I went to a meeting last night regarding the 20 hour Thai cultural awareness course.

I was told everyone who is a foreign teacher in Thailand, has to do this course.

Does anyone know where we can take this course? I am specifically after information relating to the south of Thailand. The information we were given last night was only for a course in Bangkok. Clearly this is of little use if you live in say Had Yai.

I would also like to know if it is possible to get a Thai teacher from your own school trained and registered so that they can give the course. Any information regarding how to go about this will be gratefully received.

Good luck, markq. We've seen this discussed ad infinitum, ad Bangkok, etc., but nobody seems to have much awareness of the cultural awareness course. Somebody reported that the questions were so simple, and so multiple choice, that any backpacker with a Lonely Planet book could pass it. Such as, can you point your foot at a statue of the Lord Buddha, and can a farang teacher hit a student on the head.

I just checked this teaching forum back to 3 december, and there's nothing there. The other forums that have discussed it had conflicting advice, as usual: "Ajarn Sachabigshot said we have to do it" - "My boss said nothing" - "My sister-in-law's tuk-tuk driver said he doesn't know."

Good luck, markq. We've seen this discussed ad infinitum, ad Bangkok, etc., but nobody seems to have much awareness of the cultural awareness course. Somebody reported that the questions were so simple, and so multiple choice, that any backpacker with a Lonely Planet book could pass it. Such as, can you point your foot at a statue of the Lord Buddha, and can a farang teacher hit a student on the head.

I just checked this teaching forum back to 3 december, and there's nothing there. The other forums that have discussed it had conflicting advice, as usual: "Ajarn Sachabigshot said we have to do it" - "My boss said nothing" - "My sister-in-law's tuk-tuk driver said he doesn't know."

Oh dear oh dear, not another great idea that hasnt been thought through properly? Surely not!

1. Ok, we were told last night that the you dont have to do the "test" if you have a valid TEFL certificate from certain (unspecified) TEFL providers.

2. We all have to do the 20 hour course. Which has no test element in it - it's a turn up and pass type course.

As i'm quite interested in Thai Culture, i actually want to do the 20 hour course and hope that it's worthwhile. If someone would just tell me where and when then i'll be there.(I mean locally - i'm not going to Bkk in my hols for a week to do it)

I'm particularly looking forwards to the module on Thai Professional Ethics (no, really - i'm not joking) as i'm hoping they might have an exciting, though currently exiled, guest speaker!

Rajabahts in CM and Bangkok have/are running them. Don't know anymore than that.

IMO this will be forgotten soon. After living in Thailand it is quite amusing to watch 'official' notifications being debated with fear and ridicule and nearly always a year later everyone has forgotten the debate.