coventry

Thanks for being honest 'apetley'.

Let's see, you don't have any money, and your GF is uneducated. It looks as though this poor school dropout is going to give you a PHd in "being a chump".

Nice one 'hhgz', but I think the OP already knows that. He's just hoping we're all going to say "yes get married, all will be okay, you're doing the right thing. Good luck".

You have all heard the horror stories and complaints associated with that dual pricing in Thailand. You know, the one that says you get screwed if you are white, falang, or anyone other than Thai. How is this for a twist. I won't name the town for fear of a stampede or reprisals.

I needed my Thai drivers license renewed and my Thai wife needed her first lisence for a motobike. She went to a local clinic alone and received the documentation of her good heath as required. She was not examined. The fee charged was 200 baht. A goodly sum for Esaan, but no surprise.

The next day I went there. It was crowded and hot so I passed on it till later. Two days later the same thing so I sought anoher clinic. I found one a few blocks away that had but one other customer. I filled out the questionaire. Waited for ten minutes and then the nurse took me to see the doctor. He checked my blood pressure, my pulse, and my heart and lungs. He said you are Ok and signed the document. The check bin was prepared and submitted to me for payment. The charges, the entire charges, everything was a whopping 15 baht, that's right FIFTEEN BAHT.

So you see, sometimes honesty prevails and the good people of Esaan mistreat their own and conversely give a falang a break.

bella

'Bellagrego' Your wife is the only one that has has been charged the highest fee. She's Thai, therefore she should have paid the lower fee. Now don't take me wrong, as it's only a small amount, but in your opening statement you say "You've heard of all the horror stories". Yes I have ie, where the wife tells the farang a price that's well inflated but keeps the difference. Do you see where I'm coming from ? Sorry but I don't buy the story that is being told.

Good effort Glegalo. A firm statement followed up with at least 10 spelling or grammatical errors

'Chaimai', I think you're being a little harsh on someone who, obviously, English isn't their first language. Shame on you.

Only joking. I've been wanting to say that about many English speakers/writers on 'Thai Visa' over the years. 'Glegalo' we know what you mean.

I have a Dell 640m laptop. My keyboard failed and i needed to replace it.After being given the run around for half a day.I ended up at the Complex in Udon.

Second floor computer repair shop.previous quotes ranged from Baht 1000-1700.

I spoke to a Thai chap whose English was good enough to communicate my needs.Price Baht 900......delivery one week.

When i went back,he fitted the new keyboard.Gave me a refund of 400 baht,said to me,got one on special......chok dee krap.

I will be back,great experience!!!!

Sorry to say but in my years of living in Isaan I can't speak good of the people. I can honestly say that behind every forced smile is a scam waiting to take place.

I just banged 'bangkokdvd' into my computer and I got a warning come up on the screen saying "Visiting this web site may harm your computer". Enough said.

She works in a bank and offers credit cards, in other words she works by phone ....

She got through high school but dropped out of college. I seen some pay less for a woman who does not have a degree... But I know what you read from the net is not always right, you know. Some things say one thing and other say completely different... Im getting close to talking to them about the hole ordeal and a set price So im just here to dot my I's and cross my T's... And no about the kids. she is from the country side in Khon Kaen Thai. she is no bar girl or even close she a county bumkin and raised very proper.

I'm sorry to say 'Ricksomchai', but if she was marry a Thai they wouldn't be asking the sum they are. If you're going to pay, then find out locally what the going rate for a Thai would be and pay that, if it eases your concience. Just cause you're a farang doesn't mean you're wealthy. You mention Sin Sot but never mention Baht gold. Has any been asked of ? I live in the sticks and my B.I.L paid 30,000 Baht and 1 Baht gold, if that helps.

Checked. Confirmed. Was there today and told a small office will be opened in Chong Jom for 90 day reporting. Visa renewals, etc. to be handled in Korat.

If that is correct then that means there will definately be no 90 day report by post for ex Kap Cheong users and Korat expats. I can't see them having 2 sets of rules for the one office, But there again, this is Thai immigration we're dealing with. One step forward, 2 steps back.

I'm in the Cooperative bank and they charge 0.25% of the sum transfered, minimum charge 13GBP - maximum 35GBP, plus a 9GBP agents fee. Why an agents fee I do not know. Usually takes 4 working days. How much does Bangkok bank charge for the transfer ? Not known as they will not tell you.

She works in a bank.

One question -

Do people from different regions of Thailand has different practices regarding sin sod?

