If you are looking into starting a new life for your family though you’re unsure as to where to begin, then this is the article for you. One of the major factors when deciding on a new country to call home is education. It’s all well and good picking a country for it’s climate, cuisine and culture; though if the education system is not strong enough to aid and support you in developing your children intellectually then it’s a no go.

Fortunately, we have put together 10 Reasons why moving to Thailand and enrolling your children into one of the countries incredible International Schools is a viable option. These 10 reasons have nothing to do with the countries stunning culture, wonderful climate and the wealth of other beautiful features and benefits that Thailand has to offer; these 10 reasons are purely and simply to do with its education system.

So, what makes these International Schools worthwhile?

1 – British Curriculum

Of course, not all International Schools focus on the British Curriculum, some favour American, Japanese, Australian and many others. However, from a British perspective I’d feel confident sending my children to an International Schools, knowing that they will get a similar education to mine. (After all, I think I turned out alright!)

2 – English as a First Language

Particularly if your children speak English, you can feel confident knowing that you’re not throwing them into the deep end where they will struggle to communicate and make friends. That being said, if English is not your first language then there is plenty of support for students to learn and communicate.

3 – Plenty of Opportunity to Learn Other Languages

International Schools also invest much time and money in offering their students the opportunity to learn and develop other languages. With many different courses available, your children ill be able to develop multilingual abilities which can be greatly beneficial for their future careers.

4 – Immerse Your Children in a Cocktail of Culture

For me this is what I believe to be one of the major benefits for sending your children to an International School. Not only from an educational perspective, but from a human perspective. Living and learning amongst a number of different cultures is a great way to encourage empathy, decency, and a greater understanding of the World around them.

5 – Community Support for Students and Families

International Schools tend to have a very strong and attentive support structure in place to help students and parents settle into their new lifestyles. With a wealth of community events and meetings, families are quick to feel welcome and at home in their new environment.

6 – Experienced and Diverse Teaching Faculty

International Schools in Thailand pride themselves in hiring only the best and experienced teachers from all over the World. This offers students a great opportunity for learning, but again, exploring and understanding different cultures.

7 – Modern and Top-Quality Teaching Facilities

International Schools have a number of different funding avenues and so have access to some of the finest quality teaching facilities and materials available. This gives your children a great advantage when it comes to learning.

8 – ‘Portable’ Education

Another major benefit of teaching the British or American curriculum is its flexibility when it comes to having to move around. If for example your stay in Thailand is only temporary for a few years; your children will be able to return home and slot back into School without much issue whatsoever.

9 – Internationally Recognised

Having been educated in an international environment looks great on the CV when it comes to your children’s future endeavours. Some employers may favour internationally educated applicants as they tend to have a greater understanding when it comes to working alongside other nationalities or ethnicities.

10 – Teachers are Typically Shown More Respect

Teachers in Asia are shown a great deal more respect than most teachers in Western Cultures. I am not stating this to be a matter of fact, merely something that I have observed through experience. This can benefit your children greatly; learning and developing in an environment where teachers and students often have a much closer relationship built on a mutual, hierarchical respect.

The Thai Law does not allow overseas nationals to own a property in the country. Therefore, foreigners need to analyze the legal issues that come along with owning a land. However, a foreign national can fight for his or her right for building possession different from land properties, like, condominiums.

Laws for Non-natives

An efficient lawyer in Thailand provides his or her client with effective legal solutions to buying properties. According to law of the country, a foreign national is liable to own the following properties –

• Any division in a registered Condominium.

• Registered leasehold of up to 30 long years for all sorts of entitled buildings or lands.

• A Building separated from land property

Foreign nationals cannot own a freehold land. The person also does not have the right to own more than 49 percent of the shares of a distinct company that owns a freehold land.

Procuring a Condominium

The Condominium act of Thailand allows a foreigner to own as much as 49 percent of the entire unit space of a condominium building, registered by the law. The purchaser can plea for a letter of assurance from the juristic person of Condominium who sets out the percentages of foreign ownership. Upon transfer of ownership, the foreign national can send the form to the Land Department. It is essential for a foreign buyer to bring hundred percent of the finances from overseas. The funds in foreign currency will then need a Foreign Exchange Transaction Form.

