Thai teachers pose as foreigners to teach English

[ThomasHOL]

I had to laugh at that! Does this happen in any other country?

I guess that most European countries use local teachers to teach in foreign language. But most european countries actually have people that can speak the language they teach.

This logic is just wrong...

Thai's who teach English, want to speak Thai...when they do, the students do. So its not about what they he is saying. He is just ashamed to be with his Thai counter parts who would scold him for speaking English in the classroom...

the only reason Thai students don't like to speak English is because they are not exposed to using it, so they have no reason to speak it, even if forced to take English classes. its is no different than learning science... you have your book learning, then you have the labs which put it all into practice. they don't even do that. and the special English programs have field trips for these selected students... but do they go to places where English is spoken as it was meant for it to be?

The other thing is, Thai teachers have too much power, not even directors can force them to do as they are suppose to do... and until this power is reduced or removed to be a "teacher only", then the whole educational system sucks and eventually will blow up with high numbers in illiteracy.

I dont think that it is a bad thing to speak Thai in the English class as long as it is used to explain the language. I know that here in Denmark especially in the lower levels they use both Danish and English in the english education, the kids need to learn a basis og english before you can start speaking english all the time.

Personally i had a english, english teacher for 2 years at "high School" (it is called something else in Danish and cannot be compared 100%) but she also teached other subjects as she also spoke Danish and had not been employed because she was english.

[arithai12]

Hard to believe that this is for real.

If the school knows they are Thai, soon everybody else would know.

If the school doesn't know, then they would want their passports to process their work permits.

[Mot Dang]

Strewth, how does this fit into the scheme of things. Is this un-Thainess, non-Thainess ? Nope it is Thainess, no doubt they are lying to receive a higher expat salary. Cheating, misleading, and fraudulent claims. Do they have fraudulent documents, or were they accepted with no documents presented at all. TiT.

[Gillyflower]

I have just heard another. A young woman is going to take a course here enabling her at the end to teach English to small Thai children. She's from the UK, BUT she has such thick local accent, that I can hardly understand her. Will all the little Thais have a Cardiff accent?

[Shadychris]

I have just heard another. A young woman is going to take a course here enabling her at the end to teach English to small Thai children. She's from the UK, BUT she has such thick local accent, that I can hardly understand her. Will all the little Thais have a Cardiff accent?

A Cardiff accent would be much more preferable to a whiny, drawly American accent - which is what many English speaking Asian girls seem to end up with....

[soalbundy]

Seeing him from a distance, young children call out their Singaporean teacher’s name before sprinting toward him, excited to practice speaking English.

because thats what students do, right. practice their Englit skills.

I have never seen Thai kids sprinting to learn anything

[Gillyflower]

Well at least i can understand a whiney drawly american accent. I can't understand a THICK Welsh one.

[F4UCorsair]

Beware of Fake Foreigners with poor grammar to boot!

Beware GENUINE foreign English teachers whose grasp of the language is tenuous at best. There are plenty posting on TV. They're the ones who don't know the difference between 'there', they're' and 'their', 'compare to' instead of 'compare with', any myriad other gross misuses of the language.

Yeah and beware of the pot calling the kettle black. Your comment has its share of mistakes

I agree....'any' should be 'and', a typo. I will proof read my posts in future.

I don't profess to be an English teacher!

Edited February 9, 2016 by F4UCorsair

[Doc46]

Illegal imposter,sort of speaks some English, needs job Trying to teach some English words,,,what a Laugh.I have not met a Thai in all my years here that can pass as an English speaking Person.

[Jim walker]

Surely any deception attempts by alleged would be English teachers would show up when Thai authorities do their secure international background checks on foreign teachers prior to starting any teaching job.

[Gillyflower]

To Doc 46

Well, in all my years I have met quite a few Thais who speak very good English, but who would never presume to teach it. Idont know whether you are a native English speaker, but your post leaves a lot to be desired, if you are.

[schondie]

There's only one teaching agency in Hat Yai that I can think of that would fool schools into thinking they've hired a foreign teacher.

I've heard the ways they've shafted native speakers as soon as they were picked up from the airport. Some agencies are reputable but if it's the one I suspect all I can say is "That really wouldn't surprise me". Vermin.

[gentry]

what don't they know that us real foreigners are criminally minded drunk women chasers whose only other desire is to overstay our visas? maybe the thai teachers who want to become foreign fakers need to subscribe to thai visa forum . . . . uh huh . . . .

toybits, on 08 Feb 2016 - 23:11, said:

Beware of Fake Foreigners with poor grammar to boot!

[CoreanoOzzie]

I know many "native speaking" Aussies or Brits who cannot even speak/read/write English properly due to their lack of education and proper upbringing.

[gentry]

arithai12, on 09 Feb 2016 - 04:25, said:

Hard to believe that this is for real.

If the school knows they are Thai, soon everybody else would know.

