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[ArranP]

Hello,

In my family there is my wife (thai), me (british), daughter of 4 years and infant son of 7 months.

We have the fortune to choose where we live, in Thailand or the UK.  We have been living in UK for the past 4 years but have come to Thailand (Nakhon Sawan as this is my wifes home town) and are intending staying here and putting our child into the local Thai school.  

The question that troubles me is should I let my childs education determine where we live ? living in Thailand (Nakhon Sawan) will change the education my child would have received if we were to have stayed in the UK.  

How much does our childrens education determine where we live ? Is there such a difference between the Thai and English education systems that it warrants not bringing our children up in Thailand?

Thanks for your thoughts and comments.

Regards
Arran.

[TommoPhysicist]

The Thai education system suits children that are going to be working and living mainly in Thailand.
The UK education system suits children that are mainly going to be working and living mainly in the UK.

Thai education, obedience and rote learning. UK education problem solving and questioning everything.
So vastly different systems.

If you get it wrong, the child will be disadvantaged and not fit well into the society they live in.
(This doesn't apply to children of the super-rich)

Edited by TommoPhysicist, 2012-05-21 20:54:10.

[KhaoNiaw]

TommoPhysicist, on 2012-05-21 20:50:49, said:

UK education problem solving and questioning everything.

That doesn't sound much like the UK education system I grew up in. Times have changed I supppose.

[kevjohn]

I can not comment on the UK Education system, but if I was responsible for the education of a child,
then being an Aussie, I would choose the Australian Education.
That way, if the child has a Thai parent, then they could attend after school classes, (weekend) to learn Thai, and practice the speaking, reading and writing with the Thai parent.
Then in latter years, if the child returns to Thailand, they will definitely be well placed to secure a better job than they would with just a Thai education and trying to learn english in Thailand.
These are my thoughts on this and hope they may help.

[brit1984]

A few of the top schools in Bangkok can provide an education comparable with decent private schools in UK (but there is nothing that compares with the very top schools in UK).

State schools in both countries are pretty awful. On average (if the average matters) the UK state schools are slightly better educationally but the chance of getting in with the "wrong crowd" is probably higher in UK.

Have you considered Singapore?


Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

[ArranP]

brit1984, on 2012-05-21 21:51:03, said:

Have you considered Singapore?

If we were to have stayed in the UK our children would have attended a local state school in North Wales, for the moment we are considering a local state school in Nakhon Sawan.

[edwinclapham]

If you would consider paying for the education St Josephs has a good reputation.

http://www.sjn.ac.th/2009/

Thai version but there must be more information available.

[richard_smith237]

I think if you are comparing like for like: i.e. local state schools in Nakhon Sawan Vs a Local School in Wales - I would suggest that your child will receive a better education in Wales.
Regarding future jobs and location etc: 'Generally'... A UK University education permits a young person to work globally, a Thai University education perhaps limits employment opportunities to Thailand (and international companies within Thailand).

I suspect that ensuring your child develops with a sufficient critical thought process which is so often found lacking in many education systems is the primary decider.

[ArranP]

edwinclapham, on 2012-05-22 09:36:51, said:

If you would consider paying for the education St Josephs has a good reputation.

http://www.sjn.ac.th/2009/

Thai version but there must be more information available.

Thank you, we live just behind St.Josephs, it looks an impressive school when looking in from the outside.  This is one of my choices...

[seaeagle]

I believe that a good parent will plan so as to give their children the best opportunites and options in life.

Staying here, in the Thai education system, means that you only give them the option of Thailand - absolutely nothing else. Thais, and their culture and knowledge, really fail to cut-it anywhere else.

In the UK, the child will have those options - whether to stay in UK, come here, or work anywhere else in the world.

You also need to look (even at this early age) beyond education. Just what will a child do in Nakhon Sawan when they grow up???

You've had the choices, via your own education and career, to choose where to live. If you bring your child up here, then they will not have those choices.

My recommendation is to stay in North Wales. I'm heading back to Cheshire this summer becasue of this very reason.

[geriatrickid]

Sure, the primary and secondary education system in Thailand isn't the best. However, this can be compensated for by the parents if they are willing to provide a few hours every week helping their kids or doing some extra work.
One of the  best attributes of the Thai primary educational system is that it  teaches kids to get along and to function in society. . We've all heard the stories of the  out of control Thai students, but their behaviour is still tame compared to many kids in western systems. I am still impressed by the overall politeness of the typical Thai primary school students compared to my own experience. True, I am not a grade school teacher, but I did spend almost a decade in  an elite "private" school as a student. All that book learning, the exam prep, the formality, the discipline was an absolute waste. The expensive education was of no use to me in university. Role models and having a positive home environment were more important and of more use. The ability to practice skills with my family or to learn to apply skills came from my home environment.
People complain that Thai kids  cannot think or engage in critical thought. Well, sorry, that skill comes from the parents. having discussions and taking the time to be a good parent  accomplishes that. Giving a kid a book and then discussing it will deliver more benefit than the child sitting in  a classroom. There are so many tools available today to help parents supplement the child's education that the issue of  a "school" is not as important as it once was.

I think that allowing for an education in Thailand, while supplementing it with additional opportunities will give your child a great foundation. Having a strong grasp of two languages and two cultures doubles your child's chances of success. It is a great opportunity. Take advantage of it.

[misterfloppy]

My daughter has attended the Lanna International School (http://www.lannaist.ac.th/) in Chiang Mai for the past two years.
She loves it though she was initially disappointed at the low level of equipment available in the classrooms compared with what she had been used to in the UK. It took here a little while to settle in and meet the demanding homework requirements but now she has made lots of friends who she will miss when she leaves at the end of this term, though the plan is to return in a few years. We have talked about all this.

It is unfortunate that we have to bring her back to the village school here in Scotland, which, though by all accounts above average for the UK, appears to me to have a poor work ethic in comparison and may not create the driven individual that I feel would be the result of staying at LIST in Chiang Mai. This may be the result of differences in teaching policy and style between the two countries and my interpretation, but this is eventually manifest in a country's culture and people - something I worry about for the long-term future of the UK. The teenage years can be much more of a problem in the UK.
We will be taking her away from LIST even if the building may not be the best. But the not unreasonable fees are spent mostly on high quality teachers - and to my eyes, it shows - with admissions to Oxbridge every year, and a great atmosphere, with none of the bullying that is still resisting attempts to eradicate it in the UK. Perhaps a fee-paying school in the UK would be better, but I'm not in a position to afford that.

A degree at a good UK or international university will allow a career in either or both countries. It will take a good school to achieve this, and from my previous research, St Josephs was at the top of my list if we'd been living in Bankok and I'd been satisfied regarding its Roman Catholic status. Perhaps they'll allow entry if Buddhism (or Evangelical Atheism!) is your religion? Perhaps not.

Even without a degree, an education should prepare the child for adulthood. Other posts on TVF suggest to me that the average Thai school, with its emphasis on doing as you're told and avoiding questioning the teacher, should be avoided at all costs!