On 7/31/2025 at 4:24 PM, HappyExpat57 said:

I spent a few years teaching in Bang Bon. There was a university nearby where several of the teachers who were hired illegally (no degree) paid a fee, then at the end of the school year, picked up their "official" degree that was recognized by the Ministry of Education.

 

Sarasas? big one in Bang bon, seem good at teaching English there.

I taught English in Thailand for many years in several schools, with all the private schools I worked at no student ever failed the exams. I was instructed this by the boss...no student fails. Even if there are insufficient marks from the test scores to pass, then find some extra marks from other aspects of the student to get over the line, like the kid has a pleasant personality, or is punctual, or neat and tidy, so bang on extra marks for these characteristics. Failing a kid would mean a huge lose of face for the kid and his/her family, and from the parent's perspective it won't be that their kid is dumb or doesn't pay attention in class, the problem is the teacher is no good, and the school is no good. At the end of the day private schools are businesses and having unhappy customers taking their money elsewhere and badmouthing your business, is just not good for business.

5 hours ago, proton said:

 

Sarasas? big one in Bang bon, seem good at teaching English there.

You know better than that, we can't name names.

27 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

You know better than that, we can't name names.

Right-

Now switch gears over to Regents and St. Andrews international schools.

Not overly proud of this, but followed the admin's process.

Over 2 decades ago, I was teaching at an "international" school in the same district in which a major hospital is located.

Students who failed had to attend summer school, with a high tuition and guaranteed pass. We were told to keep retesting and reteaching until they passed the final, no matter how many times it took. We learned right away to set a final exam that only true idiots would fail.

Surprisingly, I was told I could offer private tutoring to my own students to help them pass. I don't think the admins fully realized the implications of that. I told my students that I could, for 15K THB each, tutor them until they could pass my final, which would be 10 questions, with 60% being a pass. Same game the school was playing, at 25% of the cost to the students, and no onerous summer attendance requirements. I think some kids paid out of their own pocket, without ever telling their parents. I made sure that every kid passed in the first round. Quick 3 days work for an extra 150K.

FU

2 hours ago, proton said:

Right-

Now switch gears over to Regents and St. Andrews international schools.

Speaking positively is OK.

On 7/31/2025 at 2:16 PM, youreavinalaff said:

That's how private schools work. Kids get good grades, even if they haven't earned them, parents are happy and pay for another term and pay teachers for extra lessons.

 

Then their kids crash and burn horribly in either further education or the workplace, before going on benefits or becoming YouTubers in Thailand.

On 8/7/2025 at 12:50 PM, CanadaSam said:

Schools in Thailand only teach kids to memorize things, never to learn to solve problems on their own. 

 

They don't encourage creative thinking, only rote memorization.

 

One day, the leaders that be will realize they are creating a society of idiots who can not figure out even the simplest problem, because they were never taught to do that.

 

The nation's 'leaders' know EXACTLY why the Thai education system is so poor. They require a 'society of idiots' to bolster their positions at the top of the food chain.

 

A few months back, when divvying up of Thai ministerial portfolios were being discussed as coalition partners called in their debts, and the government started rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic ahead of a reshuffle, I recall the Thai media describing the two-tiers of cabinet positions. The likes of Transport and Finance were tier-one and very desirable, whereas Education was a tier-two post, like Natural Resources and Environment. Tier-two is for those without ambition, because they can't (are not allowed to) change anything very much, while the scope for filling one's boots is less than tier-one.

3 hours ago, NanLaew said:

 

Then their kids crash and burn horribly in either further education or the workplace, before going on benefits or becoming YouTubers in Thailand.

Benefits? In Thailand? That's news to me.

I am quite pleased with the education my kid got/is getting here. 

 

Second graders memorizing times tables and spelling and whatnot, what’s wrong with that? 

 

 

18 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

Benefits? In Thailand? That's news to me.

 

I was spreading this "good news vibe" beyond Thailand's borders.

5 hours ago, NanLaew said:

 

I was spreading this "good news vibe" beyond Thailand's borders.

Why? The subject is education in Thailand.