Japanese Village in Bangkok,Thailand

Japanese village in Bangkok, Thailand

     In Thailand, There are lots of Japanese who settle down here until they have their own village.

You can find Japanese village in Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Sriracha (Chonburi) etc.

     Each Japanese village has their own identity such as;

     Japanese village in Ayutthaya, it’s due to the fact that Ayutthaya used to be capital of Thailand. When Ayutthaya was prosperous, foreigner merchants including Japanese came to Thailand for trading and there was other something special about relationship between Thailand and Japan until some Japanese needed to settle down here and set their own village in Ayutthaya. Nowadays Japanese village in Ayutthaya had become to museum foe people who interested in Ayutthaya history.

     For Japanese village in Sriracha (Chonburi), first I want to tell that Sriracha is industry area. Most factories are belonged to Japan. So, Japanese village here is full of Japanese people who their company sent them to supervise their factory in Thailand.

Convenient store in Japanese village

     For Japanese village in Bangkok, it’s set on Sukhumvit road Soi 33/1. Sukhumvit road is one of business area in Bangkok. The cost of living is pretty expensive. It’s full of workplace. For sure, there are lots of Japanese companies here. Most Japanese people who settle down here are sent from head office to supervise here too. Doing business here is more various than Sriracha’s.

     Most Japanese people who come to work here come with their family and stay here together.Some companies find accommodation for them and almost accommodations are on Sukhumvit road.

     Japanese village in Bangkok is small village. There are Japanese restaurants, Japanese bakery shop, bars, convenient store, Karaoke studio, Japanese book shops (both new and seconded-hand) and cooking school in this village.

     I usually find something to eat here because it’s near from my Japanese school.

     Japanese bakery shops here sell lots of delicious and cheap bakery.

     I can find lots of Japanese housewives carrying their baby shopping something in convenient store here.

Ramen Tei

Katsu Dong of Ramen Tei costs 230 Baht

     I sometimes have lunch or dinner in Ramen Tei, Japanese restaurant. Every time I have a meal in this restaurant I feel like I’m in Japan now.

     I used to have dinner on weekday. I found lots of Japanese people who just come back from their work have dinner here. I heard Japanese language all time I was having dinner here. I got surrounded by Japanese people. It was likely I was only one Thai here at that moment.

    The cost of food here I think it’s pretty expensive for Thais. Almost dishes cost over 200 Baht. Normally, Thai people can pay for a meal in 50 Baht from general restaurant.

Tanabata festival in Japanese village of Bangkok

     The latest time I went to Japanese village in Bangkok. It was ‘Tanabata festival day’, Japanese festival , they believe that if they write something they wish on paper and take it to bind on bamboo tree, they will succeed as they wish. This festival will be held on July 7^Th.

     

     That day I found bamboo tree with lots of paper in front of Japanese bakery shop. There were some people are writing something on colored paper and some people binding paper on that bamboo tree. The moment I saw them I could remember immediately that it was ‘Tanabata festival’ so I wanted to join with them. I wrote something I wish on colored paper in Thai such as “ I want to get a good job”. Hmm, Now I’m wondering myself why I didn’t write in Japanese.     

    For me, this place makes me feel different from other place. I find something adorable here such as Japanese livelihood. They look friendly, humble and polite except they are drunk.

      

When I tried to get admitted to Law school of Thailand

          This blog I want to talk about when I tried to get admitted to Law school of Thailand. Now I’ve just graduated a bachelor’s degree in Law from Thammasat University where is the second university of Thailand. Certainly, there were a lot of Thai history happened here especially, calling for democracy by students in 1973.

          Thammasat University used to be place for assembling of students who wanted to protest military’s power. Unfortunately, lots of them were killed here. Some were shot. Some were punished pitilessly by military. If you want to know more about it, I suggest you search ‘The popular uprising of 14 October 1973’.

“Why did I want to study law school here?”

          When I was 14 years old, I met ‘Judge’ who is boss’s husband of my mother. He made me got inspiration to be judge. I told my mom that I want to be like him. My mom suggested me that I had to study law if I wanted to be like him. After that, I intended to study law. I searched on internet for finding good law school in Thailand. Most people commented that there were 3 famous law schools in Thailand such as Chulalongkorn University, Ramkamhang University and Thammasat University.

          I was interested in Thammasat University because I heard a lot of their history and watched a lot of their news about expression of Thai politics. I thought it would be great if I could be student of them.

