BongoBill9999

All the Brit newspapers are here (includes many local ones):- http://www.wrx.zen.co.uk/britnews.htm Bill Seems the Express only lets you read the first page and then wants to charge! Cheapskates.

Honkers and Shankers (HSBC). Probably not the cheapest but you will get good service all over asia, and indeed elsewhere. Bill

I did state that I was using the offshore figures (from OANDA) and just under 4% is what you get for the past three months. But what do they know - that is the outside world without the fudging of the Bank of Thailand. I am aware that the BOT brought in the two tier rate in attempt to thwart the speculators. Of course there is often a wide difference between the offshore and onshore rate, as we all know and it has been converging, hence the figures you show. Would be nice to know what the BOT is up to. Bill

You are suggesting that the £ has depreciated some 15% against the Baht since October. This is not the case. The AVERAGE value of £1 in October (using the offshore rate) was 65.06 and the AVERAGE value this month thus far is 62.59, a drop of just under 4%. The onshore rate will differ somewhat but not that much. Anyone can find large variations between dates, but ignore the peaks and troughs to get a clearer picture (unless you are a currency speculator, in which case the they are important ). The value of sterling is affected by many factors but prominent are interest rates in the UK compared with the US and the EU, and the trade deficit (which caused the big decline in Dec/Jan. Yesterday the voting results of the Bank of England MPC indicated that further cuts were likely, so the pound fell vs the USD. I know that the Baht is not linked to the USD but, certainly, it is profoundly affected by it. I have no more idea about the future than the man in the moon but say, if the £ dropped another 10% against the USD bringing it to about $1.75 (and this is widely forecast in some circles) then that would equate to a drop to about 55 Baht to the £. That said, it could be argued that the Baht is now overvalued and the Bank of Thailand appears to do wierd and wonderful things with the onshore (which they can heavily influence vs the offshore rate (which the market decides). So who knows, the Baht may crash significantly. It has happened before!!!! Just personal views on my part as I keep a close eye on things prior to relocating to LOS (when my freaking house sells!!!) Remember, one economist interviewed and you get a view. Two economists interviewed and you get a discussion. Three or more economists interviewed and you get an arguement! Bill ps I am not an economist. No flaming! Errors and omissions accepted!

It's already in law, Stan. This from the UK Gov Pension Website "The state pension age for both men and women is to increase from 65 to 68 between 2024 and 2046, with each change phased in over two consecutive years in each decade. The first increase, from 65 to 66, will be phased in between April 2024 and April 2026; the second, from 66 to 67, will be phased in between April 2034 and April 2036; and the third, from 67 to 68, between April 2044 and April 2046." I will be aged 99 when the changeover completes (pushing up daisies morelike). Don't think it will affect you either! Bill

LX1273 A320 LX182 A340-300 SK972 A340-300 www.flightstats.com will give you the info. Think I hit return the same time as Evil

It was a 747 so it had 3 spare engines. If it were BA it would have carried on (as one did from LA to London a while back)

Also stayed there many years ago (v big rooms) but as stated it has been refurbed a while back. I looked into it again a couple of years ago after the refurb and found that it catered mainly to a Russian clientele. Da Bill

Looks like a very good deal. Thanks for the heads up

Nope, she isn't blind. Everyone in the UK over the age of 75 (including millionaires) gets a free TV license! Good ol socialism (I don't think). Blind people just get a discount which just shows how stupd the whole freakin system is. Mine expires at the end of Feb, just hope my house is sold by then and I will be a country that doesn't use this pathetic system. Bill

By Dontcha It looks like you guys in the UK and the USA are getting avery raw deal from your governments at the end of your working lives In general I would agree that the state pension in the UK is crap. However, what has not been mentioned are all the other benefits that people get. Just as an example I know of a friend who gets the following:- A single persons state pension with credit (£113 pw) Approx £64 a week for help (attendance allowance) A very nice 2 bed flat (apartment) rent free, maintenance free, A new fitted kitchen and new central heating recently fitted, free An extra £300 a year for heating Free TV licence (for what that is worth) Free NHS, prescriptions etc Recently fitted stairlift in her flat - free Free local bus travel (from everywhere from April next) She pays no income or council (property taxes). She reckons she has never had it so good. Her husband now deceased was a deep sea fisherman and not well paid. I know all this is true - she is my mother. Bill

Alan I am as certain as I can be about the reduced requirement - I have looked hard and fast over the past couple of days to see if there is a change over period but have found nothing. You can get NP46 the Guide to State pensions here. http://pensionsgroup.org/pdf/np46/np46apr05.pdf It is updated to cover the pensions act of 2007 and page 2 states quite clearly that only 30 qualifying years are required for those claiming the pension after April 2010. If you have the 30 years I would see no point in paying voluntary contributions unless it gives you some other advantage of which I am unaware. I take your point about residence. God forbid that I should ever break the spirit of the law. However, HMG makes it difficult to be a non resident (because they want the tax) but for someone who just has the basic pension and has never received benefits and just chooses to go on very long holidays I don't really see a problem, and if one does turn up after the person has croaked, who gives a flying f*ck. Bill

Just a few additional points:- The single persons state pension in UK is indeed £87 pw which isn't much, but this is topped up to about £113 pw with pension credits if that person has no other income. It is raised each year in line with increases in the retail price index. From about 2012 it will be increased in line with incomes, rather than inflation. Also, if you get your state pension after 2010 you will only need 30 years National Insurance contributions which is good for me as I retired early and get my state pension in 2012. Sinbin is right that the pension "withers on the vine" if a person moves abroad, except to EU and certain other countries (PI being one of them) but not LOS, otherwise it is topped up annually with a cost of living increase. Interestingly, I have an Armed Forces Pension and that increases annually no matter where I live. Joined up thinking by the Brit Government!!!!! Of course, all you need is a UK address while abroad and ones state pension will increase! The UK government keeps no track of where you go out of the country so how would they know? Currently they don't even know WHEN you leave the country, and when that is introduced they won't know your (ultimate) destination. Also with a UK address you have no drama with using the NHS in the future. It may be advantageous to declare that one is living abroad in order to avoid paying UK taxes on say offshore interest on bank deposits, but that has to be balanced with pension increases and will vary with the individual. Bill

Spot on FTC and a very handy URL which I wasn't aware of. Thanks Bill

Booked MAN - BKK 21 August few days ago with WestEast Travel for £450. Opodo was quoting £456. Bill