Kalasin Jo

Not done one for a while but on first application Sakon Nakhon IO did require we take along a neighbour with their ID card and blue book. They also wanted a written statement from the village chief with a copy of his ID card. There was then a few days later the home visit. Now I am under the Kalasin IO, which didn't exist back then but never done a marriage extension there.

Who knows at this point? I very much doubt it. The Thai hand taketh from foreigners but rarely giveth. And you left out eligibility for the 30 baht Thai healthcare system. All this would require much more than the way it is being done, which is equivalent to UK ministers making laws under existing statutory instruments that require no parliamentary scrutiny or debate.

According to reports by stunned Brits living in the EU they have been doing this to their customers there or some time. But until now it seemed to depend on which EU country you lived in.

Aren't there enough Malls? With food outlets and restaurants? Still, the Ramsey blueprint is a bit different. But the Bread Street branding is not high end, not that sophisticated.

You left out Kalasin. I'm not surprised. I live in Kalasin Province, have done for the last 8 years and need to head in to Kalasin city frequently. There is nothing to recommend it IMHO

Surely the British Embassy should have been informed by the RTP and taken on the responsibility of informing the family back in UK.

Yes. I have never had pension paid direct Thai bank. Like you paid to in my case then my French bank, then I transferred to Wise where I converted to baht and sent to Thai bank My mistake? I did it on receipt every 4 weeks instead of calendar monthly. Stopped doing that now.

I don't suppose for one moment he gave any thought to procreation. Then they came along.

And has yet to recover anywhere near it's value against any currency pre the brexit vote in 2016.

A strong aversion to the sound of children crying. Apparently a strong aversion to a particular sound which drive the hearer crazy is a known medical psychological condition. Read that just the other day, I think it was an article in The Guardian. Clearly he had a very strong aversion and extreme response if he killed 5 small children. Poor kids.

Not if you're a Thai 555

Sofas Anonymous,you know a bit like AA 555

You won't get a full 12 month statement out of Bangkok Bank in less than 5 working days. They only do last 6 months at branches. That's helpful!

Every pipe is blue in my house, clean water in, grey and toilet water out.

As usual it depends on the office, even the officer. I was trying to show them my income over a year. First they were confused because my British State pension was at the time paid to me every 4 weeks, so 13 payments in a calendar year. Then, as my British State pension is less than the requirement even for a marriage extension the guy was genuinely appalled and said " but your country is rich, much richer than Thailand so why British government not pay good pension". Finally he asked so where does the rest come from. I said from UK investments. At that he asked for evidence of the payers and for the link to the payments arriving in Thailand. It was all very friendly and polite but at that last point I gave up and said I would head yo Savanakhet.

I know it's standard practice but that's not long to put your affairs in order is it? In most European countries it's much longer and with an appeals process can be dragged on for several months. Another example imho of Thailand not really liking foreigners at all, except for their money.

Yes. And yes.

Yes I had it. I flew in to Thailand on 23rd August and went straight home here. Within a few days I had developed exactly these symptoms. Unpleasant but didn't lay me out. Paracetamol helped. The worst aspect was the cough that developed and has only just cleared up. Then my wife got it, then her sister, then her mother. First time I've had this kind of thing since pre covid days. In fact I was in excellent health all through the Covid years and until this hit me. Likely picked the bug up at the airports or in the plane.

Thailand does an awful lot of eyeing potential tourists, be it politicians or TAT. Thai ladies have a particular way of eyeing the tourists that do come.

I don't believe it. And what about departing? I've experienced massive queues and a long wait at Departure Immigration during high season in the past. They had to switch of the camera and fingerprint gizmos to process us faster. Nearly missed my long haul flight.. If I had that would change been awkward all round. Thais sailing through the automatic gates, the rest of us anxiously fidgeting in what was more of a restless mob than a queue.

Did you get it? You don't say. What did your Thai tax office want from you to issue the TIN.

Disgraceful and one suspects deliberate inertia. Will that change with new government and PM.. Certainly should. The case will become statute barred soon won't it? He's been running around outside Thailand free as a bird since 2017. Of course if he's been hanging in countries with no extradition treaty with Thailand not much they can do. Red Notice or not. Once the case is statute barred he'll be back. Neither he nor his family give a toss about Thai public opinion. Slightly off topic, but what is a Police General doing as Minister of Education ? Correctional education for kids?

I hear references to thainess from politicians, I see thainess in slogans and today outside a large secondary school was a banner which read " a quality school based on Thainess". It got me thinking. So what is Thainess? What makes it unique to Thais and Thailand? Is it a nationalism thing, pride in country? Is it a uniquely Thai values thing and if so what are they? Is it something that defines a person as Thai other than the obvious of birth and citizenship? Is it what General and ex PM Chan o Cha called for when he first took power and broadcast nightly to the nation, which was a return to the ways and values of a bygone age it seemed to me. So what is it in your opinion.?

Sad isn't it. But to be expected. Thailand wants to take but give nothing in return on every level in regard to foreigners.

Wasn't it always? I've become ever more conscious how Thailand is very happy to welcome tourists but is institutionally rather xenophobic when it comes to foreigners wishing to live here, make homes, marry Thais. Those who do, often supporting not just a Thai spouse who may already have children and with whom they may have children together too, but their Thai families too and I don't mean just financially. There are many things we do for our Thai relatives by marriage, including emotional support and encouragement, not just provide financial support. Do we get any institutional recognition? No, we are treated as perpetual foreign visitors, farangs ( a term which I understand is fair skin and hairy specific with an implication that we are in some way unclean because of that and is not used for other non Thai Asians ). We are lesser beings than Thais, from our immigration status to dual pricing. It doesn't make a jot of difference how long we've been here or that we have family and demonstrated commitment over many years.