Somtawin ejecting kids with late paying parents

[E-Dork]

Poosmate said...

why? Is it only the clever that can travel

Um, No . But don't you think it would be nice if your half farang child went back to England ,say, and could actually converse with the other kids without speaking pidgeon English? Pidgeon English is what the child will end up with an education from any school that doesn't converse in English for the majority of it's lessons.

Also along the same lines, wouldn't it be nice to give your child the choice of working in a farang country if he/she should so wish to?

[poosmate]

visiting other farang countries

I have managed to visit many 'Farrang" countries without having learned their language.
I think you mean visiting England.
The country that has Mohammed as its most popular name
Pidgeon is the most widley spoken language in many areas

[E-Dork]

The point I'm getting at is I made sure my children were able to have the same options growing up as I was fortunate enough to have with an English Education. This means having the qualifications allowing said child/children to travel and work abroad should they so wish. Giving them a Thai Education would ultimately limit their choices in life when they reached adulthood.

In England we take our Education for granted but it allows us many opportunities less fortunate countries are unable to have. Why should our children recieve anything less just because the parents decided to work/live abroad.

[Spitfire]

That's a personal choice of the parents, we shouldn't be trying to decide for them.

Some people believe that your children should live their lives around you until they quest off on their own, not you living your life around them. Of course, all parents should do their best for their children but judging every parent by one rule/mark is perhaps wrong.

Not saying this or that is wrong or right, just that this is going to have different possibilities/realities for different people.

Debt is widespread here and I think it has a lot to do with more than just how many kids you have. Chasing an unrealistic western lifetyle by Thias probably doesn't help them at any rate, along with their brains being Swiss-cheesed by the TV everyday with that 'face' chasing garbage.

All I'll say is that I don't think this is a simply subject and has more to it than we might imagine.

[malcolminthemiddle]

We don't have any children at the moment, one on the way which we do plan to educate in Thailand to the best of our abilities, so the topic is of interest to us. While I respect all opinions on the Thai education system I do take issue with self appointed right to judge people as bad parents because they decide to educate their children in Thailand. That is easy to say after finishing the education of your own kids and hopefully never finding yourself in the same position as some of the Somtawin parents, who may or may not be expats, find themselves now.

[terry+carmen]

POOSMATE WROTE
“At the moment Somtawin is sitting on the international education fence. It offers IGCSE courses but exams must be sat elsewhere. This result in all coursework not being allowed to be taken into consideration consequently an A or B grade cannot be achieved”

Somtawin is not an International school and is not accredited as an examination center for IGCSE. Students have to sit examinations at the British Council.

There they have two choices Core Subjects or Extended. http://www.britishcouncil.org

The Core in each subject is within the ability range of a large majority of students. It provides a full overview of the subject and is targeted at students expected to achieve grades C to G.

The Extended in each subject comprises the Core curriculum and the Supplement. It is targeted at those expected to achieve grades A to C. The Supplement describes the extra topics or depth which must be added to the Core to produce the Extended.

I understand that the extended examination can be taken instead if submitting course work.

[terry+carmen]

To clarify the current position on this thread all fees due to the school have now been paid in full except for a few instances where families are having difficulties finding a lump sum and in those cases the school has entered into an agreement with the parents and implemented alternative monthly payment plan.

[hhfarang]

Yes, but I'm not republican or a George Bush fellower.
The question is not what we think, but how much it costs!!

Norseman, I'm unclear on what that comment meant exactly, but just to let you know, I was a registered Democrat all my adult life until 2002, when the hateful rhetoric from the left and most Democrats drove me to the other side. Web sites like moveon.org and trillionaire extremists like George Soros who try to run the U.S. through wealth forced me to think another way. I never voted for George Bush, in fact, I voted for Al Gore in my ignorance in 2000. The hate from the left has driven me to the right now and I don't regret the move. The Democratic party in the U.S. is run and populated mainly by lawyers while the Republican party is populated by businessmen and women. Which would you rather have running your government?

[Spitfire]

Perhaps you've come full circle HHF?

[Norseman]

I'll go on with what's elected by the majority, but that's unfortunately not what I want.
I want to head right, but not too far out. Certainly not as far as our sinking ship commander George Bush did and and I therefore assume I have to be Democrat because of the health reforms issues implemented by the Democrats.
My hearth says: I will always try to help more unfortunate people than me if I can, and if I'm able see the opportunity to do it, but I sometimes feel that too many people doesn't care about other peoples problems and welfare.
I know you care HHF, don't even think anything else, but if was up to the Bush administration we'd been in the middle of world war III by now because he was blinded by the hawks in the Republican Party in Washington.
However back to topic.
If children really are kicked out of a school because their parents can't pay the fee, isn't that a tragedy?
I'm paying the school-fee for my own step-son,but in addition to that I'm also paying hospital-fees, school-fees and living-fees for two small beautiful twins outside Khon Kean as a "distant parent helper".
I'll put my heart into it and I believe other x-pats could do the same if they wanted to.
For me it's just too stupid to say; go back to your home country instead of giving people a helping hand.
No pun intended HHF, please believe me!!

[charleyboy]

I've read all the posts on this branch and it appears to me to be a sorry state of affairs.
I agree with a lot that Norseman and Spitfire have to say.
A little disgruntled with sime of E-Dorks remarks.
I was born in the 50's and from what you are espousing, I and many others in my country of origin should never have been allowed to be born!
Nice.

[hhfarang]

I understand and appreciate your sentiment Norseman (and others), and I too support family in Issan and have raised a step daughter and educated her in the U.S. (at least until she decided she had all the education she needed), but I've seen too many parents going out and drinking, smoking, and enjoying life while they didn't pay the bills to educate their children and I believe that it brings down the level of education for those who do pay and are responsible. I guess it needs to be looked at on a case by case basis to see if there is really sincere need or if the parents are deadbeats.

I for one, was born of a very poor blue collar family and I worked since I was twelve years old until I retired and moved here six years ago and it is difficult for me to understand why everyone (at least in the west) can't make their way as I did with no advantages, but with simple hard work and perseverance.

It's hard for me to have sympathy for lazy louts who are not willing to try or work hard to succeed in life and support their families and pay their bills responsibly. I can understand if a health emergency causes a financial problem but beyond that I see very few valid excuses.

[dozer]

It is fairly obvious to me that with the GBP heading down to 1987 levels i.e 34 to the pound and the Dollar also in freefall that there are a lot of Farang out there who will have to do some serious soul searching and if they are of a working age then maybe it is time to get back in to the routine.

I can't not understand how a fit healthy 40 something year old can opted out and try to live here on the 400K per year which is required for a marriage visa.

Just my opinion, flame away.

[poosmate]

I can't not understand how a fit healthy 40 something year old can opted out and try to live here on the 400K per year which is required for a marriage visa.

...........You know all the best people

[E-Dork]

While I respect all opinions on the Thai education system I do take issue with self appointed right to judge people as bad parents because they decide to educate their children in Thailand.

Never did I say once that you are a bad parent if you decide to educate your children in Thailand. My kids were educated here. The difference is WHERE they are educated here and what qualifications your child will recieve in order to better themselves during adulthood. Once again I am baffled as to why people want to attack me about my opinions on this. Read all of the above slowly.... does anything I say here make me a bad, bitter or "head in cuckoo land" person.

If there is any bitterness at all in this debate I can see it is coming from the other side of the argument from the people who are obviously struggling to educate there kids properly and decide to aim their bitterness towards myself.