Bangkok traffic is the worst traffic you will ever see and if you ever get stuck going across town at 5:30 in the afternoon on a Friday you’ll be glad to get back to New York or London or Los Angeles because these places will seem like a quick dash around the suburbs compared to what Bangkok can throw at you.

The traffic in Bangkok is the stuff that legends are made of. Imagine waking up at 4am so you can be off to the office by 5am and arrive near 6am and then wait for 2 hours because your office doesn’t open until 8am. This is commonplace in Bangkok as is the fleets of cars lining up outside schools as early as 5:30am with bleary eyed mothers watching over their seemingly still sleeping children. Anything to avoid the rush or rather the gridlock of rush hour.

Rode tid mak mak the Thai’s will tell you. It means “traffic is bad, very bad”, but that is normal for Bangkok. I once came out to Silom Road at 1:30 in the morning to see taxi’s lined up in both directions as far as the eye could see. What city has grid lock at 1:30am? And what looked like a short trip from Khao San Road to our hotel across the bridge in the Pinklao district regularly took up to an hour after 1:00am. Just a few miles and on the outer perimeter of Bangkok to be sure, but still a major undertaking at any hour of the day or night.

And yet even so Thai’s continue to buy cars because they are status symbols. The Thai government has a 100-300% tariff on auto’s which means a Toyota Corolla (or something similar) will cost up to $35,000. It hasn’t stopped car buying in the least. I can tell how important they are to Thai’s especially younger Thai’s as a status symbol by listening to Golf and her friends. Even though the public transport in Bangkok is faster and so much cheaper they all want the status that a car exudes.

Personally I would rather spend $0.25 to get across town on a bus (scary) or ferry or the Bangkok BTS or even spring a whole $3.00 for a taxi, but I think I will end up falling prey to the need to increase our status when we move back to Thailand. I may even end up driving the beast, but I don’t think I will have the same patience that the Thai’s have on the road. Maybe I need to cultivate the mai bpen rai attitude so common in Thailand. Why have a stroke over something you can’t change? Rode tid mak mak. Mai bpen rai…

Popularity: 14% [?]

In most parts of Thailand (Bangkok is an exception) the songthaew (สองแถว) is a major form of cheap and reliable transportation. Those of you that have visited Thailand have seen these I’m sure, they are basically pickup trucks that have been converted into small buses with two rows of seating in the back. As a matter of fact, he word songthaew is literally translated as “two rows”.

Calling a songthaew is quite simple, actually the same as calling a taxi. You simply wait by the side of the road until you see one coming and then gesture for it to stop by holding out your hand with the palm down. In some towns the songthaews actually follow a regular route and there are set stops for them (Chiang Mai and Pattaya come to mind).

You will find that the songthaews can operate differently in different towns. In Pattaya, where the songthaews follow regular routes, all you need to do is jump in once the songthaew has stopped and then ring the buzzer in the back when you’re ready to get off. Fares can vary as well from town to town so it is often a good idea in most towns to ask about the fare before entering the songthaew. It can also be a good idea to ask about your destination to make sure the songthaew is going that way. If not, the driver will shake his (or her) head and drive on. Simply wait at the same spot for the next songthaew to come along which will likely be within minutes.

Fares for the songthaew are usually in the range of 10-20 baht, although prices can be significantly higher in tourist locations. Even a short trip could cost you 40 baht or more in places like Samui. While some people like to complain about this rise in prices I like to remember that 20 baht is only US$0.50 so it’s really not that big a deal and certainly nothing to get upset about. The fact is that the drivers are running a business and they will charge whatever the market (you and me) will bear. Capitalism at its best even in the Far East.

If you happen to see a parked songthaew you can often charter it just like a taxi to take you wherever you need to go. Because you are the only passenger the price will be higher than normal though. Expect to pay around 100 baht or so. You can even charter some songthaews for a half day or entire day, just negotiate the price with the driver and pay at the end of the day. Great if you have a large party of people. And don’t worry if you can’t speak Thai, most drivers have some English skills and often the combination of their limited English and sign language will be enough to come to an agreement.

One word of warning about the songthaew – it can be dangerous depending on your driver. Some drivers drink while driving the songthaew and some tend to drive very fast since the amount they can make is often dependant on how quickly they can make a circuit of their route. Golf was actually thrown out of the back of a songthaew when she was 15. The driver was speeding and he hit a bump while making a turn. The combination of the bump, the speed and the turn threw her up into the air and right out the back of the songthaew.

I still recommend that you use the songthaew to get around as it is quite cheap and in most cases is safe as long as you have your wits about you. If the driver is visibly intoxicated take a pass, but otherwise you should be fine.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Yesterday I posted a small guide to Koh Phangan that I want to elaborate on a bit without turning it into a 10,000 word treatise. So over the next few days I’ll be sharing more information about the island that has become famous for its Full Moon Parties and yet can still offer you a place to get away from it all and relax without paying a fortune.
Today’s post is a simple guide for getting to Koh Phangan, whether that be by air, bus, train or boat. Your mode of transportation will likely be determined by two factors; your budget and your available time.

Getting to Koh Phangan from Bangkok

I’m sure many if not most of you will be interested in how to get to Koh Phangan from Thailand’s capital city of Bangkok. As the hub of transportation for Thailand it’s a logical place to begin your travels through the Kingdom.

Obviously the quickest way to get to Koh Phangan from Bangkok is going to be by air. You have two choices here, either fly to Surat Thani and take the boat from there or fly to Koh Samui and take the boat from there. The quickest method is to fly to Koh Samui as the boat from there to Phangan is only 90 minutes or so. Ferries from Surat Thani will take in the neighborhood of 4 hours.

If you plan on taking the quickest route then you can fly to Koh Samui with either Bangkok Airways or Thai Airways. I personally recommend Bangkok Airways as the prices are 60-70% less than Thai Airways. Off season flights are as low as THB3600. Once you land in Samui stop by the limosine counter to get your boat and bus tickets for Koh Phangan.

