Meg_2003

Poor dog.. I'd donate 500 baht if we could find others who would do the same to be able to raise the full 5,000..

It's disgusting how this dog has been treated by the owners.. It should have been taken straight away. Good on you for trying to help..

Congratulations!!

Shot in the head or chest????

Just another word of warning regarding Nernplubwan animal hospital,

A friend of mine had a baby Siamese kitten. Late night 18th April, The night before Pattaya's main Songkran day, He started breathing very fast and seemed out of breath, His lips started to turn blue so she rushed him to Nernplubwan animal hospital where the girl put the cat in an Oxygen tank for 20 minutes and asked us if he had fallen off a piece of furniture or had a shock. After telling her no, she said that he had a stomach ache and maybe diareahh on the way, hence his fast breathing, and she gave him antibiotics, and inflammitary pills. She seemed more interested in getting off her shift to go play Songkran than properly test the cat and find out why he couldn't breathe properly.

My friend took her cat home, and called me in tears the next day. Her cat couldn't breathe, His lips were blue and he was frothing at the mouth.. She knew that Nernplubwan hospital would be closed as they told her NOT to take him back on the 19th as they were closed to celebrate songkran (No emergency either) So I had to rush her to Muang Ake Vet on Sukhumvit through the Songkran celebrations..

As soon as we entered the vet, they knew this cat was in a very serious condition. Within minutes, his Xray had been taken, and he was placed inside an Oxygen tank before they even knew the cats name. It turned out that he had a very, very serious Virus, which if the cat was left untreated it would be deadly. The kitten had liquid on his lungs, hence the fast breathing. He had to have the liquid removed from his lungs in order to stay alive. Unfortunately, there is no medication for the Virus, and to keep having the liquid removed from the lungs is the only way to keep the kitten alive.

My friend is very lucky that she went to a different vet on the 19th. It's very annoying how they could say he had stomach pains when he actually had very serious lung problems/deadly Virus. Even a child could see that the problem was in his lungs area, not his stomach.

I would recommend Nernplubwan for only Vaccines, ect, Nothing major. They have let me down in the past with one of my animals and now this has happened to my friend.

I do highly recommend Muang Ake. Very professional, hard working vets, who know exactly what they are doing and speak perfect english.

I just bought a Blackberry and also needed a good internet package - I am now using AIS 300 baht p/m Internet package, It seems very fast.

I want to do the same thing next week as i need to go to the passport office in Bangna. I know jumping off at Bangna shouldn't be a problem, its where to get the bus for the journey back....

The bus makes a stop in Bangna ,at a small bus station just before going up the ramp to the Bangkok Chonburi raised motorway . I dont know what the station is called though .

Maybe he needs to get of at the stop 'Central, Bangna'

To those who believe that Bar girls do not pay Bar boys, Just have a walk down Soi Chaiyapoon after 10pm and open your eyes. You'll notice many, many Male Karaoke bars. That is the main place for the bar girls to go after the bars close to go and pay a Thai guy. Those particular places get very busy after 2-3am when the girly bars close, full of bar girls off'ing thai guys. If you don't believe it, Go and see it for yourself. You'll be surprised.

Are you sure the package was sent by EMS?

Theres no EMS Registered mail,

There is EMS Express Mail,

or

Registered Mail.

Did you have to fill in a form before sending it?

The boss died? I have been going there for years, Haven't really been there much lately but the last time I went there the boss seemed normal.. Sad news if it is true.

I bought a low km 2nd hand Limited Edition Fino last week. 1 previous owner, fantastic little runner, 31,000 baht including new chrome wheels. A friend of mine went for the same bike new from Mityon paying monthly. We worked it out and it would have cost him somewhere around 60-70,000 baht. He could not continue the payments and had to give the bike away.

Definitely look around before you buy, We were quoted up to 38,000 for an old 2nd hand fino at one of the larger shops on 3rd road, when the same bike (same year) was in a different shop for 30,000.

