Seraphina

*Removed post edited out*

I don't think facts can be derogatory. You've clearly read what you want to read into the original text. British people make mistakes that grind as well.

As a university examiner in a former life, I do indeed know what phrasal verbs are. I also know that they're NOT 'outmoded' as you put it. English language teachers who speak and poorly model English are not uncommon in my experience. I have actually witnessed a DELTA teacher write down the sentence, "We need site of your Degree". So much for teaching 'sight words'! 

I don't find it difficult to understand why learners make mistakes when using phrasal verbs because most have to be learned by heart, just like idioms. However, Americans are supposed to speak English and that's why I find it difficult to understand why media presenters make so many mistakes in a single short broadcast.

Talking of errors, you would do well to look up the words, 'obscene' and 'eloquence' in the OED so you can use them appropriately in the future.

English language teaching is a skill, not just a competence and there are can be many different objectives. Speaking can, for example, be a priority over writing, especially for languages such as Thai, Arabic and Chinese. However, I don't know any examiner who will accept 'good' in response to, "How are you." So, if you are an American - as I suspect you are - then perhaps you won't mind explaining why a teacher might correct the grammatical error, but not the spelling error (mentioned in this post) to all the non-Nazis on this forum. 

Lastly, and I admit, this IS a subjective statement, in my experience, the only people who don't care for exams are the people who fail them.

On 23/08/2016 at 8:38 PM, daveAustin said:

Seraphina, you would be surprised at the prices (esp groceries, cars and mobiles), the level of service and how easygoing most people are. Jobs can be a hassle with big gaps in CVs.

Hi Dave, you may well be right. It's a good point too. I haven't actually lived there for such a long time and during my last visit (so long ago, I can't remember), I was quite surprised how cheap food was even at Marks and Sparks. I was comparing prices to France, not Asia - and certainly not China which has so far proved to be far cheaper than both Thailand and India.

I imagine the killers for me would be everyday things like petrol, drycleaning and good quality shoes/clothes as these carry VAT (and good dressmaking is difficult to find in the UK). Of course, there are the larger things such as buying a new car, buying a house or renting an equivalent property to what you have here.

It's so easy to get used to tax free living when it's sustained, but I agree with you, you could well shop around. I don't anticipate returning and I'm definitely out of touch! Indeed, I was very embarrassed just recently when I asked for 100 pound notes at a local exchange house the other day, only to be told they didn't exist!

To the original poster, don't forget two things:

A) We don't need to learn English because we're English (and yet so few English mother-tongue speakers can explain which of the following is correct and why:
 

i. FEWER people or LESS people (I certainly know a fair few English language teachers that can't get this one right),

ii. none ARE or none IS (incorrect users include one of my favourite presenters, David Mitchell who, btw, went to Cambridge - tut, tut),

iii) a 30 YEARS old male or a 30 YEAR old male (I've lost count on how many journalists get this wrong).
 

The average Brit can barely put together a single sentence in French, a language they started learning at age 11 and a country they visit at least once during their lifetime.

From a personal viewpoint, I've still not worked out why American presenters make quite so many mistakes when using phrasal verbs. I have found it extremely difficult to find publically available video content (aimed at adults or children) that doesn't contain at least two basic or lower intermediate grammatical errors in two minutes.

Lastly, regarding your statement: "I'm not happy with the path (that) this country is taking"....etc.", I would be very cautious about making sweepingly broad statements about an entire nation based on one person's comment about a single aspect of a nation's culture; especially as that person does not represent any of the country's policy-makers.

Hi DennisF, I wish you a great deal of luck in pursuing your decision. I suspect it hasn't been easy. Your decision seems to be on the heels of the end of a relationship... and this may have somewhat coloured your recent perceptions, so the advice that one poster gave you (to put your stuff in storage in case you return) may well turn out to be pragmatic.

I confess to having lived and worked in a fair few countries (Germany, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, China, UAE, Qatar and Egypt and so on); my latest stint was in France which I detested for some years, not because I didn't like the people or the language (though the food was particularly disappointing!), but because I found so few people in this environment who shared the same basic life values as me or with whom I could actually hold a reasonable conversation about subjects that mattered to me.  

