MTS1978

We have one like this. Bought at Makro for 200 baht. Not worth the money. Kills a few mosquitos, but most of them simply ignore it. I have heard good things about the one with the fan that sucks the mosquitos in, but that one at Makro was about 2500 baht, so I tried the cheaper one first. Bad move.

I'm going to buy the expensive one next time we go. The nasty little things go to town on my 8 month old daughter. You might as well hang a sign on her in mosquito'ese that says all you can eat buffet.

I just wanted to give feedback on these contraptions.

I bought, a few motnhs back, plugged it in..... checked it after a week and there was 1 single corpse in it...... just let it plugged in, feeling very sketical, and sort of forgot about it..... looked at it again today, after a couple of months of ignoring it and there are loads of dead critters in there. There is rough 4 sides to it, I counted 20+ deaths on one side...... so I am guessing there is the same on all 4 sides and the few that fell after dying..... so perhaps 100 dead, approax over a 2-3 month period.... that certainly more than I have clap-killed..... and I must admit, I have had allot less mozzie bites lately

for a couple of hundred baht, its well worth a try. Anyone suffering, get one.

Hi All,

Since I started this topic, about 3 months ago, I have lost quite a bit of weight, and I feel much better about myself - so thanks to everyone who encouraged me and answered this thread.

In 3 months, I am down 5kg. My exercise has not been exactly regular - with some weeks doing nothing at all, and others doing 5 nights a week. Likewise with the diet - there's been good weeks and bad, but in general I have been sensible, limiting my intake of carbs and things like carbonated sweet drinks (fanta etc.). The reults have been hugely positive however, and I continue to steady lose weight and get in better shape, and I do not feel like I am starving myself, doing without, or depriving myself of the better things in life - all round, I feel good.

In terms of my exercise - I do an hour routine, approximately which involves about a 4km fast walk / jog (takes about 20 mins) followed by a few reps of cunches, leg lifts, press ups, stnading press ups, and a few stretches (altogether about 50 reps of each). It gets me sweating, gets teh heart beating, and I am feeling teh benefits.

Encouraged by my results, I am wondering / considering about taking things a step further i.e. not just to get into a healthy BMI range, but actually get myself in shape so I look reasonably good: flat stomach perhapswith the shadow of a six pack - firm pec's, noticable (not bulging) bi-ceps etc. Seems more healthy to aim for that, rather than to aim for a bmi 25 and then slowly slip back into old habbits.

So, my question is - if I wanted to see visible results as described above, what sort of BMI should I be aiming for. I am an above average build - not quite broad and stocky, but certianly broader and heavier boned than most.

Many thanks to everyone!

I am 100% Thai and was born in the north in Sakon Nakhon and my family was rice farmers. I have 3 sister and 1 brother. My father worked very hard as did my mother to make rice to sell and they live very poor however pay for my family education. I am now a Professor in Bankok and the other of my family are also doing well. I was member on this site many years ago however I did not look for a long time and now only cannot remember my last user name so I make a new one. One of my students say I should read it again and so now I am doing it.

..................

One person post (or I think more) about Issan people are to lazy and only want hand outs and maybe this is true of many but same time this people shall come to Issan and work in our rice fields in very hot wether and try to sell after to get good price. Maybe they will know that not all Thai people are lazy but I do know in many other country have a welfare system and many people who want to get free money can do and many are ok to work but only lazy. In the north we have not a lot of opportunity to get good jobs so many have to move from the family and try to get job in Bangkok or other city. This also is not easy because the elite that hire the people forget where do they come from and ask the people what experience do you have? The people cannot answer because they have no experience only to make the rice etc.

..........

Khun Geeraphun,

As I have clarified in another short post, I did not mean to say that ALL Isaan people are lazy, specifically I meant all the ones who sit around and do nothing except complain are lazy.

You are an excellent example of the point I was trying to make. Your kids will grow up to called "Bangkok Elite" etc. because your parents worked hard so you could have a better future, and now their grand children will probably have an even better future........ there is nothing stopping any of te rice farmers from doing what your family did, or at least trying to do it....... but most of them won't.

Apologies to you personally for implying that any anyone from Isaan is automatically a lazy bum - that is what it sounded like, but not what I meant :jap:

In certain ways, your people (Thai, Isaan) and mine are very similar, and your fmaily and mine are very similar....... we both come from a background where:

• the majority blames everyone but themself for their problems
• our family worked hard to improve the life of their children
• we are now living away from where we were born, and are quite sucessful in our professional life

As a Thai person, from Isaan, can I ask; do you think you deserve your sucess, and do you think that you should have to share it with anyone who didn't try just as hard as you? As a farang, I do not.

