Money changers in Pattaya

[wolf5370]

Hi,

I am moving the family up to CM in the summer and need to move the kids' school. They are girls 6 and 8 (been at school from 2y/o).

I am interested to know if anyone has experience of any Private schools in CM (not international, but private Thai schools) - at a minimum I need to build up a list of schools to check out. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Oh and Milton, I'll be in for that free dinner at Tuskers' when I get there - should be April or May assuming I can sort out things by then.

Wolf

Edited February 29, 2008 by wolf5370

[wolf5370]

I guess that's a no then - no one either has experience of a Thai Private School nor knows any that exist in CM

[bunta71]

Ok,Ok....Enrolled my 5 year old english speaking daughter in a Thai school named Wai Daroon in Tanawan subdivision. Thinking she was pretty sharp as she could read and write english at 4 years of age

The teachers there are nice but spoke zero English. Because of that, it was difficult for my daughter to connect english words with the thai words and my idea of the total immersion in thai failed.She also experienced some young Thai racism because she is half American and half Philipina.She couldn't speak Thai and was obviously inferior being not totally Thai and even at her age got physically pushed around a little and became fearful of attending and got to where she would scream,kick and cry when we took her to school so I pulled her out,not wanting her to get a worse impression of attending school. I am home schooling her for the time being while doing more research on bilingual schools in the CM area. The international schools that are good are EXTREMELY expensive. Example just to get in to Nakorn Payup International School, the first semester would cost about 165,000Baht. I think for us that is ridiculous to spend so much on pre-school. Just for registration which involves signing a few papers the charge is 60,000 Baht.Just to sign some papers!!

The Wai Daroon school where she was really amounted to not much more than a babysitting service. The workbooks they used were very simple and my daughter could do the whole semesters worth in probably 4 hours. The children were put down for naps at 12 noon until 2:30 in the afternoon and then would change out of their pajamas and get ready for the end of the day at 3PM. Not much learning going on in the afternoon,and many working parents there would leave the kids there until 5 PM. Many kids spent that extra time crying and waiting for their parents.

There you have my take on personal experience here. If you look deeper into this forum you will find a few more threads about local schools.Overall,unless you are willing to pay quite a sum, the education system here is pretty sad

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I used to work at Dara Academy, they are a well-funded, well-run school. Some people are under the misaprehension that they are a girls school, but they haven't been for the last 15 years. The are owned by the same organisation that owns Prince Royal College so those 2 schools are quite similar.

They teach the Thai curriculum, which all the schools you are looking at will. The teachers I worked with are hard-working and commited. They also have an English-speaking program - which costs a little extra.

There is demand to get into Dara, and I don't know if you have left it a little late to get into the best schools - although someone will come on and blow that idea out of the water!

I think dara costs about 15.000 baht a term, double that for the english program - but I could be wrong.

Edited March 2, 2008 by The Dan Sai Kid

[wolf5370]

Thanks guys - I will look into both schools - the Dara sounds good. Thanks for the warning Bunta, I have simular reservations, so will watch carefully when I get them enrolled. I am actually thinking of home schooling as an alternative - maybe hiring a private teacher.

Found this link (in case anyone is following this thread hoping for the same info): http://www.chiangmai-thai.com/education.htm

Edited March 2, 2008 by wolf5370

[lotus eater]

There was a thread on just this topic barely a fortnight ago.

[infernalman7]

Pre-K to Kindergarden, go for Sai Daroon.

For Grade School, pick either Dara or Regina. These two are the leading girl's school in Chiang Mai. (Sacred Heart's follows)

[bunta71]

Is the Sai Daroon meant to say Wai Daroon? Where is the Sai Daroon?

[slapout]

I dont know how Dara is set up for co education, but they field a boys highschool basketball team as well as a girls which are well coached and play Thai and International schools in northern Thailand. I know some tv members who have sent kids ther, but cannot tell you any more than that, but would sure check it out.