bangkokian

There's also the "magnifier option under "Accessibility"--Perhaps this is not really a solution....

In Windows - Start - Control Panel - Acessability Options.

Also there is the screen magnifier. For browser font increase, hold the CTRL key down and press the +/- key to increase font size. Or, hold the CTRL down and move the scroll wheel on the mouse if it haves it. There is also within Windows text to speech conversion.

Flooding is a major problem there or are there some areas which don't get affected?

Thanks

Anyone knows the ozone level at ampur WANG NAM KIEW in Korat?

Thanks

BKK

Thank You for all the replies.

I feel that schools with rigorous secondary curriculum don't pay as much attention as they should on elementary education--Better go for a smaller school. Distance from home is also a crucial factor. If possible, give your kids a taste of each school by enrolling them in summer schools. Some Schools have two or more summer sessions. You may also want to ask if they would be willing to let your kids sit-in without enrolling for a week or two at each of the schools you have in mind.

Good Luck!

Remembering my own youth, I'm not entirely sure if Thai society is any more sex-obsessed than any other society, but women's rights at least here are far behind the curve of most Western nations.

--As much as I have suffered the malady of self-obsession during my college years in uncle Sam's land, I've become more aware of rights in theory and practice.

It's possible to get a quality secondary education here, but you have to be careful about it and it depends a lot more on parenting and the individual child. International schools are not always the best choices.

I've had a number of Indian private students (Hindus and Moslems) who were studying at the CHRISTIAN schools because, although they could easily afford the true international places, they perceived them as being very loose in regards to sex and drugs. From what I've seen of students from such schools around Bangkok, I'm not particularly impressed with their apparent education, attitude, or behavior.

--International schools can be so unhealthily stratified by CLASS, and I don't mean grade levels.

For tertiary education, it would be better for most foreigners to have their children go abroad, for a variety of reasons- and that can be expensive for most people, even on salaries that are good by Thai standards.

--It can be cheaper to go abroad!

Bang...

"Steven"

No public playgrounds around or very few with crappy and old swing sets.

Trying to cross the street with your kids is a joke as your average driver is a total moron who could care less about letting a person with a child cross.

There is always the difference between rural and urban.

The little girl we take care of (my wife's niece) cycles 2km home from school on her own (unless one of the dogs has gone to meet her). Then she goes into the rice fields to catch frogs, or grasshoppers, or whatever. The she climbs her favourite tree in our garden to find the sweet berries growing there.

Later she helps prepare the evening meal, then afterwards does her homework on the floor. Then a bit of TV (no, not that one, television!). She might take me to see the stars, or the moon, or a particularly large mantis on the wall; or she will catch a grasshopper and bring it to me to see. Then, it's bedtime, and the next morning her magical day starts all over again.

Cheers,

Mike

That's what I've imagined as a healthy childhood....How nice to learn that it can still be true!

In regards to the point that a western education encourages people to think more for themselves. I am not so sure that the obsession in the West with individuality and thinking for yourself is such a great idea. It tends to breed self-obsessed people who spend their time trying to convince everyone how happy/miserable they are.

-- I have to agree with you on this.... As a college student in the U.S. of A., I almost drove myself crazy with self-obsession. No offense, but my Taiwanese friend and I noticed that Asian-Americans suffer from this self-obsessive infliction most severely. So perhaps, Asians should be most concerned about raising their kids in Uncle Sam's land. I'm not talking about academic performances and all. Anyway, maybe it's not going to be as bad for the younger generations of the "globalized" era.

I'd say avoid raising kids in big cities if you can. Bangkok was a much happier and safer place when I was 10, and getting on public buses was a pleasure inspite of the traffic then. Anyway, the transitory years before the arrival of the BTS and MRT were the worst. I'd say there are more activities for children and youth in Bkk than ever before, but spontaneity is rare.

Tried "Maha-Hing" before?

pm mee too na!

Could anyone recommend any newer and reasonably-priced apartments in Chiang Mai for short-term rental (about a month or so) ?

Many Thanks,

Clueless

Tell me more! tell Me more!

There is an alternative to colon irrigation treatment - some Austrian doctor's diet involving a special salt and drinking lots of milk. But the laxative is so powerful that you will be housebound or you gotta buy some pamper-like nappies for adults as when you gotta go, you have less than a minute After one week, you will know when you are likely to feel the call of nature and can leave the house...

I wonder how dynamiting rocks, got in the middle of the list.

--it MAY have something to do with the marble and granite industry.

On Foreign Photographer: I remember seeing an advertisement on service provided by a roving farang photographer--Don't know if she still comes here.

Thanks for your reply. My mom has been there before, but somehow doesn't like it there anymore ... She just said that she doesn't one nurse there.

Thanks for all the useful info here. Good to hear that Phuket is no longer overcrowded. Seismic activity is increasing all over the world, and there are reports that life has not re-occupied the around the crevace and faultlines that led to the Tsunami, signaling that there might be another one on the way. But I was wondering how prepared is Phuket compared to Japan, should another tsunami strike.

Good to hear that things are picking up. I am hearing news about the possibility of another Tsunami--How much of an issue is this?

Thanks

Where to go for acupuncture in Bangkok? My mom is looking for a clean place outside the hossi which won't cost her more than 1000 baht for each session. Is anyone familiar with Dr. Manee?

Many Thanks,

BKK

I was a bit confused to hear an acquaintance--who has settled in Phuket for over 20 years--say that the situation in Phuket is hopeless right now. Is the biz side of things still so bad. I know that the rain and flood in the South must have affected tourism somewhat, but thought that it's not all that bad anymore.

Please shed some light if you can.

Thanks

Any suggestions for apts, preferably newer ones, @ 10,000 Bath or lower a month,(esp ones on the quieter part of Patong)?

Thanks

Shame to all those rip-off tailors. I can only hope though that this won't make y'all scorn all the Indians. We've been ripped off quite alot lately by your regular Thai-Chinese biz owners, but of course, we don't go bashing all Thai-Chinese.

They are simply illegal alienns and mafia wanna-bes, or else they won't get caught so easily.

IMHO= In My Humble Opinion.

That's my best guess.. was confused too when I saw it the first time.

Yap., rotis and nans are better than rice as far as ndian food is concerned. Yeah Kl has got lots of indian stuff for real cheap. What about Penang?

In terms of spices a quick trip to Kuala Lumpar should be enough to offset the cost there.

I can buy a bag of green cardamom, carraway, black cumin, bay leafs, onion seeds or fenugreek for around 20 baht each.  Turmeric and all the other ground spices are avialble for as little as 5-10 baht a pack there.

For me a good Indian restaurant is all about the breads, I always order 1 of each type (must annoy the chefs a little) but I love the textures.  In around 15 years of eating Indian food, I have never eaten it with rice.

In regards to the Tandoor, I have often thought about making one myself - Would be interested to know if restaurant owners buy or get them custom made.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just a bit more na... You can actually get cheap indian food at the stalls and shp houses in Phoa Rat, but they are often oily, and may not be hygenic enough for many readers of Thai Visa.

I am quite convinced that in general food in Laos and to some extent Vietnam must be better tasting than what you can get here due to availability of better local ingredients. can't wait to get a taste of Indian and all other food there.

Bon Apetito to all