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Political Situation?
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EFL Educator



Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2014 10:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Edutainment is more interesting news...and its LIVE! Very Happy
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btsmrtfan



Joined: 01 Jul 2010
Posts: 193
Location: GPS Not Working

PostPosted: Sat May 24, 2014 12:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My sense is this particular coup's leaders have little or no interest in "entertaining" and instead are far more focused on things being done their way and only their way.
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EFL Educator



Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town

PostPosted: Sun May 25, 2014 1:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes biut through Edutainment they may recoup their English language skills! Smile
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TomAndHuck



Joined: 16 Sep 2013
Posts: 16

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 4:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Situation is that about 3500-3700 upcountry activists have "disappeared". Reports are that homes are raided at 2am-3am by squads of armed soldiers. People beat up and dragged away. Farming tools to make a living in some cases smashed up. People thrown in a black hole. Presumably military camps. No access to legal representation. No outside communication. No access to family friends or relatives. They are gone. No idea what is going on. No way to know. Military checkpoints all over Northeast and Chiangmai. Checkpoints also outside military bases in Sattahip. At least 3 military stops on the way to Cambodian border. Cars, trucks, vans randomly pulled over and searched by armed soldiers. Armed soldiers taking video of all stops. Soldiers filming everyone who eneters and exists the country. Armed soldier carrying loaded M-16 will inspect every passport that comes into the country. For local people who want to constitute their govenment through elections, it is a situation of absolute terror and violence. Education minister of the last elected government abducted at a speech for the Foreign Correspondents club. Photos of him released in prison fatigues and walking around in prison in handcuffs. Several top academics "summoned" by military. Thrown into a black hole. Unreachable. Several top lawyers of the Nitirat group summoned and thrown in the black hole. Another top lawyer was seized at the airport after attending a civil rights seminar in the USA. Thrown in the hole. Best union organizer who is not in prison, Jittra Cotchadet "summoned" while she is on holiday in Sweden. Former Prime Minister's son "summoned and put in black hole. Prime Minister Yingluck, elected in last Feb 2 election, detained several days then released into house arrest, presumed gag order. All leaders of her former politcal party invited to a negotiation with military, captured, placed in handcuff and blindfolded, held in military camp several days, released under gag order and committment not to engage in politics. Mr. Sombat, civil society organizer of post 2010 killing of civilians, refused to comply with summons. Hunted and arrested by military police. Now in the hole. Rumored going to be charged with 50 year old anti-communist laws. Top union organizer Somyot, serving an 11 year prison sentence for a published magazine article, his wife and son "summoned" and now in a black hole. The top poor people's ghetto organizer summoned and in the black hole. All protest against coup is banned. Women up to 70 years old arrested for protesting. Foreign guy arrested for holding a shirt that said "peace please". Woman snatched off the street by plain clothes military police and whisked away in a taxi. Students arrested for reading books like 1984 in public. Two major bookstores sold out of Orwell in Thai translation. Students handing out sandwiches in support of anti-coup activists arrested and detained. Handing out sandwiches now forbidden (this is not a joke). Giving three finger hunger games salute in public now banned. Several people arrested for doing so. Clicking "like" on anti-coup facebook messages now illegal. Liking pro-coup pro-military messages ~not~ illegal. Citizens openly encouraged to spy on each other and rat each other out as in former East Germany. Academic turned in his taxi driver over a conversation during a fare. "Divisive rhetoric" which means any left leaning or social democtratic talk or online speech now banned. Constitution unilatterally annulled. Legislature dissolved. Senate dissolved. All further "representatives" in government will be appointed by the military. Basically it is a regime of terror that would probably make the North Koreans envious.

This is what you will be getting when you start your teaching job in Thailand.

Also, in my school, the big sticks have come out. Morning lineup is now patrolled by teachers who beat 12-13 yer olds for any infraction. Students as young as 8 or 9 now have teachers with big sticks in the class. Sticks on display even in Kindergarten. Meaning that all problems will now be solved with corporal punishment (violence).

Not kidding you, this is the second school I worked at with this regime and this is what you will be walking into.

