grtaylor

I have never liked the whole atmosphere of Hard Talk. I don't like the aggressive and rude interviewers who do not give the interviewee chance to answer their questions.

Having said that, I'm just watching Abhisit now on BBC, and I'm quite impressed with the way he is handling the "interrogation". I only wish he had come to power through the proper electoral process, and could be really given a fair chance to run this country properly.

But other than that, every one I know (whose activities are not confined to the the tourist type) lives effectively the same way they would in their home country.

Thats what I do - there's nothing I can't do here that I would do back home.

I had a problem with wireless not working on my Acer Aspire One after I installed Ubuntu. I fixed it by downloading and installing a new kernel from this site: http://www.aspireonekernel.com/

Since then - no problem.

Graham

I cannot believe it took until post 57 before the esteemed members of TV realised the date!! Very Good one this year boys and girls, by posting on a subject already in the news and close to many TV members hearts you were able to get a real rise from the first 56 posters.

:D

Actually it seems that it was said earlier, but posts have not been published (at least mine was not).....Certainly to keep the ball rolling until now !

Interesting you should say that - I posted a reply about it being April 1st, around 8:45am today, and it isn't there either . . . . . . I'm not real happy about that

Has nobody noticed what date it is today???

Grtaylor,

Mind sharing the name of your school ? Any feedback about Shrewsbury ?

Thinktoomut,

Good luck arguing with JacknDummy, at least he's a fine illustration of how someone's brain could deal with more critical thinking and a tad less blind propaganda swallowing.

Don't really know anything about Shrewsbury, sorry.

At NIST there is no national anthem in the morning..

Maybe thats because their school starts at 0830

7:30 . . . . . .

Total, utter, complete <deleted>

Please make a list of international schools that do not adhere to the national anthem.

Some people

As a retired school administrator who once did some serious applying for a few international schools in Bangkok, I think JacknDanny is correct. In fact, at least as of a few years ago, even though the headmaster might be a Westerner, there also had to be at least one key administrator that was a Thai national.

Still correct, as far as I know. Every International School, unless privately owned by a Thai national, is required by law to have a Thai as the "Licence Holder" and a Thai Head, referred to at my school as the "Khru Yai". If the school is a "not for profit" organisation owned by a Foundation Board, then that Board must be at least 51% Thai citizens.

FYI, not all international school plays the national anthem in the morning and make their students stand. Maybe they do play it, but not loudly. I think the only ones that do and make students stand are the ones owned and run by thai people.

Total, utter, complete <deleted>

Please make a list of international schools that do not adhere to the national anthem.

Some people

My school does not play the National Anthem on a daily basis - in fact we never play it. We do, however, stand and sing the King's Anthem, when we celebrate Wai Khru Day, Loy Kratong and Songkran.

I live very near one of those schools and seeing the thai flag in front of it doesn't stop disturbing me.

Which international school would skip this flag, thai anthem, and brainwashing about pillars of thai society ? I suspect the Lycee Francais is one of them but it's so far from our place plus I'm considering an english speaking education for the young one.

I'm not quite sure if I understand you right.

If you're suggesting that international schools should ignore the flag, the anthem and the history of the "host country", then, as an international school teacher, I think that is quite wrong.

I think you will find that virtually all international schools include something about respect for "host country culture" in their mission statement. I feel that is right and proper. Would you, for instance, expect foreign students at ISP (the International School of Paris) to learn nothing about French culture/language/cuisine?

G

Well, I don't know what they study at the ISP or how accustomed they get to french culture, nor expect anything from them, but I've been through french schooling and finished it without having to stand to the french flag or sing the national anthem, and while I'm not the most patriotic citizen around, I feel OK with a culture largely atheist celebrating the decapitation of its former monarchs, and would feel outraged at my kids beeing taught notions like "unconditionnal respect" or to kneel in front of a monk for instance. Hence the serious question above, and I suspect foreign schools like Harrow would try and push less thai culture elements in its pupils' brain than a thai school like Shwresberry. I guess people have different motivations to stay in Thailand, but bathing in local culture is definetely not one of mine - nor of a bunch of other expats .

Fair enough - we're all different - Thai culture is one of the things which has kept me here for nineteen years.

By the way, international schools are required by the Ministry of Education to have a "Thai Studies" course for students. At my school it covers survival language, cultural customs such as Wai Khru, Loy Kratong and Songkran, and Thai history. Its not optional.

I live very near one of those schools and seeing the thai flag in front of it doesn't stop disturbing me.

Which international school would skip this flag, thai anthem, and brainwashing about pillars of thai society ? I suspect the Lycee Francais is one of them but it's so far from our place plus I'm considering an english speaking education for the young one.

I'm not quite sure if I understand you right.

If you're suggesting that international schools should ignore the flag, the anthem and the history of the "host country", then, as an international school teacher, I think that is quite wrong.

