Maizefarmer

JONNIE B - your point is very valid - if anything it shows that very few ex-pats understand sinsot in its correct context. You knock the nail on the head - in most cases as practised between Thai girls and farang men, the guys are "hood winked" into it.

Firstly, it is never a condition and no approving parent (rich or poor) cares two hoots about it. Let me put that another way, if practised as it should be, it is NEVER asked for - and if it is, then something is wrong right from the start - it is gesture made to the parents in-law by the husband to be entirely of his own free will.

It is about an expression on the husbands to be side to accept his role of care in the family - and that is a very traditional Thai (and South East Asian) practise. That aspect of it is dying out as society changes, but a lot of families do still practise it.

Where sinsot is practised in traditional Thai society, you will find that the parents in law give most of it back with the other hand - the new couple as a wedding present suddenly find that the poor old dad (who hadnt a penny to his name before you married his daughter) has purchased them some land to build a house on - or it is spent in some other relivant context: to take the often poor abused buffulo (and the excuses which this animal provides), a rice farmer would buy his new son-in-law a "new" buffalo to pull the plough (if the one the son inlaw had was old).

The point I am making is that it is traditonaly reciprocated by the parents in law - so that is the second thing to watch out for if you are trying to establish whether or not the sinsot was conducted in its correct context - a reciprocation.

That is sinsot in its correct place.

Its not about money - its about gesture, tradition, committement and a whole set of values related to you becoming part of that family. It is a serious matter which has no value if it becomes an "exchange of goods" as outlined in my first posting on this subject.

If anyone wnats additional info - I am only to happy to help if I can i.e. more detail on its cultural role / place , or if you are just trying to work out in your case if you are been used/abused.

Tim

No - thats fair enough, and to be honest for him, when my father in law said it, it was very much tonuge in cheek comment (which may well have been a sly way at the time of questioning my understanding of sinsot).

To be honest with all, my comments were frimly and sqaurely aimed at those guys who marry in/to the bar community (but not always only those guys).

Sure, there are exceptions, but in the majority of cases they are victims of the worst kind of sinsot practise(s) - however good their intentions may be.

Tim

Are we welcome in Thailand?

For every one bad experiance a person has, there are 10 000 who have had a good time.

You take yourself wherever you go - its what you make of it, and if you have had a bad experiance ditto ditto - again I say - its what you make of it.

Comparing those who live here to those who are just vsiting is like comparing apples and oranges. I know guys who have been here years and don't read, write or speak the language properly. If you are going to live here its important that you do. You will find life and the way Thais treat you very different. As I said - its what you make of it.

Tim

I recently responded to an advertisement on the board which was asking for three people with middle American accents to fill positions as Voice Over artists in Bangkok. After researching the company and discovering that they were legit, I sent my video audition to them and was welcomed to Bangkok for an interview. I shared a few E-mails with their Production Manager and was told that applications would be accpeted for a couple of more weeks. After some dickering on potential remuneration packages, I was scheduled to interview with the company on Friday, October 6th. Once plans for the interview were finalized, I purchased my airline tickets and booked my hotel room in Bangkok. In addition, I cancelled a previously planned medical vacation to Costa Rica, which ended up costing me cancellation fees with the airline I was planning on flying with.

Needless to say I was pretty excited about the opportunity. It was a shot at working in the field which I went to school for in a place where I've always wanted to live... and get paid to do it. So you can imagine how disappointed I was to receive an E-mail from the companies Production Manager only hours after making plans to come to Bangkok which said that they had filled the position. After contacting the CEO of the company about the situation, I was made aware of the fact that the company had no plans to pay for work visas and was looking to hire residents of Thailand for the position. So... the ramifications of this unfortunate mess from my end are as follows: Having the rug pulled out from under me at a chance to fulfill a dream, getting left holding the bag on approximately US$ 1,500 in airline costs and the cancellation of a medical related vacation.

