Mango-Guy

That's very rare for a Thai (especially an educated Thai) to not understand the value of money !!! What does "part of the deal" mean ? Could it be that you live in a location that she is less keen on ? I know (educated) Thai women in the UK that work / run business here while there family is in BKK precisely because the $ signs are ringing in. Maybe she just misses Thailand and wants to go back regardless of money in international terms.

I love reading posts from the few Thai women that dare to enter the Farang Pub, but I don't think "being a Thai woman" (a qualifier that appears in almost every posting) necessarily makes the poster an expert on Thai women.

Just as my being a farang does not make me an expert on "farang men" - either way it's just too broad a subject.

Spee, that's good advice. Thanks. Khun Maa is quite a good one - I'll bounce it off wifey. After NK's comment, it's great to hear not everyone has such cynical view of their Thai family.

Dak - the odd thing with your thinking is that you have put all this time into becoming an audio-ologist phd, and your company, and just as you are heading for the growth phase, you're thinking of semi-retiring. As said before, MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES, you have plenty of time to slow things down in Thailand.

martin - that's a cool website for your homestay business - hope it's going well

Kwanadjo what an excellent answer.

One related question to the forum, what do you call your partner's mother (in Thai or English), everyone in my wife's family and close friends refer to her as "Maa" but I don't feel comfortable using that expression.

Serious answers please (but jokes will be tolerated)...!

I'd definitley aim for as much Western education / language as possible as the kids will pick up the Thai culture / language just by being there. It's almost a losing battle for an LK to become fully Thai as the farang parent will always be an achilles heel - the better aproach IMHO is for the LK to be raised as an international person (which she is and which is a competitive advantage) that has near native credentials.

200 years - in a previous life

Stroll, that's an interesting point about money. We HAD a Thai friend for a number of yeards, but we got tired of the constant requests and guilt-tripping about borrowing money - especially when we were short ourselves. It was a shame to let a friendship of many years go, but constant money requests (even though we would eventually manage to get repaid) turned things sour.

I was going to write a sarky comment following on from Shopgurls convulted theories about (sheltered) Thai girls gravitating towards farangs, but thought I'd start a new thread on the subject.

I don't believe that so many Thai guys are gay or near gay. And I wonder about the true extent of their infideities.

However, I don't really know any ? How about you expats, have you managed to make any Thai male friends (mates, buddies - not boyfriends !!) Maybe brother in laws or something ? How about Thai speaking farangs, do you have Thai male mates?

that's FOUR rules duke! glad I'm not your tailor

The 64-million baht question is how long have you and your gf been together? If it's less than a year or two, then what do you expect ?! It's wrong to generalise on Thai-Chinese, but they do tend to be more affluent, and therefore like affluent people everywhere, a bit more protective of their young-uns.

I didn't have any problem reading your mega post, though writing in paragraphs would make it easier. You hit on most of the negatives in Britain but what about the positives:

- great pubs, great beer, great laughs

- food from all over the world (if you're in London)

- fantastic motoways, beautiful country lanes

- honest coppers (generally)

- long summer evenings

- crisp winter mornings

- "jumpers for goalposts" (fast show)

If you're in your 20's you have plenty of time to do whatever you want. Spending a year or two in Thailand would be a good idea, and would at least make you stop wishing you were there, but stick to the beaten track like BKK, Pattaya, Chiang-Mai. Learn the language, that way you won't need to keep yapping about Golden Balls to your brother in law. You could even try living in both places: 8 months in LOS and 4 months in UK (for work). Loads of opportunites as time is on your side.

PS: Next time you're in the wrong when driving, try saying SORRY. I cut someone up a few weeks back, he pulled beside me to slag me off and I just apologised - I mean it WAS my fault. Totally disarmed the guy and made us both feel better.

Good poll !

I paid around 8000 B per suit (quality tailor) last time. You definitely get what you pay for. No need to bring material, but bring pictures/samples of the style you require.

Mango!