The LiBeL column from The Nation newspaper
I started a website for English teachers, Ajarn.com, back in 1999. It grew pretty quickly and within a couple of years I was asked to write a weekly column for the Education Section of The Nation newspaper.
The late Bobby McBlain ran that section and he wanted something that wasn’t your typical, dull teaching column. He enjoyed the same sarcastic humour as myself and so the Life in the Bus Lane (a.k.a. LiBeL) was born. The aim was simple – to take the piss out of teachers and the education system in general and see what we could get away with.
Writing for a national newspaper sounds impressive. But it was more a case of being in the right place at the right time. Rather than me having any real talent.
The column ran for about 15 months from Feb 2001 – May 2002. By that time I’d upset quite a few people and the higher ups at The Nation decided that it was time to redesign the Education section and have a real teacher write a column instead.
The columns are below. Some are quite good, others aren’t. All are the result of a few beers on a Thursday night as I struggled to think of something to write for the Friday deadline.
What is most impressive are the number of song titles I managed to use and the number of references to bars, hookers, dead kids, pedophiles etc which wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a newspaper column today.
Can anyone realistically teach English? 8th May 2002 In God’s eyes everyone is equal. Unfortunately God isn’t responsible for the hiring of teachers in Thailand – mere fallible mortals are and therefore some people are… Read More »Divine Right – The Nation
It’s time to buy flowers again 30th April 2002 Around a year ago I wrote a column about a graduation ceremony at Chula that I was privileged enough to be dragged out of bed at… Read More »Graduation Day 2 – The Nation
Life in the Bus Lane – Words from AJARN 23 April 2002 (The column had written couldn’t be published as it had upset someone important at the newspaper. So this was a last minute space… Read More »Greatest Hits Compilation
Life in the fast lane revisited 16 April 2002 Let’s face it the Bangkok Post is stuffing The Nation when it comes to wearing it’s heart on it’s sleeve and doing something for ‘the kids’™.… Read More »We Care Alot
In front of the idiot lantern 9 April 2002 Weekday mornings during the primary school summer holidays used to be spent watching the type of TV show that’s sorely lacking in Thailand. From 9 till… Read More »TV Times
It’s awards season 2 April 2002 Taking inspiration from a combination of the USA’s Daytime TV award shows, and the need for recognition for some of Bangkok’s finest, the Ajarnies have been born. (Don’t hold… Read More »The Ajarnies
A sure sign of quality The very mention of this, ahem, quality standard brightens up the eyes of garden centre and pet store owners throughout Bangkok. If a school or college is considering buying or… Read More »ISO 9002
Loosely to do with education I suppose More from the land where the purveyors of lame excuses appear to get their inspiration from the weird and wonderful world of “Ripley’s Believe it or not”. First… Read More »Excuses, excuses
Living the vida loca I’ve noticed a few teachers mentioning a bit of an ‘us and them’ divide developing between language schools ruling class and the proletariat. In an effort to lay these fears to… Read More »Life’s Been Good to Me
Looking for jobs in the concrete jungle “Stop all the clocks, cut of the telephone, Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone, Silence the pianos and with muffled drum Bring out the coffin,… Read More »Manic Depression