saeb

Hi Ace,

You replied to me on concerning immigration to the U.K., on another section of this site: "Bullshit.....broken biscuits".

Why is the expert then asking advice?.

Interview : Collect passport same afternoon.

Think before open mouth. Read before turn page.

Hi people,

If you have already waited 3 months for the interview, do you have to wait again after the interview for the decision to be made.

I was under the impression that after the interview, the decision was made there and then, but after reading a couple of recent posts I'm not too sure.

Can anyone advise on this?

Maybe wife and child don't want others getting involved?.

Could be they just want to move on?. What kid wants to be reminded that his

dad is in pokey as a drug supplier?. Or in pokey full stop?.

It is terribly tragic - another one bites the dust. A couple of points though:

1. Sarah Gregory made a telling comment after she was released from jail in the UK. after she had done time in Thailand and was 'exchanged'. There was nothing for her to do in a U.K. prison - but at least in Thailand she could occupy her days in various ways.

Re Steve:

2. The smack was virtually pure - this would have been cut down many times so 25 grammes he had would on the street become 100 or 200.

3. 14 'E''s and 11 yaa baa for personal use?. Who buys in bulk for personal use?. Especially knowing the penalties in LOS for possession.

4. He had been in Thailand for some time. Nobody but a deaf, dumb and blind man can be unaware of the penalties.

It's all terribly tragic and another life wasted but what of the end users of the gear?.

Folks on hard times should just turn themselves in to IDC - at least they get fed and do have a future. At least he never got caught in Singapore.

'Patent rights?' - eh?. That costs money. Possession is 9/10ths of the law.

Well, that what the drug squad say.

Knew an Aussie guy lived in Huay Khwang - he decorated/ painted his room and his landlord

(Chinese/ Thai) threatened to put his rent up.

We never did work out if the guy was serious or not. Aussie didn't hang around long enough to find out.

" and I'm sure they are still trying to exercise patent rights

Silomfan is quite right - there are ways to have a decision reviewed, but it is often difficult which route to choose.

I found that writing to my MP in advance of the application and specifically mentioning my fears about the seeming arbitrary nature of the BKK Embassy were acted upon.

He wrote a number of letters (3) back to me confirming his interest and had spoken to UK Visas about my concerns. I have no idea or not if his interest helped - but the letters were included in the application file.

I know one guy who has hade tremendous problems getting his fiancee into Germany and that used to be one of the easiest!.

I must confess that if I had been threatened by some F#ckwit then I would certainly have reported his activities to all and sundry apart from any reasons of "principle", I would effectively be subsidising HIS business if his workers are not paying their NI and Tax / no council tax. I am SURE he is also not paying his way also.

May well have done it anyway without the threats.........It ain't Thailand. F#ck him

It was a 'face' thing. How juvenile. I spoke to a Thai woman after that who worked with a pal of mine and it appears that said numpty is into a lot more than employing cheap labour.

I didn't want to make any problem for his staff after all they were nice people - but at least they know the score now. I wrote to the Home Office on behalf of two of them and who now had the right to reside here. I thought that that was decent of the government. They both now have real jobs and are much happier and less worried people.

The owner?. Heh-heh.

Hi Rj - I speak from personal experience and have been all down that street ; Some Thais told my missus it was 'ok' to work for cash in complete contravention of her entry clearance. It transpired that NOT ONE person in that particular restaurant paid NI or TAX and that if nothing else invalidates any health and safety legislation. In addition all the staff in that particular restaurant were housed in properties owned by the owner (Thai) and that no council tax was ever paid by any of them. Nobody likes council tax - but it's there and not a lot we can do about it.

Another Thai restaurant, same place - we had a young Thai lady rent a room off us she was to study a six month English course - her Thai boyfriend was supposedly studying something at Uni. In her passport

it specifically said 'no work'. Boyfriend says it's o.k. - in a matter of days she was working 35-40 hours a week for cash.

First restaurant : I went to the owner and told him that my missus was not going to have anything to do with his setup. His highly mature response was to say; " Next time you go to Thailand you will have a problem". I took someone with me and this was witnessed.

