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pilgrim2505

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Posts posted by pilgrim2505

    Brit Faces Two Years In Thai Jail For Being 'rude'.

    in Thailand News

    Posted

    I have a little story about being threatened with a bit of detention but it was in the UK not Thailand I think its prevalent so I will tell it.

    February 14th 2008 I landed in London Heathrow it was the coldest February I can recall for some years the missus says it’s the coldest she has ever been in her life.

    It had only been a few week since we had received our EEA Family permit for the Wife and our Daughter our Daughter at the time was just four months old and she was hanging off me in a sling along with a few other bags n bottles attached by straps here there and everywhere.

    I hadn’t faced the dilemma before and was confused about which isle to use so I best guessed and finally ended up at a desk,

    “Oh no you’ll need a Card from over there, (think it’s a boarding card) one will do I will put your wife and child on it together, after that go to that queue and they will sort you out”, No problem I thought and it was at this point my wife thought that we weren’t in the UK and were having a stop over in India, I had to explain that we had our fair share of nationalities in the UK.

    Off we trotted to queue number two which was the wrong queue “go to that line over there but before you do pop in see the Doc show him your TB certificate” ordered my friendly helper at desk 2.

    Saw the ladies at the Doctors then went to what I assumed would be our final point off call, “hi Inram” I think that was his name read on his jacket, I showed him my Dutch passport and the two Thai passports,

    “oh you’re a Dutch man are you?”

    “No No I’m English I just happen to be a dual national”

    “Well you will have to go back over there and collect another card fill it in then rejoin the back of the queue!” proclaimed my friend Inram, it was a good 20 people long.

    At that point I had had enough I had been to every Funky Queue in London Heathrow, I had a 4 month olds child hanging off me screaming the house down and not one person knew what to do with me. I took the cards & passports off him and suggested that he might get his house in order before bouncing me around the airport like a mong all night long, a few profanities were exchanged and security were called, I was told if I don’t chill out I will be held in custody till the morning till I calm down.

    I was wrong and I probably should have handled the situation differently its annoying that the staff at LHR don’t really know what they are doing from time to time. 12 hour flight a few drinks and a screaming child don’t add to my patience I apologised to Inram but I didn’t mean it he wound me up something chronic, I don’t like to be patronised at the best of times.

    All in all though I know not to behave like this in Thailand and no I’m not a racist!

    Ba Or Thai

    in Thailand Travel Forum

    Posted

    Business class BA leaves Thais business class product looking like economy.

    Qatar business had some super heavyweight cutlery and the coolest remote controlled white leather recliner ever, even though a miss press cost me a vertical recline whilst all eyes were on trying to look like “yeah I ment that”, I’m cool.

    For want of not trying to my dog is bigger than yours. I apologise in advance.

    Ba Or Thai

    in Thailand Travel Forum

    Posted

    I assume that you are talking about flying economy. It really is 'pot luck' on the day. With Thai you can drink throughout the flight, no so on BA. Look at westeasttravel for some amazing deals right now.

    Since when?

    Not sure too but def right about the Westesttravel i was a firm southall travel until recently.

    Ba Or Thai

    in Thailand Travel Forum

    Posted

    I just booked up to fly Thai in April and coincidently it was the 2nd best price 1st was BA, I have flown with them all I love Eva but flying with a 1 year old and a Thai wife I chose Thai because of the way the Thai people are yes I want my own TV but I’m flying on a night flight so all I wana do is get my fat head down and get my daughter to sleep. I don’t really like BA id love to fly Singapore but now there’s three flying its not really a feasible option. moterbike would be good but i dont have the spare time either.

    Thai Airways Makes Huge Loss

    in General Topics

    Posted

    I just booked up to fly Thai in April and coincidently it was the 2nd best price 1st was BA, I have flown with them all I love Eva but flying with a 1 year old and a Thai wife I chose Thai because of the way the Thai people are yes I want my own TV but I’m flying on a night flight so all I wana do is get my fat head down and get my daughter to sleep. I don’t really like BA id love to fly Singapore but now there’s three flying its not really a feasible option.

    I am aware of the fact some posters assume that the Thai Crisis will mean lower maint but the airline have to meet specific criteria and standards to use British airspace and airports, ever wondered why you don’t see the likes of Cameroon or Ghana Air to mention a few.

