Rags

Thanks @ubonjoe

I figured that would be the case for non-immigrant / non-resident status, but as you know Thailand often surprises!

Rags

Are you able to apply for a Non-Imm-O visa (Thai wife) and subsequent 1-yr extension of stay with multiple entries, and maintain this arrangement whilst still living and working overseas?  i.e. can you hold non-resident visas for Thailand and another country at the same time in the same passport?

I already have a non-resident visa and work permit in another SEA country that I was hoping to maintain whilst getting myself set-up in Thailand.  Initially making frequent visits to our house in Thailand, and transitioning into a full-time stay in LoS.  Thinking that getting the Non-Imm-O visa in advance would help with local driving license and the like, and would also mean that the final permanent move was an easier step.

Appreciate your thoughts and advice.

Rags

Anyone with experience of what sort of things customs officers might not consider to be 'personal' belongings...? 

Thanks glegolo

I am a British national and have been living in Dubai with my Thai wife for a number of years. 

We have lived in Thailand before so we know that rules in the country can change quickly.  Therefore keen to hear from anyone that has recently gone through the process. 

Rags

My Thai wife and I will be returning to Thailand with our children after having been overseas together for the last 10 years. We are trying to understand the process for shipping our used household goods without paying customs duty, and have reviewed the following page on the Thai customs website:

http://en.customs.go.th/content.php?ini_content=individuals_151007_02&lang=en&left_menu=menu_individuals_151007_02

The rules appear to be quite clear, and as we are a returning family it suggests that under my wife's name we can for instance bring in 2 used TVs duty free, rather than the normal limit of 1 type of each used electrical item duty free.

However, knowing that things are never as simple as they appear in Thailand (TIT) - I wanted to ask whether anyone has recently gone through the process and has any advice on how best to approach it or pitfalls to avoid?

Thanks for the comments / confirmation guys.

I thought that that was more than likely the case... but always worth a try...!!!

Cheers

Rags

Hi guys

I held an extended Non-Imm-O (support of Thai wife & child) visa for 3 years, but then let it expire whilst working away from Thailand.

With the grandfathering of the old rules for existing visa holders, I was wondering whether there were any similar dispensations for those with a record of previous Non-Imm-O visas....???

I am guessing that I have missed the boat, and will have to start afresh as a newby, but thought it was worth a check....

Cheers

Rags

Just remember that a minimum of 3 consecutive annual extensions are not the only requirement for a Residence Permit. The Immigration Commission will want to see that you can speak, read and write Thai, and that you have lived, worked and paid income tax in Thailand all these years, and a few other things.

--------------

Maestro

Thanks Maestro

I am still working on the other requirements. The main thing is that I don't want to lose the entitlement gained from holding the Non-Immigrant Visa for a number of consecutive years.

Cheers

Rags

No.

Thanks Lopburi - short, sweet and to the point

Oh well, I'll guess I'll have to "force myself" to come back here a couple of times each year to renew the extension.....it's a hard life.......

Cheers

Rags

I have an extended Non-Imm-O visa for support of my Thai wife, and wish to maintain the visa continuously to allow for the option of applying for PR in the near future.

If I were to leave Thailand for a year or two, is it possible to extend the annual 'permit to stay' whilst overseas?

Cheers

Rags

http://www.freelang.net/ectaco/dictionarie...et-pc-thai.html

http://www.lingvosoft.com/main.jsp?do=prod..._item&item=2311

http://www.babblefish.com/babblefish/ectac...tware/thai.html

http://www.ectaco.com.au/Pocket_PC_Thai.html

Thanks tywais.

Rags

I tagged the following query onto a recent thread, but to avoid it getting buried I thought that I would start a new topic.

It is a minimum of 3 years continuous Non Imm visa before you can apply.

My understanding is that a good tax record is one of the unofficial requirements.

On a related note, does anyone know whether the 'good tax record' has to be from the 3 continuous years before application for PR?

I imagine that the answer is yes, but I thought I would check on the offchance.

The reason being that I am currently on the 3rd year of an extended Non-Imm-O visa for Thai Wife, and am not currently working. However I did previously work in Thailand (and paid tax) for 7 continuous years before leaving and returning a few years later.

As I say, I think I know the answer, but would be interested to hear if anyone applied for PR under similar circumstances.

Cheers

Rags

Any thoughts....?

Cheers

Rags

Thanks guys,

I think that I will keep next years' valentine message to a simple "Love You"....!

Cheers,

Rags

It is a minimum of 3 years continuous Non Imm visa before you can apply.

My understanding is that a good tax record is one of the unofficial requirements.

On a related note, does anyone know whether the 'good tax record' has to be from the 3 continuous years before application for PR?

I imagine that the answer is yes, but I thought I would check on the offchance.

The reason being that I am currently on the 3rd year of an extended Non-Imm-O visa for Thai Wife, and am not currently working. However I did previously work in Thailand (and paid tax) for 7 continuous years before leaving and returning a few years later.

As I say, I think I know the answer, but would be interested to hear if anyone applied for PR under similar circumstances.

Cheers

Rags

Does anyone know of any English-Thai Dictionaries or "Learn-to-speak-Thai" software that is available for the Pocket PC?

Cheers

Rags

Thanks for the replies.

The context was a phrase in a valentines day card to my wife (Thai - obviously), where I added a little note to say "...and thanks for putting up with me" and she queried what it meant. I tried to explain, but as is often the case in English, the nuance of the phrase is easily lost in translation.

I certainly don't want a harsh "sorry for being a burden" type statement, but more of the smiling / cheeky thanks for putting up with me, as would be understood by a native speaker......any ideas?

Cheers

Rags

Can someone please let me know if there is a suitable Thai word for "Putting Up" with something/someone.

