Tarragona

Sorry, but I have a doctorate in speech and hearing sciences, specializing in audiology.  I do think I have enough background to speak with little authority on the subject.

A myth, not at all a myth. Secondly if you have a language delay, how can one recieve instruction? This is what leads to the learning delay.

The studies that I draw my knowledge upon are not only based on imigrants but also hearing children born to deaf parents and deaf children born to hearing parents. 

But I am not here to spend my time teaching langguage development. You can find that information on your own time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I might not have phrased my post very well, I'm afraid, as I wasn't really taking issue with anything you said. Apologies for any offence. It's also a topic on which I've done some research though not to your level.

I'm not completely against corporal punishment for extreme disciplinary cases but it is utterly abhorrent as an approach to dealing with learning difficulties.

Bilingualism does not cause learning difficulties (Dakhar has pointed out possible problems with language delay but I'm guessing Thai is the dominant language anyway?) but this is a myth that persists.

The studies you refer to may be those mentioned here:

"Old, poorly designed studies done primarily in the United States claimed to show that bilinguals had lower intelligence than monolinguals. Newer research has revealed several flaws in the studies. The most obvious flaw is that the bilingual children were recent immigrants, with poorer knowledge of English and more stressful life situations than their monolingual counterparts. Newer studies with more careful controls have shown that bilinguals are better at some specific tasks, such as language games, but that otherwise the differences between bilinguals and monolinguals are negligible."

My own daughter went through a difficult period at school where she wasn't turning in work to her teacher and what she was submitting was often incomplete. It turned out that my daughter writes quite slowly and the teacher had cleaned the board before she'd got everything down. There were a few tears but no bruises and any physical punishment over a matter like this would probably have made her clam up and we'd never have got to the bottom of it. My daughter's teachers have all been approachable once they get over the excitement of talking to a farang.

I know you say your wife doesn't see this as a problem but make sure she realizes how strongly you feel about this. My wife thinks it's acceptable for teachers to pinch - but would go through the roof if it caused bruising (just asked her).

I would suggest that you get your wife to speak to the teacher first (maybe pointing out the bruise and asking what happened), with you present but calm. This is not because you should be afraid of her mafia relatives , but just because an angry slanging match will leave you looking like the villain of the piece. See if the teacher is then willing to talk about your daughter's progress at school. If not satisfied, go to the principal. I don't think you're going to get very far if you can't enlist your wife's help though.

Registration: namecheap.com

Hosting: micfo.com (had sites with them for a couple of years)

Maybe a host problem. Their home server is listed as dnadogs.com which also seems to be down.

If it's not a hummingbird, is it consistent with the characteristic of a Sunbird?

I'd agree with p_brownstone. No hummingbirds in Thailand, probably a sunbird.

There's another British Town on Srinakharin, very close to Bangna-Trat, before you get to Makro (that's the Samutprakan side), starting around 3m I think.

I can see my house in Samutprakan. I followed the route around with my daughter to get to her school. My wife can't see it at all - the unfamiliar angle, or something.

There is/was an annual festival at Khao Yai, held at a resort on the road up to the national park. It always used to be in February, 12pm-6am, but there were some changes in the organization a couple of years ago, with month and venue changing. I've been a few times but not since the changes.

It's mostly "peua cheewit" bands but a good mix from the really folky ones to the rock ones to the luk tung/mor lam ones. You can pitch your tent and there's environmental displays, activities for kids etc. The best performances I've seen there were from Malihuana, Mongol Utok, Zuzu and a local Korat singer whose name I can't remember. They have a small stage too where some of the singers do acoustic stuff when they're pissed.

The big minus is the fights that start breaking out all over the place through the evening after everyone's been drinking for six or seven hours. The last time I went there was just too much of it - which is why it was the last time.

Sek Loso will be doing Glastonbury on Sunday, on the John Peel stage.

http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/perf...ndex.asp?id=222

He's on quite early but if any TV posters happen to be there, it'll be interesting to hear what sort of reception he gets.

I must say this is a great thing you are doing for the well beiong of Thai people.

I know the good intentions are there but it's not really "for the well being of the Thai people," is it? It's trying to make the dreams of some Thai women come true - and they may have totally unrealistic expectations anyway. That's as much about economic conditions as the poor quality of the local men.

I'd typed out a long response too and then the power went down here.

So, I'll just add my agreement to most of the points made above, especially that if you're dealing with people from your own community you will probably have to carry the can if things go wrong. Lesson 1 in the culture class should be that marrying a farang certainly does not guarantee a "happily ever after" ending.

Even doing things casually, like RandomChances I don't know that many farangs I'd want to introduce as potential husbands and, to balance things up, I wouldn't want to inflict some of those sweet country girls on unsuspecting bachelor friends. They may not be bargirls but that doesn't make them angels.

