The Expat Files: Celebrity English teacher Andrew Biggs talks about life in Thailand

By Jim Algie 

 

Photo: Andrew Biggs/Facebook

 

In Coconuts’ “The Expat Files,” writer Jim Algie picks the brains of the most famous — and infamous — foreigners in Thailand.

 

Andrew Biggs is arguably the most omnipresent farang in Thailand. The well-known English teacher hosts TV and radio shows, big Thai events, and speaks at government seminars. He also writes for newspapers and magazines  — his current Sunday Bangkok Post column is a hit with Thais and foreigners alike. His Thai-language books have been bestsellers, and he boasts 2.5 million followers on Twitter. As if that wasn’t enough, he runs his own English-language school, The Andrew Biggs Academy.

 

 

So much for his CV of personal achievements in the kingdom.

 

As they do in the lives of many visitors-turned-expats in Thailand, chance encounters loom large in Biggs’ story. He happened to be in the editorial offices of The Nation newspaper, where he was working at the time, when somebody dropped by to say they needed English-language content and videos for the then-new — and now long-defunct — Microbus TV show. On the spot, they offered him a job. Initially hesitant about hosting a TV show, “I have a face that’s perfect for radio,” he said with a wry grin – the Australian turned what could have been a banal segment, called “English on the Bus,” into an often hilarious and culturally insightful showcase for how to teach the English language in Thai terms.

 

Full story: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/features/expat-files-celebrity-english-teacher-andrew-biggs-talks-life-thailand/

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2017-10-18

And does he have a valid work permit ?

27 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

And does he have a valid work permit ?

He's probably the only foreigner who Thais think isn't a tourist. 

Fair play a farang who has made a life in thailand and sought to help others do the same. I think he has a point about the face for radio though:-)

Someone who works hard, who has integrated who has reached a level of mutual respect... 

 

Someone who has made their life here truly successful.... Hats off to him... 

 

I can see why some may make bitter, sour & twisted comments which would say more about themselves than anyone else who enjoys a level of success and happiness in their efforts to live and enjoy life.

 

It is foreigners such as Andrew Biggs who raise Thai opinion of foreigners otherwise tarnished by the monging-masses...  It is people like him we have to thank for our general positive treatment when in Thailand. 

^^^^^

What he said........................

8 minutes ago, car720 said:

If there is any positive treatment at all it is because of the good will spread by hundreds of thousands of good farang that came before him and went out into the villages and towns and endeared themselves to the locals.  Let us remember the unsung and not just the flashy showman.

You mean all those culturally sensitive GI's on R&R?

3 minutes ago, dddave said:

You mean all those culturally sensitive GI's on R&R?

It's all those Mormons who give falangs a good name, don't you know?

14 minutes ago, car720 said:

If there is any positive treatment at all it is because of the good will spread by hundreds of thousands of good farang that came before him and went out into the villages and towns and endeared themselves to the locals.  Let us remember the unsung and not just the flashy showman.

A valid point - we are each responsible for the opinion in aggregate which Thai's hold of us foreigners. 

 

I for one am thankful I am treated with the same level of indifference than Thai's treat each other or better.

 

While we may sometimes fear this indifferent or positive opinion is being eroded and we are being tarnished by the same brush of those who's actions we find embarrassing I find that for the majority of cases Thai's are astute enough to judge us based on individual merit.

 

I do notice an incredibly overwhelming number of people who like to make the comment on this forum that they don't care what others think of them, I find this difficult to make sense of when it is so clear that our behavior and first impression which often determines how we are treated - I suspect there to be far more 'bravado' and willingness to 'go forth' in the electronic world than reality could ever account for.

I respect him more than Barrow who keeps visiting and reporting about the same shithollles places since 20 years. He must be sick.

 

 

He was given a chance, and he made the best of it so of course he deserves praise.  Such chances to make such a positive contribution are rare in LoS.  Thailand is sadly best used as a staging place for bigger and better things elsewhere.  

Wouldn't fancy being that easy to recognise . Imagine.....no matter what you do or where you go , you can't be anonymous. Awful.

8 hours ago, observer90210 said:

And does he have a valid work permit ?

Oppps.

Edited October 18, 20178 yr by SpicyMeatball
My bad

15 hours ago, webfact said:

Andrew Biggs is arguably the most omnipresent farang in Thailand.

 

40 years visiting and living in Thailand and this is the first I've ever heard of him.

Biggs went through the four-year program in Thai language at Ramkhamhaeng U. at a time when very few foreigners attempted such a thing and speaks Thai very fluently.  He deserves a lot of credit for that.  I have come across some of his think pieces in the Bangkok Post, which were not very interesting. 

I think we have to be fair and say that he connected at just the right opportunity and enjoyed the limelight. Nothing wrong in that...well done! But not everyone is suited to that kind of 'celebrity' life. I learned many years ago that I most certainly could not adapt. So again...well done. I suspect that many expats do or have done in Thailand as I have. I taught a certain Martial Art not long after I arrived where I taught the names of various moves in their native language, the English and Thai equivalent, where students would correct my Thai if it was incorrect. And that's how it should be, a two way learning process. There were many 'offshoots' from this and I learned a lot. (I didn't brake the work permit law by the way as most of the time I did it for free.). I still do so, to a lesser degree of course. However, my point is, not that I'm boasting but that I'm sure many expats do the same thing according to their own skills. It's a good way to get to know the locals and Thai customs.

