Gandalf8353

Have to really laugh at the insinuation that those who voted in Yingluck are "stupid", "undeducated", "morons", "losers". All elitist fingers point to Isaan. It wasn't just Isaan that voted her in, it was most of the rest of the country uninhabited by those elitists who feel that they always know what is best for everyone else. Someone mentioned the Arab spring. The Arab spring was the result of dictatorial regimes who used the military to crush legal and legitimate protest, also young people who were educated and willing to work, but the government was too busy making enormous profits off the backs of the people. The former President of Egypt was worth billions. Sound familiar?

Maybe some that post here should remember that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and if it doesn't match to your opinion that doesn't make it wrong ......

Hear! Hear!

Laugh all you want. It's good for the soul. Just for the record, she speaks, reads, and writes English better than most farang who use it as a native language.

Right, right. You've met most of the 'farang' here then have you? In order to judge their level of English, I mean.

And don't tell me, she's a Thai-Chinese Chula grad.

I think the fact that you come across as a sanctimonious git in your posts doesn't really help.

No, not a Thai-Chinese Chula grad. Never made that claim. But, the fact remains that she speaks reads and writes better than many regular folks in the US that I have met over the years. Especially those who have gone through the US education system in the past twenty years. No, I never claimed to know every farang in Thailand. I am sure that there are many much more educated than either I or my wife. My comment was a general statement that I have found to be true, and in answer to another post which insinuated that we can only communicate in "pidgin". Not every couple fits the "stereotype".

I was near Pattaya in Sattahip as part of a military detachment in years past. It wasn't a choice. There were times when we (myself and others) were required to be in Pattaya as part of military police duties. My comments are not a judgment of the people that live in Pattaya, or even of those that choose to vacation there. There are several nice places, but it's hard to escape street after street of clubs, most with the same purpose.

I judge no one if that is their thing, but I reserve the right to be disturbed by what I saw.

If being disturbed by desperately poor women and young girls being sexually exploited for financial gain makes me a sanctimonious git, then so be it.

It makes me absolutely sick to read this. Almost 60 missing after online chats. Dear God. Have to agree with canuckamuck and brahmburgers. As said, stay away from Bangkok and Pattaya. ESPECIALLY Pattaya. My wife had never been to Pattaya before and asked if we could go to visit. I told her NO. She didn't understand until I explained why. Quite naive. After I explained she understood and agreed.

hmmm... you fear she'd go missing in Pattaya?

Several here understand the reasoning. No, I don't fear she would go missing. There are several places in my home country I wouldn't want to take her for many of the same reasons. It's hard to go to Pattaya without being exposed to the reason Pattaya is famous outside of Thailand. Just like I would not take her to Atlantic City or Sunset Boulevard in the States.

It makes me absolutely sick to read this. Almost 60 missing after online chats. Dear God. Have to agree with canuckamuck and brahmburgers. As said, stay away from Bangkok and Pattaya. ESPECIALLY Pattaya. My wife had never been to Pattaya before and asked if we could go to visit. I told her NO. She didn't understand until I explained why. Quite naive. After I explained she understood and agreed.

You 'explained' what exactly? Are you both able to converse in the same language, either English or Thai. I'm guessing she speaks pidgin the same as you, only you talk faster and LOUDER and you think she understands. Hell, she only wanted to go visit some old chums.

Some of you guys on here make me laugh LOL!

Laugh all you want. It's good for the soul. Just for the record, she speaks, reads, and writes English better than most farang who use it as a native language. I can speak conversational Thai, although I cannot read or write Thai as of yet.

Your veiled insult is quite obvious, and also pathetic.

It makes me absolutely sick to read this. Almost 60 missing after online chats. Dear God. Have to agree with canuckamuck and brahmburgers. As said, stay away from Bangkok and Pattaya. ESPECIALLY Pattaya. My wife had never been to Pattaya before and asked if we could go to visit. I told her NO. She didn't understand until I explained why. Quite naive. After I explained she understood and agreed.

So why wouldn't you take your wife to Pattaya? I'm taking my wife and 2 young children next month (to Pattaya) to arguably the best family hotel in Thailand and very much looking forward to it.

I do hope that you have a wonderful time.

See Tim Armstrong's post for the answer to your question.

I honestly don't feel like defending what I write any more so I will sign off.

It makes me absolutely sick to read this. Almost 60 missing after online chats. Dear God. Have to agree with canuckamuck and brahmburgers. As said, stay away from Bangkok and Pattaya. ESPECIALLY Pattaya. My wife had never been to Pattaya before and asked if we could go to visit. I told her NO. She didn't understand until I explained why. Quite naive. After I explained she understood and agreed.

Your affirmation seems just thrown there at that moment.

Do you really believe that your wife agreed with your "opinion"??

What can you tell me about not farang and normal people doing a normal life in Pattaya and Bangkok??

You have the right to avoid those places but please do just by your own!

To both posters who were offended by my post about Pattaya. It is not and was not my intention to offend anyone who lives in Pattaya. I do not order my wife as a slave. She wanted me to take her to Pattaya. I said I did not want to go there. My reason? In years past I have been there before. I was very saddened by what I saw there. I decided I never wanted to go again. This is not an insult to those who live there, it is a personal preference. When I explained to my wife why I did not want to go there she understood.

