Are you a teacher who once taught in Thailand but decided to seek out pastures new? Has the grass been greener on the other side? Maybe you swapped Thailand for the financial lure of Japan or Korea? Read about those who have left Thailand, and their reasons for moving...
Stuart
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
Back to England in 2013
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
4 years
The first year I taught at a Prathom school which was very modern and had beautiful facilities.
The last 3 years I taught at a secondary government school.
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
I simply fell out of love with Thailand, teaching and the lifestyle.
I went through all the emotions that im sure many other teachers and expat residents have gone through.
The first year was amazing. New life, new place, new work experience etc.
Second year still enjoying new things but then after you scratch the surface in Thailand and realise a few things are not what they seem to appear on the surface you soon become frustrated, annoyed and start to dislike many things about living here.
I also was here during the yellow shirts takeover of the airports, red shirt riots in BKK and the floods where I was stuck in my condo for 5 weeks surrounded by chest high water.
I missed family and REAL friends and had enough of the laid back do nothing but smile lifestyle.
Living in Thailand slowly started to drag me down so decided it was to time to go home.
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
Well im not teaching anymore but in general there is simply no comparison of working conditions of Thailand to London.
Working in Thailand is very limited for career progression, wage increases and benefits.
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
Cheap food and living.
I miss the pool and gym in my condo.
I miss the beautiful women.
I miss my motivated students who genuinely wanted to learn.
I dont miss the political BS that seems to be non stop every year with all the different coloured shirts protesting.
I dont miss trying to teach English to unmotivated people.
I dont miss wearing a shirt and tie in 35oC weather.
I dont miss being called a farang
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
Errr yes but only for a short period of time as you will only get frustrated with it.
I was there for 4 years.
2 years too much imo.
If I had left after 2 years I would probably have a better view and opinion about teaching and living in Thailand but as I said after a while you really start to see things in a different light and realise that unless you have nothing else in your life get the hell out while you still have your sanity.
Thailand can make you a very unmotivated person if you let it and get sucked in.
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
No.
Even though I lived there for 4 years and had some great times, spent time learning the language I was still treated as a farang tourist and had to always be on my guard for being scammed and ripped off.
Normally after speaking Thai they would realise I was not a tourist and give me a normal price but having to constantly be aware of being ripped off starts to P'ss you off after a while and you soon start to fall out of love with the country and the people.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
Thailand is good for a first time teacher who wants to have fun for a year or two.
Serious, qualified teachers stay away.
Finally I do worry about the future of Thailand with the current round of protests with PDRC and red shirts back on ths streets.
Having lived here through the last yellow and red shirt violence in 2009 and 2010 I would be very careful about coming to Thailand to teach right now as things can change very quickly.
Sam
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
Erzurum city, Turkey. March 2014
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
2 years
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
Needed a change of scenery and some fresh ideas
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
I get free accomodatıon, food and flight refunded plus i feel like a real teacher here as opposed to being a dancing circus clown in Thailand.
The students here actually want to learn and i actually feel like teaching while ın Thailand, the system just grinds you down and takes away your enthusiasm.
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
The weather and its good location in order to travel to other Asian countries and i enjoy speakıng the language
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
Go to Thailand to cut your teeth then when you are ready search for a serıous job.
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
Maybe if i get desperate for work.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
Take everythıng Thais say wıth a pinch of salt. And don't take your job too seriously otherwise you will burn out asThais get a kick out of making the farang dance.
Mark
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
I moved to China about 4 years ago.
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
About 2 and half years or so.
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
Much better opportunities in other Asian countries.
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
Three times more money, no BS involved with getting visas, work permits, not having to check in with immigration every 3 months. Also, better facilities, good students, full medical/accident insurance provided free of charge, a free apartment and the list goes on and on and on...
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
The weather, cheap golf, cheap food and the friendly people.
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
I would advise any new teacher to avoid Thailand. These days almost every other country in Asia offers a much higher salary, advancement opportunities and a more or less hassle-free visa. Thailand seems to be going backward in terms of recruiting foreign teachers. From what I gather, the salaries haven't really increased at all in the past 10 years or more but the cost of living certainly has. Plus many school directors are very corrupt, they get a budget to hire foreign teachers and rarely pay them the amount given to them by the government(ministry of education) and pocket the rest for themselves instead. It's like their own personal retirement fund. It's so common that almost every school is doing the same and it's the students who usually get a raw deal in the end. Same reason why so many schools now hire Filipinos, they still get their budget and pay them even less than a western teacher.
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
Only to retire. My wife is Thai and she was also a government school teacher but she gave that up long ago and started two businesses. Most Thai teachers only do it for the benefits such as a pension, health care, interest free car loans and very low interest mortgages, long holidays, etc. and nothing more.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
Thailand is a wonderful country to visit and explore but working there is a completely different story. My advice would be to work in either China, Singapore, Korea or the UAE and save up a ton of money. Then return to Thailand and retire. Working as a teacher in Thailand long-term will never afford you a comfortable retirement there, or anywhere else in the world.
Miriam
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
I moved to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, USA in 2008.
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
I was in Thailand for 9 years.
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
The government changed the foreign ESLT requirements and I lost my contract, visa, work permit, and housing all on the same day.
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
When I came back to the States I was old enough to retire, so I am technically NOT employed.
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
The lower cost of living.
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
I would advise ANYONE to work as an ESL teacher in Thailand. They are hungry for 'native' language speakers to teach English.
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
I return there every other year to visit former students and teaching associates.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
Having to get a new contract, visa, and work permit every year was very exasperating.
Smeg
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
Back to the UK five years ago this month, after having spent 16 months of 2002-3 dossing around getting drunk in Thailand, and 39 months of 2005-9 working in office-based roles in Bangkok
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
A few illegal bits and pieces during 2002-3 and 39 months during 2005-9 working for the UN and a large audit firm in central Bangkok
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
My intention was only ever to spend 2-3 years exploring Asia as something to do during my 30s before settling down in the UK. I ended up spending 4.5 years there, which was far too long.
It's easy to waste time there and let it slip by, such is the halfwitted nature of the place which begins to consume every westerner there sooner or later.
There is a real danger IMO in beginning to feel settled there, because just like an alcoholic begins to feel that being drunk is normal, the alternative reality that Thailand provides effortlessly consumes those who are susceptible to its charms, or those who oddly see returning to the west as a backward step
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
Where to start! Citizenship, no legally restricted roles, no work permits, permanent job contracts if required, ethical employers, professional workplaces that provide training and career advancement, professional colleagues, ease of getting short-term contract roles and taking breaks in between them to travel, the ability to obtain remote working roles which allow you to work online and travel at the same time
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
Some good friends I made whilst I lived there, the cheap spicy food, the weather from November to February (but it's even nicer in southern California, where I'll be spending next winter)
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
I don't teach and barely ever have (despite being UK qualified teacher). If someone wants a fascinating experience then give Thailand a go for a year or three, but have an escape route planned in advance, because only the most peculiar types want to make it their permanent home.
If you want to be a real, career teacher, do it here, and give the international schools over there a try as a busman's holiday.
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
I pop back every now and then and continue to have a giggle on a thailand expat forum, but as there are so many places to see in Europe and the wider world, it's a rarity, and I have no reason or desire to live there for a third time. Been there, done that
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
It's been exactly 10 years since my Hotseat. Doesn't time fly!
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