Child Moving School

[bobthedog]

Do any of you have experience in moving your child from a school in your home country to a thai-speaking school in Thailand?

How old was the child?

In case the child did not speak thai on arrival, how long before he/she learned the language?

How did the child fit into the class?

Other issues?

Thankyou!

[Blackandwhite]

Bob

I think for people to answer you might need to give a little more info on your situation, there are lots of options in this forum on schools but the general feeling as far as I have found out depend on ages of kids expectations, money ect.

I have made lots of posts over the years on this please search my posts and you will see them.

You must try to pick out of the answers you get not only what you want to hear but where the real honest warnings are.

It is something I have wanted todo for years but never had the bottle because of the advise I have asked for and been given on Thai visa for now I have decided my daughter is best to be schooled here in UK and in turn grow up here.

[PeaceBlondie]

Are you suggesting to put a child who can't say 'sawadee crap' into a crummy classroom full of 50 Thais and a teacher who can't speak a word of English?

[Old Man River]

Are you suggesting to put a child who can't say 'sawadee crap' into a crummy classroom full of 50 Thais and a teacher who can't speak a word of English?

Great advice. For a parent who cares about their child, this should be a non starter.

[fiddlehead]

Perhaps if you tell us where you are moving to and then find out the options there for international and English speaking schools.

Also your kids ages would help.

I live in Phuket and there are at least 5 different schools with English programs at all different prices.

I'm sure Bangkok has similar options.

Same with Chiang Mai (i think?)

Even Krabi has an English speaking school.

[PeaceBlondie]

Chiang Mai has 6 or so well-ranked international schools, numerous bilingual schools, and countless Thai-only schools.

[Firelily]

4-5-6-year-olds learn to speak Thai within a couple of months. However, if a kid is over 6 (kindergarten 3, moving to primary 1), and cannot read and write Thai at a basic level at least, he or she will almost literally be butchered. There is so much difficult academic content flying around (e.g. end of grade 1: multiplication tables in maths and solar system in science) that there is hardly a chance to catch up with basic literacy and numeracy, unless the kid is a genius.

I'm talking about Thai schools and bilingual schools here.

Edited February 27, 2010 by Firelily

[HaiSoh]

Chiang Mai has 6 or so well-ranked international schools, numerous bilingual schools, and countless Thai-only schools.

Blondie, what "list" are you referring to when you claim that Chiang Mai has 6 or so well-ranked Intl Schools ? I am not dscussing that the info is correct, I just would like to know where you have this "ranking" from We are looking at International Schools for our kids as well and I can tell you, that kind of info is hard to find, so if you can enlighten me, please do !!! Thank you !!!

[PeaceBlondie]

No such list exists that I know of. They're considered "real authentic genuine" international schools as compared to second-rate fake international schools.

[phuketrichard]

so much depends on the child and age. My daughter has been to international schools here and spent a year in the states, She is half thai and can speak thai fluently BUT cant read and write well at all. She and i have been talking about her attending Satree school here in Phuket ( the BEST thai school on the island) but since her writting and reading is at a year 2 or so ( she is in year 10 at a international school) she would be placed down 1 year and would need to do lots of catching up. Also for University in america she would be lacking the amount of courses needed to get in.

Think long and hard before you stick them in a thai school as to where you wish your child do live? . A university education from thailand is almost worthless outside Thailand

Note; a school with an english program is NOT an international school

[HaiSoh]

No such list exists that I know of. They're considered "real authentic genuine" international schools as compared to second-rate fake international schools.

Hence my question

[bobthedog]

My children are 6 and 10 years old. We would be interesed in the Bangkok area, but Chiang Mai is also a possibility. As we live in Scandinavia, neither of the children speak more than very basic English. I am not able to spend huge amount of baht per year on an international school, I was hoping for something closer to 50K baht per year per child.

Unfortunately, as I wrote in my first post, my children do not speak Thai.

Judging from the comments I've got so far, it is better to stay at home, I guess :-)

Best regards from Bob.

Edited February 28, 2010 by bobthedog

[phuketrichard]

50,000 baht /child will not get you into a bilingual school but only a better than free thai school where all the courses will be in Thai and they might get an english class. Bilingial schools here in Phuket will run you at elast 100,000/year ++

Leave them at home where the will get a good education.