2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

More commonly known as General Prem...  I'd never heard of him being referred to as General Tinsulonda before either.

 

It would seem that the Op is using his experience with one particular school in Chiang Mai and drawing that parallel to all International Schools.

 

When looking at an International School it is worth looking at the Universities attended by its alumni - some prestigious Universities are commonly listed. It is this which helped me choose my Son's school and also give me confidence that his educate would not be negatively impacted by being schooled in Thailand (at a top Int'l School), conversely, I am of the opinion that his education here will be better than the school he would attend in the UK unless I were to send him to a UK Private School.

I suggest read "even if" rather than "unless".

Compared to UK schools, the best Bangkok schools are competitive, in my opinion, for the price and quality.

 

We all have our own prejudices, and it behoves us all to think from what perspective would they be mistaken.  Then maybe we might consider whether those circumstances prevail, and we might amend our erroneous presuppositions. 

 

SC

 

Thai schools do not place kids to Oxbridge and Ivies, which is why wealthy Thais are educated abroad.

Thailand is not a place for a forty year old office clerk or school teacher. But if you have figured out how to make money no matter where you are, Thailand is a great place to do it, as that money goes much further.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

Au contraire...   Wealthy Thai's commonly educate their children at the International Schools in Thailand too... NIST, ISB, Shrewsbury, Patana, Harrow, BKK Prep - they will then send them oversea's for their University Education which is most definitely not up to 'international Par'.

 

 

 

 

I do tend to agree with your comment that Thailand is not a place for a 40 year old office clerk or a Teacher in a Thai School or any other position in which the career prospects are relatively limited.... However, Thailand is an excellent place for a 40 year old International School teacher (male or female, with or without family) or a number of other positions where their income and continued prospects can be measured on an international standard. 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Why would somebody go to a school in the USA with all the gun crazy idiots around.

What percentage of the population are verified gun crazies running around?

 

Thailand just had their own at Tesco Lotus if you read the news

 

 

4 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Did you ever think about that there are people earning a lot of money here too? Not everybody is a school teacher.

Which are there more of? People earning a lot of money or school teachers?

4 hours ago, StreetCowboy said:

I told you I spent about 130 baht in a taxi on the way to the office, and rarely stood stationary for more than five minutes. 

 

If I was lying, I would lie about the names of the universities and qualifications.  If you have to resort to calling anonymous strangers liars to boost your self belief, then I am not going to piss on your bonfire.

 

I believe people can have different experiences.  Richard seems to share similar experiences to me.  I can assure you some people are happy working in Thailand, some people work in Thailand because of the job and not because of the place and are happy here, as they would be elsewhere.

 

I believe there are also some people that accept jobs in Thailand for the sake of the place and not the job, and I believe some of them are happy to do so. 

 

Thailand was different from any other place that I worked, but so were all the other places that I worked.  I and my family would probably rate it middling of all the places that we've lived, but different times, different family circumstances.... 

 

It's probably best explained if I tell a little story, which you might find irrelevant. 

 

While still a young student I worked in a certain English town, and from time to time would go drinking with my colleagues.  "You've been  to the USA", one said, "I'm planning on going travelling; where would you recommend?"

"Well," I said, "the best night out I had was in Albaquerque, but.."

"Albaquerque?"

"But .... "

"That's all I need to know"

"No it isn't..."

"Albaquerque!"

Years passed, and I found myself back in that English town, and called up my old acquaintances and met them for a drink.

"Yefookinbastirt. FookinAlaquerque! Ah'venever beensobored soquickly in my life asin fookinAlbaquerque"

and I can see that if you didn't get invited to a hardcore skinhead punk gig in somebody's house out in the suburbs, and then get chased home by the coppers, I can see that his experience of Albaquerque might not have been the same as mine.  Which is what I tried to tell him ,but he wouldn't listen.

 

Before anyone's tempted to go there, Albaquerque may have changed in the last thirty years.

 

SC

Waiting for your roadmap where traffic never stops in Bangkok

4 hours ago, StreetCowboy said:

Out of interest, what date is that photo? It seems to show the skytrain under construction. 

 

I think that the Skytrain is one of the best Asian transit systems I've seen.  Unlike the BMCL Underground, they don't try to be a world class railway.  They just run packed trains in both directions all day long.  What more can you do?

2018 photo

4 hours ago, observer90210 said:

To the OP: Is there any...any country in the world where working is all that fun ? ? ? 

