Advice About Getting Work And Visa Please

[Polemi]

Need some advice please. Me and my husband are thinking of having a year away from our business, take our two boys 14 and 16 years old with us and live in Bangkok. The boys would be going to some kind of school and we presume they would get ''student visa''. We are planning to do the TEFL course and teach english. We have no formal training, but I have been teaching Greek (we live in Greece) privately from home. The boys and my husband have UK passports, I have Swedish. We are not sure if we should do the TEFL training in BKK or do it before we leave. Is it easier to get work and workpermit if you do the TEFL course in BKK? How hard is it to get work as a english teacher? We are not after something well paid, just doing it for the experience really. We have been to Thailand a lot, speak a little Thai but never lived there for longer than 4 months. Would be very greatful for some solid advice please.

[aussiestyle1983]

Unless Thailand is the only place you want to TEFL teach in, I'd do your TEFL in your home country. I know Greece is not a native english speaking country, but I found that the TEFL courses in Thailand include a lot of components strictly related to Thailand. The TEFL I did in Sydney was not taylored around the specific needs of one location, it was broad in that sense so I feel that I can use it wherever I go.

How hard is it to get work as a english teacher? Just walk down the road. That was how I got into teaching. I wasn't even planning on teching, I just did a TEFL as a back up plan knowing that if I did venture into teching it would come in handy, but when a Thai techer who worked at a language school approached me one day as I was strolling down a bangkok street, I was soon working as a legal techer.

[mopenyang]

Need some advice please. Me and my husband are thinking of having a year away from our business, take our two boys 14 and 16 years old with us and live in Bangkok. The boys would be going to some kind of school and we presume they would get ''student visa''. We are planning to do the TEFL course and teach english. We have no formal training, but I have been teaching Greek (we live in Greece) privately from home. The boys and my husband have UK passports, I have Swedish. We are not sure if we should do the TEFL training in BKK or do it before we leave. Is it easier to get work and workpermit if you do the TEFL course in BKK? How hard is it to get work as a english teacher? We are not after something well paid, just doing it for the experience really. We have been to Thailand a lot, speak a little Thai but never lived there for longer than 4 months. Would be very greatful for some solid advice please.

TEFL certificates are not required to teach legally in Thailand.

If you do not have a university degree, you may be at a distinct disadvantage obtaining legal teaching employment in Thailand given recent changes regarding regulations relating to visas, teacher licenses and work permits.

[desertrat]

Travelling on the bus from Rayong to Bangkok, a European struck up "conversation" with me.

I could hardly make out a word he said, but as it was a long journey, I eventually deduced that he wanted to know how to get to Imm. Further probing, elicited that he was a teacher of English in a Gov. establishment.!

Reminds me..2 guys go into a Jewish restaraunt, and the waiter, a Chinese, was quite competent in Jewish (Hebrew ?).

Afterwards they complimented the owner on the language proficiency of the waiter. Don't tell him said the owner, he thinks he's learning English.

[Polemi]

Thank you for your kind replies and jokes . We are going to BKK in jan to check out accomodation, work situation etc. Feel more at ease now. How about Visa? Do we apply for workpermit when we get a job in BKK and only arrive on a normal tourist 1 month or 3 months Visa? Would our kids have to apply for a student Visa at the Thai emabassy here in Greece? I know this probably doesnt fit in this forum but anyway....

[mizzi39]

Thank you for your kind replies and jokes . We are going to BKK in jan to check out accomodation, work situation etc. Feel more at ease now. How about Visa? Do we apply for workpermit when we get a job in BKK and only arrive on a normal tourist 1 month or 3 months Visa? Would our kids have to apply for a student Visa at the Thai emabassy here in Greece? I know this probably doesnt fit in this forum but anyway....

You can get visas at your nearest Thai consulate. Most consulates will give you a tourist visa with 3 entries. Each entry is good for 2 months and can be extended by 1 month giving you a total of 9 months in the LOS. This is what I did when I first moved to Thailand. You should review and or post on the "Thai visa and residency forum" for the most up to date visa Q&A.

You cannot get a WP unless an employer is backing you. What this means is that you need to be gainfully employed first. The process goes something like this: Employment, Non immigrant B (work visa) Work permit, 1 year extension on your B visa.

