Homeless foreigners in Thailand 'lack assistance'

[richard]

with the views expressed in the last few posts.

I too have sat with farangs up in Isaan and here in HH at the local mom&pop stores drinking and talking.

Some are trapped on a meagre pension, some go there cos it's close to home and there are fellow farangs there to talk to. Despite their moans about living in Thailand almost all would not return home to pursue a similar lifestyle.

For many it seemed to be their only activity for the day. There's nothing wrong with an occasional meet up to chat and sort the world out IMO but there are other things to do in Thailand without having a fat bank roll. Personally I prefer a chinwag with other farangs over a beer with a little activity passing buy. Vendors, eye candy and the like. Sure, I have to pay few more Bht for the privilege but I think it's worth it

[sargeant]

How many of those on pension retired here expecting to receive the annual increases and then found they did not get what they had paid in for. It is those i believe the UK government have a moral responsibility to take care of. Why because the government sure as hell did not warn me in advance.
Saying that i just happen to be fine but i can see how people can get in that position.

[oakdale160]

Seeing the words--Moral responsibility and UK government in the same sentence, that is a mind blowing concept.

[Big Boy]

How many of those on pension retired here expecting to receive the annual increases and then found they did not get what they had paid in for. It is those i believe the UK government have a moral responsibility to take care of. Why because the government sure as hell did not warn me in advance.

I don't have a lot of good things to say about the British Government. However, I was sent on a pre-retirement course, and I was left in no doubt regarding pension increases.

Having said that, I'm still a new retiree. Maybe they've learnt since your day.

[sargeant]

I went on a retirement course in Dec 1997 BB
All the pensions guy talked about was paying voluntary Nat Ins and telling us we would receive reduced pension based on how many years contributions we had paid in.
I was going to pay them but LUCKILY i did not find time before i climbed the steps up into the plane otherwise the theiving gits would have compounded their theft
i also made it clear to him i was retiring to Thailand and he never said a word. I only found out from this forum

[richard]

Civil servants are not the same as 'Joe soap' are they?

[oakdale160]

I think I notice a difference between British retirees and European retirees' The Swedes, Danes Norwegians Dutch and Germans that I know, all regard returning to their native country as a reasonable and possible option. British retirees seem to find that move much less attractive. Am I correct?

[Lung Per]

I think I notice a difference between British retirees and European retirees' The Swedes, Danes Norwegians Dutch and Germans that I know, all regard returning to their native country as a reasonable and possible option. British retirees seem to find that move much less attractive. Am I correct?

I think this is a question of on which frequency the retiree brain operates. 80 cycles and below seem to get stuck on the bar stool. Those with higher brain activity see things in a more clear perspective and would therefore prefer to return to their native country at a point in time.
British retirees outnumber retirees from Germany and Scandinavia so percentagewise there would be more Brits getting stuck in the mud.

[kendo]

So what is supposed to happen, consular assistance to repatriate to home country or to be detained on immigration charges.
Kendo.

The first step should be to assess the circumstances. Rare though it may be, I have met a few homeless souls who certainly have enough cash/savings that they can cope financially with help. Circumstances have made them step out of reality. Therefore don't do anything until you know the issues.

Through work I have traveled extensively and seen the good, bad and the ugly.... to quote a movie!

I firmly believe there should be consular assistance and repatriation to those in need - however in my experience, (British) consular assistance to any extent is non-existent (a separate argument/discussion would be what benefits those working for the British government overseas are on....... quite incredible). I also fully agree with Bristolian that circumstances should be assessed first...... there are after all quite a few thieving tossers out there.

Personally, I have an "emergency fund" in cash which will at least get me back to the UK should all go pear-shaped (I have had this from 'day 1' wherever I have worked overseas). I have always paid for medical insurance, so should be covered there also in the worst case scenario...... If I could not afford either of these, I would get back to the UK forthwith (to avoid the 'Sod's Law' syndrome). I don't believe in the beg, borrow or steal attitude, and I've paid enough into the UK to be entitled to support, both medical and financial. Whilst I pay my tax in China, I've always kept up my NI payments in the UK regardless where I am based or paid from.

