New To Bkk

[JohnnyLondon]

I just joined this forum and i'd appreciate some help.. I live and work in London UK but recently completed a TEFL course here with a view to living and working in Thailand... my only experience so far has been a month in Phuket in May, but I am coming to BKK in November for one month (never been there before) hear bad stories about the airport and taxi touts etc.. so where do I get a REAL taxi at the airport? Also I was told if I want to stay there it might be better to enrol at a school learning thai language coz I will get a visa for one year (maybe at Walen language school).. do I need to apply for a work permit BEFORE i leave the UK if I also want to teach while I am learning thai language?

All you guys seem pretty clued up... I haven't gotta clue so ANY advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.... Johnny

[STEELINOX]

I just joined this forum and i'd appreciate some help.. I live and work in London UK but recently completed a TEFL course here with a view to living and working in Thailand... my only experience so far has been a month in Phuket in May, but I am coming to BKK in November for one month (never been there before) hear bad stories about the airport and taxi touts etc.. so where do I get a REAL taxi at the airport? Also I was told if I want to stay there it might be better to enrol at a school learning thai language coz I will get a visa for one year (maybe at Walen language school).. do I need to apply for a work permit BEFORE i leave the UK if I also want to teach while I am learning thai language?

All you guys seem pretty clued up... I haven't gotta clue so ANY advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.... Johnny

I studied Thai language at the AUA: http://www.auathailand.org/sit/

As for the airport. I too am going in December and arrive in the middle of the night and will be using the AOT limousine (Airport Organization of Thailand).

Thanks,

Randy

[tw25rw]

BKK is easier to use than LHR. When you get out into the public area, find an ATM, then find the public taxi desk. It's not the big deal some people make it out to be. Just remember that you have to pay 50b and the tolls on top of the metered fare.

[phetaroi]

I just joined this forum and i'd appreciate some help.. I live and work in London UK but recently completed a TEFL course here with a view to living and working in Thailand... my only experience so far has been a month in Phuket in May, but I am coming to BKK in November for one month (never been there before) hear bad stories about the airport and taxi touts etc.. so where do I get a REAL taxi at the airport? Also I was told if I want to stay there it might be better to enrol at a school learning thai language coz I will get a visa for one year (maybe at Walen language school).. do I need to apply for a work permit BEFORE i leave the UK if I also want to teach while I am learning thai language?

All you guys seem pretty clued up... I haven't gotta clue so ANY advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.... Johnny

Usually I don't comment on grammar and punctuation and other writing skills online, but since you're planning on being an English teacher, I'll make an exception. I counted at least 33 errors in your one paragraph. So, my advice is to learn the English language first, then concentrate on learning the Thai language.

Now, as to substance, you must be a very free spirit to move overseas after spending one month on a resort island.

[endure]

I just joined this forum and i'd appreciate some help.. I live and work in London UK but recently completed a TEFL course here with a view to living and working in Thailand... my only experience so far has been a month in Phuket in May, but I am coming to BKK in November for one month (never been there before) hear bad stories about the airport and taxi touts etc.. so where do I get a REAL taxi at the airport? Also I was told if I want to stay there it might be better to enrol at a school learning thai language coz I will get a visa for one year (maybe at Walen language school).. do I need to apply for a work permit BEFORE i leave the UK if I also want to teach while I am learning thai language?

All you guys seem pretty clued up... I haven't gotta clue so ANY advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.... Johnny

Usually I don't comment on grammar and punctuation and other writing skills online, but since you're planning on being an English teacher, I'll make an exception. I counted at least 33 errors in your one paragraph. So, my advice is to learn the English language first, then concentrate on learning the Thai language.

The OP's post was made at 4am his local time. Perhaps you could pop in at 4 o'clock in the morning and present us with a grammatically perfect post with no spelling errors? When you've done that perhaps you could answer his questions?

[Petbon]

I hope phetaroi's positive and important suggestion of being the best teacher that one can be is followed up.