Long story even longer, I'm going to be taking a very expensive joy ride across the Pacific Ocean October 4-9 with absolutely no purpose for the trip unless I can schedule an interview with a new company. Galavanting across the Pacific Ocean for no reason at all would be great if US$ 1,500 was pocket change to me. However, it's not. If I'm going to spend that kind of money I need to know that it's going to count for something. So I'm wondering if any of you know of any companies which are looking for westerners to do work in voice over or related fields. I have a B of A degree in Speech Communications and Theatre Arts with a special area of study in vocal music. In addition, I have many years of experience in the entertainment and recording industry.

I would also like to know if I have any legal rights in this matter. I would guess not, but I figure it's worth the asking anyway.

Sorry to hear what has happened - but others have said a) I think you jumped the gun (all-be-it I can see how that happened), and secondly, also as others say, I would have thought you'd have little legal re-course to getting the matter addressed.

Buy the way - I am not complelty clear on the timeframe between been told you had an interview to be been told the interview had been cancelled?

Did you make it clear from the start that you would be coming from the USA for that interview and did you get the impression that that had been acknowldged. If that is the case then I think you were done a bad move by the company - and you may like to publish their details for all to see - and otherwise, nope - you were probebrbly just one other applicant amongst many (as they percieved it)

Tim

Okay - some fair comments made by forum members, to those who found my intial posting offensive - apologies.

It is actually a classless practise, and its proper context - yes, it is practised quite honourably by both rich and poor.

However, as practised with farangs who have married a hooker (and I am sorry to use that word - but it is a fact) it is more often than not practised out of context - and in those cases, both parties may like to bluff themselves into thinking all is alright, but the motives on both sides reduce the practice down to an "exchange for goods". And sadly that is the majority of cases of sinsot as it practised between ex-pats and Thais - and is out of context.

Oh - and a further edit - there is no going rate: if you think there is a going rate, then right from the start you are been lead into the practise of sinsot out of context - just as it is practised in the bar enviroment - which is usualy about "as much as the girl can get and as much as the guy is willing to pay".

Ans statisically - it is in those cases that the highest divorce rates in Thailand are recorded - way way above average Thai divorce rates - irrispective of how much was paid. Divorce rates here are significantly higher than elswhere in thai society. But Iguess thats another matter.

Tim

Another interesting artical - sure, this stuff is no rocket science to make, and buying a kit for $2000 (as advertised earlier on a posting) is not needed.

Am trying to put it all into perspective against the cost of Thai diesel - currently at around Baht27 - this may well be something I'm prepeared to commission one of the forum members from K Uni in Bkk to take a look into, because as a farm fuel - enourmous potential.

I need clarification regards volume of biofuel produceable per rai per month/year - there are wildly different figures on the nett - which are true/accuarte and realistic.

Tim

HI all during the last year, I made a bio diesel plant. to turn, used cooking oil into Diesel. useing methanol and sulfuric acid, and sodium hydroxide, to effect the changes. one uses little of the acid . but . the process . and use of the chemicals had to be, so so carefully monitered. I had a stainless steel tank made and all the chemicals were ordered for me the total cost of building the plant was 19,000. bht inc safty equipment etc , the idea was to supply local fishermen with a cheap fuel , who we had built boats for post tsunami. the hope was to build and put these plants in fishing villages, NO way. this method was too, NON, foolproof [as claimed ] but, I did produce a diesel and ran on it to test it / costs app 12 bht per ltre. once i had sourced methanol, [wood alchole] from another supplier. plus i still have enough chemicals to for a years. motoring / go to journeytoforever.org. for where my info came from. I am very interested in the coconuts . if any one is out there who has done this in thailand please advise. I amsorry if my post is off target, but I felt it of interest on the subject of bio fuels, On the subject of used cooking oil. When we were sourcing this "waste" i can assure you even the local chicken fryer sells her used oil. and its collected and forwarded to make bio diesel. and there is a price structure. per drum of it. they do not throw it down the drain

Interesting - your costs per litre based on used cooking oil were Baht 12

Methanol - based on wood alcahol - were you buying from a store or manufacturer?