    Eea Family Permit / Residency Permit

    in Visas and migration to other countries

    Posted

    Dearest Erikr, Moss, mrbojangles, and remaining forum,

    As advised By Erikr I Emailed the wonderful and ever helpful UKBA, I had a number of emails to chose from and trying to glean any relevant information of the web sites is a thankless task to say the least.

    So having armed my self with a working email address and a complex letter requesting the return of my documents within a specific time, reasons of their failure to complete my application with in the time lines laid down by themselves and a request under the information of freedom act requesting 101 point on staffing, training and application numbers etc. I set to work and compiled a letter.

    I fired off my email and three days later I had a knock on the door, a recorded letter requesting further information of how I was exercising treaty rights etc so I recorded a reply back and fingers crossed all will be well.

    (3 months payslip, a translation of our marriage cert, NHS card/appointment letter for the daughter to prove her residency, an employee referral to bolster my exercising of treaty rights) Might sound lame but I wasn’t imagining I would require these at posting and its not requested in the Application.

    If none of this makes sense and you find your self in a similar situation then please PM me and I will give copies of the letters I wrote and address’s I have used, a BIG thanks to Erikr for his input hopefully it will have saved me hours or even days bouncing around BKK trying to reapply for another EEA Family permit.

    Pilgrim, Its late, I write badly…

    Eea Family Permit / Residency Permit

    in Visas and migration to other countries

    Posted

    From the time frames the residence cards should already have been with you. As it is overdue I would call the number that is on the letter that you got when you send in the passports and ask them why their is a delay of more then 3 months (needs to be issued within 6 months). Also send them an email and request under the freedom of information act the total number of aplications made, total number of applications processed, number of staff processing, all training and upskilling that has been delivered to processing staff etc for every month between the period between april 2008 and now. This may sound strange but it will make them work a whole lot faster as they hate to have to deliver that information as they can't.

    Just threaten with the ICO straight away

    I think I might start to go down that route; it’s funny that I haven’t heard as many posters here as I first imagined I might.

    I hasten to add that there are particular posters that give a lot less advice than they might have once upon a time. (chewed on that for a while...)

    As for the periods of time I was ill advised by the UKBA I was originally told 6 months for a EEA family permit having contacted them at a date just prior to posting this originally.

    I have written to the UKBA asking specifics you mentioned I will endeavour keep you posted.

    Ba Or Thai

    in Thailand Travel Forum

    Posted

    Also having an infant I am expecting (I might be wrong) a bulk head style seat to have a cot rest bit so leg room here is usually better.

    I would make sure of the cot, by requesting it, when booking !

    Also Qatar have just announced (see seperate thread) GBP 356 (Adult), for return-fares booked online, until 30th June (except for a couple of weeks in April) !

    I have had the misfortune to fly Qatar I’m not a fan of stretching what could be a simplish 12 hour flight into 16 or whatever it was. on my return journey one time I missed a connection from bkk (Qatar’s fault not mine) and ended up flying Frankfurt then into London Gatwick I left from Heathrow, the total journey took me in excess of 24 hours I did get an upgrade mid flight but it made no odds I would have flown with chickens in a cargo plane to get home on time. Oh I couldn’t call the missus the whole journey so she assumed I was dead or id done a runner to Nana, Bless…

    Thanks for the remind I would have forgot the cot booking. cheers :D

    BA without a second thoughts. Food Quality, Wine Quality, In-Flight Entertainment and better condition aircraft and engineering and better trained pilots :o which at the end of the day when the sh1t hits the fan at 35,000ft that is all that really matters.

    Good point and I guess with the recent amount of Aircraft “Hitting” the front pages recently probably worth a decent driver after all. As for the drinking a 1 year old while you’re pissed up is not fun when your trying your hardest to knock yourself out in a reclining chair, I be giving it a miss this time round.

    Ba Or Thai

    in Thailand Travel Forum

    Posted

    if the price is similar (I would think that thai are cheaper) I would choose thai, because of their hospitality, bigger luggage allowance (even 30kg economy) and ease to change a return leg (they don't charge extra for a date change). Once I have missed my airplane in Bangkok - they just simply put me on the next plane (other airlines would force to buy a ticket).

    Londonthai,

    I am surprised to hear about the missed flight, the cost in my situation means that Thai are more expensive but only by £28 if I were flying alone it would be cheaper difference in kids n taxes etc.

