jonclark

If the people who took the phone call are dead, how does anyone know they were on the phone in the first place. The poor sod may have been having a heart attack anf been in the process of trying to ring an ambulance etc. Or does that sound too simple.........Okay i'll get my coat.

Can anyone explain to me why, previous governments took no action on this issue???? Suerly those ousted in previous governments are just as guilty of negligence etc. etc. as the current incumbents??

Also i would like to hear from reds about what action they feel should be taken against the individuals who sold the land. The burden of accountability and responsibility should after all be equally shared.

If the government bails you out, can you, once the original debt is cleared, go and get another loan, and then another bail out. I assume that once bailed out you payback the bank / government. What is the interest rate on the bail out, anyone know?

I wholeheartedly applaud the government for this and i'm sure that anyone who has been in debt will agree, worrying about how you are going to make that next payment is never pleasent. I would be nice if the debtors where also given free advice on how to manage their finances more carefully so that they can avoid falling foul of loan sharks in the future.

At the end of the day raising the incomes of some of the poorest is the best way to prevent this.

Having had a business in Thailand i've come to the conclusion that Thai laws are racist.

Racism in Thailand is rife.

Hard to disagree with that sentiment. But that is what you get when the military is so involved in politics. The consistant playing of the 'nationalistic card', enshrined in law until people believe it is a just and fair.

As for the Danish company, grease the palms of those that count.

so why not just make new DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS to see what the free people of Thailand decide?

what Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva has achived so far anyway since Thaki is out of power

where is the difference in his friends fill his pockets now and before Thaksin and his friends filled their pockets?

same same, not different TiT

This is a legal case. If people are allowed to decide the outcome of a legal case, all you have is mob rule. An election should be held to elect a government to run the country. Sure. But call an election to decide the fate of Taksin and his outstanding legal cases. Never. If he was accused of murder, would an election be the best way to decide his guilt or innocence??

I'm fairly sure there is a strong degree of political motivation behind the cases, but Taksin used the same tactic to scare/ put off his opponents whilst he was in power.

Live by the sword, die by the sword as the old saying goes

That is a fantastic sign - No idea what it means, but written by a genius, and my Thai colleagues comment that my 'tones' are sometimes incorrect. Obviously the person who wrote the sign has a love of 'official' sounding words and a talking dic. Put them both together and you get this.

If you parked your car there, and were fined, could you plead that you didn't intend to break the law, like the ex-PM with his forest home, as the sign made no sense.

My mother, being the old fashioned type, routinely sends me letters and 9/10 they turn up opened and resealed. Post Office always blame it on the UK post office and simply shrug their shoulders. Strangley when my step daughters recieve their Christams and B'day cards from my mother, they are never opened...only mine. Could it be the surname I wonder......after all forigners are associated with money.

I think CCTV would be a great idea in Phuket, providing it is placed in the right areas. Having never been to Phuket where these areas are I'm unsure, but from previous posts, it would seem that problems with Tuk-tuk drivers are very common, so maybe a few in the main areas where they hawk for business.

The footage would be invaluable in deciding who started the fracas, thinking of the recent Canadian incident. This is a good idea which would help make locals and tourists feel safer. Whether you like or loathe CCTV, it has proved its worth many times; providing the system is properly funded and staff correctly trained, not to fall asleep in front of the monitors.

"...Or, don't follow example of grownups who are still acting like children," Thaksin said." Um...care to elaborate Mr. Taksin???

Interesting reading this; for my two cents worth, Tuk - Tuk drivers are part of a criminal ring, so they behave like criminals nuff said.

Poor bloke and his wife, hope the tuk tuk driver is made to pay his hospital bills, cause I'm sure if the boot was on the other foot, the Canadian would be 'asked' to pay medical expenses.

Its about time the Thais were able to decide for themselves. I disagree to most of this and I have been married to a thai for 6 years.

Visas have been mis-used for many years. Retirement visas should be limited to the age of the expats pension age, eg UK at 65. You cannot be retired at 59, just escaping into another country for whatever reasons because you have nothing to do in your own country.

