MangoKorat

Proof consists for example out of : Utility Bill in your Name etc, and all of these I can't show as I don't have a house there anymore. The only thing is I have a passport from that country and that is it. Ps: Last time I was there was 10+ years ago I'm not sure which Embassy that's from or the context it relates to but on the basis that you're a British citizen, I think that statement applies to other nationalities who are legally living in the UK but are not British Passport holders. I've never heard of a British citizen with a British Passport having to show a utility bill or any other proof of residency in order to make a visa application. I also think that will be the case with Thai embassies in other countries.

Well as you know, only bad news sells. People rarely find the need to make details of a good relationship public - you're only likely to hear the 'bad news' stories because 'good news' stories just don't sell. The fact is that there are a significant number of Thai women out there that are only interested in a guy's money. Some of them are also prepared to wait an awful long time to reach their goals and go to great lengths to do so. I know of one woman in the UK who's been with her British husband in the UK for almost 20 years. She hates the weather and still misses home but she knows that she will eventually return to Thailand a relatively rich woman. She works full time in the UK and sends just about every penny of her income back home to her family every month. How many British guys would put up with their British wife doing that? Her husband in the UK is almost at retirement age and in another 10 years and she'll have enough National Insurance contributions to get a full UK pension when she herself reaches retirement age. She also returns to Thailand to 'visit family' for around a month every year and spends most of that time with her Thai husband - who is also looking forward to her eventual permanent return. I doubt that many Thai women would be prepared to go to such lengths and most of the 'bad ones' I've come across or heard about have tried to get as much as they can in the short term. Being a member here and also of a forum aimed at Brits living with their Thai wives in the UK, apart from the relationship above, I can't think of any Thai/UK relationships I know of that have lasted. Just about every English guy I know that married a Thai woman and lived with them in the UK is now divorced. I also know quite a few living in Thailand that are also divorced but such relationships seem to last longer. Whilst the divorce rate for all marriages is quite high, it appears to be much higher between Thai's and foreigners. Quite a few Thai women marry a foreigner whilst maintaining a relationship with a Thai man who they pass off as a 'brother' or 'cousin'. I've been on the receiving end of that scenario so I know it to be true. The lengths that Thai women will go to and the lies they will tell seem to far exceed those of Western women - at least those I've known. Some are experts at 'fleecing' foreigners and can bleed a well meaning but stupid man dry in a very short time. They are helped by the Thai land laws that prevent a foreigner from owning land in Thailand. The dream of retiring into the sunset with a beautiful young woman and building a home together in the Thai countryside quite often ends in disaster. More than a few foreigners have had to return to their home country penniless and virtually homeless after selling up and moving to Thailand to 'live out their dreams'. One of the determining factors of whether or not a Thai/foreign relationship is genuine may well be a large age difference. Whilst age differences are more common in many Asian countries, just ask yourself, as a 30 year old, were you interested in 60 year old women? It can and does happen but possibly not quite as often as some foreigners think. Many Thai/Foreign relationships seem to revolve around money with both wives and their families making constant demands. I knew a guy in Pattaya who was 69 when I last saw him (dead now I believe). His girlfriend was 19 but he was under no illusions that she loved him. I never asked but I'm pretty sure he met her when she was working in a bar. As far as I know, they were not married but living togther and they had an agreement - he took care of her financially and she took care of him (in many ways), when he died she would get his condo. They both knew the score and seemed to be living a good life - nothing wrong with that in my opinion. The stories and scenarios go on and on and yes, they are mostly negative but much of that may be because as I say, good news doesn't sell.

You just can't help yourself can you? You pretend to be making a half sensible post for a change but then include a stupid comment about being able to drink and drive. If your only way of communicating with others is through posting deliberately obnoxious subject matter on little known internet forums, you must live a very sad life Bob, you need help. I'd recommend some therapy.

Ha ha. 100 years ago the big brands had to pay people to walk around with 'Sandwich Boards' hung over them to advertise their products. Now people PAY to wear clothes and footwear with massive logo's on them because of course, we are all impressed by their choices............not!

The very fact that the OP has to ask his question shows how ridiculous ownership of such items is. What's the point if you have to worry about wearing one? Nobody in Thailand will be impressed by your watch - given that Bangkok is well known for fakes, you will almost certainly be safe as most people will just think you're one of the mugs that bought one. From a personal point of view, I can't ever remember noticing if anyone is even wearing a watch, let alone one with a price tag that only a fool would pay. Its just not something I take notice of. Those who do notice are probably like minded fools. To me, people who wear Rolex watches are much the same as those who wear massive gold chains or teenagers who drive around with their car windows open thinking everyone's impressed by their choice of music.

Correct. Those who create the pollution and those who turn a blind eye (probably paid to) should be locked up.

