markg

I spoke with a rep from SFX last night & he said the coming 3D movies are Alice in Wonderland, starting tomorrow, after which we can expect Shrek & Toy Story so not really much to enthuse about. Avatar, which seems to be the most impressive 3D movie ever to hit the screens, will not be re released in Phuket according to the rep who said it was purely a business decision. He feels that everyone who has already seen the movie will not pay to see it again in 3D. However, he did infer it might possibly return if it did well at the Oscars.

That's illogical. Both Toy Story and Shrek have been out on DVD for years, and good though they are, 'most' people who choose to watch it in 3D will be watching it again.

Avatar vs Shrek as a business idea.....................it;s a no brainer. Avatar 3D will definitely get more customers than TS or Shrek as they are old films.

They are probably entitled to severance pay. They is a thread running about Thai labour law, though of course, it isnt very clear, which is why i say they are 'probably' entitled to severance pay.

As far as i'm aware, once the decision has been taken to not renew their contracts then thats about it - you're down the road and finished at that school. Accept it. However, they should start taking action now to make sure they get a settlement of salary.

I don't know about other countries - would be interested though - back home if you fail your assessment (which has both formative an summative components), you need to take a make-up exam at the end of the summer holiday. Kids have about 7 weeks to prepare for that. If it's another fail, repeat the year. So, they are given another (last) chance. Most students are able to pass (genuinely!)

What you are suggesting Firelily, is a very important point, and it is, i believe, at the very core of what is wrong with the current education system in Thai schools. There is NO incentive to pass tests because the students know from a very early age that no one can fail. Having a 'proper' test, as you suggest, with the possibility of having to repeat the year, is a great incentive for students to try harder. You do of course still have problem of students who are terrible in just a few subjects. Do you make them retake the whole year if they fail just one subject?

I would suggest 'yes'.

When the kids realise that their friends have gone up a year and they have to repeat the year, i think they will pull their fingers out a bit. Their parents and peers will be able to plainly see what is going on.

Its a good idea.

Of course, it wont happen here because of 'saving face'.

In a broader picture, i suggest that 'saving face' is one of the major obstacles preventing the development of Thailand.

This is a big problem in schools and something that isnt going to be changed overnight.

Universities and employers know the rules. Anyone with a 50% (passing grade) is known as a fail.

An important question to ask ourselves is this, 'what would you do with the failing students?'

A student is flunking English. What action do you suggest?

Not allow him to go up to the next year? (what if all his other subjects are OK?)

Give him remedial classes (in your own time?)

So what is your suggestion for failing students? Giving them a grade of zero but then taking no further action is the same as giving them a grade of one and taking no action.

This is still a developing country. There isnt money in the budget for specialist teachers, remedial classes, intervention strategies etc etc.

I dont know what the answer is, but after 6 years at the same school, i'm just about to wave off the 'graduates' in M6 - some of whom have come to class 50% of the time, and cannot really string one sentence together.............................

Yesterday i saw a Tiger Boxer 200cc motorcycle in Police spec which looked quite nice.

Anyone know the deal on that? Prices etc?

Is it definitely true that the cc limit has gone to 250 cc now ?

I can't help thinking that a nice parallel or V twin motorcycle at 250cc would be nice on Thai roads and in traffic.

A friend of mine bought a Platinum off-road type motorcy and had loads of problems. As we say in the Uk, they look like they are stamped out of pie tins.

Could there be another one in our lifetime ? Yes of course.

Do i 'fear' one ? Nope.

If i see the tide going out at a fast rate at any of the beaches, i will be heading for the high-ground !

Grumpy, i know you're angry. You said it was a 'senseless' drowning, and you're right, there is no other word for it really.

As a parent and a teacher, the death of children makes me feel all the more sad.

I'd like to make a couple of points if i may.

1. The area near the lagoon is used by surfers and a buoyed off swimming area wouldnt go down to well.

2. Parents of children, and adult swimmers, have to take some responsibility for their own actions. Those parents could have stopped their child going in, or could have taken them to the other end of the beach to the buoyed off area, for example. The unfortunate fact remains that too many people don't heed the warning signs, don't respect the ocean's power, or don't understand their own lack of swimming ability.

3. Education will help. Thailand needs swimming on the national curriculum - particularly in coastal provinces. I think it's safe to say that the majority of Thai people i know cannot swim. I find that rather worrying in Phuket frankly.

4. Education (again). If your child can't swim, buy them armbands! The parents possibly also cant swim so may not know what armbands are or what they do.

