Assumption College Closes Abruptly As Teachers Ask For Pay Rise: Bangkok

[webfact]

EDUCATION

Assumption College closes abruptly as teachers ask for pay rise

BANGKOK: -- Assumption College on Friday abruptly suspended all classes for a week, with effect from today, reportedly in response to teachers' demand for a pay rise and to internal conflicts.

Alumni who gathered in front of the school in Bang Rak district dressed black demanded the director's resignation.

Parents and students did not learn of the closure until they arrived at the school and found the announcement printed on a banner in front of the school. The chaos caused by hundreds of students and parents stranded there worsened already the heavy traffic on Charoenkrung Road.

The college's website said the administration had decided to suspend classes until February 1 because some illintentioned groups planned to instigate chaos inside the college compound. The school was worried that it might unable to provide safety for students and that the chaos could cause damage to its property.

The announcement was signed by Brother Anun Preechawut, the director.

The teachers were scheduled to submit the demand to the director this morning. Their representative said they learned about the closure at 5am. They however doubted the closure was linked to their demand.

Some sources said the decision to close the school could have stemmed from report that some teachers, students and alumni would gather at the school to protest against a policy to sell the college's property and also merge the elementary and secondary levels.

Narong Weeraprachak, a teachers' representative said the teachers wore black and would submit to the college a demand that it resume giving Bt1,500 living expenses and a Bt2,000 profession fee.

"We demand the administrator adjust the salaries, that the director resigns and that the college resumes classes on Monday," he said.

-- The Nation 2013-01-25

[webfact]

moved to Thailand new

[jaidam]

3 words. roost, chickens, home

[sirchai]

The announcement was signed by Brother Anun Preechawut, the director.

[Locationthailand]

Nothing like unions to hold businesses to ransom.

[Mosha]

I think unions call it maintaining the differential. The guy on the minimum wage gets a rise to 300 Baht. Those above want to maintain the gap.

[Bluespunk]

The announcement was signed by Brother Anun Preechawut, the director.

That is an odd name. Destiny at work or divine will?

[MaxLee]

Let the wage hike revolution begin!!!!!!!!

First Thai Airways, then Assumption college, and soon, ENTIRE BANGKOK BUSINESS CONNECTIONS are going on strikes !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited January 25, 2013 by MaxLee

[webfact]

read this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assumption_College_%28Thailand%29

[thaicbr]

Actually I think they just want what they had before. As far as I'm aware the college's administration have been trying to merge 2 parts of the college but without being transparent about it. They 1st introduced these 2 additions to the salary but it was the same end salary now they have taken the money away. Therefore trying to get the teachers to resign. At least that's what I have been told.

[chooka]

read this:

http://en.wikipedia....lege_(Thailand)

So this could spread to Montford in Chiang Mai

[eezergood]

Christian college, substancial donations are required to get your kids in!

[cloudhopper]

It appears that the teachers made an erroneous assumption.

[theajarn]

AH, the LEGENDARY Brother Anun Preechawut, -- his reputation precedes him. I've heard a lot about this 'brother' from friends and acquaintances who have taught at the school. Teachers are regularly excommunicated from the school in order to appease the brats of filthy rich parents. In short, the quality at this Assumption College has dropped below the standards of your average public secondary school. Oh I have proof of that too -- one of our prestigious students who failed every single subject in our school (a public school) gained admi$$ion into A$$umption... and she's doing VERY well... flying colours and all

Shame, shame on this school. I've seen other Catholic schools do better. But then again, isn't the Catholic church known to be riddled with corruption... not enough coin in the collection box for the tithe?

[theajarn]

Christian college, substancial donations are required to get your kids in!

Dude, it's Catholic. Christians beg to differ : P

... and so do we.

[KKvampire]

I have a private student class with a senior(final year) student at the school and a class this evening(Friday), he says the Director is thoroughly disliked by teachers and students and is the 'C' word, He thinks he will have to go .The serious part is there are exams in the next 2 weeks all have been cancelled by this guy damaging students. It's not all about 'spoilt brat' students at the college.

Edited January 25, 2013 by KKvampire

[BrianCR]

Nothing like unions to hold businesses to ransom.

I think that you have no idea what the hell you are talking about the whole system at Assumption has been falling apart for years including Montford in Chiang Mai where the "brothers" enjoy life to the full and the teachers get nothing or very little. As for Montford in Chiang Mai they did the students a great faviour when the got rid of the head of the English Programme a few years back who, was a total brotherly pri**. However, remember for all we say, we are talking about the lives of the students that Assumption claim to educate

[BrianCR]

I have a private student class with a senior(final year) student at the school and a class this evening(Friday), he says the Director is thoroughly disliked by teachers and students and is the 'C' word, He thinks he will have to go .The serious part is there are exams in the next 2 weeks all have been cancelled by this guy damaging students. It's not all about 'spoilt brat' students at the college.

