In March I will be making my third trip to Thailand with my wife to visit her family that live in and around Phitsanulok. My wife speaks an elementary English, her family members speak less or none, and Phitsanulok, not being a tourist destination, offers little opportunity for me to converse with anyone which can be maddening at times. Side trips to Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Pattaya have have brought relief in the past but most of the time is spent with family in Phitsanulok.

My wife has a large and friendly family, and Thailand is a great place to visit,but the trip would be easier for me if I could relate more to Phitsanulok.

Anybody out there living in Phitsanulok?

Dont know any one in Pits, but how about this for an idea :

You could seize the situation as an opportunity to completely immerse yourself in the language and increase your ability to read,write speak and listen. How do you communicate with your wife if her english is elementary ? Your increased abilty in the language could only be beneficial right ?

Hi there,
I live in Phitsanulok a good part of the year. Right now, I am back in USA, but will return to Phitlok in early April for Songkran. In your post, you mention coming in March--I guess it depends how late in March and how long you will be staying. I usually stay there about 2 months per visit and come 2 or 3 times a year. I still have family responsibilities back in USA (aging parent). I have a house in Phitsanulok with my GF, her 3 daughters, and her mother. Her extended family also lives in the city and they are good people. I speak passable Thai as my GF speaks little English and the girls (I consider them my stepkids, and they consider me their Dad now) speak school English. I can understand your issues as I have not broken into the small "farang" community in Phitsanulok and sometime wish to discuss subjects outside of Thai and family issues. Let's discuss further and see if we can touch base.

I live about an hour and a half south of there, In Nakorn Sawan, there are a few members around the Pitchit, Petchabun area. There is a new "community Forum" opend here "norht of BKK" That covers this area.

Cheers RC

Great idea, Penelope, but I'm a few years beyond seizing any opportunity that involves learning a new language. Spanish I might be tempted to take on but only a much younger me could be intrigued by the challenge of Thai.

As for the language difficulties between my wife and me, well that's certainly something that could be discussed at great length but what would be the point? She's learned about as much English as she'll ever learn and I've learned no Thai. Our relationship stumbles along in spite of it and has for five years.

It's interesting that you refer to Phitsanulok as "Pits."

It could be that I will be in Phitsanulok in April. Yes, I would like to discuss further and perhaps get together with you at some point. I'm new here and can't quite figure out how to message you.

I'm an Aussie...it is my national duty to abbreviate where possible

/moved to north of BKK forum

As it was foretold - it will be true

Pen; what part of Oz r u from ?

I am new as well to board. However, if you click on my name in post and after page changes look down the right hand side, you will see a line saying send a personal massage. Click on that and it will bring you to a page on which you can send an e-mail. One thing, if you want a response via the board you must make sure your board profile says to allow member e-mails. That was not the default and I had to go in and change that field in my own profile. Hope to hear from you.

There are a few expat pubs and meeting places. Lady Janes pub and Eng. grub, Poolbar 8ball and big screen, Phits Sports Bar pool and tv sports, Topland Plaza, Big C complex, etc. Not that big of a place so easy to find the expats sitting around havin a glass and talking about the local politics.

Goodonyer Pen

Thanks for the advice. Where is Lady Janes and the Phits Sports? I think I might know the places but not the names. Are they on the road that goes from Topland Arcade (not Topland Plaza, but where they sell computers) to the road that goes over the river fairly close to Wat Chinnarat? If not there, I'm sure I can find them. Thanks again.

Yes on the road from Topland arcade,past he police station and Pailyn hotel and on the right about 200m before river. Pool bar and Phits sports are across the river in The Night bazaar comlex,Discovery Disco.

To fellow Phitsanulokians,

Hello, hello. Like some or many of you, I'm more of a family man than a bar and snooker fan. Well, I love pool, but not in a bar that much. Besides, Lady Jane's hasn't offered it lately, as far as I now. I'm also not a smoker, which is why I am less likely to stop in there.

I do love beer though, and I miss the great selection of micro brews that I used to enjoy in Boston, USA. The weather here is not as contusive here as up in Chiang Mai to brewing, but if there is a way to do it in an air-conditioned environment, I'd love to try a micro brew here - starting small first, of course, with a few dedicated partners.

But more to the point, I'm inspired by an overnight trip I took with my wife to Payou this week. We met a farang teacher at the Naresuan University satellite campus there who told me that he know about 200 farangs in that area who get together regularly - for dinner, etc.

Well, why not here?

Big Al (plus K.W)from round corner will be hitting the Pits-an-hava-luk trail about then .

Will give him a shout and find out

Lady Janes still have the pool table upstairs but not recomended during hot season or for serious players. Small and ancient. For regulars, Fri. nite is the main gathering. Most of the smokers go outside now. For pool go across to bazaar, Pool Bar ar end of plaza. Good tables and big enough ac room that smoke isn't a problem.