Xangsamhua

mid April I need to do the visa stuff.

Excellent suggestions from dr.Pot and Lomp31 et. al. recommending Brisi, Aus. for a multiple non imm o

Any advice on routes, flights, accommodation in Brisi. etc.

cheers

Bill Dunn and staff at the Thai consulate in Brisbane have always been helpful and efficient in my experience. Thai, Singapore and Royal Air Brunei all fly in to BNE. TG is the most direct flight with an hour stopover in Sydney before reboarding the same aircraft for Brisbane (direct flight BNE BKK for the return). The consulate is in Annerley, so if you want accommodation close by look in Annerley or East Brisbane - the latter closer to the city. Kangaroo Point has accommodation as well. I've used the Kangaroo Point Holiday Apartments a few times and they've been pretty good.

Good luck.

Dr Areewan is now accepting applications for a new course to start in March.

Xangsamhua,

Thank you very much for this update. What I like to know is whether her course is the equivalent of the Grad.Dip.TF. or is it a preparatory course for the TCT Professional Knowledge Tests.

Thanks.

Petch01

It seems an odd kind of course. I don't know if it's the equivalent of anything, but it appears to satisfy MoE requirements for licensing of teachers who hadn't previously been able to do so. I doubt the course, being so self-managed and able to be completed in such a short time, would meet anyone's criteria outside the specific context of meeting minimum requirements to get a teacher's licence.

The Grad Dip TF (foreign teachers?), if I'm thinking of the right course, normally requires two semesters and costs about 50K (well, the Ramkhamhaeng course does). Its instrumental purpose may be to get a teacher licensed, but is presumably a more substantial qualification than the BSRU one.

I'm not aware of the BSRU course being a preparatory program for the qualifying tests.

I don't know anything more about the BSRU course than what I've been told and what I have passed on. I'm not personally looking to do any of these qualifying courses (except the culture one). I had a short phone conversation with Dr Areewan a few weeks ago, but didn't ask the questions you've asked. Anyone interested in the course should email Dr Areewan and find out what they can. We have a couple of teachers here who will be contacting her, so I'll ask them to put your questions and will report back whatever we find out.

Cheers

Xangsamhua

My pleasure to help.

Regarding great literature or art "de gustibas non disputandum est" (there is no disputing about taste).

Anyone who has studied persuasive writing or persuasive anything knows taste can never be argued successfully but it's fun seeing people have a go.

Regarding Shakespeare, I'm waiting for someone to write Romeo and Juliet in Bargirl "Romeo, Romeo. Where you go?"

chuckacinco

What a brilliant idea! I'm a bit out of touch (with BG lingo) but I'm sure someone on thaivisa could do this.

Our current teacher doing this course told me yesterday she has now finished and has her licence. It took her only a couple of months, self-paced, doing her own research and sending in reports. The only attendance requirement was an initial seminar for a day or two.

Dr Areewan is now accepting applications for a new course to start in March. Cost is THB12000. Those interested should email her at [email protected] and write in the subject block: English Program BSRU. That's the only subject heading she'll check.

I hope this helps. I have no personal involvement in the course, but we have had two teachers do it now and it has met their requirements.

Xangsamhua

I have been able to get this information.

Thank you for viewing the topic.

Xangsamhua

I teach English language literature at an IB (International Baccalaureate) school in Bangkok.

There has been a recent move for IB schools to offer an equivalent Thai literature course of study. There are of course literature studies in French, Spanish and every other major language.

Attached are the IB selections of works that Professor Chusak Pattarakulvanit from Thammasat and other Thai teachers have chosen as a course of study if students elect to study Thai Literature at the diploma level. It's in Thai and you might need to change your computer to Thai language to read the .pdf file.

Perhaps this will be helpful in answering which great Thai literary works need to be studied on par with the traditional English language equivalent.

chuckacinco

ThaiLiteratureIB.pdf

Thank you for attaching this, Chuckacinco. I shall show it to Thai administrators at our (bilingual) school.

It looks like a good range of works grouped into Ayudhaya, Rattanakosin, Pre-WW2, Post-WW2 and mixed periods. I'm in no position to judge the comparative "quality" of the works, but I'd say they've all had a wide impact on Thai thought, at least among the political and literary classes. There are some that have been translated into English, e.g. Kukrit Pramoj's "Four Reigns" and Botan's "Letters from Thailand".