Details on Foreign exchange transaction form

The Thai bank provides this form to supply evidence of the trade to the land Department of the country. A Foreign exchange transaction form needs to evade complications because of strict currency laundering rules. It is also necessary for an exchange form to avoid remittance tax during repatriating funds. It is a matter of worry only when the foreigner sells the condominium at a later time. A foreigner can own the form at a price of 20 thousand US dollars. It is necessary for the person to specify his or her purpose behind the payment in the order form along with specifying the unit number and the name of the condominium.

Effective Solution for Foreigners

One effective way in which a foreigner can buy properties in the country of Thailand is through long-term lease option. The overseas national can get registered leasehold as they are simple and pretty straightforward and also secure. Long term leasehold structure with time and slowly become equal to freehold ownership. An individual can renew the property for two times. This extends the ownership for 90 years in total.

There are almost no issues with security as owning the building assures proper ownership rights. The lessor is not liable to own the property once the lease expires since the property has no link with the land. It is also not liable to become a subject under the Civil law of Thailand. A Lawyer can always become handy for foreign national while buying properties for the first time in Thailand. They provide effective tips and legal solutions that help the foreigners in future.

A popular destination for travellers, Thailand has something for everyone, from 5 star luxury seekers to money conscious back packers. It’s a land with a fascinating history, breathtaking scenery, ancient temples and a long standing culture of Buddhism. With palm studded beaches, sugary white sands, azure seas and idyllic islands it’s the ultimate place to relax and let the laid back atmosphere wash over you.

Phuket

Probably one of the best known Thai destinations after Bangkok, Phuket was made famous as far back as 1974 when it featured in the Bond film, ‘Man with the Golden Gun’. In Phuket you can experience a hedonistic lifestyle as you relax on miles and miles of soft sandy beaches by the shimmering aquamarine waters of the Andaman Sea. It’s the perfect place to try out some water sports or just eat and drink in the many restaurants and bars which line the sands.

Maya Bay

Another beach made famous on the big screen, Maya Bay played a central role in the 2000 film ‘The Beach’ starring Leonardo di Caprio. Beautiful white sand surrounded by coral reefs and limestone rocks; it proved to be the perfect location although the landscaping carried out by Fox productions didn’t endear the film makers to the locals. It seems nature has now reclaimed its birthright, the 2004 tsunami removing most of the Fox productions landscaping and returning it to its natural state.

Kanchanaburi

A major tourist destination, Kanchanaburi has a truly magnificent landscape with waterfalls, forests, rivers and caves dating back to the times of Neolithic man. It’s the ultimate outdoor adventure park with all sorts of activities available from rafting, canoeing and fishing to golfing, mountain biking and bird watching. There are even treks into the dense jungle in search of elephants for those of you who like a little more adventure in your life. But if this seems too much like hard work then just relax on the beautiful white sand beaches.

Koh Phi Phi Don

Hindus, Buddhists and sea gypsies live in harmony in this hedonistic paradise where unspoiled beaches, clear emerald seas and craggy cliffs make up the familiar landscape of this area. Koh Phi Phi, like most islands, can only be reached by sea in one of the puttering colourful long tails and once you are there, you’ll find that there are no roads and no traffic in this unspoilt haven of tranquillity and peace. In fact the most arduous thing you’ll have to do here is raise your cocktail glass or maybe practice a few downward dogs during a yoga session on the pristine beaches.

Haad Rin, Koh Pha Ngan

If you’re finding all this talk of relaxation too staid for your tastes and you’d prefer somewhere with a party atmosphere then head to Haad Rin, a beach which is more famous for its Full Moon Parties than for its natural attractions. That’s not to say that it isn’t beautiful, it still has the requisite golden sands, crystal clear waters but it also has a lively vibe which lasts all day and well into the night.

Thai Culture in Bangkok

Thailand is a country with a long and rich history. Thailand is also one of those countries which have many traditions which modern times fortunately have not affected. Thailand is renowned for its unique culture that has been notorious around the globe. Thai culture is especially well known for its distinctiveness. It is well worth noting that Thai culture has traditionally been handed down from one generation to the next.

