teddy_bare

The ECO have a bugger of a job and a significant percentage of dud applications from bent punters. When someone goes to the trouble you did one would expect a decent result in the first instance. I am sorry for your situation, but live with it. Passing on a

get stuffed message won't be in your own future visa interest. It isn't long to Christmas.

She was given a visa yesterday. That is one of my points. Technically they have issued a visa on the basis of attending a wedding that has taken place. So they have issued a visa incorrectly according to their own rules.

They also have a problem communicating with the UK immigration, who are sending letters saying they need info to procedure with the appeal and the Bangkok embassy who will have been reveiwing the appeal with a view to reversing the original decision

As for p!ssing off the ECO. not a problem as i don't intend to go to the UK much and they must rotate out of those jobs fairly regularly or get sacked.

What I also find ironic is that they want photos, which to me don't prove much unless they are date stamped. Easy to forge on Photoshop if you wanted or needed. I offered to send or bring in the electionic copies as they have digital date stamping. No response of course.

It all smacks of poor work practises and judgement. I would have been less annoyed if the appeal had went ahead. It would have at least suggested they had the gumption to stand by the decisions. As someone else mentioned, the appeal panel arn't looking to catch ECO out, but my guess is there is a system that does record the amount of reserved decisions against the various ECO.

Maybe they have a league table for the dopest.

My wife's tourist visa was submitted 60 days before the travel date (although these were flexible up to 73 days. The visa was refused after over 42 days with the visa section and was returned 5 days after that. That being the first we knew the visa was refused. My wife appealed four days later after gathering some more photos and recopying the bank statements and more importantly attending to my daughter who was in ICU. The appeal was based mainly on the grounds the ECO had managed to misread the 'reason for visit' clearly stated as to 'attend a wedding and meet my family'. The ECO stated my wife had applied to visit me and refused the visa because they didn't believe she would return! First mistake. I actually live in Thailand and have done for 6 years only returning once to the UK and stating my residency location in the supporting letter, which also indicated we would be travelling together to attend a wedding in the UK. So you managed to misread it at least twice. The ECO also said no bank statements were provided. Mistake number 2. They were handed to the UK Visa staff on application. The ECO also believed our marriage was questionable, despite actually writing in the refusal summery, that they realise family would suffer distrubance by the refusal. Mistake 3.

I took the appeal paperwork to the visa section, and calmy explained my brother's wedding was fixed for the 15th August. 'Could they make an exception and look at this case immediately since the grounds for appeal were mainly to cover the mistakes of the ECO and their ability to comphrend the application and supporting paperwork. I am and was extremely polite given the nature of my request. I was told I might not hear anything back for 2 months. I again, emphatised the importance and urgency. I received a blank look and was given an email address. BTW, I sent 3 emails, my brother also faxed over more information regarding the wedding and also sent them an email, no acknowledgement or answer was every received. So pointless having an address. The visa section doesn't take phone calls either.

The 15th arrived and passed. I travelled and attended the wedding without my wife and child. My family were very disappointed not to see my wife and first baby.

On the 23 August I received a letter from the UK saying I had to resubmit all my paperwork to immigration in the UK. So I guessed the Embassy staff had referred it to the UK for appeal.

Then just last week, my wife receives a call from the embassy saying her visa refusal has been overturned and she could collect the visa.

We collected the visa yesterday. I stayed polite and patient. As they issued the visa, they also handed back all the appeal paperwork.

Patient no more, but still in control of the rage I was feeling.

I politely asked the counter assistant, as she had returned the appeal paperwork and issued the visa was I correct in thinking the appeal wouldn't be heard in the UK? (I knew the answer of course). She said, ' That is correct'. I then asked , 'Since the appeal wasn't being heard, could I assume the ECO mistakes would not been seen by the UK appeals board?' She answered 'That is correct'. I then said, 'So by issuing the Visa the ECO has basically hidden the fact they made multiple mistakes and have managed to hide them? She said 'That is correct'. I thanked her for her honesty although rather naive IMO.

I asked if she could pass on my thanks to the ECO because not only had my wife and daughter missed 'ATENDING A WEDDING AND MEETING MY FAMILY' as stated in the original application, my father had just had a heart attack (and survived BTW). Had the heart attack been any worst he may have never met my wife or first child.

I have every respect for the UK embassy and have been there many times and I have never experienced any issues, but I have never had to deal with the Visa section before.

