sawatdeeyesitsme

And where is your husband/partner? I hope that he is in the equation.

He is still in Thailand but will be coming over at Easter to visit. Things are a bit complicated tbh, while things are long distant.

Sorry, missed your post theoldgit! That's good to know about the application routes, I was under the impression he had to apply for the family visit visa. He did apply for the general visit visa in the end and it came through this week. I will have one very excited toddler when he arrives!

Firstly, have a read of UK visit visa basics; then ask any follow up questions you may have.

He will need to explain in his application that you and he are separated and he just wants to visit his daughter, not remain in the UK with her and you.

Other than that, from what you have said I can't see a problem.

Thanks 7by7. I think that I have given him all the right documents then. He's named on the birth certificate etc.

I've told him to apply for a family visitor visa, which I assume is correct? He's been told by someone else just to apply for a tourist visa because we aren't married?!

Hello! My daughter's dad (a Thai national), wants to come and visit my daughter (UK national) and is making the visa application soon. Please can you let me know what information I need to submit for his application?

A bit of background. During the pregnancy, I decided to return back home to have our daughter. I returned back to Thailand when she was 3 months old but couldn't cope and returned home. Subsequently our relationship has broken down as I want to stay permanently in the UK and he wants to stay in Thailand. We are still on good terms and he talks to our daughter on skype nearly everyday. We visited him in Thailand again when lo was 1 year old but I won't be able to return to Thailand for a while and he is desperate to see her.

He's a government official, so he has a job to return to and he has been granted two weeks off to come and visit.

What information/statement do I need to give to him for his application? He has copies of our daughter's passport and birth certificate. Do I need to scan her visa stamps for when we returned to Thailand to visit him? How much information do I need to give in my statement?

Thanks in advance and please be nice about Thai fathers

I personally went home to have my daughter and I'm glad that I had her in a UK hospital etc. However, we returned when she was 3 months old and I couldn't cope in Thailand with her (I was suffering from pnd, which didn't help), so I have now returned to the UK permanently.

I'm going to be visiting Thailand for 5 weeks. I was hoping to arrive on a visa exemption and then hop over the border to get the extra week that I need. Now that I've worked out an itinerary, it looks like this option is not going to be possible.

I understand that I can get a 7 day visa extension and I just have some questions about it:

1) When should I go to the immigration office to apply for it? (i.e. could I go a week before I have to leave on the original stamp? or do I need to go within a couple of days before it runs out?)

2) What form do I need to use to apply for it?

3) Can I do this at the immigration office on Koh Samui.

Thanks for your help in advance!

Hope someone can help.

I am helping a (male) Thai friend and colleague apply for a tourist visa as he is keen to visit London for the Olympic games this year. My brother in the UK has helped secure him 2 tickets and my parents have kindly offered him accommodation for his 2 week stay. My parents have previously met him on a trip to Thailand in October and he hosted them during this time. They would therefore like to repay his generosity.

I have a few questions. Maybe I'm being a little pedantic but I would really hate for him to be rejected for this once in a lifetime trip.

Firstly we have form VAF1A.

1) Part 5 - employment. He is currently employed as a music lecturer at a University. Is it ok if the University gives him a letter to prove his employment status and that they are granting him 2-weeks leave. Is it ok if this is written in English by them or should it be in Thai and translated into English?

2) Part 5 - Income and expenditure.

- He has prepared 3 months worth of bank statements. He also owns his house, does he need to show a copy of the blue book?

- As my parents are offering accommodation only (he is paying for all other financial aspects) do they have to show bank statements or can they just show that they own the house.

- He has received a letter inviting him to stay from my parents via email. Is it better that they send this by post? Or does it not matter?

- My brother has emailed him with details of the tickets and an invitation as his guest to join him for these events.

3) Part 6.2

When it says that has he travelled outside his country of residence in the past 10 years we're a bit confused. He lives on the Laos border and regularly goes over there. He does have stamps in his current passport, are we to list all the times that he's been from those? At the moment I've put:

Date: Various

Destination: Laos

Purpose: Live on Laos border, visit friends.

Duration: Various

is that going to be sufficient?

4) Part 8.8

As he is staying with my parents do I need to list them as friends in this part? Also, if I do that, do I need to offer evidence of my relationship with him? (friend and colleague).

