theblether

Incorrect. The minimum income requirement has been in place for years. The ECHR has not struck down the policy. Countries maintain the right to filter visa applications from non-EU nationals. Therefore your contention that "laws are put in place for a reason seems to go above their heads as they continue trying to dismantle democracy and remove laws that prevent them from implementing their policies." is flat out wrong. There is no EU law that prevents countries from conducting immigration law for non-EU nationals. And there never will be as many European countries WILL NEVER AGREE to handing over the rights

So it's 22 hours and not 20? My bad.

Yes, the family visa income level has been raised to £38,700. In effect, it will shut down spousal immigration. Very few pensioners will qualify at that income level, including those with private pensions. As for younger people, good luck.trying to get a job at that income level if you have an overseas gap on your CV. I.think its a bit high. I don't have a problem.with the NHS fee increasing. It is truly ridiculous trying to get GP appointments these days.

There's an attack being launched on foreign student spousal visas. These visas allowed the student and spouse to legally work 20 hours per week. They are rife with abuse. I noted arrests the other month due to people working well above the limit. There was an article last week discussing the drop off in overseas marriage in the Pakistani diaspora. Several reasons were put forward but people I know in that community have told me that thee is no realistic way for low-earning daughters ( in particular ) to bring in a foreign spouse. You mention the lump sum route. I don't know if that will be raised. That route is fraught with difficulty for many due to ICE tracking the source of the money. Rich uncles don't need the aggravation of a HMRC investigation by lending lump sums. As for the expat community. The £18,600 clause put an end to British state pensioners importing Little Lek and coterie of ragamuffin kids ( father unknown ). A rise to the average wage of around £30,000 would knock out the vast majority of people with private pensions too. In short, any Brits contemplating relocating better get on their toes as the door for many will be slammed shut if the minimum income is raised substantially.

The headline of the article refers to foreigners working in the UK. Reading the article, and relevant to UK citizens, the government are looking at raising the minimum income to qualify for a spousal visa up from £18,600. While the Thai expat community thinks its aimed at them, its actually aimed at Brits bringing in spouses from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Africa etc. The introduction of the limit under Theresa May when Home Secretary severely impacted the ability of low-paid Brits to bring in spouses. Some tried to beat the system by declaring higher income levels, and that backfired when HMRC started investigating using the ICE system in conjunction with border control. The ICE system uses 22 data points to track income and spending. If you ever get caught up in that type of investigation you are beat. Many Brits were entrapped and word went out that it wasn't worth the bother. Link here: https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/rishi-sunak-immigrant-salary-threshold-raised/

Insurance prices have gone crazy the last few years. Single trip insurance is now over for £200 in my case, pre-pandemic I'd expect to pay £120. The cost of not having insurance is too high, though. I have three policies, one for up to thirty day trips worldwide, another one I use for Thailand for trips up to sixty days ( £200 plus ) and I always take out the annual Bangkok Bank insurance at 6,000 baht for accident cover. I've claimed on that once and the whole process was a breeze. For those of you that live in Thailand uninsured, have a look at the multi-claim Bangkok Bank accident policy which costs just over 8,000 baht. From memory, 150,000 baht max payout per accident claim. I don't think it's amazing value but if your home country insurers refuse to cover you, it's better than nothing.

It's amazing how so many "high IQ" western men get ripped off by uneducated rice farmers daughters. The answer lies within the Dunning-Kruger effect. You may be able to wire a plug but she knows how to wire you to the moon. The one skill that Thais have that we westerners do not is the inate ability to live within their society, knowing their place and limitations. We westerners have a lot to learn

Farang men give away far too much, far too easily. You literally rent affection from someone that thinks you a fool. And here lies the next problem, which MAY apply to the OP. If you have a dependent personality type - and far too many farang men are in this category - she will thrash you daily with the rod you made for your own back. If you are walking on eggshells weekly, you are in a toxic relationship. Leave. If you are walking on eggshells daily - my god man - what's wrong with you? And if your lady descends into regular screaming matches aimed at you - there's something wrong with your head for tolerating such mental torture. This is not difficult. If you wake with a knot in your stomach or awaiting a screaming match, leave. Life is too short to be spent under the thumb of a vitriolic partner.

I won 3,860 baht in November, that's the second time I've done that. A syndicate of Thai pals won just over a million baht January 22. What's your best win on the lottery?

there's no secret. The law has been in place for centuries and was confirmed by Parl;iament in 1925. All you have to do is make a will and this clause is bypassed.

I don't see any adverts. I don't know how anyone can tolerate the adverts, especially when they interrupt videos/songs.

Be quiet. Adults are talking.

1883 was excellent. "Bones" on Netflix was so dire I had to watch it to the end. Utter garbage, woke nonsense, rotten acting and storyline.

