clifric

For those of you who might still have concerns e.g. who can help your wife if you go first, I recommend you join the Royal British Legion here in Thailand. Members can deposit an envelope containing information on assets, next of kin, copies of will etc for opening only in the case of death or, in some instances, dementia.
The legion will send an officer to liaise once they have been informed. Anyone interested contact http://www.rblthailand.com/

Ricardo - if you left the UK less than 15 years ago, you do have an MP and can still vote in national elections. You have to register for overseas voting and you can use a proxy in the UK to vote for you or receive postal votes.  The latter is no use here as the timetable does not allow sufficient time to get your vote back. However, there is a revision going through Parliament to extend the timetable to allow overseas voters, particularly servicemen, to retain their franchise. There is a campaign for voting rights to be permanent for UK citizens wherever they live.

Astral gives the url for the International Consortium of British Pensioners and for the e-petition. We need the 100,001 signatures before a debate will be consdered and also an MP to promote the debate.  Another link is http://www.parliamen...dm/2010-12/1895 where over 100 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion to support unfreezing pensions for those affected.

I would strongly recommend people visit the ICBP site to get the correct information. As to visiting UK every 6 months I don't think the pension increase would cover the air fare!

Like HH farang we put out our newspapers and bottles (plastic and glass) for an old gent who cycles past every day. My wife used to store all the old copies of BPost biut when she told me she got around 100 baht for a month's worth I told her to put hem out daily for the 'collector'.

As for children collecting, I originally paid them so they could get home to bed only to be told they get sent out again as soon as they sold out.  There is one kid who goes to the barbecue by Hua Hin school who can cry to make you feel really sorry; however I now find myself immune along with all the other patrons. I think it is donw to our own conscience and yu never know if oyu have bnen fooled. There is a foul smeling lady who walks around Hua Hin market every morning and she is loaded - I've seen her throwing food away as she has too much.

As the Thais say - up to you'

Sports Villa pool is 25 metres end to end. The monthly fee is 600 baht. I swim 1.5 kms most weekdays around 0745 and it is generally quiet. Just Fred the resident German who swims 1 km twice before lunch at 78 years old and is still quite quick. T here is also a 'fitness' room with new machines (2010) at , I think 900 baht a month) - there are daily rates - the pool is 50 baht but I don't know the 'fitness' rate as I run on the beach.

World Cup and Olympic bids plus Royal Wedding - anything left over goes to HMRC!!!!

kuffki, on 2011-07-10 20:28:29, said: