Are you happy with your Childs education?

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

if she has a boyfriend, you will no longer support your daughter financially?

Absolutely!

I am 100% in agreement with Allah on this one, my daughters are my property until they are their husbands property.

Although I always offer them the choice of being their own property, if they don't want my financing.

 

I also 100% support strong independent women ...... living off me isn't either strong or independent.

Make your choice girls, and stick with your choice.

Edited March 6, 2021 by BritManToo

[Pilotman]

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Absolutely!

I am 100% in agreement with Allah on this one, my daughters are my property until they are their husbands property.

my youngest daughter now has her first boyfriend.  My eldest daughter tells me that apparently he is afraid to meet me, I wonder why that is?  I need to meet the little scrota at some point. 

 

He needs to be afraid,  very afraid. 

[1FinickyOne]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

She would be out of the clutches of the Buddhist mafia here, she would not be subjected to obvious discrimination for mixed race kids here,

Where do you live? 

 

All the Buddhists I know are non-proselytising gentle people who are not mafia related... including my wife. I have monk friends and Buddhist family who never pressured me or dod anything to try and convert me...

 

from what I have seen, mixed race kids are prized and desired... 

[holy cow cm]

The real answer is, some of the teachers are a complete waste of time and some are good. I have one at CMU and one who just graduated M6 and is going to go to CMU. Education is better in the USA, but the dangers are far greater in the USA now too. Thye can do their Masters online or go abroad after if they want. 

[cardinalblue]

Expecting 25-30k a month is very different than landing that amount unless she has a technical major like engineering or computer science...

 

And obviously not a business major as a young person starting out would be very foolish to be stuck with a housing mortgage in a zero investment housing market...secondary homes have no appreciation value here as whole new   villages and vacated secondary homes dominate the housing scene...

 

we live in upscale moobaan and the only homes are selling are ones selling price is lower than their purchase price of X years ago...current CM homes are a terrible investment now with no end in sight....1000s of available homes for rent/sale makes for a very poor investment 

[Hanuman2547]

2 hours ago, cardinalblue said:

 

give me some facts like nurses (RNs) make make 100b an hour in CM compared to $25-30 an hour in California...

 

 

if my daughter wants a career in any health care field, I will advise her better to  get educated in usa than thailand...her education, career advancement and buying/staying power clearly superior than in thailand...

 

Tell me again why Thai doctors and nurses are clamoring (only the best are chosen) to advance their careers here by doing internships, residencies, post graduate work and training programs in the west vs staying home....it’s a rhetorical question....

If you're going to be an RN, then California pays the best but it's also an expensive place to live.  It also pays a lot more than what was quoted above.  General RN's are making anywhere from $31/hr to $75/hr.  

The highest paying nursing jobs are:

• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist - $181,040.
• General Nurse Practitioner - $111,840.
• Clinical Nurse Specialist - $106,028.
• Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner - $105,658.
• Certified Nurse Midwife - $108,810.
• Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse - $102,487.
• Pain Management Nurse - $101,916.

[BritManToo]

Just now, cardinalblue said:

we live in upscale moobaan and the only homes are selling are ones selling price is lower than their purchase price of X years ago...current CM homes are a terrible investment now with no end in sight....1000s of available homes for rent/sale makes for a very poor investment 

Houses are not investments, they are a place for families to live.

Speaking two languages fluently is a big advantage in the jobs market here.

[Pilotman]

8 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

Where do you live? 

 

All the Buddhists I know are non-proselytising gentle people who are not mafia related... including my wife. I have monk friends and Buddhist family who never pressured me or dod anything to try and convert me...

 

from what I have seen, mixed race kids are prized and desired... 

That's your view, I think differently, and I think it of all organised religions and I certainly didn't want any of my children to be brainwashed by any of them.  One look at what goes on in Thai schools, and villages, and in Thai society at large, where the Buddhist religion is forced down their throats at every turn was enough for me. My wife is a devote Buddhist, but quite rightly, she keeps it to herself. As for me, I have no time for its rituals and mysticism, or any religious BS. although some of what Buddha himself is reported to have said is interesting and okay with me as a way to live a life. 

