herfiehandbag

My point exactly. I really think we are singing from the same hymn sheet, although I may be slightly out of tune!😀

"Hold the front page" - finally someone has "sussed" what Pattaya is all about!

And that is just for the members of the constabulary! I expect the drunken police chief climbed into his car and drove home afterwards!

The school at which I taught had a boy who won all the local "English" competitions for three years, and got 100% in the ONET exam at the end of Primary 6. He featured prominently on their Facebook page, and come admissions time, took centre stage on the big vinyl advertising banner. He was born in America and only came here when his parents (Thai mother) moved back to Thailand when he was 8; but he went by a Thai name, and looked Thai. My daughter, also effectively bilingual ( but not admittedly as good as him), was never entered for any competitions, not that it bothered me, but then she was fair and went by a western name. They are of course fixed anyway. I remember being roped in to judge one such competition. The score I gave was "adjusted" so that the competitor attending the school hosting the competition won.

Certainly, being able to quote such accurate statistics on the number of SIM cards, separated into those held by foreigners and Thais rather indicates that they already have such information. In addition, as you say, every time one buys a SIM one has to provide a passport or ID card. Perhaps they are defeated by the prospect of cross referencing the vast store of paperwork which they hold? The cynic in me wonders if a newly established agency sees an opportunity for a "cash grab", and the retention of some of that money to fund itself - the magic phrase "a budget to manage" comes to mind.

I suspect that the OP photograph is what many bars will look like come 3am!

I am sure you are right, although I have never investigated TEFL in the UK. My point really was to counter the argument that only fully qualified " mainstream" foreign teachers should be employed to teach English in Thai schools.

Yes, there are few things as confused as a class of 16 year olds who have just been introduced to the "passive voice" by a Thai English teacher.

That of course in turn depends on how effectively the education authorities, and particularly the schools, vet and assess applicants for jobs, and their qualifications. The official requirement is a degree (any degree) and a TEFL certificate, together with a clear "criminal record report". I have a degree, (from a very long time ago), in a not particularly relevant subject, although it did show an ability to communicate effectively. I took a TEFL course at an establishment in Chiang Rai, which included assessed teaching practices, at kindergarten, primary, junior secondary (up to M3) and senior secondary (up to M6). It was quite hard work (and quite expensive!) but provided with me with a solid foundation in the skills required of a TEFL teacher. Other skills I learned in my first year in post. I also found that the experience (of instructing) and self confidence gained during my long (if not particularly glorious) military career helped enormously. I was not at all worried about standing in front of a class of 30 children, a lot of people find that terrifying! Many of the "online TEFL courses", without any practical assessment, and with a certificate of competence which you download and print yourself (!) are frankly about as useful as an ashtray on a motorcycle! When I applied for my job I was required to give a demonstration lesson to a P3 class and to an M2 class. I had to produce and show a lesson plan and a whiteboard plan, together with a worksheet. The lessons were observed by the Director, Principal and the Senior English teacher, along with the Parish Priest - it was a Catholic school. I understand that they were concerned that, in my mid 50s, I may not have been suitable. However they were satisfied and hired me. I retired after 10 years in the job. I loved every minute. I was not and made no claim to be, a fully qualified teacher; in fact I tried to avoid the honorific title "teacher", preferring to be known as "Mr John", my nickname amongst the children was "Johnzilla"! However I was good at what I did. But if that basic vetting, of both qualifications and suitability is not applied, and candidates are appointed because they are a "white face" and perhaps bring extra funding to the school, you can end up with weak TEFL teachers. That in turn can be part of (but certainly not the only) reason behind Thailand's poor performance in these "league tables". One further point, with newly qualified graduate teachers in the UK, (and I presume other English speaking countries) pulling in £20,000 pounds plus, rising with experience to £40,000 plus, along with a good pension scheme, you are not going to get them here for ThB35000 a month!

Yes she did. You "grade" the language, so it is fairly straightforward. Simple vocabulary: grass, sea, salt, cow, milk, cheese, cave, cool. Tie it together into simple short sentences. That is the technique used in teaching as a foreign language.

