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...

Christian

22nd September 2011

Q1. Where did you move to and when?

I moved to a city called Jiaxing, near Shanghai in China on May 1st 2010. Now I live and work in Chongqing, South West China.

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

I worked in Thailand for 3 years.

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

I always wondered what differences there would be in the TEFL Industry in another country and to gain more experience.

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

I think the advantages are ( in order ) money, free apartments that are well furnished and modern, fewer visa issues and twice yearly flights home paid for after six and twelve months.

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

Soooooo much. Despite the advantages of living in China, I still crave to be back in Thailand. The simplicity of life in Issan, islands from heaven, great food, smiley people and all my friends.

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

Yes. Despite the problems that Thailand has, it is a great country. Most people who left Thailand, in my opinion, were looking for too much. They left their home countries and came to Thailand expecting things to be the same but different ( as the saying goes). My advice to anybody is do what I did. I came to Thailand several times before making the leap. Get to know people. Discuss life there, work there, ins and outs, how to go about the job market and learn some Thai etc. Most important of all.....you have got to love teaching, if not, you are already backing a loser.

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

Yes. I will return after my current contract ends here in Chongqing.

Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?

You need to be prepared. We have a saying in the UK: You can take the person out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the person. From what I have seen of expats in Thailand, this is very true.

Jonathan

14th August 2011

Q1. Where did you move to and when?

USA in 2007

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

Four years

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

Money, fair treatment, and professional advancement

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

I save a lot more money and have a great retirement plan and family insurance. I get two months of paid vacation and the company I am with offer solid professional development

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

I miss the bad treatment, the double standards and hypocrisy of the school management - and the constant gossip.

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

If you are a fully certified teacher, try to apply early to one of those Tier 1 schools in Bangkok. The rest of them are not real educators.

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

Never again

Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?

Thailand is not a great place to bring up a family.

Martin

1st August 2011

Q1. Where did you move to and when?

I moved back to the UK earlier this year.

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

I was there for just over three years.

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

I loved every second of my time in Thailand and I lived well by earning between 35,000 up to 50,000 in a good month, but in a moment of clarity I suddenly saw myself earning the same kind of money ten years down the line. Then my mom became ill and my dad found a subtle way to ask me if I would go back and join the family haulage business. I think he sensed that I was at a crossroads and needed to make a decision. So I decided to go back home to wintry England.

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

I'm only in my late 20's and I have the luxury of being able to work in the family business on a decent wage. I realise that not everybody has that opportunity though so I know I'm lucky in that respect. Other than that I can't really think of one single advantage.

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

Where do you start? The food, the weather, the women, the smiles. For me, it was the glorious simplicity of life. Life seems far less complicated in Thailand than it does in the UK. I can't put my finger on why. One thing I do regret is that I spent most of my time in Bangkok and got to see very little of the rest of the country. I made a couple of trips to Chiang Mai and did a weekend in Pattaya but that was about it. I would urge anyone to see as much of the country as they can when they get the chance.

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

Oh for sure. I think it's an amazing place to spend a few years but I'm certainly not sure about it long-term. I noticed how teaching jobs became more difficult to get - even in the short time I was there - and that was another reason that made up my mind to leave. But Thailand's a cool country. A lot of these 'great escapes' are a bit negative and I find myself scratching my head and wondering where the hell people went wrong.

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

I will definitely come back for a holiday and I would never rule it out as a retirement destination (even though that's a long way off) But as a place to work? No. There just aren't enough opportunities for young foreigners to build a future.

Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?

I live in one of those miserable northern towns where almost every shop in the high street is either boarded up or an Asian-run pound shop. There are hoodies drinking cheap cider on every corner and that's when they're not vandalising bus shelters. You go to work, you come home, you watch TV and you go to bed. That seems to be the existence for the majority of the population. Living and experiencing Thailand or any country in Asia for that matter is another world. Everyone should do it!

Joe

30th July 2011

Q1. Where did you move to and when?

I returned to America this summer and am re-evaluating my options in the global teaching market.

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

1 year

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

Pitiful pay, extremely corrupt politics, difficult immigration policies, awful schools with despicable administrations, rampant poverty, a general disdain for education, inferior healthcare, lousy teachers, inferior students, contemptible expats, shall I go on...?

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

Better pay with benefits and better working conditions.

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

The delicious food, the beautiful geography, the good-hearted Thai people.

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

No way. A new teacher should learn how to properly teach in an environment that values its childrens' education. Thais do not place much value on education,

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

Only for vacations.

Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?

Thailand is a fool's paradise.

Chris

24th July 2011

Q1. Where did you move to and when?

I first visited Thailand in 2008 and fell in love with the country. On the same two month trip, I also visited Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. I decided Thailand was the superior of the four. Since I had been an English teacher in USA for ten years and I was frustrated with public education in America, I thought it would be nice to experience teaching in Thailand. I returned to Thailand a second time in July 2009 for two months and interviewed at several schools. I returned to the states with my mind made up to get my affairs in order and return a third time to Thailand to try teaching there. I arrived in Thailand for the third time in February 2010 and found a job and got my work permit.

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

I worked in Thailand for 14 months.

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

My main reason for moving was that I had a motorcycle accident that left me badly injured. I learned the hard way that traffic laws and roads and safety, etc. in Thailand are extremely inferior compared to the USA. I would have left after 14 months of teaching in Thailand anyway because schools are not well administered there. I also was unhappy with the daily drama of working in the foreign languages department with my unhappy colleagues. The students act as if they understand basic English when in fact they do not, and they are easily bored with any teacher who tries to actually teach them to speak, read, and/or write English. I also might as well add that the salary is far too low for the amount of work that is expected of teachers. Though the Thais seemed to feel that we foreign teachers are overpaid, they do not take into account many financial facts.

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

Much higher pay, good air conditioning, better regulated government (read: less corrupt), better social programs, etc. It is also nice to be around people who can speak English.

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

I miss the beautiful islands and beaches, the mountains, the temples, the physical and cultural geography, the delicious food, and the gorgeous, friendly, and available women. Not to mention all the wonderful massages.

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

No, I would not advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand. I would advise a new teacher to acquire teaching experience in a better developed country in order to learn appropriate teaching methods and gain positive experiences. Thailand is not a well educated country, and its schools reflect this.