All the kids are back in school, and as you crawl along in the traffic jam behind that goddamn school bus, you may just become nostalgic for those care-free times. Just because your school days are over, doesn’t mean your education has to stop. Learning is a daily, life-long endeavor, so here are a couple of classes to quench your thirst for knowledge and to get you out of your mundane office life routine.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Become A Shark
What You Will Learn: Personality skills. John Robert Powers’ Chic and Charm Power Program teaches businesswomen and men how to dress and socialize appropriately when swimming with sharks, and how to make a good first impression. There is also a Biz Smart program focusing on improving your business personality and a Pro Executive course for the top brass. Terrified by public speaking? Try out their speech class or presentation course.
The Student Body: Businessmen and women and wannabe millionaires. All Thais since classes are taught in Thai.
The Cost: Speech and presentation courses, B35,000. Chic and Charm, B30,000. Biz Smart, B50,000 for men and B55,000 for women. Pro Executive Course, B73,000 for men, B76,000 for women.
● John Robert Powers. 9/F LL909-911 The Offices at CentralWorld, Rama 1 Rd., 02-646-1999. www.johnrobertpowers.in.th.
Ace Your Interview
What You Will Learn: Interview techniques including how to speak, dress, make a good first impression. They have specific classes for air-hostesses and other service jobs.
The Student Body: Anyone going in for an interview.
The Cost: B2,990 for 30 hours of one-on-one sessions.
● Surepass. 2169/1 Wattana Mart Building between Soi 47 and 49, Ramkamhaeng Rd., 02-314-2074. www.clicksurepass.com.
Speak Good
What You Will Learn: Public speaking and leadership skills. Toastmasters is one of the largest non-profit organizations for leadership development. The Bangkok Toastmasters Club (chartered in 1955) meets weekly at the Indra Regent Hotel, (Sapphire Room A, Ratchprarop Rd., 02-208-0155) and for two hours you will be following their concept of “learning-by-doing.”
The Student Body: Because it is a community club, the members are diverse, you have the housewives, young professionals, retirees, students, etc.
The Cost: Observation is free. New members have to pay B1,500 for the manual. After that the membership fee is B300/month but the payment is every term (6months, B1,800).
● Toastmasters International Program.
www.bangkok-toastmasters.org. For more info you can contact club member K. Arun, 02-251-9387.
COMPUTER CLASSES
Revenge Of The Nerds
What You Will Learn: Computer courses include web design and web application, graphic design and multimedia, network and server, application development, computer skills for the office, hardware and software
maintenance, and various other applications.
Student Body: Thais and foreigners from high school to the working professional either wanting to break into the IT industry or just the computer geek needing to brush up on the latest app.
The Cost: This school has so many com classes with the price ranging from B3,000-9,500. If you want personal attention opt for their one-on-one classes, from B400-1,000 an hour.
● Siam Computer and Language School. 471/19 Ratchawithee Rd., 02-247-2345-54.
www.siamcom.co.th.
ARTS & CRAFTS
Get Your Hands Dirty
What You Will Learn: How to make ceramics.
The Student Body: Poteri has classes for kids, adults and also for businesses that want to use clay for motivational corporate activities. No more than five students per class, so you will definitely get personal attention.
The Cost: B776 per class (each class is 2 hours). Free 1 hour trial.
● Poteri Clay Workshop. 3/F, Racquet Club Building 3, 145 Sukhumvit Soi 49, 02-762-7878. www.potericlay.com.
Prepare that Mixed Media Exhibition
What You Will Learn: The many media of art including sculpture, painting and ceramics.
The Student Body: Kids and adults exploring their artistic side with part-time art faculty of Silapakorn University, Khun Nakpawan Chalit.
The Cost: Kids pay B4,500 for one course of 10 sessions, while adults have to pay B7,500.
● Chalit Art Project and Gallery. Ratchawithee Soi 2, 02-246-31 71. email chalitartgallery@yahoo.com.
Turn the Angst into Art
What You Will Learn: Drawing or basic design which includes composition, painting, color theory and sketch design.
The Student Body: Normally high-school students, grades 10-12. And because the courses are taught in Thai, this cool art place is normally inhabited by the artsy Thai youth. But everyone (with cash) is welcome.
