Londongirl Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 This subject has been discussed before on this website but I thought I would write my story and see what replies I get back. At times I find my current situation very different and sometimes I do not know what I am experiencing is normal or not! There is no other family in our group that is like us though my friends are a hugh support. I went travelling around SEA when I was 23 on my own and whilst in Chiang Mai fell in with a group of Thai woman (they were friends or relatives of the people that worked at the guesthouse where I was staying at). I noticed that everytime we went out one of my friends younger brother (Pi) would always come too (he worked night security at the guesthouse, night security! What a joke!) and overtime I appreciated his air of mystery and quiteness, the other men that worked at the guesthouse were very loud! I stayed in Chiang Mai a lot longer than I anticipated (3 days turned into a month and a bit) but decided that I still wanted to see other parts of SEA. I really liked the company of my new Thai friends and the continuity (I got bored of the same backpacker conversations night after night!) so after three weeks away I was desparate to get back to Chiang Mai. Shortly after I returned to Chaing Mai some of my friends noticed the chemisty between myself and Pi and once they pointed it out I noticed it too. Pi would not dare talk to me about such stuff (romance, relationship with a falang woman) but one night at a friends farewell drinks we spent all night together walking along the canal and talking (as much as his limited English and my non-existent Thai would allow) and did not go to sleep until midday the next day. We were soon boyfriend and girfriend and spent the next month or so together until I had to carry on my travelling plans around Australia. Pi was aware of this but still wanted to be with me and was willing to wait until I made it back to Thailand after a year in Oz and sometime back in England to make more money to return to Thailand. When I got to Oz I realised I was pregnant and after deciding to keep the baby, called Pi to let him know (who was understandably shocked but very supportive, as I knew he would be) and returned to Thailand for a week or so before returning home to the UK to have the baby. We decided that Pi would apply for a tourist visa for the time before and after the baby was born and we had to spend four months apart. After the baby was born we decided to get married, not for particularly romantic reasons but because it would make life much easier to be together as a family and make it easier for Pi to apply for UK visas. Pi did not have a well paid job nor could his family support us and I could not envisage giving birth for the first time in a foreign country where I didin't speak the language and did not have very much money. Pi then returned to Thailand to apply for a fiance visa, which took about 3 months as he did not have very much money and returned when the baby, Leona, was 5 1/2 months. By this time I had managed to get a very well paid and steady job and when Pi returned we decided that he would stay at home to look after Leona. It saved on childcare costs and meant that family would look after her, not strangers. Leona is now 6 and we also have a 2 1/2 year daughter and Pi has been at home with them all this time, though he now has a part-time job looking after my mum as a carer. I am now looking for part-time work myself and I desparately want to spend time with my girls before they grow up and don't want me around anymore. Pi and I have found our life very tough, there are numerous hurdles we have had to jump, immigration being one of them, but our current situation is not one we would have naturally chosen. Pi finds it very difficult being the stay-at-home dad, in his head he should be going out to work and providing for us all. I would like a partner who shares everything equally, including household chores. This is not one of Pi's strong points! I find myself working full-time, doing all the housework, managing the household finances and taking the kids to activities. Pi is having a hard-time finding his place in this country and our family, which is totally understandable. There is not much support here for Thai men who look after the kids. He is slowly finding friends and his way around UK life but all of this puts a huge strain on our marriage and home life. Pi and I loved each very much and have tried various things to get our relationship on track inc. relationship counselling. From my experience Thai men (and perhaps all Thai's) are not very familiar with counselling but Pi is very receptive to it, he realises that if you want to make a relationship to work you have to talk!. If anyone out there has a similar experience I would love to know. Sorry for the very long post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saakura Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Both of you seem to be really nice persons in your own individual way. In Asian culture, it will be almost impossible for society to accept a woman providing for her man and children (i am not talking about bar girls , so let us not get started on this). Pi is frustrated as he will not accept the fact that he cannot find good enough work to support and take care of you and the girls which is what he desires. Make him understand that being at home and bringing up the children is an even greater, much more difficult and nobler task than going out to earn. Good luck and have faith, make it work!