For piece of mind I wouldn't bother with the Auctions - You don't really know what you're buying and have seen people having to load the bikes into the back of a pick up because they couldn't get them to start after they bought the bike.

I purchased my bike from a bike shop which is right near the corner of Sophon Cable Soi. I know many people who have purchased there with no problems.

I've purchased new from Mityon before too. Got a free trampy looking Jacket after spending 43,000+ baht there

Good luck!

We just ordered online tonight and we were not charged any delivery fee. Where abouts in Pattaya do you live? We're Central, Maybe they have started to charge for further locations? But we were definitely not charged a fee tonight.

I studied at Pro language on Pattaya Klang this year - Very impressed. Never heard of Progress school though

the last time they ran this type of promotion i got a 50% coupon and bought a 42'' plasma TV for half retail price

Hmmmm. Are you sure? Because the rules state that 1 coupon can be used for no amount over 10,000 baht, so I can't see how it can be used to purchase a 42" plasma TV

See attachment.

the point is it was not in the rules of the promotion, it was not written on the ticket nor on the promotional blurb on the desk, it was simply an afterthought by management to try to restrict the number of coupons given out and they thought they could verbally enforce it.

when challenged they knew they could not and were forced to cave in to the original rule which says, spend 600baht, get x1 coupon

I am sorry, but you are wrong about that. Have you read the rules on the back of the coupon or got your wife to read them for you? It is Rule number 2 on the back of the coupon. The rules are the rules. And it very clearly states, 5 coupons per receipt.

I have scanned this for you to see and underlined it in black.

So, This IS the rule of the promotion, and it IS written on the coupon.

spot

farty

dated

Thank you so much for the link. The video was certainly nicely done... Very moving too. Does anyone knows what the ad says at the back? Wanted to know how they would phrase the last bit after the video of the children singing..

It says something like

"Lives are born differently, but we take care the best we can"

Chiwit (Life) gued maa (born) dtaak-dtaang (different) dtae (but) duu lae (take care) dee tee sud ( the best) dai (can)

Apologies for the weird 'karaoke'

I have already posted this in the Pets forum but haven't received much feedback and thought it may be a better idea to post here in the Pattaya forum since these puppies are in Pattaya.

We took in a homeless dog which gave birth to 8 puppies a couple of months ago. We have managed to re-home 4 of the puppies, and 4 of them are still looking for new homes. Below are pictures of the 4 pups still looking for new homes.

The 3 brown ones are boys, the black and white one is a girl. They're about 6 weeks old, healthy and eating well.

Sorry if this should not be posted in here but I thought this may be a better place since the pups are here in Pattaya.

If anyone is interested, Please PM me. Im trying my best to help these but I'm unable to continue taking care of all these puppies.

Thanks

Update on Puppies still looking for new homes:

3 brown boys.. 1 Black and white girl

Hopefully they have found a nice new home. If anyone's looking, I still have 4 little boys to re-home

The 2 white ones are going to a new home tonight.. 4 boys left

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Puppies-Free...me-t301109.html

And yes Meg, how old are you really?? i thought the Duck would have been beyond your tender years?

I'm 21. You can do the math

Note: They don't ask for ID for foreigners

The School has done her proud, and after only 1 Year.

Not a year yet.. I've studied at Pro for just over 8 months

One more thing that I would like to add, Regarding my observations of my classmates in both schools.

In Walen, The beginner students who did not know any Thai before joining Walen, all had to start at book 1 again after finishing the first book, at their own expense. It was only the experienced speakers who had either been here for several years, or had studied somewhere else previously, who were allowed to continue onto book 2. One student in particular was so nervous about having to read out the to letters to spell out the words in the book, that he knew the Thai alphabet perfectly, but he couldn't speak or understand a word of Thai. I feel that the class is focused too much on the reading out the words, instead of focusing on proper conversation.