The Cost: B1,500 for the drawing course which is 4 classes, B2,000 for composition which is 2 classes.
● Art Element. 1741-43-45-47 Rama 4 Rd., 02-671-6878, 08-4122-9959. www.the-artelement.com.
Move to Paris and Cut Your Ear Off
What You Will Learn: Drawing, basic art, watercolor, oil painting, pastel, and acrylic.
The Student Body: Youthful adults to the not getting any younger. Mainly Thais but there are some farangs sprinkled here and there.
The Cost: B2,800 drawing and basic art for 8 sessions, B4,200 plus B1,400 for materials for the watercolor, oil, pastel and acrylic courses.
● Kien Silp Art School. 7/F, Central City Bangna Tower One, Bang Na-Trat Rd., 02-361-0858. www.kiensilpart.com.
Paint The Bed Red
What You will Learn: Regular visitors to JJ Market will already be aware of the distinctive hand-painted floral designs adorning wooden furniture. Now you can learn how to turn your own furniture into works of art. Their range of classes teach you how to paint on various different surface materials from tin to flower pots.
The Student Body: Thai youngsters and bored housewives looking to brighten up their homes.
The Cost: B1,300 for the one-day class, B12,000 for a 10-class course.
● Sha Bha Shine Botanical Art School. 25 Charun Sanitwong Soi 77, 02-885-4788, 081-363-6210. www.shabashine.com.
Knitting is Sexy
What You Will Learn: How to knit scarves, bags, sweaters, dolls—whatever is knittable. You will be taught by Tomomi Sato of the Japan Knitting Culture Association. This yarn shop/café/bakery is the place for a relaxing day of knitting.
The Student Body: Teenagers to adults, mainly Thais and some Japanese women. You will also find some men getting in touch with their feminine side.
The Cost: B2,000 for 5 hours,10 hours comes to B3,000, 20 hours is B5,000. But if you don’t have enough time, then an hour is B500.
● Big Knit. 88 Sukhumvit 49, 02-260-5050. www.bigknit49.com.
Say It With Flowers
What You Will Learn: Flower decoration and arrangements, such as dining table centerpieces.
The Student Body: Thai and farangs. People who are interested in going into the flower business but also over-ambitious housewives.
The Cost: Primary course B9,800 for the first 12 sessions then, B14,500 for the second course.
● Universal Flower Arrangement School. 99/27 Srinakarin Rd., 02-743-4116-8. www.great-hana.com.
Capture the Moment
What You Will Learn: Jonathan Taylor’s photography workshop teaches beginners to intermediates and covers basic camera functions (exposure, aperture, etc.), Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop and lighting techniques. But if you want a one-on-one session with the master himself then take the option of private lessons. Classes are taught in english.
The Student Body: Mainly adults interested in the art of photography. An international crowd.
The Cost: The workshop is US$300 (around B9,621) for 3 weeks, and a private lesson is US$300 for one day.
● Photography School Asia with Jonathan Taylor. 02-863-2040. www.jonathantaylor.net.
MUSIC
Kick Khun In’s Butt
What You Will Learn: Traditional Thai Musical instruments, including klui, the sor-duang and the sor-uu.
The Student Body: forty-plus and kids being dragged by their parents to learn a traditional instrument. Do you really expect a young hipster to rock to the Khim Jakae Ranard? But come on, let’s start a trend.
The Cost: B4,500 for a three-month course. You will be playing one hour per week.
● Phattayakul School. 170/5-6 Samsen Rd., 02-282-1513.
Become A Rockstar
What You Will Learn: Basic guitar, jazz piano, ear tip, music theory, modern harmony and computer music.
Student Body: A diverse group, from 12 year olds to middle aged inters and Thais.
The Cost: Around B2,000 per month.
● Prart Music School. 21/4, 21/7 RCA Zone B, Rama 9 Rd., 02-203-0423-5. www.prartmusic.com.
ON STAGE
“To Be Or Not To Be”
What You Will Learn: Acting. You will be taught by the acting coach from TV
Thunder Studio.
The Student Body: Kids to adults who wish to become the next De Niro.
The Cost: For a 10 student class, it comes to B6,000 for 8 sessions. A class less than 10 students the cost goes up to B8,000. Each session is 3 hours.
● Act & Arts. 1521/3, 3/F, Taizin Square Building, O2-381-8762-3. www.actandarts.com.
