Storekeeper

Thanks for the brief USNret. 

Have never read any of their posts so the farang got muh vote.

A year later it was half Filippino and not long after that a non-Filippino had no chance to get a job in that department.

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Now that I cannot argue with. A friend once asked me, "doesn't it bother you that we will hire them but they would never hire us?"

Update ... My 100 % Thai daughter attended BEST for two years and has now attended international schools for two years in Japan and one year of public school here in the states ... Consistently on the Honor Roll with a GPA in the 3.5 range ... She is kicking ass in both Maths and Science ... Ready for Honors Biology ...

Big thanks to her Filipina Maths teacher and PGCE qualified science Brit teacher ... At BEST.

And thanks to all the the Thai teachers at BEST who put up with my demanding arse.

And for the record ... ALL of the Filipinos who worked at the school in Pattaya I was at for two years spoke English in the same flat tones as this Ohio boy.

IMHO the subject will continue to be beat to death simply because there are few jobs for foreigners in Thailand and it would behoove us white folk to belittle the English speaking ability of the Filipinos. If the Thai were smart they'd ask themselves, "Why can the Filipinos learn perfectly acceptable spoken English without NES teachers and we can't".

Hi Steven ... love and miss you babe ...

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Hey! Long time! You still in Japan?

Nope, been back in the USA for about a year. But, may be going back to Japan in 4-5 months.

And of course there are tons of Filipinos working on the base there. Lots of retireee from my era as well. As a matter of a fact there is one Filipino dude still there who was born and raised in the USA ... Graduated with me from the OU masters program on base in Yokosuka ... And he speaks English just like us Yanks. One of many but most of them now hold US passports so you won't find them competing for TEFLer jobs.

When I was teaching in Thailand there were a couple of Filipino brothers who spoke English at the native level. As a matter of a fact there are plenty of Filipinos who speak native level English simply because they attended international schools ... And have never been to an English speaking country.

Hi Steven ... love and miss you babe ...

PS ... Respectfully disagree with your Filipino pals about their educational institutions as would thousands of Sailors who have graced the steel decks of many a warship.

I taught at BEST Burapha for 2 years and my kid attended school there during those two years. Lot of changes in the teaching staff in the two years since I left in 2010. Had some very smart students and enjoyed my time there.

Retired to Thailand when I was 45 and ended up in Pattaya a little over a year ago after 6 months stints each in Phichit and Ban Phe. My wife and I didn't start off here because of the negative stigma attached. It was a huge mistake. Pattaya is much, much more than the wild side of Sukhumvit. First off I dare say the two best bilingual schools for my native level English speaking step-kid are in this area within 45 mintues of each other (1 in Pattaya and the other in Rayong). All EP schools are not equal in Thailand. The schools farangs here send their kids to have lots and lots of kids who speak English because of the expats who have decided to reside here. I can't afford an international school and the Thai government schools and private schools don't cut it for a true bilingual education. The supermarket shopping is flat outstanding here with 3-4 of the big chain places and several smaller specialty shops. It's a fairly big place yet you can go anywhere in Pattaya within 30 minutes or less all depending. I can go months and never go closer than Carrefour to the red light district. The down side is I can't go to Beach Road without my kid or spouse being accosted in some form by some farang. No biggie though ... we don't need to be there anyway. That's the adult children's playground anyway. The one good thing about Ban Phe is the beaches are family friendly and only an hour away. There are some darn good people here and get to mix with and experience the cultures of Thai, Filipino, British, Aussie, German, Belgium, Swiss, Russian, French, South Korean, Indian. And they all have restaurants in town as well. And by the way ... Pattaya has a dam_n good group of people at our Immigration Office in Jomtien. They put up with a lot of smack talk but provide flat outstanding service. Ease up on the fellas and gals in brown serving us there. And thanks to the expats who live here with school age kids. You guys and gals are helping me ensure my kid gets a truly bilingual education.

Cheers !

I'm about to take a job back in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. So I need some direction with what visa to apply for my dependents.

I married in Bangkok at the Ampur 5 years ago and then spent 2004-2007 in Japan with my wife and now 11 year old step-daughter. So my step-daughter attended an American school for 2 years and speaks English well. I also want to take my 18 year old Thai step-son. We've been in Thailand since I retired 2+ years ago.

All three of them hold valid United States retired military dependent ID cards. The wife and step-daughter were officially sponsored by the US government while in Japan under the Status of Forces Agreement.

I'll need to be in my new job in roughly 6 months and would like my dependents to be in the US no later than March next year. So, which visa should I apply for them ? Immigrant or non-immigrant?

Any and all advice is appreciated.

And whilst you are here, tell us about teaching in Thailand, if you will. Tanx

Well, I've been in Thailand for 2 years now since I retired from the Navy. And I just finished my first year teaching. It was a great experience and I plan to do it for at least another year. Sometimes I wonder why I'm getting up so early in the morning to teach when I'm supposed to be retired.

As you might remember I got my TESOL certificate from TEFL International back in 2007. I went even though many advised me it wasn't needed since I already had a Masters degree. Anyway, it wasn't really any help since the English ability of the kids at my school is far higher than what the certificate course prepared me for. So I've enrolled in another Masters program to get a ESL/ESOL specialization. Just let me add that the TESOL certificate course was a great way to get an intro to teaching here in Thailand. Because of the course and my current job I know I won't ever teach at a school with less than at least an EP program. I'm more comfortable with actual teaching than acting.

I was blessed to have some great people mentor me through my rookie year of teaching. Lots of patience and excellent advice given to me throughout the year from a wise British bloke, a young French lady and especially a very, very astute Filipina lady. They know who they are and I'm much indebted to them. I spell certain words like colour correctly and now know what aluminium is.

