Chiang Mai – Art Cafe

Art Cafe at Taepae Gate, for me, has all the ambiance and charm of a 70’s/80’s U.S. roadside diner.

I believe Breaakfast is the ‘main event’, but they also serve lunch and dinner. HUGE MENU!

~

MY FAVORITE is the ‘American Breakfast’; where I select:

– scrambled eggs

– three pieces of bacon

– two pieces of whole wheat toast

– mango jam

– mango juice

– mango coffee

~~~

Keeping in line with the 70’s/80’s, the TOTAL COST is 150baht, $4.62.

That’s right, $4.62 USD!

.

Thai Visa (dot) com

I think this is the BEST ‘expat’ source of information for people who:

– LIVE in Thialand

or,

– are considering MOVING to Thailand

or,

– are simply thinking about VISITING Thailand

http://www.thaivisa.com/

.

Thailand – ‘downhill for our education system’

Via: Bangkok Post

~~~

It is more than a SURPRISE and QUITE a SHOCK when the results of the nationwide O-Net test, which measures students’ basic knowledge in various subjects, shows that on average Thai students fail miserably, especially in the important subjects such as English and mathematics, noted Thai Rath.

Out of a mark of 100, here is the average of each subject scored by students countrywide:

Thai language – 42.61

social studies – 46.51

English – 19.22

mathematics – 14.99

science – 30.90

physical education and health studies – 62.86

arts and crafts – 32.62

career and technology – 43.69

~~~

Thai Rath posed questions to education critic/academic Assoc Prof , Faculty of Education, Chulalongkorn University.

Q: As an academic on education, how do you feel about the nationwide O-Net result?

A: “The failure has been consistent for the last three years which is the period of transition from the previous education reform to the present one. . . .”

===

You can read the rest of the interview with Dr Sompong Chitradap, here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/232140/downhill-for-our-education-system

Thailand to hire 300 native English teachers

BANGKOK: — The Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) will seek a Bt350million budget to hire 300 native English-speaking teachers for its primary and secondary schools to tackle the shortage of English teachers, a senior official said yesterday.

According to the proposal, the native speakers would each get about Bt1 million (+/-$33,000USD) per year – a salary of Bt83,000 (+/-$2,700USD) per month – compared to the Bt9,000 (+/-$300USD) per month drawn by Thais teaching English.

Obec chief Chinaphat Phumirat said the foreign teachers would be from the United States, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, India and the Philippines.
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/455841-thailand-to-hire-300-native-english-speaking-teachers/

***

Personal opinion:

1) I think the RATES are MUCH TOO HIGH; especially if they recruit ‘Native English Speakers’ from India and the Philippines.

btw: ‘Native English Speakers’ from India and the Phillipines’ ; well, good luck with that!

2) I think it ‘might’ be a good idea to hire 300 native English teachers.

However, I can’t help but wonder if instead of teaching primary/secondary students, if it would be more beneficial to help the ‘Thai university education majors’ with their English, and HOW to teach English.

3) For the U.S. cadidates, if for no other reason than ‘screening’, the Office of Basic Education could/should co-ordinated with the Peace Corps.

http://www.peacecorps.gov/

and last but not least,

4) Thai colleges and universities graduates thousands of teachers every year, and I have my doubts that this ‘proposal’ is ‘politically feasable’.