truethailand

I agree that the general level of education is too low. My conversations with my wife's university friends and her colleagues at the school where she works as a teacher have learned me that the level of knowledge is far below the western standards. Also most people don't comprehend simple calculating. Example: I was preparing to have a house built. So we needed to raise a part of the plot of land we owned. Due to the measurings and the position of the house I knew how long, wide and high the new raised part should be. We called a "professional" company and there came three men to our property to see how it should be done. I told them that I measured everything already and that we needed 720 kubic meter. One man had a calculator at hand and asked my wife how I could know that. I said the raised part should be 30 meters long, 24 meters wide and one meter high. This makes 720 kubic meter. They didn't believe me and started to measure again what I had already done. I told them that it was not needed to do that since I put some matking poles at the right spot.. But nevertheless they measured and came out with the same results. Then they said: we don't measure in kubic meters, but in truckloads. I asked how many kubic meters would fit in one truckload. They said eight kubic meters. So I said then you need 90 truckloads. Again they didn't believe me and started talking and using the calculator. I almost lost my patience, but my wife said that I should "chai yen, yen" The three men needed almost one hour to come at the same result which western educated people know in an instant. After that I experienced may times similar ignorance regarding calculating and logical thinking. This is one of the basics in education. So don't talk about to introduce English as the second language as long as the whole system of education is bad. Didactics is the first thing teachers should be able to practise. Then the next step is improving the level.

we all know what the problems are from the head teacher driving his Merc to the grunt teacher whacking kids with the stick. Dont lose any sleep over it, do what I do, spend time teaching them your self. Until there is a clear out from the top, and I dont just mean the education system, the whole thai way of live you cannot expect their system to turn out anything but thick tw4ts.

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dmahotel-khonkaen.com Rooms 480 THB excellent value!!! Also Yellow House upstairs at Seven Corners Bar 400 THB!!! Also further out of town near Big C, Mai Thai Guesthouse 500 THB!!! just tell them Tom sent you!!!

I would recommend www.dmahotel-khonkaen.com great cheap place with friendly staff. Always see a couple of farangs working down there, they helped me out big time on my first visit to Khon Kaen. They will pick you up from train station for free, it may be on a motorbike but hel_l who cares

Same as before, they will break every rule in the book - park three lanes (or more) in and interrupt traffic, loud speakers not loud hailers and the whole thing will turn to the usual law breaking rabble and the Police will turn a blind eye as always.

Perhaps now is the time for the new army chief to step up to the plate and prove his authority. Let's see.

This junta does not need any encouragement to 'step up to the plate'

Abhisit, speaking on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Summit in Brussels, said he instructed for a speedy investigation into the explosion.

He said at the summit, he took the opportunity to explain the necessity of the state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding provinces. The European leaders understood the precarious situation and did not voice objection to emergency rule, he said.

Convenient that as he's explaining to European leaders about the need to extend the state of emergency a bomb goes off in BKK.

Convenient indeed. Outside of Thailnd the Democrat Party is seen as the polictical wing of the Junta

Is it not illegal to carry firearms in Thailand?

not if the big boss wear yellow shirt i think

Yellow shirts are out-gunned by red shirts by a very wide margin. Additionally, the men in black are associated with the crimson movement and not the amber movement.

I will show my ar5e in Harrods window if your not a septic or a person currently employed by the incumbent government. You appear to know 'now't about n'owt'

sounds like a case for the pattaya swat team... seriously, how aren't there police all over this shutting it down?

armed men in black with weapons.....could well be the 'filth'

Around 40 armed men dressed in black

The men in black are now backing up the Thaksinista taxi service?

The only bright spot in all of this is that they remain employed after May Mayhem 2010, thus keeping unemployment figures lower.

You could link a turd smelling to thaksin...jog on you mong

The only thing Newin wants is to burry the wrong doing of murderous generals his own roll in applying fighters in black on the streets that caused the uproar during the Pattaya Summit and he wants hos political ban overturned. Their cannot be any reconciliation when protest leaders are accused of terrorism while the yellow shirts receiving bonuses from the military for raping democracy. The Nation should know better but they do not want to know better. They are themselves to blame for numerous innocent victims. Their directors brought yellow flowers to democracy rapists.

I read somewhere that there is an "ignore" button somewhere, but I can't find it. Can anyone help, this obvious troll's posts do not warrant my attention.

I thought about replying - I have done in the past - but this person has an agenda over than truth, so I would prefer to just not see his inflammatory comments.