Generally - I like Thailand just the way it is. I am here by choice, because I like the place..... of course it has faults, so does everywhere, but on balance it is a pleasure to live here.

"I have spent plenty of time in Isaan, where the allegedly disenfranchised poor come from. The sit around, all day, doing nothing, wiating for a handout...... bums, the lot of them. They have ample oportunity to work, but choose not too, deciding instead to complain and moan about the rich people in Bangkok."

That is one hell of a generalisation, I have spenat a lot of time in Issan and its surrounding areas, and there are some people there who work very, very hard..

Yes, it is a "hell of a generalistation". I don't mean that everyone in Isaan is a uselss bum (although I did say / infer it "bums, the lot of them". More specifically, my comments were aimed at the ones that continuously cry poverty - and there are lots of Isaan people working very hard both at home and throughout the country.

I would like to add further to my previous post - lots of men and women up that neck of the woods are "retired" by their mid 40's claiming they are "too old" to be productive (they mean too lazy and figure they should be able to kick back like the paper cut out characters they spend all day watching in the painful soaps on channel 7)...... meanwhile their counterparts in Bangkok (several of my ocmpany directors, for example) continue to work well into their 50's...... as we do in the West (into our 60's) - doesn't take a PhD in maths to figure out that a working life of 40-45 years will yield more reward than a working life of 25-30......

BTW - I am well off topic here, so I'll shut up now.

I will be very happy to see him back.

This government has done nothing for us. I think that corruption is the number 1 problem here from small time street vendors right up to Government officials and Army allowing drugs to come into my country. When they let them in, they get richer. The way to stop or at least begin to stop corruptin in Thailand is to give good salaries and so people can live good life. This way there will be less chance of corruptions. When my childrens come from University they can only get low paying jobs. If children can finish University and get a good job that give them enough money to live a decent life then it will help their journy in life to take the middle path and go away from direction of corruption.

I am 50 year Thai and think government must start with:

1. Education at International standards for ALL Thai. Not only rich. English language must be good.
2. Good health care for ALL Thai people.
3. Thailand MUST have good internet if we want to compete Internationally.
4. Labor standards to be set so people can be to make good money for future
5. Stop corruption in Thailand at the same time as raising salaries.
6. Stop drugs here and even if people need to die. The drug dealers will know a law and if continue then they know have death penalty.
7. Have better anf fast system set up to help victoms of disasters because it seems to happen more these days.
8. Make peace with our neighbours even if it mean to give temple rights away in Cambodia and allow access for tourist.

I also have many foreign friend who complain about the visa rules etc so maybe if government can take the fee for visas and apply it direct to Education or war on drugs then the foreigner can feel good about where the visa money goes.

I know in the world all government have corruption but when Thaksin was our PM he did not hide it like many other governments. I can accept this. Maybe if Abhisit have more money and experience he could have done the good job but it is proved that he did not and he have his chance already.

To give an idea of my persepctive: I have been married to a Thai for 10 years. She is from Isaan, a very poor village. I live and work in Bangkok, and receive a salary comapred to a western salary. On this salary, I am very comfortable and compared to most of the country, I would be consdiered "rich". I am not an authority on anything, but I do know a LITTLE bit about what I am talking about.

Your suggestion that raising salaries would reduce corruption is a laudable one, however I believe it is somewhat naive. Moreover, raising everyones salary (from the Isaan guy working on a building site, to the 7-11 girl, to the uni-grad) will raise the base price of living, and everything will go up with. Many international companies choose to operate in Thailand because the country has sufficient infastructure to be effective, and low enough labour costs to be economical.

I have spent plenty of time in Isaan, where the allegedly disenfranchised poor come from. The sit around, all day, doing nothing, wiating for a handout...... bums, the lot of them. They have ample oportunity to work, but choose not too, deciding instead to complain and moan about the rich people in Bangkok. Yes, there are lots of rich people in bangkok - but there are lots of rich people in London, Paris, and New York too. I have quite a good job, and make good money...... because I had a good education...... because my parents worked hard to give it to me (they are not uni-grads)...... and their parents worked hard to put them through school so they could get decent jobs...... and their parents fought in World War II and / or emigrated leaving their family and friends behind so they could better provide for their off spring. Moreover, the education and social systmes in my home country exsit because of the taxes paid by my productive fmaily, not from the wasters that windge and bitch...... so, because of the efforts of 3 or 4 generations, I have now reached a point where I could be called "sucessful" ...... no one "gave" it to me, it was earned - my sucess is te cumulative effort of my families efforts; but there are people out there that think I should now share my pie with others, who can't be bother to bake their own?

