After over seven years of teaching in Thailand I’m leaving for Saudi Arabia. First, let me say that for the seven years I have been here, the first five were excellent, but I have seen a drastic change for the worse over the past two years. I have met a lot of good people here, Thais and Foreigners alike that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity in meeting back home in Wales. Albeit, I feel now is the time for a change and fresh start elsewhere. I have worked at various institutions since coming here in 2004. I have worked in government schools, a university, an international school and various language centres across the country. I had the privilege of working with Mr. Russell Park, a teacher who has worked- his shocks off at becoming a better teacher he is also someone who genuinely cares about his students.

The main reason for me leaving is obviously the money. Since coming here the salaries haven’t increased, in fact over the last few years I have seen a decrease in the salaries being offered. When I first arrived in Thailand it was the biggest culture shock known to mankind. The Thais working at the local shops, restaurants and other establishments actually smiled at me and fell over backwards to assist in any way possible. I had never experienced anything like that back home in Wales. Unfortunately, in my opinion, over the last few years I have seen people’s attitudes change for the worse, now I get “What you want?” Not have” (when you know damn well they have) or even to the point of being totally ignored.

Also, I have seen the change in attitude form the majority of the Thai teaching staff, particularly in the Government schools, towards the foreign teachers. I often used to ask myself, “Do they want us here”? The conclusion I came to was, “NO”. I will leave Thailand with mixed emotions. I will be taking with me a lot of fond and amusing memories, but I have to say also a lot of bitter and hopefully forgettable memories. I shall miss Thailand the place I have called home for seven years, also I will miss my friends and colleagues, but I hope to return one day, that is if the Thai government will stop scamming money out of us!
Good luck to you all, and don’t let the buggers get you down.

Keith Evans

In reply to 'Thailand you have lost another good teacher' (Postbox 7th October) the noble concept of bettering students and a country is no small matter. Thailand has a lot to offer its students and in a sense it is better than many of the other "developing nations". However, with systems and policies in relation to the way foreign teachers are treated, it results in a mix between the dark ages and the 21st century.

People and cultures are judged on the way they treat outsiders and animals. Unfortunately, animals are often treated a bit better than foreign teachers. I am quite surprised to notice that after a long time, it is now starting to backfire. The numbers of new foreign teachers are not as many as before - just like the tourists. Before, Thailand had a place in the ESL world that was a lot less lucrative for teachers than South Korea, but it was 'sabai sabai' and an element of real smiles. Now, it is hard to find a smile from Thai employers and even harder to try and smile as a foreign teacher.

Like any profession, market forces take priority. Where Thailand had a niche, China has now opened its doors and is offering a lot more. If Thailand wants to still remain a player in this game, it is time for a 100% top to bottom change. Change requires the Thais to rethink very deep points:

1. Is the foreigner actually the devil and therefore not welcome in Thailand?
2. Of all the countless foreign teachers that have given their sweat and blood for Thai students - just like the foreigners did during the second world war. Bridge over the River Kwai (Kanchanaburi) and a lot more. We built the railways and the EP school programs (modern times) Anybody want to say thanks?

If the foreigner is not unwanted, then it is time for the penny to drop, and if we are really included (as opposed to excluded from everything) maybe we can all work together to build a really good tomorrow for both Thais and foreigners and especially the students! I have met, lived and worked with numerous people from numerous nations - the biggest obstacle for progress is an artificial divide - us and them.

Phil says - I really don't get the second point. Weren't soldiers forced to build the Bridge over The River Kwai? But no one forces anyone to come here and teach English. And to come up with statements such as "there aren't as many foreign teachers as before', you need to have access to statistics or data. And data on foreign teachers doesn't exist. It never has,

Mr Grumpy

Because of the way Thailand has changed over the past few years. Because of their attitude towards foreign teachers and tourists in general, their country is witnessing the lowest tourist numbers in modern times. All the major cities and tourist destinations are empty. And the truth is, they have brought it all on themselves. I personally have lived here for three years now and have taught at schools for the same amount of time.

The salary I receive is about right for me. Basically because I feel I'm still learning how to teach, yes I am a TEFL teacher not a "real" teacher. When I first came here to start teaching, I was very very fortunate to become friends with two extremely professional and dedicated teachers, Keith and Dale. They were both employed by a university, where they had taught for 5 years. I think I'm right in saying this is their 8th year teaching in Thailand. They have both learnt the Thai language and Keith has even learnt to speak Issan. My thanks goes to these two teachers who taught me how to teach. I have tried to make a career teaching here and a new way of life. I worked with Kieth for over a year and witnessed a truly excellent TEFL teacher at work. I would sit in his classes at every opportunity, just watching and learning.

And now because of the way this country is turning with disrespectful Thai teachers and the ever increasing red tape, Keith is leaving Thailand and Dale is seriously having the same thoughts. It strikes me that Thais wont be happy until the last "farang" as they call us leave this country. And if you're one of those farang that can't see the wood for the trees, please leave your stupid responses for someone else.

