Jersey_UK

1) Mail them the ORIGINAL of the Utility Bill(s)...

This is, I believe, a British bank’s amusing way of verifying the identity of a person applying for a bank account. In other countries, banks seem to want to see a passport or a certified copy thereof. The OP did not say in what country his intended offshore bank is located.

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Maestro

Amusing?.........I couldn't possibly comment

Maybe once all the UK Citizens are put on the Sex Offenders register and issued with ID cards to prove this things will get a bit easier, cos' hopefully by then the UK government will feel a bit more confident that it knows who it's citizens are so folk offshore can rely solely on Passports issued and not have to bother with Utilities - after all, no actual law to say that a Bank has to know where you live.

I can now provide an update on this story:

The couple have been given jobs at a pub/hotel up north. The pay is still not minimum wage, but it is much more than they were getting before and includes free accomodation. The owners are prepared to take the risks regarding the expired visas. Their plan is to earn enough to pay off the loan and then go back to Thailand to start again. They do not want to take any action against the other restaurants at this stage as they do not want to be found by authorities. I have asked them to let me help them when they leave, that maybe we can combine them turning themselves in, with action against these companies that have sought to exploit them. When they return, they are going to try to publicise what has happened so that fewer Thais fall into the trap of these "agencies" who promise the world and then leave you and stranded.

To everyone that has offered help and advice (roygsd & bendix in particular) - thanks. At least I was able to clarify their legal situation for them.

I myself agree with some posters that feel immigration controls are necessary. However, that does not mean you have to feel angry with the unfortunate people of the world who seek out a better life for themselves and their families. They are only doing what most oif us would do in a similar situation.

How nice of you to provide assistance - whilst I too have sympathy for folk on a personal level - even unpaid (presumably?), it is still at least assisting with (if not actually engaging in) People Trafficking........of course we only have your word that it is an Adult couple you have been seeking assistance to hide and for the reasons you state........

Anyway, even taking things at face value (LOL), you're a braver man than me Gunga Din - especially given that the Internet is not quite as Anon as it used to be / folk think it is..........

Hi all,

I want to open an offshore account and I need to get copies of my passport and a utility bill verified by one of: bank manager, lawyer, policeman etc. Tried the local bank manager and he wasn't up for it. The local lawyers wants 1,500 per signature. I'm sure the local police will look at me as if I'm from mars if I try it with them (they already seem to look at me that way anyway!).

Any cheaper, better recomondations?

Cheers

1) Mail them the ORIGINAL of the Utility Bill(s)..........if needed you can ask for their return once they have taken a copy and certified it. (Make sure it has your name and residential address on (a PO box numner is only ok as long as you also have the actual street address on the Utility.........otherwise change the name of your house to PO BOX 123, make up a sign and take a photo of your house and explain to yer bank that the "PO BOX 123" is simply the name of your house )

2) If your offshore bank has a branch in Thailand, go and visit them - either off the street or arrange via your offshore bank (this should be the preffered option for the Offshore Bank, given Thailand is in the 3rd world, but they might not know this!).

3) if your offshore Bank does NOT have a branch in Thailand visit one that does and PRETEND you are opening an Account with their Offshore Branch

4) If the certification of the Passport only states a "True Copy" of the original and NOT also a "True Likeness" (of the photo) also put it in the mail (obviously a degree of risk with the mail).

I think Trink has a good writing style and surely a wealth of memories to pass on.

I enjoyed reading "Nite Owl" right up to the end - boringly repetitive? yes! - but like an old pair of slippers reasuringly so!

He even responded to an E-mail in print...........and it wasn't a nice e-mail

I witnessed 3 teenage girls swearing at a passer by yesterday for no reason other then the fact he was there, they were fat as <deleted> and smoking

and that's the Police

FWIW I think Proffessor Higgins' question "why can't women be more like men?" has sadly come far too true. And if I wanted to marry a man, I would marry the real thing........less aggro

Whilst I have nothing against women (got one at home myself ) many females seem not to realise that they have to bring things to the deal APART FROM the hole (s ) they sit on, especially as this is a currency long since devalued by over supply outside the bounds of a long term R/T. Take this away and often you have little left that apart from expensive aggravation.

Sadly IME many women do rather over rate their own overall desirability package.......and who is going to enlighten them and say "you are simply not worth it" - not a lot of money to made on that one.........

Agreed...if Corky can afford a Benz and wants to drive one, then it's ok. Personally, I think Benz is a poor choice for BKK..these cars are made to be driven on wide, open roads (like the Autobon) and are hard to negotiate small sois with. In addition to this, the parts will kill you financially and their distribution isn't as good as the Japanese models. Plus, the prices on the new Benz's are outrageous. In the States, you could buy one for about 2/3 of what it would cost here.

