buffcoat

Thanks for that. My thought was to do part time English teaching/talking/coaching as a means of keeping partly occupied rather than for the money.

As it stands this looks like a route that will not be available to me...I will not 'work' outside the rules as I have no intention of losing my right to stay.

If (?) I am reading this correctly on a retirement visa you cannot get a work permit unless you are married to a Thai national.

Is this within the rules published by the Thai authorities or totally at the discretion of the local office.

I am years away from being able to do this so of course all the rules can change but I would be keen to understand the current position.

Thanks

Personally believe that 99% of these events are the mind playing tricks,deja-vu etc and far too many hypno regressions end up with the subject having been someone important...why are they never Sally the farmers daughter who died age 23 with 4 kids?

BUT based on my own direct experience I believe in the supernatural and reincarnation (not a Buddhist but my religion does accept reincarnation) of course I could be clinically insane and reading some of the comments on this thread some of you will certainly think I am

Should you accept the idea of reincarnation because I or anyone believes in it, absolutely not, but in the same vein it would be pleasant if those who are adamantly opposed would leave the door just slightly open to the notion that they might be in error

Well I am a Brit, part English, Scot and a bit of Irish but no Welsh (Insert sheep joke here).

I cannot sing the words of ours because

A/ It has too many verses (6).

B/ The last verse refers to the army crushing rebellious Scots which I find mildly absurd.

No surprise in this at all, the consultation if it had any meaning was only to gauge some reaction to the level of English required.

Personally I believe they will insist the test is passed before entry is granted...even this bunch of insensitive cretins must realise that the sight of wives being forcibly deported because they can't ask for the price of a cup of tea will be vile and would certainly be subject to challenge under the Human Rights Act.

Broadly I support the tighter controls but the thing that really p~sses me off is that the Govt. has failed to take effective action against the huge number of illegals and asylum seekers and is using it's tough stance on legal migration as a smoke screen.

In addition a lot of the anger in the UK is being generated by the strain on schools, housing etc caused by the massive inflow of EU citizens...none of these measures affect them in anyway.

The bottom line is that immigrants from outside the EU who wish to abide by the rules will have a much tougher time so that the Govt. can claim it is doing something about the wider issue (when in fact it is not).

Not sure about this but the brief report I noticed talked about the new requirement extending the existing five year waiting period to six years....if so I assume (very dangerous) that this does not impact the position of spouses/partners.

Hope that those with a better handle on these points will clarify.

Looks like a feeble headline grab rather than a sensible proposal to me.

Register with a dentist and get them to write a letter confirming you are both on their books.

Ask your GP surgery to do the same (they may charge?).

Phone your local council and ask them to send you both info regarding adult education,sports facilities,schools in the area and admission procedures (planning ahead for children) anything else you can think of?

Do the same with local gyms, sports clubs etc.

Get store cards from John Lewis, Sainsbury etc

Totally daft but if you generate a whole pile of inward mail from official bodies,companies etc this should help persuade the HO of your genuine existence.

What a terrible shock for her, I feel very sorry for the poor lady. It appears that this is a Thai/Asian form of behaviour that is 'acceptable' as long as no one makes a fuss about it...losing face etc.

Since you friend is legally married then the new wife will be the Mia Noi (it is again telling that the Thais have a specific term for this kind of arrangement).

The cultural difference between Thai and farang shows up sharply in these circumstances and it is important to remember that what would be the right thing to do if you are farang is not necessarily true for a Thai.I am sure that some of the advice you will find on this forum will be culturally farang and not necessarily appropriate, especially with her not being able to consider divorce.

I could only advise that she takes her time to make up her mind about what to do next. The hard fact is that whatever path she follows she is in for a miserable time now and she needs to focus (easy for me to say) on where she wants her life to be in five years time.

It may be hard to say but if she is a very close friend and it is possible you might suggest she get a health check from her Dr. since it is quite possible her husband has been playing the field for some time and with more than one partner.

My qualifications to comment on this situation are based on the collapse of my marriage after my wife announced she had a new boyfriend, we were both farang so the cultural expectation was divorce which duly followed.

Again really sorry to read this...sometimes there is nothing you can do for someone in this situation in terms of practical advice but please do not underestimate the real help you can provide to your friend just by listening to her..that can do her more real good that anything else when she is really hurting.