At Pro, I studied with a Japanese girl who moved here 1 month before joining Pro Language. She didn't know a word of Thai on her first day. Now, she can have a basic conversation with someone in Thai. She can understand, read and write Thai very good. Her results were shocking. At Pro-Language, we play games.. We have card games, and we are not forced to read through the same book all throughout each class like at Walen. Pro Language is more of an easy going, fun learning class. Having conversations with each other, playing games, Playing hang man to get used to the Thai letters for example. I feel that Pro Language have a good way of teaching the language in a fun way, without making the student nervous.

These are just my observations and my views on what I have seen at both schools.

Apologies for my delayed response, I don't come to check out the Language forum very often.

The title of the thread is 'Where is a good Thai Language school in Pattaya", correct?

The OP is not asking for information on where posters have studied and their reasons for recommending other schools. I did not mention that I had previously studied at Walen as I did not come on here to jump on the 'We-hate-Walen-Brigade', But since you have pointed this out and demand to know the reasons for my recommendation, then no problem! If I had come on here and said "Don't study at Walen! Go to Pro-language", then I would understand your reason for requesting an explanation on why, But I did not. Ok, here goes.

I am going to state nothing but facts here.

Walen is a good school if you are focused on learning to read and write in Thai language. I must admit that it is because of Walen that I can read and write Thai as I can today. At first I felt a little bit like I was being 'thrown in at the deep end' having to read out letters of the Thai alphabet which I had never seen in my life before, but its surprising how fast it comes to you when you know that you HAVE TO read it out to the class. Fast learning. Pro-language uses a slower process of learning the Thai alphabet. For example they will teach 5-10 letters at a time, and stick to smaller words before moving on to larger vocabulary.

However, For the speaking part of the language, I am sorry but I do prefer Pro Language. For example, The first things I learnt at Walen was "This is a pen" and sentences like "This table is not taller than that table, but this table is shorter than that table" where as at Pro Language, the first things we were taught was "My name is (name), I come from (country), I work as a (profession)"

I feel that for beginners to Thai Language, Then Walen is NOT a good choice. For example, in the 3 months that I studied at Walen, I was never taught how to say "Hello, my name is....", the things that we NEED to use in everyday life. The things that we WANT to learn. Basic Conversation. I was never taught at Walen how to tell anyone my name, Where Im from, what I work, or anything about me. So if I was a beginner to Thai language, Then I STILL wouldn't be able to tell anyone anything about me, even after 3 months of studying, but I would be able to tell them that "This is a book"

I feel that students who are keen on learning the Thai language obviously want to learn basic conversation before learning things like "This table is bigger than that table".

At Pro Language, The first few books is Basic conversation, (The things we WILL use in every day life conversations). In the few months I studied at Pro Language, I was taught Self Introduction (Learning how to answer questions about myself and my family and how to ask others about them and their family) , How to talk about mine and other peoples hobbies, what we like to do, what we have done today.. For example "Have you eaten today?" and how to answer. We were taught how to ask for things, the classifiers for everything. We were taught directions, how to ask and give directions in Thai. How to order food in restaurants. What to say on a phone call.. What we need to know when we are out shopping, how to ask for discount, how to ask for a different color ect. How to tell someone we're ill, and how to explain our illness, in thai.

At Walen, I didn't really learn anything that I needed to know for everyday life. For example, I would much prefer to learn how to ask someone what they have eaten today, or if they would like to go shopping with me, rather than "No, You didn't close the door, but you opened the book" (<taken straight from the Walen book)

I feel that Walen is a good school for advanced Thai speakers. For the people who already know the basic Thai conversation. I think it is pretty poor that after 3 months of learning at Walen, my classmates who were beginners to Thai language still could NOT say for example "My name is (name), I come from (country)" .. They could NOT answer any questions that would be asked in every day life.

