tonititan

We use ours all the time and I see loads of people pushing them around bangkok every day.

I stand corrected. It makes sense that people use them in the CBD and in more touristy areas. I guess I just don't see those areas where I live.

Do you see Thais using strollers, or is it mostly foreigners? I always wondered about that. I've asked a few of my Thai friends if people use strollers in this country, and they told me that no, but obviously they can't speak for all Thais.

Another family or two, that probably wont be coming back to samui ever again, probably go home and say farangs ripping us off,

I,m not saying you did, but it was up to you to have the contract written out properly, and when extra people turned up,you should have sorted out that problem, maybe charged more.

2 families conplaining to others about samui, could possibly lead to 10 or twenty families not coming to samui.

well done, just what samui needs

Exactly. This family probably feels just at jilted as the OP, especially if their vacation is ruined by the villa owner kicking them out for doing something "wrong" that wasn't even addressed in the contract (presumably.....the OP has apparently declined to answer any of the questions we've asked about the contract, so I'm assuming that the terms were not clearly laid out).

I am actually in the process of researching & booking a villa right now. Not in Samui, thank god! No chance of it being this place. One of my main deciding factors has been feedback from previous guests. Bad reviews means I don't even add the villa to my short list....not worth taking the risk in case the complaints are true. Great reviews means the villa goes to the top of my list. Fancy websites and descriptions can say anything they want.....guest reviews say it all.

Not from my experience , I was told I would be banned simply for putting a valued and well informed point up that disagreed with the OP.Ill probaly get the same threat now for discussing it. Simply put depends on the thread and who moderates it some are perhaps a little to keen.Think of whistle man in most carparks youll get my point.

Yeah, but did you get warned/banned because of the content of what you said, or purely because you are not a teacher? That's the difference. The poster in question wanted all non-Pattaya residents restricted from posting in here about Pattaya.....not just the posters who had said something truly offensive or against the TV rules.

Have to disagree particulary when it comes to Teaching forum ! I dared several times to give an unbiased opinion in there to have my wrists slapped and told to stand in the naughty corner !

Shame really as we run a huge international education based company and have a lot to offer.

I can believe that someone didn't value or agree with your opinion, or may have said, "What do you know? You're not a teacher." That's just like when people are talking negatively about Pattaya and some of the posters say "You don't even live here....how do you know a thing about Pattaya?" The poster I was responding to said that this thread should be "restricted" to long-time Pattaya residents. Were you restricted from using the Teaching Forum? Or restricted from posting in a certain thread?

You can comment on any thread you want.....doesn't mean people will think you have anything valuable to say. My point to the OP was that, as far as I know, none of the forums on TV are restricted to users of certain geographic locations/occupations/religions/genders/etc.

That is the problem. She is barely talking to me now. I don't think I will get an answer.

So why do you care/need to know how much she is making?

The assessment will cover several areas such as the social situation, market analysis, cultural effects, accommodations, hospitality, and the province's overall capability to organize such an event.

Not even taking into consideration Thailand's ability to organize & pull off such an event (which I question)....are there really that many accommodations near Ayutthaya to accommodate so many visitors? No offense to Ayutthaya, but I don't think you have a shot in you know where!

How about we restrict commentary on this forum to long term residents of Pattaya? This way we can eliminate the inane input of the armchair sociologists.

Probably for the same reason why men are allowed to post in the Ladies Forum. And why Christians/Muslims/athiests/etc. are allowed to post in the Buddhism Forum. And why non-teachers are allowed to post in the Teaching Forum......because anyone can have any opinion on a public forum, and not just those people who "belong" in that group.

Just let gf #1 see gf #2 on Facebook. If you want to have multiple girlfriends, fine, no problem at all. But have the balls to let them know that it's not exclusive.

I don't think I've ever seen a stroller being used in Bangkok. I can't imagine trying to push one around on the terrible sidewalks, where there's lots of obstacles in the way - food vendors, trees, phone booths, flyover stairs, motorcycles zooming past you, etc. You also have to step off and on the sidewalk frequently, back and forth onto the road to get around obstacles. It seems that in Bangkok, sidewalks are hardly designed for "walking." I guess it's worth a shot to bring the stroller and try it, but I am skeptical about how useful it will be. Good luck!

My guess is they took everything but his guide book.

Really? Your guess? Directly from the story:

"but then he noticed that all his belongings were gone, with nothing left but his tourist guide handbook."

Ahh, yes, that's the ancient Buddhist symbol meaning "this tattoo was a HUGE mistake!"

Kidding. No idea what it means, but it looks pretty cool.

I bet it was just the drinks talking. And she probably felt silly for being so bold then getting rejected.

Why are there no options for increased income/spending power?

Not everyone is a retiree waiting for a monthly pension from Farangland.

Exactly what I was going to say. On the third question, the only options are for situations that have stayed the same or gotten worse. For some of us ex-pats who work in Thailand, our situation has actually improved due the changed exchange rate. It definitely benefits me. I use less baht to pay my bills back home, which gives me more disposable income to play with in Thailand.

- eyelid cosmetic surgery for asian eyes (her)

This is a new one for me. Is your girlfriend Asian and wants less Asian-looking eyes? Or is she western and wants her eyes to be more Asian-like?

