iainiain101

Can anyone recommend an infants eye specialist in CM? Our 1 1/2 year old has one eye that has started to squint and we would like to talk to a specialist.

Any recommendations appreciated.

Thanks

Iain

History - been living the last 7 months together in Chiang Mai, been together over 3 years, we have a 1 1/2 year old child (UK and Thai Passport) and the GF has had two previous UK VV for which she complied fully with the terms.

We would now like to go back to the UK for a month or so, during which visit we would like to make a trip to Italy for a wedding.

As I see it she will first need a UK VV, hence trip from Chiang Mai to Bangkok (for 3rd time!), passport can then be returned by post. She will this time apply for the 2 year VV to save on these trips.

Assuming no problems with the UK VV, she will then need a Schengen visa for Italy.

Am I right in assuming this needs an appointment at the Italian Embassy, or can it be done by post? (trying to avoid yet another trip to Bangkok)

How long will it take?

Is there a Schengen country that will accept postal applications in Thailand?

Is there a Schengen country to which she could make the application in Chiang Mai?

Thanks for any help. Time is critical to us as the wedding is in mid September.

Iain

why didnt you just take your gf with you? sounds like what you are missing!!!

I must be going to the wrong Tops! I buy the local Tenderloin Grade 'A' at 420 Baht a kilo at Tops (airport) and it is superb.

It is so tender my 1 year old daughter doesent even need it to be diced to bite through it with her 6 teeth!

Iain

Sand Creek golf course, very wide driveway about a km long, 2 lanes and no buildings.

If you dont know it, Sand Creek is a development that went bust in the 1990s.

Iain

Not Chiang Mai, I know, but I went to the Maharaja in C-Rai t'other day. Expensive - Thb120 for some veg dishes! Some karai dishes too tomato-ey, and not authentic by any stretch e.g. mattar paneer. Really good naan breads. Tandoori chicken + a nut n youghurt sauce was quite OK. The place was empty, apart from us. I wonder if it'll survive.

Was also there last week, empty, good flavour to dishes, but no hotness to any of the dishes I tried including the vindaloo. Vry expensive too.

Try the Night Safari, they give resident prices, and if you are using the monorail and seeig the pandas at the zoo, then then the Night Safari is actually cheaper and far far better.

Legally you need an International Drivers license to drive in Thailand. People do seem to 'get away with' using a UK license.

Iain

I was under the impression that an International licence is only acceptable for 12 months. Then you must get a Thai licence - or,presumably, leave the country for a short while, and get another year's grace.

Is it possible that the BiB are so dumb that they wouldn't know an International and/or UK licence from a Christening certificate?

The International Driving License is issued for a year in the UK, but only valid for 3 months (90 days) stay in Thailand. This works out ok if you are on a 90 baorder run visa.

Iain

We are going on holiday to the UK and want to visit some of Europe.

We would like to know if any European consulates in Chiang Mai issue a Schengen visa, or is it another trip to Bangkok?

Thanks

Iain

This could go in the visas section, but is Chiang Mai specific.

======================

I have moved this to the visa section but with a link to the CM forum

of what?

Car?

Condo?

House?

Woman?

As to pool tables, anyone who actually enjoys playing on American (bucket pocket) tables must either have a financial stake in the company that supplies them or be a crap player.

10 Baht a game and you are lucky to get a second visit!

No beach in CM?

The Jungle Beach - Ob Khan Gorge, was there only last week, and the sand is still there!

Legally you need an International Drivers license to drive in Thailand. People do seem to 'get away with' using a UK license.

Iain

The wife and I also went there tonight for dinner.

Menu was great, food lived up to the menu, the view of the river was good (must be how they got their name...).

Sorry Rasseru, should have left it at the music, but the above from Clockwise was misleading.

Iain

Could it have changed so much? We were last in the Goodview in April (Riverside was full), and the food was ordinary at best! Very bland and first time I have ever sent food back in Thailand! They couldnt even produce a spicy Tom Yum!

I mentioned it to a couple of friends and they agreed with my coments about the food and had stopped going to Goodview.

Iain

Surely Mae sai should be refferred to as a 'Black Market'?

..The underground economy or black market is a market consisting of all commerce on which applicable taxes and/or regulations of trade are being avoided.

Chiang Mai night Safai is well worth a visit. I had not gone until last week, due to all the negative feedback I had heard. When I chllenged most of the negative people I knew, it turned out they had never even been. I just wish I had suggested it to visitors I had earlier in the year. Its great for children! My 1 year old loved it.

As to price, residents get Thai prices, so 250 Baht for the best part of 4 hours evening entertainment is very good value, and cheaper than CM zoo (assume monorail ride and panda).

The unofficial trading that takes place in Initial Publc Offerings (IPOs), prior to the first day of official trading is referred to as the 'Grey Market'. This is more accessable to the general public now through Spread Betting (Contract for Difference [CFD]) firms.

If from the UK, you may recall that issues such as BT would be priced at say 110p per share, and on the news would be descibed as trading at 130-132 on the 'Grey Market', indicating a premium when trading began officially.

Iain

The girlfriend and I now have a healthy 14 month old girl and are currently residing in Thailand. (decided to take a year off after all - she won the debate!)

We we would like to go back to the UK for a couple of months, and then come back here (Thailand) for about 8. What visa to go for? Fed up with trips to Bangkok for VV, and would like to start the process of getting the gf into the UK with ILTR. But main snag I see is us being out of the UK for at least 8 months in the 2 year period ( Indefinate Leave to Remain) though together.

