dao16

By the way....how old is this lady and how old is your friend? I have met several slightly older ladies (think 40s-50s) in Thailand who are successful and don't want for money, but they want companionship. The problem is that most foreign men are interested in much younger women. So, if this woman is in her 40s or so, I could believe it more.

Just as an example, I know a lady who owns a large, 3-floor building and she runs several small businesses out of the first floor. Has a car, has the house and takes care of her kids. She is always hounding me about foreign men and she really doesn't need any more money. Kids all go to good schools, they have all the food they need, etc. She just wants someone to work with her and share it with. So, a lot of this depends on him meeting her, too.

If it look's like a duck and sounds like a duck then...

That is my idee too, but how can I tell him?

You tell him kindly and politely, but firmly and directly, remembering that people will do what they will do. Don't forget to explain that you are doing this because you care about your friend. You will have made your stand by telling him this is a bad idea. He will either follow your advice or he won't, but you will be on the record. As an added bonus, if it does all come crumbling down, you can be a real friend by not pulling an "I told you so".

Your friend will respect you for speaking your mind, but will do whatever he wants to in the end. There is maybe a small chance you will lose the friendship, but if the friendship is that weak, so be it.

I have had this happen before...guarantee you that you will feel better respectfully getting this out in the open.

There are forums like this for almost whatever country you are going to. If anything, I would think that most people living in Thailand have a little more time on their hands, so there are lots of posts. Still, many other countries I have lived in have very active forums and the questions (country specific) come up over and over again. It is just people trying to understand and share their experiences in a new place.

Udon Thani, girl with a car and money......sounds like she had a foreign bf or husband before and now left him and is still living with the gains. She probably has a house, too. Now she is looking for a new partner or a new scam. It could be either. So, I wouldn't say that he should automatically discount her as a gold-digger, but he should also not use his rose-colored glasses. I would say he should meet her and then see, but keep his eyes open.
It is weird for me that anyone from anywhere would offer to pay for all that stuff, but who knows, other people are not me. If I were the guy I would still chip in on the hotel, etc. Might not be a great idea to sleep in the same room at first either.....might get roofied. Hahaha....what a wild world.

The Russians make Chinese and Thais else look like they have gone to charm school. The Russians push, they shove, they butt in, no excuse me, no i'm sorry

if you had said americans here your post would have been deleted quick smart, just goes to show how impolite and intolerant of free speech americans are read fast because this post of mine WILL disappear.

Ok....so Thai visa is now suddenly run by censorship-loving Americans? This post makes no sense. By the way, I am out of tin foil hats.....could I borrow one?

Well we know Saul Goodman will live, because AMC has announced a spin off series title 'Better Call Saul'

At the beginning of this year (episode 9?) we see Walt returning to his home (now gutted, presumably by the DEA) and salvaging some Ricin he hid behind the power socket. Is that for Jessie? Perhaps his sister-in-law?

Actually, I think "Better Call Saul" is going to be a prequel about what happened before he got involved with Walt and Jessie. So, he could still be offed (sent to Belize).

Dunno....I can't eat Pizza Company. Is just too bad. Pizza Hut is definitely better. It is a good thing we have some falang restaurants around that do good pizza.

I was under the impression that an entry in a passbook does not constitute proof that a transaction took place. I guess anybody could make a false entry so there is a certain logic to that. Maybe some diligent soul who for reasons that escape me has taken the trouble to be able to decipher Thai writings will let us know if this information appears in the passbook.

Well, the book is updated by putting it into a machine. The machine then prints out the transactions. So, if it is there, it is on their computers. So, maybe it isn't "proof", but it IS proof that the transaction is or was on the bank's computer system, since that is where it is from.

sadly enough, this is more a christian value than thai ... which christian family in the west ever owned slaves like cattle as thai rich did ?

except the americans off course

this society is obsessed with me me me and money and greep and corruption

what did a survey show again ? 70% of thai are ok with it, if it profits them ...

Yeah, because slavery started with the Americans....sorry, it wasn't even a country during the heyday of the slave trade. So, yeah, there's that.

I wouldn't know how else to verify the transfer without some sort of a receipt....at least in the bank book when you run it through the machine, but that would mean that they have a record. You have to be really careful about this as just one number off or the wrong bank name will make it go elsewhere. It does seem odd, though, that it would completely get lost. Even a mistake (like it getting sent to another account) would have been recorded. Good luck, but it sounds like the money went elsewhere.

