Kilgore Trout

it will never stop...

Driver a school employee ???

So the school never knew he was a heavy drinker ?? was he vetted before he was employed ??? to get the job you normally have connections with a school member of staff Did he ??? so who actually set him on.

Hope he had a D/License.

What the f*** are wrong with those people??

You are responsible for the lives and safety for a group of young people, and drives with 3 times over the limit in your blood??

Hope the youths recover quickly!!

All agree.

If there was a teacher on board the bus, surely that teacher would have noticed the driver well and truly drunk (3 times over the limit),so

why didn't that teacher say something?

As many posters on this forum would say; because its her country and her people. She can do what she wants. She is right and you are not only wrong but you are a bad, bad person for bringing it up and making her lose face. If you don't like it go home, you are just a falang and have no right to criticize any Thai person for anything they do or dont do.

I wouldnt say that though, I agree with you

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Blaming the foreigners; the last refuge of a scoundrel....

For any significant purchase i would never go in without my wonderful Thai/Isaan wife. She has a magnetic personality, and people everywhere flock just to be in her presence.

I think a lot of these problems are just because the staffer just does NOT understand you, and the interaction with you is for them a stressful situation. For the farang (that's You & Me, brother) it's free entertainment! Isn't it wonderful. Can't take it, buy online.

Yes, when agreeing to take on a job for pay one should avoid any stress at all costs.

I for one, having worked in retail in the US get extremely stressed out if I have to deal with tourists or migrant workers whose English is not so good. I do my best to ignore them, but if they continue to bother me I have no problem belittling them or verbally abusing them.

How can they be so stupid? Don't they know that if they want to buy something they should bring in a decent, respectable English speaker with the same nationality as me?

Better yet, why do they need to come in at all? They can just buy online.

Tried to explain this to my boss, but instead of understanding my point he fired me. He must be just as stupid as these silly foreigners.

If I came from the USA , I would rather be addressed as a "septic" ,by someone with a grin on their face , than as an " American " by someone with a sneer on their face.

I've heard the word "seppo" from Aussie friends for us Americkanos. Is that the same, as in septic tank?

If so, why you Aussies so mean to us ~mercanos?

maybe because while the Aussies were overseas fighting in the trenches, Australia was the main R&R base for the SU Pacific theater forces, and our soldiers had plenty of ready cash, chocolate, stockings etc and they had their way with Aussies lovely girlfriends, wives, sisters. . .

maybe because our heavy-handed foreign policy since then has bullied the politicians in to letting their territory be secretly used for military/intelligence purposes without considering the feelings of the voters, and their intelligence services to be treated as a satellite of the 800 lb gorilla

maybe because the average Australian has a bit more of a clue about social justice and geopolitics and realizes just how justified Iran is in calling our government "the great Satan"?

and just generally they're a rough lot, their sense of humour usually does feel cruel to thin-skinned newbies. only solution is to give it back just as hard and never show any weakness

That is pretty funny. Australia is not far off from a complete racist and fascist state. The way they have treated and still treat the indigenous population is shameful.

The way they have treated refugees escaping persocution trying to enter is equally shamefull.

I have seen the way australians act abroad and I would be very very embarrassed if I were Australian.

They seem to want to be like the USA in every respect but unfortunately have neither the political power or ingenuity to do so; hence the jealousy and spite they exhibit toward Americans.

Although I know a bit about Australian history etc., as an American all I care to know about them or think about is that Crocodile Dundee and Yahoo Serious are slightly amusing, especially when they speak that nonsense language......

'laughing stock'? OMG! That's so embarrassing.

If only the US had a good example to follow... Russia? China? Iran? UK? Thailand?

I don't think there are any good examples of countries trying to use their military power to dominate the whole world for economic gain.

I think any rational use of the word "good" would show that would be an oxymoron.

Sure lots of good things about the American system, but the fact that it's all driven by greed is its fundamental flaw, makes the idealistic parts seem like hypocritical window dressing.

Especially since we've largely given up the idealistic parts for the idiotic war on terror scam.

Err, well, umm, lets see; the British Empire, Spanish ,Portugese the list goes on and on.

Have you ever heard of the Opium Wars; the British were nothing but thugs literally forcing the Chinese to buy narcotics and when they refused they were blasted to hell, indiscriminately killing scores, scores and scores of people. The Chinese relented and continued to buy English dope for fear of being obliterated; all for British ECONOMIC GAIN.

