I can truthfully say, thank bloody hell that the exams are over as of today and that means no kids until we return on the 26th of October.
I do have to go on an English camp next week for three days, thankfully there are six of us foreign teachers going, so I will be able to relax in the evening with a few coldies and stories for sure.
The last two days have been painful, well the first day of exams was excruciating you could say. On Wednesday I had to proctor or invigilate year 12 students (18 year olds).
Like corruption in Thailand, cheating is rife amongst students. Many of the students try and cheat during their exams. They use anything from cheat sheets, writing on their legs, arms or hands, to whispering to other classmates and so forth.
On Wednesday I spent the day, shushing students, shaking my head at students, and on and on it went. In the end I had enough, the kids were complaining that I was too strict.
Truthfully, students have pretty well been let to do what they want to in tests or exams. I remember the first time I encountered the blatant cheating, I could hardly believe it. And when you see teachers helping the students, giving them the answers, it becomes a bit of a mockery.
There are kids in your classes that you know just won’t be able to do the test. They are too far behind their classmates; their level of English is too weak for them to pass. I have had students in years 7, 8 or 9 (13, 14, 15 year olds) who cannot do the alphabet. Cannot read the most basic of sentences; understand about 1% of what you are saying.
I used to get frustrated with these kids but not anymore. I blame the school now, they allow the students into the English Bilingual Programme (EBP), and the school seems to be more interested in the money than the actual student’s education. I and other teachers have tried for years to have entrance tests for all levels.
If a student doesn’t pass the tests, they cannot study in EBP, this would improve the standard of the EBP, which now, is not so good to be truthful. It would mean losing money for some years while the standard of the programme improves. Then in the future, your name and reputation would start to be recognised for quality.
To put it into context, some of my year 12 students I can have an excellent conversation with them on many different topics. They understand what is being taught in the EBP classes and participate well in class.
Then there are a few others, the really weak students who I truthfully say cannot put more than one and two words together, and that is when they are doing well. They would understand less than 5% of what is being taught or said. They cannot participate in activities, express views, read text and so forth.
I can put some blame onto them, as a few are really lazy and have no motivation to learn. I think they switch off because they are not sure if they are listening to English, Japanese, Chinese or any other foreign language.
As for teachers helping students, the first time this happened to me I was marking a paper, then I tallied the score and when I glanced at the name I had to do a double take. What? This can’t be..! No way! WTF….
The student could hardly read, was incredibly weak and I was not expecting him to pass. So I pull the student into the office, do the test again in front of my eyes. Of course he couldn’t! So how did you do this and this? Did a friend help you? After a little coaxing and maybe the odd threat I was greeted with, “Miss …. helped me. She told me the answers.”
Okay, before I went off I had to make sure. So straight away I dug out other students I knew who would struggle in the test and checked their scores. Again they were just too good. I would have loved them to actually have been able to achieve this mark or grade but it just wasn’t possible.
So, I gather them all, and they all say the same thing, “Miss … helped me.” I even asked the top student if this was true and it was confirmed. Yes, I blew my top. I said some very stern words to the teacher involved and also the department head.
That was many years ago. Now I write on the cover paper of the tests, that if I suspect a teacher has helped a student I will report it to the Director directly. It is straight to the point but there is no way for it to be misunderstood.
Anyway, just a little on the frustration of teaching in Thailand. Back to the cheating.
I eventually thought enough was enough, and the kids were taking the piss. So I went and spoke to one of our Brothers, after a brief summary of what was going on, and I asked him to address the students and offer some words of wisdom to them.
They were told very bluntly, if caught trying to cheat, it would be recorded, they would then be failed and their parents would have to come for a meeting. This went down like broken glass with the students.
Today, the first two tests there wasn’t a murmur, not a sound, no whispering, looking sideways at other’s test paper. No writing on hands or legs, cheat sheets and so forth. I almost felt a little guilty, well really I was laughing on the inside.
In five tests, 6 hours of testing I think I had to warn maybe four students, make eye contact and a shake of the head was sufficient.
Sadly now, I just have the exams to mark. And there of course isn’t enough time to mark them by the scheduled deadline. And report cards need to be completed and official paperwork as well.
Years ago, I used to take work home or spend many extra hours at school to complete work on time. Those days are long gone. I will complete the work only during working hours; if it isn’t complete it will be finished when the time permits.
The school needs to balance the hours of work with the load of work, at the moment my scale is out of tilt. It will mean that my students will suffer as I won’t be able to do the extra work in the classes. Making worksheets and marking them will be stopped and just teach from the book supplied.
That will mean that a topic isn’t as thoroughly explained or taught because of time restraints. But I have many better ways to be spending my unpaid time, many better ways. I am sure this sounds selfish but after many years of being unselfish it is time to be a little greedy.
Tomorrow being Friday, there will be no students, just a solid day of marking papers and grading. Saturday and Sunday I will not be doing a thing, other than watching the AFL and NRL grand finals. Monday more marking if it isn’t finished and then all the paperwork and start on the reports. On the 5th, 6th and 7th it is English camp. Then Friday I can try and wrap up whatever isn’t finished and on Saturday the parents are meant to pick up report cards.
The report cards I am writing are more than likely not going to be completed, not unless some miracle happens, but we will wait and see as this is Thailand
Brunty
Thursday, 30 September 2010
Sunday, 26 September 2010
Ubon Ratchathani Prison, Waiting for Red Roses, Isaan Thailand.
On Friday the 17th of September I ventured to the Ubon Ratchathani prison. I didn’t go there to visit an inmate. I was there to hopefully get a few interesting pictures. I had been tipped off by a friend that something was going to happen.
Outside the prison a policeman was in the process of booking a motorist for parking illegally. All he had to was face the right way, from left to right but had parked like this so a ticket was issued.
The Ubon Ratchathani Prison is a hive of activity everyday. A constant stream of visitors, go through the gates with bags of food and clothes for whomever they are visiting. They are whizzed over with a metal detector and then the food and other items are then checked for prohibited items as well.
Today there were prison guards on standby, with riot shields, helmets and so forth.
There was also a police van on hand to place any person who may have got out of control, a few police officers sat in the van and others in the prison grounds having a cool drink.
Why were the police and prison guards on standby? Well the Red Shirts, the people who are loyal to Thaksin Shinawatra were meant to be going to the prison to remember the September the 19th 2006 coup that threw Thaksin out of government and into exile.
And also to remember the May 19th 2010, the four month anniversary of the bloodshed threat took place in Bangkok when soldiers and red shirts clashed in after ultimatums were ignored. After the red shirts fell, they went on to torch 27 buildings creating anarchy in the capital.
In Ubon Ratchathani prison there are 26 red shirt leaders being held. They are awaiting court hearings on different charges, some serious enough to warrant the death penalty. I sadly missed the placing of the roses and the red shirt supporters were early. They were meant to be doing this ceremony at 10am but had arrived around 9am, so I missed them.
There have been calls for an “amnesty”, The Thai political Bhumjaithai party's amnesty bill wants all “political protestors” from the September 19th 2006 coup until the 31st of May 2010, that all people facing charges or arrested be pardoned.
I am sorry but each and every person who broke the laws and protested unlawfully, be them Red or Yellow shirts, they should be jailed. No matter if they are grandparents or a single mother of three children. There should be no amnesty.