A Benz?, better off with an Audi - built like a Mercedes.......used to be

Jealous. me? yes

Anyone know which section I should post my query about a Swimming Pool. An indoor one. In an apartment

I give up - I'm in the wrong business, time to move on and care only about myself ... just like the rest of you!

Not in the wrong bizness, just with the wrong customers - which may well mean you are in the wrong place.

Has anyone got any sayings involving a Tiger? (Good or Bad)

No I havent seriously studied those subjects in an educational course. I dont even believe entreprenuership can be learned and I dont see the point in reading a "Basic Thai Accounting For Retired Farang" book or the finance, retail management or economic equivalents. I have been in business since leaving school 28 years ago (yikes).I have never had a "real job". Since I am about to retire, I must have been ok at business without those unneccesary educational qualifications usually written by professors etc, who have never owned or managed a business. You are right about a seat of the pants/ lack of planning approach being a recipe for failure. I would recommend anyone going in to business in a foreign country to start with a small established business. Especially if theyve never had a business before. If they the small business successfully, they could then try a bigger business or startup venture. Personally, a small business will do me in Thailand, with all its visa/ ownership issues etc. You might have to walk away from it.

Whilst I see where you are coming from, I think you are discounting what you have learnt over the 28 years (and probably especially what you learnt in the first 5!).....a few books are not of course a magic solution (despite what the dust jacket may suggest), but they will usually give folk who are starting from scratch a heads up about what questions they need to be asking (including of themselves!).....even if not the actual answers.

Well done!

Sukhumvit?

Is her name Nok?

I think it very much depended on whether you wanted it to be

Just put the last adress you lived at in the UK, they won't contact the referees and just put down whatever income you receive, if any.

mark

Ditto. In May 2007.

I still keep meaning to mention to my 2 referees that I put them down

I had a current address, but no evidence of contact in my absence.

Income - I just made up a round figure which was roughly true. Being Self Employed I would have known if they had checked .........I have never heard of an income requirement for the Affirmation to Marry - indeed I am a bit non plussed as to why the Embassy even asks!

Chances are most guys here met the TG in a bar?

HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST I MET MY WIFE IN A BAR

I was walking back from a Bar to my Hotel when I met her. She was whoring from Sukhumvit. "Self employed" is in my book a far higher status than a BG

* Her date was pleasant enough, but she knew that if her life was a movie this guy would be buried in the credits as something like "Second Tall Man."

For me that is good

"If you have not had any yet, let me know and I will give you one" - I got my boss to sign this on a fax many years ago, got my a#se slapped when he found out (Grasses )

I wouldn't mind anybody moving, living and working anywhere visa free as well.

Apart from a Billion Chinese and half a Billion Indians who would work harder than me, do my job cheaper and also better.

Nah, I am not up for that

Come holiday, leave yer money and then <deleted> off - no worries with that. Maybe I should give TAT a call?

that would be great.

now think no passports, no borders, no counties, no governments - people moving and staying whenever and wherever they only want.

oh, and no nationalism, nations and nationalities

And no Thais in Thailand..........

you do know bkk post cost baht. nailing leaflets on poles more economical...............etc,etc.......

Give money to prostitutes (stick that in yer business plan and present it to the Bank )

Or more accurately give kickbacks for punters they introduce and you sign up.

how dare some johnny-come-lately upstart newbie come to my island and work for less than me?

simple, re-examine your business module.

some people dont come here to get rich, some people have made their fortune elsewhere and are quite happy to work to prevent boredom setting in.

there will always be someone who wants/needs to be here more than you do and as a result is willing to undercut you.

thats life, supply and demand.

It always makes me smile that folk complain about Market Forces / Globalisation / competition when it affects them negatively - but otherwise it is "great".

I might start playing dominos as the company looks better than I thought. I've always imagined it to be a game for old West Indian chaps.

The "trick" when playing Dominoes with the locals as a Farang is not to win .........play as a team with yer other half and let her make the gains. Not too hard to come out yerself fairly even. (IMO Fair enuf cos the rest of Team Thai" are trying to play skin da Farang ).

And I am not old. or even West Indian........jsut spent wayyyyyy too long propping up bars

Quite often. She always takes ME by the hand when I have to cross the road though!

Me too!

Otherwise no, I don't think it is because of any "Thai reasons" (certainly not on my part!).........more likely that both of us are not "touchy feely" type people (or both emotionally repressed ).