Thai Classical Dance

The inspiring Thai culture includes inspiring local music and wonderful Thai dances. The culture furthermore includes of course its deep rooted Buddhist religion, martial arts, crafts and beautiful clothing.

Visitors to Thailand can experience Thai culture by witnessing one of the Thai classical dance performances. These classical dance performances are generally performed by gracious Thai ladies wearing beautiful Thai local costumes.

These special Thai dances are fortunately still popular throughout Thailand including with the present younger Thai generations. Most resort areas and many hotels frequently offer these special Thai culture dance shows for foreign visitors.

Thai Greeting

The unique Thai gesture of greeting another person, the Wai, is especially one of the greatest aspects of the culture. The Wai is when a person joins both hands to either head or chest level while bending their head slightly towards their hands.

This way of greeting is especially done when a younger person greets an older person and it indicated a sign of respect to their elders. Employees would also Wai their superior’s even if the supervisor or manager would be younger then themselves as the seniority of the other person would be respected.

Bangkok

Bangkok is the main city of Thailand and has been the Thai capital since the end of the eighteenth century. Observing culture in Bangkok can be a great experience as the blend of modern times and traditions have created a one of a kind atmosphere. Bangkok still offers a package of culture which showcases Thai culture through numerous beautiful Thai Buddhist temples, interesting museums and many example of ancient Thai architecture.

Places to Visit in Bangkok

One of the best places in Bangkok to experience Thai culture is in the Sanam Luang area. Visitors can visit such Thai national landmarks such as the Grand Palace which includes the Emerald Buddha Temple and also offers visitors to see many other prime examples of Thai architecture at its best.

Another location in Bangkok where one can enjoy and see Thai culture is at the famed Bangkok national museum. The large museum is located near to the Pra Pin Klao bridge in case you would like to visit the Bangkok National Museum. The famous museum offers visitors and tourists an opportunity to view national treasures and unique Thai art pieces with some dating back as early as the late sixteenth century.

Mind control stories could be very helpful, especially when you want to get people to see your point of view. People can sometimes be either too closed-minded or they already have a fixed opinion. This can be rather frustrating, which is why I have decided to share one of my mind control stories with you.

This story tells of how I managed to convince my family to go on a trip to Thailand instead of China. It might not sound like such a huge feat, but I have to say that the whole Thai experience was really amazing; and of course, so was the sound of victory.

Now here’s how my mind control story began. My family has relatives in China and had been planning to go see them during the summer. I was to come along as well but for several reasons, I wanted to take a different trip. For one, we had already gone to China before. And another, I had been wanting to take a trip to Thailand for ages.

Telling my family straight out that we should go to Thailand would not work. Aside from the fact that we don’t know anybody there, my parents think that the language barrier might prove to be a hassle. I knew we would definitely enjoy Thailand, and have already looked up various activities we could enjoy.

Instead of trying to convince them day in and out of the better option, I continuously dropped comments about Thailand and what people do there for fun. I mentioned Thailand so many times that soon, they too, began to feel intrigued about the place. Suffice to say, we packed our bags soon thereafter and boarded on our plane flight to Thailand.

The persuasion technique I used in this mind control story is called repetition. Since I mentioned the wonders of Thailand to them so many times, they started feeling the excitement of traveling to an unknown country where we didn’t know anybody but our travel guide. Pretty soon, their minds took a different turn and they began envisioning themselves visiting all the tourist spots in Thailand.

Married to a Thai and longing to retire in Thailand for the spicy hot delicious food, white tropical beaches, sunshine and smiles? Before you rush in headlong, take a long look at these reasons for not retiring in Thailand.

1. Political Unrest In Thailand

Those who are considering retiring in Thailand need to take the current dire political situation into consideration. In 2006, a power struggle erupted between the Thai political parties. The “red shirts” and the “yellow shirts” are in bitter disagreement about the country’s future. Accusations of corruption have inspired physical confrontation between the two sides. The current political protests in Thailand are funded and guided from overseas by Thaksin, a former police officer who built up a telecoms empire before turning to politics and becoming prime minister in 2001.