I think you will find that virtually all international schools include something about respect for "host country culture" in their mission statement. I feel that is right and proper. Would you, for instance, expect foreign students at ISP (the International School of Paris) to learn nothing about French culture/language/cuisine?

G

What are the choices ? How much per year ?

Are they still doing corporal punishment at school in Thailand ?

Do you have to have short hair, crew cut, uniform and all ?

I have 2 boys, 6 and 8.

Thanks for any info anyone can provide.

Check out the ISAT (International Schools Association of Thailand) website, where there is a complete list of schools.

As regards fees, most schools have information on their websites, or their admissions office will give it. The most expensive would be those generally regarded as the top six: ISB, Patana, RIS, NIST, Harrow and Shrewsbury.

There should NO corporal punishment in any properly accredited international schools.

International schools in Thailand do have school uniform, as it is very much the tradition of this country. It varies from, at one extreme, shirt & tie, long trousers, jacket and straw hat, to schools (like mine) where it is a polo shirt and short or long trousers. No crew cuts in international schools, as far as I know!

Well, I have only visited Cebu but I think you'll want to go local:

http://www.livingincebuforums.com/ipb/index.php?act=idx

Thanks Jingthing - I did find that Forum, and have tried to register, so far unsuccessfully, so I can't see all the available sections, and can't post! No response from the forum admin . . . . .

I guess I asked here as I'd like some feedback from someone who has experienced both, not just someone who is a Cebu expat without experience of Thailand.

Thanks for the link anyway.

After nineteen years working in BKK, its looks like I could be relocating to Cebu in the Philippines to work in July, which is a hel_l of a shock after so long. I guess, psychologically, I thought I would never be leaving, but, having decided to change jobs and resigning, I find there's nothing at all coming up in my field at the moment in BKK.

I hope the move would be temporary (maybe up to five years) as it would then almost be time to retire, and I have property here to come back to.

Any perspectives on what life is like there? The salary package is not as good, but has been described by another farang guy there as "comfortable".

Everything I've heard so far reminds me of the T-shirt slogan "same same - but different".

Thanks for any advice/opinions.

do u really not understand the difference between having different prices for locals (who in the case of sports arenas and theme parks probably lent the money to the companies via tax dollars) and different races?

if someone wants to run their business this way, i dont really care all that much, but it does speak to their character as a human being.

i cant imagine being the manager in one of these establishments and having a farang and Thai come in and ask the price.

"Oh for you its this much and for you its that much".

"Why?"

"Because of your skin color".

I'd be too embarrassed honestly.

Its not different races!!! I'm "local" - I'm white, work here, pay my taxes, have a work permit and a driving licence, and I get in (National Park for example) for the local price.

Really? How you do that then? Shoe polish?

I speak to them in Thai and show my driving licence - no problem.

Ridiculous boasting.

Next time you are in BKK let me know if your strategy works also at, let's say, Wat Phra Kaeo.

Not boasting - just another point of view . . . .

excuse me? Speaking Thai, working permit, tax paying and showing driving licence is another point of view?

Or is there something more?

Something more? I don't understand your point, sorry. I'm just trying to point out that if you are "local" you pay the local price, simply that.

1)Are you saying, that every Farang, who speaks Thai, has a working permit, pay tax and has a driving licence pays the local price?

2)Your location:From Bangkok - so you are paying the local price in Bangkok?

1) No, sorry, I'm not claiming that - I don't know - its just personal experience that it was my "permanent" location rather than the colour of my skin which was the factor.

2) My recent experience is based on National Parks around Chiang Mai, on Koh Chang & Koh Samet, I haven't been recently to anywhere in Bangkok which charges. Its probably more than ten years since I last went to Wat Phra Kaeo.

The Koh Samet trip was the one which sticks in my mind. I was with three other farangs and a Thai guy. Two of the farangs were tourists, and the other one is recently retired here but hasn't got himself a driving licence yet. I got in for the Thai price, the other farangs had to pay the higher price. This was just on the strength of the driving licence - I don't carry my WP around with me.

do u really not understand the difference between having different prices for locals (who in the case of sports arenas and theme parks probably lent the money to the companies via tax dollars) and different races?

if someone wants to run their business this way, i dont really care all that much, but it does speak to their character as a human being.

i cant imagine being the manager in one of these establishments and having a farang and Thai come in and ask the price.

"Oh for you its this much and for you its that much".

"Why?"

"Because of your skin color".

I'd be too embarrassed honestly.

Its not different races!!! I'm "local" - I'm white, work here, pay my taxes, have a work permit and a driving licence, and I get in (National Park for example) for the local price.

Really? How you do that then? Shoe polish?

I speak to them in Thai and show my driving licence - no problem.

Ridiculous boasting.

