Getting Son To Adelaide

[Pink Mist]

Have just recieved news today that Wifes' son finally has his Visa.

Does anybody have experience bringing a 13 year old boy, who doesnt speak any english, from Bangkok to Adelaide.

We have our own plans but wondered if anyone had already done this.

Our main concern is connections at airports

[Guest IT Manager]

FWIW I would send him via TG to Melbourne and go meet him there. Then language not an issue. The staff from the plane will escort him to immigration if they haven't organised someone to meet him already.

Contact TG in Melbourse with flight details as he will be an unaccompanied child I assume. They will usually go out of their way to smooth things for him.

Make sure he can say thank you with his Thai smile and immigration won't give him grief either.

When you get to Melbourne, go to the immigration office and explain the situation and ask if they can get you into the sterile area to meet him. One assumes you speak good Thai. This is an example of why, though I speak Thai quite well, my boys both speak and understand good English, and why I insist they speak English as much as possible at home. Pays dividends when in-laws or friends visit, as my kids can communicate with them.

Not to flame or anything, but you have a responsibility as a parent, to ensure your kids have as many lingual skills as possible, and to go learn Thai, then only speak Thai at home is very selfish in my opinion. 13 years old, I assume foreign stepfather, and no lingual skills for the boy would seem to be inviting attention from the powers that be on the ground in Australia.