Once you get hired your employer will take care of your work visa and work permit details (hopefully). This process requires a lot of paperwork on your employers part, and it is not always a smooth process, so do some further research and good luck to you and your family.

[Mario2008]

If you already have a school for the kids than with a letter from the school you can secure a non-immigrant visa for the children based on their education. You yourself could in fact also get a visa as their dependent once they have an extension of stay to one year. But you would need to show 500,000 THB in a Thai bankaccount for 3 months and the same goes for your husband making it 1 million.

If you want to study and now where you will get your TEFL you can contact them. They might provide you with a letter stating you will study with them giving you your own non-immigrant based on education. They might even offer you a job on paper so you could apply for a non-immigrant based on employment.

[Loaded]

Many Thailand-based TEFL providers will provide a sponsor document for you to obtain 1-year non-immigrant B or ED visas. B is better if you plan to look for work after your course. Check out a few and ask whether they can/will do this for you.

[Polemi]

Thanks again. We will look into all the different options now.

[aussiestyle1983]

At the rate the Thai system works, I doubt that you will have everything sorted out in a year. After all, you are only going to be there for a year, right? It took me 8 months from the start of the application process unitll I had both a work permit and teachers licence. However, I was allowed to work according to the officials upon lodgement after getting a receipt. Anyway, you will be going through a lot of hassel, just be prepared.... Also, be prepared to hear offers from potential employers that suggests that you follow another normal path, the path down the dark side

That is all I will say because I don't want to be banned for speaking about one option that employers might suggest, as true as it is, because lets face it, not many schools will go out of their way to assist someone who will be buggering off in 12 months

[Loaded]

At the rate the Thai system works, I doubt that you will have everything sorted out in a year. After all, you are only going to be there for a year, right? It took me 8 months from the start of the application process unitll I had both a work permit and teachers licence. However, I was allowed to work according to the officials upon lodgement after getting a receipt. Anyway, you will be going through a lot of hassel, just be prepared.... Also, be prepared to hear offers from potential employers that suggests that you follow another normal path, the path down the dark side

That is all I will say because I don't want to be banned for speaking about one option that employers might suggest, as true as it is, because lets face it, not many schools will go out of their way to assist someone who will be buggering off in 12 months

Your experience doesn't reflect mine or the vast majority of foreign teachers in Thailand. Some people have bad experiences but I would say that a foreigner contribute to the way Thais react to him/her. In Thailand you will have a positive experience so long as you are smartly dressed, washed, shaved, not too old or too young, and have a positive attitude towards Thailand.

Aussiestyle

Your posts are full of negativity towards Thais, their country and their culture. You hated your time here I guess, so why not walk away and start anew. It may be a cathartic experience for you to release your emotions here, but it doesn't really help anyone except yourself. Spread some naam jai and jai dee.

Edited October 16, 2008 by Loaded

[Polemi]

Loaded!

I live as a foreigner in Greece at the moment and I meet people(not Greek) everyday that hate the country, the people, the food etc. I always tell them to move back to where they come from!!! I have been in Thailand many times, on long stays, so I know it is not the same as going on holiday. We want our kids to get a feel for the country and to do something different for a year. It will not be easy, but we have done it once in Greece so we can do it again. Sour comments will not put us off!! Thanks!

[aussiestyle1983]

At the rate the Thai system works, I doubt that you will have everything sorted out in a year. After all, you are only going to be there for a year, right? It took me 8 months from the start of the application process unitll I had both a work permit and teachers licence. However, I was allowed to work according to the officials upon lodgement after getting a receipt. Anyway, you will be going through a lot of hassel, just be prepared.... Also, be prepared to hear offers from potential employers that suggests that you follow another normal path, the path down the dark side

That is all I will say because I don't want to be banned for speaking about one option that employers might suggest, as true as it is, because lets face it, not many schools will go out of their way to assist someone who will be buggering off in 12 months

Your experience doesn't reflect mine or the vast majority of foreign teachers in Thailand. Some people have bad experiences but I would say that a foreigner contribute to the way Thais react to him/her. In Thailand you will have a positive experience so long as you are smartly dressed, washed, shaved, not too old or too young, and have a positive attitude towards Thailand.

Aussiestyle

Your posts are full of negativity towards Thais, their country and their culture. You hated your time here I guess, so why not walk away and start anew. It may be a cathartic experience for you to release your emotions here, but it doesn't really help anyone except yourself. Spread some naam jai and jai dee.

