Thewayup

I find that Dohop http://www.dohop.com/ is a pretty good search engine, it includes the low cost carriers as well as flight consolidators.

As others have suggested all of these search engines should be used as an indicitive guide, but their results normally take some beating.

Any suggestions as to how to view this site in English. It's appearing in Thai script on my PC.

Click in the Top-Right Corner next to the little icon of a globe.

You can learn to spot ไทย and ภาษาไทย as these words refer to the Thai language.

Hi

I have used skyscanner.net - covers all countries and including Thai internal and international worldwide

Good luck

Another crap site, just like travelocity or zuji. I just searched skyscanner for BKK-SYD return 01/11 - 12/11. The cheapest that came up was BA and Qantas at just over 35,000THB ... Luckily I booked earlier today through the Emirates website at just under 22,000THB includinng ALL taxes ... These days steer clear of these types of websites, just go through the various airlines and eventually you will find a good deali

You've got the wrong end of the stick, it's a very good site, especially for long-haul routes, it consolidates all the different fares from agents like travelocity and ebookers and from the airlines themselves so usually you can get the best fare without spending all day doing the comparison yourself.

Occasionally they cannot access all the different fares when you search - they are updating their system or one of the sites they are using in the fare comparison is updating the system (or the network is down). I guess this was your problem when you used the site, you used it at an unlucky time.

The search function is great, you can search for the cheapest flight from any UK airport to Bangkok for example, or search for the cheapest fare in a whole month or year.

It can calculate stopover times as well so you can travel with 2 or 3 different airlines for a lower fare sometimes (sometimes it is cheapest to go to Bangkok via Hong Kong or Rome, and then change airlines... it would take ages thinking up the possible routes then calculating it yourself).

It is not so good for short-haul flights in Asia.... I think it gets confused scanning the Air Asia website, and misquotes the fares, and it doesn't scan Jetstar at all.

OP - I don't think there is a decent comparison site for flights in SE Asia. But if price is your main concern, then you will usually get a good deal with Air Asia, Jet Star and Tiger Airways.

Air Asia has online-only promotions often. Most Thais and Malays don't have credit cards so they can't access the promotional prices online, you can usually find promotional tickets.

errr?!? Are you sure you were not smoking something through the showerhead on the bedroom ceiling when you thought that up?

Hehe yes, more than a little psychedelic with your master bedroom full of balloons and a stray cow wandering around the kitchen

I think using visual associations is a good learning aid, but it's definitely more productive to come up with your own system than someone else's quirky one for something complex like the Thai tones.

It helps alot to involve kinesthetic learning as well - basically acting out what you are learning. It's how children learn to sing and play musical instruments, using solfege (do-re-mi) with different hand signals for each musical tone.

You can use the same approach when you are learning a new language, especially one which is tonal and mostly monosyllabic like Thai. When I first learned the Thai alphabet and the 5 different tones, I spent days acting out the tones: diving into a pool for the falling tone, peering over the garden wall for the rising tone, sitting up and raising my eyebrows for the high tone and slouching into my chair for the low tone. Ok I sound like a bit of a nut-job but I speak Thai well

There's a video of Stuart Jay Raj

I'm sure These Ladies will convince you too

Hi,

Have a look at Faraway Weddings - it's an agency based on Koh Samui and their web address is www.weddingsinthailand.com . Their website has all the information you need about the logistics of a wedding in Thailand and I'd personally recommend their services.

Hi Ch23,

I am a full-time student and my Thai partner (also a student) came over to the UK to visit earlier this year. I have attached a copy of the sponsor letter from me (Sponsor1.doc) and the letter from my parents (Sponsor2.doc), download them as they will give a good indication of what you need to include.

For my partner's visa application we included 5 sections:

1) Evidence of Sponsorship

2) Evidence of Existing Relationship

3) Evidence that the Applicant will not overstay (ie. work, university, family commitments back in Thailand)

4) Daily itinerary of travel in the UK.

5) Signed Declaration from Applicant and Sponsor.

The two sponsor letters and all the appendages (pictures of the house, bank statements, utility bills etc..) covered section one.

If you need any more advice you can PM me.

SPONSOR1.DOC

SPONSOR2.doc

I was under the impression nobody (Thai or foreigner) could own beach land as it belongs to the King of Thailand.

As for the land which is adjacent to the beach, I'm sure we farang own less than 1% of it. The Chinese are huge landowners, but not sure what proportion of them are also Thai citizens.

Does anyone know where I can get a large number of 3 inch CDs here in Bangkok, preferably wholesale?