I do not share the same value system as the French government (pretentious, bigoted and unable to face the major problems of immigrants from former African colonies among other matters), nor could I admire the French work value system (quoi?). I knew it was time to leave.  Nevertheless, I was also mindful that having lived outside the UK for nigh on 30 years, I am virtually an expatriate in exile. I suspect it would be almost impossible for me to re-adjust to the weather, the prices, the language used nowadays, the behaviour of the youth nowadays and even the generation before me. I don't think I could even get a job there anymore...!

As a professional psych, I know that you will have told your former clients that contentment boils down to coming to terms with/having coping strategies to handle your circumstances. Since all countries and cultures have their problems, perhaps it's more pertinent to ask yourself: do you WANT to come to terms with the problems of living in Thailand? This approach may well prove to be a more sound basis for such an important decision about your future. Whichever you choose, I wish you a great deal of luck in adjusting!

15 hours ago, meom said:

 

I already struggle to get it up for the 2nd round after 20 minutes.

Every night would be torture.

Thanks for your humour. You made me smile this morning. Like the Kenny Roger's song said, "It takes you all night to do what you used to do all night...."

7 hours ago, Fabricus said:

 

I never did a French exam.

 

Let me expand: there are generally three ways in to Oxford --

 

1. Qualifications. Typically you needed three "A" levels, all at grade A

2. The Oxbridge entrance exams

3. The interview

 

I don't know how things work these days, but I never did a French exam.   

There may well be exceptions. In my day, this was a rule becauses I used to practice on past papers! I have two good friends who are GPs, one didn't take the exam as he passed his Latin exams and she didn't take the exam as she got an A in French.

I'm sure you're familiar with Oscar Wilde and his peers at Oxford, so you'll know that nearly all their correspondence was in French, not English. 

1 hour ago, NativeSon360 said:

Duh! Since when does the ability to SPEAK/WRITE English become synonymous with a person's level of "intelligence"? Perhaps you have the ability to explain that comparative equation, in plain, "discernible" English, instead, eh? Waiting for your RSVP.

Keep up Nativeson! Mr. Green was talking about language and communication issues. I can see you're not a lawyer? And yes, intelligent people are very often polyglots (pick up a dictionary).

To learn a language, you need both mathematics AND music. If you have one and not the other, you’ll experience learning, speaking and comprehension difficulties; so yes, language is a recognized form of intelligence (pick up any book by Howard Gardner).

If you come from the UK, you will know that all students wishing to study medicine must speak either Latin or French, or both to get into a good medical school - or at least they did in my day.

You also ought to know that the entrance exam for both Oxford and Cambridge Universities require you to pass a written French exam which is advanced level (get an education, boyo!). And, at the risk of speaking simple English to someone who clearly didn't go to either Oxford or Cambridge, comparatives in this context are NOT equations. Comparatives in English include: good, better, more stupid and less intelligent (pick up a grammar book).

On dit, «L'ignorance peut être éduqué. La folie peut être traité, mais il n'y a pas de remèdie pour la stupidité.» I’m sure even with a measly C at O’level French, you Nativeson360, can work this one out.

Quod erat demonstrandum.

5 hours ago, transam said:

Your from Barcelona then....Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaah...........

Actually, I don't think this person can SPEAK English. He certainly can't WRITE in English. So much for so-called, 'intelligence'.

On 15/08/2016 at 8:17 AM, questionsreplies said:

if you need someone with a brain for chatting i agree that a relationship with thai is useless

This forum seems to be very male-dominated. So I thought I would like to rectify that by stating the following:

"Some British women, myself included, would say this about average British men and certainly many Americans." I'm still waiting to meet any male under the age of 35 whose mother tongue is English and who doesn't say 'like' 20 times in a 120 seconds.

