richard10365

You're not the only one. I found this book online. It is helpful and I'm using it to write my thesis. Good luck........by the way, I did your survey.

How to Write a Master's Thesis

One of my classmates from Payap University in Chiang Mai is doing her masters degree at Harvard University in the United States. No bridging course required.

There is constructive criticism and there is a whiny banter that gets quite old as it is repeated over and over again in these forums. There is no surprise as to the environment you CHOOSE to work in before you start working. Don't apply for a job then complain about it after you get it and act like things are not what you thought they would be. Then come on to a public forum and complain about how you suffer the indignity of the cultural exposure that you're not use to.

There is nothing I hate more than to see a teacher stand up in front of students and complain about the system they have been entrusted to perpetuate. Even worse when they come from another country than the one they are teaching in and complain in front of students. Can you imagine how this would play out in a western country if an Asian teacher were to complain publicly about the system in front of students?

Do not think for an instance there are no students or their parents in this forum. There were 16,000+ international students studying in universities across Thailand in 2012. Along side those international students were 155,000+ Thai students also studying in these same programs. On top of these numbers are a multitude of students, international and Thai, studying in K-12 international schools. Do you think they don't read this forum? There are more than 180,000 members of this forum and in the last 60 minutes there were 6,000+ members on line. Of course they read this forum and see how you complain about being their teacher.

As a student in an international program I'm asking you to stop complaining publicly if it upsets you. You're not helping. If you want to share ideas about how to improve something please be professional and tactful about it and not sound like a backpacker teacher on a summer internship.

I doubt that immigration would stop you guys if you wanted to leave the country. If you guys are not happy, it doesn't make sense to stay.

There is no limitation on whether US suppliers are allowed to supply to foreign markets. That doesn't mean they have an obligation to.

I do agree but if you open the service to one country, should you open it to another in accordance with GATS Article II - Most-Favoured-Nation Treatment?Paragraph 1 says, "With respect to any measure covered by this Agreement, each Member shall accord immediately and unconditionally to services and service suppliers of any other Member treatment no less favourable than that it accords to like services and service suppliers of any other country." ??

I appreciate your comments guys but this is about trade in service by the World Trade Organization (WTO). The WTO is an international organization dealing with trade rules and agreements to trade by negotiations.

The U.S. agreed, via an international trade agreement, to allow TV and Radio service to consumers abroad in Thailand.

I'm hoping for the opinions of other international trade experts to see if this is a GATS violation or not.

Get an IP Blocker program run it and you can watch whatever you want

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Like I mentioned in my opening post, this is an international trade question and not a "how to do something" question. However, thank you for your reply.

NOTE: This is an international trade question based on GATS and not a question on how to do something.

I would like to watch American TV in Thailand over the internet. When I try, I get the message the service is not available In Thailand. When I look at the trade agreements between Thailand and the USA (Schedule of Specific commitments) for TV and Radio service, mode 1 is "none".

According to this, shouldn't I be able to view American TV in Thailand? Is this a violation of the GATS agreement?

I appreciate every ones opinion on this.

I am not moving. I like the new government. I like the tighter controls on the media. I'm indifferent about the alcohol changes because I don't drink. All in all, I think it is better after the coup than before the coup. Democratically elected ineffective governments are overrated. To be a politician you should have to get a license to make rules for millions of people instead of getting elected just because you are popular. However, if your popular and have a license to be elected to public office, then that's ok. Many countries would benefit if all their politicians had a license to practice government.

License issued by the army?

Good question. I think it would have to be something put together by academics around the world. Perhaps even have it be a United Nations involved project. If you think about it, it's crazy to have someone who's only qualification is they can convince people in their district to elect them to public office. Once they get there, the educated and experienced politicians convince them to vote on something they don't even understand. The rest of us have to live with the result of that vote. Perhaps democracy is the last holdout to globalization. At one time it was needed and it did good. Now democracy means you have a government that can't resolve the important issues for a country......and I'm not talking about Thailand. Although it could apply. The world needs a 21st century style of global educated democracy.

I got a B.B.A. in International Business Management at Payap University in Chiang Mai. We used western international textbooks and taught by a 50/50 ratio of Thai/International instructors. We did a lot of group work, case studies and presentations. You have 6 classes per semester (2 semester/year) except for the final year. We have midterms and final exams and students who fail the course have to repeat it if they want to graduate. Last year 2 of our business students got accepted to Harvard and the London School of Economics to do their master degree.

Plenty of Thai university graduates who study a Thai program do master's degree abroad so I can't really say it limits them in that regard. However, from what I can see from Thai students in the classroom, studying in an international environment does give the student that confidence and cultural knowledge to operate in an international environment better than a Thai only student would.

