Raising kids in THAILAND - 3 things you should know

[@132453511]

Been watching your vids for a while. So crazy to see you have had another whole life Thailand you didn't put online. Feel like im watching a twist in a movie or something 😂 legit thought you were a single batchelor living your best life 😂

[@thebangkokguide]

Life in Thailand definitely has a lot of plot twists. The whole story could easily be a good movie plot 😂

[@tambourinedmb]

@@thebangkokguidedon’t blame him. girls blow up when they find out you have thai kids and didn’t 😱 marry the mother. i keep my children private.

[@TheDufresnes]

We just moved here with kids, we moved to Costa Rica from Canada when they were 6 and 9, now to Bangkok when they are 13 and 16! They needed more to do and it's great showing them the city life! Keep up the good videos, we also have a channel, maybe we can colab and make a vid together. Let us know. Have a great day!

[@thebangkokguide]

Glad your move has gone well. What was your decision regarding school? And collab sounds good as well. Cheers!

[@TheLungNuad]

But Bkk.It's not the paradise for every family.I can tell.depend on your budget.and life style.BKK.the city never sleep,Chaos.busy.but convenient enough.

[@triniflyer8685]

I am really trying to understand the cost of education for a 5 year old. Moderately priced. We aren’t rich

[@kleerogers]

excellent video, I love your videos, you are honest and fair. As a fellow Canadian I admire you. Keep it up!!!!!

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you for the kind words. It's much appreciated!

[@HaklGuru]

Wow a whole new side of Cal! Family Rocks! As a ft single parent great side of you I’ve never seen. My little guy is now 24, so hold on tight and take many many video and photos. Thanks for sharing this part of your life!

[@HaklGuru]

Canada is a challenge too! Between cost of living and little to no medical services think twice before moving back! Yes medical is free but there are no doctors, i was on a waiting list for 5 years just for a family doctor. Even though i am located on the west coast which is more expensive then the rest of Canada there is not much difference in most favoured city’s across Canada. The cost of prescription and services are also through the roof for dental and medical services such as sedation or x rays…

[@thebangkokguide]

I agree. My parents are dealing with brutal wait times for doctors at the moment. My mom has an injured wrist and was put on a year and a half wait time... totally pointless for an injury that requires rehab. It seems that Canada is becoming very dysfunctional. I haven't actually been back for 5 years and I'll be visiting for a month in about a week. Very curious to see what things are like. Cheers!

[@HaklGuru]

@@thebangkokguide I’m very excited to be moving to Bangkok in September! Love to meet up and collaborate on some projects in the future!

[@dqrossvideography5134]

Thank you for taking the time to make a video about such an important topic. It’s no longer relevant to us as our son is now 18, finishing high school and we’re looking at retiring in Thailand but this brought back memories as we moved from the uk to Australia when our son was 6. Education is so important when raising children and there are major differences from country to country so it’s important to understand those differences. From the education standpoint we would have been better off in the uk I’m afraid but it’s a trade off; our son got to grow up by the beach in a more favourable climate and clean air. No place is ever perfect so as parents we have to really think about what we are willing to compromise on and what we are not. I would say that being far from family (grandparents, cousins etc) is also a factor in making the decision to emigrate especially when moving a long way from home. Thank you for introducing your son; it brought back a lot of fond memories. I am sure a lot of people will find this video useful. I wish the best to all the parents who are in the process of making those decisions. All the best and enjoy family time 😊

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you for the kind words. It's much appreciated. I agree that being far away from grandparents is another very big factor. I'll be visiting Canada next month and considering the best options. I agree that it's quite a difficult decision with a lot of compromises and I think there are a lot of people in a similar situation. Cheers!

[@IronHulkTriathlon]

Good insight brother! Thanks for you continued expert Bangkok videos!

[@thebangkokguide]

Thanks for the kind words! Cheers

[@jamaicanjjason]

Great vid. Thanks for sharing this valuable information. All the best bro

[@thebangkokguide]

Cheers. Thanks for the kind words!

[@bluehiroko]

Thank you for doing this video and i wished I watched it before moving here with my son. I find none of the vloggers talk about the pollution at all. It's almost like they're selling a false dream. Def spot on with all of the negatives. It is super expensive to raise a child in BKK

[@thebangkokguide]

Pollution and the cost of education are a big challenge here. Unfortunately KZbin doesn’t always give the best balanced information… people want clicks on their videos and this can lead to “selling a dream”. There are upsides and downsides to living here. Hope all is well.

