16 minutes ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

Can be depending on Amphur level of English proficiency... but this is Thailand and there is no directive that English be spoken... they don't come to your country and demand that Thai be spoken.  Hire a translator.

Some Amphur offices are very uncooperative when foreigners are involved. Due to this problem, I skipped the Banglamung Amphur Office and did mine in Laksi, Bangkok, with the help of an agent. One hour - all done.

On 3/8/2024 at 5:06 AM, Georgealbert said:

There is plenty of advice online about divorce, an example below.

 

For a simple uncontested divorce you both go to the Amphur and sign the documents, etc for a couple hundred baht.

 

Contested Divorce is a divorce by Court Judgment, and will cost money, where one party files a lawsuit in court and presenting reasons for the divorce under the grounds listed in Section 1516 Thai Civil Code.

 

From your post seems she could soon use this “ One spouse has deserted the other for more than one year; the latter may enter a claim for divorce”

 

Save yourself the problem and any stress, just get an uncontested divorce if you ever visit Thailand again, or let her file to a court. There is obviously.no future in the marriage as you have chosen to live in the UK and you both don’t communicate. You also describe the UK as your home, so wonder how much of that 11 years married, was together as a couple, so maybe best to move on.

 

https://www.juslaws.com/civil-litigation/family-disputes?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=th-divorce&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIocvcrI3jhAMVD6VmAh36TAAXEAAYASAAEgIOYPD_BwE

I know a bit about uncontested divorce at the Amphur office, in Laksi, Bangkok as I did one last year, but this is useless advice for the OP as he needs to protect his property and rights and they have children.

The OP needs to get a good lawyer in Thailand and obtain a judicial divorce. He also needs to be sure that the divorce is legal under UK Divorce laws. 

To the OP, if you're going to be in Pattaya I can recommend a good family lawyer.

On 3/9/2024 at 7:07 PM, UWEB said:

USUFRUCT LAWS IN THAILAND

The right of usufruct transfers possession, use and enjoyment of an immovable property from the owner to the usufructuary. Usufruct can only be registered over properly titled immovable property and is established by agreement with the owner and registration at the local land office. The contract or memorandum for usufruct is the legal document that states and confirms the formal agreement between the owner and the usufructuary (the person granted the right of usufruct).

A few facts about usufruct in Thailand

• The usufructuary does not obtain the title to the property, nor can he sell or consume the property;
• The usufructuary must take as much care of the property as a person of ordinary prudence would take of his own property;
• The usufructuary is NOT allowed to transfer the right of usufruct, but he is allowed transfer the exercise of his right under the usufruct to another person contrary to the right of habitation (the person granted a right of habitation cannot transfer the exercise of his rights);
• The usufruct does not prevent sale of the property by the owner, but sale of the property does not terminate the usufruct nor the rights of the usufructuary. Usufruct is not a contract right but a real (property) right and as a real right usufruct is a burden on the property itself (any new owner automatically takes the property subject to/ including the right right of usufruct);
• The usufruct is not transferable by inheritance (i.e. the usufruct is automatically terminated upon the usufructuary's death (but not the owner's death));
• The usufruct is governed by the sections 1417 to 1428 Civil and Commercial Code (see law translation below)

Thailand Usufruct Real Estate Laws Usufruct in Thailand. 281 B · 6 downloads

For anyone interested - you can purchase a hard-bound copy of the latest update of The Civil and Commercial Code Thai-English, on Lazada for about 600 baht. It's nearly 1000 pages, so when you don't need to read it, it makes a very good paperweight.

The exact location of Usufruct law: Book IV (Property), Chapter III (Co-Ownership), Title VII (Usufruct), Sections 1417 - 1428.

On 5/5/2019 at 7:49 AM, cornishcarlos said:

 

Until the landlord wants to move back in ????

Only if you are stupid and rent long-term. Keep it business-like, and don't get involved - rent by the hour. It's always better value for money.

