Anyone With Young Kids ?

[think_too_mut]

I never said that sending your child to private school made anyone a snob but mocking others who don't or can't afford it, is being a snob.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Interesting how loud are those who don't make/have 15K a year overall income when it comes to private/international schools.

Appears, if they can't afford it for their children, it's of bad quality anyway, may even be detrimental for a child. Instead, living in Nakhon Nowhere and relying on what's available to the public (the inferior Thai education system) is the way to go? Give me a break!

[charles]

And given the way international school kids seem to grow up in a kind of vacuum here, I'd still say a decent (free) English state school would be better, on the whole.

You seem to say that international school students are spoilt and have no idea of reality.

I didn't seem to say anything of the sort, you are being far too sensitive! I said the kids seem to grow up in a vacuum, i.e. somewhat removed from the country/ society they live in, lacking identity etc. Nothing more than that, I've nothing against international schools if you have to be in Thailand, I just think you can get comparable quality overseas (except for some of the facilities) with much better value for money.

If I had a choice for any child, I'd take international over government any day. International schools may not be academically selective (would this be your definition of a 'good' government school?),

It wouldn't be my defintion of a good government school, and in the UK the vast majority of government schools are not academically selective. My definition of a good school would be one that had been judged as such by a range of experts under a transparent, systematic process. And in the UK, for example, that information is there and available freely to everyone. In Thailand, even with many of the so-called international schools, this objective information is simply not available. In the UK, armed with that information, you then need to make sure you're living within the catchment areas of such good schools. Of course, in those areas property is more expensive so you adjust your spending/lifestyle as necessary for the long-term good of your child.

And before people drag out the Third World country crap as being unsuitable for children...

Council housing estates are about as grim as a shack under a Thai expressway.

Now you are being silly although I don't think it is necessary to live in - or indeed live near "grim council estates".

Corruption is everywhere

Well yes, but the differences in scale/prevalence are enormous. You are comparing the exception to the rule. When corruption means that the rule of law is seriously undermined that's when you have a serious problem and when you worry if that would be a "suitable" place for your child.

[wamberal]

Just for the sake of the argument, how would a child who attended the best school in Nakhon Nowhere compete with someone who graduated from not Harward or simillar, but just from Sydney University?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wonder what percentage of Thai people who can afford to send their children overseas for education do so?

On a recent flight we took from Bangkok to London (first class) there was a grandfather taking two of his grandkids aged about 10 and 12 to school in the UK.

The percentage would be very high at the tertiary level, I would guess.

Unfortunately.

It would be better for the Kingdom if the money that goes into overseas education was directed into Thai institutions.

[think_too_mut]

Corruption is everywhere (hello, the Rockdale City Council in Sydney was sacked after accepting bribes from property developers, and what about David Blunkett?) It's the lesser of the two evils, really.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Among many other things, the difference between 1st and 3rd world countries is what happens when a crime (or corruption) is caught.

John Howard's (Oz PM) son lost his driving license for drink driving and it was in all news and in the press.

Would the same happen to Thai PM's son or daughter?

[chanchao]

> I wonder what percentage of Thai people who can afford to send

> their children overseas for education do so?

Probably quite a lot among those with kids who failed the entrance exams for Chula or CMU and the like... (hint - hint)

---

> Stay in Khon Kaen. You probably feel like a king there. But for

> Christ's sake, don't wish the same kind of small-minded, provincial

> stupidity on your children.

Nice. Just what the people in the North East need, not just being put down by (some) alledgedly 'hi-so' Thais but now also wannabe-hi-so foreigners. nice!

Cheers,

Chanchao

Edited December 9, 2005 by chanchao

[Boo]

Please, think too mut, where in my post did I say that it was bad quality or detrimental to send your child to private/intl school?

I think you'll find I didn't but you make plenty of insulting & patronising comments about people living in rural areas who don't send their kids to pvt/intl schools, so look at your own snobbery beofre bothering to comment on my posts.

Plenty of sucsessful people came out of both types of schools but plenty of drop outs & losers did too.

Well said chanchao.

[Axel]

Good luck and congrats to Mr./Mrs. Belfastboy.

I would not worry too much, if you plan to go to the UK when the kid(s) is/are 4-5 y.o.

With all this pros and cons, local versus intern. schools, how can you manage to enter your kids in a local school?

Let's say you arrive here from UK with two kids 6 and 8 y.o. and plan to live here for 5 years before returning to your home country.

Wouldn't the choice for local schools only for children with one parent being Thai and probably only if you plan to stay for a long time?

Jut curious.

[chanchao]

> Wouldn't the choice for local schools only for children with one

> parent being Thai and probably only if you plan to stay for a long time?

I'm not 100% positive on this, but I think for Mathayom level education a requirement is that the kid is registered on a Thai House Registration Document. Not sure if Thai nationality is also required.

For private schools I'd imagine that nationality doesn't matter.

