Jihadi John 'Killed by Drone'; Expat Teachers Not Needed; Phuket Advised on Scams, Beaches
By Phuketwan Reporters Friday, November 13, 2015
bangkokpost.com The National Legislative Assembly failed to impeach ex-education minister Somsak Prisnananthakul over allegations of unusual wealth, falling short of 132 votes required.
telegraph.co.uk Jihadi John 'dead': Military sources say there is 'high degree of certainty' Isil murderer was killed in drone attack.
reuters A bomb blast at a village checkpoint in Pattani killed four people and wounded four others, police said on Friday, in the latest deadly attack to strike the insurgency-plagued region.
bangkokpost.com Phuket authorities have launched a zoning policy for vendors along most of the province's beaches, limiting trading space to 10 percent of a beach's area. Deputy governor Chokdee Amornwat said the remaining 90 percent is intended for public use.
PHUKET: The daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media. Beware of inconsistent imitations.
bangkokpost.com The Education Ministry says a six-week intensive program will train 500 Thais to speak and teach English, and reduce the hiring of expensive foreigners.
bbc.com At least 37 people have been killed and 181 wounded in two suicide bomb attacks in a residential area of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, officials say.
bangkokpost.com On a trip deep into red-shirt country of Ubon Ratchathani, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha challenged residents to work with his government.
bernama Police have identified six suspects comprising Myanmar and Thai nationals to facilitate investigations into the discovery of mass graves of what was believed to be ethnic Rohingya in Wang Kelian, Perlis in May. Suspects comprise a woman, believed to be Thai, and five men, who might still be in Malaysia.
Phuket Update Netherlands Ambassador to Thailand Karel Hartogh had a private meeting with the Phuket Governor and gave him some advise on the island's beach management and public transport systems while discussing Phuket's future tourism. Some honorary consuls also have a private meeting scheduled with the Governor today.
bangkokpost.com The army ordered a swift investigation into allegations of corruption in the construction of Rajabhakti Park, giving investigators a week to produce results.
Phuket Update Hundreds of Phuket motorcycle riders will join together for a charity bike ride to raise funds for the family of the Tachatchai police officer who was killed by a drunk driver on Monday
bangkokpost.com Erawan shrine bombing suspect Adem Karadag will fight for his trial to be taken out of military hands and placed in the regular court system.
AP A Utah judge who ordered a baby to be taken from her lesbian foster parents and placed with a heterosexual couple for the child's well-being should follow the law and not inject his personal beliefs into the decision, the state's Republican governor said.
Krabi Update A Krabi woman escaped death after two hotel security guards stabbed her 20 times early Monday. Police arrested two men who kicked her off her bike, robbed and attacked her. But they did not reveal the name of the hotel.
torontosun.com Apple was facing accusations of racism in Australia after a group of black teenagers was asked to leave a store in Melbourne when a staffer expressed concern they would shoplift. [Ed: Unsurprising in Australia. Racism is almost obligatory.]
reuters Two US B52 strategic bombers flew near artificial Chinese-built islands in the South China Sea this week and were contacted by Chinese ground controllers but continued their mission undeterred, the Pentagon said.
nationmultimedia.com Teerasil Dangda and Thana Chanabut each scored one goal and set up another to help Thailand secure a comeback 4-2 victory over a gritty Taiwan side, which put them on the brink of automatic qualification for the last-12 team round of the World Cup qualifiers.
November 20 Laguna Phuket Triathlon
November 25 Loy Kratong festival
November 29 Challenge Laguna Phuket 2015
November 29 Phuket King's Cup Regatta
December 5 HM The King's Birthday
December 26 Tsunami memorial ceremonies
January 7-10 Phuket International Boat Show
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Comments
Comments have been disabled for this article.
Six weeks to learn English to a level of proficiency that will enable them to teach the subject?
Really? Do these people ever credit their listeners with having brains?
Posted by
Sir Burr
on
November 13, 2015 07:57
500 teachers for the whole of Thailand? They are going to be doing a lot of commuting between schools to cover them all.
Posted by
john
on
November 13, 2015 08:51
Six weeks for a thai to learn English?
Is this a joke or are they serious?
Thai English teachers don't speak English, they only teach it from text books.
Funny times ahead in AEC for Thailand.
As usual they start up things last moment.
( fishing industry, Thai airways, teaching English, slavery handling)
Posted by
Kurt
on
November 13, 2015 09:15
6 weeks to learn English well enough to teach it, probably with a Thai teacher who cannot speak English themselves but can just about read it.
