Why Do I Smell Fish?

A

AussieBill

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I was talking with a Pattaya lass this evening and the topic of conversation quickly moved to the usual "What is a lovely girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Among all her financial liabilities and dreams for the future, one matter stuck in my School Principal mind. Her 15 year-old daughter attends the local government high school outside Ubon and, having already paid term fees, has to provide 90 baht to the teacher every school day. The 90 baht is supposedly 30 baht towards the purchase of classroom chairs and 60 baht towards the construction of classrooms. (Add it up over a school year and multiply by the total number of students and the school should soon have enough chairs)!

I immediately joked that perhaps the teacher is paying off a new pick-up, but she was adamant that that is not the case. He drives a Mercedes Benz and is paying that every month.

There is probably nothing untoward in any of this, so perhaps those who teach in Thai schools and those who have children attending schools can set my mind at ease.
 
Never heard of such an arrangement. It's also fairly rare for (just) a teacher to be driving a Mercedes (unless it's one of those old tanks).
I've done many Govt run courses teaching teachers so have met quite a large number who work around Ubon/SSK area.
She's being scammed, my gut feel tells me or she's being generous with the truth to you, who knows??????

Ps. With this title, I was thinking this thread would be about something completely different! Snigger, snigger!!!

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Sorry Bill, I cannot put your mind at ease. My two daughters attend a Government primary school in Surin and once school fees are paid that is it for the year. There is also a major build programme going on at their school to erect a new block of classrooms to house the English Language Progamme. Once or twice a term they may be asked to bring 20 or 30 Baht for a classroom party although the teachers often ask for fruit and vegetables instead of cash. This is then sold at the school and the money used to pay for the party. My daughters have an allowance of 30 Baht/day to buy things from the school shop if needed and often return with most of that in their pockets. I let them keep it to top up their pocket money and they usually bank the surplus once or twice each month. Some kids take a 100 Baht or more to school with them each day. Neither myself nor my wife think the 90 Baht/day has anything to do with funding capital expenditure at the school and my wife has never heard of such a thing. Sounds more like personal spending money for the student, the daughter of whom you speak, although who knows for sure. If the money is for capital improvements, and given the large sums involved, some 2,000 Baht/month, surely the school would have written to each parent on official notepaper to explain why this was necessary.
 
Extremely fishlike!

I think I'm right in saying that no school has the authority to raise money in such a way (I have heard of it before, but usually 30-40 baht). To stop it, a parent would probably have to go to the top of the local education authority.... which few parents would be able to do.
 
Thanks for the responses. It is not a personal problem for me (the GL has no kids which solves that problem and many others as well), but I just hate the possibility that a teacher anywhere would scam students and their parents.

I suggested the lass ask the authorities above the school level, but she just looked vague as though that was beyond her. She was probably thinking of possible repercussions for her daughter, too.
 
The fishy lass is in Pattaya. Her kid is at school somewhere in the Ubon area. They probably meet at Songkran and New Year

In all likliehood, the kid is in the care of elderly grandparents. with Grandma making daily offerings to the monks and gambling with both cards and on the stock exchange closing numbers every day at the expense of a decent breakfast for the kid.

My best guess (based upon what I see in my locality) is that the 90bt/day is Grandma's reason to extract more money from her daughter. "Work harder daughter. More short times every day. We need more money"!!!
 
Good on you , Bill. It's nice that you take an interest in the freelancers.
Sounds like complete and utter bull crap with Nick being closest to the target.
From what you've been writing lately she probably isn't even Thai , eh. :p

In the future while you're out 'n about "fishing" , let your GLek join you for clarity's sake.
You'll probably find the hook, line and sinker within that woe-is-me tale. ;)
 
What a bunch of disbelieving sods you all are. The 90 B a day was for the teachers sick buffalo that was ill because it had a motorbike accident.
On a slight diversion of topic and girls and their stories.
I had a quick beer while out shopping of Suk not long ago. I was of the leash while SWMBO was getting her nails done (rare occasion). A lass sat next to me and fed me the most elaborate story of woe I have ever heard in 25 years in Thailand.. After she finished I burst out laughing, I could not help it. It was spontaneous. The story was just so original it just must of been true. She looked at me very confused. I gave her 100 baht and wished her well and hoped things would improve for her.
 
She didn't get anything from me. Once she established that I was an Aussie, the likelihood of a lady drink collapsed in front of her eyes so we settled for free small talk until I became bored and moved on.

(Footnote: I do, in fact, buy lady drinks in limited quantities - 4 in 2015 and 4 in 2014 - very consistent generosity).
 
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Prakhonchai Nick said:
The fishy lass is in Pattaya. Her kid is at school somewhere in the Ubon area. They probably meet at Songkran and New Year

In all likliehood, the kid is in the care of elderly grandparents. with Grandma making daily offerings to the monks and gambling with both cards and on the stock exchange closing numbers every day at the expense of a decent breakfast for the kid.

My best guess (based upon what I see in my locality) is that the 90bt/day is Grandma's reason to extract more money from her daughter. "Work harder daughter. More short times every day. We need more money"!!!
Click to expand...
That all sounds feasible, Nick, but probably not quite correct in this case. I guess we will never know.

The lass was fairly new to Pattaya and had never even heard of the Prakhonchai Boys!
 
Rice said:
What a bunch of disbelieving sods you all are. The 90 B a day was for the teachers sick buffalo that was ill because it had a motorbike accident.
On a slight diversion of topic and girls and their stories.
I had a quick beer while out shopping of Suk not long ago. I was of the leash while SWMBO was getting her nails done (rare occasion). A lass sat next to me and fed me the most elaborate story of woe I have ever heard in 25 years in Thailand.. After she finished I burst out laughing, I could not help it. It was spontaneous. The story was just so original it just must of been true. She looked at me very confused. I gave her 100 baht and wished her well and hoped things would improve for her.
Click to expand...

You are one fortunate soul. If SWMBO ever saw you talking with a lass and even worse handing money to one - you would certainly be dead. Of course that may be the least of your problems if death did not come swiftly. The Lord is certainly keeping you from harm. :innocent:
 
Coffee said:
You are one fortunate soul. If SWMBO ever saw you talking with a lass and even worse handing money to one - you would certainly be dead. Of course that may be the least of your problems if death did not come swiftly. The Lord is certainly keeping you from harm. :innocent:
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His crime would not have been handing money to the lass, but rather getting nothing in return. Thais do nothing for free! If he'd had a crafty grope for the 100baht proffered, that would have been ok! But perhaps he did and wasn't telling. :)
 
Prakhonchai Nick said:
His crime would not have been handing money to the lass, but rather getting nothing in return. Thais do nothing for free! If he'd had a crafty grope for the 100baht proffered, that would have been ok! But perhaps he did and wasn't telling. :)
Click to expand...

No "crafty grope" I can assure you. As Coffee said very well. I value my health all too well.
 
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