wilsonf

Thank you for the information which I will look at, I wonder in your comment about the licence plate may be confusing the difficulty in getting a licence to operate one as a taxi, I am aware that there is a limit on the number of licences issued, around 7,000 so I think a current taxi licence holder would have to die almost before a new licence could be issued. When you see some of the 'contraptions' being driven around, motorbkes with the front chopped off and modified into other goods carrying vehicles, plus its possible to have a vehicle built, such as a custom motorcycle, I can't really see a problem registering it if using it for private use. I should imagine a Bangkok Taxi Tuk Tuk would have a registration plate, and also a taxi licence plate My thoughts on why we are not inundated with Farangs with Tuk Tuks.could be that a small motorcycle is adequate for them and can be parked easily in mosty places, at a room, apartment or condo, whereas a Tuk Tuk would need a parking space. A small motorcycle would suffice for me, but I'm going to have many friends visiting over time from the UK. and a Tuk Tuk would provide convenient local transport for us all and be a bit of fun too.

Well, from my (somewhat scant, due to hitting a brick wall when broaching the subject) research on the subject of a couple of years ago, the red/white plate is issued to run a tuktuk as a taxi, or other commercial use, like a courtesy "car" around town or pickup service etc.......a definate no-no for a farang. The other plate issued on a three wheeled vehicle is yellow background, with green text. The difficulty is trying to convince the people at the vehicle registration that what you have ISNT a tuktuk, but just a "three wheeled vehicle"

Whilst not wishing to denigrate certain Thai officialdom, lets just say most arent the brightest of buttons in the box, and will tend to stick to what they are told. That is ....tuktuks are taxis, and therefore farangs cant register one.

I've even heard of people (even Thais) being told "no can do.....special licence Bangkok"

So it seems more of a hassle just to get the dam_n thing on the road legally, if even that's possible, but then, you become a bit of a novelty to the BIB, along with, no doubt lots of opportunities to contribute to their tea fund.

Hope i'm wrong and you come back saying it was a doddle to get, because, like you are saying, and i have always thought, they are ideal as a half way house between a car and a motocy.

I did actually see a pic of one made with a glass fibre body shell and more substantial cab with doors and you didnt sit astride/on top of the engine, either. Made by a company in Ayudhaya but thats probably long gone now, too.

Best to go to the vehicle registraion people first, before financially commiting to anything

I should imagine there might be a problem if wanting to use it in Bangkok itself, however I'm kocated in Pattaysa, and have seen two here both being driven and I assume owened by Faraang, I will perhaps consult these people before an ultimate purchase, but thought the location of a supplier , considering there are 7,000 of these flying around Bangkok would be easy to have found

Those are Bangkok type tuktuks I think you're looking for the Phuket type maybe? It's a little truck looking thing made by Dihatsu..

Or do you mean something like this below

If not these don't really know what type you might be seeking?

Thank you for posting the pictures, the second picture is the type of Tuk Tuk I was looking to purchase

Did you go to Siamtuktuk? They have a model very similar to the one you're seeking and can likely make one like you want if that'snot good enough..

Thank you, I did visit siamtuktuk, they look quite flmsy not like the ones in the picture which are robust because of the work they do, I also want the larger engine that is fitted in these as 150cc is too small for three adult passengers plus driver

Those are Bangkok type tuktuks I think you're looking for the Phuket type maybe? It's a little truck looking thing made by Dihatsu..

Or do you mean something like this below

If not these don't really know what type you might be seeking?

Thank you for posting the pictures, the second picture is the type of Tuk Tuk I was looking to purchase

Type the phrase expertise tuk tuk into a search engine, to bring up the name of a company that makes exactly what you seek

Should you proceed any further and try to actually buy one, it would be interesting to know how you fared, getting the special licence plate of red letters on white background that most, if not all tuk tuks need. I have heard its a nightmare to get...even for a Thai, let alone a farang.