I do feel sad that some Asian students, who come here to learn English, end up with teachers who are inadequately trained, don't respect their students and are doing it only because they can't get other work. NZ does roadshows to attract them, as we need their money to sustain our economy. They are sometimes also "ripped off" by those providing accommodation.

However, I accept that some very effective English teachers aren't always good at grammar or spelling.

Edited September 20, 2009 by Petbon

[DoctorD]

All you guys seem pretty clued up... I haven't gotta clue so ANY advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.... Johnny

Hello, Johnny,

Welcome to Thailand. I agree that a month on a resort island won't give you much preparation for Bangkok. It's a huge, noisy city that can easily be intimidating. However it is also fascinating, fun, and far safer than most Western cities.

In six years, I've never had any trouble with taxi touts or other scams. Find the public taxi line (metered taxis, yellow/green or other neon colors - they keep changing the location!), stand in line, tell them your destination and give the slip to the driver. You pay the meter fare plus 50 baht. The fare to central Bangkok should be less than 300 baht including the surcharge. If they ask you whether to go on the "highway", say yes!

With regard to visas, many people on this forum know far more than I, but I believe that if you here on an educational visa (e.g. learning Thai), it is not legal to be working. So you need to make a decision one way or the other. You must be here in Thailand to get your work permit. I believe that you can get a visa based on your intention to work (Non-imm-b, I think - at least that is what I have) outside, but need various documents including a letter from your prospective employer.

If you love Thailand but are not quite sure what you want to do, you could get a tourist visa for 90 days and spend that time looking around and talking to people about the options, including work. Then go back to the UK and get the non-imm-b visa or whatever, depending on what you decide. Don't make a commitment before you have some more experience. Some people just can't handle Bangkok-- if you're not an urban sort of guy, you might hate it (my brother detested it!)

Good luck,

Doctor D.

P.S. Learning Thai is both a good investment if you think you might like to live here, and great fun. It's an amazing language, about as different from English as possiblet.

[phetaroi]

The OP's post was made at 4am his local time. Perhaps you could pop in at 4 o'clock in the morning and present us with a grammatically perfect post with no spelling errors? When you've done that perhaps you could answer his questions?

To be honest, I often wake up at 4 a.m., and if I do, then I am often online.

My primary point here, which was a bit subtle, was that while he has every right to follow any whim, it doesn't appear that his plan is very well thought out. He spent a few weeks on a resort island and now suddenly wants to live in Thailand. It appears he has no training in the field of education. His online English is sorely lacking for someone who wants to teach English. Granted, maybe his paragraph was simply online shortcuts, but I am not so sure. As a retired educator I am bothered by the lack of respect that many professional Thais have for Western educators working here, and a great deal of that disrespect is due to poor, if any, professional training.

[Daewoo]

Firstly, good on you for doing your TEFL course before getting a gig teaching... don't worry about the response above about learning English yourself first, knowing how to TEACH English is much more important that knowing all of the rules of gramma...

About the Taxis, when you arrive, go to any of the ATMs and get some Thai Baht, or change your GBP to Baht at any of the Exchange Windows... If GBP-Baht is the same as AUD-Baht, you will get a much better rate here than at home, they are open whenever their are flights arriving, and are usually as good or better than the same banks Currency Exchange windows you will find all throughout Bangkok... ask them to give you some of the money in 100 Baht notes or less... normal food and drink transactions are usually less that 100 Baht, so you will feel like a <deleted> paying for you 80 Baht meal with a 1000 Baht note...

Once you have some local currency, you can either catch a cab from the official rank or the 'departures level'...

