Hi all My wife and kids will be leaving at the weekend to come to the UK I just thought it would be nice to thank all for the help we have received in getting the Visas but also to start a new thread with a list of useful stuff to pack for a Thai Lady or Man and children to bring to the UK

Both on the legal paperwork side but also and more importantly for the Thais the stuff that will make life easier cheaper and more comfortable. Food/cooking stuff will be high on the list for most i am sure ,I have asked the Mrs to get plenty of Thai books for our young ones , I am hoping to keep the Thai culture well and truly alive mine are 5 years and 1 year old .


On the paperwork side to make life easier for the next Visa App I Imagine that everything that was sent back from VFS with the Visas and the relevant Original documents should be all that is required in 2 years time to go to the next stage , (FLR I think). So if she brings that over with her and we add all the stuff we collect from now on we should be pretty well covered .

Any thoughts and advice will be really welcome.

A mixture of things to bring and things to do!

A good quality rice cooker (apparently the UK origin ones are not as good!). Familiar cooking utensils such as mortar and pestle because they are cheap there and very expensive here.

Kitchen items would be my priority because most Thai homes revolve around meals. As long as your wife can go straight in and cook a familiar meal it is a good start. Most sauces are not too difficult to get here so arrange a trip to the local 'oriental' food shop. Expect your wife to have kittens when she sees the prices though!

Clothes - go to Matalan to get everyone kitted out comprehensively without breaking the bank. Most Thai clothing is not much good over here so save weight and leave most of it there. Only bring special items.

My wife came back last time with bucket loads of spices/peppers but this may get you in trouble with customs. Never let her bring meat in, however nice it may taste!

Get her to carry her TB certificate and have her prepared to fill in the landing cards. If this is her first 'landing' with a settlement type visa she should fill one in. Apparently future arrivals this will not be necessary!

Have internet access ready to give access to Thai radio and TV. You may have a battle to convince her that the water is fit to drink from the tap!

A mixture of the excitement of the new, mixed with the comfort of the familiar is the best thing in my opinion.

Make sure your wife and children have a Full medical here and include a Chest X Ray, assuming it is still the same but a Medical is/ was required for Entry ( or was ) as it used to be if she does not have with her she can be subjected to the most horrific staff and conditions when she arrives in the U,K. when she is subjected to a medical at the airport.

It is not a welcoming experience, i escorted a friends wife years ago to the U.K. and they insisted on giving her a medical, it was only when i produced the relevant medical report that things changed and she was allowed in without any additional hastle.

The same rules applied when i first took my wife to the U.K. 28 years ago.

Good luck for a smooth entry and all the best to you all.

A mixture of things to bring and things to do!

A good quality rice cooker (apparently the UK origin ones are not as good!). Familiar cooking utensils such as mortar and pestle because they are cheap there and very expensive here.

Kitchen items would be my priority because most Thai homes revolve around meals. As long as your wife can go straight in and cook a familiar meal it is a good start. Most sauces are not too difficult to get here so arrange a trip to the local 'oriental' food shop. Expect your wife to have kittens when she sees the prices though!

Clothes - go to Matalan to get everyone kitted out comprehensively without breaking the bank. Most Thai clothing is not much good over here so save weight and leave most of it there. Only bring special items.

My wife came back last time with bucket loads of spices/peppers but this may get you in trouble with customs. Never let her bring meat in, however nice it may taste!

Get her to carry her TB certificate and have her prepared to fill in the landing cards. If this is her first 'landing' with a settlement type visa she should fill one in. Apparently future arrivals this will not be necessary!

Have internet access ready to give access to Thai radio and TV. You may have a battle to convince her that the water is fit to drink from the tap!

A mixture of the excitement of the new, mixed with the comfort of the familiar is the best thing in my opinion.

I would agree with everything bob has said particularly the bit about a rice cooker, a must have in any Thai household

Make sure your wife and children have a Full medical here and include a Chest X Ray, assuming it is still the same but a Medical is/ was required for Entry ( or was ) as it used to be if she does not have with her she can be subjected to the most horrific staff and conditions when she arrives in the U,K. when she is subjected to a medical at the airport.

It is not a welcoming experience, i escorted a friends wife years ago to the U.K. and they insisted on giving her a medical, it was only when i produced the relevant medical report that things changed and she was allowed in without any additional hastle.

The same rules applied when i first took my wife to the U.K. 28 years ago.

Good luck for a smooth entry and all the best to you all.

This used to be the case but almost certainly will not be necessary now as that is the point of the TB certificate already got in Thailand.

No medical required beyond a clear TB certificate (including kids if old enough). Their new GP will arrange a registration consultation.

Bring the kids vaccination records, not sure if it is easy to get them translated into a format that your GP will understand. Birth certificates to claim child benefit. Translations will be required for naturalisation later so get them done in Thailand as it will cost a lot less!

No medical required beyond a clear TB certificate (including kids if old enough). Their new GP will arrange a registration consultation.

Bring the kids vaccination records, not sure if it is easy to get them translated into a format that your GP will understand. Birth certificates to claim child benefit. Translations will be required for naturalisation later so get them done in Thailand as it will cost a lot less!

Obviously naturalisation not relevant if the children are British Citizens!

Thanks Guys , Bob Russell very helpful , I can't believe nobody has said ,"a Bloody big coat " Its raining harder than Thailand at the moment and its very cold ,Welcome to the British Summer .

On the medical side , I guess that even though the visa is stamped no recourse to public funds , they are ok to now register at the doctors and would you recommend we do that asap ?

Get yourself to tesco lotus or big c and buy some of the basic cooking stuff.

Knorr stock cubes, pork seasoning in the little packets, ready mixed Penang or Tom yum paste etc...

For the sake of 1000baht get stocked up because the prices over here are Ting tong!!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Anyone on a settlement visa is eligible to register with a GP and use the NHS. Keep the paperwork from your GP because it can be used to confirm residence etc when you submit further visa applications!

Where do you get big heavy coats in Thailand? If in doubt check sizes and be standing in arrivals with new coats!

My wife and daughter thought it pretty amazing that going to the car they could see their breath!

You can get most things that you buy in Thailand in the UK , even vegetables. Rice cookers pots pans woks. For the more difficult thing the wife goes on line and buys.

We came back last week with about 35kg between us of thai food. Mostly noodles and splices. And two bottles of gin for me! Dont risk honey , meat or fresh fruit. First time in years there was 5 customs officers at nothing to declare looking at every bag as it was walked through. I was rather bricking myself because of the gin! Also worth getting here favorite shampoo, soaps, washing power just to make her feel at home. Got thai tv streaming via Ruko box and already lost hours of my life watching thai soaps!

Sent from my GT-P5110 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You can get most things that you buy in Thailand in the UK , even vegetables. Rice cookers pots pans woks. For the more difficult thing the wife goes on line and buys.

Apparently rice cookers on Amazon are not good enough! Thai ones with dodgy connectors and wafer thin wires are far superior!

For a quiet life my suggestion is you get a Thai one and replace the plug and cable when it gets here!

Some of the standard kitchen utensils in Thai kitchens are really pricy over here!

Funny how people say "why come to Thailand to eat western food?"

Personally, I think she should be fed faggots, haggis, spotted dick, toad, bubble & squeak and jam roly poly.

Funny how people say "why come to Thailand to eat western food?"

Personally, I think she should be fed faggots, haggis, spotted dick, toad, bubble & squeak and jam roly poly.

That will come in time!

plenty of money?