pnustedt

I live in a rural Thai community where the family support system is, in my opinion, very important.

My wife's mother died a couple of years back. When alive my wife would do anything for her to try to make her life happy, the mother's response was not appreciative and sometimes very critical. When she died my wife was devastated and she still regularly attends her grave. I understand her behaviour as unconditional love - something you rarely see in the west.

We spend much of our resources trying to give her extended family an opportunity to work for a better life (they are poor farmers and mostly younger than us). We feel good being able to do so.

Many of our friends and acquaintances try to help their families and some blankly refuse to, criticising them and avoiding contact. The latter group appear somewhat bigoted and less happy, and consequent strains on their marriages/relationships are also apparent.

I gave an interview a couple of weeks ago to a Thai professor who described himself as an anthropologist. He has been carrying out such interviews and gathering data about foreigners married to Thais and their impact on the community.

I wonder if this incident is also a part of such an anthropologitical study?

(no joint accounts)

Joint a/cs ARE accepted in many offices - you may need to show that the deposits are from yourself - check with your local imm. office before you needlessly change your banking arrangements.

Be aware that, although Ford (New Holland) make good tractors, they are quite a bit more expensive than the Kubotas for a similar spec.

If your bil is going to be contract ploughing rice fields beware that they can be quite soft and the higher hp tractors can be heavy and tend to sink in.

I've fount that the smaller tractors can struggle in the heavy going.

I bought a new M5000 with blade a couple of years ago, price then just over Bt600K plus plough (heavy duty one) for Bt50K and rotary Bt70K.

For secondhand keep an eye on this auction site: http://www.jssr.co.th/cgi-bin/eng/home.php

HK is certainly fine for single entry based on marriage - that's where I got mine. However, not sure on multi entry. When I went there I asked for multi but was persuaded that I actually needed a single entry and they were right. I'm not sure if they would issue a multi entry but a phone call follow up to your e-mail should verify.

Any chance of a Stonehenge while they're at it - would be cool to celebrate the summer soltace in Sisaket!

What do you mean by "large"? If you're getting 100 bags off a harvester I guess you are talking about 9-10 rai? The Bt13K spend includes harvesting and fertiliser? If so, and it's good, well tended land, you should gross about Bt40K, leaving a profit of about Bt27K at today's prices (i.e. Bt14.3/kilo). Part of the "loss" of rice will be for family feed plus seed for next year. Growing rice shouldn't preclude the daughters getting a cleaning job for 10 months of the year.

However, if you're talking about a paddy of a rai or two, it's just a hobby garden.

Good info folks...thanks for sharing and your comments make me feel better that I can make it on the 'retirement' I'm gonna get to in 2-4 years.

A few questions for any American ex-pats (or others if you wish to chime in):

Looking at houses for sale in Udon Thani, I get the idea of what I think of as 'normal' is not all that normal in Thailand. e.g. kitchens seldom are shown with ranges/ovens and bathrooms are seldom shown with tubs, let alone jacuzzi tubs (my wife's only real request). Is that the case, or is it just that there is something 'lost in translation' on the web pages I visit? I am neither rich nor live a luxurious lifestyle, but I think A/C is a must, and hot water is NOT a luxury, either in the bathroom or in the kitchen sink! I also do not consider running water and toilets luxuries. Maybe a silly question, but being raised on a farm I know even here it is not ALWAYS a given, but do most houses hook into a sewer system or septic tank?

What are the basic rules for buying a house as a farang with a Thai wife? Does she own the property, being Thai, and you cannot legally own it? Are bank rates for short term (10-15 year) real estate loans decent in Thailand if you have funds to back up the loan in your account? Are bank loans even available to farangs in Thailand? Since I've never lived in Thailand for extended periods and have only visited for holidays, please forgive me if I ask stupid questions. But hel_l, it IS a totally different world than Dallas, TX and Udon Thani is different from a luxury hotel in Phuket. :-D