Also, it would be helpful to add more to this, like if the documents are legal, medical, for business, etc. Big translation companies should be able to handle anything, but freelancers are often specialized. Ethical ones will only take jobs they can really take, so they need to know this. Also, don't forget about the quantity and the deadline.

Getting the wrong side of "sia jiang" will be the end of his career here in Thailand. Nobody will dare hire him.

Unless he thinks he can find work overseas, he'll have to resort back to doing low budget b-movies like he had to a while ago.

Well, if this fast and furious thing works out, he might just end up with a Hollywood career and what he did here will be peanuts in comparison. If that does work out, the Thai companies will come crawling back with bags of cash to get him back. It is a risk, but one that most people would probably take. Even crappy movies like fast and furious make buckets and buckets of money.

They will never come crawling back with buckets of cash; they would rather shoot themselves in the foot than set a precedent of a star dictating their own terms. The status quo must be maintained at all costs - they know that in the long run it pays off better.

Well, maybe not the particular blankedy blank in this article, but other producers.....or, if the guy really does make it big, he can go it alone. Not saying it will happen, but it could. You have the Jacky Chan trajectory and then you have Vin Diesel. Vin Diesel has sort of ended up in B movie roles, but, from the looks of it, he acts and makes plenty of money for him and his family. While he won't go down in the history books like Bruce Lee or Tom Cruise...as they say, it's quite nice work if you can get it. So, that could be Jaa's route...who knows.

I think some of you need to do some homework on Thailand and its obsure nationalistic rules that are anti-foreigner.

Firstly, under Thai law, any Thai female who marries a foreigner MUST change her name to her husbands name by registering the marraige officially.

This is to stop Thai females from marrying foreigners and then buying land and houses in her maiden name. The fact that she HAS TO change her name and make this record enables tracking to "prevent" her from officially then buying Thai land or Thai houses - or allowing the state at a later date to "claim back" all land and houses in her maiden name if she has not changed it.

Any Thai female who is "married to farang" and has not changed her surname to her hubands has :

Broken the law.

Will automatically lose any land or house she has in her name if caught - or if some snooping neighbour reports her.

Is not "married" under Thai law.

To be honest anyone who thinks that Thai law which adamently prohibits the wives of foreigners to own land or houses would not enforce her to change her family name - well, I do not know.

Secondly - if she has not changed her family name you are not actually married in the eyes of the Thai legal system - the whole process is not formally complete until she changes her name. So it seems many out there are not actually formally married - they have bits of paper saying the ceremony has been done, but you are not legally in Thai married.

So now you understand why Thai Embassies have started asking for marraige certs and ALSO her passport or ID to PROVE she has changed her name and is therefore on record as being married to a foreigner - and so loses her rights to own land or houses in Thailand.

If she has not changed her name - you are not married and you will not be issued with a Non-Imm O visa - cause you are not married in Thailand according to the letter of the law.

Totally false information - name change is not required and a Thai can always buy land regardless of name used - the only restriction is if married to a foreigner the money must be hers and not marriage income (husband has no claim over land).

Just to add our experience: we changed my wife's name more for reasons of travelling abroad. It looks a lot better when you are travelling together to have the same name. Once you leave SE Asia, Thai women are seen as very suspect, so just having a passport with the same name and travel stamps convinces them you aren't scamming or doing something illegal. I know, it sounds bad, but this has really helped.

When we went to change her name, they said it didn't matter--up to us. Wife didn't suddenly lose her rights to anything she owned before and has bought stuff since the name change.

The law you are referring to, NFFCKKC, is no longer on the books. Changing your wife's name is more of a formality than anything and a way to show other governments and immigration officials in other countries that you are definitely married and committed.

I don't know about that particular crossing, but I have met people who drove inside. They needed the (purple?) car passport and the sticker (T) and all that. One guy, though, was complaining about the fees on the Laos side and said he now does what I did a few times: park my car on the Thai side for like 100 baht a night (motorcycles are usually cheaper, I think). I just never got my act together enough to make the book and all that, so 100 baht a night to have someone watch the car was the way to go for me.