Lifeguards certainly will help, but we can't use them as a panacea to stop all drownings at every beach. People have to take responsibility for their own actions too. I've seen drunks trying to swim. I've seen groups of fully clothed Asians trying to swim - FULLY CLOTHED ! And we've all seen groups of picnicing families drinking whisky whilst only keeping a cursory eye on their children.

A sad death which probably could have been avoided.

hello, i have been teaching in Thailand for two years now. Ihave a degree, tefl and thai culture seminar certificate. I am planning to move to Phuket and teach there in April, but im looking for jobs on ajarn.com and cant find anything. I was wondering if anyone knew how easy it is to get a job there?

Just looked on Ajarn myself and there are 4 jobs on there - all at the same school.

How easy is it to get a 'job' here. Depends really.

Some language schools may take you - though you will be very lucky to get a work permit out of them. This means that you can choose to work illegally for them for as long as you can keep getting a visa (at your own peril and expense)

April is a good time to look. The new semester in Thai schools starts in May so they are often starting to look at recruiting new staff during April.

There are a couple of worrying comments in Ajarn's front page about the state of the teaching market in general. The teachers licence requirements are still in a state of flux - so no one really knows if you need a degree in the subject you are teaching, an education degree, or what.

There are lots of Philipinos here who cost less.

Funding for native speakers has been slashed at many government schools.

How easy is it to get a teaching job in Phuket. Not as easy as in the past. There are jobs out there, just not that many anymore.

I agree that it's unlikely to happen as things stand now.

A major problem is that the current number of tuk-tuks and taxi's are unsustainable.

I've seen quotes alluding to the legal tuk-tuks apparently accepting the illegals and working harmoniously at the moment because there is enough money to go round - due to the current rip off prices.

We need to get rid of the illegals first. Cut the number of tuks and taxis right down to a sustainable level. Then we can drop the prices for the remaining vehicles. Lower prices = more people using them. More people using the fewer vehicles = MORe money in the drivers' pockets. It also equals less drink drivers on the roads and less vehicles on the roads all round.

I am quite shocked that the legal tuk-tuks even accept the illegals. In most countries, the illegals would NOT be accepted. In the UK they would get their cars smashed in for sure.

I was quite shocked just yesterday to observe at Central Fesival, the official taxi desk, where the drivers are in uniform, uses white plated saloon cars. These are illegal. That's right. The officially franchised taxi desk at Central is using illegal and possibly uninsured vehicles. This needs looking into and stopping.

If we can cut down the number of illegals, we have more chance of managing the legals, and then dropping their prices.

IF the Governor manages to do any of this before he retires, i will join the long line of people who will kiss his feet.

In the case of the US couples statement.

Did the house burn down? There must be a record of this. Eg newspaper report.

Why did they not go to the US Embassy and report their experiences before they departed Thailand?

Why did they return to Thailand?

One should not believe this unless they (the US couple) can bring up some solid documentary evidence to support their statements.

Should regard as a scam to extract money.

I know them both personally. They worked here for a number of years. Their house really did burn down with ALL THEIR STUFF IN IT. They were left with just the clothes they were standing in.

They came back to visit friends and were arrested upon arrival. The cops said the a cigarette caused the fire, even though the first report said it was an electrical fault and they were out of the house at the time of the fire.

They lost everything.

And to the poster who suggested that 'what goes around comes around'.

I wonder how many people who live in rented accommodation here in Thailand, have full house insurance in case of fire.

How many?

5 % of people at most. Or probably less than 1%. I don't actually know ANYONE who has house insurance for a rental place. Do you?

Same back home in the UK. If you rent a house, you generally get your own insurance to cover the contents. Its generally up to the landlord to insure the bricks and mortar of the house.

Two of you are idiots for posting this. Logan and Urica were left with nothing. Imagine that for a moment.

Good News !

Grumpy's pizza has reopened !

grumpy's (actually called La Calamita) is on Chalong Pier Road. As you drive towards the pier, its on your right just before the 7/11 (which is on the left)

He has been away in Italy sorting out a few things, but we ate a delicious hand crafted large pizza tonight for 200 baht. And he is grumpier than ever which is a bonus.

Check it out. It's one of the best pizzas in Phuket in my view.

I just voted and it works.

I think what needs to be made clearer is that it is ZONING that is needed and that is where we can extend opening hours.

Phuket town has areas that are run down and not residential that would be ideal for zoning. Where Gor Tor Mor etc are for example.

Yaowarat road is residential and SHOULD close at midnight.

