mikebell

If, like me, you are seeking the above, Chat GPT provided this information. When applying for a Schengen Visa for your Thai partner to enter Spain, it's helpful to consider the approval rates of various Schengen countries for Thai applicants. In 2023, the overall approval rate for Thai nationals applying for Schengen visas was 93.16%. Spain had an approval rate of 95.08% for Thai applicants, issuing 12,167 visas out of 12,799 applications. This indicates that Spain is relatively accommodating to Thai nationals seeking visas. For comparison, here are the approval rates of other Schengen countries for Thai applicants in 2023: Country Approval Rate Austria 97.47% Switzerland 97.27% Czechia 96.14% Italy 96.08% Portugal 96.01% Spain 95.08% Germany 92.31% France 91.67% Netherlands 86.13% Belgium 86.13% Poland 85.78% Sweden 83.43% These statistics suggest that while Spain's approval rate is slightly lower than some other countries, it remains relatively high. Therefore, applying for a Schengen Visa to Spain for your Thai partner should be feasible, provided all application requirements are met. Please note that visa approval rates can vary annually and are influenced by various factors. It's essential to ensure that all application documents are complete and accurate to improve the chances of approval.

Doing what?

OK, thank you; not for my kitchen then.

I, too, thought about the move to Philippines. Like you, age was a deterrent. I think there is room for an enterprising Philippino firm to set up a bogus address and communicate with their thousands of British retirees by email to convince DWP that you have moved.

Thank you.

I should make clear there is a difference between State Pension and Government Pension; the latter is not taxable thanks to an agreement between UK & T/land.

Me too. I have a UK state pension (after 44 years of service), frozen for 20 years; about 15,500 per MONTH! Luckily I have a Government Pension (teachers/police/firemen) which is Index linked. This is exempt from Thai tax.

This forum has been going downhill since Rooster's humorous column ceased. My solution, is me. Pay me to write a weekly column of satire about Thai life and its struggle with ex-pats. The 3rd (as yet unfinished) book of my Thai trilogy is entitled 'Noodles At Noon' and explains how useless the Thai Army is and how Laos could invade and completely overrun this land in one hour.

Can you smoke it?

If Pattaya Plod are involved, it would be more like the Kwaistone Cops movie.

What's a tanto knife and do I need one in the kitchen?

And don't expect any help from the police.

SOP for Pattaya cops. Police work? DIY. Look at the roads for 'evidence' - you won't find any cops policing the daily slaughter until AFTER the event.

More victims of Plod's laissez-faire policy on the roads. They only ever work AFTER an event: then they'll consult CCTV to find who was responsible. If they left their office & toured the streets they would ticket multiple offenders till the message about safety, got through.

They've spent millions on the Railway road; they have a bi-annual contract to rip up chunks and put in bigger drains and it's still no better than when I first used it 20 years ago.

It cuts down the commute to work with A/C available throughout the three hour working day.

Pattaya Police's reputation grows exponentially with every story.

Let me explain the two posts above. Anyone who rides a noisy bike is seeking attention. Thais often puncture the silencer on bikes to create head-turning noise, mistakenly believing it to be admiration.

'Authorities from the Highway Police' - I regularly travel this road. I witness maybe 50 traffic offences an hour. I hardly ever witness any Highway Police.

Then quietly shelved and the cigs shared among the local station.

Shocking Street Attack. We've got Beer Street; Walking Street; I'd like a stroll down Shocking Street.

Standard Operating Procedure whenever Plod is successful at crime-breaking.

Any successful busts by Pattaya's Kwaistone cops are the result of 'information received' or close to the station. Both are labour-saving procedures.

If it looks like a duck & quacks like a duck ...

As an ex-Head of English with 39 years teaching experience, I was invited in to a neighbourhood school. I spent an uncomfortable 10 minutes in the Head's study as neither of us had much of each other's language. At last the school's Head of English showed up confidently announcing himself as, 'Me number one teach Angrit in sacoon.'