richard_smith237

2 hours ago, Freddy42OZ said:

16 hours ago, Robert Paulson said:

Teaching kids is the most important job we have. I can’t believe people leave it to other people. I mean that’s just insane who knows who this person could be. I think you’re just making excuses rearrange your life so you can teach your kids. And you seriously have got to be kidding me you don’t think you can out teach a teacher who is dealing with 30 kids at once and you are one on one? I find it insane one parent needs to get with it and teach their kids in all families, if not both parents. 

I went to very good schools and am considered quite smart.  There is no way I could teach maths, physics, chemistry, geography, French, Spanish, Latin, economics or the woodworking, metalworking etc that I was taught at school. 

I still know a bit about all the things I was taught but nowhere near enough to teach a kid to the level required to pass O or A level exams.

Also I had 9 different teachers at school, one for each subject.  

The concept of homeschooling typically falls into two categories: those who are unaware of their own ignorance and those for whom no better option exists due to isolation, illness, or similar circumstances.

Just as we rely on our expertise in our respective fields, we trust teachers, as educated professionals, to impart their knowledge and skills to our children in a structured and organised manner.

Moreover, it is ironic that individuals whose intellect often betrays them with flawed attitudes and questionable comments on this forum are the ones who support the idea of homeschooling. 

2 hours ago, Celsius said:

People pay top dollar to receive prestigious Thai education in "international" schools.

You nearly got there.....    in many cases its a prestigious International education that in International Schools that opens to the door to the the Top Universities in the world..   its not a 'Thai education'... 

5 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

Does international schools mean non-Thai students? Some cultures tolerate this and consider it "boys will be boys" etc... maybe even Thailand is like this but I've never seen it myself.

No... International Schools means schools that are not administered by the Thai Education authority.

Standards obviously vary, as does the price. 

This sort of behavior is dealt with extremely swiftly at the 'upper tier' international schools where reputation matters.

1 minute ago, save the frogs said:

Maybe the Ministry or Education is already aware that this takes place in many schools and just turns a blind eye to it.

Path of least resistance - they are lazy & do as little as possible until they realise they can't.

In short, ensure that you (use, we, the Op) do not become the path of least resistance in such situations (and many others).

3 hours ago, LennyW said:

Nobody in ICU, nobody dead, the three of them walked away from the melee under their own steam! 

Which is surprising given the force of that kick...    I hope he was able to go to hospital... the consequences of an impact such as that are regularly fatal.

IMO - the security guard should be charged with attempted Manslaughter at the very least, there is no way he 'wasn't' trying to kill the guy with a kick to the head like that.

The violence exampled here is far more significant than a Swiss-man kicking a doctor...  I'm not condoning that, or the actions of the Brits which led up to this fight - but IF that security guard is not charged with a serious crime such, at the very least asault, GBH etc....  then Thailands legal system is disgusting - (which we know it is), and the double standards on display, outrageous.

Gottfrid hasn't responded with a Brit-Bash...

... his proctalgia fugax must have surely alerted him to this thread....  he's either slipping or applying an exceptional degree of self control....   

1 hour ago, Polaky said:

The penalty should mirror what the bounces got on soi 6, absolutely nothing.

Not really, you've focused on the lower end of the spectrum rather than focusing on how firm penalties should exist for all in such a manner...      including bouncers who beat up people... 

China Eastern is..

BKK-PVG (Shanghai): 4:20 hrs

Layover: 3:15 hrs

PVG (Shanghai)-LHR: 13:05 hrs

Total: 20:40 hrs

EVA and TG: BKK-LHR: 13:20 hrs non-stop.

Is the 10,000 baht saving worth the extra 7 hours ?? 

If cost saving is your only concern - there is also Air-India.

This thread here has info... 

20 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

Lived in central London for a couple of years in the early 80's.

 

Virtually no crime to be seen anywhere.  There probably was, but far less than today.

 

Therefore, one is left with the only explanation for the explosion of crime is the concurrent explosion in the intake of "refugees" from third world countries.

 

Not say that all crime committed today is by immigrants, but perhaps the local lads are also learning and being influenced by these newcomers who had a rough life in their childhoods?

 

I can not see why the authorities don't simply put ALL immigrants/refugees on a 5 to 10 year "watch list", where if there is ANY crime by ANY member of the family, the entire family is immediately deported.  The family can keep the young ones in check.

 

Simple solution.

.. There's no need to isolate immigrants on a dedicated watch list...   Just deal with all crime effectively.

Perhaps the national service would be effective...  (not military service) national service... And any young person has to give time to their community / nation... And that means any incoming immigrant (younger than 35 for example) also has to contribute towards national service - if not, they are deported...

Another issue is that half of society don't distrust the police, the other half want them to do a better job - they have to be given back the ability to do their jobs properly - as things stand, who'd want to be a police officer, they are doing their jobs with both hands tide behind their backs...

