Thai is Important.

[TingTongJohn]

I have two daughters and they are half Thai. I am proud of this and as much as possible I remind them of their being Thai more then the Canadian half. As they get older I hope there try to connect with this by schooling as Thai universty or some equal sort of education and gaining a higher respect of Thailand. what is your opinion on this? Do any of you have kids who are half Thai and do you expect them to understand some aspects of being Thai or is it up to them?


TTJ

[PeteC]

I have three, a boy and two girls. The first boy and girl are much older and have their own lives in the USA. The boy only lived here for 9 months and the girl never, although they both visit on a regular basis. They're both in tune with Thai culture more than an ordinary westerner, but that's about as far as it goes. The second girl is only 6 and in an International school here and immersed in a Thai language/culture program as well. As it sits now, shell be allowed to plan her own future with very little pushing one way or the other from us, the parents.

The problem with me, and her Thai Mother as well, is that we don't see many positive signs about the future here in Thailand. Hopefully that will change as this little one grows but please, tell me something positive about a future for a girl here? Yes, perhaps if she becomes a doctor or respected professional, but in the normal course of events as we see them now, even with a degree, she can probably expect to become a 15,000 Baht to start per month office girl, hopefully marry a rich Thai guy and live happily ever after?

At present I just don't see the opportunities and choices here, or the respect for women that there is in the west. As I say, I hope that changes as she grows, but that growing only has about another 12 years before she has to make university choices. A very difficult subject that we certainly need to stay objective about as time goes by. Pete

[TingTongJohn]

My wife and I have also talked about this. My daughters options are way better in Canada in many if not most aspects in schooling medical and life style in regards to safety and such. I just do not want them to forget their Thai as well. In the end yes it is up to them I guess I just hope they charish the Thai part of their makeup is all.

Thank you for the reply Pete

TTJ

[margaretcarnes]

I have friends with Thai children - some just at regular Thai schools - and they seem well immersed in Thai culture. There is also the obvious advantage of being bi-lingual.
But I think if I were in that situation, ie parent of a Thai child, I would be very dubious about the value of higher education and University there. Largely because I would be wondering if they were really being allowed, or encouraged, to achieve their full potential.
The main concern at the moment though must be over the new rules on Non Immigrant visas for those farang parents who are not married, or no longer married, to the Thai parent of their children. Because for those who don't qualify for a B or retirement visa the only option may be to take the children back to farang land anyway.

[Johnnywastaken]

My daughters options are way better in Canada in many if not most aspects in schooling medical and life style in regards to safety and such.
TTJ

Yeah... You bet...what with UBC and Simon Fraser in your back yard... But the down side is of course ...that they will have to cheer on the Lions...and those pesky Vancouver Canucks...

I guess with those Bacon brothers all but gone.. .and the Mounties getting better training on tasering techniques.... .....It's getting to be a safer place by far than Thailand too... save for spontaneous riots breaking out should they ever win a major sporting title.... however we allll know that it will never happen anyway....lol...

[PeteC]

An interesting side note, at least to me. Of all the choices he had, my son married a luk krung, Vietnamese/American. Likes attract is true I guess. He now finds Vietnam a more attractive place to visit and richer in culture than Thailand. Pete

[Terry]

Mrs T and I made a concious decision to live in Thailand and make a go of it come what may. Our two 'luk krung' boys are both fluent in English and Thai and are encouraged to read and write in both as well. I'm very proud of them both.

They go to a 50 / 50 Thai-English school and are doing just fine. There are elements of both English and Thai education that I do not like (but I will not go in to that discussionn here) so Mrs T and I, supplement those where we can.

I fully expect them to understand all elements of 'being Thai'. Why shouldnt they? They are Thai Citizens and Thailand is their home.

Whenever they express any interest in their 'English side' I gladly oblige with stuff to read and study - which they do.

As for their 'further education', we shall see - that one is w.i.p....................

[buksida]

Our experiences are very similar to Terry's, since we live in Thailand and will do so for the foreseeable future their Thai side is bound to be more predominant than the Western one. Once they get older they'll hopefully express the urge to travel as I did and get to see a lot more of the planet where new opportunities will arise.

[hhfarang]

I have a step daughter who is all Thai and she wants nothing to do with this place aside from the occasional holiday. We gave her the offer of living with us here and going to university here or in Bangkok but after living in the U.S. for a few years she said "no way"!

She's now living happily in California... smarter than me I think.

[deepee]

A bit of a twist on this discussion I admit .I have a number of Thai female friends who have moved on from underpriveliged backgrounds to go on and become qualified in Thailand and overseas and become successful in the medical/dentistry fields.They have all commented that they are happier when practicing in Thailand as they get much more respect than offshore and a couple of them admit they even getter paid better too.Suppose what I 'm getting to is that Thai educated kids, incuding females, can get on and make something of themselves anywhere given half a chance.