jonnog

Well, vote buying certainly isn't fictional, as one person said. I am writing this just outside Petchabun where my wife is from. My wife's family has been given 1000 baht by PTP. What's interesting is that I was told the Democrats have also offered but that no one wanted to take the money. The money from PTP is seen as a gift as it's a given that people here would vote PTP even if they got no money. From talking to people here it's very clear that everyone regards the PTP as the only option. Not because of money but because it's the only party that actually takes any interest in them (and their lives) whatsoever.

Wife and her sister came back from Petchabun. The family received THB1,000 baht from PTP. I was told that the Democrats were told to bog off - no one wanted their money! So yes its corrupt - but people only take money from the party that they support, ie, PTP! Go Thaksin!

It's not over till the fat lady sings, but it looks more and more like a PTP victory: and that makes a mockery of Abhisit's consistent claim that he and his party had a mandate to govern over the past two years. Abhisit and the Democrat party never had a mandate because they did not win a general election.

And people (like the many yellow-shirted farangs on this forum) who have tried to make out that Abhisit and the Democrats did have a mandate have (nearly) been shown as being so very very wrong. I'm no PTP supporter but that makes me smile because justice looks like it will be done.

To be clear: I don't mean the true meaning of "pathetic" but it's widely used other meaning in UK English meaning miserably inadequate. Such as: "my earnings are pathetic!" Or "you pathetic (or sad) little person". Is there a phrase in Thai that captures the meaning accurately?

Yes, a term of scorn, as often used in UK English

I know of a few phrases that come close - but I'm struggling to think of one that accurately describes in Thai the English (UK) meaning of sad or pathetic. As in "you are so pathetic!" Any ideas?

Much appreciated

I've come across a beautiful dialect in northern Thailand, called Puthai or Poothai (something like that). I think it's spelt ภูไท.

It has many different words to central Thai - and indeed to Laos and Isan.

Anyway, I'd like to learn more. Does anyone know where some resources may be?

Many thanks indeed

J

As usual, the old yellow shirt right-wing farangs love this! What a nice bunch.

Cheers, guys. Not that my usage of เงื่อนไข and ข้อแม้ is likely to make any difference!!

I'm sure I'll still be repaid in bits and bobs over the next few months!!

Hi Everyone.I am fed up with loaning money to my sister-in-law. I want to say to her that I will loan on one condition only (that she repays in one lump sum). For the Thai word for "condition" in this sense should I use เงื่อนไข or ข้อแม้ (as in ผมมีเพียงหนึ่งเงื่อนไข... or ผมมีเพียงหนึ่งข้อแม้...)?

Or are they both correct????

Cheers

I second that. I was also at CW Immigration today for a visa extension and was once again v impressed with service, which even included recommendations on how best to approach future extensions. I made an effort to show the officials there some respect and the response was excellent.

I got a letter from my employer, went to the Embassy and asked them to prepare the Income letter using my employers letter for reference, done and dusted by the next afternoon. Then using the letter from the Embassy and a copy of my bank books I went with all the other documents and my wife and got my extension.

British Embassy as well.

Many thanks, for that. One thing though: you mention "got my extension" but I am not looking for a visa. I have a one-year visa; its just the marriage I am looking to complete. Would I need to take Thai bank books to Thai registry office? Am a little confused...

No bank books are required, you need the original Affirmation to Marry, the Translated and certified Affirmation to Marry, copy of Passport, your wife to be and her ID Card and Copy of Blue book, 2 witnesses and that should do it. You do not have to prove income to the Amphur!!!!

Many thanks for your help. Appreciated.

I got a letter from my employer, went to the Embassy and asked them to prepare the Income letter using my employers letter for reference, done and dusted by the next afternoon. Then using the letter from the Embassy and a copy of my bank books I went with all the other documents and my wife and got my extension.

British Embassy as well.

Many thanks, for that. One thing though: you mention "got my extension" but I am not looking for a visa. I have a one-year visa; its just the marriage I am looking to complete. Would I need to take Thai bank books to Thai registry office? Am a little confused...

Hello. Firstly, apologies if this has been dealt with elsewhere on Thai Visa - but I couldn't find it.

I want to get married to my long-time Thai girlfriend and need some advice.

I am from the UK, aged 43. My visa is a one-year multi-entry Non-Imm 'O' from Hull (using birth certificate of my three-yr old daughter with my girlfriend).

