Realistic plan or a flawed fantasy?

[youreavinalaff]

3 minutes ago, kynikoi said:

 

I have spent three decades in Asia. Traveled well enough in the North. Honestly I find it a bit of a bore ...if that's what I'm looking for I'll head to Lao. In the early 90s I lived in Cambodia for a number of years. I have traveled extensively in the South and still do including provinces as remote as a Satun.

 

I've traveled extensively through a number of other countries and lived in them as well. I spent almost two years in Indonesia and perhaps more than that in India.

 

Think that's a fairly objective view.

 

All roads lead to Rome.

That's great. It still does not make what you wrote correct.

 

I too have extensive experience. I have lived in Thailand, outside of Bangkok, for 16 years and in Bangkok for 5 years.

 

Whilst your views may have been nearer to the truth 20 years ago, they are wide of the mark now.

[kynikoi]

2 hours ago, Quack said:

With your 50K baht pension and a minimum 30K teaching salary you will be quite comfortable here. And you'll certainly land a job fairly easily, especially outside of BKK

Except that dreary 30k job will run him ragged and he'll quit in a month.

[kynikoi]

4 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

That's great. It still does not make what you wrote correct.

 

I too have extensive experience. I have lived in Thailand, outside of Bangkok, for 16 years and in Bangkok for 5 years.

 

Whilst your views may have been nearer to the truth 20 years ago, they are wide of the mark now.

 

The number of jobs that pay 50k outside Bangkok are slim. This speaks volumes.

 

There is no city rail system or even a new bus system outside Bangkok. The healthcare is fairly dire outside Phuket and CM. Even those places pale in comparison.

 

Universities are horrible aside from CMU and Khon Kaen but even they are very mediocre (See QS rankings).

 

Yes, I understand you have air-conditioning, a mall and a Fuji restaurant.

 

Had my upcountry experience decades ago. I'd rather be in Vietnam if I was going to do that again.

[youreavinalaff]

8 minutes ago, kynikoi said:

Had my upcountry experience decades ago

Exactly my point. Times have changed. Your views should reflect that.

[BenDeCosta]

With 50k a month guaranteed income and your teaching salary on top, you'll be fine. And you have the credentials so go for it.

[abrahamzvi]

On 6/7/2021 at 3:45 PM, Grecian said:

Yes, if I were celibate I would still consider Thailand a main contender.

No, my gf lives in Bangkok and would follow me if I found a job elsewhere.

No, doesn't mean she is a bargirl. She is a PhD gov worker.

 

If you have a teaching degree, experience in teaching English and teaching in English, you should try and find a teaching position with the many international schools in Bangkok. You can earn much more than your monthly pension.

[BenDeCosta]

16 minutes ago, abrahamzvi said:

If you have a teaching degree, experience in teaching English and teaching in English, you should try and find a teaching position with the many international schools in Bangkok. You can earn much more than your monthly pension.

 

Yes, I've met people teaching at some of those schools on 120k+, but of course, I'm taking their word on it. If you've got a good degree, teaching qualifications, years of experience and good references you can earn some serious dough.

[moe666]

If you are a qualified and certified teacher get over some Thai public school look at the international schools. Better pay better benefits.

[bojo]

To OP, would you consider working online, sign up with an agency straight away and see where it leads. you'd have an immediate income, a chance to build up your own private clients over time and could still research working in a school if you so wished...Gives you alot of flexibility and can be quite lucrative once you know the ropes and all the angles...............Listening to friends that have taught in government schools, they were nearly all frustarted by bureaucracy and so forth and as some posters have pointed out, it might be better to consider the international schools, where by the sounds of it, you should be well qualified and would more than likely be better remunerated..............best of luck........

[Thai Visa Member 999999]

As a fellow teacher in the same age group, there's a lot of discrimination against older males but you can find a job for sure . I encourage you to give it a try. The worst is that you don't like it and go back home. The best is that you stay for the rest of your life. I taught my first year in Kanchanaburi at a govt. school. And while 75% had little interest, there is a sub-pop that is, and will appreciate your efforts. Best of luck to you.

[jack71]

On 6/7/2021 at 9:12 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

Many of us are here because we love those cute girls

just what I was thinking. 2 great minds think alike

[jack71]

Go to issan and work at one of the low class universities. Marry one of your students. I know one farang who did this. He has a baby with her now

[OneMoreFarang]

30 minutes ago, jack71 said:

Go to issan and work at one of the low class universities. Marry one of your students. I know one farang who did this. He has a baby with her now

The first sentence sounds like fun.

