alaina

Joy of Cooking thirded (or were there more with that recommendation?) It will tell you how to make most anything, explain it well and it's reliable.

For those with a bit of an odd sense of humor, I like this book (which also has party planning tips)

A cookbook that can recommend what to cook someone if they've just been released from jail and other occasions that cookbooks don't cover.

Rosetta Stone - very good course material, and uses computer. Photos/repetitions to learn Thai. Highly recommend it, however quite expensive if you buy the legit software.

I've heard good things about this program and it is made in just about every language out there. It probably wouldn't have any nonsense BG conversation in it, but do they tell everybody to say "krap"?

I've never taken a class here... seems that every time I'm about to sign up for one, something happens in Thailand that makes me consider leaving and I never sign up. Now I'm thinking that signing up for a class is bad luck, so I don't. I'm hardly fluent but I'm okay in many conversations.

But, I find that speaking Thai with foreigners that are fluent or Thais that have struggled to learn English is really useful and I try not to tune out when friends are speaking Thai to each other. A few places that I've lived on the outskirts of Bangkok did not have English street signs, so I learned to sight read a bit and know some of the alphabet from that. (The smart traffic signs in Bangkok are also a good way to pick up some reading skills too.) Watching movies (that you've already seen) in Thai can also be a fun way to learn a few things.

The hardest thing is pronunciation and few people really know how to teach that. Most foreigners I know learned it because they had to because they lived in remote places that did not have many English speakers. Maybe make a few trips out to the provinces with a dictionary and see what happens.

A friend of mine brought me five different varieties that were sold for southern Florida planting. I have tried every combination I could think of. I had them in pots, in beds of potting soil and in the ground and in pots full of regular ground soil. They all germinated well and the plants looked great. They blossomed and formed fruit. When the tomatoes were about marble size the plants just shriveled up and died. I didn't want to use chemicals but I even tried that. NO LUCK!

The Florida varieties (Floridade, mostly) are what I'm trying to grow now, and I've had problems with blossom drop for the past two years trying to grow from seed sold locally. I've even pollinated the plants with paintbrushes in the past.

I grow in containers, so I may try to bring the plants in at night. Any other suggestions welcomed as I really miss homegrown tomatoes.

Narantiwas soi 24 is not too far from Wireless and has plenty of apartments on it: Oakwood, Bangkok Gardens, Belle Park and plenty of others. New Sathorn International School is walking distance (less than a block) from any one of them. Their Kindergarten program is good and there is also a gymboree on that block.

A snob is usually someone with more expensive taste and a rube is someone with less expensive taste.

Personally, scotch is completely different than whisky to me and I've never acquired a taste for scotch, but I do like whisky. I'm not really in the market for more expensive tastes so I turn down scotch but order Jameson or Jim Beam when I'm out. Jack Daniels is a little on the rough side for me but Jim seems much smoother. I like Tullamore Dew though, good to know that it's sold here. Sang Som really is rum and tastes like it to me so I avoid it and I swear that it gives a mean hangover (but, there are usually other drinks involved when I agree to drink it too.)

But I miss and always get a bottle of this when I am overseas:

yum

The big question is how many long-term expats here can sing the THAI ANTHEM. And shouldn't we be able to do so?

Of couse, if you can't sing your own anthem then, ya know, can you at least s-p-e-l-l your name on the Visa form?

http://www. learningthai.com/songs/anthem.html

If you know what the words of the Thai National Anthem mean, it would seem rather contrary to its spirit to have a foreigner sing it.

I think that many Americans are a bit hazy on the lyrics of the National Anthem too.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qea45u0QEcs

In school, it normally isn't sung everyday, although in elementary school, other patriotic songs were sung and the pledge of allegiance was recited.

After two years of hearing the Thai national anthem in school now, I can practically sing it word for word, even though I don't know all the vocabulary... But this part I hear loud and clear, " The whole country belongs to the Thai people, maintaining thus far for the Thai."

The location of the school in Bangkok is also important, you may want to find a school before you find a place to live. Many schools are on the outskirts of Bangkok and it's difficult to have your kids commute over an hour each way.

Here's a full list if you want to investigate:

www.english-schools.org/thailand/

Be wary of "religious based" schools. Some are a little extreme in their religious instruction and they are unwilling to take into consideration the wishes of parents.

Edit: BTW, because you have two children going to school, you may want to apply at a few schools that are a little over 400K. Many schools will give you a discount for more than one child.

Honesty is not the best policy at all when it comes to employment situations, and it's rare that anybody gives out a real reason for terminating employment here. Employees will also make up an excuse when they are leaving a job, even if it was an obviously miserable situation. Don't make the maid lose face when you are telling her, even if she will find out later that you were lying. You could say that you are returning to your home country and give her a month's salary.

