jenifer d

1 minute ago, impulse said:

 

Children are much safer in the environment where they have learned the dangers and know what not to do.

 

I have no clue whether the average Thai child is safer than the average UK child.  But that's not what is being discussed here.  The topic is about a kid hopping on a plane to a place she's not familiar with.

 

And that doesn't even address the possibility of a spouse doing a runner with the kid after deciding to call off the marriage without telling the other parent.

 

good point- reading between the lines of OP, that may actually be what OP is really afraid of...

12 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

No no no - you stated as a fact that the child is safer in Thailand than in the UK.

 

I at least know that I do not know - therefore I know much more than you know.

 

 

all things considered, the child IS far safer in Thailand than UK; here, extended family and local community are far more likely to watch over the child protectively than in UK...

as far as the rest of your statements, i refuse to get involved in a fight w/you or anybody, just keep thinking you know more than others  (in my experience, that invariably means the exact opposite)

2 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

So you know wife's extended family?

You know that they are caring people?

You know that they are not a bunch of drunkards?

HOW do you know?

i'm not delving into personal characteristics, nor have we been given enough info to do so- i just think OP is being irrationally paranoid

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

Actually there are continuous reports of child rape, abandonment, kidnap, abuse in all of Thailand (and other countries too).

 

In Thailand, around 400 cases of kidnap and child never found every year. 

 

My Thai son and his Thai wife watch their 3 kids every second.

really? in 8 years, we've had all of 1 incident of ANY of that where i live, a teen on yaba molested a young girl 

about 5 years ago, and the whole community descended upon the guy before the cops could even get there,

and were angry when the cops dragged the perp away so the villagers couldn't finish pummelling the perp to death-

2 hours ago, vandv said:

he is reading thai news which is only the tip of the iceberg.

 

there are all kinds of wild looking figures roaming around out there 

do you REALLY believe that??? 

i'm curious, where do you live?

IMHO, child is MUCH safer in Thailand than in UK

10 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

 

 

<deleted> work - If what you say is true you are not being paranoid - you should not entrust your 8 year old daughter into the control of someone who can't even be bothered to look after her properly.

 

Get down to the Citizens Advice Bureau and find out how you can make sure that Your daughter can't leave the UK without your permission.

 

Good luck.

seriously???

the child is in far more danger in the UK than in Thailand, esepcially w/wife's extended family around...

IMHO, OP is being completely irrational, and, frankly, unduly paranoid w/o good reason

6 hours ago, elviajero said:

Discussed to death and yet people keep giving wrong information/advice.

 

You are now changing/adding to what you said. The Immigration Bureau have never confirmed anything regarding remote work. A couple of immigration officers in Chiang Mai have said that tourists on holiday can keep up with their work. Living and operating a business in Thailand is a completely different situation.

 

Immigration Act

Section 37 : An alien having received a temporary entry permit into the Kingdom must comply with the following :

1. Shall not engage in the occupation or temporary or employment unless authorized by the Director General. or competent official deputized by the Director General .

 

If anyone is carrying out their occupation whilst in Thailand the law (above) says they need permission. That is the only fact that matters and the only official confirmation that exists.

 

Generally countries don't, rightly, have a problem with typical 'tourists' keeping up with work whilst on holiday/passing through. All the time someone in Thailand can convince the authorities that they are a 'tourist' they've probably little to worry about and are highly unlikely to be prosecuted. However, IMO anyone living in the country for longer than 6 months as a tourist is on really dodgy ground and should keep their work hidden from the authorities.

 

Anyone that believes differently should open an office in their local town and work from there on their tourist permit and report back, from the IDC. 

 

Three reasons why, IMO, digital nomads/remote workers are getting away with it; 

1. Thailand don't have an official publicly published limited on how long someone can live in the country as a tourist. Therefore they have to prosecute all tourists or none.
2. The work is, mostly, done at home/out of sight.
3. This kind of work doesn't, in most cases, go against Thailands aim of protecting Thai jobs.

that does NOT specifically say they cannot do digital work that does NOT involve Thailand,

it says they cannot WORK here- unless one is doing digital work that involves Thai people spending THEIR money,

also- if one is on tourist visa, they are abusing if more than two consecutively (many divers and NON-work-permitted teachers abuse tourist visas) not sure about recently, as i only used tourist visa twice several years 

ago and now have retirement...

