sfbandung

Most of the blokes I know in Thailand would call the stat about 50% successful relationships. Farangs living overseas with their Thai/Filipina/Indo/Chinese wives I have seen I'd call it about 50% too.

It is purely anecdotal but when age gaps start getting into the high 20s and 30s the failure rate skyrockets.

We overstayed 2 days last visit. I asked if there would be trouble in future and he was nice enough. "Only if you don't pay fine, and two days is not very much" "And my daughter?" "No fine for children, not their fault if they over stay, parents fault"

We actually went to Immigration or whatever it is in Udon Thani before the 30 days was up and they asked to see the ticket. "Only two days, just pay 1,000 baht fine when you leave"

Never been asked. I know someone who was asked after an altercation, said it was at home if they wanted to see it. They weren't bothered.

Looks like it's been covered so I can just confirm what happened to us.

Missus got village boss (or whatever) to write a letter stating that the father had never contributed to the child's upbringing and no one at the village had seen him about. This was good enough for Foreign Affairs to issue a passport. Slightly more complicated when we went to lodge Aussie PR. They wanted to see either written permission from the father for him (son) to migrate OR a court order granting her sole custody. We did the latter. Cost a few thousand baht for lawyer but pretty well cruised through. Our lawyer said to missus that if the father got wind and wanted money that a simple threat to sue for 8 years of child support would put that to bed.

To fly to Saigon you'll need a time machine. It's been called Ho Chi Minh City since 1976.

Doesn't happen in the village ...

Every step, however small, that is taken to reduce the number of people smoking is a good thing.

Off topic warning ...

You have all missed the point.

"The tree's have been butchered along Jomtien beach"

What the hell is that apostrophe doing in the title? Well? Trees is plural and the apostrophe is redundant.

Thank you. I'll get back to my non life.

And it is tragic by the way, we stay at Jomtien all the time with the kids at Christmas/New Year. Who hates the trees and why?

Just back from two weeks in New Zealand and Thai missus loved it. So did I actually. No visa problems at all and the people were great. Spent our last two nights in Dunedin and two Thai ladies worked in the laundry. She picked up some som tam and they did our laundry for free.

All women are jealous to some degree and Thai women seem to be more jealous than most. The degree to which they indulge themselves though tends to be what they can get away with, or what they think they can get away with.

It sounds like you indulged this early on and now she can't stop. My missus had a few episodes very early in our relationship and I told her I would not tolerate it at all. I have a young (12 now, was 8 when we got together) daughter living with me and told her any hint of violence and she would be out the door, no second chances. You have created the monster in a way. It is so recognised as a problem in Thai society that they have retreats where the monks will discuss the destructive nature of jealousy for days.

Funny about work though. In most of the relationships (Thai/Farang) I have seen they respect work. Thais seem to get that we are screwed without income.

All this talk about getting violent with her only works if you are a violent person and it doesn't sound like you are. Can you both approach her family? Will she agree to that? With her telling her Mum, Dad, sisters, brothers, what she has been up to?

Don't envy you at all.

You've probably given up reading the replies by now anyway. But.

For background. Myself and my (Thai) wife live in PNG (I have a business there) and travel to Thailand several times a year.

For the last three years we have only stayed at Lebua. I travel heaps and see a lot of hotels. For the price (Mandarin Oriental for example is twice the price) Lebua is terrific, the rooms are large with the sitting room near the door and the bathrooms and bedding are as good as you'll find in any five star hotel in the world. We stay at the Tower Club and always get a room looking at the river. Regarding Sky Bar, you must be loaded because most people's complaint there are the prices, maybe BKK's most expensive bar. But the view is spectacular, or didn't you look? It is walking distance to the river and Skytrain. Sukhumvit is a way away but hell, I'm married and MBK and Siam are a couple of stops away. It's hard to understand you visiting one of the world's most crowded tropical cities and complain about how crowded and hot it was.

We have been around but Krabi was fantastic, we stayed at Amari Vogue. Hired a long tail boat for a couple of days and had a great time.

The rest of the time we spend in the village near Udon Thani and I love it there.

But that's just me ..

If you are real then I don't think you really want out. You seem to have an "answer" for every suggestion.

