seaeagle

Takes the same amount of effort to send 3000 baht as it does to send 3million baht.

what is your son going to do in thailand once he graduate? Most of you sending your kid there are limiting your child to 1 country and a 80k per month salary(if they are extremely good and lucky)

Surely you mean 8k per month! 80k in UK would be pretty dam_n good, so doubt that's a benchmark for salarys here.

How can any one take any notice of a tosspot like andy all he wants is freebies.if he can do any thing about the visa system or getting the increase in the uk pension i will think he is a great prince.

Ah, yes, I remember - it's called "Freedom of Speech".

Legislation here doesn't allow such comments, so you'd be best to be thankful that you come from a country where the Monarchy is respected but not above criticism, and that the whole thing about GB is that you're allowed to make such insulting comments without fear.

Certainly there's a 'tosspot' here, but it's not Andy!

Normal bus from Phuket Town leaves around 6.30am, and gets to Ranong 10.30-ish. Quick motorbike taxi to the pier, then a longtail straight over and back. Through immigration and back to the bus station for the 2pm bus back here. In Phuket by 7pm, and cost for absolutely everything in the day is no more than 1100 baht. Great reading time on the bus, but DO take a music player (or just earplugs) to cover up the sound of the Thai tv or music during the bus ride!

I've been charged for a long time, too. But, I think it will depend on the time of day you arrive - I always was down for a morning stroll just as all the divers were going out. So, very busy, and the woman-collector was always out and about.

Affordability does come into it, but so does the level of priority you give your children.

I have wife (housewife / homemaker / full-time mother), 4-bed house, pool and a Honda. My yearly income is 800K baht per year, but I still prioritise my childs education, so 240K goes straight out on school fees.

sadly many members here are the opposite and they value their anti-nanny state view so much that they'd rather spend more on beer and give their kids a thai education.

My post on this always get reported by these "fathers" and then deleted. They only last an hour or so but i get a lot of 'likes'

I have no idea how you can spend 240k out of 800k on education, good for you. If i was in your situation and could not figure out how to do it i would simply go back home, which is what i am doing when the oldest turns 4

Good that you understand. Doing what I do isn't difficult - it's very difficult!

I like to read, watch some downloaded tv, have a beer at home each day, and go out on Saturday's just to watch the football.... but walk past cheese, wine and most of the other things I like.

I'll also go back home when the opportunity arises - again for the aspect of education and early career for my child. As I say, my priority isn't me, it's giving my child the best chances in life, and I'll forego a lot to ensure that happens.

Affordability does come into it, but so does the level of priority you give your children.

I have wife (housewife / homemaker / full-time mother), 4-bed house, pool and a Honda. My yearly income is 800K baht per year, but I still prioritise my childs education, so 240K goes straight out on school fees.

Perhaps my view has something to do with it.

a picture is worth a thousand words

You can see this every hour, every day, every year - for the rest of your life.

Bored shitless IMHO !!!!!

Can only say that I know someone who left the Darasamuth EP due to high class sizes, not as much 'E' in the 'EP' as was expected, and a disproportionate input by Thai teachers when teaching the 'E' bits.

If your child is half Thai - half western, then you should really go to one of the International Schools.

I've just put my daughter into an international school after 3 years in a renowned Thai nursery/early years school. The difference is astounding. To be blunt she learnt nothing at the Thai school and has learnt more in 1 month at ther new school than 3 years in the Thai school. The Thai system creates lazy dummies and sadly always will.

I totally agree with you.

But you also pay more in 1 months than 3 years in govt school (which is 100% free plus free books plus cash for uniform plus cash for equipments).

The cost of international schools is sadly far beyond the reach of many expats, too, despite their mythical prosperity compared with the average Thai worker. Throwing a few million baht at the Thai education system (the "tablet panacea") as a one-off "fix" achieves nothing long-term. Someone's enthusiasm that ran away like a freight train going nowhere useful. It is about long-term commitment, not crackdowns and quick fixes that fix nothing.

If that is the case, then I'd suggest that expats return to their own country to give their children the best possible chance.

