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MothraAttack posted:Looks like there was a really nasty bus crash on the Bangkok to Roi Et route today. I keep telling myself I'll stop taking night buses. EDIT: Oh, this is that crash. The future in-laws were stuck in traffic for hours heading back to Saraburi and said something about a big crash. On top of the obvious human tragedy (19 dead, 22 injured) Saraburi is a massive industrial area that's under heavy road construction and it marks a huge highway interchange - and today is the last day of a 4 day holiday weekend. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 16:38 on Jul 23, 2013 |
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Jul 23, 2013 16:35
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Sheep-Goats posted:Flood Palestine with Thai people, fix Middle East. http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/israel-and-palestine/100528/foreign-workers-israel Hell, Ariel Sharon had to take a trip to India, back before he was a vegetable, to ask the Indian government to crack down on drugs because too many former Israeli soldiers escaping the PTSD inducing horrors of military service were coming back as drug addicts which was straining the medical system. Also, Jesus Christ, is the minimum wage in Thailand really 300 baht a day?
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Jul 23, 2013 16:38
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I think it's still 260 Baht in a number of provinces, but I could be wrong. The ruling party that promised upping it to 300 Baht delayed implementation in some major provinces because all their rich friends complained about having to pay their maids $10 a day. It may be fully implemented now, though, I don't know. I think it was probably more down to the wage increases coinciding with the government ineptitude-caused floods resulting in major local industry and multinationals all saying, "Hey, we're just out of pocket aggregate tens of millions of dollars rebuilding factories and now you want to raise minimum wages too?" Of course the wealthy will complain at ANY wage hike, but I think the government was more sensitive because they basically caused the floods and those floods had caused huge domestic and international problems. Note: minimum wage may not apply to Rohingya fishermen. On the topic of Thais in Israel, the Thai scuttlebutt on that topic is that while traditionally the Thais were a massive source of cheap ag labor, the Thais and Israelis both got cold feet because the drug problems were getting out of hand. Israel's a massive hub of either manufacture or shipping of ecstasy, ice and so on and Thai people are the big conduit for opiates traditionally, when the other Burmese neighbors aren't available to help. I think it probably had a much to do with the huge influx of Russians into that world in Israel, but that's a total shot in the dark guess. Misha Glenny's McMafia changed my worldview on these things. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 16:46 on Jul 23, 2013 |
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Jul 23, 2013 16:42
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politicorific posted:Also, Jesus Christ, is the minimum wage in Thailand really 300 baht a day? Yup. I used to hang out at this super divey bar in Sam Phran, so I talked to all types. Even guys that work in the government with good jobs have a starting salary of 10k baht per month.
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Jul 23, 2013 18:24
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If you work for the central government or an in-need branch, you'll also get full scholarships to go study overseas for undergrad and masters before coming home to about 15K a month, so imagine what that feels like. Congrats on your top-tier US administration degree, here's $450 a month. I mean, granted, a very livable wage here for starters is about 20K a month, with 25K being the bottom-end for "good money," but that doesn't exactly equate to livable in Norway, heh. It's always difficult explaining corruption, to the extent that I understand it, back home, but when cops make in the range of a few hundred a month and have to pay for their own uniforms, guns, motorcycles and so on (and housing if they don't get a police housing unit) it doesn't exactly bend the mind understanding how it happens. Here's your gun and badge, go serve the public trust with this organization that has a decades long history of running corruption throughout the country. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 18:44 on Jul 23, 2013 |
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Jul 23, 2013 18:41
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Chair Huxtable posted:Yup. I used to hang out at this super divey bar in Sam Phran, so I talked to all types. Even guys that work in the government with good jobs have a starting salary of 10k baht per month. Did you ask them about their bonuses? A lot of Thai companies have a structure where the stated salary is really low (like 18kB a month or whatever) but once a year they get a "bonus" of eight to ten MONTHS of pay. This probably exists to get around taxation and to avoid paying out bonuses occasionally but I really don't know the reason and am just guessing. Also for a lot of governmental positions there's a non-negligible amount of graft income that comes in. I've heard conversations before that went like "It cost me 250,000B to get the job for my sister but she will be able to pay that back in a year or two no problem from the other money coming in" for jobs with seemingly very low salaries but with some