What will your kids do after they finish education?

[ex-STW-teacher]

Just thought I'd start a thread on a topic which I think is actually very relevant to some of the debates going on now, but without overshadowing them. The issue is of course one of what exactly your children will do when they finish school/university. Now of course none of us is equipped with a crystal ball but it's an opportunity to speculate, and hopefully get some ideas and understand how we can shape our childrens future for the better.

For the farang kids it especially seems difficult to know what they'll do. More often than not their parents have come to Thailand with a decent amount of money due to earning it back home (logical enough) but their children will not be able to earn that kind of money to keep up that lifestyle in Thailand, and presumably parental handouts can't go on indefinitely, which means that they'll have to go home at some point. What kind of provision are you making for that eventuality?

For parents with Thai children, do you plan to have your children study or work abroad at some point? What tools do you feel they'll need to do that? Or are you happier to keep them in Thailand and protect their cultural heritage?

I'm curious to read people's thoughts on the matter as it's something I thought about more and more towards the latter end of my time in Thailand.

[poosmate]

but their children will not be able to earn that kind of money to keep up that lifestyle in Thailand,

Why?

Plenty of high paying jobs in Thailand for the well educated.
Lots of business opportunities unfulfilled mainly in my opinion due to lack of management skills and attitude in the local labour market.
Many Farrang are married to Thai so another advantage is Thai nationality for their offspring. This will ease the need to employ native English speakers from abroad. No work permit or visa issues.
Or they could always resort to teaching

[PeteC]

Mine like many others here has dual citizenship. She goes to an international school which will continue if I'm around or not, being an older Father. She'll be exposed to both countries as she grows and can understand the differences. When the time comes concerning university there or here, it will be her choice. She'll have immediate family in both places. When you're talking 13-14 years from now it's impossible to know which location will be best for her. All parents can do is hopefully have the funds in place in advance to support a decision either way. Pete

[dozer]

The child of a Farang/Thai relationship who have had the best available education and have been brought up to appreciate both cultures have every chance of succeeding in Thailand.

The Farang child of a Farang/Thai relationship who has not had the opportunity of a good education due to the lack of finances will suffer and the advantage of the two cultures will not be of any real benefit.

The Farang child of Farang parents who have not been responsible enough to make sure their child has had the best available education will have to live with the consequences.

[terry+carmen]

This is a very good topic, one that few parents have considered. My daughter is 13 and holds a UK passport. I hope she will sit at least 10 of the 11 IGCSE subjects offered at Somtawin and then return to UK for further education. If she stayed here and did A levels in Thailand we would then be faced with huge university fees, overseas student fees, which we could not afford. We still have to pay for further education but it is a lot cheaper that University fees.

Thats the plan, but as every parent knows as children mature they will decide for themselves what they want to do. We can only provide the best opportunity possible for them. We have been through this before with her brother and two older sisters. All went to UK universities and have great careers.

[Big Boy]

We still have to pay for further education but it is a lot cheaper that University fees.

Are you aware of the substantial increases about to be introduced in the UK?

[E-Dork]

If your child is well educated from a recognised school and university your child will have no problem at all finding a good paying job in this country. There are far more opprtunities to earn VERY good money in this country than I believe there are back home. But unfortunately it's all about the 'class' thing in this world. If your child hasn't studied at a well respected university to complete his/her degree then the best chance they have of earning any money is setting up a business with mummy and daddy's money and keeping fingers crossed that it becomes profitable. Employers (at a high paying job) won't even let you through the door if they see the applicant has studied at a Thai, Low fee university. All about class.

[caller]

Employers (at a high paying job) won't even let you through the door if they see the applicant has studied at a Thai, Low fee university. All about class.

I don't see that as having anything to do with class? Rather how wealthy mummy and daddy are. Class would be recognising skill and talent regardless of background. Know where you are coming from though.

[PeteC]

I just went through a list published by CNN concerning the 10 most expensive Universities/Colleges in the USA. Harvard and Yale didn't even make the list. Including room and board they came in at an average of $53,000 per year. Add in what your child would need for food, clothing. books, transport, spending etc., and $68,000 is probably a good figure. x 4 = $272,000, and pray I guess they don't go further and want to be a doctor or lawyer unless they get a scholarship. Go out 10 years plus and you're probably looking at $353.000.

Then, cut that in half for a normal, average University = $177.000, or by 1/4 for an upper tier school = $265,000.

So there's a practical savings goal per year for an upper tier school if about 10 years out, $2,200 per month religiously and without fail to reach what will be needed. Shocking isn't it!

How do UK and EU schools stack up, about the same? Pete

[PeteC]

For anyone interested or curious about US schools, here is a cost finder program to play with. Pete

http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/collegec ... gecost.jsp

[STEVE G]

Go out 10 years plus and you're probably looking at $353.000.

I hope my stepson likes rice farming!

[pharvey]

We still have to pay for further education but it is a lot cheaper that University fees.

Are you aware of the substantial increases about to be introduced in the UK?

What average costs are you looking at in the UK BB - with the proposed increases?

[Big Boy]

I'm no expert on this, just something I saw on the news. There was talk of increasing from just under £4K per year to over £12K per year. I'm sure somebody more knowledgeable will correct me.

[ex-STW-teacher]

The fees here are getting ridiculous frankly, though the poorer students are being offered loans that they essentially only pay if they're earning enough, so it's unlikely to drive anyone to poverty, but it does mean that people caught in that middle territory are going to face difficulties.

[pharvey]

I'm no expert on this, just something I saw on the news. There was talk of increasing from just under £4K per year to over £12K per year. I'm sure somebody more knowledgeable will correct me.

Bit of a bl**dy leap! Add to that the price of digs, reference books/required reading, materials etc...

The poor b*ggers might not be able to afford to get pi**ed