The second one can be fun.

But why ruing your beautiful life with one or more crying baby?

[Grecian]

42 minutes ago, jack71 said:

Go to issan and work at one of the low class universities. Marry one of your students. I know one farang who did this. He has a baby with her now

I only have a BA and tefl. Did work at a university in Japan though.

How possible is it to get those hmm,  jobs?????

[kynikoi]

2 hours ago, Grecian said:

I only have a BA and tefl. Did work at a university in Japan though.

How possible is it to get those hmm,  jobs?????

 

So the academic educational background you had stated is a tefl? Lol. That's not going to help much with no experience here. Curious what you did with it in JP that makes you somehow think you're an educator with a tefl? You're right to have concerns. All I see for you is the same slog as all the other teachers.

 

At mid 50s if you want a good job money that must be BKK where both those exist and you have public transportation. You'll be out of retirement and working hard as well as constantly searching for a school that will employ you after 60. Some public schools will retain you until early 60s if you're already in. Vast majority don't hire 60+.

 

Curious what you see yourself competent to teach? I mean since you're an experienced educator and all.

 

I'm chancing you're first job at 30-32k upcountry and 30-35k in Bangkok.

Edited June 9, 2021 by kynikoi

[Scott]

Some off-topic, inflammatory posts and replies have been removed.   Continue with the off-topic, personal commentary and you will face a suspension.   One person is now on suspension.  

 

[pookondee]

On 6/8/2021 at 3:52 PM, BritManToo said:

1) Yes, if you're prepared to work cheap enough.

2) Probably not, usually only the first row are interested.

3) No chance at all in avoiding boredom and absurd requests.

 

And:

4) You will often be under pressure to pass lazy students that would normally be un-passable anywhere else.

 

That's just the way it is, I had no problem going with the flow myself,

but noticed a few of the

"save the world" American types that weren't very comfortable with it.

 

Also, your former teaching experience was probably with students who had some level of ability at English.

 

Many Thais will have zero ability at understanding you and your accent, so that can be a big challenge.

Sometimes even the Thai English teachers are nowhere near basic conversational level themselves.

Many will not speak one word of English at all in lessons, and basically explain in Thai and work from written formulas on the blackboard.

 

I know i sound negative, but i have noticed the talk on the forums here, the foriegn teachers taking the approach that you must be a "paid clown"

and just play English word games to keep Thai students attention.

 

Trouble with that is that is, students can lose respect for you pretty quick.

Which often results in "talk" and backstabbing from/between foriegn teachers.

 

I know im just giving you the bad side here, of course there is the good as well, but i went one year and was pretty much done with it myself

 

I cant imagine what it would be like now, with all the Covid B.S as yet another hurdle and distraction,

 

but good luck for you.. 

 

You are obviously properly trained and have experience at the job, which is a lot more than many that "teach"  English in Thailand.

[Ondral]

Yes, you can.  I moved to Thailand 4 years ago when I was 55 and have been teaching English for 4 years at a government primary school in central Thailand.  I love it! I was a university professor for many years in the USA so teaching Thai children was a big adjustment.  Thai children can be somewhat rowdy, but teaching them English has been great fun.  Go for it!

[Scott]

Troll post removed. 

 

[jack71]

9 hours ago, Grecian said:

I only have a BA and tefl. Did work at a university in Japan though.

How possible is it to get those hmm,  jobs?????

my friend told me you only need a bachelor degree to teach at one of the low class universities- excluding rajabaht uni chain. you will only get 28k  a month but by hell the uni girls are cute...

[Hanuman2547]

Was your teaching experience at a regular school in the UK?  If so, perhaps you could apply to one of the international schools as a "local hire".  The benefits aren't as good as an overseas hire but it's still pretty good work.

[aboctok]

19 hours ago, youreavinalaff said:

You really do need to get out more. Broaden your horizons.

He did. Hence the grim realism.

[aboctok]

15 hours ago, jack71 said:

Go to issan and work at one of the low class universities. Marry one of your students. I know one farang who did this. He has a baby with her now

Of all the many pathways to outstanding contentment, this is the very best.

[youreavinalaff]

38 minutes ago, aboctok said:

He did. Hence the grim realism.

And then he admitted it was "decades ago". Times change. I know from experience.

[aboctok]

19 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

And then he admitted it was "decades ago". Times change. I know from experience.

"Times change" is a generic truism. It's certainly possible to get lucky with teaching situations here, but that doesn't make what he said inaccurate. Exceptions don't invalidate the rule. Unfortunately.