Those preferring to fly to Surat Thani can get there flying with Thai Airways or Air Asia, again the price for Thai Airways is 30-40% higher so unless you have some reason to fly with them I would choose Air Asia. Also take note that when booking air tickets during the high season (November-March) it is recommended that you book several weeks in advance.

If you are looking for a cheaper way to get to Koh Phangan and don’t mind taking a bit longer then a bus is a great way to go. Busses for southern Thailand destinations leave from Sai Tai Mai bus station (Borom Rachachonnanee Rd, Bang Bamru, Bang Phlat, Bangkok, 10700) each night at 19:30 and cost THB895. The trip takes about 12 hours and you can also get the boat tickets when purchasing your bus ticket. Thailand’s long haul buses are pretty comfortable and you might even want to take a sweater because they really crank up the AC!

Another inexpensive way to get to Koh Phangan from Bangkok is by train leaving from the Hua Lumphong station several times a night. Purchase a combination ticket for onward bus and ferry travel to get you to Phangan early the next day. Cost for the train is THB519 for 1st class A/C and THB248 for 2nd class A/C. You can get time tables and rates from the State Railway website.

Boat Schedules for Travel To Koh Phangan

KPG = Koh Phangan / KS = Koh Samui / KT = Koh Tao / ST = Surat Thani

Popularity: 1% [?]

I’m in a party mood so I thought I’d write a bit about the biggest party in the world. Of course I’m talking about the Full Moon Party on Haad Rin beach on Koh Phangan which regularly has over 7500 partiers during the low season up to 30,000 people dancing and partying during the high season!

Now you can find full moon parties on other islands throughout Thailand for sure, but none of them even come close to what has become the world famous quintessential beach party on Koh Phangan. It is believed that the party started sometime in the late 1980’s (1988 or 1989) as someone’s birthday party and was so great that they started coming back each month to party again. Slowly the party grew as more travelers heard about it until today when it has become a virtual city of party people each full moon.

You really can’t imagine what it’s like without experiencing it yourself. Haad Rin beach is now home to 10 different sound systems pumping out all kinds of music from techno to drum beat to rave and everything else you can think of. People fueled by vodka and Red Bull buckets (a combination of Red Bull, Coke and vodka or whiskey), among other things, dance on the beach from sunset until sunrise and even after. Everyone is friendly and happy and it is like no other vibe you’ve ever experienced.

Of course the popularity of the Full Moon Party can make it difficult to find a room on Koh Phangan, so I would suggest getting there a few days before the full moon. It will be fine because the Full Moon Party usually gets started a few days before the full moon anyway. I have more detailed instructions on the post Getting to Koh Phangan including air travel, buses, trains and ferry schedules. You can find a great list of Koh Phangan hotels at Hotels.com or alternatively find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor.

Full Moon Party Dates 2010

• Wednesday 28, July
• Wednesday 25, August
• Thursday 23, September
• Saturday 23, October
• Sunday 21, November
• Tuesday 21, December
• Saturday 25, December
• Friday 31, December

Full Moon Party Dates 2011

• Wednesday 19, January
• Friday 18, February
• Saturday 19, March
• Monday 18, April
• Tuesday 17, May
• Wednesday 15, June
• Friday 15, July
• Saturday 13, August
• Monday 12, September
• Tuesday 11, October
• Thursday 10, November
• Saturday 10, December
• Sunday 25, December
• Saturday 31, December

And don’t forget to stay safe while you’re partying. Follow these common safety rules for the Full Moon Party and you’ll have a much better time.

Enjoy the Full Moon Party Safely

1. Take a copy of your passport with you, and keep original passport in your hotel’s safe.
2. Take the hotel’s business card to contact them in case of emergency.
3. Don’t take bags with you, it’s likely you’ll lose them.
4. Take enough pocket money and keep it in 2-3 different pockets. It’s about 2,000-5,000 Baht.
5. Wear shoes to protect your feet from broken bottles.
6. Set a time and place to meet up with your friends, you WILL lose them in the huge scale noise and partying going on.
7. If you don’t want to be jailed, avoid bringing drugs to the party

There now you have the info to get there and you have the party dates. Don’t be like Golf and myself. We’ve wanted to go to the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan for several years and every time we’ve been in Thailand we’ve missed it be a few days one way or another. Ahhhhh…well it gives us another reason to keep coming back to Thailand.

Popularity: 19% [?]

Since Golf has started her own Thai food blog I don’t get the benefit of her writing here anymore (fortunately I still get the benefit of eating her cooking), so I haven’t had any new Thai recipes to share in quite a while. So I thought maybe I would bring back and oldie and a goodie. Everyone loves fried chicken and this Thai take on fried chicken is awesome. So if you’ve seen it before maybe you want to try it again and if you missed it before then here is your chance to add a great recipe to your arsenal.

Last time you’re already known the recipe for boil rice and this time I’m going to show you the recipe for everyone in your family. One of my favorite dish and it’s going to be one of your family favorite dish too. We call “Peek Gai todd” in Thai.

Peek Gai = chicken wing
Todd = fry

(2 servings)

• 10 chicken wings
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped garlic
• 1/3 cup Thai Rice Flour
• 3 tbsps Thai fish sauce
• 1 tbsp coriander root, chopped finely
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• * 1/2 tsp Thai seasoning powder (Rod dee) – you may skip *
• 4-5 cups cooking oil, for deep-frying

Cut the wings into halves and put in the big bowl. Pound coriander roots, garlic and pepper finely to obtain a smooth paste, add into the bowl with wings. Follow with rice flour, fish sauce, seasoning powder and mix well. Marinate the wings with all ingredients for 1/2 day or over night in the refrigerator (I usually let it sits for over night because it will get a great taste).
When you’re ready to fry please take the wings out from the refrigerator and let them sit in the room temperature for about 10 minutes. Heat the oil over medium heat until hot, deep-fry the wings until brown and cooked through (8-10 minutes). Remove from the oil and drain. Serve with rice or boil rice.