Where were you gettng the Sodium Hydroxide?

Up here is Loei cooking oil is binned in the drains - what were you paying and how much were you getting?

All very helpful - thanks

Tim

Update: No luck getting my friend to talk to anyone. I hope you don't read about him in the paper.

If anyone has more ideas......TIA.

And thanks to all who responded.

There is a service that is not publicised (because so many people try and take advantage of it) - but if its a genuine case and their is no other way to resolve it, there are a bunch of guys (thai & farang) who will bail out your friend out - and by that I mean we will pay for any medical or pyschological help he needs immediatly if its life threatening - and we have also paid one way tickets home for guys who have nothing but the shirt on their back - in certain cases - if that is the solution to the problem.

Now read carefully what I am saying (i.e. what is it that is so bad that he cannot get the help or support he needs a) in this enviroment and back home from where he comes - does he have no friends or family?

You'd better PM me ultra fast and fillme in on the situation

Tim

An Isaani farm girl? Why?? Do you just want someone to boss around and have sex with? The novelty will soon wear off

Going rate has been 100,000 for a few years now. That's big bucks to an Isaani farmer. But then again ... he'd sell his granny for 20 baht if someone offered Middle classes expect 300,000 + As for the Thai rich ... wouldn't touch a farang for any kind of money ... mostly!

Must disagree with you - a rich Thai would not touch a farang.

What absolute rubbish - and the prices you quote show how little you know about this country and its traditions.

I am married to a Thai girl that comes from a rich Thai family, who is Uni educated (both Thailand and America), whose parents are senior civil servants blah blah ect ect ...... and 20 years when I joked with her dad about having to pay to marry her, he replied in perfect English,

"thats what you do when you marry a hooker from Phuket"

Think about it - I'll leave it at that.

Tim

Oh great - any idea what make of TV he was using at the time - should make a great advert for quality & reliability!!!

Tim

Have you noticed anything different around you since Gen Sonthi started running Thailand Inc?

Not me, and the average man in the street goes about his daily affairs just as before the takeover. Foreign governemts made the usual sounds for and aginst, but overall Thailands trade status and its currency has not changed one iota.

Is property up or down? - I've seen no shift in property prices - they just continue to go up in places like Phuket (Thailands richest province).

Will they stay up - good question. There is a theory that as Phuket becomes more and more over crowded it will eventually start running into infrastructure problems (i.e. water shortages, power shortages) and prices will then drop.

mmmmmmmm............over what period of time. Still time to get in a make a profit I would have thought, but is it an enviroment I'd want to live in? Horses for courses I suppose - it wouldn't be my idea of a good place to live: its over crowded and if you're looking for a coastal location with a view - well, there are far nicer places at substantially less price than Phuket where you can buy and build.

Tim

This is sad--but as a person getting on in years, I read it with interest. I thought it said 12% of Thai Elderly live in Panties. I thought it sounded great! Guess I need to get my eyes checked.

Some elderly folks I know have had all their family die from AIDS.

You think its bad in Bkk - try loking in some of the rural areas (like Loei - where I live).

The abject poverty and loneliness of some of the elderly here is terrible - and here there is even less of a safety net here than there is in urban areas like Bkk. But as another forum member says, Thailand is not unique in this problem. The breakdown of family structures in modern society is a universal problem.

You quite often read in newspapers in Europe of some or other elderly person lying dead in their flat for weeks (if not months) before someone raises the alarm.

Tim

That long ?????????????? - thats good, but the problem is I am going to have to pay someone every year for 50 years to trim it back and keep it in order - and when you have somewhere between 1400 - 1600 rai - becomes expensive.