7 hours ago, BritTim said:

To the OP: look up the many threads on "digital nomads". Summary: there is no practical, technically legal way to work in Thailand as a digital nomad. At the current time, this does not matter. The authorities understand that the current law is antiquated and, for lack of a better solution, just tolerate people working online for foreign employers without work permits and tax numbers. Of course, this policy could change at any time, but I consider it unlikely that would occur without prior warning.

that doesn't seem to have troubled "my mate Nate" until his antics got out of hand-

my experience is that if your local immigration like you & you show respect- and they likewise,

they don't sweat the little things

On 7/22/2017 at 11:47 PM, swissie said:

Earthly and tangible "spirits" involved, most likely.

But nothing wrong with folks wanting to re-live their "Hippie-Years" somewhere in Thailand, as long as they can finance it.

Also a question of "where to live the dream". I don't think that a very southern Island with an almost 100% muslim native population is the best spot for a single Farang-Lady to "live the dream".
For some "fundamentalists", way down south, hyjacking a single Farang-Lady in order to collect "a Kings (Tourists) ransom" is tempting.
Just some food for thaught.
Cheers. 

nope!!! 100% sober; my neighbors saw her first, weeks before i did

actually, in another bizarre story, before i moved to this home, i was living elsewhere on the island- but i was starting a business 2 doors over from where i now live (didn't know i was going to move to this home)

the brother of the woman who is now my landlord erected a sign on the property where i was building the restaurant, i came on Christmas day and kicked the sign down...

the next day, a guy showed up at my bungalow in the other neighborhood wanting to kill me, i sent him away with my USA tough pseudo mafia-b**ch act, then the day after New year's, about 10 families of the island elders, mainly Muslim, gathered in the surrounding bungalows, for 24 hours i could hear them talking loudly, using my Thai name and the name of the person whose property i was starting the business, etc etc (they wanted to make sure that i knew they were there to talk about, then to, me!)

THEN, after 24 hours, ALL the island elders sat on their porches and ordered me to sit on my porch, and for an hour i was grilled and lectured, and at the end was pronounced spiritually pure and with a good heart and no malicious intent in what i had done, and was informed that i was allowed to stay and had the island elder's blessings- and i am sworn to secrecy about some of the aspects of this "meeting", but ever since then, ALL the island residents have respected me- 

as a postscript, the guy whose sign i tore down is my next door neighbor now (i moved into the home next door to him, owned by his sister, a Muslim woman with the biggest heart imaginable- GREAT landlord- and she won't talk to her brother, my neighbor, won't even set foot on the property) and last year, me an another neighbor were the only witnesses to his shooting his cousin in cold blood behind our home in order to take control of the big beach resort (40 bungalows) right behind my house, on his family's land...

the police never came to talk with me or the Thai neighbor (we wouldn't have talked anyways, we would be dead now)

On 7/22/2017 at 7:50 PM, kannot said:

methinks that another spirit is  involved here

nope, i was 100% sober!!!

and my Thai neighbors & friends saw her many weeks before i did

this certainly qualifies as bizzarre- and is 1000% true:

2 weeks after i first moved into the home where i still live 7 1/3 yrs later,  i heard a knocking, blowing sound as if checking a microphone; then seconds later, my mom's voice "hello is this thing on?"

i answered, not actually surprised, "mom-" she then began to excoriate me that if i did NOT quit smoking cigarettes/tobacco IMMEDIATELY, i would be dead within the month (and the pain in my lung area was portending exactly that)

exactly one week later, while on my fave big living room chair, the Paul Simon song "Mother & Child Reunion" came into my head, i picked up my guitar, figured out the chords and began singing it, for virtually 24 hours- then, when i went to the restroom*** and was 'on the throne', my mom MATERIALIZED RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME***

after cleaning myself (after all, i was doing 'number 2') i ran to tell my Thai neighbors-

their blase yet smiling response: "we know, 'dok mai' (my Thai nickname, means 'flower') we saw your mother's ghost already, we were waiting for YOU to tell US that YOU finally saw her!"

***my mother passed away in HER restroom in USA in 2003, hence her apparent ease in materializing in my restroom

-and yes, we still talk, often- and several other things have occurred due to her presence and continuous guidance from the realm of disembodied spirits...

