Edward B

Let me get this straight.

You want a marriage certificate in order to get a non-imm O visa and you want this visa in order to get a driving licence.

"What ?"

Are you married???

It sounds quite funny when you put it that way Indo. Actually there were two reasons why they ordered removal of the bins. One: to make it look cleaner (the bins were always full and overflowing with trash) and two: to remove the potential for bin bombs. In Sydney 2000 all bins around the Olympic site were removed and guess what - no bombs went off. So where are people going to put their rubbish you ask?

Don't ask me, I just live here.

Yeah, what he said!

Francois,

You are French, no?

You keep writing sentences and then tacking the word 'no' onto the end to turn it into a question, no?

Why do you do that? no? oops. that didn't work.

You can also use the word 'yes' instead, yes?

English is a funny language, yes?, no?

I think you should try to write it in more betterly like me, no?

Otherwise people will have nfi <deleted> you are trying to say.

viva la francais, no?   NO !

Ediee isn't a Muslim name......is it ?          ???

No !            

Jonnie,

Can you tell me what the driving test was like? Was an officer in the car with you and what did he ask you to do?  I ask because down south the tests are a joke (for thai applicants anyway). All it involves is driving around their carpark by yourself for about 10 minutes and that's it. No reverse parking, no starting on a hill. Only an imbecile could fail it. I think I just realised why the Thais drive so badly. Motorbike tests are the same.

are you shitting me...all this BS just to work as an english (presumebly) or some other teacher in thailand.  i don't want to sound too negative but, WHY  DO YOU GUYS AND GALS PUT UP WITH THIS .  all the hasstle to renew WPs and visas all for the joy of teaching thai toddlers and adults to get up to speed with the modern world and joining the global economy by learning english.  AND FOR THE MONEY THEY PAY YOUS GUYS!!!

you must all have rocks in your head.  sure, thailand is a decent tropical country and is fun to holiday in or retire in but to try to live and work here...especially independently as a teacher and not on some big corporate package...just doesn't seem worthwhile to me.

seriously, why do you do it?  do you all have little thai teraks and mias is that it or what.  i would think that all english teachers would have decamped for sing, malay, hkg, korea, japan long ago and saved thailand for your holiday breaks only.

Jeez, what's your problem mate? You presumed we're all english teachers here. They're all over at ajarn.com.  I think you should post that comment over there, not on this forum where many of us are either earning big bucks or retired with 'tee raks' (sweethearts), 'mias' or whatever - so the 'worth it' is there in my opinion.

Why are the words s*** and f*** allowed in this forum but the word #### (h*ll, rhymes with bell) not?  Is it a cultural thing in Thailand or something else? The c word does not get filtered either.

There's nothing in the TOS about this. Just curious.

Bud,

I must say that you changed a #### of a lot after your week off from the forum. What did you do? Have a sex change or something? OK, I'll be nice from now on but just behave alright? You've got guts and I like that. Many others would have shrivelled up and gone away (where is Kwiz by the way) but you came back bigger and stronger than ever. Keep it going mate (just don't double post).

Ed

Michael,

Perhaps you should do an article on Jai Di. Find out how he became rich, why he chose to live in Thailand, what he does every day etc. etc. You could even include yourself as the contrasting foreigner living in Thailand - two people with almost opposite views on life. I'm not saying one or the other is good or bad, just think it would be nice reading. I'm sure you two would enjoy a drink or three together. Sorry, but I don't exactly know what you do at the BP but I assume you're a journalist.

Cheers...Ed

Bud,

Why do you keep double (and even triple) posting? It's very irritating. Wherever I look you are there. Like a lost puppy that you can't get away from. Just start a new thread so we can all follow your adventures.

btw you forgot to blank out Arlee's name at the end of your last post.

nee bpen dave gap meea na krap.

นีเป็นเดฟ์กับเมียนะครับ

nee is such a useful word

This thread is turning into a real lesson in Thai.

MaiChai,

I would have to say Mai Chai (politely of course)!

First, you forgot the tone mark. - นี่เป็นเดฟ์กับเมียนะครับ

Second, you say the sentence is too wordy by adding 'na krap' ??? It's only two more words, and one of them is hardly a word anyway. But then you go and use it yourself !

Getting back to the topic (News on Visa detentions)...

I don't know why this wasn't mentioned before today but I saw on thai tv (channel 11 I think) on Saturday night news they had a brief report on the fake visa saga. I couldn't catch most of what was being said and I missed the beginning but with the help of the wife, the report was VERY biased AGAINST the foreigner. It mentioned foreigners from many contries involved and showed pictures of them in detention. There was only a very brief mention of an agent. No mention of agents all over the country doing it for the past 10 years. The emphasis was heavily on the foreigner being in the wrong.

Just wondering if anyone else caught this news.

Thank you all for replying. I must say I was surprised to see such a big response. Although it got off topic a bit I think this thread is a good reference for anyone wishing to learn this aspect of the Thai language.

For me I guess I was hoping to find out how other expats like me address themselves when talking to the wife (and vice versa). I used my name a few times but I never felt comfortable. I felt like I was Yoda or Gollom from LOTR. Also, now I'd feel even less comfortable after reading some of the posts here. Sorry guys but the gay connotation is in my brain now and will never be forgotton!

Thanks again...Happy families!

How do I address to others in introducing who we are as follows..  Hello my name is Dave and this is my wife - do I say her nickname or her real name?) her nick is Yo and her Real name is a thai legal name.

สวัสดีครับ ผมชื่อเดฟและนี้คุณ ..... นะครับ

Sawasdee krap. Pom cheu Dave Leh nee kun ..... na krap.

I would say her real name first and then perhaps you may suggest that they all call her Yo (or better that she suggest it).

Jai di,

...and how long are you planning to stay in Thailand?

Until your money runs out?

Jai di,

Why don't you just get a visa? If you'd got one from the beginning you'd be elligible for a residence visa by now. Is it because you are so close to the border that you thought it would be simpler to just border hop every 30 days? How long are you planning to stay in Thailand? Just curious.

Er, I'm not a boxer (I've seen a some pretty boring matches on tv) but I'd say that a street fight with a crazed taxi driver/rider is not quite the same as a fight involving two evenly matched boxers (same weight) with rounds of 3 minutes, rests in-between, strict rules (no punches below the belt) and no weapons but your arms and legs. Plus as someone said he could have had mates. Unless you were Bruce Lee or someone, I'd put my money on the taxi man.

...but officer, he had that look on his face like he was just about to...

Actually I meant smart-arse in the nice sense of the word  . Your post was quite helpful. Ta.

I just need to get out of the habit of calling myself 'I' and then speaking the rest of the sentence in Thai. 

It's not a good habit to keep, as 'I' in Thai is not a flattering word to say the least!

Can those expats out there with thai wives and/or g/fs tell us how they address their partners, as well as what pronoun you both use to call each other (in Thai of course)?

I have a terrible time trying to come up with a pronoun that I am comfortable with. In English it is just so easy. I and you! But thai seem to have a gazillion different ways to say these two words and I am buggered if I know which one to use.

I am serious by the way, so please no smart-arse replies (Chonabot). And Bud, if you're out there, please don't trash this thread.