You need to be touched in the head if you think the granny brigade will save the Thai sex trade.

Did you read my post as bemoaning the end of the sex trade? It's already in a crashing death spiral.

The damage is done. In the year 2000 there were around 3.4 million Thai women aged 20 to 25. That figure is now around 2 million. The damage is done, and within a few years it will destroy the Thai sex trade.

The Isaan birth rate used to be six children per mother. How many mothers do you know that have six kids now?

Correct. I bought four bikes direct from Stuart as he closed down his shop in Phrao. Mong delivered the bikes to my home. Mong was involved in the destocking of the business. Also correct to say that Stuart only works to the highest standard. IMO he is the best cycle maintenance expert in CM. He is ( or was ) besieged by Cheap Chsrlie clowns. The last I spoke to him he was trying to narrow his customer base. If you want your cycle repaired to the highest standard, Stuart is your man.

The 1930 US census listed a mere 18 Siamese nationals living in the USA. I find it amazing that there were on 18 Thais in the USA then as there had been so much emigration from Asia to the USA that Congress brought in anti- Chinese ( in particular ) legislation. Also, the USA already had a 90 year history of diplomatic relations with Siam ( Thailand ) by 1930. You'd have thought there would have been a lot more Siamese in the USA. The current legal figure of Thais in America is around 350,000. The divorce rate among that community is again, only a mere 18%. I find that hard to believe. I thought getting divorced was a national sport in the USA. Oh, and according to Pew Research, 39% of Thais in the US are single or never married. So if you are American and looking fir a Thai wife, no need to fly across the world. #justsayin'

Sideswiped, and taken out from behind, two of the more common causes of fatalities while riding motorcycles. The tragic loss of the late, lamented KMcV in CM a prime example. I confess I stare at my rear view mirror when waiting at traffic lights. Too many clowns texting while driving. All the best with your recovery.

These guys walked into a restaurant at Thapae Gate late 2012/early 2013. They harassed the female owner, the farang husband was on standby in case it got violent. The owners brother, your typical country boy walked in unexpected and saw his sister intimidated. He exploded, these clowns crapped it and backed off. A few days later the main man ( I forget his name ) took a heavy kicking and from possibly flawed memory, landed in the moat. The female big mouth of the scam group ran for her life. She was notorious, evil. I knew the brother I mentioned earlier and can testify to that incident. There I no doubt the ßecond story is also true. I haven't heard anything about them since in CM. Others may know more. My "greatest" memory of the incident was the farang husband noting his all-wise and supposedly strong wife shrunk into submissive rice farmers daughter mode while her supposedly feckless brother terrified these scammers. The farang learned a lot that night. As someone mentioned earlier in the thread, one day they walked into the wrong place. What I will say is that military coip of 2014 eradicated a lot of the systematic scamming. Several notorious and high profile business were permanently closed. The coup also damaged CM nightlife and it has never recovered. CM today is a different place from when this OP was posted.

I've just finished watching. Episode 2 in particular is brutal. I know football is an emotional game and long may that continue, however, what happened to Beckham was a disgrace. Overall it was a very good and informative watch. Talking points included: 1. It appears he inherited his OCD personality traits from his dad. 2. Alex Ferguson is a sociopath. The way he dismissed Beckham and refused to talk to him was a disgrace. 3. The Real Madrid players were comical, and seemed to take a shine to Beckham - except for the ridiculous amount of publicity and extra work he brought them. 4. And there's no doubt he loves Victoria. However, that second episode would leave a scar on anyone, we Scots are known for being crabbit at times, but dear me - the English know how to hold a grudge. Shocking.

If you see their Thai partners, you'd think it was a horror movie. #justsayin'

Out on a saunter one day with an effervescent and charismatic friend we happened to pass a house that was the scene of a horrific familial murder. The son cracked up and sent his parents plus sister to the next life. The good news is his dog escaped and continued life as a back-door opportunist, fathering many a mangy street pup. The house in question was glorious, a real Thai mansion, not a McMansion built in the backwoods by a deluded farang. As we passed, a brave squatter emerged, brave for two reasons, one - he was living in a murder house! and two, it was falling to pieces, I was convinced he was going to be clocked on the napper by a falling piece of masonry. He could easily have been a plus one to the death tally of said mansion. Do you believe in ghosts? have you ever taken advantage of your Thai partners superstitious nature, maybe by suggesting that the land she is set on buying has bad juju? Do you think that spirits hang around, waiting to swoop after a few years ( for example, ten years ) on unsuspecting forum members - a blast from the past, a mythological creature reborn? ( ie, me ). Or are you the more practical sort, just like the dog that ran for its life and became a stud? No doubt this post raise a few evil spirits, such is. ps - hello.