puchooay

1 hour ago, Number 6 said:

It's very interesting how we all have such different experiences. I've worked at half dozen schools all with a contract signed before the day I stepped into the classroom. Absolutely. Work permits were produced in as little as three weeks and at most under 90 days. There still may be plenty of westerners to fill spots, but it's quite obvious that if they're not very good at teaching or perhaps much of anything else otherwise they wouldn't be in the sticks working in some of the poorest schools in Thailand often without aircon and all sorts of other perks and amenities. NNES must take the toeic but I'd heard for schools upcountry any score will do. Teachers council will allow four and in rare instances five waivers. Which brings me to my last point. The teacher that was put on the street after six years couldn't be troubled do do any professional development and did not receive a full license after this time. S/he failed themselves don't blame the school. The TCT shouldn't be blamed either there are a few thousand farang with full licenses now. Your pal didn't care enough about his job or his students.  You labor under a number of misperceptions. Maybe instead of all those teachers being out and about they could be bettering themselves. My six years of experience has been hard won, but sometimes I even surprise myself at the opportunities I find myself in. I can't speak to being over 60 but being nearly 60 has absolutely posed no issues on being hired. Further, despite having only a BA and no tefl I've been looked at by some very good universities and some mid tier internationals as well. I just see a lack of ambition. Further, I don't see Filipinos as competition, not in the least.

 

There are growing opportunities for Filipinos because they are willing to accept local teaching wages despite having essentially the same professional expenses as westerners. That's personal choice. But they cannot ride on my back. Just because I'm making X means they deserve Y. I hear a lot of Filipino whinging about Caucasians and wages but they continue to work for poor salaries whereas I've walked away from jobs paying 45+ and 50+. It has been my long standing opinion that it costs 27.5k at a minimum to exist in Thailand. That excludes tickets home, holidays, girlfriends, medical dental, savings. I spend about 22k a month but that's just the monthly allowance. In conclusion, I disagree with most of what you've stated.

Someone else who seems a little confused.

"Sticks" you say, "no aircon" you say. One of the hottest environments I ever taught in was in Suan Kularb school, Bangkok. Top 5 in Thailand. No aircon. You don't need to be in the sticks for no aircon. In fact my last job, in Issan, did offer a classroom with aircon and I turned it down. I would rather not have it. 

With long waiting times at Kurusapa for a waiver, a work permit in 3 weeks can't happen. Your 90 days pretty much agrees with what I said so thanks for that.

You have heard that upcountry any Toeic score will do. Wrong again. It is not up to the school. It is Khurusapa and Labour office that set the rules.

You say you have been "looked at" even though you don;t have a TEFL. No surprise there as a TEFL is not a requirement.

Lastly, you talk about "my pal". Not sure what you mean. I was using a scenario as an example. Many people have been working towards a qualification for a licence only to be told the rules have changed, me included. Culture course done, 4 tests done.....now no good and must do something else. Sometimes it is just not worth carrying on. Having only been here for 6 years you may not have heard of these routes to a full licence. That is probably why made the mis conception.

It's a shame things went on as they did at Khurusapa as I am a committed teacher and have been for 20+ years here in Thailand. Time to hang up my chalk.

My wife got her first visitor visa on the strength of her having 40k baht in the bank and me showing a UK bank balance of 4k pounds. My parents wrote a letter to say we would be staying with them. 

She did not give an approximate cost of the trip, why would she, so they would never know what percentage/fraction of our my money would be spent.

Sometimes, giving too much information can hamper the application. I would guess that is what happened in that particular case.

1 hour ago, FracturedRabbit said:

They do not use the UK government checklist. Instead they have 5-6 sheets of A4, each of which has a topic (e.g. financials) and a bar code. These are used to group documents for the scanning process. We had carefully grouped and cross-referenced our 69 pages of documents to the government checklist; and wife had to spend forty minutes with a clerk re-ordering them to fit into the topics defined for their A4 sheets. We asked for a set to take away but were told they "keep changing".

The topic headers can be downloaded.

69 pages? Really? My wife handed over no more than 10. Application accepted with no problems. All done and dusted in 11 working days.

37 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Immigration will be open on the 15th. They cannot decide to be closed to get more days off.

Only the 16th is a official holiday. They will be open on the 17th.

The government often grant extra holidays to make long weekends. Wouldn't surprise me if they did it on this occasion too.

21 hours ago, NightSky said:

I have the templates for all the official Thai documents and I translated the document content. We are a Thai/English couple with a business in Thailand and Ive been here for almost 2 decades so we are able to translate the documents accurately which we have done and company stamped and certified them myself.

 

I don't see anywhere in the guidelines that say documents cannot be translated by the applicants relative? We wont have time to get them done by anyone else now as our appointment is on Monday and the Home Office will be able to independently verify the document with me as I am independent from my wife who is applying for the visa.

 

Im a little concerned now about the translations as we've spend 4 days creating and certifying the documents which are as good and official as any translation done by anyone else.  

 

One strange request on the immigration document is that my wife now needs to prove that her financially dependent mother who lives in Isaan will be remaining in Thailand whilst we travel although I have no idea how I can prove this? All I can do is include a note in my supporting letter to say Mother-in-law has no intention of travel outside of Thailand and that she will remain in Thailand. Im concerned this is all going pear shaped after committing a week gathering and preparing all the documents.