It seems like a bit of a headache for a 2 week holiday but hey ho! If you can let me know any other bits of documentation he should include, please let me know.

Many thanks.

Sorry to hear about the miscarriage

If your wife is having really long, irregular periods, it maybe something like PCOS.

I'd agree with fletchsmile getting her to take evening primrose oil.

To regulate cycles, the best thing I have ever taken was Agnus Castus (sometimes known as Vitex Agnus Castus, Chaste tree or Chasteberry).

Good luck.

Hello Ladies

just thought I'd let you know that New Look's website are offering FREE worldwide delivery today (Wednesday 20th April) up until midnight UK time. This saves you £10 in postage costs to Thailand and they have a great range of large size shoes in 41 and 42

Awwww Bina... you're absolutely awesome I really hope that one day you will write a book on your kibbutz life.

The village gossip is nothing in comparison to the school gossip! I find the school politics extremely hard to navigate at times, slowly getting there.

I really hope that it blends out with time. The hardest thing has been him ignoring me so pointedly and it has made it hard not to think about it so much, especially dealing with "what might have been" because I never said how I really felt and losing his friendship. It has been the most hurtful part, especially when I've not chased him, mentioned it or made a scene about it, but I suppose that is the what it is intended to do.

The wife was just very classy about the whole thing (and I would suspect that she knows the gossip). She had always respected the fact that her husband and I were friends in the past. I'm glad that he made the right choice and hope that he manages to be "good boy" for her (not so sure about that because he tends to go with the older male teachers to brothels). I was dreading the thought of him marrying Ajarn P, who is quite a spiteful character..

Expect some flack from which direction if I get a new boyfriend?!

Well, sounds as though you should consider yourself lucky you didn't end up with him. He seems to flit back and forth from one woman to another....not a good sign.

Well, I think his behaviour alone over the last few months was enough to make me realise that I was lucky not to end up with him It's just the fact that he is /still/ ignoring me, even when other teachers are trying to show him the right behaviour around me. He's made such an issue out of it that most people know that there is a problem, but I think that he thinks he's put himself in a position that he can't get out of now. This will be interesting next semester when I am meant to be team teaching with his department!

Today I went into school and he and his wife came in to see everyone. Again he ignored me I gave his wife a huge smile and said congratulations. She was great actually, because I was the first person she came up to. She grabbed my hand and put her arm around me. Whether she was saving face or not, who knows. We chatted about the wedding and then she said "I did not see you at the wedding but I think that X did not know how to invite you." Which was a bit weird, but glad that I got it out of the way.

Its never a good idea to get into a relationship with someone you work with. If things go wrong, you still have to work with him.

I wanted to echo sbk's advice. Before I met my (Thai) husband I was infatuated with a Thai PE teacher at my work. I was in a rather vulnerable state of mind, he was handsome and flirtatious, I was lonely and ready for a relationship (I was your age, 31). But he spoke almost no English, and I spoke even less Thai. He led me on every day, dazzling me, but I was hurt that he would never ask me out when the work day was through. We did go out twice. Turns out he had a girlfriend the entire time!

The remaining months at that particular school was a nightmare to say the least. When this teacher later sent out wedding invitations I felt betrayed by any teacher who decided to go - it was a horrible feeling. I could not come into work on his wedding day! Needless to say I did not stay at that school, I finished the term and was out of there. Gosh this happened seven years ago and the memories are still vivid about this guy and how badly he hurt me.

I'm sure the gossip around my school was ripe fruit for the picking, and this is in Bangkok, so the gossip probably stayed around the school environment. In your situation, satwatdee, the gossip could easily extend throughout the entire town. Get to know this guy slowly to make sure your communication is clear. Thais are VERY clever at showing one side and living another side.

Glad you have you on board with Thaivisa.

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but Amy's story always stuck in my mind for some reason and yesterday it came back to me.

Things with my Thai teacher (at the beginning of this thread) went really well last semester (as friends), even when I was having trouble at school and everyone was ignoring me, he only seemed to become friendlier. When we first met he was adamant that he had no gf. Then I later found out that he did and I actually socialised with them on occasion. They then split up and during that semester and we started getting a lot closer again. We did actually socialise outside of school as well that semester when another NES was at school.