I understand the role and responsibility of an ECO must be extremely taxing and often stressful. I also guess that many of us have or have had jobs with the same or similar stresses. I am also guessing many people are in jobs above their ability and this leads to bad decision making or give them a false sense of worthfulness. This I can accept, because the UK system has an appeal system in place. What I cannot accept, is that lack of common sense in dealing with an appeal that was fairly straight forward and the reason for appeal was generated by the ECO themselves. The urgency was also relayed to your staff via oral and written communications. Had you accepted your mistake (which you obviously have as you have issued a freaking visa which now doesn't reflect the reason on the application!!!!!!!), in a timely manner, you could have issued it prior to the wedding date. This would have allow my family to meet my wife and first child. Instead, your arrogance and slovenly response has only shown you up as a weak individual who is hiding behind a system designed to help me a customer and a UK national. More damaging to the Embassy is that your mistakes will most probably remain hidden.

Due to work commitments we will have to travel to the UK in December, Oh joy. I hope my father is still alive by then.

I am posting this on a public forum since no answers or acknowledgements are ever returned via the limit mediums you communicate on. Check my other posting, I am not a usual ranter

Please respond.

I was in the embassy at about 13:00hrs yesterday in the Visa section when 4 thais walked in together. One was in a army dress uniform the others in civvies. I noticed they had mobile phones but were not using them yet.

I asked my wife if she knew who they were. She said the 2 younger people were the son and daughter of the VP of Thailand.

So I popped down to the security gate and asked for the supervisor. I told her about the phones. She said it's OK they are VIPs.

I felt so much safer and smaller.

Is this standard embassy secuirty procedure?

Any embassy staff care to comment.

mmm some thing done in Thailand that you'd like to do at home.

I am amazed no one has written

'pull a decent looking bird'

although someone did mention being the center of attention, he'll be one of the hansum men then.

Is Thailand still advertising itself as a democracy? What a joke. But the idea that the cronies who run Thailand have anything to do with democratic rule has always been laughable.

Agreed, it isn't a real democracy here. However, surrendering to a red mob who want to install a latter day Thai Mussolini is another step in the wrong direction.

Leaving the issue of violent demostration out of it, a red shirt would say that Thaksin, the most popular politician in Thailand ever, was removed from office in a coup which was justified by extensive street protests by the yellow shirts and the resulting national instability.

Following the interim appointed military government's year in office, those representing Thaksin were again overwhelmingly voted into office but were not allowed to govern. The democratically elected PM was removed from office for wielding a spatula on TV, which could be called a bit of a stitch-up. There then followed an extraodinary shift in the balance of power when a pro-Thaksin faction crossed the floor to the Democrats who then headed a new coalition government.

If you were a red shirt. one of a huge majority of ordinary poor people who want a government that will have regards to its interests, would you not now be raging mad? Would you not want to demonstrate on the streets? Would you not feel that democracy had been denied to you and that doing what the yellow shorts did before you and doing it better is your only way out.

How sad that Thai politics has come down to a personality cult rather than a debate about contending issues. How ironic that the champion of the poor is one such as Thaksin. How sad that the politician with the strong democratic mandate is not Abhisit.

It's all so very, very sad.

If there's a lesson it's perhaps that (like regime change in Iraq), a coup achieves nothing except increasing strife.

Where can it all go from here?

Andrew

if I understand this correctly, the politicians voted in by the red shirts (for want of a better term) shifted alliances? A grand display of the character of those chosen to represent the people. But then again, they were also tarred with vote buying, a trait displayed by most Thai politicians apparently. Just, in this case, these ones were caught. Hopefully the will ban all canditate/politicians found doing this. Then perhaps my Thai gardener Somchai can be in politics. Oh maybe not, he does not have a degree. Three cheers for demockracy.

Thai politics wont change until the corrupt thinking and power for person gain ethos is eradicated. Can't see that happening soon, but good luck to all involved. It's taken parts of the world more than three hundred years + to get anywhere near fairness for their own people. Once they have it they go and invavde another country. Go figure

Mind you red shirt peaceful demonstration by burning buses, beating up people in side streets and placing gas cylinders with canisters of fuel in the middle of streets, why not just send the snipers, let them hold their rally and dispose of the problem with a lesson in anti terrorism by qualified marksmen! And like the stupidity of the British Army, wearing red won't show the blood when they get shot! That'll work!

Pesky redcoats they conqueror most of the world, how stupid of them

Does it exist?

I am thinking about buying a car, but might go for 2nd hand if I can get something decent.

Say 1 yr old, sold with a warrenty for a year at least.

