Shrek

does a uk national need a visa for a short stay in laos, say 1 or 2 days ?

does my thai wife need one too?

has a thai national with no passport stand no chance of getting over the border with us ?

is there a crossing point at nakhon phanom ?

there that was brief wasnt it ?

sorry if any of the questions are dumb but none of us have ever been over to laos ?

I may be naive at this but hows your C++?!!?

That's not quite right.

The bank exchange booths in town are not open all night. On the Khaosan Road, they are open until 9pm. There may be one open later, near Patpong Night Market.

Don't exchange any money before you arrive in Thailand. It's a pointless and wasteful action. The bank exchange booths at the airport will be open. The rate at the airport is much the same as in town. The rate on the table that you linked to, should be similar to the rate that you will receive.

The rate for Travellers Cheques is shown under Sight Bill.

If you choose to purchase TCs, purchase American Express Sterling TCs in high denominations. Reject Thomas Cook/Visa TCs.

If you have the time, apply for a Nationwide Building Society Flexaccount and use the Debit Card for cash withdrawals. It's the best and most cost effective method. You don't need to use it as your main account; http://www.nationwide.co.uk/current_account/default.htm

Ok?

Interesting one, the nationwide. I am back to NE Issan in October. My wife is thai been in the uk 3 yrs now and her current acct is at nationwide. do we think all the atm transactions using her acct will go thru free or will the bank owning the atm charge £2.50 ? THe whole businmess of ATM withdrawals seems a bit of a lotto...I can never work out which ATMs charge me....you dont even know till you come home....and the rate is a mystery....its just the convenience I suppose.

Where ARE the best rates in town in Thailand right now ?

I like the security of the atm AND the fact that when I am in a remote area (sakhon nakhon), as I will be in October, it can be a pain finding somewhere to exchange travellers cheques. Is the travellers cheque exchange rate usually better or worse than the atm rate ? Does anyone know ?

Also Nathan put a spare 300 baht in a separate pocket you will need it around 11pm the first night !

see http://www.bangkokbank.com/Bangkok+Bank/We...es/FX+Rates.htm

for cash they give 67.76 for TC 68.49 just dont forget the closing time at the bank though !

suppose all things being equal mebbe take most in TQ and a couple of hundred on ATM as backup?

That's not quite right.

The bank exchange booths in town are not open all night. On the Khaosan Road, they are open until 9pm. There may be one open later, near Patpong Night Market.

Don't exchange any money before you arrive in Thailand. It's a pointless and wasteful action. The bank exchange booths at the airport will be open. The rate at the airport is much the same as in town. The rate on the table that you linked to, should be similar to the rate that you will receive.

The rate for Travellers Cheques is shown under Sight Bill.

If you choose to purchase TCs, purchase American Express Sterling TCs in high denominations. Reject Thomas Cook/Visa TCs.

If you have the time, apply for a Nationwide Building Society Flexaccount and use the Debit Card for cash withdrawals. It's the best and most cost effective method. You don't need to use it as your main account; http://www.nationwide.co.uk/current_account/default.htm

Ok?

Interesting one, the nationwide. I am back to NE Issan in October. My wife is thai been in the uk 3 yrs now and her current acct is at nationwide. do we think all the atm transactions using her acct will go thru free or will the bank owning the atm charge £2.50 ? THe whole businmess of ATM withdrawals seems a bit of a lotto...I can never work out which ATMs charge me....you dont even know till you come home....and the rate is a mystery....its just the convenience I suppose.

Where ARE the best rates in town in Thailand right now ?

I like the security of the atm AND the fact that when I am in a remote area (sakhon nakhon), as I will be in October, it can be a pain finding somewhere to exchange travellers cheques. Is the travellers cheque exchange rate usually better or worse than the atm rate ? Does anyone know ?

Also Nathan put a spare 300 baht in a separate pocket you will need it around 11pm the first night !