1 hour ago, dotpoom said:

Minimunm Thai income 300 baht a day......hardly thousands of dollars every month (not sure why people talk in dollars anyway when we are talking about Thailand?

actually the 300 baht/day is only in effect in Bangkok, Phuket, major cities, and tourist areas;

in rural areas, many are only making 200-250/day- the exception is harder semi-skilled work such as construction,

but the salaries are still somewhat low since many workers are migrant/"unregistered"

-even on our island, many of the resort and restaurant workers are only making 200/day

(but usually getting a shared room & staff food)

51 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

You  chose  to  overlook the satirical comparative.

Your  original  narrative  reads with such very  pretentious impression I  suffered chills  and   goosebumps !

You  will  have  to excuse  me  if  I do  not believe  that  although it is  more expedient  to go out  to eat at  no greater  cost than providing  musical entertainment that  somewhere  somehow there is  or  has  been some lavish  expenditure  to  provide  the  apparent  status  you  claim.

I  can  assure  you  that  I am no  colonialist. In  fact  quite the opposite.

"Class" is a  reference that  I  find  abhorrent!

 

even though the west (especially America) does its darndest to say that all born are of completely equal station,

and that there are no "class" differences or distinctions, the inescapable fact and truth is that there ARE indeed different classes...

you can believe what you wish, even if you choose not to believe the truth that i speak,

does not diminish the fact that i speak the truth...

pretentious? that's usually a term ascribed to others out of utter jealousy!!!

and let me ask you- do you speak Thai- well- and use it in everyday conversation here more than your native tongue?

if not, then you ARE a colonialist!!!

1 hour ago, wildewillie89 said:

It is an odd situation that member is living in. Reading this forum you wonder how Thai people got their reputation for being so generous. But then you actually go outside, and then you see it.

Sit at a restaurant in a rural city and a stranger will send over a beer, the owner (if know you), will offer you to try new menus for free. I don't think I have ever been to a gathering where they haven't tried to force copious amounts of alcohol and food on you that people on 250 baht a day are buying. Buy a meal and it is 20 baht, not one price for you and another price for the 'locals'. Even the doctor we see in the private hospital (if we don't want to wait for the government) now doesn't charge us for consultation as we have developed a good relationship. I get 50% off at the biggest night club in the city (and I am a 'farang' - don't even go there or drink so it is useless lol).

The mother-in-law will cook lunch and dinner every day, or buy a pizza from the city if she doesn't have time to cook that day and she's coming home from the market (as food is her passion). She will do that with the money she earns from selling some of the farm  produce that the grandmother/grandfather harvests. The father-in-law saw the hub caps kept falling off, so spent his month salary on new mags to make it easier just for me to drive to work, rather than having to stop/pick them up (after giving the car to me in the first place). 

The Mrs and I both work full time, we are on combined salaries that are 10+ times more than the average. However, other than being respected due to her position, I really cant see how even if we were multi-millionaires that we would earn that much more respect in the 'family', or even 'village' context. City context, then yes, but not on a more local level. 

 

Playing Songkran in the city, the cousins (on 6,000 baht a month), will never let you pay for the food they just bought for you. The uncles will not accept money for doing things like maintenance on the house. Even sub-contractors you hire from the village, if they are not successful in their days work they don't expect to be paid. I had one who spent all day trying to install a pump. Dug the 30m trench for the piping in the middle of summer, but as he couldn't work out the pump he said not to worry about any payment. 

I understand the tourists spots are different. But you have to wonder sometimes about the people on this forum who claim to live in 'rural' villages. All families expect is you to stand up for the family, and you to stick by the family. There is even a joke in my nephews 'private'  school in city nearby that his uncle is a 'poor farang'. If it was all about face, shouldn't the family feel ashamed? What do they do, have a good laugh about it and use it as an excuse for him to only buy a small snack instead of a big one. Generally also say a joke along the lines of, at least he isn't a grandpa farang. 

I speak barely any Thai, i do not drink or smoke, and I cannot stand Thai food (spicy, sugar, salt). You don't even have to make an effort to be entrenched into the society - I am 'farang' as they come (other than the no drink/smoke). You just need to be, one, a half decent chap, and two, impress them in ways that matter. All i do is walk my dog around the village with my daughter, and the village respects that. Try and impress and people resent you, as much as Thai try to look rich, many don't like 'show offs', especially in rural areas. Which, is effectively what throwing money around is. 