If she has behaved as you describe and you have not developed a passionate hatred for her then you have a bigger problem than her. Who cares if she kills herself? That isn't your fault. Cut off contact. That's easy. If she turns up at your house/work call the police and get a restraining order.

But I'm guessing you'll have a reason why you can't do this or a reason why it won't work.

Admit it. You like it.

This will wind up huge. My two cents:

Try Lebua at State Tower (of Hangover II fame) in Bangkok. 5 star but cheap if you stay out of the restaurants and bars. Except for breakfast, which is cheap and fantastic, and you have to have a beer at Skybar. Close to Skytrain (the ONLY way to get around BKK) and the river. The river ferries are a hoot. A few stops on Skytrain to Siam, MBK etc for boutique shopping. Markets for cheap stuff. We're not supposed to, but a well made Prada knock off will make the GF's trip.

Krabi. We stayed at Amari Vogue. Fantastic. No hookers and ladyboys, private beach. Hire a long tail boat for the day and cruise around all the islands and laugh at the Russians and Japanese on these awful group tours. If the weather permits of course.

If you go to Pattaya stay at Jomtien. Better beach and less hassles. A wander along Walking Street at night will give you something to post on Facebook when you get home but other than that give Pattaya itself a miss. Go to Nong Nooch park. Unbelievable garden, great stage show and yep elephants but ...

All the above comments about tigers and elephants are true. Even if you aren't an animal lover it will break your heart to see these magnificent creatures treated terribly.

Comments about motor bikes correct. Don't. And no jet skis either.

Have fun. It's a fantastic country.

my wife bought a 3 baht gold chain. its really hilarious looking, i look like a total pimp wearing it

+1

I really love mine but my eldest daughter calls it the "pimp necklace". I wear it proudly now.

Fantastic work Khun Garro. We get so much depressing stuff here it is really terrific to hear some good news.

Thanks for making my Friday afternoon and good luck to you Sir ...

If their English is really good, and by that I mean literate, being able to read and write English proficiently and speak clearly on the phone then 50k a month in Bangkok is available.

Just saying. If you have professional skills then go the big smoke. Who cares what people in the tourist areas are earning? It is the same the world over. People want to work in tourist areas for the lifestyle so they will accept less money. In Oz look at the Gold Coast, Cairns ...

Nicely rolled spliff. Did one of the coppers do it for the photo op?

Someone commented about yaba and meth. Remember the good old days when this was as bad as it got?

Me neither. Where's my beer? ...

Why does this stuff get posted? My wife walks beside me and we normally hold hands. I have never seen this stuff, but I don't hang around shopping centres observing other people. I have my own life to live.

More Thai Visa, "Alll Thais are crap" rubbish. It is supposed to be against the forum rules to rubbish Thais but how do you enforce that when 80% of the comments are anti Thai? Drop the rule or enforce it.

Very tired of this. And the reputation is now worldwide. Want to hear how crap Thais and Thailand is? Log on to Thai Visa.

Can't see the problem. There is all sorts of cultural stuff the missus does and none of it is in any way harmful or expensive. The head of any bed cannot face west. It is not a hardship at our place. That's where the dead spirits go apparently.

I dunno, maybe I'm just a soft cock but most of my wife's idiosynchrasies are actually quite morally correct and certainly don't worry me too much.

But I am rather the rarity here on Thai Visa, I love my wife and find the Thais in general to quite a pleasant lot. Everyone else seems to be married to her brother (who is really her husband) who is in cahoots with her whole family to steal all of his money.

What on earth do people see in these Thai women?........they have zero personality unless you count greedy & hollow as admirable qualities & they contain the passion of a cardboard box.

There must have been a huge transfer of wealth from western countries to Thailand over the years.

A dog around a farming area that has a penchant for killing livestock gets finished off. Easy. Bye bye. Not, "Oh the poor puppy just needs some educating ...".

Like just about everywhere else there are chickens and dogs all over the place at our village. I asked the missus what happens to dogs who kill chickens. "If the owner doesn't kill it someone else will".

There was a recent debate about dogs that are not kept in and bite people who happen to be walking past. I don't know about urban areas, but in the village, same thing.

