sua yai

Thanks GU22.

Didn't think it would be a problem after all these years.

It was just an unfortunate situation then and will have nothing to do with any future application for my wife.

As Steve2UK says, air con bus from southern bus terminal takes @3-3.5 hrs and cost 138 last time I did it.

Train takes @4hrs- similar cost, I think. More scenic.

Another alternative is minibus from Victory monument. Costs 160 and takes as little as 2.5 hrs.

I wouldn't pay more than 2,000 for a taxi meter, possibly as low as 1,700. Not limo though.

Hotels are plentiful. You can get a mid-range place for @1000 per night, a comfortable air con etc guest house for 400-600, fan as low as 250-350 or the 5 star stuff. Not many tourists here at the moment. Prices are negotiable, I'm sure.

Having read through some of the posts on this forum, it's got me thinking a bit.

When someone applies for a UK visa, the ECO will naturally check if the applicant has applied before - you've got to declare it on the form anyway, I think. However, someone suggested they would also check the sponsor's history, if any.

My siuation is that I was sponsoring my old gf in her attempts to get a holiday visa to visit me in the UK before I came over here to live. This was 8 years ago. She was refused 3 times, the reason being that the ECO wasn't satisfied that we'd known each other for the length of time we said and that she couldn't provide sufficient evidence of good reason to return to Thailand.

Well, not being here at that time, I got a bit upset and took the matter to The House of Commons through my MP. He was turned down as well

Now, that was a long time ago and I've been living here for 7 years. I'm now married - a different girl. If we apply for a tourist visa, it's not likely to be until next year.

Could the fact that I've previously sponsored an unsuccesful applicant be a problem in this case? If so, how would people suggest getting around the situation?

Thanks.

If I go for a walk down the beach, all I ever carry is a few hundred baht and keys to the house. I'm always on my own and don't want to leave any more lying around if I go in for a swim.

So, if I'm stopped before I get home, what are the possible penalties for not having my passport or other ID?

My wife and I generally cook indoors.

Her renditions of classic Thai food have been toned down chilli wise for me and my attempts at Western food have been spiced up.

A good compromise for us.

On the few occasions I've been back to the UK, I've found that the food there is pretty bland, unless someone knows how to make it more interesting. I don't just mean chilli wise.

Prof,

Definitely a lethal combination.

Ill make a diary note to try and contact you by tel on the 25th if not seen anything here first.

Failing that, I'll post here. Or pm.

Thanks for all the messages everyone.

Mrs Sua Yai's happy and in the garden at the moment.

Not my speciality. I'll stick to the kitchen.

Cheers.

Get a tourist visa in The States before you travel and you'll get 60 days on arrival. This can be extended for 30 days for 1,900 Baht at any immigration centre in Thailand.

Thanks for all your replies.

Having a certified translation of the Thai marriage certificate is, I'm sure, going to be required by the Brit Embassy if and when we apply for a visa.

Enigma,

Couple of things. You say that your visa expires on the 28th. Are you permitted to stay until that date?

If you go to Goanna's guest house and bar on Soi Selekam in the centre of town, Rod and Amanda, the Ozzie owners, have a notice up for shared runs. You'll have to fit in with their dates and I'm not sure how many people go on it. I usually do the run myself.

If you're still intrested in doing it on 27/28th, let me know and I'll tel you. The bus isn't too bad going down. Getting back's a pain though.

The only reason I can think of for registering with The UK Embassy and depositing the certificate back home is to make bigamy that much harder to commit.

Currently, I don't have worries about that, which is one good reason that I'll probably be extremely diplomatic and not spend a night in BKK!!

Just looked at the web site again.

With Brit Emb, it's categorical that reistering the marriage with them only means that the original cert is deposited with the relevent office in the UK. No more.

I still have to get a translation done, pay 1700+ to deposit it in the UK and 2,625 to have the a sworn statement certified by The Embassy. The translator has to go to The Emb as well.

As this process dosn't mean a thing in the UK, it would seem pretty pointless.

Lopburi's suggestion sounds better.

Are you English Nordlvs?

I thought that in the event that we want to go to the UK for a holiday, The Embassy would want a copy of the certificate in English - they certainly require other documentation in that language.

Also, the Embassy's web site seemed to suggest that registering the marriage with them, dosn't mean that we're married back in England.

I might have misread it but certainly it could help with visa applications.

Thanks Lopburi3.

More time in BKK. Will I be allowed an overnight stay this time? I'll have to get her at a good moment!!

Got married last Friday at the local amphur office. We each got our certificates in Thai. I asked about one in English, but was told they couldn't do it there.

I know you can get them, I just don't know the proceedure. Do I go to a translation office, get another certificate in English and then have it certified by the amphur office? That would seem to be the easiest way to go.

Couldn't agree with you more, BaanOz.

That area and one or two blocks behind it are about all that remains of the original wooden fishing village.

One improvement, however, is the absence of that wonderfaul aroma of drying squid. That always did nearly made me puke!!

I don't want to be a downer about the visa thing, but I had a bad motorcycle smash in February. 11 days in hospital. I was due to make a visa run two days after the accident.

When i was discharged, I had a letter from the doc explaining that I couldn't travel until a specific date in the future. On that date, I went to Soi Suan Plu, saw the imm doc who gave me a further month before I could travel.

Still had to pay 1,900 for a 14 day extension and 5,000 overstay.

Hope you manage to get around it PB.

BTW, we might just meet in HH. I've been here for 7 years. PM me when you're coming down and we'll arrange a few beers and meet some of the locals. Get well soon.

The blind leading the blind.

A serious problem though.

The assistant rector will have great fun castrating male students to stop the spread of the virus.

Ridiculous that anyone in a position of authority should be so blind.

Extremists are, by definition, just that. The trouble makers down south will not have much popular support, regardless of religion etc. Correct me if I'm wrong on that premise.

If a more hard line were taken, then it could be that some of the law abiding, peaceful Muslims will start to shop their fanatical brothers and sisters.

Correct, OxfordWill.

At least that's the way it has gone for us.

I've been looking for original posts that I put on here a few months ago. Excuse me if I'm computer illiterate, but I'll add my final piece to this thread.

Got married at 10am this morning. Amphur/registered etc.

There had been a problem for 4 months previously due to sin sod and which came first - the registration or the Buddhist blessing.

I'm glad to say that everything was resolved. Obviously, the legal marriage today, with the blessing on hold until Nov 4th. It's also been agreed that the sin sod, which is not exorbitant, can be spread over six months to give us both the best financial platform from which to start married life.

Amazing what a bit of sensible discussion brings.

Happiness all the way round.

It's been touched upon, but how about marriage.

We got married at 10am this morning - amphur etc. Then Tessabahn, where it took 15 mins for my wife to get a new ID card with my family name on it.

The reason she changed her name? To bring us closer together.

I've just been told that the law in Thaialnd was that the woman had to change her surname to the husband's. Not so now.

I appreciate that there's a big difference between forenames and surnames, but it's still a change for the better, in our case.

PeaceBlondie,

Depends on what changes you're referring to.

As B&S has said, there's the immediate beachfront area that's been under observation for years.

If you're asking about development all the way to Khao Takieb, then it's already there. Show me a vacant lot on the beach side going down. There's hardly any other direction for developers to go in other than the hills.