MangoKorat

21 minutes ago, Rich888 said:

No, I appreciate the input. It's new territory for me. The first priority is to keep mum and kids together, and if they can't come to the UK it will be a long distance relationship for a few years. If it isn't possible I'll look at getting them into a better school in Bangkok.

You're welcome.  I was faced with similar problems many years ago.  When the practical realities of Thai/UK relationships sets in, its often the case that plans have to change.

Probably the best advice I can give you is to slow down a bit. Many things can and do change.

You'll find that International Schools in Thailand are very expensive. However, there is another system that I don't quite understand - others will know though.  In Thailand school is not free after I think 14/15.  There is an option to pay for kids to finish schooling and/or go to better schools in the area.  They're not private in what we would consider the accepted meaning but they are better run, have better teachers and better equipment.

Some schools also have special streams for paying pupils but they may have to pass exams to enter them.

As I say, I don't know much about it but I do know that my girlfriend is currently considering where to send her child to in 2 years when she reaches 15. I can assure you that I won't be paying for that, whatever she chooses.

Jeez, they'll be wearing masks forever more.

2 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

 

Whatever happened to adopted European law of "right to family life"? That's why I said do it ASAP!

 

As you've already been told - its most likely they have that in Thailand already. With a 16 year old, they would have to prove that the kid had some special need to be with its mother.  I've seen them ask if there's any close relatives in Thailand and if there is - with no special needs, there's no chance.

For years and years a different (Asian) section of UK society has brought their aunts, uncles, cousins, grandma's etc. into the UK without it seems, much problem. That has now (virtually) been stopped.

OP, don't take it from me. There will be others on this forum that have tried or know someone who has.  I'm presuming that you are fairly new to Thai/UK relationships and matters relating to them?  It can be both hard for you to settle in Thailand and to bring a Thai family to the UK.  If your circumstances were different, i.e. you were the kids father, there would be no problem at all as they'd be entitled to a UK passport.

I can't say that adoption would make it any easier but I did have a mate who adopted his wife's son when he was about 10-12. Although they never had any plans to move to the UK, his adopted son got a UK passport so the adoption may give the same rights. However, I doubt the Thai adoption process is fast so its likely that the 16 year old will be classed as an adult before you get through the process - then you really have no chance.

Basically, the rules state that a dependant child under 18 can be added to a family visa application subject to certain criteria.  However, in practice, the closer a child is to 18, the harder it gets.

I can't give you details or specifics but I can tell you its problematic with older kids.  Hopefully someone else will come along who's had direct experience.  You could also try talking to a specialist UK Immigration lawyer. They's give you the exact script.

There's some information here but its also confusing:

https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/child

1 hour ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  They already have a family life in Thailand 

And that is more or less the line UK Immigration uses.

38 minutes ago, Rich888 said:

The plan is to get married and then apply for a family visa for the wife and children. I meet the financial requirements, and understood this is the main factor, is that not correct?

Well of course you have to meet the financial requirements but as far as the family goes - its like I've already said.  I used to be a member of another forum who's members were mainly Brits with Thai wives, I read a lot on there about people having serious problems gettig older kids a settlement visa for the UK.

3 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

Move them to the UK ASAP and apply. If there is push back, claim discrimination (brown faces - make sure they soak up as much Thai sun as possible) and they will be admitted immediately. Don't dither or delay. Do it now!

 

He will find it impossible to move Thai kids to the UK without an accepted and paid up course.

Even if he was to try and move his wife and kids to the UK, he would have a very hard time getting a visa for the 16 year old.  Even the 13 year old wouldn't be so easy.  UK Immigration don't give a hoot about splitting families up. The older kids are, the harder it gets.

Stick with the international schools in Thailand.

From what I've seen, the level of education at most Thai schools is nowhere near that of the UK. Unless you are confident their's is better, you could be putting your future wife's kids at a real disadvantage sending them to the UK.

1 hour ago, rattlesnake said:

 

No wars started between 2016 and 2020 and that is, of course, a coincidence. I would reassess my interpretative framework if I were you.

