In view of todays news about yet another (alleged) foreign pedophile working in an International School in Bangkok you have to marvel at the incredible timing of this item in Tuesdays Bangkok Post just prior to todays news.

EDUCATION / SCHOOL STAFFING PROBLEMS

Hiring foreign teachers 'should be made easier'

The International Schools Association of Thailand (Isat) has called on the government to relax the rules on the recruitment of foreign teachers, saying strict criminal background checks of applicants was making it extremely difficult for schools to recruit foreign staff.

Education Minister Wijit Srisa-arn said Isat representatives recently met him to air international schools' problems regarding the tough recruitment criteria. They claimed the requirement for international schools to thoroughly check the criminal records of applicants before recruiting them was impractical.

The process was not only time-consuming but was also creating other problems, they said.

The association called on the ministry to raise the matter with the Foreign Ministry's Consular Affairs Department, to help cut red tape regarding the criminal background checks.

The association also urged the department to invite Interpol to jointly conduct the checks with Thai police.

Mr Wijit said the Isat proposed that a one-stop service centre be set up to facilitate the hiring of foreign teachers by international schools. Currently, the schools need to deal with several state agencies before a work permit can be issued to a foreign teacher.

The association also called for the inclusion of a clause into a private school draft bill to put international schools under the control of the Office of the Private Education Commission, like other private schools.

A few bad apples always spoil the whole barrel.

Wasn't that Ed Grimley look-alike a false confessor freak? I didn't follow that too much.