[Trissinas]

On the two latest comments, i'll agree with both Betti and Bucky.

6 years of education really is the most realistic. In the rural areas there are primary schools everywhere in the form of 'temple schools', and so there ought to be no excuse whatsoever for rural folk not to send their kids to school.
One of the biggest problem for poor rural folk (and their excuse too) is managing to send their kids to secondary school, as unlike primary schools they can often be miles away from home. Often, unless the kid has someone to stay with nearer the school, they have a huge problem actually getting to the school. Yet though, even if the school is say 20km and a 90 minute journey away that is no different than for many kids in Bangkok.


Bucky mentions that education is free in Thailand and yes it really is if you are super-poor. For those whose parents have at least a bit of spending prowess they'll have to pay for extra special tuition within the school such as learning computer, English with a native teacher and going on camp. In my last school this run at a huge 2,000baht a term!

Ok, i was being a bit sarcastic there about the price. But going on from what Bucky wrote many poorer parents will grab at any excuse not to send their kid to school and instead to hawk flowers and chewing gum to the likes of foreign tourists. Often, their excuse is that they don't have the money to pay the likes of 2,000baht a term! Yet, however, dad always seems to have enough money to swig whiskey every night, mum always seems to have enough money to but endless lottery tickets, auntie always has enough to play cards and grannie always has enough to pay donations to the local temple so securing a better life after death.

Unfortunately, many rural folk dont realize the importance of education, and living for today like many do, they'd rather their daughter go work in a factory for pittance (send mosta money home though) or even better meet a rich generous foreign guy.
http://www.thai-blogs.com/index.php/...nderful?blog=8