Everything in this recipe not that difficult to find and really easy to prepare, but just the only thing that I couldn’t find in here or either from Thai grocery’s online is Thai seasoning powder. You can try to find it in an ethnic grocery store such as Thai, Vietnamese or Chinese, but if you can’t find it then it’s ok to skip it.

Please drop me a comment if you try this recipe…I would be glad to share.

And before I leave, next Wednesday I will present how to the make the spicy dish “Neua Naam Tok” or spicy grilled beef. If you love spicy food you won’t want to miss it…

Popularity: 12% [?]

This is the second part of a two part post on how to get a job teaching English in Thailand in just 10 days. If you haven’t read the first part yet you can find it here: Teach English in Thailand

Day 5: Hit the Pavement

Time to actually get yourself out there in front of some employers, so put on your business clothes, grab your resumes, diploma and transcript copies and copies of your reference letters and get moving. The first place you want to go is a photo shop to get some passport type photos. Most of the schools in Bangkok will ask for a photo as part of your application package so be prepared. You can find numerous photo shops around the Khao San Road area where you can get passport sized photos taken for around 100 baht for four. Get 12 or more.

Next go to check your email since you might have responses from yesterdays inquiries. Immediately call and/or email any schools that have shown an interest to schedule an interview. Make sure to get directions to the school as well.

The rest of your day is going to be spent visiting schools. It is not the most efficient way of conducting a job search due to the traffic in Bangkok, but it is good to get some face to face exposure and practice interviewing. The top thing to keep in mind when interviewing is to smile and show enthusiasm.

When you visit the schools greet the receptionist and ask to talk to someone about a teaching job and make sure to hand them your resume. Make sure to smile and be polite at all times. It is possible at some schools you will get an interview on the spot and may even get a job offer.

When looking for walk-in interviews the best place to start is Siam Square because of the large number of English schools. Get a taxi and tell the driver “Siam Square”. He’ll get you there and once you arrive take some time to walk around. You’ll find that there are branches for Siam Computer, ECC, The British Council, English First and Go Chula in or around the Siam Square area. You’ll also find some smaller English schools as well. Siam Discovery shopping mall across the street also has a branch of Inlingua. Visit them all and drop off a resume and get an appointment if possible.

After you’re done at Siam Square get on the BTS and take it to the Ratchidamri station. Once you arrive at Ratchidamri station walk south towards Lumpini Park about 5 minutes to get to AUA, which is one of the larger and most well known English schools in Bangkok. Drop off a resume and try to schedule an interview.

Don’t be discouraged if nothing happens. Remember, the purpose of walk-ins is to grow more comfortable talking to employers.

You’ve very likely had a long, hot and tiring day. Head back to your hotel and take a long relaxing shower and go get some dinner. Head back to bed early because your next day should be just as busy.

Day 6: Searching The Bangkok Post and The Nation

After you have breakfast head straight to a coffee shop or bookstore and pick up copies of The Bangkok Post and The Nation. These are the top two English language newspapers in Bangkok and are a decent source of job ads, although not as good as they have been in the past. Scan through the classifieds circling any promising looking advertisements. Immediately call those with a phone number to schedule an interview. Make sure to mention that you meet their qualifications and are looking for work immediately.

Now go to the internet café to check for any email responses to the inquires you’ve been sending out. Respond to them immediately by phone if possible and schedule an interview. Also, send emails to contacts from The Bangkok Post and The Nation that did not have phone numbers listed or couldn’t be reached by phone.

By now you should have a good sized list of interviews scheduled so you’ll spend the rest of the day heading off to interviews. Dress you absolute best. The job itself may be casual, but for the interview you want to look conservative and as good as possible. You’ve heard the phrase “You never have a second chance to make a first impression” before? Well it is more true in Thailand than most places where employers are very likely to judge you by your appearance, dress, smile and enthusiasm rather than your actual qualifications to do the job. In Thailand looks count for very much.

Day 7: More Interviews

After a good breakfast check you email again and call to schedule more interviews with any schools that have responded. You should still have a decent list of interviews and the rest of today will be another interview day. Remember to dress your best, smile, be enthusiastic and polite.

Day 8: Relax

You’ve had three very busy days so unless you have a very promising interview scheduled take the day off and relax. Sleep late, get a massage, do some sightseeing, but relax. Do check your email and follow up with inquiries, but try to take it easy today.

Day 9 & 10: Interviews and Contracts

Both days start by checking your email and responding to any inquires. You should also check again at http://www.teflasia.com/ajarn/browse_jobs/index.html and http://www.daveseslcafe.com and respond to any new job listings at either site. By this time you should have at least one job offer, but do not accept the first offer. Make sure you examine the contract first carefully.

And thanks to Louis for this…Check your prospective school at TEFLWatch before you accept a position. TEFLWatch has a pretty good list of Bangkok schools with comments from current and past teachers about the working conditions. Definitely worth a look before you accept any contract. TEFLWatch is no longer online as a resource to check language schools. Thanks Mike!

Ask questions about the contract and the job. How many hours a week are you required to teach (anything over 25 is too much)? Will the school sponsor a work visa (they should)? Will the school help you to find an apartment (they should)? What is the pay (anything less than 35,000 baht a month is too low. Overtime should be 400 baht an hour minimum)? If you can talk to other teachers at the school and see if they are satisfied with the job. Are they treated well? Are they paid on time? Once you are satisfied go ahead and sign the contract.

