Q1. Where did you move to and when?

A city on the outskirts of Hanoi, Vietnam in October 2024

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

Just over two years.

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

A couple of reasons. I'd heard that Vietnam pays more than Thailand, is cheaper and is a step up on the career ladder. I also felt that a change of scenery would be nice.

Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?

Honestly, very few. While it's true that Vietnam pays more than Thailand, a lot of the positions are zero-hour contracts meaning no work-no pay, especially bad during the long, unpaid Tet and summer breaks. I heard that some of the salaried gigs are better but they're few and far better.

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

Almost everything.

I hated Vietnam pretty much since I got off the plane and emerged into the dirty, noisy, traffic choked streets of Hanoi but I'd already committed to the move, sold my things in Thailand etc and it wasn't easy to just go back.

Work didn't get better. I moved to an ugly industrial area an hour's drive from the lights of Hanoi. It's filthy, dreadfully polluted and with little to do besides drink. I got scammed by three different companies since coming to Vietnam and am so burnt out with the place. Thailand isn't without it's problems but Vietnam (or at least the north) makes Bangkok look like Singapore.

I miss everything. The tasty and abundant foods, the 7-11s, the affordable modern apartments with pools, the sunshine (Hanoi is so dreary and polluted you often can't see what the sky looks like), the friendly people, nightlife and the friends I had there.

Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?

I understand I sound negative and I won't dismiss all of Vietnam because I know people who came and loved it - but I can't leave quickly enough and I wouldn't recommend Vietnam for new or experienced teachers.

Teachers here really need to do their research as there are so many scam employers, a better question would be where is it safe to work. Yes, pay is overall higher but the quality of life is less. Even international schools aren't safe from the trickery as evidenced with the recent scandal at a well-known school in Saigon.

If you are a new ESL teacher, start out in Thailand and have your fun before moving on to the big bucks in China.

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

Definitely. I'm planning to move to China in August and take regular holidays back in Thailand.

Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?

Not that I can think of.