Guemlum

Lee, there's a massage shop in Nongkhai called "Healthy Garden", just by the Thasadej market. They are without a doubt the best masseurs/masseuses in NK, and I'm sure they could help out your GF with any questions she has.

From previous conversations I've had with them, most massage shops will give your GF on-site training but the real qualification "that matters", is from Wat Po in Bangkok.

Saying this, most Thais that I speak to about the subject of massage tell me that standards have slipped over the years at a certain well known school in Bangkok, ensuring that the true methods of teaching Thai massage will diminish in time. Its just a name, they tell me!!

Guemlum

My gf arrived at Heathrow yesterday evening and was through in 45 mins. In fact, I was still stuck in traffic on the M25 when she called to ask where I was.

She was asked minimal questions which were asked by an English lady IO who was very polite and helpful. These were:

1. Why she was visiting England.

2. Where she was staying in England

3. How long she was staying for

4. Was anybody waiting to greet her.

5. What her job in Thailand was.

All in all, for her first visit to England, I'd say she had a pleasant and hastle free arrival.

Guemlum

My sentiments as well as I'm a Man Utd supporter. Had we been playing the scousers, I'm sure we would have another piece of silverware for our cupboard

Guemlum

Just saw you post Giruz and wanted to congratulate you both. I know how you must feel as I felt the same when my gf was granted a tourist visa. I'm sure that scouse's help made for a smooth process.

Guemlum

Blimey, I thought it might have been "Thaicoon" for a moment, untill i scrolled further down and it revealed a name. He should have eaten the scorpion...it would have saved walking to that mango tree every so often. Shocking story if true though. It does happen.

Guemlum

The other thing I should have mentioned was budget. If you have a budget that you want to stick to and its got to be cheap then I would definately consider either Etihad or Qatar.

Various discussions on who is best and cheapest to fly with are always popping up on this forum.

I fly from the UK to Thailand on average 4 times per year and Etihad and Qatar have never been beaten on price. On average I pay about £400-£450 max for a return flight which does include a short (1hr 45 mins) stopover. When enquiring about flights with Eva or even Thai Airways, the price always comes up around the £600-£700 region (for a direct). Eva always advertise their prices on their website without the taxes, which looks great but then when you confirm and go to the next page it is added, bumping up the price. For the sake of saving a few hundred pounds, I dont mind the short stop-over in the middle east. The money saved is well spent in Thailand.

The recent flight I purchased for my gf to visit the uk cost me £430 and no other airline could beat this price at the time.

IMO, I also find the service, entertainment, food etc, with Etihad and Qatar, far better than that with Thai Airways or Eva.

One more thing, If your wife is nervous about flying or connecting with another flight, then Etihad can arrange a "meet and greet" service, FREE OF CHARGE. I have arranged this for my gf and she will be met at Suvarnabhumi airport and taken to her departure gate and then will be met in Abu Dhabi and taken to her conecting flight to the UK. She will also be met at Heathrow and taken to passport control. This service will also be used on her return flight to Thailand. If available, you can request a meet and greet using a Thai national.

Good luck Simba

Guemlum

Hi Simba, my GF is flying into Heathrow from Thailand next Friday 8th June and will be flying with Etihad. She will be stopping in Abu Dhabi and then connecting with another flight to Heathrow.

If it is just a case of connecting with another flight in either Doha using Qatar Airlines or Abu Dhabi using Etihad Airways then a transit visa isnt neccessary. In fact, correct me if I'm wrong but I dont think such a thing exists?. I understood that the whole idea of being in transit was that you were in the equivelent of "no mans land" , and that unless you were to stay for a period of time in that country, a visa was not required.

If she is in transit for 8hrs or more and will be put up in a hotel by the airline, then some kind of visa may be neccessary.

I had a stopover myself in Abu Dhabi recently and had to stay in a hotel. I was issued a stamp in my passport which entitled me to stay for a period of 30 days. I'm not sure if the same applies to Thai nationals, but I shouldnt see any reason why not.

