I have been reading the postbox and I've got to let you know. I have tears in my eyes. Not tears of sadness, tears from laughing so hard. The pictures of the departure lounge at the airport probably is the one that made me laugh the hardest.

So this new law goes into effect. All teachers must have a education degree to be a legal teacher in Thailand. Meaning a work permit and teachers license. OK fine. How many illegal teachers do you think are working in Thailand now? A lot I'm sure. I was one for a year. So we have the new laws, now there won't be any illegal teachers? Ummmmmm. I don't have a degree in education and I can assure you I will still be here.

Yeah, one more thing. I am so sick and tired of listening to those teachers with MA's in education etc. Talking about how great and qualified they are. Having the MA only makes them a good student it doesn't make them a good teacher. As for the man who wrote about grammar and that most of us non education degree holders can't teach it. So what? Is it really necessary for a 8 year old in prathom 2 to be able to dissect a sentence? NOT!!!! Passion for teaching and the ability to make your class exciting and fun for the students is how to teach. Many schools have a teaching program for the teacher to follow.

A question for all of those VERY well qualified teachers with the MA's and CELTA's and Teaching Certification. What are you doing in Thailand working for 40,000 THB when you can be in Japan making 80,000 - 90,000 THB a month or even in Taiwan, China or Vietnam? Oh China and Vietnam are communist countries. Well I think it is safe to say their government is more stable than Thailand's. I think the big reason all of you VERY well qualified teachers are in Thailand working for pennies is because the other Asian countries that pay twice as much as Thailand, all require their teachers to submit finger prints and criminal history verification. Could this be the real reason all of you VERY well qualified teachers are here in Thailand? Who knows, just food for thought. I am here in Thailand because I love teaching. I enjoy helping people to learn English. It is my passion that drives me. If it was the money and bragging rights to all I have accomplished, I would go back to my high profile corporate chef position in South Florida.

So, in closing I will weather out the change in laws even if it means I don't have a work permit and teachers license. OK. I will exit Thailand one time in six months and apply for a 90 tourist visa and then do border runs to Cambodia. Or maybe I will over stay my visa 364 days AGAIN. The MOE will see the error of their ways. When there are only a handful of Native English teachers in Thailand, all demanding salaries that the schools can't pay, and the schools staff their English departments with Filipinos who are excellent teachers with the exception that they can't speak English. I will still be here when the MOE changes the laws once again.

For all of you whiners our there whining about having to leave when the law goes into effect. Get creative, think out side of the box.

Richard Burgess