Jinjo14

I need to get my wife’s Thai birth certificate legalised. We’re in Sydney.  What’s the best procedure to get it done? 
 

I already have a copy of the birth certificate and a certified  translation in English that has an expiration date 2020.  Probably useless now, who knew translations expired.

shall I get a new birth certificate from the amphur? Do I need to send someone in Bangkok to the Department of Consular affairs?  Get it legalised, and after translated again and sent by snail mail to Australia??  After I need to get it legalised again by the Thai consul in Sydney?? Is this the best albeit painful option??

This is what I gather from the email I got sent when I enquired at the Thai consulate in Sydney:

”

thanks in advance to whoever chimes in.

Last 4 years has been kept covered, only used 3 weeks each year when we come in holiday.  Only 42k on the clock

serious offers only

located korat 

I asked him , he applied once with krungsri and they gave him 3 credit cards at once (jcb, visa, first choice) which if true was highly irresponsible of them.
he had a managerial role at the time earning 85k a month.

I gave him an earful on why he didn’t try to arrange a payment plan and stop using the damn things.  I shudder to think at 20% or so how much the interest would be.  He was adamant that he emailed them asking for a solution but never received a reply except statements every month.  
 

after about a year, they stopped coming and he received an email that his accounts were terminated and handed over to their credit collection team. That’s the last he ever heard of them.

A friend of mine (faring) left Thailand after a few years working here with 3 Thai credit cards (limit of around 120k each).   For a few months he continued to pay the debt off by sending money from overseas to his Thai accounts - however he was getting rimmed on interest and transfer charges and after emailing each bank to find a solution and not getting a reply he stopped payments.  This was over 3 years ago.

He wants to return to Thailand for a holiday to visit friends and is worried that he might have a court order against him and immigration would detain him on arrival - obviously he didn't leave a forwarding address so there's no way he would know if he received anything by snail mail.   

I was stopped once by immigration for owing the Thailand TAX office a measly 1500 baht (mistake on my tax return) and was scared <deleted>less I would be detained so I can understand him being worried about half a million baht!!! 

Is there anyway he can check with a lawyer that he will be fine to return to Thailand for a visit?

Where did I say I support the ‘xenophobic acts’ of the government?   Lol

Let’s get this straight mate.  I understand  where you’re coming from.  I too have suffered indignities with immigration and headaches with border runs / extensions etc when I lived here.  On the other hand, as you correctly say, my country after 3 months of marriage have my Thai wife permanent residence.   I know firsthand it doesn’t feel right.

BUT my ORIGINAL POST wasn’t disputing the draconian Thai immigration and laws was it???? 

I just can’t bear whinging people who came here of their own accord,  wishing ill on others who were born here and have no blame in what the law is. 

No no more from me now, wish you all the best, health and karma!

2 hours ago, jessebkk1 said:

Fxxx you and anyone else like you who lacks empathy towards foreigners who live here in the midst of this harassment that is going on with immigration and expect us to be sympathetic to Thai people who are living in other countries.

 

 I'm american, and I have written to reps and senators in my state and I hope the thais in the US get taunted and hunted and sent back to Thailand, and yes they are in the millions. The only problem is that As a Thai person in America/Europe after a few years you earn the right in there forever and become a citizen, and even contest for elections, whereas as an American living here I have a higher chance of winning the lottery than becoming a citizen/resident, and God forbid I become sick after 20 years of already being legal here and become unable get my visas due to my illness, i'll be hounded like a dog and tossed in Thai immigration Detention Center (aka gas chamber), and mind you I've raised a Thai family with kids from another Dad and bought cars and built houses for her family members and treated their kids like my own blood. I have seen this happen to countless of Foreigner with absolutely NO mercy from the Thais.

 

  I want other countries to start tortmenting thais who live there and possibly cancel the citizenship of any Thai who visits thailand more than once in 2 years, and maybe this will cause Thais to start demonstrating about the harsh way their immigration is treating foreigners here. Most of these Thai politicians have kids who hold citizenship in other countries and they'll be the first to brag about it when you talk to them. I tell my neigbours about the constant troubles I've had with my visas over the years and they pretend to listen and pretend to care with the "oh sia dai na", and nobody gives a shit afterwards...After being here for over 20 years I have come to accept something "a thai person is like a cat who cry meow for you to give them milk or cuddle them when they want to feel loved, but will never stick their neck to fight for you because you're a foreigner. GOD, I WISH I NEVER STEPPED FOOT IN THIS PLACE, i'm stuck here financially.

Typical moaning attitude resorting to name calling and cursing.  

You sound as if you have made some bad choices in these last 20 years and now you’re old, bitter and blaming the Thais. In 20 years, with some effort I don’t think gaining pr is ‘like winning the lottery’.  Of course, if you just wait for it to happen without helping yourself, it never will.

And wishing all Thai people abroad get persecuted??? As if the normal Thai person in the street is to blame for the tough immigration laws the country has.  

You came here out of choice, these illegal immigrants go out of necessity.