The other visas like teaching should be contracted for term times or for the academic year. It is strange that none of these teaching expat experts return to there country and sit in Thailand forever. Surely they go home to see they family or is it they dare not go home and there family have to come to Thailand to see them.

Also in the UK now we have gone to a points system for work permits. I dont see lots of Thais getting in to the UK through method. Why cannot Thais do the same and let people in on a similar system.

Johnswift - Why should people not have the option to retire to another country at 59 or even 49. Surely if you have been a big shot banker, engineer, doctor etc and have worked your pretty socks off and accumulated a nice pot of dosh, why shouldn't you have the choice to retire at an age of your choosing, to a country of your choice if they are willing to accept you? Thailand already stipulates you must have x amount in the bank to qualify.

As for the teaching suggestion, utter rubbish, how would this effect school, If contracts were limited to terms or academic years, how would schools retain teachers?? The summer holiday for Thai schools is three months long, how would the teachers support themselves?? Do you think its fair to expect people to be unpaid for 25% of the year and still return?? Or do you think they should be paid to go home?? Also many schools need there teachers to be in Thailand during the summer holidays for extra classes for new students.

Personally I think that this is one of those typical government games to try to satisfy all parties. On one hand they have 'relaxed' businesses (Annex 1 and 2 ??) which foreigners can work in, but on the other hand are presenting more stringent regs to allow foreigners to work in them. Probably to prevent and influx of foreign bankers etc, so that the thais get the lions share of the jobs in the new businesses which open.

Have you failed to tell us something?

Are these all native english speaking teachers.

Or is it many different groups some native speakers some not?

Is there a probblem with undermining authority, or lack of respect for leaders?

Please tell us more I am interested?

I see by your post you are Filipino yes.

Is this s Filipino issue with the school?

Please give us more info.

Most of the teachers are Filipinos, with a mixture of native speakers and Europeans.

I am a native speaker. The teachers employed by Chula Uni are being treated in the same manner and are as pissed of as me.

No, there is no problem about respect for leaders. Our "leaders" are from the UK and Australia and should be ashamed of themselves for being a part of the deception going on.

They actively look for Filipino teachers, but some schools will only accept teachers with white skin, so they have to employ a certain percentage of them.

UPDATE: We are expected to start work on Monday, but only 20 teachers have been to immigration to get their non B visa. They paid 2000 pesos (4 month contract) and were told to come back next week. The rest of us are in the dark...not one teacher other than the 20 has been contacted to go to Imm.

"They paid 2000 pesos (4 month contract) and were told to come back next week. "

oops! Native speaker saying 2,000 pesos??? huh? suppose you mean 2,000 Baht to make clear the veracity of your thread

Does it matter if the OP is Filipino or US, at the end of the day, he / she deserves to be treated honestly. Good luck sorting yourself out. Always try to get a job direct with a school.

This isn't really about red or yellow. That is just a title given to each group by the media which has stuck. Personally I think the 'reds' are fed up with being poor. Whenever i travel out of Bangkok I am struck by the level of poverty which exists, the shacks, that serve as homes, the old women collecting trash so they can make enough money to eat, the school children who walk miles in the sun or don;t have enough money to buy lunch etc. etc. I'm sure all posters here could add their own examples.

These people and the children of these people need hope that their lives will improve, that there is a brighter future, and that is what the 'red' camp offers them, a voice and hope. Sure its easy to see how their desperation has been manipulated. But, manipulation and hope is better than no hope at all.

A government that offers these people hope and delivers, would be massively popular. Let the middle and upper classes shoulder the burden. They can afford it comparatively. Will i be ridiculed for make such a Utopian statement, of course TiT. But in my view this is the crux of the matter. I don't believe that the farmers etc. of the red camp want to bring down the country in a blaze of revolution.

I think they want their rightful share of hope and opportunity. Put simple this is a fight between the 'haves and have nots'

Agree with most of your points.

So why didn't takki (who still claims to be the champion of the poor and the champion of democracy)put some solid structural reforms into place which would ultimately help the rural poor to have greater real and sustainable opportunities in life? He didn't, he just used them!

