British Pensioners in Thailand.

[bonghead]

Morning all, there is so very interesting reading on the problems pensioner have,or will have in the future at,  andrew-drummond.com/,                    sorry cant give you the link laptop novice.

[CO-CO]

Morning all, there is so very interesting reading on the problems pensioner have,or will have in the future at,  andrew-drummond.com/,                    sorry cant give you the link laptop novice.

It is on his website:-



http://andrew-drummond.com/2012/09/11/the-scandal-of-britains-pensioners-in-thailand/

[dimple joe]

I think this article is very one-sided.

After all, the UK government has to set spending priorities.

Pensioners must realise that money is short.

There is not a lot left over once they've given billions to Europe, lined their own pockets fiddling expenses and lavishly rewarded banks and bankers for their sterling work.

It is essential surely, to ensure that foreign criminals when deported to their home countries, are not deprived of the comforts they receive in UK jails. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2185675/UK-taxpayers-foot-revamp-jails-Nigeria-Jamaica.html

Equally, everyone agrees that India needs our financial aid. How else would they be able to buy most of our steel industry, lots of our motor industry or afford their nuclear ambitions?  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2097264/Britain-WILL-giving-millions-aid-India-don-t-want-it.html

And it must be right that bastards visitors who have paid nothing in, get free healthcare on arrival wherever they come from. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1363085/Free-care-International-Health-Service-patients-queue-NHS-treatment-world.html

Pensioners should be more than thankful for what they get and should realise that it will not always be possible to maintain the level of payments they enjoy at the moment.

As more and more scum unfortunates wash up on Ukanistan shores, the cost of their housing, benefits, healthcare, etc., will inevitably rise; along with the amount of outreach programmes and financial support required to help our new arrivals convert the country to Islam and Sharia Law.

Just hope and pray that your grandaughter marries a muslim cleric when she's 12.

If she gets to 16 or 17 and is raped, she'll probably get stoned to death.

[CO-CO]

I think this article is very one-sided.

After all, the UK government has to set spending priorities.

Pensioners must realise that money is short.

There is not a lot left over once they've given billions to Europe, lined their own pockets fiddling expenses and lavishly rewarded banks and bankers for their sterling work.

It is essential surely, to ensure that foreign criminals when deported to their home countries, are not deprived of the comforts they receive in UK jails. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2185675/UK-taxpayers-foot-revamp-jails-Nigeria-Jamaica.html

Equally, everyone agrees that India needs our financial aid. How else would they be able to buy most of our steel industry, lots of our motor industry or afford their nuclear ambitions?  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2097264/Britain-WILL-giving-millions-aid-India-don-t-want-it.html

And it must be right that bastards visitors who have paid nothing in, get free healthcare on arrival wherever they come from. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1363085/Free-care-International-Health-Service-patients-queue-NHS-treatment-world.html

Pensioners should be more than thankful for what they get and should realise that it will not always be possible to maintain the level of payments they enjoy at the moment.

As more and more scum unfortunates wash up on Ukanistan shores, the cost of their housing, benefits, healthcare, etc., will inevitably rise; along with the amount of outreach programmes and financial support required to help our new arrivals convert the country to Islam and Sharia Law.

Just hope and pray that your grandaughter marries a muslim cleric when she's 12.

If she gets to 16 or 17 and is raped, she'll probably get stoned to death.

Thanks for that Joe.

I hadn't picked up that perspective and I now realise that I have been a totally selfish bastard; expecting to pick up not only what I was legally entitled to (by virtue of 'paying in' for 40 years) but also an annual inlation increase.

I shall now write to the Pension Service and ask them not only to ignore any future increments but keep most of the basic state pension after sending over enough for me to get a plate of somtam each day !  Also, to help their plight they may as well defer payment until I am 70 years old.

[dimple joe]

 

It is good that you have seen the error of your infidel ways.

In sha'Allāh you will be rewarded with many virgins and camels, or virgin camels if you prefer.

Allāh u Akbar

[TBWG]

CoCo that is very commendable of you, if only more British law abiding tax paying citizens followed your example then we would be able to support every layabout and scrounger that has been abandoned by their own governments.

Long may the UK continue to be the conscience of the world ~~ not.