Many years ago now (before I was born again hansum,fit and married) one girl came out with 'but I like your big tummy'.....left me speechless

I used to use online dating in the UK and it worked for me....but met a few fruitcakes/goldiggers, you need common sense switched on all the time.

Thai sites are no different...a mix of genuine and not, with a population of 65mill you won't find 'one' correct answer to any question.

My impression is that English is far more common in the educated classes and this facilitates honest contacts with genuine women but until you meet them you won't know for sure.

Give it a go and enjoy it, particularly if you are not a fan of bars, discos etc. Perhaps the woman who will suit you does not like them either and this is the only way to strike up a conversation.

Sadly the provision of effective sex education before teens become active is lacking right across the globe for a variety of reasons, at least in Thailand they are not rewarded for it by the provision of free housing and state handouts as they are in much of farangland.

Really sad to see young lives blighted by these early pregnancies (and the babies too) plus the growing problem of std's all of which are avoidable.

One of the biggest problems I see is that those who attempt to help and educate are often portrayed as encouraging teen sex and are therefore morally corrupt etc. Couple this to apathy on behalf of the authorities and it is no surprise that this problem continues to exist.

Teens are biologically programmed to have sex and they will continue to do so, the least the adult world can do is give them the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions.

The deadliest air accident between two 747's at Tenerife in 1977 was caused by a Dutch pilot....so I would be really worried if your notional muslim radical pilot also had a strong Dutch accent

Air safety is excellent until you get involved with sub standard operators in the third world and ex-soviet start-ups.

Get it cut short (but smart) and then tell everyone who cares that baldness is the natural result of heightened levels of testosterone.

Obviously tantric sex is good for lizards too

On the question of the insurance license and what you tell your insurance company please be very careful.

The fact that the law allows you to drive unsupervised in the UK on a Thai license has nothing to do with what you are obliged to disclose to the insurance company.

You MUST tell the insurer every material fact and the fact that your partner will be driving unsupervised on their Thai license whilst also studying for the UK test on a provisional is most certainly a material fact.

The duty of disclosure is clearly defined in English Law please do not put yourself in the position of having to argue with your insurer after an accident, this could cost you thousands of pounds and a world of grief.

I can't tell you how mind numbing insurance exams are but sometimes they have some use.

Don't go anywhere near an agency that 'guarantees' a visa (it is impossible and clearly implies illegality). The Embassy are not stupid and if they see an application from a 'less desirable' source it will make them suspicious (rightly so).

Play it straight, be absolutely honest and if you wish to have professional advice take it from a legitimate source. Search this forum for peoples experience and you will get pointed in the right direction.

Used against suspected members...a bit hard to tell them what they want to know if you are innocent in the first place.

This is vile beyond words but apparently it is ok because the US Govt has defined this method of interrogation as not being torture.

I am sorry to see that the Thai Govt is involved although you have to wonder what pressure was put on them by the US and if they were aware of what was actually going on.

Once you start walking down the path of the ends justify the means you are in a moral black hole.

I hope the new Thai Govt makes it clear that no such facility will ever again be provided to the US.

Are you saying this is solely the fault of the'US'? What about the 'UK' and all other countries envolved? Please, let us know more.

Yes I am and the US Govt agrees since they admit to rendition having been carried out in numerous countries at their instigation.

I am not happy that US allies have allowed this to take part on their soil or allowed transit flights.

I am firmly against the use of torture to protect me. I do not accept the arguement that 'they are evil so we can be too'.

'We' are fighting for freedom and decency, turning into our enemy in order to do so is an insanity.

Yes I knew people who died in 9/11 and I am closely aware of the impact of terrorism here in London and I still do not agree with torture to defend me and mine.

Used against suspected members...a bit hard to tell them what they want to know if you are innocent in the first place.

This is vile beyond words but apparently it is ok because the US Govt has defined this method of interrogation as not being torture.

I am sorry to see that the Thai Govt is involved although you have to wonder what pressure was put on them by the US and if they were aware of what was actually going on.

Once you start walking down the path of the ends justify the means you are in a moral black hole.

I hope the new Thai Govt makes it clear that no such facility will ever again be provided to the US.