3 minutes ago, lsemprini said:

I have ridden a Dream in Thailand for the last 20 years and simply prefer the clutchless gear bikes for several reasons (but Dream is effectively discontinued, so Wave is the only model I have a chance to find).  One is just that I'm used to them and so easier and safer right out of the shop.  Another is more control of engine braking going down hills, though that matters more up in the mountains where I live (there are quite a few places where I live where one simply cannot go with an auto bike, because you will certainly slip out on dirt roads downhill; the Waves/Dreams also have significantly larger wheels and more clearance).  Another is that the design of the Wave/Dream allows me to easily carry my big bag because the space between the front edge of the seat and the handlebars/fairing is much larger on those bikes compared with the autos, and I DO plan to carry my big bag some in Hua Hin.  Another is it's just a bit annoying how much extra noise one is forced to make with the auto bikes at slower speeds, because the bike chooses the gearing, not the driver.

None of those are critical but I'd still prefer the bike type that I am familiar with.  The autos let us be lazy and have more storage space, which is nice, but not worth it for me.

The carrying part is not as valid as many scooters, my Yamaha Mio, for example, has a huge space in the front to carry shopping. I can carry 6 packs of water or a full shopping cart of groceries. I can carry a lot more than I could carry on my old Honda Wave.

I agree that in the hilly mountainous areas, gears will be an advantage. I've never used on in a hilly region. There are some steep hills in Pattaya, and I've never had a problem getting up them with a passenger and groceries and I weigh around 100 kg.

In the city, they are much safer as your front and back breaks at the ready in both hands, and you don't have to mess around with gears, so your reaction time is much faster. Still, many Thai people are using Honda Waves, and often they get in the way as they are busy clunking between gears. I don't care how skilled a person is, they are going to be caught in the wrong gear at some point, and that's risky in fast-flowing traffic. Having owned both, I would never go back. The Wave is much noisier too IMO. Noise will vary with models, but usually, it's hard to hear if the engine is on at idle for most auto scooters. I owned the Wave for 2 years and hated it.

17 hours ago, Artisi said:

And what is wrong with less population? 

It's a problem for a few decades as a declining younger generation has a lot more older people to support. Once the excess older generations have expired, everything will be fine. In the end, it will balance out.

People spend too much time in the cyber universe these days rather than in the real world. Readily available pornography has a negative effect on men wanting to meet females in real life too. This has become quite clear in countries like Japan where are large percentage of men in their 20s and 30s are still virgins. They either have no interest in meeting real partners or they are afraid to. I've found that Thai females are very aggressive these days, so it might be a similar problem in Thailand.

I owned one (Honda Wave) about 20 years ago in the Philippines. Riding one of those vs modern automatic scooters is like going back to the horse and buggy.

What's up? Why do you want one?

12 hours ago, Foxx said:

"Ashton Asoke condo in Bangkok to be demolished"

Another headline totally at odds with the story.  It might (but probably not) be demolished.

 

 

And in related news... "Despite efforts to rectify violations, the Supreme Administrative Court’s decision ultimately led to its demolition."... meaning it has already been demolished????

21 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Laws of physics are understood in the industrialised countries.

The laws of physics are well understood here too. I've watched many steel fixers on a construction site walking over the rebar lattices they are tying together in light sandals. Of course, if you don't stand on an upward-pointed rebar, you don't get one through your foot or another part of your body if you lose balance and fall. Simple physics - watch where you're walking and don't ever lose balance.

You can nag her to death - she won't change. She'll just keep on getting fatter. You didn't say anything about age, as it makes a big difference to how fast you pile on fat.

It is possible that she's not happy in the relationship and food has become a way to overcome the stress of it. A lot of people eat for comfort. The problem could be you. Maybe you're too demanding?

Another possibility could be that she is seeing someone on the side who prefers some meat on the bones and she's catering to his (or her) preferences. Not everyone likes their partners skinny.

I just noticed that when you log into KBank banking in browser, if you click on "business accounts", it lists the accounts as Savings Accounts.

My KBank accounts are listed as "Business Accounts" in online banking. There is no mention of what type of accounts they are in the KBank phone app.

They are savings accounts. This is stated on the info page of your passbook at the bottom left: branch and savings account. This could be written in Thai if it was opened a long time ago. In my first passbook from 14 years ago, it is written in Thai. In my more recent passbook of an account opened a few years ago, it is written in English.

On 2/27/2024 at 1:56 PM, animalmagic said:

They want to drain the swamp so they can convert it into a sewer!

It's already a sewer.

