Toys

[cooked]

I can't seem to find any decent toys for kids. I went around Buriram trying to find a checkers board and pieces, just a load of multi coloured rubbish apparently meant for idiots. The game of idiots (checkers) has been around for thousands of years and can be played at any age above 8. Other games I did find seemed to be cheap RUBBISH or expensive RUBBISH made of wood that any self respecting kid would destroy in 5 minutes. Don't tell me Big C, please... any suggestions as to where to buy stuff?

[JasonB]

I was looking for a chess set a while back.....gave up.If you see any while looking for your checkers please post it here.Thanks

[Adam]

Upstairs in the Robinsons Mall in Surin has a great selection of toys, not cheap though and I didn't notice board games, but I bet they have them. Toys in Thailand break very easily, you get what you pay for.

[Admin]

EBAY!

[JasonB]

Looks like a trip to Surin then or Ebay,thanks

[cooked]

Looks like a trip to Surin then or Ebay,thanks

So who do you plan on playing with? I love chess but I hate losing. Getting a chess club together would interest me more than telling loud stories in the bamboo bar. I think most Thai families have a table in the garden with a chess / checkers board on it, I guess I just assumed that chess / checkers played with whisky miniatures would be a way of life. (fool's handicap)
I remember beating my dad when I was 11 years old and he accused me of cheating and stared at the board for 20 minutes.

[cooked]

EBAY!

yes, ebay, half the stuff i have sent doesn't arrive.

[JasonB]

I haven't played for years,but I miss it sometimes,really helps the mind to focus and work,I believe the Thai's have their own rules etc,maybe someone here will know for sure,don't need a club just a meet up point at a quiet bar and a couple of players and a couple of boards I suppose.I find there is so little mental stimuli here that it could be health beneficial,I'll go to Surin in the next few days and have a look.

[cooked]

I haven't played for years,but I miss it sometimes,really helps the mind to focus and work,I believe the Thai's have their own rules etc,maybe someone here will know for sure,don't need a club just a meet up point at a quiet bar and a couple of players and a couple of boards I suppose.I find there is so little mental stimuli here that it could be health beneficial,I'll go to Surin in the next few days and have a look.

i saw a Thai chess board in the national museum im Bangkok,but it didn't look much like the one described here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makruk

[Starman]

There is a place in Buriram that sells loads of board games. From Bangkok Bank go up the road towards the railway staion road. At the end turn right. There is a toy shop about 100 metres on the right.

Thai chess does indeed have different rules. This also means that the set of pieces is slightly different.

The only pieces on the board that move in the same way in Thai chess are the knights and the rooks. I learnt to play a few years back. Thai chess is a bit quicker from start to finish. One Thai guy that showed me some tricks was once the runner up in the Thai national championships. He used to take his rooks off the board and would still beat everyone that took him on.

If you really miss chess that much you can play online at www.thaibg.com.

[TELLBOY]

if you have any mates coming over from england ask them to bring you some games wont weigh much.

[JasonB]

Thanks Starman,I don't "miss it that much"as you put it,but sometimes it would be nice to have a game,with a live opponent.

[mxyzptlk]

EBAY!

yes, ebay, half the stuff i have sent doesn't arrive.

I've bought a shit load of items off eBay since i came to live here and never had any delivery issues....

[cooked]

Our postman chooses not to deliver bills for months at a time. I wouldn't give parcels much chance, would you? Sending by EMS, if the guy is willing to deliver outside of Europe, can cost more than the contents.

[Starman]

Our postman chooses not to deliver bills for months at a time. I wouldn't give parcels much chance, would you? Sending by EMS, if the guy is willing to deliver outside of Europe, can cost more than the contents.

You could get a post office box at Buriram post office.

Failing that, do you or your wife know any teachers that work at the local school? Get parcels sent for their attention at the school address. Will be delivered no problem.