With the AEC complete in 2015, an international business degree might be beneficial for her......if she is a good student. If she is not a good student, it really doesn't matter where she studies.

I wonder how they are doing with the ASEAN MRA-TP?

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Unlucky no, only Enish

I don't think any programs in Thailand are taught in Enish....is that like Entish?

There are hundreds of programs taught in English in Thailand.

What about Asean 2015? Isn't that supposed to change the situation for Filipinos in Thailand?

Nothing will be no change when the AEC goes into effect.

There are only provisions for a handful of professions to be able to find work here easier.

Actually Joe, that's not entirely true. There are a handful of Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRAs) but each one come with a different number of jobs. For example, the MRA-TP (Tourism Professionals) has 32 jobs associated with it. The MRA for doctors and nurses includes whatever jobs there are for doctors and nurses such as chiropractor or pediatrician.

Also, the ASEAN Framework Agreement in Services (AFAS) covers all service type jobs listed in in the WTO's Services Sectoral Classification List. (Click here)

• Business and professional services
  • Accountancy services
  • Advertising services
  • Architectural and engineering services
  • Computer and related services
  • Legal services
• Communication services
  • Audiovisual services
  • Postal and courier, express mail services
  • Telecommunications
  • Construction and related services
• Distribution services
• Educational services
• Energy services
• Environmental services
• Financial services
• Health and social services
• Tourism services
• Transport services
  • Air transport
  • Land transport
  • Maritime transport
  • Services auxiliary to all modes of transport

As you can see, literally hundreds, if not thousands of jobs are included in AFAS. To date, there have been 8 rounds of negotiations where ASEAN trade in services have been liberalized. During the last round, equity participation of business ownership of some service industries was increased upto 70% ASEAN foreigner / 30%Thai citizen. This is already in effect and does not have to wait for 2015.

All of this information is downloadable from the ASEAN website www.asean.org. If you would like specific information about a particular service job, please let me know. I will look for you.

Controlling migration is a science. I think the "crack down" has less to do with who was right or wrong and more to do with finding the best imported labor to supplement the labor force at the lowest cost. Since Thailand is listed near the bottom in English proficiency, I don't think Thai officials are worried anymore on the impact western teachers are making. Whether or not it is the fault of the western teacher or not, ASEAN teachers fluent in English are a less costly alternative to the current batch of teachers who are not making a difference in Thailand ability to speak English better than in other countries. Properly positioned imported labor could really benefit Thailand. Ad hoc labor shortage solutions will do the opposite. 

"The duty of all state enterprises is to serve the public." "Thai Airways International would be among the first state enterprises to dominate discussions by the Superboard, due to its huge debt burden"

 

Thai Airways does seem expensive. Will they lower their prices so more of the public can afford to be serviced? They do have a pretty good brand in Thailand and if they lower their prices enough, I think Thai people would respond and leave other lower cost airlines and fly with Thai Airways.

 

With so many superstar foreign teachers in Thailand you would think you can go to the Thai market and order in English. Obviously that is not the case. Whether or not the lack of English speaking ability of Thailand's youth is the fault of the Thai school or the teacher, the blame goes to the foreign native English speaking teacher. Perhaps Thailand has come to the conclusion that native English speaking teachers are not worth the money they are paid. If they were, surely the Thai youth would be speaking better English...perhaps there is a paradigm shift in this regards. Now that warm fuzzy feeling we thought the Thai teachers got when our pale faces graced their classrooms has all but faded away. Like it or not, Asean has paved the way for the foreign (western) teacher to be replaced.

Really! You think market traders who probably left school 20-30 years ago at P6 would speak better English now! Why?

I have seen a big improvement generally with the younger university leavers, those now working in banks, offices etc.

 

hmmm...You have a point. Maybe I should have used 7-Eleven as the example in the first sentence. Regardless, there does seem to be a purge happening directed, for now, at English teachers. There has been improvement but when Thailand ranks near the bottom in the world in English proficiency, Thai people will want to blame someone. Since it's not their fault, being facetious here, the foreigner has to take the blame. The foreigners cost more to employ but can't seem to get the job done. From a business point of view, replacing them makes good sense.

Thanks for the comments richard but I am going to stick with a 3. Here is why:

Even in the US there is a range. I went to one university where it was so competitive you had to work extremely hard to get a B in a general education class. Lets call that an 8, because I have to imagine that Harvard or Stanford are more difficult.

I went to another university where if you showed up and read the book you were pretty much guaranteed a B. Lets call that a 5.

But both of these universities are more rigorous than your average Thai university.

