first experince of gf isaan village

[farmerjo 3590]

Life in Issan is the same as life anywhere else. Just chill out see whats happening and adapt. If you want mince and tatties your knackered. I

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks but no thanks. That is probably the worst, most ill thought out advice for mine and my children's future anyone has ever given me. I think I will do what I know is best and move back to the UK when I see fit. Thanks for trying though.

Kunmatt,

Have your girlfriend or children been to the uk before.

Yes, good question. Took my Mrs to UK and she hated it. Took her to the London sites and the West country too . BUT, if I had to live in a village or even a cramped soi, I would hate that. I know farangs that have set up in a village and after the novelty wore off they now hate it.

I presume they hate it because they dont have the funds to relocate elsewhere having spent a bucket load already building on family land which will not be sold.

[farmerjo 3590]

Life in Issan is the same as life anywhere else. Just chill out see whats happening and adapt. If you want mince and tatties your knackered. I

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks but no thanks. That is probably the worst, most ill thought out advice for mine and my children's future anyone has ever given me. I think I will do what I know is best and move back to the UK when I see fit. Thanks for trying though.

Kunmatt,

Have your girlfriend or children been to the uk before.

3 times, for 2 or 3 months each time. She is best friends with my 2 sisters and Skypes my parents more than I do. She doesn't particularly want to live in the UK but, like me, she knows it is the best thing for our children. There are a few Thai restuarants where I live and a Thai market that imports goods from Thailand nd cost similar to the price of goods here.

If any Thai could take their kid to get a UK upbringing for free do you really think they wouldn't do it?

Nice try. Have another shot...

Each to there own Kunmatt,

I know my wife wouldn't like to be far from her family.

But just having a 3rd world bottom of asia education,she probably wouldn't pass the immigration requirements anyway.

[KunMatt 3068]

Life in Issan is the same as life anywhere else. Just chill out see whats happening and adapt. If you want mince and tatties your knackered. I


Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks but no thanks. That is probably the worst, most ill thought out advice for mine and my children's future anyone has ever given me. I think I will do what I know is best and move back to the UK when I see fit. Thanks for trying though.

Kunmatt,

Have your girlfriend or children been to the uk before.

3 times, for 2 or 3 months each time. She is best friends with my 2 sisters and Skypes my parents more than I do. She doesn't particularly want to live in the UK but, like me, she knows it is the best thing for our children. There are a few Thai restuarants where I live and a Thai market that imports goods from Thailand nd cost similar to the price of goods here.

If any Thai could take their kid to get a UK upbringing for free do you really think they wouldn't do it?

Nice try. Have another shot...

Each to there own Kunmatt,

I know my wife wouldn't like to be far from her family.

But just having a 3rd world bottom of asia education,she probably wouldn't pass the immigration requirements anyway.

Yes each to their own, whatever that means in this context. You're welcome to have another shot at me of you think you have anything else to try and talk down to me with or you can just slope off after everything you admitted to in this thread.

Hope all that money you saved yourself by living in the poorest part of a 3rd world country and all the golf games you played were worth however your kids turn out in the future. Its all on you, you know? Good luck. Edited September 29, 2013 by KunMatt

[farmerjo 3590]

Life in Issan is the same as life anywhere else. Just chill out see whats happening and adapt. If you want mince and tatties your knackered. I

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks but no thanks. That is probably the worst, most ill thought out advice for mine and my children's future anyone has ever given me. I think I will do what I know is best and move back to the UK when I see fit. Thanks for trying though.

Kunmatt,

Have your girlfriend or children been to the uk before.

3 times, for 2 or 3 months each time. She is best friends with my 2 sisters and Skypes my parents more than I do. She doesn't particularly want to live in the UK but, like me, she knows it is the best thing for our children. There are a few Thai restuarants where I live and a Thai market that imports goods from Thailand nd cost similar to the price of goods here.

If any Thai could take their kid to get a UK upbringing for free do you really think they wouldn't do it?

Nice try. Have another shot...

Each to there own Kunmatt,

I know my wife wouldn't like to be far from her family.

But just having a 3rd world bottom of asia education,she probably wouldn't pass the immigration requirements anyway.

Yes each to their own, whatever that means in this context. You're welcome to have another shot at me of you think you have anything else to try and talk down to me with or you can just slope off after everything you admitted to in this thread.

Hope all that money you saved yourself by living in the poorest part of a 3rd world country and all the golf games you played were worth however your kids turn out in the future. Its all on you, you know? Good luck.

