JustAnotherFarang

With a little help from the helpful guys on this thread I went to BKK and got through the whole procedure within 10 minutes. Long time traveling from down south for such a short appointment but at least it is now done and dusted.

Tonight I received an email telling me that they are unable to process the payment from my Bangkok Bank Mastercard. I will go and visit the bank tomorrow to see what the problem is but what is the cheapest way to contact +44 151 471 4302 using my tot fixed line or 121 call on my mobile.

Cheers

JAF

Ubon Joe is the guy to listen to as he knows what he is talking about. He recently offered advice to me which was very helpful.

I live in Ranong and I would suggest that you would travel here from Phuket and do your visa run at the Andaman Casino. Not only is it very safe but it is stress free. You will have no problems whatsoever with the friendly immigration guys other than having to pay your overstay and whilst you are at the luxurious casino complex you can enjoy duty free shopping and glorious views. Start to finish it will take about 90 minutes including crossing the Andaman sea.

Hope this helps to alleviate your concerns.

JAF

Well that was a complete waste of time !!!!

Just returned from Ranong immigration where they said they do not recognise the "application form for residence certificate in Thailand" and instead got my wife to fill out a form to notify them that I was residing at the property that we rent. I asked if it would be better that I filled out the form in my name but they said that I was "the alien" and that my wife had to fill it out in thai.

Then then issued her with a "receipt of notification" which has been stamped and dated by immigration. It does have my name written by pen in English but my address is written in thai. I told the guy that this was not suitable and explained to him that I needed a "certificate of residence" which looks like a letter with my name and address details along with a passport picture affixed to it and stamped..........he said he had never done one before so he did not know what I was talking about.

The bad news is that they close today and will not open again til Monday. My appointment in Bangkok in on Monday so I really don't know what else I can do to prove my residence.

The "receipt of notification" picture is shown below. Will it suffice ??

Any suggestions appreciated

This is what you need from immigration

Cheers DLB

I printed that form out and returned to the immigration office. Spoke to the same guy and he sent me around the corner to the clerical office where they copied the information and replaced the blanks with my info and their address etc. It took about 20 minutes to sort it all out and now I have my certificate of residence.

Many thanks to all the posters who assisted me and a big thumbs up for the Thaivisa.com community

JAF

Does you wife have a house book for where you are lining (her house)?.If it does you could get a translation of it done and use that along with the slip since it has her name on it.

The house we are living in is rental but we have found the rental contract which is signed on her name. Can I use this as proof if it is translated even though it does not have my name on it and is probably signed in my wifes maiden thai name

JAF

Well that was a complete waste of time !!!!

Just returned from Ranong immigration where they said they do not recognise the "application form for residence certificate in Thailand" and instead got my wife to fill out a form to notify them that I was residing at the property that we rent. I asked if it would be better that I filled out the form in my name but they said that I was "the alien" and that my wife had to fill it out in thai.

Then then issued her with a "receipt of notification" which has been stamped and dated by immigration. It does have my name written by pen in English but my address is written in thai. I told the guy that this was not suitable and explained to him that I needed a "certificate of residence" which looks like a letter with my name and address details along with a passport picture affixed to it and stamped..........he said he had never done one before so he did not know what I was talking about.

The bad news is that they close today and will not open again til Monday. My appointment in Bangkok in on Monday so I really don't know what else I can do to prove my residence.

The "receipt of notification" picture is shown below. Will it suffice ??

Any suggestions appreciated

Hi Ubon Joe

Looking at the form TM 18 on this website shown below it looks remarkably similar to the form I have to fill in every year for my "marriage" visa

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=download

I will print off the form you gave me but I am still uncertain which form I need immigration to complete and certify for me. The clearer I can be with them the easier it will be to obtain because they really don't know their ar$e from their elbows in Ranong immigration

Cheers Ubonjoe

JAF

I have just been to the local immigration office (where they do not speak English) and tried to explain to them that I needed a certificate of residence but they said I do not need one as my passport proves I am living in Thailand. For once, I actually agree with their logic.