I would have to say that it was a longer process for me that for some moslty on the schools part; the process was delayed according to the MOE because of the school's failure to provide them with some necessary papers. Unlike quite a few of the farangs there at the same time, I had showered and did not smell like a sweaty pig. I also was wearing a tie, and at the time I applied, my attitude to Thailand and the Khun's in general was a lot better than it is today (most likely because I didn't know better back then). You, and other cynics, can continue to call most of my posts, which express the true, negative, just because in the past I have gone on for long ranting sessions which I admit to. However, when newbies such as the OP get to experience the system first hand for themselves, they will find out that there was a lot of truth in what I posted. I actually enjoyed most of my time in Thailand, in fact, the only part I didn't enjoy was hearing frequent comments from certain Thai's and Filippinos that I worked with; comments that reflected their jealous and hypocritical nature. My attitude towards Thai culutre changed for the worse only when I returned to the best country in the world and was able to refelct on many experiences there. I even see Thai people here that are being held back because of certain characteristics of Thainess that they cannot shake for the best. It's quite sad actually, some of them have a lot more potential but will get nowhere until they stop hiding behind their ego. Thailand is certainally in the state that it is in today because of Thainess, just as how most countries are in the state that they are in because the way things are done there. Like I said, some of my posts might reflect negativity, but they also reflect truths. I know lying to save face is the Thai way, but I am not going to lie and paint a rosy picture about the process it takes to become a legal teacher in Thailand, especially for someone who intends to be there for only 12 months, when part of the experience might not be rosy. All I am doing, is warning a future farang. That is all. I would expect the same if I asked for such advice.

BTW, make sure you have insurance in Thailand, if you have an accident, most likely as a foreigner, you will be blammed at fault, regardless of who is actually at fault, because as a foreigner, if you were not there, the accident would not have occurred. That is the sort of mentality you will be dealing with. Chok Dee Khrap!

[PeaceBlondie]

Your experience doesn't reflect mine or the vast majority of foreign teachers in Thailand. Some people have bad experiences but I would say that a foreigner contribute to the way Thais react to him/her. In Thailand you will have a positive experience so long as you are smartly dressed, washed, shaved, not too old or too young, and have a positive attitude towards Thailand.

Loaded, you know me, and maybe I was always too old, or made the mistake of trusting the Thais too much. Maybe things are far better in 2008 than in 2003 to 2005. I did not have positive experiences about visas, work permits, or contract renewals, but maybe I got the bad luck.

(addressed by Loaded, to Aussiestyle)

Your posts are full of negativity towards Thais, their country and their culture. You hated your time here I guess, so why not walk away and start anew. It may be a cathartic experience for you to release your emotions here, but it doesn't really help anyone except yourself. Spread some naam jai and jai dee.

I agree about this. I renewed my annual visa this week with full intent of staying the course. However, working again for a Thai government school again is another story.

[aussiestyle1983]

Your experience doesn't reflect mine or the vast majority of foreign teachers in Thailand. Some people have bad experiences but I would say that a foreigner contribute to the way Thais react to him/her. In Thailand you will have a positive experience so long as you are smartly dressed, washed, shaved, not too old or too young, and have a positive attitude towards Thailand.

Loaded, you know me, and maybe I was always too old, or made the mistake of trusting the Thais too much. Maybe things are far better in 2008 than in 2003 to 2005. I did not have positive experiences about visas, work permits, or contract renewals, but maybe I got the bad luck.

(addressed by Loaded, to Aussiestyle)

Your posts are full of negativity towards Thais, their country and their culture. You hated your time here I guess, so why not walk away and start anew. It may be a cathartic experience for you to release your emotions here, but it doesn't really help anyone except yourself. Spread some naam jai and jai dee.

I agree about this. I renewed my annual visa this week with full intent of staying the course. However, working again for a Thai government school again is another story.

You sound like you have been in Thailand for a long time, and done a lot there. Why would you need to re-new your annual visa? Surely there must be some better option for those who intend to stay the long term and put in the hard yards

[mopenyang]

Your experience doesn't reflect mine or the vast majority of foreign teachers in Thailand. Some people have bad experiences but I would say that a foreigner contribute to the way Thais react to him/her. In Thailand you will have a positive experience so long as you are smartly dressed, washed, shaved, not too old or too young, and have a positive attitude towards Thailand.