I missed it,when did you say you were leaving?

[KunMatt 3068]

Cough ...

To everyone, but I'll be honest, KunMatt is in front of mind ... what consideration is given to access by the grandparents / other close relatives?

Just know how strong Family connections are in Thailand.

Sorry gents ... just clearing my throat ..

Sorry mate. Are you a little fellow cuz everyone keeps overlooking you in here!!

Edited September 29, 2013 by KunMatt

[KunMatt 3068]

I missed it,when did you say you were leaving?

In about 20 months. Are you mad at me cuz you made yourself look like such a pathetic parent in this thread that you have to keep taking shots at me?? lol

[farmerjo 3590]

I missed it,when did you say you were leaving?

In about 20 months. Are you mad at me cuz you made yourself look like such a pathetic parent in this thread that you have to keep taking shots at me?? lol

I'm not mad at you,i think your pro's and cons for the op to move to issarn and raise a family for a sustainable period have been enlightning and entertaining.

I guess i wont be winning parent of the year this yearAfter my son has finished his education he may venture down many roads.but one thing is for sure,thats his future,because he will have a profit making enterprise to fall back on.

[SlyAnimal 1187]

*Cough*

/Puts on moderator hat

Please avoid taking pot shots at other members. Different opinions are exactly that, different opinions. The opinion can be discussed or debated, but please don't go down the road of taking things personally or making targeted comments at other members. As I know how one thing can lead to another, and that just leaves everyone with a sour aftertaste.

This is the Isaan forum section, we're better than that. Any snide remarks etc can stay in general

/takes off moderator hat

[JLCrab 9148]

It all depends on the individual and the school -- I spend time with a young Isaan girl whose mother speaks only Thai but the young girl can handle herself in English, Chinese, and Japanese... and by young I mean 6 years old.

[MJP 7066]

24 then. 38 now. Hard working in an industry that's awful but paid okay.

Now past it and not well off.

Sent from my MotoA953 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[lovinglifeinthailand 105]

*Cough*

/Puts on moderator hat

Please avoid taking pot shots at other members. Different opinions are exactly that, different opinions. The opinion can be discussed or debated, but please don't go down the road of taking things personally or making targeted comments at other members. As I know how one thing can lead to another, and that just leaves everyone with a sour aftertaste.

This is the Isaan forum section, we're better than that. Any snide remarks etc can stay in general

/takes off moderator hat

good call, I set this post up to get your pro's and con's not a slanging match.

Everyone has made some good points for both ways and I look forward to hearing more experience.

With regards to education kids with talent and dedication will prosper anywhere and likewise kids can fail anywhere.

That is where the parents guidance helps.

I still have not made my mind up, all I know is the next 4 years i would like to bring my child up in the village.

[MJP 7066]

*Cough*

/Puts on moderator hat

Please avoid taking pot shots at other members. Different opinions are exactly that, different opinions. The opinion can be discussed or debated, but please don't go down the road of taking things personally or making targeted comments at other members. As I know how one thing can lead to another, and that just leaves everyone with a sour aftertaste.

This is the Isaan forum section, we're better than that. Any snide remarks etc can stay in general

/takes off moderator hat

good call, I set this post up to get your pro's and con's not a slanging match.

 

Everyone has made some good points for both ways and I  look forward to hearing more experience.

 

With regards to education kids with talent and dedication will prosper anywhere and likewise kids can fail anywhere. 

That is where the parents guidance helps.

I still have not made my mind up, all I know is the next 4 years i would like to bring my child up in the village.

We'll all be here if you need help.

Sent from my MotoA953 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[KunMatt 3068]

I'm not mad at you,i think your pro's and cons for the op to move to issarn and raise a family for a sustainable period have been enlightning and entertaining.

I guess i wont be winning parent of the year this year:(After my son has finished his education he may venture down many roads.but one thing is for sure,thats his future,because he will have a profit making enterprise to fall back on.

Great!

Edited September 29, 2013 by KunMatt

[onionluke 512]

Hi llit, I would like to relate some experiences with starting up in a village in Issan with a young family , although I guess most of these have already been mentioned .

I am 42 , my wife is 39 and our son is now nearly 8 . I work in construction and in 2009 I was laid off from work on the casinos in Macau . I was there with my wife and son , both Thai nationals, as the construction ground to a halt . We had a choice of sitting out the lull in Hong Kong or taking a new direction and spending the time and money we had saved on building a house in Issan . So we packed all our junk into boxes and sent it over to Thailand , only to have it commandeered by customs and hit with a 14000 bhat tax .

