Ajarn Forum - Teaching and Living In Thailand

John McAfee explains how to uninstall Mcaffee software - CRAZY!

Don Ho — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 10:59:21 GMT

He's apparently really into the bath salts.

Any one ever use these?

colnelkurts77 — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 09:26:59 GMT

No fuss, tasty, easy prep time and little supervision.

---Update---

Google Image Result for http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mN-jIkddFMw/TH0FI46nB6I/AAAAAAAACWQ/RxzQ7blboeA/s1600/P8310120.JPG

Talent

Smiley — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 09:18:59 GMT

I watch a lot of youtube vids on all kinds of stuff...I like parkour and modern dance and people who do cool shit...

I've watched a lot of guys doing cool shit on bikes...but this guy is, IMO the best ever to ride a pedal bike...

Amazing the stuff he can do...

If you're interested in seeing more just type his name into YT search...

New Yorkers charged over death ray project

Umbuku — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:15:50 GMT

Quote:

Glendon Scott Crawford, 49 and Eric Feight, 54, from upstate New York were due to appear before a federal court on terrorism charges today, the New York Daily News reports.
Authorities alleged one of the men, who worked for General Electric, had tried to build a "mobile, remotely operated, radiation-emitting device" to target victims with lethal doses of radiation.
Each of the men face up to 15 years in jail and a $270,000 fine if convicted.

New Yorkers charged over death ray project

Wouldn't believe it. Can't be functional, can it?

:grin:

30K Bucks for Courtside

fred flintstone — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:54:51 GMT

Tickets for NBA Finals' deciding Game 7 fetching $30,000 courtside

Get ready to pay at least $250 just to stand and as much as $30,000 to sit courtside at Game 7 of the NBA Finals in Miami on Thursday night, according to ticket brokers and online websites.
That's about $100 more for standing-room and thousands more than it would have cost for Tuesday night's basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs. It's also generally more than what it cost to attend the deciding NBA game in Miami last year, brokers and resellers said Wednesday.
A Place for Tickets, based in Hollywood, said it's already fetched $30,000 each for four seats courtside, "probably the most expensive we've sold for a Heat game," according to co-owner Eric Kissel.

James Gandolfini (Tony Soprano) dead at 51

cluezo — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:00:22 GMT

Wow. Only 51.

James Gandolfini -- who famously played Tony Soprano on "The Sopranos" -- died earlier today in Italy ... TMZ has learned.

Gandolfini is believed to have suffered a heart attack. He was 51.

Gandolfini was in Italy to attend the 59th Taormina Film Festival in Sicily -- and he was scheduled to participate in a festival event this weekend with Italian director Gabriele Muccino.

Gandolfini shot to fame playing a hitman in the 1993 hit "True Romance" ... and quickly became a Hollywood legend when he was cast as Tony Soprano in 1999. He won 3 Emmy awards for the role during the show's 6 season run.

Gandolfini also appeared in a ton of huge movies including "Get Shorty," "The Mexican" and "Zero Dark Thirty."

We last spoke to Gandolfini in May in L.A. -- he was in great spirits, making funny faces and joking about a "Sopranos" movie.

Read more: James Gandolfini Dead -- 'Tony Soprano' Actor Dies in Italy | TMZ.com
Visit Fishwrapper: http://www.fishwrapper.com

THAI A380 finally to fly from London

bulldog — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:37:20 GMT

A380 Joins Thai Airways’ London-Bangkok fleet

anyone flown in the A380 yet? much difference in cattle class? cant be any worse than bladdy Eva Air

When Did You Feel the Most Foreign?

