bangkockney

The quote says those who accommodate foreigners on a temporary basis. I wonder what this means exactly.

Surely it can't apply to someone living here with that wording? And therefore your story really was a shakedown not a crackdown.

I'm sorry, Aneliane, but the more you write the more you sound a bit paranoid...

If I experience people who appear even a bit obnoxious then I just smile and ignore them. When I run into a tuk tuk driver, or motorcycle taxi trying to charge me more than the going rate, or act like they don't know what I mean then I just laugh and ignore them. A case in point...

I always stay at the same guest cottage in Kanchanaburi every time I visit that city. It is one kilometer from the bus depot to the guest cottage and an easy walk even if carrying a bag.. In years past I always took one of the 3 wheel bicycle taxis for no other reason than to help them out. It's a simple 20 baht ride and I usually gave them a10 baht tip. It's 40 baht on a motorcycle. However, this year one of them thought I was a naive tourist and tried to scam me into paying 80 baht. I told him with hand signals to stick it where the sun don't shine and I easily walked to my destination. They just lost a long term customer.

Yes you are right and in most cases this is what I do too, obviously. If someone overcharges me, I walk away.

But sometimes you just don't have the choice.

The tuck tuck guy, I got him at 9pm, I had loads to carry on my hands and I told him I had 2 dogs to take with me.

He agreed but then changed his mind when he saw the dogs BECAUSE he understood that I had no other choice than him.

2 unwillling dogs who are scared of vehicules, without leashes (forgot them), plus a load on my hands how was I going to find anyone .

(the pet taxi had let me down at the last minute and regular taxis would refuse me)

please remind me how this is racist again?

I previously explained that the tuck tuck driver stopped and talked to a motorcycle in traffic and explain that he was having a farang as customer but only because he overcharged me & would make a pass at me (which he did later on)

read my previous post

How do you know this when you don't speak Thai?

Yes, she can both work and access NHS care. NHS isn't classed as a public fund anyway.

Irish visa required.

Depends what's on the balance sheet.

True, but aside from fittings and fixtures, what is there in a leased property space that could command such high prices.

stock

work in progress

money owed by customers

cash in hand or at the bank

short-term investments

pre-payments - eg advance rents

Depends what ROI you are looking for as to whether the valuation is acceptable.

Lucky you (msg362)! I've written a couple of letter to the tax people (months ago) and not received any reply...

Instead I keep getting 'statements' telling me I owe them 'late tax return assessment penalties', even though my first letter enclosed all the tax returns they'd sent me (at the same time) which, didn't include one for the latest tax year...

I keep hoping they'll 'catch up', but its obvious they're not going to do so and I've got to steel myself for writing yet again.

Edit - I'm trying not to think about when the 'late return penalty fee' increases to 1000 pounds!

I send letters to pensions and the inland revenue by registered post, not expensive, reliable and fast, maybe that helps as they realise I have a record.

I sent my first letter by registered post but it could around 1000 baht for a one page letter! Hardly my idea of "not expensive"...

Blether - I'm ashamed to admit that I'm cynical enough to be sure than an MP who receives a letter from a constituent who last lived there several years ago - will be kept purely for entertainment value. Why on earth would he care?

Lol. Anyone who has been registered to vote in Britain within the past 15 years can sign up to vote as an expat by either post or proxy.

Depends what's on the balance sheet.

It means exactly what it says.

Mildly amusing, yes. Ironic, no.

Not far at all, a few weeks?

If I apply for a visitor visa this week and it is approved, how does it work then? Do we get 6 months from date of approval?

It's going to be too tight I think to get married and get a settlement visa before she has the baby as processing times seem to be 3 months and I wouldn't be too confident of success considering the little time we've known each other. One step at a time, if I can get this visitor visa sorted I'll be happy.

If that's your only concern then you really should consider the fiancé visa.

no more post's please . I've found out my answer just in case someone else was going to do what i was going to do to save money from thailand's high flight fares the airlines won't let a Thai fly one way unless she or he has a settlement visa .

thx for your posts ..

You don't say where you got this answer but it is not true. Take students for example.

The requirements as set out in the UK immigration rules are to be able to meet the cost of onward or return travel. Cash in the bank is fine for this but not credit cards.

Just a little aside for anybody who is playing the UK Lottery, one of the benefits of living in the UK!

Dont count on it as part of your possible financial planning

A benefit? The National Lottery is just a tax on those who are bad at maths!

^^ more please, great story so far!

Edit: don't tell me, you ended up marrying or something haha

This what that Our Ambassador page says on the British Embassy website:

As an adult, I have spent a number of memorable holidays in Thailand, which is a destination for more than 850,000 British citizens a year. Most holiday makers go home with warm memories and souvenirs. A few fall into difficulties and our job is to try and ensure that travellers take sensible steps to avoid preventable problems and those who need the help of the embassy, get a good standard of service.

Did this poor chap really receive a good standard of service?

Did he not take reasonable steps to avoid preventable problems?

Online poker, online prescription meds

If people really feel aggrieved by the decision of a Schengen member take the issue to SOLVIT.

Craig, that's funny because the WHO themselves say it is up to standard!

WHO representative David Sutherland said "the water production is in line with the World Health Organisation [WHO] standard."

