mrrpie

Probably too late now, but one option for the family before the trial began would be to appoint their own lawyer and act as "co-prosecutors" in the case. This ensures that the family would be aware of all developments in the trial, such as bail for the defendants, and any delays - things which the Embassy would not ordinarily be informed of by the court or Public Prosecutor. Equally importantly, it would also offer the family the chance to put their own questions to the defendants and witnesses, rather than relying purely on the Public Prosecutor.

I must be the exception then, because my kids were both registered with the Home Office through the Embassy last year - and they were both more than 12 months old. No problem with the Embassy taking the applications and they could not have been more helpful (apart from the wait for the interview)....

There is no such thing as a 'widows pension" any more, however any surviving spouse might qualify for a bereavement allowance. The (Thai) widow of a friend who passed away in Thailand fairly recently didn't qualify for anything - and it took forever to get an answer.

http://www.directgov.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAnd...ion/DG_10026707

http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Custom...008411.xml.html

And it is not just the visa feesgoing up on 1 April. Consular fee also increasing, so passports, letters from the Embassy etc will all cost more...

FCO ANOUNCES CHANGES IN CONSULAR FEES FROM 1 APRIL 2007 (08/03/07)

The fees for passports and chargeable consular services provided by British consular posts overseas are to change from 01 April 2007. On the same date, the fee for legalisation services provided by the FCO in London and overseas will change.

These changes will ensure that the full cost of providing services at home and overseas are fully recovered without any claim on public funds and to meet the increasing demand, while maintaining high standards of service.

Notes to Editors:

Chargeable Consular Services

The FCO undertakes 60 chargeable services. Examples include:

registering of British Nationals' births and deaths (increased from £64.50 to £92.00),

charging call out fees (increased from £84.50 to £121.00),

administering oaths (increased from £35.00 to £50.00),

solemnising or attending a marriage (increased from £88.00 to £126.00),

arranging a repatriation (increased from £84.50 to £121.00), and

registering a civil partnership (increased from £88.00 to £126.00).

The fees for these services were last increased in July 2005.

Passports

In 2006-07 British consulates overseas will have issued or amended in the region of 450,000 passports and issued 12,000 emergency and temporary passports.

From 1 April 2007 the following fees will apply:

Adult 32 page: £ 119.00 (up from £91.00)

Adult 48 page: £ 144.00 (up from £109.00)

Child: £ 76.00 (up from £ 59.00)

Emergency: £ 55.50 (up from £ 43.50)

Amendments: £ 97.50 (up from £ 75.50)

Temporary: £ 70.50 (up from £ 55.00)

Passport fees were last increased in December 2005 to cover the costs of the implementation and issuing of new Biometric Passports.

Legalisation Fees

In 2006-07 British consulates overseas and the London office, will have provided in the region of 370,000 legalisation services.

From 1 April 2007 the legalisation fee will increase from £19 to £27.

The fees for these services were last increased in July 2005.

If he is in the IDC for visa overstay, then he has no choice but to be deported back to his own country. If he doesn't want to go home, then he will be detained in IDC indefinately.....

The "plain clothes" staff after you clear through customs are from the Excise dept. Customs and Excise are 2 completely separate departments in Thailand. Customs have authority airside in the airport as far as the red and green channels. Once you clear through customs into the landside arrivals area, then youare at the mercy of the Excise dept. The official excise duy is THB 3555 per 200 cigarettes over you're allowance. i heard from a friend that the reason the excise staff are being so diligent at the moment is because are being "rewarded" for each traveller they fine.....

I understand that the road they were crossing was a multi lane (3 or 4 lanes) "one way " road and they thought that the traffic was all coming from one direction. What they didn't realise was that the lane immediately in front of them was a bus lane, with traffic coming from the direction opposite to the main flow, and walked almost directly in front of a slow moving JCB....Bald tyres or not, he had little chance of seeing them because of the location of the cab, let alone being able to stop.