theoldgit

Got the yellow fever vaccination yesterday at the nakorn ping 2 hospital on sridonchai road in chiang mai. Thanks for the help everyone.

Does anyone have any suggestions for Travel insurance? I would need only 10days cover but Ive never got insurance for anything before in Thailand so dont really know where to go and what to get. Any advice welcome.

I use this company, very easy and you can do everything online. If you enter the Promotional Code WNJUN10 they knock off 10%, though I suspect you can alter the code to reflect the month of application.

World Nomads - World Nomads Travel Insurance. Recommended by Lonely Planet

If it helps I am still legally married to a Thai woman, though she still lives in Thailand, she made two successful visa applications to the UK when we were together. When our marriage broke down her visa was still valid so I emailed the visa section in Bangkok and explained that the relationship was no more, I didn't go into details, but added that she would need to satisfy an IO at the port of entry of her ability to finance any stay in the UK.

When my new partner and I wished to visit the UK I mentioned the previous relationship in my sponsors letter, I was aware that details of sponsors are recorded on a central database though I don't know if this database is routinely checked, her visa was granted at the first attempt.

Edited for typo

Which is what he didn't. He went through the EEA channel and then wandered back down to the non EEA channel. Nonetheless you make a fair point.

OK one each there.

When entering the UK through LHR my gf and I have always gone through the UK/EU Channel and have never been turned away.

Op asks:

Hi quick question, my gf has just received a 6 month visit visa to the UK. Does a return ticket need to be purchased or can she fly with me and our son on a one way ticket? then i purchase a return once we are in the UK amd know an exact return date.

Ignore the rubbish written here. She does not need a return ticket. Accompany her through the non EEA channel in case the immigration officer has any questions.

Which is what he did, and reported back a couple of days ago, keep up Archie

They say you must provide evidence that you have sufficient funds to adequately support yourself during the stay, so I presume you need to provide evidence, six months bank statements and/or original bank book, that you can afford the trip and would not be arriving with no cash. I suppose you will have to provide costed details of your proposed trip and evidence that it's affordable.

Time will tell. When it does these false profits of doom should be reminded of how much trouble they have caused with a good kick in the butt.

On the other hand...........................

Yes the opening ceremony is over with. This replay is for the sleepy heads.

Like me, who was hoping to watch the opening ceremony tonight, really must pay attention.

As any UK pensioner in Thailand knows his pension is taxed in the UK. Under the Double Taxation agreeement pensions are not exempt from Thai income tax BUT UK Tax Paid must be credited against Thai tax. Refer to HM Revenue & Coustoms Double Taxation Relief Manual. DT18722 - DT: Thailand: double taxation agreement, Article 23: Elimination of double taxation (subsection (3)). Of course you'd have to be an idiot to declare your pension to Thai authorities.

AyG correctly points out there is an exception. UK Governement or local authority pensions are exempt from Thai tax provided the recipient is not a Thai national resident in Thailand. DT18718 - DT: Thailand: double taxation agreement, Article 19: Governmental services.

I am aware that my Civil Service Pension will continued to be taxed in the UK, but does that mean that I can ask for my State Pension, when due, to be paid without deduction of Tax either to Thailand or to my Offshore account in the IOM?

Would there be any benefit given the tax is only about £1000?

There is a catch with this - foreign pensions are classed as income in Thailand and therefore can attract Thai income tax!!!! Recent court case determined this

jeez, I already pay UK tax on the pension income

cheers

And therefore protected by the double taxation agreement between The UK and Thailand.

"To pass the test, applicants will have to be able to speak, read, and write English as well as a seven-year-old at primary school".

Hardly a problem I would have thought!

So which is it? your quote above, or your earlier one

It goes a bit deeper than that........"The measure, due to come in force this Autumn, will apply to all spouses and unmarried couples who are already in Britain as well as overseas applicants. Anyone wishing to come to Britain must first demonstrate that they speak English at the same level required for skilled workers admitted under the points-based scheme".

I do however agree that people wishing to live in The UK should be able to speak and understand English to enable them to fully integrate into their new home, I really don't think this will really be an issue for the majority of Thai people.

Fine by me, if they want.

So that's 1 for then.

If refused, the passenger has the right to remain in the UK for an appeal hearing (albeit sometimes in detention), thus cancellation of visas is not authorised merely on an IO's suspicion.

His experience at the Gare du Nord pretty much confirms that the IO may have had his suspicions, but could muster no real grounds for refusal.

It was my partner and I who had the unpleasant experience at Gare du Nord, not sure that he really had anything to be suspicious about, he was just being obnoxious, you needed to be there to witness it. My girlfriend and I both explained we had confirmed flights back to our home in Bangkok and whilst we didn't have the tickets on us, as they were e-tickets they could have been accessed pretty easily, I am assuming they have POISE or even Internet access there.