No offense intended, nothing personal toward those who live there, but not somewhere I want to go again. If my wife wanted to go, she can go. Just without me.

7 years before reporting the teacher?!?!?!

Believable. Often victims are afraid to come forward.

Yes, and it doesn't say that the parents knew about it for the entire 7 years. It could have been that the child only reported it after 7 years, which as Gandalf said, is believable. Young children ARE often afraid to report abuse. Sometimes they don't know how wrong/bad/illegal it really is, and often the abuser threatens the child and his/her family if they tell anyone. Five year olds are impressionable.

I have a sister in law that was repeatedly rape by here father and she was under psychiatric for many years and blocked it out of her mind and finally remembered it while she was in her fifties. She led a troubled live until then but now is a completely different person.

Indeed, in the U.S. the Department of Justice did several studies between 1994 and 2004 and found that 80-90% of victims knew their abuser. Often it was family, relatives, or someone that the child knew and trusted (like the teacher above). We train our kids to be wary of "strangers" when most often it is someone they know. In my opinion, that may be one reason that it is underreported as much as it is.

Hardy, I am very sorry to hear of your sister-in-law. I am happy that now she is has started recovery.

7 years before reporting the teacher?!?!?!

Believable. Often victims are afraid to come forward.

It makes me absolutely sick to read this. Almost 60 missing after online chats. Dear God. Have to agree with canuckamuck and brahmburgers. As said, stay away from Bangkok and Pattaya. ESPECIALLY Pattaya. My wife had never been to Pattaya before and asked if we could go to visit. I told her NO. She didn't understand until I explained why. Quite naive. After I explained she understood and agreed.

Thank you! Yes, in the past journeys to the LOS I've noticed that being polite goes a long way. I really love that about Thailand. Nobody is rude! Congratulations, by the way. I wish you both every happiness. God permitting, my terak and I will be married around October 11. All I need before I leave is my passport, everything else seems to be in order.

I wish you a lot of good luck, Gandalf. You may be advised at some point on this forum to move very slowly and very carefully with your arrangements--even so far as to take years rather than months in order to be really, really sure. I was so advised once upon a time. Of course, I didn't listen...

BTW, the divorce decree copy with the county clerk's stamp and raised seal is all that you need. That's what the courthouse sends you when you order a copy. So you already have exactly what they provide (for a significant fee).

Thank you! I do appreciate the advice. We've known each other for nearly a year now, and after speaking to several people who know her I feel quite confident in her. (but all the same, the butterflies are still there) Funny thing is, it's taken me longer to decide about this than any other "so called marriages" that I've been in with a "falang women". I think this time it's more a matter of maturity and wanting to be VERY sure that I am doing the right thing. It has nothing at all to do with her. I wish I'd married someone like her the first time around. But, then we all live and learn I think. Myself slower than others, it appears.

Added: My certified copy of my divorce decree cost me $19.00 US. I think I got lucky. Also, thanks for letting me know that what I have will be sufficient. That takes a little bit of concern out of the mix.

Appreciated your reply!

Gandalf

Thanks Barry. It is our intent to stay in Thailand. I find that I would much rather live in Thailand than stay here. The only reason we would have to return to the States would be to visit my family.

Again, thanks for our reply.

Thank you! Yes, in the past journeys to the LOS I've noticed that being polite goes a long way. I really love that about Thailand. Nobody is rude! Congratulations, by the way. I wish you both every happiness. God permitting, my terak and I will be married around October 11. All I need before I leave is my passport, everything else seems to be in order.

Shivers,

Thank you so much for our reply. I am still Stateside, so I will have to ask my intended to visit the Amphur in her area. I, like you, believe that what I have should be sufficient, but want to take no chances.

Again, thank you for your reply.

My Thai fiance and I plan to marry in October. I have been trying to make all of the correct preparations in advance to minimize the problems once I am there. I've read in more than one place that the Thai authorities require the "original" copy of the divorce decree if a person has been divorced. I am unable to obtain the "original" as it is on record with the county government in the state where I live. However, I DO have a certified copy with the County Deputy Clerk's stamp and a raised seal certifying it to be a true copy of the original. My fiance and I plan to marry in the Khon Kaen province.

Will the certified document with the county seal be sufficient for the Thai authorities when accompanied by the affidavit from the US Embassy?

without going into the details the overall best deal is an account with a local bank that has a branch in your country,i use bkk bank- they are in new york,and transfer money from my american account(not in new york and not bkk bank!) to the bkk bank account in thailand.regardless of the sum the fee is 25 $ and there are no withdrawal fees if you use their machine where you have the account.

This is correct. It's not a complicated process, really. Direct bank-to-bank transfers tend to be the most secure and hassle-free. Sur-charges tend to be nominal to free. Nearly all worldwide accredited financial institutions have SWIFTCODE cash transfers at the ready. If problems arise.....one has account numbers and bill of lading proof to fall back on. Just find respective banks that work for you and your individual needs and desires.

Have to agree. I save all of the fees by using direct online transfer from my bank directly to BKK Bank in New York. Saves a bundle of money and hassle.