[youreavinalaff]

56 minutes ago, aboctok said:

that doesn't make what he said inaccurate

Indeed not. However, he was using his experience of decades ago.

 

I have experience of 1990s,2000s,2010s and 2020s and I can tell you first hand, his comment with regards to ALL areas outside of Bangkok is incorrect at this time.

[Grecian]

Thanks for the replies. Maybe my op wasn't clear enough.

I was a tefl teacher in the past.

Have good investments already.

 

Just wondering if teaching in thailand is possible for a year or maybe two. And is it enjoyable.

I'm 53 and have been retired about 5 years. So might have gotten a little intolerant. Lol.

[Scott]

1 hour ago, Grecian said:

Thanks for the replies. Maybe my op wasn't clear enough.

I was a tefl teacher in the past.

Have good investments already.

 

Just wondering if teaching in thailand is possible for a year or maybe two. And is it enjoyable.

I'm 53 and have been retired about 5 years. So might have gotten a little intolerant. Lol.

How enjoyable it is depends a lot on the school and its administration.  I had administrative responsibilities over a number of schools.   Most were just OK, a few were enjoyable and fun and a few were just plain toxic.  

Teaching is physically demanding, but 53 is not old enough to start calling it tough.   There is the heat which can take it's toll.  Most schools now have AC in the classrooms, making it a bit easier.   You may end up at school that has morning and afternoon duties -- greeting students and parents, supervising lunch time, etc.  

Workloads tend to be high, but manageable, some schools have large classes, some smaller.  

 

The best way of judging is to talk to some of the teachers already working there.  They have a better feel for the overall situation.   The other factor is how amenable you are to sudden changes in schedules, canceled classes and other interruptions.  

 

Best of luck.

 

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

On 6/9/2021 at 7:32 PM, abrahamzvi said:

If you have a teaching degree, experience in teaching English and teaching in English, you should try and find a teaching position with the many international schools in Bangkok.

I came with an MA in Edu, some experience in the USA, and glowing references. The intl schools did not want to talk to me.

 

I later found that most of them being of UK origin, and following UK curriculum, they specifically want UK certs. PGCE, IGCSE, IB, Cambridge, QTS, with teaching experience in the UK system. I also heard that some just plain do not like Americans. Heh. I figured my MA in Edu, a three year degree, should trump the Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) which can be earned in a year. Yet it seems they don't agree.

 

Bottom line, it's tough getting into the 100k+ intl schools. It takes more than just a high degree and experience. They're extremely picky. Recommended to me was one well known agency that places qualified teachers with intl schools. I went through their list of requirements, and they want you to be a saint. Letters of rec from your head, director, and several parents?

 

So ruling out intl schools, I'd stay away from the private schools, with drama and bad attitudes, and the big, government schools in the provincial capitals, as they have the most image to maintain, and thus more resulting nonsense. I've been through both. The answer I've found is somewhere in between, a big school out in the provinces, but not a capital city. You'll find some of these now offering 40k, I reckon because most do not consider them. These will be further from big city attractions, as well as most other foreigners, which I've found to be quite a good thing. As someone has said, you're likely to receive more drama from them than you would the Thais. Heh. I have absolutely no idea why competing egos stir up amongst too many farangs in an office. Guys, nobody's getting promoted.

 

Also, you could consider a small, thesaban (municipal) school. The lowest salary, but also lowest responsibilities. They're basically daycare centers. Make some fun lessons, play some games. As long as the kids are having fun, and they get photo ops with the farang, that's all they care about. Most of the staff will be happy to have the rare farang around. This was my first school and I kind of miss it, other than the low salary.

 

Lastly OP, get your lady friend to ask around through friends and family, to find if anyone's connected to a Thai teacher. Try to get hired directly by the school. Avoid agencies. They're another layer of nonsense on top of what you'll already get from the school. Haha. Cheers all.

[Hanuman2547]

On 6/11/2021 at 9:15 PM, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

I came with an MA in Edu, some experience in the USA, and glowing references. The intl schools did not want to talk to me.

 

I later found that most of them being of UK origin, and following UK curriculum, they specifically want UK certs. PGCE, IGCSE, IB, Cambridge, QTS, with teaching experience in the UK system. I also heard that some just plain do not like Americans. Heh. I figured my MA in Edu, a three year degree, should trump the Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) which can be earned in a year. Yet it seems they don't agree.

 

 

In your case perhaps you should have focused more on international schools that had an American curriculum.  They are out there especially in Bangkok