On 2/26/2024 at 7:19 PM, Ohyesuare said:

No concept of noise, manners, respect for the country and its people that they are visiting or anyone else and the list goes on. This is my personal experience with the majority of Russians I have been near or lived near. This seemed to change for awhile when the Russians first attacked Ukraine and they were worried about any backlash but has now returned to the same as before. Like I said, this is just my personal experience, Russia is a huge country and I am sure there are people there who are not like that.

 

And not that it matters or makes any difference but I am 1/4 Russian and often get mistaken at first as Russian by Russians and others, by looks only of course since I am a nice and respectful guy 🙂

It's impossible to pin down a Russian by looks alone. I'm 0% Russian but often get approached by them in Pattaya. Sometimes they ask if I speak Russian.

On 2/24/2024 at 10:10 AM, Neeranam said:

In the tapestry of Thailand, there exists a thread of farang who resist assimilation into the fabric of their adopted homeland. They dwell in enclaves of familiarity, clinging to the echoes of their native tongue, traditions, and beliefs, while the rhythms of the new land swirl around them, unnoticed. These immigrants, bound by nostalgia and the comfort of the known, traverse the streets of their new country with a sense of detachment, cocooned in the safety of their own communities. Their journey becomes a delicate dance between preserving their identity and embracing the unfamiliar, a balance often tipped towards the former. Yet, in their isolation, they unwittingly erect barriers between themselves and the rich tapestry of experiences, opportunities, and diversity that their new home offers. Their reluctance to integrate, while rooted in the longing for familiarity, serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities inherent in the human experience of migration.

Notwithstanding your ever-present condescending attitude and air of superiority on this forum -  you do your thing and I'll do mine. It's my retirement, so I don't need an education from people like you on how I should proceed. No one is giving out gold stars for their level of Thai cultural integration.

Maybe it's a problem where you live, but I chose Pattaya as a place to retire where I could be me. That's very easy to do in Pattaya. One reason why Thailand is such a desirable place to retire - the Thai people are very flexible and welcoming to people of other cultures. It might be surprising to some that most of the criticism comes from other expats.

On the subject of wai-ing. Most of the interaction I have with Thai people is when I'm handing over money. They might wai, I say thank you - mostly in English... and everyone is happy. I don't have a Thai family or a Thai partner, so in that case, I expect much more cultural integration would be necessary.

20 hours ago, Martin71 said:

Mary Poppins film age rating raised over 'discriminatory language'

Just saw this on the bbc UK news...unbelievable..... also a sub article at the bottom of the page Watership Down (the kids cartoon version) would have it's age classification raised because of 'strong violence' and 'unacceptable language'......

 

Some people out there really do need to get a life.....they must just spend their life trawling the internet looking for things to be offended by...pathetic...

 

 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68402362

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35924936

Perhaps you don't know that "Hottentot" was used extensively by South African White people in the 60s and 70s when this movie came out as a general derogatory term for all black, dark-skinned, and even mixed race people, similar to "Kaffir". I know this as I was a white person growing up in South Africa in the 70s, during the height of Apartheid. It was the Dutch who started using this term due to the sound of the native language of the Khoekhoe people.

It's easy to sit here and think it's crazy, but maybe we should consult South African black people to hear their opinions. I don't believe children's movies should insult any particular race or nationality unless it's a historical documentary.

Try using the term in South Africa, and you'll discover that the term is not trivial.

23 hours ago, Woof999 said:

If around 10m = exactly 10m then this is a standard length. There are several shops in TukCom that will have them. If you're likely to need further cables in the future, I'd recommend learning how to make them yourself. Buy the cable in a roll of 100m or 305m, the RJ45 terminals and the crimping tool (don't buy cheap here) and you'll soon learn that it's quite easy and FAR more cost effective than buying pre-made.

I disagree that it is "quite easy". I've done quite a few myself and found that the performance of the cable can be compromised if it is not done perfectly - which is difficult. If you don't get it perfect, it can still work, but with lower performance.

Now I only use pre-made cables, usually on Lazada or Ali-Express.

8 hours ago, H1w4yR1da said:

That's hilarious. Korea is one of the most racist and misogynistic places on Earth. LOL!

How can a Korean (Asian) be racist toward a Thai (Asian).

Has the definition of "racist" changed?