To what extent if any does the double taxation agreement between UK and Thailand impact this position?

The Thai armed forces did resist the original japanese landings particularly in the South.

Thailand had the misfortune to be on the best invasion route for the Japanese to get to their targets in Malaysia and Burma.

The Thai Govt. threw in the towel before the casualty lists got too heavy (they had no chance of conducting a succesful defence and pre-war pleas to the US & UK for arms etc had been ignored).

Eventually 100,000 japanese troops occupied their 'ally' Thailand and the Thais went along with things as best they could.

They did fight the French in Indo-China but effectively lost.The japanese forced Vichy France to cede territory to Thailand but most of this was land that was previously Thai and taken from them by the French at gunpoint in the early 1900's (during that period the French navy sailed up to Bangkok and threatened to bombard the city unless the Thais gave them the land they wanted).

On the same basis part of the Shan states were given to Thailand as were sections of North Malaysia both regions previously controlled by the British.

Both Britain and France absorbed provinces that the Thai regarded as theirs in the expansionist colonial period but Thailand by putting up with it maintained independence.

After the war the british and French took back the provinces held by the Thai in WW2.

The existing four southern provinces were annexed by Thailand 100 years ago I think),they were not then part of any colonial empire and I can't remember if they were independent or not.

The Thai Govt was essentially pragmatic and joined the Japanese as an ally rather than be an occupied enemy and clearly were able to persuade the Allies of that based on the treatment they received after the war.

Yes they would have liked to keep the land they gained through Japanese help but then most of that land was taken from them in the first place.

It is a pity that this period is not part of Thai education if only for the reason that most Westerners at least have a very strong and continuing interest in (what they believe) took place and it does affect how they view the world and interact with others.

Vaguely Thai related but it is interesting to hear Thais use English and then identify which version of the language they were taught/exposed to.

Very few of them are aware of the differences and will therefore use English and American in the same sentence creating yet another version of the language.

Obviously "you handsome man" works well regardless.

It appears that 40,000+ spouses a year would be caught by the new language requirement if it comes to pass, the bulk of them from India/Pakistan.

My gut feeling is that it will in some form but the Govt. will have to enact any legislation with an eye on the Human Rights Act (right to a family life).

The level of English required remains to be defined and it leaves an option open for interested groups to start lobbying NOW as this is a 'proposal'.

This will certainly have broad support from the UK public who will look at this as a reasonable measure.

Yes you can of course marry a Pole who speaks not a word of English and because of EU status they will have full rights of abode.Fair? Not to my mind but in the current circumstances that is just the way it is.

Personally against it because so many innocents in all countries have been executed.

I find the reactions here curious.

There are far worse things happening in Nana Plaza than the sight, sound and presence of 'Christians'.

Why then the objection to the Christians? Especially from people who are telling us they don't believe in god or the message the Christians are standing witness to?

If as people here say, the Christian message means nothing to them, then they would surely not be wasting time posting here.

There is clearly something in what the Christians are saying. If there was not, they would be able to ignore it.

The posts here are evidence that they cannot.

[edit - grammar correction]

Some of the objection comes from the belief that the Xtian religion (particularly that version presented by the fundamentalist evangelical movement) is a negative thing since it encapsulates hatred for other religions (The Buddha is a devil), other brands of Xtianity ,homosexuals (who should be put to death!!!!) and other minority groups.

Some Xtians are fluffy bunny hippy types who think having cucumber sandwiches with the vicar is pretty racy and I have no problem with them at all but the hardcore fundamentalists peddle hatred under the banner of religion and were they in power they would not allow Buddhists or anyone else the freedom to practise (let alone preach about) their beliefs.

Were it up to me that group of Xtians would have their permits revoked and be booted out of Thailand.

[

"Ye, shall NOT kill!"

Like a lot of people you are mistaken in what the original text says...the order is to not kill as in murder.

The OT is not a book for pacifists since it prescribes the death penalty for all sorts of 'crimes' (and the victims of crimes) as well as advocating genocide in warfare.

If you wish to use the OT as a source of justification then you will find it is entirely behind the action of the husband in this case...an eye for an eye etc.

Personally I believe the husband was absolutely within his 'rights' to do what he did...and I base that on my own moral sense not that of a book.