ChrisKC

2 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

The UK Embassy document must be translated by an official translation service and then registered with the MFA to become a legal document in Thailand.  It is the MFA who oversee Thai Embassies - there are no Thai Embassies in Thailand.

Thank you, I have been using the wrong term. Ministry of Foreign Affairs is where I need to go.

I did get my translation from an "Official" Agency but does it have to be an approved one by the MAF?

1 minute ago, Preacher said:

No appointment needed. But do show up a bit early. They need to check the translation (and signatories from the embassy), that can take about 2 hours.

Thank you very much - most helpful.

Chris

Just now, Preacher said:

You not only need a seal from a translator, the translation must be certified by the Thai ministry of Foreign Affairs and duly stamped by them. The translation agency should have told you that.

Luckily for you there is a consular department in Chiang Mai, at the ground floor of the provincial hall. Only costs about 800 baht.

Thank you. I have heard that if I needed to visit Thai Embassy, there is an Office in Chiang Mai. Do I  have to make an appointment?

I got married on Sunday  - apparently! (I have no special document that says I did)

In visiting the Amphur in Lampang yesterday I was told I needed a document from the Thai Embassy that I think is a copy of the Affirmation in Thai that I already have in English, signed and sealed from the British Embassy. I had my original Affirmation translated into Thai with a proper seal from a recognised Translator. But I did this thinking I would need it ( I didn't) when I visited the British Embassy where I had to change a few things, resulting in the Thai, then and now, not being exactly the same. But it seems that even if I get a new Thai translation it won't be enough.

My wife has spoken to one or two people, one of whom claims he will arrange everything for B15,000 but my instinct tells me I don't need to do this. I would appreciate the advice I need to register and legitimise the marriage by ensuring my next visit to the Amphur will get me the marriage certificate I need.

Thank you so much.

6 hours ago, shady86 said:

Accord driver really luck because no car at the next lane during evasion. Else more lives could be lost. These trucks should be banned from motorways.

Trucks are not the problem. It takes a driver to make a truck dangerous

14 minutes ago, Beats56 said:

But take ear plugs with you unless you like listening to some girl chirping on a microphone non stop.

 

That doesn't happen every day and not everywhere in the Mall.

It is never a good idea to be angry with yourself or anyone else whether in Thailand or anywhere. Here are a few suggestions that I would follow in the heat of the day, if my personality and constitution were similar to yours.

I would wear reflective and light clothing.

If you have aircon, switch it on!

Only a fan? Concentrate it on yourself - no swing.

All the big supermarkets have aircon - do some slow casual shopping

Go to your your local Mall. Plenty to do there. Spend a couple of hours over a coffee. Don't have much money? Eat in the Food Court. While you are there, use your Tablet or Smartphone: go to YouTube or read plenty of free content and learn ways that will help you to manage your anger and stress levels.

Drink plenty of cool water, at least a litre per day

Keep a cool, wet flannel handy at home and give yourself regular rub-downs.

Go to a local hotel that has a swimming pool

Be strong, stay calm!

42 minutes ago, franck1972 said:

Most hotels in Thailand are operating without license.
Agoda or Booking.com is surely no warranty, TAT, maybe, although I know many hotels listed there that don't have any licence.

What's your purpose of knowing if they have one ? 

How do you know hotels have a licence or not?

22 hours ago, tarmovannas said:

 

Yes, actually transactions ARE almost always refunded back to the same source they came from, the only case where it wouldn't be refunded to the same source is if you would work out a different solution with who ever processed your card, which would not happen most of the time, 99.99% of the time the transaction is simply refunded electronically and will be returned automatically to the source it came from (AFAIK this is handled by MasterCard, VISA, etc). That was also my original topic point -- if a refund is made for an order placed with a card it should simply be returned to the same card (and/or bank account associated with it). I should not have to worry about this and I certainly should not have to be wasting my time contacting my bank, in this case SCB, every time something like this happens, it's absurd to me, but after talking to SCB customer service on the phone today, they claimed that it was their company policy (hard to believe) and suggested for me to get a credit card instead (which would guarantee a faster/automatic refunds process compared to their absurd debit card policy). Like I said, I have not experienced any other bank doing things like this. Also, from my understanding, your money is certainly not orbiting in no cyberspace, if a refund was processed by the merchant who originally charged your card, then this money is basically returned to the bank already -- it is just the bank's duty to acknowledge and confirm that and credit it back to your account -- from what I know banks like to take as long as they can with this process, since they like to hold on to any money that is "in their hands" :)

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I am hopeful that my visit to the Bank tomorrow morning will yield the result I am looking for.

1 hour ago, tarmovannas said:

Hey ChrisKC, by the way you describe this, I would assume that you just used your debit card during checkout on eBay (via PayPal), which means you never actually added your card to your PayPal account in that way, that is why you did not have it on your PayPal either when you checked back on there, it is not going to make any difference for this case anymore to add the card to PayPal now after the transaction is already done (again, just assuming based on your description, this is most likely what happened). I'm sure you were indeed processed a refund by eBay (for the transaction made via PayPal) back to your SCB card, but it won't show up on your PayPal account since you apparently did not use your account with the card previously linked to it to make the original transaction -- PayPal also worka as a simple payment gateway for card transactions without having to make an account or link your card. Now, based on my experience nothing will happen, since it is an SCB card, not in 14 days, not in any amount of days for that matter, you have to contact SCB customer service via email/phone and provide them all the details of what happened and ask for the refund to be processed. Good luck!

Thank you for that helpful reply. I think it is as you have suggested - that my card was not added through PayPal direct as I later discovered. Though my money was taken from my debit card (as shown in account activity online) immediately.

So if you are right, the Bank can process the transaction in one direction only?

