chuckd

Try Shenanigan's on Second Road, next to Royal Garden Marriott Hotel.

I have used the services of TPE on a personal family problem not related to my wife and found him honest, forthright and very efficient in getting the job done. He used reliable Thai individuals with the proper backgrounds to do the job. They blended in well with the community and did not stand out, as another poster seemed to think they would. I have been very satisfied with the work done and will continue to use TPE should the need arise again.

As far as divorces are concerned. When you marry, the Amphur provides two laminated originals of your marriage certificate. When you divorce, you must surrender both laminated originals (or provide a police report if lost) at the time of divorce. You are then provided two laminated divorce decrees which are proof and evidence of your divorce.

If, however, the divorce decree is lost, it is very difficult to obtain information without going to the Amphur where the divorce was granted. This isn't the Western world here, folks. Government offices aren't always linked to each other in order for you to obtain information.

As far as trust is concerned. Some of the comments make me think many of you have never graced the shores of Thailand. A wise man once said...trust, but verify.

When some of you are thinking about posting about all the so-called expat slugs that live in Pattaya, also think about this.

The Canadian Jackalope golf tournament was held the first week in September. It is always run by local expats from the Pattaya area and is supported by local expats from the Pattaya area.

This year it raised 300,000 baht for the Camillian Center.

Were they driving a blue Honda Wave with the license plate removed and were they wearing full face helmets?

Happened to my wife and a neighbor lady some three weeks ago. We live off Siam C.C Road.

I have been paying 150 baht for a small tanker full (2,000 liters). My city water is on most nights but off during the day. We can survive by bringing in water every other day or so.

Most of the water tankers get their water from underground water wells. There are a few artesian wells off of Soi Siam Country Club that supply much of the current water deliveries. Our water truck delivers well water.

Mabprachan Reservoir is virtually empty but the rocket scientists that run the city are exploring Desalination plants as well as a pipeline to deliver water from Rayong. The problem is that desal plants are too expensive and, since the pipeline company is owned by a local politicians relative, it will take 8 to 10 years to complete. I jest.....but not much.

Hi Lopburi,

I see. So the letter from embassy can also be based on simply the 800k - makes sense as the rules says "OR".

Lying under oath (or at all) would certainly be stupid.

Cheers!

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The letter from the Embassy is a form letter where you fill in the blanks. It merely says that you attest you have $??????? in monthly income and does not ask the source. The Vice Consul asks if the statements on the letter are true, you acknowledge verbally, sign the letter and he stamps and signs it. Simple enough but this notarial service is not free.

If you have the 800,000 baht, then no retirement letter is required.

Edit in: If you have as much as 65,000 baht monthly income reflected on the letter from the Embassy, then your bank letter does not have to reflect a balance of 800,000. Any amount is acceptable but you must have a bank letter and copy of your bank book (in Pattaya at least).

chuckd

What you said was you registered your marriage at the US Embassy - I do not recall you saying you "must" do so but you said you did this and I know of no process to do so.  Now you have said it was a notary for paperwork and that is not "registering your marriage" in my book.  The only registration I am aware of is birth/death and presence in the country so perhaps the presence here could be considered registration of marriage by some.  I was trying to clarify exactly what you did.  Sorry if it seemed to be an attack.  But this give and take is how we all gain knowledge here.   

In any case the point about no payment for required notary service it good to advertise and they might not catch it in the mad rush to process people.

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Mr. Lopburi:

I have queried my local US Embassy Warden and he tells me that marriages are registered all the time at the US Embassy. That having been said, he further indicated he has not done one for some three months and the rules might have changed since then.

He suggested I call the Embassy, which I tried to do to no avail. Seems the American Citizens Section was closed for some unknown reason.

In any event, Mr. Warden stated the procedure was strictly voluntary and was not a requirement of the US government and was normally done in order to put a marriage on record for an individual's retirement purposes. This was my previous understanding of the process.

I will attempt to call the Embassy in the next day or so and post the information I receive.

Cheers.

It is not likely that you will be marked PNG at Don Muang due to a one day overstay. I have overstayed many times and am still happily doing my thing in Thailand. The most I have overstayed was 66 days and I merely paid my fine, left for Singapore and returned the same day.