Become The Thai Houdini.
What You Will Learn: Basic training, close-up magic, street magic, slight of hand and stage magic. Guiding you through your magical endeavor is international performer, magician and teacher Khun Mamada. Magic just got a surge of hipness with hot and ripped magicians and endurance artists like David Blaine and Criss Angel.
The Student Body: Kids and adults alike take these fun courses. And because classes are taught in either English or Thai, Thais and inters alike are practicing the art of illusion.
The Cost: The basic course which consists of 11 sessions is B4,500, and as the courses get more intensive the price goes up. For the lifetime membership you will have to shell out B48,000.
● The International Magic Academy Thailand. 2502-2504 Ladprao Rd.,
02-731-0235 ext 0. www.magicgeneral.net.
Strut your stuff
What You Will Learn: Professional modeling, which includes runway, photo shoots, make-up and how-to-dress. Watch those heads turn next time you make your grand entrance at Bed’s model night.
The Student Body: Only women and girls above the age of 14.
The Cost: B15,000 for 20 hours of class. June 7 at 10am is the sign-up for the professional modeling course, so don’t be late.
● We Are Model. 31/18 RCA Plaza, Soi Soonvijai Rama 9 Rd., 089-634-8866. wearemodel.com.
FOOD AND DRINKS
Get Liquored Up
What You Will Learn: Cocktail, mocktails, punches and coffee. Alcohol is the social lubricant and acquiring the skill to create the perfect cocktail may just come in handy. (Getting laid comes to mind.)
The Student Body: Mainly people who want to break into the food and beverage and bartending business. But if you are just a layman interested in acquiring the skill of mixology you should opt for the private class.
The Cost: B6,200/month for the group course, you will have to study up from 10am-12pm Mon-Fri. The individual class is B9,200 and you can choose the time you want to come in and how many hours you want to clock in.
● Tavee Praisopa Cocktail School. 645/39 Phetburi Rd., between Soi 13-15, 02-653-9373, 08-9795-6245. www.cocktailtavee.com.
Kae Sa Lak
What You Will Learn: Fruit, vegetable and soap carving.
The Student Body: Mostly culinary professionals from around the world, but if you have the dough and the dexterity to acquire this Thai technique then you are welcome to join. If you don’t land a boring husband with this skill, then nothing will work.
The Cost: Five-day course B10,000.
● The Carving Institute. 149 Soi Intamara 47, BTS Suthisan station. www.carvinginstitute.com. 084-932-7811.
Cook Thai
What You Will Learn: How to whip up some Thai cuisine. Baipai offers one to five-day cooking classes Tue-Sun with morning and noon sessions. Here you will learn how to make four dishes each session. There are seven set menus, which are rotated every six days. Dishes you may learn include chicken satay, fish cakes, pad thai and other homestyle Thai dishes.
The Student Body: Mainly farangs and tourists.
The Cost: B1,600 per person. You also get a recipe book.
● Baipai Thai Cooking School. 150/12 Soi Naksuwan, Nonsee Rd., 02-294-9029. www.baipai.com.
Cook Like a Khunying
What You Will Learn: With set menus for each day of the week, you can learn how to cook Thai dishes at the famous Oriental Hotel. The teachers who will be showing you how to prepare and cook the meals are Oriental’s instructor Khun Narain and guest instructor Khun Krisanapong. Classes are scheduled Mon-Sat, 9am-1pm.
The Student Body: Mainly the guests of the Oriental—farangs who can afford the price tag. Outside guests are also welcome, though.
The Cost: B4,000 per class.
● The Oriental Thai Cooking School. The Oriental Bangkok, 48 Oriental Ave., 02-659-9000. www.mandarinoriental.com.
SPORTS
Kicking Butt
What You Will Learn: Taekwondo, karate, Brazilian jiu jitsu and Thai boxing.
The Student Body: Thais and farangs congregate here for a sweaty workout, all ages from five year olds kicking butt in taekwondo class to office workers doing some hardcore Brazilian jiu jitsu.
The Cost: B1,200 per month. First class is free.
● Executive Martial Arts Center (EMAC). 3/F, Executive Building, 410/3 Surawong Rd., 02-631-4606. www.emacthailand.com.