The arrivals gates are on the 2nd level of the 3 level airport building... The official rank is down the escalators on the gorund level, just follow the signs... there will be a guy there asking you where you want to go... he will write it on a piece of paper and give a piece to the driver, and a piece to you... This the the bit that shits everyone, because the guy writing your hotel details is the guy who is supposed to make sure the driver puts his meter on, and the reason you have to pay 50Baht to use that rank... but sometimes he is in on the scam, and will tell you a fixed price when you tell him where you want to go... The fixed price is always between 200Baht and 600 Baht more than the meter fare which he splits with your driver... If he tries this, just say, 'Meter', and he will usually not try any further... When you get in the cab, the driver will also usually try to offer you a fixed fare, "500 Baht OK?", just tell him "Meter Cup" and that is usually the end of it... They know that the alternative is that you will open the door and get out and create a scene, and a 300Baht meter fare is better than no fare... that is the 'Airport Taxi scam', nothing to get worried or worked up about... You pay the 50 Baht fee to the driver when you get to your destination... I always tell the driver to take the toll roads, which you have to pay for as you go... you can just give the driver a 100 Baht note (or 500Baht note if you want more change), and he will give you the change back and then ask some more at the next toll booth, sometimes he will keep enough for the journey after the first booth, but this would require him to plan ahead, not a strong point for Thai's ...

Your other option is to go UP the escalators to the 3rd Level, this is the departures level, where you can pick up a taxi that has just dropped someone off... this is where you will encounter the "Taxi Touts"... they will be just inside and just outside the airport entrance doors, but usually don't come down below level 3... just walk past them all, ignoring them, or if that is hard for you to do, just say "My Ow Cup" (don't want thanks) and walk over to one of the 20 or 30 yellow and green, green, or Pink and Blue 'Meter Taxi's' (the ones with the white light with red writting on the roof)... don't talk to anyone or follow anyone until you are beside a car with a white light on the roof... the touts aren't usually 'in your face' and if you ignore them usually won't follow you more than a few steps... that is the 'Taxi Touts'... again, nothing to get worried or worked up about... When you get to a Meter Taxi, tell him where you want to go, followed my "Meter Cup"... I have never had a cab not want to go on the meter... better grab the fare and get going than being told to move on by security before he gets a fare and made to wait in the queue for the official rank, and still probably not get an 'off the meter' fare... You still have to pay all the tolls if you tell him to go on the toll roads, but save yourself a massive 50 Bhat...

I always use the Departure Level taxis. because there is NO queue (usually a reasonable length queue on the official rank) and the ONLY time I have had a cab really push to try and get on off the meter fare was at the offical rank after I didn't hear the guy writing the ticket properly, and unknowing agreed to a 500 Baht fixed fee... The cabbie had already paid his kickback, and understandably, wanted either 500 Bhat from me, or his kickback returned by the AOT Official...

My rule is, whenever I get in a Taxi anywhere in BKK, I make sure the meter is on... and if it isn't say "Meter Cup"... much easier to have the arguement in the first meter than it is at the end of the journey... I rarely have trouble with them not wanting to use the meter other than in peak hour traffic, because they get sweet F A for sitting in traffic... (unlike Australia where they get more than they do when moving)...

Good luck learning Thai tho... stupid language ... I've been trying for 5 years and still no one knows what I am saying until I translate it to English ...

Cheers,

Daewoo

[Daewoo]

P.S. Forget the Airport Limosine... 3000 Baht for the 300 Baht fare, I don't do that even when the company is paying... That is 20 beers you are talking about... ...

Cheers,

Daewoo

[theoldgit]

P.S. Forget the Airport Limosine... 3000 Baht for the 300 Baht fare, I don't do that even when the company is paying... That is 20 beers you are talking about... ...

Or five cases (120 cans) in the supermarket

[tw25rw]

The arrivals gates are on the 2nd level of the 3 level airport building... The official rank is down the escalators on the gorund level, just follow the signs...

The official rank is right next to arrivals. By exits 3 or 10.

Don't let anyone intercept you as you approach the table, even if well spoken and wearing an official looking id badge.

If the ATM only gives you 1000b notes, the toll booths will give you change. The taxis usually can't.

[Daewoo]

The arrivals gates are on the 2nd level of the 3 level airport building... The official rank is down the escalators on the gorund level, just follow the signs...

