CrunchWrapSupreme

Many are now hopping on the online selling bandwagon. There's really not much else at the moment. The factories have been shutting down. Tourism has been decimated. It takes a huge investment to open a shop, in which the customers barely trickle in.

In the evenings in front of a house down the road, we've seen a lady with her many little items all wrapped up in little boxes, ready to go. Packaging really is the only overhead, other than shipping costs and the time involved. Open the Lazada App, then Lazada Live. You'll see an excited lady cajoling you to buy with ringing bells and sound effects, just like in the markets, tho now the market has come to you.

We've heard of some of the returned bargirls in the area getting into this. Otherwise they perform various forms of livestreaming entertainment, or simply beg from their grandparents.

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Hold almost any container/packet/bag up to the light and it's half-full.

There was an article about that not long ago. Some Thai lady took to Facebook about the lack of product in a package. Of course in Amazing Thailand, that meant she got slapped with a defamation suit.

I'd recommend any local govt school. You'll see them just by traveling out and about your area. True, any school on the MRT would be possible, but the daily commute will eat into your budget. Songthaews (pickup truck buses) and moto taxis will also be part of this journey.

A nearby govt school would be a good place to get acquainted with Thai children and the work environment in your first year. That's what I did. They'll be more accepting of your lack of experience as they get less inquiries from foreign teachers. Some may only have Filipinos and would welcome a Westerner to add to their ranks.

Gone are the days of the standard 30k salary at such schools. Ask for 40-45k, given the continuing, limited incoming farang situation. They're paying this even out here in Issan. Talk up your lack of experience with anything that might be related to teaching. Any volunteer work at home? Working with kids? Interest in science and tech? Traveling, interest in other cultures? Extra activities at your uni? Talk directly to the school, do not work for an agency.

I'd avoid the big, famous name private schools. Absolutely horrible attitudes. Spoiled, hi-so students. Piles of meaningless paperwork you simply fill in and sign, so the students can run amok and get those scores their parents pay handsomely for. Admins, both Thai and farang, who to be blunt are the scum of the Earth. They love taking newcomers as they churn through so many. Higher salary, but absolutely not worth the stress. Good luck.

6 minutes ago, Maejo Man said:

Why is the pick up on the wrong side of the road?

Impatient and overtaking traffic. Pickups are frequently seen with major front end damage in my local police station parking lot, because of this.

48 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Probably just realised the department store model died years ago

The two storied, Japanese dept stores in BKK, Isetan and Tokyu, just closed down in recent years. They'd already been on the decline due to less tourism and expats, then Covid was the final nail in their coffin.

Central underwent a restructing into two parts, Central Pattana and Central Retail. They tried issuing an IPO for the latter. It unfortunately came right when Covid spiked and led to most of the initial lockdowns.

Meh. How about this Thailand:

1) Educate your new generations better, geared toward meaningful industries. Passing them for doing nothing probably isn't a good idea.

2) Either have them start, or lure in more foreign business that'd put them to work.

3) Have them paid well, so then maybe they can buy some stuff.

4 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

The words at the end of sentences like na, reu, ka, krap, mai, chai mai seem to allow the listener more of an opportunity to digest what is being said

Indeed. In my years of teaching there's always been the new guy who comes to the office. They've been in the country 5-6 years. They immediately want to bust it out. They go up to the Thai teachers and begin spewing. They obviously rehearsed and been through it a few times. The Thais nervously smile and nod through the show.

I don't get what the purpose of it is. They're not particularly impressed, and there's none of the development that'd be realized through real, unrehearsed, back and forth conversation.

2 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

Eager to show off one's language skills, and believing the whole world will be awestruck by your linguistic prowess

Heh. I teach adults English online and some feel the need to hog 90% of the convo. I then must gently put it to them that they're not going to improve without receiving much feedback. Oh well. They're running the meter, and I'm getting paid.

My father-in-law loves watching his Thai boxing on a certain channel owned by a certain conglomerate, continuing to blast its viewers with ads for its fresh, delicious pork, despite the obvious shortage. Hmm.

14 hours ago, timendres said:

anyone with a working strategy will never reveal it to you. Even for money

Heh. Same here in the teaching arena. I've found my fellow teachers some of the most unhelpful when it comes to our profession. They each feel the other could potentially take their job.

This has now been amplified with online teaching and everyone vying for online students, especially with the Chinese govt cracking down on servicing what was once the most lucrative group of students.

If someone's stumbled upon the neat trick that nets them more students and longer regulars, they're certainly not sharing it. Other than the obvious: be an attractive, perky young lady. ????

Just hope you don't cross them and end up buried in an oil drum:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50823872

No, not the Chinese! The QUALITY TOURISTS we so desperately need. Surely they'll go easy on them. It is Chinese New Year after all.

I miss the good ol' days of the mamasan drawing the curtains, and continuing to drink and er, enjoy the staff until 5 am. A few big bottles does me in now.

On 1/18/2022 at 6:12 PM, StayinThailand2much said:

Feudalism is alive, kicking, and screaming in Thailand. Back to the past!

I'm sure you've caught one of those Thai historical dramas about the Ayutthaya times. When the servants get out of line they're tied to a pole and whipped mercilessly, crying out in pain for a good five minutes or so while dramatic music plays. They even go through a lot of trouble with make up to make it look realistic. I reckon a great many of them yearn for those good ol' days.

4 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

Or just take your holidays somewhere else?

Yup. Keep it up, Amazing Thailand. That queue of QUALITY TOURISTS just keeps getting longer and longer with this sort of news.

On 1/19/2022 at 10:44 AM, webfact said:

Others criticized him for making videos with Thai teenagers that humiliated their lack of English

Hah. They've only got themselves to blame for that. They dutifully sit attentive for lectures from their Thai teachers about math, science, history. Then the farang walks in, and it's happy fun time to chit chat, take selfies, throw stuff around. After all, it's just English, nothing that important.

Good deals. Just a few years ago, my condo on the BKK outskirts within walking distance of BTS, with pool, fitness, parking, security, was 8k baht.

Does it include such amenities?

An argument over 5k baht. From a company owner with likely millions of baht and a license plate on an European import worth 3-5 mil. The world's #1 inequality.

Here and in other places I often get into the "don't go for those lo-so beggars, you should associate with the educated, professional Thais" argument. Yet here's a prime example of why you shouldn't swing that other way either.

Google "Mukdahan rape gang". Someone ought to remind this bloke about it.

Teachers inviting their students for late night classroom parties. Piles of beer bottles and used condoms. A lot of noise was made, then suddenly nothing, nearly two years ago.

6 hours ago, brian2f2f said:

80% or more of the entire course is strictly grammar so they have little to no vocabulary and have no idea at all how to communicate.

Yup. It's also hardly a Thai problem. I teach Chinese, Japanese, and Korean adults online, and this is their #1 complaint. They studied English all through high school and university in this manner, and thus can hardly speak any.

The Thais, surprisingly, are a bit ahead of them in this regard. As they love things done for display, they've loved to watch my students give speeches, perform skits, organize debate teams, recite stories. Though unfortunately, it's usually a small percentage of the total student body who are so engaged.

Esan HD on YouTube. Happy, fun music. Cute chicks.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMqokHuYJR_Sze2lLxjgYbw