Patong's Bangla road should close much later. It shouldn't be residential and should be allowed to stay open later.

Bangla has been the centre of Patongs nightlife for 30 odd years. It would be unfair of residents to complain now. Kinda like living in Glastonbury and complaining about hippies.

I've attached an image of how to vote, click on the 'gazette poll' in the top right hand corner.

Poll.bmp

A small 2 to 3 million Baht property the safest?

There's a lot of competion in both renting and selling this price range of property. Once bought, there's no turning back. If you wanted to sell it for what you thought was a fair price, you could be waiting years. Can be very vexing in an emergency and you need the cash now.

Frankly, if, as the OP suggests, that this is all the money they have, then maybe they should keep it liquid and then maybe have a peek at the job market in the first world.

Good advice from KarenBravo. Westerners often look at housing as a pretty safe investment because of how things work in the West. It really isnt the same here. 3 million gets you an adequate dwelling for yourself to live in forever, but as an investment - it's competing against hundreds of other similar properties, with more and more new ones in that price range being built.

Coming to sell a property like that is very very hard. Many Thai people are a little superstitious about buying second hand houses, and furthermore, they can get a brand new house for the same price. I know a dozen people who have had a house on the market for more than 12 months or more and failed to sell it.

If you are sure you are going to stay here forever then buy here and rent it out or live in it.

If you think there is a possibility you may need to resell the house and liquidate your cash then forget it. Buy in your home country. You know the laws, rules and regulations there - and if you don't you can at least read up on them in your own language. There must be heaps of repossessed houses in Europe and the US at the moment.

With the equivalent of 3 million baht, i'd buy a nice 2 up/2 down terraced house in the UK and rent it out. In fact, 3 years ago i was faced with exactly this dilemma. Buy here or buy at home. I played safe and bought at home and i'm happy i did so. I know what i m doing back at home. Things could change here very quickly. and rules for foreigners only seem to get tighter.

Just my view.

A sad day indeed and condolences to the family.

I went past that 7/11 at 7.30pm last night. As i approached Chalong circle, and ambulance was heading up towards Phuket town on Chao Fa east. Just south of the circle, on the Rawai road i could saw a dark vehicle, a couple of cop vehicles and a few people standing about. I thought it was just another road accident and as the authorities were on scene, i make it a personal point to not rubber-neck.

Seems that what i saw in my peripheral vision was this incident.

A very sad situation.

I met a couple of lads in Phuket 3 months ago, (friends of a close friend of mine) who had arrived from London in a German built 20 year old MAN (i think) motor caravan, complete with toilet, cooker and beds. I can't remember their exact route, but they certainly went through Pakistan. I think they had to end up shipping the vehicle back to the UK because you pay a bond before you leave - which you will lose if you don't return with the thing. (though i do wonder what would happen if it was stolen or burnt out)

It is certainly possible to do it.

I met a couple of guys in India 5 years back who had driven from France in a Citroen 2cv.

I also met a couple of hippies in Goa who had driven there from Holland in a very old ex-Soviet army truck. The girl was pregnant too. I think they shipped part of the route from the middle-east to Bombay.

It is certainly possible to be done, though i suggest a significant amount of planning and research would be required.

Good luck.

If you ever make the return journey, let me know...........i could do with a lift.

I was looking for La Capannini on Nanaii 2 and this thread popped up.

There is also a Patong- based group called Italian Food And Wine Appreciation Society - IFAWAS for short.

We meet ...........Tuesday nights! At 7.30pm at the Sick Buffalo cafe on Banzaan near Nanai.

Entry is a bottle of red wine each.

As we rarely cross any hills I doubt our paths will cross from the sound of it.

However where and what is M&Ms ?

Please post more details of the IFAWAS group. Is the Sick Buffalo an Italian place? How many members turn up? What is on the menu and what kinda prices? Do you tour around other venues?

M&M's used to be in Rawai but has recently moved to a much better location in Nai Harn. Coming from the badlands of Patong, take the coast road through Karon and over past Karon viewpoint/Reggae bar/after beach bar area following signs for NaiHarn. Eventually you will come down the hill and be close to Naiharn. You will pass Icon pub/club on your right and shortly come to a junction where you can bear right to Naiharn beach or turn left to go away from Naiharn. (Mimi's used to be on this corner but it's currently a building site). Take the right hand turning. Follow the road as it winds it's way hither and thither until you come to quite a sharp right hand bend. Shortly after that bend, M&M's will be on your right.