The official rank is right next to arrivals. By exits 3 or 10.

Probably correct... I haven't looked for the official rank in a couple of years... straight up to the top for me everytime...

So that would put the Offical Rank on Level 2??? and there is actually a table or booth (like they used to have at DM?), rather than a guy walking up and down the line???

I had better update my tourist guide book ...

Cheers,

Daewoo

[tw25rw]

The arrivals gates are on the 2nd level of the 3 level airport building... The official rank is down the escalators on the gorund level, just follow the signs...

The official rank is right next to arrivals. By exits 3 or 10.

Probably correct... I haven't looked for the official rank in a couple of years... straight up to the top for me everytime...

So that would put the Offical Rank on Level 2??? and there is actually a table or booth (like they used to have at DM?), rather than a guy walking up and down the line???

I had better update my tourist guide book ...

Cheers,

Daewoo

It's been there about 2 years I think. There's a table with a couple of women filling out the paper slips for the driver.

[JohnnyLondon]

Hey! Thanks to all for your invaluable help and advice (and NO thanks to the few small minded tossers who tried to put me down) I thought this was going to be a friendly website, and it mostly is, but wherever you go in this world you will come up against nit picking idiots who have nothing better to do than try to put other people down, it makes their sad lives a little better (in THEIR minds).

I am NOT coming to Thailand to teach because I have nothing better to do, or because I don't have a job here in the UK.... actually I'm a London taxi driver (so I should know ALL about touts!) I am self-employed, own my taxi, and I earn in the region of £1,200 per week, so if and when I go to Thailand, it obviously won't be for money.

I have friends who teach there who I have known for a few years and it was their idea I go there and try the place out (oooh bad grammar again!)

When I was in Phuket on vacation I did the usual tourist things, but I got more of a buzz sitting in a Thai cafe helping the staff to speak english (hence the TEFL course when I got back to the UK)

I had a grammar school education in Kent, 'O' and 'A' levels etc, but I didn't know I'd have to be so word perfect and grammatically correct to ask a few questions on here.

So give me a break eh? (Am I allowed to say 'eh'?)

If you have something helpful to say (and many of you did, and I thank you for that) then I am very grateful, and to the few tossers (and you know who you are) GET A LIFE!

[phetaroi]

actually I'm a London taxi driver

...

I had a grammar school education in Kent

I take it all back. You're well qualified to teach English. I imagine any school in Great Britain would hire you at the snap of a finger, and certainly Thai children deserve no more.

[tw25rw]

I thought this was going to be a friendly website, and it mostly is, but wherever you go in this world you will come up against nit picking idiots who have nothing better to do than try to put other people down, it makes their sad lives a little better (in THEIR minds).

Yes, this would be the case unfortunately.

I have thought of doing something similar so that I can spend some quality domestic time with the Thai gf, and learn Thai.

I just wish I had a career that I could use there and earn some better money.

[john1000]

I thought the new rules stipulated that a degree, if you want a teaching post is mandatory?? I want to do a TEFL course in the UK because I love Thailand; my background is in IT. ( training and presentation mostly)

[JetsetBkk]

actually I'm a London taxi driver

...

I had a grammar school education in Kent

I take it all back. You're well qualified to teach English. I imagine any school in Great Britain would hire you at the snap of a finger, and certainly Thai children deserve no more.

[britmaveric]

I thought the new rules stipulated that a degree, if you want a teaching post is mandatory?? I want to do a TEFL course in the UK because I love Thailand; my background is in IT. ( training and presentation mostly)

Think those are for the TEFLers that want a work permit.

[hhgz]

"The OP's post was made at 4am his local time. Perhaps you could pop in at 4 o'clock in the morning and present us with a grammatically perfect post with no spelling errors?"

He won't be here for at least a month from now, and he should have gotten a good night's sleep before posting. Too, his original posting was so poorly constructed, he should find a different job. Thailand always needs more people to collect aluminum cans and plastic bottles, and no one cares if he is illiterate.