... speak to any 'older member of the community' and they'd talk of the community 'bobby' on the beat... we don't see that so much anymore.... 

1 minute ago, Chongalulu said:

For all that, instigating violence for someone upsetting your sensibilities by making a pass at your wife is very poor mitigation (if any ) in legal terms and which could for you ,as with this guy, end with you facing a severe penalty and sorely regretting your actions. 

I agree...   When younger, especially under the influence we may react in a manner we regret later on in life.

As I commented, walking away is always the better option...    At that time (the example I gave) I was fortunate that events unfolded in manner that excluded me.

59 minutes ago, ujayujay said:

It seems that every Moron is allowed to drive a vehicle in Thailand

Every moron is allowed to drive a vehicle in any country... in many of them there is better and stricter training, stricter penalties... but plenty of idiots still exist, there is just a little more stupidity on the roads here which we see in the daily headlines.... 

In this case - I just can't see how the guy did this...  he must have fallen asleep, or was using his phone etc.. I just don't see how he can drive into the back of other quickly moving vehicles like that - its mind-boggling.

41 minutes ago, Ctkong said:

So many details not provided. What type of host for the pool party.types of visitors. 
were they all acquainted with each other or pay per visit. Is it one of those pool party where strangers hook up? Does the Russian and Brit knew each other ? What is the underlying social event? Charity ? Or other nefarious activity ?
without those details, it is difficult to pin point the fault and the severity of the act.

Valid point... 

In the past I was close to clobbering a guy...  fortunately, he'd run off by the time I'd returned....

We were in a regular night-club, with a group of friends, this friend of a friend (Thai) made a 'sexual advance' to my Wife (asked her to come home with him) while I'd gone to the bathroom...  my Wife was furious... he ran off and left the club...  he was gone by the time I'd returned from the bathroom.

Thus, she did handle it - had she not, I'm not sure what I'd have done but it may have involved clobbering him.

Not because my Wife is my possession - but because of the manner in which he knew we were married and still behaved in this way...   

He called up my friends up the next day and asked to pass on an apology. I never saw the guy ever again - I think my Thai friends cut him off after that behavior.

In short, I don't take my Wife to places where this behavior could be expected - however, some guys can act like total dyak heads...    A pool party in Pattaya seems like an area where one would have to be thicker skinned to this sort of behaviour... 

Perhaps the Russian had a hiding coming, if he did sexually assault the Brits Wife... but the article mentioned 'sexual advance' which implies it was something 'just verbal'...    he certainly didn't deserve to die. 

Certainly the Brit didn't intend to kill the Russian - the consequences are tragic...   As most others have mentioned, walking away is the only smart option - though we have to be there to understand the full extent of the interaction.

Is this going to be another 'escalator' scenario...  Whereby there is a huge incident which gains a lot of attention, then any similar incident reaches media headlines as its now 'flavour of the month'...

... Would this second incident even reach the news had the Singapore Airlines incident not occurred.

Turbulence happens all the time and injuries are a lot more common than we think.

8 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

It is a good idea for any country if only to get kids off their phones and out of their wrapped up little lives for a bit. Some of the uni kids in the UK are so out of touch with reality that a couple years basic training and discipline would give them real perspective. 

Let me guess.. You never went to Uni hence your isolation of 'Uni Kids'... 

The reality is, there are many 'people' young and old out of touch with reality - not just the young and not just those going through tertiary education. 

Another reality also is that those of us who live overseas are often out of touch with the reality back home.

What would you want 'them' [Uni Kids] to get a real perspective of? compared to a kid who leaves school at 16 and works in a factory?... 

The best response to this subject is from 'theblether' (quote below) - whereby National Service is less about military and more about 'serving the nation, learning life skills etc...      

21 hours ago, theblether said:

I've been in favour of this for years with some provisos. 

 

1. Male and female service. If its men only, I'm against it. 

2. 90 day mandatory military training followed by voluntary streaming into either civic or military service. 

3. A complete ban on front line service. No one on national service should be sent to a war zone under any circumstances. 

 

The civic service possibilities are endless. From assisting in British and foreign hospitals, to streaming trainee teachers into overseas posts. 

 

The 90 day military training is essential to codify discipline. And I accept many will find that punishing. However, once that period is over it could be/should be an enjoyable life enhancing experience. 

D-heads on illegally modded rental scooters... 

The residents reporting them and them getting caught has very possibly saved their lives... racing around an area such as Samui is lethal. 

Now... any repercussions for the rental shop having illegally modified motorcycles for rent ?

And... did these two 'boy racers' have motorcycle licenses ?...   Aren't rental shops only allowed to rent out bikes to those with an MC license ?...   repercussions for the rental shop renting out a MC's to no-licensed customers (if that is the case) ??