Dear Ronald (‘How did salaries drop so much - Postbox 28th March)
It’s called supply and demand. Six years ago there weren’t half as many so called, “English Teachers”, in Thailand as there are now. Also, schools were running scared of the new regulations that were implemented at that time concerning qualifications. But, as enforcement has relaxed, even the most prestigious schools are willing to overlook and accept a Khao San road diploma. This has opened the door for all of the party tourists to extend their stay in the Kingdom by simply having another beer while their diploma, complete with transcripts, is printed up by a street vendor. Thus resulting in a glut of candidates willing to work for nothing more than a non-immigrant B. And of course the, “Language Centres”, that sell diplomas that aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on, are enjoying a new flood of cheap, smiling, white faces to sell to their client/students.

Phil says - It’s always dangerous to come out with a statement such as ‘six years ago, there weren’t half as many English teachers here as there are now” when you have no statistics to draw on. And there are certainly no statistics available for the number of foreign teachers working in Thailand at any given time. I actually disagree with you completely. I think six years ago was the ‘halcyon period’ for English teachers in Thailand. There was none of this culture course nonsense or the need to pass impossible tests. Literally anyone could get a teaching job. Not many folks would say that it has now become easier for teachers, especially the unqualified, to secure a teaching position. I think you are viewing things from your own rather distorted perspective and ignoring the big picture. 

Ajarnallo