Why Bring Small Children On Holiday?

[Boo]

I'd be interested to know what you believe those risks are?

[koheesti]

I'd be interested to know what you believe those risks are?

They can be found through-out the thread.

[Birdman]

What's the matter with some poster here?? Can"t understand their attitudes to flame about one of the dream destinations worldwide for many and apparently about the place they choose to live. If it's so horrible here for them just move back to the West together with the attitude.

Or better take a trip to other non westernized places around the world to get a clearer picture.

What a pity their mom and dad did not take them to exotic places when they were children.

Let me get this straight, since I believe Koh Samui isn't the safest place to bring infants and toddlers on vacation then I should move back "West"? If you have children I hope you have enough sense not to home school.

Boo, people living here should know what's going (generally, some of you certainly are exceptions) unlike short-time tourists oblivious to any potential hazards found on a tropical island with poor infrastructure, etc. Some people just don't mind taking chances where their children are involved. As you say, it's a personal choice.

No, by that I mean another poster. But on a second thought, it could be for you, too. You seem to be a lonely guy, who came here accidental, old and bored. What do you know about tourists? About a family? About Thai life? Not much more than the average package tourist. And that's quiet ok, because it's up to you. But I would not use a wide know Thai expat forum to let everyone know that!

[Rooo]

This thread is not even Samui related,but some good points raised, so let's stay on topic please.

[Boo]

I read this thread & can see no real issues on safety that can be used as a valid reason not to bring a child to Samui. Sounds only like some people don't like kids & are using this thread as a way to vent their dislike. Sad but up to them, as long as they can accept that it is only their opinion & that many parents can & do bring their kids to samui for a holiday & have a good time too.

Oh & koheesti, regarding your deleted post, re-read the forum rules.

[koheesti]

I read this thread & can see no real issues on safety that can be used as a valid reason not to bring a child to Samui. Sounds only like some people don't like kids & are using this thread as a way to vent their dislike. Sad but up to them, as long as they can accept that it is only their opinion & that many parents can & do bring their kids to samui for a holiday & have a good time too.

Oh & koheesti, regarding your deleted post, re-read the forum rules.

No real safety issues? Two threads this month about someone wanting to kill snakes around their bungalow? Or all the road deaths due to poor roads, drivers & drunks? Few roads where it is safe to walk along as an adult let alone with a child? Somewhere in this thread an old YouTube video is mentioned that showed a big, blue spider sitting in an empty baby stroller/pram. Then there are the illnesses. The list goes on. Of course TAT won't like any of that being mentioned so you better delete this before TV gets in trouble.

[Rooo]

Last warning.

4) Not to flame fellow members.

Flaming will not be tolerated. 'Flaming' is defined as posting or responding to a message in a way clearly intended to incite useless arguments, to launch personal attacks, to insult, or to be hateful towards other members. This includes useless criticism, name-calling, swearing and any other comments meant to incite anger.

[Boo]

I re-read them and I couldn't find the part how someone in your position is allowed to bait people again and again then abuse your power after your keester is handed back to you. Can you send me the link?

There has been no baiting & if I had abused my power I would have put you on suspension for the post that got deleted but thats easy for you to ignore right? Much easier to cry the moderator card. But just for you, I was referring to your deleted post

when I said re-read the rules, specifically;

snip... so don't waste space correcting other members' grammar and spelling where it isn't necessary.

No real safety issues? snip

tbh you sound like you must live in a bubble of fear. In life, there is a risk of anything happening to anyone, anywhere. Spiders, snakes bad drivers, drunk people, dangerous roads, none of these are exclusive to samui or Thailand. I'll carry on living my life as I see fit & leave people like you to see the boogie man behind every corner. It's a wonder you manage to leave you house let alone move to another country.

[bojo]

I read this thread & can see no real issues on safety that can be used as a valid reason not to bring a child to Samui. Sounds only like some people don't like kids & are using this thread as a way to vent their dislike. Sad but up to them, as long as they can accept that it is only their opinion & that many parents can & do bring their kids to samui for a holiday & have a good time too.

Oh & koheesti, regarding your deleted post, re-read the forum rules.

I re-read them and I couldn't find the part how someone in your position is allowed to bait people again and again then abuse your power after your keester is handed back to you. Can you send me the link?

