sanook2me

I guess you missed the bit about stating his wife was from Thailand..common mistake confusing Thailand and Taiwan in the US even in the newspapers

He should've been more clear. I don;t think it;s an issue of mistaking Thailand for Taiwan, it's an issue of mis-hearing Thailand for Taiwan.

English people often have trouble with pronunciation - as do other Brits, and also Johnny Foreigners, But most of us try to make allowances for the shortcomings of others

SC

I'm English and this has happened to me a few times, and from people from all different levels of education and jobs.

People do confuse the word Thai with Thaiwan and Thaiwanese for example (i know the spellings are wrong but its probably what has formed in peoples brains)

It is not from mis-hearing it's just confusing the 2 countries and words.

The op should get over it

I've never been asked in any place in any country what my or my Thai wife's name means

I think the op's telling porky pies

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We live in England and Mrs Thanaporn is asked about her name, I've been asked at the chemist, dr surgery and other places, usually its just a polite(nosey??) question ..."that's unusual name where is it from?"

Plus I've noticed no one's sure how to pronounce it they usually have a couple of goes to get it right, i guess that triggers the question about the name. (Is the Th at the beginning said like an F or th sound or like i say it just as a T sound)

rocketboybkk have you lived in another country with your wife or just had a holiday, it probably makes a difference, i can't imagine staff at airlines/hotels/taxis/bar staff/waitresses etc caring about a name.

If i had of seen this thread 5 years ago, I would have changed Thanaporn to Thanaborn or Thanpawn too...I just didn't think about it at the time as i was use to it, i didn't think about life in England with word porn in the wifes name....

OP..I would change it, this is my recommendation for you change porn to born or pawn as others have suggested. If it bothers you then change it.

Probably a scam.

We just got scammed at my work in the UK for £800 which was sent BACS to us( bank to bank transfer)..it took the bank 2 days to inform us the money was a scam/fraud and the payment was reversed, in between time we had despatched said goods..

Money taken back, goods sent and delivered..customer long gone with the goods..we lost out..

Tell the customer you will wait 7 or more working days after the money is transferred before you will release the goods.

This will stop the scam.

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Thais are generally avid note takers, certainly from my experience.

Took me a while, but I just got it. alt=laugh.png>

It took me a while longer but funny, once the penny dropped!

Who doesn't like taking large notes...

Ok peace and love

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Hello mate,

I'm from England and married to a Thai lady, we now live in England I have lived the dream and stayed a while in Thailand.

I also went through the what can i do in Thailand phase... There is nothing for you to do in Thailand except teaching. (based on what you have said about yourself)

Your best bet is to work your ass off in the Summer in England and spend the horrible, wet, grey, cold windy Winters living in Thailand off your UK earnings.

I am sure you could get a tourist visas again for your g/f...the minimum visa is a tourist for 6 months..so you could apply and she could live here in the Summer with you and then you go back to Thailand for 4 months..or what ever...

This is my humble advice..

You cannot make money in Thaiand and if your g/f is not educated then she will not be able to make money either...Thailand is just not like the UK.

Good luck...

I give money to people who hell Thailand's mistreated and maltreated animals. I also prefer to spend my money on some dog or cat food at the 7-11 and feed a starving soi cat or dog. As for the beggers who have controlled begging zones and who are in the employ of organized criminals, I give nothing.

Well said geriatrickid.........

In my area Pin Klao on the overbridges.....beggars abound.......I am sickened to my heart when I see the beggar mother (Cambodian) with a baby on her breast no more than six months old...both of them in dirty filthy clothing and unwashed....yet the other morning mother is flat out talking on a Samsung i-phone....mmmmm....you have to wonder who is employing them.

Like wise I have seen the crawling no-arms beggar pushing his polystyrene cup with his mouth at Pin Klao one day and then seen him again on Sukhumvit the very next day.....some 30km's away......so someone is transporting him around Bangkok and no doubt "collecting" his earnings each day.

It is a hard call at times...as both pull at your heart strings and your humanitarium concerns.

Rather than give money...I make an effort and go and buy some food/bottled water for them and deliver it back to them ...sure it costs more but I would rather they were able to "eat" my donation than have my money "disappear" into other hands at the end of the begging day.

On a seperate but related note.....I tried the food instead of money donation to an obvious druggie on the streets of Melbourne some years back....he went absolutely off his tree at me....screaming and abusing me for giving him food........at least that doesn't happen here in Thailand.