Intelligence isn't just a question of education. There are in any case, many forms of 'intelligence'; and these are distinct from being 'brainy'. In my time, I've mixed with a considerable number of doctors who have surprised me with their very low level of 'emotional intelligence'. 

Btw, I don't support mixed marriages myself as I come from one. However, I can say with my hand on my heart, I've met very few British men who have known what non-visible light is, and who could explain, even as a mother-tongue English speaker, the difference in meaning between 'invisible' and 'non-visible'. 

Now I'm not a scientist, nor did I study science at A'level, not even physics as O'level, but even I know the answers to these questions! How many of you know the the difference between a semi-colon and a colon and when to use them? So now ask yourself, are you half-educated in my female Asian eyes.

I think we have to be mindful of how we 'sterotype'. 

14 hours ago, BritTim said:

 

I am betting that you are confusing this situation with an application for a multiple Non O aged over 50 specifically in the UK. There is a UK only rule that multiple Non O (but not Non OA) visas are issued to retirees only if in receipt of a state pension. That condition, as far as I know, exists nowhere else.

My visa was issued in France and I had to prove residency in France even for a single entry, 50+ non-immigrant O visa. The bank attestation about the status of my account had to be less than 15 days old as well. It seems that there are some very slight differences between countries.

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I posted the requirements for applying for an extension of stay based upon retirement at an immigration office.

You are confusing an extension with applying for a OA visa at an embassy or consulate which requires you to to be a resident.

Yes, I'm getting rather confused. At the time of writing, I was testing the idea that a person could apply for a different visa after the first one had expired and once they were outside Thailand again.

14 hours ago, BritTim said:

 

I am betting that you are confusing this situation with an application for a multiple Non O aged over 50 specifically in the UK. There is a UK only rule that multiple Non O (but not Non OA) visas are issued to retirees only if in receipt of a state pension. That condition, as far as I know, exists nowhere else.

Yes, I think so. Thanks for the clarification.

On 15/08/2016 at 1:32 PM, ubonjoe said:

I certainly never wrote you still need proof of income if you use the 800k baht in the bank option.

It is money in the bank or income or a combination of the two totaling 800k baht.

From clause 2.22 of police order 327/2557

 

It appears that there's been a miscommunication somewhere because I thought others had told me I wouldn't qualify as I don't have a pensionable income. It would appear that you need either the 800k OR the 65k monthly income or a combo.

Interestingly, the rules also say that you must be 'resident in the country of application', so I'm not sure how that works!

10 hours ago, Don Mega said:

 

You reckon they will inform you if the bike is "found"...

 

bwahahahahahaha

I think someone said earlier on that if you threaten them or similar, you'll find your bike is miraculously turns up. That's why I wrote "found" in inverted commas. Personally, I wouldn't rent a motor bike, not least of all because I can't actually drive one (!), but I do rent cars from time to time.

I'm surprised you've hired anything in your life if you hold such a jaded view of the world. I've never experienced any scams before and have never handed over my passport to anyone who wasn't in a position to process it. Surely only a naÏve person would do such a thing. Nevertheless, I am constantly surprised at the number of travellers worldwide who don't carry photocopies of their passport.

When I got a job in the ME, I was asked to hand over my passport. I told the HR dept. I needed it for travel. They countered this with, "Well, the rule is everyone hands over their passport". I asked if the CEO had handed in his passport and then gave them a knowing look before I walked away.

2 hours ago, Don Mega said:

what good will a few pictures do ?

It might make you look as if you know what you're doing....or at least show that you're thorough. If they 'find' the bike, you'll at least know it's the right one, esp. if it reappears damaged. Just thoughts....

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

 

I see, that would create a problem. I've never transferred the ownership of a vehicle here.

The VIN number should be quoted on the rental. If not, ask for it and take a photograph of it plus a photo of the people renting it to you with their shop front. It seems you never can be too careful.

Hi BritTim, thanks for your reply. Your approach is of great interest to me! 

To clarify, I was informed on this forum that I would NOT qualify for a one year non-immigrant OA visa - even if I met the 800k baht working account deposit requirement - because I have no pension income and this is a pre-requisite for this type of visa. Indeed, I have no income of any type.