When the Yellow Shirts, (People’s Alliance for Democracy, PAD) shut streets down, crippled businesses as they fought to throw out the Thaksin government. They terrorised the country but taking the airports in November 2008 and bring the country to a virtual standstill, every person who sat at the airport should be facing criminal charges.
The leaders of the PAD, still haven’t faced the charges on terrorism, which is punishable by death as the case keeps being postponed, I think 5 times now. It is amazing what power and money can do.
There is always a right and wrong way to protest and have your voice heard. The laws of the country are there to be followed. I am all for people protesting against something they believe is unjust, but it must be done legally and within the law.
The political process in Thailand is a shambles, the ruling party should be able to rule their term and the opposition party appose them in parliament. But in Thailand the shenanigans, the indebted corruption, and endless scandals, make politicians a laughing stock to foreigners and a must be an embarrassment to Thais.
I can never see Thai politics being rid of corruption, the vote buying which I have seen in person will continue. The rich will continue to get richer and the average Thais will continue to struggle to get by.
Brunty.
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
AFL Grand Final Saturday, Collingwood V St Kilda at N-Joy Ubon Ratchathani Thailand
If you are not an Aussie, then you can probably stop reading right now. This weekend is the Australian Rules (Australian Football League, AFL) Grand Final. At N-Joy the local expat bar owned by my mate Lance, we are having a party, well watching the grand final. The telecast kicks off at 10.30am in the morning and the actual game kicks off at 11.30am. The beer will be cold and I warn everyone I will be getting very drunk. It will be from either celebrating or commiserating my teams win or loss.
If you are in the area of Ubon Ratchathani, like AFL and want to watch the grand final live then head to N-Joy (directions at this link) for some cold beer, a chat and hopefully a result my way.
The two clubs fighting out the grand final are both Victorian based clubs and are foundation clubs when the Victorian Football League (VFL) formed in 1897.
All my life, though it hasn’t been so long, I have barracked for The Collingwood Football Club also known as The Magpies, The Pies, The Woods, The Maggies, the bird on the club logo is a magpie.
The Magpies, is a team you either barrack for or hate. There is no in between usually. Any supporter of another team would almost always barrack for the team against Collingwood. Collingwood is a working class team; the supporters are joked about because of their passion for their team, and also their apparent hillbilly attributes.
But being a Magpie supporter you shrug this off, as you know that most of this is jealousy, Collingwood is hugely successful, well known around the world and a huge supporter base. It has 57,000 members and being so popular even had a movie made about supposed backroom dealings and antics.
I had seen Collingwood lose 4 premierships, in 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981 and this was utter heartbreak for me. But in 1990 the Magpies broke a 32 year drought under the coaching of “Lethal” Leigh Mathews and captained by Tony Shaw.
Since then I have seen my beloved Pies lose grand finals in 2002 and 2003. So it has been 20 years between drinks for Collingwood supporters. In all we have made 39 grand final appearances. But this isn’t as bad as Saint Kilda supporters.
But for Saint Kilda supporters, Saint Kilda is Collingwood’s opponent on Saturday; they have just 6 grand finals since 1897. They were 1913, 1965, 1966, 1971, 1997 and 2009. And they won one of these in 1966.
The 1966 grand final was against Collingwood, before 101,655 fans at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) the home of football.
On the 24th of September 1966, Saint Kilda beat Collingwood by a solitary point; 1 point separated the two teams. It was a devastating loss for Collingwood but I am sure that this Saturday they will even the record up against Saint Kilda.
My father was a Saint Kilda supporter most his life before eventually jumping ship a few years ago, across to the Western Bulldogs. I have never thought of ditching Collingwood, they are my team for life; I am black and white through and through (the team’s colours).
I know that my dad is going to be cheering the Saints on, and my oldest brother Robert, a life long Saint Kilda supporter will be as well. Plus about any other person not a Collingwood supporter will be in the Saints corner. I on the other hand will be chewing my nails, screaming obscenities at the TV (directed at the umpires and players) and hoping that the mighty Magpies keep playing in the form they have been and don’t let the day overwhelm them.
I am sure that the coach, a legend called Mick Malthouse will have the players tip top, and when the final siren sounds after 2 hours, or 4 quarters of football we will be on top. If that is the case I will be able to call my father and gloat a little, but if reversed then he will be doing the same.
I have a tattoo ready to go if the Pies win, if they don’t it will be put away for another day. If they do win on Saturday I would have liked to get it done on the Sunday but I am not sure I would be in the best of conditions to have it done, so it could be on the Monday or even later in the week if the result is right.
Brunty
If you are in the area of Ubon Ratchathani, like AFL and want to watch the grand final live then head to N-Joy (directions at this link) for some cold beer, a chat and hopefully a result my way.
The two clubs fighting out the grand final are both Victorian based clubs and are foundation clubs when the Victorian Football League (VFL) formed in 1897.
All my life, though it hasn’t been so long, I have barracked for The Collingwood Football Club also known as The Magpies, The Pies, The Woods, The Maggies, the bird on the club logo is a magpie.
The Magpies, is a team you either barrack for or hate. There is no in between usually. Any supporter of another team would almost always barrack for the team against Collingwood. Collingwood is a working class team; the supporters are joked about because of their passion for their team, and also their apparent hillbilly attributes.
But being a Magpie supporter you shrug this off, as you know that most of this is jealousy, Collingwood is hugely successful, well known around the world and a huge supporter base. It has 57,000 members and being so popular even had a movie made about supposed backroom dealings and antics.
I had seen Collingwood lose 4 premierships, in 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981 and this was utter heartbreak for me. But in 1990 the Magpies broke a 32 year drought under the coaching of “Lethal” Leigh Mathews and captained by Tony Shaw.
Since then I have seen my beloved Pies lose grand finals in 2002 and 2003. So it has been 20 years between drinks for Collingwood supporters. In all we have made 39 grand final appearances. But this isn’t as bad as Saint Kilda supporters.
But for Saint Kilda supporters, Saint Kilda is Collingwood’s opponent on Saturday; they have just 6 grand finals since 1897. They were 1913, 1965, 1966, 1971, 1997 and 2009. And they won one of these in 1966.
The 1966 grand final was against Collingwood, before 101,655 fans at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) the home of football.
On the 24th of September 1966, Saint Kilda beat Collingwood by a solitary point; 1 point separated the two teams. It was a devastating loss for Collingwood but I am sure that this Saturday they will even the record up against Saint Kilda.
My father was a Saint Kilda supporter most his life before eventually jumping ship a few years ago, across to the Western Bulldogs. I have never thought of ditching Collingwood, they are my team for life; I am black and white through and through (the team’s colours).
I know that my dad is going to be cheering the Saints on, and my oldest brother Robert, a life long Saint Kilda supporter will be as well. Plus about any other person not a Collingwood supporter will be in the Saints corner. I on the other hand will be chewing my nails, screaming obscenities at the TV (directed at the umpires and players) and hoping that the mighty Magpies keep playing in the form they have been and don’t let the day overwhelm them.