Using that definition, would the upper floors of a house qualify? In other words, the Thai person retains the ground floor and retains title to the land parcel, whereas the farang who buys the upper floor(s) of the house could gain title in his name - to that space, but not to the land it sits on.

I dunno about in Thailand, but here in Jersey we do have "Flying Freehold" where you own the space of air and are entitled to keep a Flat located their (Or summit like that ).

Surely Mr Toad is right. I mean the UK has facilities to help people like this ???

Maybe suggest they do a Visa run?

In practical legal terms the wife would probably be better off getting caught in a Knocking Shop and claiming to have been "trafficked"........I think they have kinda <deleted> themselves for any further WP by overstaying.

I would love the UK to get serious with the EMPLOYERS of Illegal workers, but just no political will to do so.........

If I was in their shoes the first thing to do is learn the local lingo (presumably English? ) - and get "Legal" in appearances at least so they can start working for proper money, even if minimum wage.

So what is the Thai for "Bedsit"........and do yer get a kettle and a toaster?

My brother and I are thinking of opening a do-it-yourself washateria in Bangkok so that people can do their own laundry in a 1st class setting at a reasonable (hopefully) price.

Any thoughts or comments?

pw

I vote a no, unless they offer "other services" The local market is already well catered for and I think you would need to exploit a niche that is simply not there.

Although IMO Hotel Laundry is expensive, it is still cheap enuf for visitors - certainly no where near enuf to drive punters into the street with their own laundry and to waste holiday time sitting in a laundromat.

Farang who live in BKK can either afford to use an outside laundry service or have a washing machine (in apartment or in the block)................or have a wife

Many apartments, including those used by Thais, now have coin operated Washing machines on the premises......was chatting with the wife about this a while back (we lead a crazy and wild life! ) - along the lines of folk with local neighbourhood laundries must have thought that locals would always need their services........and that ordinary working Thai folk were a long way from owning their own washing machines en masse - and then along comes folk with Coin Op machines for apartment blocks..........I wish I had thought of that!

I certainly cannot see anyone travelling with their laundry to a laundromat...........

But in Kaosan Road it might be viable with a few coin op machines as an addition to a business......given the mindset and numbers of the travellers in walking distance.

Post from Simon

i have known my wife for over a year and half, we began our relationship in March 06 within the uk. at the time we began our relationaship we stayed together for a month and a half at my parents home as i live with my parents. this was the time we decided to get married. I went to visit her family in Thailand in June 2006 for 3 weeks. She came to visit me in November 2006 for 2 weeks also she came to visit me again in March 2007. In April 2007 i lived in Thailand for 4 months we got married in May.

This is our history, now for the financial side.

I returned to the UK in Aug and went back to my old job as i could not get any job in Thailand.

my current wages are 9000 per annum ( sadly so low) after i have paid out everything i am left with between 400 - 500

pounds per month i have saved 3700 to date which was left from the wedding.

The only thing i have to pay out is for CSA for my son

My wife is currently working as Cabin Crew earning 750 - 950 after tax per month she has savings of 1900 pounds.

She has a job offer within the company i work for and she will be working almost as soon as she arrrives.

As my wages are very minimum would there be any problem?

We will be living at my parents home and my dad will be writing a letter about the accomadation

what is the chance? we are afraid this will fail, she has had 3 visiting visas for the UK before....will this help?????

Previous post

Refering to this previous post, I would like to ask a few questions. Anyway, I'm his wife and I would like to thank Scouse for your helpful answers. I'm really nervous and scared applying for this Settlement visa even I had succeeded the last 3 visit visas without interview. Do you think there will be any reason for the Embassy to refuse my application this time?(as the financial status is quite low) Do you think they will call me for the interview?(I don't mind interview anyway) If there is an interview appointment for the next few weeks, will I be able to have my passport back before and hand in the interview day? Because of my career I will need my passport or else I won't be able to fly and I don't wanna to resign before I have a visa on my passport. How long does the TB test valid for?

Thank you in advance,

Srisuda & Simon

Sorry, can only answer the easy one

"How long does the TB test valid for?" - 6 months

On the passport front, why not give them a call? - I can't see why they need to retain it after they have given it the once over - although certainly they would of course need it back for the visa itself........of course you could get the SV without a need for any interview, which appears to mean you could get the passport with a SV back within 7/10 days............maybe you could make this fit your work schedule?

Although my gut feeling (not of course to be relied upon!) is that you have a good chance for a SV I certainly would also not give up a good job and then rely on the good graces of the British Embassy.

Anyway, no doubt wiser heads will add a bit more info in due course. Good luck to you both!