Der am I being stupid or missing something...my wife and I married in Thailand in 2004 and she came here on a 2 year spouse vise. She recently got her ILR with no hassle whatsoever (apart from the extortionate fee of £335)...I realise she doesnt have British nationality (yet) but she has time to work to that. What am I missing ?

You've been missing quite alot Shrek. You are lucky in the fact your Mrs got ILR before the new changes. These changes start this month. Increased fees upto £750 AND they now have to do the LITUK test before being considered for ILR.

Edit// More here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=109963

Blood and Sand. Talk about ignorance is bliss. I suppose because I knew what we had to do I never read any further into it. How lucky were we to have our 2 years expire at the and of March 2007.

Ok the the mrs came on a marriage visa, got married, got the limited leave to remain now its the settlement !!!!!!

Thought it would be easy !!!! WRONG!!!

Have to pass life in the uk multiple choice test on computer £35. (nearest one 15 miles away)

The Mrs can only read and write very little. The above it a impossiblity.

There fore has to obtain an ESOL certificate to level 3 citizenship with materials.

£80 for 10 lessons. A very minimium of 20 estimated to achieve level 3. Therefore expensive.

The nearest school that does this is 20 miles away. Mrs dont drive so id take her and wait in the car for 2 hours for the lesson to finish, then go home. Times 6 - 8pm wednesdays. I dont get home from work till 5.15.

Next one closest is 1 mile away but doesnt do the course with citizen ship, which would mean getting to level 3 then attempting the computer alone with revison from the hand book. Times for this class are 9.30 - 11.30 which means the mrs would have to lose a day off work every week (works part time ) Then pay for a babysiter for 3 hours a week.

The living in the UK test are stupidly hard, i guess you can read the handbook, but what the hel_l are them questions about and who cares??? Do people really need to know them?? I Dont!!

We can apply for an extension as the current visa is up october and there is no way she will get to this stage by then, for a £325 from the oh so friendly uk home office. But for how long and when she does get the certificate of completion i have to pay £325 again.

I work 10 hours a day my mrs 6 we have a 7 month old baby. Which we juggle jobs and times to babysit.

When do we get time to do this.

Tell me this is supposed to be easy!!!!

I need some help and advice anyone done this before???????

Very very angry and stressed!!!!1

Der am I being stupid or missing something...my wife and I married in Thailand in 2004 and she came here on a 2 year spouse vise. She recently got her ILR with no hassle whatsoever (apart from the extortionate fee of £335)...I realise she doesnt have British nationality (yet) but she has time to work to that. What am I missing ?

Around mid-december I think I posted the very worrying story of a thai girl in the uk with no documents heavilly pregnant and living with a serious drug addict.

Well here's what s happened.

I'm pleased to say (and astionished) that boyfriend stunned everyone by reforming (for now). he's been off booze and drugs for about 2 months now, no mobile phone, stays in every night.

Baby was born 2 weeks ago by Caesarian beautiful little girl.

OK they're still in a rented pokey house and have loads of very serious issues in front of them but one step at a time I think. Boyfriends family have rallied round and are helping so thats one problem less for me and my wife.

Not quite Cinderella ending but could be worse !

oh and nearly forgot...my wife and kids got their indefinite visa thru last month...seems like a million years since i first posted here two and a half years ago "having just met this beautiful person on holiday !" Everyone say aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Prime reason it makes getting visa(s) hard for everyone else. Any chance she will get deported? However knowing how soft we are, prob get a passport and assistance.

I dunno...what do I do...do I report the whole thing or just turn my back and refuse to have anything to do with it...cowarsd way out I suppose, but it isn't my problem.

I know what should happen, but...

