Dear readers,

I am planning a trip to Thailand where I want to meet a school teacher. The lady in question works for a college in Bangkok. As far as I am informed, the schools close from mid-March to the end of April. I wanted to go to Thailand during that period, but the lady in question says she can barely take 4 consecutive days of leave. Is the leave scheme for schools, as in Belgium, not uniform?

The school where the lady teaches is Ratchananthajarn Samsenwittayalai school in Bangkok.

Thanks in advance for guiding me.

Regards,

KC

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11 responses to “Thailand question: Are school holidays in Thailand uniform?”

  1. Sake says up

    As far as I know schools have 2 months holiday. I don't know how to place those 4 days of your teacher.

  2. Omer Van Mulders says up

    The Best
    A few years ago I often had contact with a teacher who taught at a university in Thailand.
    The story that she was only free for a very limited number of days during the holidays was also true for her.
    She was so committed to the Univ that there really wasn't much time left. It really was, as I went to meetings and activities related to the educational programs several times.
    If she's completely into you, she'll try to make more time for you.
    That is my experience and no more.
    Greetings

  3. Stan says up

    As far as I can find on the internet, it varies per school, especially private schools. One school has a holiday the first two weeks of April, the other only the second week of April (Songkran).
    I can't find anything about holidays from mid-March to the end of April. The only major holiday they have is the summer holidays from the middle of July to the end of August.

  4. Schollaerts says up

    My wife is not a teacher but a nurse in any case she can only take 4 consecutive days of leave exactly the same as a teacher
    I don't know what the arrangements are like in school

  5. Janderk says up

    Dear K.C.,

    Thailand has a 24-hour economy. This applies to all sectors.
    There are no holidays. Well days off.
    Around New Years (both our Western and Thai New Years) most days off are planned by the government. Most people then go to their relatives who often live far away. The roads are congested and there are often traffic jams.
    Other days off that people have (limited) are for family matters such as cremations.
    For a cremation, people often lose at least 1 day and sometimes up to four days. People are lenient with this, and that is why the normal Thai never has time for holidays like in the Netherlands (sorry I am Dutch, but Belgium is not much different I think on that point).
    During the mentioned time, the educational institutions have the holidays for pupils and students. But the teachers / lecturers also have the Songkran (the Thai New Year) at that time and will then go to the family, often far from Bangkok.
    After that they are just employees and they have to work. What those activities consist of is unknown to me, but you probably know that better than anyone because you have the same profession.
    Also at the educational institutions 6 days of work applies and not like in the Netherlands (Belgium) 5 days and then weekend. And then often more than 8 hours a day.
    So if your co-worker says she barely has time, she won't tell an untruth.
    But as I know the Thai. They are curious about how the foreigner is doing at school. She will certainly make time, but to spend three or four days together (as a kind of vacation) is difficult. If she can package it to her boss as a study (transfer of knowledge) there might be a possibility. The Thai is very creative in this.

    By the way, enjoy your holiday in Thailand

    Janderk

  6. Chris says up

    Dear Omer,
    Teachers at a Thai university (I was for 15 years until 2021) have 10 days of paid leave per year. In addition, there are many Buddhist and national holidays. (varies a bit from year to year).
    The teachers have a great degree of freedom, much, much more than in Western universities. They have a maximum of 15 teaching hours per week (lesson = 50 minutes) and there is little monitoring of attendance. Some of my colleagues had 9 hours of classes per week (in 2 semesters of 16 weeks each; the other weeks are exam weeks, midterm weeks, weeks to prepare new lessons, etc.) and I saw very little in their office. As long as you teach your lessons and your evaluations are good, no one from management will complain.
    In order to earn more, benevolent Thai teachers have extra tasks: student activities, scheduling, research, etc.

  7. Ger Korat says up

    Can agree with Omer Van Mulders' previous response. In addition to meetings, preparations, evaluations and reports and many other wishes from above, some also have additional tasks. Have had several relationships from education and the remaining time was indeed a few weeks at the most. And then there is still time made available for, for example, multi-day trips with friends or family, and then there is not much time left. In fact, in most professions, people work 6 days with only a few extra days off per year; be happy you meet someone in a government position or else you deal with a self-employed person with their own company because they do have more free time. And yes, if you have not met each other in the flesh before, it is also wise to first meet for a day or a few days because you may be lying or you do not like each other, in that respect I understand it again because I have it is also often that after a few days or a few meetings I have seen it again or I do not really like it together or you can chat with one person all day long and with pleasure and with the other you sometimes have hours of silence. Just let it come to you and take your time, maybe just short the first time and if there is a follow up maybe a little longer and more often. It is not the length that makes being together pleasant, but especially the interaction with each other. And to be together for weeks the first time and then to conclude afterwards that it was disappointing is also not a good prospect and a woman is not waiting for a holiday romance before then and then over and out.

  8. Chris says up

    hello K.C.,
    The school is a secondary school and not a college.
    Here's the school's website so you can look things up yourself.

    https://www.samsen2.ac.th/blog/

  9. henny says up

    Extra lessons are also given during the holidays (for a fee, of course).

  10. Willem says up

    There is a difference between school holidays for pupils/students and that of staff. The staff is not free like the children. The published holidays therefore only apply to the pupils/students.

    • Chris says up

      Yes, that is true, but you can take your vacation days in the non-school weeks. However, there are not that many when the children are free.


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