The poster has got beliefs.. what is your 'directive' or agenda....

please don't talk bad about the red's as they are part of the REAL elected Thai gov. thank you

Are you for real? Or just plain stupid? Wether the red terrorists had been part of an elected government or not, is not the issue. That they rampaged and held hostage parts of the capital for weeks and were the cause of over 90 people killed, is the issue. Your blatantly misinformed comment is unbelievable. And pathetic.

As I said on previous posts who has been charged with terrorism, certainly Interpol have got no warrants. Stop spewing out the establishment propagnda

Just amazing they've got so much rebuilt/reopen already. In a western country the company would still be trying to get a construction/rebuild permit, tied up in court over claims/insurance, etc.

That might have something to do with who the (ultimate) owners are ...

Sabre you've hit the nail on the head

I did a Dumb thing once, and that was to take a bus ride from Bangkok to Phuket. I was new in Thailand and didnt know any better.

anyway, it scared the crap out of me and I would never do it again. actually this is the reason I forked out for a car in the first place.

I am not joking, the driver of the bus was driving like a Banshee screams! I ended up in my seat rocking backwards and forwards patting myself on the head and murmering to myself!

what was more fuc_ked up, the guy asleep in the next seat across was being thrown about and his leg fell off. no kidding. I was relived when I realised it was a wooden one and saw him putting it back on again.

I will never get on another bus in this country.

That made me laugh. Thanks for making my day

Interesting.

2 and a half years ago, my company aquired a Thai transport company, who conduct nationwide deliveries.

At that time they were having about 300 "accidents" a month. (this is including freight loading damage, which was the majority).

There was a pending action against a driver who had been involved in a fatality with a motorcyclist.

When I asked for the internal report, it read " Truck hit to motorcycle, motorcycle died". that was it. This Showed me the OH&S attitude of the old management.

We implimented the following :-

Driver pre-employment testing (60% of applicants can not reverse a truck into a parking bay) These guys all come with licences.

Driver fatigue management system

Random drug and alcohol testing (a few quickly fell by the wayside).

Safe driving courses, especially prior to the rainy season.

Introduction of a proper driver HR record system

Disciplining of errant drivers

Deduction from annual bonus for damage costs.

Introduction of GPS, which can produce a driver profile of safe driving, based on over revving, harsh braking & acceleration etc.

The bad ones soon left.

We also introduced proper maintainance procedures.

Anyway, last month, we had 9 accidents, all very minor. (hope I havnt jinxed ourselves there).

But I have to say it was hard to introduce a lot of the above, after 20 plus years of apathy.

And a bit confrontational as well.

But by and large the remaining drivers have adapted well & they now appreciate its for their safety as well.

I guess it all depends on the management.

Excellent, this is the way it should be. Unfortunately I guess this all costs a little extra too (or perhaps not with loss of freight due to accident damage being reduced ?). If all companies were forced to follow suit it would make the roads significantly safer.

But, it doesn't stop there. IMO poor driving creates poor driving and in order to get anywhere in Bangkok I have to become what I consider a poor driver.

> Break for a changing light? Careful someone behind is so close to your tail egging you on.

> Break for a pedestrian crossing? Careful, some in the next lane will just shoot through and perhaps hit them.

> Give way for a yellow box junction? Careful, someone will just jump in front of you.

> Let a car change lanes in front of you? You've just totally confused someone and it takes them and age before they recognise you've given way.

I don't want to let a bus pull out in front of me because I know there is every chance of him blocking up the second lane at any time.

I'd hate to be a bus driver, everyone cuts them up and blocks them off. I'm sure this is a case of everyone getting in a car and simply forgetting their humanity. I have a word for it... its called the 'F%@£ You switch', people get in a car here and this <deleted> switch in their brain gets turned on.

As markt7081 has mentioned: Control of businesses is definitely one way to deal with these issues.

Brief 'public announcements' on safe and courteous driving 'may' also work wonders.

Policing the roads would also work. Not the lazy road blocks, but actually flagging down and charging those driving recklessly (Police must see 100's of cars each day jumping lights etc).

A wiser man than me once said " The way people drive their vehicles reflects the society they live in' and I would say ' There are two styles of driving 'after you' and 'f..k you' I think they both mean the same.

Seriously without being racist or negative have you ever considered how many different actions we make whilst driving. Westerners in the main can multi task when required the same cannot be said of people who have to use a calculator to work out the change from a 100 baht note when the billis 80 baht.

It all boils down to the ability to think ahead of the consequences of any action you make and unfortunately families and schools dont instill this in their children at an early age bcos nobody instilled it in them. Mix that with a society that do not accept responsibility for their actions. Really its not 'f..k you' bcos in the event of accidents and fatalities they do care.

