Half children!: Encounters with Thais/schools

[laolover88]

I live in Chiang Mai. By comparison with much of Thailand outside of BKK and Phuket it is, as you know,

a relatively 'cosmopolitan' city.

My nephew and his Thai wife have a child who is completing P6; so they are looking to choose a secondary school.

The child is bright and perfectly bi-lingual in Thai and English. They have tried all along to ensure the kids are

bi-culttral

The child has brown hair and brown eyes

and creamy/brown skin

Principals of two schools spoke much the same:" Please don't ask to send your child here! We Thais don't really want

Luk Khreung in our schools"

Smile

Q: "Why not"

A: " Well, they are not Thai"!

Smile

Nephew says: "Well 70% at least of population of Thailand is not "Thai".

They are are Luk Kreung Chin, Lao, Khmer, Pama, etc."

Smile

A: "Never mind they are Asia people, not the same as Luk Khreung Farang"!

Smile

Nephew a bit stymied by this! Talks with wife, who is shocked..never thought about it.

She says: Would the children have this problem in England or France?"

Answer: No, no way..of course they might have some problems if they were say half, or entirely,

Black, Indian, Arab or whatever, and did not have the language!"

Wife goes to talk around..comes back even more shocked! She says: " Everyone says: Did you not realise?

Your children are not 100% Thai. They will never be

accepted as 'Thai' even if they become TV stars!"

Have you encountered this? How did/would you deal with it? What are the kids supposed to think/do?

[Thai at Heart]

Didn't encounter it.

Kids were schooled from 3yrs old to 12. They spoke the lingo fluently though.

[Showbags]

Thanks God is all I can say...

[chiang mai]

The Head Teacher is quite right to be concerned, the issue is disruption to the learning speed of the class. Why not tell him/her that you've given your child explicit instruction to learn at half his/her normal speed thus allowing the rest of the class to keep up.

[Morakot]

Half children

What is the remaining half? Machine? Animal?

I am sure this choice of words here is not very constructive. People of mixed ethnic originals are full Thai nationals, and often have twice as much to offer through a dual exposure to different cultures.

[Somtamnication]

Well, my son's doctor, in explaining some health issues to us, told us that half breed kids have this skin problem. I tormented her for saying that.

Idiots!!

[JLCrab]

I never met anyone who didn't have a very smart child. What happens to these children, you wonder, when they reach adulthood? -- Fran Lebowitz

Edited February 11, 2014 by JLCrab

[Morakot]

half breed kids

Does this mean the litter is not pedigree? Or did you bring the child to a vet?

[h90]

I thought a lot of the TV superstars are half...which makes them more white=more beautiful....They are extreme popular (which is about the same nonsense as the opposite)

But you should be grateful to the Principals. Because a school with this mindset surely brings the usual Thai quality education. And true most probably your child will disrupt the teaching with questions.

And also think for the English problems...a good share of the English teacher can't speak English (some even admit that they were appointed as English teacher without knowing the language)....

Find a good private school....

And btw. I heard of big problems in the schools in Austria...there are classes with half the kids can't speak German (and of course not English), the German speaking parents try to give their children in some schools on the country side. Some 1000 people village than has parents trying to register 3000 kids......endless problems.....

[Morakot]

I thought a lot of the TV superstars are half...

Naked?

[CharlieH]

Ask the Head teacher that if you consider a partial labotomy for your child and you dont mind if they watch TV all day whilst the teachers sleep and you promise your child wont learn anything until AFTER he/she leaves school, oh and of course there is an envelope on his desk !

Amazing Thailand.......well, it never fails to amaze me with its stupidity and open racism (at times)

Edited February 11, 2014 by CharlieH

[MegaRanter]

Interesting.

I have two boys and will plan accordingly.

By the time the current struggle is over, some Thai text books will be burnt with their authors.

[Jasun]

You could understand kids, but it's really sad to hear it coming from the top. I've got a friend who's half western kid was recently banned from entering English competitions at school. No problems with the half Chinese kids entering the Mandarin competitions, or even competing against 100% Thais in the Thai competition, until she won of course.

[Thai at Heart]

You could understand kids, but it's really sad to hear it coming from the top. I've got a friend who's half western kid was recently banned from entering English competitions at school. No problems with the half Chinese kids entering the Mandarin competitions, or even competing against 100% Thais in the Thai competition, until she won of course.

Well, winning English speaking competitions with native speakers is hardly the point is it....

My kids old school used to do this. They would regale the school with all their awards which of course had been won by luug kreung native speakers.

[Mooner]

I dont know how your nephew kept calm withn such openly racist behaviour. From kids or low class people maybe but from a principal!!

[zeichen]

Some school actually care about a family's background. They have limited openings and sift carefully for certain family names and legacy. If you have a business or something that sets you apart they would accept you. I think that their answers were flippant and simplified but not true. Those schools you went to will have bi-racial children, they just have connections.

You probably know but maybe don't, schools are more about making connections for future than for education. The children that attend a class will be "friends" for life. Parents want their kids to be with other kids from similar social backgrounds. They really don't care about ethnic purity but more about social status.

My guess is that Montfort was one of the schools, because I have heard others complain about the same statement you made. The funny thing is that there are a few biracial students in their EP classes. They do care about family background though and the interview of the parents is very important. If you went dressed wearing shorts or more casual attire, they would obviously treat you with less respect.

