It’s visa renewal time, and as part of the truckload of documentation that the fine people at immigration require, I need a statement confirming my income.
For some reason, I am not to be trusted to write “I earn ten million baht a week. True.” in green crayon on a piece of tatty paper. Instead I have to get the British government to do it for me. So it is down to the British Consul office to present my credentials. I need to fill out a form containing my name and address, and write my monthly income. This amount has to be supported by some sort of documentation, in my case a slip of paper from my previous employer stating my pension (a.k.a. “the pittance”). In return the Consul’s office will fill in my name and address and the amount on a standard letter and give it to me (but not until the following day because everything done by the British government takes at least a day).
And of course there is a fee. To put this in some form of context; if I want a medical certificate I can go to a local doctor who will prod me around a bit and then write out a certificate. He will do this while I wait and charge me 200 baht. A little pricey; but then he is a professional man who spent many years in training, developing the skills to check I am still alive.
And the charge from the British Embassy for their standard letter, knocked out by a clerk after a delay of a day? One thousand, nine hundred and eight baht!! For some more context, that would pay for my lunch (with drink) for 36 days. It would buy The Ghost two women, it would buy Jock six women (one of whom might actually be a woman).
It’s scandalous. We pay our taxes (well, you pay your taxes. I haven’t paid UK taxes since 1984), and then our government servants screw us with things like this.
I’ve a good mind to write to my MP; if I had one.
Comments 🔗
2010-02-22| Qon says“who spent many years in training so he develop the skills to check I am still alive”… you’ve been talking to too many thai people :-P
2010-02-22| Spike saysYou must learn to copy and paste properly.
And, being American, you must work on your spelling too. Today’s word: retro-active
2010-02-22| Jock saysAha .. but wait until Tiger needs to apply for his visa renewal .. he’s been shafting and screwing around that much that he needs thereapy …
Am I right in thinking he’s half Thai? Any co-incidence?
and just for the record … every girl I went to bed with was a woman …
.. where he/she went after I fell asleep is of no relevance ..
2010-02-23| Qon saysa ’thanks for correcting my Thaienglish’ would suffice. actually, the word for today is ‘PROOF READ’… damn, that’s 2 words. no worries, all us bloggers have errr’d in the same manner. u r forgiven. :D
2010-02-23| Camberley saysIf you had an MP (s)he would probably be able to tell you how to claim it on expenses, and may well end up claiming it on theirs just to be sure.
2010-02-23| bart saysAnd what kind of visa does that give you?
2010-02-23| Spike saysBart, it’s a “too bloody old to get a job visa”, aka retirement.