skinnymilinky

Is it only for the western tourists then? Please give us money so that we can protect you from our local murderers..but if you do get killed at least you will have a handy wrist band on so we don't have to spend too much time or money identifying you!

I wonder if the Thai tourists get to pay a local rate...

Wow! They have replied already with a date to go to Bangkok in the week that I requested! Try the new email address!

So we sent an email to the embassy on the email addresses we found on here and online- no reply. We called again, the guy said we should apply in the UK but we don't have time to do that! I have been given a new email address to contact the ambassador directly:

[email protected]

I have to write to him a message in English, explain the situation and see what he says...the guy said there is no point just turning up at the embassy as they won't help...

the saga continues!

I have also tried to phone this number- nobody answered the English extension number but someone answered the Thai choice. They told us we need to send an email to arrange an appointment for our visa application...we will be sending the email in Thai cause it seems that nobody can speak English in the Portuguese embassy!

I am also thinking about next years visit to Portugal to see my parents who now live there. My husband who is Thai has had a couple of Portuguese schengen visas from the UK (he has indefinite leave to remain in the UK) which were not a problem but when we went to apply in Thailand a couple of years ago the Thai worker at the embassy said it was better to apply in the UK as the Portuguese consulate was unhelpful and not likely to give us the visa. At this time we weren't married but had been living in the UK on a partnership visa -this meant nothing to the Portuguese embassy- the Portuguese guy just told us that Portugal was a catholic country and he wouldn't give my partner a visa as we weren't married. We then went back to the UK and applied there with no problems.....

To be honest the Portuguese guy working there appeared to me to be a very unhappy, arrogant man who didn't want to be there and would try his hardest to make things difficult for any applicant!

This year we will need to apply in Thailand as we are currently here....I am hoping that now we are married and with our history of previous visas things will be easier but who knows....we will be travelling in to Portugal from the UK but have no time to apply there so will need to venture to the embassy in Bangkok! If we can't get him a visa here I'll have to fly out to Portugal alone and leave him at Heathrow airport! (we are going to attend my Mum's 70th birthday party! I can't miss that!)

Would be good to know how everyone gets on with their applications!

Is he in the UK by any chance I wonder? I'm sure I saw him walking around urban outfitters in westfields, west London! (not even joking!) I assumed he was a monk from the temple in Wimbledon but now I look at the pictures on here.....swear it could have been him! I even thought to myself....what on earth could

he find in this shop? Enlightenment?!

When I worked in a nursing home we used to use an agency when we needed temporary workers to cover staff sickness and I remember I recommended that one of these agency workers who was excellent went to another agency who paid higher wages and treated their staff better. After this agency worker contacted the new agency we got a phonecall from this agency to say that this worker had a forged passport! (No wonder he was a hard-working dilligent member of the team!) On contacting the original agency that employed him to confront them they denied ever knowing the passport was forged, unsurprisingly he made a quick getaway after a warning phonecall from the agency and the next day 2 other workers due to come never appeared, they had both been on expired student visas. I actually think the student visa route is the most abused visa within the system as the government has no knowledge of where people are and no resources to look for any overstayers. I would recommend a sweep of care home agencies for a start!!

I have just got a years BUPA health insurance which includes accident cover and I am only on a tourist visa. AIA would only accept me if I had a non-immigrant visa but no mention of work permit.

Think it was 9000B for the year and quite helpful as I have already needed a night stay in hospital for sickness and dehydration which would have cost me 5500Baht itself!

I also feel so much more free and laid back in Thailand, I have been finding being back in the UK quite isolating. You can't just turn up at a friends house for food like you do in Thailand, everyone has there own life behind closed doors!

I get so bored having to cook every night, I want to drive the bike to the end of the road and have Pad Krapow! I find that I avoid all the healthy food in the UK and eat all the things I missed while in Thailand like Fish and Chips, Cadbury's chocolate and cakes!

I think that I am finding it harder now though because my partner Ton has gone back to Thailand for 3 months and I am green with jealosy!! He remains quite smug to the fact that he is home!

But he'll have his cumuppance when he has to return in November to the snow!!!

Roll on April 2012 when we will be moving back! That's my countdown clock!

Well air Asia used to be the cheapest but what with all the extra charges for baggage, 535bt for 30kg, I got the flight from chiang mai to Bkk cheaper with Bangkok air, never thought I would hear myself saying that!

Thanks for all the info. Time to do a Will I think!! We will be back for a holiday this year so maybe will get things done then.

I wasn't sure whether there were different rules for farang wifes than husbands (as there is for the mariage visa) Think that's why I posted

here! Just in case any of the girls could tell me of some little loophole that we get!

Yeah, think I have put this in the worng forum! Oops!

Thanks for your advice Mike, I had a look through the posts and have definately come to the conclusion that I need to do my will!

It's interesting because if the tables were turned and I was to die in the UK, my husband would gain residency automatically! And inherit the house!

I don't know if I trust the family as they have never really approved of our relationship and had previously tried to encourage my husband to get back together with his ex so I would be dubious that they would put me high up on their considerations if something was to happen!

My hubby is very happy to sign all the documents, he is very insistent that he does not want my money and is not with me for that reason (it's definately an pride thing for him) but I don't think you can guarantee the reactions of others, I have had too many requests for money to believe that family would not be interested in a wee financial bonus!!

Cheers

Hi Girls,

I don't know if this is the right place to post this but I have searched on TV and I can find a lot related to this topic surrounding Farang Men married to Thai women but not Farang Women with Thai men!

I have been with my Thai husband for 4 years now. We are currently living in the UK but planning to return to Thailand next year. Whoopee!!