Slightly off-topic, but don't forget to get your name on birth certificate, and the dual-nationality bit with your own embassy, sorted soon after the happy event.

Rather a 'public' way to hand over a brown envelope, don't you think?

In a former life, I did Project Management and Implementation Management for a number of corporate, nationwide rollouts in the UK. So, with 4 months to go before rollout, they haven't even made headway on the procurement process??!! Ho, ho, ho, ha, ha, ha!

I was going to say that I'll guarantee this won't happen with that time left. However, here it WILL happen, but it'll end up being the usual dogs-dinner. Useless imbeciles.

You could well be better off finding a haulier in Nong Khai to come down empty, and take your stuff back.

Likely to be cheaper than any of the schysters around here, and if anything does go wrong, you'll be dealing with a driver in your new locality, rather than someone 1500km away.

Lots of police bribery checkpoints in the north, also, so likely that a northern driver will be au fait with procedures, rather than a driver from the south.

Have searched some similar questions and replies in this forum, and there appears to be a little difference in interpretation.

So, at present, what are the rules if a child aged 6 stays beyond the 30 day tourist allowance?

I have a longer visa, but would like to just bring child in on normal 30 day one, as long as there's no penalty and hassle when we leave.

Thanks.

Never heard of this. As far as I'm aware it is a contract and you can not change it without both parties consenting to it or through the courts.

Custody arranegments of children can always be changed if there is a reason for it.

But it is true that Immigration often want a court decision regarding the custody of cildren, and does not accepts a custody setlement done at the amphur for granting a 1 year extension of stay based on having a Thai child.

Okay, thanks.

Interesting about the visa. Is that just for the "1 year extension", or for taking the child out through airport / seaport?

Two conflicting routes to divorce have been described to me. The person who has told me the 2nd option says that there are inherent risks in the 1st option. Read as follows:

Option 1:

Seems the most common. Where both parties agree the financial settlement, and any child custody, then have this 'Divorce Agreement' prepared by a lawyer. After that, it is registered at the Amphur, and recorded, and, basically, that is it.

This is the method as stated by a couple of lawyers in my province, and also on quite a few websites.

However..............................

Option 2:

I have a friend who's a judge in the provincial court. He says the above is dangerous, as once the divorce agreement has been registered, it can be changed in the future by either party. In particular, where custody of kids has been agreed, this could quite easily be revoked. In some cases, Thai authorities, such as immigration at ports, could refuse to accept the Divorce Agreement, as prepared by the lawyer and registered at the Amphur, thus stopping travel outside the country. Unbelievable!!

He says that both parties should first go to the court, essentially by-passing the lawyer stage, and record their settlement wishes there (only 1 day to do). After that, this court document is registered at the Amphur. The difference seems to be that this CANNOT be revoked in the future.

So, anybody got anything to say about this? Especially all our lawyer and legal members! Thanks.

Need my daughter to accompany me on a visa run.

Has dual nationality, but, of course, is here as a Thai, so would leave on her Thai passport.

What docs, if any, do we need to get for her to come out of the country with me alone, and from where? Based in Phuket. Thanks.

From what I see, most historical sites simply are another conduit to emphasise and promote Buddhism, and continue the brainwashing of the 'locals'.

Tourists don't mind an element of religion and temples in sightseeing, but when every thing you go and see revolves around prayer, it gets a bit boring.

And, what exactly would the public do?

Shrug shoulders, mai pen rai, ................. and the thumbprint remains on the forehead of the populace.

Could do with some replacement / spare bulbs for the tree lights.

Best place for the bulbs, and if need, a full set of lights??

Just noticed a single new bar in course of construction in a row of shophouses (sorry, home-offices) on the Sea Shell Museum side of the road.

They've got the bar counter built, and in 2 corners are a couple of chrome poles!!

Is there a local office in P'lok for a Thai to obtain a passport?

If not, where is the nearest, or do they still have to make the trip to BKK to do this?

We can't blame the Africans for this one.

It's the rich civilized educated peoples that are driving the market for exotic animal parts.

South East Asia - rich, civilised, and educated??

In general, I think not!