Maybe for many families, money is important, like many families in all countries. But surely there will come a time where self-worth will take a hit if that is the case. And if it is money they are after, then posters need to just accept it, who cares? What posters on TV shouldn't do, is make outrageous generalizations due to the fact the family only married them for the little salary each month, it is what it is, don't categorise all Thai families being like that though,...and don't use sociological concepts like the 'power of purchase' to even explain a family. How disrespectful is that when discussing their own actual family lol. 

exactly!!!

On 6/22/2017 at 1:26 PM, Khon Kaen Dave said:

What village do you live in? if at all. You are painting fantasy assumptions in your own mind, if the above load of rubbish is anything to go by.Unless you are a villager, you have no idea of how much respect you can get by a simple action. I dont buy them gifts, or lend them money. My MIL is 77, i treat her well. I give her 2000b a month, that allows her to do what she wants. She is active and goes out and buys her own food and even takes the bloody dog for a walk. She helps her friends who have nothing. She thinks her SIL is Felag dee jai dee mach mach. Is that a problem for you. I like to make her life a bit better, is that wrong. As for the gift of a drill to my BIL, why is that a problem. Is it a problem for you that i take 10 or so kids down to the lake and feed them once a month. Again, a problem for you? Having building experience i also help with laying drains and tiling shower rooms, Free, A problem for you?  I built some wardrobes  in our house and the wifes sisters house, Problem?  So what are the moral grounds that i am conflicting with.

It is up to me how i treat my family and those around us. I suggest that you mind your own business until you can come up with something worth reading

the fact they are still calling you "farang dee jai dee" tells me everything i need to know;

you're still a farang in their eyes, buying their "respect"-

here in our VERY close knit  village on the island, ALL my neighbors, and even those in other villages

(and everywhere else i am invited to travel/visit- for FREE- here in the Kingdom) say "ดอกไม้เป็นคนไทยแล้ว" ***

"dok mai ben kon Thai laow" = "flower is Thai person already"  

***(did NOT have to look this up to write it; ดอกไม้ = dok mai = flower is my Thai name)

On 6/23/2017 at 10:52 AM, sead said:

Since you cant read between the lines.... But want to be smart..

Ill happily explain for you. It seems hes surrounded by only Thais speaking Thai etc . Dont think that isolation makes anything good. I didnt come to Thailand to enjoy being with Thais. I came her to enjoy myself. And if he wants any meaningful diskusions it sure wouldnt be with some Thais

i've had FAR more meaningful discussions with my Thai friends than with all but a few expats and/or tourists;

i DID come to Thailand with the full expectation that i would be surrounded by, and happily interacting with,

THAI people- but not as a colonialist farang... 

the last thing i want to do is hang out with other expats, and i pity those for whom that is an enjoyable

and/or preferable option

On 6/22/2017 at 9:43 PM, Dumbastheycome said:

I  am  closely  related  to  other  humans.

Can I use  that fact  to  also  declare  a  rather  illustrious  all encompassing   rapport with  the  charmingly  subservient   natives from an advantaged  position?

Or should  I resign  myself  to the  current  situation  which is  that I  do  not  and  can not  sing  for my supper. 

I cook  it.

"charmingly subservient natives"?!?!?!?!? what a colonialist statement

i am invited everywhere BECAUSE of my renown as a musician, as a REAL artist who gives people chills and tears and goosebumps;

and i not only read, write, and speak Thai, but i understand and fully embrace Thai culture & lifestyle-

for these reasons, people gladly and gratefully invite me to come to their areas,

i do NOT "sing for my supper"- but if i am invited somewhere, everybody does expect that i will grace them with music,

and i gladly do so!!!

i can cook quite well, both western AND Thai food; since i live alone, it is more financially expedient to go out to eat-

and even when i am home, my next door neighbors insist i eat with them virtually every day

(and we share coffee and breakfast together, on them, in their coffee shop every single morning)

Just now, phompen said:

I also think they would not ask me my card if the card is under my name, but if it's my mother's name on the card I think they would

as i said, when i traveled to Europe last year, NOBODY asked me at ANY check-ins for ANY credit card,

and it wasn't even a family member's CC (or even somebody in Thailand or in same country of my passport)

Just now, phompen said:

I'm sorry if my the title of my topic was a bit clickbait, it's because I've needed some quick answers in the next hours to make a choice, but I've forgotten there are so many answers on a short time on thai visa forum

 

finally I've choosen to go to the Lao Airlines office located at Silom Plaza, BTS Chong Nonsi, I was unable to find the working hours, google map says this plaza open at 11am, but I guess the Lao Airlines office is already open, this is an open plaza and each store can open at the hour they want, so I'm going now, I will maybe send feedback after, wish me good luck guys, I'm not sure to survive in that jungle

you're so uptight and filled with needless worries;

you haven't been here very long, have you?

get w/the program and CHILL!!! 