If the school doesn't know, then they would want their passports to process their work permits.

naw . . . in asia they have one eye closed, just don't make em open it . . .

[gentry]

Shadychris, on 09 Feb 2016 - 04:53, said:

Gillyflower, on 09 Feb 2016 - 04:46, said:

I have just heard another. A young woman is going to take a course here enabling her at the end to teach English to small Thai children. She's from the UK, BUT she has such thick local accent, that I can hardly understand her. Will all the little Thais have a Cardiff accent?

A Cardiff accent would be much more preferable to a whiny, drawly American accent - which is what many English speaking Asian girls seem to end up with....

you know you keep talking like that your whiney american wife is going to leave you and then whose going to do your beer runs for you?? ya, i bet you never thought that one through . . . . eh?

[salavan]

i hope they dont pose as french

[Rhys]

Nothing new.. that is done here a a few times.. the young teachers pose as freshman orientation week to spy.. opphs I mean, listen to the students speak what ever, then at the introduction of the teachers.. the jaws drops by students..

Edited February 9, 2016 by Rhys

[gamini]

Illegal imposter,sort of speaks some English, needs job Trying to teach some English words,,,what a Laugh.I have not met a Thai in all my years here that can pass as an English speaking Person.

I guess you probably only know bar girls. I have met plenty of Thais who speak far better English than many Brits living here with here with thier regional accents.

[djayz]

It just gets better and better by the day.

[bikerlou47]

I have been home schooling my 15 yr old daughter for 3 years she is fluent in English. She is taking the SAT in May. I wanted to enroll her in a high school English program but they will not accept her because she does not have a certificate! The education program in this country is a joke! And BTW there is no such thing as a placement test!

[rebelplatoon]

Seem lai eggelent idea, same him act lai foreigner... ;-)

[arrowsdawdle]

Pretending to not understand their Thai and forcing them to speak English?!

Well...I have heard worse ideas on teaching!

Considering how Thai teachers don't teach during scheduled class sessions in order to tutor those students whose parents can afford after school sessions, this ruse seems to fit the land of fake smiles.

[arrowsdawdle]

I have been home schooling my 15 yr old daughter for 3 years she is fluent in English. She is taking the SAT in May. I wanted to enroll her in a high school English program but they will not accept her because she does not have a certificate! The education program in this country is a joke! And BTW there is no such thing as a placement test!

Jeez, get with it and do like Thais. Buy a certificate so your daughter won't be disrespected and lose face.

[Thian]

Great idea!

I think I am going to pretend to be Thai next time my work permit and visa extension renewals are due or when I want to buy land or get the local entry price at national parks. Let's see how that's going to work out.

Believe me, with that moustache it's not gonna work....

[arrowsdawdle]

Illegal imposter,sort of speaks some English, needs job Trying to teach some English words,,,what a Laugh.I have not met a Thai in all my years here that can pass as an English speaking Person.

I guess you probably only know bar girls. I have met plenty of Thais who speak far better English than many Brits living here with here with thier regional accents.

Compared to Brits? Come on, it's not the accents, it is the bastardization of English since they lost a great empire on their way to becoming a muslim nation and have to amuse themselves as still having some influence in the world by proving they don't understand plurals among other usage and grammar foibles. Maybe following Brits is why Thais can't grasp the concept of plurals.

[Asheron]

Beware of Fake Foreigners with poor grammar to boot!

Beware GENUINE foreign English teachers whose grasp of the language is tenuous at best. There are plenty posting on TV. They're the ones who don't know the difference between 'there', they're' and 'their', 'compare to' instead of 'compare with', any myriad other gross misuses of the language.

And about 94.24% of thai people can't even correctly pronounce words like english. Your point?

[Petchou]

Singaporeans teaching englishhahahahahahaha..now Ive heard it all.

I know Singaporeans who definitely master English better than you and I am sure of that. Stop being too condescending.

[gk10002000]

"There’s nothing illegal about the practice, and all three teachers and a representative of the company described what they do as a valuable teaching technique that forces students to speak because they believe their teachers are foreigners who cannot understand Thai."

Actually it is illegal it is called fraud. If the article is correct though and the parents know and the government isn't subsidizing NES, then it is just silly.

As for making the students speak in English, that can be done also just by ignoring students when they speak Thai.

Unfortunately this shows how common the Thai mentality is of "the ends justifies the means". If something helps them along, they rationalize it and justify it. I am not saying that no other people do it, especially people under duress or that are a bit desperate. But to me, this shows a cultural thing with Thais. I don't know where they start acting or thinking like this. Is it picked up in grade school? Is it picked up from the parent or parents who come home and complain about how hard it is to get ahead?

[gk10002000]

I have been home schooling my 15 yr old daughter for 3 years she is fluent in English. She is taking the SAT in May. I wanted to enroll her in a high school English program but they will not accept her because she does not have a certificate! The education program in this country is a joke! And BTW there is no such thing as a placement test!

Interesting post. I never really thought of what the Thai laws are about home schooling.