Nothing Changes

Well, once again I have signed up to this ere "forum", purely to post my rage.

This is now Nakhon Forum version 2, the "improved" forum, a vault of useful information for, and I quote "those in, around and interested in nakhonsithammarat" (quote taken from forum heading).

After all that has been "learnt" from the old forum, it appears nothing has changed - still the same people squabbling about who's school is the best, who has the best or biggest this that and the other. Still the same crazy replies to sensible requests for information.

There are people in this town, myself included, who's task it is to recruit new teachers. As stated in a previous thread, there has been a lot of people, for whatever reasons, leaving the town this term. It was dressed up as a "mass exodus", yet we all know contracts only last 1 year and many people that come to work here are travelling and not wanting to settle down in any particular area.
I find it difficult enough to entice people to work at my school, mainly due to the list of "requirements" a teacher must meet, so posts dressed up like that just make it 100 times worse.

Surely it is obvious that anyone with half a brain is going to research the town before travelling half way around the world to work here. Type NakhonSiThammarat into a search engine will most likely bring up this forum somewhere in the results. An THIS is what potential teachers see. Then people wonder why applicants suddenly change their minds about wanting to work here.

There is so much good you could do with this TOOL. For example, due to decisions made in my absence, at the 11th hour, I am now faced with the task of finding additional teachers to cope with the expansion of our EP. The flight chaos in the UK pretty much rules out my chances of recruiting a Brit, and due to the limited warning I was given, I have limited chance of getting anyone from overseas to be here in time for the grand opening of our very prestigious school.

The constant mud slinging between schools on here causes more damage that people seem to realise. Take for example the post about the international school job advert. Ok, not entirely accurate it has to be said, but in slating the advert, the town as a whole has been slated, making readers from the outside question what it is really like here and why are people here mocking the description of the town so much. It's damaging for everyone facing the task of recruiting thats for sure. For the record, as there are people who have never dived having opinions on the mention of "worlds best diving", there are in fact some world class dive sites off the Andaman coast - not too far from here. These regularly make the top 10 dive sites for the world (just thought I'd set that straight).

I did hear, from someone that I count as a reliable character, that there are in fact people in the town at present that are actively seeking work - first I've heard of it.
THIS IS WHERE THIS FORUM COULD, AND SHOULD BE WORKING WONDERS!

Examples:
Jobs going in the town + people job hunting
Useful numbers / contacts (I still would not know the number to call for the police or an ambulance!..... do you?)
Where are the hospitals?
Who could I call if I had a crisis in or around the town?
Good places to stay short term - for new arrivals etc (plus ratings from people having stayed there + contact numbers)
Maybe you have too many applicants and would like to assist others in their recruitment drive
Map of the town with places of interest, places to stay, places to eat etc (yes, I'm sure everyone knows all about the tavern, but what about having a choice?)

Nothing new here, its all been mentioned before (many times), but just gets filled with slanging matches that people do not want to read through. At least the old forum made headway with sections where users could rate restaurants, bars, hotels etc. There is still a lot of very good, useful information on the old forum that has yet to be matched on here.

I always direct people to the site created by one of our members on the original forum: http://www.everythinginnakhon.info/
There is a lot of hard work gone into this site, well worth a look.

I am not writting this is start yet another slanging match, nor am I trying to belittle the work Admin has put into version 2. But it has to be said, comments on here (old and new) have cost me (and probably others) potential new teachers.

Rant over.

true indeed, it is often easy for us to forget what damages we can cause while having a friendly banter/not so friendly banter...

I do encourage you and other people to contribute in this forum in a polite and respectful manner.

It is easy to sit down and say that certain items should be in topics... Short time stays, restaurants, jobs..but it is very difficult to get people to post these things, so Mr Mann... Please post your job openings and be the first person to take charge in making this a better forum.
As for a map over town with important places located, give me a few days and i will try to get one map up...

Good post MrMann, keep it up and good luck finding new teachers...

Yes! to much bickering, malicious gossip, mudslinging etc. etc.. Would be great if people could band together and be friends. but there seem to be many bored and disgruntled people in the town. Pretty much the same as anywhere else in Thailand. More understanding of each other and each others situations might work wonders to bring the various factions together. I've posted on this on the original forum and here but nothing ever changes. Many here are fed up of the bickering and slanging matches hence few people post, on this or the original forum, me included sometimes! When you know you are going to be ridiculed, why post! If people could be more acceptng and understanding things may change. I doubt it will happen but I hope it will. If so I would certainly be more active!

NST is a lovely, friendly place that sometimes has rainbows. People make love, get married and have lovely children there. They drink beer, ride bikes and get wet in wonderful waterfalls. It is a lovely place to live, and a lively place to love.

Ha! There we are, first comment, sarcastic!!!!

Tis true...

Sarcastic, moi?

Norris McWhirter wrote:NST is a lovely, friendly place that sometimes has rainbows. People make love, get married and have lovely children there. They drink beer, ride bikes and get wet in wonderful waterfalls. It is a lovely place to live, and a lively place to love.

so true what you say, but noone understands the sarcasm of the whole thing...

