phuketsub

On 3/5/2020 at 10:02 AM, lopburi3 said:

Believe your marriage was key to visa issue so perhaps best to look it as the same criteria Thailand uses to extend an entry for marriage (both have to  appear to prevent use by those who are no longer together).  In this case they want to be sure she is still with you and not looking for another.  

That is definitely not the case. I just got back from Bangkok, where I stood in line to accompany her into the embassy to plead our case. They refused to let me accompany her.

This time she had every conceivable piece of documentation one could imagine, including my current and all former passports dating back 30+ years. And three for my daughter...bank statements, pictures of our school and her elderly parents, etc.

Please don't forget that we have been married 15 years and she has already visited the US twice on  tourist visas and returned to Thailand both times. She also has no criminal record, tattoos or any other attributes that I would imagine could rouse suspicion of character in any way.

While I was waiting for her I noticed another guy that seemed to be in a similar position, though his wife was applying for a different visa class -- the one that sets you up for a Green Card.

He said he used a "Thai Agent", a woman in her 30s (I presume), that was waiting there with him.

We talked for a while, to kill time and stress during the wait, and an about an hour later my wife came out with tears in her eyes: denied again.

The other guy's wife got the visa she requested.

So we asked his 'agent' why my wife was denied. She said that it was standard  now: the new policy is no tourist visas for Thai wives, and she said that this policy has been in effect since [Trump*] took office. [*She referred to him in Thai as 'your current Prime Minister', but I think it is fairly clear who she was referring to.]

So my advice to anyone who is seeking to bring a Thai wife back to the States for a holiday on a tourist visa; don't bother.

So far I am out 30,000 baht+ on this, not including all the stress of having to travel during the corona virus panic and lost wages due to having to shut down our school.

I hope this helps out any other law-abiding US expats who might might be thinking of applying -- or voting in the upcoming election.

22 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

I guess things have changed and that actually sounds like a good rule to me.

Having you present with your passport.

And the US does give you an entry document so that would be proof she came back with the entry stamp here.

 

Just a note, you should be happy she can even get this type of Visa now. I am surprised actually.

No Thai girls that I know of are getting them for tourist.  These are not bar girls either.

US just not handing them out usually Fiance or work Visa are the limited routes now.

I just can't stand the waste of time and money. So now I have to spend the whole morning doing the paperwork again when I could (literally) be out working on my garden or doing something else that feels productive. Anyway, if another can benefit from the warning that's the best I can do.

Just a quick warning to fellow US expats. I sent my wife up to Bangkok alone to apply for a visa and she was rejected because she didn't have  my passport, even though she had a signed copy and many other supporting documents. In the past she was issued tourist visas twice when applying without my being with her.

Total lost cost in airfare, hotels and the 4,600 baht application fee is about 10,000 baht, and now will go higher as we will have to repeat the whole retarded process together as a couple.

One of the great mysteries to me is why the TSA doesn't 'stamp out' foreign visitors, so they have proof of having left after previous visits. I have been in Thailand 30 years and my old passports have all the records of when I stamped out of Thailand and into Laos, Burma and Malaysia. Why doesn't the US do this, like just about every other country on the planet that I am aware of?

It seems like the USA is more interested in undressing and humiliating people than actual security or actually tracking foreigners who visit their country.

My wife was devastated, and called me up crying....

so take this as a word of warning...accompany you spouse to the embassy, or risk being in the position we are in now.

9 hours ago, stephenterry said:

From your post, I gather that you realise you have an addictive personality, whether genetically or otherwise. That recognition will keep you in good stead, however, and firstly you could just relax, chill out, and enjoy the two months - it's not a lifetime sentence - with your family and friends. 

 

Secondly, it's your life and only your choice of how you choose to live. That is important. Also important is to change your daily habitual routine  - go for a walk, ride, bowling alley, movie; anything to break up your addictive habits and put in place more healthy habits.  For example, instead of fixed times for breakfast, lunch or dinner, it's essential to move, delay or lose the time by following the above suggestions. Daily walks are an excellent way to keep healthy - get lost in the forest or the shopping mall - and enjoy a change of scenery instead.