When lived in Pinklao there was a woman who would sit near Central Pinklao with a small baby boy, always the same spot and i had to walk past them to get into Central.. I would usually pick up a few coins from my jar of baht coins and drop it into her plastic cup.

I am not sure if she prompted it but the boy would say "papa" which used to make me smile.

But sometimes i would not drop money in but buy food from Central and give them that, knowing they would never go into the mall or buy that food, it would cost more but i hope they appreciated and yes, it made me feel good.

I once bought some food for a limbless beggar outside of Central world and he just threw it down on the floor and gobbed off at me....As another poster said, druggies or drunks on the street usually just want money for the next fix..Food is of no use or concern to them.

Again as other posters have said, i like to buy off the ingenious folks who make things from cans or bamboo or are selling little items. You are buying their idea or skill. This must be a win win for all.

I use Voip Discount. Some calls are free, some you pay a nominal sum for. I put €10 credit on which gives us 180 free days to those destinations that are free. My wife calls from here (Greece) to her mum in Ubon every week, and she gets free calls to either land line or her mum's mobile. No time limit - sometimes she's on for hours. For me to call a mobile in UK costs (I think) €0.18 per minute.

Alternatively, if your parents own a smart phone you can use Viber, which is a free phone to phone app.

I have been using voip discount from the UK to Thailand and vice versa for years.

There is an app that you can download on to your android phone (this is what i use/don;t know about apple)

Its brilliant and cheap...I use my mobile but go through the app, no handsets etc...

From a laptop its easy too as most have built in mics and speakers you just talk out loud and listen too no headsets etc...i am sure alot of people do not know this..

Brilliant information given when asking questions in other forums such as visa etc...

General forum is just a bit of fun to read.

The same stuff gets rehashed time after time but that is to be expected over such a long period about one topic Thailand.

Its compelling reading when someone goes into meltdown over something trivial.

Its good to see other people going through the same stuff too so you know you are not alone.

Most of all the information i guess keeps me coming back.

I'm not in Thailand now and have just started typing again instead of lurking that is something that goes in monthly/yearly cycles.

So have fun and enjoy

Thai is a language only spoken in one country (Laos being a minor exception). Thailand has had minimal exposure to foreign languages outside the tourist areas. Thais never see foreigners on TV speaking Thai. They never see programmes, news articles, or sports events from foreign sources spoken or narrated in Thai by foreigners.

There are very few (if any) 2nd generation foreigners in Thailand that were born here and speak Thai as a first language (and I don't mean Leuk Kruengs). I say this to compare to most western countries that have dozens of nationalities that are 2nd or 10th generation and English is their first language.

Thailand is therefore a very non-cosmopolitan (read: essentially closed to the West until the Vietnam war) type country and its people are naïve in the ways of the outside world with regard to interracial communications and customs.

I believe that the vast majority of Thais (the educated class excepted) would find it relatively inconceivable that a foreigner would therefore want to learn Thai, or even be capable of learning Thai.

Back home in NZ I find nothing unusual in seeing Chinese, Africans, Dutch, Thais speaking pure Kiwi English - they're Kiwis after all, and were born in New Zealand. But how many children are born and live in Thailand that are pure Dutch, African, New Zealand (or whatever race) descent? I suspect my right hand would have sufficient fingers to count them.

Now.....if I was being served by a Thai in Central Festival or the local Thai market, and he/she addressed me in 100% pure unadulterated Kiwi English, complete with slang and inflection, well, it would blow my socks off.

EG, If they said "Sorry sport, yus'll have to hang around here for a few secs till the boss shows up 'cos the sodding computers thrown a wobbly and I can't open the till. Anyway, see them Aussies get creamed at the Cakebox last night....?"

So in the case of the OP, it's probably largely understandable that his neighbours (who presumably are unworldly to a large extent) get a shock/surprise when a white foreigner speaks Thai. To them, it's almost like an African meeting Livingstone in the jungle and Livingstone spoke perfect Swahili or whatever - the African would be as shocked as hell.

I've come across it and my Thai is very limited. I'm guilty of telling some of them (the ones that are a little rude with it, not just surprised) that Thai is now being taught in all the European schools and in 10 years Thailand will be flooded with Europeans that speak Thai.......and they believe me, bless them.

Of all the crap that gets posted on here, this just proves there is a needle in a haystack.

Bloody brilliant post, I enjoyed reading it all and agreed with it especially the Aussies getting creamed at the Cakebox..... (no idea without googling cakebox..sports stadium?) (I'm English)

The points about Thais were interesting too..