We flew to Bangkok and after a few days in Pattaya took a pick up truck to Issan ( never ever again ). The village and family were welcoming enough , although I did feel a bad vibe from her eldest brother's wife . We were introduced to a local builder . He had built several farang follies in the village . I priced our house build by finding out how much his other builds' cost and took it from there . The house , fitted out was priced at 750000 , but with land and walls and a gate I would say it came to about 1 300000. I would need to go look for a costs break down .

During the house build we lived in the upstairs of my wife's parents house . It is on a nice leafy street. They are nice quiet old folks and I am grateful to them for the time afforded us , even more so for tolerating my bagpipe music ( canned ) . The house was not built on family land, although we did have a look on the farm and even went so far as pegging out a footprint of a typical house build , my wife bought 2 plots a few streets away and so it went without much bother really .

I only purchased a second hand Nissan pick up last year for 300 000 bhat , it is a runner . I too bought the bricks and mortar before the car and so had to do a hell of a lot of biking around , and novelty soon wears off .

I would say most of the problems brought to our house in the village have concerned myself being a farang but manifested through my sons experiences . He went through a lot there . The village holding pen was just that and I soon learned my boy was not going to learn to read and write there . He was set about a few times and was visited with violence I still cannot credit to 3 and 4 year olds . We moved him to a private preschool in the town 10 kms away . The school was a huge improvement and children of the middle class parents , cops and teachers etc , were friendly . The curriculum as far as I can make out was ok . He did have to put up with name calling and bullying on the school bus / sawngtew and this was from boys whose family new us in the next soi . At this point with my son being nearly 4 years I was not prepared to send him to the town school , he would be in with a tough crowd and on his own .

Speaking English ( with a Scots accent ) and the local lingo my son soon became adapt at fitting in . He went full circle from bowing to peer pressure and calling me a farang to now hating being called a farand himself .

I think despite all of the experiences my son had he still looks to the village as being his home and where his family live and I feel he enjoyed a long Indian summer that lasted for 3 years . We get back when we can afford it and the house is built well enough to still be standing into my retirement and after I'm gone .

I might add I went through this without TV, and if I had listened to my wife we would have bought a house on an estate in Ubon .

I wish you all the best llit .

Edited September 29, 2013 by onionluke

[farmerjo 3590]

I'm not mad at you,i think your pro's and cons for the op to move to issarn and raise a family for a sustainable period have been enlightning and entertaining.

I guess i wont be winning parent of the year this year:(After my son has finished his education he may venture down many roads.but one thing is for sure,thats his future,because he will have a profit making enterprise to fall back on.

Great!

Jeez no wonder you have no friends here

[KunMatt 3068]

I'm not mad at you,i think your pro's and cons for the op to move to issarn and raise a family for a sustainable period have been enlightning and entertaining.

I guess i wont be winning parent of the year this year:(After my son has finished his education he may venture down many roads.but one thing is for sure,thats his future,because he will have a profit making enterprise to fall back on.

Great!

Jeez no wonder you have no friends here:coffee1:

C'mon, that was the best setup for a Tommy Boy reference ever. I'm not to blame for that, you gave it to me on a plate!!!

[lovinglifeinthailand 105]

Hi llit, I would like to relate some experiences with starting up in a village in Issan with a young family , although I guess most of these have already been mentioned .

I am 42 , my wife is 39 and our son is now nearly 8 . I work in construction and in 2009 I was laid off from work on the casinos in Macau . I was there with my wife and son , both Thai nationals, as the construction ground to a halt . We had a choice of sitting out the lull in Hong Kong or taking a new direction and spending the time and money we had saved on building a house in Issan . So we packed all our junk into boxes and sent it over to Thailand , only to have it commandeered by customs and hit with a 14000 bhat tax .

We flew to Bangkok and after a few days in Pattaya took a pick up truck to Issan ( never ever again ). The village and family were welcoming enough , although I did feel a bad vibe from her eldest brother's wife . We were introduced to a local builder . He had built several farang follies in the village . I priced our house build by finding out how much his other builds' cost and took it from there . The house , fitted out was priced at 750000 , but with land and walls and a gate I would say it came to about 1 300000. I would need to go look for a costs break down .

