Month: February 2025

It took a while to clear the stumps left over from the sugar cane. But eventually managed to some semblance of order in the vegetable garden.

I had almost given up on local beef until a chance encounter with an unreasonably tender sirloin steak at the Camp Cafe in Kanchanaburi gave us every reason to drive down to Kamphaeng Saen.

Kamphaeng Saen is home to the Kasetsart Agricultural University where they breed a sell KU Beef.  You can buy frozen meat retail from their shop on the campus as well as in bulk. Although for some cuts you need to pre-order.

There is also an onsite Steak House for potential clients who might still be a little sceptical about the quality of what is the best beef I have found in Thailand.

 

150 pounds Isle of Man or Southampton selt.languagecert.org/?exam=6B5AB3D856F44D04A5928D33A1631409&country=50EB9A019EAB4678AE83D2DA8A4EC680

We booked with Trinty College London and did the test in Portsmouth. Relatively painless besides the exam fee and the revision packet I bought which was not used.

Twenty four hours later we got an email to say it was a C pass and we wait for the certificate to be validated and sent. Next will be the visa application and hopefully another two and a half years to address grammar mistakes.

 

Got of to a bad start as usual. I searched for:

Further Leave to Remain visa in the UK

which did take me to the government website. But not the information I needed. After a few more dead ends I finaly got to where I wanted to be.

https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/partner-spouse

To apply both partners need to be 18 or over and must intend to live together permanently in the UK. You must be able to prove you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK or that  you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply.

You also need to prove you:
• have a good knowledge of English
• can financially support yourself and your dependants

To prove your relationship send evidence that:
• confirms your relationship with your partner – for example, that you live together, share expenses or are married or in a civil partnership
• is less than 4 years old

Documents from the government, a bank, landlord, utility provider, or a medical professional. Things like:
• a marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate
• a tenancy agreement, utility bills or council tax bills confirming that you live at the same address or pay bills together
• a bank statement from a joint bank account, or confirming that you live at the same address
• a letter from your doctor or dentist confirming that you live at the same address
If you do not have any evidence that meets this criteria, there is other evidence you can provide instead. However, it’s less likely that you’ll be given a visa in this case.

You can stay in the UK for 2 years and 9 months on this visa.

You’ll need to prepare information and documents to provide with your application which you submit online whilst in the UK.

You can add children to your application as dependants if they are under 18 when you apply, or were under 18 when they were first granted leave and they do not live an independent life. A child is living an independent life if, for example, they’ve left home, got married and had children.

The earliest you can apply to settle in the UK (called ‘indefinite leave to remain’) is after you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years continuously on a family visa as a partner.

With over 20 million visitors a year and very little regulation, “unspoilt” is becoming more and more difficult.

THe main problem is quite logical – if a beach is REALLY beautiful then there will be virtually no restrictions on what a wealthy develpoper can get away with……the inevitably result is that ALL the top grade coastal attractions are overrun or destroyed.

THat leaves the sort of places that as yet have not attracted enough people to warrant the attentions of the greedy developers whose only criteria is quick and easy profit.

To this end you are better looking at in land areas, national parks etc.
I agree that Kanchanaburi Province and the Western Forest complex offers a great opportunity to see bits of unspoiled rural Thailand before it finally disappears.
Also towns mentioned like Prachuap Kiri khan have not yet been overrun by foreign tourists as their beaches – although quite respectable – are not 5 star and therefore the target of untrammelled development.

The further away from the main holiday centres you go, the more likely you are to fid towns that have not been ruined by rampant tourism.
The coastlines between Hua Hin and Suratthani still have quaint places as do the coastlines between Phuket and Ranong, Phuket and Malaysia (mostly) and Sattahip and Trat.
these 3 coastlines are relatively unfrequented by foreign tourist hoards (as yet) and although they may not be the “best “beaches in Thailand you may find the lack of crowds and reasonably priced local food etc. more than enough compensation.

[BTW – all these places are popular with Thai vacationers – on public holidays and week-ends]

lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/asia-thailand/thailand/unspoilt-thailand?page=2&utm_campaign=subscriptioninstant&utm_medium=email&utm_source=forum#post_22554333

It is the time of year when Thai’s from all over the world return to their families, their homes and villages to pay respect to their elders. And to join the kids celebrating Thailands Water Festival.

Songkran is the New Year’s festival. New Year’s Day is 13 April every year, but the official holiday period includes 14–15 April as well. And unofficially stretches through to the following weekend. The word “Songkran” comes from the Sanskrit word saṃkrānti which literally means “astrological passage”, transformation or change.

 

Mornings begin with visiting the local temple and offering food to the monks is commonly practiced. Later in the day pouring water on Buddha statues represents a way of purification, washing away the past.

It is a festival of unity.

 

People who have moved to other countries usually return home to their loved ones and elders and the younger members of the family show respect by pouring fragrant water over the palms of elders’ hands. Paying reverence to ancestors is also an important part of Songkran tradition.

