Well, I find myself here again writing yet another letter on the downs and downs of Thailand. I’ve written a few posts on Ajarn.com regarding my experiences of 4 years teaching here in Thailand. Then some time back I relocated to Vietnam to see if the grass was any greener over there. Whilst I was in Vietnam at the beginning I wrote an article saying what a breath of fresh air it was from the idiocy of Thailand. But after one year I came to realize the grass was not that green after all.

So, I applied for positions back in Thailand after which I secured a position at a school in Korat. After informing my friends and colleagues I would be returning to Thailand to take up where I left off, they strongly recommended, I think twice. Why I asked ? Well they said, things here have change beyond belief regarding teaching positions here in Thailand. To be honest, I thought that maybe they just had a hard time with certain government offices. Which we all know, happens hourly in Thailand.

Anyway, I found myself back in Thailand and my school started the process of my work permit lol. After three visits to Bangkok from north Korat, we eventually gained a non-B visa. Then it was the turn of the teachers licensing department, also in Bangkok as you know. With yet another full copy of ALL my documents signed by yours truly, we set off to the office in Bangkok. After being told I need to take the teachers license test, I replied no problem. When is the next available test ? I don’t know was the reply, ok where can I take the test ? I don’t know was the reply.

So, I can’t have a work permit because I have to take the test and you the government teachers license office does not know when or where the test will be held. It has taken the school four months to get me a work permit for this country. Having to change my application to a native speaker. ( it took 4 weeks in Vietnam ) In that time, they have used over 5 pages of my passport. Half a dozen copies of ALL my documents and five sets of photos, plus 4,000 baht for two non-B visas.

Common sense isn’t very common in Thailand. If there was grass here and they knew what grass actually was, it would NEVER be green. Hello Cambodia, here I come.
p.s. I sat in front of a mature immigration officer today as I watched him staple my documents nine times. Because he kept forgetting to add certain papers. It was like watching a Benny Hill sketch.

Russell