Bangkok Barry

Wow!

And so did you have to go back and get one, and did you meet him? I don't have to meet him. Getting a letter from him is just part of the pantomime, with our 32 years of marriage counting for nothing. My wife hasn't been to see him yet to get the letter and possibly, with a house visit being made, it might not now be necessary. A U-turn. We'll check again when they make the visit.

Well, I'm confused that I'm told I mentioned a 2000 baht fee when I didn't, and that I wrote I had not had a marriage extension for three years, when I didn't say that either. Some were confused by what I wrote, equally some were not and understood and appreciated the warning. I'll side with those who understood perfectly well what I wrote. You can't please all the people all of the time. Your point about brevity is taken on board though, and so here's the 10 second attention span version: Kalasin is now placing every application for a non-O marriage extension under increased scrutiny, no matter what your previous record with that office might be, and interviews and house visits can be expected. Of course, there might be a U-turn next week.... :)

Jeez. I didn't write that I had one three years ago, I wrote I've had once SINCE three years. You need to brush up on your comprehension skills. I'll say it for a third time: I wrote that I've had one since three years ago. SINCE THREE YEARS AGO. Not that I haven't had one for three years. As for I might have been paying someone to say they are my wife, I've been married for 32 years, as the certificate clearly shows. I had a break of six months for complicated and uncertain travel reasons, and know I had to begin again. I also know, as I explained, that there are now stricter rules in place than there were before, due to a new boss being installed. That was the whole point of my post, to inform others that things are not as they were. You completely ignore the point I made that stricter rules are now in place at Kalasin for everyone, not just me, because of an over-reaction by the new boss after the old one was removed. Because of corruption involving members of the Kalasin officers concerning Chinese visas, applications from ALL nationalities are now under a microscope. I'm really not interested in your telling me what I should and should not do or what I've done wrong. I was trying to offer helpful advice to others, not looking for it myself. I know the situation, which is that there is a crackdown and a greater scrutiny of everyone. Do you use Kalasin? If not, why do you care? If you do, then be prepared for greater scrutiny next time, even if you've been married for 32 years as I have. Or ignore my warning. I don't really care. Others have found it welcome.

Sorry if I offended but, as I pointed out, you were not clear on what you applied for, or where. I'm fighting no battles, just informing others of what the situation is now at Kalasin. You know, trying to be helpful.

Nowhere have I mentioned 2000 baht. And at the risk of digging up ancient history, I've been married for 32 years, been living here for around 26 or so, and have I've had several non-O marriage extensions before. Kalasin told me to take the steps I outlined above, not to apply for a non-O again until now, and in the meantime the new boss has added new demands/checks, so my ancient history and long marriage and residence counts for zero. There is no 'gap' except as advised to do by Kalasin. And, as I said, everyone there today got the same treatment. We all got a raw deal.

How does this relate to my experience? At what office were you? You mention A-O. That isn't what I applied for, but then you don't make it clear that you did either ("after 15 years of A-O" etc - did you change?). I fail to see the relevance of your post.

I've had three one-year non O marriage extensions before. I'll add that my last one expired last November. I went overseas for a week and was told by Kalasin, before I left, that I should re-enter with no visa and apply for a non O visa upon my return. I did, and that expires next week so I've applied for my fourth one-year, after a gap of five months. The officer told me they have made it much harder now to get one. I was told the same thing two years ago by a different officer at the same office in relation to them insisting that the 400,000 remained in the account until the extension was received, common now but not in practise at Kalasin at that time. It would be nice to be told, for a change, that they are making it easier, but that won't happen. Will it. As for not being typical, there were four other people also told to return after lunch for interviews. I wasn't singled out. They are cracking down on every application. In Kalasin, at least. The officer was friendly enough and admitted that it was indeed a reaction to the Chinese visa scandal and the new measures were initiated by his new boss. And for everyone, not just the Chinese.

Read it again. I wrote that I've had one since, I think, three years ago. I didn't write that I hadn't had one for three years.

It's called a Republic, and why some folks shouldn't join in the conversation.???? Strange. I thought it was called the United States, not the Republic of America. My mistake.

It is simpler, yes. But I have no burning desire to tie up 800,000 for months of the year. One day of frustration and agony per year is do-able.

