Has anyone had experience dealing with the UK Embassy and their Outsourcing company in Bangkok.They are able to charge 5000 baht per applicant's interview without recourse to any reimbursement should the Embassy reject the application. I can envisage going through this loop several times to the joy of local staff employed at both these establishments.

If your partner meets all the criteria, and you follow the instructions on the website, you won't have a problem.

Do you really think the staff want to waste their time rejecting an ill-conceived and poorly prepared application ?

Do some research, there is some great information on this forum.

As per the above reply.

A few facts to bare in mind.

The outsourcing company is basically a mail drop, VFS take no part in the decision making process, the decision is made by UKVI staff.

There is no formal interview, decisions are made from the evidence submitted, so, as Jip99 suggests, providing you follow the advice and guidance issued by the UKVI and properly prepare the application, the visa will be granted.

Well in excess of 90% of applications are granted, most first time.

UKVI staff don't set out to refuse entry clearance, if there's a well researched and compliant application, the visas will be issued, if it's shoddy, it wont be.

As the previous poster indicates, there's a wealth of knowledge on this forum, if you need help, then ask.

fgmr, there is no requirement to pay 5000 Baht for anything at VFS.

If you mean the Priority Visa Service, that is entirely optional, as are other "User Pay Services"

The staff at VFS were very helpful when my wife applied.

As has been said previously, a well researched and tidy application has every chance of success.

My advice - take it or leave it, if you will - would be to approach any visa application in a positive frame of mind and retain a sense of humour at all times. It'll serve you well.