The most obvious example is a massive improvement in education:

- Availability

- Buildings, resources

- Teachers required to teach up country for ? years before they can qualify for higher salry, promotion, etc

- Transport, food, and more...

At one stage takki was the education minister, he lasted for just a few months, full of wild claims about reforming the world - nothing happened. (Just like his wild claims that he could and would fix all the Bkk traffic in six months.)

(And please don't tell me about the 1million Baht fund for each village, this way also vote buying).

To be fair, it should be said that other governments (all parties) before takki should also have put structural reforms in place. They also didn't take action.)

Yes, it's so sad to see the glaringly obvious problems being paid merely lip service by individuals in order for them to thrust themselves into positions of power.

I think those in power are scared of the masses and look to keep them downtrodden and subservient. A scared and uneducated populace is far easier to control than a well educated and confident group of voters. Khun Taksin and company aside, I hope the poor majority get the recognition and opportunities they and their children deserve. If the government actually delivers and provides tangible and real changes to the they way Thailand is run and administered.

Will the red or yellows do this - No. It would nice to see a third party, with a proper ideological principle join the fray.

This isn't really about red or yellow. That is just a title given to each group by the media which has stuck. Personally I think the 'reds' are fed up with being poor. Whenever i travel out of Bangkok I am struck by the level of poverty which exists, the shacks, that serve as homes, the old women collecting trash so they can make enough money to eat, the school children who walk miles in the sun or don;t have enough money to buy lunch etc. etc. I'm sure all posters here could add their own examples.

These people and the children of these people need hope that their lives will improve, that there is a brighter future, and that is what the 'red' camp offers them, a voice and hope. Sure its easy to see how their desperation has been manipulated. But, manipulation and hope is better than no hope at all.

A government that offers these people hope and delivers, would be massively popular. Let the middle and upper classes shoulder the burden. They can afford it comparatively. Will i be ridiculed for make such a Utopian statement, of course TiT. But in my view this is the crux of the matter. I don't believe that the farmers etc. of the red camp want to bring down the country in a blaze of revolution.

I think they want their rightful share of hope and opportunity. Put simple this is a fight between the 'haves and have nots'

Any chance of adding in islands (Koh Chang, Samet, Tao) Always nice to check the weather before you book your weekend away

This is a scam pure and simple. Call the MoE and also let Ramkanheng Uni know their degree / diploma isn't worth anything, in terms of getting a teachers license, see what response you get. Preferably in writing. Sure St, Theresa s' may offer a course, but i bet it isn't the only one. Think this through a single institute offering the only fully accredited course in all of Thailand for all foreign teachers - Nope utter junk.

Interested to know what your principle thinks teachers with PGCE should do??

A fool and his money are easily.......(you fill in the gaps)

I have to disagree with parts of the previous post based on my own experience. A Thai Government school can be an excellent place to work, but you need to remember that it is you how has to change or adapt to fit in. This is where many people fail and end up 'doing a runner' .

If you can teach and get the students to learn and actually put in the time and effort (also learn to speak Thai this is a massive aid to getting along with you Thai collegues in other departments) a government school can be a great place to work.

The first year will be the hardest, and the longer you stay the easier it gets. Will some people dislike you - Yes, but it is the same as any job, in any country in the world.

At the end of the day. It is up to you to put in the time and effort and prove to your employers that you are worthy of the extra dosh you get paid. Because you get paid extra you may also be asked to do extra things, classes for Thai teachers, the odd induction program for new students etc. Nod and smile when asked to do these things, becuase its part of your job. Thai teachers have a lot of responsibilities, extra duties etc that take up their personal time and for which they get no extra pay. SO be warned. Nod, smile and get on with it.

If you think it is any easier in International schools, if anything it is harder as the expectations and levels of profesionalism are way higher, and your western collegues, just like Thai collegues won't put up with any crap. And most importantly you need to know your stuff or you will be found out very quickly - What is the difference between IGCSE Paper 1 and Paper 3?

