You’re post makes me smile Dominic….I’am an American living in Bangkok with my Thai wife I actually met in Southern California. What got my attention with her was she was fiercely independent. She had this work ethic that Impressed me. Meeting her Thai girlfriends I soon figured out that Thai women will not be stopped or controlled. Totally different from our western culture, which really Impressed me. She dragged me to Thailand 15 years ago to show me her Country. I learned a lot about just how these women work, plan, operate to keep the family matrix going. Since we now live part time Bangkok part time California we don’t have time for Drama. She has her family goals and it’s really her decision.
I think the worse thing you can do as a man is trying to ‘control’ your wife. The western civilization has always been keeping the wife subservient and dominated by the man, that simply won’t work with a Thai women.
Facial Recognition is active in Thailand. In line at the Airport they already know your name, etc. this information is shared on a worldwide computer network.
Trev. Be sure and do your visa and other business ONLINE FROM THE UK . YOU CAN DO IT BUT BEING OVER 50 is good. Anyday now you’ll get automatic visa exempt of 60 days. But have everything in place before you fly in.
We were in a Covid lock down hospital during Covid for a MANDATORY 10 Days. We actually couldn’t leave. We missed our departure flight, by 6 days. We had a note from the hospital and at the Airport we still had to pay a 500 baht per day fine. 6,000 baht. Expect that, have cash. You exit visa will be red ink. Which means overstay.