taiping

I hope this applies to all former Directors as well (which I discovered years ago as a Thai Airways shareholder), not just current Directors, and it is not just words but firm action.

The maximum UK state pension is currently GBP 113.10 pw, assuming you have paid full contributions, but fixed at that rate forever in Thailand (no cost of living increase).

So where does your GBP 163 pw come from?

I reached 65 years old in 2011 (three years ago) and receive the maximum UK pension fixed at GBP 105.48 pw (which includes a small amount for "graduated" pension).

As you see, the value of the UK pension in Thailand will decrease over time considering inflation. Will it be worth anything in 20-years time?

You obviously opted out of SERPS and are receiving those contributions by some other means.

I left the UK to work overseas in 1973 and then paid voluntary Class 3 contributions sufficient for the maximum basic UK pension. Hence, the SERPS contribution was only for one or two years and doesn't amount to much.

I would still like to know how the OP has a UK gov pension of GBP 163.

On expenses in Thailand, I keep detailed records and my ACTUAL average monthly expenditure in Bangkok (with wife and kid) are as follows:

2010 = 33,418 baht / month.

2011 = 41,477 baht / month.

2012 = 43,781 baht / month.

2013 = 41,405 baht / month.

I own my own condo outright (but I have another condo). Above does not include school fees, health expenses, capital items (new washing machine, etc), travel, car maintenance, entertainment, and hobbies.

I definitely do not live a lavish lifestyle.

Good luck on 38K a month.

The maximum UK state pension is currently GBP 113.10 pw, assuming you have paid full contributions, but fixed at that rate forever in Thailand (no cost of living increase).

So where does your GBP 163 pw come from?

I reached 65 years old in 2011 (three years ago) and receive the maximum UK pension fixed at GBP 105.48 pw (which includes a small amount for "graduated" pension).

As you see, the value of the UK pension in Thailand will decrease over time considering inflation. Will it be worth anything in 20-years time?

There is a new Swedish herbal medicine for prostate enlargement that apparently has shown promising results for some.

It's called "Cernitol" and can be bought on-line in e.g. the UK. Google it.

See PubMed study at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8499988

I was diagnosed with BPH and prostate cancer 7-years ago. I tried various things for the nocturia (having to go for a pee at night) including Saw Palmetto. The active ingredient in Saw Palmetto is Beta Sitosterol - suggest you try 500 mg Beta Sitosterol, but it did not seem to do anything for me. Proscar works by reducing the size of the prostate but (for me) has negative effects on sexual function so I stopped using it. I have recently tried 5 mg Cialis (recently received FDA approval for BPH) but I cannot say there's much if any improvement. Nocturia has remained at 2~3 times a night for a long time - not a huge problem.

Please provide more details of the Indian surgery - although I will avoid surgery unless absolutely necessary.

There is also the Gat Goren surgical treatment for BPH in Israel, but I believe it costs in the region of USD 15K, and a new procedure called "Prostate Artery Embolization" (blocking the veins supplying blood to the prostate).

The answer is known to everyone on TV - why not you?

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Maybe Prayuth's fellow Directors at Thai Military Bank will ask him to take a hike when the economy takes a dive.

Well that shows your way out of touch with who, today, owns TMB, including a sizeable shareholding by a high profile highly credible European bank.

You mean to tell me that foreigners own more than half the voting shares in TMB - I must inform the General.

This is not surprising given the insanity of the last few years.

Especially after all the talk of dividing Thailand and Civil War.

I can still remember how good it was in Thailand before Thaksin.

The General really needs to rid Thailand of any thing related to Thaksin and the UDD.

Sure, it was a real paradise in Thailand before Thaksin and the "30 baht health scheme." I remember asking a doctor what the Thais did without medical insurance. His reply ... "They die."

You do realize that it was the democrates that pushed that legislation through. Right?

It was Thaksin that took credit when it kicked in under his watch, even though he had nothing to do with it.

Thai Rak Thai policy from late 2000. See http://tdri.or.th/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/t5s2006.pdf

Maybe Prayuth's fellow Directors at Thai Military Bank will ask him to take a hike when the economy takes a dive.

I know its not a lot of money but its the principle of the matter.

"Principle of the matter"?????

You are in Thailand, for Gods sake !!

Look at (or download) the instruction manual for the machine you want to buy.

I recently bought a Samsung WF1124 washing machine - the instruction book says the stand pipe (quote) "must be no shorter than 60 cm and no longer than 90 cm" with a recommended 65 cm height. Minimum diameter is stated as 5 cm.

No water trap is specified and I do not use one.

The machine came with a plastic fitting to bend the flexible drain pipe into a "U" shape so the free end just sits in the stand pipe.

Is that an all inclusive list - wake up.

Until you ask them you don't know.

I did say this was a first step.

By the way, I was bailed out in Iraq by the UK gov rep in Basra some 46 years ago - I had to pay back the money after returning to the UK. Admittedly this was a different time and age.