 

 

 

 

My wife has a translation business and has translated many documents for VFS. She has headed notepaper and stamps to certify true translation. The translations are not usually dated and she does not write her full name.

She has never had any documents refused, including her own application.

You are teaching English to high school students. A number of them will likely have poor communication skills.

Forget the books. Make your own conversation lesson plans. Get the students to bring a notebook for writing in.

Choose every expressions; "Where are you going?", " What are you doing?", "Where have you been?". Three phrases that Thais use each and every day.

Building conversations from these three questions is easy but will open up a Pandora's box of potential vocabulary that can be learnt and used.

We don't have a TV.

Taken from Schiphol Airport website.

"Most travellers at Schiphol have to pass through passport control, except those travelling to or from a Schengen country. However, you should always carry a valid passport or identity card when travelling by air."

13 minutes ago, dsfbrit said:

I won't be there when the contract is being set up and signed. I will be back at the hotel. It could take several hours because of the queues.

 

When it is time to pay the cash over I will go to the land office and meet with the seller outside and give her the cash. The Chanote is already in my wife's name and will be handed over to my wife as soon as I pay the cash.

 

That's how it works isn't it?

 

Have I got this wrong??

 

I needn't be there at all, I am just paying the cash because it is safer that I walk around with the cash.

My wife bought some land. I stayed away. She had the money in her bag. I received a phone call to say I had to go to the office or my wife would not be able to complete the transaction.

I was asked to sign a form and as I signed it the officer told me "it is to protect the spouse of the purchaser"

On 6/9/2019 at 1:03 PM, dsfbrit said:

Puchooay, thanks for reply and the information.

 

I hope I don't have to sign anything. I don't want to be involved with the land deal at all if I can help it.

 

I am just paying for it in cash so that she owns her mum's land that her mum's house is built on.

 

Of no interest to me in the future at all.

 

Thanks again

 

 

 

 

If you are legally married you will be involved. It's the law. 

Ask his mother to write a short note that says she gives you permission to take the boy on a trip. Get her to sign it and attach a copy of her ID card. That is what I did, although I was never asked to show it.

33 minutes ago, dsfbrit said:

CelticBhoy,

 

Thanks for the reply - much appreciated.

Yes, I now understand the system - or think I understand all that will happen in the land Office.

 

1. My wife and the owner of the land will sit down with the officer who works in the land office.

2. The contract will be signed and stamped saying my wife now owns the land.

3. At this point I hand over the cash and my wife is handed the Chanote

 

Is that about right ?

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

 

If you are legally married you should be asked to sign a document too. This is to ensure that the land is bought under "sin som rot". An agreement between husband and wife so both must agree when it comes to selling the land.

4 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

As 304 over Khao Yai towards Nakhon Ratchasima has been improved much, I would prefer this. Then up north on 2 and via Kalasin.

(the first suggestion of Google)

When I look at Google maps, the first suggestion is this:

27 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

I would be inclined to take the 24 to Buriram and then 218,288,219,215 to Yasothon and then 2169, 212 to Mukdahan. 

31 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

If any route is shorter it's no more than 20 km difference.

Would not be my decision point.

The Buriram, Yasothon route is about 40kms shorter on the map I'm looking at. Mostly 4 lanes too.

24 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

I bet health insurance will eventually become compulsory for all long stay visas. What we have seen so far is only the tip of the immigration iceberg.

 

It already is. The only long stay visa is an O-A. 

Those living here long term and going to immigration each year are not  on visas. They are on extension of stay.

23 hours ago, StevieAus said:

Are you suggesting that the emergency treatment would be free?

The last time I checked free emergency treatment only applied when there was a reciprocal arrangement with your country such as applies with Australia.

There is no such arrangement with Thailand and Thai visitors are expected to pay.

Whether the costs are recovered is of course another matter.

 

 

October 2018. My wife and I were visiting my parents in UK for a couple of weeks. My wife picked up an ear infection, doctors believed she most likely had it before she arrived in UK as it was a fungal infection common to the tropics.

Two hospital visits, consultations with 2 doctors, pain killers on site. All free.

2 prescriptions had to be paid for but that would have been the case if she had been a UK citizen.

Definitely something wrong with your bike.

I've had 100+ out of my daughter's Wave 110cc. The 125 I had a few years back was also easily capable of over 100kph. Your bike needs to be checked.

Just now, Farahh said:

Thank you it is precisely this letter of approval that annoys me because I can not have it without a license and I can not apply for the license without a visa non b.

Totally incorrect.

44 minutes ago, Farahh said:

???? thank you so much what is the letter of request for the assistance?sorry really but I don’t understand the procedure...the difference between the ministry and the khurusapha everything is complicated for me...the steps by which I have to start...    I feel like going round in circles!

To be honest. If the school that want you don't know what to do and can't be bothered to find out for you, it's not difficult to call the local education office, then I would walk away. Alarm bells are ringing.

http://www.thaisavannakhet.com/savannakhet/th/consulate-service/inspect/index.php

1 hour ago, Farahh said:

and to apply for a visa non b it is necessary that I be in possession of a license right?i went to the site of all embassies nearby Thailand and they ask for a license or a letter of acceptance from the Ministry to issue the non b visa.

You do not need a waiver or a licence to apply for a Non B visa from a Thai consulate. Apply for the Non B first then apply for the waiver.