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 While I can sympathize, afraid I can't empathize as my experiences have been very different but one thing to recall is that many Thai mothers do everything for their sons so they never learn how to do this stuff (my sister in law a prime example). I was fortunate in that my MIL was not that way and my husband is perfectly capable of doing stuff around the house (and does) as does his older brother. So, part of it is cultural, and part of it is just know how. Its tough enough for any man, regardless of background, to not be seen as the caretaker IMO, so remember that as well. My parents had a very tough time of it when I was a teen when my dad went back to school and my mom made the money. Dad said he felt like a failure as a man. One thing that would help is if he went back to school and learned a skill, if his English isn't great then he needs to get that sorted first. You might try PMing Boo as her husband also moved to the UK when they got married. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goinghomesoon Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 LG thank you for sharing your story. While I can't add much at this point, it was very interesting to read, especially as Thai hubby and I are moving back to Australia in a few months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vont Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 LG thank you for sharing your story. While I can't add much at this point, it was very interesting to read, especially as Thai hubby and I are moving back to Australia in a few months. I do hope and pray that you would have many many happy stories to tell everyone. Wishing you utmost success and happiness. :jap: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boo Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 where about's in london do you live londongirl? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carry Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 (edited) It's not easy, thats for sure! when my bf came over to europe we realized quickly we could not live here....the life behind closed doors, everybody on his own, the climate...these are pretty superficial reasons I bet a whole lot more comes to the surface once you are in a situation like you guys for a while,m great respect for both hanging in there! I have to admit that my bf is a great household keeper making me feel lazy at times but I guess thats different for all of us and not sure how he would feel about staying home, its a pride thing for a man too I guess or at least for some of them! Great point SBK, schooling is that an option? Edited March 16, 2011 by Carry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bina Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 i guess u could try to find my posts...... my husband is poor issaan and agricultural and we live on a kibbutz in israel so we are very very different situation than most, however, we have had numerous cultural shocks... partially it is a decision thing: for a long time anon was in a mind set of : make lots of money and move to thailand; but because i am a kibbutz member, i dont make money. i live in a large house, kids education is taken care of as is health insurance, but although i work now as a sort of assistant manager capacity in the hotel, i make the same measly amount as everyone else, so he really is the one making money. the thing is, he is back to working in agriculture after a long stint of working in restaraunts (his dream of being a chef ws actually not fitting his personality in reality. he doesnt like to take orders, he is quick tempered, and israeli management is, well, aggressive and involves a lot of yelling and giving orders. so he changed jobs frequently. ) working in agric. means that he works long hard hours, and yes, with other thai, so he doesnt have that constant abrasivness of working with israeli bosses (his present boss being rather shanti banti, almost invisible, but the grapes get grown and the wine apparently gets made, so his method must work). the key here is, anon is working with other thai. and he likes the regularity of agriculture as opposed to the constant change (and the headaches) of working with crazy customers. recently ive sat him down again to decide what we are planning for THE FUTURE up til now, he was 'saving for land/house in korat'. but his salary is minimum wage, so he is paying for his insurance, his half of the house (kibbut bullshit thing cause i work and the house is mine til i leave), and helps in food/cellphone/living expense, cause my 'budget' only covers me and my duaghter who is still a minor, for one more year. which means that we have very little for actual living. after that, the kibbutz gives me my alottment for me alone. my ex doesnt give patrimony as there is no such thing on kibbutz but most of the finanacial burden is on me as daugher is teenager. our problem seemd to be having anon decide what he really wants to do in the future and not this mythical saving money for land/house that we probably will never get to (if i leave kibbutz, its forever, so will have no where else to go if things are prolematic). up til now, he was livng like a migrant labourer. now he has decided that we are here. we may leave the kibbutz together once youngest is in army. so it has given him a sort of goal that may be more easily reached and also allows him to enjoy himself more in daily life. he helps in the house keeping, although mentions that it is 'womens' work' but he is the cook. i dont. he still has language problems, has no local friends, only thai workers that come and go due to visa issues; the israeli mentality is very hard for him, but he has absorbed more then he thinks, has found a niche job on the side repairing washing machines for thai