Can My Thai Wife "inherit" Uk State Pension When I Croke?

[nong38]

I am almost sure that she will get nothing as a foreign wife. Indeed, a mate of mine in Thailand is close to passing, lives riggght out in the boonies on the Burmese border and when he goes they have no intention of informing the authorities so the pension keeps getting paid into his account and she keeps the ATM.

Good planning skills though.

Yea! nice honest people,commit Fraud,rob another Country,that owes them nothing. I'm sure they will be proud of themselves.

Are the UK Government honest people? Will they be proud of themselves? Don't they commit fraud with people on State pensions by not giving them their annual increases? Have they not been plundering and robbing other countries for centuries? How do you think the Queen is the richest woman in the world? Where do you think most of the Queens riches came from? Do you know that the UK ruled over two thirds of the world only 100 years ago? So who is the real thieves?

1/3 rd of the world old chap its quiete enough, wonder what we would have done with Thailand, taught them how make real ale prehaps and still be beating them at cricket!

[nong38]

Can I chip in that I've just had a lawyer in Chiang Mai write up my Thai will, I was going to have it done at the Amphur but with that type of simple will you have to specify your bank account numbers and that didn't suit. The lawyer wrote the will up to cover all my accounts (without having to specify them) and also disposal of my remains, the cost was 5k Baht for three copies which I think is excellent value - Kuhn Sumalee Jenappa of 28 Tanin Co Ltd comes highly recommended and I also can endorse, head out Huey Kaew Road towards Doi Suthep, cross over Canal Road (Dunkin Donuts on the corner) and Punna Residence @ CMU is on the left about two hundred metres, her office is on the ground floor of the second building.

Thanks might pop up next year and get that sorted out, sounds good.

[DonW]

and it requires no imagination at all to realise that it may well be a task beyond the capabilities of most Thai ladies.

Hummm, so why's that then?

[LongTimeLurker]

..........a mate of mine in Thailand is close to passing, lives riggght out in the boonies on the Burmese border and when he goes they have no intention of informing the authorities so the pension keeps getting paid into his account and she keeps the ATM.

Why are they 'theiving' . If she was English, it would be no issue.

Whether she actually would be entitled to anything after her husband's death, I don't know. But entitled or not she should inform the DWP of his death; not doing so and simply continuing to draw the money is fraud.

An English woman who did the same would be equally guilty; as would a woman who is Northern Irish, Scottish, Welsh or any other nationality.

The only difference is that were she to be caught the DWP would probably just stop the payments, whereas someone doing the same in the UK could face gaol.

Don't worry, the DWP will soon know because the Brit Embassy would have to be notified and they will record it in the system in UK.

Edited October 18, 2012 by LongTimeLurker

[nong38]

and it requires no imagination at all to realise that it may well be a task beyond the capabilities of most Thai ladies.

Hummm, so why's that then?

Have a look at the form BB1, you can view it on line on the DWP website under bereavement. Its in English , of course, will need to filled in so it its usually best as most Thai ladies would struggle to read/understand and complete if it was all done for them, places in the envelope and sealed, all they need to do, if I remember correctly is to just stick the death certificate in the envelope, seal and post it (the DWP can get it translated).

[DonW]

So, after years of living in the UK - Thai women are incapable of filling a form and sending it off? How have they lived up until this point? Tell you what, I hate it when the Geezers who have married poor, uneduated farm girls from the bars etc asssume that we all have.

If I started filling out all the forms that come to our house and told my Mrs is is 'beyond her capabilities' I'd be eating my fookin som tam with a thick ear with Gerald the pooch outside in the dog house for the net week.

Edited October 19, 2012 by DonW

[billd766]

So, after years of living in the UK - Thai women are incapable of filling a form and sending it off? How have they lived up until this point? Tell you what, I hate it when the Geezers who have married poor, uneduated farm girls from the bars etc asssume that we all have.

If I started filling out all the forms that come to our house and told my Mrs is is 'beyond her capabilities' I'd be eating my fookin som tam with a thick ear with Gerald the pooch outside in the dog house for the net week.

I just reread the BB1 form and have a couple of questions for you.

Does your wife know your NI number?

Are you retired?

Did you pay NI contributions for 5 years before the death?

Were you employed or self employed?

Did you ever live outsie the UK, if so where, when and for how long?

Does she know what to send and where?

[DonW]

So, after years of living in the UK - Thai women are incapable of filling a form and sending it off? How have they lived up until this point? Tell you what, I hate it when the Geezers who have married poor, uneduated farm girls from the bars etc asssume that we all have.

