dsprtliving

Nice to hear everyone involved had a happy ending!

.....like every goverment school in the world they usually cater to the lower classes so send her to a international or bi-lingual school where they will be a good mix of students so will be more open-minded.

What rubbish. Let's see...in the States I was principal of a PUBLIC school where we ambassadorial families, the children of several United States senators and members of the House of Representatives, one Vice President, a couple of international sports stars...other rich kids...and yes, middle class and some poor kids. We catered to all the kids who lived within our boundaries just outside Washington, D.C.

Get over yourself.

I disagree with your response and I've had the opportunity to work in Thai schools, bilingual, and now International schools in Thailand. The ENORMOUS differences between public schools in Thailand and western countries could fill entire books, so please don't respond negatively without the actual experience to offer a positive solution. Also, to the OP....You might want to have a serious heart to heart with the misses about the idea of marching down to the school and immediately going for the throat. This could lead to some drawn out negative feelings/actions towards your daughter from the teacher. If the teacher is in fact a 'good' teacher making a bad choice, then consider appealing to her good nature. Calmly explain that comments 'na farang' are hurting your daughter's feelings, and she is starting to become shy of coming to school. However, if the teacher still remains to be a problem then you might want to think about upgrading the quality of your daughter's education a bit here. International schools in Thailand, almost exclusively, offer the same level of education as a "public" school back in the west. In my opinion, the lack of resources, training, and quality in Thai schools is at the heart of a lot of problems the country currently suffers.

10th Year here in the Land O' Thais and my attitudes towards Thailand have naturally changed since first arriving. I think i'm a lot more cautious of my fellow man, Thai or foreigner, than I would be otherwise. Usually i reply with a stock answer when a Thai person asks me how i like living in Thailand. I always say that life here becomes pretty much like living anywhere else. Some days are bad, Some days are good and once the exotic wears off life falls into a daily string of routines. When things happen that annoy me i smirk and roll me eyes, but when good things happen i smile. Life becomes 'normal' after some time, and you only encounter that exotic feeling again on short trips home.

some good advise i received about 5 years ago.. was out with a farang bloke one day and I commented on his fluent Thai, he said you are better off not speaking it as you wouldn't have to listen to the garbage they talk.

I took that advice and never learnt Thai..

My listening skills are relatively fluent and I have to concur with the opinion of your friend. There have been to many occasions over the years of times where i wished i couldn't understand the conversations going on with the proximity of my hearing. As has been already said, I think for the most part that most Thais don't really give foreigners a second thought. The majority of conversations are about food, how hot it is, or gossipy speculations about fellow Thai acquaintances that are not around. For most Thai people, our existence here is of no consequence directly to their lives and so they don't give a toss to even think about our day to day lives...and fair enough. However, very often when they do talk about 'farangs' it is often to make us the but of a joke, speculate about our financial status, or our abilities between the sheets. I partly blame the Thai media, because you'll know that if you've ever seen a 'farang' in a Thai movie or show that we are almost exclusively portrayed as the villain or bumbling idiots.

Is it just me or does Phuket seem to have an over abundance of violence/disdain/anger towards foreigners. I'm supposed to accompany the Thai partner down next month for a couple of days, but I'm honestly having second thoughts. Seems it is open season on all foreigners there with no repercussions.

The fact that Thailand's law and order processes are dysfunctional and pharmacies appear largely unregulated does not excuse any foreigner for purchasing prescription drugs, ie. knowingly breaking the law.

Or just because a home owner forgets to lock his front door at night does not excuse the opportunist burglar from stealing stuff that doesn't belong to him.

Social responsibility starts with the individual.

Well, informed expats might know the score, but it is totally unrealistic to expect tourists to know that SOME meds they can easily buy OTC without scrip when most ALL meds are available here OTC without scrip are illegal, and which ones. If they want to crackdown, the only ethical method is to go after the pharmacies, not INNOCENT tourists, and I do mean INNOCENT.

I can see where you are coming from without even raising an eyebrow at the words ethics relating to Thai law enforcement. The lawyers would love this dog fight in any ethical country now wouldn't they?

It's like the same kid drinking alcoholic beverages on the flight from New Zealand (not saying he did but for the sake of argument here). At 17 years old, there's not a lot that a kid can get away with in any jurisdiction in most civilised countries, be it smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol, consensual sex or recreational AND prescription drugs (without a prescription). It's always easy to claim youthful ignorance, replete with the look of wide-eyed innocence AFTER getting caught. Just because you think you can break the law and get a way with it is not an excuse to break the law.

