John
@bkk tea blog
American expat in Thailand
Forum posts
429
Contacts
72
About me
American
Lives in Bangkok
Registration: 20 August 2014
Getting around with your pet in Thailand by Cheryl
Hello everyone, Living in Thailand with a pet also means learning how to navigate local transport systems together. From daily commutes to occasional trips, you have to navigate betwwen local rules and real-life experiences. Whether you’re ...
There are pet friendly places around now, shopping centers that are especially open to that, or even hotels that are. We have four cats right now but they don't travel with us, or go to malls. I get it about people treating their small dogs or ... Read More
Late stage capitalism; is that a real thing?
I've moved back to the US, part time, now living in both Honolulu and Bangkok, where I'm still employed. We moved back so our kids could get a US education, to the last place my wife and I both lived in the US.It's interesting considering if ... Read More
Managing meals in Thailand by Cheryl
Hello everyone, Managing meals day-to-day can sometimes be a real mental challenge, even more so when you land in a new environment, with different schedules, habits or ingredients. How do you manage your meal routine as an expat in Thailand? We ...
I eat two completely different diets when my family is in Bangkok or when they are living back in the US (we move between the two places, related to our kids going to school back in Hawaii).When they are "here" (I'm in Honolulu just now) I eat ... Read More
Cultural offerings in Thailand
A bit quiet here. Related to cultural events in Thailand two main themes come to mind. One people are already frequently exploring: religion, in the form of temple visits. It's great taking in the sights at main temples, like Wat Pho, Wat Arun, ... Read More
Where are we headed by blitzerr77
I have been thinking and have been listening to some of the pods . There are lots of things happening in last few years as if they events have just sped up at exponential speed .We had COVID which killed tens of thousands of us and then as ...
@Aroundwego The decline on the most obvious levels is most troubling, crime, drug use, shootings, homelessness, and such, but there are also other subtle aspects that are harder to place. There's an odd attitude about people not expending effort on ... Read More
Where are we headed by blitzerr77
I have been thinking and have been listening to some of the pods . There are lots of things happening in last few years as if they events have just sped up at exponential speed .We had COVID which killed tens of thousands of us and then as ...
One big problem with reducing the daily exchanges and perspectives of an entire large country down to a few clear trends is that people can tend to find what they expect or want to identify. All the shootings are definitely pulling expectations and ... Read More
Where are we headed by blitzerr77
I have been thinking and have been listening to some of the pods . There are lots of things happening in last few years as if they events have just sped up at exponential speed .We had COVID which killed tens of thousands of us and then as ...
There's a troubling emerging pattern in the US that's hard to really get a grasp of, because it's not exactly the same as the "sky is falling" disaster related media coverage scope, but something is going wrong at an underlying level. The ... Read More
Problems with moving back, negative perception of work experience by bkk tea blog
I'm in the middle of moving back to the US after 15 years in Thailand. My wife was set on our kids experiencing the US education system, which makes sense, so we rented an apartment in Honolulu and they're on their second school semester there now. ...
Thanks for the input! Unfortunately one part you cite is especially problematic related to what I'm seeking, since I've worked only in a data center company in Thailand, where I've lived for 15 years. I think Thailand's IT industry is a bit behind ... Read More
Sending and receiving packages in Thailand by Priscilla
Hello, As an expat, there are inevitably certain items you might want or need from back home, and around the holiday period, many people like to send gift packages. How easy is it to send and receive packages in Thailand? Is the public ...
I haven't, but I can shed some light on how such concerns tend to go in relation to having problems with another type of product, tea. There is a list of how controlled different types of goods are, with tax rates varying by product type. The more ... Read More
Problems with moving back, negative perception of work experience
I'm in the middle of moving back to the US after 15 years in Thailand. My wife was set on our kids experiencing the US education system, which makes sense, so we rented an apartment in Honolulu and they're on their second school semester there now. ... Read More
Disney Plus vs Netflix: which streaming service is best? by SimCityAT
[img align=C]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DNxx2ASnETzV8H52HJSQHb.jpg[/img] I am thinking of cancelling my Netflix, the quality of programs and films on Disney+ is much better. Does anyone else feel the same?
I just watched the Wednesday tv series with my kids on Netflix, which was pretty good, especially if you are a teenager, which of course I'm not. We've only ever subscribed to Disney +, not because it seems better, but because a local service ... Read More
What's changing in Thailand after the COVID-19 crisis by Veedushi
Hello everyone, I hope you're doing well. As the Editorial Team of Expat.com, our aim is to provide you with fresh and up-to-date information about the COVID-19 crisis in your host country. You might be expecting a lot of changes following the ...