I am well aware of many people who post here, that this is some kind of ideal environment for teaching or making money. That you should just keep your head dowwn and try not to hear the screams of agony and terrror. There are plenty of ultra-cynical hyper-alienated people like that who now live and work in Thailand and you can read some of them on this forum too. Most of them have no problem whatsoever with this kind of regime. So if you are in Thailand or you want to come to Thailand in order to be an incompetent predatory douchebag, this is probably the best time to come.
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EFL Educator



Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 4:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello there,

Just another day in the LOS....enjoy Thailand....teach English...and STAY AWAY from P O L I TI C S and you'll be just fine! Smile
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Tazz



Joined: 26 Sep 2013
Posts: 512
Location: Jakarta

PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 4:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interesting information -'TomAnd Huck'....sounds like a potentially volotile situation.....concerned because I have 2 friends there,[recent arrivals] who were somewhat, shall i say-'negligent' of the changes that themilitary dictatorship could bring.....'EFL Educator'-do you have ANYTHING worthwhile to say on ANY forum? Or are you merely intent on posting the annoying smileys wherever you can? Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing tiresome...isn't it?
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suphanburi



Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Posts: 916

PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 5:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is NOTHING here to be concerned about unless you are a "protest leader", "an activist" or involved "politically". (and foreigners don't get arrested for "liking" a facebook page - Thai's might but the government is being very careful in the treatment of "foreigners").

For the bulk of the population there is NOTHING different and in the tourist areas (outside of the north country) you'd never know there was a coup. There isn't even a curfew in areas frequented by foreigners.

I'd be more concerned about petty crime and getting robbed in Jakarta or getting arrested and deported for having an improper KITAS than the "political situation" due to the coup in Thailand.

.
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EFL Educator



Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town

PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello there,

Business as usual in the LOS....there is nothing to worry about here....some people on this board worry for nothing.! English teachers teach English...come to Thailand to teach English and and stay away from politics it has nothing to do with teaching English here. Enjoy the Thai smiles.. Smile Smile Smile
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TomAndHuck



Joined: 16 Sep 2013
Posts: 16

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 6:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I find these replies really appalling. It sounds sort of like come live in this place but try not to hear the screams of the people who are being raped and have their lives destroyed. Try not to see the bones of the human wreckage lining the streets or in the schools and just step over the devastated bodies in the hallway or in your classrooms.

What kind of teacher doesn't give a dam about their students? Doesn't care for them? Has no interest in protecting and nurturing their growth and abilities? Or, would you rather work for hi-so slavers and fascists in order to make a little scratch? Who but a reactionary military apologist claims "business as usual"?

"Don't participate in politics" translates pretty directly as tacit support for the worst practices imaginable.

I'd say, rather than shut yourself off in a denialist bubble in Thailand that you either (1) do not participate in supporting military coups d'etat or (2) you actively support democratic aspirations using whatever clarity you can bring to that struggle. Go back and read your "Educating For Critical Consciousness" & "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" by Paulo Freire, "Teaching to Transgress"by bel hooks or Peter McLaren's "Critical Pedagogy and Predatory Culture"

Update is that the reformist Education Minister Chaturon was released from military prison and is facing 14 years of jail for a nebulous charge of "incitement" by giving an English language speech at the Foreign Correspondent's Club. And you can bet that the sticks and canes are out in force again at my school. Further, the US placed current Thailand on a tier 3 status for slavery and human trafficking, which places it next to North Korea and Iran.

Good Luck, and be careful out there.
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damn_my_eyes



Joined: 13 Jul 2013
Posts: 225

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

^ Maybe some people just aren't cut out for working abroad.

Stable political situation, human rights and in particular women's rights are something we take for granted in our home countries.
If every foreigner went home the first time they came across something they didn't agree on as a matter of principle, well...there'd be nobody left in Thailand, China, Saudi Arabia, et al
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suphanburi



Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Posts: 916

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

TomAndHuck wrote:
I find these replies really appalling. It sounds sort of like come live in this place but try not to hear the screams of the people who are being raped and have their lives destroyed. Try not to see the bones of the human wreckage lining the streets or in the schools and just step over the devastated bodies in the hallway or in your classrooms.


