Do Afro American men get treated with respect as teachers in Thailand ?

[Tim121]

I'm a African American ESL teacher that decided after a few months  teaching in China, I would come to Thailand to become a teacher.  Long story short, I got stomped by covid- 19 in china of 2019 and I was out of work. I then decided to look for an agency to get me working in Thailand. I was a bit naive about Thailand views on people of color and some the prejudice practices in the education business. 

 

I viewed Thailand as a tourist spot first, rather than a underdeveloped corruption hub. Thailand's education system is a nightmare on elm street. I regretted  wasting two years of my life going school to school due to unlawful firing practices. Most of my problems with thai schools were xenophobic behavior, merciless prejudice responses when I share classroom space. to make it worst they always had an <deleted>   farang lead teacher as their watch dog in some cases.  I wasn't seen for my talents as a educator in these schools but more for my skin color.  I was treated with no respect within the education business of Thailand. Contracts were just 3 months to use me for presences. Thats when I realized me being a tourist is the only thing I could really be in this country as a black man. Being a 4 year lead teacher was not happening. I'm not saying farangs don't have issues with Thailand education system, but being a black man under Thai government system that is racist was like swim with an anchor. I personally think their is no respect for brothers out here besides being just sex tourist and tricking off. 

[Why Me]

What was it like in China?

 

Here a nattily-dressed fit black guy will win over a jowly farang with bad clothes and odor. Thais are suckers for appearances.

[grain]

Can't really understand the point of your post. You ask the question "Do Afro American men get treated with respect as teachers in Thailand?" Then tell us how racist the Thai system is and there's no respect for a black man. Well, you already know far better than anyone here, so why ask the question in the first place?

[FritsSikkink]

What is you educational background, what sort of teaching degree do you have and how many years of teaching experience at what level?

[KhunLA]

OP seems to be posting an op-ed for anyone interested.  A little bit of research, would have saved him 2 yrs of an unsatisfied Thai experience.

 

Don't take it personal, many Thais only like Thais, and not dark skinned Thais ... ????

[The Hammer2021]

Casual racism here is not vindictive against  foreigners. They have names for all of us. It's the dark  skinned Thais who  suffer. But I suspect  you have made your mind up already.

[FritsSikkink]

2 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

OP seems to be posting an op-ed for anyone interested.  A little bit of research, would have saved him 2 yrs of an unsatisfied Thai experience.

 

Don't take it personal, many Thais only like Thais, and not dark skinned Thais ... ????

There are many dark skinned Thais. As the OP hasn't given any information about his skills, talents and teaching experience yet, it is premature to blame it on the skin color.

[ed strong]

Skin colour is a major issue in the Far East, every one and everything is designed to make you more white and therefore attractive.

 

Looking at the billboards around Bangkok....i have yet to see a Thai person of the nature and complexion of the actual people in these adds.

 

The opposite happens in the west where women are considered more attractive if they are a bit darker.

 

 

[ed strong]

2 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

There are many dark skinned Thais. As the OP hasn't given any information about his skills, talents and teaching experience yet, it is premature to blame it on the skin color.

You are comparing dark skinned Thai people to African imigrants?

 

You really think they get the same deal in Thailand!?

[FritsSikkink]

1 minute ago, ed strong said:

You are comparing dark skinned Thai people to African imigrants?

 

You really think they get the same deal in Thailand!?

Read the second part of my post first before you get your knickers in a twist.

[ed strong]

3 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Read the second part of my post first before you get your knickers in a twist.

My nickers are fine thank you.

 

The point is regardless of experience the op presumes he got a bad deal because of his skin colour and its hard to disagree.

 

If i was of African origin, one of the last countries i would visit would be a 3rd world military dictatorship in the Far East.

 

 

 

 

[Gecko123]

Sounds like it may be time for the OP to head home and regroup. If he bounced around from school to school and was teaching without a work permit, he was at risk of being deported. If his teaching days in Thailand have come to an end, this might be a blessing in disguise.

 

Although it's been a number of years since I last taught, I've worked in a number of rural schools, and also interacted with teachers and administrators as a step-parent. I don't agree with the assessment that Thailand's educational system is rife with xenophobia and racism, but you can certainly run into a bad apple or two anywhere you go.

 

[bkk6060]

?

You went from school to school and pull the race card?

First, maybe take a look at yourself motivation, attitude and teaching abilities.  But, try California and test yourself you won't have any excuses there.

[ChristianBlessing]

Race and racism aside, a thorough reading of the op might raise questions regarding his qualifications, especially given that he's a native English speaker. 

[Chris.B]

mai bpen rai....

 

[DavisH]

I guess the OP missed this..

 

[FritsSikkink]

6 hours ago, ed strong said:

My nickers are fine thank you.

 

The point is regardless of experience the op presumes he got a bad deal because of his skin colour and its hard to disagree.

 

If i was of African origin, one of the last countries i would visit would be a 3rd world military dictatorship in the Far East.

 

 

 

 

Presumes being the key word here, 6 hours after of playing the race card still no answer on the qualifications from the OP. So i don't see any reason yet to agree as people who get fired or let go, have a certain view of why they had to leave which might not be the same reason why they have been let go. 

[spidermike007]

A dear friend of mine is a light skinned black man, and although he is not a teacher, he does encounter a fair degree of racism here. Not of the nasty sort. More of the preferential sort. People believe what they believe. Whiteness is worshipped in Asia. 