I am going back again this afternoon to speak with the supervisor so I am hoping that someone can tell me the name in thai of the certificate of residence or maybe show a picture of what it looks like so that I can actually obtain one with the minimum amount of fuss and exasperation

Cheers

JAF

You download this application form for the certificate then and fill it out. http://immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/pdf/res_cert.pdf

Check other and write proof of address sin the space provided.

Thank you Ubonjoe. I will print this off and fill it in. Do I still need to take it to the local immigration office to get them to sign or stamp it ??

Cheers

JAF

You will need to take to immigration. They should then do the residence certificate. Just do your best to get them to understand what you want it for.

You may also need two photos,

Hi Ubonjoe

Would I be right in assuming that the certifcate of residence form is the same 2 page form that I have to fill in when I do my yearly renewal for my non immigrant o (TM 18) ?

JAF

I have just been to the local immigration office (where they do not speak English) and tried to explain to them that I needed a certificate of residence but they said I do not need one as my passport proves I am living in Thailand. For once, I actually agree with their logic.

I am going back again this afternoon to speak with the supervisor so I am hoping that someone can tell me the name in thai of the certificate of residence or maybe show a picture of what it looks like so that I can actually obtain one with the minimum amount of fuss and exasperation

Cheers

JAF

You download this application form for the certificate then and fill it out. http://immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/pdf/res_cert.pdf

Check other and write proof of address sin the space provided.

Thank you Ubonjoe. I will print this off and fill it in. Do I still need to take it to the local immigration office to get them to sign or stamp it ??

Cheers

JAF

I have just been to the local immigration office (where they do not speak English) and tried to explain to them that I needed a certificate of residence but they said I do not need one as my passport proves I am living in Thailand. For once, I actually agree with their logic.

I am going back again this afternoon to speak with the supervisor so I am hoping that someone can tell me the name in thai of the certificate of residence or maybe show a picture of what it looks like so that I can actually obtain one with the minimum amount of fuss and exasperation

Cheers

JAF

I am off to the local immigration where they do not speak any English. What I need from them is a certificate of residence to show to the Trendy guys and gals. I am on an non immigrant o visa but I am uncertain what the certificate of residence will look like and what I will need to obtain it. Any info or picture would be appreciated

Cheers

JAF

When you go to immigration tell them you want the residence certificate for new passport & they will do the address in English.

save you time & money getting it translated

You need 2 passport size photos, copy of passport photo page, first & last visa pages, rentel contract or blue book.

300b to 500b depending on which office you go to.

Due to other commitments (overseeing the building our new home) I did not get around to going to the immigration office today. After reading your comment I seem to have all the criteria needed other than a blue book or rental agreement.

Where we live, everything is done by word of mouth and as such my wife does not have a rental agreement for the property we rent although immigration have visited on several occasions over the last 6 years to photograph the place with my wife and I standing outside to confirm my non immigrant o visa conditions.

Hopefully the local immigration office will be able to help us out tomorrow but if not I don't really know what else I can provide the Trendy Office with to prove I am living at this address. I do have thai bank statements which have my name and address on but it appears they are not acceptable

Any suggestions are welcome

JAF

I am off to the local immigration where they do not speak any English. What I need from them is a certificate of residence to show to the Trendy guys and gals. I am on an non immigrant o visa but I am uncertain what the certificate of residence will look like and what I will need to obtain it. Any info or picture would be appreciated

Cheers

JAF

I applied for an appointment on Monday evening by email and received this reply this morning :-

"Dear, Sir/Madam

We confirm your appointment as follow:

12th May 2014 time at 10.00 am.


Importants for HMPO

*The application what apply in Bangkok, Thailand will process and be considered by HMPO in the UK at least 4 weeks up to 6 months approximately

*Please provide your passport and whole pages color copies with your signature on every pages, the other document can be in black-white.

