sylvafern

Hi berries,

I have a son similar to yours - he's two next week and his speech is definitely further behind his peers (he's in daycare at an international school). It's just as you say - just when I get excited about some new thing he says, I hear a child younger than him speaking in perfectly pronounced sentences! I'm forever getting paranoid about it and worried that he has special needs (!) but everyone just laughs at me and tells me I am being paranoid and to give him a chance! His language development really came along when I took him home to NZ for two months recently - he was immersed in an English speaking environment - but the downside of that was, without his dad there speaking Thai to him, by the time he came back he'd stopped using (and forgotten) the Thai words he was able to say before the holiday. Whenever I hear other toddlers from English speaking only backgrounds speaking much better than him, I just tell myself that, even if he can't speak properly in either language, he has excellent comprehension in two languages which those other children don't have. Besides, like others have said, it really does depend on the child. My mum said she was really worried about my youngest sister because she didn't say a word until she was two, but when she started speaking, she spoke in sentences and missed out all the other stages.

sylvafern

I also agree with most of the posts and think you really need to assess the whole situation before taking it further. Consider the situation you put yourself in carefully .... a university student going on a boat trip with a man old enough to be your father (I don't really get why you were helping him in the first place, to be honest) and (going by your other posts) seem to be quite confident and flirtatious (you're comfortable "flirting" and discussing about how 'well hung' another TV member is in your search for a man in another forum) plus, as you state yourself in your other topic, you're about to be on TV. Perhaps this man was flattered by an apparent interest by a young uni student and just thought it was a date and that you were also coming on to him - it could be that it was just a misinterpretation on both sides. However, in saying that, I definately don't condone his behaviour and if you said stop, then that should hhave been the end of it then and there. Once you told him to stop calling you (I assume you did), then that should have been the end of it. But unless he did do something that seriously affected you, I think you really should weigh up all possible outcomes, including the effect it may have on you personally (is it really worth the time, money and energy to take revenge on this guy?)

You don't know what you're missing out on! Bang Saen is a horrible place!! Well, that's what I think but of course I'm biased towards Samui. On my first ever trip to Thailand I went to Krabi which I loved, Koh Tao is nice but because I'm not a diver a couple of days was enough. Unfortunately due to the whole full-moon reputation of Koh Phangan which I am so not into, I have avoided ever going there due to obvious mis-conceptions that the whole island is catered toward druggie raving types! Also, no one has mentioned Samet if they want something closer to Bangkok and reachable in a few hours.

Just to let you know, Indy has gone to a new home and is very happy there.

Thanks for the info ... still trying to decide whether or not I'll upgrade to a new car and had decided that, if I do, I would get Jazz but then saw the Tiida so thought should find out about it as well. Looking for a hatchback and there's not too many different styles here in Thailand (compared to when I was back home in NZ).

Hi does anyone know the starting price of the new Nissan Tiida hatchbacks that I've seen popping up around Bangkok? That part of the Nissan website is in Thai and I can't seem to navigate around it to find a price. Thanks.

The owner/boss of the Kia Garage/Sales shop on Ekamai (corner of Ekamai Soi 6) speaks excellent English. It's where I take my older Sportage for service - perhaps he would be able to help you with information on newer models.

So much more romantic than the way we met which was drunk on the dance floor at the old Santa Fe pub in Chaweng, Samui!!

Other than the ones mentioned in the other thread, I've never come across any other places in the 8+ years I've been here, apart from Mrks and Spencer's which are a bit pricier but sometimes worth it if it's all you can get. There's a bigMarks&Sparks at Central Latprao (3rd floor inside the Central part). If you've just been here a short time, you'll soon learn to stock up big when you visit your home country! Last weekend I had 5 loads of washing to do after returning from a trip home!!! Although I also got quite a bit from Singapore where they have more selection, especially British brands (e.g. Dorothy Perkins which I noticed had size 20's).

Indy is male and 9 months old. His vaccines are up-to-date but he has not been neutered yet. He is playful and good with children so would make a great family pet. He would be happy in any house where he would get a lot of attention which I am unable to give him. He gets on well with other dogs although he loves chasing cats (he terrorizes mine) which is another reason I am finding him a new home. He hardly ever barks and he's not yappy like little dogs often are.

You might be able to tell from the photo that he only has one eye. This does not affect him in any way at all and it is hardly even noticeable due to his long fur and dark markings where the eye should be. It just adds to his character!

If you decide to adopt Indy you would need to be prepared to groom him at least once a week (however this can be done at a doggy salon for 200-250 baht per time) and continue with his training as I have not had enough time to train him properly (he learns quickly, though).

If you are interested, please feel free to ask questions or PM me if you’re keen to come and see him.

Thanks.

there is a new small chain of stores called FAT STORY for bigger sized clothing. some of it is really nice too, and very reasonably priced. they have shops in bkk, phuket and chiang mai too i think.

