MikeyIdea

About going to funerals, weddings, graduations, temples etc.

I always feel welcome when I go to events like that in Thailand. There really is common sense to it and it’s pretty much the same here as in the west, if I had been welcome to an event like that in the west, I am here. I haven’t thought that it was because of the money I gave for over 20 years

About friendliness, politeness and the value of family

Depends on the environment of course but I find most Thai’s equally friendly and quite often more polite than westerners, family nearly always means more here than in the West. I haven’t felt anything else for over 20 years now

Why is over 20 years ago so significant for me? That is because I realised over 20 years ago that I did something wrong if I wasn’t welcome, I lacked knowledge so it was my fault when I didn’t understand. That realisation made it easier for me to do something about it myself instead of just writing off Thai’s as stupid and cold. I couldn’t have done it faster because it takes several years participating in a Thai environment every day to learn enough to be able to proceed to the next level of learning, this eventually leads on to be able to predict and eventually, after many many years, to be able to understand. It’s a very rewarding process, especially since the language actually is so easy to learn if you learn it the right way, but oh so difficult if you learn it the wrong way ????

ThaiVisa members who aren’t shy to voice their shallow opinions about the friendliness and politeness of Thai’s and their core values not even knowing how stupid they sound obviously never passed the first level. They don’t know that the Thai’s have a saying for them: People who don't know speak easily   

On ‎11‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 1:08 PM, mogandave said:

I know it’s different in Europe where it seems everyone is a tight fisted piker, but in the US where people are more generous, no one I know would ever go to a wedding, graduation, funeral or temple empty handed.

What a crappy little world you money-grubbers must live it.

 

 

 

 

No one in Europe I know would go to a wedding, graduation, funeral or temple empty handed. Perhaps there is a link between what seems to be an over-representation of ThaiVisa members who would and the immigration crack down on less desirable foreigners in Thailand. I support that

On ‎11‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 1:08 PM, mogandave said:

What a crappy little world you money-grubbers must live it.

What a wonderful reply, thanks mogandave, that made my day ????

On ‎11‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 12:42 PM, Bournville said:

On ‎11‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 9:54 AM, MikeyIdea said:

I have been working in Thailand for 27 years, some of the Thai's I work with are Muslims but most are not. None of the Thai's I worked with ever cared if their coworker was a Muslim or not and they certainly didn't dislike Muslims. My opinion is that educated people both in the west and in Thailand try to understand differences and accept them, uneducated or lower educated people don't really try and is quite often negative to what they don't know instead
 
Not badly meant but may I ask how long experience in Thailand and with what kind of people you base your opinion on please

6 years in Thailand and when I mention the word.. Muslim.. It has ALWAYS been met with distaste. These are middle-class Thai for the most part.. With a few bar girl types too.

I think we can conclude that we must meet different people ???? That's OK, how boring the world would be if everybody were the same

Kenny, contact HappyLarry if you haven't for a fair assessment of your situation. A Thai lawyer can be a westerners worst enemy but... the Thai Family and Juvenile court system as such is often more fair than western equivalents actually and they are normally not biased against westerners at all. Thai lawyers who state otherwise often do not have family law experience. Westerners who state otherwise are often of the type who fits the Thai saying, People who don't know speak easily ????

I have followed HappyWife and the lawyer she works with behind the scene by ThaiVisa members PMing me for several years although I have never met them personally. I hear non-biased positive information.

10 hours ago, Bournville said:

On ‎10‎/‎7‎/‎2016 at 3:56 PM, MikeyIdea said:

 
Overly proud is in the eye of the beholder, I certainly do not agree with that statement.
 
I cannot see that they refuse acknowledgement of other cultures either. I see the opposite:
 
Thai's are tolerant of other cultures. Anyone think they are not???
 

I've never met a thai that likes Muslims!

I have been working in Thailand for 27 years, some of the Thai's I work with are Muslims but most are not. None of the Thai's I worked with ever cared if their coworker was a Muslim or not and they certainly didn't dislike Muslims. My opinion is that educated people both in the west and in Thailand try to understand differences and accept them, uneducated or lower educated people don't really try and is quite often negative to what they don't know instead

Not badly meant but may I ask how long experience in Thailand and with what kind of people you base your opinion on please

You can easily order online from either

https://thailand.kinokuniya.com or https://www.asiabooks.com/asia_books_branches

I would expect that both have one or several branches in Chiang Mai, have a look and go there and check what they have in stock at other branches, it can take a month or more to order from England