I'm sure many others will know better.

[think_too_mut]

Please, think too mut, where in my post did I say that it was bad quality or detrimental to send your child to private/intl school?

I think you'll find I didn't but you make plenty of insulting & patronising  comments about people living in rural areas who don't send their kids to pvt/intl schools, so look at your own snobbery beofre bothering to comment on my posts.

Plenty of sucsessful people came out of both types of schools but plenty of drop outs & losers did too.

Well said chanchao.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry it felt I singled you out, my response was aimed at several other members.

Nothing personal.

For me, I was born in a 3rd world country, "enjoyed" their free education.

Even lived in a place comparable to Nakhon Nowhere.

Took me a decade to unlearn all their teaching.

It was the West (immigrated there on my own) that gave me the education and made me understand - it's not the cake you want, it's a recepie. Now I can bake my cake anywhere any time.

Japan is the 10th country I have been living and working, doing well.

I would not want for my child to endure all that "free" or low cost rubbish.

Anyway, the opinions are coming in, nothing bad about that.

[Axel]

> Wouldn't the choice for local schools only for children with one

> parent being Thai and probably only if you plan to stay for a long time?

I'm not 100% positive on this, but I think for Mathayom level education a requirement is that the kid is registered on a Thai House Registration Document.  Not sure if Thai nationality is also required. 

For private schools I'd imagine that nationality doesn't matter.

I'm sure many others will know better.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks chanchao. The replies will be too late for me, but perhaps on time for others.

Actually, when we arrived in Thailand, our son was 10 y.o. and I never considered a Thai school to be an alternative. I cannot talk about the quality of local schools but would expect their minimum requirement (besides legal aspects as above) to be knowledge of the Thai language, which, of course, our son did not have and usually no kids coming to here with their parents will have.

Another important criteria is the compatibility with the schooling system back home or somewhere else.

Should one have to leave Thailand, how could the child(ren) adjust to the new school? A record by an international school in Thailand will help to get the kid back to school in UK, Europe or USA. Study for a couple of years in a Thai school could create serious problems, both for the student and the teachers/schools.

The situation might be different, if the parents can decide to stay in Thailand. Those who I met during PTA-meetings, however, were all under contract for a few years and than uncertain about a new contract somewhere or back home.

[Boo]

I know of 2 families on samui who came for extended holidays (1 year +) who's English children attended local thai school (juniors) on the Island. There was no problem signing them up & although they didn't speak the language when they first arrived, after a few months they were all nearly fluent (incl the 2 y/o who attended kindergarden). The parents just instructed them at home in extra English tution but they all left before high school so I don't know if they accept non thai children?

I would think that at that age they didn't miss too much in terms of education (from their home country) but gained an experience few western children would have exposure too.

[think_too_mut]

The situation might be different, if the parents can decide to stay in Thailand. Those who I met during PTA-meetings, however, were all under contract for a few years and than uncertain about a new contract somewhere or back home.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe you have met the wrong crowd.

The pawns their companies shuffle around, has eanyone ever asked them where they want to be?

Then, their wives, the pawns of the pawn.

Edited December 9, 2005 by think_too_mut

[Neeranam]

I didn't seem to say anything of the sort, you are being far too sensitive! I said the kids seem to grow up in a vacuum, i.e. somewhat removed from the country/ society they live in, lacking identity etc. Nothing more than that, I've nothing against international schools if you have to be in Thailand, I just think you can get comparable quality overseas (except for some of the facilities) with much better value for money.

There is a wise Thai saying - เหยียบขี้ไก่ไม่ฝ่อ meaning spoilt and pampered as a child, ie rich kid with servants, does nothing him\herself, so no backbone, unable to face up to challenges or hardship later in life.

[grahamb]

Most of the posts here are talking about the relative merits of schooling which is something I can't comment on and the OP seems to have made his mind up about anyway.

One benefit of being in Bangkok that we saw from personal experience was the standard of healthcare while my wife was pregnant and when she had the baby. Compared with the healthcare we've seen in Europe, it is much better here. Yes, our insurance had to pay for it rather than the NHS or similar. However, the level of equipment, training, professionalism, etc. was much higher than private doctors or hospitals that I've experienced in Europe.

I don't know if the OP has medical insurance that covers the pregnancy but I'd do what I could to put my wife through private medical care in Bangkok.

If the OP's wife has family here who can help with the baby, that is even better. As a farang couple, that is one thing that we miss because family are all back in Europe.

As for bringing up a baby here, it doesn't all have to be shopping malls. There are plenty of activities (playgroups, gym, swimming, etc.) Admittedly, they are different from the sort of activities we'd be doing if we lived in Europe but if we lived in Europe, our baby would not e.g. be so familiar with swimming or be so used to different people and cultures. You have to look at all sides of the situation and see the total picture.

Belfastboy: congratulations and good luck with the pregnancy!