He was speaking after inspecting MWA’s Bang Khen plant together with other agencies including PM Yingluck Shinawatra. The visit was made to assure the public that tap water in the flood-hit capital is still safe for consumption.

How long have you been here?

Did you not read anything before you came?

You should not drink the tap water.

Of course it's fine. Tap water is part of your everyday life or don't you realise that?

My kids always drink it when they have a shower, the little devils, and they've never been sick.

In fact it's advisable to drink a few glasses of tap water per week whenever you spend an extended period of time in a new country to get your body exposed to the local bacteria etc

I cannot see anything wrong with requiring evidence that a returning migrant can afford to support his family. If contributions have been made to the UK in the form of taxes then support should be available.

If there has been no contribution to the UK then there should be no additional support.

That said it is not appropriate to set fixed income figures and I am sure this would be successfully challenged in court.

Perhaps a fairer thing would be to extend the 'no access to public funds' to five or even ten years.This would reduce the potential for abuse.

As members of the government have said - people have the right to marry whomever they like but don't expect the taxpayer to pay for it!

32,000 migrants are claiming benefits. NOT immigrants, people been given permission to come and wok in UK. Why don't they send them home. Noooooooooooo, penalize the native. .

What migrants? What benefits? Any non-EEA national with a UK visa for work purposes is barred from accessing public funds. They can claim contribution-based benefits which are not public funds (and so they should be able to, they've paid up their NI like everyone else).

I've seen you complain about this on more than one occasion - link to your source?

Or are you talking about EEA nationals who do not need permission to come and work in the UK?

So much for freedom of speech....whether you like or agree with it or not.

Racially abusive messages are considered criminal offences now in the UK. You cannot say they should be allowed under freedom of speech.

Yes, and its another politically correct law that shouldn't have even got on the statute books.

It IS a freedom of speech issue - Whatever happened to "I might not like what you are saying but I,ll fight to the death for the right for you to say it"?.

Once a Government starts to dictate what you can and cannot say it is the start of stepping down a very dark road.

Basically all (left, right, political correct, muslims etc etc) in Austria and most probably in every country agree to "freedom of opinion(speech) for my opinion".

But for any other opinion they want cruel laws.

Freedom of speech is already history.

Freedom of speech does not mean I can shout bomb on a plane, shout fire in a cinema or throw insults on the basis of colour or nationality.

Why is that so hard to understand?

So in your worlds I should be legally free to defame and insult you anyway I want and hide behind freedom of speech?

So much for freedom of speech....whether you like or agree with it or not.

Racially abusive messages are considered criminal offences now in the UK. You cannot say they should be allowed under freedom of speech.

Yes, and its another politically correct law that shouldn't have even got on the statute books.

It IS a freedom of speech issue - Whatever happened to "I might not like what you are saying but I,ll fight to the death for the right for you to say it"?.

Once a Government starts to dictate what you can and cannot say it is the start of stepping down a very dark road.

Voltaire died in 1778 and thankfully the world's come on leaps and bounds since then.

It's the alcohol that does it. Alcohol is a vasodilator - it makes blood vessels relax to allow more blood to flow, which results in a drop in blood pressure.

Take your pulse next time and you'll see that it shoots up.

Ok, for all you cyber judges and (Wana)be hard men, this is what ACTUALLY happened (this from someone who witnessed the whole thing):

The guy was told by a guard that balloons were not allowed on. He countered that they (him and his daugther) had arrived via BTS just earlier with the same balloons and it hadn't been a problem. Guard tells him he can take half but not all. Guy decides that's BS and proceeds through turnstile (NOT barging past any guards!). Guard chases and smashes him in the face with a METAL DETECTOR (NOT the baton!)

He was also hit later on the back of the head by another guard! All of this in front of his horrified and terrified 4 yr old daughter. Oh, and the woman was NOT his wife/gf but a Thai bystander who was communicating her disgust at what she had just witnessed.

Now, for those that think this was some form of divine justice, then that's your perogative. I just hope you don't have to experience something as horrific whilst in the company of a small child also.

Some on here really do need to exercise some self-control themselves and refrain from jumping to stupid conclusion about others, based on nothing more than your own arrogance and prejudice!

Oh, and when the Police arrived they told them they wouldn't be arresting any Thais and that if he didn't just leave then HE would be arrested! Didn't even interview the guard.

I'm sure plenty of you will think that's also acceptable practice and procedure too huh?!

I have been told by some friends who were present and witnessed the whole thing that this is a totally accurate account. Keep in mind that the video doesn't show the beginning of the saga when the guard attacked him. Those who want to slag them, note that these are obviously not low class unemployed bums like some of those who sit in their broken-down armchairs piping crap into these forums. Clearly the guy was distressed after being slugged over the head by TWO security guards (the second one from behind his back). Also, I happen to know that the CCTV camera has been viewed and there is a good case for charging the attackers.

Now tell me could this whole episode be avoided if the guy had taken a taxi or left the balloons there ?

Does not excuse the guards but you just cant change the rules or go up against the people who enforce it and expect to get of without any trouble.

at last some common sense ! why fight with armed guards over a f##king balloon ??

its clearly not permitted ,and thais dont back down because that would lose their face

i think he will think twice the next time a man in uniform with a baton tells him hes not allowed to do something

No. The guard lost all credibility when he offered to let half the number of balloons cross the threshold. Either balloons are banned or they are not.