Madgee

This post might rattle a few cages but it’s not done intentionally or with animosity.

Why is the teaching fraternity in LOS so dedicated to the ‘I’ve got a degree in rocket science’ so I’m a good teacher?

So many guys knock the ability of an older native speaker who has worldly experience; someone who can adequately convey the English language across to students without the need for theoretic or grammatically correct phrases which are seldom used in any language when speaking.

I can fully understand the HR dept. of any school or institution requiring a foreign teacher to submit information but the stipulation of most is the applicant must have a BA degree and fully disregard anyone who can prove they have experience of teaching / advising students who wish to learn the English language.

Ok, I’m having a little rant here but after applying for a couple of vacant positions in my vicinity, all advertised by foreign ‘head teachers’, I’m really surprised I haven’t had even a thanks but no thanks. Before anyone jumps down my throat about they cannot reply to every applicant because they receive so many, I checked up and the most they had were six. Even if I was deemed unsuitable, a reply is surely the respectable or polite thing to do and the reason why?

Only today I read a post on TV advising a guy to get some ‘starting’ experience teaching in China, I would second that because it will pay better, give him better benefits and probably he will find the experience very satisfying, Chinese students actually want to learn. Only downspin is the Chinese way of life and culture ……. But that is just my opinion after five years living and working there. The teachers I’ve talked to in LOS seem to think teaching in China is the ‘lowest of the low’; all I will say is try it first and then way up the pros and cons.

Rant over.

I had a similar problem with my PAYG, out of credit in 3 days without making a call or using the internet!

Simply turn off data app.

I like to think I'm quite a sociable guy, I will always say morning to my neighbours if I see them or at least acknowledge their presence. If I'm walking around the town, I'll certainly acknowledge any foreigner I encounter with a morning or a slight nod of the head if eye contact is made. I'm not going to cross the street and introduce myself but does it do any harm to release a slight smile, nod of the head or even a 'hi' ..... is it really that hard?

If the place was swarming with foreigners then it's a different story but here, although there are quite a few expats and very few tourists, I honestly thought that a little civility would not go amiss amongst fellow expats. The amount of times I've been given the cold stare of, 'how dare he look at me and think he has got the right to even say hi'.

Maybe it's me, I don't know and I don't really care......................I will always be the same.

As the saying goes, 'with friends like that, who needs enemies?'

It's always at times when the chips are down that you find out who your friends really are!

I certainly believe in karma and on several occasions have found out that so-called friends are really leeches and still profess to being a friend when it comes down to the nitty gritty. I will always remember my late mother saying to me; "always look on the bright side of life". It has helped me through the ups and downs of life. She was a great Monty Python fan ... Bless her.

All the very best for the future.

In times of hardship or just being down on my luck I 'just give a whistle' and I watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPOzQzk9Qo

Just noticed you have deleted your last post?

Regardless of the destination, booking a holiday in the UK is always expensive during the period of June - September, also around Eastertime and Christmas because of the school holidays.

Lots of deals to be had for 'off-peak' travel outside of these periods.

Just done a very quick search using the 'supermarket comparison':

Feb 2014 to Phuket £601 7 days in 4* hotel pp

Jul 2014 to Phuket £925 7 days in 3* hotel pp

Always been the same.

My stepchildren who are in their mid-teens call me by my first name, as do all my Thai relatives and friends, except the young children who call me uncle.

I'm happy with that, plain and simple.

Many thanks for that Joe.

As said before a first time passport application can only be done at the embassy.

I'd really like to see a link for this info please.

According to the Gov UK passport website it is done as an application to HK.

www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

Just my own experience.

I was there a few weeks ago with a large suitcase, travel bag and laptop. After a struggle getting through the turnstile with my luggage they gave me a tag for my belongings and locked them up in a secure side room. I had to sign in with time and date, searched and my phone / keys were put in a side pocket of my travel bag. No big deal and friendly.

BTW, I'm 99.99% sure they cannot issue passports for any reason, only emergency travel documents. All passport applications made in Thailand are processed in Hong Kong and issued from the UK.

I've been an avid user of Yahoo mail until recently, suffering some of the problems as other posters.

Basically, through trial and error, I've found a way (for me anyway) to recover lost emails and stabilise Yahoo mail.

All I done was add Yahoo to my compatibility view settings list.

All of my seemingly lost mail was present in my inbox after doing this and the new functions actually worked.