 

I'm sure that even those in positions,  that general thought may consider "dream jobs", must be fed up on few mornings or evenings to go to work.

I am sure there are some pretty cool dreams jobs out there. 

 

Making money might not be part of them

4 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

More commonly known as General Prem...  I'd never heard of him being referred to as General Tinsulonda before either.

 

It would seem that the Op is using his experience with one particular school in Chiang Mai and drawing that parallel to all International Schools.

 

When looking at an International School it is worth looking at the Universities attended by its alumni - some prestigious Universities are commonly listed. It is this which helped me choose my Son's school and also give me confidence that his educate would not be negatively impacted by being schooled in Thailand (at a top Int'l School), conversely, I am of the opinion that his education here will be better than the school he would attend in the UK unless I were to send him to a UK Private School.

When looking at an International School it is worth looking at the Universities attended by its alumni

 

Well Richard it all comes down to money. Surely you have seen all those stories in the Thai news of families paying for places for their kids in prestigious schools?

 

One can never tell in Thailand if Alumni hatched from the corruption of money or they actually were quite smart?

 

I ran across one recent Thai arrival here in Florida, young gal, driving around in a convertible BMW, family paying her US $45,000 a year tuition and her English is probably K1 level. How did she get accepted here? Money talks, it is all about the money. She has 2 years ahead of her in intensive English before she can even start real college. She might be an Alumni from your school? Who knows? She stated her family owned a bunch of factories in Thailand.

 

Look at Thaksin? He has a PhD from North Texas Uni. in USA and his English is pathetic. However, being a billionaire probably greased the skids.

 

Isn't General Tinsulonda one of the most famous people in Thailand? Can't get more prestigious than that!

 

Nothing really matters except what happens with your own kid, which most of us learned a little late, but not life ruining late.

 

Kids graduate, need to take SAT, ACT or whatever they call the entrance exam in the UK? That score usually carries the heaviest weight into where you can send you kid to college and how much college you can afford.

 

also give me confidence that his educate would not be negatively impacted by being schooled in Thailand

 

You, like all us other parents, will find out the reality of that when he is ready to graduate HS and move to the next level.

 

Until then you are living on your confidence alone.

4 hours ago, StreetCowboy said:

I suggest read "even if" rather than "unless".

Compared to UK schools, the best Bangkok schools are competitive, in my opinion, for the price and quality.

 

We all have our own prejudices, and it behoves us all to think from what perspective would they be mistaken.  Then maybe we might consider whether those circumstances prevail, and we might amend our erroneous presuppositions. 

 

SC

 

What in Bangkok is competitive with Oxford?

 

I posted a 2018 Thai news story earlier in this post that stated the state of Thai education is going downhill fast and yet you contradict that report even though the statistics show all Thai Uni's falling?

 

In your opinion, do you ever read the actual statistics or just theorize Thailand schools are much better than the experts say they are?

Edited October 4, 20187 yr by bwpage3

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Au contraire...   Wealthy Thai's commonly educate their children at the International Schools in Thailand too... NIST, ISB, Shrewsbury, Patana, Harrow, BKK Prep - they will then send them oversea's for their University Education which is most definitely not up to 'international Par'.

 

 

 

 

I do tend to agree with your comment that Thailand is not a place for a 40 year old office clerk or a Teacher in a Thai School or any other position in which the career prospects are relatively limited.... However, Thailand is an excellent place for a 40 year old International School teacher (male or female, with or without family) or a number of other positions where their income and continued prospects can be measured on an international standard. 

 

 

 

Please enlighten us on how much an average 40 year old International School Teacher earns in Thailand and try to provide a factual reference if you can.

 

I just read the University of Alabama Football coach in the USA earns US $7.6 million per year.

Do coaches in Thailand, measured on your international scale, earn this much per year?

5 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Why would somebody go to a school in the USA with all the gun crazy idiots around.

PATTANI: The wife of a local contractor and her son were shot dead in full view of customers at a teahouse in Thung Yang Daeng district on Thursday morning. They were slain by gunmen who arrived on motorcycles... 

 

No need to go the USA for gun crimes!
 

1 hour ago, bwpage3 said:

 

No need to go the USA for gun crimes!

But for mass shootings in schools, you do.

1 hour ago, bwpage3 said:

PATTANI: The wife of a local contractor and her son were shot dead in full view of customers at a teahouse in Thung Yang Daeng district on Thursday morning. They were slain by gunmen who arrived on motorcycles... 

