Where will the money go?

Postbox letter from Cliff

I retired from my job in the States last year and decided to spend my retirement here in Thailand, teaching Thai people to speak better English among other things. I knew beforehand it would be an uphill battle. I have spent 4 years of my life here, plus another 11 working at a Thai church near my home in the San Diego area, so I was well aware of the difficulties Thai people have with our language. In fact, most of the few Thai people I know who speak it fluently have a very heavy Thai accent.

Fear of change?

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

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

Soaked during floods

Postbox letter from Jimmy

I am not surprised some teachers are being told by Thai schools that they will not receive money for the time they didn't work during the floods. The safety net is for the Thais, not the falang. If you've been there long enough, you should know the pecking order by now.

Too old at 60?

Postbox letter from James

In the end Thailand, as disillusioned foreigners leave, your tourist industry collapses and the current crop of teachers grow older and are replaced by smiling backpackers, or recession refugees happy to join the treadmill for their 30k pay, you will stay a developing country.

The chalkies need a real change

Postbox letter from Mr Grumpy

Nothing can prepare the foreign teacher for the employee-to-management-to-admin staff life. Dealing with these matters can drive the most experienced teachers up the wall and can turn a normally friendly teacher into a paranoid wreck!

Far away

Postbox letter from James

OK Thai school directors, bridging teachers, managers and let's include the various shady hiring companies, you won and I now find myself in China.

Fast times at Hitler High

What on earth are the schoolkids being prepared for?

For those who think that the students may have missed the lessons on Hitler and the NAZIS, or perhaps fell asleep during the lectures, I say the opposite: I say that these students were probably very much awake and were mesmerized by all things NAZI. By the looks of things, they seem to have learned quite a bit.

Thailand's 'education'

Postbox letter from Michael Holdcroft

With all these letters re qualified vs unqualified teachers, let me state that after teaching in excess of forty years here, three of the best teachers I have ever listened to are 'unqualified' but great teachers.

Thailand running before it can crawl

Postbox letter from Mr. Russell Park

In 2010 there were 250 schools nationwide in the EP program. In 2011 it doubled to 500 and they estimate it will double again next year. The Thais are running around the country, awarding their schools this stamp of 'World Class School'. Which world do they mean?