Choke. Break Bones. Kill.
What You Will Learn: Taekwondo, capoeira, muay-Thai chaiya, wing hun (a type of kung-fu), self-defense.
The Student Body: Young professionals to able-bodied adults sweat it out here.
The Cost: B1,000 per month, three months comes to B2,800.
● Global Martial Arts Center (GMAC). 2/F, 3079/9-10 Sukhumvit 101/1,
02-730-6485, www.gmacgym.com.
We Can’t Talk About It, It’s the Rule.
What You Will Learn: Thai boxing, women’s Thai boxing, Brazilian jiu jitsu, International boxing and mixed martial arts.
The Student Body: A few Thais, you will find mainly foreigners and expats punching each other here. The youngest member is 16 and the eldest is sixty something. A co-ed crowd.
The Cost: B2,500 a month, to sweat 3 times a week.
● Bangkok Fight Club. 10/F Panjit Tower, Soi Thonglor between sois 5 and 7, 08-1846-2010. www.bangkokfightclub.com.
“Say Hello To My Little Friend”
What You Will Learn: Beginners can take a two-day program, where you clock in three hours of shooting practice each day. You will be learning on either a .38 Revolver or a 9mm provided by the school.
The Student Body: Businessmen, university students, men and women alike enjoy the thrill of squeezing the trigger. Normally a Thai crowd, but there are some inters firing away.
The Cost: B2,800 plus bullets.
● International Detective. 169/56 Changarkad-Uthid Rd., Sikan, Don Muang, 02-983-9753.
Go Old School On Their Ass
What you will learn: If you are a beginner, take their discovery class, their teacher will take you through all the steps of archery. All equipment is
provided.
The Student Body: Thais and foreigners alike, from a kid five years old to adults all enjoy shooting arrows at this range.
The Cost: Discovery class is B250 per person. If you already know the art of archery and have your own bow and arrow then you only have to pay B40 an hour for using their range.
● Archery Thai. All Star Sport Complex, 518/3 Soi Ramkamhaeng 39 Prachauthit Rd., 02-934-8234. www.archerythai.com.
DANCE
Bump N’ Grind
What You Will Learn: With a café, lounge and dance studios you can chill and dance. As Snoop would say, sensual seduction is never a bad thing, so try out their Aerobic Striptease every Sunday from 8-9pm. They also have reggaeton coyote, jazz dance, and Latin dance. Be a movie star and learn the dances of Bollywood, on Saturday 5-6pm.
The Student Body: An international crowd of Europeans, Thais and Japanese, a good co-ed mix. The age range is wide, so you just may be dancing next to grandma.
The Cost: B400/hour. But if you really want to immerse yourself in dance, they recommend the B3,500 package which will give you 10 hours of dance for five weeks.
● Salsa Hacha Fusion Café and Dance Studio. 130/5 Silom Soi 6, 02-634-3383/4, www.salsahacha.com.
Shake Your Booty
What You Will Learn: Rumpuree offers dance classes from all corners of the world including flamenco, Afro-Carribean, hip hop and MV dancing. MV stands for music video. The class is modeled after the American TV show “So You Think You Can Dance,” where you will learn how to become a “commercial dancer” able to groove to popular styles of dance including jazz, hip hop, break dancing, ballet, funk, latin, pretty much everything. Or if you want to heat up your love life, opt for their striptease class every Wednesday (2-3pm).
The Student Body: Mostly women in their 20-40s.
The Cost: Single class, B400. 10 classes, B3,500 (lasts three months). 20 classes, B6,000.
● Rumpuree World Dance Studio. 5/F, Amarin Plaza, 496-502 Ploenchit Rd., 08-1430-6684. www.rumpuree.com.
Voulez-vous danser avec moi?
What You Will Learn: An array of the major styles of dance including ballroom, tap, jazz, hip hop and break dancing, contemporary and L.A. Salsa.
The Student Body: Young professionals. An international crowd since classes are taught in Thai and English.
The Cost: For clocking in 15 hours the price for ballroom is B1,000, tap and breakdance/hip hop is B3,975, and ballet and contemporary comes to B5,250. Dancing for 10 hours comes to B3,500 for jazz and salsa.
● Alliance Francaise. 29 South Sathorn Rd., 02-670-4234. www.alliance-francaise.or.th.
