earlofwindermere

I would like additional clarification on this...

If a staff member is paid a monthly salary, would you calculate the DAILY pay and then pay them 90 days of pay? Or, would you pay them 3 months of their monthly salary? Since most people do not work 30 days per month, the amount can be quite significant.

The law says 90 days of severance should be paid but I am assuming that most would assume this to be 3 months as this is what everyone usually says.

Volunteer work also requires a work permit! If anything happens and you havn't got one, you could be in serious trouble.

This doesn't answer the question.

However; perhaps the poster could be a bit more specific on the type of volunteer work that they were looking for. ie ESL? kid's programs? religious? etc.

I never said that there were soldiers. There was definitely barbed wire and concrete blocks. Are you sure you went to the right place? The main building is solidly surrounded.

I just got back from City Hall. The place is barracaded with 1.5m barbed wire fence and concrete blocks. Glass is all taped up and they were trucking out boxes of documents. Hopefully they are overreacting.

To be fair, wasn't the discussion about the PM-10 levels and not the AQI? I am assuming that it is not the same thing.

They're almost the same thing. The AQI is not a linear representation of the PM<10 level though, but "classifies" it according to a risk evaluation. Built on the Thai system a PM<10 level of 0-40 µg/m³ corresponds to an AQI of 0-50 and is rated "Good". A level of 40-120 corresponds to an AQI of 50-100 and is rated "Moderate". A level of 120-350 corresponds to AQI 100-200 and is rated "Unhealthful". A level of 350-420 corresponds to AQI 200-300 and is rated "Very Unhealthful" and a level over 420 corresponds to AQI 300+ and is rated "Hazardous".

More interesting may be the USEPA descriptions in terms of who needs to take extra care, and in what way (see the attached table in my previous post). Hence my statement about Chiang Mai air up to the day before yesterday having "Moderate" pollution. The AQI is, as far as I know, an EPA invention intended for communicating pollution and its risks to the general public.

/ Priceless

So the disagreement among many people could be based on which system they are using and on which country's classification of that system they are basing it on. For me, I've always looked at the PM10 levels and not so much the AQI. When I check the standards of this system, many countries have limits of 50 µg/m³ for no more than XX days per year. So, to me, when we are reaching the 100 levels, it seems quite high.

I'll let the experts debate this because I certainly am not.

To be fair, wasn't the discussion about the PM-10 levels and not the AQI? I am assuming that it is not the same thing.

Hello Nakachalet

I guess that I've worked in the rural areas too long. I had assumed that most people would know most of the points that you made.

It astounds me on how much money poor rural farmers can borrow from government programs. Every few years, there is a debt forgiveness or moratorium program. It's no wonder that debt is a major problem with many Thais. (Gonzo - I'd agree with you if the money came from the moneylenders or "helmet men" as they're called around here. Two helmet men with thick jackets ride on one motorbike. They are the collectors and scare people because they never take their helmets off so you never know who they are).

In any case, it disturbs me that financial services and programs are used for political gain. Both sides are guilty of this. Short-term gains have shown to cause long-term problems for the same people.

My staff just returned from Chomtong. Apparently Seh Daeng was in Chomtong today recruiting people to head to Bangkok this weekend. He told the people that if Thaksin is Prime Minister again, he promises that everyone will get a 150,000 baht loan from the government. I'm sure that this would be incentive enough for many people to make the trip.

Qualitication: This information is verified by my staff only. I trust them but I would understand if others choose not to.

I manage a charity (foundation) here in Thailand as well as one in Canada. We have looked into this matter. Both countries have rather strict rules on what charities can invest their funds in. For example, we have been told that Thai foundations cannot buy stocks. They can be given stocks but they cannot buy. There are many other restrictions as well.

Thanks for the info. I guess I booked my trip down south during the wrong week. I'm back tomorrow so let's hope that the air quality stays relatively good.

I'm sitting in Hua Hin enjoying a week of fresh air. Like many people, we planned to be away from Chiang Mai during much of March because of the air quality.

I just checked the readings back in Chiang Mai and they are surprisingly low compared to neighbouring provinces. How can it be 212 in Chiang Rai, 146 in Mae Hong Son and only 86 in downtown Chiang Mai? Is it really not that bad this year?

In previous years, the readings for the northern provinces were similar. If it was high in Chiang Rai, it was also high in Chiang Mai. This year seems different. Are the numbers being fudged or is it really not that high in Chiang Mai right now?

A lot of locals use Neramit. I used him once but was not fully happy. I find that it's quite difficult to gets pants properly made here. (I think that Asias wear them higher on the hip and they just don't seem to fit the same).

An alternative that I am happy with is Bond Street Tailors. They are found on Loh Kroh road abouto 3/4 down the street on the left (it's a one way road).

I work for a foundation. Every year when I apply for a visa extension, I get a visit. This year, they came twice. It's pretty standard.

I'd suggest the weekly Chiang Mai Classifieds email that is sent out. People I know who have listed in it have sold their vehicles quite quicky. It's also free to post in it.

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun EarlOfWindermere,

Not familiar with what you are referring to, and there a lot of Google hits on "Chiang Mai Classifieds e-mail" : the "top hits" lead to the "Chiang Mai Mail" rag classifieds, which doesn't even list a "Vehicles" category in its section selection drop-down.