[@annehuang5314]

The weather in our country may be a bit hot and humid. Thank you and your family for making this great clip and presenting it.🎉🎉🎉

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you for the kind words. Very hot haha

[@sayamartp.]

I came to support my Thai grandson.so cute 🥰

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you 😊 🙏

[@suniskys78]

Archie is so adorable! Thank you for another great video and giving us a glimpse into your personal life 😊. Funny we had thought of Canada a few years back. Here in Las Vegas the air quality can be poor as well as the schooling. When we lived in NYC and dtr was young I had her in private school. (She is a millennial.) We love watching your videos and are still playing catch up! Although I must admit the heat and air quality does have us on the fence as we are trying to escape that 😂. But we love the respectful peaceful community Thailand seems to offer. Thanks for always keeping things real!

[@thebangkokguide]

Thanks for the kinds words. I think air quality is generally declining in North America due to all the wildfires as well. I think they the combination of international school and the respectful Thai culture can be the best of both worlds.

[@gemox3225]

I don't think the air pollution is that bad in Bangkok. I check the AQI index. However, there are some days which are poor and small children are more susceptible. I'm a teacher. I would say that, if I were a parent here in Bangkok, I would enroll my child in an international school, and there are some which are more affordable. As a side note, please keep in mind that being credentialed in one's own home country does not necessarily make one "qualified." That would mean that a PhD in Chemistry with no Education degree is unqualified. I agree with you about the Thai curriculum. I've reviewed it myself.

[@thebangkokguide]

I agree with you about the qualifications. I think my primary concern is that qualified teachers tend to have more understanding of safeguarding and have at least made a decent investment in the career. But in terms of competence, it’s totally hit or miss. I’m leaning towards international school as well. Thanks for your input!

[@thailandreaction]

Education. 30 minutes daily news. 30 minutes documentary. 30 reading a book. Regardless of education if your kid does this everyday from 7-17 they will be more educated have a greater vocabulary than most of thier peers.

[@thebangkokguide]

I agree..although the overly disciplinary environment of some Thai schools can be a different issue altogether.

[@itsjazzyjamtime4198]

Great vlog and some very valid points, I have just been researching schools in Bangkok as my daughter and I are considering moving back to Thailand this coming year. They are very expensive, especially the international school which we are looking as I would like my daughter to continue her UK British education key stage GCSE, Some of the best schools we have found are Strewbury one of the most expensive ones but have high standards quite difficult to gain a place apparently entry test, the other are St. Andrews (Nord Anglia ) (Ekkamai ) that as mixed reviews also looked at Harrow surprising it had some negative feedback, it a top school in the UK plus the location of Harrow is far out. another school is the British International in Phuket which seems great. However, I think we Westerners do overthink our children's education it is also our responsibility as parents to make sure our children receive the knowledge and learning not just blame school systems teachers etc.. The main thing is that your child is happy and has a good understanding of life well mannered and dreams big. When moving from the West it is key to try and lose the narrow-minded Western way of thinking more positively thinking and enjoying life like the Thais do.

[@thebangkokguide]

Thanks for your input. I think all the schools you mentioned are generally quite good. I think each school has its pros and cons. Nord Anglia is a chain, so they may have a more corporate setup… while some of the top tier British schools can have critiques for being more class issues with cliques and things like that. This can be an issue in international schools generally to be fair, especially the top tier ones. I’m currently looking at the French international school as we speak English and French in Canada so that would be very beneficial for my son’s future options. I agree with the tendency that westerners have with overdoing the education… I love living in Thailand and enjoying the more relaxed culture here. That being said, I think the focus on critical thinking and problem solving in western education does a much better job preparing kids for the world… and the school environments are generally more nurturing. I think it’s kindof trying to aim for the best of both worlds. Good luck with your search!

