shopgirl

Are you looking for something different and fun to do with your young children? KIS would like to warmly invite you and your family to join our ‘Jungle Picnic’ on Saturday 9^th March from 10.00am-1.00pm. The picnic is open to all families living in Bangkok with young children and the planned activities are ideal for children aged between 2 and 6 years old. There will be a scavenger hunt, arts and crafts activities, games and snacks and drinks.

The entry price will be Bt 200 per family. A free courtesy van will run to and from the MRT at the Thailand Cultural Centre, exit 2.

Reserve your tickets today via email [email protected]

In a word all you need is skype. I have a London phone number that I pay a small fee yearly to have from skype so that my family have a local number to call me on. I pay 7.99 a month and can call 40 countries unlimited including mobiles to most of them. I then have an internet sim in my phone with unlimited data so that skype runs 24/7, so that when I'm not at my computer calls go to my mobile as skype is installed on both.

The beauty of this system is that my bill is no more than the monthly subscription from skype and dtac which totals around 12 quid, I can call pretty much any country I want for as long as I want whilst on the move, and I'm always contactable by my family on a number that is not expensive for them.

I know there's numbers you can call from the uk to have 1p a min etc and cards available here in Thailand so that you can call, but nothing gives you the freedom like the system I have in place, and am really stumped as to why people even bother doing it any other way.

If I am in Thailand already and the party I want to call is now in Sierra Leone, how do I set this up? What kind of sim do I need in my Thai mobile in order to run Skype on it (Sorry I am totally clueless!)? I have not assessed yet whether blackberry will work in Sierra Leone. If it does, I will more than likely upgrade my Nokia to a Blackberry in order to use bbm.

Eric at Dolmai garden in Chiang Mai has one and has had it for 3 years and it is battling - does not like the climate too much...it's hardly grown at all. However, he does have a load of other plants used in cooking that are thriving including curry bushes, cinnamon trees (3 varieties) and a heap of others.

Thanks for the tip. I live in Nam Phrae on the canal road. Anybody know any good services in that area? I need a full service - they must have own equipment etc.

Try http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Organic-Farm...-Kitc-f142.html however most gardeners will have to come from word of mouth not much on it on this forum but you may get a member replying reccomending theirs

Might be an idea to post the area you live for local reccomendations

Can anyone recommend a good, reliable and reasonably priced gardening service in CM? I have one supplied by my Moo Baan already but am not happy with it. Will take suggestions gladly.

Thanks.

Can anyone who has built their own house please recommend a construction company? We found a good, reliable architect and have been happy with his service but his construction quotations are too high (we believe) and want to shop around and see who else is available and at what price.

Thanks. :-)

My advice is talk to several architects and find out whose style of work is similar to what you want, and also find someone you feel you can connect with. Put Jadet Lotoman on that list and find him at the Garden & Friends shop right next to the now open Global House. Some architects can be very inflexible while others truly do want to please you, the customer. Best of luck!

Well written... that is right on ...since you are in thailand many get kicked back by plugging in thier builders,millshops , landscape design crews etc etc you pay more to get typical substandard thai materials built with choppy little rooms sometimes . ask to see /talk to previous clients that are happy where you can go and see the architects work ,most important talk with owners ... more than one..

then and most important get their real cost for their end of the design work.

I was using one for a condo, and found out that if the total cost is under 500K, that there is a 25% F factor that is added on to the bill. If over 500K, then the F factor is 15%. And yes, you do have to worry about kick backs. I made the mistake of telling them that I wanted the work to be a maximum of 300K, and behold, the quote came in at 300K! I was not impressed with a 50K baht quote to put plaster on some walls, but they had to make up that 300K some how. Needless to say, I did not use them for the construction, only the design.

Good advice - many thanks.

You should talk to Khun Daeng at May 37.

He is an excellent architect; a local man who has worked all over the world including the US and UK including hotel projects.

He has lectured in architecture in the USA and speaks fluent, technical English. He is also an extremely nice man.

Thanks - this is very helpful. I checked out their website and it looks promising.

I would like to know if anyone has used a reliable architect in Chiang Mai for either large scale construction (e.g. hotel or spa) or for residential purposes and can recommend their services?