We ended up going out for a few drinks during a festival at the end of the semester and because I didn't think I was coming back (for various reasons I discussed in another thread and I guess I was in a "I'll show them farang behaviour" frame of mind) one thing led to another.... I know, you don't have to say anything about that because I've been living with my shame and guilt about that for quite a few months. And we live in such a small town and I know that nothing is ever a secret, ever! Well, such is sod's law I got my contract renewal through the next day.

When I returned this semester, he was initially very happy but then suddenly started ignoring me. I don't know why and I've speculated all the different permutations in my mind for the last few months. All I know is something upset him because he was very angry with me for a long time and pointedly walked out of a room that I was in making his disapproval known to everyone. I was very reserved with him when I came back. Partly because I didn't want to chase him (which is lucky because I think it is now common knowledge that something did happen) but also because I felt very ashamed of what happened. It then became apparent that he was having a relationship with one of the female Thai teachers, Ajarn P, so I kept my distance also because of that. She was extremely angry at my presence and has been very bitchy about me, to the point other people were pulling her up on her behaviour if she made a comment or ignored me trying to wai her.

Anyway, yesterday I was in school to teach some students, when a teacher asked me if I was going to "the" wedding. I asked who was getting married and they said my Thai teacher's name. My god, my stomach turned to ice but I tried not to look upset and just smiled. "You did not know, he did not tell you?" the Thai teacher said smiling. I shook my head. "Oh, I think that he is being greng jai towards your feelings.' I was slightly confused as I had seen his GF that day, so asked "who is he marrying?" Turns out he was marrying his old GF!

I have no idea how Ajarn P fits into all this, whether she even knew he was getting married either. She's been quite happy to rub my nose in it about her and my teacher. I know that there are a young male and female teacher at school who are "together", although he is planning his wedding to his childhood sweetheart in his home town. Maybe that is just standard practice?

I was very broken hearted about losing his friendship for a long time and that was through my own stupidity. Hearing that he got married brought a lot of those feelings back. But today I was thinking, what if nothing had happened between us and we'd carried on like we had last semester? I would have been 10x more heart broken being friends with him and then him going off to marry the absent gf.

So yes, never have a relationship with someone you work with. Plus lesson learnt about Thai's showing one side and living another.

Even if things did not go the way I hoped, I did certainly learn how to get to know a Thai man and although we are no longer friends, his friendship is actually one of the most important that I have made while being here. So thank you ladies for all your information, help and advice, it was invaluable when I first arrived in my little village

Only been living in Isaan for around 4 months, but am loving it.

I'm pretty young (28) so generally you'd probably expect to find me in one of the bigger centres but it's soo nice and relaxed here. Although I am admittedly in Sarakham which has a huge student population, but regardless, it's awesome.

Some of the big reasons I'm enjoying it (Compared to how I would envision living in another area):

Lack of Farang - Forces interaction with the locals, who in general are really genuine good hearted people. As a result, it helps to improve your Thai a lot too, since you're sorta forced to learn a bit more than you would otherwise.

Respect - In general, since farang are reasonably scarce here, I think we're probably treated with a bit more respect than we might get in Pattaya etc. Also since they know we're not tourists, they don't try to rip us off so much, they realise the value of repeat business.

Teaching small town - Having students from my school see me in the 7/11 and giving me a "Hello Ajarn Bri AN!!" and give me a high five is pretty cool buzz feeling. Don't think I'd ever randomly see my students in one of the bigger cities.

Lower cost of living - In general this just makes things a little more relaxed

Som Tum - It's ment to be an Isaan thing, I'm sure you can get it elsewhere in Thailand, but I don't know if it'd be as good or as easily accessable. Either way, Som Tum Thai is definitely one of my favourite Thai dishes!!

That's my 2c anyway

28 years old living in Issan.

I'd imagine you never sleep alone .

LOL - You'd be surprised! Last semester I worked with a very handsome 23 year old British guy at my school here in Isaan. Did he manage to get any girls into bed? Did he hell. All the girls in the village were playing respectability card and acting very coy. However, if he had wanted a ladyboy he would've been a very happy boy.