[@itsjazzyjamtime4198]

@@thebangkokguide The Nord Angila St. Andrew is the only one of the 3 that supports student freedom of choice, from year 9 they get the children to do public speaking at events along with an Apprentice/shark tank style class to encourage children to think outside the box and build confident. I was also impressed that St Andrew is the only school in Bangkok to offer places for children with learning disabilities like dyslexia and autism which I think is great that they have a non-judgment attitude to learning, In Thai and most Asian it seems most of the learning is done at home after school the parents are strict and encourage their children to get educated as it also the parent role teach their children, we in the west can be very lazy and put all the pressure on the schools and teachers to do all educating of our children. When they are our children and reflections of us, so it is our duty also to make sure they understand life, one thing being a single father has taught me is how precious time is, before you know it your child is an adult remember your child is only 5 once so enjoy the moment. thank you again have great day

[@HansSprungfeld-p9b]

Thanks for speaking out about the air pollution problem! This is by far the biggest problem of the country, and the ignorance by both locals and the gouvernement about this issue triggers me hard. Burning everywhere, no one cares. Today pm2.5 is around 146 in my area in Bangkok and it is September... 😮‍💨

[@thebangkokguide]

The pollution is the single biggest problem for me staying longterm in Thailand. It is unfortunate.

[@magecrafter101]

What a cute kid. Excellent video

[@thebangkokguide]

Thanks for the kind words 🙏

[@sturmbrecher88]

You could also choose to fly to somewhere closer like Penang, Malaysia to avoid the air pollution. There's basically zero air pollution here and we speak English.

[@thebangkokguide]

Yes the south is definitely a good choice. I work in Bangkok tho

[@sturmbrecher88]

​@@thebangkokguidePenang has a direct low cost flight to Bangkok and it's takes just 2 hours. Perfect for multiple weekend getaways.

[@BloobleBonker]

Great vid as ever.

[@thebangkokguide]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@TidaSurinat]

Many kids that attended Thai international schools went on to Ivy League schools around the world. I know of 2 students. One got accepted to Harvard. He is Spanish grew up in Thailand. The other is Thai and he got accepted to Princeton. Yes, international schools are very expensive but it’s all worth it.

[@thebangkokguide]

I agree. I think the international schools are very well managed

[@topgammar3763]

I attended a Thai public school and was able to get into and graduate from UCLA with a 3.4 GPA.

[@electrictraveller4430]

ขอให้​เจ้าหนู​เติบโต​เป็น​คนดี​ของ​สังคม​และ​รัก​ครอบครัว​มาก​ๆ​นะ​

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you for the kind words 🙏

[@icekangz817]

Good topic. Having gone through pre-k through getting my bachelor's in america I find some subjects did not help that much as an adult. For example basic math is all that is needed as an adult and before anyone chimes in, if a kid is a mathematician it will be pretty obvious. In my opinion I feel like I needed more knowledge on finance, economics, and how to make money as an adult.

[@thebangkokguide]

I agree. I think most education systems don’t prepare kids very well for real life.

[@สุทธิศักดิ์มธุรพงศากุล]

Nice content 😊👍❤️🎉🎊

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you! Cheers

[@maykham1]

We have choose international and after public schools for our children. No problem now for them to be excellent in a french public school.

[@thebangkokguide]

Do they attend in Bangkok? The French school looks good here. L

[@maykham1]

@@thebangkokguide Yes...But now they are in France. And after having a nomade life, they are very good in their french school :) Sorry, I have a special computer so...

[@TheLasushi]

omg. Your kid is super duper cute. So good-looking. I understand that the education system is a major negative. My friends moved to Cali for their kids. Thai international schools are expensive. My friends are also looking into home-schooling to return to Thailand.

[@thebangkokguide]

Thanks for the kind words! He’s definitely a looker haha. It’s a tough decision once people have kids here. It’s the main reason friends of mine have moved back to their home countries over the years. Home schooling and traveling would a great solution

[@user-kz9rp3pq2z]

Really interesting thank you Cal. Your son is adorable. You are very lucky!

[@DcGc-cx5bu]

Thanks for sharing 🎉

[@thebangkokguide]

Cheers!

[@net2522]

my experience studied abroad, and also have kids. there are pro and cons in Thailand. Best things they have stopped use stick for obedience. At first before anything is where does your kid will be worked in the future. Once settled that then choose whether British program or Thailand program. the downside that you said was correct but not that worst. if child have a spare time during free time you can find some studied programs the child is lacked. on the other hand if the child go to British program I find people went there seem to have self esteem too much than Thai progress which have affect the child obedience and lack following the rules especially undescribable rules as they must be ruled when they are young. And when they're going to work it would affected cooperation and co-working assignment all the time the child would lack of that also compare to Thai program.

[@thebangkokguide]

I think you compare the two programs well. I think schools in the west have a lot of problems as well. I will discuss those in a video soon. Thanks for your input!

[@briang-h2n]

Excellent to see you distance yourself from other typical BKK youtubers and give your BKK channel true legitimacy to vlog about Thailand. Cute kid. Best wishes,

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you for the kind words. It’s much appreciated!