I appear to be estopped by the lack of pension/income, so I wouldn't want to waste my time organising the money transfer unless I could be more than 70% certain.

However, if you're telling me that the powers that be would overlook this rule in favour of the 800k baht, I would certainly investigate this approach further.

Is this what you're saying? I don't disbelieve you, but it does go against what everyone else has told me on this forum - including Ubonjoe, so I'd be foolish not to ask you to clarify....

(thanks in advance)

In fact, I have no income, period. That's why I would stumble if I tried to apply from the UK.

I have simply retired early, but have no pension as I'm too young to draw one. I have no intention of working here, not least of all because it's illegal. Too long in the tooth for this type of shenanigans.

I'm assuming then, my options are rather limited?

Addendum:

Hi Unbonjoe, I've just stumbled across your post about applying for an O visa in Penang, the place of my birth - I hold a British passport having been naturalised at age 2.

I'm going to Penang in October. I'll look up the immigration place if you suggest I might try there. I have no itinerary so I can stay for as long as the paperwork requires, but all my banking stuff will be in French!

It would be irksome having gone through the paperwork exercise, to have to return to my country of origin or try and do the 30 day renewal thing, which I understand is limited anyway.

Many thanks for your rapid response. I have indeed picked up the wrong end of the stick as I have a single entry visa.

To obtain a three month multiple entry visa, would I have to return to my country of origin? Or would it be possible from here? Is there a website I can go to for information?

Is it then impossible to apply for a one year OA retirement visa from one's country of origin? It looked possible on-line, but the agent who did my visa said it would be too difficult - I think for them, rather than me.

Here, I would fall down on the government or private pension income requirement, but this isn't actually a requirement in France (my country of residence). I did find it a bit odd that their requirements are different...I would have to triple check that part as it might be that they forgot to insert it on the French website!

I disagree with you CaptHaddock. I think you CAN learn a language on-line, even if not used as an adjunct. However, while such a method will allow you to speak, it may limit one's comprehension skills unless you back it up with listening to podcasts as I did. You simply need repetition, repetition and more repetition which multi-media nowadays affords you - often for free.

The role of this type of learning, I would venture to say, is to give the learner awareness and confidence. I am certified to speak French, German and Arabic. I used my first couple of months in France to learn French from youtube - I started with nouns. I would now be considered advanced (C1 or C2 level: expression and nuances) though it's fair to say, I still occasionally get masculine and feminine nouns mixed up.

I don't WORK in French and I don't listen to French radio or TV and I rarely speak to real French people. Nevertheless, I do have access to French podcasts and articles - my written French is advanced. I still have problems when people speak fast over the phone ...though I don't think this is unusual. I often don't understand tannoys even in English which has been my mother tongue since I could speak.

As far as I can see, the main complication in learning Thai will be learning the different tones and how to write. Nevertheless, there are ample on-line videos about these. If you have learned any other oriental language such as Arabic, Mandarin/Cantonese, etc, this shouldn't pose you a huge problem. Including there are four tones plus the 'shedda' in Arabic whereas Cantonese has six, some argue eight.

When I learned Arabic, I learned how to write before I learned to speak. This was a choice because I know from experience that few can ever reproduce anything they write in phonetics unless you know their phonemic alphabet by heart. Furthermore, all schools who transliterate use different phonetic alphabets. I just felt it would be easier to learn how to write Arabic words if I could already write in Arabic.

If you have access to radio or podcasts, try repeating the end of sentences in the target language until you can process whole sentences. This will help with your tones and accent.

It's unrealistic to expect to speak a language like a native. Idioms, for example, are usually too difficult for non-native speakers - even for bilinguals.

When starting out, your objective need only be to make yourself understood. I hear lots of French spoken with a very bad accent such as an Indian accent, but the speakers are normally understood. 

The last thing in your effort to learn Thai is just to come here and speak to anyone and everyone, especially taxi drivers. You can prepare for this by learning  fixed phrases or 'chunks' of language.

