jonclark

Send more condoms, last lot were Aroi Mac.

You ate them!!!

Should this come to pass we can all expect a general merry go round every time the government changes, just like we see now in the police force with Ponjamans brother in law NOW at the head. Sounds like a plan batman. Will it improve the current situation - who cares!!

Thailand - Nepotism at its finest !!

I don't like Chuwit, but the man is effective. He is a one man opposition party, whilst the Democrats chase their tails and regurgitate the same old accusations and speeches. If the Democrats did what this man was doing, they'd regain some political ground.

For once i completely agree with you GK

Good luck to the Cambodians, if I had the means, inclination and the resources [rice paddy] I'd do exactly the same thing. I'm sure many a Cambodian farmer or miller will be raising a glass to the generousity of the Thai taxpayer - Cheers.

On the bright side its good to know that as mainly expats on TV we have the ability and option to leave, unlike the poor unfortunate Thais who are stuck here.

Notice that there is no mention of the testing of sex workers? Hands up, those of you that think the sex trade worker testing program is still in place? Sorry, but it is not to the extent that it once was. The program doesn't get the funding it needs to test those workers.

Hands up anyone that thinks there is a national testing program where patient's confidentiality is respected, i.e. anonymous testing by outside visiting healthcare workers? Nope.

Hands up anyone if they think rural adolescents can access confidential treatment and counseling? Not for the majority of Thai adolescents.

In a country where hiring requirements are still discriminatory based upon age and sex criteria, is it any wonder there is a problem with HIV+ subjects experiencing this problem?

Hands up if you think Thai kids are educated properly on how to prevent infection?

Thaksin wants Pheu Thai MPs to stop asking why Suphan Buri is not flooded. He fears question can backfire against govt. -matichon /via@tulsathit

Bad MPS - Don't ask questions! Sit down and shut up!

Could try Sornnys (spelling ??) on Thong Lor opposite soi 2

The pullout is sort of old news and has been going on for 2 years. After the Laotians left/were deported/repatriated, MSF handed over its facilities to UNICEF.

The presence of large numbers of illegal immigrants in Thailand presents both a social and national security problem for Thailand. The view of many Thais is that the presence of NGOs encourages illegals to keep coming to Thailand. The government wants to increase the monitoring and tracking of these illegals and MSF doesn't want to co-operate. The clash with MSF has been going on for over a decade. MSF doesn't want to breach what it believes are the rights of its clients to confidentiality and safe access to care. Thailand says it wants to know what is going on with these people and to have the right to control what foreign NGOs do in Thailand. It wants to know the exact situation regarding carriers of infectious diseases such as TB, HIV etc. More specifically, Thailand believes that MSF is indirectly providing support to Myanmar's insurgents/freedom fighters/terrorists (whatever you want to call them). In fairness to MSF, it is non discriminatory and treats anyone in need of help. However, the Thai military doesn't want any NGO providing assistance to the warring factions even if unintended because it draws Thailand into the ongoing fighting next door. Many of the warring factions are the same people manufacturing and exporting yaba into Thailand.

I believe that both sides in the dispute have legitimate positions. However, Thailand is doing the right thing in terms of its national interest. Consider what would happen if a bunch of Thais showed up in Texas, USA to start providing assistance to undocumented illegal immigrants. How about, if the Thais set up shop in the UK? Would these western countries be willing to waive their medical certification requirements and say, ok, you boys and girls go do your thing, go have a state within a state. MSF has had more freedom to move around and do as it wishes than it would have in any western country.

Thailand has a right to control what goes on inside its borders and MSF does not see it the same way. In any case, The Thai operations have never been an eye catcher because there are no dead bodies or starving kids flopping about in Thailand. Hard to raise money if the donors don't see a problem. MSF has wanted to divert its resources to Africa since the start of the famine, and they should have just said that.

So what's more of a" national security threat" (btw - How are migrants from Myanmar such a national security threat?? Do they carry guns, plant bombs, seek to topple the monarchy? Please explain GK) 3 million health illegal migrants or 3 million unhealthy disease spreading illegal migrants?? GK??