Loaded, you know me, and maybe I was always too old, or made the mistake of trusting the Thais too much. Maybe things are far better in 2008 than in 2003 to 2005. I did not have positive experiences about visas, work permits, or contract renewals, but maybe I got the bad luck.

(addressed by Loaded, to Aussiestyle)

Your posts are full of negativity towards Thais, their country and their culture. You hated your time here I guess, so why not walk away and start anew. It may be a cathartic experience for you to release your emotions here, but it doesn't really help anyone except yourself. Spread some naam jai and jai dee.

I agree about this. I renewed my annual visa this week with full intent of staying the course. However, working again for a Thai government school again is another story.

You sound like you have been in Thailand for a long time, and done a lot there. Why would you need to re-new your annual visa? Surely there must be some better option for those who intend to stay the long term and put in the hard yards

Implicit in your question is the unrestrained anger you have against all things Thailand and even those non-Thais who have made a decent life here and enjoy their time here. There are many reasons one would have to renew their annual visa or choose to do so even though there are other options available to them. In point of fact, not everyone's experience in Thailand is a negative one and some of us manage to live and work happily here even if you didn't. You need to move on emotionally and put your unsatisfactory Thai experience behind you as obviously it is eating you up. Nothing to be gained by that. If you truly believe you are living in "the best country in the world," then stop being obsessed with this one and enjoy that one. Leave this place to those who will find here what they will even if it is better or worse than what you found here. Good luck.

[aussiestyle1983]

Your experience doesn't reflect mine or the vast majority of foreign teachers in Thailand. Some people have bad experiences but I would say that a foreigner contribute to the way Thais react to him/her. In Thailand you will have a positive experience so long as you are smartly dressed, washed, shaved, not too old or too young, and have a positive attitude towards Thailand.

Loaded, you know me, and maybe I was always too old, or made the mistake of trusting the Thais too much. Maybe things are far better in 2008 than in 2003 to 2005. I did not have positive experiences about visas, work permits, or contract renewals, but maybe I got the bad luck.

(addressed by Loaded, to Aussiestyle)

Your posts are full of negativity towards Thais, their country and their culture. You hated your time here I guess, so why not walk away and start anew. It may be a cathartic experience for you to release your emotions here, but it doesn't really help anyone except yourself. Spread some naam jai and jai dee.

I agree about this. I renewed my annual visa this week with full intent of staying the course. However, working again for a Thai government school again is another story.

You sound like you have been in Thailand for a long time, and done a lot there. Why would you need to re-new your annual visa? Surely there must be some better option for those who intend to stay the long term and put in the hard yards

Implicit in your question is the unrestrained anger you have against all things Thailand and even those non-Thais who have made a decent life here and enjoy their time here. There are many reasons one would have to renew their annual visa or choose to do so even though there are other options available to them. In point of fact, not everyone's experience in Thailand is a negative one and some of us manage to live and work happily here even if you didn't. You need to move on emotionally and put your unsatisfactory Thai experience behind you as obviously it is eating you up. Nothing to be gained by that. If you truly believe you are living in "the best country in the world," then stop being obsessed with this one and enjoy that one. Leave this place to those who will find here what they will even if it is better or worse than what you found here. Good luck.

I am very interested to know what these other options are?

If there is an option for one to remain in thailand long term without having to be subject to the annual renewal processes, I'd be interested to know what it is.

BTW, If you read my other posts more carefully before jumping to conclusions, you would see that I did nin fact enjoy most of my time in thailand. I would actually teach there again if some things changed. All I do is express my views and opinions to questions asked by others. If you only like reading posts in which teaching in thailand is painted to be a rosy experience, well I suggest that you either stop reading my posts or find a different forum to browse through instead of taking the bait

Edited October 18, 2008 by aussiestyle1983

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Unless Thailand is the only place you want to TEFL teach in, I'd do your TEFL in your home country. I know Greece is not a native english speaking country, but I found that the TEFL courses in Thailand include a lot of components strictly related to Thailand. The TEFL I did in Sydney was not taylored around the specific needs of one location, it was broad in that sense so I feel that I can use it wherever I go.