Thats perhaps why the streets of the major expat expat arent thronging with them?

Thank you for the information which I will look at, I wonder in your comment about the licence plate may be confusing the difficulty in getting a licence to operate one as a taxi, I am aware that there is a limit on the number of licences issued, around 7,000 so I think a current taxi licence holder would have to die almost before a new licence could be issued. When you see some of the 'contraptions' being driven around, motorbkes with the front chopped off and modified into other goods carrying vehicles, plus its possible to have a vehicle built, such as a custom motorcycle, I can't really see a problem registering it if using it for private use. I should imagine a Bangkok Taxi Tuk Tuk would have a registration plate, and also a taxi licence plate My thoughts on why we are not inundated with Farangs with Tuk Tuks.could be that a small motorcycle is adequate for them and can be parked easily in mosty places, at a room, apartment or condo, whereas a Tuk Tuk would need a parking space. A small motorcycle would suffice for me, but I'm going to have many friends visiting over time from the UK. and a Tuk Tuk would provide convenient local transport for us all and be a bit of fun too.

siamtuktukdotcom, 50-60k baht as I recall, 150cc Lifan, very reliable

Thank you, but these are not the Bangkok type of Tuk Tuk I'm looking for these appear to use motocycle front ends, and then only have small engines. As there are over 7,000 licenced Tuk Tuks in Bangko0k someone must be making/selling or part exchangine them

I'm looking in the future to purchase a Bankok type Tuk Tuk for my own personal use in Thailand, Does any member have information on (a) any dealers in secondhand Tuk Tuks or ( perhaps a manufacturer, that may take in used Tuk Tuk's in part exchange when selling new, and who either re sell them, or refurbish them and resell them.

Quote "Pedantry moment: you do not have to satisfy the visa regulations; she does! "

You make this statement then go on to list all the things her sponser must supplier her with in order to make her application. I may be being pedantic, but it would seem to me that all the information they supply her with must satisfy the ECO, even if it is her that is making the application

I got my non immigration 'O' visa at the Thai consulate in Birmingham last October 2010, I only had to provide my passport as proof of being over 50, plus of course the completed form, photo's & fee, I've looked at the consulates Web site today, and no where does it say one has to provide a lease or rental agreement to support applications for this visa

She has prevented me from seeing my children from the end of September 2002, as this was the only other way she could hurt me.

You have now invited all the self righteous to accuse yo of being some sort of pervert .... as in the UK they know a woman can't do this without just cause.

I am one of those who knows different having also incurred the wrath of a UK wife ....... mine did get the house and all 4 of my children, so I consider you lucky!

Thank you for your post, and you have my deepest sympathy, the majority of these know all know nothing backsides couldn't imagine the pain a loving father goes through on a daily basis knowing that their vindictive ex wife has (and I speak from information given to me by others) mentally abused their children by feeding them a daily dose of poison and lies that has indoctrinated them over the past eight years against me.

I also mentioned my ex wife had a daughter of her own, she has openly bragged to others that she got preganant to spite her parents after a fall out with them, this was when they lived in the USA, and the poor guy who was duped into getting her pregnant, (she stopped taking the pill,) had up to 2002 paid around £30,000 in maintainance, and again up to that time had not even been able to see his child, just as I haven't been able to see my children

Oh I forgot to mention to the person saying about me considering the school fees of 25,000 Bt reasonable. I have recently spoken to two other Thai ladies who have children of a similar age and they are paying 27,000 - 30,000 Bt. A TERM, four terms a year!!!. But as someone once said, you can't put a price on education, and as I'm unable to do anything for my own children I'd gladly pay her sons school fees if our relationship does become permanent (but not married) as he's a lovely lad and I would love to be able to give him a good start in life.

C. Pay them THB 10.00/m...she is at least attempting to service the debt.

While that seems logical, I'd check the local laws on whether it extends the window of time the companies can go after you for the debt, and how long before the bankruptcy clears from your record. If she's going to default, in most places, it's better (for the person defaulting) to do it sooner than later.

