aidenai

Hello Bruce and everyone. My apologies for not responding sooner. I've been a bit busy.

The original post asked for opinions about the program and based on the Thongsook website I gave my opinion. Much of my concerns about Thongsook comes from the Thongsook website. To me, the website is vague and if it were more specific we probably wouldn't be having this conversation. Most of my concerns and the concerns of others could easily be eliminated by updating the website. In fact, your enrollment might increase. Also, these are my opinions based on my experience alone.

About what I said,

• Accreditation by the Ministry of Education (MOE). It's not there.
  
  • ​State ran universities usually don't have to prove their are legit but the private ones should say something like "Thongsook International is fully accredited by the government of Thailand" or something like that. The statement "Thongsook College was established as a private institution of higher education" doesn't say that. It makes people question the value of the degree they will walk away with after they finish their studies. In fact, this is how this thread got started.

• Prerequisites 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.
  
  • ​This is something I would look for to make sure the people who are studying higher education have actually completed the prerequisites to actually study there. Now I haven't looked at every university in Thailand but I am willing to bet on most them, the prerequisites are there. If prerequisites are not there it makes me think they will take anyone. Having prerequisites on a website adds a bit of legitimacy to the university and says we have basic standards. Once again, without it, it makes people wonder about the value of the degree you get from the university.

• The website say their MBA is not yet approved by the MOE.
  
  • ​This is very confusing to me and while it is terribly honest, it makes me think that this degree is not approved. So why should I study it? If it is approved, why have the statement there at all. If it's not approved, why list the MBA as a course? It's just confusing.

• Information about the teaching staff and their education and research credentials. Most accredited universities have something.
  
  • ​It would help to add a bit more about your educators and their research. This is more true for your graduate programs as mature students have more of a tendency to judge a program based on what they read about who is teaching it.

I do think that Thailand is an awesome country to study in. Perhaps going to the USA or the UK has it's benefits for Thai students, but foreign students learning a program such as International Business Management, using English as the medium of instruction, in a country where English is not the native language does provide incredible insight to concepts that students in the USA or UK could never imagine. Graduates from international programs in Thailand are more equipped to function internationally than most grads from the USA.

There are many different international programs in Thailand taught by many different universities. From the far south of Thailand to the middle in Bangkok and far north in Chiang Rai, these programs are only getting better as the outside ASEAN influence helps to create the conditions for positive change and clear direction for quality higher education. Thailand is changing and education along with it. I hope Thongsook prospers and does well in the future. There is more than 60 million people in Thailand and they all can't study at one university. Private and government, there is plenty of room for everyone. I hope in the future Thailand will have a reputation that students from around the world consider when searching for their higher education needs.

brucetefl, on 2012-05-24 15:39:16, said:

There is nothing more you can do!!!!  Really?

I would have thought that considering it's your business venture. That addressing customers considerations would be high on-the list.
A simple letter from accreditation authoritys CONFIRMING the course accreditation is all people are asking for.  Surely not to difficult to achieve.

Sent from my GT-P1010 using Thaivisa Connect App

aidenai, on 2012-05-15 14:50:33, said:

I found this but I don't fancy looking through all 225 pages:

http://web.archive.o...ryID=CAT0001534

Markaew, on 2012-05-08 14:44:08, said:

Of course foreign embassies can't issue Thai work permits. Why would they want to?  Their foreign staff, even including their personal servants, are exempt from the requirement to have work permits according to the Working of Aliens Act 2008 which you should read before making ridiculous statements on the subject of work permits.  See Section 4 of the Act here:

"Section 4. This Act shall not apply to the performance of specific
duties by the alien in the Kingdom in the following capacities:
(1) as a member of a diplomatic mission;
(2) as a member of a consular mission;
(3) as a representative of member countries and official of the United
Nations and specialised institutions;"

That the Act does not apply to those categories of foreign workers means that they don't require work permits. Get it?

I think you got the wrong end of the stick with regards to what I was saying. I was saying good luck with regards to having a good, fun job.

I was trying to negate the comments from the neysayers.

Once again......... Good luck( in your chosen path)

tolstoy, on 2012-04-27 19:31:48, said:

This doesn't seem to be true anymore because at my government school we had a teacher that worked here for over 5 years and was denied his renewed licence. There seems to be a new policy that has closed the waiver of not having a degree. My school tried everything to keep him to no avail as the MOE will not except anyone without a degree.

On a side note all the non-native English speaking foreign teachers must take a pass the TOEIC with a score of 600 or better.

Collegue mentioned above denied yesterday. He is 2 years through an online degree. He had proof of this from the Uni. He received a straight No. Told to come back when degree finished.
He actually travelled, a long way, to the TCT personally. Something that usually carries a bit more weight than posting the application.

