mxyzptlk

Would the monthly statements which Bangkok Bank send me for my GBP account with them - and which include my name and address - be OK for proof of residency address purposes?

I would have thought so. However, as the requirements may vary depending on a particular office and sometimes on the particular official you deal with, it's maybe best to ring them up and ask what they will accept....

I did a 90 day visit to Si Racha immigration last week ... And didn't have to show proof of address ? The only change from my previous 90 day visit was I needed a photocopy of my passport. Checked my Thai driving licences and my address is not on the back of either of them ?

The addresses are in Thai. If they aren't on the back, then the licences are not the latest style.

If you have the latest style credit card size Thai drivers licence, then your address is on the back.

OK, I'm holder of a WP and a Thai driving licence (Expiring March 2017) as well. But this are documents issued already long time ago.

Isn't the maximum validity of a Thai driving license 5 years?

When I renewed my licences in Nang Rong in December 2010 they gave me expiry dates of my birthday in November 2016. i.e. 5 years, 11 months

The only schwarma I've ever had was in Amsterdam in 1979 and it must have been good for me to remember it....It came with a very hot sauce called sambal I think....

Not difficult.

He needs to get an Affirmation To Marry document from his Embassy.

Get it officially translated to Thai and verified at the MFA Office in Bangkok.

He can then register the marriage at an amphur.

The actual registration does not cost a lot.

I think I got that correct, it has been a few years

Yes, it's as simple as that!!!!

If using the Aranyaprathet / Poipet crossing, get an eVisa in advance of travel. It costs a little more than the standard visa, but does not use a full page in your passport and avoids any contact with the visa on arrival "police". Ignore any touts who approach you and if any "police" stop you, say that you are visitng the casinos and not returning the same day or they will require a "fee" as well. That should cater for any extra "fees" demanded.

I've only been twice but had no problem so far...

DID NOT KNOW OF AN EVISA what is that and how do you get it? Then you head straight for the Cambodian customs, paas through, walk around for 5 mins and turn round and come back through? How much was that visa?

Thanks, still looking at Mae Sai though and miss the other downsides.

If using the Aranyaprathet / Poipet crossing, get an eVisa in advance of travel. It costs a little more than the standard visa, but does not use a full page in your passport and avoids any contact with the visa on arrival "police". Ignore any touts who approach you and if any "police" stop you, say that you are visitng the casinos and not returning the same day or they will require a "fee" as well. That should cater for any extra "fees" demanded.

I've only been twice but had no problem so far...

So it sounds like a further fee maybe required? I have already supplied and submitted all the required documents letters from my Embassy photos, prove of income etc etc, so they have that already, my wife did not sign any statement, just signed her papers id, house book, photos etc. I did not supply a map of my address as they did not ask me for that.

Does this mean I need new documents from my Embassy? (Hope Not as each letter has a fee in excess of 2000 Baht)

Is it worth popping back to ask the officer? or just turn up 30 days prior?

Many thanks everyone who have replied.

Before I was on a Tourist visa as I was divorced from my previous Thai wife in Korat.

Lite Beer has given you all the info in his post above......oops tooo slow - others beat me to it

I've just received my first marriage extension @ Nakhon Ratchsima Immigration @ Dan Kwien Pottery village.

The didn't want the Kor Ror 2. The map I gave them was a google map which was accepted.

They only wanted 2 copies of the completed TM7 + photo and one copy of everything else.

In Surin farmers dry their rice in the street

This is common practice throughout the region AFAIK.

A picture I took at a BBQ at a friends house in Nongki. Very tasty....

Second picture is an elephant leading a procession past my house....not sure what the event was though.

BBQ rat... I love it....

Yes, I was pleasantly surprised.....although I had consumed a large amount of whisky & brandy before I ate some of the rats

A picture I took at a BBQ at a friends house in Nongki. Very tasty....

Second picture is an elephant leading a procession past my house....not sure what the event was though.

You can't beat chicken curry on a couple of large baked spuds instead of rice.....

