BOB JOSHUA

Yeah I remember a few years ago,I remained in my house in Pattaya all day and when it was dark and after the water chucking was supposed to end decided to go out for some food and a beer, stepped into Khaotalo and yes got a bucket of water thrown over me by drunk Thais on the back of a truck. Basically no time is safe to walk in the main drags during Songkran, they want to get a person in dry clean clothes they will.

When I worked offshore in Brazil, you would come into Vitoria, Espiritu Santo state in the morning sit in Vitoria airport most of the day before flying down to Rio then connect with the Emirates flight to Dubai then on to BKK, Emirates flying time was 21 hours, few hours in Dubai then the journey from BKK to Pattaya. There were a few occasions when I was not upgraded. On return to my house in Pattaya I was completely knackered & Jet Lagged for about 4 to 5 days with the 10 hour time difference. Bob Joshua

Are you prepared to say why you wont be able to sleep for 48 hours, very long flight in a full economy cabin or something. Bob Joshua

That is great news 1 year to renew after expiry as my license expires on 26th September 2023 while I am in the UK and I will return in November before it gets too cold in the UK. Bob

Yeah I believe it is a recent change, Jomtien Imm sent me to the Amphur office in Banglamung and it was there that they told me the Translations were out of date and would require a trip to the UK embassy Bangkok and the Embassy told me they could do nothing and gave me a letter with the procedure I must follow once back in the UK.

I used Queen Vic in Soi 6 and they went to Kamriang, the next one further North and they charged 3700 Baht in a 7 seater VIP Mini Bus, a bit more expensive but reliable and a meal is included. Previous time I went to Cambodia we went to Ban Pakkad. Since retiring in 2015 many of the Visa extension visits were to Jomtien Immigration for my Non Imm O but the Thai authorities no longer accept my UK marriage certificate and Translations, out of date they say. Bob Joshua

Hi Liverpool Lou I paid my TOT account on Monday 20th using an old bill, and guess what 2 bills turned up in my outside mail box yesterday 21st February Due dates 22/01/2566 & 22/02/2566, so it looks like Thailand Post has issues getting the mail out. Bob Joshua

Hi Still receiving my paper PEA bills in Pattaya and I pay direct debit from my bank so not gone paperless like AIS & CAT/TOT Bob Joshua

I read about the USA embassy service while researching this. Yes the Thai Official on the Front Desk at the British Embassy told me they could not certify it and would not let me in to the Embassy and would not arrange a future appointment as he said it would have to be sorted out in the UK. So trip to Bangkok no use. I have accepted it now and will do my Cambodia Visa run 17th February from Soi 6 Pattaya

As I said previous British Embassy told me they could do nothing and not stamp it and the translations which I had, sorry forgot to mention the Translation documents which I showed them and they gave me paperwork with the procedures to follow once back in the UK and the UK Gov Office & Thai Embassy London would sort it out and stamp it. What the Government official told me in Banglamung my passport information page would need to go on the translation, he showed me one he had and it would be digitized and then valid for life.

I tried to apply for my 60 day extension last Friday in Jomtien as I am on a Non O visa and married my Thai wife in Cardiff in 2004, Jomtien looked at the marriage certificate then sent the wife and I to the Government office in Banglamung to get the kor ror 2, but Banglamung told us the Marriage certificate is out of date and could not issue the kor ror 2 and would need to visit the British Embassy in Bangkok. The British Embassy told me nothing could be done in Thailand as the laws have changed regarding Foreign Marriage certificates and would have to go through a process in the UK to get it revalidated, so for now I have had to book for a Cambodia visa run get 45 days then 30 days at Jomtien, so yes things have changed for me as for 18 years they accepted my UK wedding certificate. I fly back to the UK in April for the Summer and will go through the process the British Embassy has told me to follow.

I flew back there in February,nobody wanted to see Covid documents and flew back to Thailand in November again no show of documents. Bob

I recently came back from the UK, after a lot of searching I got a reasonably priced fare with Singapore Airlines but meant having a 15 hour stoppover in Singapore, the fare was 609UKP two way that was through a budget agent, fares with Emirates, Qatar and Singapore through the airline ranged from 1100 - 1300UKP. I will be flying back to the UK in April and have been looking for a return fare for my Thai wife who has a UK visa but cannot find anything at the moment. Shall look again in the new year.