Currently governed by the highly revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, there is great concern lurking about the further great political unrest that is anticipated after his death. Now at age 82, and not in good health, there is concern about who will take over the throne after his death. The law that forbids anyone talking ill of the royal family and thereby protecting the dignity of a reigning sovereign King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand did not stop former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra speaking of a “shining” new age once the King’s reign comes to an end. That does not bode well for the future of Thailand.

This political uncertainty could affect your future life in Thailand. It only takes a change in the laws in Thailand to make it a completely different place. Suppose they made the requirements for Thai visas more stringent, so that you found it difficult or impossible to get your non immigrant Thai visa? You could lose the right to live in Thailand and with it your retiring in Thailand plan.

2. The Difficulty Of Learning The Thai Language

On holiday in Thailand you maybe picked up a few Thai words and generally got by with very little knowledge of the Thai language. Of course, provided you stick to the main holiday areas and resorts, you don’t need to know Thai because the Thai people you deal with will speak enough English for you to be able to get what you want.

But in retirement you maybe are not going to be living in the holiday resort areas – which are not only very expensive for everyday living but which are becoming increasingly dangerous. Instead, like us and many people like us, you may be retiring ‘up country’ in predominantly Thai populated areas. In these circumstances you may be buying fresh food at the local Thai market, eating out at the roadside stalls, jumping on the back of the local motorcycle taxis, and generally interacting with the indigenous Thais who are unlikely to speak English. This is where, without a good knowledge of the Thai language, life could be difficult or just uneasy for you.

3. You Will Have To Pay For Any Medical Care That You May Need

If you enjoy free medical care in your home country, remember that you will lose this privilege when you retire to Thailand and you will end up paying your own medical bills in future. Perhaps you may think that you are in good health and take the chance on that but think about the increasing treatments you may need as you get older or if you become seriously ill. As you become older your needs for medical care dramatically increase and whereas perhaps at present you are entitled to medical care paid for by the State in your homeland, when you retire to Thailand the costs will come from your own pocket.

4. Visa Restrictions

There is no such thing as a “get it and forget it” visa for retiring Thailand. While Thai retirement visas are available, there are still restrictions, and you will have to report to the immigration office in Thailand periodically. The Thai forums are thick with questions from foreigners asking about Thai visa laws or restrictions or reporting problems they have faced. I am one of those people because although I once obtained a multiple journey one-year Non Immigrant Category “O” visa for Thailand within a few minutes at the Royal Thai Consulate in Birmingham, U.K. I was later refused the same kind of Thai visa with exactly the same paperwork at the Royal Thai Embassy in London!

As a generalism, it seems that different offices and officials issuing Thai visas around the world all have different interpretations of the qualifications to be granted a Thai visa. Some people have reported being refused a visa for spurious reasons when all their paperwork was in perfect order. Consider what you would do if you were refused entry to the country where your retirement home and wife was!

5. High Taxation On Imported Goods

Those who have a visa to live in Thailand for greater than a year can also move household items to the country, but if the visa is granted for less, you must also take into account the import duty taxes and value added tax. These total 27% of the value of your items, not including the shipping costs. In theory, some entrants to Thailand are permitted to bring household effects into Thailand free of duty, but it doesn’t work like that in practice even though I am Thai as I found out found out I tried to do it. Again, the Thai forums are filled with people who, according to Thai regulations were supposed to be able to import personal effects tax-free, still ended up paying a lot to the customs officers!

6. High Cost Of Maintaining Your Home

If you keep your current home in your own country, there are huge expenses with maintaining two homes, one in Thailand and the other far away across the ocean. When renting out your home in your own country, you run the risk of damage, non-paying tenants and having to hire an agency that will keep your property up. It is a good idea to keep your original home in case you ever go back home, so that you can have a familiar place to get home to, or your retiring in Thailand plan fails for any reason.

7. Culture Shock

It is one thing to have a great time in Thailand on holiday but living there permanently is completely different. While it may seem easy to adjust to the Thai culture, residents retiring in Thailand have to commit to setting aside long standing habits and it can be tiring. Unravelling a country’s long standing culture can be a bit tedious for foreigners in the country.

