Bangkok:- To get a teachers’ license in Thailand, foreigners must first take a 21-hour course on Thainess and Thai education laws.

Prof Dr Paitoon Sinlarat, who heads the Teachers Council of Thailand (TCT), says the course is mandatory for any foreigner who is interested in taking a teaching job here.

“We have required them to take this course because Thai culture and theirs are completely different,” he says.

According to him, the course is a must even to foreigners who have already got a teacher’s license from their home country.

“For those who have already been a licensed teacher in their homeland, they take just the 21-hour course. For those who have never got a license from their homeland, they must take a longer course,” Paitoon explains.

He adds that the longer course covers a total of 42 hours, with content spanning from Thainess, to Thai laws, to Thai education concepts, to Thai educational psychology, and to educational evaluation.

Paitoon says in the past, only two universities were authorized to conduct such courses. However, the TCT has now decided to make these courses available at more facilities.

“Other universities should contact the TCT now if they want to organize such courses. They can even arrange the training in collaboration with schools,” he says.

The TCT has made these courses on Thainess mandatory for foreign teachers despite loud complaints from international schools, which lament that the courses make it even harder to recruit foreigners to teaching jobs.

If I say jump, you say how high!

And who pays for this course? The individual teacher, the teacher's school, or the Ministry of Education?

Thainess , so come 2 hours too late , play with your telephone the whole time , let somebody else do the work while drinking laokao , pay official in charge to give you the paper ?

Excellent, they can show us how to consistently achieve the lowest rankings in SE Asia and how to cheat on our teachers entry exams.

How do I qualify to teach this Thainess course? (Is "Thainess" a word?)

And they should also require Thai teachers to pass certification exams on teaching critical thinking skills and preparing and grading non-multiple choice exams.

Source for this? the last culture course dates were months ago and only accomodated about 20 people per course. An absolute joke.

Some more information about this, IE official press release or some such would be nice. Would be good to know some prices, dates and the like. The kurusapha website is also a shambles.

why is it not quoted form somewhere?

Interesting !

Now try Teaching or practicing as a health care professional in New Zealand without a (required) knowledge of "Cultural Safety" !

They should require Thai English teachers to pass the TOEIC exam like they do with the Filipino teachers. Of course 90% of the Thai teachers would fail since they are unable to understand or speak the language they are supposed to be teaching. But I suppose that means they pass the Thainess exam

You've been junterd!!

Is it April 1st already?

I believe this only applies to those teaching in "proper" schools and not to those teaching in language institutes, corporate or exam preparation. And surely it's old news?

LIe, cheat, steal, double-price and a 201 course on corruption?

You've been junterd!!

Is it April 1st already?

No but it is Friday the Thirteenth

Unfortunately this is not a joke.. My school has been forcing teachers to attend at their own expense.

The course mostly covers how to make your own pen guns/ping pong bombs, how to grease palms, and the importance of Hitler.

Just had a brilliant idea...........why don't they oblige the TVF members to go through a Thainess course?

Although, I wouldn't doubt the results............all failed

HOT NEWS. There is also an Elite Privilege Thainess Course...... You just pay 50.000 thb and receive it in less than 5 mins......

21 hours????

Would love to see a syllabus or a lesson plan of this course in the Secrets of Thai Pedagogery!!!!

Just another bullshit hoop they expect us to jump through. The schools are already struggling to find native English speaking teachers. They should do away with the TCT it has no interest in education just in making themselves 'look' important, implementing ridiculous requirements and in justifying their positions. If they really had any brain cells they would create a standard nation wide curriculum with lesson plans included for English teachers to follow, they could allow a time margin in which the teachers could apply their own methods of teaching or expand on what was taught. They should do away with the TCT course requirement and replace the requirement for a degree with an English proficiency test (A degree in 'sports science' for example doesn't mean your English is any good). It could then be the school's responsibility to monitor the performance and competency of that teacher which could then be reported back to the TCT if need be.
Thailand, land of incompetent leaders and 'too scared to rock the boat' subordinates.

Teachers Dooms Day

21 hours, can't be much to learn about Thainess.

I guess that being qualified in "Thainess" is deemed to be preferable to actually holding a degree.......... and being able to speak/teach English.

the only good thing about threads like these are some of the replies

some are very funny and some just hit that nail.

so my 25 stang

i can not follow any traffic laws or driver consideration

i can find way to do as little as possible whilst appearing reup roi

i can throw litter

i can use skin whitening

i can 'practice' Buddhism while been as materialistic as possible

i could, if need be barely speak english and still teach grammar out of a book

shirely thats already 50%

and considering the no fail policy

yey i've already passed

what should i wear at the presentation ceremony?

Just another bullshit hoop they expect us to jump through. The schools are already struggling to find native English speaking teachers. They should do away with the TCT it has no interest in education just in making themselves 'look' important, implementing ridiculous requirements and in justifying their positions. If they really had any brain cells they would create a standard nation wide curriculum with lesson plans included for English teachers to follow, they could allow a time margin in which the teachers could apply their own methods of teaching or expand on what was taught. They should do away with the TCT course requirement and replace the requirement for a degree with an English proficiency test (A degree in 'sports science' for example doesn't mean your English is any good). It could then be the school's responsibility to monitor the performance and competency of that teacher which could then be reported back to the TCT if need be.

Thailand, land of incompetent leaders and 'too scared to rock the boat' subordinates.

Any other suggestions? You obviously feel that your on a different level to everyone else. Could you perhaps come up with a plan for world peace while your at it!

We don't have to look for daily jokes, just read junta announcements, is enough to laugh!

Lessons to be Thainess.

1 : Get Thai girl friend.

2 : Have to eat som-tham punched with 5 chillies.

3 : Get body massage according to your convenience for any part of body.

4 : Have to pronounce 'R' terribly.

5 : No sex on Valentine's day.

6 : No beer on Buddhist festival days, except on Songkran day (But keep stock in advance).

Just had a brilliant idea...........why don't they oblige the TVF members to go through a Thainess course?

Although, I wouldn't doubt the results............all failed

I doubt anything brilliant comes from your mind.

But, pray tell, share your extensive knowledge of Thainess with us.

Just had a brilliant idea...........why don't they oblige the TVF members to go through a Thainess course?

Although, I wouldn't doubt the results............all failed

I doubt anything brilliant comes from your mind.

But, pray tell, share your extensive knowledge of Thainess with us.

I failed also.....a long time ago.

Thailand has many faults and flaws, indeed many countries have. However, at the root of all of these is a deep seated arrogance that both hides and protects its ignorance of the real world with ingrained insularity. I am presently living and working in an Arabic country, I have worked in many countries, but I have never been forced to accept their cultures. I do respect and acknowledge the cultures of these countries that I work in, although I do not believe in them. Thailand needs to understand that respect has to be mutual. It cannot be forced or inserted. This more than the many illogical acts places Thailand at the basement of the food chain. It doesn't happen in any of the 9 Arabic countries I've worked in, or the African countries, tribal backward countries like Papua New Guinea, or progressive countries like India, China and Russia. Only in Thailand, no where else and this is a sign in fear.

“We have required them to take this course because Thai culture and theirs are completely different,” he says."

Yes, farangs eat bread and Thais eat rice and sticky rice