Lannatyne

On a slight point of digress, I think this is worth pointing out to readers.

I'm in exactly same situation as OP : spouse and child with both UK and Thai passports, and me with UK only.

For long stays, it's normal to enter and exit using their Thai passports. However, for short visits, spouse and child enter on UK passports. Therefore, technically, they're entering as foreigners.

The SOLE reason we do this is due to Travel Insurance. A normal UK policy will cover UK citizens for standard travel risks. So, I know that my whole family is covered by the policy. Should spouse and child enter as Thai citizens, then in the event of a claim, it can't be stated that the insured persons are all UK citizens.

Very surprised that the parents were charged - surely this is a valid reason to be let off for "personal reasons"?

Siampolee

If I may just take the last line of your post which I agree with 100% and just change one word.

One wonders if the fossils in the Education Ministry realize that todays children are the country's future ?

One wonders if the fossils in the Education Ministry CARE that todays children are the country's future ?

They know fine well that todays children are the country's future. They also know that they want to keep the 'status quo' as regards involvement and awareness of the populace, so no development is the way forward.

Well, I happen to think that this is a totally un-thought-through instruction, that is guaranteed to be overturned in the near future.

Even the Thais can't do this with AEC looming in 3 years time. Yes, there may be different visa categories for AEC and non-AEC nationals, but Thailand also stands to lose massive international investment within the AEC trading area if it makes this kind of rule for foreigners. Certainly, other AEC members will be more welcoming.

But, there again...................

Sorry, I don't know anything about military schools, and I am not trying to criticize you, but I am always curious WHY us "farangs" are always posting questions, on behalf of Thai family members, that it seems to me, Thai people could/would know this information or be able to find it more easily then us ...being that they lived here all their lives, can read and speak the language and all of those obvious benefits?

I know sometimes we want/need to confirm information because we often get told a load of BS, but couldn't your wife do the basic legwork and then you could just comfirm it, it case you want to be sure of the costs for example?

I just see a lot of posts about "how can my g/f get a Thai passport" or "how can she get a D/L" or "my g/f's cousin's friend had a car accident, how should I deal with the insurance company/police", or whatever. I just wonder how many Thai people living in the West, are on Thai forums asking similar questions about us farangs and our problems?

I'm just suggesting this because it seems it would be easier for you. Good luck with this and hope it works out!

Off-topic, but we tend to step-in because the Thais normally don't have the investigative and enquiring mindset needed in these circumstances. If they don't know, they generally can't be arsed to find out. Often down to us to get them moving in this regard, and equally often we are thanked for giving assistance.

When Air Asia did the KL - London flight, always used them and when we returned, always booked 30Kg baggage each. So, for my family of 3, we had 90Kg of baggage.

Now, at least half of this would be English foodstuffs. Packed in boxes, it made quite a pile on the trolley. Maybe didn't have food scanners back then, but was always stopped by officials asking about the boxes. Wife to the rescue, and she just says that "Oh, just come back from holiday and it's just a stock of that silly farang food my husband likes". Cue laughs from customs officials and waved on our way. Now, the fact that she likes Branston and pickled onions just as much as me has nothing to do with it, of course.

Lesson is that you can use Thai partner to good effect sometimes.

Christmas shopping trip around Oxford Street and Knightsbridge for the hangers-on??

Hope they remember to take Yingluck's shopping list while she's enjoying tea and scones at the palace.

Is there a southbound right hand turn into the road behind Big C?

Admittedly, I've been away for a couple of months, but that road has always been accessed either by a u-turn up at Central, or by an illegal u-turn opposite PIH.

Totally agree that the relief roads (Muang Chao Fa, for example) should have been upgraded / created before this 720 day project started.

Be nice to see this happen in Thailand as well.

There are several dual citizens in Thai parliment. In fact thailand had a dual citizen PM just a couple of years ago, did you forget?.

Agreed, but remember the pressure he was under to virtually deny dual citizenship?

Looks like Somchai Fawkes has been found with a stash of gunpowder in the back of his tuk-tuk. Historically, there have been quite a few plots around at this time of year.

That internet research is rubbish, jingjoe. For the child, please don't do that - it will really harm them.

I try to imagine my 7yr old in the situation you describe, and I can't. She has a wide circle of friends, and 'feeds' off each in different ways to develop her personal skills. And, those friends aren't just other kids, it's also the parents of those kids. At this age, they are like sponges - they soak so much in. If you don't allow the soaking, you'll end up with a dry sponge - think about it.

How much does the type of glass cost that you get a coke in? A handful of baht, or little more. Heard of a waitress having such a measly amount deducted from her pay cos she dropped one. They don't seem to have "cost of doing business" ethics here, and just go for the very final satang at every opportunity.

This is a very common practice. The main result is that it stifles any individuality, creativity, business acumen and development in employees, And that is the big trouble with this country. Another aspect of where freer-thinking people will walk all over this lot come the AEC.

Don't know why you're all moaning. The contract stipulates that it must be completed in only 720 days.

guess this means a lot more football hooligans about to visit. can't wait to see more of my countrymen.

Might have been a valid comment 30 years ago, but no longer.

I always feel that these Thais holding Hon Consul positions are just foxes guarding the henhouse.

I kind of feel that if the Chinese are expressing their worries, then there's more chance of action than when the western hon. consuls sound off to the governor.

Having just returned to UK, I'm noticing a few changes in my child's education, even having gone to an Int School in Thailand.

The focus here is on read, read, and more read. She's getting through 5 books a week, never mind 5 a year, and really enjoying it. Sits in her booster seat in the back of the car, and just reads while we're out.

I even queries the rationale of this with the school, and it's because : "if the child can read, they can do anything". Now, that's a good way of looking at it. they can understand maths and science problems better, research own solutions in books and internet, and gives confidence in all-round understanding the written word.

In the past, I've seen job applicants who can't fill in forms, just because they don't understand them.

It also reminds me of one thing in Thailand which always amazed me - the inability of a person to even fill in a credit slip to put money in the bank. How many times have I seen a person (not old and decrepit, either) wander to the cashier without any clue of how to fill in such a simple form.

For sure, i think reading is the mainstay of a population.

If Thais want to play tennis, they should go and live in a country which provides such sporting facilities.

By any recognised measure, it is impossible to deny that Thailand is most definitely a "Hub of Money".

Public communications, campaigns, a better understanding, presentations ............ about something that they don't even have a definition of?? Un-<deleted>-believable.

Use the purge criteria on the survey. That makes it very interesting indeed.

When you ask the survey to weigh up the education of children, safety, and amount of time you can spend outdoors, then Thailand disappears way, way down the list.

Sadly, as one poster has already implied, too much is about money these days, and not the points above, which, personally, I'd prioritise above all others.

Just another "let's tell the population we're the centre of all things" gob-<deleted> story.

Anyone know of any equivalents to Thai Visa covering the Philippines?