Tim

I'll bet you could get someone to maintain your jatropha fence in exchange for the nuts.....a fence with free maintenance!!!!!

Chownah

Thats a point - didnt think of that .

That long ?????????????? - thats good, but the problem is I am going to have to pay someone every year for 50 years to trim it back and keep it in order - and when you have somewhere between 1400 - 1600 rai - becomes expensive.

Tim

I see it making little differance for good or bad - what is taking place at the moment is very much an internal matter which has had next to no effect on Thailands trade status with other countries.

The coup was very much about "one man and his dog" (i.e. Thaksin) and not an issue which is going to result in any substantial foreign or internal policy change.

Effect on the Thai Baht was not even noticed, which is always a good indicator of the relivance of political events.

All the usual noises will be made but at the end of the day, for the man in the street and his business - I suspect we will look back in due course to realise that Thaksin was but a passing figure in Thai politics whose legacy was shallow, and whose removal reminded observers that not much has changed since the old days (i.e. the 1991 coup) except, thank god it was this time conducted without any violence (which may just say something about how far Mr T's supporters were willing to go to back him up - not far).

Tim

You have a retirement visa - no two ways about it - well done - sit back and relax for the next 364 days.

Tim

I cant see hopw travel agencies can "enforce" you having to purchase a return ticket - doesnt add up.

What about the cases of guys who are joining up as yacht crew with a yacht currently in Thailand - as quite often is the case. What do they do - how can they verify and confirm or deny that?

I dont buy it i.e. travel agencies are in no position to force you to purchase a return ticket, and if they ask questions, just say you are joinging up with a boat in Thailand. If you have problem send me a PM message - I'll give you a letter saying you are joing up with me in Phuket on my yacht as a crew member.

As for it been checked this side (i.e. when you arrive at Bangkok airport_ - never, I have never known anyone been asked to produce a return ticket or the Immigration ofcier checking to see you have a return ticket - all they look at is your passport to see you are eligable for entry. If they start looking at everyones ticket they'll havea ques leading back to the plane.

Tim

I have a UK passport but am currently in Australia. I want to get a one way ticket to Thailand as I'm not sure how long I'm going to stay there yet. The travel agencies are telling me I can't enter Thailand unless I have a flight booked to leave within 30 days (the duration of the tourist visa). Is this right or are they just trying to get me to book another flight with them. I want to stay longer than the 30 days if possible (probably by doing the visa run to one of the borders) and I don't want to book a flight out until I know how long I'm going to stay - Can anyone suggest a way around this?

Cheers

Dai

Two options I know are: 1. Buy really cheap ticket on Air Asia or Jet* or Tiger out of Bangkok to KL/SIN or wherever out of the country. This way you have proof of onward travel. Should cost like 50 USD or so if you book enough in advance. Then you can just trash it. Option 2 is buy a fully refundable fare out, so when you want to change it you can.

Dan

Hi,

I have today applied for my Retirement extension Visa (form a 90 day Non immigrant 'O" visa and had it accepted I now can stay here until August 2007.

1) I now wish to get on the Thai Taxation system which I assume I am obliged to do when I have been here over 185 days in the current year and intend to continue living here (my primary residence in Spain is up for Sale), but I do not know what to do OR what order OR how to go about it.

I am not certain that that is correct - your retired and the capital you bring into Thailand to live off is nbot to the best of my knowlege subject to any tax.

Additionally I wish to open a Thai Current bank account and get a THAI Visa card with a Thai billing address of course.

My UK bank will not accept a Thai address so ANY Visa orders have to be delivered to the UK address they HAVE accepted for me (crazy but they fear Frauds with Thai addresses).

Yes - you can get a Visa card - somewher on the forum are some postings on just this subject and from what I have seen its a bit of a lottery procedure - each bank has their own policy and apply it somewhat haphazardly, but in summary: yes - you should be able to get one.

