norrona

I put most of our assets into my Thai wifes name including some left in USA and UK years ago mainly because of unfair IH tax. I would advise others to get their money out of UK as quickly as they can not only because of IH tax but it may not be long before UK catches up with other countries that levy a special tax for taking more than a nominal amount out of the UK. Weve been married fro 16+ years and I always say if you dont trust your wife dont marry rent instead but that does not solve IH tax issue.

I trust my wife....just don't trust myself

from my experience it seems there are a certain traveller that holds the ques up and that is one who hasn't filled in their transit card correctly, this not only frustrates the immigration officer but also those waiting behind....there is no real solution to this but it really does make your blood boil!

fair enough Boycie, I read your thread about VFS taking out stuff from your application etc and do understand why you are frustrated....however I know of 2 people recently that had tried to get visas for their girlfriends/fiancee's for holidays to the U.K one was rejected on no proof of relationship like yourself and the other was the not convinced they would return to Thailand at the end of the visa as they had no assets/job there or real reason to.

That said the OP fishing and trying to be-little everyone of this forum with his gloating at how could they not get a visa it is soooooooooo easy did not actually share with us the background of his wifes friends did he?

I was once bitter like yourself when they rejected my fiancees visa to come to UK so I understand a little on how you feel....it is not nice or something to gloat at, but with the facts you present about VFS removing things etc I would say your case is an exception to the norm wouldn't you?

they've always been there haven't they? normally triyng to get you to rent a jet ski so they can have your eyes out

all the running down of various long term estate agents may feel warranted but as someone who used to work in the business out there I can say one thing that really does stick in my mind.

owners of properties can be ignorant to any advice that you offer...in fact they would get downright offended if you told them you didn't think their property was worth as much as they were expecting, this seems pretty much confined to the various tourist areas of Thailand I worked in from my point of view as I did not encounter it after I left there, in fact it was quite the opposite and the sellers who wanted to sell would ask what can they do to shift their property quickly? incentives to the agent to get what they want and need quickly were spoken about and once successful they were more than happy to keep their word.

I had owners whilst I was taking people for viewing in Pattaya trying to slip them their number and do all the call me signs to the prospect whilst they thought I wasn't looking, expect me to pay for advertising campaigns on their behalf to then change their minds when I did have someone interested as they thought they had under priced the property as interest had been shown too quick....and then you got the local ex-pat know it all or worse still Barry the bar owner who has advised them from his bar stool and whilst they are spending money in his bar that he knows someone who will buy it and can sell it for them....

Thank god I am not in that industry anymore

I think you read more about refusals than success on here as people post when they are desperate and in need of help....since 2009 I think everyone will agree with me that it has been harder on all aspects.

with regards to your wife and friends recent success....If they are professional people i.e have jobs and a letter from their employer that grants them leave then thats one of the boxes I think a lot of applicants who have been refused and post on here cannot tick on the list of boxes that need ticking?

With all that said, who knows what goes on at the British Embassy and the people that work there??? Having experience of them and also problems in the past the mind boggles....

chrome dome and small pecker for this fella....i'd have my last satang on it

you seem to know your onions....why don't you sell it yourself if they are all so rubbish?

I can fully relate to the OP and kind of ended up feeling that way after nearly 8 years of living and working in Thailand...when I first started out, I was very much in the camp of 'I could never live back there' when anyone mentioned home but soon realised that those who banged that drum were mainly running away from something/had burned their bridges and had accepted that whatever they were doing was good enough for them...to live on a tight budget is not through choice, that situation has been forced upon you.

But to say enough is enough and return back home and start again takes a brave person, I see many that started out well and hit a rough spot and just continued to diminish further to the point they completely lost it along with their morals and integrity...they became cheats-liars and when cornered about their actions played the victims...it was a wake up seeing that and very sad to witness.

After returning from my 8 year stint it took me a good year to finally settle back into life and work here, that is something that scares the crap out of people and I can understand why....

But after returning from a holiday with the missus back to Thailand from nearly a 2 year break I can say that I much prefer the place as a visiting tourist and when I posed the question to her she agreed...she loves her country-family-food carts and ease of living but with a few more satang in her pocket than we would have if both living out there...even the hot and humid weather tires you after a while and it's nice to get a lung full of clean air on a brisk morning and slip a jacket on when going out for the evening and not be wiping the swaet off your brow....

Then again I have lived it so maybe I have had my fill....having never lived it I can understand the draw to say yes I would be prepared to live in a cheap room, eat street food or a make do with a pot noodle as my meal or spend my nights drinking outside a 7-11....

what's all this about cold UK farangland? it was t shirt weather here yesterday!!!

after many years living in Pattaya there was a lot of miserable people living there from what I remembered!

excuse me, slightly off topic on the above....

I do agree though the lack of frequent trains is probably the reason for the jumpers....also it hits your prime time local TV stations out there with pixelated pictures for viewing pleasure....over here in 'cold-miserable' farang land it gets a few lines in the corner of the free papers at most!

I have had situations like the OP where we have got looks but I take it as a compliment, I am 38 and she is 25 so no massive age difference but yes we do get it too when out and about in Essex which is not exactly 100% white(more orange/fake tan)...not so long ago we was in my local for a few beers and when we left a group of blokes said something and there was wolf whistles etc....I just turned round and blew them a kiss and gave them a cheeky wink... it's when people don't look or look down at the floor is when you got to worry....