During the house build we lived in the upstairs of my wife's parents house . It is on a nice leafy street. They are nice quiet old folks and I am grateful to them for the time afforded us , even more so for tolerating my bagpipe music ( canned ) . The house was not built on family land, although we did have a look on the farm and even went so far as pegging out a footprint of a typical house build , my wife bought 2 plots a few streets away and so it went without much bother really .

I only purchased a second hand Nissan pick up last year for 300 000 bhat , it is a runner . I too bought the bricks and mortar before the car and so had to do a hell of a lot of biking around , and novelty soon wears off .

I would say most of the problems brought to our house in the village have concerned myself being a farang but manifested through my sons experiences . He went through a lot there . The village holding pen was just that and I soon learned my boy was not going to learn to read and write there . He was set about a few times and was visited with violence I still cannot credit to 3 and 4 year olds . We moved him to a private preschool in the town 10 kms away . The school was a huge improvement and children of the middle class parents , cops and teachers etc , were friendly . The curriculum as far as I can make out was ok . He did have to put up with name calling and bullying on the school bus / sawngtew and this was from boys whose family new us in the next soi . At this point with my son being nearly 4 years I was not prepared to send him to the town school , he would be in with a tough crowd and on his own .

Speaking English ( with a Scots accent ) and the local lingo my son soon became adapt at fitting in . He went full circle from bowing to peer pressure and calling me a farang to now hating being called a farand himself .

I think despite all of the experiences my son had he still looks to the village as being his home and where his family live and I feel he enjoyed a long Indian summer that lasted for 3 years . We get back when we can afford it and the house is built well enough to still be standing into my retirement and after I'm gone .

I might add I went through this without TV, and if I had listened to my wife we would have bought a house on an estate in Ubon .

I wish you all the best llit .

Photo1876.jpg

18152_276557643071_8295066_n.jpg

so where are you now?

[anotheruser 3346]

"The good news is my gf is pregnant so we have decided to pack our bags and settle down back in the village with the support of her parents and family"

I think you will find that it is you who will be supporting the family.

[onionluke 512]

Hi llit, I would like to relate some experiences with starting up in a village in Issan with a young family , although I guess most of these have already been mentioned .

I am 42 , my wife is 39 and our son is now nearly 8 . I work in construction and in 2009 I was laid off from work on the casinos in Macau . I was there with my wife and son , both Thai nationals, as the construction ground to a halt . We had a choice of sitting out the lull in Hong Kong or taking a new direction and spending the time and money we had saved on building a house in Issan . So we packed all our junk into boxes and sent it over to Thailand , only to have it commandeered by customs and hit with a 14000 bhat tax .

We flew to Bangkok and after a few days in Pattaya took a pick up truck to Issan ( never ever again ). The village and family were welcoming enough , although I did feel a bad vibe from her eldest brother's wife . We were introduced to a local builder . He had built several farang follies in the village . I priced our house build by finding out how much his other builds' cost and took it from there . The house , fitted out was priced at 750000 , but with land and walls and a gate I would say it came to about 1 300000. I would need to go look for a costs break down .

During the house build we lived in the upstairs of my wife's parents house . It is on a nice leafy street. They are nice quiet old folks and I am grateful to them for the time afforded us , even more so for tolerating my bagpipe music ( canned ) . The house was not built on family land, although we did have a look on the farm and even went so far as pegging out a footprint of a typical house build , my wife bought 2 plots a few streets away and so it went without much bother really .

I only purchased a second hand Nissan pick up last year for 300 000 bhat , it is a runner . I too bought the bricks and mortar before the car and so had to do a hell of a lot of biking around , and novelty soon wears off .

I would say most of the problems brought to our house in the village have concerned myself being a farang but manifested through my sons experiences . He went through a lot there . The village holding pen was just that and I soon learned my boy was not going to learn to read and write there . He was set about a few times and was visited with violence I still cannot credit to 3 and 4 year olds . We moved him to a private preschool in the town 10 kms away . The school was a huge improvement and children of the middle class parents , cops and teachers etc , were friendly . The curriculum as far as I can make out was ok . He did have to put up with name calling and bullying on the school bus / sawngtew and this was from boys whose family new us in the next soi . At this point with my son being nearly 4 years I was not prepared to send him to the town school , he would be in with a tough crowd and on his own .

Speaking English ( with a Scots accent ) and the local lingo my son soon became adapt at fitting in . He went full circle from bowing to peer pressure and calling me a farang to now hating being called a farand himself .

