SaamBaht

Sounds like the whining of a loser.

I'll take my small bits of liberty over large doses of collectivism any day.

Will the price of hookers go up or down?

Supply and demand works in reverse here.

Even the most well behaved children will act up at times. It's on the parents to take action. I don't mind being on planes when children are present as long as their parents are assertive and take appropriate action when necessary.

Dictatocracy, or Dictatortocracy, or, you you, I'm in charge.

Anyone still has questions what the true reasons were for the power grab coup?

Every few years it's back to basics. All for me, none for you.

Too many students per class, hot and noisy classrooms, microphones because none of the students are listening, no discussion based classes--Thai students rarely, if ever, ask questions because it's not encouraged. Directors who could care less about education but see the school only as an opportunity to enrich themselves. Too much phoney respect for teachers. Too much unnecessary pressure to perform well on the entrance exam. Few students actually get the coveted medical or engineer faculties they aspire to. Just to name a few.

None of the above will be addressed in reform.

His reform of the RTP has amounted to knocking off undesirable "connected" people for reasons other than corruption.

His reform of the political process has been to indefinitely postpone it and when resurfaces will undoubtedly be controlled by a body of appointed people selected to serve the long standing Central Thailand elite.

Oh that's right, he's temporarily run off some grungy jet ski operators who will return just as any liquid falls to the lowest possible depths.

Mr. Happy is a crackin good gent! And yes, like no other before him. Just ask the teachers who suddenly had to test their students on his command and incorporate the results in their evaluation books. Just ask the students who have to now forego a real subject like English or Math to study the all important 12 values.

Now that has never before been seen round these parts!!!

Genuine question. Was Maths and English really removed to allow students to study the 12 values?

According to my pal the teacher, they cut a three hour a week English grammar class by one hour to make room for the course. That was mid year. He also says they threw in a year end exam for certain levels that was mandated to be part of their final overall grade, so they had to delay their grading books to supervise these exams, grade them, and then find a place to put the scores into the grade books. This was mandated a week before finals week, no planning, no notice

Now that's an all powerful, never before seen Thai government!

Oh how the mighty have fallen... the higher they're, the harder they fall, this is what happened when one

incur the wreath of the invincible and the powerful people......

ezzra, please let's be sensible now......

Not, the wreath of the invincible and the powerful people but the Damocles sword of justice in the hands of the present government.

They are delivering and keeping the law alive.

What a contrast from the previous governments............................

The Greek myth of Damocles has nothing to do with Justice, nor Athena. This is no contrast from any previous governments. It is an isolated case that was selectively enforced for reasons that are not allowed to be discussed in Thailand, although foreign newspapers have covered the charade in detail. The only thing delivered was a whale-sized red herring with a large helping of pompous hubris on the side, and keeping their version of injustice as law... alive...like a zombie is alive.

Costas, with your myth mangling miasma, do you even study the profound myths of the Greeks, much less are you actually Greek?

This is no contrast from any previous governments.

Why, can you name even one previous Thai government that has successfully prosecuted such a high ranking government official for corruption? I think you can't and therefore the quote is false.

The PM is distinguishing himself in his efforts to reform the RTP, the Civil Service, the Sangha, the taxi/beach/casino/beggar mafias, and the political process.

His reform of the RTP has amounted to knocking off undesirable "connected" people for reasons other than corruption.

His reform of the political process has been to indefinitely postpone it and when resurfaces will undoubtedly be controlled by a body of appointed people selected to serve the long standing Central Thailand elite.

Oh that's right, he's temporarily run off some grungy jet ski operators who will return just as any liquid falls to the lowest possible depths.

Mr. Happy is a crackin good gent! And yes, like no other before him. Just ask the teachers who suddenly had to test their students on his command and incorporate the results in their evaluation books. Just ask the students who have to now forego a real subject like English or Math to study the all important 12 values.

Now that has never before been seen round these parts!!!

I don't blame Netanyahu for this political BS, but the Republicans for showing such disrespect to a sitting prez.

The next thing they'll do is claim Obama isn't Christian or that he doesn't love America. Oops! They already did that.

Oh how the mighty have fallen... the higher they're, the harder they fall, this is what happened when one

incur the wreath of the invincible and the powerful people......

ezzra, please let's be sensible now......

Not, the wreath of the invincible and the powerful people but the Damocles sword of justice in the hands of the present government.

They are delivering and keeping the law alive.

What a contrast from the previous governments............................

The Greek myth of Damocles has nothing to do with Justice, nor Athena. This is no contrast from any previous governments. It is an isolated case that was selectively enforced for reasons that are not allowed to be discussed in Thailand, although foreign newspapers have covered the charade in detail. The only thing delivered was a whale-sized red herring with a large helping of pompous hubris on the side, and keeping their version of injustice as law... alive...like a zombie is alive.

Costas, with your myth mangling miasma, do you even study the profound myths of the Greeks, much less are you actually Greek?

If only this were a sign of a change but as you characterized it, just an isolated purge of badly connected individuals who suddenly lost power. Ah, shucks. I'm sure these guys deserve some sort of punishment for a lifetime of bad behavior but it had nothing to do with that. So justice not served.