 

 

Thanks for that. You are right that the change of scenery will do me good. At least where I will be going is clean compared to where I live now, where plastic garbage is found along the roadsides everywhere. Also, the last few times back it was in winter for funeral (RIP Mom and Dad), and I was still suffering from a broken hip....as for those long walks, I think I will take the forest over the shopping mall! (it might even lower my chances of being shot!)...anyway, thanks again.

I started doing #nsng (no sugar, no grains) a few years ago with remarkably good results across the board; I am also trying to get it up to another level with IMF, but the main problem I face is TEMPTATION.

I live with three generations of sugar-addicts, but I do have the ability to stay clear of all the processed sugars and junk food by cooking and growing most of my own food, usually a bone-broth stew.

However, when I try to push my fast well into the afternoon, I always have to pass a table full of delicious Southern Thai dishes throughout the day. Too often I break down, and a big factor I know is that I tell myself 'all that food is going to be wasted' if I don't eat it.

Another factor is that I am a functional alcoholic, so sometimes I think that all of my hardcore attention to fitness and dieting is just a crutch to support that lifestyle choice. But at least the fasting helps keep me from day drinking, at least most of the time.

I need to go back Stateside for two months this Summer, and I while I look forward to seeing my siblings I pretty much dread having to be back in the grips of the US food industry, especially while being dependent on siblings who won't want to listen to an alcoholic preaching about the dangers of processed food... . The idea of trying to pull off a 12-hour jet lag and recovery amidst airplane food and constantly being surrounded by feasting family and friends is probably going to make fasting mush more difficult, if not impossible. 

Any advice of how to cope with that would be much appreciated...

4 hours ago, puchooay said:

As a Brit myself, I have to say that I would never use "a". Not sure that I know anyone else that does either. Not from where I am from anyway.

 

As a relatively small country, UK has a vast array of terminology and accent depending on where in the UK you are from. I think the term "Brit" is too extensive.

The instructional video that I use to teach them analog time has what sounds like an elderly "public school" accent and he definitely uses "a", but you are right: all the accents across the UK are far more varied than in the states.

For me, the working definition of a Brit is someone who grew up on the island of Britain. I mean, Scots are Brits too, right? Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong. I've only been there twice, but have worked among "Brits" for many years.

53 minutes ago, Scott Tracy said:

Tempus fugit.

 

My grandfather used to say things like 5 and 20 past 3, for 3:25... 

 

Different countries use the half past differently too, I have noticed.

I've only noticed that Brits tend to say '"a' half past" whereas North Americans drop the article.

I am just curious how other ESL teachers are teaching time these days.

The system based on the analog clock, which is still predominantly used among native speakers, is admittedly more complex and confusing. (eg. 'quarter to three, ten to two')...Just as a means of communication, I think digital is better (three-fifteen, one-fifty)...I just wonder if the digital revolution is going to sink analog time-telling to the point that it is just a waste of time for non NES. (like cursive writing, learning how to alphabetize, etc.)...anyway, that's what I am thinking about as the morning coffee kicks in...Any thoughts?

It's a balance thing, I think. When I lived in Phuket, I enjoyed the social life of being on a truly mixed dart team, working in a multi-national environment and all that.

But a few incidents put me off. One time as I was walking to work past Bangkok Hospital in Samkong, I noticed a Caucasian couple with a baby in front of Bangkok Hospital. I saw them trying to talk to a tuk-tuk driver, who was literally holding the map that had given him upside down.

At the time, I knew all about the public transport options in Phuket Town, so I offered my help. But not only did they reject my offer, but they were quite rude about it. I guess maybe they thought I was calling their coping/negotiation skills into question. After that I sort of gave up trying to help tourists in Phuket, unless they approached me.

Now that I live in Ranode, where the only other expats are a Finnish couple and a Kansas City Chief's fan, I will walk right up to any foreigner I meet here and introduce myself. And they are almost always friendly back to me.

It seems like NST is big enough to warrant a farang-oriented pub/bar, If someone can make it happen I will be happy to make the commute from Ranode...

God, I feel so embarrassed. Why did I think I needed a non-imm when a tourist visa would have sufficed?..just as it did on her previous two visits!

I think the problem is that my brain just sort of froze, then got stuck in that state due to frustration. Total time lost is probably about 4 hours.