You talk with the "C" word to your students? Sums up Directors and teachers at Assumption

[redroo]

Ass humption

[Pladoek2]

I have also experienced disturbing factors about this place. I Tutor a few MBA students privately who haven’t even been taught the very basics of their subjects and they are 2^nd year students

Edited January 26, 2013 by Scott
font

[KKvampire]

I have a private student class with a senior(final year) student at the school and a class this evening(Friday), he says the Director is thoroughly disliked by teachers and students and is the 'C' word, He thinks he will have to go .The serious part is there are exams in the next 2 weeks all have been cancelled by this guy damaging students. It's not all about 'spoilt brat' students at the college.

You talk with the "C" word to your students? Sums up Directors and teachers at Assumption

Cant read?"I have private student"

I dont teach there.C means corrupt but in your case I can think of other adjectives

[webfact]

ASSUMPTION COLLEGE

Director suspends classes for a week

Supinda na Mahachai,

Suriyan Panyawai,

Angkoon Tawanwong,

The Nation

Mathayom 6 students of the Assumption College write farewell messages on their classmates

Teachers claim this is in response to their demand for a discussion

BANGKOK: -- Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana has ordered an investigation into why the director abruptly ordered classes at the Assumption College to be suspended yesterday.

Relevant authorities are also trying to conclude whether the college will resume normal operations from Monday.

Assumption College director Anant Prichavudhi allegedly ordered that all classes be suspended until next Friday, saying that some ill-intentioned people were preparing to cause havoc on campus and he could not guarantee students' safety.

This move is believed to be in response to a plan by teachers, alumni, students and parents to rally for a discussion with him.

"Instead, he has passed the blame onto to the innocent," Pradit Chaipreecha, a teacher at the secondary section, said. "The school should actually have stayed open and he should have been there to listen to teachers who wish to air their grievances and raise their concerns."

Spokesperson and teacher of the Save the AC (Assumption College) Group, Dr Sitthichai Parinyanusorn, said in reality Anant had already been informed that he would receive a complaint letter.

"He did not reply and then suddenly we found out that he had suspended the classes," he said.

According to Pradit, Anant has been at the helm of the college for about nine years now, and his "mismanagement" has reportedly caused many problems.

"His leadership is apparently flawed. To avoid a discussion with us, he ordered the school be closed," Supawadee Kamfeukfon, a teacher in the primary section, said.

The Assumption College's primary school is located on Soi St Louis, while the secondary section is located on Soi Charoenkrung 40. Anant has been facing a barrage of criticism over many issues, including his recent decision to merge both the sections. And things came to a head yesterday, when he ordered a temporary closure of the entire college.

Early morning chaos

Since students had not been informed in advance, many showed up yesterday morning only to learn that there were no classes. Traffic came to a standstill in the morning rush hour in front of the two school compounds and nearby areas.

Several teachers complained that it was not fair on the students to interrupt classes like this because exams for the second semester were nearing.

"I don't think anybody agrees with the sudden closure of the school," Pongthep said, adding that he had already told the Office of Private Education Commission's acting secretary-general Charnwit Tapsuphan to look into the matter.

The education minister was speaking after Assumption College teachers and students' parents called on him to ensure the school re-opens on Monday.

Charnwit said he was planning to go to the college himself to settle the matter, adding that he had tried to get in touch with Anant yesterday but to no avail.

"My commission has the authority to order that the school resume its classes, but I will speak to the college first before making a decision," he said, adding that he would make a public announcement on the progress of the case today. Charnwit said if the school did not respond to his commission's order, it might face the maximum punishment - the loss of its licence to operate the school.

Established more than a century ago, the Assumption College is one of Thailand's best known boys-only schools. The operation licence is held by the St Gabriel Foundation, which has about 17 educational institutions under its care.

Angry teachers yesterday called on the foundation's chairman Brother Sirichai Fonseka to intervene. They wanted Anant to be removed and his predecessor returned to the helm.

In a related development, teacher Narong Weeraprajak said he and his colleagues were planning to hold make-up classes for their students today and would try and ensure that their pupils could return to school as per normal on Monday.