kind of regulatory oversight. politicorific posted:Also, Jesus Christ, is the minimum wage in Thailand really 300 baht a day? A lot of the immigrant workers don't even get that much. This is especially true on the islands, rooftops, construction yards and gardens of Thailand. My very nice Burmese tour guide worked 12 hour days giving tours on a boat and was probably paid 200B a day and shared a bungalow with other Burmese workers in an inland part of the island. I once read a story about a 50 year old Burmese lady who was a maid and who dreaded the daily task of carrying buckets of water (two five gallon buckets at once on one of those shoulder pole things) up a short bamboo ladder on a Bangkok roof to water her employer's plants that he kept up there to make the roof pretty. She would go up the ladder like it was steps so she could use her hands to steady the water bucket carrying device. It took her several trips because of the amount of water the plants required and this had to be done every day or the plants would start dying off. I believe she was paid 150B a day and had a 16 year old she was taking care of back at her home in the slums. When I lived in Bangkok the basic minimum consensus barely tolerable salary among Thais seemed to be about 8,000B a month. Now it's probably about 10k. This kind of salary had you living several people to an apartment likely without AC, a non-3G cell phone, and eating a lot of street food. You would often stay in and drink Chang beer on the floor for fun, watch soap operas, and if you went out it was usually with 8-10 friends who would purchase a bottle of Johnny Walker Red and some soda water for the group (or, more likely, the richest person in the group would do this). Seeing an 80B movie was basically an equivalent expense to them as a 13 dollar movie is to us. raton fucked around with this message at 19:20 on Jul 23, 2013 |
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Jul 23, 2013 19:04
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The going rate for eight hours of Burmese day labor in Tak is about 100 baht per day. edit: That's sounds like I'm doing it, so this is what others have told me.
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Jul 24, 2013 02:56
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It really gives you pause about just how desperate things are in many of the surrounding countries, comparatively, when you see how migrant laborers here live and Burma's ethnic splits and historical pogroms (is that the right word?) have resulted in the various groups there getting the worst of it, though the Khmer get a fair share of poo poo, especially along the Eastern seaboard where they're treated like slaves in fisheries and on boats such. MothraAttack, what are the ethnic breakdowns of the actual migrant workers in Thailand, if you know? Not just people living in tin shacks building condos, but waiters and maids and sex workers and all of it. I assume the Burman (Burmese?) ethnic majority account for the least in comparison to the percentage of the population they constitute over there, but I have no idea. I'm sure there aren't exact counts, but I'm guessing there are estimates.
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Jul 24, 2013 04:41
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ReindeerF posted:It's always difficult explaining corruption, to the extent that I understand it, back home, but when cops make in the range of a few hundred a month and have to pay for their own uniforms, guns, motorcycles and so on (and housing if they don't get a police housing unit) it doesn't exactly bend the mind understanding how it happens. Here's your gun and badge, go serve the public trust with this organization that has a decades long history of running corruption throughout the country. I used to live by a police housing block. It was basically a slum built in the same style as the Din Daeng housing blocks. Probably the worst housing I've seen in Bangkok besides canal shacks.
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Jul 24, 2013 04:46
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Yeah, they vary by location, but are never nice. I lived next to one too and it was just a giant white concrete cell blocks all faded and old. Some others down in Khlong Toey and over by Rama IV that I ran through a lot are pretty much the same. Not hideous, but not fancy. If their reputation for alcohol fueled domestic issues is true (and I certainly run across my fair share of cops sitting around tables with bottles of Hong Thong in the afternoon while out jogging) then it can't be a great environment to live in.
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Jul 24, 2013 04:56
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Haha, there was one improvised, open-air hangout in the housing block that was occupied every hour of every day by at least a few motosais and cops drinking the good stuff and watching soap operas on a 12" box TV.
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Jul 24, 2013 05:28
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Is there an agreement on what the best way to handle the Vietnamese tourist visa online is and am I screwed with only 2 weeks left
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Jul 24, 2013 08:49
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politicorific posted:Also, Jesus Christ, is the minimum wage in Thailand really 300 baht a day? I was at a tea plantation at Doi Masalong not too long ago, they were telling me they paid tribes (or mountain?) people 10baht per kilo of picking tea leaves  And that is why we have cheap tea at costco folks..