Two different stories are being told about how it now goes visiting Thailand. One is that it's fine to come here, maybe especially for starting out in Phuket, with a relaxed quarantine process that I think only involves testing and a one night ... Read More
Tea or Coffee? by ChatMom
Do you like Tea or Coffee ?:)
Tea! I take tea interest a bit unreasonably far; beyond drinking a lot of it, and owning a lot, I write a blog about tea, co-founded one of the main Facebook tea groups, and write in a Quora Space about tea that I started. It's hard to narrow ... Read More
Delta variant changes the nature of the covid pandemic
I really wanted to share a friend's recent experiences here in Thailand in getting covid, which could connect to a troubling story of people dropping dead in the streets of Bangkok. It seems best to start with some background on what the Delta ... Read More
What's changing in Thailand after the COVID-19 crisis by Veedushi
Hello everyone, I hope you're doing well. As the Editorial Team of Expat.com, our aim is to provide you with fresh and up-to-date information about the COVID-19 crisis in your host country. You might be expecting a lot of changes following the ...
It's funny how this post in July 2020 was about what is likely to change after covid is finished, and now in July 2021 the actual question is if the pandemic can be mostly resolved here in 2021 or not. My guess is that by the end of the year ... Read More
Why is covid cases increasing in Thailand. by Bazza343
After months of the closure of the border to all tourists. and strict quarantine put in place returning Thai's and ex-pats returning to their Thai families. For the last 6 months, there have been many clusters of covid breaking out mainly in the ...
No one really knows the full truth of all causes and effects but these answers barely start in on current best guesses. New strains spread faster; that's a main factor. It's true that hotspots are prisons, market areas, manufacturing and ... Read More
Homeschooling in Thailand by Bhavna
Hello everyone, Homeschooling your children as an expat in Thailand will definitely come with its load of challenges. Here is a special call to parents who are already homeschooling their children or who plan on doing so to share any information ...
This post links to some groups that might be able to provide support: https://hslda.org/post/thailand# I wouldn't even consider home schooling my own children related to the social contact being critical. Of course that's just a ... Read More
Expatriation to Thailand: border updates by Cheryl
Hello everyone, in Thailand as elsewhere, the current pandemic has changed our way of life but also our mobility, due to the state of borders of nearby countries or countries we wanted to visit. Today we would like to take stock of the current ...
We are both "some guy commenting in an expat forum." People should be careful to take everything with a grain of salt, including what appears in research papers. The whole point of peer review is that some of it will be confirmed and ... Read More
Expatriation to Thailand: border updates by Cheryl
Hello everyone, in Thailand as elsewhere, the current pandemic has changed our way of life but also our mobility, due to the state of borders of nearby countries or countries we wanted to visit. Today we would like to take stock of the current ...
One other thing to keep in mind is that prior to the peer review step content appearing in peer-review oriented journals really could be completely wrong. People tend to miss that part. The review step confirms that the research is meaningful and ... Read More
Expatriation to Thailand: border updates by Cheryl
Hello everyone, in Thailand as elsewhere, the current pandemic has changed our way of life but also our mobility, due to the state of borders of nearby countries or countries we wanted to visit. Today we would like to take stock of the current ...
I'll leave most of that stand as your opinion, and not comment on it further, but the issue of potential treatments for corona virus is an interesting one. It's not so simple to identify what does or doesn't help "cure" corona ... Read More
Expatriation to Thailand: border updates by Cheryl
Hello everyone, in Thailand as elsewhere, the current pandemic has changed our way of life but also our mobility, due to the state of borders of nearby countries or countries we wanted to visit. Today we would like to take stock of the current ...
Related to another point I didn't address, Thailand is more or less closed to tourism now, just not completely, but people can come to the country on a spouse visa, or with a valid work permit and work visa. Read More
Expatriation to Thailand: border updates by Cheryl
Hello everyone, in Thailand as elsewhere, the current pandemic has changed our way of life but also our mobility, due to the state of borders of nearby countries or countries we wanted to visit. Today we would like to take stock of the current ...
There are two problems with Thailand accepting tourism visitors based only on testing: the tests have a margin of error, and people can get the virus on the trip to the country. The second is especially problematic because it takes an inconsistent ... Read More
Expatriation to Thailand: border updates by Cheryl
Hello everyone, in Thailand as elsewhere, the current pandemic has changed our way of life but also our mobility, due to the state of borders of nearby countries or countries we wanted to visit. Today we would like to take stock of the current ...
As an update to the actual thread content, an initial group of Chinese tourists did arrive within the last few days (21 people, if I remember right). A lot of expat locals are critical of the step, speculating that this doesn't seem to be a ... Read More
Expatriation to Thailand: border updates by Cheryl
Hello everyone, in Thailand as elsewhere, the current pandemic has changed our way of life but also our mobility, due to the state of borders of nearby countries or countries we wanted to visit. Today we would like to take stock of the current ...
I agree; it's not ok to alter the name of the corona virus / covid 19 to use it as a racial slur. It already has two names; people can just express their racism directly, explaining dislike of Chinese people for whatever other reasons. Or ... Read More
Expatriation to Thailand: border updates by Cheryl
Hello everyone, in Thailand as elsewhere, the current pandemic has changed our way of life but also our mobility, due to the state of borders of nearby countries or countries we wanted to visit. Today we would like to take stock of the current ...