I work for a company in the UK but all work is done from my laptop/internet. I am based in Thailand but travel around a bit (Singapore, Thailand, Korea, India, sometimes back to the UK) and have no work permit in Thailand. As I am based here and rent a house here, my salary (130K) goes into my Thai bank account each month.

I want to get married but am slightly concerned about the income bit. Does anyone know what I would need to show the UK Embassy or Thai authorities in terms of income? Would my bank book suffice? Would I need a letter from me employer? Should I show my work contract from my company (which does not mention a specific place of work)?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Kind regards

J

Democrats, Pheu Thai (%)

Management efficiency: 35.5 54.5

Economic performance: 35.4 64.6

Vision and policies: 41.0 59.0

Public acceptance: 39.1 60.9.........

It's time for these muppets to get out!! Unelected and unfit to govern. In the last election they were massacred 165: 233

Even though you Dem defenders claim the 'Westminster system' and 'fairly elected by fellow members of the house', the simple fact is; there is not another country in the world that is governed by a party who lost this badly in the most recent general election. And still they refuse to accept the condition that the party with the most votes gets the mandate...they know this will cause more political turbulence, but shamelessly and spinelessly they will cling to power by any means. You've had your turn (as unfair as it was) now listen to the people AND GET OUT!!!!!!!!

Well said, Sir! I don't believe Thaksin and his cronies will be much better. But something very few of the (generally) myopic farangs on here seem to appreciate is that this government has absolutely no mandate to govern given the results of most recent general elections when people throughout the country have had their say.

Have read about half the responses on here - and as usual the vast majority are from the right-wing farang brigade. Not a pleasant bunch.

So what's so terribly wrong with offering credit to generally poorer sections of society, such as those that most taxi drivers are from?

A long time ago I completed journalism studies in the UK. During the NCTJ course the tutor held up copies of the Nation and the Bangkok Post and pointed to stories in these papers as examples of how not to write news stories. I can see that despite all these years the Nation has not improved. I'm afraid stories such as the one above are a sad indictment of Thai journalism. Do qualified subeditors come anywhere near such drivel?

It is because under European export laws the MTU engines are less sensitive to restrictions because they are used, mostly, on commercial vehicles.

Can you please provide a little advice? I am 42, from UK and have a Thai daughter (3 years old). I work for a company in the UK. All the work is from my laptop. I travel around the region a few times a year (staying for a few weeks at a time), most usually to Seoul where business visa is not necessary for a stay of less than three months. I also travel to the UK two or three times a year. However, I regard my "base" to be in Thailand, where obviously my long-time girlfriend and daughter are. I work from my laptop in Thailand although it is quite erratic: sometimes 10 hours a day, sometimes just a couple of emails, sometimes nothing at all. I looked into a work permit a few years ago but I have to work for a Thai company or my company in the UK must have an office (which it doesn't and doesn't plan to). At the moment I get one year non-imm O, investment (multiple entry) from Hull. I keep my head down and the visa works just fine allowing my to come and go as I please. Just wondering am I understanding the situation correctly about all this - would I be regarded as "working" in Thailand (my work has nothing to do about Thailand)? Should I start a company and obtain a WP through this route? Cheers. J

Can anyone help? I need to make a few international calls over the next few days but what is the best - ie, cheapest with decent quality - simcard to phone abroad from Thailand?

(Sorry if this question has been asked previously, but I have searched and found nothing.)

Many thanks

I agree, this editorial is very biased.

Of course it is. Thai media - all of it - is pliable and is not a vehicle for free speech. Thailand's media was described in October last year as "restrained" by the Press Freedom Index. In this index - regarded as the most accurate of its kind - Thailand is number 130, behind far behind countries such as Cambodia, Nepal and Angola. I am so sad that most of the farangs writing in Thai Visa demonstrate the same right-wing tendencies that the country's media does. Perhaps most of them are stupid and cannot think for themselves.

How many inches is Arisman's neck?

This truly is a thread full of narrow-minded individuals. It utterly stinks of far-right wingism.

And you think that makes it OK to shoot, kill and propagandarize him and innocent people? <snip>

How many inches is Arisman's neck?

This truly is a thread full of narrow-minded individuals. It utterly stinks of far-right wingism.

JRooAsia. Good post. Good points.

I see fascism is alive in well in the Thai visa forum!