workers and that keeps him busy and happy. he also keeps a large garden, and is now thinking of catering sushi/thai food for small groups WHEN HE FEELS LIKE IT. he has become a bit more interested in daily interaction with my youngest duaghter (teh teenager), shcool plays, final exams etc... in other words, some people just naturally absorb themselves in new cultures easily like me, and others are difficult like my husband. i am the flexible one, his good qualities are enough for me to allow me to just 'get over' the other annoying ones, but this is my second marriage, no kids from him, im older and wiser. i also think that many thais seem to have been raised in a different style of family interaction and not in a 'couple + child' type relationship, let alone one that suddenly involves a foreigh woman, a new culture and a new baby sort of all at once and not by plan. maybe he needs to get out once a week to some vocational activity, sports group, learn a trade that he can do on his own from the home.... as usally lost train of thought, have to go to work, maybe somewhere in this ramble of mine ( was thinking out loud to myself on keyboard i guess) u will find something interesting to u... good luck bina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patsycat Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Bina, I just love hearing your stories about life on the Kibbutz!! Keep them coming..!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meme Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Hi Londongirl, It is always nice hearing about other women who are living abroad with their Thai husbands. I live in Canada with mine (together for 7 years/married for 4), it will be 2 years in October since we have been back. You have been at home longer so I don't have any advice for you, but I can say that I also know how difficult it can be and how I would give my big toe to have a similar couple who lives in my city who goes through the same thing. My husband is very rural and never wanted to live outside of his village let alone his country. When we were first here he went through some devastating home sickness, it was so hard to watch him be so down. However he seems to have found his groove here and adapted so much easier and better than I ever gave him credit for. I think his saving grace has been two main things, the fact that he has a trade, and that he does have a bff here. He was a painter in Thailand so this skill is transferable anywhere. He has had to still learn many things but he has always had work and loves being able to contribute properly to our household (his wage was so little compared to mine when we lived in Thailand). My male best fried took to him right away and they became very close. So he has boys nights and a man to confide in. The hardest thing for him is that he does not have his drivers licence. He cannot read and write English very well (he attends night school to improve this) so he cannot take the written test. He had a motorbike in Thailand and was the driver in Thailand and now he had to depend on me. He says its like he is a wild boar stuck in a cage ...perhaps a little more dramatic then it really is. He will get his licence one day but that and the -40 degree weather are the hardest part of it all, well and of course being away from his mom. For me it is having to carry everything on my shoulders, like the finances, transportation etc. He (after years of training) is now very capable and shares the house work with me (never washed a dish before he met me)and is an amazing partner but it is a lot when you have to take care of everything but Iwouldn't trade him for the world. We have both decided that we will never settle in one country forever because we both love our countries/family/friends. However we do plan on having children and that of course will complicate things I am sure. Thaivisa has been a such a gift to be able to hear other stories of couples who are similar to us when in real life ie.not cyber space we often feel like we too are the only couple out there like us. Even when we were in Thailand, we didn't know any couples in our situation. Except those we met from thaivisa. So I am not sure if there is such thing as "normal" but I can at least really relate to your situation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boo Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 When we moved to the UK in 2004 my husband wasn't overly daunted about it, he has always been a traveling man, moving around Thailand & uprooting himself quite easily so moving to London was just another place to go to. He found it hard at first to find work, he is an artist & has always been his own boss or had the freedom to work where & for whom he wanted but at first had to content himself with having a parttime job in a thai restaurant which didn't suit his temperament. But he wanted to work so put up with it. He attended college for a while to give him some confidence & get him out of the houe but was already fluent in written & reading English & only really improved on his spoken/accent after watching south park & Simpsons on tv (yes, really!!!!) He finally got a job at a private school as a handy man/gardener & they took to him straight away & have treated him very well, even giving his job back & our son a place for free at the school after we spent 11 months overseas in 2009. He enjoys the solitary aspect of the work, not so much the being out of doors in all weather but again, he can cope with it & prefers it to the kow-towing nature of Thai restaurant work. He has never really made any good friends here, he gets on well with the guy he works with, older English man with similar interests to