Education In Thailand Getting Too Expensive, Parents Say

letitbe · May 9, 2012

School is not only FREE in Thailand for a FULL 12 YEARS.

Yingluck governmant also provide FREE books, (tablet on the way), cash for uniform, cash for education equipments.

What else do Thai people want? Get paid for going to school?

total bs they scrapped grant for uniforms which Abahist put in saying it was to help pay for tablets. Our maids child goes to Thai school and books cost 2800 baht and kids have to provide their own equipment. She asked if their was any government help for books. I got my wife to check with school and they confirmed maids story was right It was Abahist who raised education past 12 years old and introduced 12 years free education for all. What planet do you live on planet red propaganda or is it only in red areas or local school corruption but money for school uniforms is scrapped by this government. Funny really when Dems introduced it our maid complained it was not enough to buy good uniforms only cheap ones. I asked her if she was now happy she gets nothing. Her reply was shed given up with getting any help from new government and would have to rely on her own hard work.

elektrified · May 9, 2012

Other child related costs that are the same (or higher) here are: healthcare, holidays, baby milk, baby food, push-chairs, car seats, extra-curricular lessons (e.g dance/tennis/piano), toys, etc

Healthcare for children in Thailand is totally free.

Holidays, my kids go and stay on a rellys farm, free.

Baby milk, comes from mother, free.

Baby food, Mine likes Nestle Cerelac, with added fresh fruit, 70bht for 250g from Tesco, lasts a week.

Push chair, 1,400bht from Tesco

Child seat, 2,500 from Tesco

Mostly free or cheaper.

Free health care is garbage. Even relatively poor people here have private health insurance or are on a plan through their employer so they can have access to good healthcare for their children.

As far as a 2500 THB child seat, I would hate for my child to be in an accident in one of those. They are dangerous. We paid about 8,000 THB for a high-quality (2nd hand) one imported from Japan. We bought it from a Thai family. They told us we were the first to answer the ad but later in the day they had more than 12 calls from people answering the ad.

letitbe · May 9, 2012

Do people really expect raising children to be cheap?

I never expected raising children to be cheap, in England it wasn't, but in Thailand I find it is.

Finding a woman to produce the children with me was also amazingly cheap, Amazing Thailand.

well your living in a different thailand than me school fees for 2 in grade 10 around 400,000 per year uniforms equipment books ipads, computer and rest for 2 around 40,000 baht a year (assuming computer and ipads are ok for 4 years), piano lessons school clubs and other educational activities outside school around 60,000 per year, school trips summer camps etc around 40,000 per year then add extra airfares for 2 kids extra hotel costs and all rest. I had 3 children in UK with similar education and bringing up as here and IMO costs are possibly less in Uk since so much is free but in 18 years here definitely not cheaper to bring up kids here or are you relying on government schools because if you are don't expect your children to grow up anything but pig ignorant. I dont like private education but here theirs no choice really here. Before I visited some Thai government schools I was determined our children should go to a normal Thai school but no way id rather teach them myself or do it any other way possible. And now coming up to University most of those here make even most rubbish ones in UK seem like bastions of excellence. Ive met friends of my wife's whove got degrees in accounting here and dont even know what a balance sheet is, engineering graduates who dont even understand basic newton laws and Economics graduates who've never heard of old gold standard and so i could go on and on. My 3 children in UK got free university although that seems to be changing fast but we estimate well need at least 6 million baht for our 2 children here to complete their education.

Hardly cheap

thaicbr · May 9, 2012

Other child related costs that are the same (or higher) here are: healthcare, holidays, baby milk, baby food, push-chairs, car seats, extra-curricular lessons (e.g dance/tennis/piano), toys, etc

Healthcare for children in Thailand is totally free.

Holidays, my kids go and stay on a rellys farm, free.

Baby milk, comes from mother, free.

Baby food, Mine likes Nestle Cerelac, with added fresh fruit, 70bht for 250g from Tesco, lasts a week.

Push chair, 1,400bht from Tesco

Child seat, 2,500 from Tesco

Mostly free or cheaper.

Free health care is garbage. Even relatively poor people here have private health insurance or are on a plan through their employer so they can have access to good healthcare for their children.