So, the so called "poor people" who will not get off their ass and work their way out of poverty need to start pulling their weight. From the fruit of hard labour there will be rewards. Our maid is a young lady from Isaan - we emplyed her because her english is quite good and she is quite intelligent, capable of following instructions...... this is because her mother (mother of 4, husband dead) has gone her entire life, doing without, and making sure her kid finsihed school..... unlike most of the families who work so they can buy another motorbike that will get crashed when the husband / son gets out of his mind on some cheap crappy loas whiskey. So, the girl is a "maid", so no big achievement there right? WRONG - she is earning money instead of complaining about having none.

I honestly believe there is quite a fair share of equity in Thailand - sure there are people with ill-gotten gains..... but it is naive to think that it doesn't go on in every country in the world - just some are better at hiding it.

I am coming from a country where guys with basic trade skills earn as much as universtiy graduates. There is no equity in that. Office workers here in Bangkok earn a lot more money that the national average. Enough to have a nice but modest home, a reliable car, an occasional holiday, etc..... in otherwords, a normal life on par with every other developed country in the World. They are not wealthy, but unless they work hard on top of their qualifications, then why whould they be.. Simply having a degree is not, and should not be a pass to wealth - yes it opens the door, but the individual has to walk through it. Everyone cannot have a Fortuner or Accord..... much less a Merc. Everyone thinks that they are entitled to the better things in life, and no one wants to think of themselves as average ..... but until you prove yourself as above average, then why should you get paid more for it? So I say, continue to reward those who have worked hard and let nature take its course. My fmaily worked hard over several generations to help me get to where I am today - it is now my duty to continue that tradition, and if my child fails in life it will be my fault for not proving for them, not raising them correctly, etc...... no one elses.

This is why I admire the much loathed Isaan bar girls, and the dodgy taxi-bike drivers, and so on..... while people are ridiculing them, do they ever stop to think that these people are doing the best they can to get on in life - and for the most part they do...... So that their kids don't have to do the same thing......

When someone who is semi-literate states that he's tutoring his children then it makes me squirm. If he was an electrician would you want him fixing your wiring? I would never be critical of usual run-of-the-mill mistakes - even yours, although people who are too bone idle to bother with spellcheckers say a lot about themselves.

R

While I personally have a good vocabulary and diction, and I am fairly well spoken and capable of composing texts at levels varying from highly technical, to formal, to casual and sloppy (depending on the mood, context, circumstance, etc.) i am by my own admission borderline illiterate when it comes to spelling etc. and typo's.

I am not the type of person that can "teach" - I am simply not cut from that type of cloth, however if my personality was amenable to it then my level of English is more than adequate to tutor a Thai youth. I work with very well educated Thai's (250 of them) for a global company - some of these guys have PhD’s .... some of the admin girls have masters degrees in English and have studied as far afield as Texas...... they cannot get through one sentence without knowing when to use "is" instead of "are", much less distinguishing between when it is appropriate to use plural (Thais) or possessive (Thai's) form. I do know the difference, and when putting together a client report or a formal document or if I were writing a menu I would know the difference between "French fries" and "French fried" ...... but here on Thai visa, unless I was really trying to bolster a point home to some idiot where I would not surrender the ammunition of bad grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. then really its not something I worry too much about. sure I make the effort, subconsciously - I don't go out of my way to exclude apostrophes and what-not but respectfully, I honestly thought you were nit-picking by pulling a guy for plural versus possessive forms, in a thread where we are all basically just having a rant about having to endure the crap that the Thai populous calls entertainment.

BTW - Respectfully, and retrospectively, I withdraw the word "loon" from my earlier comment. I was having 'one of those days' if you know what I mean.

The report states that some parents send their children off to bed [out of the room] when the scenes they judge as unsuitable appear.

Furthermore, it is intimated int he article that this is responsible parenting.

Thailand.

Here goes .................... responsible parenting would be to forego watching such material. Therefore the children would be protected from it and not exposed to it. But then that's being responsible in a land where anyone can do anything without any grain of responsibility.

