I am running a big teacher agency for over ten years already and I have helped to place many teachers at good schools all over the many parts of Thailand. In the Northeastern of Thailand, I have many partner schools and my agency pays between 32,000 and 35,000 bahts a month which is very competitive if you look at the salary and benefits of competitors who only pay the teachers sometimes about 25,000.

This year I have to ask myself what is happening with the professionalism of so many teachers? I make appointments for many teachers to come and interview with me at my office and they don’t show. Not even a phone call to say sorry I am not able to come so can we reschedule appointment?

When the teachers do come for interview, their behaviours are inappropriate and they do not dress in a professional manner. They ask for more higher salary even before I have the chance to discuss the details of the job and what are the responsibilities. Too many teachers carry a negative attitude from jobs they do in the past and bring them to the new jobs like the world owe them something. It seems like teachers care only about money and not about doing the good job.

When a new teacher starts the job they complain about everything! I even have one male teacher complain about the school toilets and say they don’t have the western style but only Thai squat style. But you are in rural Thailand. What can you expect? You cannot expect the proper toilet and perfumed toilet paper also.

Then they complain about the materials and say is not enough. They have to spend so much time for preparing materials before class. One teacher even say that he has no time for sleep because he is awake in night-time doing the lesson plan. But I think this is what a teacher should do yes? Lesson planning is part of when you want to be a good teacher in the classroom and give the students a happy time and make them understand.

Every day my phone is ringing with a new problem. Maybe the teacher he arrive at work drunk from the previous evening or he is not attired professionally or they not have any idea about the schedule which I give to them already before start of term. This is like a scallywag behavior.

I would like to see foreign teachers act with more professional attitude and not treat a teaching job like it is just an easy way to stay and enjoy your time in Thailand. You have to consider that you are an educator and the students are your responsibility!

Joshua K