Q1. Where did you move to and when?

I moved to China (Beijing) in 2015 by way of one year in the UAE (never again!)

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

From 2006 -2015 but during that time I also did a stint in Qatar (that felt like a prison sentence)

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

The salary. I have a family to provide for. Plus it was the opportunity to work at a top quality IB school.

Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?

I save 2,500 pounds a month and I get to teach IB.

Beijing's parks are delightful, (Bangkok only has Lumpini, Rot Fai, Rama 9 and Benjakiti for the whole city!) Beijing also has cheap and efficient public transport. Chinese high-speed rail is awesome!

Beijing does get hot in summer but not the intense sweat-box that is Bangkok. Once you get to know it (takes some work) Beijing is very ex-pat friendly. There is no price gouging of foreigners.

All food tastes are catered for (some very good value) but strangely Thai food in restaurants in expensive. Having a Thai wife who shops at markets and Carrefour means we live frugally yet eat healthily.

There are IKEA stores here for all your household needs. Wine is much cheaper here than in Thailand. And for those who like to get out and see places, there are hidden gems here such as the Beijing botanical gardens, fragrant hills and Olympic Park.

Plus Beijing now has direct flights to Manchester!

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

In many ways there are parallels between my current school and my last Thai school - well organised HR, delightful children to teach. lovely school grounds. My current school is right next to a lovely park.

The food in "northern" China is no match for Thai food, however my wife is an excellent improviser and you can get all the ingredients you need here to make delicious Thai food.

Beijing's winter is ferocious, and can be -15c before wind chill at seven in the morning! When I went back to Thailand at Christmas the thought of going back to winter in Beijing was not fun. Beaches in China are naff and there is nothing akin to the diving scene in Thailand.

Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?

Depends. Undoubtedly a job in a top drawer paying international school in Bangkok is the best of both worlds. Beijing is not the fun capital that Bangkok is for new teachers.

My last school - I would say a 1.5 tier school - provided singletons with a great lifestyle but you need to be a fully qualified teacher in your home country.

As a family man I save four times the money in Beijing as what I did in Bangkok - even at a good school! As a TEFL teacher I would go for Thailand and enjoy the ride but don't do it long term.

There are just as many sharks in the TEFL industry here and they are backed up by Chinese law as well. As with Thailand, there are some very iffy international schools in China so be wary. And make sure you have a Z visa before you go.

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

There are loads of flights between Bangkok and Beijing. And if I can give a plug to Thai International, they have the best luggage allowance, best aircraft and often the cheapest fares!

For the long term future we are setting up home in the UK. The head rules the heart and the UK is far better for our child's education and future.

But we still hope to get back to Thailand for vacations.

Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?

If you have a Thai (or Asian wife) be very wary of any job in the oil rich gulf countries. My wife is very 'international' but refuses to even change aircraft there!

If you can't get that well-paid job in Thailand then China is a far better place to save. I freely admit I was wrong to have misgivings about working here. I love the outdoors and Beijing provides ample outdoorsy stuff if you get proper clothing.

Sure the pollution can be bad and the spitting is gross but this is a minor issue compared to life in a Gulf country.

Hong Kong and Singapore are great places but you don't get the saving potential you do here.

Oh, and in China, you need a serious VPN here to cope with the great firewall.