#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Teaching In Thailand >  >  Playschool requirements

## panama hat

I posted this on the other forum - I should know better - and I received a few replies, but none really addressing the issue.   Any comments on it?

My wife wants to open an English-language playschool for children 3- to 5 or 2 to 5 year olds. Does anyone know of the requirements for starting such a venture?

Neither of us are Thai, but I do have a work permit and my own company.

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## ChiangMai noon

^
I'll see what I can find out this evening.
I know someone that has one and I'll be seeing her tomight.
will get back to you tomorrow afternoon.

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## Marmite the Dog

Anywhere in Thailand do you?

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## panama hat

Thank you, CMN. 

Sorry, Marmite, I didn't understand your question.

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## Marmite the Dog

> Sorry, Marmite, I didn't understand your question.


That's because I didn't read the OP properly.

Jeez! Some people...

 :Wall:

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## ChiangMai noon

^
I have tried to comprehend your misinterpretation and failed Marmite.

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## Marmite the Dog

I thought he was looking for a playschool.  :bunny3:

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## panama hat

I'm too old for playschool, I'm afraid

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## kingwilly

i thought the market was fairly saturated anyway.....

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## panama hat

saturated in certain areas, I'm sure - Bangkok,Pattaya etc . . . 

We live in Chantanburi and there are lots of wealthy people here from the gem,  fruit and rubber industries and one bilingual school - but nothing for the  little ones. We have had quite a bit of encouragement from both expats and  locals for this.

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## hillbilly

> I posted this on the other forum - I should know better - and I received a few replies, but none really addressing the issue. Any comments on it?
> 
> My wife wants to open an English-language playschool for children 3- to 5 or 2 to 5 year olds. Does anyone know of the requirements for starting such a venture?
> 
> Neither of us are Thai, but I do have a work permit and my own company.


MOE says for a kindergarden at least 1 rai is required.

MOE says for an international school at least 5 rai is required.

For a playschool? Well this is Thailand. :Smile: 

However, this is Thailand...

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## panama hat

Thanks, Hillbilly . . . I think.  

We were thinking of renting a bungalow and covering the grassy area with a type of awning so the kids can play outside as well . . . on the grass!

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## mad_dog

One of you would need a degree if you open and educationally minded venture... Thais who do need to have a degree anyway I know more than one of more than one person who tried opening a language school and registering in the low-low-low class wife's name and were denied.

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## WhiteLotusLane

Whereabouts in Thailand?

If Chiang Mai then I'm interested.

Priority #1 : A SAFE environment, in absolutely every respect.
Priority #2 : Professional staff who like kids. And enough of them
Priority #3 : Affordable.   Anything over 5000 baht / month is out, preferably (lots) cheaper.   Also a daily rate of around 200/300 baht would be nice. Even nicer a half-day rate of 150-200 baht. 
Priority #4 : South of town in Chiang Mai
Priority #5 : Opening hours to start at 8am, until 6pm.

That's about it.  :Smile:

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## hillbilly

Actually, according to MOE, the owner now needs to have a degree in education.

Once again TIT. Will try to find a link.

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## panama hat

> One of you would need a degree if you open and educationally minded venture... Thais who do need to have a degree anyway I know more than one of more than one person who tried opening a language school and registering in the low-low-low class wife's name and were denied.


My wife has a Law degree and an MBA from Canterbury, NZ - but nothing in the teaching field (she is not Thai). 

 :Smile:   Nice requirements WLL, but we live in Chantaburi and don't intend on making it a daycare centre, more along the lines of Montessori, i.e. hands-on learning for the littlies.

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## mad_dog

> Originally Posted by mad_dog
> 
> 
> One of you would need a degree if you open and educationally minded venture... Thais who do need to have a degree anyway I know more than one of more than one person who tried opening a language school and registering in the low-low-low class wife's name and were denied.
> 
> 
> My wife has a Law degree and an MBA from Canterbury, NZ - but nothing in the teaching field (she is not Thai). 
> 
>  Nice requirements WLL, but we live in Chantaburi and don't intend on making it a daycare centre, mor any degree is fine but I think you need to show that you are educated if you want to open e along the lines of Montessori, i.e. hands-on learning for the littlies.


 I think any kind of degree is ok Ops I didn't read HB's posts. If the playschool is going to act as a guardian to children you will need to get registered by the MoE as well. I

t sounds like a great idea. I teach slightly older children and am a master at macrame, cut out finger puppets, mother's day cards and the like  :goldcup:

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## kingwilly

> Priority #3 : Affordable. Anything over 5000 baht / month is out, preferably (lots) cheaper. Also a daily rate of around 200/300 baht would be nice. Even nicer a half-day rate of 150-200 baht.


 :rofl: 

really?

most of the international schools / kindergardens around BBK charge in the order of 50,000 per term! 

