Oh I do like to be beside the seaside

A long weekend in Khao Takiab and Hua Hin

29th August 2011

For Bangkokians looking for a few days away at a beach resort but not wishing to mess around with airport departure lounges or long train journeys, the choice generally comes down to either Pattaya or Hua Hin. Both resorts are easily reached in a few hours by car so it's a case of flip a coin, plonk an armful of clothes in the trunk and off you go.

Mr. and Mrs.

How many points would you and your significant other score?

4th March 2011

If you or your wife were asked ten questions about each other’s likes, dislikes, favourite food, colour, smell, or what irritates you both etc., how well do you think you would score?

How well do you know your Thai spouse?

Gruesome accounts of Thai wives who kill for money

31st January 2011

With recent newspaper reports showing a number of unsolved deaths of expats in Thailand, and with the finger of suspicion pointed squarely at their spouse, how concerned should you be that it could happen to you?

House of horrors part three

An update on the perils of having your own house built in Thailand

18th December 2010

After returning to Thailand, I found a contractor I thought was committed to building my house the way I wanted it. Finding someone to complete what had been started by another person, I knew would be difficult, but nevertheless I thought I had found the right man.

A dream lifestyle in Thailand

Does Chiang Mai offer the perfect place to live and work? Well, live anyway

1st September 2010

I'll put my hands up and admit I've been somewhat unkind to Chiang Mai in past blogs. On past visits, I've usually had the job of playing tour guide to my ageing parents and a couple of their friends. It's never easy to move a group of elderly folk around a sizeable Asian city without having every tout and unofficial tour operator descending on you from miles around

House of horrors two

Just when you thought it was safe to walk under the scaffolding

3rd March 2010

Teacher Ralph Sasser has now returned to America. After being duped by building contractors here in Thailand, it's the only way he can save enough money to get the job finished and realize his dreams.

The house of horrors

The nightmare of building your own home in Thailand

19th November 2009

Some long-term teachers make one of the biggest decisions of their life and decide to have a house built in Thailand. But what happens when it all goes wrong? Read Ralph Sasser's nightmare story of bent lawyers, jail threats and the construction company from Hell.

All about Isaan folk

What keeps them smiling exactly

26th February 2009

What are Isaan folk like to work with? There are always going to be exceptions and I have worked with one scallywag outfit myself. But, on the whole, people here don’t go in for back stabbing or office politics. In my office we speak a mixture of English, Thai and Chinese and we always have a good laugh.

Isaan insights

Some background on this fascinating area of Thailand

1st January 2009

Isaan folk are by far the easiest to get along with in Thailand. In four years of living here I have only had two of those encounters where a local that you know, for no apparent reason, suddenly starts ignoring you. And even those exceptions went away quickly.

Seen one you’ve seen them all

Let's hear it for the Thai provincial town

30th August 2007

It doesn't matter whether you're in downtown Chonburi or in the centre of Ubon Ratchathani, you can always bank on seeing this list of twenty.

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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.