[tw25rw]

He didn't type it to teach us English. He typed it, using common vernacular, to communicate to fellow anglophones on an internet forum.

[reallyok]

All you guys seem pretty clued up... I haven't gotta clue so ANY advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.... Johnny

Hello, Johnny,

Welcome to Thailand. I agree that a month on a resort island won't give you much preparation for Bangkok. It's a huge, noisy city that can easily be intimidating. However it is also fascinating, fun, and far safer than most Western cities.

In six years, I've never had any trouble with taxi touts or other scams. Find the public taxi line (metered taxis, yellow/green or other neon colors - they keep changing the location!), stand in line, tell them your destination and give the slip to the driver. You pay the meter fare plus 50 baht. The fare to central Bangkok should be less than 300 baht including the surcharge. If they ask you whether to go on the "highway", say yes!

With regard to visas, many people on this forum know far more than I, but I believe that if you here on an educational visa (e.g. learning Thai), it is not legal to be working. So you need to make a decision one way or the other. You must be here in Thailand to get your work permit. I believe that you can get a visa based on your intention to work (Non-imm-b, I think - at least that is what I have) outside, but need various documents including a letter from your prospective employer.

If you love Thailand but are not quite sure what you want to do, you could get a tourist visa for 90 days and spend that time looking around and talking to people about the options, including work. Then go back to the UK and get the non-imm-b visa or whatever, depending on what you decide. Don't make a commitment before you have some more experience. Some people just can't handle Bangkok-- if you're not an urban sort of guy, you might hate it (my brother detested it!)

Good luck,

Doctor D.

P.S. Learning Thai is both a good investment if you think you might like to live here, and great fun. It's an amazing language, about as different from English as possiblet.

Thank you for a very informative and intelligent reply to Johnnies request, its such a pity that others in here don't appear to have the ability to provide the compassion and understanding that you have.

[reallyok]

Firstly, good on you for doing your TEFL course before getting a gig teaching... don't worry about the response above about learning English yourself first, knowing how to TEACH English is much more important that knowing all of the rules of gramma...

About the Taxis, when you arrive, go to any of the ATMs and get some Thai Baht, or change your GBP to Baht at any of the Exchange Windows... If GBP-Baht is the same as AUD-Baht, you will get a much better rate here than at home, they are open whenever their are flights arriving, and are usually as good or better than the same banks Currency Exchange windows you will find all throughout Bangkok... ask them to give you some of the money in 100 Baht notes or less... normal food and drink transactions are usually less that 100 Baht, so you will feel like a <deleted> paying for you 80 Baht meal with a 1000 Baht note...

Once you have some local currency, you can either catch a cab from the official rank or the 'departures level'...

The arrivals gates are on the 2nd level of the 3 level airport building... The official rank is down the escalators on the gorund level, just follow the signs... there will be a guy there asking you where you want to go... he will write it on a piece of paper and give a piece to the driver, and a piece to you... This the the bit that shits everyone, because the guy writing your hotel details is the guy who is supposed to make sure the driver puts his meter on, and the reason you have to pay 50Baht to use that rank... but sometimes he is in on the scam, and will tell you a fixed price when you tell him where you want to go... The fixed price is always between 200Baht and 600 Baht more than the meter fare which he splits with your driver... If he tries this, just say, 'Meter', and he will usually not try any further... When you get in the cab, the driver will also usually try to offer you a fixed fare, "500 Baht OK?", just tell him "Meter Cup" and that is usually the end of it... They know that the alternative is that you will open the door and get out and create a scene, and a 300Baht meter fare is better than no fare... that is the 'Airport Taxi scam', nothing to get worried or worked up about... You pay the 50 Baht fee to the driver when you get to your destination... I always tell the driver to take the toll roads, which you have to pay for as you go... you can just give the driver a 100 Baht note (or 500Baht note if you want more change), and he will give you the change back and then ask some more at the next toll booth, sometimes he will keep enough for the journey after the first booth, but this would require him to plan ahead, not a strong point for Thai's ...