I like Kinokuniya more but to be honest, both are fine

Michael

2 ) is kissing against the law in government schools ( between student and student obviously )
The Ministry of Education publish general rules for all schools and pupils in Thailand (this includes international schools). Each school may also publish their own clarifications and rules if they want and many do. Open public affection is indeed prohibited in most schools, western parents sending their western or Thai kids to Thai schools should make their kids respect the rules or take their kids out of the school and leave

Not a question of if the rule can be enforced, it's a question of moral

20 hours ago, StephenB said:

Do you guys know of a good lawyer for upcountry to accomplish this? Wife just called land office, and told its 20 years of age until can transfer. Would like to get land transfered from wifes name to kids name this month. Ages 10-14

Never call, they will of course just answer something that makes it impossible to transfer to protect themselves, mainly because they don't want the risk and the trouble but also much because so many westerners question their right to request the properly certified documents they need to ensure they protect themselves... Go there and talk to the supervisor and you are likely to get a different answer, unless Hua Hin, Chiang Mai. Bring a good lawyer or HappyLarry's wife, she's good, and the chance increases

If they still refuse, just go to Juvenile and make a mutual agreement to give the land to the children, that makes it a court order on that land should be transferred to the children (within a certain date is important), difficult for the land office to refuse. If they still refuse, just go back to court and enforce court order and hand over to gromm bangkapp kadi, "department" of court order enforcement and they will get it transferred. Easy to get them to act when it comes to assets, it's just polite to help with expenses and a bit more. Court case like that are easy and cheap, mutual agreement for only that should be no more than 20,000, or less probably. A friend in Trad did something similar for less than 10,000. Not a lawyer of the same caliber as the one HappyLarry's wife works with for that money obvoiusly

Lawyer: Most difficult thing there is, finding a lawyer who can be trusted, one that prepares information beforehand and thereby is prepared to challenge the right to refuse. The lawyer that HappyLarry's wife works with is clearly good and bold when the need is there but he normally works with juvenile cases, they're in Korat by the way.  

Michael

My daughter has been offered vaccination, not uncommon, but not as mandatory (I rejected and that was fine). It would have been administered by a nurse from health services. Just reject if you don't want it, it's not legal to make it mandatory, nothing can and will happen

I think a teacher administering it is a mis-understanding, cannot imagine that happening in Thailand.

100K is a lot of money, That can support 10+ people for over a year up-country, why on earth would you send that much? 15k per month is ok in Bangkok, too much in the Pattaya area and a ripoff everywhere else. I support my daughters grand parents and great grand parents, 4 people, with 4,000 baht per month (rural  up-country) and they are very grateful for it

First question: Do you feel confident that the child really is yours?

-- She is saying I will never see her and the baby again.

Evidence is king. Get evidence that she says that the child is yours and that she says that you will never see the child again, record, multiple times. No cash money, only transfer and keep evidence

-- Is there anything I can do if she actually runs away?

Not a problem if you have a copy of her ID card and good evidence that she confirms it is your child. Just take the issue to Juvenile court, you will eventually get legitimization and shared custody but DNA will be necessary if the mother refuses consent and it will take time. Appeals court is always less than a year away so don't get fooled to accept quick bad deals

Cutting money often works actually, I'd gather the evidence first though

Michael

Ministry of Education is very helpful, bring the receipt there and ask them to confirm. There can be extra costs also at government schools but never heard of a security bond held by a government school for 6 years, sounds unlikely

You should refuse to pay even one single baht without a receipt which you! keep...  

Either another school or distance learning. There are quite good distance learning options available if the student is suitable for that. AS level exams are not mandatory any longer, the A level exam will include all anyway. British Counsel in Bangkok arrange A level exams a few times a year so it's quite possible to do the A-levels without any formal school actually - not saying it's easy though :) 

8 minutes ago, HSIKen said:

Thanks for your quick response.

 

I am thinking their final goals is taking the International Program on the Secondary Level and sit for the IGSCE exams

 

do you know any aptitude tests needed before they accepted my applications? or just a interview with kids?

 

Regards

 

Ken

I haven't been there for several years, they used to have one of the English assessment tests (not full TOEFL of course, can't remember which one), a smaller one, they probably still do. It is not difficult for a half western kid to pass at all, the test is more to confirm if the Thai kids coming there can benefit from the education or if not, use the test results as the evidence to get the Thai parents to accept their internal support classes.