For myself, I am not a beginner to Thai language, but I just want practice to get over shyness of speaking it in public. Having been here 8+ years, I can understand a lot of Thai, and I know a lot of vocab. I can understand most of the news on the TV, I can understand Thai conversation, but I needed help with getting over the shyness, and getting the pronunciation correct. I wanted to practice 'chit-chat'

After 3 months of studying at Walen, I hadn't practiced any chit chat, and I never got the opportunity to be able to use what I had learnt and tell them that this chair is bigger than that one for example. After a few months of learning at Pro Language, I am now speaking Thai everywhere I go. I have had many, many compliments on how fluent I am.

As I said previously. I apologize to Walen if some of the above is not what you were wanting to hear, but I am sorry, I do not recommend Walen for beginners to Thai language. I believe that when you are learning a language, the FIRST thing you want to learn is how to greet somebody, tell them about yourself and ask them the same questions, to ask for directions ect. How to tell someone you are not feeling well. These are the IMPORTANT things that we need to use in every day life.

One MAJOR big difference between the 2 schools is the teachers. I am sorry, but when someone is trying to learn a new language, I think it is VERY important to have a teacher who speaks your own language FLUENTLY. At Pro Language, my teacher speaks Fluent english. Sometimes I think she knows more English then me! But at Walen, the teachers are NOT fluent English, unfortunately. They have broken English and I noticed that many many times, The teachers were NOT able to fully explain the meaning of something. For example, sometimes when a student asked for an explanation of something they didn't understand, the experienced students of the class had to explain due to the teacher not being able to explain in proper fluent English. Sometimes, the student would have been told to wait until the end of the class when they could then ask the boss. No disrespect to my teachers at Walen, but their english is far from fluent, and it was not sufficient to fully explain and answer the questions of the beginner students.

As for the reason for not continuing my studies at Walen, I do not appreciate you saying that I did not have the patience. I had paid for my lessons, and then half way through my lessons, You wanted to change my class time to early morning, because most of my classmates had to start again at the beginning of book 1 because they were not getting anywhere! (At their expense, of course) The morning class was not a good time for me, and you insisted that I must either join the morning class, or I must wait for another afternoon class to come along. When I asked how long I would have to wait to join another afternoon class, the response was unknown. I had paid for my lessons and I did not want to hang around waiting for you to get a class together when you didn't know how long it would take. So, I asked for my money back for the lessons which I had not taken (Paid for 60 and had taken 30) .. I was then told that it was not Walens fault that I could not join the morning class, and then after some time with my Boyfriend on the phone to Walen, It was agreed that I would be refunded, Which I was happy with and which I think was fair. Hence not coming online and expressing my true opinions of Walen, out of respect.

So they are my opinions having been a student at both Pro Language and Walen.

As I said previously. My intentions were NOT to come in here and pick an argument, hence completely not mentioning Walen at all in my first post, However you, Macwalen, have pointed out that I am an ex student and asked for my reason on not recommending your school.

I presume that you are going to come and 'pick' at my post now. Exactly the reason for not posting this in the first place and not even mentioning Walen. So maybe it would be a better idea, to accept the opinions of ex-students and just keep it in mind, Instead of trying to change the opinions of others or start arguments about it. After all, It is just like you said to one student when we were sat in class one day when he asked something about the Thai vocab, and you answered "We just need to learn to accept it the way it is, we cannot change it, so we have to accept it the way it is and not question it". The student did not get an answer to his original question and sat red faced and said "I'm not trying to change it, I just wanted to know the reason why".

I hope this is helpful to other users who are also trying to decide which is a good language school for them. If you are focusing on reading and writing Thai, and already know basic conversation, Then Walen is a good school. But for learning basic conversation, everyday conversation, chit chat and slowly learning to read and write, Pro Language seems to better meet those needs.

I do not have the time to sit arguing about this, I am happy at Pro language and above are my personal opinions, So I would appreciate it if you would have some respect and not start arguing over my opinions, as it just makes your school look unprofessional.

Thank you.