Equally, the whole parenting issue in Thailand seems to be wrongly angled towards an over indulgence and acceptance of any behaviour. No matter how unsuitable, in appropriate or simply unacceptable. There are examples throughout Thailand of children running riot as infants in shopping malls and restaurants. In deed in any public place where behaviour should be controlled. it is not.

The view that Thais love children is some what questionned whn parents do not wear helmets on motorcycles and balance their toddlers on the handlebars' drive vehicles with the child sitting ina parents lap in the front seat, sometimes the driver's, and almost never use seat belts with young children nor do they have baby seats.

Yet their love for children is espoused though we would deem it to be perverse.

But if the sex scenes in Thai soaps is proving problematical then the hypocracy is self evident. it is the ordinary Thais themselves who parade their very young off spring, say girls of 6, as mini sex symbols. This is scene througout Thailand by way of having youngsters dress as Coyote style dancers. Even worse they are publically paraded, take part in competitions where they dance in an erotic style.

This pedophile buffet seems to be condoned, encouraged and approved on the one hand and yet 'sex' in your face, whether it be topless in Bangkok or suggestive on TV causes outrage.

Thai society can not have it both ways. Or do they think that as long as it is their child that they are dressing in a sexual manner it is OK, but for some one else to highlight such an image via a TV show is unacceptable.

Little girls in high heels, rahrah skirts, tight fitting bodices and sun glasses, is the stuff of pedophilic wet dreams.

Little girls shoul be allowed to be just that and not leap frogged past 8 to 18 by misguided parents.

there is a dark under belly to Thailand. Why do we as Westerners have to ask the obviuos whn all parents rightly should wish to protect their children. Part of that protective act is to safe guard them from an early exposure to an adult world. The Thais fail singularly to do just that.

The TV show has an off button. You can also switch over. But then that is being responsible just as the programme schedulers are being irresponsible.

In real life parents have to decide what is best for their children. No one ever died of TV unless it fell from a great height on their head. But in real life, their is considerable damage being done by parents who choose to dress their children inappropriately.

To correct that you have to be responsible.

Thais are not.

I was going to post a reply earlier with a similar senitment...... Thai's let their little brats squawk and scream and act like spoiled little sh!t's, doing whatever they like without even a hint of repremand or discipline...... this, among other reasons may lead one to believe that Thai's are terrbile parents, and by that measure letting their kids watch these shows is pretty insignificant.

However, I refrained form posting that because I thought to myself; where do I prefer living, here or in the Western world, and what is it about here that I prefer....... and without doubt it is the people. So, if the people are the country's best asset, then the parents musn't being too bad then, right?

I am not saying that they are, or are not good parents. But there seems to be a bit of a paradox there, no?

white run down concrete walls. space between walls and windows so that the AC costs 3x as much.

Not a problem if you don't have a/c

My last months electricity bill was 690bht

My wife previously lived in a corrugated iron hut in the jungle with no doors, windows, back wall, furniture or running water.

I can assure you, she thinks our current home the height of luxury.

Compared to most expats in Thailand who live in a one room condo, it is.

When i drop off my kid to school and see about 40-50 expats everytime.

More than half of them are driving a honda accord or better (up to 10mil baht cars)

40% are driving low model like city and jazz, of the year

and 10% are driving old beat up cars.

I doubt most of the people driving honda accord or better are living with their 2-3 kids in a 1room dump

And I am a landlord of 2 condo units in a prime area who drives his 25 yo rusting Corolla and park in the project, turning eyes of security and maintenance staff alike...

A good friend of mine back in the 'real world' works for an oil & gas company, and makes disgustingly high money..... they have a huge house, tastfully decorated etc. but actually does not own a car and his mrs drives a honda jazz.....

Here in Thailand however, I think it is a truism that people driving a new accord or better generally are not living in bed-sit condos with their family of 5.......

I think you can have a nice home and money, but a crappy car...... but less likely the other way around...... in general.

In general (lots of generalizations here) most of the expats I know live in decent places, appropriate to their needs...... i.e. single guy / couple with no kids a 1 bed condo at a lower sukhumvit address.... people with kids in a 2 or 3 bedroom place...... or people like me, in a decent 300sq.m+ house in te suburbs or higher sukhumvit......

Its only the TEFL teachers that are shacked up in a mickey-mouse back-packer grade flat...... and nothing wrong with that either......

The concept of maintainance does not exist here. Pure and simple.