Your other option is to go UP the escalators to the 3rd Level, this is the departures level, where you can pick up a taxi that has just dropped someone off... this is where you will encounter the "Taxi Touts"... they will be just inside and just outside the airport entrance doors, but usually don't come down below level 3... just walk past them all, ignoring them, or if that is hard for you to do, just say "My Ow Cup" (don't want thanks) and walk over to one of the 20 or 30 yellow and green, green, or Pink and Blue 'Meter Taxi's' (the ones with the white light with red writting on the roof)... don't talk to anyone or follow anyone until you are beside a car with a white light on the roof... the touts aren't usually 'in your face' and if you ignore them usually won't follow you more than a few steps... that is the 'Taxi Touts'... again, nothing to get worried or worked up about... When you get to a Meter Taxi, tell him where you want to go, followed my "Meter Cup"... I have never had a cab not want to go on the meter... better grab the fare and get going than being told to move on by security before he gets a fare and made to wait in the queue for the official rank, and still probably not get an 'off the meter' fare... You still have to pay all the tolls if you tell him to go on the toll roads, but save yourself a massive 50 Bhat...

I always use the Departure Level taxis. because there is NO queue (usually a reasonable length queue on the official rank) and the ONLY time I have had a cab really push to try and get on off the meter fare was at the offical rank after I didn't hear the guy writing the ticket properly, and unknowing agreed to a 500 Baht fixed fee... The cabbie had already paid his kickback, and understandably, wanted either 500 Bhat from me, or his kickback returned by the AOT Official...

My rule is, whenever I get in a Taxi anywhere in BKK, I make sure the meter is on... and if it isn't say "Meter Cup"... much easier to have the arguement in the first meter than it is at the end of the journey... I rarely have trouble with them not wanting to use the meter other than in peak hour traffic, because they get sweet F A for sitting in traffic... (unlike Australia where they get more than they do when moving)...

Good luck learning Thai tho... stupid language ... I've been trying for 5 years and still no one knows what I am saying until I translate it to English ...

Cheers,

Daewoo

Thanks Daewoo, for yet another informative and intelligent reply, you are most helpful.

[reallyok]

Hey! Thanks to all for your invaluable help and advice (and NO thanks to the few small minded tossers who tried to put me down) I thought this was going to be a friendly website, and it mostly is, but wherever you go in this world you will come up against nit picking idiots who have nothing better to do than try to put other people down, it makes their sad lives a little better (in THEIR minds).

I am NOT coming to Thailand to teach because I have nothing better to do, or because I don't have a job here in the UK.... actually I'm a London taxi driver (so I should know ALL about touts!) I am self-employed, own my taxi, and I earn in the region of £1,200 per week, so if and when I go to Thailand, it obviously won't be for money.

I have friends who teach there who I have known for a few years and it was their idea I go there and try the place out (oooh bad grammar again!)

When I was in Phuket on vacation I did the usual tourist things, but I got more of a buzz sitting in a Thai cafe helping the staff to speak english (hence the TEFL course when I got back to the UK)

I had a grammar school education in Kent, 'O' and 'A' levels etc, but I didn't know I'd have to be so word perfect and grammatically correct to ask a few questions on here.

So give me a break eh? (Am I allowed to say 'eh'?)

If you have something helpful to say (and many of you did, and I thank you for that) then I am very grateful, and to the few tossers (and you know who you are) GET A LIFE!

Good luck Johnny, and just remember, the majiority (oops wrong spelling) are with you all the way. Hope you enjoy your trip.

[ChangMaiSausage]

As pointed out in an earlier post the taxi ranks are now located on the second floor (arrivals) they used to be on the ground level but have since moved.

We/I just returned from a long weekend in BKK, on arrival I went staright to the lower floor looking for taxi's I had several pople approached me offering taxi? prices ranging from 500/700THB. The end price using the metered taxi was 237THB (not inc. tolls) to Soi 19 Sukhumvit.

Good luck.