This is just what you're looking for - Songcharoen Media Group

We can discuss my small finder's fee some other time .

When the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement entered into force on 1 January 2005, Thai tariffs on Australian wine were gradually reduced from 54 per cent to the current 28 per cent, giving Australian wine an immediate competitive advantage over wine producers from other countries which attract a tariff of 51 per cent. The import duty will phase down by four per cent each year to reach zero per cent by 2015.

There are relatively high tariffs on imported wines. In addition to import tariffs, imported wines are subject to four different tax systems:

• Excise tax – value-based rate at 60 per cent
  
• Municipal tax – 10 per cent of excise tax
  
• Value added tax (VAT) – 7 per cent
  
• Health support project – 2 per cent
  

Excise tax can be calculated by on the cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value or by volume basis (per litre). The higher excise tax calculation is used as a base for applying the municipal tax and VAT.

So the Thai hoteliers and restaurateurs who insist on displaying prices as eg. ฿100+, ฿100++ or ฿100+++ , could legitimately advertise a 1000 Baht bottle of wine as ฿250+++++

Incidentally, foreign embassies can get wine tax-free, so befriending a slightly corrupt diplomat could be the solution.

If you want to be pedantically correct when you are addressing somebody in written Thai, read This Article .

It says that you leave a space between an academic's title and their name if they have a doctorate or a military rank. No space if they don't, or if you are abbreviating their academic title.

Have a look on www.skyscanner.net .

There is a cheap option for some dates in September, flying with Air Berlin and Flybe to Manchester via Dusseldorf (around ฿15,000). She won't need a transit visa for the stopover in Germany, it's a popular transit point for Indian Nationals working in the UK, Turkey, North America so immigration won't be a problem.

Qatar Airways will look after her better, but 2 hours in Dusseldorf is preferable to 8 hours in Doha so check the transit times!

It is thanks to all the excellent posters on this thread that I have reached this decision: to concentrate on literacy using online audio-enhanced sources, whilst trying to expand my spoken vocabulary.

Harcourt, an excellent online resource if you haven't come across it yet (it's menitoned in the pinned thread on resources but worth repeating here, I think) is the free Ghetings Reader. The whole book WITH audio (that's what makes this special) can be downloaded for FREE. You can practice your listening skills from native speakers as Sateev suggests AND practice reading along too. Of course, you'll need to get familiar with the Thai writing system first to do it (maybe start with the Manee reader on Seasite), but it's an excellent way to progress. There's no English translations provided for the text, which to me is a good thing, but there are plenty of people on TV who are or have worked through this book (including me, currently about a third of the way through) and can help you with the sticky bits.

Has anyone started a Ghetings Reader thread? Would people be interested in this? I have a few questions of my own from this book.

The link for you convenience is http://siamwestdc.com/thaireader-UH/index.htm

I don't know how long it'll stay up (good things always have a habit of disappearing, at least till someone decides to start charging for them!), so my advice is download it now even if you're not ready for it yet; you can save it for the future.

Thanks so much for posting the Ghetings Reader - it looks like a really good resource.

I've just finished learning the Thai Alphabet with the Manee Reader - not on SEASite but at http://www.learningthai.com/books/manee/index.html . I thought the pace with which new graphemes (vowels, consonants, tone marks) are introduced was perfect. It has loads of audio exercises with each level, they have been great for improving my pronunciation and reinforcing the association with written Thai.

I agree with Sateev that listening to Thai speakers is the best way to learn. However, it is very, very helpful to have a written reference for what you hear, and Thai script is much better than any transliteration. It gives you a much better sense of the language's logic - with the consonant classes and tone rules, there is a lot more sense to the language, though the complexity is daunting at first.

I am doing some academic research on Vietnam, which has a syllabic tonal language (like Thai) but it has a Romanised writing system called Quốc Ngữ. Even though it's a 100% standardised, consistent system, it is totally contrived, and basically makes the spoken language more of a headache! By comparison, the Thai Alphabet is a real blessing in disguise.

If you are flying to BKK several times, you might get a good deal with British Airways, then you could fly with your packages as excess baggage.

It works with British Airways because they have cheap rates for excess baggage - you can check in a extra item of luggage up to 23 KG for £72, and up to 32 KG for £97 .

It's a bad idea with most other airlines, as they charge by the Kilo (not per item) for excess baggage!

I tend to use "baaw ao duuhr" with touts - it is "no thankyou!" in Isaan dialect. Nearly always I get a big smile then they leave me alone.

I just tried again for 12Oct. at 10;45 anf for 3 passengers it is 90b each more than for 1, not a lot of money and it just might be worth it not to have to book 3 seperate times

I tend to agree with the scam explanation.

