swerving

She has a shock coming. If she has moved out of the UK and can't prove residency, the NHS is not free. She could even still be paying tax in the UK and not have any right to free treatment.

That's not what the current policy is (16/04/2013). She will be entitled for "free" treatment as long as she can prove that she has moved over to England permanently, when she gets off the plane.

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1087.aspx?CategoryID=68&SubCategoryID=162

If you move to England permanently, or return to live in England permanently, you’re entitled to free NHS hospital treatment.

If you move to the UK, you will not be charged for NHS hospital treatment from the date that you arrive, as long as:

• you intend to live permanently in the UK, and
• you have the right to live permanently in the UK or have a ‘route to settlement’ that will allow permanent residence in due course

You’ll be expected to prove that you meet these requirements.

For both of my friends a one way plane ticket sufficed as proof of moving back to the UK.

She has a shock coming. If she has moved out of the UK and can't prove residency, the NHS is not free. She could even still be paying tax in the UK and not have any right to free treatment.

As a wannabe expat, I've looked into this.

Not quite correct as she has been back and to to the UK, only if you are out of the UK for 3 years, you CAN lose your right to NHS. However, all she has to do, if not already, is register at her mothers house. A couple of friends did this for cancer treatment, registering at a relatives house, received treatment no problem.

"That's fine, Oryx, wear your sunglasses any time you like. It's not an issue. You never have to apologize or even explain. As to why anyone would start a thread to attack folks like you, ignore them. It's really none of their business."

Correct but not to the point. I don't think anyone in this thread attacked those who have ailments mitigated by dark glasses.

I still disagree with the OP because Thais outside of BKK anyway don't wear sunglasses outdoors or indoors. Again, exceptions -- bouncers, cops, sundry wannabees.

The point is the OP (aka swerving) has no idea why someone is wearing sunglasses indoors, but chooses to criticize them nevertheless. You're right, though, I don't see as many Thais wearing sunglasses as I do farangs, whether it's in Thailand or farangland. And those that wear them indoors, whether Thai or farang, it could be for any number of reasons, including prescription glasses that are tinted. But it's definitely not a Thai thing, if anything, more of a farang thing. At the end of the day, who cares? I also don't buy the OP's contention that people are falling all over themselves when wearing these things indoors. Have never seen it. TV folks tend to make stuff up just to support their point.

I go to my local Tesco 6-7 days a week for lunch, not many farang there so i do see mostly Thai's. I take the point about presciption glasses etc, but the ones i see are the cheap 100thb dark glasses, or the girls with copy/designer glasses and yes i see people stumbling all the time and the scenarios i talked about were for real...why would i make it up?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-c-senelick-md/photophobia_b_1598668.html

Why Some People Wear Sunglasses Indoors

But some people have medical reasons -- besides sun protection -- to wear their sunglasses both indoors and out: a condition known as photophobia.

Photophobia: It's Too Bright

Some people have medical and psychiatric conditions in which light causes discomfort in the head or eye. Other people avoid bright lights but don't actually experience any pain. Both of these instances are known as photophobia.

A 2009 study examined 111 adults and 36 children who were seen at a university eye clinic and diagnosed with "photophobia." A cause for this complaint could not be found in most of the children, but the majority of the adults did have a medical reason for their sensitivity to light. These reasons included:

Thank you for this jbrain. I have severe migraines and bright lights (including those in supermarkets) can lead to a painful migraine later in the day. I wear good quality sunglasses and therefore I am not stumbling around like a drunken pirate. Yes, I am resigned to wearing sunglasses indoors, but only because I must. If lights are dim enough in the environment I am in, I am happy to remove them.

That's fine, Oryx, wear your sunglasses any time you like. It's not an issue. You never have to apologize or even explain. As to why anyone would start a thread to attack folks like you, ignore them. It's really none of their business.

It seems, as happens so often on here that the original topic gets lost the longer the thread. I did not attack anyone, i asked for opinions and that is what i got. I asked why people wear SUNGLASSES in Tesco's, not presciption glasses.

Why do so many Thais and some foreigners insist on wearing sunglasses indoors, paricularly in places like supermarkets?

"OH NO ... how can she wear Green ... it so clashes with her skin colour!

Green was sooooooooo last years colour ... doesn't she know it's Purple this year!

I've got a good mind to go over there and give her a piece of my mind."

How about this simply policy swerving ... let them live their life ... you live your life ... everyones happy and you will enjoy your time in Thailand much, much more.

.

It was only an observation, it does not affect my life here in LOS.

How old are you , what do you like doing. It would take years to see all of Thailand.

Give some more details and people can advise better.