Having said this, you can be in serious trouble if you are caught by the Police in an overstay status. They won't say anything to you at the airport but it can get sticky if you are apprehended elsewhere.

It is not a good practice to do this sort of thing but one day is nothing serious.

I registered my Thai marriage at the US Embassy in BKK last week.  I took a translation (duly stamped by the translation company) and the original Thai language certificate to the Embassy.

They looked at it, compared it to the original, stamped the back of the translation certifying it was a true copy of the original and sent me on my way.

No charge and it took perhaps 15 minutes.  There is no charge for notarial services as long as the notarized document is a requirement of the US government.

Edit:  I did not get MOFA certification nor was one required.  MOFA certification is required to get married but not to register your Thai marriage at the US embassy.

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There is no requirement to register your marriage at the US Embassy so am not sure what you did. As you say it was a requirement must assume you are talking about obtaining an immigrant visa rather than a marriage registration. If I am wrong I am many years wrong.

What exact requirement do you believe you were doing? I am quite sure there would be something on their web site if they now have any such process but can not find it.

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I never said there was a requirement to register your marriage at the US Embassy. I said if the government, for whatever reason, needs certified copies of any document, there is no charge for the notarial services.

The US Government needed certified copies of my marriage certificate for retirement purposes that are personal in nature to me. As I accurately stated, there was no notarial fee for this service.

This is what I was doing and not what I believed I was doing.

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You said

I registered my Thai marriage at the US Embassy in BKK last week. I took a translation (duly stamped by the translation company) and the original Thai language certificate to the Embassy.

The information about no fee for notary service is a good piece of advise.

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Mr.Lopburi:

While I am the first to admit that my grasp of the English language is circumspect at best, I still must take umbrage with your implication that I said one MUST register his/her marriage to a non-resident alien with the US Embassy.

I merely said that I had registered my marriage at the Embassy and in no instance did I intimate that it was a requirement.

I suppose we are beating a dead horse over semantics but I am a firm believer that words should not be put in my mouth. I am certain you can understand why.

I am pleased you found my advice beneficial on no-fee notarials.

I registered my Thai marriage at the US Embassy in BKK last week.  I took a translation (duly stamped by the translation company) and the original Thai language certificate to the Embassy.

They looked at it, compared it to the original, stamped the back of the translation certifying it was a true copy of the original and sent me on my way.

No charge and it took perhaps 15 minutes.  There is no charge for notarial services as long as the notarized document is a requirement of the US government.

Edit:  I did not get MOFA certification nor was one required.  MOFA certification is required to get married but not to register your Thai marriage at the US embassy.

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There is no requirement to register your marriage at the US Embassy so am not sure what you did. As you say it was a requirement must assume you are talking about obtaining an immigrant visa rather than a marriage registration. If I am wrong I am many years wrong.

What exact requirement do you believe you were doing? I am quite sure there would be something on their web site if they now have any such process but can not find it.

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I never said there was a requirement to register your marriage at the US Embassy. I said if the government, for whatever reason, needs certified copies of any document, there is no charge for the notarial services.

The US Government needed certified copies of my marriage certificate for retirement purposes that are personal in nature to me. As I accurately stated, there was no notarial fee for this service.

This is what I was doing and not what I believed I was doing.

I registered my Thai marriage at the US Embassy in BKK last week. I took a translation (duly stamped by the translation company) and the original Thai language certificate to the Embassy.

They looked at it, compared it to the original, stamped the back of the translation certifying it was a true copy of the original and sent me on my way.

No charge and it took perhaps 15 minutes. There is no charge for notarial services as long as the notarized document is a requirement of the US government.

Edit: I did not get MOFA certification nor was one required. MOFA certification is required to get married but not to register your Thai marriage at the US embassy.

I wasted over half an hour yesterday afternoon trying to get past the corner at Beach Road and Walking Street.

There are only two lanes open. One is filled with baht buses stopped and waiting for fares. The other is filled with baht buses stopped and waiting for fares.

The authorities conveniently failed to mention that Second Road at the South Pattaya Road intersection is also under construction while they cover up some pit that was dug for some unknown reason. This is a mere 150 yards away from the Beach Road/Walking Street mess.

And this is the last part to be completed? What a joke.

Their country of origin must be so grateful that the cheap bastards who live in Pattaya no longer grace the old countries.

