Popular Post Rsquared Posted April 30, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted April 30, 2013 I thought I was so clever......need to provide a map to my home for my request for extension of temporary stay. Got all the other arsenal of paperwork ready......so I spent today using my navigational and slightly artistic skills to draw a freehand map so the immigration people can find my home. (Note: I live out in the sticks and no google map even knows where I am). I even used Thai writing, not that I can read it yet.....but the cruncher was.....a gate. To find my place one needs to turn left off a paved road onto a dirt road which is not very easy to see (especially for someone who has never been there before) lots of trees and bush. About 100 metres before our dirt road, there is a gate on the opposite side of the road, it stands out all by itself.....easy to see. So I show this gate on my map, indicating that 100 metres later is the turnoff for the dirt road. Proud as punch, when my wife comes home I show her the results of my blood sweat and tears......"what's this?" "It's that gate on the other side of the road just before we turn into the dirt road." "But there is no gate on our road" "I know...it's on the other side of the road before our road" "Too confusing" "Why" "You show gate on road and that is not our road" "No.....I have shown that it is on the opposite side of the road and is 100 metres before our road" "Thai people not understand....you make too confusing" "<deleted>!"......it is a stand alone gate that opens for a large property where the residence is some 300 metres from the road. So I reach for another beer. Sigh! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post saakura Posted April 30, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted April 30, 2013 Maybe it's got more to do with your wife than all thai people as you/she assumes? 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post sbk Posted April 30, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted April 30, 2013 They aren't looking for landmarks to your place, they are looking to see if you know the way. Don't bother with those kinds of landmarks and just draw the streets. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post marstons Posted April 30, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted April 30, 2013 i must have same logic as your wife as its confused the hell of me as well. Just tell them as your post states "lots of bush", they will find it if they have to. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisboyo Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Me and the mrs bought a bed in SB furniture and when asked to draw a map, she drew what could be considered the most primitive map ever with very little details on. I told her they would never understand and just put down her number to call as it would be easier. Be fair, the boys who delivered the bed found the house and didn't need to call once. Maybe it's easier to not over complicate things and you will be surprised. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post MacChine Posted April 30, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted April 30, 2013 ^ Rather as you would to a child. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post jocko Posted April 30, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted April 30, 2013 I thought I was so clever......need to provide a map to my home for my request for extension of temporary stay. Got all the other arsenal of paperwork ready......so I spent today using my navigational and slightly artistic skills to draw a freehand map so the immigration people can find my home. (Note: I live out in the sticks and no google map even knows where I am). I even used Thai writing, not that I can read it yet.....but the cruncher was.....a gate. To find my place one needs to turn left off a paved road onto a dirt road which is not very easy to see (especially for someone who has never been there before) lots of trees and bush. About 100 metres before our dirt road, there is a gate on the opposite side of the road, it stands out all by itself.....easy to see. So I show this gate on my map, indicating that 100 metres later is the turnoff for the dirt road. Proud as punch, when my wife comes home I show her the results of my blood sweat and tears......"what's this?" "It's that gate on the other side of the road just before we turn into the dirt road." "But there is no gate on our road" "I know...it's on the other side of the road before our road" "Too confusing" "Why" "You show gate on road and that is not our road" "No.....I have shown that it is on the opposite side of the road and is 100 metres before our road" "Thai people not understand....you make too confusing" "<deleted>!"......it is a stand alone gate that opens for a large property where the residence is some 300 metres from the road. So I reach for another beer. Sigh! Many years ago I knew a German guy who was married to a Thai lady he decided to take her home so she could see her family who lived in the back of beyond after many hours of driving from Phuket they got near her house.When they got back to Phuket I saw him in the bar I asked him how they got on a did he meet the family he told me when they got there she couldn't remember how to get to the house so they came back. This was before everybody had a mobile phone. They moved to Germany 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post David48 Posted April 30, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted April 30, 2013 To the OP ... next time get the Missus to draw the map. Problem solved ... more drinking time, problem gone. Rather then having the problem of drawing the map yourself and are driven to drink. A relaxing drink tastes better! . 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajaan Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 I find it amusing that they even asked you to draw a map...very, very few Thais could complete that task. Thais are for the most part useless with maps...it's just not a concept they can get their heads around. A friend of mine wrote a whole PhD dissertation (which he later published as a book) on how the very concept of maps had to be introduced to Thais by foreigners (and it still hasn't caught on/sunk in)...and he's Thai, haha! Though he was educated overseas (which is ALWAYS the key to Thais thinking critically/seeing the big picture!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 I find it amusing that they even asked you to draw a map...very, very few Thais could complete that task. Thais are for the most part useless with maps...it's just not a concept they can get their heads around. A friend of mine wrote a whole PhD dissertation (which he later published as a book) on how the very concept of maps had to be introduced to Thais by foreigners (and it still hasn't caught on/sunk in)...and he's Thai, haha! Though he was educated overseas (which is ALWAYS the key to Thais thinking critically/seeing the big picture!). Its an Immigration requirement for a visa extension based on being married to a Thai national 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mosha Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Why worry with details. if it's in the sticks they'll never visit. If they need to, they'll ask the local police. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rsquared Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 You are all probably correct and with their uncanny way of finding things out, they will find us without the map, even though it is still required. To my simple mind, I thought I made it as simple as it could get......obviously not. Ah well..