         After I started to be high school’s student, I took a lot of extra tutorial classes because I knew that admission to good and famous university is hard and high competitive. It might be not enough if I attended only classes in high school. Most high school students thought like me. On weekend you can see a large amount of students carrying some course books walking around Siam Square where is teenager center and also full of extra tutorial schools.

         For admission to bachelor’s degree, most universities give us 2 ways such as taking their own exam directly or taking center admission exam.

        I heard students who want to study in Law school of USA have to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in any field before getting admitted to Law school but in Thailand after graduating high school we can take an admission exam to Law school at once.

        When I tried to get admitted to Law school of Thammasat University. 

        First, I took their own exam directly. I had to took exam of SAT, Legal aptitude, English , Writing essay and shortening an article. It was very hard for me. Also, there were about 5,000 candidates who took this exam and this law school could admit only 300 students for candidates who took this exam. Certainly, I FAILED!!!

        I was sad but no lots of time to be sad. Next 3 months I had to take center admission exams. It was the last chance to get admitted to this law school so I had to study harder. 

         For The center admission exam ,  Every students who want to study bachelor’s degree in Public university have to take this exam. Main subjects we had to take exam such as Science , Math , English , Thai , Social science and public health.

         For Public health, I’m not sure if it is called by this name. This exam is about Sport, house work and health education. That was very crazy exam for me. Some questions ask us by funny and nonsense question. Such as

Q. If your friends want to have sex, What should you suggest them for helping them to reduce this mood?

A: let them do housework

B: let them play football.

C and D Bla Bla I forgot another choice.

And the answer is let them play football.

I’ve never known before!!

Or , Q: What’s type of pattern cloth should you use for tablecloth at home?

Who know the best answer? It doesn’t depend on personal preference, does it?

         Besides main subjects, we had to take some elective subject exam. Most of them are proficient subjects such as proficient of third language ( French,German,Chinese and Japanese), teacher , architecture or engineer etc.

         I chose Japanese even that day I knew a bit of Japanese. I needed to guess almost of them. Surprisingly, I got over half of full score.

        After taking admission exam and getting score’s result, we had to turn the score in and choose 4 ranking that want to be admitted.

Even if my score wasn’t very good, I chose Law school of Thammasat University for first position and another positions I chose Law school of Chulalongkorn University and Political science school.

       After that , It was time to be crazy. I couldn’t think anything except admission’s result.

       Finally, Admission’s result was announced. I got admitted from Law school of Thammasat University.

       The minute I saw the result I screamed loudly of my house. My neighbors still could hear me. I was so excited. I could be Law student!!

       However, after getting admitted from this law school that not easy as I thought. I gave it up while I was studying law a lot.

       Actually, I want to tell about my life in this law school in this article but it’s too long to write in the same page. I will write them in next article soon.

Thanks for reading!!.

   

         

Khaosan Road! Why do foreigner tourists want to come here?

Khaosan Road in the afternoon

  

Hi all! Today I want to talk about one of tourist attractions in Thailand. I know someone know this place well if you ever come to Thailand or being interested in travelling in Thailand. That is Khaosan Road!!.

Khaosan road is the famous lane in Bangkok. There are lots of tourist accommodations with cheap price. It’s full of shops ,bars ,Thai restaurants ,massage and foreigner!. Moreover, here are a lot of tourist agencies. You can buy tourist package or take a van to other tourist attraction in Thailand such as Ko tao, Samui or Ko pra-ngan.  

He's very popular. There are lots of tourists want to take some photos with him.

Even if Khaosan road is famous in Thailand, I’ve never been to here before until today. I came here today because I just wanted to know how it is. Why do lots of foreigner tourists want to come here? It’s a simple place for me.

While I was walking to Khaosan road and almost arrived at there, I met few of foreigner tourists passing me. They said “Sawasdeeka/krub”,that means ‘Hi’, to me. When I stopped walking for letting them pass me first, because the street to Khaosan road is narrow, They said “Khob Khun ka/Krub”,that mean ‘Thank you’, and smiled to me. I felt very good with them. I think they learned Thai a bit before coming here.

When I arrived at Khaosan road, I was surprised. It’s full of foreigner. This place could be ‘Free Thais area’. I found Thai people very little. Most Thais are merchants. Here can be called ‘international street’.

There is another something I’m surprised. I saw lots of merchants who were selling suit. They aren't Thais but they are Indian.