In Conclusion

I hope that has not put you off the idea of retiring in Thailand. That was not my intention. If you have any doubts about committing yourself to a life of retirement in Thailand I would suggest that you try an extended vacation in Thailand before you finally commit yourself. If you are still willing to retire Thailand, then you will want to try an extended vacation. Try staying in the country for several months before deciding to set up shop permanently. It is better to do that than making the big mistake of retiring and then deciding it’s not for you.

Luang Sorasak is one of the Kings who ruled over Ayutthaya. The king ascended to the throne in 1703. The reign of King Luang Sorasak is considered to be the gloomiest and darkest in the history of Ayutthaya.

Luang Sorasak succeeded the King Petraja. When the King was in deathbed he appointed his nephew Pichai Surin as his successor. Knowing this, Luang Sorasak got angry and forcibly took power and ascended to the throne, declaring himself the king. Thus, in 1703, a tyrannical, egotistical man crowned himself as the new King of Siam. The king had a title “The Tiger King”. The title did not mean that he was noble or gracious. The title denoted the king’s cruelty towards his subjects. It is said that the king was very interested in all sort of cruel games especially in kickboxing which was a violent contact sport during those days. Once he disguised himself as a common man and participated in a kickboxing competition where he challenged two men to fight with him. During the fight, he brutally kicked the men to death and won the match.

The King had two sons, the elder son Wang Nah was appointed as the viceroy and the younger was given the title Phra Buntun-Noi. A story has it that the king along with his sons and soldiers were chasing an elephant. However, the sons made a mistake and the elephant escaped. As a result the two sons were brutally punished.

The Tiger King was also infamous for his sexual exploits. If a girl dared to reject him, he would force himself on her, rape her and then kill her. A number of dead bodies were regularly removed from the palace.

Once again peace and dignity prevailed in Ayutthaya after the death of the Tiger King in 1709.

Ladyboys, known as “katoey” in the Thai language, remain a deep fascination for those who travel to Thailand, which is seen by many tourists as a country totally devoid of homophobia. However, in Chiang Mai recently, a popular late night dance club posted signs which said, “No Ladyboys”. Rumors of different gangs of Ladyboys in Bangkok and Pattaya attacking foreigners and robbing them has created a new fear in recent years, along with a wary attitude towards what is often referred to in Thailand, as the “third gender”.

Undoubtedly, there have been occasional groups of people, who happen to be Ladyboys, who have committed illegal acts and are guilty as charged. Thailand also has seen its fair share of crime acted out by all genders and different elements of society, yet there seems to be a definite distinction when the perpetrator or accused is described as a Ladyboy, implying some inherent correlation between Ladyboys and violence.

Ladyboys are seen throughout the Kingdom in virtually all aspects of the workplace, in small rural villages and urban areas alike. Some are employed in restaurants, while others own their own cafes. Ladyboys work in shops, banks, spas, in the market and just about every sector of society. Some are teachers while others are students. Some non-government schools have even recently built a third toilet facility with a sign outside the door labeled as “Third Gender”.

But the question remains as to whether or not homophobia exists in the Land of Smiles. Many Thai people consider acceptance of Ladyboys quite different to accepting homosexuality. When asked, “Is your friend gay?”, they will often say, “No, he is a Ladyboy,” implying a difference, whether that friend exclusively dates men or not. Descriptions of Ladyboy friends, as well, often include giggles and remarks that are refrained from when describing straight friends. Jokes that might be deemed as offensive are also saved for a time when the person being spoken about is out of the room.

Not unlike some western societies, many parents of Ladyboys in Thailand feel a great sense of disappointment and shame but the topic may never be addressed verbally.

In 2009, the Gay Pride parade in Chiang Mai was blocked by the so-called Red Shirt protesters, declaring it did not represent Northern culture, essentially denouncing any reference to the acceptance of homosexuality. And yet gay men who do not ‘act’ like Ladyboys are often hired to work in government positions.