A German friend is engaged to a Thai woman he has been visiting in Thailand for a long time. They were engaged last year on a trip to Paris, and he had expected to visit her for a long stay this year, which of course didn't happen. Now it ... Read More
Expatriation to Thailand: border updates by Cheryl
Hello everyone, in Thailand as elsewhere, the current pandemic has changed our way of life but also our mobility, due to the state of borders of nearby countries or countries we wanted to visit. Today we would like to take stock of the current ...
From that list my yoga instructor should be able to make it back (the #4 condition). I asked that colleague and his daughter had made it back, it just took a good number of weeks to get the flight arranged, and then of course 2 weeks for ... Read More
The obvious fix to the tourism problem (to me) by bkk tea blog
The Thai economy is suffering related to a lack of foreign tourism, especially in local resort areas, where a lot of businesses have already failed. There are different "Phuket models" being considered related to re-opening Thailand to ...
Thailand kept floating lots of really flawed "Phuket models," trying to get tourism restarted in an isolated fashion. At first they were thinking that since Phuket is an island they could just let people go there, and a potential outbreak ... Read More
The obvious fix to the tourism problem (to me) by bkk tea blog
The Thai economy is suffering related to a lack of foreign tourism, especially in local resort areas, where a lot of businesses have already failed. There are different "Phuket models" being considered related to re-opening Thailand to ...
They need to get a pilot program running before they can really promote this, and once they do then they can attach more marketing spin to it. I think it would be a mistake to leave people who visit Thailand often out, which is essentially what the ... Read More
Expatriation to Thailand: border updates by Cheryl
Hello everyone, in Thailand as elsewhere, the current pandemic has changed our way of life but also our mobility, due to the state of borders of nearby countries or countries we wanted to visit. Today we would like to take stock of the current ...
I hadn't heard that being married to a Thai would get you permission to come to Thailand at this point. If you already had a marriage visa that's a different thing; then it's more likely, based on my understanding. The latest tourism ... Read More
The obvious fix to the tourism problem (to me) by bkk tea blog
The Thai economy is suffering related to a lack of foreign tourism, especially in local resort areas, where a lot of businesses have already failed. There are different "Phuket models" being considered related to re-opening Thailand to ...
Unfortunately that's mostly right. The problem is that this is only looking at tourism from that earlier paradigm, of a vacationer coming for two weeks, or maybe three, maybe with a family. Thailand can promote long stays that are based on a ... Read More
The obvious fix to the tourism problem (to me) by bkk tea blog
The Thai economy is suffering related to a lack of foreign tourism, especially in local resort areas, where a lot of businesses have already failed. There are different "Phuket models" being considered related to re-opening Thailand to ...
The latest update to planning reported by the Bangkok Post is really unclear; it either says that people could do the quarantine in their home country instead (which doesn't work), or that they need to do two quarantine steps, in both countries, ... Read More
The obvious fix to the tourism problem (to me) by bkk tea blog
The Thai economy is suffering related to a lack of foreign tourism, especially in local resort areas, where a lot of businesses have already failed. There are different "Phuket models" being considered related to re-opening Thailand to ...
the same story, from a different source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30394581 Read More
The obvious fix to the tourism problem (to me) by bkk tea blog
The Thai economy is suffering related to a lack of foreign tourism, especially in local resort areas, where a lot of businesses have already failed. There are different "Phuket models" being considered related to re-opening Thailand to ...
The Thai government announced the latest plan, which essentially is what I was saying they should do, a long-stay visitor plan with a mandatory test prior to flight and a two week quarantine period. This shows some early ... Read More
The obvious fix to the tourism problem (to me) by bkk tea blog
The Thai economy is suffering related to a lack of foreign tourism, especially in local resort areas, where a lot of businesses have already failed. There are different "Phuket models" being considered related to re-opening Thailand to ...
Rather than contrasting the US experience, which now involves 6 million known cases, and around 190,000 known deaths, it might work better to consider another country closer to Thailand in context. Malaysia has nearly 10,000 confirmed cases, and ... Read More
The obvious fix to the tourism problem (to me) by bkk tea blog
The Thai economy is suffering related to a lack of foreign tourism, especially in local resort areas, where a lot of businesses have already failed. There are different "Phuket models" being considered related to re-opening Thailand to ...
Of course I disagree, in two different ways, on two different levels. To a limited degree it does work to trade lives for economic benefit, but I don't think a country or government can rush to set that trade-off point. You can't crash ... Read More
The obvious fix to the tourism problem (to me)
The Thai economy is suffering related to a lack of foreign tourism, especially in local resort areas, where a lot of businesses have already failed. There are different "Phuket models" being considered related to re-opening Thailand to ... Read More
Masks wearing by thailand4me
Hello. I have noticed that mask wearing is becoming very lax here in Thailand. I was in the Mall yesterday and saw many people without masks or with the mask just hanging around there necks. Then there are the ones that cover there mouth only. ...
