Colonel_Mustard

As a kid I loved Christmas. The lights, the colours, the family unit and of course the pressies. I cannot think of 1 reason why I wouldn't want my son to have those memories also.

Forget everything else, to a kid Christmas is about fun. Sure I will teach him what it's about, but my main motivation is about good times.

Same here.

If your kids are partly Thai and you can afford private education and private healthcare, I think Thailand is a better option.

Otherwise I'd head back home.

Having said that, I guess that depends where home is.

We tick those boxes. Like OP though I often wonder about is Thailand the right place. Anyone that thinks it's black and white - either way - is kidding themselves.

It's not black and white and I have at times thought about it but, all things considered, I believe Thailand remains a better option for my kids at the present time.

If your kids are partly Thai and you can afford private education and private healthcare, I think Thailand is a better option.

Otherwise I'd head back home.

Having said that, I guess that depends where home is.

The cost of the welfare system in the UK is a problem, regardless if it is for natives of the country or immigrants.

Personally I'd scrap the benefit system completely for all except those genuinely unable to work (for health reasons).

Parts of Phuket/Pattaya/Samui would suit you. Other parts not so much.

I'd take your time and travel around and find a place that feels right.

The winner of the member of the year contest will be as we always knew it would be: theblether

The MANO A MANO challenge is something else.

The winner of the proposed MANO A MANO challenge would be the winner of the MANO A MANO challenge, nothing less and nothing more.

Fair enough.

I assume that you would also be proposing such a contest if you were presently leading in this particular poll.

Rules were clear from the start, there isn't really any reason for a change.

I receive parcels via UPS, DHL and Fedex a few times per month and have only once had a problem and that was due to the customs' valuation of the contents. After sending a detailed breakdown, it was all sorted out amicably. Other than that never an issue.

I personally have found BKK Hospital to be the best, though certainly not the cheapest.

Roger that - at least 4 times the cost of the eye clinic. Oh well - the glamorous decor has to be paid for.

Some things I'd rather spend extra on and get the best advice.

Each to their own I guess.

I personally have found BKK Hospital to be the best, though certainly not the cheapest.

The colour of the men who raped her was not relevant to the outcome. To a much greater degree, their nationality is - because it took place in their home country.

I would think it fairly relevant to include a description of the assailants in a crime. Their nationality is unknown, their race isn't. That's why one is mentioned and the other isn't.

I find the Russians to seem a bit cold and unfriendly until you get to know them and then they can be very pleasant people to be around.

I have spent quite a lot of time in Central and Eastern Europe and speak a few of the languages and find Czechs and Poles, amongst others from the region, to be the same in that regard.

Of course there are also some very unpleasant Russians but the same could be said of any nationality.

"Currently a sub-forum of Krabi, but is farther away than Phuket and many visitors transit via PIA. Seems more logical as a Phuket sub-forum."

What has distance from either Krabi or Phuket got to do with it? Khao Lak is a resort in its own right with an appeal to different types of visitors. It is often twinned with either Krabi or Phuket for those who want a completely different experience. Frankly a sub-forum of Phuket is an insult to those in Khao Lak who are proud of its own identity. There are those who would love to subsume it under Phuket but that is more of an admission that Khao Lak is different to Phuket rather than like it.

The point is that Khao Lak doesn't seem to generate enough interest/posts on TV to warrant its own forum, therefore it is always likely to be part of a bigger forum, in this case either Phuket or Krabi.

People are merely suggesting that it more logically belongs as part of the Phuket forum than the Krabi one.

A very nice guy. RIP Stafford.

I adopted my wife's son. It was quite a long process (about 2 years) but got there in the end.

As I understand it, adoption in Thailand is not sufficient for UK citizenship purposes and if I wanted him to become a UK citizen, it would involve us having to relocate to the UK and applying for his indefinite right to remain in the UK before his 18th birthday. As this probably isn't something we want to do at this stage, we didn't investigate it any further.

What's with the balaclava disguise in the first photo, followed by a non disguised photo of the same guy wearing the same shirt on the same day?

It was a re-enactment of the crime. At some stage during the crime he was wearing a balaclava and at another time he wasn't.

The traffic is worse than usual of course but either it isn't that bad, or I have been lucky at the times I have been in that area. I would say on a journey from my home in the North of Phuket to Central it has taken about 5-10 mins more maximum.

I've had problems before as well. Now I have anything important sent DHL or UPS.

I believe a very real syndrome of flying out of high balcony windows or off of balconies exists in Thailand. In Jerusalem especially, but all over Israel they have something called the Jesus syndrome where people get so wrapped up in the religion thing that they end up in the local nut house.

Bit strange that as the vast majority of Israelis are Jewish and therefore wouldn't have Jesus as a part of their religion.

Edit - Just been reading about it on Wiki. Very interesting stuff really.

Not cheap but the Christmas buffet at Indigo Pearl has always been superb. Unlimited food and free flow wine and Belgian beer make it decent value despite the price.

"despite the price", which is....?

Not going this year as we're celebrating at home so not totally sure but think in previous years it was around 2000 per adult (can't remember the child rate but they did have a good set up of food and entertainment for the kids).

Sounds pretty good, so probably going to give this one a try. I've attached the menu and prices if any others are interested (and if I'm allowed to do so?). Its only once a year so a little extravagance required.

It is fantastic and I'm sure you'll have a great time although I see there is no free flow Belgian beer this year. The wines are usually pretty good though.

I'd transform Phuket into Singapore in all aspects except prices, sea and beaches.

Not cheap but the Christmas buffet at Indigo Pearl has always been superb. Unlimited food and free flow wine and Belgian beer make it decent value despite the price.

"despite the price", which is....?

Not going this year as we're celebrating at home so not totally sure but think in previous years it was around 2000 per adult (can't remember the child rate but they did have a good set up of food and entertainment for the kids).

Just a thought. Couldn't you set up your own company and get your current employers to pay your company? I think you would get a work permit as director of the company.

At least I think this was possible when I was looking at setting my company up but that was many years ago and things may have changed since then.

Well, I would have to work, so I could take the chance of getting caught, or give up my plans to come to Thailand.

Or you could get a job that is open to foreigners and will provide you with a work permit.