coconutmonkey

Thai airways.....

Thai police.....

When there's no news, you can always count on one of these to do something to deter improvement in Thailand...

What about the laws?

When I was in South Thailand, a motorcycle ridden by three children (Prathom 1-3), who lost control of the bike and not wearing helmets-, collided with an izuzu pick up. The three kids were killed; however, the pick up driver had to pay and possibly face time (not sure of the end result...)

Surely rules like this "the bigger vehicle pays" isn't right.....

What about the laws????

Great he encourages equality.

Pity about everything else he did.

Hasn't the US enough on it's plate with Afghanistan, Iraq, plus Iran and N.Korea waiting on the sidelines. Not to mention a 13 Zillion dollar debt?

And at home with the Federal Reserve, CIA, pharmaceutical corruption in the FDA

pushing their war on drugs around the globe

US isn't all that bad

and certainly isn't all that good

Can't even clean up the messes they make

let alone get involved in more problems they will only add to

Or maybe Obama can shout 'hope' and 'change' again..... sure someone will buy it.

Just ask a Thai to buy a bottle for you if we (the foreigners) with 'shameless behavior' are to pay 20 baht more.

Either that or stay away from booze and don't support their reasoning. Besides, if it works once, they'll do it again.

I'm sure plenty of people will still buy and support it and give them justification for their 'righteousness'.

Isn't it a little arrogant to class all foreigners with 'shameless behavior?' Wow, they really like us, don't they.

Yep

well said

"We hope frankly that differences can be addressed through Thailand's democratic institutions and certainly not through violence," he said.

From the guys who aren't adverse to overthrowing democratically elected leaders themselves.

Agreed 100%

Any of you claiming that weed is bad, I seriously hope you don't do other drugs -- like alcohol.

Don't these idiots realize that most of the soldiers are just poor kids from the sticks?

That's probably why they were targeted. We shouldn't immediately assume this was the work of Red Shirts.

so did Hello Kitty or Mickey Mouse do it? Dude....c'mon

if it: looks, sounds, smells, and tastes red....betcha it is

So funny. not.

I agree with the first poster. He is staying open minded.

The moon looks like a crescent but it's a sphere.

Now if anyone have doubts if these thugs are peaceful or not...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

some news station says some other station are inciting unrest.

does not mean it is true, so yes i still think there guys are a lot more peacefull then the yellows

I agree.

Please everyone remember many of the posters here have a hatred driven motivation to inflame the situation. Don't believe anything an anonymous poster posts on the forum. Believe something only it you personally see it yourself.

True, though I wouldn't even believe that.

A red shirt causing violence may not even be a red shirt. It's only the way it looks. Something the media and politicians know lots about.

How do they confirm if the woman (or transexual) is a prostitute?????

This would by far be the best idea Abhisit has had. .

yeah, for sure, increasingly popular and JUST IN TIME...... .....hope they remember it in some weeks.

Correct.

Clear as day!

^not at all, good to get rid of drug scum.

To state that you must have known personally each and every one of the 2,500 odd people killed - how else would you be able to state as fact that they were "drug scum"?

Truth is noone knows who these people were, nor their crimes - if they did indeed commit any. We'll never know. That's a crime.

Agreed.

It's sad to think people wish so ill of their fellow human brothers and sisters.

The idea of putting people in prison is barbaric...... doesn't address the real issues in any way. Lock them up..... sounds like a remnant of the medieval times...... put your political opponents in a cell where no one can hear them scream, campaign or complain.

For selling drugs what's the real issue society doesn't want to face?

For using drugs yourself... in your own body? Once I thought each man owned his own body. It belongs to the economy.

Definition for a Narcotic....something that causes a psychoactive response, is addictive and destructive for health.

Are they talking about SUGAR? or ALCOHOL?

Sugar, alcohol, marijuana or car accidents? I can't recall which one kills more people. Surely if safety was the issue, something would have changed.

Some people throw around the blanket term "drug" way too lightly.

Maybe off the topic a little; but certainly more appropriate than championing death for fellow humans. No offense Mr.

Gag order - well that's a shame. It's sad that governments (not just in Thailand) do not understand the importance of transparency..unless they have something to hide of course.. which again is a shame

totster

Transparency. Democracy. The right to know what is going on. The right to have information and think about it. It can all be LEGALLY controlled with a 'gag?'

Terrible concept.

FOr those living in Disneyland instead of Thailand, it must be amazing to see that media spend so much attention on a soap opera. Given the fact that the Thai courts are not independent at all and the elite is jealous it is no surprise that the assets will be seized. It makes Thailand in the eyes of a business community even more of a failed state. Parallels can be drawn with the Cordocovsky case in Russia. A very popular man who dared to go into politics and threatened the crooked political elite. We all know how that ended. At least Thaksin was smart enough to go abroad.