In my opinion, you need at least B1 or B2 in your target language to have skype lessons unless your teacher is extremely well-organised. When learning English, you start at level A1 which is pure phonetics. You can do this part in on-line.

Hi, I came in to Thailand on a three month non-immigrant, O retirement visa. My passport says, "Permitted to stay until 12th October, 2016". I'd like to check two things, if I may.

i) I intend to travel to Malaysia and then return to Thailand. The last time I was on this forum, someone wrote that if I left Thailand before the three months was up and then returned, I would only be granted the unused time on my visa - in my case, it'll be four days. I'm confused because from what I've read, it seems a person is normally granted another three months upon re-entry with this type of visa. Which of these scenarios is the correct one?

ii) I keep seeing advice on this forum that a person on a three month visa has to report after 60 days and then extend for a month to make use of the three month stay. However, there is nothing on my visa or in my passport that tells me to do this. Have I picked up the wrong end of the stick?  

If I have to get to the immigration bureau in BKK, would I take the skytrain to Mo Chit and then a taxi. The buses to this place seem convoluted.

Thanks in advance.

The cops arrested him near his condo. And the OP still hasn't answered why? If it were a random check, there'd be hundreds of reports of this happening. There aren't. So, what has your chum been up to? Besides having a dodgy visa, that is?

There is something verrry fishy about this entire "story". I'm not at all convinced either the OP or the 'felon' are being truthful. Like you said, there's a good deal of cherry picking here. Why has the OP not said why he was very specifically picked up outside his condo. There's little randomness about that!

I used TSL many times already. The stuff there is not always very good. The stuff should help but don't have any good knowledge (some stuff are of course good).

But they also rely on the official documents. It could be a problem but not have to be. Especially when you have other prove of finance.

and you can't go direct to the embassy... For swiss and france the TSL Service is mandatory. There are only a few exceptions why you can go to direct.. but even the Embassy tells you that you have to go to TSL!

If the French tell you this they are bullshitting you, the EU Visa Code (Schengen rules) make it mandatory for all member states to allow applications at the embassy or skip any other services from external service providers such as TLS Contact and VFS GLobal.

The embassy must also clearly inform people about right of direct access.

This is also explained in the Schengen Sticky topic at the top of this forum (because not all people know about access to the embassy, saving both a service fee and often facing mor competent staff than TLS/VFS) , but in more detail I will quote:

Quote

Fundemental Principles:

(...)

- the reception of the applications by an external service provider is a last-resort

solution. It should be used only when other forms of organisation or cooperation

with other Member States prove to be inappropriate for the Member State

concerned (‘principle of hierarchy’);

- an applicant should always be entitled to submit his application directly at the

consulate, particularly in the case of cooperation with an external service provider

(‘direct access principle’);

(..)

4.3. The service fee

Legal basis: Visa Code, Article 17

As a fundamental principle, a service fee may be charged to an applicant using the facilities of

an external service provider only if the alternative is maintained of direct access to the

consulate incurring the payment of just the visa fee (see point 4.4).

This principle applies to all applicants, whatever the tasks being performed by the external

service provider, including those applicants benefiting from a visa fee waiver, such as family

members of EU and Swiss citizens or categories of persons benefitting from a reduced fee.

These include children from the age of 6 years and under 12 years and persons exempted from

the fee on the basis of a Visa Facilitation Agreement. Therefore, if one of these applicants

decides to use the facilities of an external service provider, the service fee shall be charged.

It is the responsibility of the Member State to ensure that the service fee is proportionate to

the costs incurred by the external service provider, that it duly reflects the services offered and

that it is adapted to local situation.

(...)

4.4. Direct access

Maintaining the possibility for visa applicants to lodge their applications directly at the

consulate instead of via an external service provider implies that there should be a genuine

choice between these two possibilities.

Even if direct access does not have to be organised under identical or similar conditions to

those for access to the service provider, the conditions should not make direct access

impossible in practice. Even if it is acceptable to have a different waiting time for obtaining

an appointment in the case of direct access, the waiting time should not be so long that it

would render direct access impossible in practice.

