BananaBandit

I spent several years in Isan. Various provinces. Some were quite enjoyable, while others seemed like places to escape from — even if that meant marrying a farang. I've been exploring Bangkok recently. My question now is: About what percent of people in Bangkok do you think actually want to be there (other than for the improved job prospects)? Perhaps another way of asking this question is: How often do you hear a Thai person who grew up outside the BKK metro area say that they like Bangkok?

Now go home and get yer ----- shine box!

Is this the epistolary novel about the immigrant from China?

What is the best Thai language book, website or other resource about farang in pre-1900 Siam?

I was surprised to hear recently that a considerable number of Isan natives are actually unable to speak ภาษาอีสาน Such persons reportedly can be found in Surin and Buriram, where some of the population speaks ภาษาไทยกลาง or ภาษาไทยกลางกับภาษาเขมร (In case it's unclear, I'm well aware that many natives of Surin and Buriram can speak the Isan language. But apparently a considerable number cannot.) Might anyone know where else in Isan has a considerable native population that does not understand vocabulary specifically belonging to the Isan/Lao language?

I believe that Thais use "battery" to refer to batteries within cars, computers and smartphones. If seeking batteries at 7-11, I suspect you would see better results if you use the Thai word for "charcoal" (It would be helpful to write Thai script here, but I believe its usage is prohibited outside the language forum.). After saying the word for "charcoal," then specify by using the Thai word for "size" (a two-syllable word beginning with a "k" sound), and then add "A" or "AA" or "AAA."

I wasn't buying (nor do I think she was selling) anything that takes ลูก as a classifier. About the only other thing I can think of is that she was perhaps asking me if I was a ลูกครี่ง (or maybe the ลูก of a ลูกครี่ง) ?

That strikes me as possible, though it seems strange she would not use the more conventional มีลูกไหม phrasing.

Agreed.

It was a distinct เป็น not a มี That's why her question triggered my immediate confusion and subsequent curiosity.

Fair enough. Let's see... I was talking with a middle-aged woman selling sausages and sticky rice at an outdoor market in Isan. After we chatted a bit about her food items, she started asking how long I had been in her province. Soon after that came the เป็นลูกไหม question.

What does that mean? The literal translation would seem to be: Are you a child? It almost sounds a bit condescending. But my interaction with the person asking this question was amiable, so I doubt there was any negative intent.

I'm around 40. I can't think of any change in my lifestyle except that I've started working out consistently and my body has become more chiseled. During the past two or so weeks, I've been defecating significantly more often. Not diarrhea. Just higher frequency. For any of you who have experience being toned, does it make you dump often?

300 baht sounds like a swell deal. Unfortunately, I'm nowhere near Pattaya at the moment. Do you know if government hospitals conduct this test for foreigners?

I can totally picture this. Do you know if the government hospitals conduct this sperm check? Most of the time, I'm not in any area that has clinics geared to foreigners.

Almost 10 years ago, I had a laser vasectomy in the U.S. Three months after this procedure, I had the same hospital's lab tell me I was now infertile. The chances that, after 10 years, things suddenly realigned to make me fertile are pretty remote, right? Also, in case it's ever necessary, how does someone prove he got a laser vasectomy? Do hospitals and insurance companies keep long-term records of such procedures?

Though my own job activities were non-sketchy, the U.S. company I worked for as a remote freelance contractor was reportedly a bit sketchy. In fact, the owner has just been charged with serious federal crimes. And the company has apparently ceased operation. I'm wondering how to get my last month of payment. Do I have any recourse here? Is there some particular organization I should contact?

So if I'm an American based in SEA and have a Thai wife ... Each year, on two separate occasions, I can cross a land border into Thailand, get a 30-day visa-exempt, and then extend 60 days? That's like a combined 180 days each year. Can do?

Might someone be able to point me to the best venue for viewing loanwords from Sanskrit/Bali in the modern Thai / Lao / Khmer & Burmese scripts ? At risk of being annoying, I'd like to emphasize the word "scripts" I want to see how the same word appears in the writing systems of these four modern languages.

How rare (or common) is it to find someone who can write professionally in both English and Thai? By professionally, I mean: logically connected paragraphs, structurally sound sentences, suitable grammar and word choice, avoiding vague phrases, etc.

By far the hardest part of reading a Thai newspaper for me is the front page, with all its abbreviations. Aside from กทม. and สนง. I get lost pretty quick. Is there a dictionary-type list of the most common abbreviations that appear in Thai newspapers?

No, probably not. I'd failed to consider that factor, but it's likely significant.

I visited that link with considerable interest. Thank you for sending. I recall reading some English-language articles in Thai publications with bylines attributed to Thai writers. The quality was good, far better than most examples found in the link you sent. I don't quite understand the reason for such a disparity. Do you know the best link to review English writing by actual Thai professors?

Why is that? I'd wanted to post a question on that particular matter, but I feared a deluge of inane responses from some of the forum's more reflexively spiteful contributors. You don't strike me that way at all. So I'd be especially interested to hear your viewpoint.

Really? I never caught that strong a vibe, though I'm sure Udon has more educated upper-middle class persons than, say, Beung Kan or Yasothon. What particular part of Udon city do you have in mind? I would have thought Khon Kaen is the closest thing in Isan. Maybe because there's a major university with a med school and a bunch of important hospitals. All those doctors have to live somewhere. Maybe they live near each other and raise their kids to become future doctors?