On the Bangkok Bank website, Bangkok bank talks about producing a Work permit (of course I cannot I am not permitted to work having a Retirement Visa) for on-line baning they ask for the work permit OR for a Certificate of Residency. What exactly is a "Certificate of Residency.

IF I should have/ should get one how do I go about getting it and why doe I need it and is it mandatory?

Certificate of residency is just that - as in been granted Permanent Residency - different to be here on a visa - PR's are not subject to any visa restrictions, and gain, no - you do not have to be a permanent resident to get a Visa card.

2) Are foreigners not allowed to open any Thai Bank Current Accounts based on a Retirement Visa. What have other members of the Forum Had to produce if they live in Thailand on a Retirement Visa?

Yes - you are allowed a current account - again, check different banks - they all have their own policies and they apply them somewhat haphazardly.

3) I live with my wife in her Aunt's house.

i) Am I allowed to be on their House registration document, or is that only when I on my own home (I know I cannot own the land its on) or if I am a Thai National?

Thats fine - you can register any residential address as your Thai home address - no prob's with wifes aunties address.

ii) If answer to i) is YES.

Am I supposed to be on my Aunt's House register? or is it not mandatory?

If its not mandatory, but permissible, what are the benefits/problems by registering?

Negative - its not mandatory.

iii) If I should be on it, what do I need to do and what do I need to produce and where do I need to go?.

BOTTOM LINE with all 3 questions is that I wish to do the correct and legal thing, and as quickly as I should do so.

Any information, pointers or advice will be much appreciated.

I know about 90 reporting, but if there any other things a new Retirement Visa holder is obliged to please also advise. I would hate to do the wrong thing, or not do something due to ignorance.

My Thai family certainly have no idea what is required. I already suspect my wife's Aunt should have declared to "somebody' that I am living in her house and have been doing so for 4 months plus. I did mention this to her (read it somewhere) but no interest or concern was shown.

I dont belive there is any obligation on her part to register/report you as stying in her house.

I see where you are coming from - this sounds as if its about been able to present paperwork to support banking arrangements. Its a bit of an odd situation as there are set rules by ther Bank of Thailand regards the issuance of credit, credit cards and certain accounts to foreigners - but that said, there are many postings on the forum which would suggest that differant people have had different experiances when dealing with banks.

Tim

Regards

Dave

I se no reason why bees from Europe would not survive in a hive here in Thailand - the genetic variation between hive bees the world over is very little. The Giant Asia honey bee is the exception (the big bee I wa refering to above) - they are very different, but hive bees - nope, not much diff the world over. Sure they would survive but I have a feeling you would not get a n import license because of the potential to import dieses that the local bees have no resistance to.

I know you are not allowed to take bees from Thailand and imnport them into NZ or Australia - and you cant take bees from there and bring them here - so the same I think is going to apply to bees from Europe.

The honey from the apariy I linked in my earlier posting is 100% pure - and if you go through the links on the left handside of the page, you will see they sell about 4 or 5 different types of honey (e.g. sunflower honey, logan honey, wild flower honey ect ect..). Its goo stuff - you can buy it in Tesco Lotus and Central Deptament stores and I'm certain its 100% pure.

Tim

All depends - if you're thinking of keeping hives - fine, but you will not find them anywhere near as productive as they are in Europe.

I have 12 Langstroth hives, and together I am lucky to get as much honey from them per year as a bee keeper will get from 3 hives in Europe. Dont ask me why - I havent got clue, but know that that is pretty much the case with all bee keepers in Thailand - low production rates.

Your big risk is ants - they will destroy a hive.

God only knows how clever an ant is - they are mean't to be pretty simply insects, but boy are they good at finding ways into bee hives. Then you have the usual problems with wasps and other pests, but no more so than anywhere else - ants will be your big problem.

As for the wild asian honey bee - that huge yellow bee that can get between 3cm - 4cm long and forms a huge single honey comb under the branch of trees - well, all I can say is good luck. They are extremely agressive - and cannot be handled like bee keepers handle hive bees. Great honey, but find a local who has experiance dealing with them otherwise you run the risk of getting seriously beaten up - they are really very different from hive bees and not to be messed with.

