rickudon

Yes, an uprated pension would be nice, but this is about voting. Unless new procedures are put in place, how will you exercise this right? Fly back to the UK to cast your vote? Get a postal vote? I did this here in Thailand for the first election i would have missed, the form arrived in Thailand 2 days after the election! Only other option is a proxy vote - but it has to be done by someone in the same constituency as you. How many of us have someone still around in your old home town who you trust to vote for you?

Well, my bad experiences were pre-pandemic, but a mixture of fears about money laundering and reporting requirements on foreigners bank accounts, which results in over the top documentation requirements (therefore extra work), not actually knowing how to do things and sheer greed. Last bank account i opened took 3 visits, 2 hours filling in forms and providing documents and a thai guarantor ( not the wife). The ridiculous thing was that i already had one account with them! In the UK opening a new account takes 5 minutes and can usually be done online. Same branch said they couldn'

I gave up using banks in malls over a year ago. Long queues, reluctant to do counter withdrawals, do not want to open new bank accounts for farang. The main branch i use has its own carpark, opens early, and i am in and out in 5 minutes with my counter withdrawal done smoothly and fee free.

Forms are provided to you when doing your extension at Udon Thani, no need to download beforehand.

Just being an average retired pensioner, I only contribute 500-600,000 baht a year. BUT i have been doing this for 11 years........ seen a lot of change in the Thai families welfare in that time

I also am awaiting my policy from Roojai, renewed a month ago.....

So the cartel sets a price ...... given that my local Bangkok hospital charges 5,000 baht for a Covid test, I doubt the vaccination will be any cheaper.

So another 100 million doses have been 'ordered'. Means nothing without a contractual delivery plan. 10 million doses this year, 90 million next? Vaccine doses cannot be magically produced from thin air. About 9 billion doses have already been ordered, but less than 2 billion delivered ( couldn't get up to date clear figures). There is a long queue.

I am also researching this. Quatar and Emirates stop in red list countries, so no go. Singapore airlines is a bit expensive, works to go to UK, as entry from Thailand permitted, but I think currently you cannot fly London - Singapore on return. Lufthansa is a possibility and quite cheap (return). BUT covid test is required and only valid for 48 hours before boarding. If you are then changing at Frankfurt you may be out of time for your 2nd leg, so not sure if boarding is allowed. I think this needs to be confirmed. Finnair is quite cheap and I

My air purifier suspiciously always settles at a PM2.5 level of 8, two minutes after starting ........

Also you could consider getting a non-immigrant 'O' 3 month retirement visa in the UK. Maybe a bit more onerous to get than a visa exempt, but would skip the conversion process in Thailand. That would get you 3 months to arrange bank account, transfer money in (has to be 2 months before applying for your 12 month extension). Be aware that the area you wish to stay may have slight variations on how rules are applied - someone may enlighten you on local issues. Bank accounts - in my experience branches in shopping malls are the most irrational at applying rules on opening accou

Which year?

It is not a question of IF we will be offered vaccinations, because it will happen. The questions are WHEN and how much .....

I did a taste test about 6-7 years ago on a range of Thai beers using the male Thai family. Red horse came under the 'not like' category, which i agreed with.

No one has mentioned any analysis of the results in the Seychelles. So here is mine. First bare in mind that prior to January this year Seychelles had very few cases and only one death, so basically the whole population was vulnerable. Cases started going up in January, BEFORE the vaccination campaign began. If the vaccines were totally ineffective, during the current surge vaccinated people would be getting infected as often as unvaccinated people. 60% have been fully vaccinated, but they make up only one third of cases. Also remember some of those people were only vaccinated in the las