Another point - they were all working for well below minimum wage and were not aware of any such thing.

It is not broken biscuits at all mate - immigration do go around restaurants (and others) and they do check. No way was I having my wife slung out of the country because some turkey said it 'was alright'.

Sure, lots of people are at it and that is up to them and they run the same risks.

Yes, I have met a number of Thais who worked perfectly honestly but they were the exception to the rule as Thais will always gravitate towards other Thais abroad.

Like I said about employment agencies - just ask.

It's nearly dark at 4pm. Dinner?. Well, food..........

It only begins shimmering after the third bottle of wine.

Or is it the northern lights?.

Too cold out to check.

Doric. Maybe Neeranam will explain - time for my dinner!.

fit like min? aye chappin?.

gey cal here the day.

It is true about Aberdonians - we insist on it - it saves buying other people drinks.

"........a Chinese - Thai forum discussing Scottish business practices...".

Heh-heh - they're just going to have to pay us for the info.

I'm Aberdonian and you all use fuse wire or fuses right?.

Know how it was invented?.

Two Aberdonians arguing over a penny.

Hi Philbott44,

Valid points however, 'did they want to go home early that day?'

Errr....they go home early every day.

The language thing is important I think and this is based on my experiences of living

in BKK full time for 9 years and a couple of years of recent spending 3-4 months a year there.

For various reasons I was in and out of the Brit Embassy as I was with most of Embassies / Consulates in BKK & got to see at first hand the different ways in which things seemed to get done.

(For sheer bloody minded rudeness the U.S. Embassy takes first prize - for being polite, laid back and friendly - the Portugese).

My job is technical and my missus could at least give an overview of it although she would not be in the least interested in the specific technical aspects.

From meeting many, many, many, Brits who had made visa applications for their Fiancee's I stand by the fact that more of those interviewed in Thai language were refused and that the interviews took longer - of course there are criteria that will be applied and whilst seeming unfair, there is a form of logic there. If say you are at work every day and your partner speaks no English or minimal English how is she supposed to communicate in, for instance, Glasgow, Liverpool, London?.

We forget that people in general moderate their English when in Thailand.

And of course - if she cannot speak reasonable English or you cannot speak reasonable Thai how can an ECO believe that you have a meaningful relationship and will live together in what is an alien culture to the applicant?. (Sorry, but these are observations made over a number of years).

Getting your M.P. involved is useful. Over the years there have been so many letters in the English Language publications in BKK about the seeming arbitrary issuance of visas that this in itself would be a valid reason. How many Brits have you met over the years complaining about refusals and or treatment?.

And of course - your M.P. gets his or her salary from your taxes and he or she is your elected representative to represent issues that concern you. In your appeal I would absolutely 100% have my M.P. involved.

Don't forget, it was not too many years ago that a member of staff at the Brit Embassy was removed through a visa scam (sent to an 'inactive post' maybe?) and through the early and mid 90's they had that awful woman who worked there who treated every Thai woman as though they were something yucky stuck to her shoe. She retired and there was rejoicing......

"What did she want to do?". Strange question yes - but it was asked. Perhaps they were just wondering if she would work legally?. Again, there is a valid reason for this - go into virtually any Thai restaurant in the U.K. and if you speak Thai well enough ask them if they pay tax and N.I.

Mostly it's cash jobs.

Do a survey of any job agency in the U.K. - you will find every nationality on their books except Thais?. Why?. They have to be paid through a bank and pay tax & N.I.

I speak from considerable experience here having had a period helping out with a major agency and being responsible for the foreign staff on their books.

This is no criticism of Thais in general it is just the way they are.

'Responsible people' - well, when you go for a job interview then you may well be asked for character references right?. Same thing.

Thai women are brought into the U.K. through false pretences and a goodly number of them end up in massage parlours / brothels - that is a fact and check any provincial newspaper in the U.K. for ads for 'Thai massage'. Even Private Eye run ads for a Thai marriage agency.

Sorry for the length of the reply and I do hope it works out o.k. for you.

Hi, sorry about your problems with the embassy and hope that you get it sorted out happily.