Further to my previous post on this subject, and despite the negative reaction of some, I note the British Embassy Thailand web site states the following for what they are NOT able to help with . . .

• get you out of prison, prevent the local authorities from deporting you after your prison sentence, or interfere in criminal or civil court proceedings
• help you enter a country, for example, if you do not have a visa or your passport is not valid, as we cannot interfere in another country’s immigration policy or procedures
• give you legal advice, investigate crimes or carry out searches for missing people, although we can give you details of people who may be able to help you in these cases
• get you better treatment in hospital or prison than is given to local people
• pay any bills or give you money
• make travel arrangements for you, find you work, accommodation, or make business arrangements on your behalf
• get involved in private disputes over property, employment, commercial or other matters
• renew or replace a full British passport

You can see from this list that it does not specifically exclude being repatriated.

They have a Consular Services number at 023058333, which I phoned today and asked for advice for the case of a British National in Thailand without any funds or family to support him in the UK, who has also overstayed his Thai Visa.

It turns out that this number is routed to a call center in Hong Kong, but the Consular Official I spoke to advised that the person contact this number and they would "see what they could do."

In other words, there was no outright rejection of any request for help.

So I would advise the person to phone this number as a first step.

Just curious, but can't the British Embassy help with such cases? No need for a whip around to pay for a one-way ticket home. No need to fund the 20K for overstay.

If the British Embassy refuse to help their own citizens (I somehow doubt that), then I would go to Thai Immigration and explain I'm destitute on overstay - might end up in the pokey for a few weeks until the British gov are forced to do something. What does he expect - a holiday camp?

I agree. It is not easy to travel if you are in a coma and health insurance in Thailand remains a 'must'.

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As you get older the premiums get more expensive compared to the benefits. Those with the funds can afford the premiums but probably don't need insurance because they can pay out of pocket, and those who can't afford the premiums need the insurance. Catch 22.

I decided to cancel my BUPA Thailand health insurance for this reason, after being with them for 20+ years. Instead, after a degree of hassle, I obtained the government Nopparat Hospital health card which entitles me to the same free treatment as Thais. It helped that I have a Yellow Tabian Bahn which has my Thai ID number. I have not used Nopparat Hospital yet, so cannot vouch for the standard of service. It took my Thai speaking daughter to phone the government health hot line 1330 in the presence of the Nopparat Hospital staff to get them to issue a card to me since they originally claimed it only applies to neighboring countries like Cambodia and Myanmar. The hospital is a fair distance from where I live, so may be no use in an emergency.

I agree. It is not easy to travel if you are in a coma and health insurance in Thailand remains a 'must'.

However, it is nice to know that the option will now exist to travel back to the UK. I, for one, will certainly take that option should the need arise - as long as I am fit to travel.

Hi RichCor - Thank you very much for your advice.

The IP address numbers you suggested did not work. The CAT Huawei has an IP address of 192.168.100.1

So I downloaded an IP scanner as you suggested. It is called ipscan22.exe.

From the listed IP addresses I could see 2 numbers for the ASUS, and the second one worked at 192.168.100.250

Problem solved !!

As I mentioned before I use the supplied CAT Huawei fiber-optic modem/router in bridge mode to my ASUS ADSL router for better wi-fi coverage.

I have the access code to the Huawei (from the CAT techs) from my Windows 7 PC but not for the ASUS.

Does anyone know how I can access the ASUS from my Windows 7 PC?

At present the PC is connected by LAN cable to the Huawei. A notebook is connected by LAN to the ASUS. Wi-fi is from the ASUS with thre Huawaei Wi-Fi disabled in the settings (no manual Wi-Fi switch).

Don't ask the TOT office, just ask the installation technicians. Give a tip to keep them happy.

I have CAT "On-Net" fiber optic and they gave me the user name / password.

They also connected the FREE CAT Huawei fiber optic modem/router to my ASUS ADSL modem/router for better wi-fi coverage, and disabled the Huawai wi-fi.

I've had CAT "On-Net" fiber optic 20 / 3 Mbps since November 2013 for 1,500 baht a month.

OOKLA speed test today: Thailand 23.37 / 3.15 Mbps, USA (LA) 18.94 / 3.01 Mbps.

CAT controls the internet gateway so hopefully should work as good as anything in Thailand.

Problems: (1) Internet drops out for a few minutes almost every day. My Windows 7 PC diagnostics say it's a CAT DNS server error. CAT have been unable to fix the problem despite numerous complaints. (2) Huawei modem supplied by CAT (included with the 1,500 monthly charge) is not top quality - the wi-fi range from the small antennae is not so good, so I got CAT techs to link the Huawei to my Asus ADSL modem which has much better wi-fi coverage.

I live on Ekamai Road, Bangkok (Sukhumvit 63).

Why would any "Senior Manger" spend so much time bashing Thailand and explaining why he is moving to China?

Please OP, just pack your bags and GO.

I've been here a looong time and I love it - of course there are problems here, I don't deny it, but the alternatives don't seem very attractive to me. The Chinese seem obsessed with making money - am I wrong?