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With just a primary-school certificate Jane was able to find menial, low-paying jobs only.

She married Ruang at 21 and had a daughter, Mai. The marriage did not last, as Ruang left her for another woman when Mai was two.

Jane raised Mai alone and many times asked her parents to care for her daughter while she worked two jobs to make ends meet.

Several of Jane's friends married German men and, to Jane, seemed to be happy - living a good life in a far-away land.

So when her friend recommended Klaus - a tall European twice her age - she jumped at the chance.

Jane spoke neither English nor German, and she and Klaus had to communicate using hand signals. But she was willing to marry him. Her parents agreed, too. They believed Jane would have a better life in Germany.

Three years later and living in Germany, Jane can speak stilted German only - but she still understands when Klaus insults her.

The couple fights often these days because Jane wants to remit money to her parents, who often ask her for help.

Mai is in school in Germany, and she has become uncooperative because her mother cannot speak the language well.

Jane's story mirrors that of many thousands of Thai women living in Europe.

On June 23, 159 people from government and non-profit, volunteer-based groups from 11 European nations gathered in Brussels for the annual meeting of the Thai Women's Network in Europe. Problems and solutions were discussed.

There is no official number of Thai people living in Europe but it could be more than 200,000, said Europe-based Thai diplomats.

"Germany alone has nearly 100,000 Thais living there, second to only the United States," said Ambassador to Germany Sorayouth Prompoj. Women make up 92 per cent of these.

This imbalance is a result of increasingly tougher residency laws in Europe. It is nearly impossible for Thai citizens to obtain residency if they are not married, said the network's Norway representative and editor of Maewad magazine, Chand Sricharoon-Anderson.

According to Norwegian government statistics, Thai women rank lowest in terms of education, and most do not speak the local language.

Network president Nonglak Trepp said this pattern prevailed throughout Europe and the most common problems were family-related - ranging from domestic violence to divorce. "These problems, in fact, reflect the greater problem ... which is language," Nonglak said.

"Communication is the most important issue in a couple's life. At first, when love is still strong, one can work through it. As time passes, and love fades, and the two still cannot communicate, the chances are violence might enter the picture," she said.

The language barrier means wives cannot get decent work. What work is available is unskilled labour. And, when their children master the foreign language they often lose respect for their mothers - an ever-increasing problem being witnessed by the network.

In spite of these glaring facts many women refuse to learn new languages, not to mention cultures, history and society, Nonglak said. Those with higher educational backgrounds and with some command of English are too proud and refuse to learn the local language, she said.

After living in Europe for more than two decades, Nonglak sees a change in Thai people who come to the continent.

"Over the past five years I have seen there are more women with university degrees marrying Europeans. Most of them meet in chat rooms or websites," Nonglak said.

The instance of trafficked women in Europe has plunged and nowadays the vast majority migrates willingly, seeking a better life. Many are married through recommendations of siblings or friends. Some paid to move to seek a European husband.

"It's already a value in some parts of Thai society," she said.

Foreign Ministry consular-affairs department director-general Theerakun Niyom said his office was aware of these problems and had become proactive, visiting parts of Thailand and letting women know life abroad is not always rosy.

"We provide information to those who want to go work or live in a foreign country that it is not a paradise and one needs to prepare oneself. So far we have been to 11 districts in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani and Khon Kaen. There will be more to come," Theerakun said.

Another forward-looking department policy is to help foster networks of Thai people in foreign lands. This allows them to "become stronger and assist others". Diplomats alone cannot handle the volumes who need help, he said.

"The ministry sees this as a strategic foreign policy. As a result we have more money for these activities," Theerakun said, adding that groups or networks could propose projects that help strengthening them and enhance their capability to deal with problems.

Thailand's ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Communities, Pisan Manapawat, will seek European Union funding. "Projects such as publishing a survival kit for women, including important laws in respective countries, is a good example. It will improve the Thai population in European countries, he said.

Another ministry initiative is to transform the abandoned embassy in Bonn, Germany, into a Thai Cultural Centre where Thais throughout Europe can use facilities and exchange ideas and information. The idea is being proposed to Bangkok.

With all these initiatives, the ministry hopes it will foster a better image of Thais in host countries - that Thai people have potential and can be good partners in these European nations - said Theerakun.

While government and volunteer networks work hard to help those struggling to survive in Europe, network representatives recommend those considering a move to Europe to prepare themselves.

"At least, you should learn the language and a bit of history and culture ... to give you an idea what things will be like. Equip yourself with knowledge so you enter the country with pride, beauty and brains," said Chand.

Box: Thai Women's Network in Europe

In 2000 the Thara Association, a support group for Thai women in Germany, helped get similar groups together. The network was formed and officially registered in France in 2004. It includes groups and networks in 12 European countries.

Its aims to be an information and research network and a place for interaction and "perspective exchanges" among volunteers, as well as linking government and international organisations to enhance Thai women's well being.

Activities include publishing newsletters, organising capacity-building and opinion-exchange seminars and organising classes.

The goal of the annual meeting is to make Thai women in host countries aware of the network and to give and receive assistance.

The meeting alerts Thai authorities to network members - most of who are volunteers, fluent in local languages and knowledgeable of members' problems.

Sopaporn Kurz

The Nation

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