chickenslegs

My Government Gateway account is showing that I owe 1,300+ GBP income tax from 2022/2023 and states that I will incur penalties if not paid by 27 March this year. I paid in December 2023.

I used the chat service a couple of weeks ago, after I read your previous post here. Yes, very helpful and confirmed that my payment was received. However, the advisor couldn't correct my Gateway account as that required a different department (simple Assessment Department). I'm still waiting for the promised call back.

I just looked at my Government Gateway account forecast for 2024/2025. Despite me informing DWP and HMRC that I reside in Thailand (I informed them when I moved here in 2005) they are still adding the UK State Pension increase into my total income. In the past 2 years HMRC has failed to collect the correct amount of income tax after my total income increased, due to receiving my state pension. I brought this to their attention more than one year ago and I paid around 1,800 GBP to set things straight. Even now, having paid the tax I owe by direct deposit to HMRC (I don't dispute the total Bill) my Government Gateway account still shows that I owe 1,300 GBP - (and the threat of penalties if I don't pay) and I will owe another 1,800 GBP next year. My tax history is very simple. I have been in the PAYE system since I was 15 years old. I'm now 68. Communicating with HMRC IME there are 3 options 1) Write a letter and get no reply, 2) Use the Gateway account and get no reply, 3) Phone call to HMRC - wait 30-40 minutes to speak to a human being then be informed that your issue is dealt with a different department who will call you back within 48 hours (but they don't). I was trying to make sure that I paid the correct amount of income tax (more than was deducted). What an absolute shambles. Rant over.

Looks like overnight parking is available. https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/asia/thailand/ubon-ratchathani-airport/

Or the same woman!

"Best beach" is very subjective. My top two ... 1. Cocklawburn 2. Bamburgh Bloody freezing 49 weeks of the year, and never crowded - even during those 3 weeks of sunshine.

I'd be interested to know how that pans out.

Temperature inside the poly box is hardly affected by the outside temperature, but I nearly lost some seedlings when I forgot to put shade over them. I didn't look at them until mid day and they looked very sad ...

I decided to transfer all the seedlings to soil pots. I started with just potting 2 but they were doing so well that I was tempted to pot them all. I have about 30 more tomato seeds (beef steak from a packet) starting to germinate in foam cubes - nothing to show yet. My only tomato plant has developed these markings on its leaves. Does anyone know the cause and treatment?

For our anniversary my wife suggested that we should recreate the time we first met. I agreed, it was a great idea. So, we went separately to the hotel bar and, while I was sitting alone, she came over to me and said "Hey handsome, can I buy you a drink?" I said "F*** off, I'm not falling for that one again!"

Probably a typo ... The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is a high-pressure zone located where the esophagus meets the stomach and protects the esophagus from the reflux of gastric contents.

Yes. Mine has been paid into Wise since 2022.

True, and desperately needed for those of us expats who have had our UK bank accounts closed. E.g. - Barclays closed my UK account after 40+ years of never being in the red, just because I was honest about my new address in Thailand. If I need to book a flight home to the UK I now need to transfer my GBP pensions to my Thai bank account , (via Wise) then pay for the flight in Baht from my Bangkok bank account- that's two international transfers and about 5-10% extra on top of the current inflated flight prices.

Banana

Johnny is a British slang term for a condom.

Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) Thailand may be able to help if your visit to the Samsung Service Centre doesn't resolve the issue. https://complaint.ocpb.go.th/# I have no personal experience, but I'm sure there have been positive reports from members here.

It should be banned, if only for Dick van Dyke's awful imitation of the Cockney accent.

Spelled brain wrong.

The new Sukhumvit road, through Jomtien, Ban Amphur, Bang Saray, Sattahip, and beyond, is now an 8-10 lane urban motorway. I live in Bang Saray and journey times are massively reduced either north or south, which is great (for me). However, IMO, it's absolutely unsuitable for cycling (nor for slow moving sa-ling, kids on scooters, etc.) - and no allowance was made for those vehicles when the new road was planned. Also, pedestrian crossings/bridges are few and far between, so I often see pedestrians chancing their luck across the 4/5 lanes in 80-120 kph traffic. Can you imagine pedestrians being permitted to walk in the roadway on an UK motorway or German Autobahn! I'm afraid that we will read of a lot more deaths on this new road.

At last some good news for Australians. Meanwhile, we Brits have to struggle to find Thai ladies brave enough to endure our manhoods.

If I walk into KFC and order a meal in most places the price will include free refills of coke/lemon tea/etc. If I order a KFC meal on Grab, and my win rider pours himself a coke/lemon tea while he waits for my order, then fills a second cup to bring home for me, what harm has been done? I just hope he got a new straw.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/thailand-translators-and-interpreters/list-of-translators-and-interpreters-in-thailand

Yes. This is "news" from 2020. I believe that the hotel received a lot of negative publicity for their over-reaction and (IIRC) has since changed name. Having said that, the guy who posted the bad review was (IMO) quite a dick. He brought a bottle of gin(?) from the 7/11 and expected to drink it in the hotel restaurant (not in his room) - then he was upset when the management challenged him and asked for a corkage fee.