Ways to improve Thai education (February 2008)

In last month’s column, I indicated that reforming Thai education should be one of the new government’s priorities. Although I predicted that this probably wouldn’t happen, I would nevertheless like to put forth some ideas as to how Thai education in general – and English language teaching in particular – could be improved in the Kingdom. In my opinion, this could be achieved through better teacher training, the use of appropriate teaching methods, reduced classroom size, fairer salaries, a more selective hiring process for foreign teachers and better motivated learners.

Teacher training

I think that first of all, teacher training should drastically improve. Students who are working their way through a university course in order to become a teacher should graduate with at least a decent working knowledge of English. Too often have I met university graduates with very poor language skills – even English majors often seem to struggle with the basics of the language!

One way of improving skills of future teachers – be it English, French or Chinese teachers – is to include a mandatory students’ exchange programme into the course, thus forcing students to study abroad where they will be able to use and fine-tune their language skills. For Thai English teachers, a stint in an English-speaking country can only be beneficial – even if it’s only a few weeks. Should this prove too expensive, regional countries with proficient English such as India or Singapore could be taken into consideration as training grounds.

Of course the problem isn’t really recently graduated teachers, but rather the older and more traditional teachers. Older refers to the many Thai teachers are now approaching retirement age; traditional refers to the local educators who stick to grammar-translation and rote-learning when teaching English. The grammar-translation method was devised centuries ago and focuses on grammar, reading and translation. Without going into too much detail, teachers using this method usually conduct an English lesson entirely in Thai, without any speaking or listening practice in the target language. Need I add that this method has been shelved for decades in most countries worldwide?

Teaching methods

Instead of using the ancient and ineffective grammar-translation method, teachers should rather use a mix of the communicative approach (focus on speaking and listening), the direct method (only English is used without translation, making use of props such as realia, flashcards, etc.), the audio-lingual method (focus on drilling, memorisation and pronunciation) and the lexical approach (focus on vocabulary, phrases and chunks of language).

I don’t want to go into too much detail, but it should be clear by now that in the English classroom, anything is better than the grammar-translation method; attention should be given to the four skills, with an emphasis on speaking and listening – skills which are essential for effective communication. The older generation of traditional Thai teachers should understand by now that being able to read Shakespeare and explain the usage of the present perfect continuous in their mother tongue gets students absolutely nowhere.

Ways to improve existing teachers’ skills include appropriate and regular workshops in English led by qualified teacher trainers, teacher observations with useful feedback and peer observations. Teachers should also gradually move from teacher-centred learning to student-centred learning. The teacher-centred approach that Thai teachers use is obsolete, does not allow any student participation and stifles debate and critical thinking. Even today, too many Thai teachers still see themselves as either omnipotent classroom dictators or infallible preachers who are never to be challenged. Unfortunately they haven’t noticed that most of their audiences have long fallen asleep.

So in order to improve students’ English skills, teachers should use a mix of appropriate teaching methods, be proficient in English, use more English when teaching (the more the better, but I feel that 50% - if not more – is an absolute minimum) and give more importance to speaking and listening.

Classroom size

Even the world's most qualified teacher wouldn't be able to teach decent English to classes of up to 50 unruly students or more, especially given the often limited time and resources at their disposal. In fact, learning a language effectively needs to be done in smaller groups of maximum 20. I personally think that teaching 10 to 15 students is ideal, but it would be foolish to believe this will ever be possible in Thailand (except for the upmarket private language schools). Apart from being well-trained, flexible, creative, patient and enthusiastic, teachers should be realistic and pragmatic; having a good sense of humour is also not to be underestimated.

So in order to improve language learning in particular and education in general, more efforts should be focused on decreasing class size. Doing so will involve building more classrooms and/or schools and hiring more teachers. Given the acute lack of local teachers at present, achieving this will be no small feat.

Fair salaries

In order to recruit new teachers successfully, the authorities will have to put more efforts into revaluating the teaching profession. Like almost everywhere in the world, teachers in Thailand are overworked and underpaid, especially the local teachers. Whereas most foreigners teaching in Thailand usually earn a fair salary - albeit rather modest on an international scale - beginning Thai teachers often make less than needed to survive. Although salaries increase with seniority, this won't lure new graduates into becoming teachers.

Therefore, the teaching profession should be made more attractive by offering a better starting salary and possibly performance bonuses (e.g. for attending or leading workshops). Moreover, teachers should be given more teaching responsibilities and fewer administrative tasks. Teachers should primarily teach, not push paper or other do chores which could basically be done by the school’s janitor.

Foreign teachers

As there is an acute lack of good local English teachers, hiring foreigners is a quick and easy way to cope with this problem. Until there are enough Thai teachers who are capable of delivering English lessons in English with a half-decent pronunciation, recruiting hordes of barbarians to fill these jobs is a necessity.

Does it matter where these foreign cohorts come from? Not really. When it comes to teaching languages, students should be taught by well-trained teachers who master the language they are teaching. It’s not really important if these foreign teachers are American or British. They could even be non-native speakers, such as Filipinos or Kenyans, as long as they can teach and are proficient in the language of Shakespeare.

In order to attract well-qualified foreigners, Thai schools will have to cough up enough hard cash. Although some schools pay relatively good salaries, many schools still try to get teachers on the cheap. They try to get away with paying Filipino teachers a pittance (actually a salary somewhere between that of Thais and westerners, which some Pinoys – in particular the not-so-qualified ones - accept, thus shooting the whole community in the foot); schools even revert to hiring poorly qualified but cheaper Eastern Europeans, mainly because they are carbon copies of white-skinned native speakers, albeit with an often heavy accent. Of course, school administrators shouldn’t forget that if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

Learners' motivation

Motivation to learn is one of the most important factors for students to achieve their goals quickly. Research has shown that average students who are well-motivated usually do better than excellent students who are not.

