Thai Government

Fear of change?

Why the reluctance to adopt English as an official language in Thailand?

17th January 2012

In Thailand the government has set 2012 as English Speaking Year with a goal of encouraging students to converse in English every Monday. Such policies are useful but the major leap of enacting legislation to make English an official language for Thailand is also needed

The Thai Floods

When tomorrow never comes

31st October 2011

With the Asian Tsunami of 2004, the lack of a decent education, the rampant corruption, the near civil war last year between the Red and Yellow Shirts, and now the floods, you have to feel for the average Thai who seems as a resilient and flexible as on old leather bag. No sooner has one disaster come and gone, but another floats along like an abandoned Styrofoam tray.

A change ain’t gonna come

Sent in by Paul

27th May 2011

The Government is pouring bhat after bhat into improving the Thais ability to speak English, but it is not happening much because Thais are resistant to change

English for integrated studies

Its implications for Thailand’s foreign teaching industry

17th February 2011

In 2009, the Ministry of Education promoted the so-called "World-Class Standard Schools" to 500 pilot schools in Thailand. It aims to encourage schools in promoting critical thinking, creativity and global-mindedness among the students by adding four co-curricular subjects

A teacher, an old wise man, two punks, and a chicken

Taking responsibility for your teaching

5th October 2010

Every once in a while I get frustrated with my students. Yes that’s right; I’m not a perfect teacher. But the person I should get most frustrated with, however, is me.

Two heads are better than one (sometimes)

some reasons why the education sector in Thailand is so poor

6th July 2010

Some of you may have seen the well-written and interesting article by Sirikul Bunnag in The Bangkok Post recently. It was entitled - "School heads lack English, ICT skills - Poor survey showing surprises authorities"

Government initiated projects in Thailand

What is being done to help people in times of economic hardship?

3rd March 2010

Past and present efforts by the Royal Thai Government (RTG) to initiate projects to help the unemployed in Thailand.

Carried away by modern waves

A Thai minority group struggling to adapt to formal education

1st November 2008

They lived simple but hard lives. Moken caught fish and seafood with spears and hand-made nets, and they had no need for electricity or piped water. They informally learned to make nets, carve boats, gather wild plants, preserve fish in the sun and salvage fresh water for drinking. Their traditional knowledge included where to find seafood and how to navigate the flow of the seas. This education was a curriculum of survival.

The battle is finally over

And there were no winners

1st October 2007

Restrictions on freedom of speech are simply a form a thought control and involve a huge amount of power. Thailand must accept that if it wants to be a fore - player in the modern world, it must at least accept that other nations allow freedom of speech.

Nothing but disrespect

24th April 2007

For those foreigners willing to devote their time and energies to quality teaching, it can be a bitterly disillusioning experience. With the salaries going lower and the benefits (medical and other insurance, housing, etc.) fewer, and the cost of living increasing, teachers who have been here for years are now leaving the country.