I would like to see you 'Man Up' and come back on this thread to acknowledge that the error was yours.

Well, it's starting to look like you're not going to get your wish.....

My take, and of course it might be mine alone, is that Thai women (and sometimes men too) may appear more "vain" than their western counterparts.....but that's a result of the entire culture and its attitude about beauty. It seems like looking good is what matters here, especially for women. Beauty/appearance seems to define a lot of women, more than other qualities and personal characteristics. My female Thai friends have told me that they want nothing more than to be beautiful, because that is how they will be successful in life. If the culture of Thailand focuses so intently on appearance (which is seems to do), then of course women are going to be obsessed with their looks. I don't think everyone that is obsessed with their looks is confident, though - many of the Thai women I know who post hundreds of pictures of themselves, check themselves out in the mirror all day, and dress in flashy clothing still feel like they are ugly/fat/etc.

think that to be fair give them that tank per month then anything over they can order themselves.

I think that's fair too, but in my opinion, it all depends on what's on the contract. If it's for 4 adults and they have 8, then they have broken the contract. But if the number of people isn't specified (or no maximum is indicated) and it says water is included, well, it's a bit hard to go back on that now in the middle of the rental (lesson learned for next time?). I can understand the OP's frustration, but at the same time, I'm looking at it from the renter's perspective. If I was staying in a hotel or villa that said "electric & water provided," then all of a sudden the owner told me that I'd have to pay for utilities because I was using a lot, I'd also be thinking, <deleted>? I'd probably think I was being treated unfairly as well. Especially if it didn't seem like I was being excessive.....I'd think it was one of those many Thailand rip-offs.

OP, have you talked to them to figure out what they are using all the water for?

Does it say anything about water in the contract? For example, does it say that water is included?

Similarly, does it say anything about how many people will be staying there?

I actually prefer the B & W photo. I don't think it appears to be sad or dreary at all. In the B & W shot, my eyes are drawn to the kids' darling faces. In the color shot, I keep looking at the crazy colored ball and the girl's dress. All the bright colors seem to drown out the faces.

The indemnity brigade has turned this OP into a male bashing thread. This is about pregnant teens having the legal right to attend school without retribution.

This isn't a male-bashing thread. It's a "males who don't believe in taking responsibility for their actions" bashing thread. I don't think any of the posters have anything against men in general. In fact, I'm pretty sure some of these "bashers" are in fact men themselves.

I understand being nervous about flying (especially if you've never done it before), but I would think that almost any adult should be capable of doing it alone. Can you figure out why she won't fly alone, and then try to figure out a way to address those concerns?

For anybody, let alone a Thai national, negotiating your way around international airports can prove to be a daunting task. More especially though for a Thai national because once she leaves Thai airspace, none of the signs will be in Thai anymore. So a flight with a temporary stopover somewhere is out of the question if she can't read or speak English very well.

If it makes it any easier for you to comprehend, imagine yourself, having never flown before, having to find your way around an airport where none of the signs are in English, or even written in a Western alphabet. So now go find the queue where you have to check-in.

Yeah, I get that. I've been in airports/train stations/bus stations in other countries where there is little or no signage in English, and where the staff spoke minimal English. But I figured it out, because that's just what you do in those situations. If you want to travel, you have to be resourceful.

I suggested that the OP try to figure out why she refuses to fly alone (fear of the actual flying, concern about getting around in the airport, just wants the company, etc.) and try to address those concerns. For example, if she's worried about navigating the airport, someone already suggested using "meet and greet" service. In other threads, people have suggested that the person start talking to some more experienced Thais in the airport, who can then help navigate during the layovers.

Also, even if she can't read English well, there is a good chance she can speak it a little, as she is married to an English-speaking man from the UK. The OP could write out a few key words/phrases with pronunciation tips written phonetically (in Thai) so that she can ask for help. Or, he could write out her flight info in English, and she can hand it to airport workers to read and assist. In most countries I've traveled to, if some foreign person looking completely confused asked for help, the airport staff would help. Or, the OP could write the flight info/instructions/destination/airport locations (gate, toilet, immigration) in both Thai and English. The wife could find her question in Thai and point to the corresponding question in English. With a little creativity, there's lots of things that could be done to assist her.

And if she is moving to the UK and really speaks NO English, well, then she's gonna face bigger problems than getting around in an airport....

No woman that I have ever dated found champagne and roses romantic. They find it to be trite and rehearsed. The other responses about Gold and other things are pretty lame also.

Most are assuming that his GF is Thai.

I also don't think that dropping a large sum of money is romantic either.

I was wondering this same thing, too. Is the OP's girlfriend Thai, a westerner, or something else? Because in all honesty, I think that can affect a woman's idea of romantic.

Serves him right for joining a dating website when he's still a married man.

Tell your wife that it is too expensive to go and get her........

Honestly, that was my immediate reaction as well. I understand being nervous about flying (especially if you've never done it before), but I would think that almost any adult should be capable of doing it alone. Can you figure out why she won't fly alone, and then try to figure out a way to address those concerns?

I'll send you my address

So sorry Tonititan,,some people are so puerile. I am reminded of "Some mothers do have 'em. Why?

I actually thought it was quite funny!