Although motivating students to learn isn’t always easy, I see a clear correlation between the students’ motivation and the teacher’s enthusiasm and teaching skills. I also think that motivating children and teenagers should be a joint effort between parents and teachers. Imagine children who are asked by an enthusiastic teacher to read a book, follow the news or practise some English outside the classroom only to go home to parents whose idea of time well spent is to watch never-ending daily soap operas, to spend most family time inside shopping malls and never to discuss anything more profound than what they have eaten or going to eat. I’d say the teachers’ efforts will largely have been a waste of time.

Thirst for knowledge isn’t innate. If children never see parents read a book or watch the news on TV, are never taken to a park or a zoo at the weekend, are never asked for their opinion or expected to be creative, it will be very difficult to undo this attitude they see as the norm. They’ll just be assimilated into a society where consumerism, ignorance and xenophobia are considered acceptable.

Will it happen?

So how can Thailand improve its education? In a nutshell: train the trainers, put fewer students together, motivate them better, hire the right foreign educators to help this bring about, and involve parents more.

I am aware that efforts are already underway to improve teachers’ skills, but it seems that either not enough teachers are reaping the benefits from this programme or that too much is expected in too short a time. It is ludicrous to think that such profound changes can be achieved in one year.

I fully realise that most of the measures I put forth in this article are largely policy decisions, thus depending mainly on the insight, common sense and willingness to change of politicians. Consequently, I have to admit that I am somewhat doubtful that any of the above ways to improve education will be implemented in the near future.

In the meantime, as teachers, we can only continue to proffer advice and help and teach our Thai students to the best of our abilities. Let’s hope that the efforts of dedicated teachers will inspire learners and in the end rub off on both students and society. Among the students of today will be the policymakers of tomorrow, so in the end the seeds we sow today might one day bear fruits and lead to a change in attitude towards learning in general. As this is a long-term investment, we can only hope that it comes full circle sooner rather than later.

If some readers see this article as an indictment of not only Thai policymakers, but also of established teachers and parents, well, it suppose is. I think it is about time for everyone involved in education to wake up and realise that something needs to be done and that if you’re not part of the solution, you’re more than likely part of the problem.

The author of this article can be contacted at philiproeland@hotmail.co.uk.
1/2/2008

How to Motivate Students (March 2008)

motivate (verb)
• to cause someone to behave in a particular way
• to make someone want to do something well
motivation (noun)
• enthusiasm for doing something

Last month I suggested that improving student motivation is one of the keys to improve education in general and language learning in particular. This month I’ll explore some possible avenues as to how exactly students can be motivated. I am aware that many articles have already been published on this topic, but I’ll put in my two cents/pennies/satang anyway; if there is any repetition, please fast-forward.

Research has shown that average students who are well-motivated usually do better than excellent students who are not. Motivation is important if we want students to exploit their capabilities to the fullest. Remember that in real life as well, there usually – if not always - has to be some kind of motivation, a purpose or an incentive for people to do something, be it learning English, enrolling in a cooking class or going swimming.

Motivation can either be internal or external. Students who are internally motivated usually learn English because they want to, because they enjoy learning or because they want to achieve a certain goal, not because they have to. Examples of personal goals could be pursuing a promotion at work or planning to enrol in a foreign university’s graduate programme.

Goals can be more general as well: some people just want to be able to speak better English with friends or colleagues, write e-mails to pen pals, read interesting articles on the Internet or be able to travel the world without always having to rely on tourist guides or talking dictionaries. Most students who are internally motivated tend to be adults.

Few children or teenagers have the internal motivation adults have, which is not really surprising. Have you ever heard an eight-year old say ‘I want to learn English so I can find a good job when I graduate and make lots of money?’ I haven’t. When you ask children or even teenagers why they are studying English (or any other foreign language), they’ll more often than not say (or think) ‘because my parents want me to’, ‘because I have to’ or ‘I have no idea’.

I admit that some give better reasons such as ‘because I like (sic)’, ‘because it important (sic)’ or ‘because I want to speak English very good (sic)’. In my experience, these replies don’t necessarily prove the student is internally motivated, especially not in Thailand; students usually just want to please their teacher by giving these answers. I sometimes have to refrain from replying ‘Well if you like it that much, why the hell don’t you try a bit harder?’

External motivation means that there is an outside factor giving students a reason to learn English. For adults, this could mean that their boss or company expects them to brush up their English (or face the axe) or that they need a certain TOEIC score in order to be considered for a bonus. Especially for adults, internal and external motivation often overlaps. For children, it is usually their parents or teachers who provide stimuli for motivation.

Getting students motivated just by the power of persuasion is quite difficult. Thus, parents and teachers alike often use reward or punishment to motivate students. Here are some examples:

• (Loving parents talking)
If you get good grades,
o we’ll go to KFC every day. (this makes not only students, but also Colonel Sanders happy; it also assures doctors' future employment thanks to obesity and clogged arteries)
o we’ll buy you a new computer game. (with illegally copied games to keep Thailand on the Priority Watch List)
o you’ll get your dinner every night. (a bit more old-fashioned, I admit, but food is extremely important to Thais)

• (Strict parents talking)
If you fail or do worse than the neighbours’ kids,
o Santa won’t come this year. (only works with kids under 15)
o we’ll have you do exercise. (every couch potato’s nightmare)
o we’ll start calling you Buffalo. (only works in Thailand)

• (Caring teacher talking)
If you do your best and cooperate well,
o your parents will be proud of you. (a long shot, I admit)
o we’ll play a (language) game after the break. (kids love games)
o I’ll buy everyone pizza at the end of the term. (budget wisely)

• (Fed-up teacher talking)
If you keep mucking about,
o I’ll have teacher Somchai cane you. (it's outlawed, but who cares)
o I’ll confiscate your mobile phone and Game Boy. (ouch!)
o I’ll tell your parents. (only works with strict parents)
o I’ll send you to the principal. (annoys them both)

There are of course other techniques in order to make students – willingly or unwillingly – cooperate more. Here are a few ideas:
 Simple oral praise in the classroom.
 Giving a 'thumbs-up' when answering correctly.
 Stars or positive comments in workbooks or notebooks.
 For smaller groups, wall charts or whiteboard-based systems for keeping track of students' cooperation and effort (e.g. Students' names with smiley faces or ticks for positive participation, sad faces or crosses for disruptions or laziness; possible prize for the best student at the end of the term).