I think despite all of the experiences my son had he still looks to the village as being his home and where his family live and I feel he enjoyed a long Indian summer that lasted for 3 years . We get back when we can afford it and the house is built well enough to still be standing into my retirement and after I'm gone .

I might add I went through this without TV, and if I had listened to my wife we would have bought a house on an estate in Ubon .

I wish you all the best llit .

Photo1876.jpg

18152_276557643071_8295066_n.jpg

so where are you now?

I am in Hong Kong . It was my intention at the time to come and go with contracts , and it was working like that for a bit between HK and Macau with my family remaining in the village . In 2011 I was offered a job in HK with at least two years work and I brought wife and son over as soon as I had a flat . The boy started P1 in a local school but my wife soon found a more suitable placing in the Sir Ellis Kadoorie Primary , a charitable school for minority children . He is happy and runs around with all sorts , S Asian , SE Asian , a few S Americans and a few local kids too. The only exceptional thing to happen there is his Indian accent , with a touch of Scots too , quite funny sometimes .

HK residency status takes a bit of time , 7 years to be sure . I am also not on expat privileges but just over paid mostly .

I personally think your idea is good as long as you have a way out for all involved .

me , I've been winging it since day one ...

[lovinglifeinthailand 105]

"The good news is my gf is pregnant so we have decided to pack our bags and settle down back in the village with the support of her parents and family"

I think you will find that it is you who will be supporting the family.

Here we go again if your talking financial help of course I will be helping out the parents a little.

They do work on there farm and her dad is some sort of local councillor and gets a wage from that also ,

so they do ok. At the moment the gf sends them 1or 2 thousand a month out of her own wages so not talking big money are we.

I was talking about hands on help and morale support.

[onionluke 512]

"The good news is my gf is pregnant so we have decided to pack our bags and settle down back in the village with the support of her parents and family"

I think you will find that it is you who will be supporting the family.

Here we go again if your talking financial help of course I will be helping out the parents a little.

They do work on there farm and her dad is some sort of local councillor and gets a wage from that also ,

so they do ok. At the moment the gf sends them 1or 2 thousand a month out of her own wages so not talking big money are we.

I was talking about hands on help and morale support.

And a happy well cared for child.

[lovinglifeinthailand 105]

onionluke looks like you and your family are doing well.good for you.

I do still own a house in the uk so if does not go to plan for me, we can always move back to the uk

[onionluke 512]

onionluke looks like you and your family are doing well.good for you.

I do still own a house in the uk so if does not go to plan for me, we can always move back to the uk

me two , Im just talking , I hope you get the drift ,, and I hope you go wi your heart too , it could be a lovely time

[MobileContent 2190]

Matt's absolutely right in everything he's said.

Sent from my MotoA953 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

However if you come here and want to stay for the rest of your life,its possible.

But you and your kids will be thai,not both.

Thats the path i have chosen.

Good for some,not all.

You've seen what I've said already in this thread so I mean this as no troll, but why, what reasons are there that would make you want to do it.

Just curious as maybe I can add some pros to my UK vs Thailand list.

When i first came here i had the same intent to take my wife to aus,after apply it was not possible so i bit the bullet sold my company and moved here with the intent to stay and raise a family.

Economics told me with what i had i couldn't be back and forth so a decision was made.

I am one of the lucky ones as the business i work in has prospered over the years.

However the people i stay around have not.They will always be the first to complain about farang not share money as they sit in their hammocks and cry why are we poor.

To go back to australia if i sold up everthing would buy me a modest house,no car and back working for the bank,something i dont choose to do like the op.

My children have a great oppurtunity here if they concentrate on english at school as well.

I have here at 42 a 100 rai,nice house and car etc dept free and money in bank.Also play golf 3 times a week.

If done right theres bucket loads of success to be had here,but i always have in the back of my mind,no one will look after me here so i do my best to create a future as i can.

The key to it all is never compare western world to asia,it is what it is and what you make it.

I got to agree with Farmerjo.

Thailand is a great country to not only live but also make good money.

I have now a baby boy of almost one year old, have a successful company in Singapore and Malaysia which is valued at a good amount. Build a house in a village near Sakon Nakhon, have great parents in laws and live has been great to me.

Would I ever consider moving back to Germany (my home country)? Not all but I might consider sending the boy to the Swiss German School/ISB in Bangkok. As my boy holds a German/Thai passport, I got my wife straight away a long term visa to Germany but that's just for holidays in other EU countries such as Spain, France etc.