They just let stuff rot and break. That is the way here.

Same as with cars. That's why you see so many second hand cars for sale. They ALL need work.

They rather spend 4 mil up on a new car than maintain them.

thanks - you saved me the bother of typing it......

I am married to an educated thai, educated because her degrees are way ahead than what an average thai would have the ambition to acheieve. However, i am extremely concerned on how to provide a good moral environment for my children as they grow up. The neighbourhood where i live, has about 8-9 houses (of about 40) dedicated to be known as "mia-noi" houses. The kids in the locality are a bunch of robotic humanoids... and any kid in the age range of 15-19 is a complete nuisance to man-kind.

Plus - the thai soap opera's ! Frankly - i cant seem to find one thai show which is worth the time for kids. I often tutor my sis-in-laws kids (eng+maths)... and often treat them to animal planet / discovery / CN.. and they seem to have developed a somewhat dis-taste for thai TV !

Long story cut short - thai's are a mother load of creative skills... and its time the folks running the parliament did something about their education system. At the end of the day - Education improves society.

Well if you are tutoring them in English I hope you lean how to distinguish between the plural form (Thais) and the possessive form (Thai's), and that the word is a proper noun that requires capitalisation (Thais not thai's).

R

So you finally found something to make a point about.....

Don't you just hate nitpicking pedantic loon's that sift through forums like TV searching for gramaitcal errors etc.

Frankly, I think Thaksin is a <deleted> - but the one thing I would say to his credit is that he "weilds" power rather than pandering to it. He is no ones puppet, and is a true "leader" (albeit it leading in the wrong direction perhaps, probably.

Each channel can put up its own devoted soap channel, and the main channel has to carry documentaries in place of the soaps. They are all a variation of a theme that is excruciatingly repeated over and over again. It really is a case of opium for the masses. A little bit of fantasy is ok, but 1 1/2 to 2 hour hour shows every night on every channel is taking the p**s. No wonder the men are all out on the razz chasing girls, they actually know that watching this nonsense will fry their brain.

If there is one thing any politician can do for the country it would be to ban this nonsense from TV forever. I know there is an element of people who say that constitutes censorship, but I take this crap to almost be a threat to the national psyche.

.

I frequently get my balls broken about "you're never at home, always out"..... bla bla bla..... I am glad there is someone else out there that agrees with me. I mean really, this <deleted> starts at 8 or 8.30 and goes on until 10 or 10.30..... afterwhich it is bed time..... so my ptions are: (1) come home, have shower, eat dinner, put child to bed then suffer this crap for two hours, which I don't understand and dare not interrupt - or (2) don't bother coming home, go straight to cowboy.

when I suggest that it is boring for me to sit there like a cretin in the corner, or go to bed at 8pm and watch something else in the bedroom I am told "that is what normal people do" ...... no, sorry, it is not normal - half an hour per day, or maybe twice a week for 1-2hrs I could live with, but every day for 2 hrs....... is it any wonder I prefer to be "on the razz chasing girls".....

I'm amazed at all the strong feelings expressed about how terrible these programs are - and I fully agree - but no one mentions the solution? I mean what's the point of being the "rich farang boss", in a country where the man of the house is supposed to be the boss anyway, if you don't control what's going on in your own house?

I've been the head of three households involved with raising children, and haven't allowed broadcast television in any of them. We have a monitor hooked up to play recorded videos, so that the adults can control what the children see. The only choices presented for the children to select from are more or less educational, and certainly don't feature violence or traumatic drama.

I have occasionally permitted staff/girlfriend/wives to have their own TV hookup, but only in a private room, nowhere I or the children would be exposed to it, and the bill's paid for out of their own personal spending money/wages and only to be viewed when they're off the clock.

And the kids are in bed with the lights out by 7:30pm

I agree compeltely.

I go absolutely nuts when my wife / nanny / mother in law or otherwise switches this crap on in the day time, when my 4 year daughter is subject to it. My wife can do as she pleases..... as can the others, but they are not going to let my child be exposed to it - at least not while I am there anyway. "Daddy, when did that lady slap the other one" ...... "well princess, its because her sister poisoned their daddy so her disfunctional thwarted boyfriend could take over the family company, then she can leave her loyal and honest but demure husband for this slick <deleted> because that what winners do..... her daddy, sister, and husband are actually loosers and we know this because she and her boyfriend are cool and sexy while the others are boring and dry"......