Literature that people can identify with and/or that empowers them in some way will always have a readership. If there are Thai literary works that do that, I don't see how they can be judged inferior to the literature of another nation, even if the latter has a bigger market.

Sorry, I am just not buying it. Thailand may have literature but it clearly is not a great literature loving culture.

You could say the same about most western cultures. I'd be interested to see how many UK households have Trollope, Austen or any of the English classics on their shelves. Richard Branson's crappy autobiography perhaps. Stephen Pile's book of lists.

But not real literature . . . .

Same for the US or Australia.

Australians used to be a reading people - not just books, but also periodicals (like the "Bulletin") that included short stories and poetry as well as feature articles on politics and economics. Working men in the 19th and early 20th century often read demanding literature in an effort to educate, improve and liberate themselves. The Mechanics Institutes libraries were widespread and evening classes run by the Workers' Education Association were well attended. This was a product of the strengthening labour movement (the trade unions and the Labour Party) and the belief that a well educated working man (they were mainly men) could make a difference in society and become a leader. I don't think Thailand has gone through that stage of development yet, so challenging and provocative literature doesn't have a large market outside the Bangkok middle class. When people have been told all their lives to "leave it to the phuyai" (Dr Thaksin used to say this to journalists all the time), they're not going to be encouraged to read demanding texts and those texts won't appear to apply to them.

I don't know what Australians have on their shelves now, but if they studied Year 12 English, a compulsory subject in most states, they'd most likely still have the high quality novels and plays they read in that year. I know my kids have. Do Thai kids study Thai literature in M6? I must find out.

Rather than belittle Thai literature or "talk up" books and authors wouldn't it be better to encourage a greater sense of participation and empowerment among Thai people. The Issarn people can now make and break governments. Maybe the critical literacy revolution will begin there?

(I've also posted this to the Sports and Hobbies Forum)

I would like to know where I can get information about the Thai athletes preparing for the Beijing Olympics. This is for a school Summer activity for upper primary-lower secondary students.

We know about the famous ones (from the television) but do not know if they have websites or if there is a website that provides current news about the athletes and their preparation across different sports.

I've looked in the Thai Olympic Committee's website, but that seems to give information on the Thai medallists up to the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Any help would be appreciated.

As far as I know, there are no official websites dealing with Thai athletes. However, if you can tell me exactly what what info you need and on whom I can probably get you the info.

Ski....Ajarn and Thai NOC volunteer.

Thank you Ski_Goong. I'll get the details and PM you tomorrow.

Xangsamhua

(I've also posted this to the Sports and Hobbies Forum)

I would like to know where I can get information about the Thai athletes preparing for the Beijing Olympics. This is for a school Summer activity for upper primary-lower secondary students.

We know about the famous ones (from the television) but do not know if they have websites or if there is a website that provides current news about the athletes and their preparation across different sports.

I've looked in the Thai Olympic Committee's website, but that seems to give information on the Thai medallists up to the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Any help would be appreciated.

I would like to know where I can get information about the Thai athletes preparing for the Beijing Olympics. This is for a school Summer activity for upper primary-lower secondary students.

We know about the famous ones (from the television) but do not know if they have websites or if there is a website that provides current news about the athletes and their preparation across different sports.

I've looked in the Thai Olympic Committee's website, but that seems to give information on the Thai medallists up to the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Any help would be appreciated.

thanks mbkudu,

and what about the online degree ? is it cheaper ? I am confused with all these website offering online courses...

can anyone advise me about a serious one ? it would be an education degree, or business administration degree..

thanks all

I suggest you go into the websites of reputable universities and see what courses they have online or by distance mode. To search under a heading like "online education degrees" or something will probably take you to dodgy institutions and courses. Plenty of good universities offer courses online now. They are not the same as "online universities".

Johannesburg?

One more thing for clarification, please:

The largest native English speaking country does not have a pgce or whatever you call it. Since the Education Ministry seems to have been colonized by Brits (not that there's anything wrong with that) could you please translate these post graduate whatchamacallits into American for us? Most professional educators in most states (except Texas) get a B.Ed. I could go back to 50 states and get certified (having earned a BA not in education) as a prof. teacher in a year or two, part time. But it would not be called PGCE or B.Ed; not sure if the paper even has a title.. Also, we Yankees do not know the difference between a certificate and a diploma, as that applies to degrees or pieces of paper awarded after the BA/BS/BEd. I did hear, years ago, of an Ed.S. degree (something like that) which came after the M.Ed. and before the D.Ed.

