“Thaimout” as a concept has been widely debated. ScandAsia has spoken to the headmaster of a Swedish school in Thailand to get her view on the subject, and to unfold some of the issues.
During the last couple of months a debate on Swedes spending a longer amount of time in Thailand has flared up. The debate has created a nickname for the phenomenon: Thaimout. A combination between the words Thailand and timeout. There are strong opinions on the subject from both sides.
Some of the most common issues with the so-called Thaimout lifestyle is the assumption that the parents want to go on vacation, and just bring their kids. The fear is that this goes against the law of compulsory schooling in Sweden. Some are concerned that in the end this might result in the children not getting a good enough education. The environmental impact is also a concern. Especially when it comes to flying back and forth to Thailand. Finally, some are concerned about how much this phenomenon is costing the Swedish state?
A lazy lifestyle?
In Thailand there is a school on the small island of Koh Lanta. The school is called The Little Swedish School in Koh Lanta, and even though it might be small seen through Swedish eyes, it is one of the bigger Swedish schools in Thailand. With its more than 350 students each year the school has become a gathering place for Swedes on the island.
The headmaster of The Little Swedish School in Koh Lanta is named Jenny Fors, and Thaimout is in her opinion a completely wrong way of viewing the concept. Thaimout makes it sound like it is a long vacation when that often isn’t the case at all:
“Most of the parents we work with, work remotely while they are here. That is an amazing thing we learned during the pandemic. Their kids can go to our school, which follows the Swedish curriculum, and they can experience a different culture,” she explains. “I really find it hard to see how that is a problem”.
The students are required to follow the curriculum as if they were at school at home.
She empathizes that the school has a big focus on teaching the children about Thai culture. They even have a local language teacher who visits regularly. Jenny Fors sees it as an unique opportunity for both parents and children to experience something different than Sweden.
Getting a good education
If a child is registered in Sweden and is six years or older, then the child is under the law of compulsory schooling. This means that they must attend classes and school activities. The child can be granted leave by the school, if it is perceived necessary. The law of compulsory schooling has been used as an argument when arguing against taking your kids abroad for a longer amount of time.
Simon Milton, a Swede who spends part of his time on Koh Lanta in Thailand, finds the law on compulsory schooling outdated. He stated so in the Swedish Media Aftonbladet:
“The law on compulsory schooling is designed for a time before remote working opened up opportunities for parents and families to choose other ways of life,” he writes, as he and his wife work remotely on the island, and their kids attend a Swedish school.
Jenny Fors, the headmaster of The Little Swedish School, acknowledges the importance of good education for the children. However, she believes in the system she is a part of on the island:
“We have teachers certified in Sweden teaching here, we follow the Swedish curriculum, and the classes are smaller, so all the children are seen,” she says.
She firmly believes that they offer good education to their students. When it comes to the law on compulsory schooling, Jenny Fors believe that the decision on whether or not a child should go abroad should be made by the child’s school in Sweden and the parents:
“It is an individual thing, and it should be an individual decision,” she states.
The value of being abroad
“We do not get any financial support from the Swedish state. It is the parents who pay for their children to go here,” says Jenny Fors answering the concern on how much the schools abroad are costing the Swedish state.
It is, according to Jenny Fors, only possible to get support from the Swedish state if there are lots of Swedish employed jobs in the area.
“And we don’t have anything like IKEA here on Koh Lanta,” Jenny Fors says with a smile on her face.
For her it is important to remember that spending time in Thailand is an opportunity to let your children see the world. She is a part of the phenomenon herself, as she left Sweden to try living in a different country, and she never regrets it.
“It turned out pretty well. I am still here, “ she says and laughs.
She resents that people turn this type of opportunity into something bad. Also, when it comes to the question of the climate impact living abroad. Jenny Foss recognizes the importance of taking care of the climate. However, she underlines that this point, as much else in the debate, should be viewed with more nuance.
To read more about The Little Swedish School in Koh Lanta click here
