Stevemercer

It's not unusual for a Thai lady to be paying 80-90% of her salary in debt. Eventually one or the other debt reaches crisis point and needs urgent action, usually another 'loan'. This cycle will continue.

It can be very difficult to find out just how much debt your GF really has, and to whom. Just when you think everything is covered, an old debt to a friend will resurface or you'll find your GF acted as guarantor for some loan that is now owed.

You just have to go with the flow and try not to think about. If you really love your GF then all you can do as help if you are financially able. But it will never end. Once word gets around that your GF has hooked a farang, everyone will start coming out of the woodwork.

But, in my view, it doesn't have to be a deal-breaker. If you can honestly say that you don't have the money to help, then life will go on and she will find some other work around. 

I hope the embassy gets involved and will help you avoid blacklisting at the very least.

At a guess, the ex-wife's police connection informed immigration of your court appearance and advised that you should be deported.

The judge's view was that you should 'go free' (e.g. resume your life in Thailand), but it seems the 'person of influence' (prosecuting police officer) has the final say outside of the court room.

Hopefully the embassy will take pity and pursue the injustice (or at least ensure adequate care while you are in IDC).

But you need to start thinking about your options. Assuming you are returned to France without blacklisting, then you can return to Thailand (making sure to change all your details to try and keep your ex-wife out of the picture).

If you are blacklisted for 12 months (the most likely period) maybe you and your wife can wait it out.

If you are blacklisted for a longer period, maybe you can think about bringing your wife and child to France? 

Good luck and best wishes to you and your family.

Well...a lot of useful information in this thread.

The driver is 85% at fault and the motorcyclist 15%, based on that video (in an insurance assessment sense). The car was starting to turn and the motorcyclist could have stopped or avoided the car if they had been more aware. Therefore they are partly negligent.

Can you get in touch with your lawyer to help you negotiate with the Phuket immigration office? Maybe there is still hope that you can get your passport back from whomever has it?

I wish there was more information about individual risks. For example, are most fatalities in older or infirm people, or young children, or is it indiscriminate?

From what I can tell most fatalities are from associated pneumonia which can be fatal in the elderly.

Most people going to hospital with the Corona Novel Visus seem to be released after one or two days (presumably when they no longer test positive).

Yeah, for the plus 10,000 Baht 'fee' you have paid them, the lawyer should be on hand to assist you at Phuket immigration (e.g. to support your release so you can make your own way home).

Best wishes and good luck to you Pat83.

I was going to suggest that you transfer any major assets you have to family, but you have already said you don't have any left at this stage of your life.

Do you have any Thai contacts that are likely to be sympathetic? If yes, they might be able to check with the local Amphur (where the marriage was registered)?

To be honest, I don't think she would seek a divorce until she has lined up someone else for marriage. From her perspective she might as well stay married to you while it is still to her possible advantage (e.g. maybe you will pay her for a divorce, if she waits long enough, or pass away and some money could come to her).

If you have no assets to protect then it would be great if you could just wipe her existence completely from your life. Don't waste another breath or thought on her. 

When your time comes, any forms required can state 'separated for >12 months - foreign (Thai citizen) wife's address unknown'. Your state-side relatives will handle any funeral arrangements. As far as you know, your ex-wife has already passed away (e.g. karma caught up with her) and she has no claim on anything.

2 hours ago, Salerno said:

You've been told wrong: https://apps.apple.com/th/app/section38/id1451853492?l=th

I don't actually have a smart phone. Is there a laptop/computer version?

That's a shame, RIP (career-wise).

I think Big Joke rapidly rose through the ranks largely based on merit (although he did have patronage) rather than through the more usual pathway of contacts.

The problem with those who get promoted on merit is that they might end up biting the hand that feeds them if they start to believe their own publicity.

Last time I did my marriage extension I was also told I had to fill in the TM 7 form by hand in blue ink. I gave them this, plus a copy. But the copy was not acceptable and I had to do the duplicate by hand also in blue ink!

On the plus side, they didn't require the home visit although my wife had to sit at the IOs computer and fill out the form (which I assume the visiting officers normally complete).

It is rare for a fine to be more than bail. Your fine will almost certainly be less than 15,000 Baht, maybe up to 10,000 Baht. You will not face imprisonment for this charge.

Deportation (and 4 or 5 nights in a hot and crowded immigration cell while fights are arranged) is a possibility following your court hearing. If you do not have funds for a direct flight it could take longer.

However, as others have suggested, the risk of deportation is low especially if you have been well behaved and appear sincerely repentant.

13 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

You would be wrong.

Imm officers 100% prefer retirement extensions over those based on marriage. Why? Far more easy for them. In same way some (very few) push even the retirement based extensions to "money in bank method" over income method. Same reason. 

BTW if insurance was extended to retirement non o extensions....what on Earth would give you confidence it would not follow on to marriage etc

 

But I might be right.

While the provincial immigration offices prefer retirement over marriage extensions, because they are easier for them, they will do whatever the boss in Bangkok tells them. There are many examples of central policy directions being difficult to implement at the provincial level (e.g TM 30, monthly income transfers).