My rule of thumb that stood me in good stead when I first became the 'international gypsy' at 20 year-old was, "If it's prohibited or illegal at home, it's probably best avoided elsewhere."

So let me see if I have the correct information, prescriptions are not issued by Dr's in LOS, but if you want to 'legally' buy Zanax you can do so a hospital or clinic.

Xanex may be prescribed by a doctor here in the Land O' Smiles as most, if not all hospitals, have their pharmacy right there on the premises. The problem arises when the Mom & Pop pharmacies are handing them out like candies without the approval/consent of a licensed physician. Best rule is to make sure all your meds come in little plastic hospital bags with your name CLEARLY marked on them as issued from the hospital pharmacy. On a side note...after reading this thread i jumped up to go check my name was on the baggy for my Xanex!

The image of you sat there half pissed in your flat trying your best to piece together a cut up sausage has to be the funniest thing I've heard this week! Do you shout "Ahaa!" when you finally pieced together the complex puzzle of the sausage? Thanks for the laugh!

those are lovely vids....my compliments to your work!

And what's with that Bird's Nest stuff?

Bottle bird spit....Mmmmmm Yummm! That always goes over so much better than a horrible, evil bottle of Johnny Walker!

Some people believe breathing in Talcum powder can cause lung cancer.

Also, I remember reading, many years ago that talc can block the skin pores, which can lead to skin cancer.

Actually, this is the reason I've an aversion to using the stuff as well. Minor acne is constantly a problem for me living in Thailand, and I'm afraid it would only worsen the problem due to pores being blocked by using the powder. I like the idea of having the lingering coolness effect, but the thought of making the problem worse out weighs the benefits for me.

You should check at the Emporium Shopping Mall at Sukhumvit 24. They usually bring in an imported Santa every year and set up a little Santa's village and everything. I used to work near there and we'd take the kids to visit every year.

I vote for Margaret Cho....think she's absolutely hilarious!

Some good ideas, well some of them, so far. The tea cups are a good idea and i like the idea of bringing assorted sweets and dried fruits. Keep the ideas coming guys!

So, after living here for ages, I'm going home this Christmas for the first time in 9 years and I'd kinda like to bring home something a little special for the family back home. I've taken along little souvenirs on previous visits, but I'd like to take them a gift/gifts that will be extra special. Therefore, I thought I'd fish here on the forum for ideas and stories from you guys regarding gifts taken back home that have really had that "wow" effect on the family or good ideas that went terribly wrong along the way. For example, my ex decided one year after we'd been together a while to present my mother with an expensive swath of really nice Thai silk. Unfortunately, it was that neon pink that you see sometimes in traditional Thai dresses, so i think it remains neatly tucked away in the attic of my parents house to this day. Any good success stories or ideas out there guys?

It's interesting though not unexpected that the natural knee-jerk reaction in the government is to blame foreigners.. "She said that it might appear as if young children are being used in factories because some foreign workers bring their children to work."

Sure.

That was the first thing i noticed about the article as well. I'd bet she'd be talking about the "khmers" as Thais of course would never put kids to work. I'd be interested to hear her attempt to "explain" this to the relevant authorities!

If i go out in the evenings to outside eating restaurants i always make sure I wear thick long trousers and thick socks, otherwise they manage to bite through thin clothing with seeming ease. You can also buy inexpensive locally produced mosquito repellent and that usually works well for me if i'm out after dark in shorts.

No sympathy here either. You played your part in bringing "your" child into the world, and shame on you for trying to find a way to continue not supporting it. It makes me so very thankful that i had a good father that actually took care of his responsibilities, no matter how tough the times got. Get the temporary travel documents, get yourself home and look after YOUR kid....surely the courts would work with you to sort something out in light of your change in income...

About the language thing. I recall moving into the ex's village in Surin. I learnt how to speak Thai. When I was in earshot the locals would speak in Khymer. Had I learnt Khymer they would have spoken in Suay.

Sometimes being paranoid is just having some of the facts.

You can tell a lot from body language. Isaaners are in general gossips of the highest calibre. A lot of what they have to say aint pleasent. Most of these old boys are better off not knowing what's being said about them, or better still not giving a flying duck whats being said.