Tuk-Tuk, I suggest you take it to anywhere close form here. It's very fun!!

I found most foreigner tourists here learn another Thai word that is ‘Mai aou ka/krub’ means ‘I don’t want it’. Because merchants here try to recommend something to sell to tourists and I found tourists said “Mai aou ka’krub” immediately.

Certainly, when you come here, you will see merchants try to sell something to you such as suit, tourist package or even grilled scorpion. You may be annoyed sometimes. If you aren’t interested in theirs, just say refuse to them.

I heard that Khaosan road at night is very fun. I regret that I could be here late because I came here alone. It would be not safe for me when I was on the way home.

For me, I think I love people here. They are friendly.  I saw lots of tourists look happy to be here.

 Looking tourists happy to travel in Thailand is my happiness even if I don’t do anything to them.

My Japanese school in Thailand

School of language & culture ,Technology promotion association (Thailand-Japan),on Sukhuvit 29 Bangkok

Hello everyone since I stared this blog, I got a lot of friends. I’m very appreciated to know everyone.

Today I’d like to tell about my Japanese school. I have been studying at school of language & culture ,Technology promotion association (Thailand-Japan),on Sukhuvit 29 Bangkok, for 1 year.

When I wanted to study Japanese, I looked for a good Japanese school in Thailand by asking people on WWW.PANTIP.COM that is Thai famous community website. Many people suggested me this school that the course fee is cheap and teaching well. So I decided to take Japanese course here even if the location of school is pretty far from my house.

The information room of school,people registering a course.

 Besides Japanese, There are courses for teaching another language as well such as Korean, Chinese and English. However, Japanese course here is the most famous. Moreover, there are some courses that teach Thai for Japanese. I found Japanese who study Thai here look very diligent. When I go to library of school, I usually find Japanese reading Thai course book intentionally.

 

in Library room of school,area for reading.

For Japanese course here, There are 2 Japanese programs that student can choose to take a course such as General Japanese course and Intensive Japanese course.

For General Japanese course, students need to attend a class only 4 hours a week.  Perhaps attend a class once a week on weekend or twice or third a week on weekday evening.

For Intensive Japanese course, attend a class 5 days a week on weekday and 4 hours a day. So students who take an intensive class need to have a lot of free time for attending a class and reviewing.

I used to study both of them. I think intensive course is a good way to study Japanese fast. It take 2 months to finish a course book, Minna no nihongo. And the course fee is 12000 Bath. While studying general course takes about 6 months to finish 1 course book and student need to take 4 courses to finish 1 course book. The general course fee is about 4200 Bath.

My classroom, after finishing class, the man who standing in front of the class is my Japanese teacher.

For studying in classroom, course will be separated to 2 parts. The first part, the teacher who is Thai will teach Japanese grammar and sometimes they will tell something about experience in Japan that is interesting. The second part, the teacher who is Japanese will teach listening and speaking and sometimes they will tell about the culture of Japan.

in Book store of school

The books for practicing to Japanese Language Proficiency Test:JLPT

For me, studying Japanese here is very fun because the teacher teach well and interesting. I find a lot of friend here. Somebody study because they work for Japanese company. Somebody study because they plan to study in Japan. And somebody study because they’re just interested in Japan, like me. Surely, when we have different goal and come from different place, we will have a chance to share experience to each other. And I used to fall in love with someone here HAHAHA.  That is something I can get over and above Japanese.

I love to know and meet a lot of people

I love to find experience

And I love to share experience

Tha Phra Chan,The classic pier of Thailand.

Tha Phra Chan is a pier on the historic Rattanakosin island,Bangkok. On the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya river , in  Phra Nakhon District.

The pier is located beside Thammasat University’s campus of the same name.

The tourist attractions near Tha Phra Chan are ‘Wat Phra Keaw’ and ‘Sanam Luang’.

Tha Phra Chan has been located here since World War II. and Now this place is still as same as that age.

This place is full of Thai – Chinese classic restaurant , street food stall and Buddhist amulet shop.

The food here is very cheap and delicious. You can find lots of various Thai food here.

I came here a lot because It’s near my university, Thammasat University. I’m never bored to find something to eat here because there is lots of food to choose.

The tourist who come to travel at ‘Wat Phra Keaw’ or ‘Sanam Luang’. I suggest you find something to eat or go for a walk here. 

Studying Japanese in Thailand

 I’m studying Japanese at School of language & culture ,Technology Promotion Association (Thailand-Japan). The reason I’m studying is I’m interested in Japanese culture.

