I believe Thailand is still a safe country. Thai people are gentle, kind-hearted and peace-loving. Given all these good things that teaching in Thailand could provide, I still hold on to my principle NEVER to teach in Thailand again! A few "powerful" and "influencial" people in that country caused me too much pain - mental, pshychological and emotional suffering.

I used to teach in Thailand. I loved working with my Thai collleagues and students. However, I couldn't imagine insulting myself and the nobility and diginity of the teaching profession by embracing a very rubbish system. You see, there is too much discrimination. I worked under this agency managed by a wicked woman. I received 15,000 baht per month. I had an American colleague who was never a college degree holder, was never a teacher in the US, was never a good teacher in that Thai school where we taught and even a grade school student in my country could tell that he is stupid. But then that same agency which sent me to that school asked me to assist him anyway. And he was very lucky. He received 25,000 baht! No sweat.

This is just one. In another school where I taught, another stupid guy from New Zealand enjoyed his no-sweat 35,000 baht, while I had mine at a much lower amount. this is with another agency managed by a Thai teacher.

All these things because these people, who are not even qualified to teach in kindergarten schools in my country, are the so called 'native speakers"! These are just tourists who go to Thailand, enjoy the bars, night life, beaches and God-only-knows. These are tourists who just want to earn something to sustain a good life. These are tourists who have no heart for teaching and the students. these are people who say all the bad things about Thai teachers and students. And these are the same people who enjoy the money from the sweat of the parents of these students they love to mock and criticise.

I know a lot of other stories about discrimination. And I know that it is a fact that Thai agencies, and other agencies put up and managed by Thais and "native speakers" practice such. Even Germans, Dutch, Italians, Nigerians, "white" and "black" people presented as "NATIVE SPEAKERS"! How could some people afford to fool others? Of course, most people, especially those who are not that educated nor learned, believe and see these people as "native speakers"

It is a shame that these good Thai students and parents are being fooled. So I can't afford to work there anymore. I don't want to prepare mateials to be used by these "native speakers", assist "native speakers", and be a part of that rotten system anymore. It is no wonder, wherever you go in Thailand, you ask people with "How are you?" and they will automatically answer, "I'm fine thank you and you?" You ask them, "How do you do?" and they will respond, "Alaina?" What do you expect from people taught by fake teachers?

No offense meant to real teachers. Of course there are good, real, caring teachers who are native speakers. As I have said earlier, Thai people are so nice.But I don't want to take the risk again. I don't want to go through those traumatic experiences again, of being discriminated against and collaborating with agencies and somehow taking part in fooling these lovely Thai people.

Micky Davenport