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A ring-bound book in a bright pink cover got a lot of attention at the annual meeting of the Thai Women Network in Europe in Brussels last month. "How to Live in the United Kingdom" is the template for a proposed legal guidebook for overseas Thais that would cover all of Europe.

"I'm confident the European Union would financially support us," said Thailand's Ambassador to Belgium, Pisan Manawapat. Director of Consular Affairs Theerakun Niyom is seeking the copyright owner's permission to reproduce the UK book, assured that it "is going to be very beneficial to Thai people".

The copyright owner is Chumsri Arnold, founder and chairperson of Britain's Thai Women's Organisation (TWO).

She had for years held off becoming involved with the networking, keeping more than busy as a mother and as the owner of London's popular Thai Pot restaurant and co-manager of the Thai Square restaurant chain.

Last year, though, the network met in Sorento, Italy, a destination that appealed to Chumsri. Once she attended the gathering, she realised what she'd been missing over the years.

"I was impressed with the variety of issues discussed, and how professional and academic the network is," she says. "I also saw the books and manuals explaining the law for Thai women that were issued by the networks in Germany and France, and I couldn't help wondering why England didn't have one."

On her return to London, she rang up friends, raised funds and established TWO, with the manual as its inaugural project.

"I didn't have the knowledge, so I asked my friend Phi Moo to help out," Chumsri says, referring to the guidebook's author, Saisampan Suwanprateep.

Saisamphan - the only Thai barrister able to try cases in a British court - agreed to take up the challenge, and set aside six months, which turned out to be nine, thanks to the complexity of explaining British law.

"Britain uses Common Law, which is based on the judges' decisions," Saisampan says, describing the organic, ever-changing nature of the legislation, "so it's very detailed. This book is only an attempt to summarise the key points and be a reference guide for Thai women.

"As soon as this kind of book is published, it's already outdated. That's why we decided to use ring-binding, so it's more easily updated." Updates will be issued annually.

There are 12 chapters in the book, the longest one covering family law, the second longest immigration law.

Chumsri covered all production costs and travelled several times to Thailand to oversee printing. The first edition of 5,000 copies cost her Bt2 million in all, but she has no regrets.

"I believed there are several ways you can do good deeds," she says. "You don't always have to give to temples. I choose to give the knowledge to people."

Copies of the manual are free, "except for my friends, of course", Chumsri laughs. "I charge them £10."

The Thai Embassy was pleased enough with the book that it contributed Bt300,000 to the TWO, money that is being kept in the bank, along with donations from Chumsri's friends, for future projects.

Next up with be collaboration with other Thai women's group in Britain, possibly with the TWO helping finance their activities, and arrangements for the next annual meeting of the European network, slated for London. 

Sopaporn Kurz

The Nation

Brussels

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If you go, learn the lingo

It's estimated that there are tens of thousands of Thais living in Britain, and while many own and operate restaurants and work as chefs or attend all levels of school, there are also many housewives.

According to Immigration and the 2002 census, for every visa issued to a Thai man, 45 were issued to Thai women - the most disproportionate ratio among all immigrating nationalities.

"The most frequent legal advice sought by Thai citizens," says barrister Saisampan Suwanprateep, "involves family issues, such as divorce and ancillary relief, and the immigration law, such as renewing and changing visa type.

"The most common problem is that Thais who live in the UK don't have a firm command of English. When you don't understand the language, you can't communicate, so you have less opportunity to obtain new skills and develop yourself."

Learning the language is her foremost advice to anyone planning to move to Britain.