Foreigners, Their Reputation And Teaching In Thailand....

[sirchai]

Hello,

When I came to Isaan, many people did welcome foreigners, for example my neighbors. It has changed a lot and i can only guess why. Please be aware that this is just my own personal opinion!

Here're only some examples of "bad" behavior of "Teachers" who'd worked, or still work in LOS. That's - in my opinion- the reason why Thais have changed a lot.

Here just a few examples of white foreigners causing us loosing face:

Mr. XXXXXX driving on his scooter with a very high blood alcohol concentration, crushing his bike that they thought he'd broken his skull.

Mr. XXXXXX driving in same condition crashing into another bike, but didn't realize what had happened. Cope released his bike without any consequences, because they'd kids at this school.

Mr. XXXXX smoking grass every day, coming to work stoned as a mf. Ran against a glass slide door, didn't realize where he was.

Mr. XXXXX went to Immigration in XXX. He'd left the country, to the U.K., came back not knowing that visa had expired. immigration offered him to pay 10,000 baht and will give him a visa as well. He refused, said that he wouldn't be okay with the corrupt system. Got arrested at school the next day with a long overstay.

Mr. XXXXX drove his Motocross bike into a fence, being glad not to lose his balls. Couldn't go to work, because of a scar. Guess he didn't see scarface.

Mr.XXXXX got caught touching a little boy in a very unappropriated manner.

Mr. XXXX got caught the second time on a school toilet with a grade six girl. First time nothing happened as the principal thought it was gossip.

Mr. XXXX and Mr. YYYYYY , drunk like a pig, crashed into a motorbike,where students from the same school sat on, where they'd worked.

Mr. XXXX wanted to shoot a Karaoke bar owner, plus the girls in there, because he misunderstood something. His Thai was nil.

That's just a few stories. I'm wondering how many more morons are doing similar things.

[stewyk71]

This list could go on for ever

Here's some of the loser's I've meet with over the years

Mr xxxxxxxxxx picking up one of his(underage) students in uniform from the middle of the school and taking her home and returning her back to school the next day , Unlucky for him his house is surrounded with parents of students from his school who saw him with this girl , He claimed he was helping her with english all night.

Mr xxxxxxxx was a no show from school for 3 days, The manager from school went to his house to find him in his room with about 20 empty whiskey bottles on the floor , he was in his soiled underpants with a badly broken hand passed out on the floor.

To many Mr xxxxxxxxxx to mention with a slight problem of how young is too young when it comes to their choice of female company , There is a time and place boys !!! and it isn't in your own backyard.

[sirchai]

Oh my Buddha, forgot to mention Mr. TTTTTTTTTTTTT !!!

Mr. T worked at a primary school, but not really. Before he could even realize,where all the buildings were, he got fired. Wasn't a big loss.

He'd paid three months for his apartment in advance. So he wanted to have the money back, when he got fired. The Thai guy explained why he wouldn't give him the cash back, as he'd to look for a new customer.

Mr. T. took the phone and called the tourist cops in U.R. Sgt. Major Nat showed up, asking him: "Can I help you ,Sir?"

Mr. T.:"Yes, this Thai man wants to rip me off." The cop: "May I see your passport, please, Sir?"

The cop's face got longer, Mr. T's speech shorter. He got arrested, because he was on a two year overstay. Nobody in the land far away where he came from wanted to have anything to do with him.

He got deported, just to come back a few months afterwards. Just recently saw him again walking through the city like a duck. And they reproduce....-- .

Edited December 26, 2012 by sirchai

[stiggy]

For every MRx there is a honest hardworking person trying there best with the tools they have.

The vetting of teachers does need improving,but who's to blame not those willing to take the spots.

Blame the schools who employ them, and the parents who pay no attention to there kids education.

[Hedghog]

Pay peanuts get monkeys.

[Hedghog]

How many of these alleged teachers,are teachers,not just Teflers.

[Payboy]

Pay peanuts get monkeys.

I've had good results with the salted type.

Edited December 26, 2012 by Payboy

[Scott]

One off-topic post has been deleted. Please refrain from criticism of grammar, spelling and writing unless it is germane to the topic.

Added: Make that two posts.

Edited December 26, 2012 by Scott

[sirchai]

For every MRx there is a honest hardworking person trying there best with the tools they have.