If she means anything to you, then clear the debt for her.

one would expect if he actually cares about the lady concerned then he would helping with some small monthly contribution to get the C/C companies off her back,

I guess we all have different perspectives, but the idea of paying her debt and that caring for her is tantamount to paying it, and not paying it shows he doesn't care for her... is just insane to me. 2 parties made a mistake (the lender and the borrower) -- why should he make himself the 3rd party to do so? So that the first 2 parties don't need to face the consequences of their mistake? If he cares for her he's somehow obligated to pay for her mistakes??? Maybe if she breaks any criminal laws he should sit in prison for her too...

Thank you, a sensible comment and outlook at last

If you think, that a school fee of 25,000.00 THB per year is not a lot of money, you should try to understand, that this amount would pay off the credit card debt in around 7 years (without interest of course). The card issuers will never care about, that the money is a fair payment for the sons education. I would guess that she could also find a much cheaper home to rent. The credit card issuers will again not care, if you think that the rent for a nice home is worth the money.

When I read your first post, I thought that this had to be a very new relationship. After learning that she was your girlfriend for 18 months and you have spent half of this time together with her in Thailand, I am sorry to say, that I think that you are not serious in your relationship, if you do not help her out, with at least some smaller monthly payments for the school fees and rent, or alternatively help her to reduce her debt.

You are searching for help to make your girlfriends debt just disappear up in the sky, which will only happen in your dreams! You should feel ashamed to seek anyones help, if you are not willing to commit even the smallest financial help yourself! The only way the debt will disappear, is after the debt has been paid, and if she cannot pay it, you are definitely the next in the line! Do not expect to find anyone else that will pay her debt, unless she gets rid of you first!

I've been a 'Guest' on Thai Visa Forum for more than a year, before joining as I thought it would be somewhere where I could get some constructive advice for someone else, my girlfriend, to help her with a problem that she has created. I would like to thank all those who posted advice in respect of her problem. to those who preferred to comment on other aspects,. I have always considered iit to be prudent, before offering any advice or opinions, that I was FULLY aware of any situation prior to doing so, because opinions given without this knowledge are quite worthless.

To suggest that after what is relatively a short relationship so far of 18 moths I should discharge her debts is a nonesense. In 2007 I met a friend out here who had been in a relationship for two years, she seeme a nice girl, and when he met her she was working in a shopping mall and not a bar. He commuted between Thailand and London, made sure she had money even though she was working, then set her up in a business, last year he discovered that for the previous year or so, each time he returned to the UK she would shack up with a Thai drug dealer. Naturally he lost all he had invested in setting her up in a business, and she seemed such a nice girl and their relationship was a number of years longer than mine.

Perhaps if you were aware of my own circumstances, you might understand why I am extremely cautious about giving any woman, any of my money. In 2002 my wife of just seven years left, she came into the marriage without a penny, she never had to do days work, had around £90 a week spending money, provided with a car, taxed , insured etc. We had two children, which subsequently she told all and sundry she had only had for 'security', I used to take my family (including her daughter) to Disney Florida every two years, She divorced me in 2004, and having brought nothing into the marriage walked out with £250,000,divorce settlement and my two children. Following the divorce she again told all and sundry that 'she had never loved me, and it had only ever been a marriage of convenience' I had to sell all my business interests to fund the divorce payment, and she even tried to get my home of thirty years sold from under me, which she fortunately failed to do.. She has prevented me from seeing my children from the end of September 2002, as this was the only other way she could hurt me.

So with regard to giving money to women, I've been there, bought the 'T' shirt and won't be going there again.

I thought joing as a member I would get some constructive advice, and from those members that gave it , again I thank you, what I didn't expect was so many unrelated comments from so many know all know nothings

Thank you to all of you that have replied to my original post and offered advice soley on the matter I requested.