I am sure that the coach, a legend called Mick Malthouse will have the players tip top, and when the final siren sounds after 2 hours, or 4 quarters of football we will be on top. If that is the case I will be able to call my father and gloat a little, but if reversed then he will be doing the same.
I have a tattoo ready to go if the Pies win, if they don’t it will be put away for another day. If they do win on Saturday I would have liked to get it done on the Sunday but I am not sure I would be in the best of conditions to have it done, so it could be on the Monday or even later in the week if the result is right.
Brunty
Monday, 20 September 2010
Ole "Iron Fist" Laursen V Nicholas Leconte Fight Martial Combat 8.
Last month I blogged about a local Muay Thai and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) gym here in Ubon Ratchathani called Legacy Gym. You can read that post at this link if you like. It gives you information about training at the gym on the trainers, and links to its website Legacy Gym as well for more information and contact details.
The gym is owned by Ole “Iron Fist” Laursen, and as you can see he is a lean fighting machine. You can read about Ole at the other blog I did and his record in the ring.
Ole is my mate, I claim that as being an Aussie and having a few beers, and a bloody good chat means you are mates in my book, well I will claim that anyway.
Ole had a fight a little while back on the 19th of August at Martial Combat, Asia’s mixed martial arts fighting championship. Ole was taking on American Nicholas Leconte.
If you want to see a hell of a fight, two guys give it to each other for 15 minutes and see how fit, strong, but also tactical then you must watch this fight. I spoke to Ole about this fight at his birthday party and he said it was probably the hardest fight he has had. Nicholas had really given it to him.
Ole also said that a point deduction for an illegal knee to the head probably cost Leconte the fight. Ole tells it how it is, that is how close the fight was.
Anyway I could go on, but if you want to see a good battle then watch the video of MMA, a sport that is really growing across Asia, well across the world.
Also on that night Vaughn “Blud” Anderson (I also claim as a mate) took on Korean Hyoung Woo Kim and also had a win for Legacy Gym. It also is a great fight and Vaughn dominates the first round, in the second round he opens with some hard leg kicks and continues smacking the Korean’s legs. Then he absolutely smashes the Korean’s legs and the smacks ring out from the contact. Another must watch video as well here.
Another Legacy Gym fighter, Nick “Hooligan” Mellor took on Victor Wang, I blogged about a training session I watched Nick Mellor and Vaughn Anderson go through at Legacy Gym and said it was “punishing” to put it nicely and that they both looked excellent for their upcoming fights.
Nick is 188cms tall and weighed in at 86kgs ripped, he was really fired up for this fight as his first Martial Combat fight he lost and was really disappointed. The first round is a ripper, both fighters at times getting on top but Nick much stronger. Nick opens the second with some big punches, Victor then gets Nick in a dangerous triangle lock with his legs but Nick is bloody strong and gets out of it and then starts elbows and fists pounding Victor’s head.
Finally Nick ends the fight with an excellent ground and pound and when the referee finally stops it, both fighters are totally spent. It is another really good fight to watch as well.
So if you want to watch some really good MMA fights click on links and see some solid punches, ground and pound, and rock hard leg kicks and of course tiring grappling.
I will be doing a story on Legacy Gym’s BJJ trainer, Marcus Waters, a 26 year old from Dallas Texas.
Brunty
The gym is owned by Ole “Iron Fist” Laursen, and as you can see he is a lean fighting machine. You can read about Ole at the other blog I did and his record in the ring.
Ole is my mate, I claim that as being an Aussie and having a few beers, and a bloody good chat means you are mates in my book, well I will claim that anyway.
Ole had a fight a little while back on the 19th of August at Martial Combat, Asia’s mixed martial arts fighting championship. Ole was taking on American Nicholas Leconte.
If you want to see a hell of a fight, two guys give it to each other for 15 minutes and see how fit, strong, but also tactical then you must watch this fight. I spoke to Ole about this fight at his birthday party and he said it was probably the hardest fight he has had. Nicholas had really given it to him.
Ole also said that a point deduction for an illegal knee to the head probably cost Leconte the fight. Ole tells it how it is, that is how close the fight was.
Anyway I could go on, but if you want to see a good battle then watch the video of MMA, a sport that is really growing across Asia, well across the world.
Also on that night Vaughn “Blud” Anderson (I also claim as a mate) took on Korean Hyoung Woo Kim and also had a win for Legacy Gym. It also is a great fight and Vaughn dominates the first round, in the second round he opens with some hard leg kicks and continues smacking the Korean’s legs. Then he absolutely smashes the Korean’s legs and the smacks ring out from the contact. Another must watch video as well here.
Another Legacy Gym fighter, Nick “Hooligan” Mellor took on Victor Wang, I blogged about a training session I watched Nick Mellor and Vaughn Anderson go through at Legacy Gym and said it was “punishing” to put it nicely and that they both looked excellent for their upcoming fights.
Nick is 188cms tall and weighed in at 86kgs ripped, he was really fired up for this fight as his first Martial Combat fight he lost and was really disappointed. The first round is a ripper, both fighters at times getting on top but Nick much stronger. Nick opens the second with some big punches, Victor then gets Nick in a dangerous triangle lock with his legs but Nick is bloody strong and gets out of it and then starts elbows and fists pounding Victor’s head.
Finally Nick ends the fight with an excellent ground and pound and when the referee finally stops it, both fighters are totally spent. It is another really good fight to watch as well.
So if you want to watch some really good MMA fights click on links and see some solid punches, ground and pound, and rock hard leg kicks and of course tiring grappling.
I will be doing a story on Legacy Gym’s BJJ trainer, Marcus Waters, a 26 year old from Dallas Texas.
Brunty
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
A Parcel Arrives, Ubon Ratchathani Thailand.
My parents, John and Nancy are legends to me. They have looked after me so well, many times when they probably should have given up on me and just washed their hands of their immature son, but they didn’t and I did finally grow up.
My parents are currently on a 3, 4 or 5 month holiday, escaping Melbourne’s cold weather. They are in Queensland enjoying sunny days, playing golf and lawn bowls with old and new friends.
My mother is a diamond, she has never forgotten a birthday, be it one of her 4 sons or their partners at the time. I would always get a present or mum and dad would put money into my bank account as a present every year without fail.
I on the other hand forgot theirs, would forget Mother and Father’s Day. When I finally grew up and pulled my head in, I realised how lucky I was to have two amazing parents.
Mum and dad still send presents each year for birthdays, and Christmas, never fail. If there not at home in Melbourne it doesn’t matter, mum never forgets.
It is Benjawan’s birthday coming up and today I received a parcel in the mail, mum had sent presents for everyone of course, even me. I walked in the front door after school and was mobbed by my three girls. The package was whisked away amidst my pleas that they had to wait until the 19th, Benjawan’s birthday. These of course were ignored.
Nong Ja got a really cute bag and matching sunglasses, I think Noot wants to borrow her bag.
Noot got a bag, and fancy soaps. I told Noot that mum sends soap because she knows she smells. Noot had her birthday not too long ago and got plenty of presents then.
Benjawan got a bag as well, some lip care products and a necklace she really likes, I guessed that as she kept saying beautiful and then put it on and stared in the mirror. Anything that glitters or shines, Thai girls like a lot.
