Is the education up to scratch in Thailand?
Postbox letter from Dr John Smith
After teaching in many government schools as well as private schools and universities all over the world and here in Thailand it is abundantly clear to anyone with a shred of grey matter that Thailand is one of the worst countries for education standards
Oh boy...I went to Loei
Amazing travel experiences in North-east Thailand
Even if it's just for a handful of days, hopping back into the traveling circuit is an epic feeling. I love my job and I'm happy everyday, but there's this euphoric buzz that runs through me every time I clip on my Osprey bag and wedge myself onto another box-on-wheels.
How to talk to foreigners in Thailand
We don't bite. Well, a handful might I suppose.
Put simply, if the foreigner clearly knows what they're doing, can order a round of food with minimal problems and pay the right money when presented with the bill, you don't need to talk down to them.
Thailand, the sick man of ASEAN
Postbox letter from Russell
I relocated to Vietnam to see if the grass was any greener over there. Whilst I was in Vietnam at the beginning I wrote an article saying what a breath of fresh air it was from the idiocy of Thailand. But after one year I came to realize the grass was not that green after all.
When your face just doesn't fit
When a school wants to fire you, what can you do?
I had been working as a Maths teacher for just under four months at a Catholic school in Bangkok when the head teacher, who is always happy to deliver bad news in a very dramatic way, informed me that parents had complained about the homework books not being marked. This was just the beginning.
Thailand: the land of smiles and helpful hands
Even in the darkest moments, people genuinely want to help
We soon realised that something more serious was going on. A knife appeared. A big, scary knife. Things start to feel a bit more real when there's a knife involved.
Cultural respect and being professional
Postbox letter from Dr John Smith
I was always encouraged to accept other peoples values and to respect their customs and religion as well as many other things. What I find difficult is the fact that no matter how much I accept and try to adapt to Thai ways of thinking it always comes back to the fact that Westerner are not appreciated for the skills we bring to Thailand and Thai attitude changes like the wind changes direction.
A lack of professionalism
Postbox letter from Tommy
I recently went for a job interview and was shocked by the lack of professionalism shown by a school with a good reputation. I was applying for a math teacher position and I have had experience teaching maths to Mattayom 1 and 2
The Thai education system
Postbox letter from Dr John Smith
Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana admits that the Thai education system is unsatisfactory and behind other countries in the ASEAN region. To tackle the problem, the ministry has drawn up some measures to restructure the system.
The school that once was
Postbox letter from Mr. Greenberg
A well regarded school, a school with a beautifully rich history, is now perceived as something else. Asked about the school’s services, a Thai faculty member, who asked not to be named said, “most of what is happening now is all for show.”
