After graduating from college in the States, I surmised the job market and beat a hasty path to Thailand. Using an all-inclusive, value-added program called LanguageCorps, I had TEFL training in the well-known Ban Phe school, followed by a guarantee of my choice of jobs. LanguageCorps also provided some very useful support and advice during my first year, and generally has been there for all the little struggles every farang faces in Thailand. This assistance has left me able to pursue teaching with a largely unfettered mind, despite the Singha beer. Thus, I have the time to reflect a bit, and offer the following tidbits on teaching in Thailand.

Tips for the Thai classroom

1. Start of class

            At the start of every English class, the students will rise and say in unison “Good morning (or afternoon), Teacher”. It is your duty to respond with “Good morning (or afternoon) students, how are you?” which will elicit the rote response of “Fine, thank you, and you?” Say “fine, thank you, please sit down” and then get on with the business of your lesson.

As part of Thai culture, the students are required to show their respect for their teacher, and somewhere along the line they came up with the previous exchange. While it is a bit ridiculous to have a large group inquire together about your well-being, this phrase has been beaten (sometimes literally) into every Thai student from an early age, and thus is impossible to change. The aim is to mimic the Thai custom of simultaneously praising and thanking the teacher at the start of class, and, while certainly not an exact translation in meaning, it is best to simply accept the intention.

2. Wais

            The Thai wai can be a tricky business for the incoming foreign teacher. This prayerlike gesture of respect is ubiquitous in Thailand, and has a different convolution for each type of encounter. Through LanguageCorps, I found a Thai host family, who gave me the lowdown on proper wai etiquette.  The younger, or lower-status, individual must initiate the wai, with hands at a different level according to the relative social prestige. Sound confusing? Damn straight, but luckily the Thais accept that you most likely don’t have a clue about it, and thus appreciate any effort with the classic Thai bemused smile.

Due to several superstitions, it is better to simply nod when a student gives you a wai, as you could inadvertently take seven years off his life. However, it goes a long way with older Thai folk if you give them any form of wai. In particular, you should be sure to wai the principal of your school, no matter what you may think of him personally. At my school, nearly everyone talks behind the principal’s back but pays him the utmost respect to his face, a form of ingrained politeness that has its roots at the very foundations of Thai society.

3. Classrooms of bad students.

The Thai educational system stresses grouping students into classrooms of like ability, and then paradoxically gives them all the same lessons and tests. For the farang teacher, this can mean going from room of forty eager young learners to forty who can’t yet read English, and certainly don’t appreciate you trying to teach them.

The Thais place great emphasis on maintaining a jai yen literally a “cool heart”, so losing your temper with an unruly class is virtually unheard of. Be aware that the Thai educational system places the responsibility for learning on the students, so that teachers are not held accountable for their pupils’ failures. Instead, teachers will complain that the students are lazy or naughty, removing any possibility of poor teaching from the equation. This cuts both ways, as you are absolved of most blame for a poor lesson, but any successes can also be attributed to the strengths of the students.

In general, the best method is to take it easy, maintain good humor and not take it personally when a class isn’t interested in English. This is much, much easier said than done, but your Thai colleagues will quite frankly be bewildered if you as a teacher worry over or take great responsibility for your students’ grasping the subject.

4. Late Students.

 This is what Thai people do, and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. The Thais have what may be generously described as a “flexible” sense of time, meaning that nearly everything outside of Bangkok, from buses to meetings, are ten minutes behind schedule. If the students coming late really screws up your lesson, then you simply teach a bit past the bell, as most Thai teachers do that already (making students late for their next class, and perpetuating the whole damn scene)

5. Unique student-teacher relationship

For starters, when asking a teacher a question outside of class, the student         will sit on the floor, almost prostrating himself.  If a student walks by a seated teacher, he will bow his head and shoulders slightly. This stems from a Buddhist urge not to be higher than anyone else’s head, and is actually done by most Thais without thinking, as automatic as breathing. Students are taught to revere their teachers as second parents, and there is an entire ceremony known as Wun Wai Kroo that enhances this relationship.

Most Thai teachers treat their students with a mixture of affection and condescension, accepting their role as both educator and parent. The typical Thai teacher thinks nothing of telling a student to erase the board, carry books and bags, and even to run simple errands. Despite the insistence of my colleagues, I haven’t been able to bring myself to do this, and thus end up doing most of my menial tasks myself.

6. Kreng Jai

Don’t be naïve, but keep open the possibility that, Thai people want to help you. The concept of kreng jai (being considerate) is a key facet of Thai culture, and many Thais will consider it their duty to help a foreigner in their care however possible. I already had LanguageCorps providing additional in-country support, so I turned down far more offers of help than I accepted.

 For a new teacher, this can seem a bit overbearing at times, as many of your colleagues will feel obligated to tell you to eat at this restaurant or stay at this hotel, no matter what you might think. A balance must be found between showing appreciation for the advice and making your own decisions, but an open heart can often lead to new adventures and untold rewards.

10 Quick Tips for Life in Thailand

1. Dress nice. In Thailand, a neat and clean appearance will win you far more points than actually doing your job well.
2. Don’t have a thin skin. Thais are usually friendly and curious, and what seems like rude shouts of “hey, you!” are actually their best attempts to start a conversation.
3. Learn some Thai. Luckily, you can (and most probably will) absolutely butcher the tones, pronunciation and grammar of this language, and the eager-to-please Thai people will still remark koon pood Thai keng mak (you speak Thai very well)
4. When someone offers you food, it’s best to eat a little. The Thai culture, with its not-yet-distant agrarian past, is still very much predicated around food, and so it is quite rude to turn down a bite to eat. Plus, you might just end up trying something you love. .
5. Don’t get angry at perceived inequities. Yes, some shopkeepers will give the farang a higher price, but it’s difficult to be certain, and getting angry never helps.
6. Carry a handkerchief. It gets quite hot ‘round these parts.
7. Do go on trips, but try to behave more like the Thai people than the tourists you will see—after all, you are in their country, so you might as well try to fit in.
8. Get used to stray dogs and motorcycle traffic—both are ubiquitous throughout Southeast Asia, so keep you wits about you.
9. If you have a complaint, try to be as subtle as possible. Criticizing the Thai way of life is never taken kindly, and could lead to your being perceived as ungrateful, a cardinal sin in Thailand.
10. Don’t point your feet at people, touch anyone on the head, and be careful around Buddha statues. It’s a Buddhist country, and this is how people act.