I've been in Isaan for about 18months now and love it. I love the sense of community here in the village, which was something I didn't have growing up in the UK. I love how all of life's events become a party, everything must be celebrated. And I love the mor lam concerts

I'm considering for the future, perhaps nong khai or nakhon phanom although Nakon Phanom might be too quiet.

1. I'm an English teacher near Nakhon Phanom. With regards to English language schools, I'm not sure if there are any. However, most Thai schools are aiming for world class standard, which means teaching science, maths, computing, social studies all in English. This usually means that there will be 1 class that will have all their lessons in English. Check and see whether the school has any Native English teachers there or not. I teach in a rural Mattayom level school, but my director is very keen on having Native English speakers at school and has allocated a budget for 3 farang. Even the prathom in town will have 2 farang next semester. However, a larger more prestigious school near here does not have any farang because the director sees it as a waste of money. It's all a bit hit and miss.

I've heard good things about the Princess Chulabhorn School in Mukdahan, although a Thai school. I tutored a student from there last year over the semester break, her English was amazing and she was saying that they do a international exchange programme, so there are international students who attend there every semester.

2. Had experience of both Thai Govt and Private Hospitals and they've been pretty positive. However, never had to go for anything major.

3. I've always felt safe in my little village. This is as a single woman and people tend to keep an eye out for me. Sometimes I like to go out for a walk in the village but I'll have at least 5 villagers stop and ask me if I need a lift and tell me it's very dangerous for me to walk.

4. No farangs in the village own a house but a lot of the Thai teachers have massive houses in the village. They do stick out but there doesn't seem to be jealousy related to it, most people comment how beautiful they are.

I've been told the triumph brand makes nice bras in western sizes. I buy 6-8 at a time when I go back to the US from victoria's secret though. I have found that handwashing them keeps them looking new for a long time. It's not good to wash bras, in a lingerie bag or not. They will last much longer if handwashed.

I agree with this. Very occasionally (when I'm being ultra lazy) I will throw my bras into the washing machine but I usually handwash because I want them to last longer. I will gladly spend £50 on a good bra, so I want them to last as long as possible.

Rigby and Peller also post internationally, although slightly more expensive than Bravissimo at £12.50 (international signed for) delivery. They have a great range and also do large cup sizes. I first got fitted by them about 7 years ago. After years of being told to wear a 38C by the ladies in Marks and Spencers and my local lingerie shop but never being comfortable or supported properly, I went to Rigby and Peller and was told I was actually a 36E. Bra Sizing and Bra Fitting Advice

Mitchum deodorant for sure. When I made a trip home to the UK in September it was on special in the supermarket, so I ended up buying a dozen.

If you wear Max Factor make-up, then buy that at home as I've never been able to find it out here. I do tend to wear a lot of foundation because I've got a lot of marks on my face, otherwise I wouldn't bother. Plus, if you like wearing a decent mascara, I'd recommend bringing that out with you.

Tampons! Although, in Boots the Chemist they do have applicator tampons, so didn't feel the need to bring that many tampax back out with me.

Bras. I'm a 36E back in the UK and tend to like investing in decent bras.

Shoes - I'm a size 42. I can get shoes to fit me here, but I find it hard to find a nice pair of ballet flats for casual wear. However, I would agree with the comment that if they have a synthetic sole, it may disintegrate very quickly (which happened to 3 pairs of cheap shoes I brought over from the UK).

Books. I wish I'd brought more out with me.

I'd definitely recommend investing in Thai-English dictionary back home. I found it impossible to get one with transliterations of Thai words into English here.

Definitely exercise! I never exercised back in the UK but since coming to Thailand I do. There is an aerobics class every evening in my village, which I go to. I've also recently taken up basketball and found I'm actually not bad at it. This is from the girl who was always picked last for sports at school.

I also like to get out on my scooter and do little road trips.

Make a point of phoning my best friend in the UK once a month and hear all her news and chatter non stop for an hour.

Go to my favourite sitting place and watch the sunset.

Go fishing.

Head to Bangkok at least once every 3 months to get away from my little village, go shopping and be anonymous. However, it seems that this does not guarantee me anonymity. The last time I went to Bangkok, I ended up going to Bang Saen to meet up with a male friend. We were walking along the beach and suddenly I heard my name being shouted. It happened to be a teacher from my school, with some of my students who were going to Chonburi for a sports competition >.< So after lots of photo taking and nudging and winking about my handsome male farang friend whether or he was my boyfriend, we went on our merry way. Only for me to arrive back at school on the Monday and everyone interrogating me on how long I had been with my boyfriend, what his name was, could they see a picture of him etc.