It would be wiser when the sponsors of the democrat party would be punished. I am talking not only about the company who screwed the banks and people out of billions of dollars and was able to donate a significant sum, but also to the gentleman living in London who became filthy rich from an pyramid scheme.

Given the fact that not one court is free on interference that prosecutors are cowards dancing to the tune of anyone in power and judges pay for the privilege to be appointed, the outcome is crystal clear.

Interesting comment. In essence, I agree; the whole system is biased, corrupt and faulty right way back from the word 'Go'. The military, the ruling elite, the siding of unnamed influential peoples, the coups, the 2006 coup in particular, the gain of wealth, the war on drugs, the distribution of wealth, the corruption, the jealousy......

The buying of fire-trucks, griffin jets, bomb scanners, useless air blimps, the prosecution of those involved and lack of accountability taken of the Santika fire, the Rowinga boat people, the Karen refugees, the killing of 13 Burmese last month, the 50 who suffocated in the truck in Ranong, the grenade conflicts at the Klong Teoi market, the killing of lawyers..... whatever! continue the list!

What about that which isn't heard about.....? Just social change? No, a whole system. A whole political, social, economic revolution! Yeah, right.

The corrupt will simply seize the assets of the other corrupt.

Security centers? What good would that be? They won't have any authority or any sane reason to do anything; that is if they can stay awake.

First thing this post brought to mind was that recently sequestered aircraft that landed in Bangkok full of weaponry.

That's an interesting link.....

Is that why no one has been charged....?

Is that why they came from N. Korea, despite The former Soviet Union having loads of cheaper weaponry?

The fuel transfer cost would be much cheaper.....

"Jacques Ivanoff, an anthropologist"

Does it suggests that Thaïland's problems are genetic ?

Interesting thought;

If genotype+environment=phenotye

Maybe phenetic?!

Indeed fascinating - Station Chief and Deputy, plus two other senior ranks, all transferred out in one order ... coming immediately after the various tuk tuk assaults on tourists, the city hall bust in the red light district (that rounded up Burmese prostitutes amongst others), and a string of (deadly) serious crimes against resident and visiting foreigners.

I'm wondering how high the transfer orders initiated from, and under what pressure from where and whom?

The OP states Phuket Immigration is 30-strong, yet four seniors are transferred out at the same time - won't help a lot with management continuity, which may have been exactly the reason for it happening so suddenly, especially with the Gazette's liaison getting shunted too.

Think about it.

Yes; insightful comment here. Links are co-incidence? I don't think so either.

Beyond belief.

Mr Carlsson said Captain's mahout had been poking the bull's head and neck with a sharp stick for 20 minutes prior to the incident.

When Captain stopped moving, a mahout on the elephant behind fired a slingshot at his bottom.

Then the owner says that they look after the elephants!

These guys torment the elephants just for the fun of it and don't seem to realise the mayhem that can be caused when the elephant loses it.

Cheers, Rick

The way they train these elephants from babies is with pain. They use a sharp spike and dig these into the elephants hide. For this reason I will never give to the mahouts who bring the elephants to the towns in Thailand touting for money. My advice is to stay away from these elephant camps.

Seems like these posters really get the crux of the issue.

They must be healthy; only sharp probes and slingshots.... wonder what I would do???!

If we all stay away from these camps, we bring no incentive to further cruelty towards these beautiful creatures.

People need to agree to boycott such businesses based on animal cruelty; and those based on scams likewise.

You see, here is the problem..... you used an agent..... you gave responsibility away to another, and a sum of cash.

People are forgetting how to do things themselves. This gives all your power away.

QUOTE

Yes the elites find it fun humiliating the sheeple and lemmings who occupy this planet and couldnt care less about their personal freedoms and liberties. Its interesting how the underwear bomber coincided with an initial rejection of body scanners at the airports - now of course everyone is screaming for them in the name of 'safety'.

Problem - Reaction - Solution

Are people so blind they cant see whats happening?

QUOTE

Indeed. Create a problem, cause a reaction (fear) and then come along with a solution that would never have been accepted originally. The hegelian dialectic has been a cornerstone for governments to push through their agenda for centuries.

Just a few days ago we heard from Emmanuel Goldstein (a.k.a. Osama Bin Laden) reminding everyone of why we must sacrifice our freedom for the sake of liberty - except that freedom and liberty are the same thing.