Not that a part-time maid would go to the ministry of labour, but there are actually very pro-employee laws here. They have been known to support the worker, even if illegal. I believe the law is that any employee employed for over one year is owed one month of severance per year worked. The exceptions to the rule are if the person is fired for insubordination or theft. If you weren't paying taxes on her pay, giving her a month's salary is a good idea.

I agree, overall, the medical system in the US is not good. But if they looked just at the medical care that you can get if you can afford it, then it is among the best, definately not in the 30s.

Of course. The rating reflect ACCESS. If you can't access it, you are DEAD.

Well, Close to 90% of Americans have insurance so it must not be too inaccessible

Nope. 15 percent. France beats the pants out of usa. France has the best health care in the world. America (37th way behind Columbia but ahead of 47th ranked THAILAND) isn't even close.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/07newsre...s/insurance.htm

http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html

Not sure how this rankings list was compiled, but I'm sure that access has a lot to do with it. If you're in need of serious care, well you're particular financial and medical situation are much more important than this list.

I had surgery almost two years ago here in Bangkok, which had to be done here because it was the result of an injury. It was done at a middle class hospital and even at a cost of 20,000 baht, it was a good deal and was done professionally. I've even known foreigners getting decent care at government hospitals under the old 30 baht plan. Generally, if the doctor's specialty is considered prestigious, the care is good.

After surgery in Bangkok, the after-care in physical therapy I received at two first class hospitals was a joke. It was cheap and cheerful considering, but I ended up going to Malaysia for care and was much happier for not much more money (Malaysia is ranked below Thailand by the WHO.) Many more Malaysian doctors are trained in Europe and the level of English spoken was much better than Thailand. I'd recommend that anyone that is injured in Thailand go to Malaysia for follow-up care.

If money were no object and I had a serious illness, I would go back to the US for medical care. Doctors here tend to prescribe too many drugs with bad side effects (I had some bad withdrawal symptoms from one medicine I was given and would refuse to take it again.) Doctors here also tend to hate being asked questions and that can be worrisome. Many universities in the US have doctors that are ranked #1 worldwide in a particular specialty and many foreigners that can afford it come to university hospitals or the Mayo clinic. While I've lived in the US, I've gotten some pretty poor care as well, but there is excellent care available unfortunately money is the deciding factor in getting it.

Nothing from the original poster? Seems she joined just to make this one post:

Joined: Yesterday, 2008-05-04 16:10:57

Last Seen: Yesterday, 2008-05-04 16:58:29

Yeah, something about the wording of the OP makes me wonder if it's a wind-up (not too many foreign women call themselves gorgeous sexy, even if they are), but the discussion has had it's interesting points.

While Thailand has its specific issues as far as the expats it attracts, the problem with being a single female traveler is not just limited to Thailand. Men still expatriate in larger numbers than women, but often for different reasons. I'm generalizing here but I find that a larger proportion of expat men are "dreamers" that want to escape where they came from, where the women seem to move to different places for a specific purpose. (Like NGO work or a cultural experience.) The dreamers and those overseas for a purpose aren't really compatible in many cases. Part of the problem is that as a woman that has chosen to live overseas, you probably want someone worldly but practical and don't want to have to move based on a partner's job. That alone leaves very slim pickings.

While in Thailand, I think it is really important not to lower your standards of who you'll date. In fact, it's wise to raise them a bit even if that means being single longer. (Strangely enough, doing this can also lead to finding more dates.) Having career options, money in your pocket and looking good can make you a target to be taken advantage of or used as a trophy. Take things much slower and be even more careful with anyone that has recently arrived in Thailand; culture shock can change a person in unpredictable ways. Be careful!

The substance in the contamination is called dioxine, a cancer causing substance from contaminated food animal eat or pollution. Many countries have banned these fresh mozzarella from buffalo milk, but not Thailand.

Anyway, anyone wants to try fresh Mozzarella from buffalo milk made in Thailand?

There is domestic buffalo mozzarella in Thailand, I think the brand name is Caroline... It's cheaper than the imports and pretty good actually. So far, I've only seen it sold in small containers that are sealed and dated. More than once, I've gotten some expensive imported mozzarella from the Tops or Villa deli counter only to get home and find that it's spoiled.

Hard to know how silly the guy was without being there. There is nothing wrong with assimilating into another culture, even if it seems a bit forced at first but it's okay to choose not to assimilate too.

The only thing in the story that seems off is that the guy spoke Thai to another foreigner, especially an unknown one. That's where the guy seems smug and there are a few expats that get smug about their level of assimilation. I have foreign friends that are capable of doing many "Thai things" with minimal strain that I wouldn't dream of even attempting. They are friends because they aren't smug about it and they respect that not everybody wants to go native.