[Hanuman2547]

Overall I was pretty satisfied with the education my two boys received in Thailand.  They studied P1-6 at Sathit Suansunandha and M1-3 at Bangkok Christian College.  After that they went to the US for grades 10-12.  Both went to university and graduated.  One works in the high tech industry but on the business side of things.  The other one works in financing of commercial real estate.  He double majored in business and economics.  After about three years working he applied to Law school and got accepted.  He decided not to go as he didn't want to take on all the student loan debt for Law School which runs about $100-$150K at that time.

[cardinalblue]

I guess you rented the whole time in the west....home ownership is the greatest investment that people make in their lives....far greater than some guy putting in the hours thinking that they are getting ahead in life by saving their pennies..

 

in a foreign country with an extremely depressed housing market, you rent if a house is only a place to live...you take your money and buy land/rice fields like in Mae Rim...it’s going up five fold in 15 years - that is called smart investing....

 

Flushing money down a leaking toilet is the equivalent of buying a house in CM...let’s see 3 million baht  in a CM home or 3 million baht in Apple or TESLA stock?

[Throatwobbler]

On 3/6/2021 at 11:32 AM, BritManToo said:

Absolutely!

I am 100% in agreement with Allah on this one, my daughters are my property until they are their husbands property.

Although I always offer them the choice of being their own property, if they don't want my financing.

 

I also 100% support strong independent women ...... living off me isn't either strong or independent.

Make your choice girls, and stick with your choice.

Glad to see that you view women as property. No wonder you could not find anyone at home who wanted you.

[hmficc]

Raising a child in Chiang Mai makes as much sense as joining the Chernobyl garden club. Pollution pollution pollution

[richard_smith237]

On 3/6/2021 at 5:49 AM, BritManToo said:

Everyone knows the western world is paved with gold ........ greed drives many people.

I earned all the money you could imagine in the west, working all hours of the day and night, which only brought me unhappiness, dissatisfaction and a wife that hated me because I was never at home.

Didn’t you say you were a teacher in another thread ?

 

 

[richard_smith237]

Personal opinion based on a 7 y/o boy in Thailand compared to my sisters boys in the UK. 

1st Choice - A good International School in Thailand 

2nd Choice - A Private School in the UK

3rd Choice - Government comprehensive school in the UK

No choice - Thai government school (not an option I’d be happy to be forced into, we’d move back to the UK before that).

 

My son goes to Bangkok Patana School - I simply can’t fault it, its an incredible school. I see that through every facet of my sons development, I see it in the children of friends who also go there some of whom have now left and are attending UK / US universities.  

The school highlighted how good it is during this last year with the organisation and lengths they went to with online learning during the Covid-19 crisis. 

 

In comparison the my nephews attend a good secondary school in the UK, the standards of attention and quality of support during home schooling over same period were by comparison, poor. 

My niece on the other hand attends a private school in the UK and the standards she has been afforded are excellent. 

 

IMO - The International schools in Thailand match the private schools in the UK. 

 

The comprehensive school in the UK are not bad, but they are free and a smart child will (can) still excel. 

 

The Thai government schools are very hit and miss, I’d hazard a guess and say on education standards alone a child will receive a better free education in most areas of most western nations. 

 

[Hanuman2547]

13 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Personal opinion based on a 7 y/o boy in Thailand compared to my sisters boys in the UK. 

1st Choice - A good International School in Thailand 

2nd Choice - A Private School in the UK

3rd Choice - Government comprehensive school in the UK

No choice - Thai government school (not an option I’d be happy to be forced into, we’d move back to the UK before that).

 

My son goes to Bangkok Patana School - I simply can’t fault it, its an incredible school. I see that through every facet of my sons development, I see it in the children of friends who also go there some of whom have now left and are attending UK / US universities.  

The school highlighted how good it is during this last year with the organisation and lengths they went to with online learning during the Covid-19 crisis. 

 

In comparison the my nephews attend a good secondary school in the UK, the standards of attention and quality of support during home schooling over same period were by comparison, poor. 

My niece on the other hand attends a private school in the UK and the standards she has been afforded are excellent. 

 

IMO - The International schools in Thailand match the private schools in the UK. 

 

The comprehensive school in the UK are not bad, but they are free and a smart child will (can) still excel. 

 

The Thai government schools are very hit and miss, I’d hazard a guess and say on education standards alone a child will receive a better free education in most areas of most western nations. 

 

Bangkok Patana is a very fine school and follows a British curriculum.  Definitely the best choice for a British education in Thailand.  ISB is probably the best choice for Americans seeking an educational system that closely aligns with their country.  I think most would be happy with the education received from both schools for their children.  They are not cheap, tuition is quite expensive at both.  It helps if your employer is paying!