Firstly how is someone properly married and then only see their wife two or three times a year? I have a niece who behaves herself but I wonder why. She has a French partner who only comes to Thailand once a year.

My wife lives with me in Papua New Guinea because that's where my business is and a wife's place is with her husband. She wouldn't dream of leaving me here by myself and I have no desire to be on my own. That's what I call a regular marriage. We have a house at home and spend two or three months a year in Thailand. As time goes by this will increase but she'll always be with me. We love each other and want to be together.

I personally doubt the 80 to 90% stat. But the fact is that having a "wife" who you see a few times a year is bizarre. More bizarre than the fact that she then has a partner who is actually with her full time. Yeah, she's poor and they take the money and once or twice a year it's a bit silly. But who's the fool?

Many of the cheating spouses in question wouldn't get a visa to the husbands home country, it's unlikely they'd be able to stay together while he works in his home country anyway.

For others who work on ships, in the oil industry etc.... They need to be choosing their spouses carefully...

Why? I have had no problem getting visas for my wife and know plenty of men married to Thais who have done the same. The PR (for Australia anyway) is pretty onerous but if your relationship is genuine you'll get through. For a work permit dependent visa (which is her status in PNG) they just wanted to see a marriage certificate. Shengen visa for Europe was no problem and NZ too.

Would it be cynical of me to suggest that some of these guys who are "married" to Thai ladies and leave them there actually have another family in their home country?

Firstly how is someone properly married and then only see their wife two or three times a year? I have a niece who behaves herself but I wonder why. She has a French partner who only comes to Thailand once a year.

My wife lives with me in Papua New Guinea because that's where my business is and a wife's place is with her husband. She wouldn't dream of leaving me here by myself and I have no desire to be on my own. That's what I call a regular marriage. We have a house at home and spend two or three months a year in Thailand. As time goes by this will increase but she'll always be with me. We love each other and want to be together.

I personally doubt the 80 to 90% stat. But the fact is that having a "wife" who you see a few times a year is bizarre. More bizarre than the fact that she then has a partner who is actually with her full time. Yeah, she's poor and they take the money and once or twice a year it's a bit silly. But who's the fool?

Tell that to our military guys, if you dare.

Hardly a fair comparison.

Unless a you are talking about a military man who has ducked off to a foreign country, married a lady and then headed home to only visit her a couple of times a year. Not married a lady from his own country who lives in his home and he goes away to work.

Sadly you miss my point regarding your post. A navy guy can be away most of a year, soldiers go for six month tours, and guess what, many are married. My dad was away for three years.

I have to make it clear that my post was in no way intended to cast aspersions on the military. I have enormous respect for members of the armed forces who (apart from enforced separations form their families) put themselves in harm's way for the rest of us.

I do see your point that they are away from their wives (and kids) for extended periods of time. I don't see it as being the equivalent of the point in hand however. The vast majority of your cases would be Americans (sorry if I assume incorrectly but your ndp seems to indicate US) married to Americans who are going away to leave their spouse in the country that is home for them both ...

It would be much better if they were all Catholic priests molesting children or Muslis blowing people up.

Buddhism has its problems but as far as religions go it is the best of a bad bunch.

Firstly how is someone properly married and then only see their wife two or three times a year? I have a niece who behaves herself but I wonder why. She has a French partner who only comes to Thailand once a year.

My wife lives with me in Papua New Guinea because that's where my business is and a wife's place is with her husband. She wouldn't dream of leaving me here by myself and I have no desire to be on my own. That's what I call a regular marriage. We have a house at home and spend two or three months a year in Thailand. As time goes by this will increase but she'll always be with me. We love each other and want to be together.

I personally doubt the 80 to 90% stat. But the fact is that having a "wife" who you see a few times a year is bizarre. More bizarre than the fact that she then has a partner who is actually with her full time. Yeah, she's poor and they take the money and once or twice a year it's a bit silly. But who's the fool?

Tell that to our military guys, if you dare.

Hardly a fair comparison.

Unless a you are talking about a military man who has ducked off to a foreign country, married a lady and then headed home to only visit her a couple of times a year. Not married a lady from his own country who lives in his home and he goes away to work.