WonnabeBiker

How to spell stupid?!? Yeah, schools will be objectively, impartially assess themselves fairly.

In which ebony tower does the guy reside who came up with this "solution"?!?

13 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Perhaps he wasn't one of the 70 % who wears an amulet. Can't help bad luck, his number was up. Being a two baht lair trying to drive a souped up bike at 3 am didn't help his chances.

head on collision means, driving it on the wrong side of the road. Not acceptable behaviour, sorry.

Tragic! Now who was driving on the wrong side of the road? Yes, it matters. Am sick of this, riding now in Vietnam where cars and trucks just honk & flash their lights. Then it's get outta my way, I'm in your lane to overtake. Or - hello graveyard.

Cars on highways, bikes, hordes of bikes riding on the wrong side with impunity.

Enough of this! There was no need to ride on the wrong side of a busy road!

R.I.P. young men.

What about second hand phones? I like Apple. The IOS is easier for me and the camera seem better, irrespective of megapixel numbers.

A used Iphone 5S?

Some Samsung S4?

Just wondering. And no, I would not like some Chinese phone I haven't heard of before.

We are both middle aged. He is stable (big new house with a pool, makes 17,000 THB more and the job stability of a government employee with decades of service. Access to loans @ what, 1.x%).

I have liked him and might consider a bone marrow transplant or giving up a kidney for him.

Months ago, he ordered stuff from my home country which cost me some 5,000 THB to ship. Payment  was never mentioned or attempted. But I was his guest and consider that 'paid in full'.

---

Was getting many Buddhist motifs on FB. (What's up with that)?!

Then he informed me that he would accept a loan of 100 - 250 k THB, repayable in 3,000 Baht monthly installments.

• Not so fast. Why? for what? He has access to 1% loans while yours truly needs to cough up 1x%.

- Higher salary

- I have no stability and certainly zero job security

- no credit whatshowever in SE Asia. Not even a WP yet... (this year)

- no, I don't have thousands of Dollars lying around, waiting to invest as a demonstration of the depth of my "friendship" to a fellow biker.

---

Well, he has lambasted me. Scolding my abuse of Thai culture.

No need to give any explanation as to why he wants that much money for years and years. But he likes the idea of interest FREE, unsecured and undocumented loans which are against Thai law.

Words fail me.

Is this typical? A  c a l c u l a t e d  approach to friendship?

Heard from a wonnabe Don Juan who spent hundreds of $ on perfume and stuff before even meeting the woman off a dating website.

Perhaps I should try this approach and request "order 3 foot-long subs", 3 bottles of SPY and crushed ice as I will be coming over next Friday.

Closing, my pension entitlement remains single-digit in $ as I have been self-employed most of my life. Still, he does have debt. But who hasn't?!

Is this how some Thais  c a l c u l a t e  who to befriend, and then have some financial ulterior leit-motif?!?

No offence meant to the OP. But for me, longevity, durability and less depreciation trumps all.

Am renting a very old scooter (it still has a kick start, too). HONDA... 62,000 km. Going strong. That's impressive to me.

Show me a PCX which managed to reach 62,000 km without major engine repairs needed and I will be impressed. The same applies to Yamaha.

Reading stories of how Yamaha had to get it right to have a chance against mighty HONDA, I bought the Spark 115i (8 months old, 5,xxx km, a repo) for half the list price. Not sure if the Wave is better? But it won't depreciate that rapidly.

Vmax? Irrelevant, unlike accelleration.

...

Now where is a 50,000 km test of some BENELLIs?

On 9/18/2018 at 7:03 AM, jackdd said:

They are in Bangkok but seem quite big and they have a Z800 listed: https://www.dbigbike.com/

 

But i would check what the "gift voucher" promotion for new Kawasaki bikes means, it might be a simple discount: http://www.kawasaki.co.th/news/promotion/17/โปรโมชั่น รุ่น 650 - 900 cc. ประจำวันที่ 1 - 30 กันยายน 2561

For a new Z900 you might get a 35k THB discount (or 20K + free muffler in case you are interested in a muffler), save 20k for the first year first class insurance (in case you would get one anyway), and 1k for registration and compulsary insurance

Then i would re-evaluate if you really want to buy a 3 year old used Z800 for 279K, or a new Z900 for effectively 343k

Who would go for that used bike?!? Amazing Thailand! Some Thais set a price and let years go by without making a sale or renting that condo. My way, or the highway.

Well, I've had about >2,000 meals and counting. In Pattaya, at a food court, I ate some curry which was off. The result was an urgent march to the nearest public toilet. Wet brow, and I managed to avoid soiling my pants. At another time, that was not the outcome.