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Jul 24, 2013 09:33
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/\/\/\ Yeah, ag is just a different world. It's not regulated, there's no minimum wage, no one pays taxes and it all happens in the middle of nowhere. Up until the food and livestock hits the conglomerates, the people (farmers, farmhands, millers, etc) don't come into contact with the formal economy. It's like the most exploitable field around. DontAskKant posted:Is there an agreement on what the best way to handle the Vietnamese tourist visa online is and am I screwed with only 2 weeks left You're free to use this for your autobiography, without copyright concerns. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 10:11 on Jul 24, 2013 |
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Jul 24, 2013 10:08
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Sheep-Goats posted:Did you ask them about their bonuses? Interesting information, and some things start to make a lot more sense. I always wondered how they managed nights out drinking in the bar (even though it was a dive, bottle service still costs money). I always just figured that one of the randoms at the table who didn't speak a word of English had a better job and sprung for the group. I kind of miss that bar. People always wanted to share and have others join in with them. It's a stark contrast to the bars in Chumphon or Trat where everyone more or less kept to their own groups.
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Jul 24, 2013 10:26
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I enjoyed a night in Trat, but man was that one sleepy loving town. On the bonus thing, it also plays out how you might imagine, with a wave of resignations immediately after bonus time. "Oh, okay, so where will you go?" "I go to stay my family in Lampang." Most Thai families tend to be multigenerational, though this doesn't apply well to migrant labor or the dispossessed or just the flat busted. Still, one of the reasons all of this adds up is that people live at home until they're married and anyone who is, let's say, upper lower class and above will chuck money up the chain, but doesn't pay daily for food and housing and so on. As well, transportation in Bangkok on certain bus lines (quite a few) is free, trains are (always?) free in 3rd class for Thai people and larger businesses, especially industrial estates, will run a bus route. Maids typically live with families, construction workers live on site, cousins move to the city together, brothers move to live with sisters and so on. I'm not suggesting this all makes everything rosy, but it kind of helps understand how someone making 300 Baht a day at 20 years old can manage to eke out an existence where if you picture it in your own life in most Western cities it would be 100% absolutely impossible, no questions asked. I know most people reading that here know this. Society is just structured totally differently here. But, not to worry, the US and many other Western countries seem excited to return to the heady days of gutted (or no) welfare systems and multi-generational households, so everyone can live the dream soon! ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 11:12 on Jul 24, 2013 |
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Jul 24, 2013 11:08
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DontAskKant posted:Is there an agreement on what the best way to handle the Vietnamese tourist visa online is and am I screwed with only 2 weeks left I don't think you're screwed but email one of the visa on arrival companies to ask!!
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Jul 24, 2013 12:34
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Play posted:I don't think you're screwed but email one of the visa on arrival companies to ask!! Woo 4 days in the hanoi airport then 5 in the saigon airport. Now that's a good time.
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Jul 24, 2013 13:08
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Trang Trip Report: Sleepy, naturally beautiful provincial capital that has a bunch of kickass food. It's so weird when you get down that far, because it's like being in Penang or something, with roasted pigs everywhere and dim sum breakfast joints and hokkien mee and all that stuff. Then, of course, you have all that really spicy, salty curries that the Southerners do. Also, red tables and chairs everywhere, endless old wooden shops with Chinese writing everywhere, marble-top wooden tables with old men drinking tea. I often get pissy that this kind of food is basically impossible to find in Bangkok. Sure, you can get it, but it's rarely good, or nearly as good (and the grilled whole pig up here simply doesn't compare). Locally famous restaurants include Chieu Dam for fried noodles and old school Chinese moo daeng and what not as well as Richy for high-end versions of local and general Thai cuisine (try the yum ma phrao moo yang and their take on khua kling) - then about 15 more places I never found the names of. Also, the market for typically awesome Muslim fried chicken and stuff like that. As for activities, there's the treetop trail botanical garden stuff, the "adventure" tour thing where they take you paddling through the sea caves and what not. If you just like biking and running, too, there are endless rubber plantations and trails. Like most of that part of Thailand, it's lush, green, has those rocky outcroppings jutting out of the jungle and it's 10000% humidity all day long. Trang is also a big departure point for all those remote Southern Islands that people often go to Hat Yai to get to, like Koh Lipe and Koh Turatao and the rest. Summary: Maybe if you're going to head down south to the Southernmost Thai islands, grab the Air Asia or Nok Air flight to Trang instead of Hat Yai and spend a day there checking it out. Like Chanthaburi, it's worth a day at least, and you have 100% less chance of exploding! Pro Tip: Do not go during a national Buddhist alcohol-free holiday during Ramadan if you plan to grab a beer at the end of the day. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 13:22 on Jul 24, 2013 |
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Jul 24, 2013 13:09
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I'm trying to figure out a destination for a next diving holiday. I'm a single traveller so I'd like somewhere with a good atmosphere for meeting people (bars/restaurants near or in diving schools, some backpackers around). I've found the following destinations to choose from: - Going back to the Gili's. God I loved it there, but I kind of want to see some new places as well. - Perhentian islands in Malaysia. Seems like a good backpacker scene and good diving. Also easy to combine with some more places in Malaysia and Thailand I haven't been yet. If really poo poo I can always escape to Koh Tao  - Koh Chang (or Koh Kood/Koh Mak). Diving seems to be good, but the islands seem to be full of (family) resorts, not an ideal destination for someone alone. I'd appreciate any advice, or destinations I should look into.