Appreciate a further clue.

thanks, ~o:37;

The email has over 1000 subscribers and is not connected with the newspaper. A local church organizes it. I"ll PM you a copy of the next edition (usually on Friday) when I receive it.

I'd suggest the weekly Chiang Mai Classifieds email that is sent out. People I know who have listed in it have sold their vehicles quite quicky. It's also free to post in it.

We've been listening to the station for the past hour. They're calling people to join them at the hotel but no mention of arms yet.

We're listening at the office. 92.5 FM They're meeting at Wororot Hotel (which I'm assuming is near the market)

What frequency is this?

I know that there is a new golf course in Sansai. It's only 5 holes right now but 4 more to be completed soon. 100 baht for unlimited rounds. It's called "The New Sansai Golf Course" and the entrance is across from Land & House.

I'll check into Mae Taeng. My staff are working there next week. None of them have heard or seen it though.

The IB organization lists the following schools in Thailand that use its curriculum:

American Pacific International School

Bangkok Patana School

British International School, Phuket

Concordian International School

Garden International School

International School Bangkok

3International School Eastern Seaboard

KIS International School

New International School of Thailand

Prem Tinsulanonda International School

Ruamrudee International School

St Andrews International School, Bangkok

St. Andrews International School, Rayong

The Regent's School

The Regent's School, Bangkok

Four, including Prem, are listed as offering the program for all grades.

In Wikipedia, the description of the IB program contains the following:

The IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) was described as "a rigorous, off-the-shelf curriculum recognized by universities around the world” when it was featured in the December 18, 2006, edition of Time titled How to bring our schools out of the 20th Century. The IBDP was also featured in the summer 2002 edition of American Educator, where Robert Rothman described it as "a good example of an effective, instructionally sound, exam-based system." Howard Gardner, a professor of educational psychology at Harvard University, said that the IBDP curriculum is "less parochial than most American efforts" and helps students "think critically, synthesize knowledge, reflect on their own thought processes and get their feet wet in interdisciplinary thinking."

In the United Kingdom, the IB Diploma is "regarded as more academically challenging and broader than three or four A-levels." In 2006, government ministers provided funding so that "every local authority in England could have at least one centre offering sixth-formers the chance to do the IB." In 2008, due to the devaluing of the A-Levels and an increase in the number of students taking the IB exams, Children's Secretary Ed Balls abandoned a "flagship Tony Blair pledge to allow children in all areas to study IB." Fears of a "two-tier" education system further dividing education between the rich and the poor emerged as the growth in IB is driven by private schools and sixth-form colleges.

Political objections to the IBDP in the United States have resulted in attempts to eliminate it from public schools. Thomas Sowell, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, describes the IBDP as a "kind of indoctrination" and "one of the endless series of fad programs that distract American public schools from real education in real subjects."

[end]

It has impressive jargon, but whether that translates in to real learning and benefits to most students may or may not be true. Perhaps it does.

infernalman7 tells us Prem trails the top international schools in Thailand, but asserts its students probably rank #4 -- yet that seems to be just his guess, and the reality could be far different.

So we've got a fancy and expensive Swiss-based program that could be great -- or not -- and an uncertain ranking by Prem in it. The IB thing is trotted out to prove excellence, but we're supposed to take their word it. An alternative view could be that an IB program is not crucial to the overall quality of an international school.

I again ask: Where is the data that confirms Prem is "ranked amongst the best international schools in Thailand", as it asserts on its own website? How does that square with the mumbo-jumbo about "rigorous intellectual honesty?"

I'm not exactly sure what Ferd is trying to prove. The quote above clearly shows that the IB system is highly regarded around the globe and is even gaining popularity in countries like the UK and US. Couldn't you then make the assumption that schools using this system would also be top notch? With only 4 schools in Thailand using the entire IB system, could you then also not state that PREM is among the best in Thailand? Then again, there are obviously people who prefer other systems so Prem's statement could be refuted as well. It can go both ways.... depending on what you value.

In the same way, all the schools write similar things:

CMIS: "provides high quality education."

LIST: "provide quality education"

American Pacific International School is a caring international community that nurtures a love of learning and life-long inquiry

Grace has a world class Special Needs Department.

All of these statements are subjective that could be challenged or defended as well.

Canada allowed themselves to be beat. It gives them an extra game to play before getting to the Gold game.

You can catch it online but I also have seen it on ESPN so check with the restaurants/pubs to see if they have it on their satellite. I believe that it is available on UBC.

A lot of the local international schools hire at Education Fairs where hundreds of people apply for positions at their school (esp Prem). Most of the international schools here can be quite selective on who they hire. I heard several years back that Prem actually Head Hunted its original teaching staff.

Another English speaking country that should be added is Canada:

The Nation Article

Thank Nakachalet for your questions. This is our third baby and because of complications in a previous delivery, this baby must also be delivered by c-section. Trust me, we've explored all options. My wife is a nurse and her close friends are midwives. We certainly do not have a preference for c-section but it is required in our case. I am also aware that Thai doctors often lean towards c-sections as they are quicker and more profitable.

We're heading down to Hua Hin next weekend and will be there until March 26th. Thanks to everyone for the information about Pecharat. Our doctor in Bangkok also recommended this hospital for the weekly check-ups prior to our due date and as a back up in case there is an emergency.

Cheers.