Lead by example! I'm all for it.

Thainess, personified!

Yes, and this will be duly covered in the new Thainess classes being set up by the TCT. Sharpen your pencils!

Nothing like having new friends over for a visit.

Can anyone tell me if there is a difference in the end result with being given amnesty or being pardoned. Either way they escape punishment and are free to go.

Yeah, no amnesty, BUT ................Amazing Thailand where few ever get punished for their crimes.

The most Democratic country in the world also has laws like this one.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Defense_Authorization_Act_for_Fiscal_Year_2012

Agree with your principle on the basis of the usual flat earthers having a go at Thailand when other countries have the same rules ...but The USA the most democratic country in the world? No actually its away down at about 15 or somewhere. Perhaps its that who can get the most money backing in the run up to presidential nominations where the rot starts that it does not get close. The most democratic are constantly a toss of the coin between New Zealand and the Nordic countries.

" The most democratic are constantly a toss of the coin between New Zealand and the Nordic countries. "

I know but Americans like to think they are the most Democratic. It's a fairly good bet that the posters bleating the most about Prayuth and Junta and Elite are Americans. When in fact their own country is being run by the big corporations and individual families!

You're right about that. Corporations have big power in the US. But when a general of the armed forces gets out of line, he gets fired, not the other way around. For good or bad, civilians run the American bureaucracy. I'd have to say that's a big difference, one that I would love to see here. I'd love to see someone fire Mr. Happy.

Sorry, I just have to disagree with you. By understanding the native language, you can develop curriculum and teaching methods that directly address the stregths and weaknesses of the foreign native that is attempting to learn the English lanauge. But that actually takes a lot of work and analysis. Much more that taking a couple of hours to read a chapter out of whatever English language textbox you employer hands you and then scribbling out something that resembles a lesson plan before you head out with the boyz to knock back a few brews before teaching the next day.

Oh, and I did take my TEFL course back in the mid 2000s; about 20 years after I was formally teaching and developing curriculum in Computer Systems Engineering. I started teaching English in Thailand after I formally retired. If the disorganziation of your post is any indication of your teaching methodologies, then I completely understand your problem. I've been around the block a few times; you don't want to compare yourself to me. You'll lose. So that's it for me on this thread: end of comments.

If you study language acquisition theory, you'll discover we all learn language the same way. We get enough understandable input, production comes naturally. No need to over think this one. The input hypothesis is simple but most "learned" language educators muck it up.

In the West we say "three's the charm." In Thailand they say the "nineteenth coup's the charm."

Hello,

My friend and I are both considering sending our young children to a Waldorf school instead of a traditional Thai school. I have done research on Waldorf education, Rudolf Steiner and its close cousin Montessori. I like what I have read but was wondering what others might have experienced first hand.

Traditional Thai education has little appeal other than to teach my children how to speak and read and write in Thai. The Waldorf school I'm considering for my children is a Thai school but all the teachers speak English and there is also a Chinese teacher.

The school environment trumps any Thai school I've seen, with trees and grass and gardens. The rooms are also large with the number of students per class small.

Just a thought getting some feedback from folks who may have experience in this area in Thailand or otherwise.

The article says "teachers" yet every other comment is about teaching English. Are there no foreign teachers in Thailand who teach subjects other than English language?

Seven pages of posts and I've yet to read one cogent argument against a country requiring teachers to be familiar with the culture in the country they're teaching in.

I think anyone familiar with Thai culture would understand that those who are advocating this are not interested in education but money.

No one likes their pockets picked. Besides, anyone who took the Thai Culture realized right away what a waste of time it was. But it was a great revenue generator for those who organized it. Some culture, eh?

I don't think adding the "ness" to any other nationality sounds as good as when you add it to the word Thai.

Let's see: Englishness. Nah.

Americanness. nope.

Frenchness. better. I think you need a one syllable word for the country's nationality.

He was great, but he's been gone several years now. Who replaced him as the local travel insurance guy. I'm gonna need some soon. Thanks!

Thailand has many faults and flaws, indeed many countries have. However, at the root of all of these is a deep seated arrogance that both hides and protects its ignorance of the real world with ingrained insularity. I am presently living and working in an Arabic country, I have worked in many countries, but I have never been forced to accept their cultures. I do respect and acknowledge the cultures of these countries that I work in, although I do not believe in them. Thailand needs to understand that respect has to be mutual. It cannot be forced or inserted. This more than the many illogical acts places Thailand at the basement of the food chain. It doesn't happen in any of the 9 Arabic countries I've worked in, or the African countries, tribal backward countries like Papua New Guinea, or progressive countries like India, China and Russia. Only in Thailand, no where else and this is a sign in fear.

Because of the many rules that Thai society demands, and the archaic caste system, many foreigners never integrate into Thai culture and society.

However, I think this Thainess course and the previous culture courses are merely opportunities for Thais to enrich themselves. It's a money grab plain and simple.

As always, it's Jatuporn right out at the front with his fiery divisive antagonistic comments/calls to arms.

That one needs gagging.

I'm glad there are people brave enough to speak out as he does. Gagging free speech is why this country is in the mess it's in.