Although I am currently based in Thailand, I have no reason to think that lack of motivation is typically Thai. It can be found in EFL classrooms around the world. In Thailand however, the lack of motivation seems to be more ingrained and tougher to stamp out. This could be due to the no-fail policy, which ensures students graduate no matter how good or bad their English is or how lazy they are.

Also, many Thais – especially children and teenagers – don’t see any reason why they should speak English. As said before, they know a foreign teacher can’t fail them, so they feel untouchable. On top of that, many of them have absolutely no desire to go abroad or to speak to foreigners if they can avoid it. All foreign TV programmes are dubbed in Thai and cinemas provide either dubbed or subtitled versions of most films.

Although I’ve been somewhat pessimistic, I’d like to end on an optimistic note. I do think it is possible to motivate students, even in Thailand. I am certain that the enthusiasm and creativity shown by many teachers eventually rubs of on learners, well, at least to a certain extent and if not on all, then at least on some students. We teachers can only do so much. As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.

The author of this article can be contacted at philiproeland@hotmail.co.uk.
1/3/2008

Goodbye 2007, Welcome 2008

First of all, my best wishes for the New Year. I hope you all had a good time and are keen to get back to work, full of renewed energy. Personally, I’m really thankful Christmas and New Year are behind us as, apart from Songkran (the Thai New Year), it’s one of the times of the year I appreciate the least. In this column I’ll briefly look back on 2007 before making some predictions for the year that lies ahead.

I spent the final days of 2007 on Ko Chang (Elephant Island) in the Gulf of Thailand. Although I have been quite a regular visitor there over the past years, I have decided that I won’t return anymore. Without going into too much detail or being too critical, let’s just say that the place has lost most of its charm to me and that the development going on there is – in my humble opinion – not sustainable and will just turn the island into another ugly and overpriced tourist trap. Despite the advertisements claiming the opposite, Ko Chang is not a world-class destination; nor is Suwannapoom in Bangkok the best airport in the world. Come to think of it, I’d be reluctant to recommend a holiday in Thailand to friends or family nowadays.

So what happened in 2007? The main international stories of 2007 that I remember are the worldwide awakening to the fact that global warming might actually be a real threat after all, the short-lived but fierce uprising by Burmese monks and ordinary citizens fed up with their military dictators, the ongoing tragedy in Darfur, the turmoil in the financial markets leading to a global credit crunch and the first run on a bank in modern history and the tragic death of Benazir Bhutto, brutally assassinated shortly after her return to her home country. Education-wise, the collapse of Nova, the biggest English language school in Japan, deserves a mention.

Also, let’s not forget the new batch of world leaders coming to the fore in 2007 (Brown, Sarkozy, Rudd, Fukuda), Al Gore receiving a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts, and the continuing plight of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese pro-democracy icon who remains under house arrest. I suppose the war in Iraq should get a mention with its relentless suicide bombers still wreaking havoc and the rising disgruntlement of US citizens with George’s disastrous adventure, but it is clear that global interest in this seemingly endless conflict has been waning.

Although many Thais seem to think that 2007 was a bad year for their country, to me it was just business as usual. The main stories I remember were the public referendum for the new constitution (approved by 60% of the population), the run-up to the December elections and the resurrection of the defunct That Rak Thai Party under the name of the People Power Party, and the elections themselves with the aforementioned PPP as the clear winner.

There was also the ongoing slaughter in the restive South, where rebels keep killing and beheading innocent people for no apparent reason (do they really want independence?), the numerous stories about the struggling economy (although 2007 was a top year for Thai exports), the fact that schools nationwide received the authorisation to increase classroom sizes as an ill-conceived panacea for the lack of classrooms and teachers (classes can now have up to 50 students if I remember correctly, but that’s irrelevant as 30+ students in a class is already too high to get a quality education). Finally, the Jatukarn Ramathep amulet craze and the King’s brief hospitalisation kept Thais spellbound in 2007.

Many Thais had the impression that, economically, 2007 was a bad year. Although Thailand lagged behind most other ASEAN countries in terms of growth, the country’s economy still grew by about 4 per cent. I suspect the people’s unfavourable impression was especially fuelled by rising oil prices and the realisation that the government wouldn’t keep bailing out its gas-guzzling citizens and industries any longer. Thais should start waking up to the fact that global oil prices affect everyone and that the only remedy is to start economising fuel. State subsidies will not accomplish this as they are seen by most as a get-out-of-jail-free card and rather lead to an increase instead of a decrease in fuel consumption.

So far for 2007, now what about 2008? Internationally, the US presidential elections will dominate the world headlines, with a predictable win for Hillary Clinton as the first female president in US history. Other topics that will dominate international news are Pakistan and global warming.

Although global warming will continue to attract the attention it deserves, I still feel that equal efforts ought to be made to combat pollution in general and the depletion of the Earth’s natural resources if mankind is to survive the 21st century. As for Pakistan, it’s anyone’s guess what the outcome of its precarious situation will be.