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Another blanket statement covering all residents of Pattaya.

It might surprise you to know that not all of us are broken down drunks and cheap bastards. Why, some of us can even read!

There was a topic started today about what you get for your money with a Thai girl, the tone of the post was I felt demeaning, with the woman placed very much as a commodity; just flesh for trade.  I reported the thread and am glad to see it was pulled. 

But the frequency of this kind of topic, and the endless 'BG robbed me threads', begs the question as to whether there ought to be a 'Meat Market/Adults Only' section to the Forum where this side of Thailand, for it is very much apart of Thailand, can be discussed more openly.

Send those bastards to www.bkktonite.com.

That forum is a disgrace to everything that is morally right in this world. There's no need for talk of bbbjs and dp on this forum. Just send the degenerates to bkktonite.

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If you are not a degenerate, how do you know what a bbbj is? And, pray tell, what is a "dp"? Double play?

Did bkktonite kick you out or something?

OK, how about Pattaya?

I have an 11 year old that has taken six months of piano lessons in the Middle East from a very good teacher.

I will need a teacher for her starting 3-4 weeks from now, when I retire there. I play as well and she has loads of potential.

Can anybody point me in the right direction?

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Edit: I forgot to mention, she is fluent in Thai and English.

I was offered $175K early on but turned it down. If I was ten years younger I would have taken it but not now.

I've worked in some interesting places as well and have lived in the Middle East for most of the past 30 years. You get used to it.

Since the US will not deposit retirement checks in non us banks, have my check deposted in my US account back in the States. ATM money out each month for living expenses, then once a year wire transfer what ever amount I need to meet reqirements for extending my non immingrant O.

bkkharry,

Are we talking about SSA checks that the US won't deposit into non-US Banks? I had planned to have mine - when the time comes - deposited into KBank (ThaiFarmer)..that won't work?

Boon Mee:

Where's Huey_P when we need him?

Here is what I do. I either pick up my S/S checks at the BKK Embassy or have them mailed to my home in Pattaya. I then take them to my bank in Pattaya and deposit them to my account. I get immediate credit and away I go. I do have to pay a fee of 200 baht for the transaction but it is worth it to me. My bank does this for several retirees receiving S/S checks so it is not unique to me. Most banks in LOS will tell you the checks must be sent for collection, which can take 4-8 weeks to clear. My bank is the Krung Thai Bank on Central Road in Pattaya.

I have several friends that have the funds deposited to their account at BKK Bank in the US. My understanding is that this is the ONLY bank in Thailand that SSA will use for direct electronic transfers. Don't ask me why. My buddy tells me he opened the account strictly for this purpose, he did not get an ATM card and must present himself to withdraw all of his funds at one time. He then takes the cash to his bank for deposit and subsequent use.

I will continue to use Krung Thai and will probably just drive to BKK one day per month to get the checks I do not like BKK Bank for personal reasons.

Hope this helps.

A wise man once told me....

....Bar fines are cheaper than alimony!

I got the standard retirement visa letter from the US Embassy. This retirement visa letter is a blank form you fill out, after paying your $30, and swear before a Consular official that it is true. He signs it, stamps it and away you go.

Immigration in Pattaya also wanted a letter from the bank and my bank book. My income was clearly over the 65,000 but I had just bought a car so my bank balance was in the 200,000 range. Not a problem.

Gave all this to Immigration and had the one year extension same day.

There are sacrifices that have to be made by living in Thailand.  One of them is you will have to spend much more of your time with your children....but is that really a sacrifice?

You may not like me saying this, Chuckd, but I think in ten or fifteen years you will probably discover that the sacrifice has been made by your daughter, not you.

By growing up here and being educated here, if that word even applies, she will have almost certainly have sacrificed a chance to live a good adult life anywhere else other than in Thailand. It may be very nice for her here today there in that little house outside Pattaya, pleasant and undemanding, but she will almost certainly be poorly equipped for life outside of Thailand when she grows up. Reread all the posts above and hear that theme repeated over and over again by all kinds of parents from all kinds of backgrounds.

Of course if you don't want your daughter to have good chance at a life outside of Thailand, I guess that's a different matter. But as for us, that's a limitation we weren't willing to place on our children.

