Pattaya Today 1
Vol. 8 No. 18 1 - 15 June 2009
Volume 8, Issue 18
1 - 15 June 2009
15 years free education policy misunderstood
Towards the end of May, one of our reporters received complaints from many parents, with children attending public schools throughout Pattaya, that the Government Policy of 15 years free education for all children was not being followed in the Pattaya area. The policy gives the impression that all children receive free tuition, textbooks and uniforms. However, schools are asking parents to pay towards these three items, a situation the parents are not happy about. Parents are being asked to pay for School books with ‘Not for sale, free for students’ stamped on them. Schools outside of the Pattaya jurisdiction have not asked parents for ant contributions. Many of the schools have erected display billboards stating that they do not receive support from the government; therefore, no free education is avaiable. Our reporter contacted the Provisional Education Office for their comments, they stipulated that..... 1. Textbooks are provided free of charge for all students. The students must keep them in good order and return them at the end of each academic year. 2. Stationery would be
supplied for all students with 100 baht allowed for Kindergarten, 195 baht for Elementary, 210 baht for Junior High and 230 baht for High School students. 3. Uniforms are paid for by the government at the rate of 300 baht for Kindergarten, 360 for Elementary, 450 for High School and 500 baht for High School students. 4. The government is responsible for expenses involved in other activities, including ethical and moral training, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, camping, etc. 5. The government will help with expenses for children attending Private School. Pattaya City Hall held a press conference, chaired by Mayor, Mr. Ittipon Khunpluem, along with City Officials and representatives of the Bureau of Education, to try and shed some light on how the misunderstandings have arisen. When the present Govern-
ment issued their manifesto, before the last elections, they stated that one of their objectives was free education for children, including tuition, text books and uniforms. In the subsequent media releases they have reiterated this point on many occasions. However, the problems have arisen because the Government only intended the free education for children attending ‘Ministry of Education’ schools, not schools run by local administrations,
which include schools in Pattaya and Bangkok. The Government has failed to paint a clear picture for the general public. The Government will supply two free school uniforms to Elementary and High school students, but not free tuition, text books or stationary, these will still have to be paid by the parents. However, there was good news from the Pattaya Mayor, who stated that even though the Government did not supplement the Pattaya Schools, Pattaya City Hall, have been doing their bit. The City has arranged for students to get text books free of charge, provided they give them back in a good state at the end of the year. The City have been handing out stationary to pupils from a poor background for
25 BAHT
many years, way before the Government started their campaign. Pattaya City Hall also provides the schools with English teachers, school buses, computer labs, school bags and they provide breakfast for underprivileged students free of charge. The Bureau of Education stated that they would hold a public meeting to explain to parents the realities of this 15 years free education program, and in the mean time they would inject a further 4.3 million baht into the educational budget to purchase school uniforms.
English drug dealer escapes from Pattaya police Police recently received a tip-off that a European man was distributing drugs and would be dealing later in the evening at the parking lot at the 93 Miles Bar in South Pattaya. Senior police officers led their fellow officers to the car park and stacked out the location. A black Toyota Fortuner, with jacked up sus-
pension and blue neon lights underneath was seen entering the car park, with a European driver and two Thai female passengers. The driver exited the truck and was acting in a highly suspicious manner; he suddenly spotted the police and quickly ran back to his vehicle. In his bid to escape he drove directly
into a police car which was being used to block his exit, he sped away into Soi Batman, South Pattaya, with the police in hot pursuit. As police waited for him at the entrance to the Sukhumvit Road, he again smashed his truck into the police car and carried on his escape. Continued on page 6