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Jul 24, 2013 13:36
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Koh Chang has a few bungalow resorts for backpackers. Surrounded by tattoo parlors and bars. Can't really say if it is better or worse than other islands because that's the only Thai island I've been to.
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Jul 24, 2013 14:26
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ReindeerF posted:This is true, heh. Every time I get some shared post from a friend that's originally by a Thai female it's got at least one leering comment by some skeevy dude. I know it's all creepy, but the worst is the 60+ guy who always has a profile pic of him with Nan from Nong Khai that says, "u look hot babe" or something. I got lucky because all of my Thai friends kind of went to college with me. When my one friend comes to visit I swear we can't go anywhere without a guy trying to hit on her outrageously. Their facebooks' however are pretty clean since the vast majority of their white friends went to college with them. The girl in my tiger photo is from Myanmar btw, its a vacation pic. 
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Jul 24, 2013 19:21
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Hey there, been lurking in this thread for quite a while, flying to SE Asia for the first time for 7 weeks tomorrow. I think I've read a couple of pages ago that some of you guys have contacts with dive centers/instructors on Koh Tao? I wanted to do my PADI Advance there (haven't been scuba diving since my Open Water course two years ago) and was wondering if maybe one you could hook me up with a special offer or something? Leaving for Bangkok again to catch a flight to Cambodia on Aug 19 (unfortunately I'll miss out on the Full Moon Party, maybe next time), so I'll most likely be there from Aug 11-18 or so. Anyway, I thought it couldn't hurt to ask. Quite excited for this trip oh, and a general visa question for Thailand "For those who do not require a visa, stays are restricted to a max. of 90 days within any 6 month period. This also applies to those granted an initial stay of 30 days, wishing to extend their stay. One photo will be required for extension application. Stays exceeding the 90 days within any 6 month period may also be possible." as a EU citizen I don't require a visa for the first 30 days, can I re-enter Thailand after my first initial stay of 30 days without having to pay for a tourist visa? ^ is that picture above from Wat Pa Luang Ta Bua (Tiger Temple)? I'm strongly considering going to Kanchanaburi after the first few days of Bangkok ah, thanks for clarifying this @ReindeerF Hasardeur fucked around with this message at 23:37 on Jul 24, 2013 |
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Jul 24, 2013 22:20
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As usual, Thailand makes its visa situation as complicated as possible by A) having lots of rules and B) enforcing none of them and C) okay maybe we enforce now and D) okay but sort of but not same your country but can but not do and take care. I believe you're fine, yes. You can stamp in as many times as you want in a row for eternity (as of now) and they won't care. Stamps you receive at the airport are good for 30 days, counting the day of entry and stamps at land borders are good for 15 days, counting the day of entry. All the "90 days within 6 months" type regulations were only ever enforced during a very brief period immediately after they were passed years ago as far as I know. If this has changed recently, I haven't heard about it.
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Jul 24, 2013 23:12
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Hasardeur posted:
I've been to the tiger temple and that picture is almost certainly from there. When I was there they had two baby tigers you could play with -- a few years later Wild Boyz came out (Jackass but with wild animals, one of the great TV shows from 2000-2010) and Wee Man was playing with the same two tiger cubs but they were considerably larger. If you go don't wear red (the tigers were preternaturally obsessed with anything clad in red) and take a songtaew there from Kanchanaburi -- I drove my own motosai and it's both a little too far for that and a bit hard to find, I would have missed it had it not been for a gregarious and helpful monk.