Any of you keyboard warriors stop to think for a minute why these people go live and work there illegally???

Do you really think that it’s for fun??  They are just normal people who want to better their and their children’s life.  I know a couple who are working in S. Korea, who are making about ฿60000 a month between them, she a seamstress and him in construction.  They’d get a third of that here!!

They do not even live together because their jobs are far apart, sleeping in dorms with other workers, sharing amenities.  

They need the money to pay for their kids’ education and a home which the bank was going to repossess.  They want to return to Thailand as soon as they make what they need. 

the Thai brokers who make money off these sort of people who risk their lives and live in squalid conditions should be the ones they should really crack down on.

26 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

Not sure where you were looking and you don't mention if it is 2.2 or 3.2,  but plenty 2.2 Ranger double cabs from 2013 available under 500K.

 

But yes you can pay off finance in 1 go, but you will not save much, because the first payments are more interest and now only base sum will be left.

Hi Jan,

thanks for replying. It’s 2.2 automatic. Maybe what I saw was 3,2 it was some Thai 2nd hand site.

thinking whether best to just sell now or hold on to it and pay it out.  

Im only worried that in 10 years time mould, rust etc will get to it if not used

Have a red Ford ranger 2013 less than 40k clocked.  Upgraded alloy rims all terrain wheels.  Mint condition been garaged for last 2 years as moved to Australia.  Not sure if I want to keep it or not as the plan is to return to Thailand to retire in ten or so years. And it’s too expensive to take to Australia. 

2 questions:

i still have 14 months car finance (pay every month) would I be able to sell and repay what’s left of the loan in one go?

what’s a realistic price I should be looking to get? 

Been looking online, same model with double the kms seem to be going at 600k฿.

Cheers!

All good, thanks to all for replying. 

I’ve just noticed the stamp on my Visa on Arrival permits me to stay here until the 25th (funny way of counting fifteen days giving that I entered on the 11th evening.) 

Our flights are booked at 6.30am on the 26th.

i have overstayed before twice both for a couple of days and I always paid the fine with no dramas arising.  No overstay stamp on passport either as far as I can see but prob will be on their system.

regarding my recent drama with unpaid tax at the airport, i’m inclined to waste half a day to go to Korat immigration, pay 1900฿ and get a 7 day extension.  Then again, will a few hours when I’ll be at the airport anyway matter???? 

For all those saying that I’m thailand bashing I’m not.

they do have draconian rules and regulations though even for people who are married and support Thai nationals.

my home country for example after 3 moths of marriage, gave my wife permanent residency

13 hours ago, elviajero said:

According to their records you owe tax, what's draconian about wanting to collect!

 

Would you expect any country to welcome -- according to their records -- someone owing tax?

No but the manner how they chose to go about it ... and the fact that even the IO had no idea what the flag was about for the first ten mins, made me feel as if I’m a wanted criminal.  

4 minutes ago, sirineou said:

It could not have being pleasant to say the least, In what should have being a the happy occasion of your return. I understand you being upset .As you said, it was part your fault for not checking, but I can see how any of us could have not checked also. 

You have a limited time on your vacation here, in which I am sure you are investing more than 5,000 bht.

Pay the 5,000 bht, chalk it up to experience, and enjoy the rest of your visit. Life is too short. lose some fights to win the war.

Welcome back

 

Thanks and I will do. 

I love thailand and I’ve lived here for 4 years straight already before emigrating to Australia.  I wish to retire In the small moo bahn which made me welcome in the first place and whose people have made me feel welcome from day one.  Not just my wife’s family, but neighbours and friends also.

im only 35 btw, I plan on working hard and making my money in Australia and when I’m fifty I retire with a home in both countries (neither my native land). Spend half time there half there.

Episodes like this tho bring home the draconian feel Thailand can have sometimes making me a bit unsure of ever feeling ‘welcome’ even tho I’ve been married to a Thai for six years and counting ...

1 hour ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

Not sure how this relates to "Almost refused entry at Suvarnaphum". Surely if the IO had refused you entry, the tax you owe could not have been collected voluntarily, since you would not have entered Thailand? I see nothing in your OP that says you were threatened with refusal.

You weren’t in my shoes.  The immigration officers’ attitude wasn’t exactly welcoming.

I downplayed the events to avoid writing too much but if it wasn’t my wife a visit to the idc would’ve been likely 

I’m not sure if this is the correct forum to post this in, please Mods feel free to move.

Last week I came for a holiday to visit the in laws in rural Isaan with the wife.  I got a visa on arrival but as was at the checkpoint the IO stopped me saying the computer had flagged me.  (Apparently the reason doesn’t show up immediately).  He appeared very excited and pleased with himself, and made quite a show of closing the aisle I was in and telling the queue behind me that it was closed.

After waiting very nervously for about ten mins, the IO and his superior, came and told my wife (who was through already waiting anxiously) that I was flagged for unpaid personal income tax.  He gave us a number to contact to clear the monies and let me in, warning me that if not cleared, they would not let me out.  I shudder to think what would have happened if my wife wasn’t with me to translate and mediate.