As far as a 2500 THB child seat, I would hate for my child to be in an accident in one of those. They are dangerous. We paid about 8,000 THB for a high-quality (2nd hand) one imported from Japan. We bought it from a Thai family. They told us we were the first to answer the ad but later in the day they had more than 12 calls from people answering the ad.

How do you know the seat from Tesco would be dangerous? 2500b is £50 and tesco are renowned for good quality kit.

RubbaJohnny · May 9, 2012

As atransactional analysis from a retired teacher traner may I view local schools are akin to theatre.

Better places nearer the stalls and with betr sort of people cost more.

Boxes can be bought and gifts sent to lead players.

Sham awards can lead to places at next tier of tertiary Opera.

The real winners succeed despite the system.Its an Augean stable.A head of languages who bought her degree ,distinctions for sexual services,overt bribes,fake degrees,unvetted pedo teachers Not fit for purpose.Thank god a few Japanese and Western engineers Drs and technicians have riased the bar for the truly gifted and noble who try to follow the eightfold path.

I always find so odd the lack of mindfulness amid the Wats as if folks were blindly walking from sanook to sansara

Edited May 9, 2012 by RubbaJohnny

elektrified · May 9, 2012

Other child related costs that are the same (or higher) here are: healthcare, holidays, baby milk, baby food, push-chairs, car seats, extra-curricular lessons (e.g dance/tennis/piano), toys, etc

Healthcare for children in Thailand is totally free.

Holidays, my kids go and stay on a rellys farm, free.

Baby milk, comes from mother, free.

Baby food, Mine likes Nestle Cerelac, with added fresh fruit, 70bht for 250g from Tesco, lasts a week.

Push chair, 1,400bht from Tesco

Child seat, 2,500 from Tesco

Mostly free or cheaper.

Free health care is garbage. Even relatively poor people here have private health insurance or are on a plan through their employer so they can have access to good healthcare for their children.

As far as a 2500 THB child seat, I would hate for my child to be in an accident in one of those. They are dangerous. We paid about 8,000 THB for a high-quality (2nd hand) one imported from Japan. We bought it from a Thai family. They told us we were the first to answer the ad but later in the day they had more than 12 calls from people answering the ad.

How do you know the seat from Tesco would be dangerous? 2500b is £50 and tesco are renowned for good quality kit.

A 2500 THB car seat at Tesco will surely be made in China...possibly in Thailand. They absolutely would fail or the outcome would be serious [possible spinal] injury to the child in the event of a collision. Many, many tests have been conducted (you can google it) over the years on this subject. That is why 2nd hand Japanese car seats are in such demand in Thailand. A good car seat in Central will cost 20K or more. Many Thais will pay 6-10K for a used quality-made Japanese one. Sure many Thais don't give a dam_n and let their child sit in the front with a relative. If one had to brake hard that child would go through the windshield and be dead or have brain damage.

My g/f sells used baby accessories. When she has a good car seat for sale, she may get 20 calls in one day - all Thais. Some Thais (especially in BKK) will even offer more than the asking price to lock in the deal.

TommoPhysicist · May 10, 2012

Free health care is garbage. Even relatively poor people here have private health insurance or are on a plan through their employer so they can have access to good healthcare for their children.

I never understand poor people paying for private. The local government hospital, near me, is fine. You do have to wait around a bit but the treatment is every bit as good as the private hospitals.

As far as a 2500 THB child seat, I would hate for my child to be in an accident in one of those. They are dangerous. We paid about 8,000 THB for a high-quality (2nd hand) one imported from Japan. We bought it from a Thai family. They told us we were the first to answer the ad but later in the day they had more than 12 calls from people answering the ad.

Most child car seats are basically to fit the child into the existing car seatbelt. In other words, just a bit of extra padding. How much you pay, doesn't change the job it does.

elektrified · May 10, 2012

Free health care is garbage. Even relatively poor people here have private health insurance or are on a plan through their employer so they can have access to good healthcare for their children.

I never understand poor people paying for private. The local government hospital, near me, is fine. You do have to wait around a bit but the treatment is every bit as good as the private hospitals.

That's not true. All the good Doctors work in private hospitals and have private clinics. Government doctors are tired and over-worked. The medications are generally poor quality generics with expiration dates a month or two away. Equipment is run down and in need of repair. Mistakes and misdiagnosis happens on a daily basis. I have a friend who is a Doctor here. He has told me some real horror stories about government hospitals in Thailand. That is why Thais value health insurance over almost anything, including a new car.

