Goerwitz

There is just too much to say about Thai schools to fit even the barest essentials into a few comments on a single photo, like this. Here are some interesting facts, though:

• You're looking at the lunch "room" above. The buildings are raised typically, with the first (ground) floor having few or no walls. That's where the children eat. Animals from the local village will often amble through, especially chickens and stray dogs. It's very natural and fun.
• The per-student yearly budget of typical Thai village schools in northeast Thailand, as far as I can gather, is a few thousand baht (2007). One school we visited said they spent under one thousand baht per year, which comes out as around a hundred US dollars.
• The quality of the school depends greatly on the quality of the principle, who may work very hard, or who may prefer to do things like go home early. Occasionally they take to drinking and become virtually incompetent. Thais seem reluctant to deal with issues like this. Most schools make extremely good use of money they receive, though.
• Thais are uncomfortable standing out from the crowd, and children much prefer to learn by reciting facts learned by rote in groups (rather than do anything that reveals individual competence, or lack thereof). Most instruction follows this pattern. Thais in general don't like to be singled out. For this reason, pointing at people is even more rude there than in the US. Thais also don't like being addressed by their real given name. If you know them, use their nickname (which they will tell you if you ask).
• Everyone attending school wears a uniform in Thailand, including university students (except Thammasat, the "political" university). This is as of 2007. I have to wonder if it's different for international programs in universities, but this will require more research on my part.
• Even in the poorest areas, Thais tend to keep themselves and their children very neatly dressed and clean.
• English is important to Thais. They start learning it at an early age. It is really helpful to them to meet English-speaking visitors. Out in the countryside people we were occasionally stopped by adults and greeted in English. Once, near the Lao border north of Mukdahan, a teacher stopped us and asked if her students could practice English. If you travel in Thailand, be open to helping groups like this. Stick to simple phrases like, "My name is X, what is your name?" and "I am X years old, how old are you." Speak loudly to the group, and they will answer in unison, except for the individual parts (age, etc.), at which point there will be much confusion and giggling. Smile a lot.
• Children remove shoes in school, adults do not.
• Thai schools can really use entry level English readers. If you travel and visit, please bring lightly used children's books that your kids have outgrown. They will be well used. If you plan a followup visit, do what one of our friends in Nakhon Phanom does: Give them half the books up front, then designate a child who will read a book for you in a week. If he or she reads well, give the school the other half of the books. Otherwise designate someone else and try again in a week.