If your phone only has one SIM card slot and/or pre-dates eSIM’s (as does my iPhone 8 Plus) you could choose to buy a pocket WiFi router. Otherwise, if you don’t need continuous access to mobile data, free WiFi is widely available in Thailand in hotels, coffee shops and even the most economical noodle restaurants.

@Brook *******

Strange. My Mrs recently attempted to send a PROHIBITED item from our local post office. I ‘advised’ her it was listed as such on Thai Post Office website. Unconvinced (she thinks I know nothing) she took it herself to the Post Office. They said they couldn’t accept it. However, no police involvement. A friend has an outstanding UK arrest warrant. I knew that it was safe to fly into UK because Border Force have no access to (and even less interest in) UK Police National Computer. One of the ‘experts’ on here insisted that they have all sorts of apps and check for warrants. My friend has since flown in/out of Manchester Ringway Airport three times since and remains at liberty!

@Peter ******

I was advised that even if your premium is not loaded or exclusions stated when taking out your policy, in the event of a claim, anything related to pre-existing conditions (whether disclosed or not) will not be covered.

@Euan *******

I was abroad for six years. My GP’s surgery wrote to my unoccupied UK house with several appointments to attend my NHS hospital during that time plus annual flu, Covid jabs and pneumococcal vaccination invitations. Of course, I was unaware and each appointment was rebooked and wasted multiple times. Eventually, they gave up and threatened to remove me from their panel. I only knew this when I returned. I explained I had been ‘out of the country’ but now returned upon a permanent basis. All was restored and my preventative care brought up-to-date. In my experience my practice doesn’t want to know. They prefer email to personal contact. That was why I suggested Steve tells them he’s ‘abroad until further notice’. Leaves things undated and open-ended pending his return ‘upon a permanent basis’.

@Brook *******

Tablets (not prohibited but restricted) are going to be repacked by Steve’s daughter. If it was me, I’d have to find out by sending a small trial amount that I would be prepared to abandon if necessary.

@Steve *****

That’s great Steve. I tell my GP’s practice that I’m ‘abroad until further notice’. That ensures they won’t remove me from their panel as it’s my intention to return at some future date. I don’t need regular medication myself. However, I’m sure if you mentioned something similar they would be agreeable to continuing to issue prescriptions ‘pending your return to UK’. As regards postal delivery by Royal Thai Mail in Thailand, it’s the same as UK (door to door). You don’t need to find out when items arrive and collect them in person from the post office as you do in certain other countries.

@Euan *******

No charge for GP consultations or writing out prescriptions in UK. If in England prescription medicines are free from age 60 onwards.

@Chizel ******

Santander U.K. wrote to my home (U.K.) address asking me to contact them. As I was in Thailand I was unaware. They then suspended my internet access. I telephoned and they explained they wanted to know my future intentions for my current account, savings account and credit card? I explained I was abroad until further notice but wished to keep all open pending my return to U.K. They said this was fine and unblocked my internet access. What they would have done had I not telephoned I don’t know.

@Declan *********

Thanks for that Declan! Going to have to work on this.

My Thai Mrs wants to take a holiday in Spain and/or Portugal. Anyone with experience of applying for a Schengen tourist visa to either please?