 

No need to go the USA for gun crimes!
 

How many mass shootings at school here?

6 hours ago, SuperTed said:

Thai schools do not place kids to Oxbridge

Most kids at Oxbridge come from 'connected' families (MPs, aristocracy, military, the law).

The general British public doesn't get to go all that much apart from a few token choices.

Edited October 4, 20187 yr by BritManToo

9 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

Everybody is top something, except there is never a mention of any facts or any evidence. You can claim what ever you want right? But if you were indeed right, how come there is not ONE shred of evidence?

 

What internationally respected qualifications are you referring to? You must have some facts right? I am very curious what Internationally Respected Qualifications can be gained from any Thai School, since Thai schools are internationally ranked as some of the worlds worst? 

 

What English University is she attending? You must know the name?

 

How much does it cost? How are you paying for it? Room and Board?

 

I don't have to tell you the second rates schools if you know how to read the international rankings for yourself. Do I? Or can you Google this for yourself?

 

Here, I will help you out with a current article

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30344984

 

The facts are there and easily verifiable. Find the facts because your opinion is contrary to the internationally published facts about the state of all Thai schools

 

You are one that has no substance to backup one word you say.

 

Do you need someone to tell you the name of the school your daughter is going to?

 

No need to fear the facts, if indeed they are the facts

 

If you want to be taken seriously, deal with the facts

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I’m not sure what happens in the UK, but my son regardless of his qualifications from a Thai HS still had to pass an entrance exam for the University of Chicago.

So he passed the exam handily, but I think that was primarily due to his mother’s tutoring, since Chicago was her alma mater.

His Thai high school was a distinct handicap during his freshman year, and he struggled. We were lucky, since at the time my eldest daughter was living in Chicago and was able to help tutor him.

It would take a lot to convince me that any Thai educational facility even came close to a school in the West, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan...the list goes on!

16 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

Please enlighten us on how much an average 40 year old International School Teacher earns in Thailand and try to provide a factual reference if you can.

 

I just read the University of Alabama Football coach in the USA earns US $7.6 million per year.

Do coaches in Thailand, measured on your international scale, earn this much per year?

 

Nope... and dragging up the most extreme cases to bolster your point proves little other than your flawed approach to presenting a balanced argument. 

 

Compare how much a Science, Geography, PE teacher etc gets paid in the UK (or US) to the salary of an Science, Geography, PE teacher etc at Bangkok Patana, NIST, Harrow etc and you will have a more balanced approach to your question within the context of this aspect of the discussion which solely regards the comparison of a Childs secondary education (not university) between the Top Bangkok International Schools and Secondary Schools in the UK (or equivalent in the US). 

 

Geography Teacher in the UK earns: £40,751 (per year / 1,745,754 Baht)

Av Teacher at a Top Tier International School earns 150k - 200k Baht per month (with yearly flights and housing included) - Per year 1,800,000 - 2,400,000 Baht / £42,000 to £56,000

 

Naturally, bwpage3, you will disagree with this because it doesn't follow your rhetoric... 

Perhaps someone who works at a Top Tier International School or someone else in the know is reading this and could confirm the salary range.

 

All I am doing here is attempting to present a balanced argument to counter the bias. 

16 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Most kids at Oxbridge come from 'connected' families (MPs, aristocracy, military, the law).

The general British public doesn't get to go all that much apart from a few token choices.

None of my mates that went to Oxbridge were families of MPs, aristocracy, military or the law.  I'll tell them they were tokens.  

 

The general public doesn't go to Oxbridge because there are very few places and the British public is very large.  Mostly, Oxbridge seems to be dominated by people that understand the Oxbridge system, or are in the academic top few percent at school.  You might call that prejudice, some might call it elitism, others meritocracy.

 

SC

19 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

Please enlighten us on how much an average 40 year old International School Teacher earns in Thailand and try to provide a factual reference if you can.

 

I just read the University of Alabama Football coach in the USA earns US $7.6 million per year.

Do coaches in Thailand, measured on your international scale, earn this much per year?

I think if I was the one of the best American football coaches in the world, I would look for a job in a country where the game was played, not in Thailand.  College sports are not taken as seriously in most countries as they are in the US.  