By following the steps above anyone with a college degree can easily find a job teaching English in Thailand in 10 days or less. Keep in mind that TESL/ESL jobs in Thailand do not pay very well by western standards, but the cost of living in Thailand is quite low. If you are able to live simply you will be able to cover your expenses and save a few hundred dollars a month. And there are a huge number of jobs available for English teachers. With a nice appearance and some organizations finding a job and becoming a teacher in Thailand in 10 days is virtually assured.

Just added is my list of Thailand International Schools which could be a great time saver for you in terms of finding out where the schools are and getting contact information.

Popularity: 24% [?]

It seems as if the rumors of filming The Hangover 2 in Thailand have turned out to be true. That’s right people, what happens in Thailand stay in Thailand and starting this fall the cast of The hangover 2 will be arriving in the Land of Smiles for another smash comedy romp. Yes I said “Smash comedy romp” so remember that you heard it here first! The initial confirmation of the Thailand destination comes from Comingsoon.net

In case you missed the original (and how could you have possibly missed the top grossing R rated comedy of 2009?), it focuses on the adventures and misadventures of 3 guys at a Las Vegas bachelor party. The Hangover had no huge A list stars, but served to help catapult Bradley Cooper to fame as well as getting huge recognition for Zach Galifianakis (my favorite) who plays the grooms socially awkward brother. And honestly with a name like ‘Galifianakis’ he belongs in Thailand home of the tongue twisting names. It has also made Asian comedian Ken Jeong quite famous after his role as the bad ass guy who jumps out of the trunk of a car naked and proceeds to beat the crap out of the three hungover party guys.

Even though director Todd Phillips has denied rumors of Thailand as a possible location since last March, it now looks as if this was just a bit of misdirection on his part. Shooting is supposed to start in November and the film is due to be released on May 26, 2011, just in time to open the summer comedy season.

Now all we need to know is the plot and where in Thailand the raucous gang will end up. Partying on Sukhumvit in Nana Plaza? Possibly kidnapped and taken to Pattaya or Samui by the Russian mafia? Or off to Patong Beach on Phuket for some Soi Bangla fun with the ladyboys? It all remains to be seen, but you can be sure that the combination of these three guys, the awesome backdrop of Thailand and the smiling help of the Thai people themselves will help make this another “have to see” movie when it’s released.

One can hope it will also put Thailand back into the forefront of travelers’ imaginations and boost tourism revenue for the Kingdom next year. Personally I’m looking forward to seeing not just the comic antics of this group, but also the stunning scenery that I’m certain will feature as part of the film’s appeal. And if they include another cute baby that would be cool :>)

Popularity: 1% [?]

While this post about teaching in Thailand was written over 2 years ago it is still as relevant today as it was then. In fact, considering the state of the market for English teachers it might be even more useful now.

Many people dream of teaching abroad and Thailand often comes to mind as the perfect destination to live and teach English. Of course there are many questions and concerns, but I want you to know that actually finding a teaching job once there should not be one of them. Right now it’s a teachers market in Bangkok and finding a job has never been easier.

If are a native English speaker with a college degree in ANY subject you can easily find work teaching in Bangkok within 10 days, just follow the steps below.

Before You Leave:

There are several things you’ll want to have in order before you leave to make your job search easier once you arrive in Thailand.

1. Make several copies of your college degree and pack them along with the original in a protective case of some sort.

2. Some employers in Thailand will ask for University transcripts so get several copies to bring along with you.

3. Create a resume specific to teaching abroad before you leave. Make sure it emphasizes any teaching, training or travel experience that you have. Save your resume to either CD or flash drive before you go so you can print it at an internet shop in Bangkok. For added comfort, save it to both places and email it to yourself as well. I know a bit overboard, but I have been bitten by corrupt data before.

4. Most employers will ask for references so make sure to get 2-3 letters of reference from employers, co-workers or teachers. Ask them to write a short letter of recommendation and make sure to let them know you will be applying for ESL jobs. Ask them to include their name, phone number and email address, but NOT to date the letter. This will allow you to insert the date yourself and use the letters for a long time.

5. Send contact emails to the big English schools in Bangkok before you leave. You should summarize your qualifications, let them know when you’re arriving in Thailand and ask for an interview. The big schools are constantly hiring and this simple step might get you a job before you even arrive. The major language schools in Bangkok are ECC, Wall Street, AUA, Inlingua as well as several others. You might also want to check out my list of International Schools in Thailand if you’re looking for something more long term and lucrative.

6. Pack 2-3 nice outfits for interviewing. This means suit and tie for men and business attire for women, either skirt or pants is fine, but I think a skirt is viewed more positively by the Thai’s. Once you get the job you can buy your clothes in Thailand (they will be much cheaper than at home), but for the initial interview phase you want to come prepared.

Day 1: Arrival in Thailand

Hopefully you booked a hotel before you arrived, but if not don’t worry. There are literally hundreds of hotels in Bangkok with prices from under $10 a night to hundreds of dollars a night. Use TripAdvisor to do some research and find a hotel or guest house that matches your budget. For those on a tight budget head straight to Khao San Road (Banglampoo) which is a haven for backpackers and has dozens of cheap guesthouses. Relax and get some sun if possible, it’s good for jetlag.

Day 2: Get Your Bearings

Sleep in late and let your body start to adjust. No job searching today, instead just wander about and start to take in your new surroundings. Get some light exercise and sunshine (good for jetlag). Back at your room unpack your resume, transcripts, degree etc. Unpack one set of interview clothes. If they are wrinkled take them to the hotel or guest house laundry and get them ironed. Have a good dinner and get to bed early.

