Ok.
Thanks.
I have had a few plants with those tight downward curled distorted leaves and always thought mites because others have had the same symptoms and said it was mites.
I know too well aphid damage as every plant I had was attacked by aphids, and what I had later on wasn't like aphid damage, but like Simons picture, small curled downwards leaves.
Besides the fruit flies and their maggots, the massive leaf drop due to bacteria/fungus, aphids and this thrips problem, it was a fun season.
Stupid 30ft fig tree here and mandarin tree breeding fruit flies and full of disease. Right now the fig tree is dropping all it's leaves due to fig rust, and the ground is full of root knot nematodes. Glad I don't own this place and I'm moving out soon. But I've experienced every possible problem with chilli growing while I've lived here!
Thanks for the clarification on thrips.
Edit: forgot the slugs and snails which are in huge numbers because they feed on the figs that drop due to the fruit flies rotting them before I can pick them up in the morning...