And I got Cheese Twisties, two large packets and they are bloody delicious. It is amazing how small things you took for granted everyday in Australia can mean so much in Thailand.
So thanks to mum and dad for the presents.
Brunty
My parents are currently on a 3, 4 or 5 month holiday, escaping Melbourne’s cold weather. They are in Queensland enjoying sunny days, playing golf and lawn bowls with old and new friends.
My mother is a diamond, she has never forgotten a birthday, be it one of her 4 sons or their partners at the time. I would always get a present or mum and dad would put money into my bank account as a present every year without fail.
I on the other hand forgot theirs, would forget Mother and Father’s Day. When I finally grew up and pulled my head in, I realised how lucky I was to have two amazing parents.
Mum and dad still send presents each year for birthdays, and Christmas, never fail. If there not at home in Melbourne it doesn’t matter, mum never forgets.
It is Benjawan’s birthday coming up and today I received a parcel in the mail, mum had sent presents for everyone of course, even me. I walked in the front door after school and was mobbed by my three girls. The package was whisked away amidst my pleas that they had to wait until the 19th, Benjawan’s birthday. These of course were ignored.
Nong Ja got a really cute bag and matching sunglasses, I think Noot wants to borrow her bag.
Noot got a bag, and fancy soaps. I told Noot that mum sends soap because she knows she smells. Noot had her birthday not too long ago and got plenty of presents then.
Benjawan got a bag as well, some lip care products and a necklace she really likes, I guessed that as she kept saying beautiful and then put it on and stared in the mirror. Anything that glitters or shines, Thai girls like a lot.
And I got Cheese Twisties, two large packets and they are bloody delicious. It is amazing how small things you took for granted everyday in Australia can mean so much in Thailand.
So thanks to mum and dad for the presents.
Brunty
Monday, 13 September 2010
Do Not Parole Paul Lelsie Aiton, Child Killer Australia.
This has nothing to do with Thailand and is about one of the lowest of life forms that inhabit our earth, they being child killers. I detest paedophiles, any person who harms a child, and especially people who kill defenceless, innocent kids.
Source: The Herald Sun Newspaper Victoria Australia
Way back on the 8th of September 1990, a 2 year old boy named Daniel Valerio, was killed by his step father, Paul Lelsie Aiton. Aiton crushed Daniel’s internal organs after punching him.
Aiton was 188cms tall and 105kgs at the time of the murder. He claimed, “I just lost it” as Daniel was apparently screaming and crying.
But former work colleagues at Aiton’s trial told how Aiton had boasted of:
Kicking the boy, throwing the boy against the wall, pushing his face into his own faeces, lifting him by his hair as he slept, hitting Daniel’s penis with a wooden spoon when he peed in the bath.
Daniel’s post mortem showed 104 bruises on his body, and 2 broken collar bones.
The system failed Daniel, as he had seen 21 people, 5 doctors, and people from Community Services Victoria and Victorian police after anonymous calls were made that he was being beaten.
A paediatrician, Dr Edward Lowther, said “Daniel Valerio, had a large number of bruises when examined on 24 June 1990” this was 2 months before his death.
Daniel’s mother Cheryl Butcher (who hopefully was sterilized) told the doctor that he was clumsy but Dr Lowther doubted this and sent him to hospital for tests.
Butcher also said that, “she wasn’t responsible for the injuries and when the children annoyed her she took them to a girlfriend’s house.” (Why I said she needed to be sterilized) Also Butcher said Aiton had no contact with Daniel alone.
Paul Leslie Aiton is currently applying for bail tomorrow, Tuesday 14th September 2010, after serving 18 years jail; he was sentenced to a maximum of 22 years. I hope that the parole board rejects his parole application.
Anyway, so the system failed this boy, it helped murder him. As a result of Daniel’s death, the Jeff Kennett government (I think he is a piece of shit, not because of anything to do with this case but him as a person and his government) eventually after saying no to it, made it law for police and health and teaching professionals to report suspected child abuse. The can be fined $1,000 for failing to notify
This has also caused problems as it has jammed the system, with now 38,000 plus notifications a year being sent to the Child Protection Services. I think it is better to be safe than sorry, of the 38,432 notifications, there were 11,296 plus investigations, 6,920 substantiations and 3,119 protection applications.
But again it is Victoria; well Australia’s pathetic sentencing of such killers that often doesn’t fit the crime. Judges really seem to be living in their own world many times and I always think that if it was their child, niece or a cousin they wouldn’t be so lenient. But again I am all for the death penalty and do it quickly as possible.
Here are some more failed judgments of child killers. These cowards usually struck a plea of manslaughter instead of murder dramatically reducing their sentneces.
David Arney killed his 5 month old daughter Rachael. He admitted punching her 10 times to relive anger. She suffered perforated small intestines, fractured skull, broken ribs, liver hemorrhage bruised brain and scratches and bruises. Justice Bernard Teague sentenced him to just 9 years in jail with parole in 5 years.
Justice Bernard Teague again, Stewart Clay took his 3 week old son Zachary and held his arms and pressed his head when he wouldn’t settle. Zachary suffered multiple skull fractures and bleeding on the brain. Sentenced to 6 years with a minimum of 3 years.
Michael Horsey a defacto partner, struck 2 year old Dylen Jones 10 times with an open hand because of crying. He lost his breathing after brain swelling, sentenced to 7 years with a minimum of 5 by Justice Geoffrey Eames.
Douglas Daloisio punched his son Jackson up to 3 times a week from the time he was 3 weeks old until his death at 6 weeks old. Jackson died after being punched and shook after spitting out his dummy. He suffered fatal head injuries. Sentenced to 8 years with a minimum of 5 by Justice Geoffrey Eames.
Mark Mietto killed his girlfriend’s son, 3 year old Jonathan Guiver. Mietto the coward tried to say he accidentally bumped Jonathan’s head on the ground but medical reports showed long term bruising on his body. Blunt force head trauma killed him. Sentenced to 6 years with a minimum of 4 years by Justice Geoffrey Nettle.
Rosa Richards and her defacto Lindsay Gregory killed 20 month old Dillion Palfrey, Lindsay hit Dillion when he became agitated causing Dillion’s head to hit the floor, convulsions and loss of consciousness. Rosa then shook Dillion causing fatal brain injuries, torn liver, bleeding retinas. Rosa was sentenced to 5 years with a minimum of 3 ½ and Lindsay 5 years with a minimum of 3 by Justice Philip Cummins.
Jeffrey Thompson squeezed 6 month old Jordan before throwing him across the room, then stuffing his mouth with a bib and putting his son’s head under water. He suffered a ruptured liver and broken ribs. Sentenced to 5 ½ years with a minimum of 3 by Justice Murray Kellam.
Gary Hynes-Jones hit his 6 week old son Jordan twice on the head and then tried to blame his 12 month old son. He suffered skull fractures, head wounds and broken ribs. Sentenced to 9 years with a minimum of 6 by Justice John Coldrey.
David Robson repeatedly abused his son Jesse Winning, until a punch to the child’s stomach caused Jesse to die from shock and blood loss. Jesse had 39 separate injuries, including healing fractures to his right leg and arm. Sentenced to 9 years with a minimum of 6 by Justice George Hampel.
