samskywalker

As it is true in nearly every part of the world, it not just the foreigners who impregnate the girls here, many, perhaps the vast majority have been bedded by their own nationals and most likely the numbers are far greater. Willingness to be responsible for raising the child of such a union (temporary or otherwise) is likewise not limited to the many punters who come looking for pleasure. Just two weekends ago we had a nine year old girl visiting us and she had an appendicitis attack. We rushed her to the hospital to get the needed operation and it would have been free except the father of this lovely child is a retired general from the army who also had other wives and mistresses. It could have been covered under governmental policies as medical care for military personnel and their dependents is free if he had simply signed a paper acknowledging the paternity. He has never provided the first satang of support for this child and perhaps more children that he has fathered. He refused to sign the paper acknowledging his paternity and as a result she could not get free treatment. Through a lot of negotiating and appealing with the social services department and then the health department in our province my wife was able to convince the hospital to offer for the surgery and hospitalization for free. Shame on the general! Fortunately this child has fully recovered and now has a free hospital ID card like most other Thai children.

Today Thailand is no different than many countries, including the US, where the ruling elite prefers to keep the masses relatively uneducated and unwilling to make serious efforts to invest in education. It is, and always has been, to the elite's advantage to minimize upward mobility allowing just enough opportunity to be able to point out a few exceptions that make the rule.

I also found the first paragraph of this post very informative. While I can't comment on Thailand, I went to public tax payer-funded schools in the US all the way through doctorate level, and the above quoted paragraph is utter bullshit IMO and I am not one of the few exceptions to this "rule". I invite you to point out just how the "ruling elite" accomplishes what you allege is happening in the US.

The simplest manner to elucidate my position is simply to take note of the lack of funding for public education in nations such as Thailand or the US. Here is a link to a list countries ranked by spending on education as a per cent of GDP. Note that the US is ranked #38 and Thailand is ranked #49. Also note the efforts the elites take to have their children educated outside the public education system, whether it be the Sathits or Assumptions or Montforts in Thailand or the Exeters, Andovers, Sidwells or Lakesides in the US. Even worse, in the US, funding for primary and secondary public education in the US is gathered at the local level using tax levies based upon property taxes, thus insuring that those who live in wealthier neighborhoods have better funding than those in poorer neighborhoods.

Now certainly there are exceptional students who come from poorer socio-economic backgrounds who do succeed and perhaps you are one of those exceptional students. But at our local high school here in the US that draws primarily from the lower-middle class and down, the graduation rate is a mere 30%. Certainly it is a complicated issue, and socio-economic level has the highest correlation to academic success of any variable, but the system is structured to provide a mediocre education to the masses.

Interesting that you choose not to credit the families who presumably have worked harder to create, preserve, and increase their wealth... whether it's to pay the higher school taxes (ala my public school district back in Texas) or higher entry and tuition fees for the better schools here. You're also trying to ignore (or disagree with, which is fine... but you seem to be ignoring it more than trying to discuss it or argue against it), that much of these advantages that some folks have begins at home. It also seems like you can't accept that the well to do in most societies had to go through the same mediocre education systems at some point (the common line by like minded critics here is that "all or most of the well to do were educated abroad".... which is just an incomplete observation of some 2nd and nth generation wealth).

Your whole argument seems to be 'not fair, you're not sharing.' And 'I call a do over and no take backs.' I certainly concede that mine can be summed up as 'If you earn it, you should be able to decide where you spend it.'

I agree that Thailand has a serious problem with its educational system and approach. Until they begin to fix it it won't work. I have been a fully degreed teacher for 38 of the last 40 years, having just stopped teaching at a local Thai University 2 years ago. When I arrived there 10 years ago there were absolutely no real materials available in the department. I and the other farang (I prefer the word-foreign) teachers were tasked with not only teaching many courses but to prepare the materials so the Thai teachers could "follow our example." I wrote 11 different course books in that time and had Thai teahers sit in on my classes. I had to teach 31 different courses in the department over that time so that my skills could be used to the fullest. They could have just taken notes and observed, but they requested a complete set of the syllabi and all teaching materials. They had no confidence whatsoever in preparing their own materials. The best they had done to the time I arrived was to xerox copy portions of books prepared in the US, UK or elsewhere. But again the tests they administered had little to do with what they had taught. Three of the Thai teachers were seeking to earn a PhD. It is amazing how much they asked me to do for them in respect to preparing their research, correcting their atrocious mistake-filled grammar, poor setence construction, actual re-writing and revising etc. When they had achieved their "doctorates" they no longer needed my services. They choose to move out and look for Filipino teachers because they were cheaper to employ and perhaps easier to control. Until the teachers get serious abut working hard to create their own materials I feel the efforts made by the foreigners are lost in space. I still provide materials and advice to primary and secondary schools on my own time and without remuneration--- once a teacher, always a teacher I suppose. I organize and conduct English camps etc and bring in loads of non-Thai volunteers to assist. Currently 17 orphaned children reside with us and I can guarantee that each one is at the top of their class or almost so. My old university has now invited me back to teach even though I am over 60 just so the students can have a native speaker. The Thai teachers are still trying to teach English by talking about it in Thai. Until they adopt western approaches to English language or any other foreign language teaching they will be doomed to continue to put out dismal product and the children are the ones who will suffer. The Thai teachers will continue to draw their salaries and go through the motions until they retire.