Joko — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:30:10 GMT

For me, so far, and perhaps ever in my life, I felt more foreign walking through the border slums of Cambodia than any other place or time. The third and final installment of my Holiday in Cambodia trek: Joko in Cambodia 3: Through Slums, Casinos and Markets, I say Goodbye to Poipet - YouTube

Thailand in September

scared — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:21:29 GMT

Hello everyone,

I've been reading this forum on and off for the past year or so and I think it's high time I officially joined and posted here as I have finally made up my mind to move to Thailand from Canada this fall. I've wanted to teach English abroad for several years now, but it seems something always gets of me leaving. First, my boyfriend's mom passed away, so we needed to stay in Canada for him so he could be with his family and help them deal with the aftermath and I wanted to stay as moral support for him. I also I wanted to pay off my school debt before leaving Canada- which is now done. Then my boyfriend proposed, and it didn’t make sense for us financially to leave nor logistically to plan a wedding from abroad then try to coordinate our work schedules for it. I incurred a little debt from getting married this summer, but I should be out of debt by the time I plan to leave for Thailand in the fall; however I won’t have much (or anything) in the way of savings after the cost of my flight.

I know from reading here that most people don’t recommend heading out to Thailand with anything less than $4000-5000 saved up. I won’t have that. In fact, I’ll probably have very little (although my husband might have a bit more), but I’ll be debt free and have a very low-interest “borrowing account” that I can draw from for up to $10000 plus credit cards for emergencies so I know I won’t get stranded out here worse comes to worse, however I’d obviously like to get a job to pay off the debts I do incur ASAP.

I really just NEED to get out of Canada and start doing some of the things I’ve wanted to do in my life. I can’t wait around and save any longer. I’ve been stuck at a desk job that I hate (but pays OK) for the past 3 or so years and it is slowly sucking the life out of me.

So here’s the plan so far. I will move to Thailand sometime in Sept and set up camp then start hitting the pavement searching for jobs that begin with the November term. We’re hope to move to the Chiang Mai area, although semi-rural or small town is actually my preference… just preferably within 1-2 hours of a large city in that region (likely Chiang Mai) for my husband’s sake. My husband will likely fly out mid-late Oct as he has to work until then and will be bringing with him our little dog (hopefully I’ll have a place to stay then and a job lined up).

I hold a bachelor’s degree in Science and an online 100hr TEFL degree at the moment. I am white, 25 years old and female (since apparently that matters). Assume I have no teaching experience. My husband will not be relying on me for support financially, although he probably won't be able to help me out too much either (as in, we should try to be able to fund ourselves in Thailand).

A few questions...
1. Should I just use my 100hr online TEFL degree? I did feel as though I learned quite a bit from it, but will it be seen as essentially useless? Or should I come to Thailand early, shell out the $1000-1500 extra (which will definitely be debt) and take the in-class course. I know that this has been discussed in depth, but from what I've read here it seems there are mixed reviews on the subject, and I’d really like responses based on my current situation (if possible). Will I likely get more money initially if I do this?

2. When do I need to be here by in order to start looking for jobs? I’d rather be here earlier rather than later, but a rough timeline on when schools really start looking for teachers would be amazing. I’ve read October, but would looking for jobs in mid-september/late September give me any sort of a leg-up?

3. Do you think it would be worthwhile for me to go through an agency and be guaranteed a job with much less pay than elsewhere because I do lack experience?

P.S.
Before anyone suggests it, I really do NOT want to teach in Korea. I'm sure it is a lovely country and I know you can make significantly more money teaching there, but I do suffer from SAD and one of my main reasons for wanting to leave Canada is that I want to get away from anywhere it tends to drop down into the negatives...I am a significantly happier person when it is warm/hot outside.

Thanks for your help everyone! And sorry for writing a novel….

Electical voltage in Thailand

kingdomcome — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:01:13 GMT

Any electricians out there?

I bought a flat screen in Kuwait and brought it to Thailand. When I run my media player through the tv, there are problems with the current, and the screen jumps from time to time. I know it has to do with the difference in voltage(220 in Thailand, 240 in Kuwait), but other electrical products I've brought with me, work without issue. Is it possible to purchase a current stabilizer in Thailand?

Thanks

GOP speaks up for masturbating fetuses

cluezo — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:06:36 GMT

Wanking in the womb? Man, I must really be retarded. I didn't figure it out until 10 years later. :(

These Republicans continue down this road to destruction. Don't they have consultants who go over talking points with them?