Can someone on this site help me or point me into the direction of a translation service to translate a letter into Thai for me? Obviously, I don't want to go down the google route.

The letter is of a personal nature to a Thai male friend (I'm female) and would need to the translator to be sensitive to the language usage. I don't just want a literal translation, I need help with it's wording as what I may think ok maybe seen as confrontational, which I don't mean it to be. So it would need to be somebody who has some understanding of Isaan men.

Thanks in advance.

Thanks! I had a look today and your directions were spot on.

I still need to check out the place near Victory Monument and one of my Thai colleagues has a ladyboy that works in her hairdressers so she's going to ask them where they get shoes from when she's next there (she's a big size 40 and equally frustrated by the lack of shoe choice available - it's not only a farang problem!)

Yay! Sorry it took me so long to reply with the directions but glad you managed to find it Definitely check out the shop at the mall near Victory Monument. If I recall correctly I'm sure that they had strappy sandals.

I'm heading to BKK next month on a shoe shopping expedition, so thanks for the tips about the other places.

. Although I can be culturally sensitive, I can never be Thai and therefore will never get the same respect that a Thai girl would get.

But neither will you get the major disapproval when you do wrong either, people will just shrug their shoulders and say "farang mai ru ruang" but if a Thai girl breaks the same rules she will have it far worse, IME.

Glad you stuck it out and glad you are finding fulfillment with your job. Good news indeed

You're right, Thai girls do have it a lot worse. But then again, they know the social rules. I think it's only been this semester that they are now saying "farang mai ru ruang", because I did meet with disapproval last semester (socialising with men/drinking). I think last semester was maybe a bit of shock when they saw how farangs interact with each other. I think their opinions are definitely changing now.

Actually, there has been a bit of a change in the younger unmarried Thai women at school. When I first came here, none of them would touch alcohol at a school event. Now most of them do and it's not disapproved of. Also, 2 of the younger female teachers have been very blatant about having many gigs. Again, laughed about but no major (outward) disapproval, which is something I thought would be very frowned upon.

Well a few months on, I thought I'd update you all on my situation...

Well, I took Ms Sabai's advice and went pretty wild in my last couple weeks of the semester. There was a week long boat race festival the week after my contract ended, which served as a final hurrah for myself and the other farang teacher (the golden boy) at school. It was during this week I actually got my contract renewal.

I went back home to the UK for a couple weeks in October to visit family and friends and to clear my head a bit. Being back in the UK helped realised that my little Isaan village is actually my home now and so decided to take the contract renewal.

The s-stirrer was also offered a contract renewal. However, when I returned to the village in October, 2 teachers approached me asking for my help to find a replacement for him. Although he was very popular with the teachers, they had been worried about his conduct with some of the students.

We managed to find a replacement, an "older" English guy, who happened to be someone who had taught with a friend of mine at a school nearby. We also had a new farang through the agency I work for, a young American guy. It's been very interesting how the school reacted to both. The young American was quite disliked at first because he's very reserved by nature and was constantly being compared to the golden boy. The older English guy is absolutely loved because he takes an interest in everyone and is much more outgoing. From my point of view it's been great having farangs that I get on with.

As far as the Thai teachers are concerned, things haven't gone back to how they were in my first semester but they are no way as bad as they were last semester. I feel very much on the periphery of things now but an accepted part of the scenery. It's been a very interesting experience with regards to Thai culture and also how I react to things. As Bina said, I needed to grow a thick skin, which I think I have sufficiently. I went into this semester not holding any grudges or bad feeling. If people have been funny with me I just smile at them and carry on as normal. Whatever has been the issue (one thing that did surface was disapproval about me tending to only socialise with men), is their problem and not mine. Although I can be culturally sensitive, I can never be Thai and therefore will never get the same respect that a Thai girl would get.

One good thing about the school is that they do respect the fact that I'm a good teacher and well liked by my students. I was awarded "kru dee" on Wan Kru. I've had an absolutely brilliant semester teaching-wise, had a lot of fun with my students and have loved all the classes I've taught.