If I started filling out all the forms that come to our house and told my Mrs is is 'beyond her capabilities' I'd be eating my fookin som tam with a thick ear with Gerald the pooch outside in the dog house for the net week.

I just reread the BB1 form and have a couple of questions for you.

Does your wife know your NI number? ITS IN OUR DOCUMENTS DRAW. I DONT KNOW MY NUMBER

Are you retired? NO

Did you pay NI contributions for 5 years before the death? WELL, IM NOT DEAD. THOIGH IF I WAS THEN MY WIFE WOULD KNOW THAT I PAID TAX AND NI WHILST IN WORK AND I WERE RETIRED 5 YEARS BEFORE MY DEATH SHE WOULD KNOW I PAID NEITHER

Were you employed or self employed? YOU MEAN BEFORE I DIED? THOUGH I THINK MY 'THAI WIFE' WOULD KNOW FULL WELL IF I WAS EMPLOYED OR SELF EMPLOYED - THIS IS WITHIN HER CAPABILITIES.

Did you ever live outsie the UK, if so where, when and for how long? WELL, SHE WOULD KNOW THIS TO, BEING MY WIFE AND ALL.

Does she know what to send and where? IS THERE ANY ADDRESS ON THE FORM? IF NOT, SHE HAS ACCESS TO GOOGLE AND THE TELEPHONE.

<deleted> Mate, a teenager could navigate that form

Edited October 19, 2012 by DonW

[DonW]

Really, I have no issue with Gents wanting to make sure that their illiterate wives are provided for. Indeed, its a very good thing and I respect that 100% but Please, for the Love of God, Allah and Buddha please do not speak so lowly of 'Thai women' not having the 'capabilities' to navigate a simple form and that is beyong their 'reach'. Its nothing short of racism.

[7by7]

So, after years of living in the UK - Thai women are incapable of filling a form and sending it off? .......

Whilst I agree that the phrase

Bagwan, on 2012-10-18 06:39:37, said:

and it requires no imagination at all to realise that it may well be a task beyond the capabilities of most Thai ladies.

is a demeaning stereotype; it does need to be remembered that the OP asking about, and I assume Bagwan is referring to, Thai women who do not and never have lived in the UK and therefore may have limited English skills; especially reading and writing.

Whereas you are talking about Thai women who do live in the UK and so have, or should have, far better English skills; whatever their background or how they met their husband.

[chiang mai]

I thought it might be useful for folks to understand what other countries do regarding inheriting home state pensions:

Despite being a Brit I recieve the US SSc (Pension) and this can be inherited by my wife except the rules are pretty stringent. If she were American she would inherit it automatically, ditto if she had lived in the US for five years at any point in her life. As things stand she is neither of those things so her only way out is to become a resident of one the countries with whom the US has a reciprocal tax agreement (the UK and the PI are both countries that have them). So in order for her to recieve that pension after my death (she would actually recieve more then than I recieve now for some odd reason) we'll have to move to the UK, if the answer from the UK's DW&P comes back that she is elligible to inherit my UK state pension, providing she has become resident in the UK, we might just do that. I find it odd however that the US system effectively discriminates against partners based on their country of origin and on whether or not the US has a tax agreement with that country.

[Bagwan]

The opportunity to register your Thai wife for N.I. benefits has now been withdrawn these 2 or 3 years. Advice that this was to be implemented was given in plenty of time for those who had not registered their wives to do so. I provided the original marriage certificate the DWP asked for and a copy of her ID card. My wife could not supply a copy of her birth certificate and I explained that the Thai peasant family into which she was born would not realise the importance of such a document since they could not read, and if indeed they had obtained a birth certificate, it would have been eaten by insects or rotted away from humidity after a short period of time. I had made efforts to obtain a duplicate copy but had refused to pay a bribe of 5K baht to have one issued. I stated that I did not think that HMG would want me to break the law of Thailand and if I had bribed the official I was concerned that the fact would be reported and I would have to buy off any police activity regarding the matter. In any event the details on a duplicate copy of her birth certificate would be copied from her ID card. Since it is mandatory for Thais over the age of 15 to carry their ID card at all times I could not send the card. This explanation was accepted by DWP and I can confirm that they do not require translations as they employ their own interpreters, so they say. I suspect that what they really do is get the BKK Consulate to confirm the details.