Next time you are in BKK let me know if your strategy works also at, let's say, Wat Phra Kaeo.

Not boasting - just another point of view . . . .

excuse me? Speaking Thai, working permit, tax paying and showing driving licence is another point of view?

Or is there something more?

Something more? I don't understand your point, sorry. I'm just trying to point out that if you are "local" you pay the local price, simply that.

do u really not understand the difference between having different prices for locals (who in the case of sports arenas and theme parks probably lent the money to the companies via tax dollars) and different races?

if someone wants to run their business this way, i dont really care all that much, but it does speak to their character as a human being.

i cant imagine being the manager in one of these establishments and having a farang and Thai come in and ask the price.

"Oh for you its this much and for you its that much".

"Why?"

"Because of your skin color".

I'd be too embarrassed honestly.

Its not different races!!! I'm "local" - I'm white, work here, pay my taxes, have a work permit and a driving licence, and I get in (National Park for example) for the local price.

Really? How you do that then? Shoe polish?

I speak to them in Thai and show my driving licence - no problem.

Ridiculous boasting.

Next time you are in BKK let me know if your strategy works also at, let's say, Wat Phra Kaeo.

Not boasting - just another point of view . . . .

do u really not understand the difference between having different prices for locals (who in the case of sports arenas and theme parks probably lent the money to the companies via tax dollars) and different races?

if someone wants to run their business this way, i dont really care all that much, but it does speak to their character as a human being.

i cant imagine being the manager in one of these establishments and having a farang and Thai come in and ask the price.

"Oh for you its this much and for you its that much".

"Why?"

"Because of your skin color".

I'd be too embarrassed honestly.

Its not different races!!! I'm "local" - I'm white, work here, pay my taxes, have a work permit and a driving licence, and I get in (National Park for example) for the local price.

Really? How you do that then? Shoe polish?

I speak to them in Thai and show my driving licence - no problem.

do u really not understand the difference between having different prices for locals (who in the case of sports arenas and theme parks probably lent the money to the companies via tax dollars) and different races?

if someone wants to run their business this way, i dont really care all that much, but it does speak to their character as a human being.

i cant imagine being the manager in one of these establishments and having a farang and Thai come in and ask the price.

"Oh for you its this much and for you its that much".

"Why?"

"Because of your skin color".

I'd be too embarrassed honestly.

Its not different races!!! I'm "local" - I'm white, work here, pay my taxes, have a work permit and a driving licence, and I get in (National Park for example) for the local price.

Not approved yet, still waiting for approval from foreign ministry. Applied in 07. Some have applied in 06 and still have not gotten any reply.

name='THAIJAMES' date='2009-01-10 08:58:17' post='2457678']

Incidentally Thaijames, I'm assuming from your post that your own application was approved.Do you mind adsvising when? I have a mate who was in the same batch as you but hasn't heard anything yet.

I applied in December 2006, had the interview and Thai test (passed with 100%) in March 2007, and am still waiting, and waiting, and waiting . . . . . .

I know two other people in the same situation.

CARDIEF is the Welsh spelling of Cardiff.

Duh, of course it is, whose brain is addled

Must be from one Brains Bitter (Cardief's best) too many

I believe its now spelt "Caerdydd".

G

Thank you for these two stamps. Being duly added to the picture gallery.

I doubt that B stands for British, as there are a number of other countries strting with the letter B and anyway it would be more likely to use an abbreviation like UK for United Kingdom. If the application number includes a code identifying the country, this code would probably be B-12 and we would be left to puzzle what the 6 stands for.

Now you’ve given me sleepless nights until I figure this one out

--

Maestro

You could right, B12=British, in which case I could be applicant #6 from UK. Only 12 Brits were given PR the previous year, so I suspect thats all who applied.

Last week I bought, in Penang, an Acer AspireOne Netbook. It has an Intel Atom 1.6GHz chip, 160Gb HD and 1Gb of RAM. Pre-installed was a licensed copy of XP Home (with Service Pack 3). The main applications I have added are:

• Office 2007 Enterprise
  
• Firefox 3.0.5 (with add-ons)
  
• Paint Shop Pro 6 (yes, its old, but it does all I need on a Netbook!)
  
• Comodo Internet Security Suite
  
• Adobe Acrobat Professional 7
  

I am not intending to fill it with software, but to keep it "minimalist", using it mainly for email, internet access, word processing and document management.

So far, its working fine and speed is not an issue. I'd happily try Linux on it, but not without a backup image of the HD in case I needed to reverse the process!

Two less common stamps below:

The first extension stamp you get after your application for Permanent Residency is accepted

Subsequent automatic six-month extensions while you are waiting (and waiting, and waiting!) for the result

Both show the application number: I think "B" means British, and the "49" is the year the application was submitted.

Hope this is helpful

Casa Pascale on 2nd Road is very good too.