Day 3: Get a Mobile Phone

You’ll need a number for prospective employers to call you at. Don’t give them the number to your hotel or guest house and ask them to leave a message. This is both unprofessional and unreliable. Many messages will go astray or be delivered late. And mobile phones are cheap and easily available in Bangkok. Simply go to one of the large shopping centers such as Central Pinklao (close to Khao San Road) or Mah Boon Krong – MBK (close to Silom, take the BTS and get off at the National Stadium station) and you’ll find many shops selling both new and used mobile phones. Expect to pay 2000 baht (around $60) or upwards for a decent phone. Try to buy new if you can afford it. You can get used phones cheaper, but I don’t recommend it. The used phones will generally only last anywhere from 2 months to 2 days and there is no return policy. Save yourself some hassle and buy new, it’s still inexpensive.

Once you get the phone you’ll need a number which means you need to get a SIM card for your phone. Most of the mobile phone shops sell SIM cards as well so you can purchase it at the same time as the phone for around 300 baht. They will also install the SIM card for you. If they don’t sell SIM cards take the phone to the DTAC office (4^th floor of Pinklao Central and 6^th floor of MBK). Once you have the SIM card make sure you ask to have the language on your phone switched to English before you go.

You now have a phone and a number and the final step is to put minutes on the phone. This is done with prepaid phone cards which can be bought at any convenience store, most notably Family Mart or 7-11. Just go to the cashier and ask for DTAC (Happy) or AIS (1-2 Call) card depending on what SIM you have. Cards come in various amounts from 100 baht to 500 baht. To activate the minutes call the access number on the card, enter the serial number (followed by #) then the password (followed by #). Your minutes will be added to the account within seconds.

Day 4: Hit the Computer

Get your resume CD (or the flash drive) and head out to one of the internet cafes. Open your resume and add your new phone number to it and then print out 20 copies. The cheaper internet cafes will charge just 5 baht a copy. Keep your resumes in a thick folder to keep them safe and unwrinkled.

Next, fire up IE or Firefox and browse over to http://www.teflasia.com/ajarn/browse_jobs/index.html where you’ll find one of the best lists of available teaching jobs in Thailand around. Take a look through and copy any of the one’s that seem promising to you. Send an email to each of the promising one’s and paste your resume directly into the body of the email rather than attaching a file. Many people won’t open attachments because of virus risks. In the email tell the school that you are in Bangkok and are looking to start immediately. Ask them to review your resume and ask for an interview. Close the letter with your phone number and email address.

By now you could probably use a break to clear your head, stretch your legs and get something to eat. Head out to get some great Thai food and if you’re adventurous enough eat at one of the many street vendors or noodle shops where the food is both cheap and delicious.

Now back to the internet café and fire up your browser again to visit http://www.daveseslcafe.com . This site isn’t specific to teaching English in Thailand, but there are usually some Thai jobs listed. Browse through the list and send emails to any of the jobs that look good to you. Just like before, tell the school that you are in Bangkok and are looking to start immediately. Ask them to review your resume and ask for an interview. Close the letter with your phone number and email address.

Finally, send follow up emails to the big English schools that you contacted previously, if you haven’t heard back from them yet. Refer to the previous email and let them know that you are now in Bangkok and ready to start working immediately. Close the letter with your phone number and ask for an interview again.

I don’t want to make this a 5000 word post so I’m gonna stop here for now. You’ve done all the necessary preparation and I’ll bet you’re ahead of 90% of the people looking for work for the first time as teachers in Bangkok. You’re now ready to actually get out there and get yourself a job teaching English in Thailand and I will follow up with the steps for days 5-10 tomorrow so check back then.

Teach English in Thailand in 10 Days (Part 2)

Popularity: 33% [?]

I received this email over the weekend and thought it would be fun to share it with all of you. Have you ever been in a bar in Bangkok (or anywhere for that matter) and seen a really cute Thai girl only to later find out she was a he? It’s pretty common for Thailand considering the large number of ladyboys and the Thai’s mai bpen rai attitude regarding sexual orientation.

Take the test below and see how good you are at spotting the differences between ladyboys and real Thai girls.

Can you be fooled?

In each of the following photos, try to guess which member of the couple
is a girl and which is a guy. There are 6 pairs. Look closely, then pick left or right to identify the guy.

(Answers are at the end. Don’t cheat!)

ALL OF THEM ARE GUYS!

Sorry for the little bit of cheating by misleading you to think that 6 of them were girls. To be honest I would have guessed 10 out of 12, but no one is perfect. How did all of you do?

Popularity: 2% [?]

If you are considering a marriage in Thailand then you should know that there are actually two types of Thai weddings. The first is the traditional Thai wedding ceremony which is done for religious, cultural and traditional reasons. This type of marriage ceremony is the most common even though it does not lead to a legally recognized marriage. Still it is a necessary ceremony if you are marrying a Thai girl (or guy) and is how the girls’ family and village recognize that you are married.

The second type of marriage is the legal marriage which is performed in a local Thai Amphur and will get you a legal Thai marriage certificate. If you are planning on bringing your wife back to your home country you will likely have both types of marriages.

When you decide to have your legal marriage in Thailand please make sure you allow enough time, otherwise you will make yourself crazy. Golf and I got the whole process done in 2 days, but it was quite a whirlwind and I recommend allowing at least three days for the legal Thai marriage.

The requirements for eligibility to be married (for both parties) in Thailand are as follows:

• Both parties must be at least 17 years of age. If one party is under 17 a marriage can still take place if there is a court order.
• Neither party should be insane.
• There should be no blood relation between either party either through the maternal or paternal line.
• Both parties should not have the same adoptive parents.
• Neither party should have a legal spouse at the time of the marriage.

Those should all be pretty easy requirements for both you and your Thai girl to meet so let’s move on to the documents you will both need.

The Thai partner will need the following documents:

• His/Her Identification Cards
• Their house registration certificates (Tabien Baan)
• If previously married then proof of divorce or in the case of spousal death, proof of death must be made available.

The foreigner will need the following documents:

• A copy of your passport including the arrival card and visa for entry into Thailand.
• Affirmation of eligibility to marry from your countries Embassy.
• Copies (2) of the affirmation of eligibility to marry translated into Thai and certified by an approved Foreign Ministry translator.
• If previously married the original proof of divorce or in the case of spousal death, proof of death must be made available.