Two interesting things about this Asian honey bee - they come back to the same tree season after season, and studies have confirmed swarms from the North East of Thailand migrate as far as Malaysia, and then return to the same tree in North Eastern Thailand 2 or 3 years later. Just how do they do it, because the bees that comprised the swarm in Thailand before it left would have all been replaced by the time the swarm then left Malaysia a couple years later - just how do they pass on to the next generation not only where to go back to but also which tree??

Oh - and they won't stay in a hive - have tried - went so far as to put the queen in a cage - they built enough cone to breed a new one, feed it royal jelly and then when she hatched, pushed off with her abandoing the old one. So forget it, they cant be hived.

Then you also get swarms of stingless bees - they're quite common. Its a very small bee - smaller than a fly, makes very small cone out in the open (quite often find them on fences under trees) but commercially they have little if any value.

You'd think with the flora diversity we have here in Thailand and the climate we have, bee keeping would be a big industry. It isn't, and there arnet many comercial honey producers - most in the Chang Mai area - check out

www.sayanhoneyfarm.com

Tim

Good luck

Thanks for your detailed answer very intersting ... Thai bees are really weird Wonder if european bees could survive in the north of thailand ? That would maybe an answer to that problem ? How thai ppl manage to get honey then ? Do they collect it in the wild ? (Would explain the relative high price) . That website you put at the end, do you recommend the honey from there, my father loves natural honey my oncle got 5-10 hives in france so we got the honey from him. Even in france some producer tends to add sirup in the honey, so i dont trust thai ppl about that do you know any safe place where I could buy 100% real natural honey ? Thanks for your reply again

Thanks for that - the conclusion I have come to is that it is a waste of time to grow. As a fence - never thought of it against that background, but on balance think I 'd rather put up a fence - do it properly and it will last 20years.

Tim

For people in Thailand it is a lot easier.

Just use coconut oil, pour it in your tank and you're ready.

No messing with ethanol/methanol.

Coconut oil will keep fluid with temperaturs like in Thailand, and it is the best of the best biodiesel you can get.

Do a search on coconut biodiesel and phillipines. A guy there has a business already for a few years in coconut biodiesel.

Just what are the legal issues in Thailand regards production of biodiesel - can I just start making the stuff, or are there a set of admin/legal hurdles I have to jump through.

If I did - it would only be for my own use. Keep my mouth shut and just get on it with it (???)

Anyone know what's up from a legal perspective?

Tim

Hi Tim,

I grow a few rai of sabudam (Jatropha) which the ag dept is really pushing right now. I did it at the insistance of my girlfriend, but it is my belief that is far more expensive to harvest and process it, than it is to simply buy diesel. Sabudam does make a good living fence for livestock however and you might consider it for that purpose. Then maybe you get some utility from the trees mitigating your expense for the biodiesel, glycerine, and fertilizer the sabudam yields. edit- Sorry, there are no legal issues for personal use.

Guys

The kits are no rocket science - you can build them yourself for a fraction of what they cost. I priced up with local compnents one of the kits advertised on the net (there was a forum link to it) that was priced at around $2000.

That kit could be built locally in Thailand, using local components from a hardware store, except the plastic barrles which would have to be ordered from Bangkok (if you want ones with conical bottoms - which you really should use) - total cost for componenets: less than $200, and barrels Baht 9 000 - 11 000 each (about 100gallons each).

Now as far as the raw ingredients go: to your math very carefully - there is very little you can use in Thailand that will give you a biodiesel produced for less than what diesel costs at the pump currently.

