Goinghomesoon

I saw exactly the same thing with many expat couples when I lived in Taiwan and other places. It happened to a friend and several acquaintances claimed to be shocked. But after a while the wife admitted that she and hubby took the overseas contract thinking it might fix some of the problems they were experiencing in their marriage. Like maybe they just needed some new excitement to bring them back together. Instead being away from their home support network and thrown into a new culture, where hubby was working 12 hour days 6 days a week just drove them further apart, she into her expat-wives-tennis-and-lunch-network and him into the arms of a young Taiwanese woman at his company. Moving overseas might make marriages harder, not easier, to fix.

The Centrelink information sheet "Are you leaving Australia" says you can generally continue to receive your old age pension for the whole period you are outside Australia but the rate you receive may change.

www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/publications/int019.htm

Fitness First Q House - cos it's near my work and I get 3 hrs free parking. Means I can exercise & have a meal afterwards. Also it's near Lumpini where my partner goes to exercise, so it's convenient for him too.

My son is dark-skinned Asian and his hair goes into a wild and woolly afro style when he is allowed to grow it long during school vacations. The worst comments made to his face were in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore but rarely in SE Asia. Even in those Chinese countries the comments were about his skin colour (dark = stupid/peasant) and not his hair. Comments from Thais are pretty mild compared to the Taiwanese and Hongkies.

Heard an interview with Interpol spokeswoman on CNN tonight she said the man was shown in approx 800 images abusing SE Asian boys who appeared to be between ages 6 and 10. They also said there is a link on the Interpol website to report possible sightings and identities and you can do so anonymously.

My better half really needs to learn. To the OP: did you check out the place MrP recommended? Any comments.

There is a place in one of the sub-sois near Nana/Sukhumvit Soi 3 that is always full of African women and girls having their hair done. I'll try to track down the details.

Hi, I haven't tried it myself but have seen it from the outside and it looks great...Cat Society Open daily 10am-9pm, 02-259-2788. Daycare and sleepover services available located @ Ozono, 307 Sukhumvit Soi 39 (Phrom Phong). Lots of happy cats hanging out freely in a room with artificial trees. def worth a look.

Anyone actually tried this place & have any feedback? We usually leave our cat with the vet but the last couple of times she didn't do well as the cat and dog cages were in the same room. Looking for some place that will make highly-strung moggly a bit happier during our next trip.

Sure but when the choice is to socialise with my one-toothed, betel-chewing mother-in-law for the upteenth day or meet up with an English-speaking missionary, I'd probably take the latter. I mean, at least we share a common language. And the missionary would be unlikely to spit red betel-juice at me everytime she spoke

Definately that slug of fish sauce added just before you sit down to eat makes all the difference. I also find if you don't use those little pea eggplants in the green curry it doesn't taste quite right...

Drawing the curtains in the middle of the afternoon, turning the aircon down COLD (to remind me of home) and snuggling under a heap of blankets with a trashy novel.

Eating really hot, freshly cooked potato wedges with sour cream and tomato sauce... You guys can keep your chocolate and sweets. Fried salty potato in any form is my favourite food!

I'd love to try but it looks pretty intense. I exercise 3-4 times a week at the gym and do a variety of classes but not these. I'd be a bit worried about my large butt vs the very small bike seat, I imagine that could be uncomfortable...

There is a single parents group run by BAMBI, they meet up for meals and also go on field trips and outings. There have been single fathers attend some functions. Check the website for details www.bambiweb.org

Hubby has terrible blocked pore problems he is a fiend for trying new products. He swears the best reasonably priced one is Garnier Pure Self-Heating Sauna Mask. You only use it once a week for a few minutes. After he washes it off all the yukky pore blockages are softened and seem to come out really easily. It's about 70 baht for 2 single-application sachets at Tops.

As a bonus it's a bright alien-green colour and causes great hilarity in the house whenever he uses it

Maybe they are having some sort of audit of their records or investigation? Obviously these women got their visas somehow. Pretty sure their sponsors didn't declare the women would be working in that particular industry in the UK.

My doctor has told me that the level of increased protection between an SPF30 and SPF50 is very minimal as SPF30 blocks out 97% of UV rays. He said the increased amount of chemicals in higher doses could irritate the skin and the risk isn't worth it.

I am Australian and had waaay too much skin exposure as a child and teen. Both my brother and I had skin cancers removed in our 20s, my brother's was a very aggressive, fast-growing type. So sunscreen is very important for me here in Thailand. I use an SPF30 makeup base everyday for work and a moisturiser with sunscreen on non-work days. My daughter is dark skinned but she still gets creamed up every time she goes in the pool etc. Good on you for being aware that you need sun protection.

Yeah I met some shopping in Nong Khai but they were Vientiane expats over the border to do their shopping.... Not to much of a problem now as we only spend the occasional weekend up there but thinking of the future...

Just wondering. My partner & I are building a weekender on his land near Phon Phisai/Nong Khai and I am quite the local tourist attraction . Resident gossipmonger (mother in law) says her network of old ladies has heard of one other farang woman in the area but she couldn't be any more specific. T'would be nice to know if there are others around....

Embassies don't "deport" people. If someone is deported from Thailand that is courtesy of the Thai government and is their decision. The person who is being sent away, or their family, has to pay all the costs.

My friends had their baby in Australia and when they came back here could not get a Thai passport for their baby. They were told he had to be registered as a Thai citizen through the Thai Embassy in Oz first. After they did that they were able to get it easily.

When I was a teenager my mother bought me a special mitten that you rubbed up and down your legs. I think it was made of very fine sandpaper and it buffed off the hair and all the old skin so my legs were always smooth.

Now after so many years of waxing just a few hairs grow back under my arms. My legs are still very spiky but at least the hair comes out very easily now and is not painful at all. The first few years of leg waxing were agony and unfortunately the bikini line still brings tears to my eyes

Laser sounds good though...does it hurt? I'd be a bit worried about someone aiming a laser at my pink bits!

Maybe you could save regularly (say for a house or education) and agree that the interest on the savings be sent to the in-laws?

That way both you and hubby are encouraged to save. Your own capital grows - good for you - you earn more interest as the capital grows and this increasing amount can be remitted back to Thailand - good for the in-laws. So by saving for a future goal you actually assist his family here. And you might feel less upset about 'your' money disappearing as it is really free money from the bank!

Not sure how you work it out once you reach the goal and withdraw the money though.

Thanks Sugarhead I've been invited there for a meal in a few days, looking forward to it now... we need a lip-licking emoticon...

I looked at both and went with neither. St Andrews Sathorn was small with a real family feel about it. Although they are linked to the main St Andrews they are run as a stand-alone business. After Year 6 you have to find a high school for your child as they are primary only. A benefit for us was that it was close to home and a relatively short bus ride for the little one. Also my daughter was quite shy and did better in a smaller school environment.

Patana is huge and seemed to offer every subject and after-school activity you could desire. It was very easy to be impressed with the physical size and amenities. The teaching seemed a lot more dynamic (teachers at Patana recruited from overseas and are on professional teacher salaries, unlike St Andrews. But for us it was missing the small-class environment that my daughter so needed.

In the end we went with the British School of Bangkok in Sukhumvit Soi 4 (also known as Topsy Turvy). It is a similar size and educational philosophy to St Andrews but daughter was able to be in a much smaller class thus more individual attention. Although we live closer to St Andrews the bus trip to BSB takes less time due to the pickup route they take.

Today's Bangkok Post

www.bangkokpost.com/News/28Mar2008_news99.php