The spouse of a UK National is paid the sum of 2K GBP tax free as stated in above postings. Since my wife is now logged into the UK Social Security system she will also receive a reduced pension paid at 4 weekly intervals into her Thai bank account for 12 months and receive a single person's State Pension when reaching the age of 62 years providing that she does not remarry. The DWP at my request provided me with a letter confirming these facts.

My understanding is that presently the DWP will only issue a N.I. number to wives who have had the right of domicile in the UK for a minimum of two years.

Completing the documentation required by the DWP is a fearsome task ( does your wife know the name of a previous wife, the dates on which you married and divorced? ) and I would advise asking DWP to send a claim form and completing it yourself so that all your wife has to do is sign and date the claim. I think that possibly you can download a copy from the DWP site. I photocopied the one requested when my wife's aunt's husband died and the DWP have said that they will raise no objection to that. In that instance the death certificate was issued by BIB not the hospital in which he died.

Like my friend Billd766 I have made out full instructions for my wife to follow when I kick on. My overseas bank accounts were changed to being in our joint names so that she has full drawing rights. I have written letters to others who pay pensions and annuities stating that I am no longer here for her to mail. The balances of my Thai bank accounts she can obtain by using my ATM card. I see no point in her playing silly buggers with Thai banks and in any case my Thai Will states that I leave everything to her provided that she survives me by 28 days. If she does not, then her two children will benefit.

I dealt with officialdom on behalf of my wife's aunt and had all kinds of trouble with members of his UK family who stated that their father had not been married but had merely received a blessing at the local wat. They lied and cheated to get their hands on his UK bank account and pension funds but to no avail since I provided their marriage certificate and copies of her Thai passport. It was clear that they regarded his widow as a 'jungle bunny' of no account. One pension fund was so tardy in paying out due to the false claims that I asked the UK Pension Ombudsman to intervene. I would strongly advise that a UK Will be drawn up and notarised.

It is clear that many are confused by all the procedures to be followed if they want their widows to be provided for and it requires no imagination at all to realise that it may well be a task beyond the capabilities of most Thai ladies. Relying on others to sort things out is something that I would not recommend, particularly using a Thai lawyer.

Excellent clear and precise prose. Can I ask you, do you have a Thai will and if so did you write it yourself or get a Thai Lawyer to do it for you?

As stated in my post I have had a Thai Last Will and Testament drawn up as has my wife. We used a Thai lawyer friend.

I believe that a UK Will is declared invalid if you remarry. If you die intestate then the first 250K GBP goes to the nearest relative and as I have pointed out, if you have a Thai wife your UK family may contest this using any artifice that they can think of.

[nong38]

So, after years of living in the UK - Thai women are incapable of filling a form and sending it off? How have they lived up until this point? Tell you what, I hate it when the Geezers who have married poor, uneduated farm girls from the bars etc asssume that we all have.

If I started filling out all the forms that come to our house and told my Mrs is is 'beyond her capabilities' I'd be eating my fookin som tam with a thick ear with Gerald the pooch outside in the dog house for the net week.

Look I dont think we are talking about specific ladies of Thailand but the elements we need to think about are speaking, reading, writing and understanding another language, then there is the language used in forms. Its easier if a a UK national could prepare the ground as much as possible to save the lady problems at a potentially difficult moment in her life, its nothing to do with racism or anything like that its the practicalities of the situation. If leters are exchanged because of an error, who does she consult? We are aiming to take care of who are left behind.

[nong38]

The opportunity to register your Thai wife for N.I. benefits has now been withdrawn these 2 or 3 years. Advice that this was to be implemented was given in plenty of time for those who had not registered their wives to do so. I provided the original marriage certificate the DWP asked for and a copy of her ID card. My wife could not supply a copy of her birth certificate and I explained that the Thai peasant family into which she was born would not realise the importance of such a document since they could not read, and if indeed they had obtained a birth certificate, it would have been eaten by insects or rotted away from humidity after a short period of time. I had made efforts to obtain a duplicate copy but had refused to pay a bribe of 5K baht to have one issued. I stated that I did not think that HMG would want me to break the law of Thailand and if I had bribed the official I was concerned that the fact would be reported and I would have to buy off any police activity regarding the matter. In any event the details on a duplicate copy of her birth certificate would be copied from her ID card. Since it is mandatory for Thais over the age of 15 to carry their ID card at all times I could not send the card. This explanation was accepted by DWP and I can confirm that they do not require translations as they employ their own interpreters, so they say. I suspect that what they really do is get the BKK Consulate to confirm the details.

