phuturatica

Bina, sorry to hear you're going through a rough patch. one thing that really help the mr here was getting access to thai tv via the net. seesan tv. assume you can get it in isreal too, it is 5 pounds a month here & has all the <deleted> soap operas as well as movies thai & dubbed in thai. has been a total lifesaver & gives him a taste of home. not sure if it's an option (home internet, laptop or pc to watch it on or access to the site) but if you can, check it out.

Sorry to go off-topic but how do you get Thai TV on your laptop? Is there a program or something to download or a website I can go on?

Bina, I'm sorry to hear about your relationship bad patch! I hope it sorts itself out soon!

Maybe you should hold your hands up and accept you're not qualified to teach what you've been asked to do. I did GCSE maths, i did A level economics, which I followed on to degree level (both had a high level of maths involved) .

Does that qualify me to teach GCSE maths...no!

Should you be teaching GCSE English, unless you're a qualified GCSE English teacher...no!

I think you should pass it on to someone who is qualified to do what they want.

However, you've been asked to do it, so....you may be surprised at how easy and obvious the GCSE English content is (i've worked in secondary in the UK) go for it.........and god bless ya student!!!

I was asked to do it as most of the other teachers are American. and IGCSE is British curriculum stuff. Anyways... I've been doing it for 2 weeks and it's going really well actually. A lot of research was needed but the student is already pretty good anyways, he just needs to practice English language essays. I've actually been emailing my old English GCSE teacher and she has been giving me loads of advice and tips!

He may not be qualified to teach it, but he can tutor it, follow the books and make the student think about task at hand.

I'm a she by the way.

If these were the rules in a relationship I was having with a guy... I'd punch him in the face and tell him to do one!

This is not Relationship rules,more of a Dictator and Slave

I'd still punch him in the mouth though!

I have seen some farang men dressed in the most hideous clothes. I know it all about comfort in this heat but some guys seriously... :rolls:

Smartly dressed for work always looks good and without flipflops also. It makes you instantly look more professional.

I agree, but many guys here aren't trying to impress anyone, and don't even care if people find them offensive. In the beach-tourist areas (including KSR) everyone's so used to this it doesn't even register anymore, so fair enough, back home you can't even enter a shop without shirt and shoes, but that's jsut normal in those areas. Even in the BKK CBD the Thais are usually so surface-polite the hobo-style farang may not even be aware what they are thinking, but from what I hear many don't have any reason to care in the slightest.

As for casual, well I guess it all depends on your age but doesn't anyone follow men's fashion these days? I see some really well dressed Thai men in Thailand and I saw some really fashionable European men when I lived in the UK but here it seems to go out of the window! The only time I have seen farang men dressed well and fashionably is at model shoots I've attended but surely guys should be able to dress themselves like this on a regular basis?

Well even I draw the line here, I think "fashion" is a total crock. The plain classic clothes - khaki & polo, jeans & t-shirt, plain dress slacks and dress shirt (big choice - button-down or not) and normal width tie, these don't change at all over decades for men and are just fine for my purposes, don't want to waste time shopping until the clothes actually wear out.

For example, hardly recent fashion trends, but it's getting hard to find dress shoes here that don't have that god-awful "shit shovel" front end to accommodate splayed toes, and that weird narrow-height style for spectacles, wouldn't touch either with a ten foot pole.

Yes I'm an old fart, but also think unnecessary consumerism based on "fashion trends" is evil for both society and the planet.

I understand what you're saying but it's not about impressing other people it's just about showing pride in your appearance. I think the khaki & polo, jeans & t-shirt, plain dress slacks and dress shirt look fine for casual but that's about it. I think at the end of the day, it all comes down to age. However I have seen some old men in ridiculous clothes and it makes me look twice and go "<deleted>?"

I basically just appreciate a good looking and well dressed bloke. I like men with style. I don't think there is anything wrong with fashion trends. It's just how we are as humans. We have always evolved on our fashion throughout time.

I'm personally a sucker for a fashion, however my style of fashion is not one that is mainstream or trendy at that particular time.

You know I probably don't have much of a right to post in this thread as I'm a woman therefore the way I dress myself is a whole different thing to guys...

However, some women do look at what the guy is wearing (well I do, anyway) and I have to say that I have seen some farang men dressed in the most hideous clothes. I know it all about comfort in this heat but some guys seriously... :rolls:

Smartly dressed for work always looks good and without flipflops also. It makes you instantly look more professional.