    For your information:

    (LHR - BKK 2 adult 1 infant)

    As at 17.02.09: EVA £1148, THAI £1162, BA £1134, CHEAPEST £927 Qatar, Ethihad go up to £1028 previously £875

    Also having an infant I am expecting (I might be wrong) a bulk head style seat to have a cot rest bit so leg room here is usually better.

    Ba Or Thai

    in Thailand Travel Forum

    Posted

    Dearest Forum,

    Choosing between Thai or BA.

    Anyone flown Heathrow to BKK direct recently? I’m looking at flying with wife and our one year old daughter and I honestly believe having flown a lot that although the Thai flight isn’t the highest Quality and even a little less superior to Eva I find the hosts the best and the way Thais are with kids is a lot better than a crew of Brit hosts might be.

    I have a fair amount of opinion left out of this post as I find I want yours not mine.

    Any thoughts greatly received.

    Pilgrim

    Eea Family Permit / Residency Permit

    in Visas and migration to other countries

    Posted

    some 2-3 weeks before holidays call the home office for the passport - they might dig it up and send you together with residency card. Otherwise in bangkok family permits are priority and take 3-4 days (take with you a confirmation letter from the Home Office about your application).

    Londonthai,

    Yeah I tend to agree seems like the only viable option. It’s a boring wait for the turn around I think it would have been nice to have been advised of the huge huge wait involved, originally it was 6-7 months now its 12 unreal…

    Pilgrim

    Eea Family Permit / Residency Permit

    in Visas and migration to other countries

    Posted

    Decisions Decisions

    Forum,

    • Wife + Child on EEA Family Permit.

    • Myself a Dual National

    • Thai wife, Thai passport

    • Daughter Thai with British Birthrights, Thai Passport (will get Brit in Thailand)

    Have a Thai wife and our daughter in UK on an EEA Family Permit as I am one of the fortunate few whom have dual nationality Dutch / British.

    My story so far,

    I have my family with me here in the UK and now it’s coming around to the time where the missus needs a well earned return journey to Thailand.

    I submitted their passports to the home office with the intension of getting a Residency Permit in April 2008. Now I have booked 44 days of work which aren’t flexible dates as I have a job in the forces. I not only have to get myself a visa for the time span but I am faced with the dilemma whether to re-apply for another EEA family permit (which was achieved with ease) for the wife if they haven’t completed the application for residency permit and they are CURRENTLY only considering applications that were submitted in February to state the obvious that’s a year turn around.

    Having wrote my email it seams obvious that my choices are.

    1. wait for the Residency Permit to get considered and hope I get it before April the date I set my holiday.

    2. re apply for another family permit in Thailand and resubmit the passports when we return to the UK.

    3. find out if you can extend an EEA Family permit in BKK.

    I guess it’s a case of suck it and see but its frustrating to say the least that the applications are taking a whole year to get considered.

    If anyone has been in a similar situation or can reflect on EEA Family permits I be happy to hear from your ideas thoughts etc etc.

    Regards.

    What Visa Do I Need?

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    Forum,

    1. Dual National Brit & Dutch

    2. 30yrs old male

    3. Married to Thai with 1 x baby girl 1 yr old.

    I have never had to apply for a visa in the UK as I have travelled into from other countries and only had to extend an entry visa via the office in Jontiem for a further week.

    So in my current predicament comes as a massive confusion when I need to be in Thailand for 44 Days this April and to which route cost etc I need to be going down.

    Any advice would be gratefully received as my finger has well and truly fell of the pulse since not needing any visa info for a year having had my daughter and wife in the UK by means of a EEA family permit (cheers Forum)

    Regards Pilgrim

    Eea Family Permit - Residency Permit

    in Visas and migration to other countries

    Posted · Edited by pilgrim2505

    Me – Dual citizen

    Mrs – Thai married to me

    Child - Ours born in PBH (you do the maths on ethnicity)

    Currently in the UK on an EEA Family Permit just wondering how long it took others to receive an answer on the Residency application? Both my Wife and Daughter are on a EEA Family permit. will get the daughter a UK Passport on conclusion of this initial phase. It’s been about 6 months so far since submitting it.

    Has anyone else noticed the sudden disappearance of advice towards EEA Family permit apps on this forum? I noticed that a previously “Pinned” piece of advice has vanished I don’t know if the goal posts have been moved or it was previously inaccurate? (A post by Scouse proclaiming the ease of an EEA Application on dual nationality basis)

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