KonKru

The entire country here is like Disney Land.

So whats the problem?

There might be a problem if they don't except a Mickey Mouse degree from the real Disney Land!

But then again one must except and realize that the word "Fairness" is not known in the Thai dictionary. Take it or leave it!

Ajarn John

Your "friend' might want to weigh up the pros and cons of going legal with a fake degree or working without a work permit or getting a real degree or just forgetting the working holiday idea.

BTW, The school those two worked at, Kornpitak or Kornpitaksuksa as is the name in full, is the most beautiful looking school I had ever seen. I even saw and know teachers that work there that dress up as the disney characters one day per week. I don't know why anyone would need a degree to work in Disney Land. After all, that school is the next best thing to visiting Disney Land.

You're bloody right there aussiestyle, who needs a degree to play the clown and entertainer.

A real degree in Thailand is "Pearls before the swines!" because at the end of the day we

are all ending up "Talking to a brick wall!" and "Flogging a dead horse !"

My Thai boss has a Ph D. in English from a Thai university, asking him "How is it going?" you'll

get the answer "I go market!". Now he is on an upper scale salary but nobody dared to check out

his certificates.

The entire country here is like Disney Land.

you are a guest, I am a guest. If Thais wanted us to be anything else, they would change the visa rules. You're not an immigrant, or a resident - you're a guest. You may not like it but mai pen rai

Well.. as an UNWELCOME educated guest, with a brain that is not too addled too think for myself, ... I will exercise my right to leave in the not too distant future, ... and allow Thailand to continue it's decline into the 3rd world from whence it came...

But as long as I continue to live here and call this my home, (or do you deny my right to say this too), I will also continue to do my duty to be a productive member of society, and to protect my wife and family from the abuses around them.. and as such I will continue to use my Brain to Think, Evaluate and try and Improve the Society around me.. hopefully leaving this place a better place then how I found it.

Any other approach is like that of the proverbial Ostrich... Sticking your head in the ground and claiming that it's "not my problem" is only living in denial and contributing to the problem.. Not constructive but destructive,... not positive but negative,... not right but expedient.

And then we can all say how much we love this quaint and pure country... A timeless experience.. Nice place to visit... But NO.. Never "Live" here.

Even one Mind reached and broadened can be the seed for a renewal.

CS

Good on you Cosmic, the only way to deal with the situation here in Thailand. "Take it or leave it !"

No way to achieve any improvment here unless you become a buddy of Mr.Taksin, but who wants to be a crook or kissing rear ends ? As long as I am not forced to do this, I'll stay here for my own private benefit; getting approximately a 5 times higher salary than my Thai colleagues, regarding that they do treat their guests quite well.

In general one once was adviced "If you are in Rome, do as the Romans do!", but this place is anything else than Europe, the States or Ossieland. They even expect us to behave like Farang, as they see us as the stupid ones and who can blame them watching some of our fellow countrymen who seem to have lost their marbles and their brain drop down into their pants.

Better weather, cheaper cost of living and more freedom this is why some of us are here, including myself.

Regarding to the teaching job, some of us try to keep up a certain standard, so we make sure that next year's visa stamp is secured and we can stay on trying our best. Within such an unstable society you'll never know what's next, but so far everything was bearable. Nothing like Zimbawe or Namibia, where a guest will be invited for dinner, being the main course.

Cool it man and hang in there.

"Of course it's a completly different cattle of fish if you got a native English teacher from Newcastle, Glasgow or Cardiff, same as Sydney, Melbourn or Perth, or even LA, NY or Toronto.'

You seem to have a unique view on what constitutes the English language........and I think that deserves some elucidation...so after you've explained that and "cattle of fish" perhaps you'd explain your theory of accents....???

and then....can you also explain the meaning of "tought", "cause" "completly"?

taught because completely

Once one stays in the line of duty one does make all the effort to express themself in a proper

manner without spelling mistakes. Where as this place is a playground of one's emotions and

exchange of information. Information not about the English language though but about life as such.

Participants who might have a problem with spelling mistakes would find themselfs much more happy on

educational websites. "Kettle of fish" though you'll find in an English idiom dictionary, most certainly not in an American or Australian one. No harm done not to know about it !

I do apologize for not keeping up my remarks to Pulizer standards, but as no one will give us a penny for it I do admit tHat I couldn't care less.

In plain English : Bugger that mate who gives a monkey anyway!

Excuse me Mr.Whitevan, I tought English in Holland, Germany and Switzerland, without speaking any Dutch, German or French. And guess what, these students did understand me, cause they made an effort to do so. Of course it's a completly different cattle of fish if you got a native English teacher from Newcastle, Glasgow or Cardiff, same as Sydney, Melbourn or Perth, or even LA, NY or Toronto.

All the Thai students will have difficulties to understand them once they speak in their own dialect as Thai as such is a phonetic language. Key solution here is to teach the students to listen, which is in my books the most difficult task we face here in Thailand.