The advice I sought was how my Girlfriend could deal with the credit card debt she has given regard to the fact that after her expenses were paid (and which I elaborated on in my second post) she was left with less than 500 Bt.

I indicated quite clearly that I was not going to clear this debt on her behalf, so those who left messages indicating I should or various ways I should discharge the debt for her, were not addressing the advice I asked for in my original post.

Again those who suggested that I should know or find out how this debt was accrued were not assisting me with my original request for advice, as if I have no intention of paying this off, how it was accrued was irrelevant . I know though that credit card bills can mount up very quickly if you don’t make payments, and if as they do in the UK, the card companies make a late or none payment charge, or charge for writing a letter, then charges can mount up very quickly, especially if there are five accounts not being serviced and these charges muliplied by five.

I know from reading other forums that Thai people run up debts very easily, the attitude of ‘I’m going to die one day, so I may as well spend money now’ appears to be very common, also they think that their status is elevated by making loans to others, and buying them gifts, but they soon find these ‘friends’ disappear when the money runs out.

Some have asked regarding my relationship with my girlfriend, how long I have known her, and where we met, etc. etc. Again none of these deal with my original request for advice, which I am seeking on her behalf.

But for those who wish to know, I have known her for about 18 months now, and about half of that time I have spent with her in Thailand. When I first met her, I had already decided that the first time I saw the ‘open hand’, I would end the relationship, it never came, and she has never asked me for one Baht. She actually used to buy me clothes and pay for meals until I realised her financial position and stopped her from doing so. But despite this on occasion she will still do it.

She has never asked me to pay off her debts, in fact originally I had great difficulty in getting any information out of her about it as she was ashamed about it and felt she was losing face. I have said to her from the outset that I am not going to pay off the debt, but would do my very best to help her deal with the problem.

The ‘Live now, pay later’ attitude is not just confined to Thailand, my son’s former wife in the UK would spend on cards, and then be surprised that at the end of the month the cards had to be paid. This was in fact the major factor in them splitting up. Currently I have to check where my grandchildren are before I visit them, as she never pays the rent on any house or flat she lives in and so they are constantly on the move, so as I say the ‘Live now pay later’ mentality is not just a Thai thing.

Some have suggested that she should not be paying school fees for her son, and that these would probably pay off the debt. Well the total annual amount of school fees, which includes, uniform, books if needed, and transport to the school is 25,000 Bt which she pays just over 2,000Bt a month for and I have nothing but admiration for her that she is despite her difficulties, trying to do the best for her son who is only five years old.

So I hope that this answers many of the questions or comments posed by other postings. As I am still looking for advice for her on how to resolve this debt problem she has with the card companies, I would appreciate if future postings, if any, dealt with this request rather than all the other irrelevant matters that have been the subject of some previous posts.

If she means anything to you, then clear the debt for her. You sound like you can afford it. I'm sure she's learned her lesson already and is unlikely to be able to obtain another credit card since she will have been labelled as a bad debt already.

If she doesn't mean anything to you, then leave her and let her sort her own problems out.

Does this mean you should restrict your efforts to help others who have problems, only to those you have an emotional involvement with?

I could quite easily discharge these debts for her, but will not for two reasons, firstly this would make me the loser, as her financial position would preclude her from being able to repay me, secondly because of all the problems this is creating for her, and the worry of not being able to service the debt and the possibility of being persued legally by the card companies, she is learning a valuable lesson of not incurring debts you cannot repay which appears to be a Thai trait.

Are we talking about an adult or child her ?......you make it sound like you are trying teach a child a lesson...its very patronising...

Would you be suggesting that by making her realise that if you can't afford to pay for something, you don't buy it, or if you are unable to repay a loan, then you don't take it on, that it is I that am in the wrong?

Most important is to keep quiet about that she has a Farang boyfriend. If they ever get to know about this, they will keep hunting her untill you pay, which you wisely have decided not to do. Quite a few Thai women try to find a Farang boyfriend, for the purpose to solve their own or their familys financial problems.