To avoid confusion, can we limit most of the answers to this set of questions, as it relates only to Thailand? In other words, if the TCT does not even have a name for it, never mind, more or less. Thanks.

Yes, it can be confusing. In Australia a postgraduate "certificate" is a one-semester full-time course or part-time equivalent. I understand the PGCE in Britain to be a one-year full time course. In Oz that would be a postgraduate "diploma". The PGCE qualifies a graduate in the UK for registration as a teacher. In Australia I think the one year post grad diploma in Education does the trick, but the reason I'm hesitant (I've been out of the country for six years) is that around 2000 this course was extended to two years, but has subsequently been reduced to one again. (See, it's not just the Thais who chop and change.)

Thank you to all of you for your helpful responses.

I'm sure it'll all work out OK. It turns out one of the two students (both 14) has travelled a bit, including to Australia, so that helps too.

Best wishes

Xangsamhua

Earl Grey

1969 - 1975, then 1997, then 2002 - present. Which is the birth year for me?

I was also an expatriate in 1951 for 4 years. Why are we having this poll?

what does it mean jung leay?

i imagine that is something like "darling?"

thanks for the answers..

I think it just emphasises what you've already said, as in "sanook maak jung leuiy" (really good fun). I'm not sure. Hopefully an expert will respond. Is it the same as "thee deow", as in "sanook maak thee deow", something I learnt from a book years ago*, but I'm not sure if anyone actually says it.

*"Fundamentals of the Thai Language", published in the 50s and a good book (black cover) in the 70s. Then I think someone bought the copyright and reprinted it with a blue cover and lots of typos. I don't know why. I think it's out of print now.

Sorry to ramble on.

Well in general in Lao it's used as a derogatory term usual regarding falangs who have have taken to the 'hippy' image of long hair, beards and seem to think deoderant and showers are not required on a daily or even weekly basis!

"Falang dang mo, khee lot moto...." Do kids still chant that?

One last thing: this has also been covered elsewhere, but the guava gets its name from the foreigners who brought it to Thailand, not the other way around. Variations on the word "farang" are found all over the world, and the term is most reliably hypothesized to originate from the Arabic word for "Frank" (as in Charlemagne's empire), and then spread across Europe and Asia by Persian traders.

I think you're essentially right. There's a bit on the net about this. I'd always thought that the word was from the Arabic "ifranj", meaning "Frank" and originated in the crusades, but apparently the Persians had a prior term "ferengi" meaning "foreigner". It seems to be widespread, the Pakistani-Afghan version being "faranghi" and in Penang there's the beach area called Batu Ferringhi, which I'd always assumed had some reference to foreigners.

Be sure and check with Austalian Embassy as well as there is a specific form (#1229) that needs to be filed for any unaccompanied minor (under 18) wishing to enter Australia.

Yes, thank you. In fact, for Thai children a letter from the Amphur or Khet (Bangkok) is required for children to go to Australia unaccompanied by their parents.

Thank you Reimar and Crossy for your advice. I'll give it a go.

Best

Xangsamhua

I've had some problems with an Epson Stylus Photo RX590.

For example, printing photos onto quality paper leaves a visible line across the print, but there's no problem on cheaper paper. This has happened on different grades and brands of paper.

I'm not confident in the advice I get from the shop I bought the printer, but can't find a service or support address in Bangkok.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thai Air will look after them all the way and it is the same crew on TG991 BKK/SYD/BNE.

Thank you. That's my feeling, too, but I wondered if someone had actually put unaccompanied kids on a plane in recent times.

Regards.

X.

What nationality are the two children? Australian? Thai? Will they be met in Brisbane by a parent or guardian?

April is Songkran time - so no doubt there will be quite a few Aussies (myself included) heading back from Bangkok to the east coast of Australia. You might even get some-one from this forum.

Peter

They are Thai and will be met by school people in Brisbane. It'll be a week befor Songkran.

I will be sending two 14 year-olds to Brisbane by themselves in April. I haven't yet booked the tickets, so am asking here before asking the airlines.

What assistance is available to them getting through immigration, to the departure lounge, transiting, through immigration & customs in Brisbane, etc. from airlines covering this route?

Some years ago I did get assistance for a 14 year-old going to Heathrow - I think with Thai.

The information on the current Thai website talks about 5-11 year-olds.

Any advice would be appreciated.