tangcoral

I do know a good painting team, but what do you mean by decorating?

Coming from Los Angeles I actually find it easier to drive in Thailand.

I the US if I were to switch 3 lanes over I would probably take out 3 cars doing so or get cursed til there is no tomorrow.

I Thailand drivers easily react to my every move by either getting out the way by either speeding up, slowing down or synchronized lane switching.

Plus LA they drive way to fast as in Thailand people are bit slower, I'm sure they traffic helps.

Asians aren't bad drivers in fact i think they drive by common sense. You see a car merging in, you stay alert to anticipate each others move.

Seems like water is not running in many areas? Are you guys affected as well?

I found that it is cheaper to send through USPS, only 50 dollars us, approximately, not counting fuel surcharge.

Any cons to using the USPS instead of a private carrier?

We used DHL and yes DHL fedex and UPS are all pretty safe especially with the insurance option.

However I declared it as $1500 cause my Dell laptop was 2 month old.

Costed me about $70 to ship but...

It got stuck at customs for week and half with a customs value tax of $120 which I paid to have it released.

They sorta kinda like to add tax on electronics stuff...or maybe my customs agent was having a bad day...

In any event do not be shocked if they add a certain percentage of customs tax to to your declared value. Hopefully you declared value is as low a you can write considering you do want to value it as high as you can for insurance purposes.

Hopefully that made sense

And I have shipped at least 17 times through USPS and havent lost a thing or even a taxed upon entry maybe cause the stuff i shipped I declared at $50 or less.

Didnt want to take a chance with Laptop but I am sure it wont get lost....BUT thats up to your own risk.

Update...

I went to the US Embassy tried to get my US marriage certificate certified. They said they do not certify any marriage certificates. They said we used to provide this service but it has now been 2 years since we last did. Instead they did give me an option to have a sworn affidavit written by me stating that I somnely swear to have married so and so, on so and so in the USA along with a $30 service fee, in return I get the handwritten letter by me stamped with the US embassy seal. They didn't even bother to ask to see my marriage certificate...

I took this written affidavit and had it translated to Laksi MFA to have it legalized as a usable thai document located on the third floor (took 2 hours and 800 baht). They than told me to take this to your local district office (amphur) to have your marriage registered in Thailand. This is were it got a bit complicated. My local district marriage office would not accept the sworn affidavit of marriage. They said they need the copy of the marriage certificate translated with a stamped seal from the US Embassy. I tried to explain that the US embassy does not do that anymore. She than proceeded to show me past files of registered marriages to foreigners all with the copy of marriage certificates stamped by their countries embassy. I said yes it is possible with other countries but the US embassy doesn't do that anymore? She said the rule never changed so go back and have it done like everyone else. So I left bitterly frustrated...

I spoke with the shop that translated my sworn affidavit and she said why don't you go over to the different district office. So I did and within less than an hour and 30 baht later I was registered in the thai books and received the marriage certificate.

Apparently...not all amphur are the same. I think my local amphur didnt receive the updated memo that US embassy do not certify marriage certificates anymore or they are stuck in the dinosaur ages. The amphur where I did receive the marriage certificate (young and beautiful staffs) said I should report what my local amphur to the courts and have them reprimanded for not following the rules.

Hope my ordeal helps other potential US citizens in getting the thai marriage certificate

So far I am half way there to receiving my O visa....I will let you know how the rest goes.

I will try today to see if they will certify my marriage certificate at the US embassy.

If this doesnt work than I need to rethink if signing the sworn affidavit you guys have been giving me, its section #4 which said to state my status. Single, divorced or widow that I am worried about since I am already married now.

I'll let you know how it goes...

thank you!

The past 3 days has been an ardous task, running from one agency to another.

A little background on me..I got married earlier this year in thailand but never registered for the thai marriage certificate. Few months later, went back to USA to showoff my new wife to friends and families, not to mention we made a quick stop at the Local county clerks office in Los Angeles for a marriage certificate, which we recieved 3 weeks later in the mail.

8 months later, (present time)...

I am now trying to obtain an O visa by marriage to end the endless cycle of monthly visa runs to cambodia.

Some of the stuff that I learned while gathering my paperwork...

After visiting the bangkok immigration office at suan plu on the 2nd floor, we received a check list of things that must be done.

The check list ask for us to obtain a certified copy of the marriage certificate by means of having the marriage certificate stamped with a seal of guarantee from the US embassy. ONLY problem is the US embassy does not issue a stamp of guarantee to any marriage certificate.

We stopped by Laksi office of Foriegn Ministry and spoke with the supervisor in regards to our dilemma, which they said in order to accept your certified marriage certificate.It needs to be certified by the state (california) because it the original marriage certificate was issued at the local county office. Than after thats done, you must have it certified at the federal or national level by department of state in washington D.C. by Condoleezza Rice!Your joking right?, they said "well at least someone in her office". I am sure there were some lost in translation going on here but I figured Dept. of state would suffice. Anyhow I was thinking to myself what kind of Bureaucratic policy is this? Anyhow the conversation ended by me saying.."I rather forget the whole US marriage certificate route and just get a Thai Marriage Certificate. They then said, you have to go back to the US embassy and get a certified document proving that you are "single". Okay sounds easy if I didnt get the marriage certificate in LA 8 months ago in the first place. So having no choice, I have to make a trip out to schedule an appointment with the Condoleezza Rice and while I'm at it, get and autographed picture as a souvenier ?!

Everyone I talked to said the US makes things alot more difficult than other coutnries...no kidding

What am I not knowing here? please help..