Thais are the worst English speakers of any country I have been to
I must admit they are a lot better than my Thai language skills are
Posted by
peter allen
on
November 13, 2015 09:37
bangkokpost.com The Education Ministry says a six-week intensive program will train 500 Thais to speak and teach English, and reduce the hiring of expensive foreigners.
This will be an absolute farce and 9 steps backwards...all they think about is trying to pinch on paying "Quality and educated " foreign teachers a good salary...they would rather get away with paying a cheap wage to an insufficient teacher...and the students end up losing...90% of Thai teachers trying to teach English are pronouncing words wrong and providing alot of wrong information re' grammatical rules...and I say this coming from first hand experience...I realize there are alot of unqualified losers of english teachers out there working ..but the schools really need to focus on getting first rate teachers with strong qualified backgrounds to do the job....and just face it!..you want quality, you have to pay
Posted by
zig
on
November 13, 2015 10:32
A six week intensive program will teach 500 Thai Teachers to speak fluent, english. Please let me know which school and program they are using, we will adopt the same system for our team members.
Posted by
wm
on
November 13, 2015 10:59
(moderated)
The Editor is going to have some fun in the last few weeks of Phuketwan, rewriting all comments from haters, loathers, loafers and doomsayers into words of praise. So get to it - waste your time one more time!
Posted by
gee
on
November 13, 2015 11:39
Editor Comment:
What gee, who will one day seek professional help, means to say: Thank you so much, Phuketwan, for giving us this daily wrap of events in Thailand. I note the Bangkok Post reports: The Education Ministry says a six-week intensive programme will train 500 Thais to speak and teach English, and reduce the hiring of expensive foreigners. I will have my problem treated soon, don't worry.
I have asked several foreign English language teachers if they can speak Thai which you would think is essential for someone claiming to be a English language teacher in Thailand, so far none can, so really what's the difference in teaching standards, none would have qualified as a language teacher in their home country
Posted by
peter allen
on
November 13, 2015 11:44
They might learn to speak English, ( in six weeks?) but the accent will be so thick, it will be impossible to understand them and their students will be speaking gibberish.
Posted by
Sam C
on
November 13, 2015 11:53
Peter, you say, "I have asked several foreign English language teachers if they can speak Thai which you would think is essential for someone claiming to be a English language teacher in Thailand,"
Not necessarily - the whole premise of TEFL is to keep every class in English regardless of the level. I'm not saying that TEFL is correct but the fact is this is what the method teaches - to keep everything in English.
Posted by
Sam Wilko
on
November 13, 2015 12:05
@ Peter Allen
I was in a German Language school until end of High School which was based in my home country. The vast majority of teachers spoke not one word of my native language. Furthermore those who did refused to speak it in class.
The intensity of the language education improves because if the students want to get their point across, they are forced and thus also far more motivated to speak only English. No escaping back to speaking Thai.
Why would an English teacher in Thailand need to speak Thai, or one in Korea speak Korean, in Japan speak Japanese etc ?
Please explain why claim this to be essential.
What you say is totally irrelevant and clearly coming from someone who has no personal experience in foreign language education abroad.
Just because you can find apples and tractors at a farm does not mean they are one and the same.
Posted by
Herbert
on
November 13, 2015 12:30
@ Sam, I knew a aussie who got a English language deploma from a shonkie internet web sight so he could teach English in China, if this person could qualify as a teacher anyone could but he could not teach anything in Australia like most of the so called teachers in Thailand, they buy their qualifications, if you are one of these so called teachers you would know this
Posted by
peter allen
on
November 13, 2015 12:53
@ Herbert, how do you explain the meaning of a English word to someone who's native language is Thai if they do not understand the word and you cannot explain the meaning of it in Thai, you cannot which means you should not call yourself a language teacher, I forgot this is Thailand
Posted by
peter allen
on
November 13, 2015 13:34
Oh the Irony Ed. (moderated)
PLAY OF THE DAY
The Editor is going to have some fun in the last few weeks of Phuketwan, rewriting all comments from haters, loathers, loafers and doomsayers into words of praise. So get to it - waste your time one more time!
Posted by
Stuart
on
November 13, 2015 14:19
Editor Comment:
What Stuart really meant: You are quite rights, of course, Ed. Racism is all over the place in Australia these days. It's a popular vote winner that begins with pushing back boatpeople and extends to appalling treatment of real Australians, and booing sports heroes because they're black. I'm glad these ideas will never be taken up in Europe.