Hi,

I'm 28, GF is 25

I like seeing beautiful places that aren't full of tourists (who doesn't)... I'd love to see some elephants, tigers etc. I'm not at all interested in anything sexual (shows, ladyboys and so forth)

My GF is more of the elite luxury type, so that's where the 5 star resorts/Koh Samui come into play

Not sure what else to say

I have read most of the replies relating to your forthcoming trip and i am amazed about how little some of the repliers know about Thailand. Whoever it was, i agree, give Koh Samui a miss a s***t hole. pattaya and even big s**t hole. Phi phi? Too far...nothing to do. Krabi and especially Koh Lanta a s***t hole. Phuket, yes i would give that a plus only because if you avoid the tourist areas like patong, there are some fabulous beaches. A must is to go to koh yao noi, costs only 120thb by ferry and good accommodation for less than 1,000thb per night. Fabulous views, good restaurants, no girly bars.

Monsoon season? So what it rains...but it is warm and does not rain every day. Whoever the poster was....no boats in monsoon season...bulls***t. I am a regular traveler to koh yao noi and in 15 years i have had to wait 3-4 times for the seas to settle, usually within an hour.

Get an SCB account, have always had much better customer service with them.

Totally agree.

When i book with Air Asia payment is taken from my IB account. No hassle, no drama, no cards.

A friend once told me that if the ATM doesn't accept your PIN, take the card out and DON'T try again. Could be some good advice there.

I put the bulk of my money into an account with no ATM access. And keep a small amount in another account to use with an ATM card. I make small transfers from one to the other when needed.

Still makes me nervous though...

I do exactly the same, only transferring 5k at a time via IB (NO ATM card) and i usually withdraw that within 1-2 hours.

SCB now have a very good system. If i access my IB account, i receive an email within a couple of minutes. When i go to an ATM i receive an SMS before i have even picked the cash out of the machine.

Last year decided to have a bio marker blood test (cancer), previously done at Bangkok hospital 6 years ago for about 16,000thb. They quoted me 36,000thb last year results back in about 10 days, so I googled clinics and found Naborn lab in Chalong, near Naborn school. Husband and wife who used to be lab technicians at Bangkok hospital. Very efficeient and cheap. They explained that my blood would go to the same laboratory in Bangkok that Bangkok hospital uses. I had a full bio marker test, cholestorol and STD for....3,700thb. Results scanned and emailed to me 3 days later. You can have a cholestorol test done for only 100thb.

In addittion, because of my results i needed a colonoscopy. Bangkok hospital quoted me 60-80,000thb. I went to Mission hospital....very efficent, they arranged for me to go to Vachira hospital for my colonoscopy...cost? 9,800thb.

I now have regular CEA level testing done at Mission for 200thb. Good hospital.

Skimming is becoming more and more prevalent - what are the banks doing to ensure their ATM's are skim-free?

Also, the news report shows 3 people and lists 3 names - but then it switches to 4 and then back to 3...who edits these articles?

I have always wondered WHY the banks can't have an OTP (one time password) sent via SMS for every ATM transaction, just like they do for internet banking transactions.

The "skimmer" would also have to steal your phone - highly unlikely.

Surely this would be easy to implement and would make skimming a thing of the past, virtually overnight.

I use SCB and if there is any withdrawl from my account over 2,000thb i receive an automatic message from the Bank on my phone via sms. Usually before i have even put the money in my wallet.

Advice for any one interested. I have one main account with NO ATM. When i am going out shopping etc i transfer 5,000thb into my secondary account via IB, go to the ATM and draw 2-3000thb. It means that at any time i have a maximum of 5,000thb in my account, usually for only about 1 hour.

I also pay CASH for everything.

Why don't we publish these things around the world? Name and shame tactics?

I have already started writiing on travel blogs, forums etc asking tourists to stop using these thugs unless absoloutely necessary. If enough expats, tourists and Thais do the same we can hit them where it hurts...their pockets.

The tourists need to be aware BEFORE they come here what to expect from these THUGS, don't let it detract from their holiday, just STOP using them. I have lived here for 16 years, not used a tuk tuk for about 14 years and yes, i have lived in karon and Patong. When in Patong, i wanted to go from one end to the other....i walked. Exercise, fresh air and great weather.

“If the bus service brings benefits to the majority, then the tuk-tuk and taxi drivers should accept this fact,” Col Pachai stated.

Yeh ... right.

I am so sick of the taxi and particularly the Tuk Tuk mafia who think they own Phuket, that even though i don't use either and have not done so for about 14 years, i felt it was time to do something as this bus service is mainly for the Thais, who take their lives into their hands by travelling to patong and beyond by motorbike going to and from work. Since the announcement by the 'Uneducated Thug" Sommart Homwaan I have been actively writting in forums, travel blogs, emails to Embassies etc. asking tourists visiting Phuket to do everything in their power NOT to use these people. Hit them where it hurts...their pockets. When i have time i hope to set up a web site named PAT...Phuket against Tuk Tuks and Taxi's (maybe should be PATAT)and would welcome any help or advice from any concerned expats or Thai residents out there. It is time we did something about these thugs. Phuket's reputation is going down the drain due to the ineffectiveness of local government and police. Teerayut Prasertpol, Chief the Provincial Land Transport

Office should be given a medal for his insistence, although i hope he now has bodyguard protection.

