coventry

I'd just like to say a few words regarding "adopting a Thai child". Due to having had a vasectomy many years ago and then unsuccessfully going through 2 reversals I'd given up on having anymore children and tried adopting here in Thailand, with my Thai wife. Even she couldn't believe the bureaucratic proceedure that one has to go through to adopt. It's far easier to nip over into Cambodia and buy yourself a child but obviously that being illegal. Luckily I bumped into an expat who had been in similar circumstances and his recommendation was IVF. I thought that this wouldn't work as I'd tried it before in the UK.

To cut it short, my wife is now expecting and we have frozen fertilized eggs in storage for the future. Over all doing it this way over adoption, resulted in many a good thing. IVF is far cheaper, it's legal, the baby is really your own and finally no bureaucracy. The benefits are too many to mention over adoption ! IVF is so advanced now that no obsticle seems to be a problem. Anyone requiring the details of the clinic I used, then please drop me a line. It took from first clinic visit to implantation about 4 months. I can't swear it's 100% but for us as well as 1,000s of others it was. Sorry if I've took this tread of track a little.

Just curious about the people who have been out in Esarn for a while. The local diet out there doesn't seem to be too heavy on fat and is generally low carb with the exception of the rice from what I've seen. If you are eating the local cuisine, have you lost or gained weight while there. If you are not eating the local food what percentage of your diet is local and what is your overall experience.

I can't add to this because I don't live in Esarn myself. I would guess that if I moved up there I'd drop a few kilos eating the local food.

I've put on weight even though I eat more local food than western. I think it's a question of "are we less active now we live in the countryside" ? Answer is "yes" as we slow down according to the pace of life here.

The reason may also be that I'm eating too much rice or drinking to much beer ! I'll try cutting down on the rice and see what happens.

Gotta love these Forums....

People giving opinions on people who they don't know, people seeking and taking advice from amomymous strangers who may be the biggest fork ups ever, people forming opinions as to ones upbringing, education, wealth, sexual orientation, member size etc, all from a few words on a monitor.

I am back in Thailand tomorrow chaps, so I will not be posting for a while, I know you'll miss me, but don't get too depressed, I'll be off to work again in 2 months or so, then I'll return.

When in Thailand I don't bother.

Thank <deleted> that idiots off the forum for a few months. Can there be a bigger prat in this world ? He makes me feel ashamed to be a farang. I bet his neighbours can't wait for him to come back to Thailand. That at least will give them 2 months for them to sell up and move before he gets back.

Suggestion for when he gets back and that is join 'Thailandqa' he'll be amongst his own kind and, due to his sucking up to the Thais should, make Senior Moderator by his second post. He goes on about "People giving opinions on people who thet don't know etc etc" but from what I've read of his post he has to be the biggest hypocrite going.

Only happens when I'm pissed. Thinking about it, I do sleep on my side and barely move during the night so I probably cut off the circulation for several hours.

If you're really concerned, have a diabetes check. If you've also got other numb sensations on the same side of the body, read about stroke. Otherwise think about life without getting pissed so often. Tim

I think nerve entrapment in the wrists (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome). You may get this at any time, espescially during sleep or upon waking, and you've just associated it with drinking binges. I suffer this condition and I drink but because I've had the tests I can rule out drink. A simple test at the hospital can give you peace of mind. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is not always cureable, as in my case, but the test should prove conclusive as to what's causing your problem. Good luck.

I was informed long ago that Thais receive nick names to confuse the spirits/ghosts. When a spirit/ghost goes looking for a person they get confused because they look for a person by their birth name and not their nick name. This then ensures a persons safety from the spirit world.

If I am wrong then please put me right as I still see this as being the true idea of having 2 names. I was also told it's a tradition that is so old that even Thais cannot remember why they do it.

[The pressure to say nothing]

I was a member of Thailandqa.com and this is where my statement stems from! Someone wrote in a question regarding "who are the 10 richest men people of Chinese desent"? I replied " maybe the king, he's of Chinese blood line". He also happens to own the biggest collection of vintage cars in Thailand making me believe he must be a contender. For mentioning the king I was told I was boarder "LES MAJESTE" and given a public warning by some arse licking moderator.

I told the Moderator that it was like being at school being told off and told him to stick his "Warning" as I hadn't done what I'd been accused of. I then got banned. I went back on under a different name and decided to write things that weren't favourable to Thais or Thailand so as to find out if "there was pressure to conform" !

Indeed there is pressure because some of my post simply didn't get put on the forum when i was too critical, but they never told me any reason why they censered them. Hense my returning to this forum where I believe, up to now, they are more liberal.

Also the pressure comes from "les Majeste" laws, even though the King, in his 2005 birthday speach, said " I do not take Les Majeste seriously anymore and will not prosecute anyone commiting this in future" or words very similar.