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=96754

The posting tells of a young thai girl pregnant and visa-less in the uk at the mercy of a bad drug-crazed boyfriend

My posting in mid december provoked several replies and I promised to post an update

2 weeks ago I decided to get the bad boyfriends version...read on

"She's already been deported once for overstay and prostitution in the uk"

"A middle aged english guy then paid £4500 to get her false documents to re-enter"

"Once here she dumped him and went back on the game in england which is how he met her"

"She's overstayed 2 years now and the pregnancy is an attempt to stay in the uk"

"she's already told him once baby is born she back on the game"

Needless to say all contact with them has been severed

3 years down the line and the capacity to deceive never surprises me, seems I learn something new every time I meet a thai girl.

One or two other postings should read this...its all true I promise...should be part of a training manual !

Thank you everyone for the helpful and positive advice.

Seems she has a couple of options to try and get help, but one of the above hit the nail on the head, that she has to want to leave, and she keeps going back..god only knows why.

I will sit her down and explain the options and she must decide, not me. The issue of what happens at hospital had occurred to me.

At least it seems she wont be bundled onto the next plane.

Thanks a lot really.

A mate at work asked me today, if she was a Pakistani man who had overstayed how would I feel......not easy.

I will try and point her in the right direction. She's back home tonight having slept on our sofa last night and he has gone out at 6pm "I'll be back in one hour".....4 hours later no sign. I await the phone call.

I'll keep you posted.

a lot would depend, I think, on the nationality/residence status of the father.

Yeah, sorry GU22, i was presuming that the father of the unborn child, was the smackhead and also a brit. Shrek, can you confirm either way.

yes he is english and is the father of the child and you would think, seeing it thru english eyes that she would be far better off with family in thailand but that obviously isnt her perspective

where in the UK are you Shrek?

think you should heed the advice from GU22 before she ends up hurt with this fking loser

south yorkshire

Actually I wonder if she would be best turning herself in to the Social Services. They will know what to do, will sort out getting her out of harms way and then, maybe, just maybe they will assist her in staying in the UK or at least returning to Thailand.

I suspect it will involve the police and lots of questions, but at least she will be fed and looked after.

Sorry I didnt make it clear, she was hoping somehow to stay in the uk. (Dunno why...I spend every day gazing out of the window at grey northern english skies, traffic jams, fuel prices, etc etc wishing I was laid in a hammock in the thai sunshine!)

ok my thai wife and I are happily married and have been in England with her two small thai kids for 2 years now. She recently befriended a thai girl in her early 30's who has been in the uk for about 3 and a half years from what I can work out. She was engaged to a well-off guy in his 50's but had a fling with a 23 year old guy and got found out.

So now she finds herself living in a rented terrace with a 23 year old smackhead who beats her every night and she's 4 months pregnant! Wait it gets better

Turns out charlie boy ripped up her passport AND she has overstayed her Visa BY TWO YEARS!

ok its not my problem but I cant help being concerned and I dont know what to tell her. I suspect British Immigration would send her home and ask her to reapply and she'd have no chance ?

PLEASE dont send the usual 50 replies telling her how stupid she's been. She knows.

Any advice on the visa front would be appreciated. I have told her the obvious...to get out of the house, but charlie boy has said he will telll immigration if she does. Stuck.

And if you read this Kevin it is me and BIBG you dont know the girl she found us using the "Find another Thai friend" radar that they all have.

Thnks Guys.

That is a specialized government financial service and is not a real bank. I seriously doubt you can transfer money into such an account (we have not been able to do so from bank accounts inside Thailand).

Thanks

Had come to the same conclusion

Have sold sister to open a new acct with BangkokBank

New motorbike will have to wait a week !

...hope your sister didnt' mind..... did you get much for her?

ooops

That is a specialized government financial service and is not a real bank. I seriously doubt you can transfer money into such an account (we have not been able to do so from bank accounts inside Thailand).

Thanks

Had come to the same conclusion

Have sold sister to open a new acct with BangkokBank

New motorbike will have to wait a week !

Most likely BAACBKTH.

Mind, I've never heard of a bank called "Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives". You sure it's not just Kasikorn (Thai Farmers) Bank?

