jayboy

That is a gross distortion of the reality, the usual selective evidence (George Osborne would approve) - concentrating on the better off segment of pensioners rather than those worse off, if not the absolute poor.Many new Labour MPs are indignant and as mentioned the Prime Minister is displeased with the Chancellor's position.It's early days but it's becoming clear that this administration isn't very clever at the politics of governing.

There are millions of pensioners just above the threshold (about £ 12,000 pa from memory) who will be very badly affected.Some will have to choose between food and heating. Meanwhile the Government i n a telling indication of its priorities has surrendered to public sector wage demands including the absurd ones for £70,000 pa train drivers. A contact of mine in Whitehall tells me No 10 is hopping mad with the Chancellor who has kowtowed to Treasury orthodoxy without considering the terrible political implications.Expect a U turn, maybe in the October budget.

Thanks for all the very useful information which is sincerely appreciated. One final question.I've read several reports that the motor sales industry is having problems and that as a consequence discounts may be available on new cars, Is this actually true and if so does it apply to all major brands? What would a discount amount to on say a Baht 1.4m vehicle? Last time I purchased a new car in Bangkok (quite a few years ago) discounts weren't available.

You are of course correct.However in my experience those who endlessly bang on about Big Pharma and the exorbitant cost of drugs don't understand the implications of the gigantic costs involved in bringing a new drug to market (not to mention expenditure on R and D which leads nowhere), and the necessity to recover those costs and turn a profit.After the patent period (usually 20 years) has expired the others can produce generic drugs - which are reasonably priced.Of course there are instances of bad practice and price gouging but they are the exception rather than the rule.

This is obviously nonsense (particularly the fatuous explanation of the military coup) but it certainly represents a view point shared by some in the Bangkok middle class, though increasingly elderly and irrelevant like Thaksin himself. Being in Thailand does not in itself convey knowledge or wisdom.To be frank although you claim to have been here for 30 years I would with all due respect suggest you actually have no idea what is going on.That would involve getting outside your bubble and starting some serious attempt to reach an understanding.I have been here for much longer than you but that means nothing, and I would never claim it gave me some special insight.I do however understand the significance - which you fail even to mention - that the arrogant and selfish elites and their captive functionaries have deprived the Thai people of their chosen government.These elites hate Thaksin but have also used him and he has willingly betrayed the people who once put their trust in him. As an aside, any report which states "experts say" without being more specific shouldn't be taken too seriously.

I understand this to mean someone could make remittances from their home country to Thailand based on pre-2024 investments and thus free of Thai tax, but keep current income offshore.Surely on the information known now, that would be completely legal and would not even fall into the category of avoiding or circumventing tax. If Thailand moved from a remittance system to taxing world wide income, that would of course change the game.

I was wondering how many people review their home insurance every year.My home insurance (AIG Elite Home) has shown the same amounts insured for about 10 years.I have lazily never bothered to seek an uplift or indeed seriously review the amounts insured.Of the total sum insured 20% is fixture and fittings and the remaining 80% Building (excluding foundations.) Would one expect the actual insured amounts to increase over a 10 year period?

But that's exactly what's important to me. In Thailand nobody comes close to Toyota's servicing capability.(At least that's what everybody tells me)

I don't know that much about buying new cars in Thailand (my former company dealt with that side of things). However I'm in the market to buy a new Toyota (prefer that brand for ease of service among other things) for mainly Bangkok use, taking kids to school, local shopping and the occasional trip upcountry.Looking for robustness and safety rather than performance.FWD not required but OK if comes with right car. 1.Is it courting problems to think of buying a used car in Bangkok? 2.Otherwise assuming new, which Fortuner or similar recommended? Would consider Corolla Cross. 3.Budget Bt 1 mill to 1.6 mill Thoughts gratefully received.

It seems like good advice and I used to think like this but it's wrong. The secret is to eat much less. That's it.Fasting,cutting down carbs, eradicating booze and other methods are ways to achieve the objective. Burning calories through exercise is good and will make you fitter, but it doesn't really make you thinner (often just hungrier)

As someone who has respected your views over the years on this forum, I think you may have underplayed the unhealthy relationship with part of the left with political Islam. Here is just one analysis.I could have chosen from many others. https://unherd.com/2018/04/many-left-wing-progressives-protest-pope-silent-islams-totalitarian-tendencies-victims-cowardice-overwhelmingly-women/

The reality is that the generously built foreigners with tattoos and ugly regional accents one sees trundling around Pattaya are not 99% of the time accompanied by beautiful young women.They tend to be accompanied - often holding hands - by ladies who (let's be chivalrous, no need to elaborate). Suffice it to say not visions of loveliness and youth. There are of course many beautiful young women from poor backgrounds often with intelligence and charm who start off in the bar world.But they never last long because they get snapped up extremely quickly by better prospects than the typical Pattaya client.As a general proposition the exceptionally gifted girl tends to rise rapidly in the social scale and has done in every society and throughout history.Furthermore they very quickly come to understand their worth.

