The Thai beauty myth
Why do so many Thai women fall for the whitening cream scam?
As a man, it never ceases to amaze me how easily women are fooled into believing the obvious scam that certain creams on the market will make their skin whiter. It's so obviously a scam yet there are so many women who fail to be deterred and go out and buy the products. Men are increasingly doing the same.
Fast times at Hitler High
What on earth are the schoolkids being prepared for?
For those who think that the students may have missed the lessons on Hitler and the NAZIS, or perhaps fell asleep during the lectures, I say the opposite: I say that these students were probably very much awake and were mesmerized by all things NAZI. By the looks of things, they seem to have learned quite a bit.
Here’s looking at you kid
How do those wonderful Thai folk really see us?
Have you ever wondered what the Thais in your life think about you? I mean really think about you? Your girlfriend? Your Thai boss,? Your maid? The guy who washes your car? The motorcycle guy at the end of your soi? It may not be what you think!
We’re so sorry
A sad and shocking day for all Filipinos
Millions of Filipinos, including me, were shocked at the poor handling of the hostage situation by our own security enforcers. It was an embarrassment to our capability to save lives. This we cannot deny.
Skirting around the problem
Why focus on issues that have nothing to do with problems in education?
Why are these banal topics regularly raised when so many critical and more pressing problems are evident in the Thai education system? What about the huge shortfall of qualified teachers? The embarrassingly low salary offered to them?
What a state to be in
Sent in by Richard Burgess
If I am a foreigner I must have teaching credentials from my country of origin to teach English in Thailand. If I am a Thai, I only have to have paid my fees to the Teachers School and I can teach English.
Thai news
It's funnier than comedy
Latest news before this article goes online: the government will agree to compromise and raise the age for buying alcohol to 20, instead of the planned 25. Cheers!
The magical land
Where no student fails an exam
Yes, dear readers, students in Thailand simply cannot fail exams. This probably comes as a very big surprise for the people unfamiliar with the Thai situation, but believe me, it is true. Well, it is still true at the time of writing, but maybe not for long anymore.
Why don’t we ever learn?
ESL teachers, bar girls and the sex industry
I hoped that I would never feel the need to write about bar girls or the sex industry, but these two stories stood out for the simple reason that both of them involved ESL teachers living and teaching in Bangkok.
Ajarn.com in the Bangkok Post
Five minutes of fame
The Bangkok Post ran a full-page article on the ajarn.com website as part of its Learning Post education section on 22nd February 2005.
Featured Teachers
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Gustav
Certificate (4), BA (2)
Austrian (male, 56 years old, native German speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Dominique
Diploma (1)
Filipino (female, 24 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Martin
Certificate (4)
Czech (male, 40 years old, native Czech speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Grace
Certificate (2)
Nigerian (female, 24 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Adriel
BA (1), MA (1)
American (male, 35 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Lone
Diploma (2)
South African (female, 26 years old, native Afrikaans speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Volodymyr
Diploma (1)
Ukrainian (male, 31 years old, native Ukrainian speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Dunstan
Diploma (1)
Filipino (male, 21 years old, native Tagalog speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Marc
Certificate (1)
British (male, 42 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
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Alberto
BA (1), Certificate (1)
American (male, 33 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
Most recently answered question:
Would employers consider hiring someone with a vision impairment disability?
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
Fancy teaching freelance?
How easy is it to cut out the middlemen and rake in the cash teach students at their own homes?
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.
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"
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.
The cost of living
How much money does a teacher need to earn in order to survive in Thailand? We analyze the facts.
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.