I'm all for wearing a mask in public myself, on the train, or in a mall or grocery store. That said if no one Thailand really does have the corona virus, which is the current understanding, not wearing a mask isn't going to bring the ... Read More
What's changing in Thailand after the COVID-19 crisis by Veedushi
Hello everyone, I hope you're doing well. As the Editorial Team of Expat.com, our aim is to provide you with fresh and up-to-date information about the COVID-19 crisis in your host country. You might be expecting a lot of changes following the ...
The content sort of does work though; essentially no one has corona virus in Thailand, with the exception of very few people in quarantine returning from other places. Relocating to Thailand is a stretch right now, but I did see a story about a ... Read More
What was ur best Quotes in life? by -ibrahim-muhammed
What was ur best Quotes that makes u change for the better life u want or reflect your aspect on life!?
My uncle said something once that stuck with me, that kept changing in meaning over time: We Germans are stupid [I'm American of mostly German origin], but everyone else is more stupid. Read More
Virus Theme Movies by kittycat1
While some movies may teach us a lesson or two about how to behave in the future and make to some of us change our way of thinking.. Despite that some people may find this list a little bit odd, based on our current delicate global situation and ...
I watched a classic sci-fi movie recently that's about a different subject but that contained a pandemic sub-theme, Lathe of Heaven. There are actually two versions of it on Youtube as whole movies, but I've only watched the 70s classic ... Read More
Are you homeschooling your kid(s)? by NMcNeill
Hi all, I've recently moved my family from UK to BKK. I have one kid in a primary school age, and one in a secondary school age. Am currently homeschooling both of them. I'm wondering who else is in a similar situation, and whether would ...
My kids are in local schools, and we barely meet my wife's family or other people I know here. All the same I'll answer a different but related question, of options for meeting other kids, for activities where your kids could make some ... Read More
Free tea tasting in Bangkok by bkk tea blog
Greetings! I'll be holding a free tea tasting this weekend in Bangkok in three days, this Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM. I'm not a tea vendor; this is just to share tea. I am a tea blogger, and a co-founder of one of the larger tea groups ...
I did create an event but I'm not thinking that will change anything. The site hung while trying to send individual notices, so I skipped that part. Shill88, too bad you won't be around. I'm not drinking much for Taiwanese teas these ... Read More
Free tea tasting in Bangkok
Greetings! I'll be holding a free tea tasting this weekend in Bangkok in three days, this Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM. I'm not a tea vendor; this is just to share tea. I am a tea blogger, and a co-founder of one of the larger tea groups ... Read More
Afraid to flight by Kask
I’m very scared to fly. Too much scared. Got bad anxiety everytime want to fly (even for 45 minutes fly still scared me to death). I’ve consult to my shrink about this and she gave me some meds, xanax for flying and also anti depresan. ...
This reminds me of being on a flight with my son once, who loves to fly, who was probably 3 or 4 at that time. He was yelling about how exciting it was how fast we were going. Any people in that plane who were afraid to fly probably didn't ... Read More
Retirement Visa by GuestPoster697
I want to commute between Vietnam and Thailand. I have a Temporary Residence Card in Vietnam and am now looking for the best solution for a Thailand visa. The best would be a retirement visa, but I suppose there should be the residence in Theiland. ...
In the past that was relatively indefinite, and people lived for years in Thailand as a tourist, coming in and out, doing "visa runs." Immigration officials have been actively restricting that for years now (5 or so), and rejecting more ... Read More
Does one ever stop feeling like an expat? by Anne-Lise Mty
Hey there everyone, We featured a piece in the Expat mag last week and it really resonated with expats here in our Expat.com office as well as with expats that follow our Facebook page. I thought I would share it with you here: ...
Different people would have different experiences. Adopting a lot of the local perspective and customs is one thing, becoming fluent in a local language another. Missing aspects of living where you are from is something else altogether. It seems ... Read More
Want to start a business by prasad.takalkar
I want to start a business with an initial investment of 500000 to 1000000 Baht. Which will help me earn to pay for my stay, food & save around 10000 Baht. Please suggest. Thank You
This last post doesn't seem accurate to me. Half of the women in Bangkok are either selling shoes, make-up, or work-out gear, mostly in the form of tights, but sometimes as diverse as selling exercise bands. Surely some of them are pulling ... Read More
EXPAT ~AFFAIRS by walterparrish
Having spent my working life in education, we often, (in England) employed lecturers who lived in one city during the week and went home at weekends. Most of these lecturers, both male and female, end up with a friendship circle in the town in which ...
The key seems to relate to having been antisocial in your own country of origin, so that remaining isolated from others seems normal as you continue that abroad. That's mostly not intended seriously, but at the same time there is something to ... Read More
Sense of humour in Thailand by Bhavna
Hello everyone, Should we set out to explore ThaiÂ’s culture through its sense of humour? Indeed, if one is planning to settle in the country, it is best to understand the cultural codes governing humour in order to avoid any faux-pas. What is ...