GOP Rep. Speaks Up For Masturbating Fetuses: �They Feel Pleasure,� Why Wouldn�t They Also �Feel Pain�?
by Matt Wilstein | 11:38 am, June 18th, 2013

Last week we saw Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)reviving the Todd Akin �legitimate rape� argument, but now one of Franks� Republican colleagues may have gone even further to defend the 20-week abortion ban making its way through the House. During a House Rules Committee debate on the bill, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) said he�s seen 15-week-old male fetuses with their hand �between their legs� pleasuring themselves, so, he asked, why shouldn�t we think they also �feel pain?�

�This is a subject I do know something about,� Burgess, a former OB/GYN who said he�s delivered �thousands of babies,� began. �There is no question in my mind that a baby at 20-weeks after conception can feel pain.� He has argued that the limit of 20 weeks on Congressman Franks� bill is �far too late� and believes it should come down to 15 or 16 weeks.

�You watch a sonogram of a 15-week baby, and they have movements that are purposeful,� he continued. �They stroke their face. If they�re a male baby, they may have their hand between their legs. I mean, they feel pleasure, why is it so hard to think that they could feel pain?�
�Sometimes we have to give voice to the voiceless,� Burgess concluded. �And this is one of those times.�

Tablets Thrust Thai Classroom into Digital Era

HigherPrimate — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:41:10 GMT

Feature
Tablets thrust Thai classrooms into digital era
by Amelie Bottollier-Depois, Apilaporn Vechakij

MAE CHAN, June 18, 2013 (AFP) - In a rural classroom in the Thai highlands, hill tribe children energetically slide their fingertips over tablet computer screens practicing everything from English to mathematics and music.

The disadvantaged students are part of an ambitious scheme by the kingdom to distribute millions of the handheld devices in its schools in a move supporters hope will boost national education standards.

For opponents of the plan, however, it is an expensive gimmick designed to boost the popularity of the ruling party among parents -- and the next generation of voters.

At Ban San Kong school in Mae Chan in the northern province of Chiang Rai, 90 children received a tablet computer last year as part of the "One Tablet Per Child" policy that was part of the government's election campaign in 2011.

Previously the school had only a few desktop computers with limited Internet access.

Now, with headphones over their ears for one hour a day during class, the students use the devices for activities including singing English songs, watching cartoons about the life of Thailand's revered King Bhumibol and playing math games.

With the school year just beginning, and the new tablet content yet to arrive, they are left to revise their lessons of the previous year as their teacher Siriporn Wichaipanid sits and watches.

She has received no specific training for using the tablets and seems at a bit of a loss.

"I have some knowledge. At home, I use an iPad," she said. But "if I don't understand, I don't know how to teach the children".

For the students -- mostly from ethnic minority Akha hill tribe communities for whom Thai is not their mother tongue -- using the tablets has been a positive experience, according to the school.

"The students cannot speak Thai very well but they can hear sounds more clearly from the tablets and repeat them," said their teacher from the previous year, Wannawadee Somdang.

"Some of them dare not ask questions. It's easier when they listen to the tablets."

For now only two of the 90 students are allowed to take the computers with them after class to use in their homes, which often lack electricity.

"They don't have Wi-Fi and it's not convenient for them to charge the batteries. And most importantly their parents have no knowledge about the tablets," said school principal Uthai Moonmueangkham.

But using devices that would normally be out of reach for the kingdom's poorest children is progress, even if it is only just one hour a day, he said.

"They have the same opportunities as those in the city," Uthai said.

Reducing the "education gap" between the urban rich and rural poor is one aim of the project, said Surapol Navamavadhand, an advisor to the minister of information and communication technology.

By the end of 2014, the government plans to distribute handheld computers to 13 million school children at a cost of about $100 each -- a total of $1.3 billion -- and then replace them every two years.