I'll also add one other good thing about being on crutches in Bangkok... It used to be a 40 minute ride home in a taxi everyday from work. Often, taxi drivers would refuse to take me, waiting for a few shorter fares to make more money. When I was on crutches, I never was turned down by a taxi, ever. Many even got out and opened the door for me.

Do Thai Girls Really Love Their Kids?

Thai women aren't considered to be "dumping" their kids when they leave them with other family members! Thais often live in extended families in the same house or the same area and are very used to having many people take care of their children. Living as a nuclear family is more popular now but that's a fairly recent development. Some Thais work to earn money in Bangkok and it makes more sense to leave the children with the grandparents instead of having a maid or daycare raise the kids. One Thai woman I know has her daughter outside of Bangkok with her parents and is now having to fight her parents to have the daughter move to Bangkok for schooling.

And as far as the rich are concerned... a lot of kids are being raised by maids because the parents work long hours to provide quality educations for them. It's a shame because these kids often have next to no discipline and feel abandoned by their parents, but the parents are really trying hard to do what they consider is right.

So yes, generally speaking mothers love their children, even if they happen to be Thai.

I injured my foot and was in a wheelchair and on crutches for about four months altogether. It was a pain, but many people do try to be helpful, some end up getting in the way while trying to be helpful and some are just so surprised by a foreigner on crutches that they are just paralyzed in thought and stop dead in your way.

What may be a good idea is to get a condo in a place that has a good convenience store and a few restaurants. If you don't drive, larger complexes also tend to attract taxis and have enough staff to help get you one. The biggest problem will be communicating what you need done in Thai, but I found security guards and maids really went out of the way to help me. If you get a maid, she can help you around the house. Central Chit Lom and some of the Villa markets also help load your bags into your car or get a taxi.

I'm not sure that you want to plan on walking to do errands. The sidewalks in general here are awful and some people will not move out of your way no matter what. The majority of people here will be helpful, but a few will probably be worse than in your home country. A lot of people don't move when you say excuse me and I have had people, mostly children, literally push me out of the way a few times (they did get some dirty looks from other Thais though.) But for the most part, it is a good place to be in my experience if you need some extra help.

Sawittee Malaipan, an entomologist at Kasetsart University, said some foreigners, including refugees and tourists, did not like to take baths and so they attracted the insects.

Things are getting better here for foreigners, she did say, "some" when saying foreigners don't bathe.

I happen to have planned a big month long trip this year, 4 cities in Europe, home and then a few days in Langkawi, Malaysia. Very excited about the trip n general, but the fact that I'll be away during Songkran is a bonus.

Also, it could be you perceive something that is not there.

Gay couples are often very attractive people. So while not giving them "the look" I might be found guilty of staring...

Yup, that may be the reason.

I also have found that many of the gay venues in Bangkok (mostly Silom soi 2, not really soi 4) are not very friendly to women. In NYC, I used to frequent drag shows and lived in the West Village and always felt welcomed, but for some reason I think that I get the look in Bangkok sometimes... But that could be my imagination too.

One school I worked for had translated the curriculum themselves about three years ago and had English books from Singapore. The books and the curriculum did not match well (which isn't uncommon for US texts either) but some of the curriculum was just bizarre. Not sure if it was the translation... but under P5 "health" was only, "Teaching boys and girls the correct gender roles and the importance of following them."

In my class, we had a girl that they were already calling a tom (just as a matter of fact, not in a mean-spirited way) and a few other kids that may turn out to be gay later in life. The kids all got along and were great, so I asked the director what to do about the 'health curriculum". He said not to worry about it so I ended up doing nutrition and cooking instead.

Not sure what to recommend, but the Dusit Zoo is a place that should be avoided. I was there about two years ago and except for reptiles, they don't have many animals, the place is mostly crappy over-priced kiddie rides. The seals tank was the most rancid smelling thing ever (and I've lived in Bangkok) and the animals really did not look well cared for or happy; sad really.

Have you thought about Safari World or Dream World? Never been either place, but I have heard good things about them.

Another thanks makavelithedon, as I have asked anyone and everyone for some clarification and even passed along rumors with disclaimers. I'm off to Cambodia soon because there's nothing that can be done to renew my TL before my visa expires. School's almost out and when I return in May, I get to start the whole process of getting legal again I'm feeling almost too optimistic in hoping the situation gets clarified by May. (And, I almost miss the TRT regime...almost.)

Perhaps someone has become secretly involved already and is slipping the 19 year old some birth control pills

You are trying to be compassionate, but even though what these girls are doing is dumb, it is what they want. We may want to think that they are young and naive, but some people want different things. Most people I know their age, even in their dumbest, most naive moment would not consider getting pregnant by someone that they have been together with for such a short time. Stay out of it, these girls most likely cannot be talked out of what they think they want.