 

I like to like with my Thai wife. Say this ten times. White is bad. Black is beautiful. She won't say it! 

[Jingthing]

7 hours ago, grain said:

Can't really understand the point of your post. You ask the question "Do Afro American men get treated with respect as teachers in Thailand?" Then tell us how racist the Thai system is and there's no respect for a black man. Well, you already know far better than anyone here, so why ask the question in the first place?

It was a rhetorical device.

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, ChristianBlessing said:

Race and racism aside, a thorough reading of the op might raise questions regarding his qualifications, especially given that he's a native English speaker. 

It had some blatant errors and needed to be self edited but it would unfair to assume that he was even bothering to craft a well.polished item. So it would also be unfair to presume he is unqualified because of that. 

 

I'm inclined to take him at his word about his experience here.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

9 hours ago, Tim121 said:

I personally think their is no respect for brothers out here

 just using the term "brothers" shows that you stll leave in the U.S. thailand is a modern, sofisticated, warm hearted country open for all to excell according to their talents, skin color has nothing to do with anything in this beutyfull land of smiles.

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

52 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

A dear friend of mine is a light skinned black man

He's grey? Or did you mean a dark skinned white man? Sorry if I appear to be obtuse, I just find all these descriptions to be absurd, not least because you can't use any of them in any way without offending someone, somewhere.

 

8 hours ago, Tim121 said:

Contracts were just 3 months to use me for presences. Thats when I realized me being a tourist is the only thing I could really be in this country as a black man

As others have pointed out, you make no mention of your credentials and legal status. Any unqualified non-holder of a work permit will be abused, regardless of their skin tone. Yes, many Thais are scared of black people, most probably go through their whole lives without encountering one. I never heard of violence towards gentlemen or ladies of colour though (a la Mississippi). Nigerian and Asian drug mules are treated with equal contempt by the judiciary.

 

 

 

[RandiRona]

2 minutes ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

 just using the term "brothers" shows that you stll leave in the U.S.

thailand is a modern, sofisticated, warm hearted country open for all to excell

according to their talents, skin color has nothing to do with anything in

this beutyfull land of smiles.

Either this is a sarcasm or a well written advertisement for Thailand.

[OneMoreFarang]

23 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It had some blatant errors and needed to be self edited but it would unfair to assume that he was even bothering to craft a well.polished item. So it would also be unfair to presume he is unqualified because of that. 

 

I'm inclined to take him at his word about his experience here.

If someone is a professional in a language then he doesn't need to "craft" a few sentences in a forum. He will do it automatically in style without even thinking about it.

 

In general it seems many people from "minority" groups are convinced that they are treated bad because of their gender, skin color, nationality, whatever. And if someone mentions that it could also be independent of all these and related to qualification, attitude and other problems then we are accused of racism, etc.

Like: my life could be wonderful if all those other people would not blame me for being gay, black, Muslim, whatever.

This is of course only a general observation. I don't know the OP and his situation. 

[cdemundo]

If you are still trying to make a go of it as a teacher in Thailand, have you considered language schools?

They are often western managed and may be better for you.

Because the customers pay the fees themselves they are more results oriented and you may find a better opportunity there.

Many sources of information about teaching in Thailand recognize that there is a preference for youth and white skin.

The joke about qualification used to be "All you need to teach English in Thailand is a white face and a white shirt".

That is an unfortunate fact in the Land of Smiles.

[Scott]

My job entailed going through all the applications for a number of schools and then presenting them to the owner/directors/principals of the schools in the system.  

 

There certainly is racism and xenophobia in Thailand but it isn't really comparable to the Western racism we usually think of.  If you are not Thai, you will encounter discrimination.  It's not just related to skin color, many farangs have experienced it.   For Blacks it's a little more obvious and harder to pin down.  It's not systemic.  

 

One of the head honchos I work with years ago would not hire blacks (or Indians or anyone not white).  This had to do with the perception of parents about what a Native English Speaker looked like.  

 

Our first Black person hired was a well-qualified, certified teacher from Nigeria.  We needed a science teacher for Mathyom level science and he was the only applicant that fit the bill.  Reluctantly, he was hired.  He turned to be excellent and paved the way for the hiring of Blacks for the next 20+ years. 

 

 

[EricTh]

@Tim121

 

From what I know so far from watching many media, Thai do give more respect to lighter-skinned people like Caucasian, light-skinned Thai, Chinese and Japanese.

 

The darker-skinned Thai isn't seen as favorable as lighter-skinned Thai. It's not xenophobia or racism but just their culture.

 

I am surprised you even got a teaching job in Thailand because English teachers are almost all Caucasians and Filipinos.

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, Scott said:

My job entailed going through all the applications for a number of schools and then presenting them to the owner/directors/principals of the schools in the system.  

 

There certainly is racism and xenophobia in Thailand but it isn't really comparable to the Western racism we usually think of.  If you are not Thai, you will encounter discrimination.  It's not just related to skin color, many farangs have experienced it.   For Blacks it's a little more obvious and harder to pin down.  It's not systemic.  

 

One of the head honchos I work with years ago would not hire blacks (or Indians or anyone not white).  This had to do with the perception of parents about what a Native English Speaker looked like.  

 

 

 

How do you explain the many Filipino teachers in Thailand? They are not what a native English speaker should look like.

 

[orchis]

I had 2 African American friends teaching; here one in a public school one in a language school, I never heard them mention being treated disrespectfully.

[Gottfrid]

Not to worry dude! They do not respect any teachers or any kind of teaching. ????