I can only reply using my own personal experiences. I hope this helps.

Guemlum

Keep us posted as to the outcome giruz. Its a topic that I asked a question on a while back and am considering this visa at a later date should the gf's little holiday over here go according to plan, so I'd be interested as to the outcome and any advice or tips you can give on the process.

Alternatively, I could hire the services of the "scouse" as I heard he accepts payment in beer

Guemlum

I've flown a couple of time with Qatar and am now a frequent flyer with Etihad. I could go on forever about the plus points with Etihad, as they offer a truly superb service.

However Qatar slightly beat Etihad and are one of the five airlines given a 5 star rating by Skytrax. Visit this site if you want to know everything about these and other airlines...

www.airlinequality.com

Personally, I would fly Etihad every time. The last time I flew with them, I had an 8hr transit stop in Abu Dhabi. They put me up in a superb hotel and had personal Mercedes limo take me and pick me up from the hotel, and all paid for by Etihad.

Guemlum

Cheers eddie, I remember the post as I left a message of congratulations. We aslo found Robs post very helpful in putting together our application for a tourist visa, which we have since been sucessful with. The mrs will be coming to the UK in June.

I'm just trying to explore all the options available to us at the moment, should she decide that she likes the UK, and wants to come again. We may end up applying for another tourist visa, but we dont want to rock the boat just yet by going straight for the settlement. We also dont want to get married just to support a settlement application. In our eyes, this would be wrong. So I noticed that the unmarried partner visa was available, but after receiving several replys about having had to have spent 2 years together permanently, I dont see how this is possible.

Anyway, we'll get the holiday over with first come June, and then move onto the next step once she returns to Thailand. Thanks for your post.

Guemlum.

Hi scouser, thanks for that info. My g/f and I will have been in a relationship for 2 years come June. We can provide evidence of this as we have recently done so in order to obtain the recent succesful tourist visa. But we have not lived together for those two years. 6 months together at first followed by several visits. Is it vital for us to have lived together for those 2 years? or is maintaining a relationship in the way we do, considered? Thanks

Guemlum

Sorry cdnvic, I was assuming that a few of the regulars knew where I was from, however it does give a little clue under my username (Herts, UK), but just for the record, ENGLAND.

Guemlum

I've noticed that one of the available visa's incorporating the same entitlements as a settlement visa is that of an "unmarried partner visa".

Has anyone ever applied for one of these and been sucessfull, or know of the acceptance rate for this kind of visa over that of the settlement visa.

Guemlum

Thanks for the invite guys. I'd be more than happy to come, if someone would like to pay for my flight from Blighty . I'll even bring the missus.

PM the flight itinerary to me once booked.

Guemlum

Some of you regulars who know Thaicoon, both here and over in Thailand, might want to join me in wishing Thaicoon a very happy birthday.

So put on ur wellies, lock up the sheep and sing along in your best Tom Jones accent...

Cough, cough....

Penblwydd Hapus i Chi

Penblwydd Hapus i Chi

Penblwydd Hapus Thaicoon!!

Penblwydd Hapus i Chi

Hope you had a good day mate, and a few beers .

Guemlum

Well I dont know about you but I was enjoying those sweet little poems

Guemlum

I personally think that if you want to meet a Thai lady, you should spend some time in the country first, trying to build and establish a relationship. As cdnvic says, its better to browse in person.

People that decide they want to find a partner via one of these agencys are asking for all kinds of unknown and unforeseen problems. Some folks would say "Som nam na".... In saying that, I'm sorry if anyone has been affected in this manner. Try coming to Thailand first and meet someone in the good old fashioned way. At the same time, you will get to experience the wonderfull Thai culture.

Guemlum

Mahout, decided against the Eva flight in the end as I saved myself about 150GBP with a 1hr 45 min stopover in Abu Dhabi with Etihad. Plus the miles will be added to my frequent flyer account.