You make some very good points and one would need a heart of stone not to recognize the joy that some of these relationships bring.But self awareness is always useful.

We're talking of clients/prostitutes here, not "happy couples" in the normal sense.

It depends what you and your companion look like together.Everybody likes to see attractive young lovers hand in hand.Nobody wants to see a tubby Pattaya bloke invariably tattooed grasping the hand of a bored young Isaan working girl. On the other hand I rather like seeing the same kind of Pattaya sexpat waddling along with a Thai companion of similar age and weight and indifferent looks.Clearly they have something meaningful going.As Pascal said, “The heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of... We know the truth not only by the reason, but by the heart.”

US Ambassadors are not addressed as Excellency by American citizens though foreigners often do because Excellency is a standard address for Ambassadors of every country.Being a Kingdom has nothing to do with it.But you are right the use of Excellency in this instance does seem a bit odd since it's contained in a communication from the American Embassy to American citizens.By the way I don't think the use of the Excellency address is anything to do with self promotion - it's just standard diplomatic etiquette.

Why?

There are still banks in the Channel Islands - and probably the Isle of Man - that specifically cater for expats.However they will still want your overseas tax identification number and will keep on pressing for it.I suppose in extremis they might close your account if you don't provide one (though I have never heard of such a case). Additionally they will sometimes ask why exactly you need an offshore account with the clear implication they will close it if you don't satisfy with your answers.I think they are looking for a minimum balance (I'm guessing about £ 50,000), evidence of activity etc.

I've had a few discussions with doctors in the UK on the subject of BP numbers during annual physicals, one with a rather grand Harley Street specialist. I think I can say they were unanimous that we should aim for 120/80 or lower, and interestingly - because contrary to received wisdom - there should be no particular reason this target should be changed for older people. So on the above basis, 140/95 isn't really good enough. I accept my information is second hand and am perfectly happy to be corrected.

Not that I can see

The vast majority was perfectly legal.You didn't like immigrants to the UK so you decided to be an immigrant somewhere else.Hypocrisy is off the scales.

I have never fully understood what criteria doctors use to prescribe different kinds of blood pressure medicine. There are so many types of BP drugs working in different ways.Obviously doctors will consider overall health, possible side effects, any underlying conditions etc etc But my question is whether if a drug/combination of drugs combined with healthy personal habits (little alcohol.no smoking, appropriate weight, lots of exercise etc) achieves acceptable BP readings, does it much matter which of the infinite drug possibilities is followed? I ask because for various reasons I consulted two excellent doctors in a six month period and they came up with two totally different prescriptions.I had mildly elevated BP but now 120/80 or thereabouts.

That's not a fair question since it should really be addressed to citizens of Thailand. As to Thailand the masses have turned out before to protest the greedy selfish elites that have made Thailand one of the most unequal societies on earth, risking and in some cases losing their lives - but it was long ago. I really don't know how the progressive elements in Thailand are now prepared to challenge in the courageous manner of their predecessors.To be frank there's not much sign of it. Yet the same enemies are plain in view, huge and hateful. As Thomas Jefferson said, " The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." There is something very distasteful about foreigners calling on Thais to take dangerous action, so I will avoid that. But the way forward is I think very clear since it's obvious the ruling elites are determined to crush democracy.

This was the British response - predictably anemic and cowardly compared with that of the US In response to the Thai Constitutional Court’s decision to dissolve the Move Forward Party, an FCDO spokesperson said: Pluralism and freedom of speech are central principles of democracy. The dissolution of another major political party in Thailand is therefore a setback for these principles. We encourage all parties to uphold democratic rights and representation.

You may well be right but I don't think we know for sure. To be clear, we are talking about 180+ day foreign residents in Thailand (with no Thailand originated income) who only remit funds from their home countries which originated pre January 2024 and are therefore non assessable and not subject to Thai income tax. I expect most in this category should in theory have submitted Thai tax returns in the past but the vast majority didn't, and there is no evidence the Thai RD expected them to. However in the current tighter tax climate I have yet to see any evidence that expats in the non tax paying category (see above) don't have to submit a return even if there is no assessable income to declare.I'm in that category and don't propose to submit a tax return for 2024.I don't yet have complete confidence this is okay but the downside is insignificant.