SAWASDEE 2

[*Robert* 2]

The new aquarium is nice and I understand it is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. I found the water a bit cloudy for viewing the fishies though. Have Fun.

Rich

Rich,

I'm cracking up laughing over Yodrak catching your slip-up with "Southern Hemisphere"!!

The aquarium is the one thing that Chutima really wants to see. As for shopping, there are plenty of other places to go in that area, like MBK, and her apartment is right next to "The Mall" in Nonthaburi on Ngam Wong Wan road!

Yodrak, I had that happen to me too!

As for you OKIES out there... anyone know where Ponca City is?!

[dbirner 0]

ARGH!!

Well, you know the strings you get on your wrist for the thai ceremony? and the ones you leave on as the "forever" strings? The ones that stay on until they fall of through natural or accidental causes? well ...

we were at lunch yesterday and i noticed her strings were gone. I asked what happened and she she was slow to resond and starting laughing ans said "accident". What KIND of accident I asked. "Um .." she muttered ... "Kitchen .. accident .. um .. i cut .. scissors". WHAT? WHY? Then i found out this was 5 days ago and i just noticed. Guess she figured 1 month was long enough.

So, last night I had an accident too.

Hahah.. yeah, mine has been on my wrist for about two years. I was told it will ward off evil spirits and bring me good luck, It seems to be working, so I'm not messing with it.

Ton and I both wear yellow strings on our wrists.

[Tiksman 0]

As for you OKIES out there... anyone know where Ponca City is?!

Sure Do!!!

It is where my Mom was born and raised!!!

[skyman2112 0]

As for you OKIES out there... anyone know where Ponca City is?!

My best friend is from Ponca city! U2???

[*Robert* 2]

I'm not from Ponca City, but I graduated High School there!

To make matters more confusing, I then graduated from Texas A&M University!!! So I'm an Okie-Aggie, or an Aggie-Okie... Not sure?!!

When it comes to the OU-Texas game, I toss a coin!!!

Robert

[LastSurvivor 0]

The new aquarium is nice and I understand it is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. I found the water a bit cloudy for viewing the fishies though. Have Fun.

Rich

Rich,

I'm cracking up laughing over Yodrak catching your slip-up with "Southern Hemisphere"!!

The aquarium is the one thing that Chutima really wants to see. As for shopping, there are plenty of other places to go in that area, like MBK, and her apartment is right next to "The Mall" in Nonthaburi on Ngam Wong Wan road!

I was just quoting what the guy on the skytrain told me who lives in Bangkok. While nice I'm sure it's not as big as the one in Atlanta they just built near the Olympic Park. Didn't really give to much thought to where in the world exactly Thailand is located. I just know it's a LONG flight. Let me know when you visit if the water is a bit clearer. Found it very distracting. Looked like everything was in a fog.

On a lighter note Thisa and I walked all over Bangkok looking for a denim dress. We walked every inch of MBK, The weekend Market....blah, blah, blah. After two days of searching we checked one of the sidewalk shops in front of our hotel and found two for 800 baht. Amazing. Inches from the front door.

Rich

[LastSurvivor 0]

Hello All,

When Thisa arrived in the U.S. I took her to Buford Highway in Atlanta. This is the rather large area for buying any type of ethnic foods. She has talked to her mother and told her she is very happy because she can pretty much get any Thai food she desires! Before we left she had asked if America had rice. I jokingly told her only 3 months every year is rice available and there is absolutely no seafood. I think I had her going for a few minutes anyway. While shopping in one of the larger markets I noticed she kept looking at the "white" eggs and asking where the chicken eggs were. Seems she wanted the "brown" eggs or yard eggs. She thought the "white" eggs were all duck eggs and let me know she did not like duck eggs. I explained they were all chicken eggs and got the "are you sure"? Last night a friend of ours and fellow visajourney member who returned on Saturday with his fiancee' came over for dinner. While helping Thisa cook dinner she opened up our fridge and pulled out a pkg of eggs. She looked inside and then closed the lid and pulled out another carton with the same reaction. I started laughing because I had a pretty good idea what was going on in her mind. Thisa had to explain that they were all chicken eggs but I'm not sure she believed us. More funny stories later.

Rich

[dbirner 0]

Ton was a little confused also about the brown vs white eggs. She actually got me a little confused also. I am still not sure if it is the white part she likes or the yolk. But just made her some chocolate chip cookies and surprisingly she really likes them. But I think only because they just came out of the oven and are still soft...

[skyman2112 0]

No problem with food here either. She even likes mexican food cause you can make it hot. Now she's putting habaneros in our food and dipping hot dogs in salsa! Buffalo chicken wings were also a big hit. I think Ive created a monster! The next thing we will try is smoked BBQ beef with spicy bbq sauce. Let you know how that works out! Later, Kirk.

[ufkenmill 0]

skyman, I see your fiance had her interview on Jan 3rd but you said they wanted more information on 2 items? What was the issue if you don't mind me asking...

[ufkenmill 0]

Well we got an email from the bangkok embassy (that's BNK Yodrak) and we got our interview date scheduled finally!! March 20th - 7am!