The only ingredient I could find that would justify making the stuf myself, baring in mind the time to make, the cost of putting together a bidodeisel plant and the cost of the ingredients - versus - the cost of pump diesel, was - used cooking oil (i.e. something you would not have to pay anymore than a few Baht for, if you could nt give resurants to give it to you for free (they usualy throw it down the drain - so offer an incentive to them to give it to you).

The genral consensus amongst the pros is that although you can use pure biodeisel in most engines, there are/can be long term effects on rubber based compnnents and residue build ups.

ALL biodiesels can be cleaned of those compounds that damage rubber and build up residue on various internal parts - and for very little extra cost - and everything needed to do that can be purchased quite cheaply in Thailand.

Still, on balance, unless you are going to commercialise production in a big way, I cant see the economics of it adding up (in Thailand).

Tim

Is that a genuine message from the Bkk embassy - it tells us nothing we didnt work out ourselves a long time back - in fact it tells us less than what forum members already know.

What did they write it for - what has it helped: they cant work out if 90 days prior to the first will be counted towards the 90 days after the 1st: hasn't it already been made very clear that 90 days prior to the 1st will NOT be counted towards 90 days after the 1st. Has that not aleready been firmly stated by a number of officials.

You stand a chance of been refused entry if you have exceeded your day quota - yes, we know that.

Border crossings - those open and closed: forum members were onto that issue within minutes of it happening - and now a week later most of the boarder crossings are in any event back to normal and the embassy is just picking up on it!

Sorry, but I have a thing or two about the embassy and the advise/help it gives out - I have learnt over the years that there is nothing we cant establish from other sources long before the embassy makes any statement about it. In summary: the one place we should be able to turn to for quick accuarte answers to matters is often woefully lacking in just that.

Someone put me in my place if you disagree with what I have said here.

Tim

Hi everybody,just a simple question,im father of a kid born here in Thailand,my daughter has a german passport and a thai passport,hmm the fatherhood is confirmed by a thai provincial family court,the custody is 50-50 in thailaw,until now i had non O visa but had to go out every 3 months because,i refused to to tranfer my pension to a thaibank,anyways the mother of my daughter left me,i stay alone with my daughter now,there are also 2 sisters of the mother of my daughter,well,now my questions,

my daughter can stay with me?or what will happen?if she stays with me what about my visa?my daughter is almost 5yrs old and goes to school,i still need to leave thailand every 90days,take my daughter with me,or how to do?where to go how to do,what,how,with who when,just many questions,if possible,please dont teach me what i should hv done or tell me how stupid im,just tell me how to do,thank u very much in advance for any smart comments

PUNISHER

I'll add my bit for what it worth (I am married with 2 kids in Thailand - both dual nationals).

First things first - as you know Thai law states 50/50 custody - BUT if you are the sole supporter of the child then you can get that changed - especially if the mother has left you AND the child i.e. you can get the courts to give you sole custody.

Okay - that is seprate from the visa issue - and the courts do not see the 2 issues related i.e. you are not going to get around the visa issue on the grounds that you have a dependant daughter - they will tell you find someone to look after her when you do your visa run, or to take her with you.

Sorry that is just the way it is.

Look at it like this - you will never be refused permission to stay in Thailand or come back in, if you are the sole supporter of a child.

It a nuisance, and was one of the reason I delayed having kids untill my work permitt and permanent residancey had been sorted out, and I have always felt that this is one of the instances that the Thai visa law doesnt accomodate very well. The other instance, is assuming you have to be over 50 to be rich enough to get a retirement visa and live off a pension.

I know exactly how you feel - its frustrating.

Tim

...........and I know a guy whos been here 9 years - visa ran out in 1998 - and has never left Thailand since

His logic: when I do leave at the airport I will have to pay Baht25K - end of subject. Now lets do the math of how much that has saved me over the last 9 years re: visa fees, re: plane tickets and/or 30 day visa runs. I have no family back home (Oregan USA), I have had no reason to leave is his thinking - its saved me a ton of cash.