(moderated)
PLAY OF THE DAY
The Editor is going to have some fun in the last few weeks of Phuketwan, rewriting all comments from haters, loathers, loafers and doomsayers into words of praise. So get to it - waste your time one more time!
Posted by
Laurie Howells
on
November 13, 2015 16:32
Editor Comment:
Laurie actually wanted to say this: Adam Goodes, a great sportsman and an Australian of the Year who also happens to be Aboriginal, was persecuted by Aussie racists who fancy themselves as ''sportsmen'' but sadly know nothing about tolerance or a fair go. I also must apologise to you, Ed, for booing you constantly when I should have been concentrating on the real issues raised in your excellent articles. Good luck and best wishes.
Ed, sadly, for you, the truth is "dead," and soon, so will be PW, a spitefully old man who no longer is relevant, the only thing you've done in recent years was to "republish" someone else's article, I suspect, if knowing the consequences, the article would not have been published, you simply do not have the "backbone."
Posted by
Laurie Howells
on
November 13, 2015 17:06
Editor Comment:
Published in the interests of accuracy so normal readers understand what kind of a person you are, Laurie. A true Australian bigot.
@ Peter Allen
Once again you try to draw conclusions without any real life experience on the subject.
Let me try to explain this to you like to a 5y old.
Google any English word that comes to your mind and check out the results.
Behold, it's all explained and *drum roll* IN ENGLISH !
It even uses synonyms and antonyms.
Who would have thought of that, mmh ?
Well, just about everyone else except you of course.
Hope this helps.
http://goo.gl/65Uf
Posted by
Herbert
on
November 13, 2015 17:55
At what standard are the majority of falang English teachers in Thailand ?
Are they of a standard which would be accepted to teach English in their own country ?
I know a few falang English teachers in Thailand with accents which makes it very difficult to understand what they say, certainly they do not have English accents which is very important for an English teacher
Posted by
Paul
on
November 13, 2015 19:49
Lol Ed love it. The rest of you sad old men get your head out your arse & join the real world most of your comments are just plain stupid.
Posted by
Leigh
on
November 13, 2015 20:45
@Peter Allan - yes once again you do speak without real knowledge. Not all of us buy our university degrees in education. Some of us can speak 2/3/4 languages including Thai & English. Some of us even have a doctorate in Education & have spent time in Thailand teaching & really the pay does not compare to Australia, but the pay is not why some people do it.
Posted by
Leigh
on
November 13, 2015 21:12
Leigh,
So you're telling us that you spent so long studying that you are unemployable in Australia and the only place a professional student can get work is Thailand.
If you didn't buy your education, I hope you didn't leave town without paying your HECS debt subsidised by myself and others.
Posted by
Mow
on
November 13, 2015 21:39
TEFL is a joke. Tourist teaching English without any proper teaching degree
so they can stay longer in the country should have been stopped ages ago.
Posted by
FS
on
November 13, 2015 23:03
@Herbert
Google returns results in which-ever language you choose to set it to, so your comment is not just abusive but also pointless.
And what by the way was your intended point? That we should all just learn everything from Google? If so we could simply close all schools and give the kids an iPad?
It's called human interaction and it's essential in quality learning.
Who would have thought of that, mmh ?
Posted by
CaptainJack
on
November 13, 2015 23:24
@ CaptainJack
I'm sorry, I really thought that was simple enough for everyone to understand. I stand corrected.
The point is and was that you do not need to speak Thai to explain what a (any) English word means.
You can explain it in many different ways by using only English language.
Using Google the way I explained gives you a good example of how it can be done. How you conclude my comment to suggest we should replace teachers with Google is truly beyond me.
Any more simpletons who still don't get it ?
PS. Thai Education ministry did just that - give all kids an iPad (well, a cheap Chinese copy) to help in the education but contrary to your suggestion they did not close the schools.
Posted by
Herbert
on
November 14, 2015 09:00
@Mow what a really pompass arse comment. You assume lots but really know nothing. Went on working holiday with a friend when my husband died. Was more of a recovery trip and yes I am employed and always have been.
Posted by
Leigh
on
November 14, 2015 09:46
Good idea to train Thai's to teach English and get rid of the unqualified farangs who could not get a teaching job in their own home country because they do not have the teaching qualifications necessary which does not seem to matter in developing Asian countries at present, but times are changing for the better
Posted by
peter allen
on
November 14, 2015 10:32
Leigh,
Who cares what you think. My comment was aimed at your dig that somehow everyone but you bought their teaching qualification and you consider yourself superior to others, however you are still unsure whether you speak 2/3 or 4 languages. For your infomation doubletalk is not recognised although I am sure you understand and talk it quite well.