I *THINK* I need 800k in the bank for the 'retirement' visa that basically has to be left alone, and 400k and 40k income if married to a Thai national? (I get really confused reading all the info about visas in Thailand...so anyone who wishes feel free to enlighten me) If you were giving advice (which I ask for freely), what would you tell fellow American's who were going to move to Thailand? What will be the major areas that you think all American's would have the hardest time adjusting to? I am pretty social, get along well with the Thai people I have met (mostly my wife's friends and family), and respect other peoples ideas and culture. If you are married to a Thai national,You do not need 400000 baht AND an income of 40K. You need either 40K per month income or 400000 baht in the bank. Or a combination of both i.e lets say you have 30000 baht per month income...you just multiply it by 12 and deduct it from the 400000 baht...this leaves 40,000 baht to be kept in your bank, which must be there 3 months before you reapply for your yearly marriage extension of stay visa. Just multiply any monthly income you have by 12 and deduct from the 400000 baht figure. Hope that helps. Dan

Yes, I know I ask a lot of questions...and I actually do read a lot of the threads on ThaiVisa, so if you roll your eyes and think 'not again', please feel free to not answer. ;-) I would appreciate any and all comments though.

Best Regards,

In the marriage extension process the "combination of both" option is no longer available, the rules state that the deposit needs to be in the bank for 2 months (although I hear that some offices still require 3).

Just look at the funeral costs - best stay put and let everyone have a party!

The documents required for a license include permanent residence certified by Immigration or the Embassy, this is easier with a yellow book, which I thought most people would have. How do people get around this?

Taken from this site:

The following are required to make the application :

1. Passport with valid Non-immigrant Visa. (Individuals with a Tourist Visa don't qualify)

2. Present residence address certified by embassy or Immigration Bureau

3. Medical certificate stating good health

4. 2 photographs Driving License of the respective country Application in person.

Fee : 105 baht for cars and 55 baht for motorcycle. Applications for driving licenses for other forms of vehicle may not be granted.

My Thai wife and I will shortly be re-locating to Sisaket from the UK and I was also wondering about how I get a Thai driving licence so this thread has has raised a few questions in my own mind:-

1) I've seen the above documents listed on the Thai Embassy FAQ web page but also a reference to having to sit a (Thai language) driving test - are you saying that the Thai licence can be obtained purely on a documentary application?

2) We will be residing in hotel for at least 6mths up in Sisaket while we get our house built - will a hotel address suffice for the "residence address" and if so how does one go about getting it verified by the British Embassy?

3) What is the process for obtaining the "good health medical cert"?

Many thanks for any advice you can offer.

The driving licence office in Sisaket is on the ring road (Ubon/Sisaket Rd) opposite the big reservoir. They are very helpful. I went there with an Intl Permit and they issued Thai licences (car and motorcy) without a test. Just a couple of photos, licence, house book address (I guess a hotel address would do), two SMALL photos, docs certificate can be done by any docs receptionist for Bt.20-30. I suggest you call in first, they are very friendly but not many speak Eng. so take a Thai speaker. Do not think about bribing them - they are very straight. You should get a one year licence initially, then five years when you renew it. Never had anything verified by Brit Embassy.

Just noticed that you have used the same office that I will have to apply to at the end of this year for a "marriage extension" - it would be really helpful if you could list all of the documents that they required and, in particular, did they ask for any of these "photos at home" mentioned on this thread?

Many thanks.

My visa extension is on a Non Imm O single entry extended for reason of marr to Thai wife. Docs required were:

House book

map to house (they have an A4 sheet on which they normally require you to draw directions but I had one which I printed out), directions to your hotel should be acceptable

Marr. certificate (mine was in English from HK) and certified Thai translation

Two 6x4 passport photos

Wife's Thai ID and passport

Main passport pages

Letter from bank stating balance (closer to date the better)

Bank a/c book (they accept a joint a/c) they asked the source of the money in the a/c and I was able to show them an a/c statement from a foreign bank (HK) in my name. They require balance of Bt400,000 for two months

Photos of marriage and in the home together (they photocopied and returned them)

Bt1,900

Two copies are required of all documents, they send one to Korat (main office) for approval and keep one at the office, approval is normally a month later (you will get a one month stamp in your pp) and you have to return to get the one year stamp, best to phone first before you go for the final stamp. They may also make enquiries with neighbours through the police, I guess they would check with your hotel.

The Phu Sing office is actually close to the border at Chong Sangham and is a good hours' drive from Sisaket. It is not normally very busy and is quite friendly. I have been using the office for three years but all the staff changed a couple of months ago.

Is Surin a good place for overnight lodging on a driving trip to the temple?

