Farang99

On 1/2/2021 at 9:46 PM, cracker1 said:

Don't think there is any relationship between the two ?

Covid carriers are unseen and unknown to those nearby and thus difficult to avoid while traffic accidents are quite easy to avoid !
 

No, but it makes Covid deaths look trivial in comparison with the highway mayhem

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Phuket suffers first death in New Year road-safety campaign

By The Phuket News

 

Mr Kasemsan, 54, was waiting at the traffic lights on Chao Fa West Rd to turn right onto Kwang Rd when he was struck by the pickup truck. Screenshot: Google Maps

 

PHUKET: Phuket suffered its first death from a road accident for the New Year when a pickup truck struck a motorbike on Chao Fa West Rd in Wichit early yesterday morning (Jan 1), killing the 54-year-old rider.

 

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) confirmed the death in its daily report for the Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign this morning (Jan 2).

 

The report, for Day 4 of the campaign (Jan 1), marked one death and six people injured in seven accidents across the island yesterday.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-suffers-first-death-in-new-year-road-safety-campaign-78513.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2021-01-02

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

 

How does the total death by traffic for 2020 compare with the deaths from Covid-19?

On 12/31/2020 at 7:43 AM, bwpage3 said:

9c = 48f

 

And you are asking how to stay warm?

 

Get a life.

I completely sympathise with the OP. Once you are acclimatised to a temperature range of 25-35C anything less feels chilly, and with current temps in the midlands running at around 19C a number of expat friends are finding it very uncomfortable. For what it's worth, I live in Phuket where temperatures remain in the comfortable range - so far

On 12/27/2020 at 3:18 PM, Nayet said:

My first visa extension based on marriage is coming up,

and it's unclear to me what I need to ask my bank to state in the letter besides my account balance being at least 400,000 Baht.
Perhaps they will know if I tell them what it's for?
I'd appreciate any insight.

They need to show the final date in your updated bankbook is the same as the one on which you apply for the visa, so you need to get the bank details done and then go to Immigration.

20 hours ago, dabhand said:

Luckily the UK state pension rate is based on when you first start being paid, not when you left the UK. I say luckily as I left the UK in 1979 and reached pension age in 2018 and was paid the rate as at that date, a rate that was then frozen. 

I left the UK in 1997 and began to receive the pension in 2000, so my NI pension has been frozen for 20 years. Think of where I might be if I received the adjusted rate!

On 12/17/2020 at 10:52 PM, dabhand said:

Now, if the noted condemnation were to manifest itself during trade negotiations, that could possibly have an impact. But, given the past intransigence on the subject by HMG, a more likely response would be 'we are looking into the matter'!!

Though the injustice is obvious - not only do we not receive annual increments but we are at no cost to the UK health and social services, it would be financial ruin to the UK to try and remedy the situation - after all think of all the elderly British pensioners here and multiply that by the increment due. The UK economy is in sufficient trouble without seeking more.

A few years ago there was an attempt to pursue this that got as far as the House of Lords before being rejected

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

A Thai wife gets nothing after her UK husband is dead, from UK state pension.

I spoke to DWP and received the statement about the lump sum.

On 12/22/2020 at 5:17 PM, DaLa said:

The UK state pension used to be transferable to your wife but that is no longer the case under the rules that changed about 2 years ago. Some of my private pensions will pass to my wife but that depends on the individual scheme.  I would take advice from an Ex-pat working with a Financial Organisation here as well as in the UK. Additionally looking at any tax advantages that a particular route would provide. However remember that investing here won't have the protection that the UK Financial Services are required to have. I'd also look at all the investment options, ie. property in Thailand that can provide inflation proof ( to a degree) monthly returns.  Finally, and almost initially I'd make sure you have a will that covers your (good)  intentions. 