I've spoken to teachers from Cambodia, Korea, Vietnam and other Asian neighbouring countries which this problem does not exist, as the students go to school there in order to study and not just passing the time, like they do here.

How true, but there is nobody who is going to fix it, cause they like it the way it is.

So Thai teachers can drive their brandnew pickups to work bought from the teamoney.

Who is gonna blame them.

Even if we do succeed to teach the odd one out the use of the English language, we might

see those brilliant students back in Soi 4 Sukumvit picking up foreigners for a job which can pay up

to 100.000 baht a month. Happend to me on 2 occasions!

Don't worry, at least these students realized that speaking English is important.

No honey, no money.

Having got 6 years of teaching in Thailand on my resume, I couldn't agree more with Cosmo.

The same way they call Mr.Taksin back again, the same way the system will stay corrupt and

stupid people are far more easy to handle, so education is pushed to the end of the list again.

As I said already: If you don't apply to their corruption, they'll sack you and the students will be

taught by Thai staff the traditional way, getting flied lice again, who cares!

Sabai, sabai, go along and you'll be fine.

Stop right there and think again where you are!

As long as the Ministry of Education in BKK says that every student has to get a pass

as long as he pays his school money, there won't be any improvment what so ever regarding

the education standard of Thai students.

This is most certainly supported by the Thai staff of the schools and it works perfect for everybody,

except for the poor kids, which will stay stupid and ignorant like their parents.

That's the way it is and farang hasn't got any chances to change anything about it, they simply

sack you if you don't apply to those rules.

SAD but true!

To be honest when I see a man with a Thai wife in the UK I automatically assume he is a loser. The fact that he is 20 years older than his much more attractive girlfriend makes me think money is involved, whether directly or indirectly. But, if he said to me, 'she obviously is only with me for my money, but she makes me happy', then I would have a lot more respect for him, but some of these guys think its true love and thats what makes him a loser, but then I see it in Thailand as well. If I saw a couple who were of a similar age and attractiveness then I would be less likely to assume he was a loser. (edit- but the same goes for any situation like that I suppose, its just easier to spot with a thai girlfriend).

As for me, I'm not necessarily proud to have a Thai gf, I'm proud of her and love her, but pride seems incorrect. I don't see why I would be proud for having a Thai gf in particular, I'm a 20 year old male, its hardly an achievement to have a girlfriend from any nationality.

Good on you !

You're bloody right there mate, no reason for you to go shopping in a brothel at your age.

Leave that to the dirty old man in Pattaya and elsewhere in Thailand,Asia or South America.

If anyone can be proud of his Thai Gf, then good luck to Mr. Forest Gump ! All it counts is

the money in his pocket, bank account or elsewhere! Even if the guy doesn't have any money

the Thais won't believe him and wait for the chance to make a big inheritance.

So don't be a fool and join this club! Actually it's all over the world the same with the ladies

but some places are worst than others.

whats the rate for a 1 full page color ad?

cheers

bf

Email him through the website Buddha.

Don't bother the bloke has done a runner with other people's money!

"Kon KRU" - that smaks of slander and libel. Amazing to me that this kind of thing seems to be allowed on this forum. Yes, there is an unpaid bill at the printer (no, not good), and a couple places paid for ads for a magazine I - at least - have not seen yet... but I have been informed that a new issue is out. I do not know who is distributing it, or where, or why people prefer to be so negative about something free which does not diminish things for them in any way and might even add something to their lives... but I certainly hope moderators will put a stop to illegal messages here.

My apology as he actually came back, which still does not explain where the issues of

January and February are. On top of it is the new issue now not for free.

whats the rate for a 1 full page color ad?

cheers

bf

Email him through the website Buddha.

Don't bother the bloke has done a runner with other people's money!

If it's a contract then hold them to it or go elsewhere. It's one thing to boost prices for tourists, but to enter into an agreement and fail to honour it is unacceptable.

That's right !!! By God Drag their ass to court! SUE SUE SUE !!!!! I have customers that fly in and I have agreements with hotels also. I make them stick to the agreement even in high season. They complain but when I start talking about the lawyer they realize it is cheaper to give the room at the agreed rate than hirer an attorney to fight the lawsuit. Go Get em Boy !!

Don't waste your time and your money, Farang and sueing, your bound

to lose mate. No bloody chance.

I run a bicycle tour company in C.R and have some contracts with resorts. Every time i book some rooms they double the price what is one the contract ,when i ask questions they tell me that the rate is for Thais not for tourists.Is there someone else who has the same experience ?

Yes mate, everybody does everywhere in Thailand. It's called Farang prices and you should

be happy that it is just double the price. Sometimes they charge you 3 or 5 times more, the

entrance fee of national parks is even 10 times as much as for Thais (200baht instead of 20)

TIT= this is Thailand, take it or leave it! No use to complain, it won't change a thing.

Tip: Send your Thai girlfriend up front to get the Thai price.