hawthorne

I have always had great intentions of learning my wife's native tongue....but dam after hearing all of the techno speak on how to speak Thai. I give up before trying. I ain't that smart

I have always had great intentions of learning my wife's native tongue....but dam after hearing all of the techno speak on how to speak Thai. I give up before trying. I ain't that smart

Ok here is my tale. My wife went to the Embassy in BKK two days ago for her third attempt for a Tourist visa. First attempt she was single young and with a government job and only been to Hong Kong.

second attempt she lived and had residence in a foreign country and the emabssy official told her she had to live in this country a year before obtaining the tourist visa to US.

third attempt: After the second attempt we had applied for the I129 immigration visa. After making it to the final step I had to cancel it because of various stipulations on when she recieves the visa I had to give up my foreign residence since I neither work for the US gov or an American company. The embassy official saw on her application that she had previously applied for the I129 and said it was still open. She tried to explain to him that no we canceled in July 2009. Secondly He questioned her how long we intended to live in our present country and she said 10 plus years is our goal. He asked her for proof that I had a ten year contract. She never claimed I had such a contract only of what our intentions were. He asked if I workd for an oil company which I do. (what bearing is that?) Ofcourse I do not have a ten year contract but she took with her all my passport info, my residence visa copy and my work visa. She had bank statements for the past several months where she has made deposits and withdrawals. That did not seem to be a point of favor or not. She only owns a car and a motorbike in Thailand.

Fouth attempt is in a week up in Chiang Mai. The difference this time. She has a letter of invitation from my parents to visit the US. A letter from me inviting her and guaranting I will be responsible for her health care and all other forms of financial responsiblity. A letter from my company with company seal stating my position, salary length of employment to date. Now she has her residency visa in her passport for our country of residence.

She was so upset she called me in tears. Not wanting to go to the US. We have travled all over and lived in two foreign countries during our marriage. But can't seem to conquer the US Embassy staff. I am an ex DOD employee and ex military. Nothing seems to help.

I wil return after the 27th and give my update.

After all of our discussions no one seems to know the exact formula other than she needs to show proof she will not stay in the US and being over 35 are the two strongest suggestions we have found.

Good luck to anyone going through this very painfull process.

My suggestion is to stick with the tourist visa and absolutely do not lie.

Stephen King is to Blame with his book Cell

I enjoy the speed of modern transportation and many other modern discoveries like my computer. I do not care who invented it as long as it is available.

You said you have 2 million baht.

My suggestion for a long life in Thailand if never interested in making a lot of money.

Start with 5 million baht.

put 480,000 baht in a savings account = 40k Baht a month living expenses for a year

Invest the remaining 4,520,000 baht in several medium risk mutual funds offshore. Your target is to make 10% profit each year. Each Jan take out the years expenses and re-evaluate your funds.

I would suggest to get a job for someone while in LOS for the first few years to supplement your investemnets and some down years. Granted you will probably not get a job amking a lot of money but you said your goal was to live in LOS not to get rich while living there.

This is risky but it is also very plausible. Use the time between now and when you reach the 5million baht goal and start learning about the lesser risky funds that you can sleep at night. Start doing research and learn the real basics for investing in buy and hold mutual funds. YOu are looking for a very reasonable return.

Only a suggestion

If it was so easy we would all be rich.

Simply put most wealthy people do not become rich over night. It is through some sort of investment. Everyone has the ability to be rich if they live long enough and willing to invest over time and do your homework.

Rich people are not rich from a salary, but what is done with the left over salary.

Most British people on here already know this...my suggestion is to find work in a country that pays the highest salary possible. Some good places to start Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Angola, Sudan places of danger or extreme hardships. It is not so bad I have done it and have many friends that do it and they all get hooked on the salaries. You just have to set your goals as to when to get out. FYI most of these assignments have liberal R&R policies so you can keep Thailand as your base as many guys do. I am sure some of our readers are included in this group. You can save Between $100,000 - $200,000 a year. Most of these places take care of all your expenses so you save most of your income.

Well unfortunately if you did not feel trapped you would have a different opinion I am sure. All things would be the same but you would laugh at the idosynchrosis of Thailand.

Hang in there my friend. There are many things in Thailand to enjoy. Being a man and living in Thailand you could be in a much worse place. My god live your high school and college dream. Once you leave you will realize what you did not take advantage of the first night you are lonely.

Bieng a new member I see lots of complaints to the naked eye. But in reality they are funny stories that are shared amongst internet friends.

Hope the best for you and anyone else out there that finds life a little tough or unfair.

Personally I am glad I was never asked to pay Sin sod because I would not be married to the best woman in the world. I did not understand the custom as now I do. I would hate to think because of my ignorance to the cutoms of my wife's country I lost the best thing I ever had.

I am lucky, my wife replys now, that she knew me well enough to know I would have walked there fore did not invite me to have a traditional Thai wedding.

You have lived in Thailand long enough. I think the customs are just as you say. Sin sod and pay a little from what I hear on here and from other friends married to Thai ladies. So if you continued to date this girl for so long you had to know this was coming. I think you make a deal that you can afford and will not financially harm your life with your wife. That amount depends on you and what you are comfortable with not what your wife is worth. It is not about value for the lady. It is about helping out her family.

If she was single and worked she would be giving money to them money. It is her culture to care for her parents. If the West still had these ideals we would not need welfare and old folks homes.

Be lucky you are marrying a lady with such good family values. Maybe one day she will be taking care of you when you get old

Only you know the answer to your own question.