The vetting of teachers does need improving,but who's to blame not those willing to take the spots.

Blame the schools who employ them, and the parents who pay no attention to there kids education.

I consider myself as a hardworking person. How can you blame the schools and parents for actions made my untrustworthy people?

The truth is that most of us also suffer, because of so many guys who're doing weird things. Immigration, labor departments, educational offices etc make it harder and harder for those who aren't doing anything wrong.

The joke is that others also shoot us in our feet. And it makes it easier to employ Filipinos, because they're causing less problems.--

Many "stories" I've experienced may sound funny, but are actually a shame for others, because some don't realize what they're doing wrong, being a teacher here.

Edited December 26, 2012 by sirchai

[cbrer]

Most of the 'reputations of foreigners' will be down to the narrow mindset of the people putting such reputations forward.

[glegolo]

I live myself in Isaan (Chaiyaphum), and I think actually that what you describe is not all over the place. I have experience first hand from many schools which I visits regularly with a teacher friend of mine, and we meet respect and warmth all over the place. I myself am just retired and have never been a teacher but can from time to time do some tutoring (free of cost).

But I like to say again, around here and all these thai-teachers and headmasters I have meet, not a single one of them during my 5 years here has ever treated me badly.

I think that of course that there is asshol_e teachers and/or foreigners ruin the reputation for some of you guys....But give the thai´s some credit please, they can see that there is good and bad falangs.....and if YOU act OK you will be treated OK....

All these drunken teachers mostly from the english-speaking hemisphere are rotten, but there is a huge lot of very good teachers as well from the very same area.

glegolo

Edited December 26, 2012 by Scott
formatting

[Somtamnication]

Far more teachers are good than bad. Labeling them the same was as we label cops or muslims, is unfair.

Unfortunately, Thais do brush us all with the brush and you have to prove yourself at work, harder than a new Thai employee has to.

I am not a perfect teacher and make mistakes, but I am always well dressed, do not smell, arrive on time, leave on time and treat everyone with respect. Two teachers who do not like me, I do not talk to nor wai to. That is it. Go to work, do the job and leave.

No need to make waves in THEIR country.

Case in point. On xmas day, the school had a last day of school party (closed for the week). All kids got gifts, we had great food. And when I arrived at the teacher´s table, guess what? A nice big chair for my fat self was already positioned across from the Por Or, in a sea of cheap red plastic chairs. Months of bringing kanom and giving them to the teachers paid off!!!

They do not need to know that I still fart, burp and play Dayz at home.

[CaptainSplod]

Maybe I, too, am one of the lucky ones.....

I've often read about drunken or disorderly teachers being everywhere, but I've never personally met any of them - and if they exist in your area, then please keep them there!

ALL of the teachers that I've met have been quite clean, sober and well-mannered - and mostly very hard working people, too. Yes, some admit to drinking alcohol, but only on their days off. I've yet to see any sitting outside 7-11 or Mom & Pop stores with beers or whiskey, as seems to be the norm in many places - at least according to what is posted on the forums. Oh, and I've lived both in Bangkok and Pattaya, where you'd perhaps expect the majority of 'sinners' to be.

I don't doubt that there are 'unfortunate' teachers around, but I sometimes wonder if the amount has been somewhat blown out of proportion?

Anyway, Happy New Year to all...

Cheers

Splod

[masuk]

How many of these alleged teachers,are teachers,not just Teflers.

I think that is a rather mean and egotistical reply. I took my teaching seriously and did so in Asia for 6 years.

Not one in my TEFLA class at an Australian university was a qualified teacher, yet all us of studied hard and worked overseas for some years.

Most of my colleagues at our school in Indonesia were 'Teflers'. and were enthusiastic and had good results from their students. The only failures came from one country, and many were persistently drunk and a few on drugs.

[AyG]

Surely, the problem isn't with these "teachers" - it's with the schools that employ them, and those schools that don't kick them out when their true nature becomes apparent.

