Jaggg88

What about marriage visa extension? I always used to get the income confirmation letter from the Chiang Mai British Consulate but they don't do this service any more.

When I contacted the British Embassy in Bangkok they told me they only do this for the Retirement visa.

What's going on?

I am always circumspect of things I am told over the phone in Thailand if it fails the common sense test. Go in person.

The embassy confirm your income as per the info you supply. You pay the over priced fee and leave with your evidence. There is no mention of what type of visa extension you are applying for. If you told them it was for retirement extension how would they know what type of extension you are actually applying for? Its the same evidence for each extension only the figures vary. For a retirement extension you can mix income with money in the bank so the embassy will not query your income.

Remember hearing of an online service called Asia 1. There office was at the Exchange Building on the corner of Asoke and Sukhimvit. Heard they take from any nationality, even American's

Even Americans?

Yes, usually a 500 baht tip is normal for those hard working lads.

Don't be so tight! I usually give 1000 or even 2000 if they have a whistle

Small monthly donation to the local police by your bar....you need assistance...you call them and problem solved.

This is how it works in Thailand - several years ago my wife sold her bar/restaurant and the guy who bought it didn't pay the police for protection (my wife did) and 6 months later the police raided his bar and closed him down.

20 baht plus standard rate, meaning? So instead of 35 baht starting rate and after that the same as Bangkok taxis?

No. The article quoted 20 baht in addition to standard taxi rates. It seems clear that the starting rate of 35 baht will still exist and an additional 20 baht booking fee would be included - Thus, the starting fee - 55 baht - Not too much if clean cars, reliable and honest drivers can be guaranteed.

It's seems very much like GrabTaxi but with the same costs and better cars (Prius).

Recently I've been avoiding taxi's and relying on UBER where possible (and waxing lyrical of UBER's service). I'd happy give this All Thai Taxi a try.

I agree completely Richard - 20 bht is a small price to pay for clean, reliable and honest taxi service.

Debbie Does Siem Reap...starring the ugly sisters - you can't make it up!

I came here to have one last fling before I died. That was 17 years ago. I was in a very high stress job in the US and was experiencing severe angina. After all of the tests I was told that I needed heart surgery. Having no family in the US, I cancelled the surgery, took early retirement and moved here to stay in late 1997. I have never had an angina attack since moving here and stopped all prescribed meds. I walk my nine dogs twice a day and tinker in the farming industry. I'm now 17 years older and suffering the affects of age and having a metal femur installed in my leg when I did a swan dive from a ladder. I fight being overweight, a losing battle all of my life, but I'm still alive and feel great!

That made my day chum......

me too a great story

Toasted sandwiches from a sandwich making machine.

Paninis - sound posher! Cheese (keeps well in fridge), Tuna (from tin), Ham (also keeps well in fridge) Tomatoes (also keep well in fridge) Bread/Panini (keeps for ages if frozen fresh and can be cooked from frozen). Burgers (frozen of course) is also an easy option for the same reason. Virtually no waste. Make a cheap coleslaw thro' out the day for the garnish which you throw away each night ready for to start a fresh new batch next morning - the ingredients for this last quite some time in the fridge. The coleslaw garnish give a fresh element to your fast food. Frozen pizzas are another easy choice just make sure you try everything and don't settle for cheap if its nasty. Plus a full stock of crisps, confectionery etc for the ppl with the munchies. A vending machine with 24 hrs access would be ideal. If you're not a chef don't try and be too ambitious but what you do offer make sure its is done well - most ppl are easily pleased if the fare is good and tasty, it doesn't have to be fancy and expensive. My friend stayed in a resort on Koh Chang where the English owner cooked a full English breakfast (bacon, sausage, toms, mushrooms, eggs etc) for the guests everyday and he said it was excellent. They owner wasn't a chef but told my friend he just taught himself to be good at cooking one type of dish (breakfast). I don't think he offered any other cooked food but is still the No1 budget resort on Koh Chang (look it up on trip advisor). I think its called Elephant and Castle but I may be wrong.

You might also consider giving Melatonin about 30 to 45 minutes prior to sleeping.. it is a safe non addictive sleep aide.

Kurt

This is what a lot of Flight attendants use to combat jet lag but its not a recognised treatment for Insomnia.

It is amazing how many westerners want to come and live in this "third world country "

Our money goes further and the girls go further still

Police are now looking for a Foreigner with a bike helmet on, Oh and can speak English

Who wears odd socks and is left handed - elementary Dr Watson.