Got to prove it was the Russians. Now, who sabotaged the undersea gas pipelines? There have been no real answers to that one, as far as I know. Certainly, it hasn't been proved that Russia did it. Just accusation and counter accusation.

Banned in 10 of the obviously un-United States. So i guess they'll just have to cross over the State border to buy where there's no ban. Maybe they need to set up custom checks at every State border. I mean, come on! What is the point of one state banning and another not? Really!

They are? News to me. But tell me how smart the person who dreamed up the twice-delayed because it is unworkable tax that is the subject of this thread is. He is an idiot because he was incapable of thinking it through. That is clear for anyone to see. And the same thing happens time after time after time, because those charged with making decisions too often have the mind of a naïve child and can't see past their nose. In the entire history of the world Thais have never invented or produced anything of use to the world. Nothing. Some might cite Red Bull, but it only became popular after it was refined and marketed properly by an Austrian. Thai silk? Rescued from obscurity by an American. and so on. Thais reportedly have an IQ level of 88 (Google it). So no wonder they come out with nonsense so often.

Of course not......who are the biggest beneficiaries of corruption?.....the very people in charge of preventing it. Yes. Wasn't the head of the anti-corruption office arrested for corruption?

This might be specific to Kalasin IO, but it might not be so I'm posting it here rather the Issan forum. I spent several hours today at said office to apply for a new Marriage O one-year extension. I've had one since, I think, three years ago, but due to complications because of travel during my renewal time (at least, Kalasin made it complicated) I had to return visa-free and get a three month O visa before applying again for the one-year extension. And now the problem. There are new rules in place in Kalasin. There is a new boss, who replaced the old one who was seemingly one of the many arrested for being overly helpful with certain Chinese businessmen. And the new boss is doing the Thai 'crack a nut with a sledgehammer' thing and demanding new rules regarding us aliens - all of us, not just the Chinese. This means not only a very, very thorough perusal of your documents, but an interview which was directed more to my wife than me, in which one of the questions asked was whether I had any brothers or sisters! Despite being married for over 32 years, she was asked how we met (she worked on the information counter at Tokyu in Bangkok, since some of you will be wondering), and a letter from the village head was demanded (we have never met each other, as far as I know). And they are doing a house visit, despite them having done one when I first applied for the one-year. So be prepared for the application taking a lot longer than it has before, and more demands than before. I am guessing this is one boss acting alone, but several offices had officers arrested and so draconian rules might apply at those too.

I'm not sure I understand your post. Are you able to respond with words rather than pictures?

I wonder if she would have acted the same against you if you were Thai.

Responsible journalism doesn't produce mistakes. It is the duty of any journalist to be accurate.

With Thai reporting, anything is possible.

You don't need to see an accident happen to know the roads are dangerous. Seeing the aftermath, as you have, might provide a clue that they are.

"This settlement reflects FOX's continued commitment to the highest inability to meet even basic journalistic standards..." There. Fixed it,

His body was trapped inside for at least three days because it was the Songkran holiday and MEA staff members were off duty and not at work. So, no security there for the holiday period, exactly the time that those with ill intent might choose to get up to mischief - because there is no security. Once the security man returned to work he got an unpleasant surprise,

Message to the OP: Don't make a Thai lose face. Ever. It can and does lead to death, even over the smallest thing. You might know you are right and they are wrong, and they might know it too but would never, ever admit it. Face is the most important thing in life and society to a Thai, more even than money. And that is really saying something.

I'll take your word for that, although I find it hard to believe. I live on a long straight road and during my eight or nine years in the house there have been at least 20 accidents within 500 metres. I've lost count now. Cars and lorries in the ditch, death and amputations, one person in a long-term coma. My sister-in-law was killed on her bike, another sister-in-law killed a woman on a bike who crossed a main road without looking, a brother-in-law ended upside down in a ditch inside a van he was a passenger in, another brother-in-law now had metal rods in a leg after he was hit from behind while waiting to do a right turn on his bike. I would bet all I have that there is not one family in Thailand who doesn't know someone who has been killed or injured on he road. Apart from the massive road death total, a million - a million - people are injured on Thai roads every year.