him but they don't socialise out of work, he gets on with my family & will hang out/jam with my step dad occasionally as they are both musicians & he has a few male thai pals he knows through my networking with their English wives but generally he prefers to stay at home with his family & will only meet up with the Thai group when there are "Thai" events taking place, songkran, thai festival in Battersea park & our kids bday parties. He mostly gets his thai comfort from speaking to his family & best friends in Khon Kaen several times a week & from watching thai tv shows on the internet. I gave up trying to suggest activities or encouraging him to get out more. He just isn't interested & is content with his life just how it is. You can't fit a square peg in a round hole & I don't even try nowdays. I always figure you have to let a man be a man, have you asked your husband what he wants to do? I know how nice it is to have family looking after your kids but is it worth all that if it is causing damage to the family through unhappiness in your husband & you running yourself ragged trying to pick up the loose ends? If you ever want to meet up after work (I assume you are in London?) I work at St Pauls then let me know. It's always fun to find another Mia Thai in the UK, there are a few of us now who meet up a few times in the year with the sprogs & you are more than welcome to join us the next time we are planning a meet up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carry Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 i also think that many thais seem to have been raised in a different style of family interaction and not in a 'couple + child' type relationship, let alone one that suddenly involves a foreigh woman, a new culture and a new baby sort of all at once and not by plan. Yes Bina, I recognize this as well... I have been raised as an only child by both parents most of my youth and so is the norm, at least in most families. Grandparents are there to spoil the kids and depending on the relationship with siblings there's aunties and uncles involved in different ways..but it is usually a couple + child or children. Whenever we are visiting the Thai family, they are very hands on and everybody will listen to the oldest sister [when it comes to whats best for my baby when she's crying] although they've all raised a couple of kids themselves. They repeatedly asked to take care of my baby for a longer period of time as this is normal for them, like the mothers leaving their children with grandma when they go and work somewhere else, there's many women around having children in young ages who live with their grandparents somewhere up in another province, they only go visit them a few times a year... Something that in western culture would not be done. I know that my guy would have a hard time staying at home and taking care of our household and baby, not because of the work it involves but purely because he wouldnt provide.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londongirl Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share Posted March 18, 2011 Thank you all for your replies, it nice to know that even though we have different stories there is a similar thread running through them. As my husband never really mixed with other Thai's until recently, and because we had a small child, he had to really throw himself in the local community (stay and plays, reading groups in the library, etc) but he soon found this uncomfortable (mostly mums in the groups) and boring. However the bonus was that his English progressed (he did attend an ESOL class) and he got to know the country a bit more than Thai students or restaurant workers. A 9-5 job does not suit my husband, he likes his freedom too much. As well as his part-time job and the kids he side lines in tattooing and bicycle building/maintenance (he calls these hobbies) but does earn him some pocket money and is an outlet of sorts. We have sat down a couple of times to try and discuss what we want for the future but I have come to realise there are numerous factors getting in the way (things I not really comfortable with discussing on a public forum like this, as I am sure you can understand). I particularly liked your story Bina, there were many aspects that were similar to mine. For example the pipe dream that we will raise funds to buy a business and home in Thailand so that we could settle there within five years (if it had worked we would be there now and I am sure the shoe would be on the other foot!). There is no way we could ever hope to save enough money to do all that, just my visa fees alone would be extremely expensive let alone health insurance and the kids education. My husband has not the first clue about saving and budgeting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Visa fees? The visa fees are only 1900 baht. There is no income requirement for women married to Thai men. The husband is the legal head of the family and he applies for you, he must show he pays income tax but thats the only income requirement he has for now. So, visa fees are minimal. The rest of it, however, depends on where you go and what you want to do. My husband and I chose to stay in Thailand after living in the US for a couple of years because it was easier for us to start our own business and be independent. But, we had no children and tbh, if we had, we would have moved back to the US for education as the schooling where we live is truly awful. Many Thai people are not so good at long term planning (some are, but many are not) so that is something you will have to work on together. I know the US is different than the UK but it really helped my husband alot to be