[chowny77]

I have lived and worked in Thailand now for 8 years. At the moment I am employed for a few days a week and I keep myself busy otherwise. I have seen teachers come and go from where I live. I am a Tefler and before that I worked my ass off doing alot of different kinds of work and meeting people from all walks of life. I do not like to see people without a degree being seen as crap. I have seen people with degrees who could not find their ass with both hands in a teaching or otherwise environment. Talking about Mr xx's my neighbour had a big fight with his gf and she was pushed or fell from the 1st floor balcony in only her panties, I had to call the ambulance because he was too drunk to do so!

[chonabot]

But I like to say again, around here and all these thai-teachers and headmasters I have meet, not a single one of them during my 5 years here has ever treated me badly.

Most of the Thai teachers at my school and from other schools that I have encountered, are friendly.

However when you work as a foreign teacher - and not just an observer - you will see more than a few that are less than happy with the fact we are here to stay.

Some of this may be based on the above examples of rotten Foreign teachers, but there are a few that just do not like foreign teachers being in their school.

When I use the phrase foreign I include other nationalities from Asia.

Usually these are older Thai teachers IMO.

Regarding the quality of Foreign and Thai teachers, IMO there are more than a few Thai teachers who are clearly here just for the status and extras acquired from being a Government official. I have worked with a few lazy foreign teachers as well but so far no drunks or weirdos - fingers crossed.

I'll be dressing as Santa today and handing out candies to the 4500 students in my school - it's not in my contract but I figure it will be a laugh

Plus some of my M3 students ( the bad boys ) have been told to dress up as elves

Edited December 28, 2012 by chonabot

[Scott]

I could tell you stories that would curl your hair. Fortunately, the bad ones are in a minority and a lot of the things they did weren't widely known in the community--at least if you live in a larger community.

[masuk]

I have lived and worked in Thailand now for 8 years. At the moment I am employed for a few days a week and I keep myself busy otherwise. I have seen teachers come and go from where I live. I am a Tefler and before that I worked my ass off doing alot of different kinds of work and meeting people from all walks of life. I do not like to see people without a degree being seen as crap. I have seen people with degrees who could not find their ass with both hands in a teaching or otherwise environment. Talking about Mr xx's my neighbour had a big fight with his gf and she was pushed or fell from the 1st floor balcony in only her panties, I had to call the ambulance because he was too drunk to do so!

The compulsion for a degree before being allowed to teach, in spite of experience in teaching elsewhere, is excluding a lot of Teflers such as myself. One could have a degree in beekeeping and no teaching experience, and get a teaching job in Thailand. We had one degreed lass whose grammar and punctuation was so bad that we often had to correct her notices before being placed on display, as even the senior students would have picked them up.

Certainly, our head of school soon weeded out the 'baddies', and those who arrived drunk, unshaven and/or in sandals were soon given 'the rush'.

One even asked for a reference, and as the boss knew he had applied to a rival school, was given glowing testimonials!

[culicine]

Thais are generally unaware of what foreign teachers are like in schools. Only when something negative happens, then parents MAY become aware of it, if the kids tell the parents. Most of their generalised opinion of us probably comes from the media, and what they hear about in Pattaya/Puket, or ideas passed on through relatives and friends.

I've been here over 12 years and could count on one hand the number of rotten teachers I've come across, and I've seen hundreds. Overall the foreign teachers are very dedicated and I would venture to say we work as hard or harder than Thai teachers - remember we have very little in the way of resources, curriculum written in Thai that has to be translated, dealing with cultural and language barriers. Our job is not easy and these problems are not faced by the Thai teachers. I only know a handful of Thai teachers who have been here as long or longer than me - 11 years, nearly 10 for out science teacher, 7 for another science teacher, 5 for another maths teacher. What's interesting is the high turnover of 'english language' teachers - most have come and gone within a year or two.

[somchaismith]

in only her panties, I had to call the ambulance because he was too drunk to do so!

Lucky that she had such an alert neighbor who came through with goods.

[ggold]

How many of these alleged teachers,are teachers,not just Teflers.

At a guess I would say less than 1%

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[ivan96822]

Those derelict/criminal teachers need to be expelled from LOS (though I know they have their ways around it).

Unfortunately, it is always a few bad apples that can ruin things for everyone. I bristle when people think that the only people in LOS are drunks, pedophiles, or fugitives.

[sirchai]

Those derelict/criminal teachers need to be expelled from LOS (though I know they have their ways around it).