I experienced the same last night at dusk. The front & back doors of the house open and before I was aware of their presence, the buggers were swarming around a couple of lights. It was a bit of a pain in the arse as I was eating my dinner at the time.....but after a while their bodies & discarded wings started to litter the tiled floor. As already said......just another day in Isaan

Good, got your painless "marriage" extension handily. Don't forget a re-entry permit! It's good insurance to protect your investment in the extension, just in case you need to depart Thailand suddenly, and can't get the permit at the airport, or another airport or land border point.

Mac

Yes, thanks Mac.

I'll do that when I return to immigration on March 1 to get my passport updated.

I submitted my affirmation of freedom to marry to the British embassy in the morning and picked it up in the afternoon. (Aug 2010)

Good post bina, as was your previous one

<br />I haven't read all 22 pages of this thread, but one thing keeps occuring to me: Why would anyone want to live like a Thai peasant? <br />Don't get me wrong, heyseeds can be nice people, but living without meaningful culture -- no access to the arts, concerts, performances, exhibitions, theater, cinema, bookstores, fine dining, clubs of like-minded people, et al -- seems to be a dire regression in the quality of life. <br />I am not sure how many people in the West would say, "Yes, when I retire I want to live in basic conditions with no intellectual stimulation and feed pigs/watch rice grow/house countless relatives on my nickel, and so on. Oh, and since I can't really speak Thai, I have no idea what anyone is talking about unless my wife chooses to tell me, but even that's iffy since her English language skills are at about the level of a three-year-old English speaker."<br /><br />Almost everywhere I look, I find educated gentlemen from the West dumbing themselves down to the point where they are a pathetic parody of themselves. What could possibly be the key motivation for this? <br /><br />Of course I respect the right of the individual to conduct his last years, or his mature years, in any fashion he desires. But the motivation escapes me here. It would be like someone <i>wanting </i>to live in quasi-poverty among the uneducated (or under-educated) and the intellectually incurious....where a "big event" is going to "the city" to shop at Tesco? I mean that's just sad. <br /><br />And by the way, how many Western <i>women </i>come to Thailand to retire in a backwoods village? What does this tell you about the situation?<br />

By meaningful culture, do you mean one that fits you view of life?

Why did you come to Thailand?

Do you live here? If you can't learn Thai, does that make you one of the uneducated?.......LOL

If your wife can't speak English why don't you teach her? or is it your view that everyone in the countries that you visit should speak english?

.... last comment chopped as predicted....

Boy Oh Boy how right you are. It is our choice to live here amongst people who are generally caring' friendly, considerate all the good things in people that seem to be lacking in more urbanised environments. Any time I want to I can go to the city, indulge myself in the so called Arts, engage with my so called 'equals' etc. Every minute I live here I learn something new from these 'peasants' as you call them. Believe you me these people could teach you a thing or two. They may not be materialist wealthy, and may not have a great education but give me them any day to the so called hi-so's you probably mix with.<

Well said....

<br />Enjoyable read.  Appreciate all the stories.  I plan to live in the Nakhon Phanom area and was a little apprehensive about whether or not 55 - 60K a month would provide a nice lifestyle for me, wife and daughter.  Want a nice blend of Thai/Western living.  Sounds like it would be sufficient.<br />

You won't be sorry.....just do it....

I like living in a village because I don't feel the need to mix with pompous "superior" class orientated farang &lt;deleted&gt;.....having said that, I know a lot of farangs in the area who are just like me....life in the slow lane....you can't beat it...

I hope the OP is OK when he comes clean

Live & let live.... that's what I say.

If you cross the border at Arunyaprathet / Poipet, it's best to get an eVisa prior to travel. It saves a page in your passport.

Also you tell any "policeman" who asks that you are going to the casinos to gamble and are not returning the same day. This saves any "same day" return tea money.

When I do my 90 day report @ Chok Chai, no copies are required. They just inspect my passport.

They also brought my last 90 day report forward to coincide with the expiry of my current permission to stay. I think this is happening at a few offices now.