As for casual, well I guess it all depends on your age but doesn't anyone follow men's fashion these days? I see some really well dressed Thai men in Thailand and I saw some really fashionable European men when I lived in the UK but here it seems to go out of the window! The only time I have seen farang men dressed well and fashionably is at model shoots I've attended but surely guys should be able to dress themselves like this on a regular basis?

Apologies for lack of replying to all these posts, however my internet stopped working at home (it's sorted now thankfully!) Really nice to hear about your lovely stories.

I really want to make it work, however I think he needs to sort out his own issues first. I'm patient though. Of course all relationships have their ups and down no matter what nationality.

He's gone away back to his home town to have a break. To be honest, the main problem is that he is under so much stress with his businesses at the moment and I can't really do nothing but try and be supportive but he's a quiet man who likes to go into himself when there is a problem so I'm guessing he just needs a time out to deal with all that.

Thank you for all the lovely stories! You know, sometimes I wonder if I can seem myself being married to ANY man of ANY nationality for such a long time! When I see couples who have been together for so long it always makes me smile. Reminds me of my Grandfather and Grandmother who were married for over 70 years!

Not even sure I'm that tolerable for such a long period of time! Hah! Oh well... I'm still pretty young in comparison to some of you ladies so maybe time will tell!

When I went to visit my boyfriend's family in Phatthalung (he lives in the jungle proper) there was a Cobra snake in the kitchen area. I screamed and everyone laughed at me. Some guy killed it and then later on that night whilst eating (I couldn't speak southern Thai at the time) so I had no idea what I was eating but yup... I was eating that dam_n cobra. I nearly died a little inside!

Best bet is to stop impregnating psycho ladies... If this is genuine then barter with her if you can.

That would freak me out! Kill it with fire I say!

Being female an' all it happens to me a lot. And whilst I'm fine to sit and drink with someone, if I don't want them to have my number I just say "mai mee!" or if they're farang I say "Er no sorry, not my style." they usually get the drift...

This is terrifying to read after I was robbed at knife point for 1,700 baht. I'm just thankful and lucky to be alive I guess. RIP all those who were murdered.

I noticed in the general topics section there was a thread asking about having successful relationships with Thai women. Now as a Farang woman living in Thailand, it obviously doesn't apply to me. However I have wondered, are there any of you lovely ladies out there who have had successful relationships with Thai men?

I'm currently going through a bad patch with my Thai boyfriend and would love to just hear some lovely successful relationship stories to cheer me up. I sometimes think it's a culture thing but maybe I'm not so sure. Maybe I'm just not cut out for the Thai guy way of life.

By the way, please don't think of this to be a moany post. I would like to hear happy stories of successful relationships and just wondered how you all soldiered through it.

I have always wondered about the food in 7Eleven... I've only tried the toasties and the mama noodles. Will try some of these suggestions though when I can't be arsed with restaurant malarkey. (I don't have a kitchen in my apartment)

Biggest achievement for me would have to be saving a child from drowning. Never really been in an emergency situation before but I learnt basic first-aid in school. Little 5 year old girl who lives near me was in the same swimming pool I attend and I walked in to the pool side to jump in and she was floating face down. Can't even describe how my heart nearly stopped when I saw her but I just sprang into action and got her back.

Also, her parents are idiots for letting her use the pool unattended when the pool has no lifeguards :rolls: They were very appreciative towards me though and thanked me.

I haven't been here too long so that's all I can think of for now.

I have a Thai friend who is a paramedic for the ambulance service and on his facebook he has pictures of dead bodies. Some of them have no face as they've turned up and the poor victim has had his face blown in by a gun or something. Some of the pictures people are posing with the dead bodies and there are always loads of people about. It freaks me out slightly and I ask him why he thinks it's ok to show that on Facebook and he says "It's just a body." so yeah, I guess it's just a Thai culture thing.

Kinda weird though I will admit.

Keep it clean and watch it for infection. If you see it getting manky in the slightest, see a doctor. I would clean it with iodine every few hours, keep a plaster on it when you're using your hands (eating, washing etc) and then let some air get to it in the evening when sleeping.

Then you have the black guy firing his gun Friday night in the Queen Park area on Soi 22'

A black guy fired his gun on Soi 22?! Tell me more details or was it on the news? I've been in a haze since Saturday night so not kept up with whats actually happening.

Sorrry to hear about this, I know this kind of thing happens anywhere in the world, but the Thai's inability to help a woman in distress is rather disturbing. As for the police attitude - disgraceful.

Pretty hard for the police to catch someone right now, there are literally thousands of people in Khao San during Songkran. They can't find a thief unless they catch him in the act or someone physically holds them down. It'd be very easy to disappear in to the crowd.

In this situation though I'd just refuse to give the anything. They're relying on you being startled and just handing it over.