 

I have never benchmarked myself against American college sports coaches.  I have sometimes wondered how I compare in my remuneration to professional footballers.  I reckon I probably get paid comparable to mid-rank English Championship footballers, comparable to 50th percentile professional rugby players, better paid than the best paid football players in Thailand, but to be honest, so long as I am comfortable and enjoying my job, I've never thought about professional sports as an alternative.

 

Have you ever thought about becoming a professional sports coach?  Apparently it can be quite lucrative

 

SC

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Nope... and dragging up the most extreme cases to bolster your point proves little other than your flawed approach to presenting a balanced argument. 

 

Compare how much a Science, Geography, PE teacher etc gets paid in the UK (or US) to the salary of an Science, Geography, PE teacher etc at Bangkok Patana, NIST, Harrow etc and you will have a more balanced approach to your question within the context of this aspect of the discussion which solely regards the comparison of a Childs secondary education (not university) between the Top Bangkok International Schools and Secondary Schools in the UK (or equivalent in the US). 

 

Geography Teacher in the UK earns: £40,751 (per year / 1,745,754 Baht)

Av Teacher at a Top Tier International School earns 150k - 200k Baht per month (with yearly flights and housing included) - Per year 1,800,000 - 2,400,000 Baht / £42,000 to £56,000

 

Naturally, bwpage3, you will disagree with this because it doesn't follow your rhetoric... 

Perhaps someone who works at a Top Tier International School or someone else in the know is reading this and could confirm the salary range.

 

All I am doing here is attempting to present a balanced argument to counter the bias. 

The younger teachers at my kids' school stayed in the same condo as my family.   Teachers in the UK don't get their rent paid in a place with a swimming pool.

 

Towards the end, I think Air BnB was making it less attractive.

 

SC

I came here at 26. I'm now 36, have a daughter being educated at a British International School. Mortgage will be paid off by 2020, and retirement in 14 years at 50 very possible.

 

If you're smart, Thailand works for you.

Thailand is great till you retire - easy money and easy women. if you don't have a pension in place you're f@#ed. You'll notice a lot of guys disappearing to Saudi as pension age approaches.

Off topic and responses to same - removed.

23 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Nope... and dragging up the most extreme cases to bolster your point proves little other than your flawed approach to presenting a balanced argument. 

 

Compare how much a Science, Geography, PE teacher etc gets paid in the UK (or US) to the salary of an Science, Geography, PE teacher etc at Bangkok Patana, NIST, Harrow etc and you will have a more balanced approach to your question within the context of this aspect of the discussion which solely regards the comparison of a Childs secondary education (not university) between the Top Bangkok International Schools and Secondary Schools in the UK (or equivalent in the US). 

 

Geography Teacher in the UK earns: £40,751 (per year / 1,745,754 Baht)

Av Teacher at a Top Tier International School earns 150k - 200k Baht per month (with yearly flights and housing included) - Per year 1,800,000 - 2,400,000 Baht / £42,000 to £56,000

 

Naturally, bwpage3, you will disagree with this because it doesn't follow your rhetoric... 

Perhaps someone who works at a Top Tier International School or someone else in the know is reading this and could confirm the salary range.

 

All I am doing here is attempting to present a balanced argument to counter the bias. 

Richard compare apples to apples.

 

You cherry pick the salaries of the most expensive schools in Thailand and compare them to an average school in the US or UK

 

Try comparing the most expensive schools salaries in the US and UK to the most expensive schools in Thailand.

 

1 Example:

 

The Spence School in New York City. 7 to 1 teacher ratio. Tuition US $47,000 per year. 2018 Teachers earn US $90,000 (2,880,000 thb/ 12 months = 240,000 thb per month)

(Not including ANY flights or Housing)

 

Would like to see you point out a factual example with the school name where they are paying teachers 150K to 250k baht per month?

 

Compare apples to apples with a school name 

 

23 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Geography Teacher in the UK earns: £40,751 (per year / 1,745,754 Baht)

I taught math to 'a' level in 2003-2009 and was paid 18,000gbp/year (2nd career, not to make money).

I don't believe normal teaching wages have gone up that much since I left.

Edited October 6, 20187 yr by BritManToo

50 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

Richard compare apples to apples.

 

You cherry pick the salaries of the most expensive schools in Thailand and compare them to an average school in the US or UK

 

Try comparing the most expensive schools salaries in the US and UK to the most expensive schools in Thailand.