For Thailand, one can only hope that the newly elected politicians will be able to form a fair and democratic government, taking into consideration the delicate situation the whole country is facing. Reconciliation between the pro- and anti-Thaksin groups will be vital, as well as bridging the gap between the wealthy and the poor with sustainable policies instead of populist hand-outs. Other priorities of the next government should include finding a solution for the unrest in the Deep South, weeding out corruption at all levels and improving and reforming education, just to name a few. I predict that few of these wishes will come true though.

For myself, I predict that I’ll stay just another year in the Land of Smiles. It seems that the longer you stay in Thailand, the more it grows on you but at the same time the more it gets to you.

The author of this article can be contacted at philiproeland@hotmail.co.uk.
1/1/2008

Using the Internet to improve your English (November 2007)

During the last few months I received several requests for advice from learners of English eager to improve their English skills. In this column, I’ll give a brief overview of possibly useful resources that can mainly be found on the Internet.

Let’s start with reading. When asked to advise students what to read, I never recommend any novels or other full-length English books to students. In my experience, students who try to read English novels often get discouraged easily, unless their level of English is really good (we’re talking upper-intermediate to advanced here). Buying an 800-page Harry Potter book is usually a complete waste of money if their English is below intermediate. Instead, I’d recommend graded readers for students keen on reading English.

Graded readers are fairly short English books – often adaptations of real English novels – suited for almost every level. Graded readers usually come in five or six levels, from starter to advanced. I included links to a few of the major publishers’ websites at the end of this article. These sites give a good overview of what’s available and offer free downloads of extra materials (stuff to be used by teachers or students who bought the books). Unfortunately, there are no free book downloads available, but not to worry, as they are very affordable compared to full novels.

Apart from graded readers which have to be purchased in real shops with real money, there are of course loads of free reading materials available online. The choice is vast, so I’ll limit myself to two of the websites I find particularly useful: www.readbangkokpost.com and www.student-weekly.com. Both provide lots of authentic articles and provide a word bank at the end of each article, so there’s no need to waste precious time looking up words in a dictionary.

On top of tons of reading materials, the Internet provides many other opportunities. To practice listening, just tune in one of the numerous Internet radio stations. The BBC News website (www.bbcnews.com) – among a plethora of others - provides lots of high-quality news reports and radio shows. This same website also provides authentic video material as well as an abundance of world news. As this is not a learning website, elementary or even pre-intermediate students might find it too difficult though. They should rather visit the part of the site dedicated to education (www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish).

Apart from the video footage available on the BBC site, there are many other sites which offer similar services – all for free. For students who prefer a US accent, once ground-breaking CNN and bigoted Fox News are just two American examples of news providers with massive content and good-quality video.

Other authentic video sources include YouTube and podcasts. Although popular YouTube with its millions of video clips offers the possibility to view and upload home-made clips, I think it has more entertainment than educational value. Podcasts – a kind of video (or audio) clip that can be downloaded and viewed off- or online - are now also widely available on the Internet. Pioneer Apple with its slick iTunes interface offers a fair selection of free podcasts; it is necessary to install the iTunes software though if you want to download and view them (make sure you have broadband as it’s a rather big download). Although podcasts are available straight from several other websites, I still enjoy the tastefully designed Apple software.

For students looking for more educational content and online courses instead of authentic materials, a myriad of websites provide free English lessons for all levels, ranging from beginner to advanced, from IELTS preparation to business English, from Pidgin English to skid row slang. Australian ABC and Australia Network for example offer very decent educational English content, entirely free. Better@English is another busy site full of useful stuff.

Although it might seem that the Internet only provides opportunities to practise passive skills (reading and listening), this is not really true. Email, instant messaging programmes, chat rooms, forums and message boards are all wonderful tools to practice writing skills in an informal manner and without the pressure of a classroom environment.

Moreover, with either an instant messaging programme and a headset or the use of an Internet telephone service (e.g. Skype) at ridiculous prices, learners can now even fine-tune conversation and telephoning skills. Why not talk to your online chat friend or give that anonymous cyber pen-friend a ring?

I could go on forever about the availability of decent material and opportunities on the Internet, but I won’t. Computer-savvy learners surely know how to use search engines to their advantage and uncover more hidden gems. Make sure to share that knowledge with others if needed.

Internet links:
www.penguinreaders.com (Penguin graded readers website)
www.macmillanenglish.com/readers (Macmillan graded readers website)
www.oup.com/elt/catalogue/general/readers (OUP graded readers website)
www.readbangkokpost.com (Bangkok Post site for learners of English)
www.bangkokpost.com (the real deal)
www.student-weekly.com (articles for learners of English)
www.bbc.co.uk/news (news, radio, video)
www.cnn.com (news and video)
www.foxnews.com (news and opinionated but good quality video)
www.youtube.com (video)
www.itunes.com (Apple iTunes podcasts)
www.podcast.net (podcasts)
www.abc.net.au/vod/education (educational part of the ABC website)
www.australianetwork.com/learnenglish
www.betteratenglish.com
www.skype.com

The author of this article can be contacted at philiproeland@hotmail.co.uk.
1/11/2007

Land of a Million Elephants (December 2007)

No, this column isn’t about Thailand, India or Africa, where elephants abound. Land of a Million Elephants, or Lan Xang in the local lingo, does not refer to the Land of Smiles as readers familiar with South-East Asia will know, but to Thailand’s northern and north-eastern neighbour Laos. Strangely enough, I’ve never seen a single elephant in Laos. In this article, I’ll give a brief account of my recent trip to this landlocked country which is far less travelled not as well-known as its Thai neighbour.

Laos, officially called Lao People’s Democratic Republic, is about half the size of Thailand - or roughly the same size of the United Kingdom - but has only 6 million inhabitants, which is only a tenth of the population of the two previously mentioned countries. It is basically one of the last remaining communist countries in the world, although various forms of free enterprise seem to be allowed nowadays. The economy is mainly based on agriculture, forestry, mining and tourism.