independent, get out and do his own thing. He made friends at work, and like to take the car and go fishing out in the middle of nowhere. I have a close family and he appreciated their support and enjoyed spending time with them too. I think so much of it depends on the person and how committed they are to adapting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londongirl Posted March 21, 2011 Author Share Posted March 21, 2011 Visa fees? The visa fees are only 1900 baht. There is no income requirement for women married to Thai men. The husband is the legal head of the family and he applies for you, he must show he pays income tax but thats the only income requirement he has for now. So, visa fees are minimal. Hi SBK From my limited research I have come up with what I think I would have to do to live and be able to buy a home/business in Thailand. Apply for a Non-immigrant visa, which would have to be extended at least twice in a year, apply for this visa three years in a row and then I would qualify to apply for Permanent Residance. Of course I think I would have to also show that I have a certain amount of money coming to me each month too. I didn't think there was a specific visa relating to a spouse of a Thai citizen. I am interested to know exactly which visa you are speaking about that costs so little. As my husband does not hold a well paid job in Thailand and is not likely to if we relocate to Thailand I doubt he could provide for me and our 2 kids. I was told by one Thai lawyer that in Thai family law that everything is owned 50/50 between husband and wife. However foreigners cannot own freehold property so this would exclude my husband from buying. Of course my info may be wrong or out-of-date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bina Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 london, what sbk means is that u as a foreign wife do not have to show monthly or yearly bank accounts; your thai hubby is the main provider even if he doesnt provide. i think, however, that cominghomesoon and others have said that they do have to show hubby that is paying taxes, somehow. so that is your monetary answer. i have been turning this one over and over in my head for a few years now because hubby wouldnt have a 'real' job (salaried or company, just work as catch can...), and i probably wouldnt have a salaried visa permit job either (not a school teacher, never)... so we have been trying for the past two years to get a chanote on his land (his mom's land she 'gave' to us, and we started theprocedures but now are stuck in limbo along with lots of other thais in the area)... my idea being that at least we will have proof of some kind of visible 'collatteral' that has some monetary worth; i dont trust the thai govt to keep the visa rules forever, they change often, and one day may become feministic enough that women will have the same rules as men (farang, that is.) its not the extensions as such that cost money, its the eventuality that u have to leave the country sometimes to renew/restart a new visa, only in your country of origin, and the obvious other reasons of visiting children/grandkids/family, that is the expenses that i costed in. and maybe doctors/hospitals/unknow problems. and finally, the 'dont burn your bridges back home' rule, which unfortunately in my case i would have to do as i have no real family where i live now apart from just three children who are still just starting out in the world, also from kibbutz, and when a member leaves a kibbutz, its a 'no return' scenario, so no house, land, money or safety net. which is why at the present moment we are doing the default method of staying here for a while more, regardless. and hubby has become ambivalent in going back or not for reasons i think i mentioned previously. anon's latest idea is that we will go back when we are toothless and old to be taken care of by the myriad children of his sisters. in reality, the 'myriads' will probably be migrant workers overseas, even here in israel, and we will be toothless and old with no real house or help... bina israel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I can see this needs to be clearer. It has nothing to do with a salaried job. He must pay personal income tax on what he chooses to declare. We started out with the minimum years ago but upped it when we wanted to apply for citizenship. You do not need to apply for extensions twice yearly. 1. Non - imm o visa from your home country; reason: stay with Thai husband. this gives you 3 months 2 Near the end of the three months you go to your local immigration office with your hubby, two copies of the following: your thai marriage license (or MFA certified translated marriage cert from home), his tabien ban, his id card, your passport, two pics, a hand drawn map to your house, some photos of the two of you outside your house and inside your house, a letter from your puyaiban stating he knows you and you are married, his receipt from paying personal income tax and 1,900 baht. 3.They stamp your passport for a month, go back and pick up your one year extension. Repeat every year. If you want to leave the country you have to get a re-entry permit. A single re-entry is 1000 baht. 4. Some have applied, and some have achieved citizenship based on their marriage to a Thai husband after getting the one year extension. I have had no luck getting this to move forward and have pretty much given up the idea of ever getting that to happen. Seems we would need to move our house registration to Bkk to apply since our local yokels are clueless. But you do not need PR to apply for citizenship. In fact, the correct terminology is that he transfers his citizenship to you. The