Ladyboys who are out in the Thai nightlife may have the most freedom of all as they are often seen as show girls and expected to be over the top. But one has to wonder if the need for being truly accepted is greater than the desire for attention. If Thailand truly accepted heterosexuals and homosexuals equally, would there be such a distinction between the two? If people were really comfortable with gender differences would there be a need to constantly announce that so and so is a Ladyboy? After all, how often do people introduce heterosexuals as a friend who is straight?

When compared to other parts of the world, Thailand is in many ways, far more tolerant in terms of the bigotry and discrimination gays and lesbians face on a day to day basis in other countries. Nonetheless, it is important to question whether or not people are truly free to be themselves, without the same protection as heterosexuals of a given society.

Though many gay westerners find Thailand to be a land of sanctity, local human rights groups still find themselves working towards equality under Thai law. Although Ladyboys are quite visible in pop culture and in everyday mainstream life, open discussion of homosexuality remains virtually nonexistent.

Thailand is indeed a country of great open-mindedness with regards to human sexuality, but until the government recognizes all of its citizens’ rights, under the law, it will never be as free and progressive as some visitors are led to believe. At the same time, maybe the mere acceptance of Ladyboys is the first step in conquering discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Degrees of homophobia exist, on different levels, all over the globe, including Thailand. Perhaps the Land of Smiles will one day also become known as the Land of Equality for All Genders, and it might be the katoeys that pave the way.

I have been pretty bold in what I would eat in Thailand. Being that this was my first visit to Thailand, I had gotten a lot of warnings from different people about a condition they call ‘Thai Tummy.’

I love spicy food, so I wasn’t too worried about it, and I am a firm believer that to experience a different culture, experiencing their food is a big part of that

I would try things on menus in Thailand that I never would have tried back home. I think the mistake I made, was with some of the street vendors. I could clearly see their preparation areas weren’t exactly clean, but I never expected what I had in store for me.

‘Thai Tummy’ sounds like such a cute affliction… It’s not. My guts felt like they were going to fall out. I spent a couple afraid to get to far away from the toilet, but got super bold on day 3. I was going through withdrawals. I missed training, and I had to get back in there.

Since I had taken a few days off, Sawat had found another private lesson to fill the time, so I was without a trainer. I went back to the group sessions. The problem was that I hadn’t been able to get away from a toilet for more than 10 minutes that past two days, let alone 2.5 hours.

I strategically positioned myself near the exit, and excused myself when I needed to. After about the 4th or 5th time, I could see this was pissing the head trainer off. When it came time for pad rounds, I saw him whisper something in a trainer’s ear. That trainer sought me out, and told me I was going with him.

The next 11 minutes consisted of this trainer kicking the bejeezus out of me, It was the hardest 3 rounds I had ever done. Between rounds, he was making me do push-ups while the others rested. The third round ended with me on my knees… completely out of gas. I looked up, expecting to be punched by him, but instead found his extended hand, helping me off the floor. He said, ‘Good job.’ And walked away.

Who was this maniac? I saw his name emblazoned on his shorts. His name was Kay. A look on the Tiger Muay Thai website, told me all I needed to know:

Kru Kay (Fight Manager)

Nickname: Kay

Fight name: Pichai Wor Wolapon

Fight record: Over 250 fights

Titles: Held the number 3 ranking at Lumpinee stadium

Kay first started training at the age of 10 in his home town of Surin, north-eastern Thailand. He started fighting soon after and quickly gained a reputation on the local circuit as a strong fighter, winning many fights by knockout. Moving to Bangkok at age 17 to train at the famous Kiatsingnoi camp, where he trained alongside TMT trainer Nai for the rest of his career. Kay made his Bangkok debut at Rajadamnern stadium in the 100lb division, and then moved up the weight divisions before eventually becoming a superstar of Onesongchai, the biggest promoter in Thailand fighting regularly at Lumpinee stadium on national broadcast television.

During Kay’s prime he fought the biggest names in Muay Thai of the day such as Orono, Attachai, Thongchai, Chatchai and Yokthai Sitor. Competing during the “Golden Era” of Muay Thai, Kay defeated many of the champions of that time and rose up the rankings but unfortunately was never given a title shot.