I have never experienced this habit in the hundreds of houses, apartments and rooms I have either lived in or visited in LOS

you have never seen it, and i have never failed to see it, and you say you been in hundreds, your focus must be heavily on something else, lol.

Been here 16 years, travelled many places in LOS and i too have never seen it. I have a mat and towel outside each of my bathrooms, for obvious reasons.

Given the fact that driving is currently dangerous, can you imagine what it will be like if this gets passed? When Im in Bangkok, Ill travel by boat and canal.

I can't believe how many of you fell for this hook line and sinker. I feel sometimes that some articles are not read properly before a hurried reply is given.

A hint guys....today is April 1st.

Apples and oranges....when did a sale in the UK take only a few weeks to complete..never!!!...UK buyers will pay a lawyer two or three thousand Sterling, thats 2-3% on a 100K apartment and then the agent on top......

Apples and oranges? Hardly. Estate agents and estate agents, all doing exactly the same job. In fact the UK agent will have a lot more to do because he, unlike his counterpart in Thailand, has some laws to obey relating to how he presents the details.

As for Thai agents deserving more because the buyer here is saving money on not having to do conveyancing, that the biggest load of claptrap I have ever heard. It's the land office that does the conveyancing here, so let them have the solicitor's fee for doing it if you like.

And if searches etc are already done you can indeed complete a sale in the UK in days. Of course here there are no searches to be done or paid for, and that's one other saving for the buyer/vendor that I suppose you would like to go the agent.

Every time any agent opens his mouth in here he always seems to prove what a money-grabbing, idle and incompetent bunch they are.

No searches done here? I have worked as a real estate agent in Thailand for 16 years and nobody...Thai or Farang would purchase a property or land without a search, known as due diligence. The land office does not do searches/DD, that is the job of a lawyer. If you don't know what you are talking about, better to say nothing, then you won't embarass yourself.

I very rarely contribute to this forum as i find many contributors to be childish and boring in their views and expressions, but this one has me incensed. Because i am a real estate agent my girlfriend must be a BG? What a ridiculous statement. Because i am a real estate agent i cannot speak Thai?

I have lived here for 16 years, i speak very good Thai, i do not go to bars and would not even consider having a g/f who was ex bar.

Land office does conveyancing? Ridiculous. Lawyers do conveyancing, which in Thailand is know as due diligence. A competent Thai lawyer will complete DD in 48 hours for about 15,000thb.

Because i am an agent i am idle, incompetent and money grabbing?

Some people have absoloutely no idea how others work, or have no interest. I work an average of 12 hours a day, 6-7 days a week trying to sell land for my clients. My income has dropped 90% over the last 4 years due to the GFC, so i have to work harder.

As for commissions, no one would pay a commission up front. That is like going to a restaurant, ordering a meal, paying for it and leaving without eating it.

I really cannot believe some of the stupid, childish and ridiculous statements made on this subject from people who have absoloutely no idea what they are talking about.

The Thai Law say 3% !

That is for all who come with a buyer to a piece of property, always 3% !

Even you had not asked for any agents etc.

Thai law does not say 3%. Ridiculous statement. sales commission is not defined by law, if you don't know what you are talking about, better to say nothing.

I very rarely contribute to this forum as i find many contributors to be childish and boring in their views and expressions, but this one has me incensed. Because i am a real estate agent my girlfriend must be a BG? What a ridiculous statement. Because i am a real estate agent i cannot speak Thai?

I have lived here for 16 years, i speak very good Thai, i do not go to bars and would not even consider having a g/f who was ex bar.

Land office does conveyancing? Ridiculous. Lawyers do conveyancing, which in Thailand is know as due diligence. A competent Thai lawyer will complete DD in 48 hours for about 15,000thb.

Because i am an agent i am idle, incompetent and money grabbing?

Some people have absoloutely no idea how others work, or have no interest. I work an average of 12 hours a day, 6-7 days a week trying to sell land for my clients. My income has dropped 90% over the last 4 years due to the GFC, so i have to work harder.

As for commissions, no one would pay a commission up front. That is like going to a restaurant, ordering a meal, paying for it and leaving without eating it.

I really cannot believe some of the stupid, childish and ridiculous statements made on this subject from people who have absoloutely no idea what they are talking about.

A late answer to an old question.

You must be very new to Phuket if you are not aware of the Phuket Expat Golf society. Membership is cheap, with discounts off every course...including Phunaka.

You also have the chance to enter bi monthly competitions and meet other members.

Most members are MEMBERS of one or more golf clubs, who can sign you in as a guest.

I used to play Phunaka a couple of times a week when it first opened, but i could play 18 holes in 2 1/2 hours, whereas for a little bit more i could play at other clubs, with a proper 18 hole layout.

Phunaka introduced a no smoking ban at their driving range, even though it is open air...never been back since.