Loaded

I get like that every now and then, it lasts around ten minutes and then i realise how much a sh1t country the UK has become and no matter how bad my life became I couldn't think of anything worse than moving back there. The grass may seem greener on the other side, that's because it usually has more bullsh1t.

OK Scott, I will do my best not to step on anyone toes here because this is a very touchy subject. However, I do work in the Admissions and Marketing Department at Payap University in Chiang Mai, so there are things I look for when (1) accepting new students and (2) evaluating my competition.

• Accreditation by the Ministry of Education (MOE). It's not there.
  
• Perquisites to enroll are usually mentioned on university websites that are accredited. These prerequisites are the same all over Thailand. A high school diploma, M6 diploma, GED, or in the case of their Masters Degree, they should ask for a bachelors degree. I didn't see that either. It does say their MBA is not yet approved by the MOE.
  
• Information about the teaching staff and their education and research credentials. Most accredited universities have something.

There are two associations mentioned in the program. Both have very vague websites with which I found it difficult to find any type of official accreditation. I did Google them and didn't find any positive information. You can Google it if you want to find out. There was some negative information. The two associations are:

• The Manhattan Institution of Management
  
• TEFL International

I believe education in Thailand is in the middle of a transformation that's being driven by the ASEAN winds of change. For Thailand, change is positive as higher standards in education with produce higher quality graduates. Schools that are questionable will no doubt be weeded out during this phase.

My advice, find an institution teaching international programs that's accredited by the Ministry of Education in Thailand and study there. Don't throw your money away. The same programs that are being taught all over Thailand in accredited institutions are also being taught in the west in countries like the United States, the UK, or Germany. They're just being taught differently.

I think there is great value in learning in Thailand at the right institution:

• The cost is much cheaper (tuition, text books, cost of living).
  
• The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) will help make the region more prosperous as economies benefit from the partnership. You will leave how to live and work in that economy.
  
• Learning from a global perspective and not in an environment that's dominated by one overriding culture such as an American culture opens your mind up to global opportunities and ideas.
  
• Growth in the region is very good and opportunities after graduation are abundant in the AEC.
  
• Employers looking for employees with added cultural diversity skills will pay higher salaries to international graduates to operate in the AEC.
  
• You learn in English, a subject (such as International Business Management) in a country where English is not the dominate language with classmates from 20 or 30 different countries.

I could go on with the benefits but I have to stop somewhere. The point is, in the right school study in Thailand is an awesome opportunity. In the wrong school its simply a waste of time and money.

justaphase, on 2012-05-15 22:16:30, said:

No.

I wouldn't dump your gym, just because you think the manager doesn't like farang.
Who cares what he thinks? As long as the towels are clean, and the equipment works....
Hillside 4 is a great gym, but has cold only showers, no free newspapers and a pool that is in shade much of the year, so I patronize another one in the same area.
Managers at my gym are farang-friendly, but a few of the long time Thai members at my place openly despise and are rude to farang.
Doesn't matter where you go, there will always be some people like this (just like we farang have Thai-bashers).
I really don't give a rat's fart about them anyway, as they are a bunch of indolent hi-so wannabees, who watch soaps and fashion shows on the telly and work out with weights under what a small girl would use.
Having tried several gyms in the last 6 years, I would say stick with one that is close and convenient to where you live, so that you go often and work out regularly.

Motorshow Babes!!

Thank yoU!

Hi, I have stayed at the Cha Am Villa Beach hotel. Very family friendly, the best rooms are 1000 night and are very, very nice.
Pool, cable tv, thai breakfast, air con, right across from the beach.

have a look at their website www.chaamvillahotel.com  check also on tripadvisor

We stayed in building A at the entrance with a view of the pool and the sea, all newly decorated.

I would recommend and am staying there again in the summer.

I hope this helps,

Sean.

While lawsuits are unlikely, trouble and consequences of some sort will ensue.  I would suggest either honoring the contract or not signing with an agency which required those terms.  You can get a lot of mileage out of just doing some pounding of the pavement on your own.

Call Pidet at the Travel Shop, Thapae Gate for a price

Phone 053 - 874280

The information shared by the original OP seem to have been forgotten.

He seems to be a young man with his head screwed on the right way to me.  He's already developed options and resources at quite a young age and he's clearly adventurous, and I strongly admire him for all of these points.

He now wants to study music, specifically music. Good for him, he's got direction. My guess is that he has a love of music and he wants to explore it to a deeper level. Why else would he want to study this subject. Good on him, again I admire him.

Let's be honest, many people study, for example only, accounting, because they are the designated person in the family to be the accountant when mum retires, etc., but in fact have no real interest in accounting and would like to study something quite different.

A decision to study music is surely a different picture, coming from a  specific desire, an interest, a love of the subject , a deep interest in an art form, etc  Way way different to my accounting example above.

Is that a good choice for, at a later point in life, to support a wife and kids?  Is that a valid question here?  I think not? Given his previous posts I would take a bet he's got lots of plan B options for when needed.

Go for it my friend, and the best of luck with your studies and your future, in whatever direction.

Oh my god….We’ve been here  less than a week and loooove ChiangMai already!

The weather is so nice, cool and dry….not sticky like in Bkk,

The people are absolute sweetheart…very friendly, helpful, w/ plenty of genuine smiles

I have made 2 local friends already.  One I met him on the overnight train coming overhere, and he was very kind enough to send us to our hotel w/his beat-up van for FREE.

May be it’s just me or what….seems people here just know how to cook better than Bkk people, even to the simplest local thai foods.  I have been chowing at the Thanin market everyday, well it makes thai foods in Bkk so very bland for my taste!.

There is not much things to do here besides local markets & those forestly related activities, which I like it the way it is….very relax and zen like lifestyle, not everyday you are on a go all the time.  I can picture myself sipping  the Chiangmai oblong tea and listening to those birds chirping away every morning…..ahhh what a life.

I haven’t met many long term expats, but many semi expats are quite nice and chatty, and love the fact that there are a great mixed of international expats…..came across many Japanese, Singaporean, American, British..etcs.  I don’t see many farangs walk hand in hand with girls half of their age, and there seem to be plenty of late 40-50 couple expats.
It just shows  what type of the city chiangmai really is....my kind of a city.

Ok next week we will try to drive outside the city’s wall for more of a countryside exploration….

I pay my gardener a 1000 baht a visit, and she's only here for 90 minutes. But, then there's not much do do on a balcony garden, so she takes care of other chores.

the world has got so concerned with dying it has stopped living

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.