I work on Sunday, so it's more like Monday for me.

For what? A snap kick from the Don?

church at 9:30 back at home at 12 lunch for lesisurely lunch take care of the kids--- we have 15 children living with us, we either take them to the tesaban swimming pool or the park, then out for ice cream, later watch an action video (war, sci-fi, monster, animated cartoon etc) my favorite is kingkong. Love that big ape.

Listerine (mouth wash) sprayed on or around an area or a person keeps them away. Don't now why but they will not go near the stuff.

At first I thought the listerine bit was a joke as my brother is always sending me things he think are humorous. But I tried using it to clear out the mozzies and it bloody works! Pour listerine in a windex spray bottle or another similar pump spray and spray it liberally around low areas, under picnic tables etc and trees and bushes if you are planning to picnic outdoors or spend some time in shaded areas. Another remedy I thought was bosh was putting vicks vaporub on the bottom of my feet and then wearing socks when I went to bed if I had a cough or cold. It works too. Got over the worst case I had ever had of bronchitis in just one nght. I had been coughing for weeks prior to that time. Stay healthy.

The road which is best is go to Surin from Grasang is to get on on highway 226, follow it through Surin and cross the railroad tracks out to Patamon Road heading past Toyota, stay on that road out of Surin for about 27 kilometers. North of Chompra there is a turn -- it's about about 9 kilometers up the road. See the signs that point that way to the left that takes you to Tatoom and then on to Ta Klang. From the turn it is 27 kilometers. Elephant shows are daily except for Mondays. In November for round-up in Surin all elephants will be in Surin. Usually there are between 70 and 94 elephants at the elephant study center. The road was considerably improved last year just in time for the princess' visit. The number of potholes is down considerablyas the road has recently been resurfaced. I have been going to Ta Klang regularly for the past 4 years and have been there over 30 times as we frequently have foreign visitors and that is definitely a good place to take them followed by a visit to the silver village at Khao Surin and then on to Tatsawang (silk village--- also known as the brocade silk village. The highway is the same number as the road going to Gap Choern (214). A stop at Farang Connection, just down from the bus station in Surin for lunch is a definite plus as well. Great food there and Martin is a fine fellow and a great host. The 30 minute elephant show is free but you have to be there by 10:00 a.m. Elephant bathing in the afternoons is nearby as well. Elephant rides for foreigners, aged 12 up are 200 baht per person for about a twenty minute ride and for Thai's it is 100 baht. Foreign children ride under 12 ride at the Thai rate. Souvenirs are not too expensive: elephant hair rings, ivory and bone bracelets and rings as well and of course t-shirts 150-200 baht.

If not, why do you stay here ?

I only ask this because so many posters are so negative about Thailand, I wonder what the fawk they are doing here, or even if they are here at all.

Surely if one was so unhappy in Thailand and had a Ticket out, then one would not stay in Thailand, did not many Farangs leave their own countries for Thailand cos they thought it was better ?

I cannot understand the constant complaining and whinghing about Thailand from people who have a choice where they live, and they choose to live in Thailand !

Yet they want it to be like the country they left. [/qI think Thailand is great place. I have been living here about a year now, after numerous short stays.

The only complaint I have is the instability of any government. Thailand could be a far more prosperous country if the population did'nt try to remove a government because they don't some policies. I don't think any other country in the world would tolerate all the inconviences that minority groups impose on the people, ie shutting off roads for months at a time.