*Thailand country only accept the payment by Credit/Debit card, require to print out and complete the payment form. Submit at the same time with document at HMOP Bangkok Center.

*The applicant need to apply in person in Bangkok, Thailand only

*No posting service but you can allow someone to collect it with your authority latter, please inform it on the day you apply.

*All documents which are not in English need to be translated into English with the official stamp

*The children no need to attend, the parent can apply on behalf of him/her"

So it appears that we no longer have to make 2 trips to Bangkok and instead we give an authorisation letter to someone to pick it up for us and then post it onwards which is great news as it saves me having to travel up from the south on 2 occasions.

But I still have a question. My passport expires in September of this year. At the moment I have a non immigrant o visa based on marriage which expires at the end of July. If I was to apply to extend my non immigrant o visa in July the immigration office would only extend it til the expiry date of my present passport which is why I am applying for a new passport now. So if I receive my new passport before the expiration date in July will I be able to transfer my existing visa to my new passport or will I need any additional documentation from the British embassy regarding the issue of the new passport ??

Cheers for any assistance

JAF

HI

I have just bought this model for the bedroom which is 3.5 x 3.5 m2 in our new home that we are building. It was reduced from 32,000 bht to 19,300 bht

http://www.lazada.co.th/samsung-ar-13fvseduvn-148027.html

After reading the info on the forum regarding inverter air conditioning I am not sure if this is suitable for the bedroom and that maybe I should install it in the living room which is 5.60m by 6.40m and use the old air conditioner that we have in our bedroom now

Any advice appreciated

JAF

Hi guys

Just returned from Thai Watsadu in Hua Hin and I seen that they have 2 spa baths made by Kassa. One is a traditional bath style at 29,XXX and the other is a corner unit for approx 35,XXX. I called one of the assistants over to enquire about specifications and details but his english language skills were on par with my thai language skills so I did not get to learn anything about them other than they have a pump for the water but no heater element. When I asked if it was possible to buy it and have it delivered to Ranong where I am building a new home, they suggested that I should buy if from the Surat Thani who can arrange delivery for me.

Does anyone have any experience of these units and can anyone recommend a water heater that would be suitable to pair up with it.

Many thanks

JAF

In hindsight you are right, close supervision and a lot of hand holding would have helped alleviate the problem especially when the walls are over 100 metres long. But with foresight I decided that it was better that I go to work and keep my job to ensure that I could pay the bills ;-) It only means I have made more work for myself but at least I will have the funds to buy a pressure washer.

JAF

You should have supervised it..I know, easy to say.

But we had a feature rock wall built some time ago...I had to show them how to do it properly...and then I made them wash it all off as they built it continually and the end job was completely cement free.

That might explain why nobody sells it, they probably think I have more than a little cement that I want to remove. But I did see this information on a gardening website in the UK and the only warning they game was that it might turn the face of the stone a little yellow. As it is, I think I will give the pressure washer idea a go first and if I don't have any luck I will have to think of something else.

Cheers

JAF

Muriatic acid = hydrochloric acid. Be very careful if you use this: gloves, eye protection, skin protection. It can be deadly or give serious injury.

I have had our local contractors build a 2 metre wall with large stones but they have rather spoilt the aesthetics of it by leaving cement on the front of the stone even though I asked them not too.

I have read that I could use "muiriatic acid" to clean the stone faces (apparently it eats way the concrete and then you wash it off) but when I went to Homepro they had no idea what I was talking about. Does anyone know where I might purchase this or what it is called in Thai language.

Cheers

JAF

This is the simple rhetoric of thai teachers all over Thailand including the thai teachers who are supposed to teach English. It is a "head in the sand" approach much suited to ostriches who do not want to see the problems that are coming. But the question remains that if Thais have so many problems learning English then how do you think they will manage when they try to learn chinese instead ?