The spouse of a UK National is paid the sum of 2K GBP tax free as stated in above postings. Since my wife is now logged into the UK Social Security system she will also receive a reduced pension paid at 4 weekly intervals into her Thai bank account for 12 months and receive a single person's State Pension when reaching the age of 62 years providing that she does not remarry. The DWP at my request provided me with a letter confirming these facts.

My understanding is that presently the DWP will only issue a N.I. number to wives who have had the right of domicile in the UK for a minimum of two years.

Completing the documentation required by the DWP is a fearsome task ( does your wife know the name of a previous wife, the dates on which you married and divorced? ) and I would advise asking DWP to send a claim form and completing it yourself so that all your wife has to do is sign and date the claim. I think that possibly you can download a copy from the DWP site. I photocopied the one requested when my wife's aunt's husband died and the DWP have said that they will raise no objection to that. In that instance the death certificate was issued by BIB not the hospital in which he died.

Like my friend Billd766 I have made out full instructions for my wife to follow when I kick on. My overseas bank accounts were changed to being in our joint names so that she has full drawing rights. I have written letters to others who pay pensions and annuities stating that I am no longer here for her to mail. The balances of my Thai bank accounts she can obtain by using my ATM card. I see no point in her playing silly buggers with Thai banks and in any case my Thai Will states that I leave everything to her provided that she survives me by 28 days. If she does not, then her two children will benefit.

I dealt with officialdom on behalf of my wife's aunt and had all kinds of trouble with members of his UK family who stated that their father had not been married but had merely received a blessing at the local wat. They lied and cheated to get their hands on his UK bank account and pension funds but to no avail since I provided their marriage certificate and copies of her Thai passport. It was clear that they regarded his widow as a 'jungle bunny' of no account. One pension fund was so tardy in paying out due to the false claims that I asked the UK Pension Ombudsman to intervene. I would strongly advise that a UK Will be drawn up and notarised.

It is clear that many are confused by all the procedures to be followed if they want their widows to be provided for and it requires no imagination at all to realise that it may well be a task beyond the capabilities of most Thai ladies. Relying on others to sort things out is something that I would not recommend, particularly using a Thai lawyer.

Excellent clear and precise prose. Can I ask you, do you have a Thai will and if so did you write it yourself or get a Thai Lawyer to do it for you?

As stated in my post I have had a Thai Last Will and Testament drawn up as has my wife. We used a Thai lawyer friend.

I believe that a UK Will is declared invalid if you remarry. If you die intestate then the first 250K GBP goes to the nearest relative and as I have pointed out, if you have a Thai wife your UK family may contest this using any artifice that they can think of.

My UK will states that my UK will does not effect or revoke any will I have made in Thailand. My Thai will will state the same, that will solve any family fights. The people in the UK understand that whats in the UK stays in the UK, whats in Thailand stays in Thailand. From the Thai end the same agreement.

I have not heard about the re marry situation, but I can imagine how family members might seek to exploit that, that is problem that needs to be dealt with for sure, I think I have made my position clear to my executor, she works for an International law firm in the UK, so as far as I can see, I have done as much as I can for now, just need to sort out the Thai will!

Edited October 19, 2012 by nong38

[Bagwan]

and it requires no imagination at all to realise that it may well be a task beyond the capabilities of most Thai ladies.

Hummm, so why's that then?

Get a claim form and find out for yourself. Does your wife know the date of any previous marriage of yourself and can produce a copy of a decree nisi? Can your wife name all your former employers and the dates of your employment with them? Does she know of all the addresses in homes that you have lived? If you think that I was implying that Thai ladies are thick then I suggest that you think too much - or not at all.

[chiang mai]

The lawyer last week tells me that, if not married and no will, the estate goes to parents, children then brothers and sisters, in that order, any UK will would not be enforceable here in Thailand. If married and a will exists then no problem as set out for Thai assets only - and as nong38 has stated, UK will does not revoke the Thai will but only covers assets in the UK, ditto the Thai will does not revoke the UK will but only covers Thai assets.

[Bagwan]

So, after years of living in the UK - Thai women are incapable of filling a form and sending it off? How have they lived up until this point? Tell you what, I hate it when the Geezers who have married poor, uneduated farm girls from the bars etc asssume that we all have.

If I started filling out all the forms that come to our house and told my Mrs is is 'beyond her capabilities' I'd be eating my fookin som tam with a thick ear with Gerald the pooch outside in the dog house for the net week.

