I've had it!

[mitsubishi]

25 grand per month in Thai baht is a pittance!

Divemasters earn than for doing far less!

[mitsubishi]

My "friend" just quit teaching in Africa for an oil services company where he was making $560 a day for 28 days and then got the free flight back to Thailand for 28 off days.

He's almost 60 and wants to enjoy all the money he saved rather than continue the "rat race"

Unless it's a professional-grade services instruction that price figure sounds like pure BS to me.

[connda]

I really don't care if anyone agrees with me or not - Personally, it's irrelevant to me. I'm simply pragmatic.

So when I use to teach, I taught to the average and above average students in my classes. My experience is that in almost every Thai school without exception, students who have inadequate foundations in the most basic of English concepts are simply passed though to the next level. So conservatively, in any given class, over 50% of the students are completely unprepared and unable to comprehend the material that is being taught. That is a problem with the school's administration, the MoE, and other educational and political entities that affect educational policy in Thailand, especially when it comes to learning English. And no matter how much we bitch and moan, it ain't gonna change anytime soon, and Thailand as a potential hub of global business and commerce will suffer for it in the long run.
So, me personally? I pick the best and the brightest, and those with potential or dedicated interest, and I concentrate my effort on them. I'd rather have 50% of my students understanding the material at the level they are suppose to be learning at, then to have 90% of my student unable to comprehend basic English that they should have learned and understood three year ago.
If you think failure is bad, then your future is none too bright. If you can embrace failure and learn from it, then it becomes your friend. But Thais! Omg! Talk about a culture that is adverse to failure. And there is the paradox: you can't succeed without accepting failure. But don't take my word for it. Do a little digging in history and see how quickly Edison developed the light bulb.
So agree with me; don't agree with me. Mai bpen rai. I'm right on the mark with this issue. If it's over your head or offends your sensibilities, so be it. Continue teaching mediocrity. Your students will be delighted to have a diploma without any supporting knowledge. Darn - you can't take a 'selfie' of knowledge, now can ya? You can only take a selfie of you and your worthless diploma. Want to change the system? Change your own priorities. Sack up. Break out of the mold.

Edited December 28, 2014 by connda

[krisb]

So go get another job, what's the big deal??

[Kf6vci]

Quote from LII's reply:

Please post a link, or anything else that proofs that the government puts 50 K on the last supper table for foreign teachers. It’s an old weird story that’s just not true. A government high school laid off all foreign teachers and the agency they now use pays 35 k. You bet that they are paying at least 50 k to that agency... (Which doesn't clear up your question. Granted.)

Please back up your statements and let’s discuss it without getting upset. You wrote the post and if my school would really receive 50 K/month, paying me 33 K, I’d go for it. Would that be true, I wouldn't go to school on Monday and show them the finger next to my ring finger. Not more.

Differences between government schools are a constant source of surprise to me. Some only hire illegals. Guess directors love those working for 15,000.

[steven100]

what is it with all these whinging whining teachers ....

if they are not happy where they are then leave ...... simple .....

stop complaining on TV all the time .... are they looking for sympathy ?

[Scott]

This sub-forum is for teachers.

[z42]

Some interesting thoughts here. My advice in a nutshell is to read your contract carefully and if it is possible finish it at the start of the next break (March 2015). That way you should have your salary paid, your notice period is easier to navigate and nobody loses out (in theory) as the classes have been taught, the school has time to replace you, and best of all you can get out of Thailand, have a little break outside Thailand while looking for more suitable jobs.

Some places have a habit of cancelling your papers if you piss them off, can land you in immigration detention so try and keep it as smooth as possible because once you're outside Thailand you are scot free and also have a leg to stand on in terms of contractual fulfillment

Good schools do exist in Thailand, ones that have a solid language department with many foreign language instructors generally offer the best experience. Sadly in Thailand the vast majority of state and private schools still have the problem of corruption (skimming money / favours to suit specific parties rather than the majority / general mismanagement) at the middle to upper management levels. The level of entitlement doubled with any real sense of accountability create that.

It will take generations to eradicate. and even now I can't even envisage even small changes. Money is number 1 here & as huge amounts of swirl around in the coffers of those privileged few it aint gonna change.

Salary wise Thailand is not as compettive as other Asian countries. But the potential to save a lot of money easily while still maintaining a comfortable lifestyle is there. 35k a month should be minimum salary for westerners. Thai govt puts provision at around 50k per month per teacher. But TIT, we will never see that other 10-25k unfortunately. Directors wouldn't be able to afford their cars / mansions otherwise would they

Some interesting thoughts here. My advice in a nutshell is to read your contract carefully and if it is possible finish it at the start of the next break (March 2015). That way you should have your salary paid, your notice period is easier to navigate and nobody loses out (in theory) as the classes have been taught, the school has time to replace you, and best of all you can get out of Thailand, have a little break outside Thailand while looking for more suitable

Just my five baht to it. Once you've worked here longer than a year, just resign after you've received your April salary. There’re definitely too many rip off schools trying to screw anybody working there.

Seems that you’re not aware of the actual situation, when teaching in Thailand, You’re usually not making enough money to save to have a little break somewhere. Especially when having a family. .

Some places have a habit of cancelling your papers if you piss them off, can land you in immigration detention so try and keep it as smooth as possible because once you're outside Thailand you are scot free and also have a leg to stand on in terms of contractual fulfillment’s

That’s really complete rubbish. Did a friend of a friend's friend tell you that? Living here for 12, working for 10 years and never heard of somebody in my area who “went through that”, without having some “foul apples” when starting “teaching.” Maybe being on the run, trying to have fun? A “real Khao San rd. degree,perhaps? Quite a few "blokes had free food for many many moons, just before they "found" an agency, that couldn't fill a teaching position.