In my case I found that the only real criteria they required for a fiancee visa were these:

1. Proof of sufficient income and the ability to keep your fiancee for the initial six months before she could begin to work.

2. Proof that you had a home (flat or house) which was in you the sponsors sole name - rented or bought. (In my case it was rented).

3. Proof that you had spent time together. This is a sort of an all encompassing 'get out' for them.

In my case we had lived together for two years together in BKK and could prove it.

4. In the case of being back in the U.K. proof of contact. Cheap rate phone cards do actually count as I kept all of mine and added them to the file - print off e-mails from and to, and off course old fashioned letters to each other are very useful.

5.A letter from your employer. Or if self employed details of your company and turnover.

6. Letters from responsible people who know of your relationship.

(I found it very, very helpful to write to my M.P. in advance and state my fears that there may be a refusal as the Embassy has had a reputation for a fairly high handed attitude).

7. If your family have had any contact at all with your fiancee this is worth a lot. Maybe some of your family on holiday met some of her family and you have pics?.

8. And, in the interview did she choose to speak English or Thai?.

Certainly, candidates who choose to speak in English have far shorter interviews than those who choose Thai.

9. Does she have a proveable education and work history?.

It can seem like a convoluted process but it boils down really to , an address, an income, and knowledge of each other.

Make the file nice and neat and make sure it's nice and thick!.

The interview for my missus lasted less than five minutes and this is what she was asked:

Did she want the interview to be conducted in English or Thai?.

What did I do?.

Where did we live together in BKK previously?.

What did she want to do in the U.K.?. (Be with me and work when she was allowed to).

That was it. Visa granted.

Maybe it would be best to get your M.P. involved with your appeal - they do actually get involved.

(I know a number of guys who have gone this route and in all cases bar one it was useful ; The one was some guy who met a girl in Pattaya one week and tried to get her a visa the following week!)

Good luck and do persevere.

Try my ex wife. She left Thailand for love. Sort of..........love of my bank account.

Ahem : Your average Thai will tell you that Thailand is a very violent place.

No woman is going to get in a taxi alone at night in Bangkok. No way - no how unless it is a very quick ride between two places on a main drag.

Why do Doctors of medicine keep guns in their homes?. A fetish or a fear?.

Why do Thais never go out alone - and if they do, always in haste and in an anxious state?.

Why do Thais always insist on having someone 'in authority' to mention when push comes to shove?.

Why is there no release in total of the actual numbers of tourists assaulted, robbed, drugged, murdered, raped or placed in a state of fear.

In a personal survey: Of 28 Thais who I know in the U.K., none of them have been robbed, assaulted, placed in a state of fear or alarm, drugged or robbed or been burgled.

None of them have been raped either.

Let me consider an idea?. How many of the resident reader here have been threatened in Thailand by an ex girlfriend or employer or other?. How many have been placed in a state of fear or alarm by those threats?. (Be honest now). How many feel that the police might not maybe just be impartial

when it comes to such things as traffic offences and such like matters with the MIB.

If we take any demographic group of foreigners living in Thailand I will bet my grannies ashes that at least one has encountered at least one of the above problems, and, one at least.

Sorry, but if Thais are scared of Thais well............?.

The Vikings set sail not knowing what they would find. Columbus set sail unsure if his theories were correct. Magellan had an idea. Wilbur and Orville worked it out. Bleriot flew over the water.

Why go if you know in advance?.

Canadian sailors are wimps right?.

You write - therefore you can read and there's lots of info out there.

Oh- where's the party and are the drinks free?.

I saw it in BKK, not a million miles from Sukhumvit. The old crone who owned the compund where I lived laid on a party of sorts - black chicken, black duck, black eggs, black khanom and lots of cola.

(Even a few bottles of mekhong).

Everyone on their knees praying at a high rate of knots - something to do with an evil spirit eating the sun. Once the sun re-appeared they let rip with the party & no, I never made it back to work that PM!.

Luckily I had my camera kit to hand and got some decent pics. Was fun though.

Was that the eclipse?. If so, want some pics?.