Wife In The Uk Question

[bread]

Don't know is any one can help or advise.

I have a rather tricky situation and I'm not sure if someone or someones wife here in the UK may be able to advise me.

My self and my wife have been married in the UK for one year and we have a baby and my wife has a three and a bit year old son in Thailand.

Now the son still in Thailand has just started school and in turn has supposedly thrown a marble or something into a a child's face and this in turn has injured his eye, and guess what the injured boys family are demanding money to the sum of 20kbaht now I am trying to believe my wife but "sick Buffalo" springs to mind.

As we are married and have been bar a few ups and downs happy for the last year I'm not sure what to do.

I am refusing to give the money as though not a bank breaker is still some 450quid.

Also the money would appear to be plucked out of thin air as some form of allowance for the fact they will have to take there son to the hospital, well as we all know in issan thats a lot of donkey rides.

I guess what i want to know is

1, Do these things happen in Thailand where you have to pay apparently random demanded sums or not, as I can not see any logic to where this plucked sum of money has come from (bar the fact I'm English).

2. I will happily pay more than that if i have to use a solicitor not to pay the family any thing (as if true they are just two kids in the playground and i think that kids are kids=sh+t happens)

3. Also if true can i get a letter drafted from a solicitor in order to get the people to go away.

4. Also do they or can they get the police involved

thanks in advance

bread

[Thongkorn]

I smell a rat , i think its because they know that one of the family has married a falang. Just say up to them ,sorry i dont have money.

[rolypie]

Is it for medical expenses?

[bread]

no for "compensation" im not sure as well ?

does any ones come from issan and can advise ?

[rolypie]

Compensation for what????

I think you are being shafted!

[aussiebebe]

I'm obviously not Thai, but I've lived in Bangkok for a few years and it's quite common for money to offered or demanded in the event of an accident where one party is at fault.

My opinions in answer the original questions;

1. Yes, it's common. However, all children in private or government schools, should have insurance through the school - ask your wife about this.

2 + 3. Your in-laws would have to instruct a Thai solicitor if charges were pressed, although paying the 20k is the, probably cheaper alternative.

4. They family of the injured child may, in extreme cases, file a case with the local police.

In my experience, the 20k will be a negotiable figure. Ask your wife's family to haggle down to a more acceptable sum.

If you do want to help, obviously you'll have to SWIFT transfer the money to a Thai account. If you think it's a 'sick buffalo' story ask for the account number and SWIFT code of an account held by the a member of the injured child's family. You'll be able to check the name of the account holder. If your inlaws demand a transfer to their own account, that's unreasonable.

If you don't want to help, point out that your legal responsibility to your wife's child is zero and ask her to phone his Dad.

[bread]

Thank you as I would like to believe my wife I was not sure how to proceed.

I am not sure whether paying any fee for a accident in a playground is really fair,

Interesting about the insurance I shall ask her.

Also I was thinking as verification should the family of the other boy not be obligated to provide some form of medical paperwork/photos

I am feeling bad here for not believing my wife 100% but in turn it just doesn't all seem to add up and I'm not sure where the some of 20k baht has come from?

any more advice greatly appreciated

bread

[bread]

now speaking the insurance that the school has will applies so i don't think i am going to pay.

[Thongkorn]

Just remember a Thai will never Go against another Thai. Yes they do ask for compensation.Bet they know there is a falang some were. I suppose you can ask for photographs and medical reports , before you make a decision

Edited July 29, 2009 by Thongkorn

[mrbojangles]

injured boys family are demanding money to the sum of 20kbaht now I am trying to believe my wife but "sick Buffalo" springs to mind.

When I put this to my Mrs, she said don't give them One Satang. However, if there are Doctor's bills then you could pay towards it, when they show you the receipts. I think like with most things, there isn't a prescriptive way of doing these things, each incident has to be looked at in it's own right.

[Electra]

Tell them to sod off. If there had been doctor's bills or a trip to a private hospital you would have heard by now.

Times are getting really hard now in LoS and folk will dream up anything to extract money from whatever source desperation leads them to.

Pay this nonsense now and you will be hostage to their fortune for God knows how long.