The diploma as part of a costume party
A remarkable display: about five hundred laureates and a few dozen hotemets. The laureates in a toga with fancy headgear, the authoritatives also in a gown, but amply upholstered with chains, garlands and medals.
You should imagine that when awarding diplomas to bachelors and masters in Thailand.
Which in turn are subdivided into students with 'distinction' and even 'high distinction'. Obviously far superior to colleagues who did not distinguish themselves in the exams. I assume that in the Netherlands this is equivalent to 'cum laude' and 'summa cum laude'.
Aof, the 21-year-old son of my friend Raysiya, had done his best and graduated with distinction with a bachelor's degree in hotel management from Stamford University in Hua Hin. He was given a medallion as proof. The university also has two branches in Bangkok, so you can imagine that the ceremony in Impact Forum in Muang Thong Thani near Bangkok was very busy. Parking the car took almost as much time as the drive from Hua Hin. At the entrance of the gigantic hall complex, the necessary stables with bouquets, sashes and other necessities to decorate the laureates.
In similar cases at state universities, someone from the royal family comes to hand out the coveted pieces of paper. This usually means strict security measures and many hours of unnecessary waiting. Stamford is a private institution and can therefore perform the hotemetoot itself. In this case it was none other than Professor Sir Drummond Bone, chairman of the so-called university council. He wore a toga with four bands, so the 'captain' in aviation. One stripe is for bachelors, two for masters and three (I assume) for PhD students.
The immense Grand Diamond Ballroom was half filled with laureates. The other half was for family. Which, remarkably enough, was only present in dribs and drabs. A possible explanation is that many students come from distant countries. Their parents have already been bent over for the study and are satisfied with a pdf of the diploma. However, I saw extensive visitors from Nigeria dressed in national dress.
Naturally, the presentation was accompanied by the expression of good wishes for the laureates and the encouragement to make something of their lives in the field of their studies. Fortunately, all speeches were in English so that everyone present could follow what it was about.
If I had gotten one satang for every photo taken before, during, and after the ceremony, I could kick in a big financial door for the coming year.
Aof now has a job at the Anantara Hotel in Hua Hin, although the payment (9000 baht) per month is still on the scanty side. And that for working 12 hours a day, for 6 days a week. But hey, it's a good thing to start with the basics.
Well,
The salaries for a starting bachelors are deplorable, my wife's brother's daughter, with great pain and effort, received 12.000 Bhat as telephone operators, also for 6 days a week. We actually live across the street from the Gouvernement's complex, but we couldn't find an office there where you could work as a starting bachelor.
Maybe someone knows an entrance for starting students at the Government complex in Lak-Si?
We would like to hear it.
Greetings Nico
Whether it is intended as such, I do not know, but the story exudes a condescending atmosphere about a graduation ceremony: dressing up around diploma, hotemets, etc.
I think that is a pity and certainly unjustified, because obtaining a diploma is a milestone in life for every pupil or student. The level of education is irrelevant. If the ceremony then takes place in a traditional manner, it gives the result of the proud student even more shine.
I still remember well the presentation of my HBS diploma. During my first job after my navy time, I started a three-year evening course. That was toil, suffering, missing the first European successes of Feijenoord and Ajax and much more discomfort. My diligence and my wife's support (I wanted to quit often enough) were rewarded.
After a few days of final exams in The Hague, I was awarded my diploma by a gray educational mouse, without any fuss. I don't remember whether I expected garlands and congratulations at the office afterwards, but I counted on immediate storage. That didn't happen then, that raise did come, but much later. For me, achieving the end result was a highlight, but the world around me just kept spinning as if nothing had happened.
So as far as I'm concerned, all due respect to traditional graduation ceremonies, which must be honored!
I also got that taste in my mouth, well seen Gringo. I also received an HBS diploma, after a long pre-education, my class teacher did not expect me at the graduation ceremony, we often play billiards together, but I was there and it was a highlight for me and in our family at the time .
Nico B
My granddaughter obtained her bachelor's degree from Chulalongkorn University this year with the Highest Honors (99,6%), she already had 5 job offers before she graduated, she started at a state-owned company with a starting salary of 25 baht with a contractual position after 000 months. salary increase of 6 Baht, Works in a 2000 day system,
Everything depends on which university you obtained your bachelor's degree from and with what score,
Bachelor was awarded by Princess Siridhorn,
Yes, you hell right Henry,
In Thailand, not the diploma is important, but your origin (read wheelbarrow) and the name of the school.