We have been together for best part of 4 years now, living together for 2, via VV and long holidays. I had read the 6 month rule as ...

13.14 - Unmarried (i.e. opposite sex) and same-sex partners and how they qualify (Rules Paragraph 295A)

The parties having been living together in a relationship akin to marriage/civil partnership which has subsisted for two years or more.

"Living together", should be applied fairly tightly, in that we would expect a couple to show evidence of cohabitation in the preceding 2 year period. Periods apart would be acceptable for good reasons, such as work commitments, or looking after a relative which takes one partner away for up to 6 months where it was not possible for the other partner to accompany and it can be seen that the relationship continued throughout that period by visits, letters etc. Where a couple have been living together for the preceding 2-year period but have been dividing their time between countries and may, for example, have used the "visitor" category, then this will be sufficient to meet the requirement.

In our case we had 3 months apart as baby was born in Thaland and I had to be in th UK for work before the baby could fly. This will have taken us over 6 months total apart in 2 years, will this be a problem?

I am loathed to go the VV route again as the cost of travel and time is significant in gong to Bangkok every year (i am right in assumig the gf must do the biometrics etc again?). Also we would like to start planning for life in the UK, schools etc. .

Is there a danger she could be refused a VV as we are using it as a means to live in the UK?

Could she be refused a Partner Visa and Indefinate Leave to Remain as we will be out of the UK for a long spell?

Are the Consulate offering 2, 5, or 10 year VVs?

Sorry for all the questions, just starting out on the next process!

Thanks

Iain

We have plenty of photos to choose from and I’ve provided her with a photo copy of my passport.

Only 3 years separates us, we are young so I have no concerns that the photos will raise any questions.

What sort of questions could the photos possibly raise???

Does she not pay tax in Thailand that would prove earnings?

Iain

I have to do a quick review of my post I went and ate the same place again last night this time I was stone cold sober and the Nan was good papadoms good but the curry was not as good sober as it was pissed so be sure if you go there get pissed first it tastes much better if your not pissed best go to le spice which tastes good pissed or sober.

Very true, a curry is best devoured when pissed! This is my only criticism of Le Spice. I arrived there slightly after midnight one night last week to be told they had closed! They really need to stay open later!

If you are looking for an English style 'hot n' spicy' pizza, I am unbelievably yet to find one anywhere!

Dukes is best standard pizza I have found, but zero flexability if you try to suggest adding spice to say there standard pepperoni!

I now buy the bases and suces from Makro, and add toppings to my taste at home.

Scouse I am back!

The girlfriend and I now have a healthy 14 month old girl and are currently residing in Thailand. (decided to take a year off after all - she won the debate!)

This one is of interest to us, as we would like to go back to the UK for a couple of months, and then come back here for about 8. What visa to go for? Fed up with trips to Bangkok for VV, and would like to start the process of getting the gf into the UK with ILTR. But main snag I saw as us being out of the UK for at least 8 months in the 2 year period ( Indefinate Leave to Remain) though together.

We have been togetherfor best part of 4 years now, living together for 2, via VV and long holidays. But I had read the 6 month rule as ...

13.14 - Unmarried (i.e. opposite sex) and same-sex partners and how they qualify (Rules Paragraph 295A)

The parties having been living together in a relationship akin to marriage/civil partnership which has subsisted for two years or more.

"Living together", should be applied fairly tightly, in that we would expect a couple to show evidence of cohabitation in the preceding 2 year period. Periods apart would be acceptable for good reasons, such as work commitments, or looking after a relative which takes one partner away for up to 6 months where it was not possible for the other partner to accompany and it can be seen that the relationship continued throughout that period by visits, letters etc. Where a couple have been living together for the preceding 2-year period but have been dividing their time between countries and may, for example, have used the "visitor" category, then this will be sufficient to meet the requirement.

In our case we had 3 months apart as baby was born in Thaland and I had to be in th UK for work before the baby could fly. This will have taken us over 6 months total apart in 2 years, will this be a problem?

I am loathed to go the VV route again as the cost of travel and time is significant in gong to Bangkok every year (i am right in assumig the gf must do the biometrics etc again?). Also we would like to start planning for life in the UK, schools etc. .

Is there a danger she could be refused a VV as we are using it as a means to live in the UK?

Could she be refused a Partner Visa and Indefinate Leave to Remain as we will be out of the UK for a long spell?

Are the Consulate offering 2, 5, or 10 year VVs?

Sorry for all the questions, just starting out on the next process!

Thanks

Iain

Time line last 2 years...

June to Sept 2006 missus in UK

Nov 2006 missus in UK

Dec 2006 - Jan 2007 me in Thailand

March 2007 1 week me in Thailand

April 2007 me in Thailand (baby born)

August 2007 - Jan 2008 missus in UK

Feb 2008 - to date Both in Thailand.

During the above period we have alwways lived together barring golf weekends (far fewer now!) and business trips.

I remember talking to a builder who explained asbestos would not be banned in Thailand in buildings until either 2010 or 2012, cant remember which.

Nang Nual was probably my most favourite restaurant in town, but I was always surprised they never advertised in any of the tourist magazines, and seemed to rely on the Korean / Japanese tour busses!

Real shame to see it go!

Iain