Talkin’ bout my situation

Everyone's situation is a little different

6th May 2012

A section of the ajarn website for those teachers looking to embark on a teaching career in Thailand and have so many questions and no real answers.

Working smart, not working hard

Making the most of your teaching time

8th December 2011

By paying more attention to your teaching hours and your overall availability, it's possible to juggle teaching jobs around and watch your monthly earnings soar.

Grow up guys

Sent in by James

27th November 2011

Strange that not being paid for not working has now turned to how badly you perceive yourselves to be employed. It's simple and there’s nothing right wing or conservative about it – you don’t like it, you leave. You go back to Europe and ‘the dole’ as people put it, where at least you’ll be fed and housed and have free medicine. What on earth is difficult to understand about that?

Did I join the army or a school?

Sent in by Mr Grumpy

26th November 2011

I do agree that it is not ideal to come to work in Thailand without much savings, nor should one not try to save for a rainy day. However, two months without pay is around 60-70,000 baht in saved money that needs to be used (rent, relocation - to escape the floods, food etc.).

We just want fair treatment

Sent in by Vick Mackey

26th November 2011

The fact of the matter is that the wages the teachers are being paid (i.e. teachers that look for jobs on ajarn) are barely enough to survive on. And please spare us the “you can live in a 5k a month room” speech. Foreigners who are serious about living and teaching in Thailand are not interested in living like Thais.

China is no different

Sent in by Kelvin

26th November 2011

Do you think you can come here with 1,000 baht straight off the plane, never have a problem and just live the good life? I sympathize, but if you intend to live from pay day to pay day, (and just concentrate on having a good time in between) then surely the financial position you’re in is yours and not anyone else’s?

The demise of our socialist dreams!

Sent in by James

25th November 2011

I would suggest that we remove our European (and U.S) socialist blinkers and learn to accept that the world, or the schools in this instance, do not owe you anything except a wage for teaching. The schools did not force teachers out of Bangkok, the floods did.

Food for thought?

Sent in by James

25th November 2011

I do understand the financial position that some are in regarding the recent floods, but stop short of agreement. Firstly, doesn’t your contract state that you won’t be paid for ‘Acts of God’ and those involving specifically floods, civil unrest, etc.?

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.

How did salaries drop so much?

Sent in by Ronald

28th March 2011

What in the blazes has happened to the salaries in the Thailand teaching profession?

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Teacher employer etiquette

I feel it is just unprofessional that if someone well qualified for an advertised job takes the time to research the job and your school, then you as an employer should have the courtesy (manners) to acknowledge that application even if the applicant may not be right person for the job.

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.