Michael

Yes, should be no problem, it's a private school :) They may request that they take the support class in Thai language. Need to make sure that they get one of the high school diploma equivalents. If they don't take the iGCSE exams then they will be stuck with nothing because they won't pass the Thai high school exam

Michael

You have shared custody which also include shared responsibility to ensure that children get education. The common response to the problem you have is that the responsible parent need to pay it. This applies to both Thai's and Westerners. I'm not suggesting that you should pay of course. The Thai parent in that situation would find another way around of course, you can do the same but let's find out of you have to first 

I first recommend a trip to the Ministry of Education, I've been there a few times in the past discussing their stance to court cases where I interpreted, they are nice and helpful. I don't know how much Thai you speak but you'll either eventually get to someone who speaks good English (there are quite a few) or you can handle it in Thai. Wave the court order and they'll get the right person for you :) Politely of course. People who choose ministry of education don't (only) do it for the money :) I'm not sure but it is quite possible that the law and MoE rules state that school must issue the document T.B.2 (transfer of pupil) regardless of if school fees are outstanding. You need to ask direct questions: Does previous school by MoE rules have to issue TB2 also if debt is outstanding and May I have copies of the paragraphs stating that, The school refuse, I formally ask How is the MoE going to help? It is possible that the MoE will confirm that the rules state that TB2 must be issued but won't act to help and will give "the silent treatment" after you send recorded delivery letter. It's also quite possible that the school still will refuse also with MoE evidence, recorded delivery letter to the principal and MoE jointly may or may not help. I think that it is important to tell MoE that you simply do not have the money to pay and you will in the best interest of the children go to criminal court to put the mother in jail to prove that you are innocent and the mother is bad for the children and then on to Juvenile and take sole custody and bring the children to your home country and the mother will never see them again if education in Thailand problem cannot be solved (if they have jurisdiction, do they prefer to help then...?)  

If MoE confirm that debt really must be paid before TB2 can be issued, perhaps do what the Thai's would do. Relocate to the home village and enroll the children for one term there (they'll be OK, let the grand mother enroll), then get TB2 from that school and back and enroll in Pattaya

Michael

On ‎4‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 9:26 PM, Kenny202 said:

I saw them ...

I saw them just change chau baan without any paperwork at all, without the old chau baan was even present once, clear breach of rules. They played and fussed with my daughter so much that she disappeared upstairs for an hour while we did the paperwork downstairs and they legitimized me as her father when she was two! at the amphur in Loei, also clear breach of rules actually but thank you for that :) Your lawyer should have known that it is absolute BS that the mother needed to be present, that's his fault that you had that problem, it's a court order for Christ sake... total idiocy.

I accept that they require some kind of valid identification of you, something that required a certified translation to get (work permit, yellow tabien baan, pink ID card for instance) but on the other hand... I wonder if the lawyer could have done this for you with a legal letter of attorney without you present? with ID from you that required certified translation, not sure

We never know what will happen, what you describe is much worse than I ever have encountered. Good idea to bring someone from the court or call and hand over the phone, a friend did that once, worked fine, don't know if it had worked without it too

Michael

I forgot. You should immediately when you have planned/confirmed what to say make a missing persons report for your child (the police station in the area where you last saw the child), stating that you don't know where he/she is and that you actually have no idea if the child is with the father or not even (need to motivate why, a simple - never wanted to change diapers and 2 month old kids do that all the time so why should the child be with the father will do just fine). This is because both parents have equal rights so the child is technically not missing only because the other parent doesn't know where the child is

If the police for some reason refuses missing persons report, just instruct the lawyer to send recoded delivery letters to roi tamroat eak (that's the boss of the 2nd level policeman), that works as evidence in court

Michael

Thai courts will not pick him because he is Thai at all, Thai juvenile courts are more fair than most western courts even, they will choose the best path for the future of the child. You have an important advantage now as the child only is 2 months old (Thai courts consider that young children needs their mothers so you are more advantaged now than you will be in a years time). You should take this to Juvenile court as soon as you can get it planned well. Contact Harry right away if you have not, Harry's wife and the lawyer she is working with are good and can help you. I have heard that straight from their clients, not here at TV

You really need to hurry to gather evidence of violence too, the Thai parent is not favoured at all but that doesn't mean that he shouldn't have the right to 50% of the time with the child - when the child gets a bit older. Your evidence is necessary to reduce that percentage. He can of course also veto you from taking the child out of Thailand and don't forget that he correctly so have that right. Work the problem if you want to change that, again evidence