Not sure I can remember the exact thing but i had a little amulet given to me long time ago which i kept and still have.

When a few different Thai people have seen it and they have said its the Monk (not sure, think its like a boss Monk) about wealth/money.

This lead me to believe, answering the OP that different amulets / monks give hope for different things....money/wealth/health/hope/happiness etc...

Don't if this applies to larger temples around the country.

I often thought the same but I think its too soon for Thai families to push little olde granny into a nursing home.

You are probably 1 or 2 generations to early to make a success of it.

Would it not be easier for you to have a live in nurse and then make a new business of supplying house visiting carers/nurses..

I think retirement blocks for over 50s would probably be a better investment (i have no idea, it just came to me)

I think Thais still do the whole family thing of looking after the oldies till they die.

Call them "ai heea khee gohng" in front of their regular customers. That'll teach them good and proper. They will be forced to relocate their cart which could be a major pain for them if they have found a good spot.

You are a bad boy...

Too funny, I laughed out loud at your humorous sarcastic wit..

You should be on auto dial for every knicker in a twist farang like the OP.....

I bet you were laughing when typing your response and hoping he would take it seriously..

Well done mate...

My Mrs becomes British next month..

3 expensive and stressful years, <snip>

Happy days..

Waterloos mates - submitted approx June - granted appox Sept (appor 3 months give or take a week)

Donw's Mate - UAE nation with Brit passport / Thai Mrs. Submitted start of June / - gratned Mid Oct

Feasantplukka Submitted 31st July - awaiting

Submited for wife and Stepdaughter via checking service in Lincoln on 23 Aug - awaiting

DonW Submitted 5th September, via nationality checking service in Peterborough - awaiting

Sanook2me submitted by checking service 1st October....citizenship invitation arrived 18th November..

Good luck all.....




7by7 - submitted in 2004 - 10 weeks

We,re in the Uk this is my wifes 3rd year.

Heaters, electric blankets and Thai food from supermarkets is the key...

A job part or full time..

Driving for freedom..

Thai friends are easy too meet, just send her to the local college for English classes and there will be other Thais...all in a similar position of time in the UK and other experiences.

Out of the group of Thai friends my wife has got there are drinkers/smokers/gamblers but they are all okay...just like my friends and associates...nothing different..

You choose who you want to make close friends and this will be true of your wife too...

IMHO..

Bring her over she will enjoy it and so will you as its a great journey being the English tour guide....

They may be in Cambodia making a Cambodian bride documentary.

Never heard of any of them before.

That was funny, i just googled lake Palmer and there is a twitter account and facebook account with his musings on girls and dating.....

In my google search he beat Emmerson lake and Palmer...haha...

Those names were surely made up for the TV show?

We have just submitted Citizenship documents and used the local council checking service so I have first hand experience about the name thing.

All of my Thai wifes documents are in her maiden name too as it appears on her Thai passport...then the bank here would only let her open a joint account with me and it had to be from her

passport name etc....

This continued all through the 3 years of living here before applying for citizenship...

The lady at the checking service asked about the surname as it is the most common question.

Whichever surname you apply for citizenship in will be the lawful surname so you can use your surname as in Mr and Mrs Bloggs...

So when you apply for her UK passport it will be in the same name as you applied for citizenship which will be your surname.

What the lady suggested we do was put my Thai wifes surname as her middle name on the application. The lady said alot of nationalities do this as it covers most bases keeping the maiden name and having the new surname.

This worked for us.

Hope it makes sense.

The problem i see is that it has been 3 years since she arrived, and the document says " The referees should have known you personally for at least three years."

Which excludes everyone inside the 3 years, this is why i am confused.

Surely I am not the only one with this situation.

Thanks for the help and replies so far.

I have read the supporting documents but would prefer someone else to confirm it for me.

I am struggling with the referees as we moved back to the UK we live away from old friends who could do this.

It says on the UKBA "One referee should be a person of any nationality " plus from list of Acceptable professional persons.

Does this mean she can use any friends back in Thailand who have the profession from the list..

I know its a straight forward Q & A but these documents are a one time deal and it gets a bit stressful making sure they are 100% correct and my thought process

and understanding is correct.

First Referee someone from Thailand who is on the list? is okay to use.

Second Referee "they have known the applicant personally for more than 3 years;"

The other part of my question is about the 3 years of knowing the person, we moved in with my English friend on the day she arrived in the UK so that would be 3 years he since he met her.

He never met her previously in person but knew of her from photos and stories from my time spent in Thailand before moving back to the UK

Would he be able to sign the document as knowing her personally for more than 3 years, or should we submit the document 1 week after the 3 year date since

she arrived in the UK.