About 850,000 Chinese-made devices have already been given out, and the government says it will soon launch a tender offer for another batch of about 1.7 million tablets, in what it has described as the world's largest handout of the devices for education.

Experts warn that the computers offer no guarantee of an increase in education standards.

The tablets are "just another tool" like a pencil, according to Jonghwi Park, an education technology specialist at UNESCO in Bangkok.

"It's not about what to use, it's about how to use it," she said, urging governments considering introducing new technology for learning to think hard about whether it will really help them achieve their goals.

Critics of the Thai education system say much more radical changes are needed.

"If you want to deal with the education in Thailand, I can tell you that the whole system must be demolished," said Somphong Chitradub, an associate professor specialised in child education at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

"Our classrooms are passive, tiring and boring," he said.

Most Thai children are encouraged to memorise information and "lack courage to express opinions", he added.

As a result, while other Asian nations fared well in the most recent global education survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 2009, Thailand came about 50th out of 65 countries in the rankings for reading, maths and science.

A mediocre performance compared with other nations that "focus a lot on process of thinking", admitted Rangsan Maneelek, an advisor to the education ministry.

While the Thai education system places importance on whether the answer is right or wrong, other nations look at how students reached their conclusion, he said.

But he added that the tablets would help by enabling students to "surf the world for knowledge".

And if some people worry about the possibility of children using the computers to look at pornography or play violent video games, others stress the need to prepare students for the digital era.

"For the kids these days, one of the most important capacities... for them to live in the 21st century is to know how to integrate those devices into their life," UNESCO's Park said.

"Without those skills, they cannot get a job."

Looking for a place in Rangsit

Wanderir — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:10:38 GMT

I just accepted a job in Rangsit and I'm looking for a place to live. Condo, apartment or townhouse. I've scoured the internet and have not found anything in an apartment or condo that meets my requirements. Must haves: A/C, hot water, internet w/ my own router, a pool, a kitchen.

I'm also curious about the transportation situation. Are there enough buses to get around Rangsit or will I need to get a scooter or something.

I'll ge hitting the soi's next week to see what I can find.

I did come across some townhouses, but I've been reading about the downsides of them and would like a place I don't have to worry about to get started.

Thanks!

Teacher (with a degree) urgently needed in Chiang Mai

teacherjamie — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:06:08 GMT

The HR director at my school (top private school in Chiang Mai) has posted for an available position in my department. Lots of responses, but when we call them in for an interview they fail to follow up. We post on ajarn.com mostly, but applicants are hard to find at this time of year and the ones that do apply are not serious enough to follow through.

The is a hybrid position for a Mathayom 3 & 6 teacher (14 & 18 year olds) ESL and IELTS test prep teacher. The pay starts at 30K per month and increases significantly with experience.

The position needs to be filled by the end of the month and includes good (Bupa Diamond) health ins, 7 weeks paid holidays (plus Thai & Christian days), free lunch and a work permit. From 8 to 5, Mon-Fri, with 20 classroom hours max.

Serious replies only!

I Want A 60 Day LOS Coin!

Joko — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:16:02 GMT

I have now been in the LOS for Just like the guy who got his 30 day coin, I remember very distinctly my 30 day mark in the country. I just passed 60 days, and I feel like I've changed, learned and experienced more in these two months than practically any other two months I can remember. The change in lifestyle is so huge. Climate. Work. Food. Getting around. Relationships. I've had to get used to everything being totally different.

If the similarities continue, I'm sure that at 90 days, I will feel totally different too. Six months will be another huge turning point.

I think the AF needs to come up with some kind of coin system like they have in AA for the newbies who make it.

30 day coin: a picture of Noodle soup with chicken on one side, the Thai flag on the other.
60 day coin: Tuk tuk on one side, Ladyboy on the other.
90 day coin: ___________ & ______________

My latest video, which to the point of this post, was ironically was filmed entirely in Cambodia, although I suppose the 60 day visa run is a rite of passage for the newbie farang in itself. More than anything, this video goes with this blog, which was written simultaneous to the video you see here…