That is just one example, there are however, many many more. The British Empire was far, far more evil that America has ever been.

You should take a history class.

No, you should try to follow the bouncing ball a bit better.

I was asked for "good" examples - I pointed out that the term "good" usually implies morally superior, and therefore was impossible to find as the whole concept of imperialism is evil by definition.

And the US has directly picked up where the Brits left off, including our intelligence agencies financing their illegal ops by smuggling drugs into US territory for our OWN citizens to get addicted to.

Not to mention that humanity's supposed to have been evolving spiritually this past century, sure we're not as bad as Genghis Khan either.

Parallel - I point out that Mr X is a pedophile, raping an 11 year old girl. You say he's not so bad, since Mr Y and Z were raping girls much younger. Can you give me a example/role model for somone to follow who wants to be a "good" pedophile?

Your "parallel" is sick, twisted and off topic. Probably shows what is going through your head though....

'laughing stock'? OMG! That's so embarrassing.

If only the US had a good example to follow... Russia? China? Iran? UK? Thailand?

I don't think there are any good examples of countries trying to use their military power to dominate the whole world for economic gain.

I think any rational use of the word "good" would show that would be an oxymoron.

Sure lots of good things about the American system, but the fact that it's all driven by greed is its fundamental flaw, makes the idealistic parts seem like hypocritical window dressing.

Especially since we've largely given up the idealistic parts for the idiotic war on terror scam.

Err, well, umm, lets see; the British Empire, Spanish ,Portugese the list goes on and on.

Have you ever heard of the Opium Wars; the British were nothing but thugs literally forcing the Chinese to buy narcotics and when they refused they were blasted to hell, indiscriminately killing scores, scores and scores of people. The Chinese relented and continued to buy English dope for fear of being obliterated; all for British ECONOMIC GAIN.

That is just one example, there are however, many many more. The British Empire was far, far more evil that America has ever been.

You should take a history class.

'I think you're (and your free thinkers) thoroughly mistaken old chap'

PS: Thank goodness you're on the Chinese side...

Nicely done. But no denying your appalling record of foreign policy overseas since you joined the Second World War in mainland Europe AFTER the war was already won. And that reflects every conflict that you guys have either started, promoted, hidden from or ultimately failed in, globally. You are a laughing stock of the rest of the world that does not buy into your very special brand of democracy. IMHO, no offence meant, I am sure you are not responsible directly.

Rubbish, , the war was won , If it wasn't for the USA I wouldn't be here now, ask my English dad................gawd.........

I don't need to ask anyone. Read up on your military history, then come back and spa..... But you won't come back. It's in black and white. The US joined the war in Europe to finish it quicker, and reap the benefits which were many.... But let's not go into too much unsavoury detail.

First off you are just plain wrong.

Second; typical Eurocentric attitude. The war was bigger than Europe and had the Americans not been fighting the Japanese in Asia (and defeated them) the Japanese would soon be in Europe fighting alonsgside the axis.

The allies could not have won the war in Europe without the good ol' USA.

OP. Because they have been brainwashed into believing the good ol US of A represents the freedom of the world. Wrong on so many levels least of all failed American foreign policy which by 2050 many free thinkers believe and predict will be assigned to one of the greatest mistakes of humanity. Thank goodness I am on the Chinese side of the globe.

'I think you're (and your free thinkers) thoroughly mistaken old chap'

PS: Thank goodness you're on the Chinese side...

Nicely done. But no denying your appalling record of foreign policy overseas since you joined the Second World War in mainland Europe AFTER the war was already won. And that reflects every conflict that you guys have either started, promoted, hidden from or ultimately failed in, globally. You are a laughing stock of the rest of the world that does not buy into your very special brand of democracy. IMHO, no offence meant, I am sure you are not responsible directly.

After the war was won:lol:

Laughing stock that wants to be just like the US and btw, right or wrong, your little country will do just what the US says so I think you should start at home there bud....

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Sorry been a bit of a crappy day so excuse me for saying this, "Instead of starting another earth-moving threads about the US", why don't you just go ask all those wearing the f...ing things and spare us the inevitable USA is great vs USA is <deleted> debate that is so often the norm here. It's bad enough that 3/4's of the world news in the world news section is american (I wonder why - but I digress)....

Rant over, carry on.

Although to make this Thai related we could discuss the similarity between the nationalist tendencies in both the US and Thailand and there are some very profound similarities eg large portions of the US population fly the US flag outside their houses and so do Thai's,

large numbers of the US population proclaim the US is the greatest nation on earth, and large number of the thai population proclaim the same

Food for thought

I'm pretty sure N. Korea proclaims the same. Chew on that.