I've read every book I could get ahold of about teaching the past year. Most of the books I read I picked up at used book stores and as it turns out most of them cover the British curriculum. So I know alot about the British national curriculum now.

As far as teacher quality goes ... all three groups, Thai/Filipino/Farang, have their share of good and bad. My ethos is to go to work on time, don't miss days, try to be as prepared as possible and do the best you can. And keep in mind that you should always try get better day by day and year by year. And most importantly let the Thai's run their schools the way they see fit. Set the example through your actions not with a mocking bird mouth.

The kids were great. Most of mine were in the native to near native speaking ability range. I followed the curriculum and if the kids couldn't keep up then they basically just got left further behind. Thankfully less than 10 percent of the students were just totally out to lunch. I interviewed at a school in Rayong and their EP kids wouldn't be able to keep up with the kids I had this past year. Some of my kids should be in an international school ... period.

That's it I guess.

Question for me ole mate PB ... How do I go about obtaining a background check from the motherland ? Cheers.

I like Greg's on 2nd road.

I'm moving my Thai step-daughter to BEST this coming school year. I've personally met the farang teachers at BEST, REP and Wutichot. Just talking with them I'd say they're all about on the same level academically and intellectually. No idea if they're creative and able to motivate children. Would probably agree that parking and sport facilities are better at REP and Wutichot. I think REP probably has more or a majority of foreigner female teachers than the others.

This will be the 3rd school my step-daughter has attended since we came back to Thailand after being in Japan for 3 years. And I'm pretty sure BEST will at least be a step up over the other two schools she has attended here in Phichit and Rayong. Thai schools. Here English is already near perfect with the bland accent free northerner Yank tone. This is the last stop ...otherwise I'll send here to Pattaya International school earlier than planned.

Not worried about some of the concerns expressed here because I keep her busy with sports and Kumon outside school hours. And a bought the curriculum texts to teach her the minimum basic skills required for the 4th, 5th and 6th grade before moving to Thailand.

I went there for my last two 90 day check ins. Very quick and no long lines. It's out in the middle of nowhere ... close to some industrial estate I think.

My 4 year old has been going to Satit for a couple of years and loves it. The students get well looked after - the important bit - but I would agree the English teaching is not the best. Suggest paying a little extra for English lessons after school somewhere else.

Where is this school at exactly ? I can't seem to find it ?

Thanks for posting this topic for me CMN. I'm in Pattaya now and will go visit Wuttichot tomorrow. And I'll think about Satit as well. BEST doesn't attract my interest for some reason.

I never really considered being a TEFLer in Pattaya but from the sounds of the responses you got I could probably get a job doing that pretty easy. My daughter has Filipino teachers at her present school in Phichit and I totally have come to the conclusion that they are dumbing down her English. Her accent was perfect just a couple months of ago and now it's getting aggravating. The TEFL teachers at her American school in Japan were fantastic. God they were good.

Thanks again mate.

Your list plus the letter from the Embassy certifying monthly income for the spousal "O" visa ... and the pictures is what did it for me in BKK.

Always best to have belt and braces

HOWEVER

Do NOT present anything that's not asked for, we don't want to give them ideas.

IIRC the official line is still:-

1. copy wifes PP
   
2. copy wifes ID card
   
3. copy wifes house book
   
4. original marriage cert and copy
   
5. copy your PP photo page
   
6. completed form
   
7. two photos
   
8. fee
   

Make sure all the copies are signed and dated.

OK ... I went back to Immigration in BKK today with the pictures of the house and got asked some minor background like questions.

They took the original letter from the Embassy certifying my monthly income but didn't take the copies of my bankbook.

I was told to come back early next month for the final extension for the rest of the year for the spousal visa.

Also, they didn't take the copy of the Health certificate either.

I was at Immigration in Bangkok yesterday. 5 HOURS waiting for my turn in the queue and spent less than 5 minutes with the clerk ... and they told me to come back with pictures of my house wih the address number visible on the exterior and all the rooms inside. I'm applying for the spousal exension to the O visa.

Thanks fellas.

Jim: Your recommendations have already been taken for action.

PB: PM your cell # so I can call you in about a week.

I'm moving along smartly rounding up all the documents I need for the

"O" visa based on having a Thai spouse.

Two questions for now if it's acceptable for this thread ...

# I no longer have to have baht 400,000 in a Thai bank account ?

# In regards to the letter I have to get from the US Embassy about

my pension amount ... should I tell them just what I need to meet

the minimum requirement or tell them the full amount ?

Thanks. I undersatnd the scam perfectly clear now

I got my Commanding Officer to certify my gross retirement income before I retired from the Navy last month on official letterhead stationary ... that should be good enough for the US Embassy to certify my pension meets the minimum required amount ... shouldn't it ?

I’m afraid you have missed the point of the thread. The US Embassy does not “certify” your income. They notarize your signature on statement you make that the income you have stated is true. No documentation is required to be shown to the consulate officer that puts the notary stamp on the document.

TH

I got my Commanding Officer to certify my gross retirement income before I retired from the Navy last month on official letterhead stationary ... that should be good enough for the US Embassy to certify my pension meets the minimum required amount ... shouldn't it ?

If that runs out, are there other sources of financial aid available that I can tap into to help me pay for my tuition?

Are you under the old VEAP program ? I only ask because I don't see how you could run out of money attending Payap if you were under the Montbomery GI Bill.

As I recall, this will be his second master's, and he's in his mid 40's, not intending to be a professor of Linguistics at Cornell, Columbia or Brown .

University of Oklahoma my man ... and contrary to the belief of some not a single course taken online ... ever. I are be redneck edumacated.

"Go Sooners"