Aniesto Lefau punched his defacto’s 15 month old daughter, Cecilia Tulilao in the stomach. Bowel and liver bleeding led to her death. Sentenced to 8 years with a minimum of 5 ½ by Justice Murray Kellam.
Brendan Dempsey punched his 11 week old son Bo-Dylan on the head and didn’t take him to the hospital. He attacked him later again. Bo-Dylan had a 9cm skull fracture, cut on the brain and a broken leg. Sentenced to 9 years with a minimum of 7 by Justice Frank Vincent.
Gary Kesic shook his defacto’s son, 2 year old Jed Britton because he couldn’t learn how to toilet train. Jed suffered severe brain trauma that led to a coma that he didn’t recover from. Sentenced to 10 years with a minimum of 7 by Justice Philip Cummins.
In 2007, Stuart McMaster started beating his defacto’s son Cody McMaster (same name a coincidence) over a period of time with a leather belt, slapping and smacking him. Cody had more than 160 bruises, two fractures to his skull, and horrific internal injuries when he died. (What was his bloody mother doing all the time leading up to his death). Stuart McMaster was sentenced to 12 years in jail with a minimum of 10 years, still too weak if you ask me.
And thankfully this child didn’t die and was saved from a terrible child beater.
Damien Paul Ripper, had 349 previous convictions for all sorts of crimes, before he beat the hell out of his 5 year old son Brandon. When police rescued Brandon, he could barely walk, had bruising over most his body, healing fractures and a broken jaw. He was originally sentenced to 18months jail but this was appealed and he was then sentenced to 4 years with a minimum of 2 ½ years.
It is my opinion and mine only, but these people do not deserve a second chance. I mean “what if” they do re-offend and hurt or kill another innocent child, do the courts and parole boards just shrug their shoulders and say, “Opps, we got it wrong.”
Do these people deserve the death penalty, probably not, maybe…. but they don’t deserve to see the light of day ever again. They should be locked away for the rest of their lives.
Also, I do not believe in separating these sorts of criminals in prisons, and some given false identities and so forth it is just not on. They should be in the general population, housed with people who will give them what they deserve.
I believe that they should feel defenseless, helpless like their very victims did. This is barbaric and many people of course would not agree, but if one of these people lost their miserable life in jail, I would not shed a tear.
If I was a parent of one of these children, I would make it my last breath if need be, the person responsible for taking my child’s life ended the day they were set free or I would hunt them down and then gladly take any jail sentence handed down to me.
Yes, many would say this would cause anarchy if all people did this, and the laws are there to deal with these people but I just would never be able to accept a person serving 3 or 5 years for killing someone I loved. An accident for sure it is hard to get over and forgive, but these things happen. But murdering an innocent, defenseless kid is such a cowardly act.
Anyway, I hope that Paul Lelsie Aiton is not successful in his parole application tomorrow and he rots for the entire 22 years (only another 4 years) and when he does see the light of day may karma if it does exist, comes around and bites his arse big time.
Australia’s child protection agencies are still failing defenceless children, just read the terrible stories that make the newspapers from time to time. I agree that many are understaffed but what is a child’s life worth?
To Daniel Valerio, I hope that your memory is never forgotten and that your terrible death has saved others from the same fate.
Brunty
Source: The Herald Sun Newspaper Victoria Australia
Way back on the 8th of September 1990, a 2 year old boy named Daniel Valerio, was killed by his step father, Paul Lelsie Aiton. Aiton crushed Daniel’s internal organs after punching him.
Aiton was 188cms tall and 105kgs at the time of the murder. He claimed, “I just lost it” as Daniel was apparently screaming and crying.
But former work colleagues at Aiton’s trial told how Aiton had boasted of:
Kicking the boy, throwing the boy against the wall, pushing his face into his own faeces, lifting him by his hair as he slept, hitting Daniel’s penis with a wooden spoon when he peed in the bath.
Daniel’s post mortem showed 104 bruises on his body, and 2 broken collar bones.
The system failed Daniel, as he had seen 21 people, 5 doctors, and people from Community Services Victoria and Victorian police after anonymous calls were made that he was being beaten.
A paediatrician, Dr Edward Lowther, said “Daniel Valerio, had a large number of bruises when examined on 24 June 1990” this was 2 months before his death.
Daniel’s mother Cheryl Butcher (who hopefully was sterilized) told the doctor that he was clumsy but Dr Lowther doubted this and sent him to hospital for tests.
Butcher also said that, “she wasn’t responsible for the injuries and when the children annoyed her she took them to a girlfriend’s house.” (Why I said she needed to be sterilized) Also Butcher said Aiton had no contact with Daniel alone.
Paul Leslie Aiton is currently applying for bail tomorrow, Tuesday 14th September 2010, after serving 18 years jail; he was sentenced to a maximum of 22 years. I hope that the parole board rejects his parole application.
Anyway, so the system failed this boy, it helped murder him. As a result of Daniel’s death, the Jeff Kennett government (I think he is a piece of shit, not because of anything to do with this case but him as a person and his government) eventually after saying no to it, made it law for police and health and teaching professionals to report suspected child abuse. The can be fined $1,000 for failing to notify
This has also caused problems as it has jammed the system, with now 38,000 plus notifications a year being sent to the Child Protection Services. I think it is better to be safe than sorry, of the 38,432 notifications, there were 11,296 plus investigations, 6,920 substantiations and 3,119 protection applications.
But again it is Victoria; well Australia’s pathetic sentencing of such killers that often doesn’t fit the crime. Judges really seem to be living in their own world many times and I always think that if it was their child, niece or a cousin they wouldn’t be so lenient. But again I am all for the death penalty and do it quickly as possible.
Here are some more failed judgments of child killers. These cowards usually struck a plea of manslaughter instead of murder dramatically reducing their sentneces.
David Arney killed his 5 month old daughter Rachael. He admitted punching her 10 times to relive anger. She suffered perforated small intestines, fractured skull, broken ribs, liver hemorrhage bruised brain and scratches and bruises. Justice Bernard Teague sentenced him to just 9 years in jail with parole in 5 years.
Justice Bernard Teague again, Stewart Clay took his 3 week old son Zachary and held his arms and pressed his head when he wouldn’t settle. Zachary suffered multiple skull fractures and bleeding on the brain. Sentenced to 6 years with a minimum of 3 years.
Michael Horsey a defacto partner, struck 2 year old Dylen Jones 10 times with an open hand because of crying. He lost his breathing after brain swelling, sentenced to 7 years with a minimum of 5 by Justice Geoffrey Eames.
Douglas Daloisio punched his son Jackson up to 3 times a week from the time he was 3 weeks old until his death at 6 weeks old. Jackson died after being punched and shook after spitting out his dummy. He suffered fatal head injuries. Sentenced to 8 years with a minimum of 5 by Justice Geoffrey Eames.
Mark Mietto killed his girlfriend’s son, 3 year old Jonathan Guiver. Mietto the coward tried to say he accidentally bumped Jonathan’s head on the ground but medical reports showed long term bruising on his body. Blunt force head trauma killed him. Sentenced to 6 years with a minimum of 4 years by Justice Geoffrey Nettle.