No one? It hasn't been posted here so long yet. I'm definitely not as clear as I could be on the Thai sense of humor but having lived here for almost 12 years I have some thoughts on how some expression is different than where I'm from ... Read More
Introduction/Moving to Bangkok by GuestPoster354
Hello everyone! My family and I are moving from Boston to Bangkok this summer for about three years. My husband is in the US Army and we have two young daughters (2 years old and a few months old). I’m currently a stay at home mother, but ...
I don't have all that much advise to pass on but it is sad this discussion didn't get further. As to where to stay the obvious answer is anywhere along a BTS line, but in that case anywhere along the airport link train line might work too, ... Read More
Can anyone tell me the Pro/Con of living in BangNa by ahtesham27
Hi, I am planning to move with my wife, 2 kids - 11 and 7 yrs old, maid, dog. from dubai to BKK. and my wife will be working in BKK international airport. and we are considering st andrews for my kids school. can anyone think of a few Pro/Cons to ...
On Nut has some really extensive restaurant options, covering a broad range. I don't need to tell you that, just adding some conversation here since this place runs a bit quiet. And it's a good place to head East from in order to get to ... Read More
Can anyone tell me the Pro/Con of living in BangNa by ahtesham27
Hi, I am planning to move with my wife, 2 kids - 11 and 7 yrs old, maid, dog. from dubai to BKK. and my wife will be working in BKK international airport. and we are considering st andrews for my kids school. can anyone think of a few Pro/Cons to ...
Odd no one answered this; given the timing it may be a bit late. I work in Bangna sometimes, and live in the older North-West side of town (below Ari; above that things are different), and my main work site is in Sathorn, so some different areas of ... Read More
Cool thread dynamic so far; it's like how edgy Russians are in their related forum sections. I was just in Shenzhen but tourism experience wouldn't provide a lot of input for a person moving there. I loved the neighborhoods we checked out ... Read More
Going to Bangkok by Falankuk
Hi guys I am approaching a trip to Bangkok on the next summer any suggestion is welcomed Thanks Max
It's too general a request, isn't it? I can recommend an interesting reference, beyond the most obvious sources, Wikitravel and Trip Advisor. The Trip Advisor Q & A forum covers a lot of other specifics, eg. transportation issues, use ... Read More
How to deal with your children when they do not want to study? by GuestPoster250
How to best deal with your children when they do not want to study at all. You try everything. They even make you feel like they are responding, and that they will start scoring high on their exams, but they come with low grades. They are also ...
I have some of these same problems with my son, who is now 10. I think in his case it relates to a general disinterest in school subjects and a more active disinterest in paying attention within a class-based format. He's definitely on the ... Read More
Best universities in Thailand by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Students make up an important part of the expat population. This year again, thousands around the world will be leaving their home country to study abroad. How about giving them a hand by sharing with them information about the ...
Chula and Tammasat are regarded as the two best schools in Thailand, per my impression. Mahidol may also be worth considering but I wouldn't expect other schools and programs to be on the same level, and maybe not even Mahidol. I hire Thai ... Read More
Is farang a racist term? by bkk tea blog
This has been discussed to death in different places; some people think farang is a racist term (has negative connotations), some don't. Since it came up in a Quora question I added my own take, including some more background related to the ...
Of course Trump supporters would probably agree with all that. It's easier to blame other people for problems than to address real causes, and who knows how the proportion of immigrants related to job skills, education level, and criminal ... Read More
Is farang a racist term? by bkk tea blog
This has been discussed to death in different places; some people think farang is a racist term (has negative connotations), some don't. Since it came up in a Quora question I added my own take, including some more background related to the ...
It's easy enough to pull up a transcript of that speech and see exactly what he did say. To me he very clearly stated that a high proportion of immigrants from Mexico are rapists, which is kind of an absurd thing to ... Read More
Is farang a racist term? by bkk tea blog
This has been discussed to death in different places; some people think farang is a racist term (has negative connotations), some don't. Since it came up in a Quora question I added my own take, including some more background related to the ...
I know how farang is used. The question is if it implies any negative connotation. It won't work to say that it does or doesn't, that there is one clear answer, because people are free to use words in slightly different ways, just as ... Read More
Is farang a racist term? by bkk tea blog
This has been discussed to death in different places; some people think farang is a racist term (has negative connotations), some don't. Since it came up in a Quora question I added my own take, including some more background related to the ...
I don't really try to represent the US in expressing views online, I see myself more as an individual. I live in Thailand, so it seems reasonable to me to discuss Thai culture, especially in an expat themed site like this one. Trump is a ... Read More
Is farang a racist term? by bkk tea blog
This has been discussed to death in different places; some people think farang is a racist term (has negative connotations), some don't. Since it came up in a Quora question I added my own take, including some more background related to the ...