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TV, Movies/Hollywood, pop stars, Pimps, Hommies, Plastic surgery, American Dream, really these people you are seeing are naïve and worship my list.....

Grass is greener far away... in America's the dollar bill is Greener far away not so easy to make when you get there though...

Not sure what you mean, where I'm from the streets are paved with gold; right within view of the Big Rock Candy Mountain.

They "believed he may be suffering from Alzheimers" and put him in a hotel ???????????

The poor guy needs to be evaluated and treated medically, if that has not been done already.

How is this guy ever going to be able to or allowed to board an Aircraft in his confused state ?????????

No Airline will accept him as a passanger in that state even if accompanied by a family mmber or other person.

He has to be "Cleared Medically to Fly" and approved by the Chief Medical Officer of the Airline he will be flying on.

Another obvious case of "kicking the can down th road" by both Thai authorities, his Embassy, and his family

This is Thailand dude, he's lucky they didn't tie him to a chair or something. Not much in the way of mental health care here. He sounds pretty lucky to me, all things condidrred

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Hi all,

I moved here from the states a few years back. I used to have a place near me in the states where couple from Jamaica made Jerk Chicken/Fish/Pork, curry chicken/goat, fried Plantains, these crazy spicy Jamaican pepper shrimp, Chile lime grilled corn on the cob, mango salsa, and all kinds of goodies...

I can't find food like that ANYWHERE here.

I googled "Jamaican restaurant Thailand" and I got Thai restaurants in Jamaica!

Anybody know anyplace?

Anybody else jonesing for this kind of food or am I all alone on this one?

In order for a place to function either there has to be a sizeable community of that ethnicity or Thais have to like it

Not many Jamaicans here and I can't see Thais wanting to eat food black people make

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Yeah... I totally understand wanting a sizeable ethnic community to support a restaurant. (However, I have to say that in my opinion, the last part of your comment is unnecessary and inappropriate.)

I guess I'm wondering if there isn't a big enough US / British presence that is familiar with the food and the music and the "Caribbean vibe" to go in for this kind of food if it was available. (plus all the other nationalities from the Caribbean through central America)

And I do think that the spicy food would appeal to Thai tastes if they tried it.

There is a beach place on Samui that does jerk chicken and ribs. It's decent, but not totally authentic. But its become a landmark of sorts... albeit with tourists... not locals...

Why not a place in Bangkok?

I love Italian food, but I'm tired of eating it!

Inappropriatte that so many think that way, sad too

Necessary to mention cause its true

There was just a threead on why many Thais wont eat Indian food, most wont eat what they would consider African either

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Every country has people like this. I have an uncle who is basically the same way about the USA. He never left the country, only eats American staples (burgers, hotdogs, potatoes etc) only buys "American made" products. I figure its their loss not mine

Yes you cant change people like that.. the irony in this story is though she chose a profession where she gets in close contact with the thing she hates.

Though she does have some good points on farang. Its not like we as a group are perfect, many misfits here much higher as back home. Its quite noticeable in the looks and education department.

Good points:blink:

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Hi all,

I moved here from the states a few years back. I used to have a place near me in the states where couple from Jamaica made Jerk Chicken/Fish/Pork, curry chicken/goat, fried Plantains, these crazy spicy Jamaican pepper shrimp, Chile lime grilled corn on the cob, mango salsa, and all kinds of goodies...

I can't find food like that ANYWHERE here.

I googled "Jamaican restaurant Thailand" and I got Thai restaurants in Jamaica!

Anybody know anyplace?

Anybody else jonesing for this kind of food or am I all alone on this one?

In order for a place to function either there has to be a sizeable community of that ethnicity or Thais have to like it

Not many Jamaicans here and I can't see Thais wanting to eat food black people make

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Where are all the apologists now? Why is there no one on here saying that this is their country and if they want to let this kind of thing happen and only punish the driver with a slap on the wrist then that is their business as westerners have not right to make any negative comments?

Kilgore, you can make a case for anything when you put words into other peoples mouths in just the way that suits you. Surprised your BA didn't teach you that?

I think the issue is that its not entirely settled that you do need a degree to teach English here. People can and do legally teach English without a degree in Thailsnd and most of those do so competently. Some dont do a competent job. But some with a degree teach English poorly/incompetently as well.