The very worst happened when I drank tap water. Days of vomiting and diarhea followed.

You should be okay. Dissolve some Psyllium Husk in cold milk to train your gut bacteria ?

On 9/4/2018 at 9:40 AM, johng said:

100,000 Km on a 150 cc engine is quite a lot (2.5 times round the world)..I would expect it to need a major overhaul quite soon ...clutch,timing chain,valves,bearings,piston and rings not too expensive but a big job needs a good mechanic not to mess it up.

Come on,  use your head. I wouldn't pay 13,000 THB for that mileage. There are some with around 40 k km around with a lower asking price than this one.

On 9/2/2018 at 1:08 PM, RickG16 said:

 

Thanks for the reply. To confirm, by sticker you mean the tax sticker?

 

If I need to renew this during my ownership do I need a Thai driving licence?

I mamanged to register a 115 cc bike with a WP, work permit and my European driving license.

OP, go and rent different bikes. To get around town, a semi-automatic (Honda Wave / Yamaha Spark 115i / Honda Dream with 100-125 cc seems a good option to me.

Am renting an automatic scooter which is using a lot of fuel compared to a Honda Wave.

ERGONOMICS. Sit on the bike. Is it comfortable? I like the Suzuki GD 110, new for like 40,900 THB. A real clutch. It won't be fast, but then speed and especially top speed doesn't matter to me over here.

Before you pay 30,000 THB, I would have the bike checked. Especially its compression. I have had terrible trouble with used bikes. Check the owner. And see if some old man isn't selling his. Owned a decade... this kind of seller who has money and takes pride of ownership. And who has no financial need to rip off someone to make 5,000 THB more.

What about Malaysia? I like what I've heard about a more lenient and welcoming Immigration service. Free extensions etc. Check out all options.

send Hydrogen Peroxide, scalpels, iodine and the drugs the WHO says help treat these biblical curse in KENYA. Not money. Or sponsor some medical students to go over there and treat people...

OXFAM & Co usually use up about 95% of donations and 5% might reach Africa. A friend toured the tsunami coast and saw the latest 'SUVs by NGOs. 10 houses could be built for the cost of one such car...

On 7/6/2016 at 10:03 PM, Kenny202 said:

So everyone has voiced their opinions. Fair enough. Thanks to all the guys who PM me with actual helpful advice.

I still must be missing something though. Without any sort of degree I can never legally work in a government school or obtain a teachers license.

So what is a TEFL course all about where they guarantee you work with or without a degree? Can a work permit be sourced by an agency on my behalf to teach in a language school etc? How does it all work?

Do I forfeit my OA visa and obtain a different visa?

Disclaimer: I just stumbled upon the thread have haven't read even 20% of it. But for what it's worth, schools who WANT someone give them contracts which will lead to WPs without involvement of the TCT (Krusapha).

Yours truly was pretty pissed. Many wasted days, riding to Chinag Mai Immigration at 4 am qo queue, returning near 6 pm... This kind of thing. The other guy was nearly 70 and had no degree. and the school gave him some job title like "media consultant".

Many kids can't speak. Get them to speak and you may be king among the non-speaking folks.

13 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

if you're gonna quote me then all good but please provide where you quoted from  

I'm sorry, have had technical issues. It wasn't intentionally.

On 8/23/2018 at 10:10 AM, My Thai Life said:

Hi, the students tell me that, as a worse case, the teacher just walks in, gives the lead student the sheets of paper to distribute, and walks out.

I think we're in agreement - there is little English speaking support in many government schools. And in many, maybe most schools it's impossible for the foreign teacher who doesn't speak Thai to be effective, even if the schools do give the clarification you refer to (I agree, they usually don't).

By the way, I really admire the good foreign teachers who do commit themselves to government schools. I am occasionally requested to teach in government schools, and I do know quite a few Thai teachers and heads in government schools, and I definitely wouldn't chose to do it myself!

Have a good day.

 

 

 

 

 

A boy from a new class (I saw him maybe 3 or 4 times for an hour) came up to me and started speaking Thai. After a delay, I gathered that he said which class he is in. A class which I would have later that day.

Friendly, eager to communicate - but also clearly not used to even  b a s i c English. (He was in a gifted Science class).

What to do?

I would offer online voice mail (for practice, followed by real conversation later on, if that's possible). Or free 1 on 1 meetings, to make them lose their fear of speaking (one can dream).

Not one student has left me voice mail or tried to call my LINE.

It's tiring and somewhat futile. But young learners often surprise me with amazing comunication skills. Parents seems to make a great effort now and then!