I hate it when morons make assumptions. I venture that the majority of Thai ladies who have had the misfortune to be transported to the UK would have difficulty in dealing with any UK Government department, even those who had been domiciled there for some lengthy time; even many of the natives struggle in that respect. Ask yourself why anybody who is living in the UK would ask for guidance on a board dedicated to all things Thai? Wouldn't they obtain assistsnce from family members or the CAB? It should be pretty obvious to anybody of average intelligence that this thread was initiated to garner first hand knowledge and advice to benefit those living in Thailand.

Your inference, that without a shred of evidence to support such a view, that I married a lady from the bar scene is insolent in the extreme, and similar to the main thrust of your idiotic post, way off beam. I hope that you will offended if I assume that you married a female Sumo wrestler since she is liable to offer physical violence.

[Expatwannabee]

Hi

As the rules stand at the present if you are married in the eyes of the UK government she will get a state pension, based on your contributions, when she reaches state pension age,

Your wife will also on your death be entitled to bereavement payment (a one off lump sum of £2000) and bereavement allowance if she is over 45 ( a taxable weekly benefit. It is paid for up to 52 weeks from the date of your death, ranges from £32 at age 45 to £106 at age 55+)

see here bereavement payment - http://www.direct.go...ved/DG_10018703

and bereavement allowance here - http://www.direct.go...ved/DG_10018684

claim form, national insurance number will be issued as part of the claim here - http://www.dwp.gov.u...s/bb1_print.pdf

there are separate rules if there are any young children.

it may be useful to fill in the form bb1 as far as possible and leave it with any legal docs, etc.

sorry billd766 missed your attachement

Whilst all of the above used to be the case, a new rule now stops payments to people who are not liable for UK benefits (ie they have to be able to prove that they have lived in the UK for 5 years).I'm not sure if once the 5Yrs plus are done whether pension payments continue if you then move back to Thailand but it looks as though they have closed the door on wives getting a pension based on their husbands contributions if living abroad (outside EEA).

[chiang mai]

Hi

As the rules stand at the present if you are married in the eyes of the UK government she will get a state pension, based on your contributions, when she reaches state pension age,

Your wife will also on your death be entitled to bereavement payment (a one off lump sum of £2000) and bereavement allowance if she is over 45 ( a taxable weekly benefit. It is paid for up to 52 weeks from the date of your death, ranges from £32 at age 45 to £106 at age 55+)

see here bereavement payment - http://www.direct.go...ved/DG_10018703

and bereavement allowance here - http://www.direct.go...ved/DG_10018684

claim form, national insurance number will be issued as part of the claim here - http://www.dwp.gov.u...s/bb1_print.pdf

there are separate rules if there are any young children.

it may be useful to fill in the form bb1 as far as possible and leave it with any legal docs, etc.

sorry billd766 missed your attachement

Whilst all of the above used to be the case, a new rule now stops payments to people who are not liable for UK benefits (ie they have to be able to prove that they have lived in the UK for 5 years).I'm not sure if once the 5Yrs plus are done whether pension payments continue if you then move back to Thailand but it looks as though they have closed the door on wives getting a pension based on their husbands contributions if living abroad (outside EEA).

That appears to be in line with the US model and makes a lot of sence, unfortunately.

[DonW]

So, after years of living in the UK - Thai women are incapable of filling a form and sending it off? .......

Whilst I agree that the phrase

Bagwan, on 2012-10-18 06:39:37, said:

and it requires no imagination at all to realise that it may well be a task beyond the capabilities of most Thai ladies.

is a demeaning stereotype; it does need to be remembered that the OP asking about, and I assume Bagwan is referring to, Thai women who do not and never have lived in the UK and therefore may have limited English skills; especially reading and writing.

Whereas you are talking about Thai women who do live in the UK and so have, or should have, far better English skills; whatever their background or how they met their husband.

It is demeaning to assume that Thai women are such tards that they cannot fill a simple form. However, 7by7, you sprise me with your equally somehwat demeaning stereotype. Whether Bagwan is refering to Thai women who live in England or Thai women who live in Thailand - the sterotype is still the same.

My wife and any Thai women who attended a reasonable school has studied English and could navigate such a simple form. Hell, my neice attending a Thai uni could manage this when she finished high school.

Also, you are mistaken about the reading writing shortfall. Thais who have been educated at school, are often more adapt at reading and writing as their teachers focus on this. They do not have the opportunity to converse with farangs and practice speaking and listening.