PS - Your parallels with Thais in Texas is nonsense - all MSF doctors are highly qualified and they have been trying to work with (not against the Thai Authorities) , and perhaps that was the problem - The migrants were getting better health care than the Thais

Whilst you are correct Thailand can control what goes on within its borders, now that MSF has left, what is the care they provided for people being replaced with by the authorities, perhaps if there was a 'replacement' to fill the void left the decision could be better understood. I can't imagine illegal migrants being welcomed at a government hospital,. especially given the dire financial straits some hospitals are in. In EU countries there is an obligation to treat the sick for obvious reasons

So, they hire teachers from the Philippines who are fluent in English and good at math and science

Sorry, this is not my analysis of Philippine teachers, whom I have witnessed in action. In fact their fluency is far from what would be known as an international standard of English.

Sure the shorthand is pretty to look at, spelling mostly correct, however, grammar and sentence structure is terrible.

Filipino teachers are also cheaper which is a big bonus.

As for qualified maths and science teachers, this is moving away from TEFL teaching, however I'm fairly sure schools use TEFL teachers in this capacity, which is not what they were trained to do. The problem is the MoE thinks TEFL teachers are also maths and science teachers to boot which with all due respect they are not.

If the MoE wants a qualified specialist maths / Science teacher they should consider this; the starting salary (outside of London) for a NQT is approx 21'500 pounds , whereas TEFL teaching in the UK is about 10 - 15 pounds an hour. Perhaps the MoE needs to inquire as to why the UK doesn't use TEFL teachers to teach maths and science in UK schools.

TEFL teachers do a fantastic job in Thailand often under difficult conditions, but they are being asked to run classes or teach topics which most have little experience of since they left school.

I am not a teacher, I work for an engineering company. Recently I got a Filipino IT assistant- and his folks are both English teachers here in Thailand. I never met his folks, but this guy working as an IT assistant has superb English. I met others before, so I know that some of the Filipino teachers actually battle with English... but I think they get their reputation for good English from the Filipinos who are actually well schooled.

Indeed there may well be a fairly reasonable fiscal argument that the MoE needs to look at: Employing Filipinos to teach Science and Maths. The MoE drafts an agreement with the Filipino government to allow qualified Filipino teachers an easier path into Thai teaching (the MoE gets to fill up its MEP foreign teacher quota and also screen applicants prior to arrival in Thailand), in return the agreement guarantees a decent net wage of 20'000 baht per month (if current levels are any indicator), fast tracked paid for WP and visa including a single re-entry. Would seem like a win : win case?

Some might argue the 'unqualified' card against this, but on balance I'm sure that there is a comparable level of poor teaching practices in both the Filipino and Western teaching communities, race is no indicator of ability.

Is there any evidence to substantiate these claims or is it just all hot air?

So, they hire teachers from the Philippines who are fluent in English and good at math and science

Sorry, this is not my analysis of Philippine teachers, whom I have witnessed in action. In fact their fluency is far from what would be known as an international standard of English.

Sure the shorthand is pretty to look at, spelling mostly correct, however, grammar and sentence structure is terrible.

Filipino teachers are also cheaper which is a big bonus.

As for qualified maths and science teachers, this is moving away from TEFL teaching, however I'm fairly sure schools use TEFL teachers in this capacity, which is not what they were trained to do. The problem is the MoE thinks TEFL teachers are also maths and science teachers to boot which with all due respect they are not.

If the MoE wants a qualified specialist maths / Science teacher they should consider this; the starting salary (outside of London) for a NQT is approx 21'500 pounds , whereas TEFL teaching in the UK is about 10 - 15 pounds an hour. Perhaps the MoE needs to inquire as to why the UK doesn't use TEFL teachers to teach maths and science in UK schools.

TEFL teachers do a fantastic job in Thailand often under difficult conditions, but they are being asked to run classes or teach topics which most have little experience of since they left school.

If found guilty, senior officers would be put on probation and face 5-per-cent salary cuts for three months, while less-senior officers would receive warnings, Sathaphorn said.

