TheChiefJustice

Had interview at McDonalds 2.5 years back...............

whats next step ? how long left ?

Hi Skippy - I'm not sure who the McDonalds interview was with. Was it with the MOI. Your official interview with the MOI will be held at the Ministry of Interior in front of a panel of four to five officers. I was interviewed in August 2008 at the MOI and received my citizenship in August 2012. It seems like 2 to 4 years from the MOI interview is standard - although there seem to be variances either way.

The Citizen's ID number is assigned at the District Office and put on your tabien ban. They don't inform you about it and you probably wouldn't notice until you apply for a driving licence and they put it on there instead of your passport number.

Hi

I need a lit bit of guidence, I recieved PR on 15/10/12, went to police station and got my red book on 18/10/12, went to district office on 19/10/12 and waiting the process to be completed. Should I have to report the CW for any thing ( in my case I am not leaving thailand in near future), do I still have to make any type of endorsments in CW?

They told me the endorsement in the blue book and the immigrant visa in the passport are only required if I intend to leave the country.

It is prudent to always have a valid endorsement. You never know when you may need to leave urgently for a family emergency etc. One never knows.

I did keep my work permit until the end of the process as I was/am working and I needed to have a WP. Just because they didn't ask me doesn't mean they won't check.

You will need to show your WP when you are interviewed and when you go back to Special Branch for the vow of allegiance and your naturalisation certificate after your application has been approved by the King. If you don't have one, your application will be rejected because you no longer fulfill the requirements of the Nationality Act that you have a profession in Thailand. If you have retired by then, you could set up your own small business and obtain a WP.

I was never required to show my work permit to anyone after my MOI interview. However, others may have different experiences.

[ Clearly ministers in caretaker mode after an election can't sign anything and I would think the same would apply but glad to be proved wrong by a real lawyer.

I don't think this is true, Arkady. A caretaker minister after an election still has authority. My citizenship application was approved by such a minister and his power was confirmed by the attorney general.

In that case do you thing the acting interior minister, Chuchart, has the authority to sign, since Yongyuth now seems to be out of the picture completely?

I don't know, Arkady. I can only speak about an interior minister still in office following an election in which his government was the losing side - but before the new government has been formed. The concept of รักษาการ as it applies to ministerial duties in such a case is well established.

I have not followed what has been happening in the current situation but can see some similarities vis-a-vis the concept of รักษาการ under Thai law. I think an acting Minister does have authority but whether or not he decides to exercise it is an entirely different matter.

[ Clearly ministers in caretaker mode after an election can't sign anything and I would think the same would apply but glad to be proved wrong by a real lawyer.

I don't think this is true, Arkady. A caretaker minister after an election still has authority. My citizenship application was approved by such a minister and his power was confirmed by the attorney general.

I have a question about using my new Thai passport for the first time.

I recently obtained Thai citizenship. I got my ID card at the end of July. Soon after I obtained my ID card I applied for my Thai passport. Before it arrived, however, I had to go to Australia so I used my Oz passport and PR to leave and re-enter Thailand. Upon my return, I went to immigration to surrender my PR and to my local police station to surrender my red alien book. When I went to immigration I asked if they needed to cancel the visa/re-entry permit in my Oz passport etc and they said no.

So now I have entered on my Oz passport but won't be using that passport to leave or enter Thailand again.

So for my next departure I must use my Thai passport. I assume that doing so, given that my most recent entry was on my Oz passport, won't cause of problem.

I'm probably concerned unnecessarily about this but would be interested to hear from any naturalized Thais about their experiences upon first obtaining their Thai passport.

Cheers

CJ

when was the last time someone foreigner got the thai nationality and how long did it take?

Arkady is correct. The most recent bunch of approvals were published in the Government Gazette on May 30th 2012. There were 12 approvals - four of whom, including me, are farang (two Americans, one Australian and one Brit).

I got my Thai ID card and passport at the end of July. The entire process took exactly five years.

Would you please share some details about 'age on application, either yourself or others that you encountered in this 'journey'.

If the question is sentitive, they please ignore it.

And congratulations!

I was 40 when I applied.

when was the last time someone foreigner got the thai nationality and how long did it take?

Arkady is correct. The most recent bunch of approvals were published in the Government Gazette on May 30th 2012. There were 12 approvals - four of whom, including me, are farang (two Americans, one Australian and one Brit).

I got my Thai ID card and passport at the end of July. The entire process took exactly five years.

NMT is correct, apparently the law provides that naturalized Thais cannot vote for 5 years. I'm not sure which law it is - but it seems contrary to the Constitution by discriminating against one particular class of Thai citizen. Not that I'm concerned about it. :-)

Hi Dingdang. No, I have not had my iron levels checked. I will wait for a few more weeks and have another test and see whether the liver enzyme level has normalised. Cheers for your response.

That's interesting, Sheryl. Millions of people around the world take propecia on a daily basis. If it is the reason, what can I do?

Mild elevations of liver enzymes like this are often the result of a medication. Are you on anything else? In not then the Anavar was quite likely the culprit.

Given your lack of risk factors, I think it would be reasonable to wait a few more weeks (not taking thje Anavar of course, and also keep meds like paracetemol etc to a minimum) and then repeat the test before deciding on an ultrasound.

Thank you very much, Sheryl.