You know very well what his involvement was.

Stuff your links. If you know anything at all about Thailand, you will know what his anti drug policy lead to.

You forgot to mention the murder of low level drug dealers, the rampant buying of votes - especially in Isaan and the fact that he enabled thousands of farmers to take out loans, loans that many of them are still struggling to pay back. That policy baffled many as he also introduced it alongside a debt suspension programme. Srettha's government appears to be doing something similar but from what I understand of it, this time farmer's ability to repay any new loans is being checked.

Election? Of Senators? These would be the same Senators that decide who can be in power regardless of who wins a General Election would they? I'd suggest the make up of the Senate was decided long ago - and not by any election. We wouldn't want the Thai electorate getting any ideas about having a real democracy would we.

Checking the tracking is not something I've even seen as part of a servicing schedule. However, checking the tyre condition certainly is. The garage should have reported the tyre condition and what it suspects the reason for the irregular wear may be. But yes, you should have also noticed it when you do your weekly check..................you know, the one we all do 😁.

Yes, and grip in the wet is why I use them. I'd rather save my life than a couple of thousand kilometers.

Jeez, my girlfriend must be correct - I drive too fast 😁. I presume you're talking about KM not miles - in which case I rarely get close to 30k out my fronts. Mind you, after some pretty bad aquaplaning in Thailand, I tend to soft compound wet tyres. Anyone looking for the same? I can thoroughly recommend Uniroyal Rainsport 5's.

Because, disregarding legal limits which in my opinion are rarely safe in the wet - a pair of tyres that are close to the limit on the front will often do another few thousand miles on the back. A lot depends on driving style, if you're a hard driver then that wouldn't be sensible. If the OP has to pay someone to swap them, it may not be worth his while. The above only applies to a front wheel drive.

It all depends on the condition of the existing rear tyres, your driving style and whether your car is front or rear wheel drive. On the basis that its a front wheel drive - if your existing rear tyres are good, you might extend your overall tyre life by swapping the rears to the front and putting the new ones on the back. It used to be that when you swapped them you should do them diagonally but as most quality tyres are directional these days, that would be the wrong way to go. To be honest, there's not much in it - prior to directional tyres I swapped them all the time, I don't these days. As someone's already pointed out, the better the tread depth, the better the water dispersal and its rainy season.

I'll give you 2 pieces of advice: 1. Answer the questions asked by Tod Daniels so that people can understand your situation. 2. Do not come to Thailand looking for a wife. Spend some time on your own, learn about the country and its ways but especially learn about the Thai women that have only one interest - your bank balance. That is not to say that all Thai women are that way but a sizeable proportion of those looking for a foreign husband will bleed you dry, make your life a misery. Meet one of those and you'll end up alone and back in your home country penniless within a very short time.

Given the recent addition of new and proposed long term visas for 'digital nomads' etc, this is a problem that the Thai authorities should have dealt with already but will they? I very much doubt they will ever allow a 'self employed' work permit - the floodgates would open. For the moment, if you are tax resident, as long as you pay tax on any income remitted to Thailand, I don't think you will have a problem. When you sit at your computer dealing with your online income source, technically you are working but the Thai authorities seem happy to leave it as a grey area. I really can't see you having a problem as long as you keep your tax affairs in order. If the matter worries you, then your only option currently would be to set up a Thai company, obtain a work permit on the back of that and do whatever your online work is, through that company. The problem then though, would be the requirement to have a set number of Thai employees in order to qualify for a work permit. You could use 'ghost employees' but you would need to pay social security for them. Much easier to leave it as a 'grey area' and just pay your taxes.

I might just see if I can by a white gloss sliding wardrobe door kit, they are available in the UK but I haven't looked in Thailand yet. That would be a far easier solution.

So legally, the PEA have no right to demand an approved installer? No chance of any 'ghost' exporting using that type of switch?

Thinking about this, suppose I removed any chance of feeding back into the grid by completely separating the 2 systems using some form of double pole switch so both live and neutral were switched. What business would it be of the PEA's? How could they demand that my system/installation was approved? I seem to remember having such a switch once on something else but a much lower amperage. I know such switches (automatic) are available for generators etc. but not sure if they are double pole. Edit: Something like this - Listed as a 2 pole 40amp changeover switch.

Cheers. I have a 'tame' PEA electrician - I'll have a word with him. Hopefully he'll sort it. A bottle of Black Label can work wonders.

So are we saying the above is now incorrect? You can't just buy approved equipment?

I'll talk to my 'pet' PEA guy.

Yes, I guess if I build a good carcass it doesn't need to be 18-20mm. Plus batten the doors as you suggest.

Right, that shouldn't be a problem. As far as I know, if you are exporting, the system has to be installed by an 'approved' installer. I thought the poster was refering to something like that.