Have You Moved To Thailand And Schooled Your Children

[Blackandwhite]

Have you moved to Thailand from Europe or America ect with children and schooled your children ?

How is it ?

Do you feel it has been good or bad for the child, Children ?

Do you or you children feel let down by the schools ?

Do the Thai families in you town or city or village accept you into the community ?

Also if you feel you can allow the personal info, let me know what school your child goes to and the cost, PM me if you don't want to post on forum, also if you think it is none of my business then cool ?

Sorry if it seams I am grabbing info but I am researching this topic with a view of moving to Thailand with my family.

Thank you

[Blackandwhite]

Is there nobody in this situation ?

Please info greatly recieved

[Benjie]

I moved here and found a wife here (Thai) and now have a family, the situation isn't identical but obviously there are many similarities.

I would say that Private Education here is quite good, a lot of the answers you are looking for would depend on where you were looking at in Thailand (Chiang Mai, Phuket, Bangkok etc...) and the ages of yourself and the children. Also would you be working or retiring?

Regards

Ben

[Blackandwhite]

I moved here and found a wife here (Thai) and now have a family, the situation isn't identical but obviously there are many similarities.

I would say that Private Education here is quite good, a lot of the answers you are looking for would depend on where you were looking at in Thailand (Chiang Mai, Phuket, Bangkok etc...) and the ages of yourself and the children. Also would you be working or retiring?

Regards

Ben

Ben,

We haven’t decided for sure yet, but think we might live in or near Hua Hin. I will not work in Thailand but will travel to the Uk every- weeks for a couple of weeks for work commitments as I have a business here, that I am hoping will run in my absence with careful management.

Iysha is 7 years old now and enjoys scool.

[Benjie]

Hua Hin is a nice area, its a bit like a small seaside town but with enough Western amenities to get along.

The main thing would be schooling, You'd need either a private school or international school for your daughter.

I'd also worry about boredom, there's not that much of an expat community up that way yet, but it is growing.

I'd look at coming over for holidays in Phuket, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai before deciding to settle in one place.

[coolhandjoe]

I've heard about on-line home schooling in Australia for families living in the outback, maybe this is a possibility.

The desire to live in Thailand can be strong if you have children this is complicated unless your wealthy.

I have four half thai children and we live in England. My wife and I would love to live in sunny Thailand but we have had to resign ourself to the fact that its not possible.

Maybe when in retirement in 30 years time.

[coolhandjoe]

Hua Hin is a nice area, its a bit like a small seaside town but with enough Western amenities to get along.

The main thing would be schooling, You'd need either a private school or international school for your daughter.

I'd also worry about boredom, there's not that much of an expat community up that way yet, but it is growing.

I'd look at coming over for holidays in Phuket, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai before deciding to settle in one place.

Maybe if enough likeminded people got together they could arrange a joint homeschool venture similar to a rural primary school, food for thought.

[myauq]

Hi there,

Though private schools are a mile ahead here, children still have quite severe ADD issues in thailand. I feel this is true of farang children I've taught (though to a lesser extent), but in my view it's still a significant problem. The cultural side of things Thai means that your child, even though they may have the best parents in the world (which is important of course), will still be schooled in a culture that values form over content. There is also virtually no understanding of the importance of discipline in terms of education, which is *insane*. I always find myself perplexed when meeting the farang parents of some of my children. I say this as a person who has worked with children in other asian countries and australia for many years.

Anyway, it may be OK for a few years, but don't be fooled into the PR of the school directors, and a promise of entrance into a higher education program overseas.

[MikeyIdea]

I have spent close to 20 years in Thailand and am pretty biased probably but I don't see anything negative that can't be compensated for, for a farang who can afford to pay some for private schools. There is negative everywhere and there is positive too, the end result is what is important. The link below contains good information about positive and negative aspects of education in Thailand I think

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Combine-Scho...ni-t313221.html

Answers to your questions (mind you, my daughter is only 5 years old):

Do you feel it has been good or bad for the child, Children ? Mixed culture only good, Daddy tired because must help child extra

Do you or you children feel let down by the schools ? No

Do the Thai families in you town or city or village accept you into the community ? Of course, must be able to speak good Thai to acheve that though

I am researching this topic with a view of moving to Thailand with my family. - I see the opportunity to widen the horizon of the children and make them more capable in a future world than any education in your home country can do

Edited February 23, 2010 by MikeyIdea