The money saved will go towards the cost of constantly entertaining her at Thai restaurants whilst here

Anyway, I'm sure with the "meet and greet" service, she'll find it impossible to get lost, but Its her that I'm trying to re-assure. I'm sure she'll get here.

Guemlum

ps... Whether you go economy class or decide to spend ten times more money to go First Class, it really doesn't matter as everyone gets to the destination safely at the same time which is really what it is all about .

Exactly!!

Here's a few tips.

I highly recommend a book called "Air Babylon" by Imogen Edward-Jones. Its an expose on the airline industry.

Cash for upgrades is a popular one. Slip a couple of fifty pound notes in your passport when checking in. Check-in staff can earn as little as 11k GBP per year so they are always on the look out for little bonuses that pop up now and then.

Quote from book.....Depending on what computer system the airline uses, check-in staff can talk to one another via simultaneous email. So when check-in staff seem to be taking an age to type your rather short name into the computer, they are probably sending one of their mates a message - usually about you or occasionally about someone else in the queue behind you. 'Have you seen the nose/tits/arse/gut on her? - to the more malicious - 'I've got a right old c..t here; can anyone suggest a screaming child for him to sit next to? They can also add comments or messages to your ticket that flash up as you arrive at the departure gate. So the cabin crew are warned in advance that a '<deleted>' is approaching or a 'difficult b..tard' is on his way and that you should be treated accordingly.

So you see, it really does pay to be pleasant at check-in.

You could also try writing 'SUG' (suitable for upgrade) on your ticket after you have checked in.This was told to me by a pilot friend of mine. However, you take the risk of the girls knowing on the departure gate, that this has been added by yourself, and subsequently will not show on their computer screen at the gate.

Me, I'm a frequent flyer with Etihad and usually fly economy. Cant justify paying an extra 1k to fly business. Although have flown business a couple of times with the miles I have earned.

Guemlum

Groove salad, SOMA FM..streaming live from net

Hi folks, was wondering if anyone's wife or gf is travelling from Bnagkok to the UK on the 8th June with Etihad.

My gf is worried she is going to get on the wrong plane at Abu Dhabi and end up somewhere like Africa or outer Mongolia. I have told her that I have arranged a "meet and greet" with Etihad at both Abu Dhabi and Heathrow, but she's still worried she'll f... up!.

Anyone?

Guemlum

Stayed at the Grand Inn Come hotel back in November. Wouldnt say it was exactly "budget" but did get it cheaper than most farangs as my gf paid for it. Was only about 10 minutes away from the airport as well via taxi. You can watch the planes land from your hotel room, if your into that kind of thing...

Guemlum

Lee, I have to agree with Markr as I recently read in another thread that the embassy do not advise you buy a ticket on the basis that she may be refused a visa, which means you'll be about 500 squid out of pocket. We left this option blank when we recently applied for a tourist visa. Got the visa and I'm still looking for a flight for my missus, but theres not alot about at the moment for 99 quid

Guemlum

You want your cake and eat it too.

man up to the fact that life is for living and you don't need mega bucks for security. You need Gumption. I suggest you read two books. Zen and the art of Motorcycle maintenance - Robert Pirsig and Jupiter's Travels - Ted Simon.

Then if you are not sure. Stay at home and forget about LOS, its not for you. just dip into it like a tourist and enjoy the snap shots. Nowt wrong with that. You'll build a nice safe nest egg for when you retire and maybe then you'll spend more time here. At least you can stop agonizing over the possibility.

Or, you'll send me a nice pm thanking me for reminding you where you left your balls. pack you bags and come out to be with your girlfriend and live a happy life in a place you seem to love and with people you can appreciate and relate to. The matter of your future will resolve itself as you keep living in the present. have faith in yourself and you will find a way.

If this ruffles your feathers, then maybe thats a hint to spread your wings...or to stop dreaming and go back to your Scott Adams depicted lifestyle.

With love,

Loz

Cheers Loz, you've cheered me up...and your advice taken on board as with all the other posts.

Guemlum