Initially, my Mrs. took exception to me asking nicely to change the channel while my daughter was around..... she went absolutely balistic when I walked over and switch the tv off, unplugged the true vision box, and disconnected the power cord, and took that away with me so they could not turn the TV on again. And when the mother in law objected and I pointed at the door and said "there's the door, use it if you dont like" well the Mrs went totally into orbit..... " you can't talk to my blessed mother like that" citing all the Thai cultural crap about repsecting your elders etc. to which I replied "its my house, and I'm not Thai - while under my roof if she cannot extend the common decency to respect my wishes and rules with regard to my daughter, then I am afraid I do not respect her either" ....... suffice to say, such an issue was made of the matter that the rubbished is not viewed while my child is around - and I've bribed my child to "report" to me if it is on while I'm not there.

I've long held the opinion that any normal, healthy, well adjusted human would never even think of shagging his brothers wife, or best friends mother, or anything of the sort..... much less do it...... or even consdier it. These ideas are "planted" in our minds by these rediculous soaps..... be it East Enders, Coronation Street, or some Thai drivel..... and all these disfunctional story lines are always jsutified by some incredulous mitigating circumstance like "she always loved him, since they were kids..... she just realised it now, so its ok to shack up with her brother-in-law" ...... NO IT IS NOT OK. I have no idead what the actual story line is in this particular soap, but I can almost gaurantee it is some variation of this pathetic scheme.....

The violence and all the other crap is just a by product of this abnormal inhuman behaviour - a symtom or consequence of starting down the road of insanity.

The whole bloody lot of it should be banned...... I mean the so called "violent" movies, porn movies, sci-fi adventure movies are not exactly "good" either, but we know it is make believe; no one really thinks that Luke Skywalker is actually a Jedi or that Hobbits exist, or that short little fat bald men can eaily pick up 2 birds at a time and have rapant wild times in bed with 20 year old models...... but these soaps are trying to emulate real life, and the reality is that real life has been juxtapositioned and is starting to emulate this crap..... young people get the seed in their mind that this is normal carry on, and hence go forth and copy it.....

Disgraceful, infantile crap - the people who put it on air should be shot nad those who write and produce it should be strapped to a low table, naked, and mounted by a rabid dog horny dog dog..... because that is what their twisted minds rate as ok and thus deserve it.

Go have a look at Panthip Plaza on Ngam Wongwan, on 6th floor they are several shops selling cowboys and indians memorabilia.

I thought Pantip was all IT & electrical stuff? I'll check it out anyway, whileI'm trying platinum.

Cheers for the tips.

Boy that is a great idea - don't let people drink at work, especially in the factory. Now that they have come up with a good idea perhaps they can repeal the no sales of booze between 2 and 5 pm law the reason for which has stumped people since its inception.

The 2-5 law is so that School kids only get drunk at lunchtime and on their way home after class...

......because the kind of shop owner that will sell alchohol to underage kids, obvisouly would not break the law by selling between 2-5pm. I think its a great law.......

I think your OP budget sounds ok, as a starter..... with a couple of caveats / comments, and highly subjective to your expectations.

• How you "allocate" the funds will probably be different..... for example 2400 for utilities is unrealistic. But the bottom line is the same.

• "Support" a girlfriend - how do you mean, eactly? You mentioned "decent" girls - well a "decent" girl (as in not a bar-girl) will have her own job and will not you to "support" her. Convincing her to "shack up" with you however is another story...... it seems to me that the reason you "love" Bangkok is the women...... which is perfectly ok..... but the rules of the game when it comes to dating and building a relationship with a women is every bit as complex here (probably more so) as it is back in the west. Elaborating here is beyond the scope of the query posted.

• In your OP, you did not mention your age, social background, profession, etc. I mean if you are a 55year old retired / retiring "unskilled" worked that struggles to make ends meet back in the uk, hapy to grab a cheap ber at a road side venue, and always goes for the bargain basement things in life (no disrespect intended), then 85k pcm will get you by very nicely. But if your a mid-30's professional, used to living an "easier" life with all the mod cons and amenities, and expect to spend your days posing in Thong Lor or hanging out at the Hyatt Erawan wine bar with your i-pad, and picking up a similarly skilled young and attractive professional Thai lady, then I'm afraid 85k is a bit lean. More still, if you are a 20 something, just out of uni, and are looking to spend a couple of years floating around bangkok etc. then 85k is MORE than enough. What ever catagory you fall into, do not forget about things like medical cover - as an expat, you need it here unless you want to go to some grotty little governement hospital......

