In response to 'Thailand's ill-timed implementation of the provisional permit' (Ajarn Postbox 7th August 2012) I am not wanting to get into the debate as to whether or not a degree makes a better teacher because this is certainly not about that but I would like to respond to the article in question.

The writer commented that the change to the provisional permit for teachers and the requirement that applicants must hold a degree is ill timed. Really? It should come as no surprise to anyone. The writer comments that it will cause problems getting ready for ASEAN 2015 but the reality is that it is a requirement of the 2015 integration (the same with all the other countries) and that it be done and it must be implemented by that time.

Contrary to the writers opinion the soon to be unemployed teachers won't be going to China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam (or any other ASEAN country) because their standards already require a degree (associate and a TEFL cert in the case of Taiwan) for anyone wanting to be a (legal) teacher.

The writing has been on the wall since 2006. Six years after the fact there is no excuse for anyone to not have a degree if they want to be a teacher. Get with the program or fall off the bus. Pick one.

Dave