Anyway, the tourist B1/B2 process is now underway and, thank god, I won't need a lawyer. [no matter how highly recommended ????

I plan to travel to the US in June with my wife and daughter, who will be attending high school there and living with my sister.

My wife has been to the US twice during our 15 years of marriage and  don't remember the application process being difficult in the past, but now it seems like a nightmare.

For a start, from what I can pull together from the US Govt Website, it appears that I will need to first send an I-130  Form to the US department of home security in Dallas, since they don't offer the service in Bangkok anymore. 

Additional online sources say it takes 5-12 months!

I really don't understand it...also, I don't understand why she has t apply for an immigrant visa when she has no intention of immigrating there.

I tried to call the embassy, but got a woman who seemed to have a Filiino accent and she told me that it was up to me and I had to do it on-line myself and that she couldn't give me any advice or further information.

God, has anybody else been through this? Is there an easier way?

I am thoroughly frustrated.

Any help VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

Interesting. I still have a lot of contacts down there though my old line of work. Do you mind if I ask what the nature of your research is? If you don't want to say in this forum you could send by PM. I will try to help you.

Hail

salad

6 hours ago, jsw47 said:

Hello all... Can anyone in this forum recommend a professional Thai language tutor in one of the three provinces of the deep south (Yala, Pattani, or Narathiwat)? I've studied standard Thai for about 1.5 years at my university in the US, but am hoping to improve my speaking/listening through private tutoring and language immersion in the southern dialect this June-August, before I begin my research in Yala later in 2021. Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated. 

Do you want to learn Southern Thai  (and there are many local variations) or Patani Malay? I think you could conduct research down there just as easily in Central Thai, which is really a lingua franca in the region now.

Circumstances have put me in a large house with plenty of room for farming, but still easy walking distance to 7-11s, post office, wet market and everything else. When I go back to visit some of the places I used to live, like Bangkok and Phuket Town, I realize I would be miserable if I had to go back there.

The only downsides are the lack of eye candy and all the plastic garbage strewn over everything, including what might otherwise be nice beaches.

That makes sense. I guess muscle memory is one of out greatest assets, but only up to a point. I figure my driving experiences here (with all the ghost riding and mayhem) will make driving back in the states seems pleasurable by comparison, once I make the necessary adjustments.

47 minutes ago, impulse said:

It's a US/Thailand treaty agreement, and all states should honor it.   But some cops don't know the law.  At the very least, be able to prove your identity with a passport in addition to your Thai DL.

 

I drove legally on my Thai DL (no IDP required because it's in English already) for 3 months when I first moved back to Texas.  Then, because I became a resident of Texas, I had to get a Texas DL.  Would have been the same if I moved in on a Florida or Oklahoma license.  I'm not sure what would have happened if I went beyond the 90 days...  But I suspect you'll be fine if you're not becoming a resident.

 

Thanks for the useful comment, especially the part about it being part of the US/Thailand treaty agreement.

Did you have any trouble getting used to driving 'on the right' side of the road? I haven't done it in over twenty years and I am a bit worried about that...

Useful, thanks.

Some google research came up with one very useful site, which gives an overview. https://www.usa.gov/visitors-driving

Subsequent research tells me that you only need the IDP for the state of Georgia...In my state they recommend translating the license to English.

Most states will let you drive on a foreign passport up to one year, but it's best to check with the individual states you plan to drive in....

Still, I hope I hope I don't get pulled over in Tennessee....

12 hours ago, Dominion said:

You need to ask for international driving permit with your 5year Thai driving license. Your allowed 1 year with the permit.

Thanks. Is that something I can get from the Land Transport Department?

14 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

Well I have rented a car using my Thai drivers license, if only for the reason that Rentalcars.com often gives better rates if you use your Thai license when booking.

 

So I was able to successfully rent the car from Hertz at LAX, but what happens if you were to get pulled over by the cops, I have no idea.

 

I would suspect that since you are a non resident most States allow a certain grace period for visitors to drive on their home State/Country license it would be fine

That's useful, thanks. I will check out the Rentalcars site, as I am preparing for the Thai to US price shock. [Yes, I know the baht is relatively 'strong' now, but it's still a lot more expensive stateside.]