Surin is OK, but quite a distance, Sisaket and Ubon are nearer and Kantaralak is on the doorstep. A TV member has a "Farmstay" near the temple at: http://www.suanloongdaengfarmstay.com/

It's still closed I'm afraid.

It is illegal to own/operate the full size chain saws in Thailand, however, licensed operators, with equipment to make usable planks etc are available. You can legally buy small chain saws from many stores, but they are not much more than brush cutters. Forget about importing one, it will be more trouble than it is worth.

I think the chances of war between the two countries is less than 1%.

But in the meantime everyone loses - hundreds of vendors in and around the temple complex have lost their livelihoods, a site of great importance is deprived of the investment it desperately needs and Sisaket has lost access to its most important tourist attraction. All because a few inept politicians cannot work together for the good of their countries and prefer to stoke up hatred and mistrust.

Everyone?

Well a few DOZEN vendors,

who could vend at many other temples available.

Before you cross the border to Cambodia there is (or was) a wide avenue and car park with shops down both sides, across the border there is a village devoted almost entirely to the temple, as you walk around the complex there are many other vendors catering for the tourists. There is no other temple in the region which compares.

Site of Great Importance...

nope just an other set of old stones with some cross cultural interest from 1,000 years past.

But not particularly unique in the region even if worthy of recognition.

It is a site of great importance and now recognised as a World Heritage site. It is unique in the region. The design and layout of the site is particularly interesting, and many cultural aspects are quite unique, although I concede that such a site is not everyone's cup of tea

Investment in what? Roads for toursits to visit it?

No one is talking restoration or even actual archaeological preservation.

Invesment in clearing mines, improving access to the site - you cannot reach it by car and there is a rather old delapidated "road train", facilities for visitors within and around the site, including a visitor centre, preservation of the site with proper walkways and repair of the vandalised buildings.

Sisaket rarely sees too many toursits,

this was never an Ankor Wat or Jade Budha level attractions.

I see you live in Sisaket, but do you really see hundreds of vendors?

Hundreds of tourists in the past?

This place is off most all radars outside of there. EXCEPT for this dispute.

No it isn't an Ankor Wat but the site is important for the region, yes, there were hundreds of vendors and hundreds of tourists, additionally, many tour operators, hotels and guest houses in the area are affected

It IS a good distraction from political crisis,

and appeases the nationalist factions in both countries.

And that is stoked from the French demarking the lines years ago.

Maybe it IS a good high ground from a military point of view,

but that's only releveant during an actual war.

Not much more than that is in play.

I guess you've never been there?

I think the chances of war between the two countries is less than 1%.

But in the meantime everyone loses - hundreds of vendors in and around the temple complex have lost their livelihoods, a site of great importance is deprived of the investment it desperately needs and Sisaket has lost access to its most important tourist attraction. All because a few inept politicians cannot work together for the good of their countries and prefer to stoke up hatred and mistrust.

Since the rice seeds came some 1000 birds came to dinner party.

Aha - I was thinking that there must be some good reason not to do it! Now to figure out how to stop the birds.

The coup was an illegal act and those responsible for it should be brought to justice.

Also most of our wives are younger and look up to us for some sort of guidance.

I've only got the one wife and she's same age as me. She tells me what to do, I don't have to ask.

Part of the problem may be that there is no single word in Thai for "no". The equivalent is "not yes" or mai chai.

Some interesting replies. I've lived in HK and UK and wouldn't choose to go back to live in either of them. The reasons I live in Thailand is due mainly to my wife's family location, weather and very low cost of living.

Top of my list now would be Hawaii - I've been there for hols, guess it may not be so attractive after a few years living there.

I got the pink slip AND (a couple of days later) the normal bill. No idea what the pink slip is for tho. I'll ask when I go to pay the bill in a couple of weeks.

Take plently of camera media and leave any safety awareness in your car - it's staggering that no one is killed.

Don't be surprised if a rocket lands on your car!

I found a way to make a small fortune in Thailand - I bought a big fortune with me!

They would not nit pick it to check that you don't have an account in your name only.

There is no requirement under the rules for the a/c to be "in my name only". It only has to be in my name. Therefore a joint a/c is acceptable for renewal of the visa with every immigration officer I have spoken to.

After all, we are talking about a marriage situation where all family assets are joint assets anyway.