Raising children in Thailand

It's amazing how many emails I get asking for advice about moving to Thailand.

I don't do individual case studies and, even if I did, moving to a foreign country is not a decision to be made lightly, it can ony be made by the individual themself.

Assuming you want to be sociable and non-reclusive, the one thing a foreign arrival to Thailand needs is thick skin. If you plan of living away from towns with an established foreign population, such as of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket or even Udon Thani, then make that skin extra thick because you are gonna need it!

In towns with low numbers of foreigner you will be a novelty value. You'll quickly come to learn, and regularly hear, 'farang' - the Thai word for foreigner - and you can expect to be photoed, gossiped about and starred at every day.

Now factor in a child and multiply the levels of patience until they are almost off the scale.

I've blogged about being talk of the town before, it doesn't overly bother me plus my life, Missus and Little One, is here in Thailand so I have to accept some things I don't like, so long as they are harmless.

However, lately I've seen a few things that have tested my patience and self-declared thick skin. They've also made me realise that, although I enjoy my life here in Thailand, it won't be a permanent stay as we have plans to head back to London 'at some point'.

I won't overly bore you with the details but one scene was played out during a visit to the hospital for the latest of Little One's scheduled vaccinations.

As a shy man at heart, I begrudgingly accept the stares when the three of us go to the local hospital - after all, there aren't many foreigners here in Saraburi, and fewer still with Anglo-Thai kids, particularly as cute as mine.

However, what is beyond my tolerance is a standing in the doorway to the private vaccination room to shamelessly gawp at my child receiving his injection. A combination of floods of baby tears (ask any parent about how it feels to watch your child cry), the lack of privacy and sheer outrage at this woman's actions saw my 'jai yen' (cool heart) combust and a volley of Thinglish expletives and hand gestures rain on this woman. I was so pumped that I was, literally, shaking with anger.

Even for Thai standards the behaviour was absolutely disgraceful and I spent a few days wondering whether this country is for me, 'how quickly can we fly home?'. I've since calmed down, just about.

The Missus and I have never been 100% sure on our future. We've always been interested in returning to London, it's all about the Little One and we're playing it by near now as we look at what we could do.

I've always felt a town where the attention, gossip and starring from locals is too much for many adult foreigners, is not an ideal place to raise a half English child to be normal. When even just a trip to the market produces such attention, it's hardly the environment to keep a young child balanced.

Then there are the schools. I could write a thesis on the subject but you'll have to make do with a new post at a later date - particularly given that, as I current work as a teacher, my comments will need to be carefully positioned.

So while I do love life here in Thailand - the food, language, weather and lifestyle - we aren't putting roots down here just yet. It's all about the Little Man.

I'd love to hear the views on some of these issues from other expats raising children in Thailand.