 

1 Example:

 

The Spence School in New York City. 7 to 1 teacher ratio. Tuition US $47,000 per year. 2018 Teachers earn US $90,000 (2,880,000 thb/ 12 months = 240,000 thb per month)

(Not including ANY flights or Housing)

 

Would like to see you point out a factual example with the school name where they are paying teachers 150K to 250k baht per month?

 

Compare apples to apples with a school name 

 

 

I am comparing what a fully educated teacher in the UK would get when employed in Thailand at an International School - the majority of teachers I know in Thailand were teachers in the UK before they came here on an attractive package. 

 

These qualified teachers with experience are not working at mid-level schools, they work at Top Tier Schools.

 

I also know other Teachers who came over here after Uni... ended up getting a job at a school and then did a remote PGCE or went home and did their PGCE and came back out here and applied for jobs...  these guys are on less money at mid level schools. 

 

The comparison I makes is for a fully qualified, experienced Professional (Teacher) in the UK to work here in Thailand. Someone with full qualifications and experience does not take a job for 35,000 baht a month in a language school, they baulk at 100,000 baht per month unless willing to try something different for a couple of years.

 

The comparison is thus very much apples for apples. 

53 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

21 hours ago, naboo said:

I came here at 26. I'm now 36, have a daughter being educated at a British International School. Mortgage will be paid off by 2020, and retirement in 14 years at 50 very possible.

 

If you're smart, Thailand works for you.

Sure anyone can say anything with no evidence or facts.

 

A mortgage on what? Something in your wife's name?

 

Retirement after 24 years, you should provide some facts.

 

Your only argument is 'provide facts'... naboo provided his first hand experience.... if thats not factual enough for you what else are you looking for - his mortgage statements?

 

Westerners with work permits can get mortgages here.. and married couples (Western-Thai) can most definitely get mortgages here - whats your issue there?

 

 

1 hour ago, bwpage3 said:

 

The Spence School in New York City. 7 to 1 teacher ratio. Tuition US $47,000 per year. 2018 Teachers earn US $90,000 (2,880,000 thb/ 12 months = 240,000 thb per month)

(Not including ANY flights or Housing)

 

Would like to see you point out a factual example with the school name where they are paying teachers 150K to 250k baht per month?

 

Compare apples to apples with a school name 

 

 

Bangkok Patana, NIST, BKK Prep, Harrow.. All pay their teachers Salaries in the 150k-200k range

 

https://www.paysa.com/salaries/bangkok-patana-school

 

I know teachers from other schools on this much, but I can't find 'facts'... and its clear you will not accept my word, or anyone elses unless they can back it up with a source you approve of. 

 

 

But again - all I want to do is compare a balanced and un-bias comparison... A professional Teacher in the UK can expect to be employed at a comparable level (salary).

 

Fresh graduates and those without experience will find themselves lower down the pay scales in both the UK and Thailand at mid tier schools. 

 

 

 

This is a no name website appeared at soliciting 

 

Hiring for Bangkok Patana School? Upload a job description and let Paysa Talent do the rest.

 

The benefits section on the actual school site is unavailable  https://www.patana.ac.th/recruitment_benefit.asp

 

According to Paysa (and who knows where they get their facts?) 17% of the employees are white. Not to many openings for white people it appears

 

The salary you quote is at the absolute highest end.

 

What percentage of the 17% white employees are absolutely at the max end? Probably not many if any.

 

This was posted in another post:

 

Salary ranges can be anywhere between 50k-250k, but typically would say around 70-80k baht is average overall. 90-120k for Masters. Many schools have different rates for "local hires" and those that got the job abroad

 

That would probably confirm my statement, unless you have a masters degree, which a high percentage of teachers do not, then not many reach the upper echelons of the pay scale

 

The top schools qualifications as posted:

 

4 to 10 years international teaching experience

Bachelors or Masters Degree in Teaching from US, UK

 

So these folks making the money are professional college degree teachers, not your average TOEFL teachers that flood this forum

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Your only argument is 'provide facts'... naboo provided his first hand experience.... if thats not factual enough for you what else are you looking for - his mortgage statements?

 

Westerners with work permits can get mortgages here.. and married couples (Western-Thai) can most definitely get mortgages here - whats your issue there?

 

 

Richard, I was the second man on the moon. I am providing you that experience.

 

Is that factual enough for you because I say so and you cannot prove otherwise? Or would you like to see the proof?

 

Westerners can get a mortgage for a house? For Land? Since when?