Hahaha .... there is also one in the market next to the Mall Ngam Wong Waan inventively called 'Big XXL' where I've got a few skirts good enough for work at for only 200 baht each. Luckily I don't offend too easily or the shop names would put me off!

I read through the whole of the other topic tbefore reading this one and after reading your first posting in this thread, in my opinion there's not much chance of the relationship developing. Years ago I met a guy who was basically a beach boy and he had a girlfriend in bangkok. he was open about it and I wasn't the first he'd been with but supposedly was the first he really fell for. I don't doubt that he had strong feelings for me as they really did seem to be in the air (or he was a good actor!) but when he wanted to visit me at the same time as visiting his girlfriend in bangkok there was no way was going for that. It was in my 'wild' days so I wasn't looking for a relationship anyhow and I didn't even fancy him all that much so it was easy to make the decision. Something I didn't really think about at the time and maybe you're not thinking of either is what about the girlfriend - while your relationship with this guy might be open, is hers? If it's not, then think of the hurt she might suffer when she finds out about you? If they planned to marry and it's her parents got in the way (which is possible as I've seen it happen before) then they must have been in love with each other and could very well still be.

If you are just starting your degree then the best thing you can do for yourself and your daughter would be to do a B.Ed or a PGCE .... that way you could get a job at an international school and earn a good salary (and gain all the other benefits that go along with it) and your daughter will get free education. Not all schools will employ new graduates, but there's nothing to stop you starting off at a smaller school and working your way up to working at a bigger school with more benefits, or taking on a different sort of position at one of the big schools such as an ESL support teacher, etc, and work your way up to being a class teacher.

Good luck!

Unfortunately people with complaints often have the loudest voices ... that's not to say Whitz's concerns with Patana aren't genuine, but that the majority of parents that are happy will remain quiet. I think that if you only know 7 children leaving at the end of the year from an 8-form entry school is pretty amazing .... there must be around 1000 or so pupils in the primary section.

Every school will have a small number of parents unhappy with it just as they will also have people completely satisfied. It just depends what you want for your child.

No offence to Whitz's concerns, but the fact that his/her daughter was "top" of the class (how was this measured????) a few years ago and is below average now (again, how was this measured???) means nothing as it could just be that the current make-up of her class has a large number of particularly good children and she could possibly be an 'above average' kid in a class full of 'above average' kids. It could be that Whitz's daughter found learning easier at a younger age and is now experienceing difficulties which need addressing .... there's many different possibities for a drop in performance and, to be honest, I doubt it's the result of a whole school attitude.

Is it an SCB card? If so, you may have the wrong sort of ATM card for your needs ... my SCB mastercard electron ATM card allows up to 50,000 baht withdrawal in one day. A regular ATM card only allows up to 20,000 baht a day.

Also, it seems that in some schools the standard of English is not always very high and that hinders the learning pace.

Definitely a misconception - at least at any of the schools that you're looking at. From our PMs, you know which school I work at but I've also worked at a school which is lower down on the rung from these schools and it wasn't the case there either. Even in the schools where there is higher numbers of Thais compared to expats you will find that the Thai children have been in international education from a very young age (about 3 yrs) and most have English skills as good, and sometimes better than native speakers in an academic situation!

I guess one advantage of visiting NIST is that I can see the school WITH the pupils rather than just looking at some buildings and facilities.

On another subject, are books expensive in Bangkok? My daughter reads a lot. Are there any good libraries, second-hand bookshops?

Is there anything worth taking from the UK which you can't get in Bangkok?

I guess books are expensive but I still can't help buying lots! There is a great new bookshop in Siam Paragon Shopping Centre with an excellent kids section, school libraries are good, plus there's the Neilson Hayes Library in the Silom area (not sure what that's like, though).

It's not just a Thai thing - in my experience kids from anywhere do it (primary aged kids, at least) and it's usually an excuse to get out of hard work or that they're bored. I always do the same and make the second one wait until the other gets back.

I had this exact same problem a couple of years ago where, not just the dogs were infested, but the whole house was. Not just the exterior walls, but inside too. When we pulled the couch away from the wall we discovered that the whole back of the couch was covered in ticks. It was unbelievably disgusting and we tried lots of things to get rid of them, but in the end the only thing that worked was having the house fumigated by the pest control people. Not just spraying around the house (we tried that) but when they come in and use the stuff so strong you have to go and stay somewhere else for the night (I'd recommend even staying away a couple of nights). That finally got rid of the ticks around the house and the only thing that worked with the dogs was taking them to the vet/groomers (Doc Love Dog on Chang Wattana Rd) and having them dunked in a special bath to kill the ticks and them being extremely viligent with their tick prevention program. Frontline never worked, especially with our Cocker (like you, our GR was more resistant) so what worked best was to take them both for monthly tick injections at the vets (or arrange the vet to come to you). Since our Cocker died and we now have a Shitzu we don't seem to have quite the same problem and every 2 months seems to work. That and having the grass mowed regularly ... long grass always made it worse. Hope this helps!