I forgot to mention...She has spent six of her eleven years living in the Middle East attending American schools and having friends from such mundane places as Britain, Pakistan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, US and many points in between. We have travelled throughout Europe and the Middle East but not to the US or Africa.

And we will enjoy "that little house in Pattaya".

Her education has not been neglected and, frankly, I rather resent your condescending attitude about it.

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In addition, Old Asia Hand says...."I didn't say you had neglected your daughter's education. I said that children who are educated in Thailand are less well equipped for life outside of Thailand than those children who are educated abroad.

If you found that 'condescending', you've probably found the right country for you both to live in."

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OAH;

I just thought your entire quote should be posted so other readers can draw their own conclusions about your condescending attitude.

I have one question, however. Do you live in Thailand or have you ever lived in Thailand? You seem to have such disdain for Thailand. I cannot imagine you are living there.

Do you care to enlighten us or are we to draw our own conclusion based on your posts?

There are sacrifices that have to be made by living in Thailand.  One of them is you will have to spend much more of your time with your children....but is that really a sacrifice?

You may not like me saying this, Chuckd, but I think in ten or fifteen years you will probably discover that the sacrifice has been made by your daughter, not you.

By growing up here and being educated here, if that word even applies, she will have almost certainly have sacrificed a chance to live a good adult life anywhere else other than in Thailand. It may be very nice for her here today there in that little house outside Pattaya, pleasant and undemanding, but she will almost certainly be poorly equipped for life outside of Thailand when she grows up. Reread all the posts above and hear that theme repeated over and over again by all kinds of parents from all kinds of backgrounds.

Of course if you don't want your daughter to have good chance at a life outside of Thailand, I guess that's a different matter. But as for us, that's a limitation we weren't willing to place on our children.

I forgot to mention...She has spent six of her eleven years living in the Middle East attending American schools and having friends from such mundane places as Britain, Pakistan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, US and many points in between. We have travelled throughout Europe and the Middle East but not to the US or Africa.

And we will enjoy "that little house in Pattaya".

Her education has not been neglected and, frankly, I rather resent your condescending attitude about it.

BUPA will insure you through age 65, and possibly beyond if you are insured by them prior to reaching your 66th birthday.

I say "possibly" because my first attempt at renewal comes up in one month's time. I have had no claims so hopefully there will be no problem.

My two sitang worth.

It would appear most of you think Thailand is not the place to raise your children. I have the opposite opinion. My daughter is 11 years old. We live just outside Pattaya in a nice estate and she attends a bi-lingual school. I am divorced so her mother (Thai) is not around. We speak English (she is fluent in reading and writing) and she speaks Thai (fluent reading and writing). She plays piano and will resume lessons in early September.

I am currently working in the Middle East for another month and then will retire for good. When there I take the time to help her with her homework, get her on the internet (fluent, yet again), take her to school activities and generally try to make her life as full as possible. Pattaya has a multitude of activities to occupy our time and if I could only get her interested in golf, I could die a happy man.

All of this having been said, I would not attempt to send her to the American schools here. I have heard horror stories about the students and their extra-curricular activities and frankly do not wish to expose her to them. In addition, the cost is prohibitive for someone retired, such as myself. Anybody out there to dispel these rumors, please jump right in.

The quality of life we have is very pleasant. We certainly do not live in a mansion but we have a much nicer home than we could have had in the US for the same amount of money. We are both happy with the situation and think it will work out for us. There are sacrifices that have to be made by living in Thailand. One of them is you will have to spend much more of your time with your children....but is that really a sacrifice?

You're right...it was on "O". I am raising an 11 year old daughter with no wife and that is what qualified me for the "O".

My misteak.

I will offer my recent experience in this matter.

I arrived on 26 May on a one year multiple Non-immigrant B visa.

On 15 June, I applied for and received a one year retirement extension valid only until 25 May, which is one year from the date of my original arrival.

I obtained an exit/reentry visa on 15 June and departed LOS to return to work and complete my contract.

I return in late August and will report to Immigration in Pattaya as directed by a notice in the back of my passport on or before 14 September, which is three months after the one year extension was granted.

I do not know if my trip out and subsequent return in late August will start the 90 day reporting cycle but I will not take a chance and will report as originally directed.

Hope this helps.