Contrary to visiting Thailand, which is only a package tour away for most international tourists, holidaying in Laos takes some more time and planning. Also, it isn’t (and will hopefully never be) the ideal destination for tourists seeking to stay exclusively in four or five star hotels, to have themselves pampered by masseuses on white beaches or to pursue the personal services of local ‘business’ girls, be it bar, beer, karaoke or go-go girls.

For more detailed information on this beautiful country, I suggest you just use Google and surf to the most appropriate webpage among the 3.5 million search results. I’ll limit myself here to giving information that might be useful for a short trip to Vientiane, the Laotian – or Lao – capital and Vang Vieng, a rustic rural town some 160 clicks north of Vientiane.

For would-be tourists based in Bangkok, there are a few different ways to get to Laos. With budget airlines such as Nokair and Thai AirAsia, flying to Udon Tani in the upper North-East of Thailand is now within anyone’s budget. Promotional tickets start at 3 baht (10c), but with taxes and surcharges such as fuel, weight, height, luggage, check-in, nationality and gender surcharge, cost an average of 1,500 baht (1 US dollar = 34 baht; 1 euro = 49 baht; 1 pound = 70 baht). It’s still cheap though considering they take you to Udon Tani, located about 550 km north of Bangkok and 50 km south of the Lao border. Although direct flights to Vientiane exist, flying within Thailand saves significantly on airfare, airport taxes and service charges.

From the Udon Tani airport, either use the ‘limousine service’ to the Friendship Bridge in Nong Kai (basically a small air-conditioned bus; fare 150 baht) or take a van to the local bus station to catch the convenient international bus Udon Tani – Vientiane (fare 80 baht; only do this if you have a Lao visa in advance as the bus doesn’t wait at the border). Visas can be obtained either beforehand from any Lao embassy or consulate or on arrival; visas usually grant a stay of up to 30 days and can be extended. The visa on arrival will take approximately 20 minutes to process at the border checkpoint and cost between 20 and 42 US dollar. The Chinese are happy campers while Canadians have the right to look sour-faced. Most other nationalities pay between 30 and 35 dollars (or the equivalent in baht). Make sure to have a passport photo handy.

Another straightforward, but less comfortable way to get to Vientiane is taking an overnight bus to the Thai border town of Nong Kai. Buses departing from Morchit bus station cost between 350 baht for a second-class A/C bus to 700 baht for a 24-seater VIP bus. It’s always a good idea to pay a little bit extra to make the 8 to 10 hour journey more agreeable. Alternatively, people with lots of spare time might ‘city-hop’ to the border, visiting the main tourist attractions of - in my opinion - rather dull cities such as Nakon Ratchasima, Kon Kaen and Udon Tani along the way.

For more detailed travel information, just visit one of the thousands of travel forums or tourist websites available online – or go with the flow, as travel should be partly a personal discovery, instead of just retracing someone else’s footsteps.

Once you’ve crossed into Laos, you are still twenty odd kilometres away from the capital. If you came without using the international bus, dilapidated, metre-less taxis, private or public tuk-tuks (the smaller ones are called jumbos, the bigger ones Skylabs) or public buses can get you there. Don’t be afraid to bargain, but remember that the price of petrol has gone up markedly lately. Don’t think that because Laos is poorer than Thailand, it will consequently be cheaper to travel. Like Cambodia, it’s not; it’s even slightly more expensive (less cheap is actually more appropriate).

Accommodation in the Lao capital ranges from the very cheap to the expensive. Five dollars might still get you a dorm bed or sleazy room in a grotty guest house, while credit cards are probably a must in Don Chan Palace, the one and only five-star hotel in the country. There are lots of options in between these two extremes; just walk around the small city centre and look around.

Now what is there to see and do once you’re in Vientiane? Actually, the capital of Laos is a very laidback place, quite the opposite form the hustle and bustle of mega-Bangkok. It is similar to a provincial Thai city and lacks high-rise buildings. Traffic jams are also an unknown phenomenon in this city. Although Laotians do enjoy the comfort of a modern car, many cannot afford one and get around by motorbike. When travelling in Vientiane, there is always a whiff of a two-stroke engine’s exhaust in the air. Similar to their Thai neighbours, locals don’t seem to enjoy the pleasure of pedalling a bicycle, although the absence of heavy traffic makes for fair and enjoyable riding conditions.

Bicycles as well as motorbikes can be rented along the Mekong River and are ideal to explore the fringes of the city. For sightseeing in the city centre, all one needs is a good pair of walking shoes. Compared to five years ago, most roads are now nicely paved and even sport pavements and a bunch of new traffic signs. Potholes no longer threaten the lives of bikers and hikers alike.

The main attractions of Vientiane are its temples and its unhurried atmosphere. Just walk or cycle around the city centre to discover these hidden beauties. Wat Si Saket and Ho Pra Kaew are probably the most interesting temples within the small city centre. Admission price is a mere 5,000 kip for foreigners (1 US dollar = 9500 kip, 1 euro = 13000 kip, 1 pound = 18000 kip). Apart from these, there are plenty more where entrance is free.

Other interesting sites in Vientiane include Patuxai, the Lao version of the French Arc de Triomphe and That Luang, the most important national temple and pride of the country. Just rent a bicycle or put on your walking boots to get there. Take a tuk-tuk if it’s a hot day or if you’re handicapped. When temple-fatigue sets in, just wander along the banks of the Mekong River and indulge in some local food and drink. Beer Lao, fruit shakes or fresh coconut juice as well as nice local food can be found anywhere at very moderate prices.