Once you have all the required documents you will need to follow this procedure to legal be married.

1. Go to your Embassy and obtain and complete the affirmation of eligibility to marry. There will be a fee for this and it varies for each embassy. You will need the following to complete the affirmation: Provide an income statement (this is usually a simple notarized statement that the Embassy does for you proclaiming that your income is $x amount). A copy of your divorce decree or death certificate for previous spouse(s). A list of your children and their ages. The names and contact information for two citizens of your home country. Depending on the embassy you can collect the signed affirmation of eligibility to marry either the same day or the next day. When I did this at the U.S. embassy it took about 4 hours total.
2. Take your signed affirmation document and have it translated into Thai. If your embassy is on Wireless Road you’ll find many translation services available. Time for translation can vary so you may need to shop around. Mine took 2 hours. You may also want to get your divorce decree or death certificate translated if you will be getting married at a small Amphur. This is not technically a requirement, but I’ve heard stories of this being requested at the Amphur. If you’re adding up the time required you know that just getting the affirmation document will require a minimum of 1 full day.
3. Take your affirmation of eligibility to marry and all documents together with the translations and copies (2) of your passport to the Legalization Division of Consular Affairs Department.
   

   The Legalization and Naturalization Division, Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (www.mfa.go.th)
   123 Chaeng Wattana Road, Laksi District, Bangkok 11120
   Tel. 0–2575 1056–59, 0–2981 7171
   Hours Mon-Fri 08.30–11.30 and 13.00–15.30

   I recommend going early and arriving when they open if you want to make this process faster. Lines can get long later in the day. This is where you will get the Consular Official’s signature authenticated. Same day service costs 800 baht and next day service costs 400 baht. I recommend same day service since the Consular Affairs Department is a fair distance from the Bangkok city center and you really don’t want to make 2 trips out there if it’s not necessary. Even with same day service it will take several hours for the documents to be ready. Fortunately they have a pretty decent cafeteria where you can get lunch.

4. Take all your completed documents to the local Amphur (District Registrar) to have the marriage registered and the marriage certificate issued. Please take note that they issue two copies of the marriage certificate and they will not issue new ones later. Take good care of your marriage certificates. The process at the Amphur can take anywhere from 1-4 hours so be prepared. Again I recommend getting there early in the day.

5. After receiving your certificate you will want to have it translated to English or your home countries language before leaving Thailand as it will be much cheaper to have it done in Thailand. You will need the translated copies for visa or immigration purposes and you will also want to check your own countries immigration laws as some will require the translation to be certified by the Thai government.

So there you have the necessary steps for getting married in Thailand. It really isn’t too difficult, it just takes time. As I said, Golf and I completed the process in 2 days, but it was grueling and I recommend allowing at least 3 days to allow for any delays and to keep your sanity.

If anyone knows of anything I missed or any changes to the laws please leave a comment below so I can research and correct the information if necessary.

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I was scanning through Yahoo Answers over the weekend and I ran across this question. I know that Pattaya has quite a reputation, but I didn’t know it was quite that bad. I mean really, Pattaya is a smallish city at best, with an official population of just 72,000 people. Granted there is a large-ish number of westerners who live at least part time in Pattaya and aren’t included in that number, but c’mon.

Take a look at Nevada which has over 30 licensed brothels. And what about prostitution in New York, Los Angeles, Moscow, Seoul and even Bangkok itself. There are much larger numbers of prostitutes and in some places it is just as open as Pattaya.

Since the Thai’s don’t put the same negative connotation on prostitution that westerners do it is much more open. Don’t get me wrong, upper class Thai’s will still frown on prostitutes and will view them as second class citizens, but they also acknowledge the reality of the situation and the fact that prostitution has and will always exist. They know what pigs men are

There is no doubt that Pattaya was developed due to the sex trade, maintained because of the sex trade, and prospers today because of the sex trade. It is likely that billions are spent annually in Thailand on sex and all of the related tourist dollars spent on hotels, food, drinks, condoms, gifts, taxis etc.

But Pattaya can be more than just sex. You can go windsurfing, parasailing, bungy jumping, horse-riding, Go-Karting, shooting, scuba diving, waterskiing, snorkeling, sailing, jet-skiing and bowling. Or you can play snooker, golf, badminton, tennis or squash. You can even race Formula 3 cars at the Prince Bira International Circuit which is located on the outskirts of town.

Pattaya is also by far the most westernized place in Thailand and you are just as likely to hear English or German on the streets as you are Thai. Most of the signs include both Thai and English, something you won’t find even in Bangkok. English language newspapers, books and magazines are easy to find and many of the bar owners in Pattaya are farang.

No, Pattaya probably isn’t the largest brothel in the world although it is the cheapest and that is the draw for many. That combined with the ease of obtaining any kind of sexual favor has made Pattaya a kind of legend among sex tourists and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Thailand would need to crack down on prostitution there as well as in Bangkok and Phuket and there is just too much money to be lost from the millions of sex tourists that come to Thailand each year.

If you are easily offended by seeing blatant sex for sale, fat old men with young girls or transvestites (katooey) then leave Pattaya off your tour agenda. But don’t expect it to change because Pattaya is what it is. Love it or hate Pattaya is there to stay.

BTW – I haven’t been to Pattaya yet, although Golf has. Seems a very interesting place for people watching. I do want to get there sometime if for no other reason than to see Tiffany’s Show. If you’ve been to Pattaya we’d love to hear about it, leave a comment.

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When you meet a girl and you like her or think she’s pretty you want to be able to tell her right? It can be hard enough for some of us when the girl speaks the same language as us, but what can you do if you’ve just met the Thai girl of your dreams and don’t know how to tell her how you feel?