Yes, you'll probably pay more than 90b in credit card surcharges for each booking, aside from how much you value your time.

I have flown with Air Asia more than 30 times, and still think they are fantastic value for money (I wouldn't go long-haul withthem though!). Definitely some flaws in the system though. We are always charged extra for our check-in luggage on the Bangkok - Phuket route, but never on Bangkok - Nakhon Sri Thammarat. Really not sure if it's a company policy or if the staff are more inclined to extort money from people going to touristic places.

AvistaZ Asian Torrents, Best of Asian, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Hongkong, Thai, India - Movies, Music and TV Drama

Here you go. Lots of Thai movies, most with English subtitles. You have to register and keep a good upload/download .

The one time I flew with Jetstar (from HCMC to Hanoi, Vietnam) I tried to check in to find my booking had completely disappeared from the system.

The staff at the check-in desk and the booking office just left me to wait for about 2 hours, as they had no idea what to do and nobody could really speak English. However, they did tell me the plane was fully booked.

Luckily I had a Vietnamese friend waiting for me in Hanoi, who called them - they then escorted me and my luggage straight onto the plane (without passing customs and definitely without collecting $200!). I was a ticket for seat 1A on a largely empty plane . Can't say I'd recommend them.

I wonder 2 more things about the Law program at Ram.

First, can some of the courses from her Political Science degree be used towards the Law degree? i.e. If so, would her mark (GPA) from those courses be directly transferred to her law program? Reason for asking is she didn't get the best marks in her PS program, not bad but not too high. She was working full time and only did the PS degree because she likes to study. So just wondering if some of those marks might not be ideal moving forward.

Secondly, how is the GPA calculated??? In her PS program there were only 3 marks F(fail), P(pass) and G(good). How does a GPA get calculated out of that???

This link answers both of your questions more-or-less. She can transfer a certain number of credits from her original degree, the faculty decides how many you can transfer. RU should still have her original GPA scores on record for transferring credits.

The GPA is not calculated from the three grades, the grades are calculated from the GPA (Fail - less than 2.25, Pass - 2.25 to 3.99 and Good - 4.00). Your aspiring lawyer wife may explain to you you have committed a fallacy of reverse causation (post hoc ergo propter hoc) .

My wife studied Political Science at Ramkamhaeng and is now considering doing a law degree there. I wonder how respected is a law degree from Ramkamhaeng?

Thank you.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva studied law at Ramkamhaeng after gaining two degrees from Oxford University, which would suggest it's a good course and a good qualification.

I know quite a few Thai employers who prefer RU graduates, as the more prestigious universities spoon-feed their students much more into passing their degrees, whereas RU doesn't have the time or the funding. Also as it's such a large university many employers are RU graduates themselves!

Hi everyone.

Hope you can help with a quick question...

My partner and I put our visa application together and he went to bangkok to apply and at the desk they mentioned we didnt have marriage papers, so he has got a bit worried.

But I thought you cant give 'notice' until you have this visa.

and I looked on http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/civilpar...otice/index.asp and have taken the below.

'Are you subject to immigration controls?

If you are you will have to give notice of your intention to register a civil partnership at a designated office but will not be able to do so unless:

* you have an entry clearance granted expressly for the purpose of registering a civil partnership in the UK'

So am I right in that there isnt anything we can give in this respect?

Thanks for your help it will stop alot of worrying on his part.

Thanks

Has your partner obtained a "Certificate of Non-Impediment"? It's an official certificate which he can get free at his local Tessaban office which proves he is not already married in Thailand.

I'm not sure if it is an essential bit of paperwork for his visa application, but it would definitely be useful. I'm not sure how long the certificate is valid for but it might also save you the hassle of getting the certificate later in the UK (after the visa is granted).

Best of luck to you both.

The South East Asia Hotel

It's near Bugis MRT. $100 a night including tax and vegetarian breakfast. Big rooms and free internet.

I often wonder if Thais living in the USA, UK, Europe (I guess anywhere else in the world) have a forum and if so, what do they discuss.

For instance, I wonder if Thais living in USA have a forum where they ask "Where to buy bread making machine?", or "What's the best time to visit Las Vegas?", or "Does my American husband only love me because I'm young and beautiful?", etc., etc. You get the picture.

I guess what I'm asking is, are most of the questions, comments, concerns, suggestions that we post on here (thaivisa.com) common to expats elsewhere in the world?