I think you will find that a Thai who is skilled in oral and verbal skills but cannot read and write has learnt their skills by conversing with Farang rather than through study.

I find it very vile that some many members have such a poor attitude with regards their wives and the femail population in general.

[DonW]

I thought it might be useful for folks to understand what other countries do regarding inheriting home state pensions:

Despite being a Brit I recieve the US SSc (Pension) and this can be inherited by my wife except the rules are pretty stringent. If she were American she would inherit it automatically, ditto if she had lived in the US for five years at any point in her life. As things stand she is neither of those things so her only way out is to become a resident of one the countries with whom the US has a reciprocal tax agreement (the UK and the PI are both countries that have them). So in order for her to recieve that pension after my death (she would actually recieve more then than I recieve now for some odd reason) we'll have to move to the UK, if the answer from the UK's DW&P comes back that she is elligible to inherit my UK state pension, providing she has become resident in the UK, we might just do that. I find it odd however that the US system effectively discriminates against partners based on their country of origin and on whether or not the US has a tax agreement with that country.

Excellent post, thank you. I will email this to my other American Buddy.

[DonW]

I believe that a UK Will is declared invalid if you remarry. If you die intestate then the first 250K GBP goes to the nearest relative and as I have pointed out, if you have a Thai wife your UK family may contest this using any artifice that they can think of.

This is sensible advice and everyone should have a will drawn up in the UK with a trustworthy trustee.

[DonW]

So, after years of living in the UK - Thai women are incapable of filling a form and sending it off? How have they lived up until this point? Tell you what, I hate it when the Geezers who have married poor, uneduated farm girls from the bars etc asssume that we all have.

If I started filling out all the forms that come to our house and told my Mrs is is 'beyond her capabilities' I'd be eating my fookin som tam with a thick ear with Gerald the pooch outside in the dog house for the net week.

Look I dont think we are talking about specific ladies of Thailand but the elements we need to think about are speaking, reading, writing and understanding another language, then there is the language used in forms. Its easier if a a UK national could prepare the ground as much as possible to save the lady problems at a potentially difficult moment in her life, its nothing to do with racism or anything like that its the practicalities of the situation. If leters are exchanged because of an error, who does she consult? We are aiming to take care of who are left behind.

I am looking. and I I agree we are talking about specific women, not Thai women in general. I've never liked that phrase, 'Thai ladies'. You wouldnt say 'English, America, Hong Kong ladies' They are women. Its almost as bad as that other vile stereotype, 'Thai wives'.

All other points, I agree with. As I have previously stated, Nong. Take care of your wives. But dont assume mine and and my friend partners are illitrates.

[DonW]

and it requires no imagination at all to realise that it may well be a task beyond the capabilities of most Thai ladies.

Hummm, so why's that then?

Get a claim form and find out for yourself. Does your wife know the date of any previous marriage of yourself and can produce a copy of a decree nisi? Can your wife name all your former employers and the dates of your employment with them? Does she know of all the addresses in homes that you have lived? If you think that I was implying that Thai ladies are thick then I suggest that you think too much - or not at all.

Of course she would know if and when I was previously married. She would also be able to read the marriage cert and divorce certs. She can also read my resume. I think too much or you are unable to communicate your thoughts in a clear and coherant way. Bloody'el and its me who is the foeigner and should 'go back to Khurdland'.!

[DonW]

So, after years of living in the UK - Thai women are incapable of filling a form and sending it off? How have they lived up until this point? Tell you what, I hate it when the Geezers who have married poor, uneduated farm girls from the bars etc asssume that we all have.

If I started filling out all the forms that come to our house and told my Mrs is is 'beyond her capabilities' I'd be eating my fookin som tam with a thick ear with Gerald the pooch outside in the dog house for the net week.

I hate it when morons make assumptions. I venture that the majority of Thai ladies who have had the misfortune to be transported to the UK would have difficulty in dealing with any UK Government department, even those who had been domiciled there for some lengthy time; even many of the natives struggle in that respect. Ask yourself why anybody who is living in the UK would ask for guidance on a board dedicated to all things Thai? Wouldn't they obtain assistsnce from family members or the CAB? It should be pretty obvious to anybody of average intelligence that this thread was initiated to garner first hand knowledge and advice to benefit those living in Thailand.