This post is like a walt disney movie!

Yes, I know this might not be the best run forum out there but it is only meant to be a very informal place for banter, nothing more nothing less. Having said that though, I have taken note of some of the points you raised and will try to make some improvements as and when I have the time.

comments on here (old and new) have cost me (and probably others) potential new teachers.

Err, nothing to do with the location, salaries, working conditions etc etc then? Nakhon has always been a fairly hard place to recruit people to for many reasons - the main one probably being that no-one has heard of the place. If what people read on here puts them off coming here, the chances are that they wouldn't like it anyway ..... their loss me thinks!

Salaries (for many) are fairly average over many areas of Thailand (If you use the figures quoted in the job adverts).

Work environment doesn't come into the equation until people arrive and draw their own conclusions.

Location, well as already posted in the thread mocking the internation schools advert, we are quite central for some popular destinations - even if we don't have the biggest mountains in Thailand.

It is fact though that comments on this and other forums are taken as an accurate review of the area. I had 1 person apply last term, sounded VERY interested, wanted to experience a truely Thai way of life. Some wise old souls on ThaiVisa advised strongly about ever coming here, even just to visit, and hey presto, no more enthusiastic applicant.

I'm not suggesting things have got to that level on here, but when people read comments from people who live and work here, they take they as being far more reliable than any "land of smiles" glossy tourist guide.

To date, I can safely say that I know of 2 maybe 3 candidates that have backed out after reading posts on the various forums. A new arrival here the other week admitted to spending hours reading the posts on the old forum before coming to check us out. Just pointing out that although we see it as "friendly" banter, others reading the same comments might take it as hostile aggression between foreigners in a small town.

I hold my hand up, I have played my part and picked fault with my schools "ethics", and how most things I buy don't do what they are meant to do etc
A year in the role of trying to attract new staff has made me see things in a different light.

it is so easy to find faults, but for those of you who are on this forum... Have you ever tried to post information that you ask for??

I know several people who asks about apartments/price/location when they already live in one, why not post those details...

Sure the moderators could have been stricter, but what would the people be doing then?? Complaining about me deleting everything (that is a fact)...

I think that it might be good for them to read about the lives of foreigners here in nst, let them know how it is before they get here...

If you dont like what is posted here, the YOU can post something positive... I am sure that several people will respect your posts and keep them clean...

I just wrote an excellent reply to that Mr Snowflake, but I got logged out and lost all my work - damned if I can remember what I wrote now.

It was something on the lines of, I wasn't picking fault, just noting that we, our schools, and the town as a hole (spelling mistake intended for comedic purposes) are being judged (rightly or wrongly as the case may be) on what is often harmless innocent (sometimes friendly) banter between "friends" (I use the term loosly of course).

Mr Admin, your recent efforts to add info for newbies has been noted and appreciated.

Can I propose a change in setup of these (not sure they can be changed after the event).
If they are set up as a Poll, giving 5 options of say Excellent, Good, Average, Below average, Awful, then people can rate each place giving it an overall rating - making it much easier to get an otherall impression without reading dozens of posts.
Comments of personal experiences can still be added.
(a bit like ebay ratings).

Snowflake wrote:it is so easy to find faults, but for those of you who are on this forum... Have you ever tried to post information that you ask for??

I know several people who asks about apartments/price/location when they already live in one, why not post those details...

Sure the moderators could have been stricter, but what would the people be doing then?? Complaining about me deleting everything (that is a fact)...

I think that it might be good for them to read about the lives of foreigners here in nst, let them know how it is before they get here...

If you dont like what is posted here, the YOU can post something positive... I am sure that several people will respect your posts and keep them clean...

Mr Snowflake, if you are still out there and have not melted in all this damn rain lovely tropical weather that we have here, I have started the ball rolling in the Teachers section with a map listing useful places and contact numbers.

not enough teacher?
Means the job+life here is not amazing enough.
Double the salary and there will be enough. Blaming the forum is ridiculous.

thank you .... its raining

Something changed for a few days as the forum was offline waiting for renewal.

not quite offline, could still use nakhon.googooolz.com domain name

Other things have changed, are are due to change though.

1st, Carrefour is now Big C. I was ready for a kick off with the wife when I saw she's been shopping at Big C. "Where the hell have you been" etc etc.
She didn't even notice the bags had Big C on em.

2nd, (and this one has been talked about for some time)..... McDonalds in Nakhon.
Story from the mouth of the hourses son is that it is due open in December, although that seems a bit too soon given that the entire project is still only pictures on paper and a flashy web site.

http://www.i-bizavenue.com/index2.php

If you ask me, its a bit late to get on the bandwagon after 2 other quite large computer shops open within the usual spitting distance of each other.

Looks like the proposed site is on the Tesco road near the junction where pizza man and Bangkok bar are based (not far from where this new bar is supposed to open this month.