That's a real deterrent isn't it....... sack them <deleted>.

I know its just galling, i would n't even call it a punishment. Wonder what the warning will be "Next time don't get caught?"

Glad to see the judicial system here in Thailand is independent & free from political interference.

How about the fact they cooperated with the Japanese during WW2? I am sure that if the US did not step in to stop France(Cambodian land grab) and Britain(Invasion of Singapore) from exacting revenge for their duplicity during WW2 Thailand would not be what it is today. It was a choice of survival because Japan was not exactly know for being kind to countries they conquered but it is a dark chapter in Thai history that has been glossed over many many times. Kind of ironic how they love the Japanese so much but seem to not show the same level of friendliness to other nationals.

You say cooperated?

"On December 8, 1941 in the immediate aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces invaded Thailand's territory. Only hours after the invasion, the then prime minister Field Marshal Phibunsongkhram, ordered the cessation of resistance against the Japanese.

On December 21, 1941, a military alliance with Japan was signed and Sang Phathanothai read over the radio Thailand's declaration of war on the United Kingdom and the United States." (from Wikipedia and other sources)

I have a friend who is a Thai teacher (he is 26 years old) and he was in disbelief when I mentioned this not long ago.

What he learned in high school and the university in Bangkok was that Phibunsongkhram was a general in the Thai army. Nothing more.

He was surprised to know about the declaration of war to the UK and USA.

When I asked him about the origin of Kanchanaburi, he only knew it as a tourist attraction with a temple dedicated to tigers. Not a word is the texts he read about the Death Railway to Burma or the bridge over the river Kwai built by the prisoners (mostly USA and British soldiers) half of whom died from disease, abuse or malnutrition.

He went home and to the library after our conversations and could not find concrete reference in Thai texts relevant to those facts. Therefore, what I pointed out to him could not be true.

Thais are given to rewriting history or deleting what is not convenient for them to remember. Saving face is first and foremost.

Funny thing, this Thai friend is going to Japan to study there for 4 years.

Actually for every POW there were 3 slave labourers who had a far worse time than the POWs who at least had each other and the discipline and some limited medical assets.

For every POW who died 5 slave labourers died also.

This from Wikipedia

The Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway, the Thailand–Burma Railway and similar names, is a 415 kilometres (258 mi) railway between Bangkok, Thailand, and Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar), built by the Empire of Japan during World War II, to support its forces in the Burma campaign.

Forced labour was used in its construction. About 180,000 Asian labourers and 60,000 Allied prisoners of war (POWs) worked on the railway. Of these, around 90,000 Asian labourers (mainly romusha) and 16,000 Allied POWs died as a direct result of the project. The dead POWs included 6,318 British personnel, 2,815 Australians, 2,490 Dutch, about 356 Americans and a smaller number of Canadians and New Zealanders.[1]

I had a discussion about this (The Thai deaths during WW2) with my father in law. When I asked him why he thought there was no memorial for those Thais who died under occupation he replied - They did nothing for Thailand (so don't deserve recognition) - Different mentality and priorities I'm afraid.

why are there so many private schools should be the quesition ? , and it is because the thai education system is rubbish !

They should be looking at brining thai based schools upto an international standard

as an example, it costs an average of 9.096 GBP a year for a child in state education in the UK ... why dont the goverment allocate a 500K budget per child per school, and raise the standard?

Pay 500K for a farmers son to be educated - don'tcha know we need people to shovel pig shit and sweep the road?

Born into servitude and die in poverty, sad but true, and as guests its not for us to interfere in this 'balance'

Thailand is the only country in the world with the largest number of international schools. The trend has taken a new turn in the past decade when expat communities began to grow and Thai nationals were allowed to be enrolled in these schools.

oops! wrong again:

http://www.ibo.org/f...gsbycountry.cfm

ooops double wrong again - The link is for IB accredited schools - i.e. ones that are able to offer and examine for the IB qualifications. IB accreditation (or lack of) doesn't mean the school isn't international. It just means that school can't offer the IB program - It maybe able to offer IGCSE / A levels however and have different accreditation.