Rosa Richards and her defacto Lindsay Gregory killed 20 month old Dillion Palfrey, Lindsay hit Dillion when he became agitated causing Dillion’s head to hit the floor, convulsions and loss of consciousness. Rosa then shook Dillion causing fatal brain injuries, torn liver, bleeding retinas. Rosa was sentenced to 5 years with a minimum of 3 ½ and Lindsay 5 years with a minimum of 3 by Justice Philip Cummins.
Jeffrey Thompson squeezed 6 month old Jordan before throwing him across the room, then stuffing his mouth with a bib and putting his son’s head under water. He suffered a ruptured liver and broken ribs. Sentenced to 5 ½ years with a minimum of 3 by Justice Murray Kellam.
Gary Hynes-Jones hit his 6 week old son Jordan twice on the head and then tried to blame his 12 month old son. He suffered skull fractures, head wounds and broken ribs. Sentenced to 9 years with a minimum of 6 by Justice John Coldrey.
David Robson repeatedly abused his son Jesse Winning, until a punch to the child’s stomach caused Jesse to die from shock and blood loss. Jesse had 39 separate injuries, including healing fractures to his right leg and arm. Sentenced to 9 years with a minimum of 6 by Justice George Hampel.
Aniesto Lefau punched his defacto’s 15 month old daughter, Cecilia Tulilao in the stomach. Bowel and liver bleeding led to her death. Sentenced to 8 years with a minimum of 5 ½ by Justice Murray Kellam.
Brendan Dempsey punched his 11 week old son Bo-Dylan on the head and didn’t take him to the hospital. He attacked him later again. Bo-Dylan had a 9cm skull fracture, cut on the brain and a broken leg. Sentenced to 9 years with a minimum of 7 by Justice Frank Vincent.
Gary Kesic shook his defacto’s son, 2 year old Jed Britton because he couldn’t learn how to toilet train. Jed suffered severe brain trauma that led to a coma that he didn’t recover from. Sentenced to 10 years with a minimum of 7 by Justice Philip Cummins.
In 2007, Stuart McMaster started beating his defacto’s son Cody McMaster (same name a coincidence) over a period of time with a leather belt, slapping and smacking him. Cody had more than 160 bruises, two fractures to his skull, and horrific internal injuries when he died. (What was his bloody mother doing all the time leading up to his death). Stuart McMaster was sentenced to 12 years in jail with a minimum of 10 years, still too weak if you ask me.
And thankfully this child didn’t die and was saved from a terrible child beater.
Damien Paul Ripper, had 349 previous convictions for all sorts of crimes, before he beat the hell out of his 5 year old son Brandon. When police rescued Brandon, he could barely walk, had bruising over most his body, healing fractures and a broken jaw. He was originally sentenced to 18months jail but this was appealed and he was then sentenced to 4 years with a minimum of 2 ½ years.
It is my opinion and mine only, but these people do not deserve a second chance. I mean “what if” they do re-offend and hurt or kill another innocent child, do the courts and parole boards just shrug their shoulders and say, “Opps, we got it wrong.”
Do these people deserve the death penalty, probably not, maybe…. but they don’t deserve to see the light of day ever again. They should be locked away for the rest of their lives.
Also, I do not believe in separating these sorts of criminals in prisons, and some given false identities and so forth it is just not on. They should be in the general population, housed with people who will give them what they deserve.
I believe that they should feel defenseless, helpless like their very victims did. This is barbaric and many people of course would not agree, but if one of these people lost their miserable life in jail, I would not shed a tear.
If I was a parent of one of these children, I would make it my last breath if need be, the person responsible for taking my child’s life ended the day they were set free or I would hunt them down and then gladly take any jail sentence handed down to me.
Yes, many would say this would cause anarchy if all people did this, and the laws are there to deal with these people but I just would never be able to accept a person serving 3 or 5 years for killing someone I loved. An accident for sure it is hard to get over and forgive, but these things happen. But murdering an innocent, defenseless kid is such a cowardly act.
Anyway, I hope that Paul Lelsie Aiton is not successful in his parole application tomorrow and he rots for the entire 22 years (only another 4 years) and when he does see the light of day may karma if it does exist, comes around and bites his arse big time.
Australia’s child protection agencies are still failing defenceless children, just read the terrible stories that make the newspapers from time to time. I agree that many are understaffed but what is a child’s life worth?
To Daniel Valerio, I hope that your memory is never forgotten and that your terrible death has saved others from the same fate.
Brunty
Sunday, 12 September 2010
Caught in the Rain, Isaan Thailand.
I was sitting at home a little earlier this evening working on the computer and then glanced at the clock, it was just before 7pm and I needed to go to the supermarket and buy a few things. As soon as I had the keys to my motorbike in my hand my niece Nong Ja was onto me and wanting to come along.
So we jumped on the bike and 500mtrs later we are in Big C, we had just walked into the supermarket and grabbed a basket when what sounded like thousands of rocks being thrown onto the roof. It was of course rain, and it was absolutely pissing down.
I only needed a few things, but with it raining cats and dogs, Ja and I ventured around a little and of course bought a few extra things I wouldn't have bought if it hadn't started raining.
After a good half an hour of pouring rain, we made our way to the checkout, paid for our things and then rang Ja's dad to pick her up and drop her home to our place. He turned up at took Ja home, I rang Noot to check they got home alright, Noot told me she had to walk out and up the road as it was thigh deep and too high for the car.
I waited and waited at Big C, at 9pm it eased a little and I made a dash for it. I couldn't get anywhere near my house because of the flooding so I turned around and went to where I am now, my sister in law's internet shop.
It is still raining, not too hard but steady and I do not know when I will be able to get home. It is now 9.47pm and it could be midnight or who knows when the rain eases enough so the water will drain away and I can make it home.
I rang home 10 minutes ago and Ja was driving Noot nuts, asking where I was and when I was coming home. She was insisting that Noot and her go to Big C to get me. Noot told me to leave my bike at the internet shop and walk home, which I might have to do a little later if it comes to that.
So that is my Sunday evening, stranded 500mtrs from my home looking at the rain falling steadily, wishing I could get home and finish the work I have, have a hot shower and hit the sack.
Brunty
So we jumped on the bike and 500mtrs later we are in Big C, we had just walked into the supermarket and grabbed a basket when what sounded like thousands of rocks being thrown onto the roof. It was of course rain, and it was absolutely pissing down.
I only needed a few things, but with it raining cats and dogs, Ja and I ventured around a little and of course bought a few extra things I wouldn't have bought if it hadn't started raining.
After a good half an hour of pouring rain, we made our way to the checkout, paid for our things and then rang Ja's dad to pick her up and drop her home to our place. He turned up at took Ja home, I rang Noot to check they got home alright, Noot told me she had to walk out and up the road as it was thigh deep and too high for the car.
I waited and waited at Big C, at 9pm it eased a little and I made a dash for it. I couldn't get anywhere near my house because of the flooding so I turned around and went to where I am now, my sister in law's internet shop.
It is still raining, not too hard but steady and I do not know when I will be able to get home. It is now 9.47pm and it could be midnight or who knows when the rain eases enough so the water will drain away and I can make it home.
I rang home 10 minutes ago and Ja was driving Noot nuts, asking where I was and when I was coming home. She was insisting that Noot and her go to Big C to get me. Noot told me to leave my bike at the internet shop and walk home, which I might have to do a little later if it comes to that.