Kay retired from fighting at the age of 27, with over 250 fights and 17 years worth of competition. After retiring he quickly began training fighters in Bangkok and Surin where he brought up champions such as Iquezang Kor.Rungthanakeat.

Soon after Tiger Muay Thai opened, Kay was recruited to join the training team and has been here ever since. Having trained many of Tiger’s top fighters for years, Kay now has the position of fight manager. He arranges fights for TMT fighters in the local stadiums, Bangkok stadiums and overseas.

Kay is known for his relentless training style, focusing on building power and stamina in his students.

I had gone back to rom to lick my wounds form the beating I had just taken. I got on the Internet and read the above information. I put my shoes on and walked back down to Tiger Muay Thai, and signed up for private lessons with Kay.

I grew to really admire this man. His rough exterior is what makes him a great trainer. But he also has compassion as was evidenced by his willingness to help me off the ground after our initial meeting.

I would train with him every day thereafter during my stay at Tiger Muay Thai. I would do morning group sessions, a private with Kay, then group sessions again. I got into amazing shape, and I owe it all to that maniac that kicked my butt.

I never did tell Kay why I kept leaving class that day, and I don’t think he would have cared. He was instructed to kick my ass, so he did… and I loved it. I now know what the term getting the crap beat out of you means… I hurt everywhere, but my Thai Tummy was gone.

When it comes to first date advice, the number one mistake on the list should be how do I cope with her cultural differences. In Thailand, on a real first date, she most likely will be accompanied by a chaperone, usually her best friend. The chaperone will eat everything on the menu, and relay back to your date if you were a worthy future partner. I suggest having your date pick a place for authentic Thai food off the tourist path, or do your research and find one yourself. There are three major achievements that need to take place for a successful first date in Thailand. Do not be cheap, respect her friend, and most importantly do not try and close for a night cap later at your hotel.

When dating in Thailand the number one mistake, and the most common problem is taking advantage of Thai hospitality without compensation. Your first instinct leads you to believe that you are being taken advantage of monetarily, and that you are being taken for a ride in which the poor little Thai girl rids you of your very last dollar. In Thailand, all women first and foremost want a man who can provide for them, as they will, cook, clean and perform duties not even a highly paid nurse would provide in your times of need. Do not be cheap and do not lose your mind either, this is a date. Provide spending with a Western world dating price cap in mind, and than value the returns on your investment on your second date. If you do go cheap, only do so knowing that there will not be a second time to make a first impression.

First date advice in America does not involve your date bringing a chaperone, well welcome to Thai culture. Thai women commonly bring a chaperone along with them, usually but not always the same sex. She has been selected by your date as the deciding factor on whether or not to continue seeing you. Treat her well, and you will be taken seriously as a future prospect. The Thai chaperone will not be shy to order everything off the menu when you go out to eat, so make sure to choose that restaurant off the beat path, that only the Thai go to as your bankroll will not be exhausted. You will not be graduated on your tip to the waitress, as Thai people rarely tip at all, and a good tip is three to five percent at most. Make sure your comments on how much these little girls can eat are kept separate from the amount you will spend when the bill arrives. My first date with a Thai girl led me to pay a full thirty dollars as my total bill, this bill covered the full purse including drinks. My point is do not worry, and stay away from disheveled looks and uncomfortable motors when the bill arrives.

The most important first date advice I could give to the wandering soul in Thailand is to not try and close the date with a kiss. Thai first dates are not like the western world. This is a ritual for Thai women that means you are worthy for a look, and that is all. This is good, do not shr off your initial test run. If the girl wants to close you, than by all means follow her lead, but do not try and do the same back. She wants more than you if she is laughing and speaking Thai with her friend as they both eye you through your dinner date. Share the joy in this and at the end of dinner and drinking offer to pay for the cab ride home for the both of them. If you do this, her chaperone will be more than impressed with you, as you did not leave her to ride home alone. She will inform your date that you were the perfect choice. Invite them both out the next night, or call her later and tell her what a great time you had, and that you would love to see her again. First date advice in Thailand should not be taken lightly, so be sure to follow these rules and than watch out for what comes next, as it might be more than you can handle.