Although I did think I was absolutely nuts for staying on, especially as I got offered a job at a school 2 hours from here who actually wanted a female teacher, I'm glad that I did for various reasons.

Thanks for everyone's support and advice, it was very much appreciated.

There's also a shop called 'Maximum by Jayne' in the One Mall (the single story mall right outside Central Mall Lad Prao, over the foot bridge from the MRT) which has larger sizes that's been there for years (it's still there, I happened to cut through there on my way to the MRT this evening) with large size clothes and shoes but the selection is (and always has been) a bit drab. I couldn't find the same shop(s) in the Union Mall when I looked last week on either level but it is a bit of a maze in there so if you have any more specific directions please let me know. I couldn't find the Ayudhya bank (or shop near it) either but I might have been looking on the wrong level(s)

Yes, Maximum by Jayne has a shop in the One Mall and then 2 shops in Union Mall. I find Union Mall a bit of a maze as well with no real points of reference, so not sure if my directions will be any good! To get to one of the concessions in Union Mall, if you are entering from the walkway from the MRT and you enter the actual mall where the ice cream stall is: turn right and head towards the back of the mall (think there is a bookshop at the back). The Maximum by Jayne shop is one of the end units near the bookshop.

The other shoe shop is located on the floor above the Maximum by Jayne shop. You need to find the set of escalators located at the opposite end of the row that the Maximum by Jayne shop is located on. If you take that escalator head towards the units on the right. The shop is one of the end units nearest to the escalators (maybe 2nd or 3rd end unit from the left). Last time I was in Bangkok (December), they had a great range of shoes. Ayudhya bank is at the opposite end of that row at the back.

Good luck!

There is a shop in the basement level at Century Plaza (Victory Monument BTS - sorry forgot the name of the shop but will try and dig out there card) that I stumbled across that had sizes up to 46 (eek!!!). They cost about 400฿ per pair and have pretty conservative styles.

Website for this shop is:

www.lusia5.com

Well, I'm a 41/42 but have to buy a 44 in Thai shoes weirdly enough.

There is a shop in the basement level at Century Plaza (Victory Monument BTS - sorry forgot the name of the shop but will try and dig out there card) that I stumbled across that had sizes up to 46 (eek!!!). They cost about 400฿ per pair and have pretty conservative styles.

There is also 2 shops in the Union Mall (Phahon Yothin MRT). I think it's on the level if you take the walkway from the MRT to the mall. Both shops are called "Maximum by Jayne". They have a smaller selection than the shop at Century Plaza and more expensive (600฿ per pair). There is also another shop on the floor above, near the Bank of Ayudhya, that have a really nice /small/ selection of larger size shoes. However, these have always been to narrow for me.

Also, New Look in the UK are now posting internationally and they go up to a size 42.

I'm size 41 and live in BK. Finding shoes is an absolute nightmare.

The best bets are:

- Next in Central World (don't know if they've reopened but I've even found size 42 shoes in there in the past). Other Western clothes retailers, e.g. Zara also sometimes stock larger sizes

- There are several shops in and around Pratunam that cater to ladyboys and have large sizes. Some of the shoes are very garish but they also have normal ones too.

I'm definitely going to check out JJ mall that the poster above mentioned - exciting that I may have a 3rd option and not have to do my shoe shopping on an annual basis when I'm in the EU!!

Loser1 - The agency visit went ok. They seemingly haven't said anything negative to them about me and have said that the contract is good for next semester. However, they did say to the agency that they would like to do their own observations of my teaching, which doesn't really make sense if they are ok for me to stay. I did broach the topic of moving schools to the agency but they were quite concerned and admitted that they don't think many other placements would stay at the school because it is out of the way.

Who is this 'teaching buddy' and who died and made him Buddha? I have never had one of those before, nor would I care to! Really sounds like this guy may be the source of many of your woes. Sounds like he wants you out, whilst the school doesn't so he is trying his hardest to make you feel as insecure as possible. What a nasty piece of work.

When I first came to the school I was assigned the teaching buddy and put into his group of friends, which was difficult to say the least. He was the main driving force behind getting farangs at the school but unfortunately sees it as some matchmaking opportunity.