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Jul 24, 2013 23:55
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My friend cannot company me for the weekend in Jarkata, so I have to figure out what to do in this huge city. I am going to see the cathedral and mosque, but that will be only for one afternoon. Any other recommendation? Or is there any attraction outside the city? I have 3 days and there is a volcano in the south apparently, is it worth going?
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Jul 25, 2013 02:23
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Well that was weird https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91Yj9-Y8tMk
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Jul 25, 2013 03:37
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At the moment, I am looking at the thousands islands in the north if Jakarta. I've checked some home stay packages on the island but they all request at least 2 passengers. Any goon wants to join me for a weekend getaway?
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Jul 25, 2013 04:17
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Sheep-Goats posted:Well that was weird Thai people have some serious sportsmanship issues lol. Reminds me of the international soccer game they had where the one guy just kept intentionally delaying the game.
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Jul 25, 2013 05:07
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Heading to HCM on Friday night from Siem Reap. How hellish is the border crossing at 7am? Also goons decide for me. When I leave Vietnam should I go to Myanmar or Indonesia?
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Jul 25, 2013 05:32
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Brimmy posted:Heading to HCM on Friday night from Siem Reap. How hellish is the border crossing at 7am? Also goons decide for me. When I leave Vietnam should I go to Myanmar or Indonesia? No idea but if you want to party in Saigon on Saturday, let me know.
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Jul 25, 2013 05:57
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Brimmy posted:How hellish is the border crossing at 7am? ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 07:14 on Jul 25, 2013 |
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Jul 25, 2013 07:00
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Brimmy posted:Heading to HCM on Friday night from Siem Reap. How hellish is the border crossing at 7am? Also goons decide for me. When I leave Vietnam should I go to Myanmar or Indonesia? What the hell another goon is in Siem Reap? You should have said, I'd have made t shirts.
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Jul 25, 2013 08:17
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Warning To Siem Reap Goons: do not touch duckmaster's balls, no matter how nice he seems.
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Jul 25, 2013 08:22
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I'll have you know that the antibiotics are working and they are now more or less the same size!!! I celebrated this momentous event last night by getting absolutely hammered, snogging some poor Norwegian girl, somehow managing to trip over an entire pool table, passing out in a restaurant and getting a motorbike home with a pizza in one hand and a can of beer in the other. Due to the fact I've been abusing the gently caress out of my codeine "prescription" the whole evening was extremely dangerous. It's fine though; after all, I have massive balls. Well, did. In other news, crosspost from the khmer440 forums: quote:Feel free to shoot me down in flames here. I've been in Cambodia for a couple of months doing the usual volunteering stuff, which is fine, but am quite interested in staying longer. I have worked as a private computer tutor back in the UK (for all levels from GCSE revision to old people who want to use Google) and am wondering if it is remotely possible to transfer those skills here and hopefully make enough cash to live on. They said it was a stupid idea as the best English speakers will be at good schools already and the worst can't afford schools. However I spoke to a guy I know here yesterday and he said the problem with the schools is that they're poo poo, and although there are zillions of English teachers there is a serious lack of English IT teachers. Any input from you guys??
