oxymoron

+1 and has shown this by his list of requirements.

australia too ?

Yep cos we are in the (mostly insignificant remote islands) group. Since we are not bankrupt yet like those on they other side in Europe

If I was in Thailand the Samsung Galaxy Duos GT S 6102 is the pick. 3G on both SIM, wifi Hotspot (so can use one SIM on 3G for this), longest talk time, screen about the same size as others and its a Samsung. We have Galaxy S and S2 they are reliable and good touch screens.

Just remember it only supports 3G on the first SIM slot. The second SIM only works for GSM. ( read first paragraph of description carefully)

Looks very similar to the Alcatel 918D I have just bought my wife in Aust, cost $AUD 100. Works brilliantly as good if not better than my iPhone 3, has voice dictation for her to compose text messages, saves trying to type in English

The reason for having this is related to real estate so must have a thai name/ID/Passport.

Rubbish!!! to own land in Thailand a Thai only needs a Thai ID and asssociated Tabien Baan. My wife has done this for the last twenty years, she has never been allowed by me to have a Thai Passport since obtaining Australian Citizenship. She and our kids travel on Australian Passports and pay visa fees when staying at our home if more than 30 days.

The "real reason" is she was trying to avoid paying a fee for a visa if staying more than 30 days on an Australian Passport. A trap many Thai's are falling into, by shuffling passports, since airport and airline security measures have been upgraded.

Not mathematically correct, CBA charges $AUD22 fee.Bangkok Bank 250Baht international fee plus 50Baht Telex Bangkok to any province.

Any of the big 4 banks in Australia and particularly CBA do not deal direct with Thai banks anymore, so you do not get the FOREX cross rate. They transfer to Citibank Bangkok where the cross rate for "Thai Cental Bank" is used then they charge afee to move it to your Thai bank in Bangkok.

On $AUD10,000 I got a cross rate of 0.82 Baht less than Bangkok Bank cross rate, thats how I found these little tricks out after a complaint to HO Forex Manager Bangkok as I believed in the myth about transferring a $AUD rather than using CBA Baht cross rate.

Now all money comes as cash goes to S&K Money Changer in Loh Kroh road then to Bangkok Bank Taphae Road. Only way to jump over the sharks.

Labour costs in Chiangmai/Maeon area are still 250 Baht /day for skilled block layer, renderer. That's the least of your worries my fences 15 years ago, retaining 1m and 1.8m above ground level cost 1000 Baht per meter and thats when 'din blocks were 2 Baht each and 'poon,cement 95Baht a 40Kg bag, cannot remember cost of 'sam hun,3/8 inch steel used. But bought some 4x2 "C section" steel last month and it was over 4x what I paid for that used in the house 15 Years ago.

If retaining use concrete 200mm thick to the ground level and then blocks, NOT the thai way of "din blocks" in the 2metre panels, they bow out after a few years.

Had the so called TURP in 2003. No drama 3 days in a Perth Aust Hospital. Takes about 3 weeks to recover though as still psssing blood. Doctors give a 10 year guarantee. 9 years up PSA up to 4.5 prostate grown to 62mm, no problems though and no worries as Hollywood Hospital Perth WA do the same thing with a "Green Lazer" as a day surgery. A mate had it said 12Hrs all over Red Rover good for another 10-12 years. That should see me out.

Car part shop, in basement of Kad Suan Keaw (spelling) shopping centre. Where they park motor cycles, opposite taxi pick up stand. From memory they can make anything you want. Used them to "tart up " our AE86 Sprinter.

SWMB Obeyed and her mates from Perth go to BangNa Diamonds 027456768. Last one looks nice and she assures me it was not expensive, compared to what I have paid for her Ozz stuff I agree.

I agree with whimsy, NORTH WHEELS is a good company, i rented from them in August - very good - no probs. Would definitely rent from them again.

http://www.journeycn...php?carrental=1

I recommend these people.at the Thappae Gate end of Thappae Road,just round the corner from Art Cafe. Neat website. Competent sevice. Will deliver to Airport. Take care to thoroughly check any marks on the car and make sure you know who to ring in case of accident. They are cheaper than North Wheels but just as professional.They will need a copy of your Passport as well as your Driving Licence.

You will need Driving Licence plus International Driving Permit for any one who intends to be in control of the car. You need to amend their standard Hire Agreements generally if you want your wife to drive also. They all require 10,000 Baht security deposit which they debit from you credit card and refund it if they are happy with the vehicle condition on return.

After using the companies recommended and POP I now use Car Rental located in the foyer of the Montri Hotel at Thapae Gate.

Girl is the most professional Cars are immaculately clean (compared with others) service is brilliant.

In March we had a 7 seat Toyota Avensis, 2 years old but looked like it had just left the show room, not good to drive compared to the new Honda City but needed the seats as the kids came home for 2 weeks.