As a yardstick, it's generally full throughout both low and high seasons, something a great many restaurants can only dream of. It sells excellent pizza and home-made pasta and is run by an Italian husband and wife duo.

It's great food and is cheap/reasonably priced.

IFAWAS should pay a visit.

Yeah, I realized my post came off as a bit of a #$%#.

I think my problem is that I am still thinking with a western mentality when it comes to work.

Here in the US, trying to get an education job, or many others for that matter, with an online degree still puts you at a disadvantage.

While Thailand is hiring a much more international clientele and there is strong notion as to why you would pursue and online degree.

It may also be that since here in the US, online degrees are often mentally connected with Shoddy commercials at 3am asking if you are tired of sitting on the couch.

I still wonder how the degrees will be weighed at a prominent international school.

Sorry for sticking my foot in my mouth

The mainstream universities that offer 'online' learning in conjunction with their traditional mainstream, bricks and mortar courses, will give you a certificate from themselves which will not mention the word 'online'

If it's with say the University of Manchester then that is what it will say on the degree.

Any employer who thinks that working full-time and doing a SIGNIFICANT amount of study online in your spare time, for 3 years, is a walk in the park, needs re-educating. In many ways, an online degree whilst working full time is HARDER than a traditional degree, and those who pass it are at least as employable as others who take the more traditional route.

The best case is to pack it up and return home for a few years. Yeah it kinda sucks to be out of Thailand, but you get a degree that is from a western country and isn't an Online degree.

2 years and counting till I'm done doing this...

Absolutely nothing wrong with an 'online' degree - as long as the university is properly accredited. If you go for one of the major mainstream western universities who offer online courses then you won't go far wrong.

A friend of mine recently did one at Anglia Ruskin University in the UK, a bricks and mortar campus established over 100 years ago who offer a number of online courses which are all accepted and accredited. The Ba (hons) is a 3 years online course with no examinations - assessment is provided by passing a number of very hard modules and written assignments.

Many traditional mainstream universities are now offering online courses in addition to their standard, traditional courses. It makes financial sense - they can offer more courses without having to extend the fabric and infrastructure of the campus.

They are perfectly accepted worldwide.

One of the downsides may rest on YOUR shoulders. YOu have to have the self-management and fortitude to motivate yourself to study at home for a significant amount of time.

Financially, i think Anglia charges about 1500 pounds per year. This is significantly cheaper than going back home to the UK to study.

As someone else mentioned, Google is your friend here.

Australia and South Africa have a history of 'distance learning' which is now morphing into 'online learning'

The good old Open University in the UK is still providing 'distance learning' though very very slowly they are starting to embrace 'online' as opposed to 'corrospondence' courses.

If you have the motivation, and think hard about exactly what that entails, then my advice is to stay in Thailand where it's relatively cheap, and do the course online.

Ho, ho.

Do you realise that agents here, for trips like you mention, get up to 30% commission?! Say it slowly : 3 0 % !!

Either try to book direct with the provider, and ask for discount. Even if you get 15% off, the provider is making more direct from you that they would through one of these agents.

Or

Ask the agent for discount off their price. Some may realise that it's better for them to make 10% or so, than nothing, if you walk away.

The trouble with this is you are surprised that people in business are making a profit.

Go to any club in Phuket Town which sells a small bottle of beer at 100baht or more then work out their commission. It's well over a hundred percent. Say it slowly........over one hundred percent.

That's what is called 'business'.

Regarding day trips etc. There are surprisingly few providers of tours to Phi Phi. Twelve friends could book at 12 different road-side stalls for similar prices (plus or minus 50 baht) and find they are all picked up by the same company van.

You won't get it cheaper by going direct to the ferry port because the ferry boat providers have an agreement with the tour companies to not undercut them. Call it a Cartel if you like, but again, that is business. The van companies are doing a lot of legwork for their money and need to protect themselves.

Depending on where your hotel is, booking with a tour company can be quite convenient. You will get picked up and dropped off again at your hotel. It's a door to door service. Any saving you may make by booking it direct with the tour provider may well be offset by having to pay a taxi to get there and back.

You've had good advice about a day trip to Phi Phi. It's a bit too far away for a day trip. The ferry leaves at 8.30 and often stops at Maya Bay before docking at Phi Phi at say 1030 or 11am.

It then leaves again at 2.30.

There is nothing you can do on Phi Phi really in that short time.

Depending on the time of year, you will be very lucky to get cheap accommodation in Phi Phi although it depends on what you call 'cheap'.

If you can get something at this time of year for 500baht then you've been very lucky. Figure on prices closer to 1000 baht.