Is it possible or are all the 2nd hand cars deathtraps?

Anyone who could reccommend a dealer?

Is there a car breakdown service in Thailand, silimar to AA or RAC?

Thanks

You will find little value in buying a second hand car as the going rates are as near to the new car prices, but with less hassle. I have been searching for many years and have yet to find a decent second hand car for a reasonable price. Forget comparing car prices and subsequent deprication to your home country. They overly bouy up the 2nd hand market here to, I suspect, keep the poor from owning too many cars.

I have noticed they are not big on completing servicing schedules and you may find that your dream car has never had a dealership service. Toyotas have a service card that you can get swiped at a Toyota garage, it will tell you of any service history and accidents! Honda still use log books.

2nd hand dealers are apt in stripping down a car completely and throughly cleaning everything to make it look brand new ish, but they often don't put them back together too well, in my experience. they might also chuck a set of alloys on to make it sellable with little regard or understanding of the difference they have made to the safety of the ride.

In frustration I bought a new car. then out of fugalness I bought a 2nd hand one. I miss the first one so much.

It must be the cynic in me but, isn't this a good way to close down your competitors or generate mir noi funds for the BIB

If you don't score at Electrolux Thailand, one of the branches of Amorn will likely be able to help, take the broken one

thanks all will get the wife to look at the web page because it is in thai

Plenty of knobs in payatta if you are down that way

Just take a look at British Farang at Songkran

In Thailand they feel there are no laws meant for them and go beserk

So maybe its not that Thailand is so bad

But that British tourist do not know how to control them selves

so the heading should be

BRITISH TOURIST THE WORST IN THAILAND

This is 100% correct, the brits are always in trouble and they think themselves superior to everyone else. They are rude, crude and socially unacceptable.

but, seriously we are better than most. It comes from stealing half the world many decades back. You can't really complain either, cos we even gave most of it back. India, the middle east, oh and of course the United States. The French helped us a bit with that one.

Hmmm TV can be a bit over the top with the truth (depends how they edit it)... I just hope they don't pull a fast one because it might be quite embarrassing for thailand.

I see nothing wrong with that.Simply being observant,asking why he is filming in such manner.Question was unanswered!!!......Possibility,he was sent over to ask,by his Thai Sergeant......!

We as volunteers receive very little training.acknowledged!

Nothing will be achieved by this attempt to Tarnish a reasonably good reputation.

Volunteers do much more than roaming the streets of Pattaya.

This comment if true, is reflective of the Thai law enforce agencies as a whole, (in my experience).

Its also a bit frighten that untrained individuals are acting (in good faith) as facilitators to Law enforcement.

You stated you have protective equipment, in another post, for self defense. Are you trained in the usage of that? What if you use it a little too much (in self defence) and the chap dies? Is that a 'Som Num Na' to paraphrase?

I think a uniform is probably necessary to ensure you are taken seriously, as I once have a copper stripper who had me well convinced until she whipped up my todger with cream!

The nature of uniform should be non emotive to ensure individuals are not esculating the problems. With the uniform would also go personal appearence. A skin head in the Neo Nazi uniform as seen in the Youtube video sends the wrong signal. As would a Thai copper dressed the same.

Some might also question anyones motives to want to actively work with a corrupt organisation. NGO's want to help people but have strict codes and practices that preclude conclusion with corrupt officials and agencies.

I have travelled throughout the highlands and if you really, really want to get away from it, go to the top where you,ll find a town called Durness,, I could read my book there at 11pm.

Dont go in winter unless you like cold and cold.

The town of Durness is in the county of Sutherland.

Beautiful place at the right time of year

yes, they've had the elecy up there quite a while now.

The internet these days are HORRIBLE, since the last 3 weeks its been so slow! I'm with TRUE and going on sites like facebook and etc take ages, also playing online is very laggy. It seems my connection is jumping up and down. Is anyone else experiencing this?

true connection is notorious for being really slow at peak times , evenings 7-10pm. I dumped them some months ago

I never thought I'd say this but my TOT connection is fine. Supports 3 laptops on a 2MB package. Only slows when someone streams radio.

I suggest that you apply for the Cambodia Visa at the Cambodian Embassy in BKK.

Cost USD 20.- for adults, free for children.

At the border you have to prepare at least THB 200.- for the in and out stamp on the Cambodian side.

I agree, cos they still charge the 1000 baht fee at the border as of the 9th August 2009.

I didnt pay anything after that although I did see some Thais paying the 200 baht at the second counter. I never offered and they (the official) never asked.

