a bit there as I watched the whole series & not once did the word “Woke” come to mind. I can’t give you a full reply to your points as that would spoil the plot for guys who might enjoy it, can only suggest you persevere with it as (IMHO) it is very good...: But as always to each his own…
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Is Angela Rayner guilty
- Powerball at 1.4 billion USD - All about Powerball Mania!
Is it my maths or does that work out to be a 0.03% return? 50 Billion at 3% will yield 125 Million per month- Trump Orders Pentagon Rebranding: Now the 'Department of War'
Sounds to me like he’s just opened the 2nd Envelope… https://kevinkruse.com/the-ceo-and-the-three-envelopes/- Is Angela Rayner guilty
- Is Angela Rayner guilty
I’m both, was born in Warrington when it was part of Lancashire & was 8 when they redrew the county boundaries in 1974 & it became part of Cheshire. On the subject of Rayner, I can imagine a conversation with the conveyancing company (who are licensed conveyancers & not solicitors) along the lines of her saying she had no interest in any other properties & them agreeing the lower Stamp Duty, but if the words “Family Trust” were mentioned I can’t imagine the firm doing anything but pointing her towards a solicitor for legal advice.- Bangkok Bank for expats
Yes the account is accepted by Immigration & has an Orange Bankbook. I use an agent (for convenience) so show the Bankbook & a 3 month statement, not sure whether doing it yourself would require a 12 month statement or not. Interest rates were 1.7% when I opened it on a rolling 6 months basis, looks like it’s 1.05% for 7 months currently.- Worst Joke Ever 2026
Brilliant…- Wise transfer from UK now doesn't show as foreign transaction
Can you not just use the Wise receipts showing the money was transferred from overseas?- Overstay from 2000 – Ban Expired? Visa Conversion Help
Why not apply for the Non-IMM O in your home country, not only will that show whether you're on a Blacklist but it will also help you avoid having to do an in-country conversion and hopefully help in the opening of a Bank account, - Powerball at 1.4 billion USD - All about Powerball Mania!