How hard is it to get work as a english teacher? Just walk down the road. That was how I got into teaching. I wasn't even planning on teching, I just did a TEFL as a back up plan knowing that if I did venture into teching it would come in handy, but when a Thai techer who worked at a language school approached me one day as I was strolling down a bangkok street, I was soon working as a legal techer.

Jesus wept. I really hope that that you NEVER teach a kid of my acquaintance. Good luck with your grossly inadequate 'teching'

[mopenyang]

Your experience doesn't reflect mine or the vast majority of foreign teachers in Thailand. Some people have bad experiences but I would say that a foreigner contribute to the way Thais react to him/her. In Thailand you will have a positive experience so long as you are smartly dressed, washed, shaved, not too old or too young, and have a positive attitude towards Thailand.

Loaded, you know me, and maybe I was always too old, or made the mistake of trusting the Thais too much. Maybe things are far better in 2008 than in 2003 to 2005. I did not have positive experiences about visas, work permits, or contract renewals, but maybe I got the bad luck.

(addressed by Loaded, to Aussiestyle)

Your posts are full of negativity towards Thais, their country and their culture. You hated your time here I guess, so why not walk away and start anew. It may be a cathartic experience for you to release your emotions here, but it doesn't really help anyone except yourself. Spread some naam jai and jai dee.

I agree about this. I renewed my annual visa this week with full intent of staying the course. However, working again for a Thai government school again is another story.

You sound like you have been in Thailand for a long time, and done a lot there. Why would you need to re-new your annual visa? Surely there must be some better option for those who intend to stay the long term and put in the hard yards

Implicit in your question is the unrestrained anger you have against all things Thailand and even those non-Thais who have made a decent life here and enjoy their time here. There are many reasons one would have to renew their annual visa or choose to do so even though there are other options available to them. In point of fact, not everyone's experience in Thailand is a negative one and some of us manage to live and work happily here even if you didn't. You need to move on emotionally and put your unsatisfactory Thai experience behind you as obviously it is eating you up. Nothing to be gained by that. If you truly believe you are living in "the best country in the world," then stop being obsessed with this one and enjoy that one. Leave this place to those who will find here what they will even if it is better or worse than what you found here. Good luck.

I am very interested to know what these other options are?

If there is an option for one to remain in thailand long term without having to be subject to the annual renewal processes, I'd be interested to know what it is.

BTW, If you read my other posts more carefully before jumping to conclusions, you would see that I did nin fact enjoy most of my time in thailand. I would actually teach there again if some things changed. All I do is express my views and opinions to questions asked by others. If you only like reading posts in which teaching in thailand is painted to be a rosy experience, well I suggest that you either stop reading my posts or find a different forum to browse through instead of taking the bait

As you obviously missed it, "obsessed" was the key word in what I wrote.

[aussiestyle1983]

Your experience doesn't reflect mine or the vast majority of foreign teachers in Thailand. Some people have bad experiences but I would say that a foreigner contribute to the way Thais react to him/her. In Thailand you will have a positive experience so long as you are smartly dressed, washed, shaved, not too old or too young, and have a positive attitude towards Thailand.

Loaded, you know me, and maybe I was always too old, or made the mistake of trusting the Thais too much. Maybe things are far better in 2008 than in 2003 to 2005. I did not have positive experiences about visas, work permits, or contract renewals, but maybe I got the bad luck.

(addressed by Loaded, to Aussiestyle)

Your posts are full of negativity towards Thais, their country and their culture. You hated your time here I guess, so why not walk away and start anew. It may be a cathartic experience for you to release your emotions here, but it doesn't really help anyone except yourself. Spread some naam jai and jai dee.

I agree about this. I renewed my annual visa this week with full intent of staying the course. However, working again for a Thai government school again is another story.

You sound like you have been in Thailand for a long time, and done a lot there. Why would you need to re-new your annual visa? Surely there must be some better option for those who intend to stay the long term and put in the hard yards

Implicit in your question is the unrestrained anger you have against all things Thailand and even those non-Thais who have made a decent life here and enjoy their time here. There are many reasons one would have to renew their annual visa or choose to do so even though there are other options available to them. In point of fact, not everyone's experience in Thailand is a negative one and some of us manage to live and work happily here even if you didn't. You need to move on emotionally and put your unsatisfactory Thai experience behind you as obviously it is eating you up. Nothing to be gained by that. If you truly believe you are living in "the best country in the world," then stop being obsessed with this one and enjoy that one. Leave this place to those who will find here what they will even if it is better or worse than what you found here. Good luck.