Nightlife in Laos isn’t particularly exciting, but that has never bothered me or stopped me from visiting. With a midnight closing time for all entertainment venues, there are no opportunities for all-night drinking sessions or other debauchery, which is exactly what the Lao government intended when they implemented this so-called curfew. The most popular tourist haunts still seem to be Kobchai Deu Bar & Restaurant near Namphu Fountain, Samlor Pub which offers live football and the string of restaurants and beer gardens along the Mekong. There are a number of discos and nightclubs on the road to the airport, but these are primarily a deafening Lao affair.

Seeing Vientiane can be done in just one or two days. If you’re fed up quickly, the most interesting site outside the city is probably Buddha Park, a green area full of Buddha statues and sculptures near the Friendship Bridge, some 25 kilometres east of Vientiane. Take either a local bus from the Morning Market bus station or rent a motorbike to get there. Don’t forget to take your camera if you’re a photo aficionado. Laos offers plenty of marvellous photo opportunities. In Vientiane however, you sometimes just have to go the extra mile to find them. Remember that the best time to take great pictures is usually early morning or late afternoon, when the sunlight isn’t too harsh, so even late or hung-over risers need not despair.

If you’re not into city trips, Vientiane can be the stepping stone to a relaxing stay in Vang Vieng, a small town 160 kilometres north of the capital which is on every backpacker’s itinerary. The main draws of this insignificant town are probably the fact that it’s fairly far from modern civilisation (although there are several Internet cafes), the abundant possibilities it offers for relaxation and its laidback – even dormant – atmosphere.

What most people do when they end up in Vang Vieng, which lies at the banks of the small Nam Song River and is surrounded by breathtaking mountains, is going tubing, kayaking, caving, cycling, hiking, sunbathing or swimming in the fast-streaming and shallow river. Other less adventurous options include just sitting along the banks of the river drinking Beer Lao, watching endless reruns of Friends in one of the ubiquitous restaurants or getting high on illegal substances (remember that penalties are harsh when caught).

Accommodation in this small town is cheap and plentiful. Guesthouses are everywhere and charge as little as 3 dollars per night. Better rooms with A/C and hot water (depending on the season you might need either or both) cost a fistful of dollars more. My premium room at the Gran View Hotel on the riverbank came with A/C, hot water and a splendid vista of the river and mountains, and set me back fifteen greenbacks (only ten dollars for similar rooms without the view).

Getting to Vang Vieng is quite straightforward. Just book a ticket for a tourist bus or van at a guest house or travel agent (6 dollars, 4 hours); go to the Morning Market bus station and take a public bus (2.5 dollars, 28 hours); go to the pickup (songtaew or shared taxi) station west of the airport (2.5 dollars, 4 hours); or rent a dirt bike near Mekong River and design their own road trip.

Although this article only focused on Vientiane and Vang Vieng, there are many more interesting places to visit in this welcoming country. Quiet and colonial Luang Prabang (with airport) in the North and remote and relaxing Si Pan Don or Four Thousand Islands (fortunately without airport), in the South are rapidly becoming tourist hotspots. Although they are not exactly off the beaten track anymore, these places are still relatively unspoilt and definitely merit a visit before they become overrun by hordes of airborne tourists. Don’t forget to enjoy the serenity and beauty of the country and turn of your phone for a really relaxing stay. Also, even though the most rural places now seem to offer Internet access, checking your email account twice a day or updating your blog, or Facebook webpage with stories and pictures can really wait a couple of days. Stress and rat race are words which aren’t part of the Lao vocabulary.

The author of this article can be contacted at philiproeland@hotmail.co.uk.
1/12/2007

An Inconvenient Truth (September 2007)

I watched the Academy Award-winning movie ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ with Al Gore on DVD the other day. Although I was bit skeptical at first about the much-hyped tree-hugging flick, originally released in 2006, I was pleasantly surprised and didn’t get bored for a minute – quite on the contrary.

The film is based on the slide show American ex-vice President Al Gore has been giving around the globe since he lost his bid for the US presidency in 2000. Although he had been an environmental advocate long before that traumatic experience, it seems that quitting politics has only fuelled his determination to make the whole world aware of global warming.

Instead of spoiling the plot for potential viewers, I can only do what Al asked me to do: encourage others to watch his movie. You won’t get bored and might even learn a bit more about the dangers of global warming.

Although I personally think there are more and other dangers threatening our planet’s future and our very own survival - such as pollution in general, overpopulation, nuclear warfare, etc. – global warming is certainly one of them and people should be aware of its potentially destructive nature.

Even if it’s too late to stop the Earth from warming up – after all, we have been burning fossil fuels for a long time as if there’s no tomorrow – viewers will get a better understanding of the phenomenon and hopefully change their lifestyles and attitudes. Even if it doesn’t stop global warming, at least it will reduce pollution and the destruction of natural resources.

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Although little seems to be done to combat global warming and pollution in Thailand, it’s not that nobody cares. In her last birthday speech, Queen Sirikit herself urged the Thai population and government to take the utmost care of the environment. She was especially worried about the worsening pollution in the South, the illegal logging of pristine forests nationwide by unscrupulous and greedy individuals and the sad condition of the once majestic Chao Praya River, now on its way to becoming an open sewer due to uncontrolled dumping of waste water and dangerous chemicals by numerous factories.

As if the environment only matters when the Queen says so, a day later several government agencies and officials vowed to combat illegal logging, pollution and encroachment of national parks and reserves. As if they shouldn’t have been doing this all along - bunch of hypocritical sycophants.

Her husband, King Bumibon, wholeheartedly agreed and pointed the finger accusingly at large-scale logging operations – both legal and illegal – as the prime culprit for the recurring flash floods in the North of the country. Although the highly venerated King and the Queen have often iterated their concern over the environment, both government agencies in charge of enforcing the law and potential perpetrators seem to quickly forget their promises, the latter often even colluding with members of the former in order to get rich quickly and ensure the destruction of the environment. Let’s just hope the Queen’s wishes come true and that these mafia-style tycoons redeem themselves (‘Fat chance! ‘ is what cynical readers now say or think).