Thailand you have just lost a very good teacher and maybe another one very soon. It makes me angry when good people like that, who have made the effort to live and educate children for so long in a third world country like this are left with no option but to leave because of bad pay and bad manners.

Mr. Russell Park

Another perspective on the qualified versus unqualified teachers debate might be to say the following. What prevails is not the truth, but instead the viewpoint of the majority. Or, the viewpoint of those in power. Any foreigner living in Thailand should gladly recognise that by now.

For example, in times where the majority of Western teachers were monocultural and monolingual – able to speak but English, and unfamiliar with other cultures in all but the most shallow of senses – native languages were thought to have no place in the second language classroom. Which, unless you have a terminal case of having your head stuck in the sand, or have not opened a book on teaching in the last 20 years, is a philosophy that in the present day has well and truly been debunked. More to the point, if you can actually speak another language, you can easily see how advantageous a prudent use of the native language in the classroom might be – for example, to clarify instructions regarding the steps to follow in very complex language activities, wherein it is the target use of the language that is important, and not the three hours it would take to get the students to properly understand what they should be doing by miming and shouting. Or, to explain a complex concept, where it is the concept that is important and not the language that describes it, again for the purposes of saving time and sticking to the curriculum. Only someone who cannot speak the native language, that is, would be able to overlook these advantages, and say that in fact there are none.

Yet, this idea possessed a lot of currency, and is still dogmatically adhered to by some. Part of the momentum for this ‘religion’, it would be distinctly uncritical not to note, must surely derive from the facts that (1) if being able to speak the native language, all other things being equal, is advantageous, then it reflects badly on one not to be able to speak it, which does not ride well with the cultural profile of your typical monolingual, monocultural person; and (2) the fact that the majority of its supporters (the upholders of this faith) were in the same boat, and that they were thus able to manufacture ‘truth’ collectively.

To put it simply, if you take a hundred people, ten of whom can speak another language, and ask them what the role of native languages are in the classroom, the chances are that the ultimate consensus is going to be that there is very little good about it. Reason has nothing to do with it, this is a very convenient truth for most of these people to cling to.

Another good example is the issue of qualifications versus experience. In the past, people could get a teacher’s license in a couple of years, by studying a pre-information age diploma. Now, teachers have to do a four or five year degree in order to become qualified. In the Middle East, for example, where older teachers dominate, experience is upheld as the signifying quality of a sound teacher. In South Korea, where younger teachers prevail, it is characteristics like education, place of education, second language ability, number of publications and familiarity with new technologies that are held in the highest esteem.

As to where the truth lies in this debate, I am not going to stick my toe in – other, that is, than to observe that when I used to teach at university in Thailand, the most unmanageable students were the older Thai teachers, they had far less academic integrity than the younger generations. They cheated rampantly in their exams; they were the most prone to have a sleep in the class and not do their homework; and they used to force the younger teachers to give them their completed homework, so they could pass it off as their own. 'No bull', as the Australians say, they were the people I would be least inclined to look up to as an example.

So then we get to the issue of qualifications in general. If we want to know what ideas prevail in Thailand, we could have a look at the teacher demography. Wow, there are a lot of unqualified teachers practising…the prime movers in Thai schools, who do not have any concept of what constitutes a decent education, like unqualified teachers because they are cheap, and because their views around teaching correspond…in this context, we might expect to find the view that unqualified teachers are good teachers. Or, that teaching is not a proper profession in the respect that one does not have to possess any specialist knowledge or skills.

Do such views prevail? Where might they prevail? I will leave it to the reader to ponder these things themselves...

Chris

With all these letters re qualified vs unqualified teachers, let me state that after teaching in excess of forty years here, three of the best teachers I have ever listened to are 'unqualified' but great teachers. They prepare well, teach where the students are and try to lift the bar and stretch the students. Their qualifications were earned on the front line. I have a degree but they are better teachers than I. I believe most of the frustration that foreign teachers face is caused by the poor quality of 'education' (if you can call it that) in government schools. I have taught in both systems and the lack of funds and poor standards (copying, pretty pictures etc) in government schools condemn students in this system to a second rate teaching experience, degree or no degree.

Michael Holdcroft

I've been teaching in Thailand for seven years and I've been an avid reader of the "ajarn.com's various articles since 2006". Like most of my fellow foreign teachers here I've been through the visa and work permit mangle and all the other bureaucratic crap that the Thai Government can throw at a human being, but here I remain. I originate from Wales and I'm proud of that fact, but as most of us know, The UK, The USA, Australia, etc have all changed for the worse. So, the million dollar question is, what keeps us in Thailand?