[stament]

On 3/5/2021 at 1:26 AM, Mark1066 said:

I homeschool my daughter and I must admit I have a few reservations about the education she is receiving in Chiang Mai. For a start, I don't think her teacher is qualified and he has some terrible habits.

What habits? Is the teacher someone you employ at your home you mean? Bit confusing 

[Mark1066]

20 hours ago, stament said:

What habits? Is the teacher someone you employ at your home you mean? Bit confusing 

Sorry, it was a joke. I teach her myself (except for Thai, Japanese and art, which we get outside teachers to handle).

[stament]

13 hours ago, Mark1066 said:

Sorry, it was a joke. I teach her myself (except for Thai, Japanese and art, which we get outside teachers to handle).

LOL, sorry I missed that, what curriculum do you teach out of interest?

 

[Mark1066]

On 3/22/2021 at 8:02 AM, stament said:

LOL, sorry I missed that, what curriculum do you teach out of interest?

 

Apologies for the late answer. I don't teach to a specific curriculum at the moment as she's only 9. I am focusing on general maths and English skills, with the aim of making sure she keeps up with her peers in case she wants to go back to regular school in the future. I've used sites like IXL to help her practise those skills and to check that she's performing to the level that would be expected of her at her age. We pay a Thai, Japanese and Art teacher to come in a couple of times a week each as well.

 

I don't set her homework and I don't make her do tests on a regular basis as I'm not a fan of the pressure they put on young kids at school these days. I will start preparing her for examinations in the next year or two if she's still being home schooled but I don't see the sense in it now.

Edited April 2, 2021 by Mark1066

[whatsupdoc]

You should keep in mind where you want your kid to go in the future.

I want my kid to attend university in mainland Europe. The most straightforward  way to get access to these universities is the IB (International Baccalaureate) diploma.

Unfortunately in Chiang Mai that would mean Prem which is outrageously expensive. So we moved back to Europe so my kid could be at an IB school there (fees much lower than Prem, but yes cost of living in Europe is higher).

Anyway, I am glad I did this. Moving back to Europe is costly but the educational opportunities for my kid are much better.

[Logosone]

I have two daughters, 4 and 11, and having sent them to Varee International school in Chiang Mai I thought the topics the older one studied did not differ markedly in the core subjects with the German Gymnasium she attended. The only difference is that the German Gymnasium is much tougher because they switch topics every week and the volume of different topics is greater.  Quality of teaching in Germany varied a lot based on the teacher and was not always great. I find they take more time in Thailand, have more breaks, it's a lot more relaxed. The pressure in Germany is relentless and completely overdone. The big difference is that Varee in CM is full of Chinese kids and my daughter is an exotic superstar, whereas in Germany she is just a kid among many, and in CM the Thai language of course is key whereas in Germany she spoke the native language.

 

It's a tough one. I think at the lower primary and secondary school level you're perfectly fine with Thai private school. It's more a case of perception, people will always think German, British, etc schools are better than Thai schools, but I am not convinced that is the case at all. When it comes to university level I have no doubt though that, having seen Maejo University, German and British universities are a bit better.

 

Incidentally I went to a private British school, did O and A levels, and got a place at UK university, I don't think even now you need IB to study in the UK.

 

As for girls, I'm with Britmantoo, I escort my 11 year old to school and would never allow her to be alone with a male. She can sleep over at families I trust though, where I know the parents.

 

I think girls are a lot easier and more pleasant than boys, just laziness and phone addiction are the key issues. If anyone knows how to curb phone addiction and instill hard work in a girl, do PM me.

[BenDeCosta]

I only live here because I have a Thai wife, otherwise there are plenty of other places that I could go to. However, if we ever had a child, once that child is 4-5 years old, I would go back to the West immediately. The standards of education in Thailand are shocking, unless of course you can afford to spend millions on a private education in Bangkok. Education is the most important thing for a child, and gives them a chance of entering a respected  profession and having a good quality of life.

 

I would fight tooth and nail and spend every penny that I could muster to ensure that my children didn't have to endure the Thai education system.