The simple truth is that Thailand must escape this feudal, jingoistic head in the sand approach to the english speaking world if they ever hope to compete in the global markets of tomorrow. To speak English would surely be a benefit to the future of thai people and for those who do not wish to learn, they should be allowed to choose another subject that may be beneficial to their future instead..

JAF

English is a language of colonizers. It didn't come as an international language naturally, but was imposed by British colonial empire and than US. Why should Thailand learn it? More farsightedly is to learn Chinese, this is the next international language.

Seems overpriced for an online retailer. WD Caviar Blue 1 TB hard drive is sold for 2090 baht in Busitek, Pantip compared to 2350 baht from Invade IT. I suppose it has discovered a niche of expats prepared to pay over the odds for customer service.

I have bought numerous items from them including 5 computers, graphics card and hard drives. One of my graphics card and a power supply unit died after 2 years and 11 months of usage. Luckily they had a 3 year warranty and after communicating with Thomas I sent them back and received superior replacements within a few weeks.

I think it is worth the little extra for peace of mind and in the knowledge that if you have any problems Thomas will sort it out quickly and efficiently.

JAF

I think if the monitor is more than a couple of years old you will be very pleasantly surprised you replaced it. Each time I have I have been amazed at the improvement in clarity colour and response. Less eyestrain too.

The old monitor if it works or can be fixed cheaply can be used as an additional monitor which is usefull for monitoring a site while working on the main screen or playing a video etc while working.

With luck my present monitor will fail soon

TBH I was not terribly impressed with the new monitor at first (a Samsung s25b150 bl) because although it is a LED and not a LCD it was also terribly bright and the colours looked very washed out. But once I tilted it and lowered the brightness to 60 it really looked impressive.

So here's wishing that your urge to have a surge comes true so that you too can invest in a new monitor too

JAF

Thanks Scott for removing the troll posts. When I normally post in the other forums I often get interesting and informative replies but it seems in this particular forum I have had no noteworthy replies. Shame really as I thought this might be an interesting tool for teaching younger students.

JAF

Hi RealDeal

Yes I think you have hit the nail on the head because my video card was dirty and the engineer who looked at it told me that it was overheating. I also noticed a large buildup of dust and dirt on the outside of the case where it draws in air to cool down.

In retrospect all the warning signs where there but I failed to recognise and rectify them but after reading your latest post it has got me thinking that I should clean my computer inside and out on a regular basis.

I will take my monitor to the local Amorn to get it fixed up armed with the knowledge that you have kindly offered.

Many thanks for your most informative posting, much appreciated

JAF

Hi

In all fairness to MrRealDeal I would have to say that he has made a valid point as it turns out that my Radeon 4850 video card has now died as well. But EmptyMind was right to point out that I had tested my monitor on another computer and it displayed the same problem.

As to whether it is because the damage has already been done by the graphics card is hard top prove but it does lead me conclude that the card may well have been the culprit for the problems that I have had with my monitor (which cost 12,000 bht 4 years ago).

I have now purchased a new Gigabyte HD 7770 graphics card and a new 24" Samsung monitor for around the same price as I paid for the old Radeon 4850 card 4 years ago so hopefully this will rectify my problem.

As an aside, do you think that the local Amorn electronics shop will be able to fix my old monitor and if so, what should I tell the technician to look out for

Many thanks to all those that replied. Most informative and helpful as always

JAF

Hi Guys

I have my own private teaching school and I would like to purchase a ventriloquist doll or even better a monkey puppet to educate and entertain my younger students. I can see that there is quite a large choice of ventriloquist dolls on Amazon but I am unsure whether they charge prohibitive prices to send them to Thailand. Ideally, I would like to find a monkey puppet with a movable mouth that works with string or I would have to put my hand inside.

Does anyone know anywhere in Thailand or SE Asia that I can purchase one of these items or maybe a place online that will deliver them to Thailand

Many thanks for your replies

JAF