I am very interested to know what these other options are?

If there is an option for one to remain in thailand long term without having to be subject to the annual renewal processes, I'd be interested to know what it is.

BTW, If you read my other posts more carefully before jumping to conclusions, you would see that I did nin fact enjoy most of my time in thailand. I would actually teach there again if some things changed. All I do is express my views and opinions to questions asked by others. If you only like reading posts in which teaching in thailand is painted to be a rosy experience, well I suggest that you either stop reading my posts or find a different forum to browse through instead of taking the bait

As you obviously missed it, "obsessed" was the key word in what I wrote.

There is a difference between being obsessed and having too much time on your hands

[mizzi39]

Your experience doesn't reflect mine or the vast majority of foreign teachers in Thailand. Some people have bad experiences but I would say that a foreigner contribute to the way Thais react to him/her. In Thailand you will have a positive experience so long as you are smartly dressed, washed, shaved, not too old or too young, and have a positive attitude towards Thailand.

Loaded, you know me, and maybe I was always too old, or made the mistake of trusting the Thais too much. Maybe things are far better in 2008 than in 2003 to 2005. I did not have positive experiences about visas, work permits, or contract renewals, but maybe I got the bad luck.

(addressed by Loaded, to Aussiestyle)

Your posts are full of negativity towards Thais, their country and their culture. You hated your time here I guess, so why not walk away and start anew. It may be a cathartic experience for you to release your emotions here, but it doesn't really help anyone except yourself. Spread some naam jai and jai dee.

I agree about this. I renewed my annual visa this week with full intent of staying the course. However, working again for a Thai government school again is another story.

You sound like you have been in Thailand for a long time, and done a lot there. Why would you need to re-new your annual visa? Surely there must be some better option for those who intend to stay the long term and put in the hard yards

Implicit in your question is the unrestrained anger you have against all things Thailand and even those non-Thais who have made a decent life here and enjoy their time here. There are many reasons one would have to renew their annual visa or choose to do so even though there are other options available to them. In point of fact, not everyone's experience in Thailand is a negative one and some of us manage to live and work happily here even if you didn't. You need to move on emotionally and put your unsatisfactory Thai experience behind you as obviously it is eating you up. Nothing to be gained by that. If you truly believe you are living in "the best country in the world," then stop being obsessed with this one and enjoy that one. Leave this place to those who will find here what they will even if it is better or worse than what you found here. Good luck.

I am very interested to know what these other options are?

If there is an option for one to remain in thailand long term without having to be subject to the annual renewal processes, I'd be interested to know what it is.

BTW, If you read my other posts more carefully before jumping to conclusions, you would see that I did nin fact enjoy most of my time in thailand. I would actually teach there again if some things changed. All I do is express my views and opinions to questions asked by others. If you only like reading posts in which teaching in thailand is painted to be a rosy experience, well I suggest that you either stop reading my posts or find a different forum to browse through instead of taking the bait

As you obviously missed it, "obsessed" was the key word in what I wrote.

There is a difference between being obsessed and having too much time on your hands

Good luck to you aussiestyle. Hope you are finding your happiness! I Have been following this (and other) posts with some interest. I think that the general consensus is that you are a little bitter from your Thai experience. That's unfortunate. You make some good points, however it is unfortunate that your over generalizations make you sound less than credible. Cheers!

Edited October 18, 2008 by mizzi39

[aussiestyle1983]

Your experience doesn't reflect mine or the vast majority of foreign teachers in Thailand. Some people have bad experiences but I would say that a foreigner contribute to the way Thais react to him/her. In Thailand you will have a positive experience so long as you are smartly dressed, washed, shaved, not too old or too young, and have a positive attitude towards Thailand.

Loaded, you know me, and maybe I was always too old, or made the mistake of trusting the Thais too much. Maybe things are far better in 2008 than in 2003 to 2005. I did not have positive experiences about visas, work permits, or contract renewals, but maybe I got the bad luck.

(addressed by Loaded, to Aussiestyle)

Your posts are full of negativity towards Thais, their country and their culture. You hated your time here I guess, so why not walk away and start anew. It may be a cathartic experience for you to release your emotions here, but it doesn't really help anyone except yourself. Spread some naam jai and jai dee.