Let's face the facts. It's not the salaries ...they have remained the same for many years. Some will say "job satisfaction", that was true several years ago, when in my opinion, the students and the Thai-teaching staff showed respect towards the hard working foreign staff at their schools. Nowadays, some students and also the Thai teachers show us nothing but contempt and on some occasions pure hatred. I've read several articles written by teachers who have had horrific experiences regarding teaching agencies and co-teachers. And of course there is the visa and work permit saga, and believe me when I say I've experienced most of the above myself. I would be interested to read the responses to my original question. What keeps us in Thailand?

Keith Evans

Putting the Bangkok bubble aside. do you think that the speed the Thai education system is moving is too fast? In 2010 there were 250 schools nationwide in the EP program. In 2011 it doubled to 500 and they estimate it will double again next year. The Thais are running around the country, awarding their schools this stamp of 'World Class School'. Which world do they mean? There are putting students into English-taught science, mathematics, computer lessons amongst other topics. Having worked at a few different, world class schools, as just an English teacher, the levels of actual English speaking and more important, understanding what they are saying, isn't the best in the Asean group of countries. After speaking to many foreign teachers of science, maths etc, they always say the same thing, it's a joke.

Yes, of course, schools should teach those subjects and pupils need to learn them. But put yourself in a Thai lesson on the same subjects, if your basic Thai is anything like mine. It would blow your mind. There is a reason for their speedy propulsion into these subjects. In 2015 the Asean is coming together as one, similar to our Europe. God help them!. And Thailand is so far behind most of the other member countries, in terms of education and levels of English. They have been given no choice, but to step it up. And in the great traditional way of life here, If it looks ok, it is ok.

Mr. Russell Park

I agree with the last post, what is American English? After the war of Independence in (gods) country. The people that were in power got together to decided on a common language, They decided their common native language would be German. On the 11th hour of the vote being passed, those great men of power changed their minds and made English their native tongue for reasons unbeknown to the other less important nations. And so it came to pass, America's native tongue would be English.

Since then, as America has become the greatest, most powerful, most beautiful, mainly the most everything you can possibly think of country on the planet. Everything they have copied from other countries, they automatically changed, re-named or claimed as their own. Hence American English.

To be honest, just because they have changed a few words and added a few of their own and spelt some differently to us does not make it American English. It would be like the Scottish talking Scottish English. Liverpudlians talking Liverpudlian English. Geordie's talking Geordie English and so on and so on. The English language comes from England and if a country such as America uses it, it is and always will be English. Can you imagine telling Thais you speak English Thai, not Thai?

Mr. Russell Park

What's American English?? I don't think that there is such a thing as "American English" America is a country and they speak American, England is a country and they speak English. The languages almost sound the same but some words and pronunciations are different. American is a language and English is another language, so whats all this hogwash about "American English?" We might as well have Thai English or Japanese American, How about Chinese Russian? Read the book "The Invasion of The Barbarians" and you'll get my drift.

Apso

I have been teaching in Thailand for over 6 years now and I feel qualified to make a few observations and even point to a few changes that could make a difference. In the face of increasing frustration I feel compelled to put my opinion out there in the forlorn hope that someone in authority will take some notice. My frustration stems from three distinct areas.

1. Wishful thinking. Laws have been passed that require foreign teachers to have at least a university degree to qualify for a teacher’s license. Highly skilled teachers with diplomas, teaching certificates and experience are rejected outright or have to teach illegally for peanuts. While this on the face of it, is an attempt to get the best possible teachers, it is totally unrealistic. There is simply no incentive to teach in Thailand long term. Teachers in their own countries generally get more money, access to health insurance, superannuation and legal representation than here.

2. Lack of support. Without a suitable teacher’s union non-Thai teachers are at a disadvantage for a start. The Thai teacher council based in Bangkok has proved to me to be extremely difficult to communicate with. Telephones are only answered intermittently and then by non-English speakers. No English language pamphlets are available because the rules are changed regularly and no-one seems willing to act as spokesperson except to give the most sketchy of explanations. This does not sit well.

3. Discrimination. Those few who do stay the distance and have put down roots generally have Thai families to support. They are exploited through discrimination on visas, work permits, home ownership and even entry charges to national parks and entertainment venues. This certainly does not sit well.

All this happens in a climate of desperation as schools try to staff their English departments with skilled native speaking teachers. When these are not available the second choice is of course non-native speakers who teach with often difficult to understand accents. The government knows this yet they persist with the same strategy. They must know these policies do not work and are counterproductive. They must be doing this for a reason because those in power are not stupid.

I am sure that at the root of this is the belief that Thai culture will be threatened if the English language gets a foothold in Thailand. This was proved to me by the previous government’s rejection of English as the official “ second Language”. (Bangkok Post) I am convinced otherwise, for like Holland (where Dutch and English co-exist to enable the Dutch to take advantage of the language of commerce) Thailand can gain the same access to commercial opportunities for its citizens without endangering their treasured culture.

The incoming government has a chance to change the policies that retard English acquisition in the community. I wonder if they consider that a priority? I certainly won’t be holding my breath.

Ajarn Robert