The question framing came from the original source of that question, from a Quora post by someone else. Most Thais say farang isn't a racist term, that it's neutral, to them. Of course if a Thai has a negative impression of foreigners then ... Read More
Is farang a racist term?
This has been discussed to death in different places; some people think farang is a racist term (has negative connotations), some don't. Since it came up in a Quora question I added my own take, including some more background related to the ... Read More
Holiday food in Thailand by Priscilla
Hello, End of year holidays around the world are such an exciting time of the year, with holiday food playing a big part of the traditions and celebrations. What are some traditions surrounding holiday meals in Thailand? Tell us about a few ...
I attended a work New Years party here in Bangkok once that ended up being held on Christmas day, and they never acknowledged that it was Christmas day, or mentioned any holiday except for New Years. It seemed strange. Foods do seem more ... Read More
Sending and receiving packages in Thailand by Priscilla
Hello, As an expat, there are inevitably certain items you might want or need from back home, and around the holiday period, many people like to send gift packages. How easy is it to send and receive packages in Thailand? Is the public ...
I've had a good bit of exposure to the Thai mail system. I'm not as clear as I might be on the different levels of shipping options but in general the public system seems to work fine. It's really inexpensive within Thailand and not so ... Read More
Weekend trips out of Bangkok by bkk tea blog
The thread about people starting discussions reminded me to mention this; we recently did two weekend outings in Pattaya. In the past we've done long weekend trips to Korat, Rayong, Cha-am, and Hua Hin. Even Buriram, earlier this year, but ...
My wife is from Bangkok so to some extent she's passingly familiar with alternatives for local travel within a few hours drive of Bangkok. She was a journalist at one point so she did travel more than most within Thailand. But she's not ... Read More
Weekend trips out of Bangkok
The thread about people starting discussions reminded me to mention this; we recently did two weekend outings in Pattaya. In the past we've done long weekend trips to Korat, Rayong, Cha-am, and Hua Hin. Even Buriram, earlier this year, but ... Read More
Help Me Cheer Up My Sister by LonesomeTravels
Hi guys & gals, I live with my sister and her husband and 2 small children. Due to some recent events she is unfortunately suddenly divorcing her husband. She’s really not herself lately. Does anyone have any good ideas for me to cheer ...
I find that it's easy to switch from one general perspective to another, the worldview context, by going back to familiar circumstances experienced before. In a foreign country this could be particularly problematic, but the general idea is to ... Read More
Can anyone give me advise about camera? by Jagaa Jargal
Hello everyone, I am planning to buy camera. I will use on a bit professional things. What Kind of camera is better and not very expensive? What I need to considering on first? Hope I’ll find my answer among the expats here. Thank you.
I write a blog about tea and a better than average phone camera is definitely good enough for that, unless one wanted better photography to be a centerpiece of theme. I suppose there are next levels though. It would be odd to want a camera to ... Read More
Can anyone give me advise about camera? by Jagaa Jargal
Hello everyone, I am planning to buy camera. I will use on a bit professional things. What Kind of camera is better and not very expensive? What I need to considering on first? Hope I’ll find my answer among the expats here. Thank you.
Asking that here didn't seem to work out. It really goes without saying but there are much more active local expat groups on Facebook. It's easy to get put off by looking into Bangkok or Thai expat groups there, or other forums, because ... Read More
Visa issues
As far as I've ever heard there is no visa related to being the parent of a Thai child. People stay in Thailand as tourists for that long, based on leaving and returning once their 30 or 60 day visa has expired, doing "visa runs." ... Read More
Do Bangkok have snake problem? by sumit2018
I am planning to move to Bangkok for a project execution. I got to know Bangkok has some issues wrt to Snakes. Is there any risk? Any evidence of finding them in hotels or in condos? Any suggestion would really help.
I've only ever seen two snakes in Bangkok in 11 years of living here, outside of zoos. One was in our yard, which seemed to be a harmless type of tree dwelling snake after looking it up. It was a baby, and cute, so I didn't even think of ... Read More
Where to buy an ao dai in Bangkok
Does anyone know where to get an ao dai (Vietnamese traditional outfit) in Bangkok for a 4 year old (nearly 5)? My daughter needs one for an international day at school next week. Read More
Dealing with loneliness in Thailand by Priscilla
Hello, Expatriation can be a fun and exciting adventure, but it can also be a bit lonely at times. Please share with us some tips for dealing with loneliness. What are some potential factors that lead to loneliness when moving to ...
There are more places to meet people online than ever, with more groups set up for just that thing. I've mentioned some, and I'll add a couple more that I've referenced less directly. That route would take work, of course, and it's ... Read More
Tea in Switzerland by bkk tea blog
This might sound a little strange, but I'm something of a tea evangelist. I wanted to mention a tea I just reviewed sold through a website in Switzerland. I don't really see that as an ad, since anyone else can mention any other sources ...