Here are a few phrases of love that will go a long way in letting your girl know how you feel and finding out how she feels. Don’t let the spoken language barrier block the language of the heart.

Updated with Thai script as requested by Porn so you can now surprise your girlfriend by sending her some words of love in writing.

koon suay mak (คุณสวยมาก) – You are very beautiful
koon na-ruk mak (คุณน่ารักมาก) – You are very cute
koon tam hai pom mee kwarm sook (คุณทำให้ผมมีความสุข) – You make me happy
pom kit teung koon (ผมคิดถึงคุณ) – I miss you
pom sot (ผมยังโสด) – I am single
koon chorp pom reu blao (คุณชอบผมหรือเปล่า) – Do you like me? (For yes the reply is “chorp” and for no the reply is “mai chorp”)
koon mee faen reu yung (คุณมีแฟนหรือยัง) – Do you have a girlfriend/boyfriend? (For yes the reply is “mee” and for no the reply is “mai mee”)
ben faen pom dai mai (เป็นแฟนผมได้ไหม) – Can you be my girlfriend? (For yes the reply is “dai” and for no the reply is “mai dai”)
pom kit wa pom long ruk koon (ผมคิดว่าผมหลงรักคุณ) – I think I have fallen in love with you
hua jai kong pom ben kong koon (หัวใจของผมเป็นของคุณ) – My heart is yours
chan rak khoon (ฉันรักคุณ) – I love you
chan rak khoon maak leeuy (ฉันรักคุณมากเลย) – I love you so much
joop dai mai (จูบได้ไหม) – Can I kiss you?
tee rak (ที่รัก) – sweetheart or darling
koon keu yot ruk kong pom (คุณคือยอดรักของผม) – You are my sweetheart

That’s all for right now, I’ll post more Thai dating and love phrases later so you can speak of matters of the heart better with your Thai girlfriend. Let me know if there’s anything specific you would like to know.

If you really want to impress your Thai girl why not give our affordable Thai translation service a try. For a very reasonable fee we can translate your emails from English to Thai or from Thai to English and have them back to you in under 24 hours. Show her how much you care with an email in Thai.

Popularity: 68% [?]

One common theme in many of the emails I get is whether or not the author of the email can trust their Thai girlfriend. Often they are back in their own home country and the girl is in Thailand and they are understandably frustrated and concerned by the lack of physical proximity and the sporadic communication. The fact that they really have no idea what is happening on a day to day basis in their girlfriends life can make them suspicious and jealous, sometimes with reason, but many times as a function of their lack of details and insight into the girls lives.

As many guys can tell you I respond to all these emails as best I can and have even chatted on IM and through Skype with some of the guys who write to me with their concerns about trusting their Thai girlfriends. In some cases the suspicion is well founded and in others it often seems to be a case of misguided jealousy. The thing is, in every case I only get the guys side of the story which is colored by their own perception. I never have the chance to talk with the Thai girl to see if my instincts tell me she’s what would be considered a good Thai girl or not.

While many stories you find on the internet may tell you differently, I don’t think that Thai girls in general are untrustworthy. On the contrary, I feel that for the most part Thai girls can not only be trusted, but are often more devoted and trustworthy than the majority of western women. Look around at how many promiscuous and cheating girls you find in the West and you’ll know what I mean. Another good indication is the heinously high divorce rate in most Western countries. Contrast that with the sub 10% divorce rate in Thailand.

While this is certainly not set in stone I think the following considerations will tell you how trustworthy (in general) your Thai girlfriend is. And just for the record I think many of the negative traits would apply to western girls as well.

General traits of untrustworthy girls:

• She works in a bar, coyote place or massage parlor.
• She is often out late at night.
• She doesn’t accept phone calls from you and doesn’t return calls, IM’s or emails.
• She asks you for financial help before you’ve actually met or lies about why she needs the money.
• Most of her friends work in bars and massage parlors.

Bear in mind that the above are quite generalized. Meeting just one of the criteria may not be an automatic “No”, but if she meets several I think the warning signs have been posted for you. Considering the number of trustworthy, loving, beautiful and loyal Thai girls out there I see no reason to take unnecessary chances or risks. More important than all the above traits is to ask yourself what do your instincts tell you. This is perhaps the most important because no matter what girl you’re with, if you can’t feel comfortable it will never work. And in many cases the warning signs are there, but are just being ignored by the guys. I can’t stress this enough…always trust your gut.

In some cases I hear from guys who have already been burned and are curious how they can meet good Thai girls. While you might think that meeting and dating Thai girls is a real minefield, I don’t think it’s any more difficult than meeting and dating anywhere else. Putting the language barrier aside it’s actually quite similar to dating in your own country, assuming that in your own country you’re willing to meet and date girls with substantially different backgrounds from yours. The Thai culture and thought process can be quite different than what you are used to, but to be honest I’ve met girls here in the U.S. whose background, thoughts and behaviors seemed totally alien to me. So while the culture question may be difficult I don’t believe it is as difficult as some people make it. Adaptability and a willingness to learn and accept on your part can go a very long way in understanding why your Thai girl behaves the way she does.

Bear in mind that the girls in Bangkok and other tourist areas may already possess quite a bit of knowledge about your culture from dealings with other foreigners. Chances are if she’s interested in dating you she’s interested in foreigners in general and has met quite a few and has already learned quite a bit of English. These girls can be considered much more open and adaptable than the majority of Thai’s, but that doesn’t mean you’ll still need to occasionally push a bit to keep her communicating fully. Here’s a great response to my own thoughts on Thai girls marrying foreigners from theperspective of a Thai girl. Well worth reading in my opinion.