If you're child gets sick and has to be hospitalized in a government hospital, you will end up in a room with 5 other kids in ancient metal beds and 15 different family members eating and sleeping on the floor while cockroaches walk past you. After your first experience like that you will run out and buy health insurance for the child which is cheap as chips in Thailand.

Edited May 10, 2012 by elektrified

jonclark · May 10, 2012

I am sponsoring 3 children so that they may attend a Mahatthai school in Kumpawabi. I was not aware of any government subsidy for school uniforms / supplies etc. How does one go about applying for these benifits?

"The government's subsidy for uniforms is Bt300 for pre-school level, Bt360 for primary, Bt450 for lower secondary and Bt500 for upper secondary levels, while school supplies are subsidised at a rate of Bt200 for pre-school level, Bt390 for primary, Bt420 lower secondary and Bt460 for upper secondary."

You don't have to ask for it. It is automatic. At the beginning of each year, during matriculation ("mop tua"), the parents will be given the money in "cash", and the parent/guardian will have to "sign" that they have receive it. Each student will need to provide a receipt back to the teacher with in limited period (usually around 2 weeks).

Many people complain that 500 Baht is not enough to buy, typically 3 sets of uniform (including scout, PE, a dozen socks) plus school. True. More like 1,000 Baht is needed if you shop at Tesco/BigC (not Siam square). But the uniform seems to last 2 to 3 years, and you get the money every year (eg. 2x500 to 3x500 Baht). So in my case, during the 2nd year, my child still can fit his old cloths, belt PE, scout uni, etc. All I need is a pair of new shoe and some socks. Shoe is 79 Baht each at Tesco right now, and sock is around 69 for half a dozen. I end up buying a lot of stuff that I don't need for the whole family just to be able to produce a receipt of at least 500 Baht. This includes student shoes for the whole family (since is is so cheap), and some spare student shirts (59 Baht each) to be used as pajamas.

For the school supplies money (unlike uniform money, this is given out each term), our kids already have everything from last term, so we waste it on scientific calculator (about 200 Baht) which Thai kids are not allowed to touch in school, and tons of pen (5 pen for 4 Bahts, yes you hear it right, less than 1 Baht per biro at Tesco right now), just to get the receipt to return to the school.

My boys in govt school, and my girl in a christian private school. Both got them (uniform money and supplies money), plus free books (even in private school)

The fee in govt school is 100% free, and I have to pay some in the private school (less than 10,000 Baht/year).

I heard that international school kids get nothing.

Some of them get GCSE's / A levels or an IB Diploma, hardly nothing and with those sort of school qualifications they will certainly be above our kids in the food chain in the future. Guess our kids should get use to the cheapest things in life.

thaicbr · May 10, 2012

Free health care is garbage. Even relatively poor people here have private health insurance or are on a plan through their employer so they can have access to good healthcare for their children.

I never understand poor people paying for private. The local government hospital, near me, is fine. You do have to wait around a bit but the treatment is every bit as good as the private hospitals.

That's not true. All the good Doctors work in private hospitals and have private clinics. Government doctors are tired and over-worked. The medications are generally poor quality generics with expiration dates a month or two away. Equipment is run down and in need of repair. Mistakes and misdiagnosis happens on a daily basis. I have a friend who is a Doctor here. He has told me some real horror stories about government hospitals in Thailand. That is why Thais value health insurance over almost anything, including a new car.

If you're child gets sick and has to be hospitalized in a government hospital, you will end up in a room with 5 other kids in ancient metal beds and 15 different family members eating and sleeping on the floor while cockroaches walk past you. After your first experience like that you will run out and buy health insurance for the child which is cheap as chips in Thailand.

Funny enough. I will disagree again ..I have been treated in 2 different government hospitals and one alleged private international hospital (on the BUPA health insurance) . The treatment from the government hospitals was far superior to the private one. The private hospital WAS much shiner..and more comfortable.....but the service was not..misdiagnosed and inappropriate treatment.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

jamora · May 13, 2012

Free health care is garbage. Even relatively poor people here have private health insurance or are on a plan through their employer so they can have access to good healthcare for their children.