Have to say i agree. You should buckle down and and really make an effort learn the language before you get upset or insulted by random strangers talking about you on the street since you seem to be in this for the long haul. However, as it has been pointed out...the more you understand of what is being said, the less pleased you will probably be. At least though if you speak the language you can appropriately get upset at the offending parties and confront them for explanations in their own language.

My neighbour above me makes "evil noises" with his subwoofer

I heard he does not like that I smoke a cigarette or that I drink a beer on MY balcony.

What would you do?

If he's getting your smoke in his room, evil noises is the least you deserve. I've had that from inconsiderate neighbours before and hate it intensely.

Easy solution if one intensely hates someone outside smoking...close your windows

Hello....i believe there is a shop at Siam Square that sells inexpensive stuff from China and Japan and I know i've seen fans like your after in there before for a relatively cheap price. Also, you can buy some nice little empty spray bottles at the Muji shop at Central World. I've also purchased an inexpensive little bottle of natural mosquito repellent at Thai pharmacies made from Lemon grass that smells quite nice...might also want to check that out. Hope this helps and good luck with the wedding!

Great tips... Any more details about the shop at Siam Square? Were you thinking the "Loft"? As I don't know bangkok too well...

It's definitely not the Loft, as they may have the fans but will be expensive if you find them there. I'm going up to Bangkok again this weekend so I'll look to see if i can find the shop while i'm there for ya. Hope it won't be to late for the wedding!

Hello....i believe there is a shop at Siam Square that sells inexpensive stuff from China and Japan and I know i've seen fans like your after in there before for a relatively cheap price. Also, you can buy some nice little empty spray bottles at the Muji shop at Central World. I've also purchased an inexpensive little bottle of natural mosquito repellent at Thai pharmacies made from Lemon grass that smells quite nice...might also want to check that out. Hope this helps and good luck with the wedding!

I live on a dead end soi on the edge of a moo bahn in Bangkok. When I want to park my car in my driveway I pull up and reverse it in, but now I cannot do this because of the two old women living in the house oposite me have blocked there front with a large plant on a concrete pot.

They have placed this plant there to be awkward just because they fell out with my wife. The reason they fell out is because we heard from other people on our soi that these two women have been saying nasty things about my wife and her family who stay with us. Not sure what they were saying and I couldn't care less.

We were all friends at first but then we heard what they were saying and we just stopped speaking with them, I think my wife told them why we are no longer talking to them. And ever since they sold there car they have blocked this small area off with this plant. By the way, it is on the road and it's not there land. It's really anoying as now I have to do a ten point turn to get the car in. We have two cars and the other on is parked out the front of our house.

I have moved the pot only for them to put it further out in the middle of the soi. I am thinking of just smashing it up but I think that will just giveus more problems. Do you guys have any ideas that I could try?

Make a little juju doll, about four or five inches tall, out of bamboo, raffia, straw, a little hessian and rag cloth. Next find a dead jing-jok and attach it with fine wire to the doll, crucifix fashion. Then (at night) affix this creation to the top of the pot plant in the style of a Christmas tree fairy. Just wait and see what happens.

Absolutely love this idea! Was sitting here in my office reading the creative and colourful suggestions, when I literally burst out laughing to myself reading this one. I also like the idea of capitalizing on the idea of playing on superstitions....creep them out enough and I'd bet the plants would be removed post haste!

I wonder if they can use some of the money to teach people to drive!

They know how to drive fine. Lots of close calls but no more accidents then any other places. Maybe you are just scared of the roads.

Have you really ever actually driven here? Your comment suggests otherwise.

You will probably be able to find some at the Villa Market, but when they when they have a few in stock then they are almost certainly going to cost you and arm and a leg.

Why do people feel the need to constantly state the obvious "scams happen everywhere in the World", or bold or highlight foreign places they have been scammed in some lame effort to protect Thailand or its reputation?

Thailand is awash with scams, trickery, deceit, lies and crime and people should be informed if they come here.

Luckily the internet and programs like 'Big Trouble' have highlighted the problems and people are now seeing Thailand for what it is, despite Thai officials (and some posters here it would seem) best efforts to the contrary.

The truth always comes out in the end folks.

couldn't have said it better myself....i always wonder about the "scams, double pricing, dirty cops happens everywhere in the World" comments as well! Seems it should be obvious...as we are on a Thailand forum discussing Thai related experiences and events. Naturally you'd think a comment about something that happened in some obscure village in the U.K. or small town USA would obviously be irrelevant???