Bazle

Diito Kasikorn Bank in Royal Garden.

The arms of Big Brother get ever longer

As I said above - "London is a huge city and often friends live a long way away; you usually meet up with them in the centre. I have no friends who I would want to bother to come all the way to where I live every week. They don't come when I'm here - why should they do so when I'm not!!" If you haven't done so, you might like to take a look at the small print in your parents' insurance policies. You might not be doing enough to satisfy the terms.

Thanks. As I mentioned above, I've been around the local estate agents which do property management to ask how much they would charge to come and inspect the property regularly. The only one which was interested quoted £96 for 2 visits!

Yes, I'd be willing to go without contents insurance (don't have any expensive things - it's just for carpets, curtains, kitchen goods etc.). However, the buildings insurance is a different matter. It's not just the amount at risk, it is the fact that it is a term of my lease that I have valid insurance, so I would be breaking the lease terms. Can't risk it!

Perhaps you would like to say to what purpose this information would be put. You also need to define "quality" and "price tag".

It looks like their prices get shitty for departures from the UK after 30 November.

I've just booked through NetFlights flights with EVA - travel from UK to LOS mid-November, return mid-December. Price £492 which I thought was a good deal. The flight out is at 9.20pm, the flight home at 1.10pm - both very civilised. Direct flights. There seems to be plenty of availability at the moment.

So you know Villa that well

Yes, I considered that a while ago - for about a millisecond. Thanks for the thought, though. I've just been around the local estate agents which do property management to ask how much they would charge to come and inspect the property regularly. The only one which was interested quoted £96 for 2 visits!

I was told it was an Ozzie, but ewe know what lengths they go to to conceal their real identity!

I have now spoken to several specialist unoccupied property insurance brokers. Some deal with cover only for landlords, some other only for probate scenarios. The remaining ones all require the property to be inspected regularly - usually every 7 days (max length quoted was 14 days). It is this requirement for inspection that I'm trying to work around.

We've got used to seeing the GBP fall on almost a daily basis for the last year or so. But, in the last couple of weeks, the GBP seems to be back in favour with rises rather than falls. I've just taken a look (http://news.bbc.co.uk/news/business/market_data/currency/default.stm) and it has nudged over the magical 50:THB mark

I've found this about the Wimbledon one (from http://www.siamthai.co.uk/) All being well I won't be able to go - I'll be in Patts

Agreed. I watched it (in Patts) about a year ago with my barfine for the evening. We both enjoyed the show over cocktails, but not food. I remember that the bill was hefty.

A few pictures There were loads of stalls selling food. What I had was both good and cheap. In one case, I wasn’t sure what was on sale. There was also drink from the InterBev Group, one of the Festival’s sponsors WestEast Travel had a stand. Massage was available Inevitably, there was an opportunity to buy property in Thailand (and other foreign lands) I think Health & Safety must have heard about the Bangkok riots! A meeting of a sub-committee of the Anglo Thai Mutual Appreciation Society, perhaps? I loved this website address (and the slogan on the girl’s teeshirt) There was a small stage with a variety of entertainment throughout the day. The lovely hostess Joe Louis puppeteers These guys decided to provide some off-stage entertainment Being given away was the 31st issue of the Amthai Paper - “The First Thai Newspaper in the UK and Europe”

For anyone in London, don't forget the Thai Festival is on today. The weather is dry but overcast, but I'm sure there will be things there to brighten up the gloom.

I hate those beds with footboards. I turn over when I'm asleep and stub my toes on the bloody things

Actually, you didn't ask me: I just chose to comment.

Tony at Magna Carta has been mentioned on the Pattaya forums for many years and I cannot recall seeing anything but positive comments. I used his services in regard to buying a condo and another matter recently; he was very helpful and knew his way around. He has Thais working for him.

Ditto

That can be a big problem if you have to make a claim.

Thanks. That's very helpful - I'll follow it up.

Having retired, I was hoping to spend an extended period in Patts over the English winter - maybe about 5 months. However, there are some practical problems with this, the main ones being connected with insurances. As background, I live in a leasehold apartment in outer London. Contents insurance and buildings insurance Both these policies become invalid if I am absent for more than 30 days. I have heard from the contents insurance company that I can get this extended to 90 days provided that I have someone enter the property and inspect it every week. I am told unofficially that the buildings insurance company is going to say more or less the same. Firstly, 90 days is not long enough - although I guess I could live with it. Secondly, I have a big problem having someone come and inspect the place. London is a huge city and often friends live a long way away; you usually meet up with them in the centre. I have no friends who I would want to bother to come all the way to where I live every week. They don't come when I'm here - why should they do so when I'm not!! Travel insurance My travel insurance limits trips to 30 days. I have done some research and find that I can get a policy that will allow 90 days away, but it will cost over £200 and will just cover that one absence. The main item of cover in a travel policy is medical. I thought about not taking travel insurance but instead buying medical cover in Patts. However, the problem with that is that it is unlikely to cover me if I travel outside of Thailand, which I want to do. Has anyone had to deal with these issues and found solutions to them, please? Thanks.