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Jul 25, 2013 08:41
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There are a bunch of IT schools in major cities there, I'm sure most suck. Go around and find out how much they charge per student. Sit nearby and casually keep an eye on how many students show up for scheduled classes. Do some math, then worry about the expenses. You need to have some idea of the potential revenue and market size before you start working on expenses and marketing promotion. On its face, foreigners coming in and transferring skills works as a career field, but frankly it's mostly about the marketing. The highest earning foreign-run private schools for stuff like this in Bangkok make it by building an image that they're super-international. A horndog wealthy Thai friend of mine explained once, "I go to Wall Street English School on Tuesday." "Dude, you went to school in America and you speak excellent English, why the Hell are you going there?" "Great place to meet new gig. All the dumb hot girl go there because they think it the best school." Then there was a funny thing about how he faked speaking bad English to get in the beginner classes. I know it sounds creepy, but the guy is legit hilarious and not some MRA type. He was just a horndog young Thai dude in his early twenties at the time. Why does it work? These companies splash billboards of white-skinned Thai-Chinese looking graduates everywhere with their stories about how they now have a job with Singapore Airlines or Citibank or something. As a foreigner coming in to that kind of market, your biggest draw is always playing the international card - as in, "Look how international we are, we're so advanced and from the outside! Ooh aah!" Plenty of scammers and a lot of not-exactly-substantive businesses pull this trick, of course, but a few legit operations make it work too. It is possible to market ethically and effectively, but most people don't possess both skillsets. EDIT: The ethical challenge comes from both sides. As big an issue as dodgy operators are, just try being an honest operator who refuses to issue a certification to someone who doesn't bother trying to learn. Wait and see what happens to your business. This is why a lot of people go into corporate training, where the company pays more for you to waste your, and your students' time on training on something no one will learn anything about or care about, heh. The whole, "We must have training" mentality here is just beyond anything. I mean we have this kind of poo poo at home, many professions are famous for pushing their employer to waste time and money on seminars so they can go gently caress off on a semi-vacation, but wasting your own money on poo poo you don't plan to bother learning is like a religion here. If you refuse to certify someone after they've paid for the class, though, and word gets around, you're likely in for a surprise when the next round of enrollment marketing cranks up. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 09:18 on Jul 25, 2013 |
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Jul 25, 2013 09:05
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ReindeerF posted:There are a bunch of IT schools in major cities there, I'm sure most suck. Go around and find out how much they charge per student. Sit nearby and casually keep an eye on how many students show up for scheduled classes. Do some math, then worry about the expenses. You need to have some idea of the potential revenue and market size before you start working on expenses and marketing promotion. One step ahead here. Not sure if I mentioned it in this thread but I made a website for a tuk tuk driver (why he needs a website is beyond me, I assume it's just the status of having a website, and possibly even having a Westener do it for him) a few weeks ago. He contacted me the other day moaning that he can't google it - I charged him $4 so I think search engine optimisation is taking the piss a bit but whatever - and I met him earlier to show him how to edit the site and explain that getting his tuk tuk website to the top of google hits is a bit unrealistic. I told him about the computer school idea and he has some friends that do evening classes so he's going to do some research for me. I'll combine that with a bit of covert surveillance and soon I'll have what passes for a Cambodian business plan. quote:On its face, foreigners coming in and transferring skills works as a career field, but frankly it's mostly about the marketing. The highest earning foreign-run private schools for stuff like this in Bangkok make it by building an image that they're super-international. This is something I hadn't considered or even realised. Now all the "New York English School" etc signs make more sense. I suppose we do this in the west as well; attach a level of status to a name to make it seem better, even if it's not. Some people still pick which university to go to based on its perceived pedigree even if it isn't the best choice for their field. It makes sense that this is amplified in an even more status based society... quote:EDIT: The ethical challenge comes from both sides. As big an issue as dodgy operators are, just try being an honest operator who refuses to issue a certification to someone who doesn't bother trying to learn. Wait and see what happens to your business. This is why a lot of people go into corporate training, where the company pays more for you to waste your, and your students' time on training on something no one will learn anything about or care about, heh. The whole, "We must have training" mentality here is just beyond anything. I mean we have this kind of poo poo at home, many professions are famous for pushing their employer to waste time and money on seminars so they can go gently caress off on a semi-vacation, but wasting your own money on poo poo you don't plan to bother learning is like a religion here. If you refuse to certify someone after they've paid for the class, though, and word gets around, you're likely in for a surprise when the next round of enrollment marketing cranks up. Another excellent point and a difficult cultural difference to get my head around. When I went to college and did a year's course everyone who managed to bullshit their way through it got the certificate; the people who actually tried to achieve more than the bare minimum got the certificate "with merit" and the people who did really well got something better than that (I didn't). Maybe this is an option, at least to sooth my own conscience?