It is very often a question of being prepared to try. The young lady who runs the frozen food store in our "mini metropolis" always tries. She says " I only speak a little English", but although sometimes idiosyncratic it works. If she woke up stranded in an English speaking country she would survive - surely the acid test? I shop there every few days, and she was able to understand, when she announced "I now have Cheddar cheese", and I explained that originally Cheddar cheese got its taste from milk produced by cows which grazed on salt marshes, and through being aged and matured in caves which are at a constant temperature year round. She promptly proudly translated it for her father who owns the shop. Mind you, she then went and changed the bag of frozen chips I had selected because " these fries are not beautiful!" Over the last couple of years her English has improved, simply because she tries to use it regularly. Many of the 7/11 girls are similarly keen to try their English. It is so often about trying! Many, teachers and pupils simply don't. The bulk of foreign English teachers who work in Thailand are not trying to teach advanced grammar, but teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL); giving the children the basic grounding they need to use the language simply. For that task, the requirement of a degree and a basic TEFL course ( albeit not "online"), along with enthusiasm, patience and interest suffice. Dismissing them as "backpackers" and "sex tourists" says more about the critics than it does about the TEFL teacher.

No the UK has an astonishing education system, diverse, culturally and ethnically vibrant, and completely attuned to our postmodern multicultural, multiethnic and multi gendered society. They may leave unable to read and write, unable to solve simple mathematical problems, and unaware of anything in our history prior to 1945, but they have a comprehensive grasp of pronouns, and how to identify preferences and apply them...

I don't think he is formally qualified, but he does have a doctor's shirt! Bit of a polymath really, Thailand's very own renaissance man!

Anutin, brain dead, hmmh, no, no, John, resist the temptation to comment!

Possibly one of the funniest "BIB" photos I have seen. Certainly up there with with the "Suckers" group photo!

The cynic in me suspects that your request will go unanswered. Because 1): no one knows, including very probably the tax authorities whose minds it has likely it has never crossed. 2): attempting to answer such a question would perhaps reveal that the answerer lives off a simple pension (eugh!), and is therefore not anything like as rich as those making the most noise! 3): the amounts are so small that no self respecting "agent" or "tax consultant" will be interested in them. I also wonder, if you are a pensioner assessed as tax resident, and paying income tax on your pension ( relatively easy to assess I suppose as my pension is paid into my Thai bank account), will you then be eligible, for example, for the benefits enjoyed by Thai tax payers - particularly in the field of healthcare?

I put that into Lazada ( purely out of curiosity of course) it came out as adult diapers!

I think it is probably the case that forums such as this are probably not that viable anymore as commercial ventures. Therefore I suspect that the long term prospects are not that good. Whilst some of the characters on here can be irritating, it bears no comparison with "Creaky Floor", where the general tone is far more aggressive and bad tempered. So I hope it survives.

Don't worry, not a title - it lacks a definite article! Rather a general expression of mild frustration! I shall now switch my "retired pedantic English teacher mode" off!

Like so many "good" things they are unhealthy if you eat them every day! But as an occasional treat, not a problem. Dark secret - I really like McDonalds, but again only once a month or so! My beloved daughter has recently done some sort of a course on nutrition at school - and tends to lecture me on such matters!

We've got two Pa Tong Go stalls in our nearest "mini metropolis" One is run by a grumpy old bat. The oil is so filthy they come out dark brown and taste foul. The other is run by a cheerful pretty young lady, they are light, fluffy and golden brown (come to think of it so is she!) she always remembers to give me unsweetened soy milk. No prizes for guessing where I buy my occasional snack! I don't think I would fancy charcoal coloured/flavoured Pa Tong Go!

Bastard - beat me to it!

Unit accountant needs to take a close look at his residence to place of duty motor mileage claims - typical bloody "bean stealer"!

Fix the pavements and the "street wiring" first maybe?

I wonder if the crew will be allowed shore leave? And if so how many will disappear?