Would I consider Europe or even the UK as my home if I am forced to move to Europe for education? London sure is on my high list as the schools might be is good. Edinburgh is as well a great place to stay but out of London and Edinburgh everything looks to me village. Being to Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen and many other places but I found it village life. If I really have to make a decision to give my son the best school money can buy it would be ISB at Nichada Thani and I would buy a house too at Nichada Thani.

For the time being I enjoy Isaan and we will most properly end up in Bangkok in one of those International schools but no need to go back to Europe. Have been here in Thailand for around 24 years, so Europe is not an option but Singapore might be with weekend trips back to Isaan.

[MobileContent 2190]

golf sucks. a tepid "sport" for old farts who are past it.

matt - kudos on your decision to bring your kids to the UK. a difficult one but i think you've made the right decision. it grieves me to say but having been a teacher in thailand, the standard of education remains poor, even compared to cambodia, laos and vietnam. cheating and plagiarism are so rife, even at the highest level

Thailand education system sucks. No question about it but a lot of English teachers I came across in Thailand are not really English teachers.

Teachers should be licensed. If they have been English teachers in their home country, ok grant them a permit to teach in Thailand and pay them a good salary. I came across English teachers in Thailand, the kind of English teachers I wouldn't like to have my kid alone with around. Most of the English teachers I met are not able to even communicate in Thai fluently. If they don't speak Thai they shouldn't been able to teach English. Of course at an International School they often don't speak Thai but the school program is thought in English and they actually have/had a Teachers license in their home country.

[happylarry 546]

just wondering why you have your businesses in Singapore and Malaysia when you say Thailand is such a good country to make money in????

As most people say " to make a small fortune in Thailand you have to start off with a big one!!!! "

Quote

"Thailand is a great country to not only live but also make good money.

I have now a baby boy of almost one year old, have a successful company in Singapore and Malaysia which is valued at a good amount. Build a house in a village near Sakon Nakhon, have great parents in laws and live has been great to me."

HL

[downtown 28]

golf sucks. a tepid "sport" for old farts who are past it.

matt - kudos on your decision to bring your kids to the UK. a difficult one but i think you've made the right decision. it grieves me to say but having been a teacher in thailand, the standard of education remains poor, even compared to cambodia, laos and vietnam. cheating and plagiarism are so rife, even at the highest level

. If they don't speak Thai they shouldn't been able to teach English.

what an utterly bizarre comment. well done, as you've just summed up in a nut shell why the standard of english is so poor in thailand. i've met countless Thai teachers who conduct their english classes mainly in thai. often their own english converational english is abysmal. i knew an american teacher who was fluent in thai are in order to show off would teach his "english" lesson mainly in thai. any school worth their salt would have a teaching assistant to translate when necessary.

[transam 50123]

golf sucks. a tepid "sport" for old farts who are past it.

matt - kudos on your decision to bring your kids to the UK. a difficult one but i think you've made the right decision. it grieves me to say but having been a teacher in thailand, the standard of education remains poor, even compared to cambodia, laos and vietnam. cheating and plagiarism are so rife, even at the highest level

. If they don't speak Thai they shouldn't been able to teach English.

what an utterly bizarre comment. well done, as you've just summed up in a nut shell why the standard of english is so poor in thailand. i've met countless Thai teachers who conduct their english classes mainly in thai. often their own english converational english is abysmal. i knew an american teacher who was fluent in thai are in order to show off would teach his "english" lesson mainly in thai. any school worth their salt would have a teaching assistant to translate when necessary.

I personally know Thai English teachers who cannot converse with me, just bits and pieces.

[patongphil 524]

golf sucks. a tepid "sport" for old farts who are past it.

matt - kudos on your decision to bring your kids to the UK. a difficult one but i think you've made the right decision. it grieves me to say but having been a teacher in thailand, the standard of education remains poor, even compared to cambodia, laos and vietnam. cheating and plagiarism are so rife, even at the highest level

. If they don't speak Thai they shouldn't been able to teach English.

what an utterly bizarre comment. well done, as you've just summed up in a nut shell why the standard of english is so poor in thailand. i've met countless Thai teachers who conduct their english classes mainly in thai. often their own english converational english is abysmal. i knew an american teacher who was fluent in thai are in order to show off would teach his "english" lesson mainly in thai. any school worth their salt would have a teaching assistant to translate when necessary.

I personally know Thai English teachers who cannot converse with me, just bits and pieces.

I personally know many native English speakers who cannot converse with me.

[transam 50123]

Yeh but your Polish.