I dream that I’ll be able to go to Japan and stay there for long term. Every time I study Japanese , I feel very happy. It’s hard but very fun.

This article I’d like to tell everyone about studying Japanese in Thailand.

In Thailand, Japanese is filled in the curriculum of Thai high school but not every high school’s student must study.

In Thai high school, student must choose their own major such as Science-Math , English-Math ,English-French ,English-German or English-Japanese.

Many students are interested in major of English-Japanese especially girls.

I’m interested too but unlucky. There is no major of English-Japanese at my old school.

Moreover, Japanese is filled in curriculum of faculty of Arts.

Lots of Art’s students try to get Japanese as their major. And certainly It’s so high competitive because not every student can choose Japanese as their major.

When they are freshman, every student who want to be Japanese major’s student can study basic Japanese at university.

If they get good grade, they will get opportunity to be Japanese major’s student.

For me , I didn’t study at faculty of Arts. But it’s not my problem because there are lots of schools of language that teach Japanese in Thailand.

I’ve been taking Japanese course for 1 year. I think my school is great because the course fee is cheap and the teacher teaches very well. It has got some course for teaching Thai to Japanese as well.

Minna no nihongo

The Japanese course books we’re studying are ‘Minna No Nihongo’ or English name is ‘Our Japanese’.

We need to study 4 books for understanding basic Japanese

The book for practicing Japanese alphabet writing.

First, We study Japanese alphabet writing ,Hiragana and Katagana for to be able to read ‘Minna No Nihongo’.

Actually there is other one alphabet that Japanese use is ‘KanJi’ but it has a lot. I think more than 1,000.

We need to study ‘Kanji’ gradually.

The book for practicing Kanji writing

I think ‘Kanji’ is hard for me. It’s hard for remembering. And it makes me confused a lot.

Kanji looks same Chinese alphabet because Japan got any Chinese culture at ancient times.

So for Chinese, Kanji is easy for them.

At my school, the first beginner course has lots of students. Many courses are full.

But, after that course the students are getting less because the next Japanese course is getting harder.

Many students fee discourage and give it up.

That’s why some courses can’t be opened because student is less and It’s not enough to open course.

For me I still feel happy with it and want to continue to study Japanese in Japan if I have a chance. 

Studying law at The Bar in Thailand

The Thai Bar

After I graduated at bachelor’s degree in Law, I continue to study Law at The Thai bar under the royal patronage.

The Thai bar is law school for law student who graduated at bachelor’s degree in Law from every university and want to be judge, prosecutor or senior legal government official in the future.

Admitted to the bar is important qualification that candidate to be that position must have.

The subjects Bar’s student have to study are the subjects that have been ever studied at bachelor’s degree BUT It’s harder because law student take 4 years to study at bachelor’s degree but  the curriculum of the bar take only 1 year so bar’s student have to be able to remember and understand a lot of legal substance.

Moreover, bar’s student have to study lots of model supreme court judgment for using to support legal learning as well.

The Thai Bar's class room

Studying the bar in Thailand, The Thai bar not force bar’s student attend in class. Student can choose the way to study.

Some student likes to attend a class.

Some student likes to study by themselves such as studying from law book a lot.

The bar’s student can reserve the lecture book that the substance in the lecture book is all copied from the lecturer’s word in class.

The lecture book will be released every week. Student who reserve will get a book per a week. All of them have 16 books.

 Attending in class at The Thai bar every student have to wear white long sleeved shirt and Men have to wear black long trousers and Women have to wear black skirt ( long - cover knee)

There are 4 big legal field that bar’s student have to pass an exam such as

1. Civil and Commercial Law

2. Criminal law

3. Law of Civil Procudure

4. Law of Criminal Procudure

First term is for Civil and Commercial Law and Criminal law

Second term is for Law of Civil Procudure and Law of Criminal Procudure

If fail one of all or all of them , have to take an exam again next year for the field you fail until pass all of them.

When pass all of them, Bar’s student have to take oral examination with lecturer after that will be able to admit to the bar.

For me actually I don’t have a goal that to be judge or prosecutor. I just want to be legal advisor and work for private law firm. I study here because I want to review my knowledge of law again.

I think it’s fun to study here because most of lecturers here are senior judge. They have many experience to share student in class over and above the substance.

I can meet many law students from other university.

It’s great experience to study here.