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancealot Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 You are all probably correct and with their uncanny way of finding things out, they will find us without the map, even though it is still required. To my simple mind, I thought I made it as simple as it could get......obviously not. Ah well..... I have to agree with your wife RXsq.. It's indeed to confusing, this gate.. It's logical. I didnt realise this but SBK has got a good point indeed! Chees Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancealot Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 You could also post a house number and/or name tag at the entrance of your acces way.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crossy Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 sbk, on 30 Apr 2013 - 23:09, said: They aren't looking for landmarks to your place, they are looking to see if you know the way. Don't bother with those kinds of landmarks and just draw the streets. Makes sense, immigration weren't interested in finding our place (nice Google map printout with GPS location etc.) they wanted me to hand draw a map, so I did a very simple outline with just road numbers (which I got from my printed map) and they seemed happy. Never got a visit, they either couldn't find us from my poor map or spoke to neighbours or something else unfathomable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 (edited) Buy a Map, draw in the minor roads, X marks the house, photocopy said page give out at will. Yes I have had this problem before. Edit sorry just read post above wouldn't of helped anyway. Edited May 1, 2013 by Scully 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somtamnication Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Whenever these people request a map of where I live, I draw it in reverse. Never had a problem! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post David48 Posted May 1, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted May 1, 2013 I somehow don't think that we will ever get a government representative to the Farm to check my where-a-bouts! Just a small part of the journey to the gf's Parents Farm. Or quite some way like this Happy to draw them a map ... though doubt they'll be dropping by for a beer. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theblether Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Thais have logic? Well I never 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rsquared Posted May 1, 2013 Author Share Posted May 1, 2013 @ David48.....if I went that fast on our road, the truck/car would end up in a hundred pieces. Your GF's road is a freeway compared to ours. Once overheard the wife describe to someone where we lived, she said on the soi of a thousand pot-holes. Cheers. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 You are all probably correct and with their uncanny way of finding things out, they will find us without the map, even though it is still required. To my simple mind, I thought I made it as simple as it could get......obviously not. Ah well..... Another alternative would be to put up a discreet sign - a yellow ribbon, or a small neon arrow, a distinctive bush, a marble arch, a sleeping brown dog... SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yourauntbob Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I find it amusing that they even asked you to draw a map...very, very few Thais could complete that task. Thais are for the most part useless with maps...it's just not a concept they can get their heads around. A friend of mine wrote a whole PhD dissertation (which he later published as a book) on how the very concept of maps had to be introduced to Thais by foreigners (and it still hasn't caught on/sunk in)...and he's Thai, haha! Though he was educated overseas (which is ALWAYS the key to Thais thinking critically/seeing the big picture!). Its an Immigration requirement for a visa extension based on being married to a Thai national Draw a map to immigration, see if they can read/recognize it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman34014 Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I did my map myself the first time i needed one and wife looked at it and said ....no. let me do it, they won't understand yours. She then proceeded to draw her version and then took about 20 photocopies. We have been using them ever since for directions, visa etc and nobody gets lost so i bow to her obvious talents as a map drawer of some eminence ! Don't you understand yet that Thai people are so much cleverer than us? They don't need us because we are smart, just to finance every operation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyfez Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Haha. Surely you know Thais can't read maps. If Buddha had expected us to read maps - why do you think he gave us GPS? :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norrona Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 K.I.S.S Keep It Simple Stupid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivinLOS Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I find it amusing that they even asked you to draw a map...very, very few Thais could complete that task. Thais are for the most part useless with maps...it's just not a concept they can get their heads around. A friend of mine wrote a whole PhD dissertation (which he later published as a book) on how the very concept of maps had to be introduced to Thais by foreigners (and it still hasn't caught on/sunk in)...and he's Thai, haha! Though he was educated overseas (which is ALWAYS the key to Thais thinking critically/seeing the big picture!). Its an Immigration requirement for a visa extension based on being married to a Thai national Being one who like to cover every detail.. For my visa app a few years ago on Phuket I took a nice clear screen grab of google maps.. Added a nice bright red arrow.. Made a high quality JPEG map and printed it for the file.. Presented it and 'no.. must be hand drawn'... The year after doing the same in Chiang Mai.. I had a hand made one and a printed detailed google maps one.. Picked up the printed one.. "ohh very good".. Lets see what this year brings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post surfinglife Posted May 1, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted May 1, 2013 I think I have posted a comment along these lines before but here it goes again: If you want a life companion who you can to talk to at your level, whom you can trust to understand the abstract concepts at a level higher than that of an avarage European kindergarten kid, who knows at least a little about the subjects not related to money, sex, kids, rice and Buddha, who has read at least 10 books and has at least heard about the theory of relativity, how to find Congo on the map or who Chopin was - DON'T MARRY A THAI VILLAGE GIRL!!! They do have many talents but brains and logic and basic education aren't amongst them 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wprime Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Seems to be no different from any other woman, she's in a bad mood, she starts an argument with no merit, you grab a beer and complain to your mates. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbamboo Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 (edited) i must have same logic as your wife as its confused the hell of me as well. Just tell them as your post states "lots of bush", they will find it if they have to. You could just write 'Here be dragons". Or better still, 'ghosts'! Edited May 1, 2013 by bigbamboo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shiver Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Just give them the GPS coordinates and let them figure out how to get there. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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