I would go get laid by a lot of women first before tiing the not though. If you have been pent up for 6 years you may kill the girl. What if she does not like sex. I hate to say not all women find it enjoyable no matter how much they love their man. That lady boy comment has me a little worried. Have you atleast examined the goods? sort of a dry run. You got a lot to consider. Marriage is not always paradise.

Both sides are equally corrupt. The only thing fighting does it destabizes the country and the people are hurt by lose of revenues and jobs. Tourist stay away, investments stay away etc.

The only ones that benefit are the elite that win power. The poor souls that are supporting these arrsse holes are simply brain washed into believing what they do is for a greater good.

Unfortunately times like this provide great opportunity to the rich get richer when good people start losing real property.

It is all talk and I lhope it holds off until Feb 7 so my wife makes it to the plane to come back to me.

Come home to me baby!!!! Miss you

Barfoo is not only going down hill in LOS but we have noticed the downfall in Middle East countries as well. Our fresh meats are all frozen and not worth buying. The veggies seem to come from the bottom of the box.

They seem more interested in selling non-food products around here.

We have Lulu Hypermarket that is taking most of Barfoos business not sure if they have hit Thailand yet. Great Quality and very good pricing.

get a life. This is Thailand. How can you be offended?

Smile

Ditto regarding my wife and also a female friend who stayed with us recently. My wife also mentions size and added that rural people believe that they shouldn't kill the animals that helped work the land (though actually in our village a large number do eat beef). She says that this is not religion but I think the posters above are right, and that there are ideas about Kharma and the higher level of big animals mixed in here somewhere. P.S. In answer to an earlier post, you can buy frozen New Zealand lamb in Makro - at a price.

My wife uses the same reason for not eating beef, Although she eats beef now outside of Thailand. She says the cows we eat are breed to be eaten where in Thailand the Beef is the Buffalo cow ( not sure the real name) and it gives goodness for the farmers and are only eaten after they are old. She feels this is unfair treatment for the service the animal has given to the families that used it for farming.

By the way my wife is Thai Chineese and she says the reason for large animals is because they are used for farming not becuase of the size. Horses, elephants, camels, buffalo etc.

Not sure if being Thai has any bearing on how the customs agents treat this matter. My wife always takes dates (up to 10 kilos) each time she goes home to Thailand. Nothing has ever been said to her. She has even taken large quantities of other items as gifts. She has never declared any of it and has never been stopped. This last trip of a couple days ago she took 18 rugs(for gifts to monks), several kilos of dates and one DVD player in its box. All were gifts but no way she could prove it. Nothing happened maybe she looks so sweet.

But yet they weigh her carry on ( 7 kgs max) each and every time she leaves the thai airport?

On a second note She always mails food and other items back to our home outside of Thailand and it gets out and to us with no issues. I think most countries are concerned about fruit more than anything else because of the insects or their eggs that could be transported.

Crossings are just bait for the Thai Death Race!!!!

they dare not to speak English.

Embarrasing to fluent.

Look when they 're hang around with all Thais girl together... So loud

Huahin- Not too far from Bangkok but it's the beach and sea. Some says it's too quite( comparing to pattaya) higher property price someplace 's more expensive than Bangkok to buy . Farang society ( not so big big farang town but there's some farang)

Pranburi, Cha-am cheaper to live by... but so Thais 's society more than Farang society ... ( not so many farang there)

Krabi- Far away , down south .. very beautiful scene. beautiful deep blue sea. good for natural living near the beach and you can diving.. cheap living cost( comparing from Phuket).

Pattaya- too much farang, bargirl,more crime, so so beach, cheaper property. you can live a bit farer in Jomtein beach but yet..more expensive.

Koh samui- nice beach island, so relaxing there !!! for holiday .. near koh Tao. expensive living . far away from Bangkok.

Not recommend: Rayong ( too much factories and lack of water sometimes , bad pollutions)

Others for considering. ( not the beach)

Bangkok- good society living. so many the best amenities... good transportation around Bangkok now. ( BTS skytrain and MRT subway train. and Airport link- finished all construction but not ready to use yet.. seemed it 'll not ready untill the ended of this year 2010) ,another skytrain line they 're going to building it. bad point, poor air, bad pollution, more crime, they said the lower land than the ocean level, someday it might all flooded. and I heard of it a lot about they may move the capital to another town -yet nobody know where's it gonna be, accept bad power corrupt guys in gov.)

Chaingmai- Nice mountain scene , cool weather. cheaper living cost. good hospital. a bit far away ( but there's so many flights to fly to)

Others, cheap cheap living but not so many farang society ...

For me I'm interesting in Hua hin . Chaingmai... Bangkok( property not down to resell)

hope I could help some.

All the information maybe it's not absolutely true.. but It's all I know about

I don't like it . It 's not Thai food then.

I like spicy that it can make me sweat. and some fired feeling in my mouth.

Well, I think the best way is eatting on street .. Most of them are really Thaifood for Thais .

Absolutely not for marketting accountant in Thailand while she's student.... No

the rent 12,000 is too high price renting . the normal good location rent is probably 6000-8000 ( air conditioner room near the transportation) The cheap one is probably 3000-5000 bht

So you need to be careful .

It seemed not good

the range of salary for thai girl who is just graduated bachelor degree is 12000 for starting.. Private company

8000-9000 bht for government ..

Good luck with your answer

Hello,

Glad to be here. Thanks for all topics. I will enjoy it here. Nice to meet everybody.