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If you are married to a Thai you can both visit immigration with proof/id's and obtain a 60 day extension of stay to visit for the normal TM.7/1,900 baht.

If you do not have a valid reason the most you can obtain is 7 days under consideration stamp.

You do need to use the office serving the area you list on the TM.7

Thanks Lopburi - sorry new at this - by TM 7 - is that the marriage certificate? We have that - though it was bangkok and now live in Sakon Nakorn.

1900 sounds good.

Crikey, at our local, Chang's 35B and Leo's 43B all the time.

But then, it doesn't charge FAT, Farang Added Tax.

Best be drinking there then. But not for long obviously, that's almost the price they cost wholesale. Still a Thai, if he buys a chang for 34baht then sells it for 35, according to him . he's making a profit. Taking everything into consideration, rent,wages,elec,water,gas,telephone,UBC,Cable our Changs cost around 45/50 baht to buy.

Isn't this a thread about Happy Hours around Isaan or just Farang Connection?

Also heard but sadly never been too the "Fishing Park" somewhere near Surin - Sunday brinch that goes on and a open stage for music. Starbeam owner thinks the place is great fun - looks like another venue with very happy hours.

In Sawang Daen Din the stumps bar is still oddly closed whenever I wonder past. Happily prices at Pink House are always happy

Need a extension for a month or two at most.

This was a 90 day single entry - not going to need a 1 year visa.

Suggestions?

Anyone done this recently?

Is Sakon Nakorn or Nong Kai easier IF it's possible.

NOTE I am NOT after a 1 year marriage visa. Just want to extend this a little bit

DISCLAIMER - Yep I know the owner!

Got that out of the way - but frankly let's face it - our best mates are often the ones we criticise the most.

That said wife and I had two great meals there. Dinner on the real opening night was good - left feeling very full - Meatballs and Spag wife loved (This Thai girl came second in a lasagna contest so knows her Italien cooking) we also shared a Thai dish - and then finished with Calamari - which could have been a bit hotter.

Place is a short walk as I discovered when the kitchen hand and I left at 10.30pm to the various thai and farang friendly night spots.

Parking very easy - lots the next day when I had breakfast there.

Suggestion - make omlettes!

Beer was cheap and cold - place is very clean and Air Con for when the hot weather comes.

Upstairs wasn;t finished yet - but when it is will be a great spot to sit and watch TV Play pool etc.

Wishing the man "owners" all the best and strongly suggest if you have any suggestions tell him - very nice guy - who will listen.

no idea how that kind of insurance works - could be a good point if that's what they cover.

Thing is "The future is not ours to see" is sadly crystal clear for parents of handicapped kids - something I wonder if the people putting the clip together even thought about

Still think the money - if it was a CSR exercise - should have gone to a national foundsation rather than one school only - IF any money has been raised.

Personally I've never liked the song - it always seemed to me "Accept the shit as it happens - don't bother planning fo rthe future"

Very Budhist - but not my style.

VERY sadly the parents of special needs kids know the future and are scared of it - their kids will turn into adults and will still need spoecial attention - when Mum and Dad retire in not so distant future what happens? When mum and Dad die, what happens.

The future is tough and well know - regardless what the song says.

Cuban - sounds like a GREAT place - can you gice a adress for the Che bar - sounds like my kinda place.

Price doesn't bother me too much - was in Starbeam for first night and place was very clean, air con, and hopefully soon big TV's and pool Table - about the same price as FC I think.

Went to the first night of Starbeam - back next day for breakfast - very clean very nice place - will do a detailed revue elsewhere in Isaan threads.

Phaya Thai 2 up the road from VIctory Monument has been wonderful for our kids

Fantastic - was hoping someone would do this some day - will pop along soon

Soi hok - thank you

CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility is common in the west - not so common here

There video is very well done - but I was angry first time I saw it - my sister worked with handicapped kids al here life teaching and then writing books - I'd volunteer to help - and my sister is a very frank person - she didn't know happier kids - didn't like hypocrisy - hated profit from emotions.

