Having Returned To The Uk From Thailand

[slippery when wet]

Approx a year ago I returned to the UK from living in Thailand with my Thai wife and my 3 year old daughter. Now after approx a year I am beginning to have second thoughts as to whether I made the right decision as I am finding my opinion of the UK society ever decreasing and think that it would be better to raise a child in the Thai society.

I absolutely love Thailand and would return tomorrow as would my wife but I don't wish to completely selfish and need to consider the welfare of my daughter.

I am seeking the advice of families that have raised/in the process of raising children in Thailand.

[seonai]

Hi Slippery,

I don't know all that much about education systems but I feel the same as you. I have a 10-year-old boy who is half Thai and I am bringing him up here. The local Thai school is appalling so I have taken him ou and am now looking for an inexpensive home schooling program - any suggestions welcome.

I don't intend to let him loose on British culture again untill he's at least 18 years old. Here he has a huge network of Aunties and Uncles who care and look out for him. In UK people used to call him 'blacky' and ask if his "Mum shagged a darky !!!!!!!"

I don't like the snobbish thing about International schools here and can't afford it anyway, my income is very small.

The Thai school was quite good for friends and the like but too much emphasis on sitting down, rote learning, no encouragement to think and ask questions etc. Also they did NO art, geography, music or drama. Just the same old Thai things about Thailand that are done in all Thai schools.

So, home schooling is where we are going. I am new to this so it may take a year to explore. But meantime I teach him every day about other countries, emotions, belief systems etc and he reads about fish and reptiles !!!!!

So, both places have fault IMO. If I was rich I may consider a high school in UK that has a great reputation..... but I am not!!!!

The thing that loosened up this whole stressful dillema for me was meeting one or two people out here who's children home school on a yacht !!!!!! That's something!!!!

Looking forward to this post growing as it is an important topic.

[samran]

Seonai, aren't there Australian and UK based correspondence courses that you can do with primary school kids? I remember my uncle and aunt took their 3 kids on a year long trip around Australia, living out of a caravan, educating their kids like this.

Given the law of averages, they turned out OK. One is a senior exec at GM in OZ. One is a happy housewife, and the other is a dropkick who lives like a hermit in the mountains. Two out of three ain't bad.

[Diablo Bob]

Slippery When Wet,

I have two children, a 2nd grader and one entering Kindergarten. Rather than return to the USA, I chose to educate them through the International School system in Chiangmai. Myself, I am a Third Culture Kid, someone who was brought up outside of their own culture, and the International School system worked tremendously well for me.

Where my decision was sound in entering my daughters in the International School System. this system has some major drawbacks, primarily educating the students in Thai! The oldest can read Thai, but the youngest couldn't read a word, nor will she as long as she goes to International School.

Now if I was confidant that my daughters would continue their education in a Western country (USA, UK, Australia) I wouldn't be concerned. But the reality is that I doubt if either of them ever will want to leave Thailand. So I am now facing a decision, enter them into a private Thai School that will not only address their Thai needs but also address their needs for a quality education, and enable them to enter a quality university here in Thailand.

Will tell you my decision this coming fall.

[Goldenbead]

Seonai, I have many very useful websites on homeschooling that may be of interest to you. PM me if you would like the links.

As for the OP, really you have to consider what is important for you and your family. If you can afford international school, it is your best option here. I have found that children are able to maintain their innocence for much longer. Thai schools are not an option for us as there is no Thai connection with our family. It helps that I work at an international school so my children attend school where I work.

I know many homeschoolers and if I wasn't working where I am, that is the option I would take. It takes committment though so you need to be sure that you can put the time and effort in.

I don't know too much about UK society, having only ever been there as a visitor, so can't comment too much. Hubby is British and he does not want it for our kids.

[astral]

There are some good private Thai schools, like Assumption College,

not cheap by Thai standards, but not as expensive as the International

bunch.

The language of education will be Thai, it depends if the child can cope with that.