To quantify and / or put things in persepctive a bit. I'm in my mid 30's and would consider myself a "3-4 star" kind of guy. My rent, car, and subsistence comes to about 80k a month for me, my wife (Thai) and daughter (toddler)...... that excludes phone, international travel, social, clothing, child costs (school, toys, kiddy items like pushchairs etc.) etc. I would add about 30-40 k pcm for my social life and occasional shopping. If I were a single guy looking to pick up a nice girl etc. as you desribe I would budget about 100k. But that is for me, my standards, and what I am used too...... some say exorbitant..... I think its a good compromise being the better things in life and the rediculous..... but everyones standards will differ, and each to their own.

HTH

PS - BTW, there's nothing wrong with a "good" bar girl...... providing she is "caught" early in her "career" and not already "damaged" beyond repair (socialliy and mentally). Not the most noble of origins, but we're all people.....

My wife and I are going to a themed "cowboy" night.... drink, dinner, party, etc......

I don't have the first clue where to find an outfit (either in whole or part).

I want to keep it economical - I don't mind spending a few thousand baht, but I'm not going to splash out 5000 on a pair of genuine cowboy boots that's be worn for one night, if you see what I mean.

Hints, tips, suggestions, experience, all greatly received.

MTS1978: to your original post query, I wouldn't recommend it. I would also strongly disagree with your statement that during preschool, quality of education isn't important.

bbradsby - I should rather say that the quality of education is not as important. By that I mean, my child can count up to 50 and backwards from 50...... there's still learning to count to 20 in her class...... that's not poor teaching, it is just that I "teach" my child a lot at home; number games, correcting her grammer, etc. So, for me & my family, the "curriculum" is not so important right now, but she is moving into "reception" next year, which is where things start to get a bit more serious, as such.

All - thanks for everyones replies. We have dcided against Berkeley - on the basis of some of the negativity towards the place that I have uncivered in my research, I have a preference for a british curriculum anyway, and the place is a bit too far from my house..... individually none of these are decision making factors, but combined it would seem the place is not right for us.

Thanks to everyone.

...... What good will tablets do for the students? .......

For the so called "bangkok elite" it will be handy for facebook......

For the so called "disenfranchised", computer literacy and internet capability is an essential life skill - it will make their likes ploughing fields and growing rise and working as labourers on building sites so much more productive!

Its an outstnading move, well planned, well thought out, and with the most noble of intentions behind it..... to buy votes!

The sad thing about this is that all the poor cretins whose vote is intended to be bought with this shameless tactic will actually believe this BS......

Why not stay with Charter. It has a good reputation, and she is already accustomed to the school.

There's no way to say this without it sounding crappy .......

She is in a small class which is shrinking. When she started there was an almost 50% ratio of 'luk krueng' students. For me, it is very important that she has a strong western influence in both her home and school life; that influence needs to come not only from authority figures, but also from her peers. Her teacher next year will not be "western", which has meant many of the parents (particularly of the luk kreung kids) have decided they are going to move their kids on ...... and a couple of them moved on earlier this year too. Their feeling is that a "western" school should have "western" teachers, and I do not deny that I would rather she was taught by a british / american / australian teacher...... but by next year, it seems there will be very few (I actually think none) luk krueng / westernised kids left and the teacher is not western either. This worsening situation is not acceptable to me.

It is a pity, because Charter has both good credentials and a good reputation - she is happy and settled there ....... but.......

For a child that age, imho, one of the most important elements in his learning to learn environments is quality personal interaction between the child and those around him.<br><br>Have you both as parents been positively interacting with him whenever he is awake?

<br><br>Making every waking moment counts toward his early development in seeking your approval and your qualified input, whatever those might be, while guiding him under your wing.

<br><br>If I were you, I would definitely be looking for the same qualities in nursery environ, whatever or wherever that school might be.

<br><br>Short of that, I would rather keep my precious kid at home hanging around me 24/7.

<br><br>And that is only one man's opinion and expectation.

  Am sure there are many other opinions around, while still other parents might seek external confirmation as well.<br><br>Surely hope and pray that you would emphasize quality over fame and fortune....  LOL  <br>

Thanks for the reply.

In principle I agree with your post - to make every minute count with a young child etc. - and we do. However it is (almost) equally important that a child interacts and learns social skills with other children, of their own age, and younger/older. School is the ideal platform for this, as well as forming the basis for more serious numerical and literacy education in a year or two.