If young people could be prepared to accept responsibilty and realise there are consequences for every action they take and to consider the outcome of their action before taking that action death rate would decrease enormously.

I think I have been here too long........

With the military backing them with guns sure they will win.

In any of the last 4 elections was there any evidence of the army influencing the way people voted. I think there was more evidence of the reds 'encouraging' people to vote a certain way than there was for the army.

In the last 3 years we have seen truly who the army wants in power (if its not them). Failed to disperse the crowd at the airport that cost the country billions of dollars yet were prepared to shoot 100's of people who shut down a shopping district.

Mr. Somkid is innocent until proven guilty by Thai court. Would anyone care to disagree?

The Thai Judicial system borders on laughable and is there to be used and abused by the privileged. No wealthy people in the Clink

He is a great man indded. An innocent police officer being accused for a crime he did not commit. hence he has to make a great sacrifice on this career, for the better of this nation. If you admire such a hero, who would you rather admire? A criminal (sentence confirmed) like Thaksin?

I am certain that this forum is being used by government muppets still spreading their bile. A word to the wise.... most westerners have an open mind and have been raised in an open society. How many wrong doings of Thai people in priviliged positions can you manipulate and turn it round to Mr Thaksin. Do you honestly believe that you can influence western people (maybe some on here) with your comments on a farang forum. It obviously works for the Thai people with all media controlled by the government. The censorship of the net cannot stop Thais accessing atrocities your government have recently committed.

At the end of the day the red shirts represent a sector of the Thai populace as do the yellow shirts and the pinkies for that matter. If they all manage to avoid charging around killing, threatening and burning why should anyone worry that they organize demos or stunts? At the end of the day they are going to have find some common ground among themsleves and with anyone in another group or outsdie any group for the country to move forwards. That is what happens in democracies and that is the route we should hope the various colour coded ones take here.

It may mean all of them and the government and opposition and exiled leaders and shadowy ones facing up to a few hard facts and be willing to let a few things go in the name of compromise but at the end of the day it has got to be better than more and increasing violence.

I am so perplexed and frustrated when people talk about moving towards a democracy. THis country is further from ademocracy than it was 10 years ago. Not about reds or yellows but the people in power or a new ruling class do not want DEMOCRACY. They want the status quo so they can stay rich and get richer. Democracy includes words like opportunity, responsibility for your decisions,fairness for all, an impartial judiciary, an army that keeps its snout out of running the country, freedom of the press, no suppressing political opposition, no political prisoners, accountability for all...need I go on.

This country is not a democracy its a military junta and they will fight to keep it that way. I believe the army will engineer a coup or state of emergency to prevent the next election but that would be their downfall. As shown in April they can not rely on the poor conscripts to suppress their own people so they used the hardcore to create the kill zones. If they create a coup the army will fracture (pros against conscripts) and then its the start of civil war. Conscripts on mass will lay down arms and join the other side and pick up their arms and point them the other way. Just calulate how many poor have spent 18 months in the army where they learnt many things including how to fire a rifle. In the last ten years how many poor lads join the army and know the basics 100,000, 200,000 is the picture getting clearer. Why are they sending the professional soldiers to a new camp outside Chiang Mai, only to stop the movement if it happens.

Nobody wants a CW but can anybody see a future without more casualties

The decline in Red-shirt supporter is unbelievable. From a million down to 5,000. At this rate, the number of Red-shirt supports will go negatives by year end.

Never even close to 1 million. Why are they allowed to rally in Bangkok under the SOE? They should all be locked up for breaking the law (again). And before you reds call me a yellow let me state my belief that the yellows should ALSO be locked up when they break the law :jap: (then again, peacefully taking over an airport and going on a murderous rampage in the nation's capitol probably call for different penalties under the law... )

Total difference between the two rallies. The reds took on the Amata(old elite) who are protected by the army so in the end they got shot , and the yellows rally was peaceful because it was supported by the Amata and protected by army personnel, in plain clothes with hand guns. Police could not move the yellow shirts because that meant taking on the army (bigger guns than the police), Police did not want to move the red shirts because of many things such as many have ties to the regions the red shirts come from and moving them by force was not an option because they would have to live with people after the dust settled.

So long in Thailand so little knowledge of whats happening her. I am not 100% sure but taking over an airport accounts to terrorism while shooting your own people to retain power appears like genocide

You find the State of Emergency oppressive? How So?