** the above post in no way suggests that I agree wiv said pricing structure **

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## Ban Saray

Common knowledge that all international schools charge way in excess of what they spend on their clients.

WLL is correct if you want them queing at the door.

Has anyone mentioned the need for someone on the premises with First Aid experience, and some form of insurance wouldn't hurt.

I am also a bit amazed that there is no kinder/playschool.
We have one in our little village, it is part of a Thai primary school, but they teach English as well.
They were not cheap either about 5000 baht a term with add ons for every conceivable thing you can think off.

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## dirtydog

> Common knowledge that all international schools charge way in excess of what they spend on their clients.


This is a totally nonsensical statement, this can be applied to any service industry as a business, security companies charge way in excess of what they spend on their clients, but wharehouses etc still use security companies.

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## Ban Saray

Fail to see how it is nonsensical when you in fact re-affirm my observation.
I never said people do not pay the price, I just said the providers are a bunch of crooks.
Even state run schools in Thailand try to charge for things that they should not.
Education in my mind is something the state should pay for, for the countries future.
Australia is not free, but with an election looming there is talk of making nursery and child care fees fully tax deductable.
It's just the culture I was bought up in, education was free for me, when they started to charge i.e. to go to university; I went to work. :Wink: 

When I went to uni years later, I was sponsored after winning a scholarship. :Razz: 

I'm not a socialist, I just don't like people ripping other people off. That's probably while I'm still working for a living, I don't have that killer capitalistic attitude. :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Hootad Binky

Great idea!

A successful children's program is the bedrock of a successful language school; most successful English-language enterprises have them, as they pay the bills!

Get thee to a bookstore that sells childrens' English language-learning texts like Ready Set Go!, etc.

Visit a successful children's program like the one at Chulalongkorn's Continuing Education Center, 19th Floor, British Council Bldg, Siam Square. Pretend your a prospective parent; ask for a tour.

Look at schools on the top floors of malls; notice the walls painted in primary colors, the huge dice, hoola-hoops, etc.

Research, research, research!

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## kingwilly

> Common knowledge that all international schools charge way in excess of what they spend on their clients.


really? how do you figure that?

I know for a fact that the top 3 international schools in thailand are non-profit ventures.

thus every bladdy cent that the parents and students pay goes straight back into the students education!

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## panama hat

> Great idea!
> 
> A successful children's program is the bedrock of a successful language school; most successful English-language enterprises have them, as they pay the bills!
> 
> Get thee to a bookstore that sells childrens' English language-learning texts like Ready Set Go!, etc.
> 
> Visit a successful children's program like the one at Chulalongkorn's Continuing Education Center, 19th Floor, British Council Bldg, Siam Square. Pretend your a prospective parent; ask for a tour.
> 
> Look at schools on the top floors of malls; notice the walls painted in primary colors, the huge dice, hoola-hoops, etc.
> ...


Thanks, HB and others.  Excellent ideas, we'll do that, considering we have two kids I doubt they'd think we're not for real. 

Of course we are profit-oriented, how else are we going to pay for costs, salaries etc . . . 

*Mad Dog:* 



> If the playschool is going to act as a guardian to children you will need to get registered by the MoE as well. I
> 
> t sounds like a great idea. I teach slightly older children and am a master at macrame, cut out finger puppets, mother's day cards and the like


Funny that, Mr hat and I were talking about the need for a macrame expert last night!  :Smile:  
Can you explain the 'guardian' bit - do you mean that the children will be in the care of the playschool from 08.00 to 12.00 and therefore are their guardians? 

One thing we wanted to avoid was for the kids to be 'dropped off' at dawn and picked up at dusk - we believe that children need to be woth their parents/parent and let's face it, people who can afford to pay XXbaht/month won't have the wife working - well, not generally.

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## Whiteshiva

> I know for a fact that the top 3 international schools in thailand are non-profit ventures.


Names - please?

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## kingwilly

I.S.B.
B.P.S.
N.I.S.T.




> Of course we are profit-oriented, how else are we going to pay for costs, salaries etc . . .


erm, paying for costs does not mean you a profit-orientated, it means you are profit neutral. ie there are no investors looking for a return of funds ....

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## DrB0b

> Whereabouts in Thailand?
> 
> If Chiang Mai then I'm interested.
> 
> Priority #1 : A SAFE environment, in absolutely every respect.
> Priority #2 : Professional staff who like kids. And enough of them
> Priority #3 : Affordable.   Anything over 5000 baht / month is out, preferably (lots) cheaper.   Also a daily rate of around 200/300 baht would be nice. Even nicer a half-day rate of 150-200 baht. 
> Priority #4 : South of town in Chiang Mai
> Priority #5 : Opening hours to start at 8am, until 6pm.
> ...


Check your PMs. Sent you details about a school in CM that matches about 90% of what you want (closes at 5 and is a little North of town but otherwise fits what you listed). My son goes there and we're very happy with the place.