I do take some other medications but I have taken these for some time - including the last time I had my blood tested when the AST liver enzyme levels were normal. The medications I take daily are - Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Zinc, CoQ10, Omega 3 Fish Oil, and Propecia. I think Anavar was the culprit but was a bit surprised given that I discontinued it a few weeks ago. I guess it takes some time for the levels to go back to normal.

I have also read that lifting weights can increase AST levels for up to 7 days after exercise. I exercise 3 times a week with weights and this, too, may have had an impact.

Again, many thanks for the kind response.

Cheers,

CJ

If you a do a quick google you will see you are not alone with elevated liver enzymes and the use of Anavar.

As long as you have discontinued usage your liver should return to normal over time.

You could also start taking milk thistle and some cleaning fresh veggie juices and general diet maitenance if you want to hurry the process along.

Thank you, Tolley. I have purchased some Samarin 140 and will take a tablet a day for the next several weeks. My diet is good and I generally eat fresh fruit and vegetables, chicken and fish, and brown rice.

Mr. Doctor has suggested a liver ultrasound on the basis of the AST 56 result - but I am thinking that he is jumping the gun a little. I would like to test again after a few more weeks to see if there is any improvement. I was a bit surprised, however, that the effects of the anavar would still result in elevated levels even after three weeks of discontinuation.

I have no other symptoms so I am hopeful that it nothing serious. The doctor mentioned fatty liver but I do not have any risk factors for that. I am 6ft 2, 75kg, and very active. I do not drink or smoke.

Anyway, thank you very much for your kind response.

Cheers,

CJ

I had my annual check-up today and everything in my bloodwork was normal except my AST level was 56. In the past years it has been between 15 and 35. All of the other liven enzymes (Albumin, ALT, and Alkaline Phosphate) were in the normal range. I am slightly disturbed by this AST level, although I understand it is not that far above the normal range (0-40).

I do not drink or smoke, nor do I have any other diseases which may affect the liver (such as Hepatitis or HIV).

I did take a 2 month course of the oral steroid anavar (oxandrolone) to gain some muscle mass - at 30mg per day. This was discontinued several weeks ago. Anavar is supposed to be very mild but I am now thinking that it was a silly idea to take it at all and that it may be the cause of my slightly elevated AST levels. I guess I will test again in another few weeks to see if there is any improvement.

Has anyone else experienced elevated liver enzyme levels with anavar?

Cheers,

CJ

Or having a visa application to visit your home country rejected.

I will have dual citizenship so I do not need a visa to visit my home country.

I'm still waiting for the MOI to send the official letter to the police so they can prepare my naturalization certificate. The MOI said it would take two weeks from the announcement in the Government Gazette - which was on May 30th. I will call them every few days and I'm hopeful I will have my passport within a week or so.

All I have spoken to were on tourist visas, working illegally. There seem to be more and more of them around; wouldn't be surprised if a crackdown was in the cards.

Some may be legal, though -- for example the ones that work at Sunrise Tacos. Being owned by the guy who owns Sunbelt, I'd hope those are all legal...

I think that it may have something to do with connections, too. For example, let's say McDonalds wanted to hire a beautiful blond faring woman to work behind the counter taking orders for one of its outlets. What do you think are the chances of her obtaining a work permit for a this job, despite having a valid job offer and the required monthly salary for foreign workers? I would find it very interesting if the Labor Department were to agree to issue her a work permit for such a job.

There are different interpretations of the Foreign Business Act - and some are of the view that it does not apply to foreign individuals who provide services to a company as long as those services are not specifically prohibited from List 3 of the FBA. So, a waiter, for example, although not a specifically prohibited occupation, there are some (including in the MOC) who believe that working as a waiter is constitutes a "service" that falls under the catch all category under paragraph 21 of the FBA. Others are of the view that such a foreigner is not providing such services to others for a commercial purpose but to his employer as part of his employment - and therefore the FBA would not apply.

Waiting or working in a restaurant isnt on the restricted occupation list...many Russians, Indians, Europeans are working legally in restaurants all over Thailand.

This is not correct. These service occupations are covered by paragraph 21 of List 3 of of the Foreign Business Act - which is the catchall "other categories of service business" category. In order for foreign nationals to work in these service occupations they would need a work permit and a foreign business license. I have spoken at length the the Foreign Business Committee at the MOC about this issue on several occasions and obtaining a foreign business license and a work permit for these service type jobs is not possible. I think you will find, if you dig deeply enough, that these people are working illegally - either without a valid WP or without a FBL, or without both.

I think I would be making a trip to a neighboring country to try out that brand new passport you will soon have.

I think that is a splendid idea. Perhaps Laos. I'm very much looking forward to using the new Thai passport for the first time.

P.S. Just wondering - did you take a Thai name? I understand this is no longer obligatory.

Patrick

I was required to reserve a Thai name as part of the original application but don't plan to use it. I will keep my original name - at least at the beginning. I suppose I could take a Thai name later but I don't really like the idea of having a different name on each of my passports.

Is there a type of "house book or yellow book " that can be obtained for an expat condo owner in Thailand? I am not married. Apologies if this has already been discussed.....

Condo owners get a blue book, regardless of their nationality.

Not sure if they get their names in the book though?

Correct - there is no name recorded in the Blue Book for a non Thai owner.

The exception is when the non-Thai owner is also has PR. In that case, his/her name is recorded into the Blue Book.