Good points Bruce...haha...I've been out of school for more than 20 years when I went to study at Payap. My work ethic was pretty good but a bit rusty on studying. Maybe it just seemed difficult to me..haha

As far as I know, visas are tied to the school that gives the paperwork. If you leave one school, you need to cancel the visa for that school and get a new visa for the other school. As Paz pointed out earlier, you can study with a tourist visa in Chiang Mai and then move to the school in Bangkok and get a new visa. However, you might have to leave the country to get the education visa. 

I just extended my education visa for another year on Friday for Payap University. Waiting my turn took the most time. Once I got to see the lady who handles education visas it only took 5 min. Another 5 min for the photo and about 3 min to wait for my visa to be returned to me. I think this is the fastest they have ever worked for a one year extension. While I always fear immigration, I've never had any problems with them.They are always professional and courteous to me.

Also you don't study Thai, do you ?

MBA

I just extended my education visa for another year on Friday for Payap University. Waiting my turn took the most time. Once I got to see the lady who handles education visas it only took 5 min. Another 5 min for the photo and about 3 min to wait for my visa to be returned to me. I think this is the fastest they have ever worked for a one year extension. While I always fear immigration, I've never had any problems with them.They are always professional and courteous to me.

1. How would you rate the work load (from 1- too easy to 10- overloaded)?

Honestly I think its about a 3. This is a Thai university. We are professional and serious, but we are not trying to create a US degree in Thailand with this program. The level of difficulty is below that of Western degrees, just likes most (if not all) Thai universities. Its also focused on Adult Learners who are working.

Bruce, you're probably underestimating the difficulty of your classes. I never studied in a university in the west but I would not say the level of difficulty of Payap University International College was a three. We used textbooks from the US, foreign teachers from around the world, and often had homework that would consume most of my out of class hours when I wasn't sleeping or eating. Comparing other International Business Management (B.B.A.) curricula from the USA and Payap's looks very similar in structure.

A three doesn't sound very challenging. I would give Payap's IBM degree an 8 to a 10 on the difficulty meter for students with good study habits. This means they are looking for a GPA of above 3.5. Unless of course they are a genius and would probably end up with a high GPA at Payap or any other top rated university around the world. Those who want to just pass with a 2.0 minimum would have a difficulty level of a 5 but would probably have to take many classes again because they failed the class. It took me 5 years to graduate from Payap with a GPA of 3.7 and it was a lot of work and I did fail classes. I think many international programs in Thailand are like this. It was hard but I wanted to learn and think I got an excellent education.

With so many superstar foreign teachers in Thailand you would think you can go to the Thai market and order in English. Obviously that is not the case. Whether or not the lack of English speaking ability of Thailand's youth is the fault of the Thai school or the teacher, the blame goes to the foreign native English speaking teacher. Perhaps Thailand has come to the conclusion that native English speaking teachers are not worth the money they are paid. If they were, surely the Thai youth would be speaking better English...perhaps there is a paradigm shift in this regards. Now that warm fuzzy feeling we thought the Thai teachers got when our pale faces graced their classrooms has all but faded away. Like it or not, Asean has paved the way for the foreign (western) teacher to be replaced.

Why would you say that? Does this hold true in countries like Vietnam? They big difference between Vietnam and Thailand is Vietnam takes education seriously.

Take a look at South Korea. In 50 short years they have gone from a country steeped in poverty to a very powerful country that competes in today's economic climate. Thailand on the other hand has such a bad reputation. They are just not taken seriously.

Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia, and Laos are all going to be competing with Thailand. In the past Thailand was THE country to go to if you wanted to experience SE Asia. Not anymore. Times are changing. The almighty foreign dollar is going to go to the countries that adapt the English language.

Why? It would help to explain recent immigration policy changes. This is the Asean agreement I was talking about earlier.

http://www.asean.org/images/2012/Economic/sectoral_aem/service/agreement/AFAS%208%20Set%20for%20Public.zip

With so many superstar foreign teachers in Thailand you would think you can go to the Thai market and order in English. Obviously that is not the case. Whether or not the lack of English speaking ability of Thailand's youth is the fault of the Thai school or the teacher, the blame goes to the foreign native English speaking teacher. Perhaps Thailand has come to the conclusion that native English speaking teachers are not worth the money they are paid. If they were, surely the Thai youth would be speaking better English...perhaps there is a paradigm shift in this regards. Now that warm fuzzy feeling we thought the Thai teachers got when our pale faces graced their classrooms has all but faded away. Like it or not, Asean has paved the way for the foreign (western) teacher to be replaced.

'Many smarter types, like Nurses I hear from, are scared silly that they will be replaced by cheaper labor from neighboring nations."

This is not going to happen. Thailand has already announced that with the start of the AEC next year, employment will be restricted to 8 professional categires and nursing and teaching are not among them.

Sorry, that's not true.