Bangkok had its own initiative to reduce global warming a few months ago. Governor Apirak called on everyone to switch off non-essential lights from 7 to 7.15 pm one weekday evening. This small-scale, almost insignificant campaign supposedly decreased the amount of CO2 or carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by a staggering 143 tonnes.

I must admit that I'm a bit of a sceptic when it comes to believing news reports about reducing global warming, especially when they mention these mind-blowing figures. I always wonder where and how they get their numbers. Does turning off the lights for a mere 15 minutes in a big city really cause such an important reduction? I mean, 143 tonnes is not a small amount.

For a non-scientist like me, it's hard to compare something as esoteric as CO2 in the atmosphere to anything tangible, but if these carbon dioxide particles were solid matter, they'd fill about seven 20-tonne trucks. Now that’s a huge amount of black dust I you ask me. By the way, I’ve no clue whatsoever as to what colour CO2 is supposed to be, but I have this idea that it’s black, ugly and dangerous (I’m sure some science geek will email me to say it’s really transparent or white). So if this insignificant urban gesture does that much good, why don’t we turn off the lights a bit more often?

Similarly, I guess it would be an equally good idea to replace all the ancient buses that still run all around the city. As you may know, I'm referring to the probably more than 40-year old, smoke-belching monsters that are still omnipresent in modern-day Bangkok. They are predominantly red (big buses) and green (minibuses), although other colours exist. Keeping them from the streets or replacing them with new buses would definitely have an enormously positive effect on the air quality in Bangkok and at the same time combat global warming. If there are hundreds of billions of baht available to build new Skytrain and underground routes (an initiative I totally support), then surely there must be some money left to buy new buses? Why wait any longer?

Also in Bangkok, a solar-powered petrol station opened its doors on August 1 in the centre of Bangkok. Three hundred solar panels mounted on its roof provide electricity for the fuel pumps. Although it’s a very good start, all the hype and fanfare accompanying the opening seemed to have overlooked a few more sobering facts. First, the solar panels can only generate 10 per cent of the electricity the petrol station needs – the remainder being provided by the regular electricity grid. Second, the company has no plans to open more solar-operated stations, given the relatively high installation and operating costs. Finally, I don’t think that many motorists care. Anyway, it’s a very good initiative. Let’s hope the price of photovoltaic cells comes down soon and urge the government to give some incentives to green companies.

To end with more upbeat news concerning our endangered Mother Earth, I have noticed that many of the newer passenger vans operating in and around Bangkok run on NGV (natural gas for vehicles), thereby joining the huge fleet of taxis that ply the streets and expressways of the capital. Have business operators become aware that saving energy and reducing CO2 emissions is vital for the long-term survival of the planet? Maybe so, although the lower cost of NGV – which sells at about a third of the price of diesel - could be the determining factor for choosing to go green on the road. Don’t let it spoil the fun.

Should you wonder what I have done personally to keep the Earth cool, I can announce that I am the proud owner of two sets of rechargeable batteries and that I haven’t used the lift in my apartment building since January this year. Although the initial price of rechargeable batteries is significantly higher than disposables, they make an excellent and environmental-friendly investment in the long run. Also, Thailand doesn’t seem to have a system in place to pick up or recycle dangerous waste such as batteries, so they used ones probably just end up in a landfill. As for running up and down six flights of stairs every day, I just consider it free exercise.

That’s it for this month. If you have any tips or suggestions yourself, don’t hesitate to send them to me. Just to remind you, if you haven’t done so already, don’t forget to rent the ‘Inconvenient Truth’ movie and watch it. Ninety minutes of guaranteed entertainment. If the video store isn’t too far from your house (this probably means less than 5 km for most people and less than 200m for Thais), you could walk or cycle. Burning fat apparently doesn’t contribute to global warming.

The author of this article can be contacted at philiproeland@hotmail.co.uk.
1/9/2007

Sightseeing in Bangkok (October 2007)

I did some sightseeing in and around Bangkok lately and I’ll share some of my impressions and experiences with you readers in this month’s column.

Although I had already seen it, I revisited the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Pra Kaew) in the historic centre of the capital on Rattanakosin island; it’s conveniently located within walking distance of Khao San Road, the city’s backpacker ghetto which seems to be modernising rapidly.

The Grand Palace and the temple are open from early morning to early afternoon (8.30 to 3.30 pm). I have to admit I’m not completely sure of the hours, but I do remember that they don’t close for lunch. Admission is 250 baht for foreigners, free for Thais. Make sure to dress properly or you won’t get in. Shorts and sleeveless shirts are a definite no-no; the rules for footwear have apparently been relaxed as even flip-flops are admitted nowadays. If you’re not properly dressed, you can rent some decent attire inside the palace grounds. It is never closed, so don’t believe anyone who tells you otherwise unless you want to become the victim of a scam.

Tourists visiting the Grand Palace often do so with a guide. However, there is really no need to, as individual tourists can now sign up for two free daily tours, at 10 am and 1.30 pm. I went on the morning one with a local guide called Geoffrey whose English was quite good and easy to understand, which is not always a given in the Land of Smiles. The tour lasted about an hour and a quarter and was completely free; many of the sightseers however – and there were about a dozen – did give Geoff a tip; to his credit, he didn’t ask for one.

Just a word of advice for the tourists who want to see everything in detail: once the guided group left the compound of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha to go to the Grand Palace, there was no return possible. If you want to photograph everything in detail or spend more time in the temple complex, it’s a good idea to go early, go around on your own, take pictures and then join the free tour. This will give you more time to enjoy your 250 baht entrance fee.