No real safety issues? Two threads this month about someone wanting to kill snakes around their bungalow? Or all the road deaths due to poor roads, drivers & drunks? Few roads where it is safe to walk along as an adult let alone with a child? Somewhere in this thread an old YouTube video is mentioned that showed a big, blue spider sitting in an empty baby stroller/pram. Then there are the illnesses. The list goes on. Of course TAT won't like any of that being mentioned so you better delete this before TV gets in trouble.

I lived on Koh Samui for ages and moved away a couple of years ago.

Regarding it being a dangerous place for tourists... If you hire a car and not a motorbike you should be OK. Most foreign related bike injuries are thru drunkenness, their inability to drive a bike properly and non wearing of helmet (some leave their brains at home and over indulge in all the freedom that Thailand has to offer.)

Kohheesti mentioned snakes, I didn't get your point, was the machete weilding person or the snakes the danger or both. Snakes are everywhere in most hot countries. Most accomodation on the island is in built up areas and by the beach, not where snakes go to feed. So if parents feel snakes are a problem, there are many locations where snakes don't feature as part of the entertainment and besides not all are dangerous and most will slither a mile when coming into human contact. As for machete weilders, they would only be found amongst themselves and not in tourist areas.

Chaweng and Lamai have pavements, albeit quite high that make pushchairs a palava but so what, and Bophut's village road is just a lovely place for a walk with a family, with cars and bikes at a real go slow. They can barely get down there it's so narrow and besides low betide any speeding driver down there, the locals of influence will chop their balls off!

Which illnesses are there specific to Koh Samui?

Where ever we go in the world there will be hazards including in our own back yard. Koh Samui is only dangerous through self infliction IMO.

Regarding taking young kids away on holiday.. IMO they should go wherever their parents wish to take them assuming that they have done the due dilligence. A well travelled child is a knowledgeable one.

I wouldn't leave them at home with anyone as that would defeat the point in having them in the first place.

Regards Bojo

[samuibeachcomber]

Off topic i know,but another question goes begging"why do married couples(without children) go on holiday together?

You would think that spending 24/7 together at home that come holiday time they would take a break from each other to refresh the relationship.

I cant count the number of times i have seen bored couples together on holiday.

[koheesti]

I re-read them and I couldn't find the part how someone in your position is allowed to bait people again and again then abuse your power after your keester is handed back to you. Can you send me the link?

There has been no baiting & if I had abused my power I would have put you on suspension for the post that got deleted but thats easy for you to ignore right? Much easier to cry the moderator card. But just for you, I was referring to your deleted post

when I said re-read the rules, specifically;

snip... so don't waste space correcting other members' grammar and spelling where it isn't necessary.

No real safety issues? snip

tbh you sound like you must live in a bubble of fear. In life, there is a risk of anything happening to anyone, anywhere. Spiders, snakes bad drivers, drunk people, dangerous roads, none of these are exclusive to samui or Thailand. I'll carry on living my life as I see fit & leave people like you to see the boogie man behind every corner. It's a wonder you manage to leave you house let alone move to another country.

Re-read all of your posts in this thread over the past two days. How many of them offer a backhanded remark to another poster in the last sentence? You aren't just a regular member, you hold a position of authority and shouldn't be provoking others with each post you make. If this thread has been dragged down, you share in the blame.

[Birdman]

Off topic i know,but another question goes begging"why do married couples(without children) go on holiday together?

You would think that spending 24/7 together at home that come holiday time they would take a break from each other to refresh the relationship.

I cant count the number of times i have seen bored couples together on holiday.

Which brings us to: why do people go on holidays in general? And then: why people like to be together?

Are you one of them? or are you in Thailand because you were lonely back home?

[Boo]

raise it to admin at support (at) thaivisa.com instead of trying to take the thread off track

[samuibeachcomber]

Off topic i know,but another question goes begging"why do married couples(without children) go on holiday together?

You would think that spending 24/7 together at home that come holiday time they would take a break from each other to refresh the relationship.

I cant count the number of times i have seen bored couples together on holiday.

Which brings us to: why do people go on holidays in general? And then: why people like to be together?

Are you one of them? or are you in Thailand because you were lonely back home?

dont think my question was about me,maybe look at my question again,and give an answer if you have one.

[Birdman]

Off topic i know,but another question goes begging"why do married couples(without children) go on holiday together?

You would think that spending 24/7 together at home that come holiday time they would take a break from each other to refresh the relationship.

I cant count the number of times i have seen bored couples together on holiday.