The different options available for lodging a visa application should be presented plainly to

the public, including clear information both on the choice and the cost of the additional

services of the external service provider (see Part I, point 4.1).

Source 'handbook for embassies': http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/pdf/policies/borders/docs/c_2010_3667_en.pdf

Via EU Home Affairs : http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/visa-policy/index_en.htm

Legal basis of de above: the Schengen Visa Code, article 17, item 5:

Article 17

Service fee

1. An additional service fee may be charged by an external service provider referred to in Article 43. The service fee shall be proportionate to the costs incurred by the external service provider while performing one or more of the tasks referred to in Article 43(6).

2. The service fee shall be specified in the legal instrument referred to in Article 43(2).

3. Within the framework of local Schengen cooperation, Member States shall ensure that the service fee charged to an applicant duly reflects the services offered by the external service provider and is adapted to local circumstances. Furthermore, they shall aim to harmonise the service fee applied.

4. The service fee shall not exceed half of the amount of the visa fee set out in Article 16(1), irrespective of the possible reductions in or exemptions from the visa fee as provided for in Article 16(2), (4), (5) and (6).

5. The Member State(s) concerned shall maintain the possibility for all applicants to lodge their applications directly at its/their consulates.

Source: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32009R0810

You may wish to complain about being screwed by the French by emailing:

- the French (simply e-mail the embassy),

- EU Home Affairs (EU Commission) via their contact page or via mail: just-citizenship [at] ec.europa.eu

- Mailing the EU delegation/embassy to Thailand: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/thailand/about_us/contacts/index_en.htm

Edit: I do hope that you and others complain about the French embassy. Especially to the EU (in Brussels and Thailand) as they will be interested in knowing the French whipe their arse with regulations. I mailed the EU about a few embassies in the past and though it took some weeks the EU had a little chat with these embassies/members and set things straight. Leading to various embassies adding the right of direct access to their webpages and so on. Now even the EU is not flawless, a member here recently experienced some BS from the Spanish embassy but the EU delegation in Thailand did not take approperiate action. Brussels may , especially if you forward evidence of embassy takign you for a toss.

Hey yo'all. I wasn't aware that Indonesia was a member of the Schengan Agreement. Are you telling me something I didn't know?

No point in arguing with any Embassy or complaining because they're right, even if they aren't. Suprised you haven't learned that one yet....

Hi Aura000,

I live in France as a foreigner. The agency was correct to switch your visa to a family visa for two reasons:

1. the Schengan Agreement does NOT apply your country of origin. A mother or father-in-law from an EU member is ALSO NOT sufficient basis to obtain entry to the Schengan Area.

2. I am naturally assuming that you are on a family visit NOT trying to work illegally in France, so a family visit visa sounds 100% correct to me.

I understand that IF the Embassy is too far to travel to and there is no Consulate nearby, you may be obliged to use an agency. However, as another member on this forum has suggested, you should try and apply directly to the Embassy yourself rather than use a third party because the whys and wherefores will be explained to you. Take your wife with you as it's often better to work in French for explanations and they tend to be more flexible with 'their own'.

If I understand you correctly, you need to produce bank statements for the last three months? This is to prove that you have a job here and a reason to return. The bank statements tell the Embassy/Consulate two things:

1. that you can support your family while you're in France.

2. that you have absolutely no intention of working during your stay in France.

Since you have a French wife, son and close relations in France who can support you, they just want to be sure. I am a little puzzled why you can't provide bank statements in the last three months! These must be "in date" or 'au courant'.

Often, the Embassy/Consulate will accept an attestation from your bank in the local language that your account holds sufficient funds. I suggest you explore this avenue.

It was your error to have applied erroneously for the wrong visa, so your bank statements may be out of date and the authorities won't accept this.

It's very easy to blame the agency when you don't know all the ins and outs of visa applications, but as far as I can see, the agency is 100% correct.