It isn't "scamming" the system if you just get a non-O with your marriage certificates (I have one set from the Thai embassy and one from the US embassy), your wife's house register and ID and no income proof. I used to be on this and it worked out well. I was leaving every few months anyway, and when I came back I would get 90 more days. Once I quit going abroad for work, I just hopped over the border, which is convenient if you live near a neighboring country. It gives you an excuse to travel. If you don't want to travel or spend much money, you just cross the border, do a little shopping and come back and you have 90 more days. Yes, it is a hassle, but easier than coming up with whatever sum they decide on. Of course, if you aren't near a border, I can see how this would be a major pain. I used to get my border runs done before noon, so it wasn't a big deal due to my location.

If you end up with a woman who is open to speaking Thai with you (or who prefers it or can't speak English that well) you can learn pretty quickly out of necessity. Try having an argument (sorry, all couples argue at some point) without vocabulary, etc. We used to crack up after fights and rehash the vocab we had learned in the process. I would say that after about a year here I was ok to do basic things, but then living together abroad it got better. Coming back here to live more permanently really did a lot for my speaking skills. I would say it depends a lot on how much you interact with Thais. Some foreigners here just don't interact with Thai people much (honestly), but if you talk to people in shops and restaurants, you will get a lot better. I would say I speak Thai about 70% of the time here, so it has improved greatly.

Reading and writing are another matter, but, as most people said, it is mostly a question of how dedicated you are. The script isn't as crazy as it first seems, but you do need to put in the time on your own.

Will it open doors? Yes and no. I mean, to really open doors professionally, you would have to get to a pretty high level, and most people have other, more lucrative ways of earning a living. Speaking, though, opens up tons of doors in Thailand, as most people won't be able to really talk to you. You will see a completely different side of the place when the locals see that you know the lingo to a certain extent (ie., have a relatively fluid conversation with them). You would be amazed at how people change when they speak with someone who is perceived as "getting it," and not all negative stuff, either...just more information. And it is nice to be able to order food on your own from a Thai menu. Independence.

The ones I have seen in Asia near temples and the like tend to go in the opposite direction, but apparently not all of them do. I would assume this would be a Buddhist thing. Or, of course, you always have the possibility that the guy or girl just thinks it looks cool. Still, though, you do see this symbol a lot around temples all over this vast continent and it has nothing to do with nazis.

Seems everyone here has got there mind set on a 1 year visa ... if he's legally married, there are other options. He can apply for a 3 month non-o marriage visa instead. At least you can in Vientiane, but I would assume you can at most other Thai embassies as well. It costs 2000 baht, and as far as I know you can apply for this indefinitely. You don't need to show any source of income, but you'll have to go across the border and visit a Thai Embassy every three months, though. Afterwards, depending on how far it is to the closest immigration office, I think you can get a 2 month extension as well, without leaving Thailand.

It all depends on his health. Would he be able to make that trip every three months? And how far from the nearest border does he live?

Edit: I recently did both the Thai non-O marriage visa and the 2 month extension – so I know this is a possibility.

But that is just the thing..based on marriage, he should be able to get a non-O that will be for one year..no visit to the consulate, just walk across the border and back and you have 3 more months. And, if he is in ArunyaPrathet, that means like 15 mins to there, across and back...one year, but have to go out every three months and then back. I never made any trips to a consulate except for the first time.

Really? Without even a visit to the consulate? That doesn't even seem fair! So to sum it up - I'm married and live 300 km away. Still, I am the one who has to spend the night in Vientiane while you guys just have to cross the border, and we both get a 3 months visa? Without you showing 400k or 800k in the bank? Seems ridiculous, but nothing surprises me anymore.

Based on many of the resonses here, mentioning going back to the US, 800 or 400k baht and whatnot, it seems that a majority of the posters has missed this point - he's more or less entitled to a 3 month visa, without any of those things even being part of the equation, for an indefinate periode of time - by going to the embassy/consulate.

But if he can get 3 months by just crossing the border, even better (on his part).

Yeah, sorry, I didn't make that clear in my original response. I went to the consulate one time.....paid 5,000 baht and then had a one year visa with no proof of income, but I had to just jump across the border every 3 months. As far as I know, this is still possible (I am on a different visa now).

