Erawan

Er Redwood, you mean July 13 right? Because June 13 has just gone...

Thanks for the help folks. If there's any more you have to add, please do.

I know everyone's attention will be largely focused on the London bombings, especially as there's a fair few Brits on the board here - I know it's on my mind, but I would like to take my mind off it, if just for a moment.

I've a (Thai) friend who would like to study their Masters in the UK next year and let me tell you, it's not going to be cheap! Bt3,000,000 apparently (the course itself is £12,000 a year), so the only thing we can think of is getting a scholarship somehow.

I just wanted to ask you folks to see if any of you have any experience or insight on this subject. Maybe you have some blueprints of a bank and know the guard change on Tuesday night, when Reggie is on duty is the best time to strike or something. This has got to be feasible somehow.

Dex, I don't understand your local lingo, 'nelly' and 'SA,' could you please clarify? Is that Australian?

Is this my 101st post? I think it is, let me just savour this moment... Cor blimey, it's taken me ages to reach this small milestone.

Ok! So, the other day I was down at the local market when I happened to spy a rather fetching t-shirt - one problem, it was only available in the colour pink. ######... I um'ed and er'ed for a while but eventually decided not to buy it - at least not yet.

I have never owned nor worn a pink article of clothing. I see it as a feminine colour and wearing such a colour, wouldn't make me feel overly comfortable. I feel it would be compromising on my 'manliness.' I would have to strip it off immediately, down a few brews and watch some football while grunting incoherently to regain my manliness. Oh and not forgetting farting and belching.

Thing is, it was a rather nice t-shirt and I was beginning to wonder, "Could I get away with wearing a pink t-shirt?" I've seen a few males wearing pink items and they looked... o-k. Discounting the homosexuals of course. So is it ok for men to wear pink now? What with all this metrosexual business and 'liberation.' Or maybe I will buy it and just wear it at night, when I go to bed, where no one can see me, and it can be my dirty little secret...

And I'm referring to straight men only here, sorry to you gay folks. You guys can get away with wearing anything and feel no shame... oh how I envy thee.

This is something that greatly irritates me too. This OBSESSION with white, I look at the people on TV and scream "These aren't real people!" It's all fake! I can't see this be anything but detrimental towards Thai society.

The media here is just completely obsessed with beauty, everything is covered from adverts, to soaps, to regular shows. Exposure to 'unattractive' people is limited as much as possible. I have to say that it is taking its toll on me and it has warped my mind a bit - must buy new clothes!

Perhaps I'm over reacting, but I do think it has very definite negative psychological effects, especially on the younger, more impressionable generation.

Under what conditions were these measurements taken? You might be having a bad day, it's a bit chilly or you've just been for a swim - it all has an effect! I'm surprised no one mentioned this before.

Sorry to dredge this one up again, just wanted to ask about 'goods of questionable legality', you know, clothes and DVDs, should I worry?

I don't frequent the forums all the often due to circumstances, but it's probably a good thing as it would no doubt sap away my real life - I've bookmarked a dozen or so topics for future reading.

I 'think' that the upcoming TV piss-up planned is the first get together, I could be wrong. How many of you have actually met up with people you've met through TV? Was it all good?

How many parts are there going to be?

Isn't your 'transvestite' none other than Vampirella, Kitty? Reminds me a Wonder woman a bit too.

Now I feel I have to make a real effort to get my own personal avatar and put a lot of thought behind it - it's like a school project! Oh no! It'll be a last-minute rush job though .

Lol ThaiPauly, I chose it because I thought I identified with it, a little crazy and because I too have a big grin. It's not meant to be threatening or menacing, although I accept your comment and I will change my avatar to show that I'm really a nice, huggable guy . I should try to find my own personal avatar when I can be bothered... if ever... Too lazy to look, let's see what TV has on offer.

Ok, how's this? Now I'm just a big pussy . Ohsocuteandcuddly though.

Lol! No seriously, I do NOT have a girlfriend! I wouldn't dump someone because of some extra hair here and there, god knows I've got my own flaws.

I only asked for curiosity/fun and because I met a friend of a friend, (now my friend) one night and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, the next day I met her, I did notice a little 'tasche, but it's grown on me now, or rather her .

Hmm... how can I say this... ok, it has come to my attention that a fair few ladies over here tend to neglect what I guess I took for granted as routine female grooming. Overly hairy legs, top lips and sometimes scarily enough, forearms (not sure if you should really address the latter one though... er... not heard of any practise of removing this area of hair).

Has anyone any experience or tact ways of informing a friend or your ladyfriend of said 'issue/s'? I'm tempted to just say it, I have some bizarre notion that it might all be ok and they might not take it the wrong way. I might still smile with a full set of dentures and the pitch of my voice may remain unchanged... but then again, I would like to see another sunrise. So, what's the score?

I first heard this off a friend who said, when she lived down in Pattaya, despite staying out of the sun, she still managed to acquire a tan, this was down to the wind - but of course! I then mentioned this to my cousin who also agreed with this 'fact.' Come on! You can't get a tan from the wind, can you?

Lol, chill out guys! I only thought of this because I 'might' possibly take up that teaching offer (dependant on some other factors) and when I have been to some schools, I was a large focus of attention, so I thought it would probably be something I would have to contend with.

Rest assured, that I know it would be more hassle than it would be worth and would be a LOT of grief. 'IF' I take the job, I would not want to make things more difficult for myself and I would do my best to behave in a professional manner, even though I may not be one .