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## Marmite the Dog

> Originally Posted by Ban Saray
> 
> 
> Common knowledge that all international schools charge way in excess of what they spend on their clients.
> 
> 
> 
> really? how do you figure that?
> 
> ...


So how come ISB is about 25% more expensive than the others? Worse still, it only provides an American education.

I'm sure there's some cream skimmed off the top at these schools; after all, there's Thais involved...

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## panama hat

> I.S.B.
> B.P.S.
> N.I.S.T.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 			
> ...


I shall have to be more aware of my word selection!  I meant that we have to make a profit . . . just listing some of the costs involved. 

Semantics, kingwilly, semantics, but I do stand corrected

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## Ban Saray

> Originally Posted by Ban Saray
> 
> 
> Common knowledge that all international schools charge way in excess of what they spend on their clients.
> 
> 
> 
> really? how do you figure that?
> 
> ...


I fail to see how 500k baht is justified for preschool and juniors. :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## panama hat

> Originally Posted by kingwilly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Ban Saray
> ...


The justification is the payers domain.  I guess it's a matter of how to justify anything for any price.  :Smile: 

We are looking at around 10k per 'semester' and have been told that this is acceptable for what we would be offering.

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## kingwilly

> I shall have to be more aware of my word selection! I meant that we have to make a profit . . . just listing some of the costs involved. 
> 
> Semantics, kingwilly, semantics, but I do stand corrected


semantics? i beg to differ, there are schools out there that are set up as educational foundations ie. non profit.

there are also schools out there that are set up to make a profit, ie have investors wanting a return etc

big difference betwixt the two methinks!

sounds as if yours will be non-profit.

fair enough and gud luck.

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## panama hat

Definitely not non-profit, why the argumentation?  



> I meant that we have to make a profit


Is that clear enough, of course we are not a charity.

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## kingwilly

^ FFS. I'm not arguing just trying to point out that some schools are purely profit driven.

some schools put education first and all monies (_after paying salaries and expenses etc)_ go back into the development of the school.

but looks as if u aint interested in wot i got to say so WHATEVA!

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## zipcode

Take a look at Mother Goose Time  ( w w w.mothergoosetime.com)

The company provides complete monthly curricula kits specifically for the age group (daycare/pre-school). Everything is included, including all the craft supplies, so the activities/education content is essentially turn-key.

 The daycare my sons were in used the program for the two years they attended; certainly seemed effective.

 The company is in US, so getting the monthly shipment might require a middleman forwarder; but at least you can get an idea of the content and the price for a turnkey curriculum (about $6-7/student/month, lower for annual commitment).

 Does Montessori offer anything inclusive? Does one of you need to be Montessori certified to market the school as a Montessori school? Worth considering, as the Montessori brand will certainly allow for higher tuition charges. [And a better education experience also of course :Smile: ]

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## panama hat

Wow, Kingwilly . . . having a bad day?  Thank you for pointing out that there are non-profit organisations in education.  

Cheers, zipcode.  The Mothergoose website is quite good, we'll check it out a bit more in detail - we definitely want to get a western slant to it aside from it being solely English language. 

I'm not sure about Montessori and the requirements, our eldest was at a Montessori when we were in Singapore and she enjoyed both the curriculum as well as the teaching style.

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## kingwilly

> Wow, Kingwilly . . . having a bad day? Thank you for pointing out that there are non-profit organisations in education. 
> 
> .


 
not really, u asked for advice, i gave some, and u got snarky, not sure y.

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## daveboy

*Playschool requirements*

*you've got to be under 5 to attend*

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## panama hat

Not sure what snarky means, but if I came across as such then I apologise - it was not intentional. 

daveboy - thank you!  Glad we have that sorted. 


Ok, new development - my wife's sister, who has had Thai nationality for about 10 years, will front the project so these probs are done away with . . . still remains questions of requirements to open one. 

CMN, did you get any insight?

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## Marmite the Dog

> Ok, new development - my wife's sister, who has had Thai nationality for about 10 years, will front the project so these probs are done away with . . . still remains questions of requirements to open one.


Just get your sister to talk to the local office of the Ministry of Education. They will tell you what they require and just follow that.

Or, you could do what my boss did/is doing and hire a Thai 'lawyer' who hasn't got a bloody clue and drag the whole licensing process out for over 4 years.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Ban Saray

> ^ FFS. I'm not arguing just trying to point out that some schools are purely profit driven.
> 
> some schools put education first and all monies (_after paying salaries and expenses etc)_ go back into the development of the school.
> 
> but looks as if u aint interested in wot i got to say so WHATEVA!


 
Fully agree, and was shaken down by DD the minute I mentioned it.

Seems you are not allowed to critisise the ethics of profit making concerns. :Sad:

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## Ajesh kumar

I would like to know if    there are opportunities to open preschools in Pattaya too.

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## benjamin1greer

English-language playschool require a lightning electronic toys for attention 
of children

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