The worst type of foreigner
Why bash other people's lifestyles and situations?
I live in a closet with no air-con and a fan. I live off of a diet of air, water and noodles. Sure, I can't afford to travel, save for retirement, get my own place and I haven't seen my family for years because I can't afford a ticket to go home and visit them, but I am living the Thai lifestyle man!
Don't get angry, just have an escape plan
Postbox letter from Anon
Salaries have been frozen here for years, the cost of living has rocketed and the workloads have increased. I now have to work online too to make a decent salary.
Reward them and they will come
Postbox letter from Mark Newman
The Thai government could make it a whole lot easier for native English speakers to want to be here with a few simple changes that would cost nothing.
Is the end nigh for agencies?
Postbox letter from Tracey
My teacher agent / friend in Korat has had it far too good for far too long. In the last maybe three years, his business has gone to the dogs. He can't find new teachers and the ones he has are basically children themselves
How far does a 30K salary go in Bangkok?
Will you be living well - or simply surviving?
Is it possible to live in Bangkok on a 30,000 baht teacher salary? OK, let's really drill down those numbers.
My take on agencies
Postbox letter from Chuck, Bangkok
A lot of people want to know what it would be like to work in Thailand. After having been here for 8 years I will tell you.
Chasing the big bucks
The ongoing and exhausting search for a well-paid teaching job
I'm just not making enough money to make it worth staying at my current posting. What with student loans, a mortgage, and other bills to pay, not only am I saving zilch for retirement, but I'm also barely breaking even month to month.
A 'local hire' in an expat world
When all the other teachers have a bigger package than you!
I'm a TEFLer in a PGCE world. I'm very low down the hierarchy and I know it. I get it and I understand it, but it is not just the wages that are dissimilar.
Why I've had enough of teaching in Thailand
It may work out for others - just not for me
It's not so much that I've had enough of Thailand, it's just teaching really. I'd say a good 90% of teachers at my school are women over the age of 50. None of them are open to change.
You can live in Bangkok on 30K a month - but I wouldn't
Postbox letter from Ken
It always cracks me up just how heated these debates get on what a person can or cannot live on in Bangkok (or Thailand in general). And of course people frequently have these same arguments when it comes to what a “livable wage” is in their own countries as well.