I would love to be able to read one of these forums to get a glimpse into their way of thinking in that particular country. Just like I'm sure some of the Thais would laugh, shake their head, get angry, etc. at some of the things we write because (probably) a lot of the comments we make are based on misunderstandings, stereotyping, anger, etc.

Any ideas or comments about this?

Yes, there is a forum for Thais abroad - LadyInter.com , interesting if you can read Thai script.

UK/BA will be looking to change the way you can apply to marry abroad and apply for settlement in the UK.

'Marriage visas: The way forward' also included several other proposals, including :

"We will require those seeking spouse visas to enter into an agreement to learn English as part of the visa application process and, once they have arrived in the UK, to show that they have fulfilled this commitment.

"We will set a medium-term goal of introducing a pre-entry English test for marriage visa applicants.

"We will seek to revoke indefinite leave to remain rendering the individual liable to expulsion where there has been abuse of the marriage route.

"We will introduce a requirement for British citizens and permanent residents who are seeking to sponsor a spouse to come to the UK to first declare their intention before leaving the UK and marrying abroad.

Source UK/BA Website.

Anyone who requires professional help with any application feel free to pm me.

Does that mean that somebody who went to work in Thailand for a year or so, but then met somebody, would have to return to the UK first to declare their intention to get married before returning to Thailand to actually get married?

That would appear to be the case going by the wording. Not sure if the Embassy is considered UK territory in this case however.

I would guess that these changes are largely aimed at British Residents from the Indian Subcontinent and Middle Eastern countries as the arranged marriage culture which is prevalent there gets quite a bad press here in the UK.

It's probably not aimed so much at expatriate workers (or tourists/retirees) who marry foreign nationals, though it does affect them just as much. Hopefully the local Embassies will be able to make allowances.

I have just dealt with this today, booking an Emirates return flight from Bangkok - Manchester for my Thai partner.

The only fail-safe method is going to the nearest Airline Office in person, paying at the office, making copies of your passport and credit card there, and signing a piece of paper in front of the airline staff.

Online payment on behalf of another is not possible. Booking via UK or Thai travel agencies is also not allowed (though you might get away with it!) and the agency should refuse outright.

Inconvenient I know (I live 2 hours away from the nearest Emirates Office) but it seems to be the only option to book a flight and guarantee there will not be any complications.

There's BoyZone across street from Centara in Chaweng.

There's also a gay massage called Emerald green near Nora resort, Chaweng.

I'd recommend Whispering Palms Condominium which is 10 minutes' drive from Chaweng Beach (it's behind Tesco Lotus, but away from the main road and the noise), you can book it at www.samui-condo.com . I stayed there with my BF last month - it's a brand new resort with large suites for 1300-1500 Baht a night - includes a big living room, kitchen and balcony, free wifi, nice big swimming pool, sauna, steam room and fitness room.

We had the resort more-or-less to ourselves as most condos are for sale, not for holiday rentals. You would probably want to rent a bike or a car, though I guess you could walk 10 minutes to the main road where there are songtaew buses.

We've also stayed in Mayaburi Resort - a bungalow-style place which is near the airport. Nice pool and rooms (huge bathrooms for some reason) , nice vibe with the other guests, cheap at 800 Baht including breakfast and wifi. You definitely need your own wheels though it's not far from Chaweng Beach (and beautiful Bang Rak beach).

If you like to stay on the beach, Chaweng Noi Beach is pleasant and you'll meet quite a few local gay guys there. The main resort there is the Impiana Resort which is 1800+ Baht a night. There are some nice, cheaper bungalows next to the Impiana Resort - the Beach Love bar has some excellent seaview bungalows, about 1200 Baht a night.

We go to Chaweng to hang out in the evening. Like the other poster said, there's a couple of gay bars opposite Centara. There are some ladyboy cabaret shows in some of the Chaweng bars too. The other big tourist area is Lamai beach, it's mostly girly bars in the centre but I like the beach and alot of good Thai and seafood restaurants there too.

Enjoy your stay in Samui :-)

Hi,

My parents are sponsoring my boyfriend's visit to the UK next month. They have given me a single statement of a cash ISA account with £10,000 +. Is this enough to prove "evidence of sponsor's finances" or do I need more in the way of statements from the same account (or a current/business account... they are both self-employed)?

The embassy website suggests that we provide bank statements from the last 6 months. As you can only add about £3,000 to a cash ISA account each year there must have been plenty of money in the account for several years. But will the British Embassy realise this or do I need to make it more clear for them?

Thanks in Advance!

Thanks for all the replies. As I suspected the embassy are probably arbitrary about asking for 6 months' bank statements (from a current account), so it is best to assume they will be!