There are many good schools but take some time weeding through the crap. Good luck.

[I knew this would happen]

Who wants to be Thai anyway.....would be my answer and walk away.

Now that I know that your school is for Thais I´ll go somewhere else as I was looking for education and not a school for Thais

Edited February 11, 2014 by I knew this would happen

[krisb]

First I've heard of this op. Interesting stuff.

How many schools have said this?

Maybe it's a blessing in disguise.

Time to find a serious school, not a racist school.

[krisb]

I thought a lot of the TV superstars are half...

Naked?

On drugs?

[HeijoshinCool]

So if this is the attitude with those who are half-Thai and bilingual (and it most certainly is, especially amongst the lesser educated Thai) isn't it stupefying how certain members who regularly post here claim, and truly believe, they are embraced as "one of us" by their neighbors and other Thais?

Chiang Mai is on target. The other parents will not like a "half breed" far outperforming their precious ones. Think of the disruption in English class, when, after twelve years of lessons, the other kids are saying, "Where you go?" while little Luke is saying, "Where are you going?"

Confusion!

[JLCrab]

So if this is the attitude with those who are half-Thai and bilingual (and it most certainly is, especially amongst the lesser educated Thai) isn't it stupefying how certain members who regularly post here claim, and truly believe, they are embraced as "one of us" by their neighbors and other Thais?

Chiang Mai is on target. The other parents will not like a "half breed" far outperforming their precious ones. Think of the disruption in English class, when, after twelve years of lessons, the other kids are saying, "Where you go?" while little Luke is saying, "Where are you going?"

Confusion!

Maybe it is not a matter of the LKs outperforming the other students but a disciplinary problem: The LKs male or female might be much bigger in some instances than their Thai contemporaries and tend to be bullies or the LKs are picked on by their fellow Thai students and the LKs' parents come in threatening legal action against the school for the school's lack of proper supervision.

[Morakot]

[...] those who are half-Thai [...]

Confusion!

Yes a lot of confusion here. The child is a "full" Thai citizen according to the OP not something half.

[Morakot]

Time to find a serious school, not a racist school.

Yes, but people also need to start with their own awareness and stop perpetuating racism by means of ill-defined language that attempts to legitimise discrimination.

There are no "halves". We are dealing we dual citizens or children of two (or multiple) ethnic origins .

Edited February 11, 2014 by Morakot

[ABCer]

I never met anyone who didn't have a very smart child. What happens to these children, you wonder, when they reach adulthood? -- Fran Lebowitz

Maybe the same that happens to beautiful girls when they get married?

Or put it the other way: - With all beautiful young girls around where do the bitchy wives come from?

[willyumiii]

My six year old daughter is the only half Thai, half white student in her school.

She is very well accepted and even loved by the students. They spoil her!

The teachers on the other hand are very rough on her and I think they actually discriminate against her because of her "mixed race".

She gets lower grades on her homework than Thai students when she does a better job then them. I have compared her homework with that of her friends and confirmed this.

At every school function awards are given out to at least 2/3 of the students for achievements, no matter how small.

All Thai children receive some awards.

In three years, my daughter has never received any awards, and she is a very good, well behaved student.

She spoke both English and Spanish before coming to Thailand and became fluent in Thai within a couple of months.

She speaks English better than the Thai English teacher, so, he ignores her in class.

They had the nerve to tell her they want her to represent the school in the yearly English speaking competition!

I told them that if she was good enough to represent the school, her grades would be as high as the Thai students!

Racist and discriminating?

Yes!

But Thais love to win!

Right now it is a financial struggle for us,

but I am trying to find a way to send her to a good private school without racist Thai teachers and administrators.

Edited February 11, 2014 by willyumiii

[HardenedSoul]

Who wants to be Thai anyway.....would be my answer and walk away.

Frankly, that was my first reaction. Your nephew's kids are far better off and he should count his blessings.

Who would want their kids educated by people with a mentality like that?

[thaifkrlim]

This story is made up

[Morakot]

My six year old daughter is the only half Thai

Check her Thai passport or Thai ID card and you'll surprised to learn that she is a proper Thai citizen.

[Morakot]

This story is made up

Even if it were, it's a real story about real issues.

[HardenedSoul]

My six year old daughter is the only half Thai, half white student in her school.

She is very well accepted and even loved by the students. They spoil her!

The teachers on the other hand are very rough on her and I think they actually discriminate against her because of her "mixed race".

She gets lower grades on her homework than Thai students when she does a better job then them. I have compared her homework with that of her friends and confirmed this.

At every school function awards are given out to at least 2/3 of the students for achievements, no matter how small.

All Thai children receive some awards.

In three years, my daughter has never received any awards, and she is a very good, well behaved student.

She spoke both English and Spanish before coming to Thailand and became fluent in Thai within a couple of months.

She speaks English better than the Thai English teacher, so, he ignores her in class.

They had the nerve to tell her they want her to represent the school in the yearly English speaking competition!

I told them that if she was good enough to represent the school, her grades would be as high as the Thai students!

Racist and discriminating?

Yes!

But Thais love to win!

Right now it is a financial struggle for us,

but I am trying to find a way to send her to a good private school without racist Thai teachers and administrators.

Aren't you a bit biased?

Doesn't every parent think their kids are more deserving or smarter than everyone else's?

Don't envy your position having to find the money to fund a private education but didn't you think of that beforehand?