Anybody who was thinking of if investing in Thailand will now have other thoughts. These people, who like to think they are patriots, and try to cause as much chaos as they can, only have personal agenders, and don't give a hoot about Thailand.

faranglandoz

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I'm not a philosopher, just a retired academic. I came to Thailand 19 years ago for a visit to help start an orphanage with a group of US military retirees. I was only here 2 weeks and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I can back later on a vacation and through a friend met my Thai wife. That was also nineteen years ago. We visited here several times a year for the first 9 years and then we came out here to stay 10 and a half years ago. I secured work as a teacher in the local university and taught there for 8 years. Now I am retired so I do whatever I want when I want within limits, budget allowing etc. I do remember reading about Baron LeRouchefecauld who once said, "You will never find happiness anywhere until you first find it in yourself." There are lots of things to complain about but it does not avail much and it will only put you in a bad mood. Learn to shine in on as my dear friend Roy now deceased once said. There are far more things to be thankful for and I am thankful for being here, in spite of the traffic, corruption, the way we have to go in circles to accomplish many things. It's not heaven but it is a far better place than hel_l. Keep that in mind. Be thankful for your blessings, good health, and time for leisure. If you have too much time on your hands get involved in helping poor children by buying them a uniform for school or some school books. Emerson said that success cannot be measured in the material things you possess. I have never seen a hearse pulling a u-haul trailer. Success can be measured by improving just one person's social situation, plant a garden, serve others and in so doing you will in your time be served. Learn to be kind and kindness will follow you.

There are many ways to skin a cat. Teaching English, whether it be British-based,North American, i.e., Canadian of US based, Australian, New Zealand-based, Irsh (Northern and Southern), whatever, Thai's can and do benefit from exposure to more than one-nation, one-dialect based English-language teaching. I am an American, a teacher for the past 38 years, multiple-degreed and yet I still find that some of the teachers here, without the same kind of background are doing a fair job of teaching in spite of the limitations placed upon them by school administrators. The problem is in the standards enforced by schools spoken of before--- no one fails, allowing late comers and enforced face-saving. Filipinos can teach well, some do and some don't, but look around many of those who do teach English here do so in order to survive in Thailand. Teacher-bashing based on origin of the teacher helps no one.

Doing volunteer work is a nobel cause and needed. But that makes it only the more strange that the Thai government makes it hard for foreigners to volunteer. Also, is it too much to ask from a charity your are willing to donate your time to helping you in doing it in a legal way, in essence helping with a WP? Most chariies won't and seem to ignore the fact a foreigner needs a WP.

I have been doing charity work in Thailand for the past 19 years, the first nine of which I was on a tourist visa while working in the middle east. I came out here originally during vacatin times to help 3 Americans who had set up a small center for half-Thai, half-American kids left behind when the US Armed Forces pulled out of Udon Thani in 1975. Two of the three were retirees from the Air Force married to Thai wives. I came back to Thailand permanently (I too have a Thai wife and 2 Thai-American children) in 1998 fulltime but I got a work permit and taught at the local university under contract for 8 years with a work permit. Then I hit the big 60. I simply applied for a married to a Thai visa and renew every year. I saved money and receive annuities sufficient to stay in Thailand and renew my visa yearly We took in kids to live with us and have been doing so since 1998. Everything is registered in my wife's name and we operate freely. In April this year at Khon Kaen University my wife was presented a special award from His majesty (he sent his senior cabinet minister to do the actual presentation on his behalf for "her" work with indigent children. We also received awards from the education ministry for establishing 39 English book libraries in primary schools and for renovating rural schools, providing free supplies, uniforms, and books to the kids as well as desks and other furniture and other support. We have had 331 foreign volunteers out here from 33 different countries and many more have written and are planning to come out--and do free everything--- nothing for money. The government sends us the kids to stay with us and we work closely with the welfare department, department of social services at the hospital and with the police department. The governor and the president of the local university officiated at the opening of the center. None of our volunteers has had a volunteer visa but they are limited to serve only for the time on their visit visa, most do service in the schools for 2 weeks or less or within the community. We have assisted over 2,000 kids in the community, bought uniforms for kids and raised 65 kids at the center so far with plans to continue indefinitely. We do not sollicit funds in Thailand. But my friends back home sure like to help out and support our efforts. I encourage you to buy a uniform for a kid in your vicinity and present it to him or her. The government does not interfere in personal gifts giving. Just do it, don't make a fuss over it and simply fade away as soon as possible, hit and run.