nmac1106

Best of luck wiyh yuor application. The answer to my query lies in your posts, I think. My wife was told today, by IOM, that TB testing was no longer required.

I am puzzeled, and have asked IOM for clarification, want an appointment for 9 March, and also e-mailed VFS. Mabe someone here has experience of this.

Let us know how you fared with your wife's visa application.

Katie, I notice Thai Airways still have some flights to Chaing Mai departing from Suvarnabhumi. Don't know your situation, I had booked BKK to Udon Thani separate, with Nokair, and was offered a refund. I have now booked with Thai at the later time of 20:20 hrs.

The important part is the time between, and as I'm travelling on 26 March, I intend to post my experiences which may help others who will no doubt have to do the same transfer between airports.

Regards Neil

Maybe worth checking out THAI Airways website, http://www.thaiair.com/index.shtml .I just did to get details of where they would be at Don Muang, after 25 March, and noticed there is a later flight to my destination Udon Thani. I think the airlines stated that the schedules would remain unchanged after the move, but as I have discovered this in not the case.

I am not complaining, as I now have an extra 2 hours to transfer between airports, and am more confident about avoiding a night in Bangkok. I don't know about other destination, but it may be worth a look.

Neil

Hi,

can any of you guys that have used the train advise me of the standard of the sleeper service. I have been considering using the train overnight as an alternative to early morning flight to Udon Thani.

Thanks

Neil

Good info, 3hrs 30 mins to transfer, Nokair suggessted 3 hrs.

I am arriving on 26 March 2007 at 14:50 hours and hoped to get to Udon Thani that evening. However Nokair (I've just cancelled my booking, and requested refund), depart at 17:40hrs, and Thai have a flight departing at 18:30hrs, is there any chance of catching either of these, allowing for 30-45 mins for ckeck-in. Also, has anyone got a rough idea of cost for taxi between Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang?

Only 1 week, I'll try and post after arrival to let others know how I fared.

Regards Neil

Does anyone know if Issan Air will be relocating to Don Muang DMK, or will they continue to use Suvarnabhumi BKK. Any info greatly appreciated.

There is some apparently up-to-date information on the Suvarnabhumi Airport website.

http://www.bangkokairportonline.com

hope this helps, for me I arrive Suvarnabhumi on 26th March en route for Udon Thani, the timing of the switch could'nt be worse.

Wish me luck in trying to get a refund from Nokair.

Is is certain that the domestic flights will move to Don Muang, and when is the proposed move scheduled to happen. Any info greatly appreciated. I too am flying out in March, although heading for Issan using Udon Thani airport.

Regards Neil

Hi guys thanks for replies,

From what you say then I assume it is okay to write 6 MONTHS for "proposed duration of stay" although a Multiple "O" type only allows stays of 90 days and would therefore mean a visa run. Are the Thai Consulate okay with this? I intend to apply to the Consulate in Hull U.K.

Regards Neil

I am planning on visiting g/f for 6 months in April, and think the most suitable visa would be the "O" type Non-Immigrant visa. However the application form asks for the proposed duration of stay. Now as an "O" type visa is valid for 90 days, should I say 90 days or there about, or say about 6 months but will be visiting some neighbouring countries during visit. I am aware a "visa run" will be required but does it make sense to make it obvious that this is what I intend to do. Any suggestions gratefully recieved.

Neil

Hi Peter,

It seems we are in very similar situations, sad to hear your G/F did not get visa, but is sort of confirms a lot of the advice on this Forum. I am going to LOS on 31 Dec, less than one week, can't wait, where I will take loads of photos as suggested by this Forum, for a possible future visa application. My G/F and I have put plans for a visa on hold for now, it would seem it's not that straightforward, however if we can work through this it is more proof for me of a worthwhile relationship.

I would also love to move to LOS on a permanent basis and have spent some time and money gaining a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) although any employment in Thailand seems to be relatively poorly paid compared with UK. I have no degree though, and although not impossible to find work could prove difficult. Again parts of this Forum can help.

I would like to share my thoughts as these may be of interest to you. I posted a thread some time ago, and have read a few similar ones on http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showforum=13 , and got some interesting replies. I then prioritised as much as possible.

1. Pension, long way away for you, and for me to at 45 but must be considered.

2. Earning, difficult in Thailand:

a. Own business, not for me no exceptional business plan.

b. Teaching, not well paid by UK standards, a possibility, worth following up.

c. The part-time route, work UK part year, live LOS part year, not ideal but may suffice temporarily.

3. Remain UK wait until suitable time for G/F to get visa. G/F would rather stay in Thailand and only wants to come to UK to please me, not a permanent solution.

As you can probably gather I'm not sure what to do, but I feel better for sharing, will keep you posted in case my experiences/ thoughts are of any help to anyone.

The experiences and knowledge of others help me make my decisions.

All the best for Christmas and good luck for whatever you choose.

Neil

I think I've come to the right conclusion, yesterday I read through pages upon pages on the uk visa site http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk and some links from it and everywhere I looked "Reason to return" was quoted as good reason for refusal.

I adopted a very cynical attitude before I went to LOS, and had no intention of starting a relationship, and told G/F this, it just happened. While mainly I think she is genuine, I still worry about certain things not withstanding the fact she is 22 years my junior, not uncommon in Thai/Ferang relationships I believe. I don't yet fully understand thai values, but the fact she has been married and has a son, I think she feels less desirable, though this is not how I feel. For me this is a very steep learning curve, but the help on this forum is a great help and resource.

