Banks refusing to witness Life Certificates for UK Pension Service now?

[Surasak]

3 hours ago, Asquith Production said:

It would be better if the rear of the certificate was in Thai. Thais then may have a better understanding of what they are signing. 

That sounds like a good idea, the UK are very good at multi language forms for all their l immigrants.

[bradiston]

7 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

How often do you need to do this?

 

I've 10 years to go but thinking of getting someone in the Philipines to sign it for me

In 10 years time the UK pensionable age will be 85, and UK inflation 225%. Your pension will be worth -£1750 pw. You'll be paying til you drop.

[oldgit]

Try the main city police station. Take your passport along as proof of identity and they'll sign and stamp the form for nothing.

[Surasak]

1 hour ago, keithkarmann said:

Asking for a friend whose pension is not frozen. Would the DWP become suspicious if it was witnessed in Thailand.

Why would the DWP become suspicious, knowing that you live in Thailand? Its why they require the Life cert.

[Surasak]

15 minutes ago, bradiston said:

In 10 years time the UK pensionable age will be 85, and UK inflation 225%. Your pension will be worth -£1750 pw. You'll be paying til you drop.

And if Starmer's lot get in next year you can double all that.

[bradiston]

1 minute ago, Surasak said:

Why would the DWP become suspicious, knowing that you live in Thailand? Its why they require the Life cert.

Ah, you're being perhaps slightly disingenuous. If you've not told them you're living abroad, it might raise an eyebrow. However, just say "I was on holiday at the time I got your notice, m'lud", and all will be forgiven. After all, this is only a witness as to your existence on this planet, not to your address or whereabouts. You could get a barlady to sign it. Who the hell's going to know back in Milton Keynes? Then stamp PAID across it!

[scottiejohn]

30 minutes ago, bradiston said:

In 10 years time the UK pensionable age will be 85, and UK inflation 225%. Your pension will be worth -£1750 pw. You'll be paying til you drop.

Where did you buy your broken crystal ball?

Was the same shop as TAT?

[NoshowJones]

On 6/19/2023 at 3:34 PM, stereolab said:

Your first priority is to close the 2 accounts, and scout around for a bank that wants your money AND will sign your LC.

That could prove to be very hard, I tried to open an account with the TTB bank in Nakhon Sawan. My wife came with me as there was language problems when I went myself the last time.

My wife asked about an account for me, so I was asked for my passport, the teller took it, returned two mins later handed my passport back telling my wife that I cannot open an account as I did not have a job, I am retired. If every bank had an attitude like that then what chance do retiree's have of even opening an account.

[David Whitemore]

Thailand makes things more difficult for farangs every year, they want our money but not us, if every farang left Thailand and no tourism it would sink, so stop making things difficult, 90% of us don't course any problems

[scottiejohn]

On 6/19/2023 at 3:34 PM, stereolab said:

Your first priority is to close the 2 accounts, and scout around for a bank that wants your money AND will sign your LC.

Why close them?

Keep your options open!

[Maybole]

My village Paw Luang did it for me.

[Jiggo]

Given up with the bank, last time my dentist done it for free, but a law office should do for around 500 baht.

[bradiston]

6 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

Where did you buy your broken crystal ball?

Was the same shop as TAT?

What does yours say then?

[jacko45k]

18 hours ago, tgw said:

how about going to a notary ?

the fee shouldn't be exorbitant

No such thing in Thailand, they are designated lawyers, so likely to charge a bit more. 

[Andycoops]

As far as I am aware from the list provided with the Life certificate form, bank personnel are not listed.

I got mine signed at the local police station, fee 200 baht including the official police stamp.

[scottiejohn]

6 hours ago, bradiston said:

What does yours say then?

Since you ask.  My crystal ball tells me that some people and organisations just pluck the figures they quote out of thin air!

[maxcorrigan]

On 6/19/2023 at 3:31 PM, scubascuba3 said:

Try doctor at clinic (100 baht) or dentist (500 baht), make sure official stamp

Not so, my wife sign for another man in our village all in Thai and no stamp always excepted!

[glegolo18]

17 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

German Pension office last year started a trial with "Postident" mobile phone app that basically consists of uploading passport pages and then taking a short video clip of the face (within the app).

I did it successfully last year but this year I will get me a stamped form so that I can send a copy to the company pension office which is behind modern times. (this Postident just leaves an identification completed message on the screen. Quite useless.

 

Last time for the company pension I used a bilingual form (English/Thai) from the Swiss(!) pension office and had it stamped by the subdistrict major. No fee.

German pension office has bilingual forms for misc languages but of course not for Thai.

Maybe you should be open with modern times instead of coming up with stuff that is just plain out of it.....

 

Bank ID is working just fine, and we use it all over our society in Sweden, and it is also being used when living i.e. in Thailand.... But continue with your paper-copies if that makes you more happy... I just wanted to introduce to the likes of you more efficient methods...

[KhunBENQ]

21 minutes ago, glegolo18 said:

Maybe you should be open with modern times instead of coming up with stuff that is just plain out of it

? What are you addressing me?

I am not a Swede.

Have to take the situation as it is.

Forward  your post  to German Pension office cc.  IT minister.

Thanks 

[soalbundy]

On 6/19/2023 at 3:25 PM, Moonlover said:

Try a doctor in one of the many small clinics that are around, a pharmacist, especially if you happen to frequent one regularly, or a friend as previously suggested. The DWP offer you many choices and they're not actually too fussy about whom you choose. I use our village Phu Yu Ban.