Any advice about preparations or the nterview itself? Can someone give us their interview experience from bangkok? Such as questions asked, time it took, level of friendlinesss.

Thanks!

[chivasgeo 0]

Well we got an email from the bangkok embassy (that's BNK Yodrak) and we got our interview date scheduled finally!! March 20th - 7am!

Any advice about preparations or the nterview itself? Can someone give us their interview experience from bangkok? Such as questions asked, time it took, level of friendlinesss.

Thanks!

One advice I can give you....get there early!! And as long as the paperwork is in order, there should not be any issues (hopefully ).

I was also in Bangkok for my wife's interview in Jan 2005 (was also scheduled at 7am) and this was our experience :

We arrived at the US Consulate about 530am and there were already 20 people lined up in 2 lines. The doors opened about 630am. After the security check we went straight into the double doors and stood in front of window #5 (we were 3rd in line). At about 645am, a Thai lady started to collect the visa applications. She took from us:

PO receipt (it has Poc's name on both receipts)

Passport

Birth Certificate (not translated)It was not the original, therefore the lady asked for her Thai ID and also House Registration (tabian Baan, also not translated)

DS-156 (2 copies but she returned one copy)

DS-156K

DS-156 BNK Supplement

DS-157

Police Certificate

Medical Exam/vaccination envelopes/documents, etc.

I-134 with supporting documents (letter from work w/business card of my boss attached, last 3 paycheck, 2003 W2 and Tax Transcripts, 2004 3rd QTR 401K statement, 2004 bank statements for savings acct)

We also gave her two 2x2 photos but the lady also returned it saying they already have the photos (I assume from the time Poc turned in the DS-230). Then after reviewing the documents the lady asked for Proof of relationship, we gave her about 20 photos, 8 emails, and photo copies of my flight stubs from the times I visited Poc.

At around 840am Poc was called up to window 7. We were interviewed by a falang male-very nice and professional guy, he asked Poc 2 questions in Thai:

Have you married before?

Do you have any children?

Then he asked me 6 questions:

Am I George?

Have I married before?

How did we meet?

Who introduced us?

How many times have I come and visited Poc?

Where do you work?

He returned all the proof of relations stuff, house registration and Thai ID and handed Poc a white card and said Jan 18th come back by 3pm to pick up Visa. 9am, we were in a taxi headed back to the hotel for some well needed rest.

=====================================================================

Oh yeah, one more note: On the packet 4 papers, there was a document that had a list of what order the paperwork should be in, I followed its order. Good luck on your fiancee's interview.

regards,

George

Edited January 31, 2006 by chivasgeo

[ufkenmill 0]

that's great info George, thanks alot. We actually haven't even received packet 3 yet, I just downloaded it from their site and we submitted everything before getting it from them. Sounds like you had a pretty straight-forward interview due to your preparation. We plan on being this well prepared also.

What about the vaccinations? Those are not required until AOS in the us right? And was the birth certificate a photocopy or a certified copy? C doesn't have her original BC but we plan to get a certified copy tomorrow. Applied for the police certificate on friday, will do medical next week and are preparing the other doc's right now.... Can't wait...

Can you guys who have gone through this before please update the embassy ratings on the embassy info page? I see George's and a few other interview results on there but surely we can get a few more of your opinions up there!

[chivasgeo 0]

What about the vaccinations?

Those were done when Pocky went to get her medical at Bumrungrad Hospital. Forgot what the DS-number designation was but it was filled up by the doctor there.

Those are not required until AOS in the us right?

They are required for the interview and would be a good idea to keep for fullfilling the AOS medical portion.

And was the birth certificate a photocopy or a certified copy?

Pocky's BC was not an original and she got a copy (I do not know if it was certified or not) from her amphur. During the interview, since the BC was not original , Pocky had to show her Thai ID along with the house registration document (tabian baan) to the lady at window #5 when she was collecting all of the paperwork before the actual interview with the CO.

regards,

George

[twellspeak 0]

that's great info George, thanks alot. We actually haven't even received packet 3 yet, I just downloaded it from their site and we submitted everything before getting it from them. Sounds like you had a pretty straight-forward interview due to your preparation. We plan on being this well prepared also.

What about the vaccinations? Those are not required until AOS in the us right? And was the birth certificate a photocopy or a certified copy? C doesn't have her original BC but we plan to get a certified copy tomorrow. Applied for the police certificate on friday, will do medical next week and are preparing the other doc's right now.... Can't wait...

Can you guys who have gone through this before please update the embassy ratings on the embassy info page? I see George's and a few other interview results on there but surely we can get a few more of your opinions up there!

Hmmm. I keep quoting the wrong post... Still getting used to the board changes.

I believe the form is DS-3025.

Some vaccinations require a series of shots over a period of time. As long as the series is started before the interview she will not have a problem. I believe the series has to be completed by the time you go for your AOS interview. I you get the series compleeted by a civil surgeon in the US, they will fill out your I-693(?) vaccination supplement.

Edited January 31, 2006 by twellspeak