Main streets in the towns and villages are closed to traffic to allow both young and old celebrate by splashing water on each other and engaging in fierce water battles. Water barrels are placed on virtually every road and traffic runs the gauntlet of laughing noisy kids armed to the teeth with an impressive array of water guns, hosepipes and fragrant paste.

 

Gunsmithing skills are also an essential service.

Local Weaving Exhibition and Demonstration Centre (Phaichit Weaving Group) is located behind Wat Ban Rai, next to Ban Na Fai Bueng Ta Pho School. Turn into the alley beside the school and go on for 700 metres. It is a group of people weaving cotton cloth with dyes from nature. They also teach others who are interested in weaving passing on the ancient patterns such as Lai Kho Luang, and Lai Kho Kham Duean. There are shops to sell Pha Sin, bedspread, tablecloth, cloth for tailoring and Mon Khit pillow. In this area, there is also a museum of ancient cloth which is more than a hundred years old

Ban I Mat – I Sai Hill Tribe Cultural Centre is located at Mu 4, Tambon Kaen Makrut, under the responsibility of the Hill Tribe Development and Contribution Centre, Uthai Thani, existing in a part of Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary. Most hill tribes are Karen, living peacefully and simply while they still practice their old traditions strictly. The examples of major interesting events are the festival to pay respect to the pagoda where there is a show of sword dancing, and the ceremony to pay respect to the Pho tree.

When the festivals are held, all relatives will return home. Those two events will be held every year in April. The date of the ceremony depends on the readiness of the people in the community; for example, when they finish harvesting. The most important thing is that this village does strictly not allow people to get involved in gambling or drinking alcohol.

Visitors can stay overnight at the Karen village, Chao Wat Yang Daeng Village, or shelters in the cultural centre which houses the Hill Tribe Museum. Please call Tel. 0 5651 2026 from 8.30 a.m. – 4.30 p.m. It also sells hand-made products, local woven cloth in natural color, bamboo basketry, and seasonal agricultural goods, such as dried chili.

To get there, from Amphoe Ban Rai, drive along Highway 3011, Ban Rai – Phu Bon route for about 20 km. to the end of the asphalted road. Take a laterite road for another 1 km.

Tham Kret Dao is 1 km. far from Ban I Mat – I Sai Hill Tribe Cultural Centre. It is possible to see the walking route leading to this cave. From its entrance, there is a bamboo ladder leading downward to the cave. It is a massive cave with large stones which can glitter when the light shines on them. The ceiling is full of bats. Villagers bring those bats droppings to make a fertilizer for plants in their fields. It is necessary to bring a torch.

Namtok Tat Dao is a little further from the entrance of Tham Kret Dao. The 9-tiered waterfall flows over rocks and is surrounded by fertile forest.

Botanical Garden is about 5 km. from the cultural centre. It has a natural fresh and comfortable atmosphere. It takes about an hour to walk around. In the garden, there are useful local plants and various species of plants; such as Sadao Pa whose fruits and leaves can be made into an organic repellent, Ton Sabu whose fruits can be used in bathing, washing hair and clothes, Rang Chuet which has a medical property to sober up. Some plants are poisonous such as hair of Chang Rong which can make peopleûs skin painfully itch when touching. Ya Nong – upas trees – has a poisonous sap which hunters in the past applied to the end of their darts that used for hunting.

tourismthailand.org/fileadmin/upload_img/Multimedia/Ebrochure/368/uthaithani.pdf

It is a lot easier once you are in the UK and if both of you are earning.  Much better for the blood pressure.

You and your partner must have a combined income of at least £18,600 a year if:
You’re applying as a partner and you want to settle in the UK (get ‘indefinite leave to remain’) within 5 years

You must prove you have extra money if you have children who:
are not British or Irish citizens
do not have pre-settled status
are not permanently settled in the UK

If you need to prove extra money for your children, you’ll need to earn an extra:
£3,800 for your first child
£2,400 for each child you have after your first child
This is called the ‘minimum income requirement’.

You may be able to use your savings instead of income. How you prove you have the money depends on how you got the income.

What counts as income
You and your partner can use:
income from employment before tax and National Insurance (check your P60 or payslips) – you can only use your own income if you earn it in the UK
income you earn from self-employment or as a director of a limited company in the UK – check your Self Assessment tax return
cash savings above £16,000
money from a pension
non-work income, for example from property rentals or dividends

If you’re using income from self-employment or employment, you’ll need to prove you or your partner received that income for 6 months or more.

Example

You’ve worked with the same employer earning £18,600 or more for 6 months or longer.

What proof you need to give

You’ll need to provide proof of your income with your application. If you or your partner are employed, you could include:
bank statements showing you or your partner’s income
6 months of payslips
a letter from an employer, dated and on headed paper
The employer’s letter should confirm:
you or your partner are employed there
the job title or position you or your partner hold
how long you or your partner have worked there
the type of contract (for example, permanent, fixed term)
what you or your partner earn before tax and National Insurance
how long you or your partner have been paid your current salary
the payslips are genuine

You’ll be told exactly what documents to provide when you apply online.

You need to show you and your family have enough money to adequately support and accommodate yourselves without relying on public funds. The caseworker considers your income and housing costs.