Maybe i haven't made myself clear or i don't fully understand. My 1 years non O visa is going to expire on the 14th. Not the 3 month run but the whole visa period itself is due to expire. I need to stay a little longer until my non B is dealt with. As my visa ends on the 14th do i get an extension, or do i apply for a new tourist in the meantime.?

CCCP

If you have a 12 month multi entry non "O" visa you can actually get nearly 15 months. If you do a border run on the 11th-13th of this month , just as you have been doing every three months in the past, you will get 90 day entry permit just as you have been given previously. But thats it. If you go after the 14th you may get a 30 day entry dependent on your nationality.

Hi. I'm in the process of checking out the Australian Migration Visa for my Thai husband. I've just come across something that says that a marriage certificate is not enough evidence of marriage...

What to Provide with your Spouse Visa Application

When you lodge your application, you must provide: a certified copy of the registry extract showing details of your marriage.

Note: the department does not consider the decorative marriage certificate as acceptable evidence of marriage. You will need to contact the relevant registering authority in Australia or overseas to request a registery extract.

<deleted>? This is Thailand and we got married in an office that had never married a farang to a Thai before, I don't think it's likely they're going to have any clue what to do about this.

For those that have completed this process, is this for real or will the certificate do? We're currently staying in Bangkok so that's another reason I'm not so keen to have to go 800km back to the registry office. Please help, advise or give me your stories of Aussie migration (or point me to a good link!). Thanks so much in advance

In addition - who do I get to certify copies of everything?

RF I think you may be getting uptight over a communication problem in what the Australian Legal system calls a Marriage Cert and what other countries see.

I found this out in Oz after 2x 20year marriages that the paper (Certificate) issued First time by a Priest and second by a marriage celebrant was only worth toilet paper ( a fact very few Australians are aware of) when sorting out something in Thailand for my Thai wife.

In Australia you must go to the Registrar of Hatched Dispatched and currently incarcerated, pay your $70 and get a registration of marriage document. This has the date and location the marriage was registered. eg Registered on xx date at Perth WA Australia and a file registration number.

So if your Thai Marriage Certificate was provided by the Amphur and it is the same as my TW got 25+ years ago it will state registered at Amphur Office ,District of, in the province of, on date xx, Thailand, and is fully acceptable to the Australian Government as was hers and her registered divorce at the same Amphur.

As you are in Bangkok why not just ask the embassy before you submit the application.

I never forgo the opportunity to fill up if I'm over 1/4 down and in the boonies. In town, I'll drive till 1/4 full.

I have not really used a fuel guage for nearly 50 years and neither do any of my family. Every vehicle has a log so after a month or two we know how many litres per 100 km it uses ( plenty of other threads on the methods of obtaining this ). WE know the fuel tank capacity so we know the range.

So we refuel in accord with the TRIP meter.

eg my old Mercedes 500km with 50 km safety

wifes new Holden Vectra V6 450 Km (always has climate control a/c on. etc

Must admit they do help in telling you you have "holed your tank" which I have done more than once in the bush.

I remember the advice of a comedian who was constantly interrupted by the non-stop chatter of the person next to him. He pulled out a piece of aluminium foil, fashioned a hat out of it, and sadi that the hat protected him from the government's thought police. The guy next to him was quiet for the rest of the trip.

Reminds me of my old State Manager when returning from Sydney to Perth on a plane with him the woman across the aisle had 3 very unruly kids that were running riot and she doing nothing about it. After about an hour of this he lent towards the aisle and in his extremely statesman like voice asked her. " my dear would you mind asking your children to play outside ?"

Thanks Graham, but I may have phrased the question not clearly.

What I am referring to is the fact that a males OAP, which let's say he qualifies on all counts, like residency, income & assets, seems on the advice of some members to be reduced somewhat if he marries a lady who is "deemed" to be able to work.

So assuming they are both alive and kicking, 'MR' is penalised, no matter how well he scores on all other fronts to be eligible.

So basically the question is; Can the Australian Government require 'MRS' to have an income to help support 'MR' whether on our own soil or overseas? Of course in most cases which we discuss here, having a younger wife.

Yes why not !!!! Women have been fighting for equality for years, and bitching about how male oriented the world is. Now from C...L point of view we have a non sexist policy. From the guys point of view if you want easy money you do not have to be married or cohabit with a partner.

it has been known that fathers travelling alone do get stopped & questioned as to the relationship with the child they are with but they have no rights afaik to prevent travel. I am sure a copy of the birth certificate would clear up any questions.

There may be other implications to taking the child abroad without gaining sole custody but that is another issue entirely.

I would suggest that if a lone parent is challenged when leaving Thailand with a child (and it is correct fathers have been challenged) it is when a parent with a foreign passport exits Thailand with a child on a Thai passport.