I agree about this. I renewed my annual visa this week with full intent of staying the course. However, working again for a Thai government school again is another story.

You sound like you have been in Thailand for a long time, and done a lot there. Why would you need to re-new your annual visa? Surely there must be some better option for those who intend to stay the long term and put in the hard yards

Implicit in your question is the unrestrained anger you have against all things Thailand and even those non-Thais who have made a decent life here and enjoy their time here. There are many reasons one would have to renew their annual visa or choose to do so even though there are other options available to them. In point of fact, not everyone's experience in Thailand is a negative one and some of us manage to live and work happily here even if you didn't. You need to move on emotionally and put your unsatisfactory Thai experience behind you as obviously it is eating you up. Nothing to be gained by that. If you truly believe you are living in "the best country in the world," then stop being obsessed with this one and enjoy that one. Leave this place to those who will find here what they will even if it is better or worse than what you found here. Good luck.

I am very interested to know what these other options are?

If there is an option for one to remain in thailand long term without having to be subject to the annual renewal processes, I'd be interested to know what it is.

BTW, If you read my other posts more carefully before jumping to conclusions, you would see that I did nin fact enjoy most of my time in thailand. I would actually teach there again if some things changed. All I do is express my views and opinions to questions asked by others. If you only like reading posts in which teaching in thailand is painted to be a rosy experience, well I suggest that you either stop reading my posts or find a different forum to browse through instead of taking the bait

As you obviously missed it, "obsessed" was the key word in what I wrote.

There is a difference between being obsessed and having too much time on your hands

Good luck to you aussiestyle. Hope you are finding your happiness! I Have been following this (and other) posts with some interest. I think that the general consensus is that you are a little bitter from your Thai experience. That"s unfortunate.Ranting about your negative experiences is one thing, but your over generalizations make you sound less than credible. Cheers!

Thank you for your input. You also sound like one who is has become blinded to the truth. Undergeneralizations also lack credibility.

[mizzi39]

Your experience doesn't reflect mine or the vast majority of foreign teachers in Thailand. Some people have bad experiences but I would say that a foreigner contribute to the way Thais react to him/her. In Thailand you will have a positive experience so long as you are smartly dressed, washed, shaved, not too old or too young, and have a positive attitude towards Thailand.

Loaded, you know me, and maybe I was always too old, or made the mistake of trusting the Thais too much. Maybe things are far better in 2008 than in 2003 to 2005. I did not have positive experiences about visas, work permits, or contract renewals, but maybe I got the bad luck.

(addressed by Loaded, to Aussiestyle)

Your posts are full of negativity towards Thais, their country and their culture. You hated your time here I guess, so why not walk away and start anew. It may be a cathartic experience for you to release your emotions here, but it doesn't really help anyone except yourself. Spread some naam jai and jai dee.

I agree about this. I renewed my annual visa this week with full intent of staying the course. However, working again for a Thai government school again is another story.

You sound like you have been in Thailand for a long time, and done a lot there. Why would you need to re-new your annual visa? Surely there must be some better option for those who intend to stay the long term and put in the hard yards

Implicit in your question is the unrestrained anger you have against all things Thailand and even those non-Thais who have made a decent life here and enjoy their time here. There are many reasons one would have to renew their annual visa or choose to do so even though there are other options available to them. In point of fact, not everyone's experience in Thailand is a negative one and some of us manage to live and work happily here even if you didn't. You need to move on emotionally and put your unsatisfactory Thai experience behind you as obviously it is eating you up. Nothing to be gained by that. If you truly believe you are living in "the best country in the world," then stop being obsessed with this one and enjoy that one. Leave this place to those who will find here what they will even if it is better or worse than what you found here. Good luck.

I am very interested to know what these other options are?

If there is an option for one to remain in thailand long term without having to be subject to the annual renewal processes, I'd be interested to know what it is.

BTW, If you read my other posts more carefully before jumping to conclusions, you would see that I did nin fact enjoy most of my time in thailand. I would actually teach there again if some things changed. All I do is express my views and opinions to questions asked by others. If you only like reading posts in which teaching in thailand is painted to be a rosy experience, well I suggest that you either stop reading my posts or find a different forum to browse through instead of taking the bait

As you obviously missed it, "obsessed" was the key word in what I wrote.