I'm one of those bottom feeder, although outside Bangkok.

The day job brings < 35 k and in a good month, I might make 50% of Scott's 90 k. Working 7 days a week.

A Thai friend is teaching nursing at a university @ 1,200 THB an hour.

A superb young teacher, Chula-trained, was making barely 10 k although her TOEIC score would be hundreds of points higher than that man's from Ghana who also got free housing. Apparently, national origin trumps ability. The bestt Thai teachers deserve the right to compete against all foreigners!

On 8/24/2018 at 8:43 AM, puukao said:

I asked them many times to replace me, and I've given my notice before.  they were going to give me a contract that ended at the end of the term, but they have never done that.  so I need to give a 30-day notice again next week, and leave when the term is over.  we have orally agreed on that.  yes, i'm 100% sure they keep me around in spite of me, and it is a big process getting rid of the work permit, go to immigration, then border run.  if that process was easier (border was closer), then i'm sure I would have done that a few months ago.

 

i'm the only teacher that can show up at 8:30, every other teacher must be here at 7:15.  i'm also paid twice as much as most teachers, and 3x as much as some teachers.  it's not a money thing or time thing with me, it's the principle of being constantly told one thing and then, after teachers quit, they are not replaced but work spread out to current teachers.  of course, this makes the environment toxic, as everyone is upset and everyone ends up leaving.  five teachers are currently talking about leaving.  this weighs on you ...  

 

I admit, I should have left six months ago, but, when it comes to the kids, I really am the best English they may have ever had.....of course they are not very old.  5555.  but they are very happy and their English is getting better (no, they don't have the UK accent:  see previous post).  

Returning = canceling your WP is a piece of cake. You could also send it back by EMS letter... Your VISA extension will end and it would be good if you actually could land a new job before all this. Ideally, your new school would have the paperwork ready for a B-VISA when you will have to leave the country anyway...

"100% turnover" in what, 18 months speaks for itself.

...

There is the chance that your next place might be even worse. How do you like your town?

OP, want to be right or rich? The holidays are coming. Why not hanging in there until they are over and you have the October salary in hand?

Historically, following the holidays, there will be many schools in need of teachers...

We are all expendable, easily replaced. The cleaners get more respect (how about cleaning mops now and then)...

On 8/24/2018 at 9:18 PM, Happy enough said:

 

On 8/25/2018 at 9:07 AM, dinsdale said:

Thai teaching contract: We can break it but you can't.?

I can corroborate that. My contract had a mutual clause regarding notice period. But then, the director was obsessed with costs and NES were soon replaced with a teenage backpacker who wasn't a single day at university (but got a WP all right). And later, Cameroonians.

To save $$$, I got terminated with a Thai letter (my contract was in English, too) and they succeeded. Probationary period was a distant past. And real cause would mean, it's okay. But I swear, I never even

i. learned what they terminated me for or

ii. got paid within months for the full months I had worked there. (Finally, they made me come, sign a book  and get a check before it became stale).

Payment of the WP had been promised. Then we were told that no government school is allowed to pay any such expense, it's ordered by OBEC.

• Who of you government employees have had their WPs reimbursed or paid?
• What about this rogue school in Nan? https://www.ajarn.com/recruitment/jobs/126760/english-teacher-in-nan
• Isn't a WP part of the 'cost of doing business'?

With reference to the other big thread on how much schools get paid for foreign teachers, why would OBEC engage in micro-managing regional schools', overriding local management?

Take the tale of 2 government schools of similar size. One employs 6 network specialists and houses an office by ToT. They have a room full of servers with the electricity bill exceeding whatever 40 ADSL lines would cost if teachers' rooms were to be supplied indeependently.

Wifi? Huh? It never really worked, I kid you not. And internet at the large English Dept. has been ddown about 85% of all times.

• Payroll? Millions of THB.
• Efficiency, output, measurable results? Abysmal!

The other school just has single broadband connections and they all work. Not sure how many technicians they employ. But they could pick up the phone and call the ISP in case of problems.

How will he transport a baby on his motorcycle? Saw a guy holding a baby in one arm while weaving through traffic.

Am a biker and wish him well. But would  n o t  want to risk a baby's death if I had a chance or the need to have a baby on my bike!

3rd class train? Probably cheaper tthan the gas alone...

Am always trying to respond open & friendly to children who want to communicate. This morning though, a boy in a gifted P5 Science class, only spoke Thai. What a shame. Us teachers can do better.

Have some P1 or Kindergarten kids who speak amazing English in their quiet voices. There is hope. and parents do recognize the need for early learning...