If you're new to teaching a language school is the way to go, but make sure you have it in writing, 100% crystal clear what the language school will provide you with regarding visa and work permit, who will pay and importantly WHEN these important documents will be processed. If you are not legal you have very little recourse to legal aid should you ever need it (bottom of the food chain) Also make sure all salary issues (date of payment, how you are being paid [check, cash, bank transfer] amount, hourly rates, taxes etc). Most problems in a language school come from these issues.

It sounds like you don't have too much experience, so i would recommend looking at a couple of language schools, and once there try teaching at different age groups until you find your niche. Kindergarten are for me personally a complete nightmare, but other teachers are great at it.

Start in a language school, find your niche after a year honing your skills look for a job at the right level for you and put in the hours. If you are any good at your job, it will be recognised and in a few years you'll be enjoying long summer holidays on a beach somewhere

Good Luck

I was not saying that a government school is a bad place to work. I enjoyed my two years in an EP program. The OP was asking if western teachers can fit in at various types of schools in Thailand.

Thai teachers and government school administrations don't respect foreign teachers of English. Nothing in your post indicates that you ever received that respect. The Thai teachers are very jealous of foreign teachers who lack proper teaching credentials and who are paid much more than Thai teachers. They also don't understand that classroom management styles are different in the West. As a result, the Thai teachers and the administration dislike foreign teachers. Many of them don't hide their animosity. They do recognize, for the most part, however, that there are really almost no Thai teachers who can properly teach English, other than grammar. Oh, and BTW, they think they are better at English grammar than the foreign teachers.

Just to clarify - Yes i did get plenty of respect from all the staff at the school, did they bow down before me, No and i wouldn't want them to; but they were always interested in what i was doing and asking for advice, teaching ideas, and how the department could move forward.

All I can say is that respect is earn t, sure many Thai teachers are jealous, and given the dross that is presented in a shirt and tie as an 'English Teacher' who can blame them. But the OP needs to understand that respect can be gained, like all people Thais recognize dedication and hard work and if your students do well and progress, and you interacts with the school as a community you will succeed.

Schools are communities - if you teach and return to the office and then leave school at the earliest opportunity every day, sure people will notice and you won't be part of that community. So expect to be ostracized.

Attend assembly every morning, speak to teachers in other departments, smile at people, ask if other teachers want help, if a teacher is absent fill in for them, get to know the male teachers, go out after school drinking with them, ask thai teachers to teach you thai, start up an after school club (movies, cartoons, map reading) anything as long as the instruction language is in English it will work and have value.

I set up a science club, doing simple experiments, elephant toothpaste, menthos and coke etc. Students and teachers loved it.

Good luck

I have to disagree with parts of the previous post based on my own experience. A Thai Government school can be an excellent place to work, but you need to remember that it is you how has to change or adapt to fit in. This is where many people fail and end up 'doing a runner' .

If you can teach and get the students to learn and actually put in the time and effort (also learn to speak Thai this is a massive aid to getting along with you Thai collegues in other departments) a government school can be a great place to work.

The first year will be the hardest, and the longer you stay the easier it gets. Will some people dislike you - Yes, but it is the same as any job, in any country in the world.

At the end of the day. It is up to you to put in the time and effort and prove to your employers that you are worthy of the extra dosh you get paid. Because you get paid extra you may also be asked to do extra things, classes for Thai teachers, the odd induction program for new students etc. Nod and smile when asked to do these things, becuase its part of your job. Thai teachers have a lot of responsibilities, extra duties etc that take up their personal time and for which they get no extra pay. SO be warned. Nod, smile and get on with it.

If you think it is any easier in International schools, if anything it is harder as the expectations and levels of profesionalism are way higher, and your western collegues, just like Thai collegues won't put up with any crap. And most importantly you need to know your stuff or you will be found out very quickly - What is the difference between IGCSE Paper 1 and Paper 3?

If you're new to teaching a language school is the way to go, but make sure you have it in writing, 100% crystal clear what the language school will provide you with regarding visa and work permit, who will pay and importantly WHEN these important documents will be processed. If you are not legal you have very little recourse to legal aid should you ever need it (bottom of the food chain) Also make sure all salary issues (date of payment, how you are being paid [check, cash, bank transfer] amount, hourly rates, taxes etc). Most problems in a language school come from these issues.