Don't forget about Prem Tinsulanonda International School in Chiang Mai - International Boarding School, accredited by both the Ministry of Education and by the International Baccalaureate Organisation. Later this year they will be accredited by CIS and NEASC - www.premcenter.org

In the absence of a dedicated 'pinned list' of International Schools in Thailand that people can either send their kids to or in the case of some English teachers, apply to, I have decided to establish one here. Hope it proves useful and if I have missed any, feel free to add to the list.

BTW, I have only listed those which are either:

* Accredited by the Ministry of Education and International Organisations

** Accredited by the Ministry of Education Only

BANGKOK

Advent International School of Bangkok - www.aisb.ac.th **

Anglo Singaporean International School - www.anglosingapore.ac.th **

Bangkok Adventist International School - Tel 0 2381 9406 *

Bangkok Grace International Primary School - wwwgrace.ac.th **

Bangkok International Academic School - www.bianinternational.com *

Bangkok International Prep School - www.bkkprep.ac.th **

Bangkok Patana School - www.patana.ac.th *

Bromsgrove International Primary School - www.bromsgrove.ac.th **

Charter International School - www.charter.ac.th **

Ekamai international School - www.eis.ac.th *

Everclever International Kindergarten - www/wells-school.com **

Garden international School - www.gisthailand.net **

Harrow International School - www.harrowschool.ac.th **

International Community School - www.icsbangkok.com *

International Pioneers School - www.pks.th.edukevalee **

IPC International Kindergarten - www.ipcthai.com **

Kavalee International Day School - Tel 0 2916 7594 **

KiddyKare International kindergarten - www.kiddykare.ac.th **

Kids Academy International Pre-School - www.kidsacademy.ac.th **

Kincaid International School of Bangkok - www.kincaidbangkok.com **

KIS International School - www.kis.ac.th *

Koboto International Kindergarten - Tel 0 2391 1720 **

Korean International School of Bangkok - www.kisbangkok.com **

Lady Bird International Kindergarten - www.ladybird.ac.th **

Learning Home International Kindergarten - www.trinitycorp.com **

Lord Shaftesbury International School - www.lordshaftsbury.ac.th **

Lycee Francais international de Bangkok - www.lfib.ac.th *

Melodies international kindergarten - www.melodieskinder.com **

Modern International School - www.misb.ac.th **

Montessori International Kindergarten - www.imc.ac.th **

MulberryHouse international Pre-School - www.mulberryhousepreschool.com **

New Bambino International Kindergarten - Tel 0 2381 1866 **

New International School of Thailand - www.nist.ac.th *

Niva International School - www.niva.is.ac.th **

Pan-Asia International School - www.p-asia.com **

Park place Internation Pre-School - Tel 0 2728 2003 **

Prep International kindergarten - www.prep.ac.th **

Ramkhamhaeng Advent International School - www.rais.ac.th **

Rasamai International School - www.rasami.ac.th **

RC international School - www.rcis.ac.th **

Redeemer International School Thailand - www.rist.ac.th *

Ruamrudee International School - www.rism.ac.th *

Sabaijai International kindergartden - www.sabaijai.com **

Seeh Pheenong International Kindergarten - www.spn.ac.th **

Shrewsbury International School - www.shrewsbury.ac.th **

Singapore International School of Bangkok - www.sisb.ac.th **

St John's International School - www.international.stjohn.ac.th *

St. Andrews International School - www.st-andrews.ac.th **

St. Mark International Kindergarten - www.stmark.th.edu **

St. Michael's International kindergarten - www.smiinter.com **

St. Stephen's International School - www.sis.edu *

Talents International Pre-School - www.talents-preschool.com **

Thai-Japanese Association School - www.pjas.ac.th *

The American School of Bangkok, Sukhumvit - www.asb.th.edu *

The Early learning Centre International Kindergarten - www.elc-bangkok.com **

The First Steps International Pre-School - www.thefirststeps.ac.th **

The Regents International School, Bangkok - www.regents.ac.th **