Most people know when you are unable to contibute that you become a teacher where you can manipulate the developing minds of students and tell others how they must fit into normal society without actually being able to do so themself. Its probably just an insecurity of wanting to spend their whole life at school.
I have experienced the quality of teaching for my kids over the last 20 years and in comparison to 20 years prior, the standard of education is nothing to be proud of.
It reminds me of the teacher who was asked to go to the corner shop to pick up a loaf of bread. Just before walking out the door, she was asked "if they have eggs, get a dozen".
The teacher of course came back with a dozen loaves of bread.
Posted by
MoW
on
November 14, 2015 11:22
Peter Allen,
I not so sure. I am yet to see a 5 year old child unable to hold a conversation with their parents, those unqualified teachers and in the case of a multi language household, converse in all and swap and change without a second thought.
I would suggest more language skills have been taught by those without any experience and to a higher standard than by any other means. Hey, we shouldnt let the teachers know, they may give up their profession and then the adults will have to deal with them.
Posted by
mow
on
November 14, 2015 11:44
@ peter allen
Looking at your punctuation it's obvious you did not receive much education of any type.
Could your hatred towards foreign English teachers stem from jealousy due to your own shortcomings even in the basics of the English language ?
Obviously having driven a Bentley did not improve your English skills, nor has the STS.
Perhaps you should sign up for some English lessons conducted by foreign teachers here.
Posted by
Herbert
on
November 14, 2015 11:48
Attention anonymous Herbert
I left school at 15 years old and am not ashamed of it, worked hard, long hours and gave value for money and now am retired and never have to work again and I live of my own assets, what about you
My descendants are professionals in law and medicine and successful business people, all well educated including my grandchildren
None are school teachers and if they were would not work in Thailand when salaries are much better in Australia.
What internationally recognised degrees or diplomas do you have Herbert if any
Posted by
peter allen
on
November 14, 2015 13:19
Editor Comment:
I believe Herbert exists without even a last name, peter. Drawing the distinction between real life and online fantasy is not his strong-point.
Mow you have me in stitches with your wit. I never said I worked as a teacher, though I have a doctorate of Education. I speak 3 languages & work for the federal government. My working holiday teaching in Thailand was at the request of the Australian & Thai governments & it was not in a school. Best recovery time I've ever had.
Posted by
Leigh
on
November 14, 2015 13:37
If a person doesn't speak a word of English then you can't teach them English by speaking to them in English, no matter how many times you re-phrase what you're trying to say.
You can't even write it down for them because, do you know?, they use a different system of writing.
Anyone who suggests otherwise is grasping at straws to try and legitimize their own ignorance.
Any Thai moving to Australia, or anywhere else for that matter, would automatically be EXPECTED to learn the local language what ever job they were going to do.
Why do foreigners here in Thailand so often think it's acceptable to make no effort what so ever and live in complete ignorance of it's people?
And no, you can't even begin to understand people if you don't speak their language.
Posted by
CaptainJack
on
November 14, 2015 14:17
@ peter allen
You are the one who went on a rampage against "unqualified" foreign English teachers, questioning their skills yet, by your own admission, have no experience on the subject whatsoever.
Without a shred of evidence you went on to wild assumptions and speculations to claim they buy their qualifications.
When you start to point fingers at the English skill level of others, it's only fair to suggest you take a look in the mirror yourself.
Your main argument was that you can't teach English in Thailand if you can't also speak Thai. An argument which I disagreed with and explained my reasoning in detail. Based on experience and practical examples, mind you.
FYI I am not, have never been nor do I have any desire to ever be a teacher of anything. I have however been educated in a foreign language school by foreign teachers and thus have personal, first hand experience about how a foreign language can be effectively taught without the need to use the native language of the students.
My degrees are just as irrelevant as are those of your descendants. The difference is that you challenged those of others and I did not.
I am however fluent in 5 languages and can keep up a simple conversation in 3 others.
Having had the displeasure of listening to your racist rants in real life I find your attitude here both highly amusing but also incredibly hypocritical.
I have no doubt you are very skilled in your own profession. I congratulate you on both providing good education to your children and for your financial success but on the subject of English education abroad you simply lack any and all experience to be in a position to offer opinions of any relevance. Most certainly not those highly critical of the said professionals.