man is the legal head of the household in Thailand, so since its the man buying the land, as far as I am aware, he would not need to provide proof of funds. He's the man. You are just the little wife. Bear that in mind and it makes it clear why its so hard for foreign men with Thai wives. Everything obtained after marriage is part of the marital assets and would be divided 50/50 if there was a divorce. If he bought land during the marriage he would have to sell it and give you half the value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londongirl Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 Ahhh, thank you that is a little clearer. Never really had to think much before about property and immirgration laws so I find it extremely mind boggling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bina Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 what is personal income tax? not land taxes or work taxes, so then what is it based on? not city taxes either (garbage collection or water/waste disposal if an amphur has that?)... because, for instance, when we came back here from thailand after a month vacation in two years ago, (and two years before that), anon had to go to his labour ministery to get some stamps in a form stapled in his passport proving that he is paying taxes in israel (from his israeli salaries, its automatically taken off every month's salary if its over the monthly minimum wage). we only found that out when we went to check in our luggage and he was told he cant leave the country w/o this stamp (nuther story involving whiskey). so the second time he went directly to korat's labour dept place to get the stamp. and this last time he also paid the chanote fees at the land office, although we havent managed to yet get the dam_n chanote certified/settled. and there he payed the land tax also. so what other tax is it? and how/where do u pay? and what is it called in thai? and what do u do if hubby has been living overseas as a resident of the country (and no longer a migrant worker, for instance?)... bina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goinghomesoon Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 1. Non - imm o visa from your home country; reason: stay with Thai husband. this gives you 3 months I just got my first non-O based on marriage issued in Phnom Penh last month, no questions asked. So perhaps there's no need to go back to your home country for the non-O. Maybe another 'difference' for us women married to Thai men? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Or they have lightened up, last time I had to get a non-o was years ago! Personal income tax, not sure what its called will have to ask, but I doubt anon has to worry living overseas. Its useful for when he comes back however, and won't have an employer. Thats why my husband pays it, he doesn't have an employer being the owner of his own business. Interestingly they aren't interested in the business taxes paid, just his personal income tax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goinghomesoon Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 (edited) so we have been trying for the past two years to get a chanote on his land (his mom's land she 'gave' to us, and we started theprocedures but now are stuck in limbo along with lots of other thais in the area)... Hehe Bina. Tell Anon we just got hubby's chanote (same deal, Mum & Dad gifted land to each child) after 2 and a half years, so it will happen eventually! Except they made a mistake and put my sister-in-law's name on the chanote for hubby's land (where we already built our house) and hubby's name on SIL's chanote. So Isaan hubby who hates dealing with authority will have to go back to the land office again.... We've paid some tax on the transfer of the land and got receipts but suspect these mightn't be useful for the Thai citizenship application because the Thai list of requirements clearly says 'income' tax. Since we have decided to move to Australia in a few months it's kind of a moot point for me now since I won't be applying anytime soon. Edited March 23, 2011 by Goinghomesoon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 so its decided then GHS? When do you leave? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goinghomesoon Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 (edited) Middle of the Oz winter (July). Hubby thinks he's looking forward to it. He has no idea Luckily hub's best mate is also married to a farang and they are moving to the same city at almost the same time as us. Also Mr & Mrs Ruefang just moved to our city too, so at least he will know a few people. Edited March 23, 2011 by Goinghomesoon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bina Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Middle of the Oz winter (July). Hubby thinks he's looking forward to it. He has no idea Luckily hub's best mate is also married to a farang and they are moving to the same city at almost the same time as us. Also Mr & Mrs Ruefang just moved to our city too, so at least he will know a few people. good for you guys, cominghomesoon; at least there will be some guys in the same boat as your husband, help him make the transit...im sure he will do all right ) sbk, maybe someone can find the thai terms for the exact taxes? ... although probably the laws will change again anyhow by the time we decide to actually do something ever... well, two years and a half for the chanote!!?? will wait patiently. i guess. bina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bifftastic Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 (edited) what is personal income tax? not land taxes or work taxes, so then what is it based on? not city taxes either (garbage collection or water/waste disposal if an amphur has that?)