[madmen]

6 minutes ago, BenDeCosta said:

I only live here because I have a Thai wife, otherwise there are plenty of other places that I could go to. However, if we ever had a child, once that child is 4-5 years old, I would go back to the West immediately. The standards of education in Thailand are shocking, unless of course you can afford to spend millions on a private education in Bangkok. Education is the most important thing for a child, and gives them a chance of entering a respected  profession and having a good quality of life.

 

I would fight tooth and nail and spend every penny that I could muster to ensure that my children didn't have to endure the Thai education system.

You dont sound like a fighter in fact your opening few lines make it sound like your totally defeated 

[Logosone]

2 minutes ago, BenDeCosta said:

The standards of education in Thailand are shocking, unless of course you can afford to spend millions on a private education in Bangkok. 

I thought that, but it's not the case at all. We looked at the schoolbooks of our 11 year old at Varee, and when she was in the German Gymnasium, they learn the same topics, just at a different pace. Schools in Thailand can be perfectly fine. I suspect it's only at the higher levels where real quality differences arise, and only with the really good Western universities.

 

And school is not all about the subjects either, the school environment in Thailand is vastly better than most schools in the west, Varee International School effectively has a  food court with different Asian cuisines, fantastic facilities, and most Western schools can not compete in that regard. It's just a more pleasant place.

 

I send my kids to a Thai school without any concern about quality of teaching or surroundings.

[BenDeCosta]

2 minutes ago, madmen said:

 make it sound like your totally defeated 

 

Your or you're? What school did you go to?

[clivebaxter]

Not all government schools are poor, our local one has no flag waving, no certain pics plastered all over and no marching about in scout uniforms. It's extremely hard to get in, niece is going for an interview in English tomorrow. An unfortunate rarity. Sarasas can be very good as well depending on the teachers, apart from international schools the best English speakers I have met all go to a Sarasas campus.

[Ventenio]

On a college level, I can't imagine why anyone would want a degree from a Thai school.  Unless, of course, they will stay in Thailand forever.   It's about being immersed in the culture and making connections.   Western colleges allow for those connections, which has probably allowed me to make hundreds of thousands of USD more.  Everyone networks differently, and some are good at it.  

 

If a kid is clever, a school may not really matter to some extent.  If a school teaches good habits, that might be enough.  Good friends, role models, etc......Smart kids find a way to stay smart, and most of it happens outside the classroom.  

 

I do find the teachers in Thailand to be extremely poor, with very few exceptions.  Perhaps they are good at things I'm not considering.  

 

I also find schools in Thailand to care way too much about money.  

 

It's not a prison sentence.  Pick a school and you will know if it's really not a good fit.  

 

If I had to guess.........under the age of 12 schools are probably OK here.  When kids get in their teens, if they have bad habits........well, going to a western school might be very challenging.  Unless they are special.  All parents think their kids are special.  I think most parents way overestimate the school they pay for.

 

I wouldn't risk it, because we know western schools, on average, produce kids who make more money and have way more opportunities.  anyhow, gl.  

[BenDeCosta]

8 minutes ago, clivebaxter said:

Not all government schools are poor, our local one has no flag waving, no certain pics plastered all over and no marching about in scout uniforms. It's extremely hard to get in, niece is going for an interview in English tomorrow. An unfortunate rarity. Sarasas can be very good as well depending on the teachers, apart from international schools the best English speakers I have met all go to a Sarasas campus.

 

 I live in a rural location, and my wife has two teenage sons from a previous marriage to a Thai man. The boys are clueless about chemistry, biology, physics, maths, geography, history and languages. If we did end up having a child, there is no way that I would ever want my child to have the same level of education. I would want my child to have the best chances in life, and if that meant taking them back to the West to get a proper education, I would do it without hesitation.

[clivebaxter]

Our local sarasas star pupil, fluent in English and guitar, not a bad ad for her school, both parents ordinary Thais.

 

 

 

[stament]

31 minutes ago, BenDeCosta said:

I only live here because I have a Thai wife, otherwise there are plenty of other places that I could go to. However, if we ever had a child, once that child is 4-5 years old, I would go back to the West immediately. The standards of education in Thailand are shocking, unless of course you can afford to spend millions on a private education in Bangkok. Education is the most important thing for a child, and gives them a chance of entering a respected  profession and having a good quality of life.

 

I would fight tooth and nail and spend every penny that I could muster to ensure that my children didn't have to endure the Thai education system.

Your wife could live in the west couldn't she, just because she's Thai doesn't mean you have to live here. 

 

Sounds like you don't want to live here with that statement.