Ageism has been an issue in Thailand for a while and it's not going away, sadly. It's even worse for Thais. Just go on any Thai jobsite and try and find jobs for anyone over 35. It's similar for us foreigners too, but the 'age limits' vary and aren't nearly as downright nasty as they are for Thai nationals. I'm in my fifties now, have an education degree and over twenty years' teaching experience. However, I can't get a 'top job' anymore, despite excellent references and experience.

I applied for a job recently and the school didn't even reply to my email. However, they did reply and offer a job (at 85,000 a month) to a young handsome chap I know with nowhere near my level of qualifications. Fair play to him though, for applying without credentials deemed 'essential' in their advertisement. There was no 'age limit' mentioned in the ad, but obviously there was. There was no other reason to reject my application out of hand (they just asked for certificates, CV and a photo to be sent). And yes, I know how to write a good CV.

I'm happy for the chap. Good luck to him. But it has made me realise that I need to look at going back home to teach there. In Thailand, it's all down to private schools wanting pretty young faces representing their schools on the website, on the billboards and just for the parents to swoon over. Young, fresh-faced teachers help to sell the schools here. I'm still getting some good offers, but not at the level I'm used to. And it's only going to get worse as I get older. I've now realised that you can't help feeling angry and frustrated at times due to the rampant ageism here, but that you need to just let it go. Things aren't going to change. Cash is king.

Kenneth

A few months ago, several books, including resource packs, began disappearing from the language school where I work. This hadn't been much of an issue before, but in just six weeks, no fewer than eight photocopiable resource packs vanished. Teachers will understand what I mean: those helpful books like Timesaver, Activity Box, and Penguin, filled with photocopiable materials that make lessons easier to prepare and are well-liked by students. You could argue it's surprising they hadn't gone missing sooner, but let’s look at the situation more closely. These weren’t original copies but photocopies (yes, we should have the originals), all stamped with the school’s mark. The financial value of these copies was minimal (under 100 baht each), but they were invaluable teaching tools. Since the branch doesn’t have the originals, replacing them is possible but time-consuming for some.

For me, though, it’s not just the act of stealing that’s troubling. What’s worse is that the thief (or thieves) has deprived their colleagues of these essential materials. Also, who would want to be seen using stolen books? If I saw a teacher using resources stamped by another school, I’d immediately think they were a thief and wouldn’t trust them in the teachers’ room again. Are teachers really so broke that they can’t buy their own resources – or at least copy the school’s instead of stealing them?

Phil

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with team teaching. There was a moment when the Thai teacher mentioned that she had picked up many new activities from me that she had never encountered before. In the same way, I learned from her how to manage classes, introduce lessons, present activities, and assess students. Our lessons were seamless, and if one of us had a meeting, the other could easily step in and teach the class. This resulted in improved lessons overall because whenever I introduced something, the Thai teacher would build upon it, and vice versa. It also made my workload lighter, as she often took charge of the lesson planning while I supplemented her ideas.

Team teaching made tasks like checking students' workbooks or textbooks much more efficient. With two of us, the process was quicker, and it helped that the students were more disciplined in the Thai teacher's presence, making things a lot easier on me. I miss this collaborative approach, especially since my partner transferred to another school. For at least one term, I experienced truly meaningful teaching alongside my Thai partner. While I enjoy teaching solo, I found it even more fulfilling with a teammate. Our partnership brought us closer, and whenever I faced challenges at school, she was always there to support me.

If given the opportunity to work with another Thai teacher in a similar setup, I would gladly accept. It would lighten the workload, allow me to learn and share experiences, and ultimately, the students would reap the benefits.

Why not give team teaching a chance?

Juan

Looking back, it’s hard to acknowledge, but I wasn’t cut out for teaching at the time. I got a position in an EP program at a reputable high school, thrilled to have outperformed other candidates with a solid demo lesson. I entered the job with big aspirations, but things unraveled quickly, and I soon found myself in over my head. The truth is, I had no idea how to effectively teach, and the students saw right through me. My lessons lacked structure and engagement. I’d spend a few minutes vaguely discussing the topic, then toss out an activity, only to realize I hadn’t explained it properly. On top of that, I never gave them enough time to complete tasks before abruptly moving on to the next thing. This chaotic approach soon led to disengagement from the students, and when they started tuning out, I’d lash out in frustration, only making matters worse.

Instead of addressing my shortcomings, I chose the easy route: avoiding change. I didn’t ask other teachers for advice because I was too proud—or maybe too embarrassed. After two months, it was no surprise when they decided to let me go, though they graciously allowed me to stay on until I secured a new position. At the time, I was outraged, convinced I’d been treated unfairly. Whenever someone inquired about why I left, I’d spin the story. I claimed the head of the program was against me from the start and that the students were difficult and uncooperative. I repeated this version so many times that I eventually convinced myself it was true.

