KunMatt

Looking at your posting history, I'm guessing they're doing it completely on purpose, making a political statement wrt their personal opinion of you as a person.

I think the only solution is for you to move away to someplace where no one has every heard of you and get a clean start, trying to act nice and get along with the locals this time. Never mind about principles or manners, no idealistic abstract crap, just try to be a nice fellow, reach out and be friendly, it'll go a long way.

Or just put up with being pissed upon by your neighbors.

giddyup, on Yesterday, 07:03 , said:

You whiz in Surayu's garden too?

I think this must be a very localised local behaviour - very very localised..... maybe even down to the level of just the OP's garden.

spidermike007, on 2012-05-17 18:32:51, said:

There is an abundance of places to visit that aren't Thailand, and should you tire of the land of reptilian smiles sufficiently to actually leave rather than complain endlessly about Thai people not matching up to your exacting standards, you'll discover that 'reason and logic' aren't part of the make-up of most people in the world.

rixalex, on 2012-05-21 08:50:11, said:

There is another reason why it is much easier to form personal relationships with Red Shirts than with the other side. While the Red Shirts are much more open to western journalists and also to criticism, the Yellow Shirts from the start have been not overly welcoming and can be vile when faced with criticism.
Let me give you a few examples: already the backstage design of PAD 1 and 2 was such that there were several perimeters. Journalists were not allowed into the inner perimeter. Especially during PAD 2 there were whole areas which were completely closed off to us, especially during the government house occupation. During Red Shirt rallies we can freely mingle everywhere, and that was so from the beginning. It is much easier to meet Red Shirt leaders for background chats than Yellow Shirt leaders. These things improved though during the PAD rallies in 2011 in front of Government House, but by then the PAD was a spent force already and quite irrelevant.
As to criticism - after i wrote my story on the Oct. 7 incident, the PAD derided me from the stage, and accused me of having accepted a huge bribe from Thaksin, which made my life very difficult for quite some time. For a month i even needed a bodyguard when going out in public.
In many of my stories i have been critical of the Red Shirts as well, i have, for example, never bought the peaceful movement talk. That led to discussions with Red Shirt leaders, but nothing else. I have strongly criticized the Red Shirts for permanently occupying Rajaprasong, and told several leaders at the time that i will be critical over this action. This again led to discussion, but not to be shunned or accused of bribery and such.
It is more difficult for Thai journalists as they will get problems from both sides, yet if you ask the regular crowd of Thai political Thai journalists that work in the field, they will tell you that nevertheless, it is a much more pleasant experience to work in the Red Shirts than under their opponents, even though at times they have to work under very difficult conditions in the Red camp.

There are a few Yellow leaders with whom i have a very good relationship, especially with the Thai Patriot Network leaders, such as Chaiwat, etc.

And a basic point here: i am not in the habit of pretending to be somebody i am not. My ideals and values are formed by being a westerner, with all the luggage of humanism, the belief that all humans have an inherent equal worth, etc. The Yellow side's philosophy is quite opposed to many of those values. Their views on Thai society and where it should go in the future are, lets say, quite reactionary, and to a large part they reject western political systems and philosophy. This is made quite clear not just in speeches but also in personal conversations.

Nevertheless, i do go to Yellow rallies whenever they are taking place. In 2011 i have spent more time at Yellow rallies than at Red rallies - i just didn't have the time to write about them, yet. Don't forget - i do not get paid for my stories on New Mandala.

I don't know who you are, and naturally, i do not blame you for staying anonymous, given the extreme nastiness that get thrown at people who do take a position. Taking a position, by the way, is perfectly acceptable in journalism, and very different from being biased, and only a natural development when one works a subject intensively. One has to take utmost care though to stay objective and factual. And i have always done so. As i said already, i am in close contact with many people that help me to constantly re-evaluate my position, many of those people have extensive experience in the field, others are theoretically far more knowledgeable than i am.
There is a lot involved by working such a complex subject matter, far more than you and others see. It is not just running to a protest, getting quotes, write some stuff and that's it. You say that i may not know what your experience regarding the protests are. Well, i am sorry, but judging from all you have written here, these experiences do not seem to be very extensive, as most posters here. Which is OK, why should you or anyone spend that much time with this mess anyhow? That is what people like I are for.