Once I was out from the airport, the relief quickly turned to anger.  The last company I worked for, HR department used to deduct tax every month from my salary, and they were supposed to cancel work permit and file tax returns etc.

We called the Surat tax office (was working in Samui) and it turns out I owe roughly 5000 baht including penalties for the tax year 2015.  I then enquired what about 2016 (i worked only from January until July - in August we moved for good to Australia) and they said they have no record of me working.  

On my payslips I added the total amount of tax withheld for 2016 and it’s 64000฿.  When I did my calculations, I should get 40000฿ tax refund (when they calculated tax withheld they averaged it on a full year’s salary).  

In a way I suppose I’m to blame for not making sure this was taken care of before we left, but I was too busy sorting out our visas etc for Australia and previously HR had always managed things like this for me and the other ‘farang’ - both executive positions.  It had simply flown out of my head (until I got a rude reminder at Suvarnabhumi!)

2 questions -

1. if there’s no tax return filed for 2016, does this mean the employer kept the money deducted q?
2. What do you think is a best course of action?

I’m going to the Korat tax office tomorrow and I’m inclined to just pay the 5000฿, get them to cancel the flag on my passport and keep my mouth shut about the 2016 year. Opening a can of worms and all that... (The company I worked for is owned by Thai people, and they’re well connected on Samui, don’t want them to cause me any grief - I’m going back home in Thursday)

Then again, I don’t want them to get away with it, and it’s not exactly chump change.

i recently started a new job and from time to time need to use word,excel and publisher. the computer i got is a cranky old whirring machine and the language in Thai. i figured out how to change the language to English and i did but all microsoft office menus are still in Thai and it's doing my head in.

i tried googling it and i did install english language pack but nothing happened. and i admit i'm not very good with computers.

any advice would be appreciated.

Interesting read ...

Can you guys make things a bit easier (those posting in thai script) to post in phonetic english?

Thanks and sorry but it would make it easier on all who can't read!

Many thanks!

All very informative and helpful posts. I hope I will be someday as proficient in thai as you.

I've never done the effort of learning Thai alphabet only numbers. So what I pick up is basically from spoken language. I've been living here about 1yr 6 months - one year which I spent in rural Isaan speaking english only to my thai wife. So I always made an effort to be social with brothers and family. I picked up many vocabulary and I understand 30% what's spoken but I can't string more than a sentence - maybe 20% understand what I speak to them in Thai.

Now I'm in a supervisory post and I'm finding it hell to communicate with my staff as only two are 'familiar with english' - same level as myself with Thai. I want to better myself in the thai language.

I was good in languages when in school. What should my next step be? English is not my mother tongue - so if I put my mind to it I could do it.

Interesting thread ... I'm hooked

Is it ...

Koo-Pu-Na-Krub said fast ?

Or

Koo-Pun-Maaaaaaa-Krub, last bit drawling.

Sorry I'm new at this!

IIRC it was raw like a steak tartare

My family raised Brangus for meat in the US. They get grass and corn silage for the most part.Then about 2 months to slaughter they were put in a corral and we put them on fine ground chopped corn. Starting with a small amount each day and upping it about 1/2 gal a day till they are eating about 3-5 gal or so a day each. Some ate more and some less. Along with all the hay and feed they want. It puts on a nice layer of fat. They were normally sold for slaughter at 18 - 20 months. By penning them up they would not any exercise and would build up a layer of fat and the meat would be well marbled, tender and tasty.

Here most cattle are "free range" and eat most anything that they want and normally are tough and tasteless. There are some farms that grass feed their cattle in pastures, but I've never seen beef fattened before slaughter here like they do at home. I will buy the boneless sirloin here and make ground meat and also the"hump" of the Brahma which is usually well marbled and acceptable if slowly braised. I also use the tenderloin to make "steak Tartare" and Carpaccio but hardly ever eat a steak from Thai beef.

Just like chicken, catch one of those "free range" chickens that are running around and cook it, no meat and tough as shoe leather, pen them up and feed them properly and they are juicy and tender.

Good post

FYI Pom yang Kham beef (based in Sakhon Nakhon) are pen fed for 3 months before slaughter and they age it 21 days. I was same you - never eat thai steak but I'm using their beef where I'm working plus dry ageing it around 6 days more - better than the 'Australia inspected' beef makro stock ... But obviously more expensive.

It's the only thai beef I've found comparable to western standards.

Www.thaifrenchbeef.com

Acetate roll - for unmoulding individual cheesecakes

Cooking port

Cooking brandy

Disposable sturdy piping bags (industrial - makro's are &lt;deleted&gt;)

Any professional chefs? Much help appreciated

Best part is, wait till the sow has a misscarriage then try that, nice & tender for all you meateaters, better still why not the genitals? & people ask me why i am a Vegetarian & my father was a butcher, Dah

Good name.

That made me chuckle...