Please stay on topic. This is about NES in Thailand.

I work for a teaching agency in Bangkok. Last year and more so this year, we are finding it harder to find teachers. We're just not getting the number of applicants we used to and also the experience level and quality of applicants has reduced.

Without getting full facts, I can only hazard a guess that many teachers have moved on to pastures new or more teachers are sticking with their current jobs because of difficulties with visa laws changing.

Guys, anyone who's been watching the Asian ESL market knows what's going on. When I started back in the mid 2000s Korea and Japan were still the hot destinations. Chinese salaries were about the same as Thailand. Now, China is paying about double if you look hard enough, even for a buck private outta uni. Additionally, housing and flights. In essence, China is offering what Korea used to and is a MUCH larger market than Thailand.

Is it harder to place folks in Thailand now? Well gee salaries haven't moved for at LEAST 10 years from what I've seen. Still have to deal with the same cultural baggage, visas that are now harder to come by, increasingly more difficult requirements to be a "teacher" here. Oh, and yes, I almost forgot Thailand's next door neighbors are trying to get some folks in to teach there now too...keep on thaing Thailand

I can't help pointing out that Mexico is a participant in NAFTA- the North American Free Trade Agreement and, so far as Mercedes building plants in Mexico, that doesn't change the fact that Germany has a robust school-to-work internship program which places vocational students in secure, well-paying jobs. Germany has nearly full employment and has had to bring many "guest workers."