No sports or p.e

[KenDidd]

My eldest started school a year ago, he will be at this school until he reaches 11 years old. I looked around the school an was shocked to find no sports facilities at all. I'm a keen sportsman myself and would like my kids to follow in my footsteps winning many trophies in many different sports. Is this normal in Thai schools? The wife's younger sister is in a government school and when they have a sports day the father in law sends her off with a bamboo stick, we followed on later to watch the kids marching around knocking there sticks together and shouting. Is this a Thai sport that I don't know about? Why no sports?

[KhunBENQ]

The bamboo stick thing sounds like the "boyscouts / girlscout day"

Girls wear dark green uniforms with long skirt and hat.

Boys: I forgot.... short trousers, khaki colored?

(we don't have boys in the family)

On "sports day" they usually wear some tracksuit and sports shoes.

Even our village schools has some sports facilities (soccer field, badminton, volleyball and sepak takraw field).

Volleyball is the no. 1 sport for Thai girls. Soccer and sepak takraw for boys only.

But yes, it looks poor compared to western standards.

Was it this kind of uniform?

With sticks:

http://previews.123rf.com/images/jukreee/jukreee1311/jukreee131100402/24010208-Thai-Boy-Scout-in-parade-Camp-activities-as-part-of-the-study-Stock-Photo.jpg

Edited September 28, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[BudRight]

Yeah, even "sports days" don't involve playing sports, but rather lots of blaring at students with megaphones and playing of big drums. I always wondered how a Westerner could see this and think "yep, this is the way to do things alright."

Edited September 28, 2015 by BudRight

[Eddy B]

I have lived and worked in Thailand just over 10 years. All of my work has involved working at schools and I was shocked at how the schools I had worked at approached sports.The hours spent exercising/doing P.E. is usually 1 maybe 2 hours a week, which is nothing. Most schools have no fields as they where built in town centers without thinking about sports facilities. The kids have to either play indoor on tiled floors in socks, which is an accident waiting to happen or they are outside on hard concrete. When I was at primary school, once a week we would have to walk to the local swimming pool. Here, if the school is lucky to be near a pool they might take the kids. I am not talking about International schools or Bangkok schools as they have everything. I am talking about the schools outside the sphere of BKK and major touristy centers. The real Thailand. I am so glad now when I look back to when I went through school and all the sporting activities I had a chance to take part in, compared to the poor kids here in Thailand have. No wonder there are so many fat/unhealthy kids around today.

[surangw]

wait till you see what the thai school system version of "camping" is

more like staying at a low budget resort

[starky]

Every time I see one of your threads I just automatically think how long till this one is closed. I think you have worded this one in such a way it might stay open for a while. Now back under your bridge.