Then I gues there is nothing to worry about, everyone will keep their jobs. Thailand will continue to let people teach without a degree.

I thought that was not the case, but i guess since you said otherwise, it must be true.

Actually, I think you'll find the reality is that you can get a job quite easily without a degree - otherwise we wouldn't have so many posters whining about having to share staff rooms with their intellectual inferiors.

Most of the teachers I know who lack degrees are long standing staff members of private schools. They must be doing something right if they are still there after years? Other posters have made similar observations.

'Thats the reality of it, the long and short of it, the "it is what it is" of it etc.'

Whining is not the sole preserve of the great unwashed it seems (if whining is what was being done - in fact, I was just raising issues with the poor quality arguments being raised - but it is your right to label it whining if you wish to resort to lesser forms of rebuttal).

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Saying; "the job I want requires a degree. I don't have a degree but feel I should get the job anyway, and I have no interest in doing the coursework required for the degree, but hey, I should have the job."

Sounds like whining to me, but hey, what do I know?

I'm just a guy who came here as an English teacher, worked hard, got my degree and now work in an international school.

It is an Anti-Democratic movement, as the constitutions has a vehicle to "impeach" the PM for any illegal acts she may have committed, That is how a Democracy works,

The protesters have voiced opposition to a free and open election and have questioned the one-person, one vote principal of the current Thai democracy,

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, That what it is!

Cheers

Unless it's a robot duck, in that case it would be a robot, not a duck.

^^^^^

Well, the answers, mates?

Low

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Gook is an American word invented by American soldiers. I can tell you as an American soldier it is always meant in a negative way.

Farang is a Thai word invented by Thai people and we have yet to hear from a Thai person what it means. Although every Thai dictionary both online and in print and Thai Visa says it's a neutral word. Pffft what do they know. 5 goofs from Thai Visa think it is a negative word...

My oh my who should we believe?

I had a friend from the south when I was a kid; his mom used to get these round chocolate pieces we all loved to eat.

They called them "ni&&er toes."

They meant it in a non-offensive way, I knew them personally so I know they had no animosity towards black people.

Is it ok then for them to use it? Where they are from it is socially acceptable to use the term, the majority of the people would say the word is nuetral and no malice is intended.

Judging from the logic on here, many seem to think that this use of the word is OK.

But here's the kicker; would they have used the term in earshot of a black person??

No, I didn't think so

I agree, they wouldn't, but according to some people's logic on this thread,they have every right to use the term in front of black people, just as Thais use the word "farang."

People have a right to do or say whatever they want but if they cross a line, they should be prepared for the consequences.

100% of people - Caucasian, Asian. Latino yadda-yadda - categorically know that "n*****" is offensive to blacks; Jesus, even the Thais know that.

Most people don't use it and if they do, they never do so within earshot of a black person.

"Farang" simply doesn't compare because

1. Most people have never heard it

2. Most white people - even those who live here - don't give two shits

3. It's not used as part of a concerted effort to repress those it's typically used to describe

Not quite; a racial term is a racial term; make up a new one and use it to refer to Thais; they wont like it I assure you

I dont like it when people are hypocrites; thats my point

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Gook is an American word invented by American soldiers. I can tell you as an American soldier it is always meant in a negative way.

Farang is a Thai word invented by Thai people and we have yet to hear from a Thai person what it means. Although every Thai dictionary both online and in print and Thai Visa says it's a neutral word. Pffft what do they know. 5 goofs from Thai Visa think it is a negative word...

My oh my who should we believe?

I had a friend from the south when I was a kid; his mom used to get these round chocolate pieces we all loved to eat.

They called them "ni&&er toes."

They meant it in a non-offensive way, I knew them personally so I know they had no animosity towards black people.

Is it ok then for them to use it? Where they are from it is socially acceptable to use the term, the majority of the people would say the word is nuetral and no malice is intended.

Judging from the logic on here, many seem to think that this use of the word is OK.

But here's the kicker; would they have used the term in earshot of a black person??

No, I didn't think so

I agree, they wouldn't, but according to some people's logic on this thread,they have every right to use the term in front of black people, just as Thais use the word "farang."

Gook is an American word invented by American soldiers. I can tell you as an American soldier it is always meant in a negative way.

Farang is a Thai word invented by Thai people and we have yet to hear from a Thai person what it means. Although every Thai dictionary both online and in print and Thai Visa says it's a neutral word. Pffft what do they know. 5 goofs from Thai Visa think it is a negative word...