There is a difference between being obsessed and having too much time on your hands

Good luck to you aussiestyle. Hope you are finding your happiness! I Have been following this (and other) posts with some interest. I think that the general consensus is that you are a little bitter from your Thai experience. That"s unfortunate.Ranting about your negative experiences is one thing, but your over generalizations make you sound less than credible. Cheers!

Thank you for your input. You also sound like one who is has become blinded to the truth. Undergeneralizations also lack credibility.

It would be nice if you told some truth, but all you seem to express is your one sided opinion. Please don't take offense. We all do this from time to time. I am no newbie to Thailand, nor do I live here with with blinders or rose colored glasses. Something jaded you and that's to bad. It would be fair to assume that whatever negative experiences you had here you probably contributed to more than what you want others to believe (intentionally or unintentionally).

Edited October 18, 2008 by mizzi39

[aussiestyle1983]

What I post is my opinion based on my experiences there. I did not have many bad experiences, but I saw some foreigners who did, and me wittnessing such experiences allows me to comment on them as I wittnessed and thus experienced such events first hand in a way (i was legally teaching without a degree, that is pretty crusiy to me). Just because my time in Thailand was cruisy, doesn't mean that I have to just ignore and forget about the bad things that go on there and happen to others. Why should I join the band-wagon that is going around painting a rosy picture about teaching in thailand? I am just expressing a different view, a view that also happens to be true. I do have to agree that everyone's experience there will be different, but I think it is fair to warn people about the negatives as well as inform them of the positivies. How can you plan for the worst if you don't know what the worst is? By knowing what to expect whilst in thailand, I was able to in a sense control the experiences I had. However, those who don't what to expect will quickly become shocked if they go there with the idea that everything will be cloud nine.

Edited October 18, 2008 by aussiestyle1983

[Loaded]

I have read, and agree, that many foreigners coming to live in Thailand go through stages. First, the honeymoon when Thailand is paradise and all the people are honest and helpful; then, the black-cloud stage when after a few experiences of being overcharged, lied to or even ignored, you feel that 'they' are all the same - cheating baskets; after this is a stage when the black clouds roll away and are replaced with more fluffy white ones and you find a niche, but not a rut or hole, that suits you, you have figured out why, and hence avoid, tuk tuk drivers that try to overcharge (they are bloody poor) and girls you meet in a disco or bar who always seem to have other boyfriends (slappers). I think Aussie that you are still in the second stage and have found no reason not to hate this place. Long shot here but did a Thai woman do the dirty on you? Whatever happened don't come back until your perspective changes otherwise you'll continue to punish yourself.

Sophocle's Oedipus Tyrannus never saw the truth until he had stabbed his eyes with a pin and blinded himself. We may not be the Delphic oracle but I think it's worth listening to the advice above.

[aussiestyle1983]

I have read, and agree, that many foreigners coming to live in Thailand go through stages. First, the honeymoon when Thailand is paradise and all the people are honest and helpful; then, the black-cloud stage when after a few experiences of being overcharged, lied to or even ignored, you feel that 'they' are all the same - cheating baskets; after this is a stage when the black clouds roll away and are replaced with more fluffy white ones and you find a niche, but not a rut or hole, that suits you, you have figured out why, and hence avoid, tuk tuk drivers that try to overcharge (they are bloody poor) and girls you meet in a disco or bar who always seem to have other boyfriends (slappers). I think Aussie that you are still in the second stage and have found no reason not to hate this place. Long shot here but did a Thai woman do the dirty on you? Whatever happened don't come back until your perspective changes otherwise you'll continue to punish yourself.

Sophocle's Oedipus Tyrannus never saw the truth until he had stabbed his eyes with a pin and blinded himself. We may not be the Delphic oracle but I think it's worth listening to the advice above.

I have no reason to complain about Thai women. My wife is a perfect as they come and no Thai has ever done the dirty on me (except for those who try to overcharge because i'm white). My anger at Thai's comes from their attitude in general. In fact, my wife does not like Thai people and she does not associate with or speak to any Thai people in Australia. Perhaps that is another reason I have a bad attitude towards Thais, my wife may have influenced me against them? Anyway, my relationship is fine, like I said, it was a few experiences I saw that exposed the cold harted nature of the Thai character that got me wound up