That is the nicest offer, especially given that you're not even going for marketing promotion. Maybe we could switch that to a trade, and I could send you back whatever you are interested in, or just pick some random things. A Russian vendor ... Read More
Tea in Switzerland
This might sound a little strange, but I'm something of a tea evangelist. I wanted to mention a tea I just reviewed sold through a website in Switzerland. I don't really see that as an ad, since anyone else can mention any other sources ... Read More
Dealing with loneliness in Thailand by Priscilla
Hello, Expatriation can be a fun and exciting adventure, but it can also be a bit lonely at times. Please share with us some tips for dealing with loneliness. What are some potential factors that lead to loneliness when moving to ...
I have a family here so I never feel lonely but I could see how in some circumstances culture shock or it taking time to adjust could couple with people feeling lonely. I've checked out groups for events just a little to see what those were ... Read More
If you could live in Asia , where would you choose? by Guest6824
for me. I will choose Viet Nam or Singapore :D :kiss:
I live in Bangkok, for quite awhile now, and that goes ok. It strikes a good balance for being modern with access to pretty much anything that exists in "the West" while still preserving an older local culture. Thais are nice, and the ... Read More
Can foreigners integrate well into Thai society? by bkk tea blog
In once sense I'm completely sick of this subject and hate to see completely unrelated subjects slide to this discussion in forum threads over and over. In another it keeps coming up, so it seems as well to address it directly. I just did ...
Cool pictures. Part of what you're saying matches up with the comment by Dave Proulx, that the role of the foreigner is different than that as a Thai. One might interpret that as being treated negatively in some fashion, or rejected as an ... Read More
Can foreigners integrate well into Thai society? by bkk tea blog
In once sense I'm completely sick of this subject and hate to see completely unrelated subjects slide to this discussion in forum threads over and over. In another it keeps coming up, so it seems as well to address it directly. I just did ...
I would tend to agree with this last comment, that Thais aren't likely to relate to a foreigner as a Thai, as not being a foreigner. I would think complete language fluency might factor in quite a bit though, that if Thais could converse with ... Read More
Moving to bangkok with wife and 4 years old kid by Prateek.kumar
Hi members I am planning to move to bangkok with 4 year old kid and wife. Need info on cost of school I will get 90000 bhat per month is it enough to manage expenses Thanks Prateek
That last post isn't going to be up for long. There is a commercial section in this site to post sales offerings; they tend to only be open to it there. Read More
Feeling accepted by Steven222
Does it take a long time to learn the do’s and don’ts and the language?
In general there's not a long list of things that you can't or shouldn't do in Thailand, or that are going to offend locals. Thais aren't touchy about most things. You shouldn't point at things with your feet, or use them to ... Read More
Animal Cafes by TLF1234
If anyone like myself, live in super small condos that don't allow pets :( I have a solution! Visited this [url=https://www.expat.com/forum/post.php?fid=212&lang=en]cafe[/url] on my day of with my girlfriend and it was honestly so much fun ...
We drive by a local place called the Cat Cafe but I don't think I'm turning it up looking online. I did find two others while looking for it though: https://www.facebook.com/kittycatcafee https://www.facebook.com/indicatcafe/ Read More
Can foreigners integrate well into Thai society? by bkk tea blog
In once sense I'm completely sick of this subject and hate to see completely unrelated subjects slide to this discussion in forum threads over and over. In another it keeps coming up, so it seems as well to address it directly. I just did ...
I'm a member of a Moscow Expats group, related to visiting there a few months back and joining to ask questions, and there's a current thread that seems to show the exact same patterns play out there. That probably wouldn't come as a ... Read More
Can foreigners integrate well into Thai society? by bkk tea blog
In once sense I'm completely sick of this subject and hate to see completely unrelated subjects slide to this discussion in forum threads over and over. In another it keeps coming up, so it seems as well to address it directly. I just did ...
I'll go ahead and take that first part as a compliment. I do sometimes wonder how much sense I'm making to anyone, or in general. It all seems so simple and clear to me somehow. Read More
Can foreigners integrate well into Thai society?
In once sense I'm completely sick of this subject and hate to see completely unrelated subjects slide to this discussion in forum threads over and over. In another it keeps coming up, so it seems as well to address it directly. I just did ... Read More
88 novices ordaining through Wat Pho in honor of the Thai princess by bkk tea blog
As the title says there are currently 88 boys ordaining as Thai Buddhist novices (samanane's) in honor of the Thai princess HRH Princess Sirinthorn. My son is one of them, which is quite an honor for me, and hopefully a very positive experience ...
I wrote a second blog post about how it worked out, with his take on that included. That also goes further into why we allowed him to do it (or encouraged him, in his mother's case), which I didn't cover in detail in the first ... Read More
How to deal with stress when moving to Thailand by Priscilla
Moving abroad is no easy feat. Everyone has their own ways of dealing with stress, so we invite you to share some insights regarding this topic. What are the main factors that contribute to stress when moving to Thailand (cultural adaptation, ...