I have been flying in from Dubai every 2 months for the last 4 years on a 30 day visa on arrival for 90% of that time. Never once did the airlines or immigration once ask me for proof of a return ticket. I never had one in any case.

Airlines include Emirates, Thai Airways, Royal Jordanian, Qatar, and Gulf Air when I flew from Kuwait.

Only been asked once for a onward ticket when I was embarking at BKK to Dubai as my ticket ended in Dubai. They just wanted to check where I was going after that. Told them Baghdad and once they checked with a supervisor, it was all OK.

Hi,

I am soon to travel to KL and want to book a boutique type hotel. Something on the same lines as The Secret in Singapore.

Any ideas. Nothing much inspiring on google, so looking for local knowledge if it's out there.

OK so I am not alone.

She is 23 years old and most of the family are here already!

I showed her your replies, so looks like I will be needing the extra bedding tonight!!!!!!

Is it just my wife, or are all thais obsessed with owning loads of quilts?

I just came back from the UK to find yet another bedding set. Doreamon this time.

We now have 8 quilts in the house. All totally servicable and in good nick. All the bedrooms have proper beds with mattresses, so extra quilts are not needed as padding.

Another confusion for me is the use of AC set to freezing and then a quilt used? Why not have the AC set to the body temperture and sleep naked. MMMMM I think I have answered my own question there.

Anyone else have this problem?

I would like to have a brief description about how to do a visa run to cambodia via poipet/aranyaprathet. I am interested in the border crossing part : aranyaprathet-poipet and vice versa.

Do you need info on a complete visa run service or are you self driving and need advise of the procedure at the border?

I am just back frome there 3 days ago

Be aware, an old scam used against people without a booked hotel goes like this, if you get a minibus from the airport.

You get the minibus to say 'Patong' at the airport, it stops at the office, just up from Tesco/Lotus on the bypass road, where they ask you to get out as they have to check the ticket (start of scam). They confirm you have no hotel booked, and then tell you it's illegal to take you any further until you have booked a hotel. They can help you of course. You then get a average hotel for an inflated price. For Example, 4500baht per night for a hotel that only normally charges 1800 a night.

There is no such law/requirement to have booked a hotel. i know it sounds obvious, but I have seen customer get scammed on this a few times.

just tell them you want to go to a dive shop and then ask the dive shop staff if they know of any good hotels and discounts. The staff typically speak good english and know all the hotels. They might even get you to go diving

Again, this was an old scam, not sure if it's still in play

Also,

why does it take my thai family 30-40 minutes per person per shower to do what I do in 5-10 minutes max and 15 mins if I am having a shave in the shower.

Are they dirtier? cleaner?

I, of course, have more to wash than most, but still, what are they doing in there?

I agree with this. My wife used to remark how quick I was in the shower. I pointed out it wasn't me being quick its was her being slow (step-daughter even slower). Don't see why it should take more than 5 minutes to have a shower - its not like I work in a coal mine or anything.

Not in a coal mine, but we are getting nearer to the truth.

I notice, my wife at least, scrubs, scrub, scrub her skin alot. Asked why and the theory behind it and thinking I would get a lesson on exfoliating. See said to make her skin more white (or is it whiter?).

So maybe this is the reason.

of course this wont applied to most Thai Visa members as they all married white bangkok ladies with university degrees.

me too of course

Three grown men on a Honda dream and you are calling the Thais crazy?

I would call it ironic humour, but some folks wouldn't get it!

The instructor was a Thai Girl and my mate is a midget, well he is hung like a house fly. <----- (Hint, they last bit was more humour BTW)

Do we include golden showers?

I do wish, I had said that :D

I watched once, just at the bottom of the access road to the Amari Coral Beach hotel in Patong, 6 guys plodding a transformer with a 6 metre bamboo pole. Sparks were flying. This all took place as the heavens had just opened and the rain water was pearling off the pole all over the guys. Wobbling my motorcy to a halt I shouted at them to stop. They did for a moment to smile back at me and then continued with the plodding.

i quickly moved out of the path of the road river that was forming around me.

Me, my mate and our dive instructor only just managed to wobble home on my honda dream.

These thais are crazy

Could it be because it's all true?

As other posters have offered, perhaps over reaction to criticism of foreign and domestic policies that have gone wrong, were ill conceived, have caused misery for millions and death for many in the ME of late. perhaps the war on terror was just a veil for the US government, and many others to eat away at our civil liberties and scare/divide the world.