Seems everyone here has got there mind set on a 1 year visa ... if he's legally married, there are other options. He can apply for a 3 month non-o marriage visa instead. At least you can in Vientiane, but I would assume you can at most other Thai embassies as well. It costs 2000 baht, and as far as I know you can apply for this indefinitely. You don't need to show any source of income, but you'll have to go across the border and visit a Thai Embassy every three months, though. Afterwards, depending on how far it is to the closest immigration office, I think you can get a 2 month extension as well, without leaving Thailand.

It all depends on his health. Would he be able to make that trip every three months? And how far from the nearest border does he live?

Edit: I recently did both the Thai non-O marriage visa and the 2 month extension – so I know this is a possibility.

But that is just the thing..based on marriage, he should be able to get a non-O that will be for one year..no visit to the consulate, just walk across the border and back and you have 3 more months. And, if he is in ArunyaPrathet, that means like 15 mins to there, across and back...one year, but have to go out every three months and then back. I never made any trips to a consulate except for the first time.

True, they don't check. However, it is also true that it is a binding legal document and could come back to haunt you later on if you are found to have lied. My marriage is based on an affidavit on the US end and I was told the penalties I would face if I lied (I was just swearing in front of an embassy worker that I was not currently married to anyone). It works as a document with the Thais and other countries because you will end up in federal prison for perjury if you lie and that comes to light. If the guy is stays here and all stays in order, I guess it wouldn't matter much. But, if for some reason, something pops up, it can land you in serious doo-doo.

"...it is a binding legal document and could come back to haunt you later on if you are found to have lied"

And everyone else who uses this method of proving their income. And once again someone is promoting an illegal act since whoever swears something that he/she knows is false before the consular officer is committing an illegal act under US law and by representing the information to Immigrations as his/her actual income is also committing an offense against Thai law. So before long this method will no longer be accepted and it'll make life just that much more difficult for everyone else who had been acting honestly.

Some of the same people who complain about corruption in Thailand are hardly in a position to point fingers.

Sorry, I hope that wasn't directed at me. I swore that I had never been married...that is it (and I hadn't, until I married my Thai wife, which is what the affidavit was for). The guy told me exactly the penalty for lying, and it wasn't pretty-a few years in jail and a hefty fine (think US$ terms, not Thai terms). So, I wasn't condoning anyone doing this. Quite the contrary, I was saying that it is not a good idea to mess with the US govt or, for that matter, the Thai govt.

You can go to the US Embassy or to one of their Outreach locations and get an affidavit of income. The US Embassy allows you to fill in any amount without verified income.

Thai Emigration accepts this affidavit without question.

Edit: If you declare B800,000 or more you do not need all the paperwork listed above.

You sign the affidavit in front of a consular officer and state that it is true and correct. It is a crime to make a false statement.

The amount entered is in dollars and is monthly not annual income.

Not true... You can enter $$$$$ or BBBB Monthly or yearly. As for the statement... Who's going to check??? Get off your high horse and give this guy a break...

True, they don't check. However, it is also true that it is a binding legal document and could come back to haunt you later on if you are found to have lied. My marriage is based on an affidavit on the US end and I was told the penalties I would face if I lied (I was just swearing in front of an embassy worker that I was not currently married to anyone). It works as a document with the Thais and other countries because you will end up in federal prison for perjury if you lie and that comes to light. If the guy is stays here and all stays in order, I guess it wouldn't matter much. But, if for some reason, something pops up, it can land you in serious doo-doo.

I doubt you would find such bargains around Sukhumvit, but it surely is worth a try in Backpackers haven around Khao Sarn Rd. or Khaosan Rd., if the hippie style crowd and very simple standard rooms is what you are looking for.

But 200 Baht a night, incl. a/c... no way, not even if you have to share your room with cockroaches and other disgusting room mates...

800 Baht is very reasonable already for Sukhumvit, if you can get them down to 650 THB, you have bargained hard. ;-). But it always depends also on the length of your stay, if you stay for 3 weeks or a month, they may give you a very special deal...

Good luck and much fun while in LoS..

The first place I stayed at in Thailand was a place in KhaoSan road about 10 years ago. 200 baht a night. No roaches, but definitely bare. It did have airconditioning, though. I just needed a place to hole up and work on something online. I knew nothing of Thailand and I just said "KhaoSan" to the bus stand attendant and I was off.

Those places are still out there, but the prices have probably gone up. I don't do those anymore, but when you are first here and single, they can be nice little hovels to sleep in. When you are 20, you are hardly in the room anyway.