... because, for instance, when we came back here from thailand after a month vacation in two years ago, (and two years before that), anon had to go to his labour ministery to get some stamps in a form stapled in his passport proving that he is paying taxes in israel (from his israeli salaries, its automatically taken off every month's salary if its over the monthly minimum wage). we only found that out when we went to check in our luggage and he was told he cant leave the country w/o this stamp (nuther story involving whiskey). so the second time he went directly to korat's labour dept place to get the stamp. and this last time he also paid the chanote fees at the land office, although we havent managed to yet get the dam_n chanote certified/settled. and there he payed the land tax also. so what other tax is it? and how/where do u pay? and what is it called in thai? and what do u do if hubby has been living overseas as a resident of the country (and no longer a migrant worker, for instance?)... bina Bina, personal income tax is what you pay from your earnings. I think it's called different things in different countries I believe the Thai term is 'paa see ngern dai' ภาษีเงินได้ abbreviated to 'por ngor dor' ภ.ง.ด. From what you say in your post, that would be the tax your hubby gets those stamps from the labour office for, as he currently pays it in Israel. I think that in Thailand, should you need to prove tax payments, in the case of an extension of stay based on marriage for a foreign wife, for instance. A Thai national who, maybe, wouldn't normally need to pay any tax would elect to do so, on a declared minimum income, at the Labour Department, so that he had the receipts to show immigration. Edited March 24, 2011 by bifftastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bina Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Bina, personal income tax is what you pay from your earnings. I think it's called different things in different countries I believe the Thai term is 'paa see ngern dai' ภาษีเงินได้ abbreviated to 'por ngor dor' ภ.ง.ด. From what you say in your post, that would be the tax your hubby gets those stamps from the labour office for, as he currently pays it in Israel. I think that in Thailand, should you need to prove tax payments, in the case of an extension of stay based on marriage for a foreign wife, for instance. A Thai national who, maybe, wouldn't normally need to pay any tax would elect to do so, on a declared minimum income, at the Labour Department, so that he had the receipts to show immigration. ah. that must be it. different terms for the same thing. cause here, we have socialized (partially) medicine and national work insurance thats automatically deducted from a salary as well as income tax. now i understand why all the thais here are trying to get their taxes (income tax) back from their employers (only the employer can do that for a migrant worker, beurocratic procedures that never actually get done.)... so if they get the tax refund here, i wonder what htey have to do in thailand.... is there a minimum amount of income tax in thailand? here, less then a certain amount (very measly amount i have to say) u dont pay the income tax here. and i will would save the receipt that anon has stapled in his passport except that the labour dept takes the old one away, and puts in a new tiny piece of paper with new stamp for next time. bina israel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 You don't need to worry about saving his personal income tax receipts until you move to Thailand, bina. They only want the most current one and as said, he doesn't necessarily need an employer, just declare the minimum (check with Immigration first on that tho) and bring the receipt along with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bina Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 good to know....i save his salary papers anyhow for the immig. visa people here so have triplicates also, was thinking, becoming a bit more popular now, the thai man/farang woman thing; maybe we should somehow gather up all the tidbits of info and pin somewhere? cause this thread will disappear in to etherspace soon, and the questions have popped up several times this past year.... bina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfish44 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Please pin this one ladies, i have been trying to figure this our for years. Good to hear the update goinghomesoon. I might give Vientienne a go in May as got a Non-O from the not so nice lady in Adelaide that is unusable for extension. We have been trying to get income tax done here, with no luck so far, going out to try again this afternoon. Isn't there a deadline? Is it today? How do you find out the minimum? Then we would just pay it! We are in a siliar boat - hubby is a diver. Lucky is actually working for a Thai company that documents things and pays his salary into his bank account, but no luck finind anyone capable of doing personal income tax where we live, let alone knowing what the minimum for a wife is. I have a possible back up plan: - Get a new Non-O before the birth - after I have given birth to a thai-aussie baby with a thai birth certificate and father I think I am eligable for extension of stay based on being mother of a thai national - baby doesn't need income tax Will see what happens though. It's all too much. Pregnant, have a flu, province flooded so immigration office not answering the phone... sigh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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