6 hours ago, Chou Anou said:

This is true, the first late day if you're leaving by air is a "grace day" and you're not fined.  However, I'm pretty sure that all airlines worldwide (certainly all of them leaving the US, and Thailand, which I can speak to from my experience) require that you show the credit card used to purchase the ticket at check-in.  This is for international flights only, not domestic.

that was NOT the case on July 2017 when i flew from Bangkok > Dubai > Amsterdam and back one month later

NOBODY asked for the credit card (a friend in NL had bought the tix) at check-in

2 minutes ago, roo860 said:

 

Are you Monica Lewinsky's mother? In between all that socialising can you spare 5 minutes to find a cure for cancer?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

answer to first question: no

2nd question: been there, done that, threw away the t-shirt...

9 minutes ago, Khon Kaen Dave said:

I read in one of your earlier quotes that the Thai people gave you your Thai name after your 4th day there. when they knew it was your home. I would only guess what that name was. I also read the information of where you live and i know it is on Samui. How you describe it is beautiful, but i ask myself, is this the real world of a ' native Thai' I guess you must be a published author? are you a Jackie Collins or an Emil Zola. Your luxurious lifestyle must be a real inspiration to your 'real Thai friends' 

 Post me no more with your twee insults and criticisms of people that dont speak Thai, as you demand they must.Post me no more of your thai life style, when it is far more than any Thai could ever hope to aspire to.

umm, as it says just below my picture, i live in Lanta; i have never even visited Samui, nor would i...

i am a published author who also professionally edits manuscripts from other authors for my publisher;

since i am not so distantly related to 2 of the last 5 US presidents, i was raised to NOT show off my class and breeding,

and was imbued constantly with the fact that "every person, every life, is a book- don't judge the book by its cover, read the story"-

i have no need to live a luxurious lifestyle or to "show off", and i am equally at home hanging out with a governor, big police, mayor,

kamnan, mafia chief, laborer w/dirt shack, street food seller, drug dealer, kratom partiers, and anybody and everybody in between

so, since we know that you can't be bothered to read, (for, indeed, in other posts- even recently- i have stated my Thai nickname)

so sorry that you feel so guilty about not speaking or reading or writing Thai (as well anybody who lives here should),

or about your only having Thais hang out with you when you're buying- i am never expected to pay for anything anywhere 

here that i am invited to go, unless you count the obligatory pulling out my guitar and singing for everybody as all join in,

and welcoming an and all comers to sing/play/jam with me...

1 hour ago, Alexpho said:

In your particular case, I wouldn't move. I think you said the key word, " finances ", meaning you are on the low income. Worst case scenario, you move and she does not land another good job or does not like the new area, then everyone is miserable and the repeated trips back home because more and more painful. Living near bangkok or the beach is so over rated. Now if you were wealthy, its a different ball game

 

i agree with most of what you say, except for the beach part-

i live a 1-minute walk from a breathtaking, CLEAN white sand beach w/gorgeous, clear blue water and no jet skis, power boats, or prostitutes anywhere to be seen (but of course, i'm way in the south and far away from any city,

there aren't any cities larger than 40,000 people within 100+ km of us;

it seems as if the OP wants the company of other expats, otherwise why move? Thai village life is so much more

peaceful and cheaper- and if it's Pattaya or Hua Hin he's contemplating, he may love it but the wife probably won't

(especially Pattaya) IMHO, living in or near Bangkok is heinous,

although i love it there, the pollution attacks my skin and health rapidly every time i visit

Just now, BritTim said:

I am not aware of any change in the law. The maximum fine is enshrined in the Immigration Act of 1979:

Surely, any amendment to a law as important as the Immigration Law would have been widely publicized.

thank you