You go ahead and say something and see if you get prosecuted! This is the pressure I'm refering to.

I thought it was just me that no longer sees Thailand through rose coloured glasses.

I still say that people that see Thailand as the Land of Smiles and Bangkok is the City of Angels is suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. A condition where by someone who's been kidnapped or lives with someone for long enough begins to act and think like their abductors or partners. The amazing thing is that they do not realise it or that once being told, they have this condition they refuse to accept it. Consequently many, not all, expats become adopted Thais due to this condition. A bad thing. First thing that is taught in Farang countries to immigrants is remember your roots and heritage.

I live here because it suits my needs and the Thais let me live here because it suits their needs but one thing I cannot accept is this pressure to say nothing but good things about Thais and Thailand. Let people know it's not the beautiful, LoS that it's made out to be. For instance:- Issan has got to be a fly tippers paradise. Let's have a forum that tells it as it is. I'm sure this forum would be full of this type of statements if expats weren't too scared of rocking the boat. I'm sure I will be told I'm wrong ! I also expect someone to say I suffer from a syndrome. Yes I do it's called "realistic and honesty."

Would it not be better and cheaper to go to Khon Kaen on the bus and travel locally by Tuk Tuk. Korat and khon Kaen are easy to get around on foot or Tuk Tuk

You don't have a marriage. You have a maid who probably lives in fear of you. Pity.

You make assumptions that are totally wrong. I have a beautiful wife, whose expecting a baby shortly, not a maid as you assume ! I have given all my money/ bank account details to my wife, to access in the event of my death, so it's me that's living in fear of her ! She can now access any of my accounts at her own choosing. Do you think I would entrust these details to a maid or a woman who I felt didn't love me ? Of course not. I have listened to many sob stories from Farangs that have been reduced to the gutter because of being ripped off and if many of them had made sure that they were in control, before they took up a relationship, then we wouldn't have the many problems that we have now regarding Farangs being made fools of.

An appology wouldn't go a miss because I can assure you that you wouldn't repeat that sentence again on a face to face basis.

THANKS ALL FOR YOUR ADVICE SPOKE TO MY GIRLFREIND AND THE PARENTS I,M GOING TO PAY 100000 AND BUY 2 BAHT OF GOLD CHEAPER THAN A ENGLAND WEDDING SO CANT GRUMBLE

Your a fool... first for agreeing to that rediculous amount and second for comparing it to a western wedding...I'll give you one year and you'll be broke and well ripped of,,if you pay that they'll know they have a live one and the buffalo will get sick soon....btw you girl is going to rip you good.... ding dong

It sounds like you speak from experience...

Good words. This person is a complete idiot. Pay nothing , if she loves him, she'll get her benefits by marrying him for nothing. Thai women are nothing but a bunch of Farang exploiters and any Farang that gets taken in by them is destined for doom.

I am married to a Thai but I made it known to her, from the start, that one error and she's history. She knows where she stands ! Make sure your in control, or God help you.

I live in Non Suwan, Buriram Province. In December 2006 I was burgled twice, the first time we were in bed asleep and my wife woke up when she heard a man in our bedroom. He escaped, climbing a 6 ft high wall covered in glass like it was nothing. The second time they poisoned my two Golden Spanials. This was because they noticed that, the first time, I had a safe and they needed extra time, when they came back, to get it out of my house. I'd gone away to Singapore for a holiday, when they came, so they must have had good intelligence. So contary to having contacts with the police and associating with them, then stop. Thai police are no different to anyone on low pay, they're open to bribery ! Do not trust any Thai Police. Someone is giving them information.

Since my buglaries I've fitted a alarm system that I bought from the UK. On going away 2 weeks ago to Phuket I left my alarmed house in the hands of a Thai. The alarm went off at 7:30pm one evening, false alarm, but the Thai was too scared to come to my house to switch it off. The police attended but it switched itself off after 30 mins. We've been told now that they will not attend if there's anymore false alarms.

Only way forward is to openly advertise that you have nothing of value in your house and leave you doors open. The more security you have, the more valuables people believe you have.

All I wish to add to this is that the Police are shit and the locals are spineless once it gets dark. Don't trust anyone !

Hi

I am about to put some lights on top of recently erected gate posts. In an ideal world I would like these to come on automatically at dusk and go off automatically about 6-7 hours later.

Being a cheap Charlie I would also like to use low energy bulbs and this is the problem, Khun Sparks tells me that it is not possible to use a sensor with low energy bulbs as this would cause them to flicker on and off until trully dark. A timeswitch is also out of the question because of frequent power cuts.

So, is he correct only I don't see florescent street lights flickering at dusk? Also any alternative suggestions?

Thanks

TBWG