It wasn’t easy being fired, and the sting of failure was tough to bear. But, with time, I’ve gained perspective. I can now laugh about the experience and appreciate the lesson it taught me. And hey, I haven’t been fired since - so that’s progress, right?

Ricky

I decided to try something new: I added all of my students to Line groups to keep them updated on reminders, scheduling changes, and other important information. (For those unfamiliar, Line is a messaging app similar to WhatsApp.) This choice has significantly blurred the lines between my work life and personal life. Was this the right move? A decade ago, it would have been unheard of for a teacher to maintain such close contact with students outside of school hours. In fact, my mom, who was also a teacher, might have faced serious consequences for checking in on a student after class. Now, I find myself questioning where the boundary lies between being a professional educator and a mentor. I'm also grappling with how comfortable I am with this overlap between work and personal life; sometimes, you just need to disconnect, but with these constant connections, that escape feels impossible.

Tim

I used to be an Ajarn myself for ten years and worked at Sarasas Witaed Romklao (teaching grade 10) and Regent's International School (as a boarding houseparent). I then changed careers and have been working for a company for ten years. Irony decided I found and acquired a house near my old employer Sarasas Witaed Romklao. There are good and bad about anything that's below 200K Baht a year but I wonder why Ajarn.com doesn't give some high level ranking on schools where teachers are working (not the disgruntled complaining exiting teachers) but valuable for insight on parents looking for prospective schools but can't afford international ones. Please let me know your thoughts. I feel Sarasas has made their IEP an international standard in terms of costs but everything else is the same as their bilingual program so any insights ? Do you know any other bilingual schools worth a shot in the same area (near the airport)?

Bangkok

There are many benefits to teaching English abroad, and my favorite is the generous paid vacation time provided to foreign teachers. There's no need to overwork at a job you dislike with minimal vacation time. Instead, find a job that respects your life and time! Teaching abroad has been a highly rewarding experience for me: I enjoy the work, feel fulfilled, and still have plenty of personal time to enjoy my life and pursue my interests without the constant noise of children shouting, "teacher! Teacher!"

Lisa

I have been working at a university in south Thailand for 23 years, all on one-year contracts, teaching English and editing medical papers. I have learned my contract won't be renewed again. I have also recently learned about something called 'severance pay' which is supposed to be paid to all Thai workers, including foreigners. I have also been told that since I am on one-year contracts I will only get severance based on one year rather than 23 - but I have also been told that an employer cannot use a series of one-year contracts to avoid proper long-term severance so I should be entitled to severance based on 23 years. And I've also been told that all this is true but there are special provisions for foreign teachers so the employer can use one-year contracts as the basis for severance. I've done a lot of googling with limited success - can anyone direct me to something online (sort of 'official' not just more opinions) that clarifies this? I am 74 years old, which is above the normal 'must retire!!' age, but have been getting special exemptions because I do high quality work a Thai national could not.

Dave P

Now that I have resigned from my job and quit teaching, I look back on my regrets.

I wish I had created more opportunities for my students to develop their confidence in speaking English outside the comfort of our classroom. I was taken aback when one of the mothers expressed frustration over her child's English-speaking ability. Why did her child respond to me as if English wasn't a problem but replied to her mom with just a simple word? My students weren't afraid to ask questions, share ideas, and answer questions in the classroom, but this wasn't the case outside of it. The reasons could be overlooked learning goals, lack of confidence, uncertainty, and other factors. I wish I could have done better.

I wish I had been more organized in planning and implementing practical learning activities, made more time for students who needed extra help, and explored art, music, and other areas. I was advised to teach through exploration, yet I was still expected to produce worksheets and completed workbooks. Were there more effective ways to plan?

I wish I had challenged the notion against play. I am a strong advocate of play among children, as it facilitates significant learning. Play helps children resolve issues, provides comfort, and fosters a love for learning. My students' playtime was cut short because I was told, "Children miss out if they play; they should practice writing." I wish I had argued my case better.

Sarah

Before 2019, Filipino teachers wishing to obtain a teaching license had two choices: study in Thailand or study in Philippine universities. Thai teachers themselves brought small cards with the addresses of the two organizations to the teachers. Everything looked 100% legit. Importantly, on-site classes with representatives of Philippine universities were held in Bangkok.

In 2019, something broke down between Thais and Filipinos. Suddenly it appeared that the Very Important Organization doesn't accept documents from Filipino universities. It demands "equivalence of educational qualification" from the Thai Ministry of Higher Education. This situation affected all teachers (more than 200) who obtained their diplomas in 2019, 2020, 2021 and beyond.

Now, after two years, all teachers have received information that their diplomas don't meet the requirements, because the postgraduate studies were not registered in Thailand.

So someone earned 60,000+ baht for the Diploma in Teacher Education; the teachers were left with worthless diplomas and the Very Important Organization washed its hands, even though it had been accepting diplomas from Filipinos for years.

So let us remember the fallen teachers.

No one can be trusted in Thailand.

Jessica, Norway