No point trying to put everyone right...you'll never win.

whilst the general forum on here can be a bit harsh to some especially to those who ask very silly questions I find many of the other forums very useful personally...if you are easily offended by others opinions and are seeking people to agree with you rather than voice what they think then perhaps the internet and these forums are not really your bag

to me it's all about self esteem and how much of it you have got....this myth of paying the family to sit about on their <deleted> and how it is expected I really cannot get my head round, before anyone starts I have over 10 years of living/working in Thailand under my belt so know how it is...

I took my wife and her daughter away from the farm. MIL aged 60, is not really fit enough to work the farm on her own.

I felt obligated to give her some money each month, as I had removed her work force, and had no intention of living on the farm.

doesn't need 12k baht a month though on a farm does she?

She admits to living very well on the 3k a month I send her, most of her peers would like me (or a friend of mine) to meet their daughters.

bit more realistic on 3k a month....one question though, why doesn't your lady get a job and send that money to her Mum? I mean would she really be happy to send money to yours?

to me it's all about self esteem and how much of it you have got....this myth of paying the family to sit about on their <deleted> and how it is expected I really cannot get my head round, before anyone starts I have over 10 years of living/working in Thailand under my belt so know how it is...

I took my wife and her daughter away from the farm. MIL aged 60, is not really fit enough to work the farm on her own.

I felt obligated to give her some money each month, as I had removed her work force, and had no intention of living on the farm.

doesn't need 12k baht a month though on a farm does she?

I did in fact invite my wifes mum and dad on a week's holiday to hua hin. they said yes. great. but then the BIL decided to invite his mum, from australia, to bangkok, and also to the mum and dad''s home. so the mum and dad had to cancel the trip to hua hin. i could understand their decision, as the aussie mum was coming all the way from australia. but after that i decided not to invite anyone on a freebie holiday again.

so there you go mate, you were dropped from plans over the idiot brother in law who chucks money at people to get resepect....even more reason to not go to the village

personally I wouldn't go to the village or anywhere near it and would say to your wife to go there on her own and see her family, you work hard all year to provide for your wife and someone elses kids right...have paid a lot of money to improve their lives and give them a chance in the western world with regards to prospects and education and even more of a chance of getting a better life back in Thailand if the children want to return there later in life...so you work hard all year and nows your holiday time...so my advice is do what I am doing when I return there soon.

Let your wife go ahead of you and see the family and give the family the option of coming to meet you in Bangkok if they really want to where you will take them out to dinner and of course provide accommodation....if they really want to meet you then they will get on the bus....I personally do not expect any of my extended 'outlaws' to come see me in Bangkok but then again thats why I called it that way in the first place.

p.s after a few months of living here my missus said something about money for the mother to me...she now has a job and takes care of that herself...zero sin sod either and theres no previous children or previous scum bag husband....

to me it's all about self esteem and how much of it you have got....this myth of paying the family to sit about on their <deleted> and how it is expected I really cannot get my head round, before anyone starts I have over 10 years of living/working in Thailand under my belt so know how it is...

Build a wall around Glasgow and make Scotland happy.

Re-build Hadrian's wall (higher) and make the English happy.

+1 here....

I have already said if they want to re-build that wall I would gladly do 1 day a week free of charge and I know of many other English that would join me...sweaty socks digging out the English about moaning, I am surprised they can put the meths down and drag themseleves out of the gutter to type!!!

all the holier than thou types on here with what they would have done make me laugh but feel sick at the same time...the OP and his wife did nothing wrong and are the victims here, all they wanted was the report so they could make an insurance claim and get ID cards...as for the 'why don't you wear your wedding ring' loaded questions...poor attempts to get a bite and fill their empty days....

to the OP thanks for sharing your experience with everyone and letting us know what to expect should it ever happen...I feel for you as now you don't feel comfortable in your own home, something I have experienced and I never want to go through with ever again!

_{disgusting that she should have to endure that after the ordeal....absolute vermin the BIB}

She said no it's Sealy. The price was 12000 reduced to 8900.

And, what do you care, it's hers money......

pointless drivel still being spouted I see

A member of my Thai family went to the UK on her 3rd tourist visa. She said all the Thai wives she met were working as escorts there. This does nothing for the reputation of being married to a Thai in the Eyes of the average red neck or Brit for that matter!

People have stereotyped views of Thailand!

your last remark is spot on....as for the member of the family, think she should have had a look round for a better quality of company to meet...I mean if she not in that line of business then why the need to hang round with a load of hookers?

No thai wives are not all working in escort agencies, my missus works in a warehouse/factory job with a load of other thai people...again it's all about the company you keep

impressive turn around times....enjoy your holiday with the wife and mother in law

in the words of Michael Jackson....he's starting with the man in the mirror....

bloomin' hypocrite

well worth it....a man needs socks and shorts to go with his sandals

I wonder what obstacles Mr Red actually managed to overcome?

So far he has failed to get a bank account in his own name, failed to buy a car, failed to get a driving licence, failed to rent a house and failed to get a yellow tabian ban book.

He did buy his wife a house, but that is a 'sort of failure' as when he came over here, he didn't want to buy one.

are you one of those people that when they see a person threatening suicide on top of a building stand at the bottom shouting 'jump-do it'