Due to the recent updates on Yahoo Mail, windows o/s etc. I believe they just don't sync with each other as yet. No doubt it will sorted over the coming days-weeks by Yahoo.

This might sound a little silly but check your mattress!

A few years ago I had similar symptoms and on the advice of a family friend practitioner I changed my mattress to a good quality orthopaedic one. Within a few days my aches and pains were gone and I woke up feeling refreshed.

Just a thought.

a replacement battery just requires undoing a plug, just like opening a gas cap, or sticking your helmet or cargo under the seat - if someone designs it right.

Maybe; but they don't design them that way so there must be a reason why not?

Batteries must be protected and clamped down, similar to a car, if they were easily accessible they become targets for theft. Most of the older style of e-scooters used to have removable batteries in the form of a large cartridge that could be lifted out of the bike in seconds, many owners experienced this design fault the hard way. Also, the weight factor of lugging these cartridges about to re-charge if living in an apartment with no external power points undercover, has to be factored in.

Experience owning one of these e-scooters first, then weigh up the pros and cons.

A good friend bought an expensive one in Aussie, thinking it would save him money on commuter costs and also be able to do his bit for the environment; after the initial thrill, he began to regret every hard earned dollar he spent on it! He gave the same reasons that I tried to tell him. Still, everyone's different.

Ya pays ya money - Ya takes ya choice! Enough said from me.

Well, wantan, the clue is in the original question "Hi, I am considering buying electric scooter" and my advice is "don't". Get it?

And just how much are you going to pay for this quality Peugeot scooter, funny I don't recall the French being renown for quality, so when it does go wrong who is going to fix it and where are the parts going to come from? Can you get tyres for it?

But, Mr Wantan says he is pretty sure they don't break down, so that's okay.... You don't often get personal guarantees on these forums.

OK, my last post to you in this thread as you are obviously neither interested in e-bikes nor you have any clue about them or the technology. I can at least say i am very interested and i always want to know more about such things.

For all people who are interested:

Peugeot has a long tradition in producing quality 2-wheeled vehicles of many types.

Here are the current models: http://www.peugeot.com/en/products-services/scooters

They also have a long tradition in building quality bicycles. Here the current electric bicycle models:

http://www.peugeot.com/en/products-services/cycles

Here some information about the Peugeot e-scooter:

http://www.e-vivacity.com/en

you say that you have an interest in these things so, no doubt, you have read the info on the 'Vivacity' e-scooter.

List Price: around 200,000 baht

Top Speed: 50kmh

Range: 60km

Battery Guarantee: 4 years

The OP asked about e-scooters so I'm dismissing e-bikes which are totally different.

Chinese crap of similar stats:

List Price: around 20,000 baht

Top Speed: 50kmh

Range: 60km

Battery Guarantee: 1 year

Absolutely no resale value anywhere.

I'd be the first to admit the build quality of most machines of Chinese origin would be inferior to those from Europe and the 'green' issues are open to debate.

The main issues with e-scooters are the range and charging issues.

Dealers recommend customers to only re-charge when the batteries are nearly exhausted to maintain the battery life, this is a constant frustration when you might need a full charge.

The simple fact of remembering to plug it in to re-charge is a pain.

A poster mentioned about keeping a spare battery?

They are not like an everyready battery to replace. On most e-scooters the batteries are located under the seat requiring the total removal of the seat and some wires unbolted.

JMHO, I would not recommend an e-scooter to the OP, too much hassle.

This is the info link for BC jobs in Thailand.

http://www.britishcouncil.or.th/en/teach/recruitment

Remuneration depends on what qualifications you have.

from my limited experience with the BC, good to work for but the pay is not brilliant. I believe the job offer in CM

is on an hourly rate.

Hope this helps.

from my own personal experience, having owned several e-scooters in China, they are awful things!

Initially they seem inexpensive to run and maintain but the build quality of most are terrible, even the so-called upmarket bikes that are more powerful soon succumb to the rigors of general use.

Replacement batteries are expensive and needed every 10,000km.

Electrics are subject to frequent breakdowns and replacement.

Dangerous! Because they run silently, people tend to jump out in front of you!

Do not like the rain.

Do not like inclines, saps the power very quickly.

Charging takes hours, preferably overnight. Chargers often overheat.

To get anywhere near the predicted mileage you must close the throttle on any declines and try not use the brakes, instead use the existing motion to gradually decelerate. Two people on an e-scooter halves the predicted mileage.

