Eastender

The title says it all. There must be alot of pople out there either doing this already or considering it, and I've got questions already.

My wife's got burnt a couple of times lending money. Says she'll never trust a Thai again.

Going back to the question: Most of the farangs I've met with Thai partners who either met them in or near Pattaya don't trust then, or other Thais.

And most of the farang I've met with Thai partners from elsewhere trust them a whole lot more.

Thanks Vinny, didn't see your post before I replied to myself.

OK, have trawled a bit more through previous posts. My understanding is she can apply up to 28 days before her 2 year spouse vise expires, by post if she wants? True?

But anymore info is still appreciated.

Thanks

Robin.

Asking for friends. Have searched back through posts with no joy (and can't search on 3 letters, i.e. ILR), and have tried the immigration office's website without much joy so far.

Friend's wife's 2 years spouse visa in UK will expire soon hence must apply for ILR. How long before expiry of 2 years can she apply, or how long after? Must do in person, or possible by post? Is it a lengthy process - just one day.

Any advice welcome.

Thanks in advance.

It's the airlines and not immigration that sometimes enforce this role, though most don't.

Your friend could call the airline and ask.

I'd just like to relate my experience as it may help.

Did the paper work as above over two days. On the second tried to get married in Bangkok office, they complained about our documents, my wife seemed to think they were trying to get extra money for hiring a translator or something though I'm not sure and there's many offices about so don't let that put you off.

We went to her home village the same day and got legally married the next, by sitting in the local office and signing a form - very un-romantic. I think it may have been free, or 200Baht maybe? It's legally binding in any country though it's a good idea to get your marriage cerificate translated into English by an authorised translator.

Six months later I went back with my parents to her home village and had the full ceremony in the morning and party in the evening - a wonderful day I'll never forget. The ceremony and party are completely optional and the extent and expense you go to is down to you, your wife and her family. We had discussed having the ceremony/party in Bangkok, then at a hotel near her home town, but in the end I was really pleased we did it at her parents house in the village. Made it more intimate and personal. Plans and price can escalate - we had 50 tables, booze for everone, a team of cateres cooking on site, a band with dancing girls, but it was still a third the price of the UK, or less.

Hope that helps.

Just skimming over these replies - do we know where you live yet? I know a female Thai student in S.E. England looking for a room to rent. She's now living in Putney but would like to move nearer to Bracknell and change college.

p.m me

I will be looking at plans next year and appreciate any advice. Hoping to build on a small piece of land near Tatago about 30km east of Nakhon Sawan city.

Land was previously a pond, we've had it filled. Will be leaving it a couple of years to settle before building.

P.s.

excaliber, do you have a website?

So, does any one know of any good web-sites for selling in Thailand?

Strange as it may seem, I've got a Thai friend who imports stuff from UK to sell in Thailand.

If you're from the UK like myself you're probably used to steadily increasing house prices and home owners doing well from this. But from my understanding that's just not the case in Thailand. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong here.

Excuse my ignorance, but is there a local office one can go to to get plans?

Also am I right in thinking plans need to be 'authorised' and so presumably if you get/buy them from a local office then they're already authorised?

Sorry just re-read your post. They're not in London but for a quicker service you can scan and email your certs.

I had mine translated by Lifeline Language Services in UK. They gave covering letter listing their qualifications (members of a translating institute) and all copies stamped. Cost 82 pounds and they also included the Mrs' ID card and driver's licence for no extra charge.

www.lifelinelanguageservices.co.uk

I was very pleased with their service, and no I don't work for them!

I know several people who were teaching without degrees, usually in small private language schools rather than state schools. Two of those did an online TEFL course to improve their teaching methods.

I too did an online TEFL which although wasn't great, was probably still of some benefit and, I believe, worth the money.

Ladpraoh, what soi are you on. I used to live on 122, soi Mahadthai.

Anyway, the original post has sparked me off and I'm now looking into using my British HNC to get a full degree with the OU. Thanks (although I think I've still got a full 3 years of study ahead).

Couldn't be bothered to trawl through the replies. Just wanted to add my thoughts to the original question. It's not so much the people as the medium. People vent their feelings on forums and if you met them in a bar would probably say they loved Thailand.

I was recently told that British degrees are among the best in the world, and the British OU degrees were the best regarded 'distance learning' degrees. Of course whether the Thais are aware of this I don't know. However, you will still be presenting them with a real degree certificate and transcript.

I'm in a similar position, have an HNC in electronics but would like a degree to enable me to teach English in Thailand. Are you sure I can study OU in English for 2 years to get a full degree? I already have a year and a half teaching experience and TEFL certificate.

My wife was tatood by the same guy that did Angelina Jolie's with one of the same designs - 5 vertical columns of writing going down the shoulder, in an old language - by hand with a long needle. (She had mutual comedian friends of the tatooist in Bangkok and so got it very cheap).

She's out now but if anyone needs any further info then let me know.

I'm British, my wife is Thai. I'm just wondering if we were to have a child, what are the pros and cons of giving birth in each country in terms of visas and residency, given that we would like to move between each country, live in the UK for the immediate few years, then eventually move to Thailand.

Thanks.

I'm guessing perhaps you mean Samlors, the three wheeled bicycle perhaps?

I was very surprised yesterday to see they now have these in London outside the theaters near Leicester Square.

Just in case you don't yet know, are outside of Thailand missing Thai TV and have a fast enough internet connection, the following link will give a number of different Thai TV channels (as well as world wide).

http://mediahopper.com/portal.htm?http://m...evision/204.htm

A friend (no, really) got married in BKK. Him and his Thai wife are now both living seperately in UK and both mutually want a divorce. They know they can do this by returning to the office in BKK together. But as they are unlikely to visit Thailand again together is there an easier way?

Can they divorce at the Thai embassy in London? Or can just one of them take the relavant paperwork to the office in Thailand?

Thanks.

It seems to me that most of the jobs / roles so far given above are above the usual average in terms of pay and status.

Are there alot of people keeping quiet, or is this to be expected when surveying those expats who have made it when living abroad?

As for me, just a simple elctronics engineer, taught English for a couple of years in BKK, since retunred to the UK and demoted to a lowly Technical Support role and wondering how I'm going to build our 3 bed house and start our language school and clothes shop in Nakohn Sawan as I hope to do and as the mrs believes we will.

Does anyone know of any books available on these subjects.

Thanks