I think immigration policy will continue to accept marriage extensions and not make life difficult for such farang because it is recognised that hardship will occur to Thai families if such people are forced out by ever changing and more difficult immigration requirements.

On the other hand, as Thailand moves towards developed nation status (at least in the minds of those in charge) there may be less and less tolerance (in a policy sense) for pensioned retirees. After all, no developed countries allow foreigners on a modest income to retire to those countries. Why should Thailand?

While there are many similarities between retirement/marriage extensions, I suspect that in the Thai mindset it will become increasingly black and white. You are either married, and supporting a Thai family, or a single retiree etching out a modest living. Who is more desirable?

2 hours ago, StevieAus said:

I have some difficulty reconciling the logic you express here as there are many married men and I know several including myself who choose to use Retirement Extensions rather than Marriage Extensions.

Surely if the situation you describe in paragraph three occurred, it would have the same effect on those retirees using Retirement Extensions and face the authorities with the same dilemma. 

I just suspect that Thai Immigration will keep fiddling with the requirement for retirement extensions. They might even introduce compulsory health insurance at some stage.

It might eventually get to the stage where a marriage extension offers more certainty.

As a policy position, if this ever comes about, I suspect the big bosses at immigration would not be sympathetic and say that, well, if you are married to a Thai then you should be on a marriage extension. If you in a de facto relationship, well, get married.

I guess that BJ will travel to Australia, or some other western country, when the current crisis blows over and claim asylum on the grounds that he is likely to be killed if he returns to Thailand.

Remember that copper who exposed corruption high up in the system while investigating the people smuggling deaths in southern Thailand. He ended up seeking asylum in Australia. I wonder if he is still alive?

As I'm sure everyone has noticed, 'winter' ended last Tuesday when the wind shifted around to the south. The offshore wind must have blown a lot of the smoke away from Bangkok.

The heat and humidity is rapidly building here in Isan. Of course, the monsoon is still weak, so early in the year and the winds are bound to be variable for the next month or so.

I would go for the marriage extension if you are eligible. I think Thailand will continue to make changes to the retirement extensions.

It may be that Thai authorities will become increasingly ambivalent about single older men/pensioners living in Thailand, particularly given that Thai society is ageing. 

On the other hand, I think Thai authorities recognise that making life difficult for foreigners on marriage extensions could backfire by causing hardship to Thai partners and their dependents.

I'm not saying that single retirees do not support Thais equally, there is just a perception that maybe many are just here for the women (as unfair as that perception may be).

Handsome man. Mai noi problems may be the motive.

I agree with other posters that a positive incentive that can be made right now is to stop the price differentiation for national parks and other nature attractions.

Sure, tourists may be able to afford the price. But if they notice they are paying up to 10 times what the locals pay, then it leaves a sour taste in the mouth and is a definite negative for Thai tourism.

A farmer near us found a new way to make money from his land. He made nearly 100,000 Baht by selling the topsoil from his farm (or at least the top 25 cm or so). Tractors, scrapers and trucks had it all off in only a few days too!

Talk about sustainable farming.

Yes, any Thai girlfriends will be expecting a gift.

Also, many younger Thais think that it is romantic to have sex on Valentines Day. So you might get lucky.

There is nothing wrong with voicing a complaint, expressing discontent or suggesting there may be better ways of doing things. If enough people say the same thing then changes will probably happen. Ultimately that is how democracy works.

If people just accept everything, take the view that complaining won't make any difference, they will be persecuted if they complain, or can't be bothered, then nothing will change. I guess that is the basis of authoritarian rule.

Sure, we are guests in Thailand, but it is reasonable to moan about things that directly affect us and our lives. Thai authorities may not be responsive, but they are susceptible to social pressure and can see reason if enough people say the same thing.

AS Marge Simpson once said 'One person can make a difference, but most times they probably shouldn't'.

I remember the first time I visited Cairns (Australia) many years ago and sitting under a tree along the esplanade in the evening. I could hear a lot of activity in the tree and wondered what manner of beautiful wildlife was afoot. I soon got my answer. The tree was full of rats getting ready to descend for a good night of foraging.

I live in rural Thailand and the locals remain as friendly as ever. In fact, too friendly a lot of the time if you want to keep a harmonious marriage. Sometimes it seems like every lady is flirting with you.

A trip to the local supermarket, 7-11 or restaurant will garnish plenty of smiles and often someone will want to talk to you. Sometimes the 7-11 girls are too harrassed to talk much, but other times they smile, practice their English and flirt a little bit.

There is a cleaner at the local Tesco-Lotus who seems to have taken a shine to me and follows behind me wherever I go in that supermarket (or maybe I am exceptionally dirty).

I find what does change is my attitude. Sometimes I'm feeling down and out for a few days and everything seems just too hard in Thailand. But then I'll take the scooter to 7-11 and some pretty girls on another scooter will smile and yell happily at me and everything will seem ok.