What is unacceptable though are the consistent personal accusations i have to bear with. Criticize me factually, where i am wrong, give me facts that challenge mine, and it helps me to do better work. Whenever i have asked for facts though here on this forum from my critics, they disappeared with flimsy excuses, or, as it turned out, have not even be anywhere near the events they criticize my accounts over.

The red/black shirts committed the first and many subsequent acts of violence before the overly patient gov't sent the army in and even then they waited even longer before finally dealing with these criminals.

As said, there is nothing in the rules to say that a child cannot have a visit visa valid for longer than 6 months, nor that anyone has to have a 6 month one the first time they apply. It all depends on the circumstances.

The child has a mother with a good travel history and who is applying at the same time as the child, therefore I can see no reason why the child should not be given the same term as the mother.

However, the point is moot in your circumstances. As Bob has pointed out the child only needs a 6 month one because after that he will a British passport and so no need of any sort of UK visa. And a 6 month one will be cheaper.

However, to ease the ECO's mind and avoid possible questions, I would mention in your covering letter why you are applying for a 6 month visa for him (no time to get you birth certificate and so no time to get a British passport for him) .

As per 7x7's post. If your wife gets a 2 yr visit visa there is no reason why the baby should not as well.

You can apply for a copy of your own birth certificate on-line from anywhere in the world. I doubt they would post it to a Thai address but an email to the Registry office may be helpful! If not apply for it and pick it up in the UK when you arrive.

Yes you should be able to apply for a British passport for a child when you are in the UK:

http://www.direct.go...ation/DG_183772


''Applying for a first British passport while visiting the UK

Your British passport can only be delivered to a UK address – don't book any travel until it has arrived

If you're aged 16 or over and have never held your own British Passport, you can't apply using an urgent service. For your first adult passport, you have to apply using the standard application process.
You’ll need to attend an interview and should allow at least six weeks for the application process. However, some of the supporting documents for your application may need verification. The application process could take longer if these documents are from abroad
If you’re under the age of 16, you can apply for your first child passport using the urgent ‘one-week Fast Track’ service.
Your British passport can only be delivered to an address in the UK. Don't book any travel until your new passport has arrived.''

The sooner you get the correct paperwork the sooner you can apply to get a British passport for the baby.

A six month visa for the first trip (if there is not enough time to get a passport) and get a British passport in time for Christmas. Six month visa is pretty cheap!

I thought two burners and an electric plate was too little when I kitted out our kitchen 3 years ago. In reality, for Thai cooking, it's way enough. If my wife had her way we'd be cooking on standalone gas burners or BBQ pots outside anyway - which is probaby sensible given the pungency of thai cooking. If your wife is going to be doing the bulk of the cooking you might need to rethink before you impose western design!.

Sorry can't help much other than clever-dick comments like that; Home Hub's selection was fine for me (their ovens turned out to be a bit crude, but they do the job on roast and the odd pie) but I wasn't concerned to match the makes.

Jesus christ, 600 million + people have been able to dio it.  Try again.

Oh finally a good news! i was so concerned about going out at night time (but even during the day for that matter), knowing that i might eventually came across one of the very feared "overstayers" , i can cope with almost any sort of issues or dangers, but having to deal with a man/woman which is not a "quality tourist" is already bad enough, leave alone someone which break this vital law! is just too much, nevermind the killers, scammers, abusers,cheaters,thiefs around us, the constant chronic break of safety standards and human rights, etc.., go and get the overstayers that's the real crime in this country, the main priority for the resolution of all major problems affecting the country for sure,  thank you amazing Thailand!

Thaddeus, on 2010-09-14 17:06:33, said:

The guy must be in for an award, never seen so many red thingy's on a post before.

So l award him NUMBNUT OF THE YEAR AWARD. If thats OK with you lot. .

Whats The Strangest Thing You've Ever Seen Here? It must be the army killing Red-shirts; because it is NOT possible at all, as the army are instructed NOT to shoot using REAL bullets.

a street cleaner spent forty minutes yesterday trying to get my cat to pick the lottery numbers.

Best to just stay away.  Thailand is fine.  Two countries I would rather not visit in Asia are Myanmar and Philippines.  Too many problems and no foreigner should even be there.