I have had a search through my Thai phrase book, but could not find any phrases that really convey the same meaning. For example, alternatives such as "accepting" something/someone, doesn't really hit the spot...!

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Cheers

Rags

Speaking from 1st-hand kowledge, bars have to pay a licence to play music.  That licence is usually levied every 3 months.  Furthermore, bars have to pay not just one licence but many!  So we pay Grammy and several other record companies, as well as a different licence for playing Thai music and one for Western music.... That's a lot of licences!!  And the record companies do make surprise visits to check if you have the correct licence to play the music.  If not, your equipment is immediately confiscated

Simon

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Bizarre. Sounds like a suitably unworkable Thai arrangement....no thought of using a single collection agency such as the Performing Rights Society to collect on behalf of all local copyright holders

Rags

Obtaining a 5 Year Licence

Documents needed:

4. A photocopy of and the original document, which is a letter or form (bottom of TM47 form) from Immigration confirming your address in Thailand. They will keep the photocopy and give you back the original document.

TIT - went to get my 5 year license (BKK Centre #3) with all the documents mentioned, and found that the woman at the desk would not accept a Thai Immigration letter confirming my address. Instead she insisted upon a letter from the British Embassy!

Went to get the letter from the Embassy, and discovered that the one time that the Thai system doesn't try to screw a farang for extra money, you find that you are shafted by your own Government....

5 Year Thai License = 500 Baht (very reasonable)

British Embassy Letter = 1,700 Baht....

Rags

Obtaining a 5 Year Licence

Documents needed:

1. Your old, expired Thai driving licence. (On the date you apply, your licence must have already expired.)

Does anyone know if there is a time limit from the expiry date of the 1 year license and still being able to use it to apply for the 5 year?

Do you for instance have to apply within say 5 working days of its expiration?

Cheers

Rags

House contents insurance is also one of the items on my ever expanding "to do list" and some friends previously recommended Royal Sun Alliance.

I have not fully checked out their policies or associated costs, but I was very dissapointed with a brief review of their Thai website, and was also a little put off when they appeared to want a list of all valuable items over 2,000 Baht.....!!!!

Now I am by no means a wealthy man, but almost every item of note in our house would cost more than 2,000 Baht to replace.

Do these other insurance companies offer a more user friendly policy - i.e. something along the lines of "electrical goods insured up to maximum replacement value of XX,XXX Baht per item etc"....?

Rags

Remember your principal function is to thank.

Look at each individual in the eyes as you thank them, commenting on their contribution to the event – laughs can be gained by reminding them of any cock-ups along the way (make sure the more salacious are toned down).

Be sure you thank all the important ones – no need for notes ‘cos they are all sitting there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed, thanking everyone is the main purpose of the groom's speech.

However, at my Thai wedding I had been concentrating so much on organising the blessing and food and booze for the party, that it never crossed my mind that I would have to give a speech - that was until my best man called my wife and myself onto the stage to "say a few words".....

Luckily once I got to the microphone, the beer and excitement of the whole night meant that nerves were not a big problem. I responded to some of the "stories" raised in the best man's speech and thanked friends that had come from Hong Kong, England, America, Australia and of course thanked both of our families.

It wasn't until the next morning that I was thinking back on the previous day's events and the party, when it suddenly dawned on me that throughout the whole speech I had not once mentioned my wife......

So the only thing I would add to Thomas' advice is "Be sure you thank all the important ones – no need for notes ‘cos they are all sitting there....OR STANDING NEXT TO YOU HOLDING YOUR HAND...!!!

Best of luck with the wedding and the speech Jockstar, and best wishes for your future together.

Rags

I just paid a stiff amount to up my UBC subscription so that it would include Star World, as I desperately need to be able to watch Desperate Housewives.

Now I note something on  the screen about Star World not being available except through some other services I never heard of after this month.

Does anyone know what the story is?

(Warning...Desperat Housewives is highly addictive. Don't start watching until this matter is resolved!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The message regarding Star World moving to NOW Broadband is only applicable to Hong Kong subscribers - so you should be able to continue being as desperate as you like...

Rags

Following discussions on a previous thread regarding choice of a PDA/Phone with email and internet capabilities I recently got around to buying an Asus P505. It has Windows 2003 SE and similar specs to the Xda 02 mini, but is a fair bit cheaper.

I am very happy with it except for the fact that the GPRS connection often requires a soft reboot to activate the modem. I am using DTAC, and the connection settings were setup at the DTAC call centre.

The GPRS will work fine for a few connections and I can send and receive email without a hitch. Then if I try to connect again after leaving the machine in standby for an hour or two, I get a message saying that the modem cannot connect and to check my settings. (I will post the actual message shortly, but as Sod's Law would have it the bl00dy thing is connecting fine this morning!)

If I perform a soft reboot then a 'G' appears for a few seconds at the top of the windows screen and then disappears, after this the GPRS works fine again for a few hours. When I am actually connected there is no 'G' shown at the top, but the standard signal bars has two arrows displayed.

I assume that the 'G' indicates that it is initiallising the GPRS modem settings, which for some reason then get lost during the day - any ideas...?

Does this sound like a software, hardware or network problem?

Cheers

Rags

I have been ordinarily non-resident from UK for over 10 years now, and have not continued with my NI contributions.  My initial feeling was that the state pension would be worth next to nothing by the time I retire (in 25 years!), if of course it still exists at all...!!!

However many friends have now suggested that it is possible, and indeed a wise investment to pay the reduced contributions in arrears, in order to be included in a potential payoff should they actually cancel the whole state pension idea.

Still mulling this concept over.  Any other views on the matter?

Rags

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Does anyone have any experience or advice regarding the above query?

Rags