So that is my Sunday evening, stranded 500mtrs from my home looking at the rain falling steadily, wishing I could get home and finish the work I have, have a hot shower and hit the sack.
Brunty
Monday, 6 September 2010
Good Memories and Looking Forward to Holidays, Isaan Thailand.
Well it was a quiet weekend at home, well Noot, Ja and Ben all went out to the village to see their mum. I arrived home on Friday to find Miss Noot had rearranged the house, again. A few times a year Noot decides the house needs to have everything shifted around, and also a good spring clean.
I went over to N-Joy, the local expat bar for a few quiet beers on Saturday evening and also watch the second half of the qualifying final between my team Collingwood and Western Bulldogs in the Australian Rules Football (AFL).
I have always barracked for Collingwood (Magpies) and my father barracks for The Bulldogs. He used to be a Saint Kilda supporter but changed teams a good 8 or 10 years ago I would say after being a lifelong Saint Kilda supporter. Anyway, to dad, I am sorry we flogged you but it was always on the cards.
The few quiet beers turned into a few more than planned and home a little later than I wanted but these things happen. Then on Sunday I had to teach for 3 hours, I am filling in for a lady who left our school going on to much better things for sure. I only have 3 more weeks to go thankfully and then this extra teaching is over and my weekends will be all mine again.
I was going through some folders of pictures, so many I haven’t processed yet, there would be hundreds that need to be deleted and hundreds of others to have some editing done to them and then uploaded to my Flickr account.
It is good to look at some of the old folders as the good memories come back. This is Noot with a little girl called Brogan, who is my mate’s granddaughter at the airport before they flew back to England.
My amazing little girl, Nong Ja my Thai niece in the swimming pool while we were on holiday. She loved swimming everyday. First thing in the morning she wanted to jump into the pool even before breakfast.
I feel a little guilty now looking at the pictures as we haven’t been to a pool locally. The closest she has to a pool is her bath every night. I really have to make more time for her as she loves the water and it is so important no matter where you live that you teach your kids to swim from the youngest of ages.
Another really funny thing on holiday was Ja dancing, when we put the music channel on in the hotel and Ja would cut loose it was often hysterical, especially when she tried to mimic break-dancers.
I am really looking forward to holidays in October, I really need them to refresh the mind, body and soul you could say. It will either be a week at the beach or just in the countryside away from civilisation. I need to get away from school completely.
At school some insanity seems to be building with most of the hierarchy of the school, coming up with ideas that can only be described as totally nonsensical. I can truthfully say I have never worked in a place so mismanaged. Not just this year but my entire time here. I studied management as my major and I am not being rude but some of the people making decisions need to be retired and others who are not qualified or just have no idea on how to manage a department removed, and some fresh young blood, with new ideas that match today’s times given a chance.
These are my views from my eyes, I usually keep well out of anything and just do my job, that being teach the kids best I can and all the office politics go by the wayside. Many things asked of me I ignore if they are not in my broad job description, I am employed to teach the children and not the mountainous pile of crap that continues to grow as time goes by.
I have already made my decision, after October holidays I am not giving the school one more unpaid minute of my time. I will not arrive at the school between 6 - 6.30am anymore. I will arrive just before the 7.45am sign in time. I will leave right on 4pm and not do a single extra thing not related to my job.
The school seem to be trying to just take and take, more and more each week. So many teachers are fed up with it and there are whispers that many will not return next year as they are just so disenchanted or disheartened by it all.
I mean the school cannot seem to grasp of fathom the large teacher turnover. If you were in any field of work where your business was turning over staff at such a rate, you need to start asking many questions to why these people are leaving. Some genuinely leave for legitimate reasons, others because they cannot stop banging their heads against the wall.
A perfect example; I was managing a surf club and I continually had staff requesting to swap shifts when one duty manager was working. I noticed this and I eventually asked some of them why they swapped when this person was the duty manager.
If one person had this problem, it could be a personal thing but when you have 5 or more staff requesting for shift changes bells ring. The problem was addressed and things returned to normal. But action needed to be taken.
Another was complaints from members about one staff member who was continually unhappy, and this could actually be seen in bar taking in the members bars. It seemed if this person was working this bar members brought less drinks from this bar, they either went to the other bar or left earlier than normal.
The staff member was spoken to, the complaints were raised and we tried to find out if there were external problems causing this problem at work or the person was just unhappy with their job. We then had this person trained so that they could work in the poker machine lounge, giving out cash and making the payouts. This job required a lot less personal contact, as in conversations with people. Just a smile and a hello, congratulations and that was about it.
Anyway, what I am trying to say is this. I would be asking many questions as to why the high staff turnover, and then I would be trying to address these problems and keep staff for longer periods of time. Teaching to me is a job where you want students to have familiarity with teachers. Not each year having students return to school and a bunch of new faces, who have different teaching styles, accents, rules, and on the list goes.
But again that is me and the higher beings seem to accept the fact that this happens and is just normal. So they can continue to live on Mars or whatever planet they are on or from and I will dedicate my time and effort to the kids.
Brunty
Thursday, 2 September 2010
9 Year Old Boy, Shot Dead Going to School by Public Bus, Thailand.
An innocent 9 year old boy was fatally shot on a public bus on his way to school here in Thailand. On a crowded bus in the Bangkok area, the boy whose nickname was Nong Thian was riding a bus he takes everyday with his elder brother to their school.
This picture I cannot credit anyone for. I could not find who took this saddening picture. I got this from from The Nation Newspaper.
He was shot 4 times in all by the report, twice in the neck, once in the face and shoulder. If you read the newspaper article and look at the pictures, the gun looks like it held a shotgun cartridge, not a bullet and was a single shot. I am sorry to show this picture above as it is his lifeless body and his grieving mother. This picture was on the front pages on most Thai papers today.
The shooter was a 16 year old boy and his accomplice was 19 years old. What were two young guys shooting at a fully loaded bus on a Wednesday morning? That is simple to answer.
The shooter has told police he bought the gun for 2,500 Thai baht, and wanted to shoot at rival students from another vocational college, the murderer and his accomplice were from Techno Bangkapi School.
In years gone by, some of the solutions to try and stop the fighting and deaths between vocational colleges have been: teachers follow buses and try and stop any violence if two groups look like fighting, stationing teachers at bus stops in known problem areas, stationing police at the institutions and the list goes on and on.
All have proven to be more than useless. I mean what teacher wants to step into the line of fire, take a bullet or get the shit bashed out of them, trying to stop these fools fighting. As for the police, sadly many aren’t the most motivated lot, unless it involves some extra padding to their pockets.
For such a long time, there has been a deadly rivalry in technic and vocational colleges across Thailand, especially some areas in Bangkok. I don’t want to paint all the students with the same brush, as there are millions of students attending these institutions but mostly these schools cater for drop outs, or dregs of society. I am not trying to be nasty but it is hard not to be so negative.
I have written about these problems at times, back in 2007, 2008 (links to the newspapers are now dead). The Bangkok Post is crap to link to. In the papers you will often see headlines stating another vocational student’s death from rival fighting.