One wonders what he would have done if he had a karaoke joint next door,

a town dweller i suspect.

regards Worgeordie

Well he has chosen to live in Amphur Muang, which is classed as town.

I think it's really annoying to have that noise next door to you.

yeah the article says they live on a housing estate so its not exactly village life, is it?

I would think it applies to all people that the TB test applies to, all people that are granted a visa that allows them to stay over 6 months

What would happen if as in many cases the visa is refused, would the prepaid NHS money be lost as well

what about the euro immigrants!!!!!!!!!!

Good point about the visa refusal. It should only be payable as and when the visa is granted.

The UK government has reciprocal agreements for healthcare with most major euro countries inc Switzerland. UK citizens get a free EHIC card.

Used the test in the first post and it showed my real IP as 192.168.0.100

This is what a search of that IP brings up

Definition: 192.168.0.100 is an IP address used relatively infrequently on home networks. Certain few models of broadband router have 192.168.0.100 as their own default address, while on other local networks a router can be configured to issue it to client devices.

So is that good or bad? Its not showing I am in Thailand

192 IP range is a public/local address and cannot geographically locate you. So that is good.

DLT solves taxi issue with strict measures

Dave Lee Travis?

Hairy Cornflake?

Hmmm... just yesterday I cooked fried spring rolls wrapped in rice paper - not perfect, but damn near the original, much better than the wheat wrap version they serve everywhere because Thai cooks are too lazy to do the real thing.

previous achievements include:

- delicious aged ribeye steaks (makro) with proper french fries and sauce béarnaise (perfectly made, if I may say so)

- crispy-baked chicken wings (in the oven). this is again something that local restaurants don't serve since they prefer to go the easy way of frying the wings which loose all flavour in the process

- Russian pelimenie

they fry the wings because they dont have ovens

All the jersey banks have been doing this, has to comply with new regulations, for tracking money laundering/terrorism ect....

Lets not kid ourselves or anyone else - this has less to do with money laundering than tax evasion. All major countries are using these rules to track down tax evaders.

Your baby will need a passport to travel. The Lao Embassy can help but takes time and a lot of paper work. If you and your girl friend agree to make your child British then the British embassy can help. It took 9 months for me and my Lao girl friend to marry officially in Thailand (lots of paper work needed from Lao side for Thai to see) but only ~ 6 weeks to get Canadian citizenship and passport under normal processing. It might be quicker now.

Thanks. My baby will only be about 4 weeks old when we travel, so getting a UK passport will not be practical, especially as I don't have a UK birth certificate as I was born in Zimbabwe, which always complicates passport matters!

We may decide to marry eventually, probably in the UK as it's easier than getting all the Lao paperwork. If I may, I might PM you about your experience if we go down that route later.

If you are a British Citizen you don't need a UK birth certificate as where you were born is not relevant, unless you hold some other type of British passport - British Overseas Citizen etc

georgegeorgia -- I've been with a number of cancer victims at the end here in Thailand and the lucky ones get morphine. Not everyone does. I've witnessed some awful deaths. So, please don't beat yourself up about accepting morphine for your Mum. You did the right thing. I've been with cancer victims who would have been so thankful for the final gift of morphine.

OP you have nothing to be regretful about - morphine is the only humane treatment at the end - you made the correct decision.

I plan to return home to the UK should I need any major health treatment.

You can get 120 days cover with Saga

http://www.saga.co.uk/insurance/campaigns/travel-insurance/over-70-travel-insurance/

did not realize it was illegal to have a small knife in the car.

Its not - this was just a blatant shake down by typical corrupt Thai police that brig shame a ridicule to their country.

You can always post it in at a lot of Immigration offices.

As for me I just go to Nakhon Sawan every 90 days and it is usually done in about 10 minutes depending on the queue. My last one was done in 3 minutes.

It is a 125km each way trip for me and I treat it as a day out end enjoy myself.

takes my mate 10 mins to walk to the Nakhon Sawan office - lucky bugger

do like me, dress like a bum, no hastles

Same as me - then you fit right in - look like a local not a millionaire

Never wear a gold chain or any valuables that is visible, simple as that. It happens all the time, both in Bangkok and Pattaya.

and just about every major city in the world - I was robbed like this in Barcelona by two prostitutes