Those living in Thailand should have no problem meeting girls the same way you would in your own country. Simply starting a conversation when shopping, at work and even on the BTS or MRT can often lead to unexpected events. Remember to be always polite and you can get far simply by asking for help regarding unknown Thai words or pronunciation. Those living outside Thailand have it a bit harder, but thanks to the internet not as impossible as it was even 10 years ago. As you know I met Golf at Thai Love Links and highly recommend their service. While it seems there may be more scammers appearing on the site recently as far as I can tell most are Nigerian or some such which makes them pretty easy to filter out. Overall the site is still top notch though and I receive many emails from guys who have met their girlfriends or future wives there.

In the end, the truth of the matter is that trust in a relationship simply takes time. And remember that it’s not only trust on your part that needs to develop. The girl needs time and good reason to come to trust you. Chances are she’s dated and been burned in the past. Thai guys are notorious for this and foreigners can be just as good at disappearing, leaving the poor girl alone and wondering what happened or what she might have done wrong. Trust in a relationship with anyone is a two way street and Thai girls are no different. Just take it slow, get to know each other and keep the lines of communication wide open. When Golf and I were dating and I was back in the U.S. I called and talked to her daily, sometimes for hours. I honestly believe that this helped move our relationship forward much more quickly.

And if you have any doubts or questions please feel free to leave a comment here or email me directly. Golf and I are more than happy to help with any questions or concerns.

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You may have noticed the large ad prominently placed in the right sidebar recently. The photo is actually a link to Thai LoveLinks, which is a Thai oriented dating site. Why is it there? Well aside from the obvious reason that it fits with the subject matter of the blog (all things Thai) Thai LoveLinks is a site that is very dear to both Golf and I.

You see, its at Thai LoveLinks that Golf and I first met almost five years ago. It’s amazing to me that time has flown by so quickly and now we’ve added a third member to our family and it all started at this site. As you can see from the two of us the site definitely works. If you are looking for a new romance with a Thai girl or even if you just want to make some new friends or get someone to teach you Thai on a regular basis the Thai LoveLinks is worth a look.

Unlike some other foreign dating sites I’ve been to there appear to be very few scammers or con artists working Thai LoveLinks. All I found were genuine Thai women looking to meet foreigners whether it be for love or even friendship. Not only did I meet my future wife at Thai LoveLinks, but I was able to significantly add to my Thai vocabulary and even my pronunciation since some of the girls I spoke with used webcams.

When I started using Thai LoveLinks I got message after message from Thai women that wanted to chat with me. Before I met Golf I think I was regularly talking with 4 or 5 Thai girls. Two of them especially were very helpful to me in learning more Thai. Even now they remember me and if I write to them they write back immediate and want to know how I’ve been and if everything is well with both me and Golf.

To give you some idea, here is the description from Thai LoveLinks themselves: “ThaiLoveLinks.com is a Thai dating and Thai personals site connecting Thai singles seeking friendship, dating, romance or marriage. Join our dating site and start using chat rooms, meet Thai girls seeking marriage, Thai ladies seeking friendship, Thai penpals and more. Get started now! – Join for free to start meeting Thai women for dating, romance or maybe even marriage.”

Thai LoveLinks is a great way to meet Thai ladies, if Golf and I aren’t testimony enough just look at the page after page of featured success stories on Thai LoveLinks. You’ll see that this site has made many men and women very happy. I wish there were some way to share the happiness I have now because of Thai LoveLinks with the whole world. Well, thanks to this blog I can share it with some people at least. If you want to make friends with a Thai girl, have a penpal, learn Thai or even find the love of your life then you have to go to Thai LoveLinks.

If you do go to Thai LoveLinks and you find that you need help with something that is language or culturally related please drop me a line in the comments here. Both Golf and myself would be more than happy to help you in any way we can.

Popularity: 28% [?]

As a very popular vacation and retirement destination, Thailand has a pretty large expat population. This is especially true in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and many of the coastal and island locations. You can hardly walk down many streets without seeing a Westerner in many locations. Many of the Westerners you see are simply in Thailand on a holiday, but quite a few are expats, living in Thailand full or part time for many years.

One interesting phenomena I’ve noticed in my many trips to Thailand is that the longer Westerners stay the more acclimated they become to Thai culture. Depending on the adaptability and openness of the person this can actually happen quite fast. In every case though, eventually you start to pick up Thai habits and cultural mannerisms. So, my question is “How do you know you are becoming acclimated to Thai culture”?
Or put another way, “You know you’ve been in Thailand to long when…

…you start to point at things with your lips.”
…you see a rat run out of a restaurant and head inside for dinner anyway.”
…you frequently use the phrase “Up to you” when you want to avoid conflict surrounding a delicate question.”
…you use the phrase “Up to you” when feeling non-committal about a question.”
…you use the phrase “Up to you” when you have no opinion or just can’t be bothered to think about an answer to a given question.”
…your current family car is a motor scooter.”
…you answer the telephone and even though it’s a wrong number you spend the next 5 minutes chatting with the person on the other end.”
…you place your order in a restaurant fully expecting to get something completely different and when you do receive something different you simply eat whatever was served without a word of complaint.”
…you are not bothered in the least if there is a lady cleaning the urinal next to the one you’re using.”
…you now speak in broken English with your friends and family back home.”
…you put ice in your beer without a second thought.”
…you now season every food you eat with nam pla and chilis.”
…you think that a finger shoved up your nose is no big deal, but cover your mouth when using a toothpick.”
…you think it’s perfectly fine to have 4 people, your monthly groceries and 2 chickens all riding on one motor bike at the same time.”
…you can’t remember the last time that you wore proper shoes.”
…you see a power outlet with open wiring, 6 different appliances plugged in and sparks coming out and you think it’s normal.”
…you can remove a rubber band from a plastic bag in 2 seconds without spilling the contents of the bag.”

Obviously the above is but a partial list. I would love to hear your ideas of things that you accept or think are normal in Thailand that would have your head spinning back in your native country. Leave me a comment below with your thoughts.

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