I think that most Thai's know the name of their village temple unless they are a little thick. We are assuming it is her home local temple aren't we?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A lot of temples are known by more than one name and it does in fact seem that sometimes even local people don't know any of them. I remember once driving around a particular district in Ubon trying to find a temple that we had the name of. It took ages. People umm and aahed and asked other people and we got sent to other temples. The best thing to do turned out to be asking a monk.

As long as she can tell you exactly where the temple is, I wouldn't be that worried about her not knowing the name

Unemployment compensation in Thailand = mai mee... "no have"

I've an idea for those paying into the government's Social Insurance scheme, unemployment benefit is soon to be introduced. I've no idea of the rates and can't find the relevant documentation but I'll post it if I find it.

It's mostly war between rival gangs of technical school students. I don't think university students are usually targeted. Shootings on buses and at bus stops are not uncommon. If you're wearing the wrong uniform you become fair game.

I was walking out of Central Bangna one evening when people started diving for cover and there was a sound like a car backfiring. I suddenly realized there was a young man on the back of a motorcycle firing a gun into other students at the bus stop. The attackers took off and the others hopped onto their motorcycles and went after them. I've also seen quite a lot of violence in Samrong and Paknam.

Thre reasons are probably all of the things you've mentioned above plus the eye-for-an-eye mentality that feeds upon itself each time another attack happens. But look at the age and background of the guys involved and it's really not much different to gang warfare anywhere else.

Here are four answers by ther jurors that I remember:

1. How could any mother let her child sleep w/ a man?

From the BBC:

A female jury member who had children said she was disturbed by Janet Arvizo's testimony that she allowed her teenage son to share a bed with Jackson.

"Every moment of your day, you're protective over what happens to your children," the juror said.

"What mother in her right mind would allow that to happen? Or just freely volunteer your child, you know, to sleep with someone. And not just so much Michael Jackson, but any person, for that matter."

When asked whether they considered the Arvizo family to be "scam artists who were trying to frame Michael Jackson", one female juror replied: "That thought was there several times."

Even if Jackson is actually guilty, there is also the possiblity that the mother was "feeding" her child to someone she suspected of being a paedophile in an attempt to make financial gain.

At the beginning of the case I felt pretty sure he must be guilty. But hearing from and about that family put doubts into my mind. Jackson is a bizarre, and probably sick, individual but I'm not convinced in this case.

Nothing like a bitter blue - whatever their team.

And actually this isn't about Thailand, is it? Would survive in the Sports forum i'd imagine.

Sad story. Good to hear she is likely to survive anyway.

Slightly OFF TOPIC: I may be wrong here, but I have been led to believe abortion is actually illegal in Thailand...

Can anyone refute or confirm?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, it is illegal.

Well, just checked with the hubby to make sure I didn't miss anything.  He says no way, less than 200 baht.  I will add one thing though; the first time I got my DL here I had my CDL, passport, and housebook with me.  2nd time just CDL and passport.  So if you don't believe me I guess it's your problem, can't convince you.

Beachbunny

I don't think anyone disbelieves you but your experience doesn't sound too much different from most others. Fees are 105 baht for a one-year licence and 505 baht for the 5-year.

As you say, they'll take kittens. My neighbour lost a couple and the monitor even came around looking again after mum had moved them. None of our full -grown local cats ever seem to fall victim. Maybe if they were hungry enough they'd try.

Not "doo-kaas" - he means "hia" (excuse me) or "tua ngoen tua tawng".

The Samutprakan office didn't ask for another address confirmation (only needed that for my first one-year licence) but as has been mentioned that is probably because of the work permit.

The Doc is right too - just the standard fees across the board.

keep an eye out for Seaman Staines on your travels

hes often to be found in the company of his good mate Ginger Marks.

you cant miss them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Aye, that'll be them with Master Bates.

It's a shame that the girl waited so long. If she'd felt able to talk to someone earlier she could have been pointed to somewhere that would still have been illegal but more hygienic. Clinics performing these services can be found quite easily in big towns and at least do not want the inconvenience of their customers dying or suffering serious injury. In this case, the girl was left without even that option. The real tragedy is that she probably didn't know where to turn for advice from the beginning.

From what I've seen in my wife's Isan village I'd say the old wives tradition is pretty much dying out. Very few of the village elders are left from when we were married, male or female, and the next generation don't seem to filling the gap in many ways. In this case it sounds more like desperation than anything.

Sorry, I forgot to answer the question. If this is something the old woman is known for and does regularly she should be prosecuted. If, on the other hand, she was turned to as a last resort and was really trying to help based on her supposed knowledge, she should at least be warned that she will be watched closely in future. Depending on her financial status the girl's family may well take some form of compensation anyway.

We almost had our internet connection cut off because they didn't even deliver the TRUE bill!   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I doubt that's a problem with the Post Office. I regularly have to pay two-month True bills, both phone and Internet. One time, True put a letter in apologising that they hadn't sent a bill out the previous month but it's almost becoming the norm now.

Unless we're talking just about kids again, why would the neighbours want to speak badly about you anyway?