Your inference, that without a shred of evidence to support such a view, that I married a lady from the bar scene is insolent in the extreme, and similar to the main thrust of your idiotic post, way off beam. I hope that you will offended if I assume that you married a female Sumo wrestler since she is liable to offer physical violence.

So, hold on - you hate it when' morons make assumptions' but in the next sentence you say

' I venture that the majority of Thai ladies who have had the misfortune to be transported to the UK would have difficulty in dealing with any UK Government department, even those who had been domiciled there for some lengthy time'.

So, by such a ridiculos assumption, 'without a shred of evidence to support such a view', you are, by your own admission, a 'Moron'. And my wife wasn't 'transported' anywhere. She is a person, not a shipped possession. Your view of Thai women really is quite vile.

Edited October 19, 2012 by DonW

[7by7]

My wife and any Thai women who attended a reasonable school has studied English and could navigate such a simple form. Hell, my neice attending a Thai uni could manage this when she finished high school.

I am not saying that a Thai, of any gender, who is proficient in written English could not fill in this form; but there are many who are not; especially if they live in Thailand and have had little use for it since they left school.

My stepson probably could, as his work involves using both his spoken and written English. His wife? She attended the same university as him, it's where they met, and can converse reasonably well in English; but she has not used her written English since leaving university 5 years ago and would probably struggle with this form.

You, yourself, have shown in previous posts that because English is not your first language you sometimes struggle with written English and make simple errors; even though you use it everyday. Imagine how a woman struggling to cope with the death of her husband and who has not used whatever written English she may have learned at school for many years would fare when faced with such a form.

[billd766]

So, after years of living in the UK - Thai women are incapable of filling a form and sending it off? How have they lived up until this point? Tell you what, I hate it when the Geezers who have married poor, uneduated farm girls from the bars etc asssume that we all have.

If I started filling out all the forms that come to our house and told my Mrs is is 'beyond her capabilities' I'd be eating my fookin som tam with a thick ear with Gerald the pooch outside in the dog house for the net week.

I just reread the BB1 form and have a couple of questions for you.

Does your wife know your NI number? ITS IN OUR DOCUMENTS DRAW. I DONT KNOW MY NUMBER

Are you retired? NO

Did you pay NI contributions for 5 years before the death? WELL, IM NOT DEAD. THOIGH IF I WAS THEN MY WIFE WOULD KNOW THAT I PAID TAX AND NI WHILST IN WORK AND I WERE RETIRED 5 YEARS BEFORE MY DEATH SHE WOULD KNOW I PAID NEITHER

Were you employed or self employed? YOU MEAN BEFORE I DIED? THOUGH I THINK MY 'THAI WIFE' WOULD KNOW FULL WELL IF I WAS EMPLOYED OR SELF EMPLOYED - THIS IS WITHIN HER CAPABILITIES.

Did you ever live outsie the UK, if so where, when and for how long? WELL, SHE WOULD KNOW THIS TO, BEING MY WIFE AND ALL.

Does she know what to send and where? IS THERE ANY ADDRESS ON THE FORM? IF NOT, SHE HAS ACCESS TO GOOGLE AND THE TELEPHONE.

<deleted> Mate, a teenager could navigate that form

Does your wife know all of your personal history?

It IS easy IF you have all the information but if you die without passing on this information how will your wife be able to fill it in?

After all she won't be able to ask you will she.

[DonW]

My wife and any Thai women who attended a reasonable school has studied English and could navigate such a simple form. Hell, my neice attending a Thai uni could manage this when she finished high school.

I am not saying that a Thai, of any gender, who is proficient in written English could not fill in this form; but there are many who are not; especially if they live in Thailand and have had little use for it since they left school.

My stepson probably could, as his work involves using both his spoken and written English. His wife? She attended the same university as him, it's where they met, and can converse reasonably well in English; but she has not used her written English since leaving university 5 years ago and would probably struggle with this form.

You, yourself, have shown in previous posts that because English is not your first language you sometimes struggle with written English and make simple errors; even though you use it everyday. Imagine how a woman struggling to cope with the death of her husband and who has not used whatever written English she may have learned at school for many years would fare when faced with such a form.

OK - I seee your point now 7by7. By legitimising his post, you came accross as, to a degree, in agreement with it. If his wife studied at Uni then she may be a bit rusty but I am sure that uni level English, no matter how old, she would manage to complete it with a little effort - its certainly not beyond her capabilities for the very reason that she is 'Thai'. You clearly haven't married into a family of uneducated farming Peasants and so you are able to see the difference. I myself am from the peasantry classes and have no issue with this. However, to assume that all Thais are uneduacted peasants is wrong. I speak several of the Zaza–Gorani languages, of course Arabic also English rather well , reasonable Thai and better French. Not bad for an immigrant peasant.