[@rcketbnny]

As Thai, the bad education system is true but it based on where the school or society your kid is, and how you raise him. Especially in bangkok there are a lot of things to be look at you need to give him very big "Freedom" Private or International is not bad for foreigner family, because he can have connection with other foreigner in the future. If you want Archie to go to the school in Thailand, I suggest "Triam Udom Suksa School" which is one of the best in Thailand in education and society, They have elementary - high school but you need to pass the exam test to join the school. The kids here are nuts, good grade, mature and 90% can speak English, He will also get some previllage from the school name when he go to University. Most of students(my friends) got a good university and huge paying job in their career which is beyond Thailand standard.

[@thebangkokguide]

Yeah I’ve heard Triam Udom Suksa is very good. The top public schools here are excellent. Thank you for you advise!

[@bsways]

Have you made a video about how to get a regular SIM card, activate and recharge it? If not is it possible to do one at some point? There are lots about tourist sims but I don’t know hot to get a just a regular one

[@thebangkokguide]

I will do one about phones and data soon. Haha it’s on the list! Cheers

[@wichetleelamanit6195]

Have a good time living in Thailand.

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you 🙏

[@boblovesunshine]

Great video, My son have 11 years old and study 🇪🇺 school on line, we live all in Bangkok.

[@thebangkokguide]

Online school seems like a good option. I was unaware that this was possible. Thanks for your input!

[@gangstagummybear3432]

Wow, rare to get this kind of video on Thailand, from the looks of most of any video I can find on Thailand, its pretty much a bigger Singapore, or maybe even Elysium, thanks for some truth for once.

[@thebangkokguide]

The Bangkok Authorities have done a great job expanding and connecting all the green spaces in the center of the city. Definitely reminds me a little bit of Singapore at times! Cheers

[@Ejected123]

Thank you, I am a single mother of 3. I'm moving to Bangkok in May. I already have my kids enrolled in an online school from my state ( that allows international traveling). However, how do I get the visa for them? I am looking into a ED visa for myself and my 15 year old, but IDK what to do for my elementary kids. Do you have any tips on getting my little ones visas without running into issues ?

[@thebangkokguide]

That's a good question. You can try to get a dependent visa, but I'm not sure if it would be applicable for an ED visa. It may be easiest just to use visa exemptions every few months.

[@Dakdeker]

Hi, been watching your videos for a while now! I find them very interesting,,, my question is, if I had a few hundred thousand pounds in a Thai bank account, could I make enough interest to live on? Or any advice about the banking system. Thanks 🙏

[@thebangkokguide]

Definitely not in the Thai bank… interest rates on savings accounts here are very low. You also take a big risk in currency fluctuations. I have a brokerage account tied to my Thai banks and get good dividends. Would probably work a lot better with that method.

[@Dakdeker]

@@thebangkokguide thanks for the advice,, but I don’t know nothing about brokerage or really anything about shares 🥴 only thing I know is that I’ve got a few quid and I don’t want it in the Uk anymore,, especially what’s going on now.. thanks for your advice anyway,, cheers

[@Ginnyyy16]

So cute 😍

[@thebangkokguide]

I agree 😅

[@aniwee17]

Have you thought about home schooling for your son? Maybe you can find an online job? This way you can move to a rural area, less congested with no PM 2.5. Maybe even start a garden and raise goat and chicken as children learn a lot from interacting with animals.

[@thebangkokguide]

Haha I’ve often thought about the good old full escape.. but I wonder if I’d get bored.

[@aniwee17]

@@thebangkokguide Thailand has a decent road system. I am sure taking short trips from nearby provinces can be done easily.

[@jerjai252]

น้องน่ารักจัง😊

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you 🙏

[@PIRAYAJUNTIP]

อากาศที่เป็นมลพิษเป็นปัญหาจริงๆค่ะ หนูอยู่ต่างจังหวัดในประเทศไทยยังรู้สึกว่าอากาศเป็นพิษจริงๆ เมื่อเปรียบเทียบประเทศแถบเอเชียกับประเทศอื่นๆแคนนาดา สวิตหรือประเทศอื่นๆ แล้วอากาศที่นู้นเหมาะสมต่อการดูแลเด็กๆจริงๆค่ะ

[@thebangkokguide]

I agree. The pollution is the most difficult aspect of living here.

