Raesum

So the MIL hasn’t even died yet!

You can have 3,5,7 or 9 nights of funeral services plus the cremation.

There will be the cost of hiring the temple and associated costs eg cutlery and crockery, electricity etc plus every ceremony you must buy flowers and incense for each monk plus give each of them an envelope with money in it.

There are also the several flower arrangements put on and around the coffin,( normally at least 7 small arrangements and one large one)plus the temple guy who does all the arranging of the body , plus the coffin itself,

As for the cremation at our local temples you need to buy the diesel to start the incinerator( minimum 6000 Thai baht) as well as the gift to give all the attendees, plus the sandalwood flowers to place under the coffin at cremation time plus a all the robes that various people chosen by the family present to the temple monks.

I have been to enough funerals here and been involved with also buying and cooking food for the guests when they arrive in the evening plus giving  food halfway during the ceremony for those who arrived and didn’t have time to eat.

Maybe you need to get yourself more hands on in the village procedures and customs to know that a funeral is more than as you describe.In the meantime I wish your mother in law “ Good Health”

Just completed my application using Wanderer555 link on post no 2716 above.Was trying unsuccessfully for an hour or so before that.

Thanks Wanderer555!!

I have 50kgs chlorine for sale(well just under as a few scoops taken out) 3000THB. Have changed to chlorinator system so chlorine no longer required

Sorry Bamboo77 I live right on the border of Bangkok and Nonthaburi. I am Australian married to a Thai(for 24 great years!)

I have just done a quick research on Int Rescue Committee.All they want is money and donations plus lobby your US senator blah blah blah.

I was looking for info about arranging for donations of clothing, dried food, pots, pans, baby requirements etc etc. If anyone has other info regarding sending real things to the real people rather than just money to the USA I'd love to help.

Pakkret Babies Home. PM me if you want further info.

Does Thailand allow dual citizenship?

Yes

When my husband and I went to enquire re citizenship at the Royal Thai Police for myself they said I would definately have to give up my passport.

My husband as a Thai- born has dual citizenship due to the fact he obtained second citizenship in a country that allows dual .

I am at my wits end with this usufruct business. Today my (Thai) husband and I went to the Land Dept in Bangkok to "register a usufruct"They told us to go to our local amphur(exactly where we went about 2 months ago to be told "No can do".)

So back we went to Bangsue amphur. It looked hopeful initially when the guy said he could make up a deed today for us.It all boiled down in the end to a deed could be made up so I could live on our land (in our house) for a year but after that it must be sold.What a waste of time-this is the law anyway.

The guy at the Bangsue amphur said there is no such thing as a foreigner being able to live here in their marital house for the rest of their life.He said he phoned his boss who said the same and also the Land department who said there is no such law regarding foreigners! They must sell after 1 year.This is the 5th place we have been. If it wasn;t family land I'd say_lets move to Chiang Rai!!!Seems they are clued up. Also hubby said that the Thai translation for usufruct translates to "rental agreement/business agreement and infers this is whilst the land owner is alive"

Hi londongirl

Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear about your unfortunate encounter.

Let me say-you are not alone in having done things you later(or sooner) regret.I have been there done that.....

As others have said-luckily it stopped at that and no harm done apart from the photo.I wouldn't worry too much about that either as I am sure you are not allowed to post these things on media websites.Yes he may show it to his mates and brag about "the falang". Stay away from where you met him for a (long) while so theres no chance of running into him again (or his mates).

Luckily you have got a friend to go out with so you can easily go elsewhere-Its a big place!

Enjoy your new life in Thailand and don't worry

Hi Bina (and Boo And sbk etc) I agree this forum really was a fantastic find for me a few years ago.To know that there were falang girls who were also married to Thai guys-such a rarity!!!

To mama falang- Great that you can join us and suggest a sharing of ideas etc.As we are scattered over the globe and you are in Melbopurne it might be a big task!! I wish you all the best!!

PS I live in Bangkok

Boo-I, too, agree that Thailand is a very safe place to travel around (but as you mentioned- keep your preservation wits about you-as in any country) In my own country, travelling on the local buses and trains brings on angst as "locals" confront people and graffiti is rampant on all windows and buildings.I do not feel safe travelling on a metro train in Australia but funnily enough in large cities like London and my (now)home city of Bangkok I feel perfectly safe. Both the trains-underground and sky train - and buses have a security bought on by the systems that are in place here and the attitude of the people that surpasses those of the Australasian community.