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Jul 25, 2013 09:45
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duckmaster posted:They said it was a stupid idea as the best English speakers will be at good schools already and the worst can't afford schools. However I spoke to a guy I know here yesterday and he said the problem with the schools is that they're poo poo, and although there are zillions of English teachers there is a serious lack of English IT teachers. Any input from you guys?? First of all, take anything you read on K440 with a pinch of salt. It can be a decent source of information, but some of the posters there are pretty terrible. I have a strict "look but don't touch" policy about that site. That said, they do have a point about the students already learning this kinda stuff at school. Most of the younger crowd in the cities will already have at least a basic level of IT knowledge. Also not too sure about Siem Reap, but in Phnom Penh there are tonnes of small places offering similar IT training. Probably best to listen to ReindeerF's advise on that, he knows all about this marketing stuff. You may have more luck targeting the slightly older generation (guesthouse owners looking to modernise their business etc.), but no guarantees. Honestly it's the sort of thing that could work well as a local volunteer scheme, helping disadvantaged kids learn IT or whatever. I know at least a couple of school/orphanage type places that do something similar. But you're looking to make money from it so guessing that's not an option. Maybe it could work as a side-business to a net cafe or something? Electricity should be 720 riel/kWh, but some landlords may try to charge you more. Keep in mind that AC obviously bumps up the monthly cost quite a bit. ReindeerF posted:EDIT: The ethical challenge comes from both sides. As big an issue as dodgy operators are, just try being an honest operator who refuses to issue a certification to someone who doesn't bother trying to learn. Wait and see what happens to your business. This is why a lot of people go into corporate training, where the company pays more for you to waste your, and your students' time on training on something no one will learn anything about or care about, heh. The whole, "We must have training" mentality here is just beyond anything. I mean we have this kind of poo poo at home, many professions are famous for pushing their employer to waste time and money on seminars so they can go gently caress off on a semi-vacation, but wasting your own money on poo poo you don't plan to bother learning is like a religion here. If you refuse to certify someone after they've paid for the class, though, and word gets around, you're likely in for a surprise when the next round of enrollment marketing cranks up. It makes me laugh when I review CVs here, seeing the amount of random certifications people rack up. It's like they're collectables or something.
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Jul 25, 2013 09:47
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That's the thing about certifications though, they don't really speak to the quality of the course or the quality of the person who has the cert. I view them as an attendance award and nothing else so I wouldn't be too worried if people turn up, don't do any work and then expect a piece of paper at the end of it.
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Jul 25, 2013 09:49
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duckmaster posted:This is something I hadn't considered or even realised. Now all the "New York English School" etc signs make more sense. I suppose we do this in the west as well; attach a level of status to a name to make it seem better, even if it's not. Some people still pick which university to go to based on its perceived pedigree even if it isn't the best choice for their field. It makes sense that this is amplified in an even more status based society... Tytan knows the local market quite well. The only thing I'd say is that Phnom Penh is the only city with enough people to make anything like this feasible, if it's feasible at all. Battambang is the second largest city and it has nearly as many cows as people as far as I can tell (part of why I like it, I think). Siem Reap's population is very transient, I think, and not all that large even with the labor influx to support tourism. EDIT: Oh hell, okay, I actually noodled out this business model once just as a drunken exercise. My thought was that to keep it ethical while also marketing it interestingly, you could offer $1 seminars in a banquet room once a month where you'd teach up to 100 people a bunch of basic poo poo and answer questions for an hour afterward. Use that to grab leads and convert them into sales (students) for a full time courseload as you spread the word. Show up to every seminar in a suit and tie, bring an interpreter and so on. I was noodling the idea of basic marketing seminars, but the concept is the same. If even 10% of your attendees get some practical knowledge out of it (such as "When someone emails you, answer them immediately!" or "Make sure pictures of your business on Facebook feature people who look like your customers enjoying themselves and not empty rooms or staff making cute faces with peace signs") then you've done a good service that will easily earn them back that dollar, but that was for marketing. The best performing examples of this recently in Bangkok have been: http://www.webcoursesbangkok.com/ http://disruptuniversity.com/ Tytan posted:It makes me laugh when I review CVs here, seeing the amount of random certifications people rack up. It's like they're collectables or something. Yeah, the BS in Software Engineering (or equivalent) here seems to mean, "I can use Facebook and maybe FTP." When I was still hiring here for dev positions a few years ago, I'd just tell the second round candidates there was an application test on the second interview where I'd stick a computer in front of them with some code and say, "Okay, make it do this. Now make it do that" and so on. Only a tiny percentage would show up, but the ones who did were much better signal to noise. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 10:08 on Jul 25, 2013 |
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Jul 25, 2013 09:54
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