Are you a teacher who once taught in Thailand but decided to seek out pastures new? Has the grass been greener on the other side? Maybe you swapped Thailand for the financial lure of Japan or Korea? Read about those who have left Thailand, and their reasons for moving...
Leonard
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
I returned to my hometown of York in the UK a couple of months ago.
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
I was there for about 18 months in total, working for an agency at a Thai school just outside Bangkok. I guess I was the classic 35,000 baht a month teacher (and I'll get round to doing one of your cost of living surveys soon)
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
Covid. I hate to come across as a doomsayer but I don't see an immediate end to this pandemic in either Europe or Asia, but at least in England I can return to my family home and we can all suffer together. I got sick of the Covid restrictions at my school and the online teaching just wasn't doing it for me. I got out while I saw the chance. Thailand isn't going to live with Covid in my opinion. The moment there is another outbreak, we'll be back to square one. I couldn't wait around and build a future with so much uncertainty going on around me.
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
I'm not working at the moment. I'm still drawing on my limited savings but I don't need much money anyway right now. My parents are feeding me and washing my clothes and I'm limiting myself to just one night a week at the local pub.
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
Strangely enough, I miss all the foreign oddball teachers I used to work with. There are some incredible characters that find their way to Thailand. I can't imagine anywhere in the world that they would fit in. There were the closet alcoholics, the useless teachers who had no desire to get any better and the ass-kissers who just said the right things to stay in a job. And then you've got the Filipinos and Thai teaching assistants stabbing them all in the back at the first opportunity. I definitely found Thailand an 'every man for himself' environment. You do make what you feel might be close friends but the moment you refuse to lend them a couple of thousand baht to tide them over until pay day, they're gone like a fart in the wind.
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
I would seriously wait until Thailand has some sort of clear direction before looking for teaching work there. At the moment, schools close, open, and then close again. And online teaching is painful. It's just all too unpredictable.
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
See answer above. I'm staying put for the time being until the world figures out whether it's going to live with Covid or keep people locked up forever.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
No, I think I've got things off my chest, although I didn't talk about how far a 35K salary doesn't go in Bangkok. Stay safe everyone!
Natalie
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
I returned to my home town of Braintree in Essex, UK last month (October 2021)
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
I was there for just under two years, working at a private school in Khorat.
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
While still in my mid-twenties, I wanted to get back on the career ladder in England probably for fear of growing older in Thailand and not having enough money to take care of myself. Although 50,000 a month was more than enough to live comfortably in Khorat, it didn't allow me to save for the future and it was something that constantly played on my mind. I only came out to Thailand initially to teach for a year anyway but ended up staying two!
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
I haven't started a new job yet but I've had plenty of offers, especially in the real estate and property business, which is where my background lies. I've actually been quite surprised at how many job vacancies there are here. On a personal side, it's nice to be back among family and also friends that I can have a conversation with. I made tons of friends in Thailand but relationships can be very fleeting and superficial there. Plus of course there are the language and cultural barriers.
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
I loved living in Khorat. I think it's a wonderful place to live, work and base yourself. I miss zipping around the city on my little motorcycle and going on day trips to the beautiful surrounding countryside whenever I had the time. And of course I miss the students and their parents. Many of the parents were very good to me, often inviting me to their homes for meals and sorting out any minor problems I had.
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
Thailand is wonderful. The teacher salaries are not great but if you can make enough to cover all of your daily needs with a bit left over, you'll have an amazing time. The visa and work permit red tape, etc can be annoying but it all seems to get sorted out in the end.
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
Difficult question to answer because I only just got back. If things don't work out for me in the UK, then who knows. It's comforting to know that Thailand is always there if I need it.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
Come to Thailand with an open mind and just go with the flow. It's a terrific place to live if you don't let all the small niggles get on top of you.
Brett
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
I moved to China in October of 2020.
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
I worked in Thailand for nine years. I taught high school and kindergarten.