Personally, i would advise against getting a longtail boat to Phi Phi. The boats, in my view, are not safe enough for such a passage. They carry lifejackets and that is about it. Flares, horns, signalling devices, radios, first aid kits? Forget it. Apart from that, they can be uncomfortable - often uncovered (hot hot hot) and noisy. And it would be unlikely to be any quicker or cheaper.

Private speedboat rentals are quicker but are much more expensive.

Why do you want to go to Phi Phi anyway? It's full of foreigners !!

Are we sure it was a Land Rover? The media reports in Australia said it was a JEEP and it looked like a jeep in the photo I saw ?

I've only ever seen Siam Safari running around in Land Rovers, although they are often generically called a Jeep.

Both the Willy's Jeep and the Land Rover were used by the military and the name 'jeep' is often used for such vehicles.

Ive never seen Siam in anything but green Land Rovers. I've also seen them in what we called in the army a '1 tonner' which is a very very square Land Rover. Quite unusual looking. They were used for certain communication roles and as ambulances - and had a bit of a reputation for being unstable/top heavy. They werent well liked. I think Siam Safari also has one of these too though i'm not saying that was the type of vehicle that had this unfortunate accident.

It's a good idea.

Almost ALL public parking bays along beach road are taken up by car and/or motorcycle rental businesses.

This should be perfectly apparent to ANYONE in authority who drives down beach road. It's hardly a tucked away thoroughfare is it. Isnt it someone's job to clear this, for example, the mayor, the chief of Police etc..............

Clear it or clear off from your job. Whether they (rental companies) have alternative locations shouldnt be a reason to not do the job the public tax payer is paying you to do.

Lastly................the English sign makes no sense. We all forgive slight typos like Friend fried instead of French Fries............but that sign makes no sense at all. Surely they could have found ONE English speaker in Phuket, perhaps a teacher for example, maybe at Rajabat or Prince of Songkhla, who could have made a better attempt at translating the sign into something meaningful.

I m sure most ThaiVisa members would do it for free.

Thaivisa has a hotel booking service.

Also look at Agoda.

There are loads of hotels in your price range or less.

You didnt say what time of year you are coming, but in low season, you can get a great deal in a top hotel for that sort of money.

But it doesn't happen anywhere steveni the local gangsters don't care if tourists are around when they decide to have a shoot out it could be a back st bar or patong beach rd in broad daylight in the afternoon in full view of holiday tourists with there family's crime as everyone knows is on the increase in phuket or are you in denial simoni that it is not a major problem it only takes another tuk tuk driver to attack an older tourist and you will have your 1st murder, this is the prime reason phuket is finished as a tourist destination if it was a farang who comitted this crime or any other crime that damaged phukets reputation they would have been paraded the next day outside chalong police station with all the officers pointing there fingers at him but when its a local an arrest isnt even forthcomeing and is shoved under the carpet.

Phuket's not even nearly finished as a tourist destination, don't worry about that. There are mercifully few foreigners murdered here - far far more die in motorcycle accidents. For murders, off the top of my head, i can think of the Scandinavian chap Knuttson (?) who was stabbed on the Naiharn/Kata road. There was the property guy near Tesco-Lotus who was killed in a burglary, and then there was the old Japanese chap who's Thai wife apparently had him killed before burning the body.

All terrible crimes, but their impact on tourism is very limited.

We live here so have memories of the place. Tourists just want a 2 week break on the beach. They said Phuket would be dead and buried after the tsunami - but it isnt.

In 12 months or less the JJ Jet ski thing will be forgotten.

Thais murdering Thais won't even make the news back home.

There's just been a shooting in Finland - a country with some of the highest gun ownership in Europe. Would that stop you going on holiday to Finland? Probably not.

Foreigners should take a leaf out of the Thai book of 'how to do things' and either

(a) march on the Town Hall and camp out in the grounds until the Governor comes out and agrees to sort things out

( Blockade beach road in Patong until the tuk tuk problem is sorted out

© (and i am quite serious about this one) Under the watchful eye of the Gazette and/or Phuket TV, secretly get all the tourists you can find, and expats, early one morning, and park ALL our vehicles along beach road in the PUBLIC parking areas. Fill 'em up. Thus stopping the motorbike and jeep renters and tuk tuks from blocking the public parking areas.

It would bring attention to the problem and would be hilarious.

How many people would we need and who would be willing to do it?

You still retain copyright, so if someone infringes on that right, sue them.

It was one of ThaiVisas newspaper partners.......................................