It sounds like you don't have too much experience, so i would recommend looking at a couple of language schools, and once there try teaching at different age groups until you find your niche. Kindergarten are for me personally a complete nightmare, but other teachers are great at it.

Start in a language school, find your niche after a year honing your skills look for a job at the right level for you and put in the hours. If you are any good at your job, it will be recognised and in a few years you'll be enjoying long summer holidays on a beach somewhere

Good Luck

Well, it would seem that as no amnesty will be forthcoming, we had all better get ready for a fight. At least Taksin has given us a heads up of his plans so all involved (public, politicians, police and military) have plenty of time to prepare.

What a great start to the New Year.

The PM is correct that the sentence should be served. And as TV members have already pointed out Sondhi should also do likewise.

So come on Takki and Sondhi be men, and do your time. I'm fairly sure that if Takki had done his time, he would have been out by now.

Imagine the public outrage if a similar incident had happened in the UK or Europe. The Bas***d would be hunted down.

There is defiantly something sinister and worrying about the turn of events and the increasing frequency of these events. I wonder if this incident has been reported on French TV.

As an expat living here it is increasingly frustrating to watch these events unfold, but to be powerless to do anything.

My deepest sympathies to the familiy . I guess this is a Christmas that they will never forget, unfortunatly not the unforgettable holiday they were hoping for. Wonder if they are hanging around for the New Year?

I don't think people are opposed to nuclear power in theory. But, i'm sure many people feel oppossed in practice. There are a large number of questions to be answered such as costing - construction, running, and dismantaling, location, and compensation for affected communities, waste disposal and transportation.

I would imaging building a reactor needs large volumes of water to cool it (i'm not an expert) so it would need to be near a water supply (river, lake, or sea) consequences of spillages??

Having watched the fiasco at Ma Phut Industrial estate , the plight of the locals and the cutting corners on EIA etc. It doesn't fill one with confidence.

But Thailand does need to secure it own energy needs for at least the medium term to drive its own development and there is no reason why Thailand can't make nuclear power work.

Thailand has many dedicated, skilled and dutiful people here, (who often get overlooked as most of people only encounter those at the other end of the spectrum).

Wish the British governemnt would be so generous with adding on extra holidays. If your reading Mr. Brown an extra three days this new year would be much appreciated.

I never understood why in Britain they insist on having the longest break in the middle of winter. Make Xmas and new year normal working days and give people extra holidays to take when they like.

It's because the weather in winter is so similar to summer, it actually makes no difference. But seriously it's because we are / were a traditionally Christian country, hence the christmas break.

Why are so many people against water throwing? Yes, it is sheer madness, i agree but let your hair down, get wet and have some fun.

If you don't like it, well tough nuts, be miserable on your own.

Extra Holidays - Fantastic, please remember that the average working man (factory staff, bus drivers etc.) only get about 1 week a year paid holiday, so this is likely to be a big bonus for them.

Why are there so many moaners complaining about this, not the same group who write complaining letters about too much Christmas music in the letters section of the Bkk Post by any chance.

Wish the British governemnt would be so generous with adding on extra holidays. If your reading Mr. Brown an extra three days this new year would be much appreciated.

Having worked for many moons in a thai high school I can tell the lads at the MoE this - Most of the Maths and Science teachers don't have the slightest idea about english. So first they need to learn the basic vocbulary and then be taught the correct usage of the vast lexis of science. Most students refer to chemistry as 'Chemmy'.

This will however give the schools more opportunity to hire Indians ( for maths and science) - Cheaper and better educated while at the same time offering little somchais' parents the opportunity for him to study on a special MEP course fo X amount of baht per year - which makes up the massive shortfall most schools now incure as ALL secondary study should be free now. (Pity the budgets haven't increased to compensate this).

My daughter recieved a certificate as she waived her right to a free education. She had no idea and we got a bill for 2500 baht.