Thanks for any help and advice...

yorkieb Submitted 15th May - Received 10th Oct

tigerjohn - submitted 24th august - Recieved 20th Dec

sanook2me - submitted 12th September - Awaiting.

Silverdales- submitted 30th October - Awaiting

quadisking - submitted 29th October - Awaiting.

Chittychangchang - submitted 5th November - Awaiting

Liveforever - Submitted 17th December - Awaiting

Uaelaelil - submitted 14th November - Awaiting

Adding the wife to the list

Sanook2me - submitted 12th September - Awaiting. Hooray.... ILR ID card arrived this week 15th Jan..

FYI...Documents arrived first `14th Jan with covering letter and then the card ID card is delivered by a company called The DX...need to sign for it..

Huge sigh of relief...i completed the whole process by myself and asking dumbass questions here which people are only to pleased to answer...many many thanks to everyone on here..

Next is citizenship... :-)

Missus application for ILR submitted on 29th October, just got letter to go and get the biometrics done. Should we expect to get the visa fairly soon because of this, or is it still going to take several months??

yorkieb Submitted 15th May - Received 10th Oct

tigerjohn - submitted 24th august - Awaiting.

sanook2me - submitted 12th September - Awaiting.

Silverdales- submitted 30th October - Awaiting

quadisking - submitted 29th October - Awaiting.

Are there any updates on any of the previous applications??

Sanook2me Update..Received biometrics letter 25th November..(it arrived 5 days after the date and you only have 15 days to do it in)..now waiting for passports and ILR...

Good luck for everyone and thanks DonW for starting a valuable thread...

Happy Christmas and New Year to you all and your cold Thai wife (partner)...x x

Don't they just love the UK climate...ho ho ho......

My Thai wife has just submitted her ILR September 12th..We had a letter of confirmation of receipt from UKBA and the money has gone from our bank account...but now waiting for the biometrics letter.

Sorry to talk about ILR on a citizenship posting but DonW asked who else is waiting..we are waiting for ILR...

Dang, where I live (Oregon, USA) walking into a personal residence without permission is called home invasion and carries the death penalty from me - literally. I am allowed to shoot to kill anyone who's in my home without permission. That's not saying I would or have, but legally I could. I also have a concealed firearms license (Yes you Brits, we spell it "license," LOL) and I carry 24/7.

Again, I'm not at all likely to shoot someone but would much more likely tell them to leave and see what they do, but the point is that's how seriously that act is taken here.

I haven't had that happen when I'm in Thailand, but I would feel disrespected and speak accordingly.

Did anyone mention perhaps simply putting a latch on the screen door?

i am always curious why people need to say "dang, where i live" or "in my country", or "back home" etc.

fact is, you aren't in kansas, or berlin, or oslo, or manchester

y'all gave up the right to compare, but i reckon if your wife were offended, it would stop happening.

I haven't given up any rights to use my mind. I'll be in Thailand again in a couple of months, planning on retiring there next year. Maybe if I keep hearing enough crap I'll change my mind. I don't have it so bad right here on my hilltop.

Why are your bushes photoshopped? Did i miss something in the thread?

Nice pad..is that 3 houses sharing 1 door?

OP

I usually never let on that I know Thai just because I think you can learn a lot from people when they think you are oblivious. This type of scenario happens all the time, i.e. guy comes into the bar with the Thai wife/GF who then proceeds to talk s**t about him to the other Thai people working/drinking there.

Why do loads of Westerners insist they speak Thai but hide it, so they can observe and learn?

Maybe all Thais speak English but hide it so they can observe and learn too....

I know real Thai speakers do not hide it, so it always makes me think the opposite when someone says they can speak Thai but hide it..that means they know touristy Thai..and then get words which sound

similar mixed up in meaning and context... its a pile of crock...you either speak Thai or you don't...you don't hide it...that is silly and stupid...

Brain washing really seems to be easy to do. I remember J. Witnesses knocking on my UK door with some really daft talk stuff that had know real answers to my questions, and l thought then how easy it was for kids brought up in that environment to be brain washed.

I told my Thai wife not to answer the front door in the day time to any strangers anyway she completely ignored my advice and answered the door to some Jehovah's Witnesses, she told me later she likes to practice English with the people who knock the door but the JW had annoyed her in a funny way. They promised to bring a Thai speaker next week to help her convert from Buddhism.

She has since stopped answering the door to strangers. .