My attitude therefore is protect yourself. If you haven't and have fallen on hard times through no fault of your own, you should get help...... If you are taking the p*ss - well, who do you expect to help you and why? Perhaps the UK should repatriate you, give you 3 squares a day and give you a bed. In return, you're in the armed forces and protect the country that has "saved" you.

You are no longer entitled to free health care if you permanently live outside of the UK it's based on residency.
Take a look at this
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcare ... ction.aspx

Kendo.

[Big Boy]

That's the rules, but how do you define 'permanently live outside'? Yes, I consider that I permanently live outside the UK, but I paid over 40 years of National Insurance, I am still paying more than the average Brit in income taxes and I still have a UK address.

Would I be turned away from Southampton General Hospital (or whatever it's called) if I turned up with a complaint using my UK address? How would they know?

[bsdk1960]

That's the rules, but how do you define 'permanently live outside'? Yes, I consider that I permanently live outside the UK, but I paid over 40 years of National Insurance, I am still paying more than the average Brit in income taxes and I still have a UK address.

Would I be turned away from Southampton General Hospital (or whatever it's called) if I turned up with a complaint using my UK address? How would they know?

your suntanned

[kendo]

That's the rules, but how do you define 'permanently live outside'? Yes, I consider that I permanently live outside the UK, but I paid over 40 years of National Insurance, I am still paying more than the average Brit in income taxes and I still have a UK address.

Would I be turned away from Southampton General Hospital (or whatever it's called) if I turned up with a complaint using my UK address? How would they know?

I don't know how they can enforce this unless they have access to Immigration and social security data.
My little girl has regular eye exams in the eye hospital, (part of SGH) and on the last visit they looked at my wife, then asked me if my child was entitled to free health care and could I now read the new laminated A4 that was stuck to the counter.

I was not happy about this and told them if you're born here you are British even if you have mixed race heritage I then got on my soap box and gave them chapter and verse that is my right to marry a non EU national that does work and pay taxes but is still discriminated against.
I also stated that this is just a weak attempt by the government to little to late as all these so called asylum seekers and east Europeans have flooded the country putting our resources under massive strain without putting anything into the system.

I then looked around the waiting room only to hear and see polish being spoken and some asylum seekers also sat in a group of six, and said I rest my case,you can't blame these people it's the system that is so fundamentally wrong and is letting every British tax payer down. The four lady's behind the counter actually agreed with me.

Now for me I have never claimed benefits always worked pay 40% tax on my main job run a small business with the mrs and she also works in a restaurant so pay even more tax. I will never officially leave the Uk I will live between the two countries so we can both keep state pensions and healthcare entitlement.

In my opinion farangs going skint in Thailand should be taken to a consulate and repatriated owing the government as an emergency loan it's not Thailand's problem to look after these people just help them on their way.

Now there are a number of farangs that go up north to the villages and overstay fade into obscurity and live a very meagre existence.

Kendo.

[sargeant]

I have to say the first thing i would show them would be my P60 and then i would let rip in no uncertain manner

[Big Boy]

As I see it, I am British, and should be allowed to return whenever I want to (not that I do). My passport will let me travel to every other EEC country, so why can't I travel to my own?

I never asked permission to leave, and I don't see that I need permission to return.

Once I'm home (yes, I still call it home), I've paid my dues (still paying Income Tax), so why shouldn't I use the facilities?

[sargeant]

What an absolute nonsense if i returned to the UK i will get paid the new rate of pension (to include increases i have been ineligible for) i would pay more tax and yet theoretically not entitled to the NHS
on my return my pension would go back to what it was originally paid at
LUDICROUS LOGIC hardly describes it