jimcarr65

Must first have a minimum of Bachelor degree in any subject

Start looking for a school in person at the end of April. Get out on foot

School hires you they will take care of Non B and work permit

If they don't, leave and find another school. Ask first

DO NOT WORK ILLEGALLY, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE QUALIFICATIONS DON'T TEACH

Thailand has changed a lot since 2012, etc....when they were happy to have us and the baht was 34 or higher. I haven't been back since 2018 and am not planning another visit.

Correct it's your local labor office. From what I understand if you have a labor dispute (Not getting paid what your contract states) the labor offices are pro-active in helping even foreigners, it's worth the effort.

It gets worse every year in Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai especially. 

See it mostly in Issan and it drive me crazy. Finally had to say something to my ex. Mostly Thai women too

Just another reason to check off the list of misery. Thailand after living there for three years and visiting 4 times after that including this year just has zero appeal anymore. 

It varies, I have had $200 take five days and $50 take twenty-four hours.

Her friends ask how much you send her for two reasons. Because they are nosey and want to know and then they turn on her and convince her it's not enough and she will never be able to go to the USA and she should find someone else.

At least that's my story. She listened to her "friends" went out on a date and I dumped her. 

Now she continually texts me to come back she made a mistake and will never do it again. Good or bad I was a week away from sending in the $500 and paperwork for the fiance visa and it would have cleared. Seems Thai women from Issan (37) have the mentality of a 12 year old and can't think for themselves. I keep in touch only for the two step kids that I helped raise while I lived there in Thailand for 3 years. Too bad their mother is an idiot and got greedy, we had a good thing going but trust is gone. And how much? 15,000 baht a month is what I was sending, plus she worked and made 13,000 baht at her job. Plenty and she always ran out by the 20th of the month because she and most are terrible with money, spend spend spend.

Go to Sabai Dee soapy north pattaya around soi 2 ,walk in sit down and have a look on a hot day. Decline the drink, and just check it out. If you like what you see, save up some baht and go back and have some fun.

Not so Lucky Lucky

I have seen one friend go through chemo and radiation, its rough. This guy seems alright, a bit hard to understand because of his cockney accent but he's got a fight on his hands no doubt. I always thought he looked like he was more in his 70's than 59? This has to be a typo. 

I have a question on this then, If I have a monthly income of 60,000 baht from the USA and multiply that by 12+ which is 720,000 baht. I only have to show that I have 80,000 baht in the bank? I am not a dumb guy, but this has confused the s%^& out of me. 

I left Thailand a year ago after living and teaching there for 3 years. I back then had the feeling that the Thai government really didn't want us to occupy their country and things were starting to change. This past year and half confirms my suspicions. I think it is only going to get worse. Why don't they want Europeans and Americans to come anymore? Your guess is as good as mine I really don't know. 

That's not broken

Captain Jack, 

Very good post, I even shared it with my friend who is 73 and was considering moving there to be closer to his Thai GF. After reading what you wrote he decided against it you know why?....Because it is reality over there now. I lived there from 2014-2017 and taught English at a good school. However, I am only 52 and was not saving for retirement, living check to check, no 401K, the pollution was gagging, the hassle of Immigration and all the paperworl involved(went to Laos once with 50 sheets of paper for an extension, was missing 1 paper, back to Thailand!!!), the constant "mmmaaaaaasssaagggeee" in Pattaya got on my nevers, it was nice for the first 6 weeks but not when you live there. You did the right thing. 

Only question I have is if you are a Vietnam Vet what about VA benefits? 

If Cambodian women are anything like Thai women that I have met and married, the money will be gone in a year. 

If you are at the point now of asking a question like this with alcohol you most likely have a problem with it. The only solution is not cutting down, its abstinence. Find an AA meeting and attend for 90 days, if it's not for you then you are probably not alcoholic. AA Thailand, Google it, great meetings and people in Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiang Mai.

Been in Pattaya many times, lived near there for 3 years. In all reality the only things to do there are go to bars, massages, gent clubs and Central mall it gets old very fast. You are right after two weeks call it good and get back home.

This is a great example in the result of most good English teachers leaving the country due to the insane requirements needed now to stay in the country. So they fill the positions with Filipinos and pay them 10,000 baht a month. Very sad indeed.

Unfortuantely I think you will only be seeing more of this as the 'good' teachers have mostly all left in the last 3 or so years. I remember the days when I had to actually compete for a job and do a demo in front of the Thai teachers. They made it so difficult with us who have all the proper credentials, BA, MBA and TEFL that most of us decided to move back to our home countries. Now the schools are filled with expats who are bored and just want a job for something to do, or the jobs were filled by less desirable because the schools were desperate. It's really too bad but the government and education department, along with the stagnant salaries left us no choic.