I know that there are some differences for farang women when getting a marriage visa (the man being the head of the household etc) but what happens to me if my husband was to die? Our house in Thailand is in his name but was funded by me. I know that we need to make a will but without one where will I stand?

I have read on TV that when a Thai spouse dies the farang will inherit the house for only 1 year up until which they must sell it. We have no children together but I am concerned that the house would go to his family in the event of his death rather than to me.

Of course he tells me not to worry, that his family would not take anything that was mine but he wouldn't be there to make sure of that and he does have a child by a previous partner. Any help would be appreciated from all you girls. Sorry for being all morbid!!

And please move this post if it's in the wrong place!!

xxx

I have shipped about 100-200kg with Superoo.net. every year. I think it is not necessarily for personal possessions but I have shipped personal items along with items for sale. Cost about 100B a kilo. They send it by plane every sat, and its ready for collection on the sun in BKK. Try also a company www.omega-movers.com.

I've been reading variations of this same story for at least twenty years. It appears that no amount of publicity, nor any awareness campaigns can stop this abuse of antibiotics, though it's not for want of trying. There will probably never be a solution beyond the formulation of new medications to combat ongoing development of drug resistance.

Yes, that's true. And I don't want to belittle the problem, but the fact that you've heard it for 20 years and we haven't had a killer bug tear through the population is telling in and of itself.

Oddly, another solution is to pull out some of the older drugs. It seems that some of the bacteria have lost their resistance to older penicillins that have not been used in years.

Well here in the UK there is a massive problem with MRSA and C-Diff due to the overuse of antibiotics. A great number of people in the UK die every year after contracting these diseases and they spread quickly through hospitals. Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. Remember that healthcare in the UK has only just been facing these new antibotic-resistant strains over the past couple of years and the healthcare system has been around for much longer.

The number of times I have had to say to my husband, no don't take those antibiotics, you only have a cold!! The pharmacists are so quick to give them out and there is no understanding about what they should be used for. (and that includes my husband!)

There is a little one on the moat road just before the turning for Ratpakhinai Road on the way to Chang Puek gate.

It sells everything and is much cheaper than the other big stores.

We buy all our stuff from there also to take back to the UK cause brushes are so expensive back home!

And the girl that just simply wanted a starbucks! The presenter's shock and dismay at her not being able to afford a coffee and having to live in a house with rats AND a cat!

She failed to ask the girl how much her braces were costing her every month!

Agree that the presenter was irritating at times! I wonder how many people we know whose children live with their grandparents in Thailand? This is quite the cultural norm for Thailand. My partner's son lives with his grandmother and I have many friends in the same situation. It felt a bit like the presenter was blaming the hotel or the tourists for this when in fact this happens throughout Thailand and not just in the tourist areas!

Curious as to whether the government will keep their 'promise' about the sea gypsies land!! Not optimistic about that!

Anyone have any contacts or ideas about getting parts in Thailand or surrounding countries for a 1967 Ford Mustang convertable? Been looking in UK and USA but wondering if there may be contacts closer to Thailand!? It basically needs all new moldings and interior. (Already has a new engine, but that's a toyota!)Any info would be much appreciated

I have always bought my bra's from Robinsons in Airport Plaza, Chiang Mai. They have triumph bras that go up to my mammoth size! (Although the women do have to do a bit of panicked hunting to find them!) Try also an English website who will post to Thailand for a very reasonable £7.95 called Bravissimo.co.uk

That is if you need a really big bra!

We have had exactly the same problem with my partner who wanted to study Esol in the UK. He is on a partnership visa, the equvilant of a marriage visa but by the September enrolement for college he hadn't been in the UK a full year. When we went to enrol on the course they quoted around £600 for an international student but also said as the course was full, places would go to those in their second year in the UK first, or preference would be to those from Europe.

It has been a hard year as he still struggles with his English and wants to improve and get a better job but we couldn't afford the fees! Vicious circle. Looking forward to September though!!

Good luck with yours!

I'm sorry to hear your story, bed sores are something that can appear quite quickly and develop quickly also.

Most important thing to prevent or improve is as said before, regular turning. Using an airloss mattress which comes with a pump will change the pressure to relieve pressure from areas prone to sores, such as the sacrum and heels. But make sure that you don't use a sheepskin with this as it will not work effectively.

When it comes to healing the pressure sores, wounds in fact need a moist warm environment to heal. If they are sloughy (ie have yellow dead tissue in the centre) they will need a hydrocolloid dressing to lift the slough. I would generally use a granuflex or duoderm which can be left on the wound for up to 5 days. These type of dressings actually work quite well if left on for a period of time rather than removing every day as they will soak up exudate and create the right conditions for healing. Unfortunately in Thailand they really don't have as much choice when dealing with wounds and it tends to be the inadine and gauze road! I don't know about suppliers of high quality dressings, Boots may be able to source.

Make sure they also test the wounds for infection as this will slow down healing.

Good luck

We applied for my partners setlement visa on the 23rd November and it came back in 7 days no interview required!! I think all thanks to Rob Settlement Visa Guide, Thanks Rob!!

We really expected things to take 3 months!

For everyone who is just starting the process, make sure that you give in as much supporting documents as possible, we gave them a lever arch file full!! I think they looked at it and must have thought about how much extra reading I had given them and decided it was easier just to give the visa!!

Thanks to everyone for all their help!

Do you think that these laws will extend to the drunken Policemen drivers like the one who crashed in to my car in Pai?!! He was so drunk that when the other police came to assess the damage, he denied that he had hit my car and said that he would have to drive down to have a look as he was too drunk to walk!!

There was no arrest for him, he hasn't even paid for the damage yet and it was 8 months ago!!