Unfortunately, it is always a few bad apples that can ruin things for everyone. I bristle when people think that the only people in LOS are drunks, pedophiles, or fugitives.

Stupidity doesn't disappear when people cross a border. Guess it's mostly people who couldn't live back in their country, some of them running away from something.

Honestly,I've met two guys who'd made long term prison sentences. One "blew" somebody's head off, the other one just did an armed robbery.

Both work(ed) for a well known agency. One of them is one of their "model teacher". Always nicely dressed, always licking the right asses.

Left school when he's 11, but now a teacher In LOS. Sad, but true.--

.

[chonabot]

How many of these alleged teachers,are teachers,not just Teflers.

At a guess I would say less than 1%

Sent from my GT-P6200 using Thaivisa Connect App

I'm fairly sure that percentage is on the low side.

If an experienced UK teacher came from a school with 30 in a class, and then was presented with 60 students in a small hot room...well I'm not sure they would cope any better.

Granted they would slot into an International school role easier and be more adept than someone with a degree and a TEFL cert, but those jobs are probably 5% of the big picture.

[sirchai]

How many of these alleged teachers,are teachers,not just Teflers.

At a guess I would say less than 1%

Sent from my GT-P6200 using Thaivisa Connect App

I'm fairly sure that percentage is on the low side.

If an experienced UK teacher came from a school with 30 in a class, and then was presented with 60 students in a small hot room...well I'm not sure they would cope any better.

Granted they would slot into an International school role easier and be more adept than someone with a degree and a TEFL cert, but those jobs are probably 5% of the big picture.

Happened at my first school, primary level. He was a teacher from the UK, with very good credentials.

But it turned out that he couldn't deal with younger Thai kids. Not even in the EP, having only 23 or so.

He left after only three months, the kids hated him, he didn't like the country. Not the part where he'd taught. i never saw him smiling.

Edited December 28, 2012 by sirchai

[sushi5734]

In my experience the bad teachers are a minority but they do exist, some people come here to live a holiday lifestyle and can't do anything other than teach English.....badly, they generally p!ss all of their money up the wall every month and then complain about how badly they're paid!! I wouldn't want to make too much of a generalisation but most of these teachers end up teaching English to classes of 60 students, 1 hour a week per class, minimal preparation, personally that would drive me insane.

I have been treated with nothing other than the upmost respect and reverence by the parents and other members of the community, I work hard and I'm genuinely committed to the academic progress and welfare of my students, I don't go to school stinking of booze, I certainly don't drink and drive, I dress smartly and I try as best I can to act in a manner becoming of a teacher entrusted with the care of young children. As a result, I have a nice lifestyle, I have a new house, a car and money in the bank

I recently went a local hospital where several of the parents are doctors/surgeons, I was treated like royalty, to the point where I actually started to feel a bit embarrassed.

I like to let my hair down and have a few beers but I make sure it's well away from school and the kids and I make sure I'm not teaching the next day.

[chowny77]

Since I have lived and worked here I have met 3 full qualified teachers, with everything the TCT require. No disrespect to them but they were the most miserable people I have met in the job. They plan well, they do their lesson plans on time but when the lesson plan does not go the way they want they are lost. I myself love to teach but because of the system I am not able to do so. I am now just tutoring on the side instead of working full-time in a government ran hell full of anger and envy at farang in general.

[Khutan]

As an observation; for any willing foreigner looking for work and after a bit of research teaching English is a walk-up and start job, therefore attracting a wide spectrum of successful applicants. Potentially more people can do research on the Internet than be "Pillars of Society"

[sirchai]

Since I have lived and worked here I have met 3 full qualified teachers, with everything the TCT require. No disrespect to them but they were the most miserable people I have met in the job. They plan well, they do their lesson plans on time but when the lesson plan does not go the way they want they are lost. I myself love to teach but because of the system I am not able to do so. I am now just tutoring on the side instead of working full-time in a government ran hell full of anger and envy at farang in general.

You could teach at a government school, even without a BA. Just find a school that changes the job title into "trainer", or "teacher assistant".

Thailand is like a fence,with always one gate wide .open. People with experience and the right cultural background like living and teaching here for several years, should be exceptions.

i don't see how a BA in chemistry can make somebody to an English teacher........