If she dont own anything, that can be sold to raise money, just let them take her to court. They cannot take something that she havent got.

Alternatively, as another member suggests, offer them 10.00 or even 100.00 Baht per month each, in order to show her good will, and let them know, that if her job-situation should change to the better (the crisis is not that bad in Thailand), she will increase the payments accordingly. Promise to keep them updated on her income situation every 3-6 months.

Would have been nice to know, how much her reasonably payed job pays off each month, and how high her living expenses and payments to parents are though. If she was unable to make any savings, when she held the good position in a large company for 8 years, and even had to create a debt of 180,000.00 Baht, she could just be spending too much for living expenses and parents.

Best wishes!

Having prepared the spreadsheet indicating her income over expenditure, I can say she is certainly not spending too much on her living expenses, out of her income she has to pay the school fees for her son, and also pays an insurance policy in respect of her son, an amount is paid to her parents to cover the cost of looking after her son whilst she has to work away from home, which includes feeding and clothing him, and also includes an amount that repays the government for her own school fees that were incurred. She has to pay for her room as she is working away, and her own living expenses which includes food, clothing and any other living expenses is only 2,000 Bt a month. Her only extravagance if you could call it that, is the cost of a return bus ticket once a month to go home to see her son. I am unsure of how such a large debt was accrued, but some may have come following the death of her husband some five years ago, I know that her position with having five cards came about as a result of not being able to service the debt on the first card, so a second was taken out to pay the first, then a third to pay the second, etc. a familiar story I am afraid. Plus of course the debt may have reached this amount because of interest added, or penalties for late or none payment if they have these in Thailand, so the original debt could have been considerably less.

The payment of a small amount each month would I agree show some willingness, but probably would not even cover any monthly interest charges so despite making a payment, the debt would continue to grow. The cards themselves have been destroyed some time ago.

I could quite easily discharge these debts for her, but will not for two reasons, firstly this would make me the loser, as her financial position would preclude her from being able to repay me, secondly because of all the problems this is creating for her, and the worry of not being able to service the debt and the possibility of being persued legally by the card companies, she is learning a valuable lesson of not incurring debts you cannot repay which appears to be a Thai trait.

My Thai Girlfriend has a credit card problem, nothing new you probably say. She is 35, a widow (husband died in auto accident) has a son (5yrs), Held a good position in large company for 8 yrs until global downturn led to redundancy. Had to move from home to secure reasonably paid job. Has five credit cards and owes around 180,000Bt. I don't know how this debt was acrued. Her current salary after living expenses and payments to parents for looking after son leaves her with less than 500bt a month most times less. Naturally she has been unable to service these card debts, some of the lenders have threatened court action in phone calls and urged and frightened her into borrowing off friends to make a payment, which has only made her situation worse, as she now owes money to friends she can not repay.

I constructed a letter which she sent to each of the lenders, plus a spreadsheet, with copy payslips showing that she had no money to make payments, and asking for advice from the lenders about what she could do. At the time of writing this post only one has responded by phone, and their 'advice' was that she should 'try' to make a payment, which was exactly what the letter explained she could not do.

I have looked at various sites dealing with information on bankruptsy and it appears you can not apply for personal bankruptsy if you owe less than one million baht.

I am about to construct a further letter to those who diod not reply, plus one to the lender that did.

Has any member any experience of dealing with a situation like this and could offer advice.

I am trying to build up some dialogue with the lenders, so that if legal action was taken against her, she would be able to show that she had made efforts to seek advice from the lenders in how to resolve the situation. It would be pointless the lenders taking legal action, as she has no assets that could be levied on.

I know the easiest solution would be for me to pay off these debts, but that is a road taken by many others in similar situations to their loss and detriment, and one I do not want to go down, but otherwise am trying to do my best to convince the lenders that they have no chance of recovering their debt, in the faint hope that eventually they might realise this and write it off as a bad debt.