Unfortunately one of the biggest ball aches for students at international schools is the 90 day reporting which they need to do with their parents, missing a day off school etc. etc. If Thailand is serious it MUST overhaul is visa system which is dated, antiquated and just plain shit

If you are fired for specific "offenses" you will not receive severance, but if the company lets you go ie makes you redundant then yes, you are entitled to severance pay per standard Thai labour law T&C's

Thanks, it would be a redundancy issue if it happens.

How soon after they make me redundant do they have to pay my severance?

Thanks again

Just playing devils advocate here, as I'm sure these questions would be asked by a labour tribunal.

If you don't have an employment contract, prove they have sacked you or made you redundant as opposed to you simply having finished your verbally agreed working period (which is what the company might cynically turn around and do) . Remember the onus is on you to show you have been unfairly sacked.

I'd suggest you accept it and chalk it up to experience as if you peruse it you could leave yourself and your 'working life ' open to further scrutiny. Without a contract they have got you by the knackers.

Hope this helps

edit - misread the original post

Irrespective of the politics it's a positive step forward especially for the people who live close to the border and rely on border trade and the like to make a living.

The skeptic in me though can't help but notice that now the Dems have been shoved out, the whole temple issue (from the Cambodian perspective) has become unimportant? Perhaps Hun Sen and Taksin colluded on the issue to divide the government, thus weakening it. Pure speculation, but it would be interesting to see if the issue flared up again if PTP was removed from power. I am fairly sure in my own mind that this is all to do with Taksin and Hun Sen dividing up the profits from the oil in the gulf of Thailand and nothing else. Remember Taksin has spent the last 3 years in Dubai - Oil central.

"All he did was offer moral support and tell them it's their job to serve the people," Yingluck said.

I not sure what i find more incredulous1) that a convicted criminal is telling the government its' job or 2) a criminal offering moral support; an oxymoron if ever I've seen one. Only yesterday we had a report stating Thai kids are happy to cheat, lie, deceive, well bugger me senseless, it doesn't take a genius to see why they think like this. This demonstrates why kids think it is morally except able to be this way as their parents voted for a man / party which exemplifies this way of thinking, and yet they complain when their kids turn out as criminals.

Arrrrrrrggggghhhhh this country drives me crazy sometimes!!!!!!

^{My colleagues and I have also made similar observations over the past 10 years. Some friends who work in universities here also agree that the standard of student performance has dropped noticeably over the last decade of us teaching here. PISA measures mostly application of math/science skills to solving problems. This is the main reason why they have perfomed so poorly on this exam. Once the MoE changes its policies to de-emphasise rote learning and puts more emphasis on application, analysis and synthesis skills, then their scores might improve. The kinds of tasks are rarely addressed in regular classrooms in Thailand.}

I agree with you, but changing the teaching and learning style requires re-educating the teachers; in most Thai schools the teachers are an aging population , nearing or starting to think about retirement and I don't fancy many of them enthusiastically embracing new learning methods as many are set in their ways, (rote teaching is all they know). Also what is needed is changing the system of 'school directiors' . In many governemnt school the director changes every two - three years and their arrival is always heralded with a sweeping superficial facelift of the school. They implement their policy for their tenure. This needs to change

What is needed is new enthusiastic graduates, properly trained, with a decent pay packet to stop the private sector snapping them up.

The alternative is to give all students a PC tablet and let them 'learn' on their own!

Fixing the Thai education system is a long term project and I honestly don't think many of the current politicians have the foresight to start this, as the rewards will be reaped by a government 5, 10 , 15 years down the line.

I think the children behavior reflects perfectly that of the politicians that lead this (once) great country. Can't blame the kids - its the adults that need fixing first; after all the kids only copy what is put in front of them.

The reds like Hun Sen so much as they want to create a dynasty just like Hun Sens Cambodian one right here in Thailand. Glad I hold a UK passport and have the option to leave. Thai people - Poor bastards who'll be robbed blind and told to enjoy it. The reds are identical to the dems who they usurped.