It would have been pretty ironic, though pretty embarrassing, if he had thought that detention could be justified for my girlfriend, we were actually staying with a UKBA Manager of a Removal Centre and her IO partner before our return home, now that could have been the topic of conversation at many a dinner party.

I think we would have been more concerned at the attempt to cancel the visa in the unlikely event that he had been able to convince a CIO or HMI that it was justified, as that would need to be declared in any further visa application.

z

Well why bother even reading the post then?

I am a Brit and have been living in Thailand since 1990. Any possibility that I can still claim a UK pension when I retire?

Yes, the current rules allow it, providing you have maintained your National Insurance contributions.

Would we be as delighted if they had that rule in Thailand?

So, probably a silly question, but i am leaving the country at the end of the month. Can i go to Makasan with all my luggage and use it?

You could go to Makasan with your luggage, but you wouldn't be able to get on the train as they are only providing a non stopping trial service from Phayathai.

Sorry, couldn't resist, but a number of posters have already said it's a non stopping trial service

Sorry guys, not being from BKK where is Phayathai station?

It's the stop before National Monument if travelling from Siam, on the Sukumvit line.

Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited.

David Cameron has already warned the great British public that the cuts required to address the massive budget deficit, they claim to have inherited from the previous government, will effect everyone in the UK and cause great pain. There are a lot of UK nationals living throughout the world, many living in Thailand, some relying on pensions, state and private, could these be vulnerable?

I suppose state pensions could be reduced or even stopped for those no longer in the UK, but what else do people think could be in the pipeline?

I suppose that if people who rely on state pensions and are seriously effected could up sticks and return to the UK and throw themselves at the mercy of the welfare state, and of course cost the country more money.

As I say, David Cameron has warned that everyone will feel pain and I doubt that the great British public will have little sympathy for expats who they may believe are living in luxurious surroundings throughout the world.

So what do people think?

Can I respectfully request no flaming posts please

Eff1n2ret

Thanks for that response, it's very helpful.

The only time my gf has been asked for her return ticket was during a visit to the UK last year, we both sailed through border control at Terminal 3 with my girlfriend be admitted by a very pleasant young IO who even took the trouble to wish her a pleasant trip.

However on our return from a short side trip to Paris the IO at the Eurostar Terminal at Gare du Nord asked her when she was returning back to Thailand and when she told him that we were returning in three days he asked her for her return ticket, as her English is pretty poor she ushered me forward and I explained that we had e tickets but that I hadn't printed but I confirmed our flight a three days. He said that he needed to see the tickets adding that I was cleared and I had to leave whilst he dealt with "this girl". Now clearly I didn't want to antagonise him by hanging around, he was already being pretty obnoxious, but neither was I going to simply abandon her. I stayed well away from his desk but close enough for her to see me, she was pretty scared. Seeing I was still in the vicinity he told me to leave but I told him in a quiet and polite manner that we were travelling home in three days and said that I was not going to abandon her, anyway he interrogated her a bit more and then admitted her, adding that in future she must carry her return tickets with her all the time. I was pretty sure that her visa would have given her admittance, unless it was obtained fraudulently or her circumstances had changed, but I wasn't sure of my facts enough to say so, he was already being pretty obnoxious so I doubt if I would have said anything anyway. I am sure that any decision to refuse entry would have needed to have been approved by a CIO, but I have to say I was pretty worried.

An IO at the point of entry can ask for a return ticket and without one could theoretically refuse entry, though my partner has only been asked once.

If your girlfriend has sufficient funds to buy a ticket in the UK and explains that she will be buying a ticket in the UK as they are substantially cheaper she might, if asked, get away with it, though cheaper tickets only apply in the case of return tickets.

A little concerned in the comment you make about not knowing the return date, now that could cause a problem if she is challenged.

Yes a Thai national will get 30 days on arrival, remember you will need six months remaining on the passport.

Yes, glad you got home ok.

A good PR move by Eva, though I suspect it is nothing more than good old fashion customer service.

sorry, no car loans for farangs. you need to pay full amount of car price. TIT.

Not true, I am retired so don't need a work permit, I applied to Tisco Bank and the loan was approved in about a week.

Edit - I had been living in Thailand, on a retirement visa, for 13 months.

^^^^

Indeed, it's just a pity he will not be allowed to name and shame.

Just proves how important it is to use an accredited agent.

Your girlfriend will need a visa for the UK and one Schengen Visa which will cover her for France, Germany and most other countries in Europe.

I personally would advise her to get the UK visa first, and then apply for her Schengen Visa, which should really be for the first country in the Schengen Area you want to visit.

Have a read through the threads and come back with any specific questions, but basically she needs to prove that the trip is affordable, either by her or you, and that she would return home at the end of the trip.

Good luck