 

The bank's advice is wrong in one respect. The British embassy will not sign life certificates. That should, at least save you one wasted journey.

 

The argument about whether the form should be stamped or not is bound to crop up. Although there is a space for a stamp is not mandated in the letter that you received and folks have had then accepted without one.

Thais don't seem to like certifying anything official. In the early days I went to the local police station in the nearby market town to get the captain to sign it, he hummed and hahed and checked my passport numerous times before telephoning the puh yai baan in my village to come and speak to him, what followed was quite astounding, the captain gave him an interrogation, what was my character like, had I ever caused trouble in the village, did I attend Buddhist services in the temple (he lied for me on that one), had I a drink problem etc. afterwards he reluctantly signed it. The puh yai apologized to me but I laughed it off. The puh yai took me to the council offices in the village (my village is a Tetsabaan) and introduced me to the mayor and it was agreed he would certify everything for me in future which was a relief as I had 3 life certificates a year, a UK pension, a German state pension and a BMW pension. Since then I have had no problems and have been serviced by 3 subsequent mayors, each informing the next mayor of my needs.

[Moonlover]

23 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Thais don't seem to like certifying anything official. In the early days I went to the local police station in the nearby market town to get the captain to sign it, he hummed and hahed and checked my passport numerous times before telephoning the puh yai baan in my village to come and speak to him, what followed was quite astounding, the captain gave him an interrogation, what was my character like, had I ever caused trouble in the village, did I attend Buddhist services in the temple (he lied for me on that one), had I a drink problem etc. afterwards he reluctantly signed it. The puh yai apologized to me but I laughed it off. The puh yai took me to the council offices in the village (my village is a Tetsabaan) and introduced me to the mayor and it was agreed he would certify everything for me in future which was a relief as I had 3 life certificates a year, a UK pension, a German state pension and a BMW pension. Since then I have had no problems and have been serviced by 3 subsequent mayors, each informing the next mayor of my needs.

An interesting tale. I think all this worrying that they display is down to the fact that they simply do not like taking responsibly and will look for any excuse to 'slope shoulder'. 

 

Glad to read you resolved the problem and was able to laugh it off. I think I'm able to get anyone in the village to sign mine for me now and I'll just call them 'Village Mayor', whether they are or not!

 

I always put the address of the local government offices, as it appears on Goggle Maps. That seems to keep them happy.

[scubascuba3]

3 hours ago, maxcorrigan said:

Not so, my wife sign for another man in our village all in Thai and no stamp always excepted!

for UK gov?

[transam]

19 hours ago, bradiston said:

I couldn't be bothered to look it all up again. We've been here before. The thread was massive. People did a lot of research. My recollection is, there were "virtually no instances", if any, of overseas UK pensioners being pursued for possible fraud by HMRC or DWP.

 

I thought we were talking about witnessing a life certificate..............????

[bradiston]

5 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

Since you ask.  My crystal ball tells me that some people and organisations just pluck the figures they quote out of thin air!

Hardly need crystal balls to figure that out. Anyway my comment was a little on the light hearted side, but never mind.

[digger70]

I can't see the problem.

We have to do ours at the Social security Office in our City Hat Yai 

We must have Passport and for Lady digger Her Thai ID social Security Number .

We get the paper signed and Stamped  

It' Free Cost, NaDa.

Our Country  (the Netherlands) has a agreement with the Thai social Security.

 

[xylophone]

On 6/19/2023 at 3:25 PM, Moonlover said:

Try a doctor in one of the many small clinics that are around, a pharmacist, especially if you happen to frequent one regularly, or a friend as previously suggested

Sensible advice, because after Bangkok Bank decided they wouldn't sign the form this year, I was wondering what to do, and as I had to go to a local clinic here to get a wound dressed, I asked if the doctor would do it, and he said no.

 

So on the way out I asked the receptionist if she had a little stamp for the clinic, and she said she had, so I asked if she would witness my name with her signature, which she did, then stamp the form – – easy and the receptionist was a Filipino!!

 

I had spoken to her before so we were on speaking terms so I gave her a good tip for her troubles. Now I know this works, I will go back there again when necessary.

[Moonlover]

23 minutes ago, xylophone said:

Sensible advice, because after Bangkok Bank decided they wouldn't sign the form this year, I was wondering what to do, and as I had to go to a local clinic here to get a wound dressed, I asked if the doctor would do it, and he said no.

 

So on the way out I asked the receptionist if she had a little stamp for the clinic, and she said she had, so I asked if she would witness my name with her signature, which she did, then stamp the form – – easy and the receptionist was a Filipino!!

 

I had spoken to her before so we were on speaking terms so I gave her a good tip for her troubles. Now I know this works, I will go back there again when necessary.

Lovely story. It just lends weight to the old adage: If you don't ask, you don't get'. Well done.

[maxcorrigan]

19 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

for UK gov?

Of course!

[scubascuba3]

3 hours ago, maxcorrigan said:

Of course!

Amazed they'd accept something in Thai from a no name thai person

[maxcorrigan]

On 6/21/2023 at 12:16 PM, scubascuba3 said:

for UK gov?

I should clarify she fills in the witness part in English and where the stamp should be she writes the name of the school she taught at in Thai  

Me personally get her niece who is a doctor to fill in and stamp accordingly!