The Great Escape

Q1. Where did you move to and when?

I went back to Belgium on my way to Argentina

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

5 months. I worked in different government schools in Pattaya.

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

The weather conditions; too hot; too humid and sick and tired of living with air-con and fans. But also unsatisfied with the managing of the teachers, the red tape, ministry of education's obtuse views on teaching, the petty rules of insisting on tucking shirt in trousers, the lack of real interest in quality teaching, the fact that they cane students and only because of incompetent teachers who can only demand respect through fear mongering and threat of caning.
The low salary opposed to what they demand of teachers…visa runs, forking out money for all the getting of work permit and changing of tourist visa into non B immigrant visa.
The growing interference of government into private life of its citizens and the changing laws and rules day by day.
The fact that Thailand is turning the clock back 50 years and no sight of the promised elections. I believed I was going to witness a civil war soon. Besides teaching, I am an artist and I couldn’t paint as I came home knackered and sapped of all my energy due to the heat.

Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?

I am not working, but will soon be teaching online from South America.

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

The food, the tribes, the cheap cost of living, the laidback attitude.

Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?

Yes, certainly, but I would tell them not to buy the slogan of Land of Smiles….

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

Yes! Probably for travelling and living in the mountainous area in the North.

Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?

It’s about time Thailand realized it cannot turn the clock back and take a deep introspective view on why the students are dropping out so soon. Quit the nonsense of uniforms or caning and instead give some real boost for education programs and listen to the students voice of what they would want to learn. Also look into the teachers needs and what they do for that precious little 25.000 baht. Very few in Europe would put up with all the nonsense for such a small salary.

In contrast the West can learn from Thailand in terms of respect for a teacher for what he does. It takes good teachers to educate and they need all the support instead of boycott from government officials. Teachers are born and very rarely can be taught. A degree means nothing if you don’t have a heart for it and if you only teach for the money, which goes for most of the Thai teachers. Neither a degree, university knowledge or being a native speaker doesn’t necessarily mean that you are fit to be a teacher.

The students were charming from prattom 4 to mathyom 3, though the latter obviously is not interested any longer.
When I left the schools, I was revered as a pop star, they all wanted my autograph, e-mail and phone number. The fact that I am by nature an entertainer (dancer, singer, painter has made them all looking forward to my teachings)