Last year, over 100 of these students fought at the very popular MBK (Mah-Boon-Krong) shopping centre in Bangkok. Stunned onlookers watched as knives, machetes, knuckledusters and any other weapon you could think of were used. Some windows of shops were smashed during the fight and also a few innocent victims mistaken as students set upon.
Each time, the ministry in control of these institutions, the police and the government talk tough. They talk about doing this and that but it always seems to be piss in the wind stuff. The ministry controlling these institutions and the directors need to be dragged over broken glass and get this idiocy under control.
These people have to stop letting the verbal tripe pour out their mouths and actually put things in motion. The death of this 9yo has caused an outcry, not just in Thailand but in newspapers across the world that have picked up on the story. I cannot understand why it has taken so long and this very sad death to finally bring more media spotlights on Thailand that has been embarrassed by so many things over the past few years.
The laws must get a lot tougher with these institutions, very strict laws on the students they take in, and how they manage them and hold these places responsible for any problems these kids cause. Huge fines for the heads of the school and possible jail terms would clean these places out of the misfits and leave the kids who want to learn a trade, to do just that.
If these institutions continue to have problems, then it should be closed down by the government. A three warning system or something like that. If these places are threatened with losing their cash cow, I am sure they will have to pull their fingers out of their third eye.
Metal detectors and armed security guards, maybe a special police task force (paid by the schools, I could say the normal police but they don’t want to do this job going by their record) to monitor known problem areas, have the power to detain and search students suspected of carrying illegal weapons.
Jail terms for students that break these laws (yes, people say this isn’t a fix as they will be around career criminals and this could just put them on a road to a life in crime) as if they are sentenced to 15 or 30 days for say, carrying a knife, this experience could just give them the biggest scare of their lives, make them work with people who have been victims of senseless crimes, let them see firsthand what their stupidity can do, and I could go on and on.
Would any of this work? I have no idea, but something needs to be done. No child in the world should be shot dead going to school, trying to get an education in any country, especially one full of fat corrupt pigs, stealing off the very parents doing it so hard and just trying to get by.
It saddens me when I read about the corruption, see it firsthand and know how the everyday Thais just think it is part of everyday life, because it is so ingrained into society. I know I will never see the day in Thailand, in my lifetime, when someone with power, some real balls actually takes corruption on.
I know many are also against this idea of mine, being the death penalty. If someone is guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt, so 100% sure as in the person admitted the murder or the evidence is undeniable, then get rid of them as soon as possible, no matter if they are 12 or 100. They should be killed as they did to their victim. Again just my thoughts.
Whatever happens, something needs to be done now, today, not tomorrow as it is too late. Thailand doesn’t want another Nong Thian gracing foreign newspapers because of their ineptness.
My condolences and thoughts are with Nong Thain’s family in this incredibly sad time.
Brunty
This picture I cannot credit anyone for. I could not find who took this saddening picture. I got this from from The Nation Newspaper.
He was shot 4 times in all by the report, twice in the neck, once in the face and shoulder. If you read the newspaper article and look at the pictures, the gun looks like it held a shotgun cartridge, not a bullet and was a single shot. I am sorry to show this picture above as it is his lifeless body and his grieving mother. This picture was on the front pages on most Thai papers today.
The shooter was a 16 year old boy and his accomplice was 19 years old. What were two young guys shooting at a fully loaded bus on a Wednesday morning? That is simple to answer.
The shooter has told police he bought the gun for 2,500 Thai baht, and wanted to shoot at rival students from another vocational college, the murderer and his accomplice were from Techno Bangkapi School.
In years gone by, some of the solutions to try and stop the fighting and deaths between vocational colleges have been: teachers follow buses and try and stop any violence if two groups look like fighting, stationing teachers at bus stops in known problem areas, stationing police at the institutions and the list goes on and on.
All have proven to be more than useless. I mean what teacher wants to step into the line of fire, take a bullet or get the shit bashed out of them, trying to stop these fools fighting. As for the police, sadly many aren’t the most motivated lot, unless it involves some extra padding to their pockets.
For such a long time, there has been a deadly rivalry in technic and vocational colleges across Thailand, especially some areas in Bangkok. I don’t want to paint all the students with the same brush, as there are millions of students attending these institutions but mostly these schools cater for drop outs, or dregs of society. I am not trying to be nasty but it is hard not to be so negative.
I have written about these problems at times, back in 2007, 2008 (links to the newspapers are now dead). The Bangkok Post is crap to link to. In the papers you will often see headlines stating another vocational student’s death from rival fighting.
Last year, over 100 of these students fought at the very popular MBK (Mah-Boon-Krong) shopping centre in Bangkok. Stunned onlookers watched as knives, machetes, knuckledusters and any other weapon you could think of were used. Some windows of shops were smashed during the fight and also a few innocent victims mistaken as students set upon.
Each time, the ministry in control of these institutions, the police and the government talk tough. They talk about doing this and that but it always seems to be piss in the wind stuff. The ministry controlling these institutions and the directors need to be dragged over broken glass and get this idiocy under control.
These people have to stop letting the verbal tripe pour out their mouths and actually put things in motion. The death of this 9yo has caused an outcry, not just in Thailand but in newspapers across the world that have picked up on the story. I cannot understand why it has taken so long and this very sad death to finally bring more media spotlights on Thailand that has been embarrassed by so many things over the past few years.
The laws must get a lot tougher with these institutions, very strict laws on the students they take in, and how they manage them and hold these places responsible for any problems these kids cause. Huge fines for the heads of the school and possible jail terms would clean these places out of the misfits and leave the kids who want to learn a trade, to do just that.
If these institutions continue to have problems, then it should be closed down by the government. A three warning system or something like that. If these places are threatened with losing their cash cow, I am sure they will have to pull their fingers out of their third eye.
Metal detectors and armed security guards, maybe a special police task force (paid by the schools, I could say the normal police but they don’t want to do this job going by their record) to monitor known problem areas, have the power to detain and search students suspected of carrying illegal weapons.
Jail terms for students that break these laws (yes, people say this isn’t a fix as they will be around career criminals and this could just put them on a road to a life in crime) as if they are sentenced to 15 or 30 days for say, carrying a knife, this experience could just give them the biggest scare of their lives, make them work with people who have been victims of senseless crimes, let them see firsthand what their stupidity can do, and I could go on and on.
Would any of this work? I have no idea, but something needs to be done. No child in the world should be shot dead going to school, trying to get an education in any country, especially one full of fat corrupt pigs, stealing off the very parents doing it so hard and just trying to get by.
It saddens me when I read about the corruption, see it firsthand and know how the everyday Thais just think it is part of everyday life, because it is so ingrained into society. I know I will never see the day in Thailand, in my lifetime, when someone with power, some real balls actually takes corruption on.
I know many are also against this idea of mine, being the death penalty. If someone is guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt, so 100% sure as in the person admitted the murder or the evidence is undeniable, then get rid of them as soon as possible, no matter if they are 12 or 100. They should be killed as they did to their victim. Again just my thoughts.
Whatever happens, something needs to be done now, today, not tomorrow as it is too late. Thailand doesn’t want another Nong Thian gracing foreign newspapers because of their ineptness.
My condolences and thoughts are with Nong Thain’s family in this incredibly sad time.
Brunty
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