Nope.

Hey all i have not been on in some time but wanted to ask? My gf and I want to get married sounds nice huh however for a Dowry her family ask for $15,000 USD .... hmmm I dont want to pay this will take a lifetime to get and she has not even finished school!!! Well she droped out really. so Im asking what is too much and what is right? what would you give out.....?

"My gfand I want to get married sounds nice huh". No not really.

"her family ask for $15,000". Why in US Dollars and not Thai Baht. Are they Cambodian ?

"I dont want to pay this". You've already decided on what you want to do, so why ask ?

"What is too much".Anything that is being asked of, in my opinion.

"What is right". That is a tough one. That one you can decide on.

"What would you give out". Nothing. As someone stated, she and her family, stand to gain by just being married to you, in one way or the other.

And would you still be so happy to drive not 15 minutes but 3 hours, thats right 3 hours to do a 90 day report. And then 3 hours to get home possibly on the same day but the next day if they need to keep your documents overnight?

It has been reported that our local office in Kap Choeng is being closed as of October 1 and we now need to travel to Korat to do the 90 day reporting which to say the least is very inconvenient and costly. Very happy for you and others if your local office is close by but there are others around this beautiful country that are not so fortunate.

Our only hope is that eventually they accept 90 day reports by post which would be great. This change affects many farang in this area.

Previously we travelled to Chong chom which is 70 minutes by bus one way which was not so bad but this latest change is annoying but as previously noted necessary to keep a check on the inmates, sorry I mean foreigners.

I'm one of those that will now have to go to Korat for his 'extention of stay', plus do the 90 day report. Korat currently allows TM47 reporting by post, whereas Kap Cheong didn't/doesn't. Has anyone been inform, or knows, if Korat will cease the report by post in line with the Kap Cheong office amalgamating with them as of 1st October ?

Don't forget, no paper to be put in the loo, western or Thai. Paper to be disposed of in the receptical provided.

An answer to my own post.

Korat Passport office no. is 0044243132.

Open 0800-1600 Monday to Friday.

Only one zero on the front of the number, not 2. Not a complaint just an observation.

Well, I had the same email problem, especially when using yahoo and this was on a brand new computer. My software was not authentic; it was pirated and installed by a shop at Pantip Plaza. The email problem was the first thing I noticed when things started to go so bad I had to take it back within a week. I got really heated up and to make a long story short they gave me a new computer with authentic software from the manufacturer. I have not had that email problem since. So, my question to the OP is, how do you know if your software is genuine? Because if it's not, you might be headed for worse problems, believe me. It sounds very much like you have the same problem I had and it damaged my hard drive.

As I wrote before, when starting my computer it sometimes doesn't recognise the keyboard, and is correctable by unplugging and reinserting it in another port. Another problem I get is that a few times my computer won't play sound. I managed to sort that by rebooting whilst depressing the F8 key.

I did read, on the web, that all these problems can be caused by my memory cards, computer having 2, being incompatible with each other being the problem ? Or did I misread things ?

Russ,

Go buy some Isaan beer and chill out.

I agree in that he says he got a receipt but what he's asking is 'is the receipt genuine, because the amount of the fine wasn't inserted ?' So on that basis, was he being ripped off ?

It is only a few years since disabled children were denied an education........

Unbelievable..what some people will resort to.

A stupid and desperate act.

PS. I have not reached his limit yet.

I don't think it's a question of whether the fine was correct, but legal ? Whenever you pay out monies you always should receive a receipt. The OP didn't, so he throws out the question 'was I done ?' Simple ain't it ? Now I'm ridiculing the people that don't understand the question. My apologies. Now I'm being a hypocrite.

the good news is, the staff there will transfer to Korat...

I was informed today that the Kap Cheong office is to close at the end of this month. They said they were moving to Korat but haven't found suitable offices as yet. I didn't get round to asking if that meant there would be 2 immigration offices ? A thing that wouldn't surprise me.

When I write Emails I run nothing else, full stop. I know zilch about computers and I don't do all the fancy stuff that all you guys do. I don't even know how to copy and paste. By the way my computer isn't a laptop.

Maybe telling you this may help. Sometimes when switching on my computer my keyboard doesn't come on. So I have to unplug it and reinsert it into a different port before it'll work.

Thanks to all posters, but I'm still getting the slowdown/freezing after deleting AVG. My next step will be to delete SKYPE even though I'm sure it was happening before I installed it