At the risk of sounding naive: if a payment has been made to a Seller from my debit card at my SCB bank, why cannot it be refunded to the same place? And if not, it sounds like posting a letter with no address on it and in my case my B4,000 is orbiting in Cyberspace.

In any event, I have enough evidence to take to the SCB on Monday morning so my money can be shuttled back to Earth.

Thank you again, Chris

23 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

But how long did it take them to take the money off your card.........seconds!

Less than that - a micro-second!

Last week, I added my SCB debit card via eBay to pay for an item through PayPal. The payment processed in less than the blink of an eye and was acknowledged by the system including the Seller in India.

A day later the Seller cancelled the order because it was out of stock and I received a notification from eBay that a refund was made. I also received a notice from the Seller that the refund was made.

That was 8 days ago - the "case" is closed because a refund is shown to have occurred but it has not arrived at my bank from where it was taken and neither is it shown in my PayPal  account. I subsequently discovered that the SCB debit card I had entered through the eBay site was not in fact shown in my PayPal account so I re-added it there.

As you know, it is next to impossible to actually send an email or talk to anyone at eBay or Paypal.

Is it really possible that I have to wait 14 days or more or even lose the money??

Any tips I can use would be very helpful, thank you.

3 hours ago, kannot said:

who gives a s h i*................well not the Thais, they sure dont want to follow any rules except their bowing and kowtowing hierarchical nonsense

It's obvious to me that the Thai Government, and in particular those in Transport Safety Departments,  don't  understand the culture of its own people.

I have a new SCB debit card with 6 digit PIN. Just today I added it for use with PayPal (in addition to my Bangkok Bank direct Paypal account and used it to buy an item in eBay with the Supplier in Poland.

3 hours ago, smotherb said:

I agree, I do not know you, so assuming you should have known is a stretch. However, I said you need to get to know your prospective partner, which should include getting to know her family and friends as well as her. If she indeed did change her feelings toward you when you went to live in her village; the changes should have been apparent to you. The key to a meaningful relationship is communication; if you did not share that close communication, change may have happened without your knowledge. You both have to express your feelings, and note how all of life's challenges, including your individual actions, affect your interpersonal relationship. It truly has to be give and take; you need to listen to her, expect her to listen to you, and reach a compromise when opinions differ.

 

Of course, this is my opinion, but it is based upon never having had a bad relationship with a woman.

Very well said! In my case, where this thread started, I have been very careful for us both to have good understanding between us arising from talking these matters through properly and meeting family and friends to try and appreciate the impact they may have due to their personal aspirations and proximity to us.

My partner has no parents alive and no children. Her immediate family of two sisters are completely independent and  wish only for us to have a peaceful and happy relationship.

I know nothing is guaranteed. For those who said my first marriage wouldn't work - they were right: it lasted only 42 years and, yes, it really did work!

At the risk of being a pain: I have to make appointment at the British Embassy, Bangkok. What is the correct email address I should write to? Or do I contact them some other way?

Thank you

6 minutes ago, The Theory said:

As I said :

good luck 

Thank you, I appreciate that.

4 hours ago, chicowoodduck said:

Best advice....go back to Suvarnabhumi Airport and get your brain back and don not ever look back....you will thank me later...??????

Thank goodness that is only your opinion - and a cynical one at that! I attach no value to it!

1 minute ago, DonnyT said:

Statistically marriage is 10x more lasting than co-habitation.

We love each other. Getting married is the final statement of intent, commitment and promise that we want to be together and share everything:  our money, belongings, decisions, responsibilities, life's experiences.

My (real) lady is 59 and I am 73; not the typical Thai/farang scenario.

7 minutes ago, The Theory said:

If this marriage is not for visa then why are getting married ❗️

Good luck

 

That maybe the way you think, but it isn't my way.

Thank you everyone for your useful information and advice.

8 minutes ago, Lamkyong said:

all the info ie embassy /mfa is correct  then off to amphur  doesn't really matter in which order the local ceremonies go do just do as you are instructed  and be a good chap   oh yes i wish you and your future wife  good luck and happiness 

Thank you for your good wishes. If you met her, you would know why I feel so confident in our decision.

3 minutes ago, petermik said:

Firstly a visit to the UK Embassy in BKK with your decree absolute who will provide you (at a cost of course) with a "freedom to marry" document which must then be translated at the MFA (Ministry of foreign affairs)  in BKK into Thai language,take these along the Amphur where your getting married and all SHOULD be good

 

p.s. why have you decided to get married again.....live happily together for as long as it may last

My wife to be is one of the most wonderful people I have ever met. Even though I have had two previous serious relationships, there is no way I would have married either of them. This time I have done my homework and served my probation - in fact we both have.

If the answers to my two questions have a link to them, we can avoid plenty of repetition, so please give me links. Thank you

1. I am Englishman divorced from my English wife for two years. This matter was dealt with by English Solicitors and the Family Court in Southampton. My paperwork is in the form of letters I received from them, here in Thailand, that indicated due process and finally one stating the divorce being 'absolute". I have heard that this is not enough to convince the Office at the Amphur that I am actually divorced and that I need a letter from the British Embassy to provide a stamped Document, which I am guessing will need to be officially translated into Thai as well. Is this correct? And if so what is the exact procedure I should follow and what timescale might I be involved in?

2.  As the title says, I am engaged to be married. My Thai partner has indicted that the "wedding" will involve making merit at a couple of Temples, having lunch with guests and then going to the Amphur to get the paper signed. My question to her is: "When did we get married? To which I am met with some surprise!! I need clarification please that enables me to understand that what I am doing is properly official and legal and of course if my "piece of paper" is recognised by Officialdom in Thailand and other countries, particularly as it relates to Immigration.

I appreciate any help. Thank you.