I also wonder at the value of the donations - it seems following the links funds are to be raised for one school.

Typical in Thailand - the ads cost more than the money raised - never mind that - but why not give $'s for the national foundation that looks after these children and their needs?

Nice idea - poorly aimed - and sorry - it makes me angry - not happy.

Curious - did anyone here who said the add was nice donate? I'd be impressed if you did but dubious if anyone bothered.

Curious - any one with a handicapped kid been able to get health cover from said insurance company?

Will first trip to Australia was done in a hurry and Daughter had Thai passport not Australian - though she was obviously eligible.

When collecting the visa's for wife and daughter the staff told me one was refused.

I expected it must have been the wife - no - daughters!

They REFUSE to provide a visa to a person of dual citizenship in the non Australian passport (no visa needed for Aussie Passport)

Luckily we where able to get a Australian passport in time - 6 days.

So I would say Illegal

Try it and get turned back at border - not a good idea.

If you have a friend travelling with you that is going to use a border pass (not a passport but a 3 days "pass" cheap and easy) then you need to be there after 8 and before 4pm to get the pass - coming back you have to cross before 10 pm (Going on my didgy memory of last month)

Well it's good to know I can get "benifits' if I have to - had two more job interviews so hopefully for me sadly for those I annoy I'll be around a little longer

Finally got some info - more my fault than Centerlinks

Seems I get "newstart" or the dole 21 days after informing them - I need to be in Australia a few days after doing so

Kids get allowance 14 days later

Wife will be on visa different set of info for her

toll free phone call from Australia and VERY nice person on the phone as had my mum when she called

Roughly $850 a fortnight - seems a lot - but cost of living in Australia a lot higher than here of course

Where is "STUMPS" or SMO...thanks

Drive into town - turn rigth after second set of lights and entry to Bus Station - Disco (SMO) or "Surmet" as they seem to pronounce it is in that soi on left - Stumps is on same side on the next corner

Correct - in fact it's illegal to enter Australia on any other passport if your Australian

Thai friend of mine with Oz passport once arrived in Bangkok from Sydney very late at night made the mistake of entering Thailand on Aussie passport - leaving a few months later had to pay overstay!

Thanks guys - I have my mum calling Centerkink today - ooops - typo - reason I want to know before hand is it plays into were we go next - if I have to wait a while for benignity I'll stay here - far cheaper - if I can get benefits reasonably soon I'll go back to Australia. Hence knowing before I plan my next move

Centerlink I tried - very hard to decipher anything - UK and Aus fairly different from what I've heard - Australia "seems" to be more like UK was

Job has hit a wall - so unless I find new work returning to Australia with Thai wife and the 2 kids aged 4 and 7 looks like happening in the New Year.

I've been trying to get information - wife will enter on the visa advised before - Kids have Thai and Aussie passports - but if no work and I haven't had the dole for over 25 years I have no idea what claims I can make when I return as we are/will be very broke.

So question is how soon can I collect unemployment benifits if I haven't lived in Australia for 10 years - how soon can kids get what ever they can claim

Hate to make claims but "MAY" have no choice.

Stories I have heard so far points to wife getting benifits but me and kids missing out.

Anyone had recent experience?

Thanks!

Daughter went to ballet school for 2years - loved it but decided it wasn't for her- age 4 and 5. Got her year one K cert.

Nice place in Suk Soi 45 there abouts

Hey I missed the party!

No sign of them building anything behind Tesco like a Cinema etc.

The nicest little bar is "stumps" bar as we've taken to calling it - open air - all wood - very nice - on corner just down from SMO

Crazy idea - not mine - but has anyone in any rural area done this?

Maintaining I am not too worried about - but finding someone who knows building/digging one is

COSTS?????

Wife and I wanted the son to be clipped - mostly on health reasons.

Was talked out of it by family members - now regret it - still considering doing sometimenear future when he can also have a say in getting it down.

At moment he wants the same as Daddy - waiting a year or two more.