They are very frustrating machines to ride, just when you think you have enough power left to get home they suddenly begin to 'die', especially on aged batteries.

As you have probably gathered, I hate the bloody things!

Add Roi-Et hospital to the list of participating hospitals accepting westerners.

As I was going there today for the first time, I enquired whether they knew about it and was given an impromptu tour of the hospital and shown the reception area where they do the administration. In fact, there was a westerner who was just finishing his application process; he had been there approx. 7 hrs !

Luckily, I'm fully covered by the Thai Gov. officials policy.

Here, I have full medical coverage under my wife's government health insurance. Even if I didn't, heath care is very reasonable.

How is that possible.

I find health insurance the biggest obstacle, because once you get older the premiums skyrocket or they even kick you out at a certain age.

How is that possible?

Certain Gov. Depts. have a staff policy that enable spouse and children under 21 to be covered for full medical treatment and dental care. I'm not sure if the staff covered have to be of a certain rank but I do know that I'm covered under this policy as I had to register with the local Gov. hospital showing my marriage certificate and proof of residence. Age is immaterial.

After spending over 4 years in S-China within a well-known university institution teaching and advising on the speaking element of IELTS , which is extremely popular throughout China, I’ve now re-located to central Isaan to be with my beloved. I have only been in LOS a few months and already discovered by talking to some teachers in my area, they have no idea what I’m talking about concerning IELTS.

On a brief visit to Bangkok, I did bump into a guy who informed me that there were many institutions that used the fundamentals of the IELTS for general English study and of course for the actual test, but I’m surprised there are no institutions in my area. Maybe I’m wrong?

As these tests are world renowned and the leader in their field for students who wish to study abroad or even mature people that have to obtain a language certificate to immigrate, it really does surprise me that many teachers have no knowledge of what IELTS is or indeed the beneficial value to students, whether it be for the test or just for conversational / general English.

IELTS is not really suitable for children under the age of 16 or classes of 35+ students so maybe that is the governing factor in Thailand?

On a previous topic in this forum a poster did mention that IELTS is very popular but I presume that it is only in major cities and many students presumably re-locate to these areas for study?

I would really love to get back into teaching, advising or using IELTS but I think I’m flogging a dead horse in my present location ….Oh well.

Only three weeks ago, I recieved a letter prom the UK Pensions office informing me that "to prevent fraud" from April next year UK Pensions cannot be paid into an account outside UK, EU and commonwealth Countries. This will apply to new applicants only and existing foreign payments are not affected.

Can any one please provide a link or more info on this

I think this info concerns spouses who claim a pension solely on the N.I. contributions paid by their partner.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22423878

If less than six months remaining on the old UK passport, that time is added to the expiry date of the new passport.

Slightly wrong c m:

"Time left on an existing passport is added to your new one - up to a maximum of 9 months."

https://www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport

Hi Daniel,

White House Paradise Hotel.

Tel: 080-196-8614 or 082-837-5633 or 043-518601

http://goo.gl/maps/c1kN3

Forgot to add: free wifi.

Just had a friend stay there for a week and no complaints!

I was there (Amnat) about 4 weeks ago to do my first yearly extension.

I enquired about the 90 day report and was told that they prefer people to report in person and not really keen on people reporting by post. The officer then pointed to a large pile of post suggesting it makes too much extra work. He did not say I couldn't do it by post, just pointed out the fact that documents do go missing in the post and it's safer to do it in person.

After reading some of the topics about immigration offices on TV I was dreading going ...........

Very clean, modern and spacious office with abundant seating in an air conditioned environment.

Plenty of parking spaces available.

Very helpful officers who are efficient and polite.

Overall, not the 'pain in the @rse' experience many say they endure in other offices around LOS.

Only negative aspect is the 250km round trip!

There is a kind of motel on the outskirts of Roi Et called 'The Whitehouse Hotel', it's more like a row of terraced bedsits. very clean, pleasant surroundings, air-con, fridge, tv etc. washing machines available but no cooking facilities. The town centre is only 5 mins away by bike, no public transport. Price around 4500 baht pm + utilities.

Will try and find a phone number if you are interested.

I just went to my local police station and got a certificate of residence ...no cost. This was accepted at my local DLC no problem.

Probably been said before; go to your local DLC first and ask them exactly what you need, as always, each centre normally differs in the requirements to fulfil, a lot easier than turning up and being sent away for something else.