I've lived in Central Bangkok through out the whole episode, i have not found my daily life to be even slightly affected by the State Of Emergency.

Basically the SoE affects nobody who isnt looking for it to affect them. Funny thing is that was a joke by someone I know who donates to the reds. Only in Thailand.

A little selfish, just because it does not affect your daily life it does not mean that it does not affect others, the obvious aim of the SoE is to affect people, in particular the opposition. If is has no effect then they may as well remove it as it is clearly pointless, as I said in an earlier post.

The SoE is not meant to suppress the opposition, just terrorists, maniacs, etc. Now if some of the opposition happen to be terrorists ...

The name Jatuporn comes to mind.

Theres that word 'terrorist' again. Can we have one of the government propaganda people, on this forum, give us an update has to where we are in preparing the papers for Mr Tacky. It been some time now, surely the presentation is ready for interpol. Silly me forgot the guy at Interpol bust two ribs laughing at the submission. I think his response to the Government Minister went something like this..."Jog on yer Mong...get a real job:cheesy:

If one were to look at several of the recent bombings in which the perpetrators were identified, such as Bhum Thai Party headquarters and at Big C, one could find that the Red Shirt Bomber Squad is responsible. They've acknowledged this themselves by admitting to them.

Do you have the source so I can read where they have admitted to this?

Me too, would love to see this admission....

From the comments above, from farangs in the Thai Education system, it is obvious there is no profit in revamping a victorian curriculm. I tend to get my own back on the system by telling my two youngest, that everyday they must ask the question 'why' at least once a day. Then on picking them up I make sure they have asked the question and what the teachers response was. My best translation from a 5 year old is 'a stunned silence from teacher and all' . I tell them not to worry and if you dont understand something you must ask why. The question 'why' is probably the most potent question anybody can ask and now I can only wait for all the other kids to do the same.

Can anybody imagine what would happen if every school and college/uni student asked the question 'why' at least once a day of every teacher. It may sound simplistic but such behaviour from students will either foster interactive teaching or bring this state system to its knees. A farang teacher once told me that a relocated student, from a good school in Bangkok, was continually asking him questions during classes and he loved it. Over time this one student changed the behaviour of many students, who then felt easy about asking questions and involving his classmates in group discussion. The problem was this students behaviour was not appreciated by some of the local teachers because in their position they did not expect or like to questioned by students they considered less than them in social standing.

The children are the future of every nation....only if they are encouraged to express themselves

So , there are emergency measures in place in the city , how are they supposed to diminish or deter these random acts of terrorism ? That is what these random bombings are , so they should be reported as such , when the perpetrators are caught , they should be charged with terrorism and given the most severe penalty available , that would be a better deterant by far .

Dont be surprised if the terrorist in this case is wearing a very fetching shade of khaki.

By the look of his shirt and swagger in swing, it looks like the Red Shirt drill instructor. The kids were probably holding the M79 launchers the wrong way or not pulling the sling shots hard enough. In that case, they deserved it. I heard that the Thai Catholic Schools were the breeding grounds for extremists.

Either that or the guy's testing his new cane/bullet proof pants for children in his science room? For export to Singapore?

Are you pulling my chain. How can anybody relate abuse by a teacher to the red shirts. Its a toss up who needs the public flogging

Abhisit and his boss Sutheo are dangerous fools. That is also why they do not want to bring it to the World Court.  Abhisit will lose big time. Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos were all damaged by Thailand before and the help they gave to the Americans and the Khmer Rouge. No Asean country will support thailand. Let's hope that the court disband his party tomorrow, so he cannot damage the country more. We see now that the PAD is ruling Thailand.

Dream on, barbarian, you're probably better at that. You mixed barely related issues, draw illogical conclusions and you're still lucky: as personal opinion it's allowed. As for the court disbanding the Dem's, that would be undemocratic at this moment, still many more sessions planned with hundred of witnesses for and against. The juridical process works if slowly.

and if doesn't work in the Dems favour we will have another coup. Thailands history in a tea cup

what a much better than average leader the PM is

we r so blessed to have him

I say get the murders of the 90 innocent people found and tried so that my family stop asking me why our government are hiding the truth.

Are you for real ? It was only because of the remarkable tolerance of the government that many more of these armed and violent hired thugs were not sent to a better place !

So how many of those killed were armed? If you don't know give an estimate of what you think.

Saw some lovely footage of a guy rolling a tyre to reinforce a barricade, on the real international news, boom is head is in tatters. 2 things, he should have known better he was in a kill zone and the international media was biased towards the reds. Armies kill people in foreign lands not in city centres.