Posted by
Herbert
on
November 14, 2015 14:22
@ CaptainJack
Just exactly where did anyone claim foreign English teachers teach Thais who do not speak even one word of English ?
I suggest you take a look at the curriculum at some English language schools in Phuket and across Thailand.
Your statement only further underscores the fact that you have no clue what you are talking about. What's the point in trying to be an expert in a subject you clearly know nothing about ?
The best lessons I life for me have been those moments when I've conceded I don't know enough or anything about the subject and someone was kind enough to sacrifice their time to explain it to me.
Oh and yes, I do speak if not quite fluent but certainly very good Thai.
Furthermore it's worth noting that a large number of Thais prefer their children to be taught by native English speaking teachers. It would be very interesting to conduct a survey of where and how the children of those very officials who proposed this policy have actually been educated.
It's a well known fact that the Hi-So (Ammart) Thais send their kids abroad for education and the middle class prefers schools that employ foreign teachers.
Of course it would be great if there were enough qualified Thai English teachers and thus reduce the financial strain, especially on schools at remote locations, but the suggested 6 week plan is wildly unrealistic.
Equally those who suggest that foreigners teaching in Thailand do so only because they would not qualify back home display their sheer ignorance of what being a teacher is all about.
It is NOT about money but rather about the chance of being able to make a difference in the life of a child. Many even work for free in developing nations.
Go figure, Peter. Good to know that your children would "not work in Thailand when salaries are much better in Australia "
What an eloquent way to highlight your family values.
It's a noble profession for which I lack necessary personal interest, characteristics and qualifications but I have a lot of respect for those who choose to accept lesser or no pay for a chance to educate the less fortunate and those otherwise denied quality education.
CJ - PS. The "( Different) system of writing" is called the ALPHABET.
If you get the chance, do open up a 1st grade alphabet book and you may discover how basic words can be taught even when no common language exists.
Yes, it has Pictures.
Posted by
Herbert
on
November 14, 2015 15:49
Attention anonymous Herbert
I am not a racist as you like to claim and have never been one
So get a life sport and stop trying to be a troll, you are useless at it.
I have nothing against qualified farangs teaching here but do not agree with unqualified people taking jobs that should belong to Thai's
One of my granddaughters recently spent a month in Vietnam at her own and her parents expense working as a teacher's assistant helping to teach the English language in a small rural school and I am proud of her for doing it
Use your full name and stop being a troll if you want me to respond to any more of your posts
be a man/woman for once in your life
Posted by
peter allen
on
November 14, 2015 16:01
Captain Jack,
"If a person doesn't speak a word of English then you can't teach them English by speaking to them in English, no matter how many times you re-phrase what you're trying to say."
You may lose that argument on the basis that everyones primary language is taught by being spoken to by their parents. This includes the accent and the pronunciation.
On a lighter side the following link is worthwhile viewing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILkAY58If9Q
Posted by
MoW
on
November 14, 2015 17:01
Leigh,
Now I know you work for our Federal Government I should correct my previous error regarding doubletalk which of course is the recognised language of translating the ministers intentions when providing advice to the public.
I now understand the 2/3/4 bit now.. english, australian, american and canberraish.
Posted by
MoW
on
November 14, 2015 17:32
Ah yes.....Peter Allen.
Also known by a certain forum as petercallen and nedkellylives. Both user names banned for the same offence.
Sending threatening personal messages.
Don't think Peter Allen is a racist, but, I do now that there are many groups of Westerners that he likes to look down on.
Posted by
Sir Burr
on
November 14, 2015 19:50
No Mow - its Thai, Spanish & Russian, they are the three foreign languages I speak.
Posted by
Leigh
on
November 14, 2015 20:58
Editor Comment:
Nothing ''foreign'' about any of those languages, Leigh. That word should be banned. The world would instantly become a better place.
Sir Burr/ Karonbravo on TVF the fantasy forum if offering to debate face to face with someone like you who are continually trolling and stalking people on forums is abusing or threatening people you are right, the offer is still open you gutless wonder just name the place and time, but not in bangla rd at 1am in the morning
How many different names do you actually use trying to hide your identity. which has not worked by the way as you know
Posted by
peter allen
on
November 15, 2015 09:07
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Six weeks to learn English to a level of proficiency that will enable them to teach the subject?
Really? Do these people ever credit their listeners with having brains?
Posted by Sir Burr on November 13, 2015 07:57