 

Ex Financial Services (Prudential)

All the UK State pension provides for a wife is a lump sum of something like £1,000. My wife will get half my work pension, which is not a lot, but better than nothing - even more so if the £ ever recovers its correct value against the THB

17 hours ago, 1Gringo said:

these exchange rate changes are so small as to be insignificant.  let's get the Baht back to 40 to the US dollar, shall we?

If only!

On 12/21/2020 at 7:42 AM, NorthernRyland said:

What does this really mean in practice? Implement a quota on the maximum number of tourist visas issued? Turn away tourists that want to come and tell them to go to another country? I've never heard of  any place intentionally killing their tourism industry.

Aah! But TIT

Just now, Farang99 said:

Same for me

When I arrived here in 1997 the baht was in collapse from the Asian banking crisis - all those non-performing loans. I could get £1 = 90 baht briefly, but then it settled around 70 baht. Ever since the £ has been in steady decline, though it held for a few years around 50. Now 40 seems about the best one can hope for.

On 12/17/2020 at 8:32 PM, sammieuk1 said:

-27% for the £ ????

Same for me

22 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

May be one like this ...?

Not if that is Marvin the paranoid android

10 hours ago, Bangyai said:

 

Yea, well , when the mechanic tells you your big ends gone, they probably won't be making them any more and you will be toast unless you can convert your Duke to batteries.

If you could just trade your worn out old body for a smart new one it would be splendid.

7 hours ago, ctxa said:

 

I think that what most people fear is not death itself and neither process of dying. But rather missing the great things that life brings, and most likely the bad ones too. Essentially not being you anymore and becoming once again the "nonexistence" that you once were before you "came to life".  At least for the majority of Western people... 

 

As OP mentions, I've also observed that Asians (both Thai and Chinese), seem to think of death - at least "natural death" - as something which is bound to happen, and they just ignore it, without letting that fact bother them at all. 

 

Anyway, try to make the most of every single moment of life. What we all can agree is that life is too short! Make the most out of it and don't let the fear of death overwhelm you! (But beware of reckless things which may bring you closer to it ????)

 

 

 

The older I get the fewer expectations of good things to anticipate I have. 

1 hour ago, Tyler Visan said:

Hope they are not the ones they use for the Lethal Jobbie in USA !    LOL

THERE IS A WHOLE RANGE OF MEDICINES FOR  COMFORTAABLE QUICK DEATH, BUT THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. gOOD LUCK IF YOU KNOW A GP WHO WOULD HELP BUT MOST WILL NOT - IT CONTRAVENES THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH

I haven't left Thailand since May 2003 when I took the Thai family to UK for a month's holiday, and have no intention of leaving again - too old, too fragile and too much hassle. As long as I can keep on renewing my marriage visa expension I will be content and safe.

21 hours ago, Pravda said:

No. 

 

 

Yes. I have just done mine at Phuket, no quibble about the date at all.

"bankrupt THAI has less friends in high places."

Oh Rooster how could you. FEWER!

Thanks for the tip. Have bookmarked Sky for future reference. The time of the main race strikes me as odd, Qualifying at 18.00 our time is fine but 15.30 for main race (presumably starting at 1600) Seems a little odd.

Can anyone tell me  the times qualifying and this race will be broadcast on True Visions TV - usually channel 680. I have struggled with True Visions so-called program chart without finding any information

23 hours ago, Bangyai said:

 

Unless your name is Prayuth or Pareena in which case it solves a lot of problems, especially if it is terminal.

A successful suicide solves all your problems

7 minutes ago, notmyself said:

Lard.

Considering all the pork that Thais eat I am surprised not to see lard on the supermarket shelves

On 10/25/2020 at 9:56 PM, impulse said:

The current favorite of health nuts (and experts) is clarified butter.   But that seems to change every few years.

 

I'm still waiting for the day they tell us the perfect health food is a greasy double cheeseburger with extra fried onions and mushrooms.

 

But for a perfect healthy balance it should be accompanied by a pint of good beer or a decent bottle of wine.