After the temple sightseeing I was hungry and thirsty and made my way to Khao San Road for lunch. As I walked along the Chao Praya, I saw a new and very nice restaurant where I had a decent masaman curry. I was pricier than on the main drag, but still very reasonable. Although I also wanted to see Wat Pho, I was already knackered so I put that off for the following week.

Wat Pho is located just behind the Grand Palace and it’s one of the nicest temples in Bangkok. Main attraction inside the temple grounds is the huge Reclining Buddha. It rests in one of the main buildings and is quite difficult to capture in just one snapshot. There is one main entrance for foreigners in this particular building. Thais can also enter it on the side (look for the sign: for Thai people only). Don’t forget to take off your shoes before entering; there are lots of pigeon holes where you can keep them and a donation box for the visitors feeling generous. There was a separate shoe storage area for Thais (again with a sign: for Thais only). Admission to Wat Pho is a very reasonable 50 baht for foreigners (and probably free for Thais as the admission prices were in English only).

I have to admit that at this point I was getting a bit annoyed with the Thai system of apartheid. Isn’t every man equal in the Land of Smiles? Shouldn’t this be reflected in the admission prices? I’ll get back to this later. Also, do Thai feet and shoes smell like roses? Is that the reason why they can’t be stored together with the tourists’ untouchable shoes? Is it because Thais don’t like queuing that they need a separate entrance?

Other tourist attractions I visited lately include Dusit Zoo and the Ancient City. The zoo is a nice and relaxing oasis of green, conveniently located in the centre of overcrowded Bangkok and although it isn’t a world-class zoo, it’s definitely worth a visit. Foreigners pay 100 baht to get in, Thais 50 baht.

The Ancient City or Muang Boran as it is called in Thai, is on the outskirts of the capital and takes a longer journey to get there. High rollers can go by taxi all the way, which would probably cost around 300 baht from the city centre. I wouldn’t recommend public transport all the way because there is no direct bus and you might end up losing a lot of time, but if you take a bus to Bangna, you’re a 100 to 150 baht taxi ride away from it.

The Ancient City is a big park in the shape of Thailand where replicas of all major tourist attractions – mainly temples and ruins - of the whole Kingdom have been built. It’s an excellent way for people staying in Bangkok for just a couple of nights – or anyone else not knowing what to do and looking for an interesting day trip (like me) - to see what Thailand has to offer. The best way to get around this vast park is by bicycle. Unfortunately, private cars are allowed into the park, meaning that the only people I saw cycling were foreigners, whereas Thais were merrily polluting the air driving around in their air-conditioned vehicles. The entrance fee is 300 baht for foreigners and 100 baht for Thais. Rental fee for bicycles: 50 baht for both Thais and aliens.

Perceptive readers might have noticed the dual pricing system that is often used in Thailand. Some also call it double pricing or price discrimination, although the former often doesn’t even come close to describing the practice accurately. Thailand is not the only country in the world to do it, but in my opinion that doesn’t really justify it. Tourists don’t like it and long-term expats hate it. It’s often labelled unfair and backward; some would even call it government-backed, daylight robbery.

Personally, I sometimes don’t really care about paying more. I don’t mind shelling out a fistful of baht to see Bangkok’s amazing temples or a fistful of dollars to see Cambodia’s world-famous Angkor Wat temples or Peru’s breathtaking Machu Picchu. I do object, however, to give another Thai example, to paying 400 baht (about $12) to enter a Thai national park where there is often nothing more to see than lots of trees and a pitiful waterfall.

In 2006, tourist entry fees for national parks were doubled to 400 baht whereas prices for locals remained unchanged at 20 baht. You read that correctly, foreigners now have to pay twenty times more than locals to go tree-hugging. Instead of raking in more tourist dollars, I wouldn’t be surprised if overall entry fees actually went down in 2007.

It can get even worse for unsuspecting tourists if they use transportation such as tuk-tuks or private taxis, book daytrips with unscrupulous travel agents or go to restaurants in some touristy areas. Operators of said services aren’t averse to charging unsuspecting foreigners a multiple of the regular price.

What bugs me most about the above-mentioned tourist scams is that both TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) and police are more than aware of them, but seem unwilling to do anything to stop these malpractices. It’s about time authorities realised that letting dual pricing continue and not putting a stop to scams is more damaging to Thailand than they think. As people are usually more inclined to share stories about bad experiences than good ones, keeping these practices alive tarnishes Thailand's image worldwide. Instead of remembering Thailand as the Land of Smiles, tourists might think of it as the Land-where-you-get-ripped-off-with-a-smile and never come back again.

Finally, if Thailand really wants to join the club of civilised nations, isn't it time they outlawed the dual pricing system? Thailand is a very popular tourist destination, so there must be a lot more creative and satisfying ways to make tourists spend more money. By the way, how would Thai tourists feel if they were asked to pay a double, triple or even higher entrance fee to the Eiffel Tower or the London Zoo? If Thais have enough money to travel to far-away lands, they must surely be rich, so they should pay a lot more than locals, no?

Even though most Thais defend the policy with the flawed argument that ‘all foreigners are rich’, many seem to realise it is unfair to use price discrimination. Why else would operators and ticket booths use the rarely used (and to tourists undecipherable) Thai numbers for entry fees for locals and ordinary (Arabic) numbers for tourists?

I do hope readers aren’t put off by this inconvenient Thai truth and still visit the aforementioned attractions because they are worth it. The Grand Palace and Wat Pho are must-see attractions, while the Ancient City and the zoo still offer fairly good value for money, especially if your wallet is full of tourist dollars.

The author of this article can be contacted at philiproeland@hotmail.co.uk.
1/10/2007