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
Thailand was a fun place to live but hard to save money. I would work in language centers, teach privates both face-to-face and online. You can certainly make extra money but you have to double your workload. In China I make over 165K baht per month.
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
The city is very high-tech with less noise pollution. It's right near a bay so it's a great place to go for walks.
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
I miss my friends. I miss Thai food. I also miss the mai bpen rai attitude.
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
I would say yes, give Thailand a try but really do your research before going.
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
Yes, I would love to come back to visit old friends.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
No.
Brian
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
Los Angeles in 2018
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
Nine years.
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
I had enough of working in Thailand. There was a lack of a social cohesion in the workforce and it was quite hard to have a good conversation on a daily basis. I was feeling extremely lonely. Teaching at a university was too political with decisions not being made on a meritocracy. I was told I would never teach anything but the 100 and 101 Level classes.
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
I can chat with people on a day-to-day basis. I don't have to deal with the extreme heat or the pollution of Bangkok. I feel more connected to society and can save more money for retirement while giving my children a better education.
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
I miss riding the bike, the street food of course, fresh fruit, the ambience of the market. I miss people who are kind and benevolent.
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
No, Thailand is not a place to build a career. At best you will be tolerated. Educating the youth of Thailand is valuable, but it doesn't appear to change the opportunities available to those youth nor the overall power dynamics of the social structure. Many Thai students are too focused on grades and don't really care about knowledge for knowledge's sake. Reading a book is taboo!
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
Perhaps for retirement. Thailand should be enjoyed. We cannot change the society and working in its web is too messy and not worth the short time we have in life.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
I enjoyed a few great years in Thailand and met many wonderful people.
Karl
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
I moved back to my hometown in the West Midlands, England. I arrived back in June 2021, so I've only been back for a few months.
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
I lived in Bangkok for four years, then moved to Hanoi in Vietnam for eight months, then returned to Bangkok, where I stayed for a further three years. So an enjoyable seven years in total.
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
Simply because of the Covid situation. I'm very close to my immediate family and it was almost impossible for me to come back to England for a short visit. Also, I have an 8 year old dog and I wanted to get him back to the UK before he became too old to endure the long-haul flight.
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
I can't really make much of a comparison. I worked in a high school for 4 years in Bangkok earning 50k baht a month. I enjoyed teaching there and I was happy with the life that my salary gave me. For my last 3 years in Thailand, I was teaching online earning between 70k-100k per month. I've continued teaching online since being back in England but the online teaching industry has been devastated by new regulations in China (where a huge proportion of the market is) so I'm teaching less and earning far less. I've done some extra work for my family's business since being back, have a good amount of savings, and I'm not paying any rent as I'm staying with my family, so things are pretty good.
An advantage of living here at the moment is that international travel is much easier than in Thailand. I recently went to Malta for 6 nights and I have plans to go to Germany, Portugal, and Greece in the coming months.
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
Most of my friends in Bangkok are Thai (I wasn't into the expat social scene) and I miss them dearly. I would go for drinks with different Thai friends several times each week. The most I do here is go for a couple of pints with my dad before dinner. I really miss my social life in Bangkok! I miss my apartment in Chatuchak and walking to the local market to get delicious, fiery Thai food. I miss the cute girls and smiling faces. I miss being able to buy super fresh and chilled fruit off the street. I miss the hot climate, especially now summer is over in England. I miss sitting next to the Chao Phraya River to photograph the sunset. I could go on, but I'll leave it at that.
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
Yes, definitely! I had a blast living and teaching in Thailand. It's not for everyone but I felt right at home in Bangkok.
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
Absolutely! I'm hoping to go back to Bangkok for a month next year to catch up with friends. Currently, I don't have plans to live there again but I'm most definitely not ruling it out.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
If you're interested, you can see how much I was loving life in Bangkok from this cost of living survey that I did in July 2015 https://www.ajarn.com/help-and-guides/cost-of-living/karl1
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