TBWG

[CO-CO]

It is good that you have seen the error of your infidel ways.

In sha'Allāh you will be rewarded with many virgins and camels, or virgin camels if you prefer.

Allāh u Akbar

I have always failed to see the point, or attraction, in virgins.

I have to admit that I have not met many..............



..... looks like it is the camels, again !

[Nobby]

UK Pensioners
 
Let’s put the pensioners in jail and the criminals in a nursing home.
 
This way the pensioners would have access to showers, hobbies and walks.
 
They’d receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment, wheel chairs etc and they’d receive money instead of paying it out.
 
They would have constant video monitoring, so they could be helped instantly if they fell, or needed assistance.
 
Bedding would be washed twice a week, and all clothing would be ironed and returned to them.
 
A guard would check on them every 20 minutes and bring their meals and snacks to their cell.
 
They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose.
 
They would have access to a library, fitness room, spiritual counselling, eight-ball pool and education.
 
Simple clothing, shoes, slippers, PJ’s and legal aid would be free on request.
 
Private secure rooms for all with an outdoor exercise yard with gardens.
 
Each senior could also have a PC, TV,  radio, games console and daily phone calls.
 
There would be a board of directors to hear complaints, and the guards would have a code of conduct that would be strictly adhered to.

[silver]

Well said Nobby..what a great way to sum it up!

[Italiantony]

Reading through this is shocking.

http://andrew-drummond.com/2012/09/11/the-scandal-of-britains-pensioners-in-thailand/

What i find so shocking is that so many pensioners find themselves in this position.

 I mean for goodness sake a measly 120 pound (5,800 Baht) a week,it's hardly worth mentioning.

What do these people do with their money all through their life's,for argument sake even if you put say 50 pound a week away through your working life of say 40 years,that would give you a retirement lump sum of 104,000 pound,a nice start to you twilight years.

Don't people take steps for retirement like private pensions/investments/etc.

I will be due a state pension on retirement but i have had the foresight to make other provisions for my retirement years,i am amazed so many people don't think in the same way,it's amazing/ridiculous in my opinion.

As for those who move abroad without any financial backing the only thing i can say is WHY.

Why move to a foreign country without the proper resources,it border line stupidity/ridiculous.

I think we all have to be accountable for our actions,if you cannot afford to retire abroad then don't be a burden on everyone else,stay where you belong.

[dimple joe]

Tony, I suppose it's because English is not your native tongue, but you have totally missed the point.

No one is complaining about the amount of state pension payments.

The complaint is that the system is unfair for two reasons :-

1) Annual pension increases are not payable to those who have chosen to retire in Thailand whereas if they had chosen Europe, USA or even the Philippines, such increases ARE paid.

2) Pensioners who have paid in to the system for all their working lives are treated less well than immigrants, legal or otherwise, or even criminals in Jail.

Most people made provision for their retirement via savings and prudent investments; however, many found that the “rock solid” investments they put their money into are almost worthless and  their “copper bottomed” private pension schemes are paying less that 50% of the amounts promised/expected.

These problems were caused by a failure in regulation/oversight of the banking/financial sectors yet the UK government continues with bail outs and allows obscene bonus payments to bankers which reward the very incompetents (or should that be criminals?) who failed us.

Some pensioners in Thailand of course do receive annual increases because they are cheating the system and pretend that they still are resident in the UK. Is it fair that those who do not cheat are penalised?

Is it fair that a pensioner who has been prudent and honest and remains in the UK should pay for sheltered accommodation from his savings, while assorted scroungers skivers, muslim immigrant ragheads etc., IN THE SAME ACCOMMODATION, will have theirs paid for via a benefits system that they have made no contribution to?

It's good that you have made provisions for your retirement years – does this mean you will not be claiming your paltry state pension when it is due?

Far from being a burden, law abiding UK pensioners here in Thailand take nothing from the NHS, benefits system, winter fuel allowance etc., etc., we just want to be treated fairly.

[Italiantony]

Tony, I suppose it's because English is not your native tongue, but you have totally missed the point.

No one is complaining about the amount of state pension payments.

