mpetersen

Hi Guys,

My name is Suzy and I'm very new to this forum. This year August we are going to Thailand For 9 nights. We decided to stay 5 in Bangkok at 4 in Phuket. If anyone finds a while would be very appreciated to hear about some good but not to expensive hotels in Bangkok of course in shopping center, I mean so that we don't have to use taxis so much... and don't have to walk like hours. Maybe you have checked out some hotels which you can recommend ?!

Oh... and maybe you do know some good web sites where we can book hotels, as far as I looked I found booking dott com as a very good site, is it?

kind regards

Marriott Courtyard Bangkok and any Courtyard property in Phuket are a great place to stay, inexpensive, clean, nearly brand-new and top service.

marriott.com

sign up for reward points, and before you know it, you'll earn free stays. I personally earn 2-3 weeks per year in free stays with them.

lastly, if you know anyone in Thailand, call JW Marriott in Bangkok, and buy a Marriott Gold Card (but you have to have a Thai address to send it to). It costs about 7500 THB but gives you preferential rates and half price off food at any Marriott property in Thailand and around Asia.

Hello,

been living with my Thai gf here in bangkok for a few months although we have dated for over a year. Today went to her parents house because her mother wanted to speak to us. Should point out that she is from a poor family.

They told us today they want 100,000 or 200,000 bhat plus gold because we are now "something".....this was all in Thai..but gf explained it as "kind of engaged".

I quietly thought ...<deleted>?.... we are not engaged and are still at early stages of living together in a full on relationship.

I have read that dowrys still exist here for marriage but has anyone heard of a custom of giving alot of money to the parents just to date the daughter. my gf could not explain it well. Also a little bit flustered because her family has not been especially friendly so far but today were all smiles. hmmm.

Thanks.

If you have any sort of ceremony that looks like engagement or marriage party, you should expect to fork over some money. 100 or 200K for a poor family is very very high for the parents. It's supposed to be a token gesture nowadays, and for the most part, i would consider any more significant dowry to be some funds for the girl to get by once the farang fiance/husband leaves her.

Often, dowry is placed during the ceremony in large amounts (say, 300,000 or more baht), but then mostly taken back by the couple. It's then up to you if you want to put the money in her account or just replace it, especially if you had to borrow it.

I keep seeing a massive building that says Thai Massage and Karaoke on (i think its) Mahidol road. Hope you know the one i mean?

Im curious, but as it shares its title with a karaoke bar, havent been brave enough to take a look! Quite interested in what the massage place inside might be like.

Is it a pampering legit sorta place, or is it Euphemism for a place with provides something else? (Would be embarrassing to walk in and find out it some kinda gents only place)

Thanks!

legit?! you are kidding right?

You might just get refused, but more likely, the airline might refuse you boarding. The same goes if you try to fly to thailand with a passport which will expire less than six months from the date of entry to Thailand.

Best thing is to buy a low-fare Air Asia or similar ticket to SIN or PEN or somewhere like that within your trip and it shows that you are leaving Thailand, after which you can reenter without a visa for 30 days.

Hi All

Firstly thank you for stoping by,

were both Flying on UK Passports;

We intend to fly to Bangkok on the 1st of November and return on the 10th of January, which is roughly 9 weeks in Thailand, I have read that I can get a 60 day tourist visa from the UK Thai Embassy London before we leave, Which we intend to do, and once in Thailand you can get a 15 day extension to that 60 day visa, a total of 75 days in Thailand,

hopefully I have read correctly and the above is correct(please could anyone just confirm on the above for peace of mind),

however I have a few questions which I cannot find the answer to

1; If I buy a flight ticket from the 1st Nov - till 10th Jan, and only have a 60 day visa - will I get refused entry to Thailand on arrival? or before I board the plane? - how would I explain myself to immigration in this situation? would they expect tourists to enter the country then extend the visas? is this normal practise?, or would they expect you to enter the country with an out flight within 60 days, even if you want to stay longer?

2: assuming we past immigration, can we extent the 60 days visa for an extra 15 days any time whilst in Thailand? or would we have to wait till the present visa is expiring? - my plan is to get the visa extension from bangkok then go down south and not worry about visa's any more.

3; if we wanted to stay longer than 75 days, would the only way be the visa run, for an extra 15 days.

Thanks for reading, any help would be appectiated, Ive read so much that most of what I read is either outdated, or contradicting other information I have read,

piresl

You do not need a lawyer for routine immigration applications to canada.

If you are legally married, you can sponsor your spouse. FInancials are asked for, but not considered in the processing of your application for spousal PR.

Any info you need, you can get from CIC's 1-800 number. They are very helpful.

Been reading a bunch of posts here and I am a bit worried. I have a Thai gf in Bangkok that I want to come to Vancouver to visit so she can she if she likes Canada. We plan on marrying in either Canada or Thailand this calendar year and maybe both if it makes the paperwork easier. We made these plans in October of 2008 just before the economy tanked.

Here are the simple facts. We met two years as I was traveling through the region and she ended up traveling with me for one month. I have returned now two other times to visit her. She had a simple cleaning job in pub but she lost that as the place closed due to lack of tourists due to the many reasons that affect that industry in Thailand. She is your typical Isan lady so has almost no savings of her own to help with the visa application.

I have a good job in Canada making around $50000 CDN a year. The problem is the job I held while I was last in Thailand went backrupt and I had to start in a new company. I am in a new company but the time off, as well a very long trip to SE Asia, killed my savings and to the point in needed to change banks. I can not give the embassy bank records any further back then Jan 09. My records will show regular deposits from my jobs but not huge savigns and not working for three months killed and savings I had. Add to the fact my work records with my new job will only show from Dec 08 concern me.

I am looking at getting some help using a visa company but soem of the posts worry me about doing that. Paperwork and I do not get along and I generally let experts handle it so I do not get so frustrated and give up with. We did try to do the paperwork ourselves but the Canadian embassy has told my gf we did many things wrong and sent her away.

Two companies have emiled me so far about helping.

www.visaconsultingservice.com

and

www.thefrankcorporation.com

Not sure if either is any good.

If all things go well and my gf can come to Canada we will return to Thailand together this Novemeber. After that we will apply for her to get a spousal visa to live in Canada.

Any advice?

Thanks

Kent