Which brings us to: why do people go on holidays in general? And then: why people like to be together?

Are you one of them? or are you in Thailand because you were lonely back home?

dont think my question was about me,maybe look at my question again,and give an answer if you have one.

It's love, trust and understanding. A feeling BELONGING TOGETHER FOR LIFE. No need to speak all the time. A tip to the hat to this people. I salute them. They are honest and sincere people. Not like others who dump their 40 something wife for another 20 something until the next one. Incredible weak and superficial personalities do that.

Can you understand that??

[samuibeachcomber]

thats more like it birdman,a straight forward answer.

[t.s]

I read this thread & can see no real issues on safety that can be used as a valid reason not to bring a child to Samui. Sounds only like some people don't like kids & are using this thread as a way to vent their dislike. Sad but up to them, as long as they can accept that it is only their opinion & that many parents can & do bring their kids to samui for a holiday & have a good time too.

Oh & koheesti, regarding your deleted post, re-read the forum rules.

No real safety issues? Two threads this month about someone wanting to kill snakes around their bungalow? Or all the road deaths due to poor roads, drivers & drunks? Few roads where it is safe to walk along as an adult let alone with a child? Somewhere in this thread an old YouTube video is mentioned that showed a big, blue spider sitting in an empty baby stroller/pram. Then there are the illnesses. The list goes on. Of course TAT won't like any of that being mentioned so you better delete this before TV gets in trouble.

good lord, in canada the cold will kill you, england is full of chavs who own pitbulls, north america has rattlesnakes and black widow spiders and most austrailian suburbs are rife with poisonous snakes. are these all unfit for children? please suggest a nice safe place to holiday with or even raise, children. As for illnesses, perhaps mexico would be better? maybe china?

i can only assume you are being purposely obtuse.

Edited July 23, 2009 by t.s

[OnTheSnap]

I don't see the big deal with traveling with kids as long as the parents are responsible- when my son was little if he started crying in a movie theater or restaurant I took him out of other peoples' earshot until he calmed down- if he was fussy on a plane I took him to where there were fewer people (if possible) or to a rest-room (not for too long so as not to inconvenience other passengers ) and dealt with him.

This thread is less about concern for child welfare as it its about childless people worrying about being disturbed by the children of others (which will be non-exixtent or at least kept to a minimum by parents who do their job).

I can see how having kids gives you a different perspective vs. not having them- I have a special affection for kids, though- I used to be one.

[Birdman]

I read this thread & can see no real issues on safety that can be used as a valid reason not to bring a child to Samui. Sounds only like some people don't like kids & are using this thread as a way to vent their dislike. Sad but up to them, as long as they can accept that it is only their opinion & that many parents can & do bring their kids to samui for a holiday & have a good time too.

Oh & koheesti, regarding your deleted post, re-read the forum rules.

No real safety issues? Two threads this month about someone wanting to kill snakes around their bungalow? Or all the road deaths due to poor roads, drivers & drunks? Few roads where it is safe to walk along as an adult let alone with a child? Somewhere in this thread an old YouTube video is mentioned that showed a big, blue spider sitting in an empty baby stroller/pram. Then there are the illnesses. The list goes on. Of course TAT won't like any of that being mentioned so you better delete this before TV gets in trouble.

good lord, in canada the cold will kill you, england is full of chavs who own pitbulls, north america has rattlesnakes and black widow spiders and most austrailian suburbs are rife with poisonous snakes. are these all unfit for children? please suggest a nice safe place to holiday with or even raise, children. As for illnesses, perhaps mexico would be better? maybe china?

i can only assume you are being purposely obtuse.

Right, wanted to post something similar. To be precise to holiday only in perfect countries like Austria and Switzerland.

...hmm... dam_n, there are bees on the lawns, ticks in the undergrowth, the nice, but cold lakes will give you influenza, rock fall, can get lost in the mountains....

...ufff, better no holidays at all

[koheesti]

Apparently the asbestos down here is pretty bad too.

[Birdman]

Apparently the asbestos down here is pretty bad too.

Tell us more about you.

[Mark Wolfe]

Boo:

"Mark you missed the part of my post about liking my child & wanting to spend time with him. When you have a child you accept & enjoy the being part of a family that is spending time together..."

I got all that. But seriously, I'm talking about a week, let's say, away from your child. Taking a vacation without the little guy isn't a sign you are breaking up the family or don't care about your kid or some such extreme view. I can't imagine what your views are on sending a kid to summer camp.