I'll just weigh in related to the initial question instead of the rest. It can be stressful adapting to a new culture. That can lead to the ever-present debate theme of whether completely integrating is the right solution, learning the local ... Read More
88 novices ordaining through Wat Pho in honor of the Thai princess by bkk tea blog
As the title says there are currently 88 boys ordaining as Thai Buddhist novices (samanane's) in honor of the Thai princess HRH Princess Sirinthorn. My son is one of them, which is quite an honor for me, and hopefully a very positive experience ...
I just visited Keoni on a meditation retreat outside of Cha-am (they ordained through a program at a main temple in Bangkok, Wat Pho, but didn't spend the two weeks there), so I can pass on my impression of how that goes. He's ok with it, ... Read More
88 novices ordaining through Wat Pho in honor of the Thai princess by bkk tea blog
As the title says there are currently 88 boys ordaining as Thai Buddhist novices (samanane's) in honor of the Thai princess HRH Princess Sirinthorn. My son is one of them, which is quite an honor for me, and hopefully a very positive experience ...
I wrote a blog post about that event, explaining how the ordination went, and the background, with lots of pictures of it: http://teaintheancientworld.blogspot.com/2018/03/my-son-becomes-novice-monk-samanane-in.html Read More
88 novices ordaining through Wat Pho in honor of the Thai princess by bkk tea blog
As the title says there are currently 88 boys ordaining as Thai Buddhist novices (samanane's) in honor of the Thai princess HRH Princess Sirinthorn. My son is one of them, which is quite an honor for me, and hopefully a very positive experience ...
I'm really of two minds about it. On the more practical, pragmatic side I don't put much faith in the more mystical aspects, that it really could accumulate merit and good karma. It should be an amazing, interesting experience for him that ... Read More
88 novices ordaining through Wat Pho in honor of the Thai princess
As the title says there are currently 88 boys ordaining as Thai Buddhist novices (samanane's) in honor of the Thai princess HRH Princess Sirinthorn. My son is one of them, which is quite an honor for me, and hopefully a very positive experience ... Read More
St Petersburg metro mural reference
It looks to be something else, not a guide to getting around but a list of the best murals (that they were looking for). Of course Google images search is going to show pictures of those, but they had a reference list of the best mural versions, ... Read More
St Petersburg metro mural reference
I have a Yandex map application, I'm just not familiar with that. Thanks, I'll take a look. I won't be back in St. Petersburg myself right away, but that was an interesting question, and it would be interesting to see a reference that ... Read More
St Petersburg metro mural reference
Someone asked an interesting question on Trip Advisor about a reference of the murals in the St Petersburg metro system. They had a list of what to see but lost it, and plan to visit. Does this ring a bell? Does anyone know of such a ... Read More
Quora (question and answer social media site) by bkk tea blog
It's a little odd mentioning other social media sites here, since of course plenty exist. People don't discuss Facebook here for a reason; it's just not relevant. This site might not be familiar, though, and it does tie in to what ...
It wouldn't be for everyone, asking or answering questions as a form of social media interaction. If it didn't seem interesting looking around at other answers I'd expect it would get old to do either. I do get a lot of notifications ... Read More
Quora (question and answer social media site)
It's a little odd mentioning other social media sites here, since of course plenty exist. People don't discuss Facebook here for a reason; it's just not relevant. This site might not be familiar, though, and it does tie in to what ... Read More
Moving to bangkok with wife and 4 years old kid by Prateek.kumar
Hi members I am planning to move to bangkok with 4 year old kid and wife. Need info on cost of school I will get 90000 bhat per month is it enough to manage expenses Thanks Prateek
I tried to find a Vietnamese speaking school through a basic Google search, after not seeing it on that database, but didn't turn that up. I did read an interesting article on Filipino's not being paid as much as white teachers in schools ... Read More
Moving to bangkok with wife and 4 years old kid by Prateek.kumar
Hi members I am planning to move to bangkok with 4 year old kid and wife. Need info on cost of school I will get 90000 bhat per month is it enough to manage expenses Thanks Prateek
This is going to be your biggest challenge. I don't know of any resolution for it, but I'll mention some related experiences. Both of my kids attended St. Andrews British International school for their early years, but that school is ... Read More
Visiting the Arctic by bkk tea blog
It's always hard for me to keep things short but since I was commenting on something here anyway I'll mention visiting the Arctic last week. We visited Murmansk, Russia, which seemed about as good as any place to do that. One part was ...
I was talking to a Canadian guy at work about the extreme cold, and he had some interesting comments on it based on having lived in the far North of Canada. He said that it could get down to -50 up there (C, I guess they'd use, but I think ... Read More
Tea in Moscow or St. Petersburgh by bkk tea blog
Greetings! I'll visit both cities in December and am checking on shops to visit in both places. I've already asked in a couple of other groups so I'd expect that I could write a one-page post that covers the subject in more detail than ...
I finally did try a Russian tea, and lost track that I never added any update here. That one from the end of December was still in the middle of the trip, so we hadn't been to St. Petersburg. I'll tell a lot of the story here, to save ... Read More