I never understand poor people paying for private. The local government hospital, near me, is fine. You do have to wait around a bit but the treatment is every bit as good as the private hospitals.

That's not true. All the good Doctors work in private hospitals and have private clinics. Government doctors are tired and over-worked. The medications are generally poor quality generics with expiration dates a month or two away. Equipment is run down and in need of repair. Mistakes and misdiagnosis happens on a daily basis. I have a friend who is a Doctor here. He has told me some real horror stories about government hospitals in Thailand. That is why Thais value health insurance over almost anything, including a new car.

If you're child gets sick and has to be hospitalized in a government hospital, you will end up in a room with 5 other kids in ancient metal beds and 15 different family members eating and sleeping on the floor while cockroaches walk past you. After your first experience like that you will run out and buy health insurance for the child which is cheap as chips in Thailand.

Funny enough. I will disagree again ..I have been treated in 2 different government hospitals and one alleged private international hospital (on the BUPA health insurance) . The treatment from the government hospitals was far superior to the private one. The private hospital WAS much shiner..and more comfortable.....but the service was not..misdiagnosed and inappropriate treatment.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

I have to agree with thaicbr. My in law is a surgeon on Bumrungrad and Chulalongkorn University Hospital and the operations he performs are exactly the same both places. It is true that Bumrungrad is much nicer by the looks, but the quality is not different. Also, last year when he was treated for cancer, he strictly wanted to go to Chulalongkorn, as their machines are better then those at Bumrungrad, and they have more experience at Chulalongkorn for these 'normal diseases' (as Chulalongkorn is a university hospital). The main reason why he operates at Bumrungrad is that they pay him the same for one operation as what Chulalongkorn pay him per month.

So if I get very sick, I go to Chulalongkorn.

Edited May 13, 2012 by jamora

scorecard · May 13, 2012

I live down south, so well away from Bangkok, but even here, where the average wage would be say 12K per month many children in school (the lucky ones anyway) attend English, Maths, Mandarin and Art is also seen as being top priority. The extra education for these kids is at least 5000 per month and that does not include the 'extra tuition' after school that takes place in the school and costs 3000 per term. Why does a school that should be teaching children everything during the school day then extend its day until 5pm and almost force, via peer pressure the kids into attending. I point blank refused to have a 4 year old in school from 7.50am until 5pm, it is utter madness. I am told it is done to pay teachers salaries!

In many cases it is to provide the teacher with a livable salary.

They sure aren't getting it from the Pheu Thai election-promised15,000 baht per month for university graduates.

.

I've mentioned before we have two people in our extended family who are recent 'new graduates'. They have both started work on way less than 15,000 a month. Their inquiries (along with their classmates) about when the 15,000 start salary wil be enforced leads nowhere, and one young lady, quite close to our family, was sacked from her job as a junior accountant (big Thai company) because she dared to ask. She called the labour ministry, her call got transferred numerous times and she was eventually told something to the effect that such policies and procedures are not availabe for public information.

Edited May 13, 2012 by scorecard

otherstuff1957 · May 13, 2012

^ I haven't looked for a post verifying this, but wasn't the 15K monthly only supposed to apply to Government employees?

scorecard · May 13, 2012

Why are the parents complaining about admission costs/'tea money'? The highly esteemed education minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej (PT) recently claimed that the public should accept this form of donation. It will only benefit the students, cause all these bribes are being used to better the education standards! And isn't that what the parents want? Also, the price of text books will be a lot lower this year, with all the kids getting tablet pc's!

The problem as I see it, is that it's only improving education of those wealthy enough to pay. The poorer their scores, the more money they pay - of course every parent wants their kids in one of these prestigious schools - smart or or slow they get to network with kids from other wealthy families. I've yet to see a school here that accepts students based purely on merit. The government should be ashamed of itself to allow government schools to accept donations, thus widening the gap between the rich and the poor. I'm not against donations, but it should be done anonymously, with no tie to getting their kids into such schools.

I've seen the other end of the prestigious schools bit. I was part of the recruitment panel when I worked here for an international management consulting company.

The Thai employees, seniors and juniors, tried hard to pressure for only Chula or Thammasat graduates to be accepted for employment, and totally regardless of their GPA or any other educational achievements, and regardless of their ability to communicate or their attitudes.