I was just wondering out of interest, whether or not anyone here has had to deal with any of their students developing a crush on them or falling in love with them? How did you handle it? When I thought of this question, I was just thinking of secondary schools and such, but I'm also interested in those of you who teach adults. When you are contracted by a private language school, is there any clause in the contract that forbids you from seeing or dating your students outside of the classroom? Not that they could really stop you anyway.

One more thing, just how many women teach English over here in Thailand in comparison to men? I'm guessing only a handful. I'm lead to believe that all English teachers in Thailand are males - that can't be right, can it?

Hah! I fret not Pauly! I actually did go up for enlistment though, although I got turned down since I didn't have this 'sor dor 9'. I was the only person who wanted to join from my amphur as well - you would of thought they would of let the only willing volunteer join.

I've been told though, everything should be in place for next year though, so I can join then - whether I like it or not . I may have come to my senses by that time. I can always abscond though.

I just wanted to know what it was exactly. When why I supposed to have filled it out? I'm guessing it's purpose is just to say that I had reached the age of 18, didn't do the military cadet thing so by the time I'm 21, I have to go draw if I hadn't already joined.

I like cars, but I've never been over enthusiactic about them like you guys. However, I have seen a Porsche 911 about and it no longer used and the owners have let it go to ###### - a crying shame. I have thought about asking if it was for sale, then I started to dream! Buying, doing it up and restoring to it's original glory - yes, it's probably all beyond me as I don't know squat about motors. But it was a good dream! And I can't help still thinking about it... if I could do the work myself, I have no doubt it would bring me MUCH satisfaction. ######... I want that car.

Can anyone enlighten me as to what 'sor dor 9' is for? When is it supposed to be completed? I think it may only apply to male Thai nationals. I haven't been able to get a clear and concise answer on this one yet.

It's a piece of paper by the way... not sure if that really helps.

I've been here 5 months already on this trip. I've come here a few times before as well. I'm aware of the homophobia thing, I'm sure I'm not jumping to conclusions. Besides, I have other male friends who I've known for longer and they don't go about touching me other, some other guys I barely know start straight away - I do keep an open mind though, but after a few meetings or chats, I'm pretty sure I know how they're inclined.

To clarify my situation. My uncle is a teacher at this school, the guy who harasses me is also a teacher at this school. I am just my uncle's nephew who sometimes visits the school. I am look kreung, so half-Thai, half-not.

Granted, I don't have to put up with this often since I don't work at the school and I try to avoid him all I can, but I shouldn't have to do this at all. When I do go visit the school, I would like to do so without having to keep a look out.

Lol moziman. Hmm... worst places to get bitten? Well I don't know, they seem to have a taste for the left-handside of myself. Prime targets are my feet and my elbows - I hate getting bitten on the elbows! It's like they KNOW it's the best place to bite you since, they're mostly always exposed and you can't see your elbows, so you don't know about it until it's too late - God ######!

I've found that bites on the hand take more time to 'recover' from since my hands are in constant use, and putting my hands in pockets helps inflame the bite. Bites on the face, although rare, don't really have the same affect as being bitten elsewhere. Doesn't really itch and it clears up real fast. It's been a while coming, but I got bit for the first time on the ass the other day...

The plans that I had, have been made... defunct - for the time being at least, leaving me with the age old question of "What do I do now?" One option that has been presented to me is teaching. I would be teaching in a school not too far from my aunt's house here in Praputthabaht, Saraburi where I have been staying for a while. I would be teaching kids, the ages, I'm not so sure of. I think it's M. 1 up to M. 6. I have been offered 300 Baht an hour, teaching for two terms, a hundred days each and at the end of it, I would be 59,400 Baht better off.

I'm young, 21 years young to be exact. I have no formal teaching qualifications, the highest level of my education was completing one year of college, after which I dropped out. They are aware of this, but still they are interested. I think they're interest partly stems from the fact that it may be difficult to attract teachers to this area since there really isn't much to do here and just about nobody speaks English round here.

Teaching is something that I had thought about a while back, but I decided against it. Now it's back. I'm trying to decide whether it's in my best interests and the students best interests. Supposedly, the teaching, or at least with the kids is very straight-forward, just playing games with the kids and speaking in English. And I will be accompanied by another teacher. Apparently all I have to do is follow the book - but I know, nothing is ever straight forward in Thailand.

Initially I was against it, as I thought I had visited the school and met with the students already, but I was mistaken, so I've began to warm to it a little. Things that cross my mind are, "Can I do this? Should I do this? Disruptive kids. I don't think they really want to learn English, not many kids in school do - it's difficult and can be very boring." I'm told though that they really do want to learn English and that their enthusiasm would increase were they learning with a native English speaker. Another thing I worry about is being good enough. If it all goes pear-shaped, it's not like I can just disappear. They know who I am, where I live and they know my family.

Anyway, I was just wondering what you all think of this situation? What are your thoughts? Has this got 'bad idea' written all over it or is it a great opportunity?

Lol, I thought I might be ridiculed a little for complaining about the bites, I'm glad I'm not the only one.

Oh and the reason for their existance? They have a very important role apparently, and that role is to spread viruses and disease. Oh wow! What a great reason! That was the reason I got when I went to www.ask.com to find out more about mosquitos. F**king stupid reason, and we want viruses because? But I guess it's so... that we can... erm... develop... cures for viruses and things through viruses... or something. Still pretty gay reason.

Another thing that gets me, is that there are no natural predators for mosquitos. Spiders just suck and are playing out of their league and jing-jo's are just too slow and rarely in the vicinity *sigh*. That just leaves me and my electric racket. Although that electric lantern thing seems to be the thing I want. I'm surprised I've never seen one yet over here, even in butcheries or other food places.