How long before there are calls from the big brother apologists to have body scanners in shopping malls, night clubs or any other public place? A few attempted terrorist attacks in these areas should do the trick.

As did Winston Smith in Orwell's '1984' most people are growing to LOVE big brother.

Agreed; though don't expect the "sheeple and lemmings" to catch on anytime soon. Besides, they'd actually have to confront a different perspective than what is given to them.

It's a little strange that anyone who believes in "other motives" is considered a "conspiracy theorist". I think it reasonable to assume that many powerful people and organizations have their own motives for profit/gain/control/power. In another time and place this "conspiracy theorist" may be a revolutionary, perceptive individual; as he has remained open-minded.

But of course, do the same, get the same. Believe the same, nothing changes.

My school, a government school in Pattaya has informed all teachers that they must have a BA. Edu. or Grad. Dip. Edu. by April this year (2010) or they will no longer qualify for a teacher's license, visa (non-imm or work permit. We have also been informed by the Ministry of Education that the Graduate Diploma in Teaching offered by Ramkamhaeng University is not certified and is not able to be used as part of a teacher's license application.

Original Poster.

Yes, Thai0z. Let's get some references shall we? I think you won't provide any because I've contacted the departments and nobody knows anything

Nice writing; you sound just like the guy at our school who's telling us this stuff. Hmmmmm...

So then, what are you going to do about it? Travel to St. Theresa's every weekend? I doubt that would be good for the guys in Hat yai, Non-Kai, Nakorn Sri Thammarat.... etc

If it's true, it's foolish.

Sorry, I'm not buying it. I think I know you. No offence.

Thanks Thunder30101. I just hate to give up the salary and the extra work of finding a new job.

Your suggestion is worthwhile.

Original Poster

Thanks for all the replies; all the posts are appreciated.

This said school is an International School, and there are alot of people who are following blindly on the word of these supervisors.

The supervisors themselves are not Thai nationality, if that makes any different to peoples perspectives or not. They are foreigners employed on work permits likewise. If a scam, I would expect it from some previous schools of lower 'stature' (misleadingly, of course), though it seems dishonorable for foreigners to target foreigners this way from an International School. I need to get with the times, obviously I'm still in the dark ages.

I have checked the websites of

St. Theresa

KHRUSAPA

MOE

Ajarn.com

and no website mentions such a thing of these new requirements.

Please continue posting any thoughts or information.

Soon some of the teachers at the said school may read this and need to hear from others around the nation that you have not heard of this at all. Some I have talked to don't seem to be concerned and will do it; spending their weekends and money for something that may not be real, if so, may not be really enforced, and is going to take a long time and a substantial sum of cash.

Thank you again to all the posters for your generosity in posting your information/thoughts.

Happy New Year!

Another (previous) email to all employees:

"If you haven't got a valid education certification - e.g. Bachelor of Education, Master of Education from a recognized university or college - you will have difficulty getting work permit next academic year (or whenever your work permit expires). The MOE is going to enforce this seriously next year onward - so, if you haven't done anything yet, please do so asap! ##### is firm about its teachers being teacher trained and certified - if you are, then you will have no problem getting teaching license and work permit.

I understand that some of you have done some studies at Mission College and/or Ramkhamhaeng University - Graduate Diploma in Teaching from these schools are NOT recognized by Teacher Council - hence you will not be able to get the teaching license - that's because certification is different from teaching license. You could be certified, but not licensed to teach... and the Govt. Body that controls quality of teachers is Teacher Council.

So far, there is only ONE international program that is recognized by Teacher Council - St. Theresa INTI College - this college offers a Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching and this diploma could be used to get teaching license.

There are a couple of people in the school who have already indicated that they are interested in the program.

There is a batch starting Jan 2010 (second week). Classes will be held every Saturday (9:00 am to 4:00 pm) - hence the course consisting of 9 subjects will be completed in 16 months - however, if students wish to finish faster, they could have crash courses during syouummer/other breaks.

The cost for the whole program is 106,000 Baht for individual enrollment. However, if we have a group - we could negotiate fee. The fee is payable in installment.

Please send me an e-mail asap if you are interested in the program - with your name!

If you plan to do online degrees, etc. please check with Teacher Council if they are recognized and would be considered for teaching license. Another mistake you should avoid - do not do Educational Administration specialization unless you are applying for School Administrator License. The best specialization is CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION - if you really want to become a good teacher and at the same time get a teaching license... =) A general degree in Teaching will also be problematic because Teacher Council may not accept some of the courses in the program - so, be careful. Teacher Council has a set number of courses that they require... and St. Theresa's program delivers the required courses - not more not less.

Thank you"