Good schools do exist in Thailand, ones that have a solid language department with many foreign language instructors generally offer the best experience. Sadly in Thailand the vast majority of state and private schools still have the problem of corruption (skimming money / favours to suit specific parties rather than the majority / general mismanagement) at the middle to upper management levels. The level of entitlement doubled with any real sense of accountability create that.

There must be “some good schools in Thailand, considering TVF members' posts. Some of them are just “too good” to be true. All those “World Class Standard Schools ( take the Cl away, please) with loads of AK 47 teachers can’t be wrong. Have you ever thought about that even in more civilized countries are always ways to get what you want by paying the right amount of money? Money rules this world.

It will take generations to eradicate. and even now I can't even envisage even small changes. Money is number 1 here & as huge amounts of swirl around in the coffers of those privileged few it aint gonna change.

Please take a look at more developed countries like America. Once you've got enough cash, several houses and three Christmas trees, nobody and I mean nobody’s asking you where your money came from. Money obviously rules this world, wherever you are. Would you come to Sisaket and I just wouldn't like you, I could hire somebody to send you to heaven for 15 K. Your rests will never be found. And the same goes for all the other countries, besides Thailand ( Not sure if there’re more, yet.) Is it possible that money doesn't stink, after washing it properly????

Salary wise Thailand is not as compettive as other Asian countries. But the potential to save a lot of money easily while still maintaining a comfortable lifestyle is there. 35k a month should be minimum salary for westerners. Thai govt puts provision at around 50k per month per teacher. But TIT, we will never see that other 10-25k unfortunately. Directors wouldn't be able to afford their cars / mansions otherwise would they

Where did you get your information from? Ever heard of that Google’s your best friend? Do you know how much they pay foreign English teachers in Laos and Cambodia, etc…???

35 K for a guy who filled up the Ketchup bottles at some Burger Kinds, while spitting on your onion rings, should be mandatory for “Westerners” in your opinion? I’m from a more civilized country and have to disagree, when foreign English teachers don’t know much about their own language.

Would you pay 25 K for the education of your child for one term, knowing that a 20 year old “Loch Ness” teacher’s teaching your kid computer lessons, but he doesn't even know how to book an online flight from Ubon to Bangkok, because his mom did that for him before he “became” a teacher?

Please post a link, or anything else that proofs that the government puts 50 K on the last supper table for foreign teachers. It’s an old weird story that’s just not true.

Please back up your statements and let’s discuss it without getting upset. You wrote the post and if my school would really receive 50 K/month, paying me 33 K, I’d go for it. Would that be true, I wouldn't go to school on Monday and show them the finger next to my ring finger. Not more.

Happy New Year.

Or what my former director who became a good friend of mine, not the usual bow down type when you see him, god i miss him a lot, always said around New Year's Eve:

"Happy Mia Noi." Up to you.-

Brilliant attempt at trolling. Guessing the face palm at the end is about your own diatribe, no?

This isn't a competition about who has been here longer, I wrote what I wrote because it is my personal experiences, and by nature it is subjective. The OP asked for advice and I gave it. So cram your useless replies unless you have anything of note to add for them.

I have worked here 5 years and been l;ucky enough to have been happily employed in good schools for that entire time. I have had a number of friends who have through no fault of their own ended up in immigration detention and been subseuqnetly deported because of unscrupulous Thai agents and school employees (not mine) messing their papers up, in some cases deliberately out of spite.

I have 10 years of teaching experience, 5 in asia and 5 in the west (UK, Australia, NZ). I know what i'm doing and can honestly say that job satisfaction in asia far outweighs that in the west in the same field. In my personal view I am happy to get my salary of 40k baht a month. I have the qualifications and experience and think I am good value for that figure as I contribute a hell of a lot to my school outside what my contract stipulates, and am happy doing so,

And i'm able to comfortably save 75% of that 40k each month. My partner is employed and the kids are supported well enough by us both to so please only speak for yourself when saying it's not possible to provide a decent standard of living for a family with teacher money. I'm saying it is based on my experience, it's your right to disagree with that also.

I believe that to attract westerners who do have the appropriate knowledge and training a salary of at least 30k is essential, how else could you not only attract but keep decent western staff for less. It is up to the school to vet the teachers, evaluate performance, continually train and motivate their staff teams. If that doesn't get done by the school then that's the fault of the school, and nobody else.

So in response to your point about paying 25k a term to send my kids to a school staffed by dunces, no I wouldn't. I'd be diligent enough to see for myself and do the checks I deem are necessary before sending them anywhere.

And as for the 50k a month per teacher. In my only 2 teaching posts in Thailand, both my line managers have let slip about the figure of 50k per farang. The heads of school, directors and other senior figures all get a cut from it. I don't particularly like it, but I can't see any good in making such a song and dance about it either, I mean where else could I go in this region (and take my kids with me) that will guarantee immunity from such pilferingt? Come on, let's be realistic now.

You're not going to dispute that people in senior positions don't ever cream money from the top in this country are you?

As far as i'm aware Cambodia has attractive teaching options but with salary based on hourly rates, Laos has well paying international schools but is otherwise far less develeoped in its ESL programs involving native speakers. Vietnam is probably the best in the region money wise, but again from people working there who I know personally, there are many of the same types of problems that are encountered in Thailand.

I stand by my advice. If you don't like it, up to you. And do let me know how flipping the bird to your employers goes. Cheers