Get High
What You Will Learn: How to fly a single-engine Cessna 172. Through studying and flying you will acquire a private pilot license.
The Student Body: Thais and inters alike. You have to be 17 and older to get the wings.
The Cost: To attain the private pilot license it will cost you B399,000. You also have to have a health check-up before you can even step into the cockpit. First you will have to contact BAC and they will navigate you to the Institution of Aviation Medicine where you cough up B2,500 for the check-up. If you are color-blind, then you can’t fly.
● Bangkok Aviation Center. Donmuang Airport 222/444 Hangar 14, Viphawadee Rd., 08-6306-0399, you must call them before you go since this is a military base.
CARS & PLANES
Top Gunning It
What You Will Learn: Flying a Cessna 150 or 172. You will have to study their theory course, which consists of 14 subjects and 40 hours of flying time with an instructor, then you can acquire a private pilot license.
The Student Body: An international crowd. You have to be 17 or older in order to fly.
The Cost: 40 hours of flying time comes to B250,000.
● Thai Flying Club. 123 Moo 6, Bang Phra, Sriracha, Chonburi, 03-8777-348. www.thaiflyingclub.com.
Want to be the next Schumi?
What You Will Learn: How to race formula cars and Toyota touring vehicles. You will be driving on a 2.4km racetrack.
The Student Body: Thrill-seekers, speed junkies, car enthusiasts. But you have to know how to drive a manual before jumping into these race machines.
The Cost: B8,000 for the two hour Special Experience Drive, B64,000 for the two-day program.
● Taki Racing School. 266/11 Moo 9 Pattaya 2nd Rd., Nong Prue, Banglamung, Chonburi, 03-8428-392. www.takiracing.com.
13 Things They Don’t Teach You In School
1. Teachers are nice compared to bosses.
2. It’s not what you know—it’s who you know.
3. You do not need to know what you’re going to do with your life by the time you graduate.
4. Your teachers hate you, too.
5. Money makes the world go round.
6. Size does matter.
7. Touching it won’t make you go blind.
8. Smoking pot does not lead to heroin addiction.
9. Rote learning improves your memory, that’s it.
10. 1+1 does not always equal 2, and parallel lines do meet.
11. Wisdom doesn’t necessarily come with age.
12. Drinking more cures a hangover.
13. Don’t mix lights and darks, while drinking or when doing your laundry.
Numerology
75 million
Number of children, throughout the world, who don’t attend school.
419,000
Number of children who don’t attend school, in Thailand.
92.6
Percentage of Thai adults who are literate.
37
Percentage of Thai schools that are connected to the Internet.
5,000
Number of additional schools OBEC (Office of the Basic Education Commission) would like to see offer sex education courses, which would primarily teach abstinence.
1.5
Proposed passing grade for Thai high school seniors, up from the current 1.0 GPA.
24.1
Percentage of Thai Teens who commit suicide due to stress from school and work.
B1.85 trillion
Net worth of Bill Gates, a Harvard dropout.
B331 billion
Education ministry budget for 2009.
B451 billion
Budget the ministry sought.
bk asks: “What’s the most embarrassing moment you had in school?”
Naruemon Damnaphuwakun, 24, lawyer
My drumsticks slipped out of my hand while I was playing for the school band during a concert; everyone looked at me in shock. I was so embarrassed.
Wichittra Paleeriam, 26, customer service support
I forgot to zip up my skirt. I was told by a motorcycle taxi driver while I was walking home from school that my fly was down. So embarrassing!
Phanita Witthayanon, 23, unemployed
The boy who I had a crush on knew that I was so in love with him. I was so embarrassed when I realized that he knew about my secret love for him, I couldn’t look at him in the face anymore, let alone talk to him.
Chanchai Sitsirichainon, 31, cell phone retailer
I fell down the stairs in the school hallway and everyone saw my feet go up in the air. They were all laughing at me.
Ninlawan Likhitphongsathorn, 51, government officer
I stepped on dog shit and got on the school bus without realizing it. The smell spread throughout the bus and everyone knew where it was coming from. Me!
Ninnilin Thantatawinkun, 34, financial officer
Two guys started fighting over me because they both wanted to be my boyfriend. Everyone in school knew why they were fighting and blamed me. I was so embarrassed.