The niece of mine, got her bachelor's degree (and her parents have been lying about it) in Chumphon and she doesn't speak more than 20% English.
Since there is no work in Chumphon, we said come to Bangkok.
At CAT they have a walk-in for applicants, after a computer test; failed.
At PTT also a walk-in for applicants, also here after a computer test; (notaben in Thai's) failed.
It's like John (a little further on) says, the bachelor's degree is nothing more than a mavo+
But yes, I will still like to see her get a job in the government, so that she can (maybe) continue her education, then working in a telephone exchange with a bachelor's degree at 12.000 Bhat for 6 days a week.
I hope someone knows an entrance to the government complex in Lak-Si (Bangkok), because we live at 800 mtr. on the other side and that's so easy.
Greetings Nico from Lak-Si
What I actually meant was that potential employers know very well the academic values of universities, for example, if one has a bachelor's degree from a Rajabat university or from most private universities, this degree has less value than the paper it is printed on,
At a top public university one has to take entrance exams, and the places are very limited. That is why many children take tutoring classes to prepare them for these exams. My granddaughter has taken these classes on Saturdays and Sundays for years, also during the school holidays. Most students at top universities have done this, For parents who cannot afford this, there are scholarships and a student loan system,
Greetings Henry from Muang Thong Thani
At my hairdresser hangs a photo, quite similar to the photo above, the hairdresser is also dressed accordingly, with beret and black "dress", toga. Is for her hairdressing diploma.
Thais like decorum and really make something beautiful out of it.
“All speeches were in English so that everyone could follow”
Given the mastery of this language by the Thais, I have a few doubts about that.
my wife's daughter also went through this circus with all the decorations dolls with bears and garlands.
degree in electrical engineering.
if you ask ohms law they think you are from mars.
i don't see these schools higher as a fifth grade primary school in the Netherlands.
but with her uni diploma she is allowed to operate the barcode computer, wear a white shirt and does not have to wear the supermarket uniform.
well then you have come a long way and they are proud of it.
I let them be delusional and let them be happy but stick with it if your hair is good and you can exercise it is more important than intelligence
Apparently not everyone has noticed the difference between condescending and ironic. The whole display is pretty funny to me, as a former political science student in the early anti-authoritarian XNUMXs. No more. There is certainly no question of lateness.
Thailand is a show-off culture. This is clearly noticeable and visible at celebrations and parties, both in the family circle, in the neighborhood or village and in public.
I have been a lecturer at a university in Bangkok for 10 years now and have therefore experienced many a graduation ceremony as described above. Because my students receive two diplomas (a so-called double degree BBA, and also MBA) I have two of these sessions a year in addition to the official photo sessions. Always wearing my academic robe, of course. Next week again. This is also becoming more and more common in the Netherlands, particularly fueled by foreign students.
Graduations are milestones in a young person's life and mark a transition into a different kind of life, much more than the transition from elementary school to high school. I therefore have no problem at all with this being celebrated with some pomp. When I graduated in the Netherlands, 1979, it was not much different, but without robes and royal highnesses.
Incidentally, the law in Thailand says that every BBA graduate is entitled to a minimum salary of 15.000 Baht per month. I know that many employers do not adhere to this (especially in difficult economic times). And the graduate is already happy that he/she has a job.
Our daughter received her diploma or bull at Pangsit University in Bangkok last Sunday. Together with more than 10!!!!!! fellow students or now former students. A great day for the laureates and their family and friends, who all showed up in large numbers. A true celebration of joy, a wonderful event to experience once. I don't know how many universities there are in Thailand, but if they all produce so many laureates every year, then the level of education in Thailand is moving in the right direction.
She has already found a job, starting salary 15 000 B excluding commission and tips. She is in the tourist industry, for which she is allowed to guide and organize various excursions and tours in Thailand and to and through surrounding countries.
I think it is an attractive job, but hard work. The investment in her education has been a good one.
As Gringo says, the level of education is irrelevant here. That HBS diploma from then is still of a higher level.
It's probably like all religions. The void must be filled with rituals and dressing up.
Has nothing to do with religion. Graduation is also celebrated in this way at the extremely Catholic ABAC. And I can assure you that the Thai Catholics of today resemble the Catholics in the Netherlands in 1950.