Easy to say that on here isn't it? In reality I would imagine you would s**t yourself and do as requested when a knife is held to your throat by a drugged up nutter.

Well she hadn't said anything about a knife to her throat in the original post or that she had a clear bag with her money in it around her neck, it had sounded to me more like a stickup where the guy just had a knife in his hand and said give me your money.

Still a very bizarre crime, holding a knife to someones throat in front of so many people.

When I was there I was mainly worried about pickpockets. I just brought a couple hundred baht with me because of that, and no wallet, cause I was worried about something getting knicked in the crowd.

I'm still in shock and disbelief that it actually happened with there being so many people about, but it did. Also this guy had a very crazy look in his eyes and looked wired. He was, without a doubt on drugs so he obviously wasn't in the right mind.

Also them bags aren't very strong and you can easily pull the string off them with a strong tug. He pushed me against the shutter, put a knife to my throat said "Money Money Money!" really angrily and then snatched the bag and ripped it off the string. It happened so unexpectedly yet it was over so quickly too.

Sorrry to hear about this, I know this kind of thing happens anywhere in the world, but the Thai's inability to help a woman in distress is rather disturbing. As for the police attitude - disgraceful.

Pretty hard for the police to catch someone right now, there are literally thousands of people in Khao San during Songkran. They can't find a thief unless they catch him in the act or someone physically holds them down. It'd be very easy to disappear in to the crowd.

In this situation though I'd just refuse to give the anything. They're relying on you being startled and just handing it over.

Easy to say that on here isn't it? In reality I would imagine you would s**t yourself and do as requested when a knife is held to your throat by a drugged up nutter.

Exactly, it was only money... I care more for my life than 1,700 baht. Not worth it in the slightest.

I never take the internet seriously. However I really don't understand the point in trolling?! Apology accepted though (I think I replied anyway)

Sorry to hear that..I hope it was not much money.

Once that seemed to be a safe area, lots of happy people around at anytime, day and night.

Well it seems nowadays LoS is not safe as it used to be..Carry on !

It wasn't loads, just 1,700 baht. I just couldn't believe it! There were HUNDREDS of people around when it happened! No one intervened though or did anything until they'd ran off.

Although it sounds horrible it was probably for the best as the situation didn't escalate. There's been 2 incidents on the news in the past week of people being held at knifepoint one I saw through a drunken haze in a bar last night. Was this it ?

There was also a poor Swedish woman who got shot in Khao San road a couple of years ago for trying to stop a fight between a husband and wife if I recall correctly. Which would put the locals off helping that can remember that.

They must have been really high on yaba to put on a armed robbery in the middle of the crowd...

That guy you're talking about on Phra Athit road was held down by my Thai friends and My boyfriend and I went to check to see if it was the same thief. As he apparently was also robbing by knife point. But it wasn't the same thief... Maybe a friend or part of some knife point robbing gang? No idea.

My boyfriend owns a bar on Soi Rambuttri so we know a lot of the people in the area and after I had gone running down there sobbing to my boyfriend everyone was concerned and went looking for him.

Also the guy who robbed me was definitely high on yabba. Which is actually what frightens me the most. You hear loads of crazy stories of people going psycho on that drug and really causing some damage.

Really frightened me. I still have a little mark/cut where he held the knife to my throat. I'm too embarrassed and scared to walk out showing it so have worn a scarf all day. (I know, I'm lame)

Sorry to hear that..I hope it was not much money.

Once that seemed to be a safe area, lots of happy people around at anytime, day and night.

Well it seems nowadays LoS is not safe as it used to be..Carry on !

Major downer for the OP but at least he's ok.

Dunno how old he is but I'm assuming they had a go with him maybe because he's a bit older.

Are people allowed to carry shit like mace or pepper spray ? I know several girls who carry those stun guns in their bags but I don't know the legality of it all.

PS - just checked OP's profile - couldn't have got i more wrong if I tried. Shit, even more sorry to hear that, luv.

Hah no worries! Most people think I'm male. However yes, I'm just a 24 year old girl so obviously an easy target. Also I had the waterproof bag round my neck which is see through so he could see the money. My fault really, however I guess when everyone else is doing the same and you think its safe cause you're the majority etc. I guess I was wrong.

Sorry to hear that..I hope it was not much money.

Once that seemed to be a safe area, lots of happy people around at anytime, day and night.

Well it seems nowadays LoS is not safe as it used to be..Carry on !

It wasn't loads, just 1,700 baht. I just couldn't believe it! There were HUNDREDS of people around when it happened! No one intervened though or did anything until they'd ran off.