I think you've hit the nail on the head, Dave, and that's why they'll continue to remain dependent on outsiders for technological development. I don't think discipline, punishing cheaters, and so forth, count as western values. Those are necessary if you want to have a successful learning environment, in any country on the planet.

Also I think the fact that food just grows right out of the ground all over Thailand has something to do with it. They're never going to go hungry and thus don't need the sort of planning or complex organization that countries like in Scandinavia (or Russia, or China) require.

One more thing: someone suggested that ESL teacher's job is one-third educator, one-third babysitter, and one-third game show host. Sounds about right.

By Sam, Shanghai (22nd September 2013)

You are a proprietor of Edutainment which can consist of being a talk show host. A Thai student going to school, particularly an expensive private school, will generally believe that karma will provide the knowledge that he needs the same way it put him in the school. If it's karma then who needs work which is difficult and uncomfortable thus edutainment is the answer.
I never provided edutainment when I was teaching at a Thai private school for well of students. However I would have provided fun activities if there wasn't so much inherent inertia in the classroom keeping the students from getting out of their chairs. All the students want to do is sit and talk loudly while karma provides the education that they are entitled to.
In Thailand you have teachers like Duncan Scobie who have adapted well to the edutainment that Thai schools prefer from their ESL teachers and don't want educators with Western educational standards and morals interfering in Thai education. This attitude fits in well with the desire of the students not to be bothered with learning as well as the outlook of the MOE which placates Thai attitudes about the superiority of their culture with Thai culture being included in their educational directives. As if Thai culture is not something to be studied rather it should have a hand in running education and keeping it distinctly Thai. You have to have Western values in education, the kind that looks down on disrupting the class, not doing your own work, and cheating. In addition the Western principle that if you don't succeed at just basic education in some way or another there is no where else to go in life.

By Dave, Saudi Arabia (22nd September 2013)

"A friend of mine once said being a teacher here in Thailand is like being a game show host, hmmm"

I totally agree with that. I remember going for an interview with a private language school in the early 90's and the interviewer said "you ARE a game show host" - those were his exact words.

And one thing I learned over a 15-year teaching career here - the teachers who pour scorn on that statement are invariably always the ones who lack the personality / ability / characteristics to fill that role anyway.

By philip, (22nd September 2013)

A friend of mine once said being a teacher here in Thailand is like being a game show host, hmmm.

By Thomas, (21st September 2013)

yes Sam, I thing so. My friends and I thought at the one. I could thing that the students can do whatever I say, I got stuck in the rest. My friend's name Paul. He always talk as you say. I got a book to teach (somebody gave me in education department) and the students use to study the same. I found the way to improve them and me in the same time. Cause last time, I have my way to teach and the student's book isn't need for the classes.
I use handouts, worksheets,.,etc. and the result is perfectly. They may not poor if we find the way to teach them.

By John, Thailand (15th September 2013)

Is that right Lisa? No its not, One thing about teaching in Thailand is don't expect the student to take in large amounts on information in one lesson. The target you expect the students to achieve at the end of the year is probably too high. Halve what you think the will learn, and you will have success, Take two lessons to confirm information, pently of writing rather than handouts or board work. I personally have notebooks that everything is written into, and only rarely are they allowed to take them out of class. Both the worksheet and excerises are copied into the notebook and then they have to answer the work by writing answers or reading aloud. A good week of work and one lesson is put aside for video or games. ON PAPER YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE NOTEBOOKS TO PROVE TO YOURSELF AND OTHERS THAT YOU HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE.

By Phetpeter, Phetchabun (14th September 2013)

True, Lisa, but it's difficult to balance the facts as they are in Thailand (and elsewhere in Asia, as I'm finding in China), with the facts of reality. Students who copy will pass and get that shiny degree (and can make a window sticker out of it on their car so everyone can see) but still won't be able to converse or think for themselves. I think if we manage to connect with the ones who DO want to learn and have the drive, and give them a quality education, we're doing pretty darn well, like Sam says.

By Sam, near Shanghai (9th September 2013)

Did you say your goal is to get Thai students to actually learn in your English class? Students, parents and administrators don't complain about NOT learning. They complain when they are bored, you don't play enough games or you are too serious. Oh, and they really complain if you don't look very good or don't smile enough. So just focus on edutainment, smile, and joke. If the students cheat and copy, nobody complains about that either. That's HOW you can do it! It's not about the learning in Thailand, it's about how things look on paper etc.

By Lisa, (9th September 2013)