How expensive has Bangkok got?
Have you noticed how much more we have to pay for things?
I’m not coming at these price differentials from the angle of an expert economist. I’m just an average Joe consumer who looks at the prices on menus and clothes tags and wonders what’s wrong with this picture.
Notes from a small island
reflections on a trip back to the UK
England really does seem so expensive to me now. OK you expect to pay more for goods than you would in Thailand but this time I really noticed it. I paid almost twelve pounds for four standard-size single-cone ice creams in the village of Henley-in-Arden. It’s three pounds plus for a decent sandwich in Pret-A-Manger (almost five pounds if you have a bottled fruit smoothie to go with it) but for a sheer jaw-dropping, wallet emptying experience, how about five pounds for a large cappuccino and a muffin in Starbucks?
Featured Teachers
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Jeonard
Diploma (1), Certificate (1)
Filipino (male, 25 years old, native Tagalog speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Karl
MA (1)
American (male, 35 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Alex
BSc (1), Certificate (1)
South African (male, 24 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Arjun
BA (1), Certificate (1), MA (1)
Nepalese (male, 25 years old, native Nepalese speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Beau
Certificate (2)
New Zealander (male, 21 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Michael
Certificate (4), PGCE (1)
Australian (male, 58 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Shanadda
Diploma (2), Certificate (1), BA (1)
Thai (female, 32 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Alvarez
BSc (1), MA (1), BEd (1), Diploma (1), Certificate (1)
Filipino (female, 38 years old, native Tagalog speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Brian
PGCE (1), MA (1)
British (male, 45 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Oly
Certificate (1), BA (1)
Filipino (female, 29 years old, native Cebuano speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
Ajarn Guests
Going Home
I possess ten years of classroom EFL teaching experience, plus a solid education, and this was the type of work available to me. There were many moments, such as when I was cleaning a toilet bowl, or when a housekeeper ordered me to do something, that frustration welled up inside me.
Teacher nightmares part two
More stories from teachers in Thailand who have found themselves in difficult situations often through no fault of their own. Can you offer them some good advice?
Fear of change?
In Thailand the government has set 2012 as English Speaking Year with a goal of encouraging students to converse in English every Monday. Such policies are useful but the major leap of enacting legislation to make English an official language for Thailand is also needed
About Ajarn.com
Ajarn.com was started as a small hobby website in 1999 by Ian McNamara. It was a simple way for one Bangkok teacher to share his Thailand experiences and pass on advice. The website developed a loyal and enthusiastic following. In 2004, Ian handed over the reins to Phil Williams and 'Bangkok Phil' has run the ajarn website ever since.
Ajarn.com has grown enormously and is now the most popular TEFL site in Thailand - possibly even South East Asia. Although best-known for its vibrant jobs page, Ajarn has a wealth of articles, blogs, features and help and advice. But one principle has always remained at Ajarn's core - to tell things like they are and to do it with a sense of humor. Thailand can be Heaven or Hell for an English teacher. It's always been Ajarn.com's duty to present both sides of the equation. Thanks for stopping by.
Friends of Ajarn
The Region Guides
Fancy working in Thailand but not in Bangkok? Our region guides are written by teachers who actually live and work in the provinces.
Hi, I’m Tony Dabbs
I was a licensed life and health agent in the USA for many years and now I'm ajarn.com's health insurance expert.
Renting an apartment?
Before you go pounding the streets, check out our guide and know what to look out for.
E-mailing for jobs
E-mailing potential employers in Thailand can be a very frustrating experience. Teacher Chris is on hand to give you some top tips.
Fancy teaching freelance?
How easy is it to cut out the middlemen and rake in the cash teach students at their own homes?
Fun Quiz
Find out how employable you are in Thailand as an English teacher. Is it a case of 'welcome aboard' or "Mom, I need you to send some money again"
The cost of living
How much money does a teacher need to earn in order to survive in Thailand? We analyze the facts.
