China here I come

Sent in by Kelvin

24th November 2011

I have no choice but to jump for China and hope I can land a job with accommodation provided. I will also lose 9500 baht deposit because the condo owner won't acknowledge the flood as a legitimate reason to vacate.

Make them pay!

Sent in by Mr Grumpy

24th November 2011

I am close to boiling point after reading Mike Walker's letter and the fact that a school has not paid a contracted teacher for two months

No pay Jose

Sent in by Mike Walker

22nd November 2011

I returned to my school in Bangkok today after almost two months waiting for the floods to subside. When I enquired about being paid for the last eight weeks, the staff just laughed at me.

Seven months and still illegal

Sent in by Mel

21st November 2011

My school failed to convert the work permit and the non immigrant B visa into a "work visa". Now, I'm back on a tourist visa and they won't even pretend to feel any urgency

Why teach in Thailand?

Sent in by James

16th November 2011

Let’s be honest and say that professionally qualified or not, we are/were here because it’s a great place to live and let’s not pretend that altruism in helping children, or to improve the Thai education system is why we came here.

The chalkies need a real change

Sent in by Mr Grumpy

15th November 2011

Nothing can prepare the foreign teacher for the employee-to-management-to-admin staff life. Dealing with these matters can drive the most experienced teachers up the wall and can turn a normally friendly teacher into a paranoid wreck!

Far away

Sent in by James

12th November 2011

OK Thai school directors, bridging teachers, managers and let's include the various shady hiring companies, you won and I now find myself in China.

Thailand, you have lost more than just another good teacher

Sent in by Mr Grumpy

9th October 2011

People and cultures are judged on the way they treat outsiders and animals. Unfortunately, animals are often treated a bit better than foreign teachers. I am quite surprised to notice that after a long time, it is now starting to backfire.

Thailand, you have lost another good teacher

Sent in by Mr. Russell Park

7th October 2011

It strikes me that Thais wont be happy until the last "farang" as they call us leave this country. Thailand you have just lost a very good teacher and maybe another one very soon.

What keeps us in Thailand?

Sent in by Keith Evans

15th September 2011

I've been teaching in Thailand for seven years. Like most of my fellow foreign teachers here I've been through the visa and work permit mangle and all the other bureaucratic crap that the Thai Government can throw at a human being, but here I remain.

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Teacher employer etiquette

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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?
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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.