-- The Nation 2013-01-26

[durianfan]

I worked there for a year awhile back. The brother in question is an absolute psychopath. He's the most narcissistic director I've ever met. Morning ceremonies were led by him and a few times a week he'd ramble on in Thai about how great he was and what he was doing for the college and we'd just have to sit there smiling like idiots. One time they held a 3-hour ceremony in his honor in which students made speeches comparing this guy to St. Peter and John the Baptist. I'm not making this up. The place is a joke - rich students who are horribly behaved, everyone passes and there are no consequences for bad behavior. The worst was when a Thai teacher was caught molesting one of the younger boys. He was immediately fired however the school paid the parents off to avoid charges. He's still teaching somewhere in Bangkok. Good on the teachers banding together and ousting this idiot.

[animatic]

I have a private student class with a senior(final year) student at the school and a class this evening(Friday), he says the Director is thoroughly disliked by teachers and students and is the 'C' word, He thinks he will have to go .The serious part is there are exams in the next 2 weeks all have been cancelled by this guy damaging students. It's not all about 'spoilt brat' students at the college.

You talk with the "C" word to your students? Sums up Directors and teachers at Assumption

Well if read correctly the STUDENT said this and not KV, who is just passing on the info.

Of course as noted the C word is "Corruption" here, not slang for vagina,

which we westerners more often see as " The C Word".

Clearly Brother C has over stayed his expiry.

Edited January 26, 2013 by animatic

[chooka]

I was born into the Catholic faith (no choice) and I believe the whole Catholic system (teachings) is collapsing around the world. The Catholic Church in Australia is involved in a Royal Commission into pedophilia. People turn to the church in times of need and what do they do? They refer them to the Salvation Army or St Vincent De Pauls.

The Catholic Church is a Business selling imaginary friends and it's aim is to reap as much wealth as possible. The pope, as the visible ruler of this immense amassment of wealth, is consequently the richest individual of the twentieth century. No one can realistically assess how much he is worth in terms of billions of dollars. Whilst it preaches that "Greed" is a Cardinal Sin it continues to build and stockpile it's wealth.

[Baerboxer]

I have also experienced disturbing factors about this place. I Tutor a few MBA students privately who haven’t even been taught the very basics of their subjects and they are 2^nd year students

I thought this article was about the merger of primary and secondry schooling? How did graduate MBA students get inolved?

[Baerboxer]

I was born into the Catholic faith (no choice) and I believe the whole Catholic system (teachings) is collapsing around the world. The Catholic Church in Australia is involved in a Royal Commission into pedophilia. People turn to the church in times of need and what do they do? They refer them to the Salvation Army or St Vincent De Pauls.

The Catholic Church is a Business selling imaginary friends and it's aim is to reap as much wealth as possible. The pope, as the visible ruler of this immense amassment of wealth, is consequently the richest individual of the twentieth century. No one can realistically assess how much he is worth in terms of billions of dollars. Whilst it preaches that "Greed" is a Cardinal Sin it continues to build and stockpile it's wealth.

Yep - it's probably the oldest and most learned model for corruption there is.

[theajarn]

I worked there for a year awhile back. The brother in question is an absolute psychopath. He's the most narcissistic director I've ever met. Morning ceremonies were led by him and a few times a week he'd ramble on in Thai about how great he was and what he was doing for the college and we'd just have to sit there smiling like idiots. One time they held a 3-hour ceremony in his honor in which students made speeches comparing this guy to St. Peter and John the Baptist. I'm not making this up. The place is a joke - rich students who are horribly behaved, everyone passes and there are no consequences for bad behavior. The worst was when a Thai teacher was caught molesting one of the younger boys. He was immediately fired however the school paid the parents off to avoid charges. He's still teaching somewhere in Bangkok. Good on the teachers banding together and ousting this idiot.

This is why we put the adverb at the end : P For a second there it actually sounded like you were praising them...

[BrianCR]

I have a private student class with a senior(final year) student at the school and a class this evening(Friday), he says the Director is thoroughly disliked by teachers and students and is the 'C' word, He thinks he will have to go .The serious part is there are exams in the next 2 weeks all have been cancelled by this guy damaging students. It's not all about 'spoilt brat' students at the college.

You talk with the "C" word to your students? Sums up Directors and teachers at Assumption

Cant read?"I have private student"

I dont teach there.C means corrupt but in your case I can think of other adjectives

You studying adjectives? Keep up the good work your English Language will improve - now copy this - I don't teach there, the letter "C" means corrupt but in your case I can think of other adjectives. have a nice day!

[Lucie]

Quote: "The college's website said the administration had decided to suspend classes until February 1 because some illintentioned groups planned to instigate chaos inside the college compound. The school was worried that it might unable to provide safety for students and that the chaos could cause damage to its property."

Translated: The administration has only just found out that the teachers have a valid point, and haven't had time to formulate a counter-attack, or find ways to sack them all. So if they close the school, no-one can see them making fools of themselves.