Yes - he has worked (self employed as a fresh meat impoter/exporter - from Malaysia - which I think amounts to smuggling meat)

- and that is what happens, turn up at the airport as an overstayer and the max penalty will be Bht 25K - and no, you will not be "nicked" - the policy is to send you on your way!

Tim

Does this guy even exist? The Al Quida network does that exist? I’m not so sure any more.

I think we might have been victims of the largest scam of all times by some extremely clever people. The 9/11 plays right into the hands of the oil thirsty America as they then could get hold of the mother of all oil claiming it to be a war against terror and Al Quida. How they managed to get that connection is still an open question. They also knew that a war that challenged the Muslim community, like calling it a holy war, a crusade, excessive brutality and the imprisonments of innocents in Quantanamo etc would call upon more “terrorists” to join the struggle thus showing that the “war on terror” is necessary and calls for more recourses and the whole business keeps expanding and will eventually spill over to other Moslem regions rich in natural recourses. The whole business is feed and directed by oil companies and defence contractors behind a screen provided by the American administration.

Its safe to say that Bin Laden, or the myth about him, is far more valuably alive as this will give the “war on terror” a continued alibi.

In 20-40 years time I’m sure that we will get the complete and true story. But by then it will be all gone, the oil that is.

Viking

The guy exists - I know his brothers wife (Yes - Bin Ladens brothers wife). Well ex-wife to be more accurate - shes an English girl (daughter of a aristocratic English family oddly enough) who has met and talked to Usama on many occasion.

Think we need to understand something about Usama Bin Laden and the Bin Laden family.

This is no "camel jocky" family - the Bin Laden family in the MIddle East (Saudi) is like the Buffet family in the USA or Branson in the UK, or Rausings in Sweden - its a big prominent and very wealthy business family. Usama is just one member of this family, a family with many children, most of whom were educated at prominent European and/or USA universities.

The families wealth was generated by Usama's father and grandfather - construction - the Bin Laden family companies are the name behind just about every major Saudi and Kuwaiti construction project (from the building of facilites at Mecca, to highways and international airports - all built by Bin Laden family companies.

Bin Ladens children, his brothers and sisters and his wives all live normal daily lives like you and me - and a lot of them are intergrated into Western lifestyle(s). Usama was very much the black sheep.

He used to be a great supporter of the USA and was a CIA liason for the Mujahadeen (Afghanistan) during the Soviet invasion years. He fell out with the USA over its foreign policy in the Mid East - inparticular the USA's support of Ahmed Shah Masood (Northern Aliance) and its support of what he percieves is a corrupt Saudi regime. In summary - so long as there are USA (and European) soldiers peddling Western policy in the Mid - East he will be the inspration for anyone who disagrees with that policy (i.e. we run an ongoing risk of planes falling out the sky and similar acts of violence!).

As for the story he has died of typhoid - who knows. He does suffer from kidney diesese and needs to go on a dialysis machine on a regular basis, so he is not a well man.

I find it bizarre he has never been caught (considering just how high he is on the list of wanted people and the fforts that have been undertaken to catch him) and have often wondered if he has been custody for a long time - just that for some reason it is been kept secret. Unlikely though.

How has he managed to hide for long? The guy sticks out like a sore thumb - he is 6'7 1/2" tall - its not as though he can go anywhere without been noticed - if you are 2m tall you get noticed by people around you, and with the amount of money on offer for his capture - not one poor peasent has been tempted - odd (???) On the other hand, it emphasizes just how much the USA is hated in the Middle East if you stand to earn $25million but turn your nose up to it.

Objection to USA/UK troops in Iraq at the start of the invasion - about 14%. Current objection - over 75% (DOD's own figures!!!).

Tim

Will current political events affect PR applications??

I would not have thought so, no link has been made by Gen Sonthi & Co. between what is effectively an internal Thai political matter and PR applicant policy.

Could be wrong, but on the face of it I can't see a relationship between the 2 matters.

Tim