The complaint is that the system is unfair for two reasons :-

1) Annual pension increases are not payable to those who have chosen to retire in Thailand whereas if they had chosen Europe, USA or even the Philippines, such increases ARE paid.

2) Pensioners who have paid in to the system for all their working lives are treated less well than immigrants, legal or otherwise, or even criminals in Jail.

Most people made provision for their retirement via savings and prudent investments; however, many found that the “rock solid” investments they put their money into are almost worthless and  their “copper bottomed” private pension schemes are paying less that 50% of the amounts promised/expected.

These problems were caused by a failure in regulation/oversight of the banking/financial sectors yet the UK government continues with bail outs and allows obscene bonus payments to bankers which reward the very incompetents (or should that be criminals?) who failed us.

Some pensioners in Thailand of course do receive annual increases because they are cheating the system and pretend that they still are resident in the UK. Is it fair that those who do not cheat are penalised?

Is it fair that a pensioner who has been prudent and honest and remains in the UK should pay for sheltered accommodation from his savings, while assorted scroungers skivers, muslim immigrant ragheads etc., IN THE SAME ACCOMMODATION, will have theirs paid for via a benefits system that they have made no contribution to?

It's good that you have made provisions for your retirement years – does this mean you will not be claiming your paltry state pension when it is due?

Far from being a burden, law abiding UK pensioners here in Thailand take nothing from the NHS, benefits system, winter fuel allowance etc., etc., we just want to be treated fairly.

Yes i am aware of the fundamentals of the paper.

What i was trying to say was if you can afford to live abroad in your retirement years surly you would not want to do that on a shoestring budget from a state pension.

If you have not made provisions in the earlier part of you life well that is only down to the individual in question.

If we have these people who are whinging on about not getting a 5 pound a week increase in the state pension like everyone else,it tarnishes everyone with the same brush,i mean do we really want the local people to think of us in this way,certainly not
after all there are certain standards to uphold.

I mean i left Italy to get away from them sort of people always standing about with a held out hand,instead of getting off there own backside and doing something about their own situation.

What happens in Britain/Europe is nothing to do with us here,let them have there pittance of a pension,and leave us to enjoy our success from our earlier years.

As for the benefits fraudsters and low life criminals i would not even waste my breath talking about them,a total waste of good air,just lowlife garbage.

I could carry on and talk about the number of youngsters that are now becoming Teachers,not to benefit the education system of Thailand,but to allow them to live here on a shoestring wage,just so they can escape hard work in their native countries.

Anyway someone will probably reply to this post with somewhat different views.

Me i don't care about anything other than the years in front of me with good food,good wine,and a good women.

What more can a man ask for.

[mike]

Anyway someone will probably reply to this post with somewhat different views.

Me i don't care about anything other than the years in front of me with good food,good wine,and a good women.

What more can a man ask for.

And I guess that I am that someone .......

I'd really love to attribute this quote to me but it actaully comes from a book by Jon Krakauer called "Into the Wild"

"I have lived through much, and now I think I have found what is needed for happiness.

A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbor—such is my idea of happiness.

And then, on top of all that, you for a mate, and children perhaps—what can more the heart of man desire?"



Mike

[Italiantony]

Anyway someone will probably reply to this post with somewhat different views.

Me i don't care about anything other than the years in front of me with good food,good wine,and a good women.

What more can a man ask for.

And I guess that I am that someone .......

I'd really love to attribute this quote to me but it actaully comes from a book by Jon Krakauer called "Into the Wild"

"I have lived through much, and now I think I have found what is needed for happiness.

A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbor—such is my idea of happiness.

And then, on top of all that, you for a mate, and children perhaps—what can more the heart of man desire?"



Mike

What can more the heart of man desire?"

 A very large Bank Account.

[tommynew]

I had a wry smile about the piece replicated in italian tony's contribution regarding savings for retirement while working. Along with many others in their 70's my wages up to National Service were about 2pound 10shillings per week, then 17 shillings at the start of N.S. rising to 3pounds on promotion. Then back in civvy street 7pound 10shillings in 1957 as my first months in the Police service with the first pay rise of 2/6d in Sept. 57. I'd have been hard pushed to save 10shillings a week in those days. I get more in pension payment per month than I ever earned. But life was good