Topsy Turvy international School - www.bsbangkok.ac.th **

Trail International School - www.trail.ac.th **

Trinity International School - www.trinity.ac.th **

Wells International School - www.wells-school.com **

OUTSIDE BANGKOK

International School Bangkok (Nonthaburi) - www.isb.ac.th *

Concordian International School (Samut Prakarn) - Tel 0 2336 1155 **

St. Andrew's International Kindergarten (Samut Prakarn) - Tel 0 2774 4769 **

Thai-Chinese International School (Samut Prakarn) - www.tcis.ac.th *

Thai-Sikh International School (Samut Prakarn) - www.thaisikh.com **

The American School of Bangkok (Samut Prakarn) - www.asb.th.edu *

International School Eastern Seaboard (Chonburi) - www.nok.co.jp *

International School of Pattaya (Chonburi) - wwwisppattaya.com **

The Regent's School (Chonburi) - www.regents.ac.th *

St. Stephen's international School (Nakhon Ratchasima) - www.sis.edu *

Meta International School (Nakhon Pathom) - www.metaschool.ac.th **

American Pacific International Kindergarten (Chiang Mai) - Tel 053 365 303 **

American Pacific International School (Chiang Mai) - www.apis.ac.th

Chiangmai International School (Chiang Mai) - www.cis.ac.th *

Christian german ChiangMai School (Chiang Mai) - www.office.cdxgm.orm *

Grace International School (Chiang Mai) - www.gisthailand.org *

Lanna International School (Chiang Mai) - www.lannaist.ac.th *

Nakornpayap International School (Chiang mai) - Tel 053 304 5735 *

British Curriculum International School (Phuket) - www.bcis.ac.th *

Phuket international School (Phuket) - www.osi.org **

Garden International School (Rayong) - www.gisthailand.net **

St. Andrew's Internationals School (Rayong) - www.sp-andrew.sc.th **

Adventist International Mission School (Saraburi) - Tel 036 344 875 **

Prep International School (Pathumthani) - www.prep.ac.th **

Siam International School (Pathumthani) - www.siamschool.ac.th **

Newattaphume International School (Lampang) - Tel 054 324 596 **

The wife reads Tarot and would be happy to take your money. You can frequently find her levitating in the middle of the Airport Plaza food court.

Ha ha! That made me smile...will keep an eye for her!

i'm a carrot reader ...

Sorry I couldn't resist.

More seriously... " decent fortune teller" sounds like an oxymoron to me.

No worries! It was for a bit of a laugh anyway.

A friend is interested in finding someone in Chiang Mai who comes highly recommended. I don't know of anyone since I have never been to one before! Would appreciate advice.

Thanks!

Hi

trying in vain to find a really good pizza in CM! ok, 30 pages to read, going through it...slowly.

why does everyone rave bout Giorgio's?? the pasta was overcooked and the pizza was small, the cheese tasted nasty and the olives took all night and the following morning to digest.

Piccola Roma Palace is dreadful. The owner/chef rude, pasta overcooked and could not taste any garlic or wine in the sauce, and the pizza tasted like it was a microwaved kids food. You pay for the decor, not the food.

ok, let's try... a real large flat (not one inch high) pizza, light and crisp, with tomatoes, mozzarella some oregano and pepper. how difficult can it be?!

btw best pizza so far in Thailand is Pan Pan in Pattaya/Jomtien... so good even my thai wife misses it! amazing.

buon appetito

rych

Try Bournissimo - turn off the Super Highway toward Prao and it is up the road on the left hand side (before you get to Rimping)...their pizza is really yummy!

had a great meal yesterday - again - at Buonissimo on the road to Chiang Rai, with owner Sergio. they also do some italian fare in their little supermarket. pity the place is divided in several stages, outside, downstairs, upsatirs, private room and diners are all over the place. food good though. wine cellar is impressive. had a meal with my wife, one starter, 2 mains and 2 small heineken for 550 baht. good deal. ask for billy, great waiter!

This is one of my fave places to eat - very reasonably priced, consistently good and cheerful service. Love their breads and desserts too! They make a mean pizza and pretty much everything I have tried has been very good (and I have eaten there a lot!).