Provided a child with a foreign passport is not contravening Thai immigration law the Thai authorities have no power to prevent them leaving, that may not be the case if the child was travelling on a Thai passport.

Very very true. Happened to my wife 20 years ago in getting her own kid out of Thailand

I married three years ago and told my prospective wife (previously married, 1 child) that I would not pay the dowry and would not spring for a big village wedding. I would take care of her in other ways.

She is now sporting ten baht in gold and we have just finished our house up-country on nearly two rai. House cost 2.2 mil.

I did sponsor the tamboon for the new house so the villagers will learn what a catch she made.

Dangerous time for you - house just finished - I hope you don't have life insurance!

Yep Neeranam he violated your 5 year rule.

No worries. Wife spoke to them yesterday. She will sort it. No rush. Runs out April.

he mate,

did they say you could do it in Sydney at the Thai consulate there, or is it necessary to go to Canberra? I know my cousin who lives in Melbourne hand to go up to Canberra recently to get hers done as the consulate in Melbourne didn't have the equipment.

Sydney has got its own camera for epassports.

All of the above just typical Thai inefficiency and lack of ability to think beyond the robotic programme.

I just got the latest Australian electronic passport, the process is still the same for the customer as has been for the last 30 years 'polaroid photos at the Post Office etc etc'. All the electronic jiggery pokery must be done using scanners or other techniques at the passport issue department. 7 days later received by registered mail new Passport with Holiograph picture and centre page a smart card chip. But TIA

Thanks for the link, david96.

I'm married (TW) with a 7y/o son (Oz citizen).

If I'm reading the info. on that link correctly:

I could have an income of up to A$ 6,000 p/a or assets of up to A$ 357,500 and receive the full AP.

I could earn less than A$ 60,000 p/a or have assets less than A$ 960,500 and receive part AP.

I would need to return to Oz and become a resident.

My wife would probably need to sell our family house, and the house her family live in here in Thailand, for us to prove residency in Oz.

While it is good to know that the 'safety net' is there if things go tits-up here, the above does not sound attractive, especially when you consider the cost of living in Oz compared to that of Thailand.

If you own a property in Australia that is non income earning and you live there it is not part of your assets as far as a pension is concerned. If you were to rent it out it would become an income producing asset. I would get the opinion of a chartered accountant in Australia regarding any Thai property that your wife owns, they would give you the correct advice.

The first point is not exactly right, 'The property you own and in which you reside is not assessable for either the income or assets test.

Do not bother with Accountants in Australia when it comes to Centrelink they do not know shiiite from clay. The only authorative person is the Centrelink Case Officer.

Be prepared to fill in a book as big as Tolstoy's War and Peace and divulge every aspect of your life if you want a Health Card or OAP.

All assets Real "as defined by the law of Torts" and cash anywhere in the world must be declared, if you do not want to commit fraud when you sign Centrelink Documents.

Sorry, their website says it is closed .

Looks like someone is going to have to swing by.

Nobody needs to swing by.

It says the Queen victoria website is closed. Website. Get it!!!

I and Austhaied have both told you within the last 2 days that it is open. What does that suggest? (winker).

No need to get stroppy when you have been here (online) since 2004 with over 7000 posts as UG has you may have the priviledge of using the third person when referring to "oneself"

I didn't mean online banking actually. Lets say that I want to buy something from amazon.com or if I need to pay my hosting and I would like to pay this using my debit card, which Thai bank offers a debit card which allows for me to purchase things online.

Do not really know, it is called a Visa Account we use it at the ATM and often pay a Restruant bill or some thing around Chiangmai. As it does not have access to credit I was always been suprised that it is a VISA card as to me it was more like EFTPOS that we used in Australia.

Now I note Australian Banks are offering the same product, as it allows people with poor credit ratings to buy stuff on line using the EFTPOS principles.

Check your card to see if it has VISA or Mastercard on it. If so give it a try, only thing that can happen is the online site 'says invalid card' Otherwise check Bank of Ayudhya out we use the Sankamphaeng Branch, very very helpful staff.

I have a bank account with SCB with a ATM Visa Debit card but I cant seem to use it to pay anything online. I had a ATM visa debit card from a European bank in the past which I could use to buy things online. Does anyone know of a Thai bank whose regular bank card you can use to pay things with on the internet?

I have one with Bank of Ayudhya and can pay my True Account and a couple of others only. I have noticed 'online banking' in LOS is no where as sophisticated as in Australia, partcularly in the flexibility of paying accounts online.

try tawan court

www.tawancourt.com

Great little Spot 6months ago 600 Baht a night. 2 min Walk to Pornping Hotel for a Disco or pay 130 Baht for breakfast ticket for one of the best 'Buffet" breakfast in Chiangmai.

Phone Tawan Court 053 284213

You should have called the “Tourist Police” immediately and refused to talk or move until they arrived.

And while you are waiting for them??????????????????????????????

Been there done that.