[@Joecommax]

I love him so much ‘ so cute 🥰 🥰😘 my baby lovely

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you 😊

[@Joecommax]

You’re welcome. Bro

[@WalkingmanPattaya]

Haha, trust me, at 3 years old, you have only "raised" your son about 15% , Title works for a 17 or 18 year old young adult, but not a 3 year old. Education is key, international schools best idea. Good luck to you here. Peace and Love Y'all

[@thebangkokguide]

This is true. Long way to go! Cheers

[@steveb7600]

From talking to people they concur that international schools are surprisingly overpriced compared to what they deliver. It seems it is cheaper and better to just internet school and supplement with private tutors. Since wages are low I wonder what these international schools are doing with all the money.

[@thebangkokguide]

I wonder as well… pay at the upper international schools can be quite good though… but I suspect much of it goes on the lavish facilities and into pockets

[@KazeemAmao-qw4lb]

Hello cal can I reach out to you 🙏

[@marijusofficial]

It is tough on kids with air like in Bangkok,but if near park or sea is better.I didnt knew you had such adorable son,indeed it takes a lot to grow and international schools are so expensive in Thailand.Yes with kids it is tough but are you letting your kid to international school or Thai school?

[@thebangkokguide]

Thanks for the kind words. The air quality is a bit of a downside. My current plan is to enroll him in an international school.

[@AnuchasaraChannel]

อยู่ประเทศไทยปลอดภัยทุกอย่าง ยกเว้นบนถนน😢

[@thebangkokguide]

It’s unfortunate

[@georgeallen7667]

I have my kid in an international school in the Philippines. About one grand a year for superior education. Shop around.

[@thebangkokguide]

Very inexpensive. I'm not familiar with the international schools in the Philippines... here in Bangkok the cheapest international school is around $8,000 per year, but some of the bilingual schools are a lot cheaper. Cheers!

[@jarinbunjankong]

กดติดตามให้แล้วครับ

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you 🙏

[@Aphichat.]

Pollution comes from those farmers burning their field to get ready for plant for the next season. You can escape the the Island or just go north. There wind blow on the different direction. On the season. The only way is for the government to step in and stop the farmer from burning 500 km of field. But the those Thousand of farmer. Would likely riot. Its their way of making a living. They dont have the money to buy expensive farming gears.

[@thebangkokguide]

That is correct. It’s a difficult situation. Plus there are the neighboring countries. Thanks for your input!

[@winnerwinnerchickendinner8809]

The whole Southeast regions are so dang hot or else I would completely retire somewhere there

[@thebangkokguide]

Haha it's all very hot but I can't really complain because I prefer it over the cold in Canada. Cheers

[@เดชาช่างสี-ว7ต]

เป็นวิธีที่ดีในการเรียนรู้แบบไทยเราจะดูแลกันถึงมันจะมีน้อยแต่ก็ยังคงเหลือเราจะรักษามันใว้

[@thebangkokguide]

I agree. Thank you for your comment.

[@Ronald-de9yj]

Answer: When expats run out of money.

[@thebangkokguide]

This is often true. Pollution is actually the main factor for me these days as money is less of a problem. Cheers!

[@gorillapancake]

Wait a minute... You have a wife and son? You think you know someone. 😄

[@thebangkokguide]

I tend to keep my private life a little bit separate from social media... lol it's complicated enough without publicity.

[@louis20122]

Reddit forum??? Never knew

[@thebangkokguide]

Reddit is great. Probably one of the most useful resources for any subject here in Thailand…but especially for schools!

[@MrNataphong]

Are you having fun? No.😅😂

[@thebangkokguide]

He’s a born comedian 😂

[@KateAoyama]

To me, Thailand is fun to visit but not to live and raise a family.

[@thebangkokguide]

I would like to split my time between my home country Canada and Thailand. I think that would be ideal! Cheers

[@songkamw]

พูดตรงมากก รัฐบาลโกรธแน่ 😂😂😂

[@thebangkokguide]

Lol need to improve the air

[@myminee]

And you might reconsider moving back after retiring...again...😂😂

[@thebangkokguide]

I’m going to go back to Canada this month to check it out there. Retirement sounds good as well lol

[@myminee]

@@thebangkokguide Lol. Why not!! Whatever suits your current situation, do it! After your child has his own family and you are tired of being there for that long, it won't be too late to come back here and find a peaceful place to spend the rest of ur days before we no longer can breathe. 😅😆

[@Davdlee9]

❤