Edited May 13, 2012 by scorecard

Buchholz · May 14, 2012

School is not only FREE in Thailand for a FULL 12 YEARS.

Yingluck governmant also provide FREE books, (tablet on the way), cash for uniform, cash for education equipments.

What else do Thai people want? Get paid for going to school?

total bs they scrapped grant for uniforms which Abhisit put in saying it was to help pay for tablets. Our maids child goes to Thai school and books cost 2800 baht and kids have to provide their own equipment. She asked if their was any government help for books. I got my wife to check with school and they confirmed maids story was right It was Abhisit who raised education past 12 years old and introduced 12 years free education for all. What planet do you live on planet red propaganda or is it only in red areas or local school corruption but money for school uniforms is scrapped by this government. Funny really when Dems introduced it our maid complained it was not enough to buy good uniforms only cheap ones. I asked her if she was now happy she gets nothing. Her reply was shed given up with getting any help from new government and would have to rely on her own hard work.

The USA-blacklisted PM Yingluck's Officer Minister says its no big deal.

.

Buchholz · May 14, 2012

PM’s Office Minister: School uniform prices rise only slightly

BANGKOK, 14 May 2012 (NNT) – Prime Minister’s Office Minister Nalinee Taveesin has said that the school uniform prices have been adjusted only slightly from last year's, citing that the prices outside of Bangkok were expensive because of the rising transportation costs.

Nalinee visited one of the largest garment markets in Thailand, Bobae, to inspect the prices of school uniforms ahead of the beginning of the school session. She said the uniform shirts are priced at 60-75 baht depending on the quality, adding that the prices have only increased by around four baht from that of last year.

As for the prices in upcountry, which are higher than Bangkok's, the minister explained that sellers have to transport the products from Bangkok to sell in other provinces; given they have to pay for the transportation costs, the uniform prices have to be increased by 10-20 baht each, which is considered low.

-- NNT 2012-05-14

Buchholz · May 14, 2012

Nalinee visited one of the largest garment markets in Thailand, Bobae, to inspect the prices of school uniforms ahead of the beginning of the school session. She said the uniform shirts are priced at 60-75 baht depending on the quality, adding that the prices have only increased by around four baht from that of last year.

One can only hope that even though Nalinee has spent a fair amount of time in Zimbabwe helping the Mugabes, that she's aware that pricing at Bobae is often based upon buying wholesale quantities of a gross or so.

If the 60 baht is the retail price for a cotton shirt (I've not seen them that low elsewhere), its durability won't last long on a second grader.

.

Edited May 14, 2012 by Buchholz

Buchholz · May 14, 2012

Poll: New School Term Financially Strains Parents

A recent poll found that higher prices of school supplies have caused financial problems to parents.

The Bangkok Poll revealed the results of a recent survey asking parents about expenses during the new school semester.

The survey was conducted among 1,083 parents from Bangkok and its vicinity. The poll found that 50.8 percent of the respondents said they could still afford their children' school expenses while 49.2 percent stated they were feeling the pinch.

Forty percent of those questioned said their financial problem was caused by expensive school supplies, 26.3 percent said they had less income while 16.6 percent cited higher tuition fee.

When asked about their solutions to the problem,19.8 percent of those with financial difficulties said they relied on savings, 19.1 percent borrowed money from their relatives and friends while 18.5 percent urged their children to use old school uniforms and supplies.

-- Tan Network 2012-05-14

TommoPhysicist · May 14, 2012

It doesn't matter how cheap the markets are for school clothes when many schools enforce purchase through the school shop at the school price.

jerrysteve · May 14, 2012

The cost of not getting an education is far more expensive. It is unfortunate that while politicans speak of providing quality education for all children, it is nothing but a political football for obtaining votes.

harryfrompattaya · May 14, 2012

People in All countries complain that education is too Expensive. Education is the biggest racket in the West now it is coming to Thailand. It is time for the students to realize it is a waste of time and money for 60 per cent of the Students I am glad I quit school at the age of 14 years and made a fortune raising pigs

pastitche · May 14, 2012

People in All countries complain that education is too Expensive. Education is the biggest racket in the West now it is coming to Thailand. It is time for the students to realize it is a waste of time and money for 60 per cent of the Students I am glad I quit school at the age of 14 years and made a fortune raising pigs

Harry you're a fantasist but I love it!

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