Not sure what Thailand you are living in... that sounds more like your average middle school or high school in Los Angles, Atlanta or Phoenix (gun detectors at the doors, armed security guards in the halls) than any school I have seen in Thailand.

TomAndHuck wrote:
What kind of teacher doesn't give a dam about their students? Doesn't care for them? Has no interest in protecting and nurturing their growth and abilities?


hmmm.... your average American high school teacher in middle America.

TomAndHuck wrote:
"Don't participate in politics" translates pretty directly as tacit support for the worst practices imaginable.

Sounds more like, "You are not a citizen and you are not a "global cop". Let them find a solution".

TomAndHuck wrote:
(1) do not participate in supporting military coups d'etat
Does that mean you will renounce your US citizenship since they have been the largest supporters of coups globally (including some 8 out of of 11 in Thailand that were back-ended by the US)?

I am acquainted with "reformist Education Minister Chaturon". He is a backstabbing, political hack who pilfered millions from the education coffers in back room deals with Chinese suppliers and deserves more than the 14 years he is likely to get. His only regret is not being able to get out of the country before his house of cards fell down around his ears.

And furthermore, the "potential" length of term is 15 years and includes charges dating from 2007 (cybercrimes) and not 14 years for complaining at the press club.

Also of note:
21 Jun 2014 : WASHINGTON - The United States has eased its travel alert for Thailand ...

.


Last edited by suphanburi on Sat Jun 21, 2014 11:34 am; edited 1 time in total
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EFL Educator



Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Business as usual in the LOS..I am more concerned about EFL teacher rights here. After all we come here to TEACH.English not POLITICS! Smile Smile
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TomAndHuck



Joined: 16 Sep 2013
Posts: 16

PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 5:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

US State Department: "The coup and post-coup repression have made it impossible for our relationship with Thailand to go on with “business as usual.” As required by law, we have suspended more than $4.7 million of security-related assistance. In addition, we have cancelled high-level engagements, exercises, and a number of training programs with the military and police." http://www.state.gov/p/eap/rls/rm/2014/06/228368.htm But the tourism warning was lifted!

Come on down kids - it's the greatest right wing, slave driving exploitation festival you could ever imagine. More fun for fascists than you could ever dream of in your entire life. Certainly the most rewarding and morally uplifting ESL teaching experience since the British Council opened an office in North Korea.

Pravit Rojanaphruk ‏@PravitR 14h
US consider moving Cobra Gold joint-military exercise from #Thailand as a punitive measure against junta. No more toys 4 big boys?

I'm telling you, dude. Get over here and start teaching now. As long as you don't eat sandwiches or read 1984, or play the French National Anthem on your phone in Public you'll not be dragged away by undercover military police. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=edd_1403514397


And don't wear the wrong t-shirt, like one that says "Respect My Vote", even if you are a grandmother, as that might be considered politics and get you taken away in a van. "@lostbookcafe: 72 yrs old grandmother who was arrested for wearing Respect my Vote shirt at Wat Pratum today, is now freed"

You can even work for shameless hacks who believe totalitarian militarism is nomal. You know, those who will exploit the heck out of you or set you up with their friends if they are too busy. Plenty of jobs available! MOD EDIT14 teacher openings on Monday, 10 on Tuesday and 8 today. In the middle of the school year! See kids...it's definitely the place everyone wants to work. See you soon!
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steki47



Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 1029
Location: BFE Inaka

PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 8:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TomAndHuck wrote:
"Don't participate in politics" translates pretty directly as tacit support for the worst practices imaginable.


Do the locals actively solicit foreigners' opinions on politics? I somehow doubt it. If you do give an opinion, many will view it as unwanted, innappropiate and even racist.

My advice is to leave the white man's burden at home, Mr. Kipling, and stick to being a good teacher.
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EFL Educator



Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2014 2:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Come here to teach English and leave YOUR POLITICS at home...enjoy Thailand! Very Happy
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