Don't do anything stupid! Remember stupid Sally Faulkner? Two kids and one of them had lived a bit more than 50% of his life in the fathers home country (habitual residence according to the Hague convention for that child is the fathers home country) but Sally burned the passports of both children directly when they came to Australia. The father learnt from the mother and took them both back to his home country and kept them there. Don't like it Sally, look yourself in the mirror  Good sample of TWO bad parents! Children with mixed heritage have the right to BOTH sides and any parent who doesn't give the child that is a bad parent. I will believe exceptions after a court views the evidence and orders otherwise

You need distraction and money to get through this. Get a job, work 9 hours per day 7 days per week with 2 days off per month until you get access to your child, lots of work is excellent distraction, will help you to sleep at night, and will help you to build up a new life, whatever happens. You can make USD 80 per day so it's not that difficult, just takes determination

Good luck, let us know how it goes

Michael

23 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

For UK passports there is no requirement to establish the child's citizenship first. If they are not entitled to British citizenship the passport will not be issued.

I stand corrected, You are correct :)

https://www.gov.uk/get-a-child-passport/first-child-passport

What documents to send with your application

You must send:

• 2 new photos of your child
• the child’s full birth or adoption certificate (the one with parent’s details on it)
• proof that your child has British nationality (for example a British registration certificate, parent’s passport details or parent’s birth certificates)
• any valid passports from a different country belonging to the child
• any court orders (for example, that describe parental responsibility or residency arrangements)

It's enough for the British father to send in evidence of his British Citizenship. 3 things here are still open though

1) They require "the birth certificate with parent's details on it". How does British authorities handle the case that a Thai birth certificate does not have the fathers full name so it's not valid. What do they require to supplement it?

2) Thailand does not recognize "fathership" if non-married so further confirmation should definitely be required. What?

3) Child Trafficking: Most countries in the world require both parents signature to issue a passport (at least the first time). Is that signature required?

On another note: It is actually easier (less hassle) to just go to the Swedish embassy and get the official forms but then bypass them and just send the complete and signed forms with translations certified by the Consular Affairs department directly to Migrationsverket (the ministry approving citizenships in Sweden) stating that the passport should be picket up at the Swedish Embassy in Bangkok, same in England?

Michael

11 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Not true, I work for a large US company, I'm British, and just filled in my  W8BEN form, for non yanks.

There is a tax treaty between the countries. 

Strange, we've had foreigners from all over the world working for the American Fortune 500 company I work for in Bangkok and all of them have been paid in Thailand and paid tax in Thailand. I have done 21 pnd 91 for that company and PWC regularly audits our payroll

No idea except I'm pretty sure that PWC wouldn't have missed a yellow audit for 21 years :)  

26 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Simplest way is to become a Thai citizen, which is much easier to do these days, then no work permit is required. If working for an American company, one pays tax there, not here due to a tax treaty.

I have legally worked for an American multi national company in Bangkok with consecutive work permit extensions for 21 years now, still do, I pay Thai taxes and always have. Paying American taxes only apply if you are an American citizen

8 minutes ago, offset said:

Yes I did start to do that but it meant that the mom might get a prison sentence because she lied to get a new chanot to the police ( I had the original but she told the police that she lost it) and I did not want that for the daughter, I had to put 130000 into the court plus the cost of a lawyer which if I lost the case I would not get back and I did not think I needed all the problems of a court cases so I stopped the proceedings of a criminal and a civil case

I understand you fully. I have a different problem at home which I could "solve" the same way and I choose not to too. There are only bad and worse choices sometimes, doing nothing can very well be the best choise

6 minutes ago, duanebigsby said:

Immigration and the Gov't have repeatedly said they were not interested in digital nomads or online teachers working from home. 

The time may come, like you say, when that is no longer the case. As for taxes...if the $6 billion dollar a year prostitution industry isn't paying any tax why would an online teacher?

Of course I think that anyone who works with internet teaching in Thailand because he/she enjoys living in Thailand should pay tax here or leave

That is common sense and has nothing to do with that there are Thai citizens who do not

Jesus, this must have been one of the most stupid threads I have read in a long time

The Alien Employment Act or whatever replaces it lists out a number of exceptions but you must have a work permit to work in Thailand in any other profession if you (as where your body is) are in Thailand when doing it, internet or otherwise. Then, we have the Thai-effect. No one will care until it becomes really noticeable and anyone can safely go on with internet teaching for now, people will start to get kicked out one day, I don't know if I still will be alive when that happens and I don't think anyone else knows either. Anyone who thinks it is wrong if/when he/she gets kicked out one day is an immoral idiot

Anyone who does internet teaching in Thailand should pay tax in Thailand or he/she does not deserve to be here and should leave, it's easy to do also without work permit and taxes are miniscule

Michael