At this stage, we are planning ahead for our childs education when she starts really learning..... at the age of 6 or 7..... and she is in school anyway.... so we want her in the right place now, such that her early childhood friendships etc. don't need to be broken and all the benefits that come from a familar routine and einvironment. Moreover, it can be difficult to get a child into other schools as they get older. We are already paying a small fortune for school fee's (or child is a "farang" child) and so I may as well have her in a "good" school, as a "not so good" school...... for the same money.

I am aware that at her age (4yrs) the quality of education is not so crucial, compared to the personal interaction learning and all that - it is the foundations that we are laying now for her later learning that I am planning for.

Its really a case-by-case type thing really, and there are two scenarios:

1. Planned.

2. Unplanned.

If we are talking about an older bloke, in a long term relationship (be it with a Thai or farang lady), then I think about 50 is the upper limit that one should "plan" to have a child - but ideally, 40 or less. My reasoning for this is as follows: my "life plan" is to be finished "fathering" children by the age of 35. I figure this on the basis that when they are say 15, I will be 50 and still youthful enough to enjoy "activities"...... by the time they are 25 I will be 60..... by 35 I will be 70...... and God willing at those respective ages, I wll still be youthful enough to enjoy any grandchildren that might come on the scene. Moreover, as I muture - retire in my professional life I will be well positioned to financially support them through their education and young adulthood. I am in my early 30's, while my father is in his mid 60's - to be honest, he is past is sell by date and would not be capable on magaing a 15yr old child, much less supporting them financially...... that being said, I know some 65 year guys that would be well capable of it...... hence why I say "case by case".

Conversely, if we are talking about some old geezer who is knocking around Pattaya or similar and suddenly decides it would be a good idea to get his 20 something Mrs. knocked up...... well that's just stupid and irresponsible.

Unplanned - well it is just that, and all a bloke can do is his best to atone for his "mistake" - whether he's 25 or 65....... the older the bloke, the less excusable, because he should bloody well know better.......

Notwithstanding the above - if someone is "planning" to have a child later in life, then really there are many factors to consider. I mean be realistic about it..... and the man-woman relationship is important to consider. In my view, if you are in (say) your 50-60's and you've picked up a girl in a bar in her 20's and suddenly your in love married and planning babies, then really you have to ask yourself will your lady-love be hanging around in 10 years when your in your 60-70's and shes in her "prime"...... however the same 50-60's bloke (assuming good health and a young outlook on life) with an early-to-mid 30's wife, in a long term relationship, and is in a good financial position..... then it is a bit selfish for the guy to deny the lady her chance to be a mother.

Just my thoughts......

Hi All,

My 4 year old child is currently attending 'Charter International School'. A colleague has recommended / suggested I look into 'Berkeley Insternational School'. I have done a little online research, and what I have found seems to have negative undertones, suggesting that it is a fancy but superficial school, with no real certification by any international education associations, and no real pedigree with regard to their 'so called' international curriculum.

My wife did pay them a visit, and said the place looked very nice / impressive, however that does not mean it is a 'good' school.

I would appreciate anyones input / experience / opinion about the place.

Thanks in advance!

Many seem to forget that the law will also prevent the over 50 men to marry any Thai women over 40 years old.

I have met many foreigners that marry older Thai women closer to their age......

Its a good point - I am 32, my Thai wife is 31......

If I were to divorce & remarry, then I would look again for a girl close to my age..... a 22-23yr old bar girl is a contrary creature..... 22-23yr old 'any-kind-of' girl is a contrary creature. I would prefer girls / ladies in the 27-28yrs old+ catagory. At that point that have started to realise that "love based on beauty, soon as beauty, dies" ...... they are more mature and eralistic in their expectations, and better people for it......

Genuinely, I beleive it to be a fools folly for a bloke 50-60 marrying a 22-23yr old girl..... taking money out of the equation, with such a disparity in age, there is a disparity of expecation - one is winding down in life, the other just getting started...... but at the end of the day it simply boils down to the state interfering with the personal business of indivuals, and thats just wrong.

I do however agree that it would be a good move that both parties divulge their full credit and financial history - I believe it would be in the best interest of farang's governements to know their citizens are not be extorted, and in the interest of Thailand to know their citizens are being cared for properly (beause these is always the "risk" that they will go overseas with their husbands, where 400k is not alot of money!).