Seven months to do it yourself!

Sent in by Mr Grumpy

21st November 2011

One thing I learnt a long time back, providing you are not uneducated and meet the minimum requirements, is that one must do everything oneself! It is your passport, it is your work permit and it is your life!

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

Teachers’ licenses - laws and links

All the rules and regs regarding teacher licences

8th August 2011

Many thanks to Ajarn Forum member, Stamp, for supplying the following links to information on the complex topic of teacher licenses - and how you can teach legally in Thailand.

The system is in one big mess

Things that seemed like a good idea at the time

28th April 2011

It's about time there was an update on the much-criticized teacher licencing laws. Please try not to laugh too loud.

A chop suey approach

A little bit of everything from the last couple of weeks

10th August 2010

Here’s something that the Filipino teaching community could hope for: a bilateral agreement with Thailand in upholding “better” salary scale and fringe benefits.

All about the Filipinos and Friends in Chiang Rai (FFC)

Some background on a vibrant teaching organisation in Northern Thailand

29th June 2010

While this organization appeared insignificant in the eyes of the Foreign teaching community in Thailand, it played a very big role in solving the most immediate need of the foreign teaching community in 2008.

Those crazy government officials

Just when you thought it couldn't get any crazier

28th June 2010

Once again, a high level government official has given an answer that doesn’t care one whit about reality on the ground, in the real Thai world. And who cares that, within a few years, Thai children will have no native speakers to teach them in the public schools?

The new possibility of getting a teacher licence upcountry

Sent in by John Penney

11th March 2010

Recently I inquired whether Ramkamhaeng would be willing to offer their weekend progam in Khon Kaen if there were sufficient numbers. Their response was yes, they will do it if we can find 14 people willing to commit.

Any truth in the rumors?

It's about time we analyzed what the bar-stool experts are saying

2nd October 2009

There seem to be a lot of rumors floating around these days about how the teacher licensing requirements set forth by The Teachers Council of Thailand have changed.

An unexpected conversation

A little chit-chat down at the MOE

1st June 2009

I was at a new housewarming party of an MOE official the other day and I had a very unexpected, but very pleasantly surprising, conversation.

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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

Software for student tests

The integration of internet and computers with education and English learning is something students find normal, and classrooms without some access to educational software may seem quaint. Some students may even feel they can get more ‘professional' teaching from the numerous online ELT sites if a school is behind in IT.

Whatever happened to the shopping mall teacher?

They are the shopping mall English teachers - gliding like pale, undernourished phantoms amid the hordes of weekend Thai shoppers. The main reason I empathize with the shopping mall teacher is because I was once one myself. I know how desperate and soul-destroying it can be.

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.