Hornell

I just find it difficult to believe than anyone can be so stupid nowadays to either agree to carry another bag for someone or to allow them to insert a package, the contents of which they don't know, into their own baggage.

Absolutely right, and I was also under the impression that China and Thailand had agreed on a Chinese engine for this 'white elephant' so that the brown envelopes could continue flowing.

I retired in 2010 having lived here since 1997. Having paid NI contributions all my working life (as a government servant) I was well aware that retiring here would mean my State Pension would be frozen. It has stayed the same 102 quid a week since I received it. But the Baht / pound exchange rate has varied from some 75 Baht/pound to well under 40 over this period, so my 102 quid has been steadily getting less and less over the years. Whilst I knew that my pension was frozen, I didn't know about the fall in the rate of exchange. OK, tough luck, and it's as well I don't have to rely on my State Pension in order to live. BUT I agree with those who say this freezing of pensions simply isn't right, but I also agree that the UK will do naff all about rectifying it!

An executive emergency decree could extend the Statute of Limitations, but then I don't think that would please daddy.

Taksin 'Pinocchio' Shinawatra

The ruling also banned Pita and 10 senior MFP figures from politics for 10 (not 5) years! Disgraceful action by the Constitutional Court!

Many attempts have been made to get a UK Government to pay all UK expatriates the State pension that is rightfully theirs: all have fallen on stoney ground for reasons that are pretty incomprehensible to those of us on the receiving end. We have paid our NI contributions all our working lives (one assumes!) and we make no demands on the NHS. Private and Government Department (eg armed forces) pensions receive the annual increase; only the 'Old Age ' pension does not. It's not right, whatever the reasons to do with inter-country tax arrangements that are glibly trotted out. I feel very sorry for Mrs Fox and there will be many others in many countries around the world in a similar situation. It is no comfort to be told that we knew of (or should have known) about the regulation before we moved; it still doesn't make it right.

I should think the storms have 'ravaged' the road tunnels construction in Korat as well. I suspect when they are finished (if ever) they'll become large ponds in the wet season.

What a load of off-topic rubbish!

Been here 25 years, never used an agent. Renewed 'O' Visa Retirement yesterday, 20 minutes at the bank followed by 1 hour at Immigration. Job done. 1,900 baht + a couple of hundred at the bank. Why the heck should I waste money on an agent? (Yes, I know it does depend on where your are. This was Korat.)

Some years ago 5 litre boxes of wine suddenly disappeared from supermarket shelves without warning. Almost a year later, wine boxes reappeared as 3 litre ones at 50% more than the price of the 5 litre ones. Is the same thing happening to Bells whisky I wonder. For the past month or so it has become almost impossible to buy at the usual outlets and today I bought the last three bottles hidden on the top shelf of a big Lotus supermarket as a staff member said; "not know they were here; no have any more!" A related question re this thread is when or if the recently announced reduction in tax on imported wine will be passed on to the consumer. It has been a few months now since it was reported and I certainly haven't seen any change in wine prices. I know TIT but.......!

Hear hear!!!!!

"I spent time this morning, reading back through some of the posts in this thread and was struck by how much disinformation, inaccurate information and general negative slant there is. The subject of the thread is taxation in Thailand yet it has become a vent for anything and everything about Thailand that people don't like, unreasonably so." Absolutely right! I have never read so much waffle and rubbish. Close the thread, Admin!

"Stair rods last night in Nakhon Ratchasima. " Maybe, but nothing but a few drops 50 km north of the town.

That was not my experience last month when I renewed my retirement visa for the 20th time. I had gone out of the country in Jan and was told that the TM30 slip in my passport was out of date and I had to renew it there and then. I was told I needed to do this every time I came back into the country. I can't recall having had to do this before.

Website all in Thai. Mobile app asks for lots of info including Thai ID number. Farangs once again ignored.

Bkk Post today reports that Thailand is indeed considering restrictions and checks on visitors from China. remains to be see if they carry this out though.

What a load of platitudinous b-s-t! I can only speak as regards the area north of Korat in the Isaan, but in 2010 we had mega floods that were caused by the release of water from the dams to our west. There was then a gap of 11 years until last year when the same thing happened again and my local area was under a metre of water for three weeks. This year we have had limited rain, but are once again under water, although it is not so bad as last year. In 2020 local farmers lost their crops due to a drought, last year it was the flooding and this year it will be the same. One wonders how much longer farmers can exist given the pathetic compensation they receive. 'Water management' in this country is a contradiction in terms, when at the least sign of more rain than usual the dam gates are opened and water is allowed to simply spill into the surrounding countryside - no spillways - until is hits a road like the Mitraparp, which has so few drains under the road that it acts like a dam, the water build up and - ergo the floods! The late King understood water management and proposed many improvements, but it seems that few have been put into effect.