There is a brand of bra available at The Mall and Central called Vanity Fair which has a range of 'Big Cup' bras which start at a D cup .... they're pretty much the only bras I've worn for years ... D cup before pregnancy, up to an E-cup during, and only back down to a DD now (much to my annoyance!) They are usually located on a seperate stand with a sign indicating they are 'big cup' and usually have at least 5 or 6 styles available in black, white, beige and sometimes more exciting colours. They are usually between 5-700 baht each. I've bought them from The Mall Ngamwongwan and Central Chitlom, and I guess they're available in other The Malls and Centrals.

There's also a factory shop where I've bought them in my size for around 200 baht .... from another thread Cathyy I remember reading you might go and visit Sheryl in Prachinburi sometime, so if you do, look out for a factory shop at a Shell petrol station about 5 - 10 minutes from the main intersection at Kabinburi (which I remember Sheryl saying was close to where she lives). It's on the road that comes from Bangkok and Nakon Nayok. It also has quite a few other things in the factory shops, mostly french stuff like Guy Laroche, etc. I've also bought Elle brand towels and baby clothes there. Discovered it one day when on the way to my b/f's village near Kabin and desperate for the loo so stopped at the Shell station and got a pleasant surprise!

My son is 21 months and seems to understand English and Thai equally as good although most of the words he speaks are English ... I hope he will become fully bilingual but with his father (who's Thai) working overseas, I think he will most likely be stronger in English. I think the key to becoming fully bilingual is speaking to children in both languages from a very young age. E.g. My son knows all the main body parts in three languages ... English, Thai and Maori (native language of NZ) .... something that many adults wouldn't have a hope of learning as quickly as he did!

One thing i know for sure and that is the child will have the Dutch nationality. My children also have Thai nationality (1 born in Thailand, one born in the Netherlands). I am 99% sure because her mother is Thai.

The advantage of Austria and the Netherlands will be that when you are insured the costs are already covered. And personally i have more trust in a western hospital when something goes wrong.

My experience in Bangkok was good. The delivery is probably 'old fashioned' as not many ways of delivery were possible.

The things i read about delivery and the way to support your wife during was looked upon strange and i had to pressure the fact i wanted to be there.

After the baby was born it was taken away to be cleaned and checked, against our wishes to have the child be put upon my wifes body for comfort. It was done automatically as they never done such thing before, so i had no hard feelings, just a little disappointed. The first time we could actually hold the baby was the next day!

This depends on the hospital and doctor - my experience was not like this. At Smitivej they have an excellent birthing unit and straight after delivery my baby was given to me to hold and he had his first breast feed before he even left the delivery room. It is expensive there, though and anything to do with pregnancy was not covered by my insurance.

poor spoon fed babies.........they'll probably be awful in bed........

oh well......

bina

You did so well until the last sentence . . . which just makes you look ridiculous.

I thought it was funny!

Hopefully the OP will have read enough by now to convince him to try some other foods.

One thing I'm always insistant on is that my son always sits down to eat as I vowed if I ever had kids there would be no way I would be letting a maid/nanny chase him down the road holding the spoon! He was eating mashed up bananas at 6 months, like Bina said, by 9 months was eating a lot of what we were eating (cut up small) mixed with mushy baby stuff and by 12 months hardly ate anything different than us. At 21 months he feeds himself and can use a fork and spoon pretty profeciently and has been able to do so for quite a few months. Luckily he's a good eater, though so I've had no problems with this. If the OP is still having trouble with his son and it's not just because of the parents giving in and giving him what he wants, then perhaps he should be taking the toddler to the doctor for further assessment to see why he can't (won't ?) eat other foods.

This is the first time I've been able to even open the thai visa page let alone log in for the last week (have been trying every day!) ... wasn't sure if the website had shut down or it was some weird thing that I'm not in Thailand at the moment.

Anyhow, glad I can access it again!

As I just said in the 'successful relationships' thread, my b/f just left this afternoon to go and work in Dubai. It was a decision that was made after a lot of careful thought. The main reason he went to work overseas was that it was proving very difficult to get a good, well paying job in his field (hotel and tourism) at the junior level without a degree (he just has a diploma) or contacts in the industry. The main reason we went through with it is so he can gain good experience in the hope that it will lead to better jobs in the future (either here in Thailand or in New Zealand). We also decided now was the best time to do it while our son is too young to remember (in the long term) that his daddy was absent when he was little.

Has anyone got some good advice on keeping long distance relationships alive, plus has anyone had experience being in this situation with young children and how they cope with it (especially making sure they feel like their absentee parent is still part of their life). We'll be in email contact, plus text messages and phone calls and I thought I could send him 'survival' packs about once a month with Thai magazines, movies and packets of mama, etc. Hopefully he will be able to set his laptop up with internet in his apartment and get a web cam so our son can see his daddy and he can see him. (Have thought of other uses of a web cam as well .... but not sure if I'm brave enough, if you know what I mean! )

Anyhow, any positive suggestions and accounts of other long distance relationships would really help right now as I'm feeling a little down ....