OK, I'm not a big follower of the news so I missed hearing about the *unapproved link edited out* . Until yesterday, when my Thai boss called me up and asked me to come in to the school and fill in some paperwork.  He mentioned that it was about some new program from some agency (NOT the TCT apparently?) that would provide an incentive bonus to schools that hire teachers from England, USA, or Australia.

I hadn't heard anything about it, so I went in to pick up the paperwork.  I didn't have my passport on me, so I had to take the form back home with me to get some of the necessary info.  While I was away, I did some google research and found that link above, plus some posts on other forums (and one semi-related post here with no responses).  I called a friend and he said that he had called the agency in question and they said that at least some of the funds are "supposed" to be distributed to the teachers themselves, not just going to the school (read: the director buying a new Mercedes).

When I phoned my boss and asked (roundabout) questions about whether or not this would alter my salary, I was of course told no.  However, he also said that the paperwork forms need to be filed by the 27th of April.


My school currently wants to employ 5 foreign teachers (same as last year), with only 2 currently having signed contracts -- me and one other guy.  I'm American, but the other guy is from another country that apparently doesn't qualify as "native" English-speaking although his English is perfectly suitable for teaching, just a slight accent.

Anyway, the school is scrambling pretty heavily (what else is new?) to try to get my paperwork in so they will at least get one application of the subsidy.  There is no way in hell that they can find and hire 1, let alone 3 foreigners from England/US/AUS within the next couple of days.  Perhaps the school is now kicking themselves over firing the 2 Brits we had last year, plus another American who left Thailand (of his own accord).

My first reaction to this situation I've found myself in was to "play hardball".  The school wants that 10,000 baht per month, and I'm holding the cards for once.  I was thinking that I should say "sure, I'll fill in and return the form -- IF my salary goes up by 5,000 baht per month".  If they say no, my dog eats my homework, and nobody gets 5,000 or 10,000 baht extra; but I'm still under contract for my usual salary, same as the other guy that isn't from one of the qualifying countries.

I've now basically realized that is the American me talking, and no good can come of actually doing that here.  Although my school claims that they are very pleased with my teaching, the reality is that I'm a faceless farang/whitey cog in the machine that is relatively easily replacable by some other cog.  So, there is basically no way I'll see an extra dime from this "incentive" subsidy, and if I raise even the slightest stink about it I'll be kicked to the curb at the end of my contract (if not before) and replaced by someone who doesn't ask questions.

In light of that, I'm pretty much just thinking that I need to sign and return the form and say not another dam_n word about it.

I guess I'm posting this here to see if others have come to the same conclusion, and just to vent.  Also curious about whether or not the school is even required to have us fill in these forms ourselves -- my Thai-derr sense tells me they should go for confrontation-avoidance mode, fill in the info themselves, and send the forms in without even saying a word to us.

Funny how this "incentive" program seems to have had pretty much the exact opposite effect on me...

You can get a waiver for 2 years, in which time you can follow a cultural course. Note that the cultural course is a requirement for a teaching license, but not the only requirement. By itself it will not give you a teaching license, but will give you a waiver for another 2 years.

No waiver or teacher's license means no work permit and no extension of stay (if working in a regular school). Universities and language schools teachers don't need a teaching license.

Moonhunteruk, on 2012-04-19 09:27:42, said:

"They" being one person who answered your e-mail. Lets hope it's the same person who deals with your application because when I enquired, they would not accept just being enrolled.  (at Ramkhamhaeng university)

Also do an EDUCATION degree, like a BEd. The current rule is that you must have a teaching degree, such as a BEd, or a degree + post grad diploma / PGCE, or pass their series of 4 exams. If you are serious about 'only teaching' for the rest of your career, then do a BEd if possible. Otherwise, do a degree in science / mathe / english or whatever, then do a 1 year post grad course. I took this route and did a Post Grad Diploma from the University of new England, NSW, Australia, part time between 2004-2008. That got me the proper teaching licence. Note that the course I took allowed me to do my observed teaching in my current school (under my head of department), but had to return for two residential schools, so it was quite expensive!!

Thanks everyone for the input
I've just come back from the Consulate and everything seems ok so far - included everything I had pretty much, but no police report ( still waiting for the UK Police to get back to me )
The lady seemed ok and did not ask for any more documents.
Would they usually ask for more supporting documents at this stage or is there a possibility of them refusing it tomorrow on basis of lack of supporting documents ?

ps I submitted the following : -

Copy of Uni Degree - plus transcript
Copy of TEFL diploma
Resume
Letter of Invitation and contract from School
Usual Passport pages showing stamps etc
Visa form and Fee

aidenai, on 2012-02-27 13:27:14, said:

Read it as: the foreign parent (who applies for an extension of stay) must show ....................

Ijustwannateach, on 2012-02-12 23:53:17, said:

Lots of medication I suspect.

aidenai, on 2012-01-25 07:16:25, said:

You poor soul.  How has your sanity survived?