I'm lucky in a way that I'm going back and the intention that after visiting her village (my idea unsure if a good or bad idea??) we would go to Bangkok to apply for visa. Now that's not happening, G/F happy to wait which makes me feel better, no point in rushing things maybe the ECO's have everyones best interests in mind!!

Peter, please let us know how you get on, and good luck!

Neil

Interesting reading your post GU22, I am inclined to believe most of it too. In a way I'm now quite happy to wait a while before attempting to get visa for G/F, she has accepted this as being for the best also. I'm smiling as I type this because I know exactly what you are saying about bargirls. I did some homework before and think I was prepared for what was to come, and am still willing to accept I've got it all wrong!!

A humerous little story, I think, maybe I should keep to myself but here we go. A few day's into relationship G/F announces she would like to go shopping. ( Okay here we go I think.) But no she doesn't know where shops are, now I'm puzzled**.

To cut a long story short we end up at Big C where she picks up three 65Baht T-shirts and asks which one I like?? I had to stop smiling for long enough to tell her to take all three. I have a few stories like this that keep me smiling, but I sometimes wonder, what DOES she want from me?

Yours, sometimes puzzled, but mostly happy.

Neil

It is good to get all viewpoints positive or negative, hopefully I can make the right decisions for G/F and me.. Thanks guys.

Thanks for all the advice, I had heard that children were overlooked by Embassy staff as a reason to return. I had previously asked G/F if she wouldn't miss son she answered " yes but I can phone regularly, it's not a problem", obviously quite acceptable to leave kids behind and known about by ECO's.

I think it is probably best to shelf this idea for the time being, and take an extended break in LOS instead.

Thanks again for yuor opinions.

Neil

Thanks guys,

not what I wanted to hear, but what I suspected. My over simplified idea of getting G/F over to U.K. to get to know her better is obviously a non starter. Now I'll have to tell her the bad news, should have done the research before I suggested it.

Is there any guidelines regarding length of relationships for successful application? Also I find it difficult, for me personally, to see how a relationship can be considered continious when living thousands of miles apart. It looks like I'm going to have to find a way to spend more time in LOS. How to achieve that is probably a question for another part of the forum.

Regarding "Application Refused", do you know what information is recorded? If a later application is made would this not be seen as us having a strong and lasting relationship, or am I grasping a straws here?

Regarding G/F getting job, I'm not sure about this, she previously worked in a pan factory in Bangkok, but is happier living a simple life with her family, working in the fields for 150bahts a day.

Thanks again for your input

Having read most of the threads on this forum and visited the UK gov. visa site, I am clear about most of the requirements to obtain a visitor's visa for my G/F.

However I think that the "Reason to return" might cause us a problem. We met when shee was working in a bar, although now she has left, told me she never liked the job, and gone back to her family and is now happy but poor working in the paddy fields again. I have no reason to doubt this. We have not known each other long, only 3 months.

The above circumstances, I think would have the ECO immediatly rejecting her application. No money, no steady employment, no property, no reason to return, no chance!! G/F has son of 5 years old, but I believe this is not concidered as a good reason to return.

Are we wasting our time applying or is there anything any-one can suggest as it is very important for both of us.

Also I note Siam International Legal group offers a service for £245 is this a good idea or do they just complete the forms on your behalf?

Thanks for any help/ advice

Neil

Thanks guys, g/f is from area, she has just moved back with parents, about 20km NW af city as far as I can gather. This morning she booked hotel for us for my visit on 3 January. I am just trying to get a feel for the area before visit but language difficulties mean info from g/f a bit limited. From what I've heard and read so for sounds like a suitable place for me.

Thanks Neil

Sound pretty good to me, I'll not worry about the food I've become quite partial to Thai food. I'll be visiting the area in January so it's nice to have a little bacck ground information about the place.

Thanks Neil

Thanks guys,

Some great information here and some harsh truths also.

I do worry about burning my bridges in U.K. and as DragonStar says there is no safety-net in Thailand.

About the monthly visa runs, I worry about that too, could tha Thai's change the rules and make that more difficult?

Now I need to do some serious thinking about what to do next. After all "It's up to me".

Thanks again for your input and help.

Does anyone know anything about a town called Nong Bua Lamphu, and surrounding area. All I know so far is that it that it is almost mid-way between Udon Thani and Loei, and some details about near by attractions. I would like to know more about the town, and area.

Thanks for advice and information,Thaipwriter, sometimes it all seems too good to be true! It's good to here from someone who is already doing what I'm intending to do possibly as soon as next year.

You are dead right about this forum, I have already gleaned a lot if information from here.

I'll be back in January, and will be visiting the Isaan region,yes a g/f is involved here, see how that develops, but I'll have good look aroung the area while we are there, it was my idea to go after all.

Thanks again Neil

Where do I start, you probably heard it all before! At 45 I'm tired of the 12-15 hour days 6 days a week ! day at home life of a long-distance truck driver based in Aberdeen, Scotland. My recent visit showed me there is a better way of life, the difficult part is how to fund it.

At 45 I'm too young (or not wealthy enough) to retire. Is £60k,(4,345,000THB) capital enough to buy/start-up business and settle in Thailand, I fear not?

The other option I can see is to work in the U.K. for 6-9 months then stay in Thailand for 3-6 months, and keep up private-pension payments untill such time I can afford to retire in Thailand. Does anyone know the situation regarding National Insurance payments under these circumstances?

From reading this forum I realise it is not a simple move to make, but a rewarding one if done right.

Any help, advice or suggestions from anyone who has or is going to do the same would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Neil