But you're not me and I don't support mysoginistic, devisive lunatics.

11 hours ago, charleskerins said:

A time of peace hmmm  tell that to the Ukranian sailors bombed by Putin or how about the israelis and Gazans killed in misslie attacks  or how about the Iranian General killed by us , then the Iranians retaliated, wait what about our soldiers killed in Niger "he knew what he signed up for "    as he mispronounced the widows name.  Syria "a time of peace " ??????? -we engaged in a full scale battle with Russian mercenaries   Kurds abandoned   get outta here with your propaganda   

Just to be clear, it wasn't me who raised the 'time of peace' thing.  I was replying to it.  I know you know that Mr Charles but others may not.

8 hours ago, arick said:

What about all the condominium projects begging for money and then they take your money and they God only knows what they do with it but they sure in the hell don't  build your condo or give you any returns. 

Anybody who buys 'off plan' after years of negative publicity and downright scams, needs a check up from the neck up. No sympathy.

58 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Do not need to install it !

 

I won't even be using it....ever.

Besides, I doubt that 'detector' is 100% foolproof.

I once met a guy that said he could digitally analyse a photo and tell if it had been photoshopped.  So I gave him two photos to check -  both were jpeg's of documents and they were both 'shopped'. He told me one was 'shopped' the other was genuine.

There may well be ways for people far cleverer than me to take a digital photo apart and know how its constructed, I wouldn't have a clue.  However, the photo that he thought was genuine was a photo of 'shopped' photo.  Whatever he was using didn't pick that up.

AI just doesn't interest me in the slightest.  I can see its worth in advancing medicine but very little else. As far as I can see, if its what its cracked up to be, its gonna cost a lot of jobs.

21 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

The Thaiger uses ChatGPT all the time. Not what I would call journalism. Type in some key words into ChatGPT, let AI generate the story, then claim you wrote it. This needs to stop. If ChatGPT is generating the articles then is should be shown as such. Run any The Thaiger article through GPTZero and see the results for yourself.

I wouldn't know how and I don't want to know how. There will be no AI programmes installed on my laptop - ever. 

6 hours ago, brianthainess said:

I thought the best was " The Serene Bay of Pattaya"  Now Serene keeps popping up in many other places that are the complete opposite to Serene.  And then we have very bad Translations. 

Is it the reporting or is it AI???  I quite often see words used that, although technically correct, we never actually use them in the particular context.  Either the reporter's sawllowed a dictionary or its AI.

There are lots of translation centres on and around Mahatun Plaza, Phloen Chit, very close to the BTS station.

57 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Obviously the standard of reporting leaves a lot to be desired... 

Either that or they had a 'delayed reaction' 555

41 minutes ago, twizzian said:

Now we all know why they follow you around the store, because they are bored, single & looking for some bathtub fun!

Don't forget 'desperate'.

6 hours ago, owl sees all said:

The only place where that has happened to me before was in Bansumran Fishing Park. There you could hire a girl for your fishy requirements for your overnight stay. She would put ya bait on and net the fish too. 

Where is this place please? 😁😁😁

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

What women want in their bed is a thuggish brutal man that will beat and abuse them.

Really? I find that what they want is a good f..........

12 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I don't know why, but there's been quite a few Thai women who have flirted with me.

Oh that's easy..................A................T..........M

Joking, take no notice.  I've had them come on to me too, however, these days, I don't kid myself its because of my boyish good looks.  Those one's - I play at their own game.

There are younger Thai women that will genuinely accept an older man, even look for one.  However, and I mean this sincerely, genuine can have a different meaning in Asia. Many girls are taught that one of the things they should be looking for in a partner is financial stability and more often than not, that's easier to find in an older man.

I think though, that left to their own devices and with no need for an finance, 99% of them would choose someone in their own age group or a little older - much the same as Western girls.

I think we just have to ask ourselves - when we were 25, did we find 50-60 year old women attractive?