It does exist several banking pages on the net have addresses and phone numbers but no mention of swift or bic codes

We are trying to transfer money to a friend who has an account with BAAC (Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives) and having problems. The telegraphic transfer fails to recognise the name of the bank. Anyone any idea ?

Try asking the friend to ask the bank if they have a SWIFT code ?

dont think they have one I couldnt find one on the net and have just been on swift.com you can search banks and the name returns nothing

We are trying to transfer money to a friend who has an account with BAAC (Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives) and having problems. The telegraphic transfer fails to recognise the name of the bank. Anyone any idea ?

!

I was being ridiculously vague wasnt I

I'm talking about 3 or 4 miles out of Sakhon Nakhon needs raising was paddy

Near to main road and facilities (about 2km) also near to good high school

other plots going to teachers etc very few farang

I think theres also some interest from thai army theres a base a few km away

They want 150,000 Bht per rai

That seems very, very expensive for padi. Also take into consideration

1) Is it near a main road?

2)has it electricity

3) has it a telephone line.

My wife bought 10 rai of Padi 5 years ago, in the country, 25 km's from Surin,5 kms from Prasad for 10,000 a rai. It's still Padi now. I think around Surin, close to a road, with electric but no phone, it is between 50,000 & 100,000 a rai. Get within the Muang boundry and your talking about 1.5 million.

Getting more info

Its inside Muang

Electric is near boundary as others have built european-style houses

these 2 rai not filled yet

near main road on small soi 100 metres from main road

Whats the going rate for building land in a desirable semi-rural location say 4 or 5 miles out of town ? Sort of area being bought up by teachers and the like.

That's a bit like saying " What's the price of land in Asia?" Isaan is around 1/4 of a million square kilometers. Prices range from 25,000 a rai out side town to 2,000,000 a rai in Ampeuar Muang, in most Isaan Cities. A lot of chaps go for rural locations, where you can pick up a nice piece of Padi(unraised ground usualy kept for rice farming) for the cheapest price and build it up themselves.

Take for instance Lower Isaan (Buriram,Surin, Sisaket, Ubon) Here is probably the greatest influx of ex-pats, with more and more moving here all the time. In all these provinces there are nice housing estates (a la BKK) being built all around the towns and cities. One can pick up a luxury residence, of have one built to your design, for around 2,000,000 baht.( see properties at link at top of page) All the properties shown have already been snapped up, but there are more in offering, so we are keeping the ad going. Another useful link you can find on the site is Isaan Property Market.

This also caters for land sales.

Hope I have been some assistance.

Thanks for your help both of you

Sorry I fella sleep !

I was being ridiculously vague wasnt I

I'm talking about 3 or 4 miles out of Sakhon Nakhon needs raising was paddy

Near to main road and facilities (about 2km) also near to good high school

other plots going to teachers etc very few farang

I think theres also some interest from thai army theres a base a few km away

They want 150,000 Bht per rai

Whats the going rate for building land in a desirable semi-rural location say 4 or 5 miles out of town ? Sort of area being bought up by teachers and the like.

I'm looking for some software to help my thai wife and kids learn english can anyone help ?

Cant find much on the net - plenty to help me learn thai but not much going in the opposite direction.

Thanks everyone.

It doesn't sound like the minefield that I worried it might be.

Pardon the pun.

I am married to an isaan girl and we live in england.

Her family are in isaan and although we (both) have no immediate burning desire to return to thailand its a retirement option in maybe 10-12 years, so buying now would be an idea

What are the basic rules/steps - if I was in england i would just get a solicitor !

like

how do you prove boundaries, ownership

can i own or must my wife buy

if my wife buys how do i protect my self or is it just on trust

how do you register your onership

how do you know its not mortgaged to the hilt (as has happened to me once on a recent visit...asking price 50,000 at last minute owner told wife owed bank 100,000 on it)

How do i stop thai people colonising it while i am in england !

what other pitfalls are there ?

My friend tells me that you can fly from near pattaya (utupao?) to phuket but I can find nothing on the net for this...anyone know anything ?