I almost resent the, "You would be a bad parent because you would leave your toddler with the grandparents for a week while you and the missus went to Thailand." I don't see anything wrong with this at all. Maybe the protective instinct is running on high with you, but I don't think being separated from your child for a while is bad parenting.

By the way, I think you, Boo, left out the answer to the question of whether you ever do anything without the kid, such as going to a movie, or dinner or dancing or something that you might want to do without the child. Or have you just stopped eating out, going to the movies and other activities that might not be suitable for small kids (at all times)? If you do, then you must see my point that going to a movie and then dinner without the kid is akin to taking a week holiday without the kid.

I also think that any enrichment value of going overseas with a one-year-old baby, for example, is wishful thinking. There is nothing really wrong with bringing a baby on a vacation, if that's your cup of tea, but don't think that is makes any difference to the infant. No one seriously says that they take the toddler on holiday to expand the little guy's horizons. EVERYTHING is an adventure for a baby, be it refrigerator magnets or water coming out of a garden hose. Seems to me a waste of resources to bring a member of the family along on a vacation when he gets virtually nothing out of it. Would you bring along gramps who has very serious Alzheimer's? You could, of course -- he is family -- but the net result would be your retained memories and impressions of the trip with gramps; grandpa would come away with nothing, and wouldn't even remember he was wherever he was.

Same with a kid.

[Mark Wolfe]

A lot of people in this thread who don't seem to grasp the concept of a family.

Ok I'll bite. What is the concept of a family? Is it that you are never separated for a recreational activity?

Someone alluded to spouses taking separate vacations; what's that all about? That sounds very un-family.

Maybe I should print up some T-shirts with this on the front: Leave the kid at home!

But to be fair, I should also make one saying: Always take your kids with your everywhere! We're family!

[Boo]

By the way, I think you, Boo, left out the answer to the question of whether you ever do anything without the kid, such as going to a movie, or dinner or dancing or something that you might want to do without the child

then you didn't read very well cause I did, but regardless IN MY OPINION, leaving a child with a trusted relative for a day or an evening is a totally different thing to leaving them for a week or more. It is personal choice & this is mine. Get over it.

[mlkmnz]

I've brought my kids to Thailand 3 times (Koh Samui twice), they're both still under 5, and I have to say it's the best country in the world to take kids. Why do I bring them? Because I get to spend decent quality time with them, as opposed to home where I'm constantly rushed off my feet. Plus they enjoy it and it's something a bit different to expose them to.

Thread just sounds like a sounding board for lonely old men to find something new to moan about TBH.

Edited July 23, 2009 by mlkmnz

[sbk]

I've brought my kids to Thailand 3 times (Koh Samui twice), they're both still under 5, and I have to say it's the best country in the world to take kids. Why do I bring them? Because I get to spend decent quality time with them, as opposed to home where I'm constantly rushed off my feet. Plus they enjoy it and it's something a bit different to expose them to.

Thread just sounds like a sounding board for lonely old men to find something new to moan about TBH.

I don't have children but I would never stand in judgment of someone who chooses to take their kids on a holiday with them. As you state, often its the only time a parent gets to spend any real quality time with their kids.

I really cannot begin to fathom why posters really care or need to make such a big deal out of something that is up to the individual parent.

[cdnvic]

A lot of people in this thread who don't seem to grasp the concept of a family.

Ok I'll bite. What is the concept of a family? Is it that you are never separated for a recreational activity?

It's a group of people who make their own decisions about whether or not to holiday together, regardless of what some divv bent on being difficult says. That doesn't mean they have to spend every moment together, but it's their choice if they do or not.

The bottom line is that it's up to the family how they holiday, and there's no real reason they shouldn't do it in Samui. I'd certainly feel safer there than in many of the neighbourhoods surrounding Disneyland. In the suburbs surrounding the city where I live there are cougars and bears wandering around. Should we evacuate our kids to the shoreline, or, no.... we're in an eathquake/tsunami zone.... better send them inland.... oh no, it get's down to -45c in the winter.... I guess tourists better avoid Canada too if they have children.

Then again maybe it's just that the entire topic is built on a ridiculous premise supported only by the OP's prejudices and inability to listen to reason.

[Rooo]

I honestly think this topic has run it's course.We are just going around in circles & providing the OP with fodder for useless arguments.

Closed.