My oh my who should we believe?

I had a friend from the south when I was a kid; his mom used to get these round chocolate pieces we all loved to eat.

They called them "ni&&er toes."

They meant it in a non-offensive way, I knew them personally so I know they had no animosity towards black people.

Is it ok then for them to use it? Where they are from it is socially acceptable to use the term, the majority of the people would say the word is nuetral and no malice is intended.

Judging from the logic on here, many seem to think that this use of the word is OK.

^^^^^^^

And regarding those monthly rates, is that before or after taxes?

Meaning that if a teacher is making 60,000 baht per month at a mid-tier school, is that the money he walks away with or do they TAX that 60,000 baht figure? AND IF THEY DO TAX THE 60,000 baht, HOW MUCH would he get?

If the school is legitemately claiming the proper amount paid and paying taxes properly then it depends on the bracket you are in.

From my experience, if you are over 80k per month, expect to pay 20-30% in tax.

I really wish people without degrees would stop crying about how they are being put upon and disenfranchaised. A degree has been a standard of entry to most jobs in the West for decades. Why on earth would it not be a requirement in academics?

Like my seventh grade teacher told me about math, if you would put the same effort into doing it as you do avoiding it you'd understand it.

You people are at the end of your rope, working in Thailand, illegally and want the system to make exceptions in what are common standards because you are such a brilliant teacher - but not brilliant or dilligent enough to get a bachelors degree.

I have a degree in an academic subject and studying for TCT tests. Yeah, there is something to being a teacher other than being able to "do the drill". Teaching is perhaps the one job thst everyone thinks they can do naturally.

The best judge if you are a non degreed teacher is multiple years teaching at the same school with wp in bkk. Anything short of that and you are just fooling yourself.

Try the low end schools in Cambodia. You are done.

Stop trying to rationalize to people that have achieved their degrees that you deserve to be included in the club, just because. You don't.

College graduate is a standard for everything these days. What it shows if notbing else is diligence and determination. It also proves as fact you have studied in relation to English:

These are basics of any decent liberal arts BA. The diploma certifies you know this stuff.

Composition, Adv Comp

English

Literature

Humanities

Logic and critical thinking

In my major, tons of reading and writing

Senior paper

Teaching at this juncture will never, ever be reduced to "a job". If snything, it has been going in the opposite direction, for years. You have done nothing to assist yourself in this regard save for whining about how experience trumps all.

The only people that ever and I do mean ever, routinely slag degreesvare the people that don't have one.

Move on. Move out, really.

Good post

OK, I've got a degree and I'm saying it means jack s*#@t in many cases. Even a PhD can be fairly meaningless depending on what was studied and the personal aptitude of the teacher. This is based on interviewing, hiring and observing graduates and post grads over 10 years in a professional field.

And I wouldn't be getting too elitist about having a BA! I did some guest lecturing and testing of BA students in one of the better universities in Australia and was hardly impressed with what I saw. Perhaps you would've been one of the 5% in those classes who could string a legible argument together without paraphrasing from a book? In that case you'd have been part of a very small group! I doubt it's that different elsewhere except in the very best unis.

In my humble opinion, a BA is hardly up to the standard of a BLLb or BSc, which require (again in my opinion and from personal experience of all) a significantly higher pass standard in skills like argument development, written and verbal English expression and reading for understanding. As they used to say, 'oils ain't oils', and in the same vein some degrees simply aren't equivalent in terms of required English standards to others.

So what does this mean? A 'degree' or even a PhD on its own doesn't really say that much. It certainly doesn't fit you out as a competent NES teacher of foreign language students. It's more about your aptitude and ability to enthuse and communicate than how good you were at writing 2000 words on Aristotle or whipping out 4 essays in 3 hours in an exam 5 years ago (or whenever) (or sticking the course through years of hell to get your doctrate).

Many good teachers in this country with extensive experience would be unnecessarily affected by this proposal. I think those of us with formal qualifications should be supporting the good teachers among them, not lounging around in towers of fake ivory feeling superior because we spent 3 or 4 years cloistered in tutorials and lecture rooms while they gained real world experience (instead of just reading about it).

I would certainly not say; as you so eloquently put it, that a degree means jacksh&t, here's why.

A degree will get you a job. Without one you have little chance. Keeping said job will depend on your ability in the classroom.

Thats the reality of it, the long and short of it, the "it is what it is" of it etc.

I have little faith that whining about it will ever make a difference, but it is your right to do so.