I wouldnt say I struggle, I would say I make some errors in writing. I mananged to complete an MBA at a top UK uni, so I am confident I could manage a form! Your example of a grief sticken wife, attempting to cope with the immediate / recent death of her husband is a wholly different issue (not that Id imagine she would be filling out the form whilst grieving). And in any case, whether she is British, Thai, from Hong Kong or Etheopia - I would imagine anyone grief stricken would hve issues with a form. Its got nothing to do with her being Thai.

We agree on one point - both you and I have said his comment was wrong. He keeps pushing that same comment and the ridiculous assumptions therein and proving himself to be that which he accusses others of being - a Moron. So, there's not much else to say, is there.

[DonW]

So, after years of living in the UK - Thai women are incapable of filling a form and sending it off? How have they lived up until this point? Tell you what, I hate it when the Geezers who have married poor, uneduated farm girls from the bars etc asssume that we all have.

If I started filling out all the forms that come to our house and told my Mrs is is 'beyond her capabilities' I'd be eating my fookin som tam with a thick ear with Gerald the pooch outside in the dog house for the net week.

I just reread the BB1 form and have a couple of questions for you.

Does your wife know your NI number? ITS IN OUR DOCUMENTS DRAW. I DONT KNOW MY NUMBER

Are you retired? NO

Did you pay NI contributions for 5 years before the death? WELL, IM NOT DEAD. THOIGH IF I WAS THEN MY WIFE WOULD KNOW THAT I PAID TAX AND NI WHILST IN WORK AND I WERE RETIRED 5 YEARS BEFORE MY DEATH SHE WOULD KNOW I PAID NEITHER

Were you employed or self employed? YOU MEAN BEFORE I DIED? THOUGH I THINK MY 'THAI WIFE' WOULD KNOW FULL WELL IF I WAS EMPLOYED OR SELF EMPLOYED - THIS IS WITHIN HER CAPABILITIES.

Did you ever live outsie the UK, if so where, when and for how long? WELL, SHE WOULD KNOW THIS TO, BEING MY WIFE AND ALL.

Does she know what to send and where? IS THERE ANY ADDRESS ON THE FORM? IF NOT, SHE HAS ACCESS TO GOOGLE AND THE TELEPHONE.

<deleted> Mate, a teenager could navigate that form

Does your wife know all of your personal history?

It IS easy IF you have all the information but if you die without passing on this information how will your wife be able to fill it in?

After all she won't be able to ask you will she.

Does my wife no my personal history? Are you for real? She's my bloody wife, of course she knows my history. This is about her having the capabilities to navigate a simple form not her being able to pass a gameshow challenge about my favourite <deleted> song.

Could your wife answer any of the questions you put to me regards your goodself?

[nong38]

So, after years of living in the UK - Thai women are incapable of filling a form and sending it off? How have they lived up until this point? Tell you what, I hate it when the Geezers who have married poor, uneduated farm girls from the bars etc asssume that we all have.

If I started filling out all the forms that come to our house and told my Mrs is is 'beyond her capabilities' I'd be eating my fookin som tam with a thick ear with Gerald the pooch outside in the dog house for the net week.

I hate it when morons make assumptions. I venture that the majority of Thai ladies who have had the misfortune to be transported to the UK would have difficulty in dealing with any UK Government department, even those who had been domiciled there for some lengthy time; even many of the natives struggle in that respect. Ask yourself why anybody who is living in the UK would ask for guidance on a board dedicated to all things Thai? Wouldn't they obtain assistsnce from family members or the CAB? It should be pretty obvious to anybody of average intelligence that this thread was initiated to garner first hand knowledge and advice to benefit those living in Thailand.

Your inference, that without a shred of evidence to support such a view, that I married a lady from the bar scene is insolent in the extreme, and similar to the main thrust of your idiotic post, way off beam. I hope that you will offended if I assume that you married a female Sumo wrestler since she is liable to offer physical violence.

Steady on Bagwan, cool down you made all your pounts well but forgot to mention one very important one. Whenever you a Govt form you have to read the notes first explaining how you need to fill in the form, which usually makes you even more confused!

We all want to make life easy for us and those around us, I would call it forward planning, sadly its not a subject taught in the Kingdom.