2 hours ago, KittenKong said:

 

40 years visiting and living in Thailand and this is the first I've ever heard of him.

 

Seems like you need 40 more years to know what most knew in 6 months...

 

 

More respect because he is an Oze ocker come good

36 minutes ago, TKDfella said:

 There were many 'offshoots' from this and I learned a lot. (I didn't brake the work permit law by the way as most of the time I did it for free.). I still do so, to a lesser degree of course.

But you have since learned that, according to the Thai Dept. of Labor that the definition of work that requires a work permit in Thailand includes unpaid volunteer work, right?

45 minutes ago, EcigAmateur said:

Seems like you need 40 more years to know what most knew in 6 months...

 

Not only have I never heard of him, no one I know has ever heard of him either. And all of us seem to have managed perfectly well for decades in our unenlightened state.

 

I suspect that he is some sort of Kardashian, which is a synonym for pointless media nonentity. The only difference with that lot is that I have heard of them, though even so I have no idea who they are or what they do.

Difficult to avoid him if you're involved in teaching or watch his cheesy Thai TV slots. His language school on Rama 4 never seemed to take off, but no doubt he's one of very few farangs who's integrated successfully with Thai media. I find him annoying!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

3 hours ago, natway09 said:

More respect because he is an Oze ocker come good

Yeah right, good luck with that.

Never met an Aussie yet that I can respect.

3 hours ago, CaptHaddock said:

But you have since learned that, according to the Thai Dept. of Labor that the definition of work that requires a work permit in Thailand includes unpaid volunteer work, right?

Nope! Thai associates checked with authorities and they classified as the equivalent of a hobby and immigration was also aware. Today it would probably be different and that type of category or 'at the discretion of...' may no longer be available but I don't know because now it's done on a infrequent 'guest' basis.

3 hours ago, KittenKong said:

 

Not only have I never heard of him, no one I know has ever heard of him either. And all of us seem to have managed perfectly well for decades in our unenlightened state.

 

I suspect that he is some sort of Kardashian, which is a synonym for pointless media nonentity. The only difference with that lot is that I have heard of them, though even so I have no idea who they are or what they do.

You and your mates need to get out a bit more then.

On 10/19/2017 at 2:47 PM, thaiguzzi said:

You and your mates need to get out a bit more then.

 

Am I likely to come across him if I go out? Sounds like all the more reason to stay at home.

 

 

On 10/19/2017 at 1:11 PM, KittenKong said:

 

40 years visiting and living in Thailand and this is the first I've ever heard of him.

That's what happens when you spend inordinate amounts of time in red light districts.

On ‎10‎/‎18‎/‎2017 at 10:19 PM, richard_smith237 said:

A valid point - we are each responsible for the opinion in aggregate which Thai's hold of us foreigners. 

 

I for one am thankful I am treated with the same level of indifference than Thai's treat each other or better.

 

While we may sometimes fear this indifferent or positive opinion is being eroded and we are being tarnished by the same brush of those who's actions we find embarrassing I find that for the majority of cases Thai's are astute enough to judge us based on individual merit.

 

I do notice an incredibly overwhelming number of people who like to make the comment on this forum that they don't care what others think of them, I find this difficult to make sense of when it is so clear that our behavior and first impression which often determines how we are treated - I suspect there to be far more 'bravado' and willingness to 'go forth' in the electronic world than reality could ever account for.

I for one am thankful I am treated with the same level of indifference than Thai's treat each other or better.

Well said. When I pass on or pass away from LOS, I want it to be a non event. IMO only the "desperate for validation" want to be known at large.

 

an incredibly overwhelming number of people who like to make the comment on this forum that they don't care what others think of them

I used to care what other people thought of me, and went to stupid lengths to try and "fit in", then I grew up and realised that everyone else was just as insecure, ignorant and f'd up as I was, so yes, I stopped caring what they think of me and started trying to live my life to make myself happy. Helps that my happiness does not depend on exploiting others though.

On ‎10‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 2:47 PM, thaiguzzi said:

You and your mates need to get out a bit more then.

???????????????????

I never heard of the man either, and I have no idea as to why I should have.

 

BTW, the headline should read "talks about life in Thailand as HE sees it". Every expat has a completely different take on life in Thailand and none of us can claim to have the "authorised" version.

On ‎10‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 10:48 AM, KittenKong said:

 

Not only have I never heard of him, no one I know has ever heard of him either. And all of us seem to have managed perfectly well for decades in our unenlightened state.

 

I suspect that he is some sort of Kardashian, which is a synonym for pointless media nonentity. The only difference with that lot is that I have heard of them, though even so I have no idea who they are or what they do.

The Kardashians are the gold star of celebs famous for being famous while doing nothing to be famous except being famous.

If nothing else it just goes to show how stupid and f'd up society has become that anyone would watch their stupid show longer than long enough to realise it is a stupid show about complete non entities.

Celebrity English teacher

 

In who's opinion?