However, referring back to the title of the post "Southeast asian women embrace independent travel-I have several Thai sister-in-laws- and "Independent" travel never comes into the equation.

For the past 20 years, whenever any of them want to or have travelled they rely on me and my husband to book their tickets,accompany them etc.

They would never in a million years consider travelling "independently".As far as Thai people go-the more the merrier!!!

I have had friends have lower and upper eyelids done at Yanhee and also one friend had a full face lift(Head cut open and skin pulled upwards) The after care has been fantastic in all cases-whether staying in for 3 nights(the facelift) or going home an hour or so after.Everyone has been pleased with their outcome.The price for upper and lower lids is still 18000THB (9000THB for Thais) and the face lift was USD$6500

I have a friend coming in for Boob reduction, tummy tuck and underarm excess skin removal.She has chosen to have it all done at Yanhee and she can get all the procedures done under the same anaesthetic.

Dental work is also recommended there.

Generally for the surgery-if you want it done then and there it is possible.Or a one day wait at the latest.

Funnily enough, on the morning of the 25th, the local school plays Christmas Carols over the community loud speaker.I like to go out and cuddle the babies at the local Orphanage then fortunately the brother-in-law has a birthday so its normally a few SangSoms etc for Xmas lunch.That'll do me.I agree that if I had kids it would be more meaningful.

I have a Thai husband who carries 2 passports.

Gee Samran-that fee is unexpected! We heard it was about 300,000THB!!!

Yikes having to declare to my Embassy that I intend to give up my citizenship to become a Thai citizen is a bit serious. I think I will go and have a chat to the Embassy -good suggestion.

I certainly am of good character however I became an Australian citizen about 20 years ago- I wasn't born there!

How much has your wife had to pay this far into the process?.There is no mention of any amount of money for whatever processes in the information given to us yesterday.There was certainly a suggestion that we might be asked to provide some tea money.

Ha ha your cricket analogy proves you are more Ozzie than my Thai/Oz husband!!

And yes I'm sure you will be involved with the next interview.

Todays first step was definately more about my husband than me.

He has already got a headache looking at what he needs to provide for RTP-Special Branch.Thats because in Aus he always left it up to me!!

Easy!!

Thanks Samran.I watch your posts re your wifes Thai citizenship appln with interest.So she applied in 2008.Has it been granted yet?

Yes I'm looking out for Arkadys knowledge and also a link for "Canada" as to the requirements for citizenship application.They are numerous!

Thanks for your answer-and as for intentions changing..well you know what a womans mind can do!!!

Thank you for your replies.

So down the track I will need to write a letter stating this?

I have just returned from the Royal Thai police Headquarters where my husband (Thai) and I went to initiate the process of me becoming a Thai citizen.

They told us repeatedly that I would have to give up my (Aus) passport as I could only hold a Thai passport if my application was successful. They said this had been the rule for a very long time.

I have read of others becoming citizens and there is no mention of them surrendering their passports.They did suggest I may like to "say" I'm giving up my other passport and then .....

However after a lot of to-ing and fro-ing they have said we may proceed with the application-however I am a bit apprehensive now.

Just spoke to my husband(due to his location in a remote mining site)and he was like "Whats the problem? It was given as a gift so accept it as a gift"

So I shall unwrap it and see whats in there and not worry about luxury cars, Rolexes or karma.And if I don't know what something is I can always pass it on to the family!

Thanks for all your help.

Yes AnotherOneAmerican-I could do that.

Actually when you said that it bought to mind the image of one of the monks from the temple that we use(the one that always asks me when we are going to give them T-bone steaks!instead of the normal food offerings) Anyway occasionally he gives my sister-in-law things that he's been given but doesn't want/use eg several first aid kits, glass bowls, glass plates etc.He seems to store them in a box and when he sees her he gives them to her.

Thanks folks.Although why karma has to be in capital letters I don't know-after all it was partly to do with karma as to why I received this gift in the first place.

The other thing I guess is protocol. I do know some good monks at a temple across the way(not the beetel chewing ones at my local temple).I am even on speaking terms with a couple of them as my (husbands)Thai family uses this temple a lot for ceremonies

.However, as a woman , I can't just front up to the temple and give this offering to the first monk I see.Maybe I'd better wait for hubby to come home in a few weeks time?

I live in Nonthaburi but always travel down to Pattaya to see Dr David Pack(sorry I can't find his number at present) He does not suggest any medications or alternatives.Give him a call.The first consultation is at least half an hour and subsequent ones are about 20 minutes.