Good Things About Teaching In Thailand

[PeaceBlondie]

Nothing is perfectly good or bad, and sometimes, those of us who teach in Thailand get negative or pessimistic. Well, that's realistic, but to a new viewer, it might seem that we're always complaining about teaching in Thailand, the culture, the people and the economy, etc. Let's be positive, okay?

Thailand is a beautiful, tropical, developing country with a government that is increasingly making good progress toward constitutional democracy.

The education system over recent decades has progressed in leaps and bounds, educating a higher percentage of the students in spite of a growing population. With birth rates plummeting in recent years, we have the opportunity to decrease class size.

The diligent Thai teachers work hard, overcoming handicaps that don't discourage them.

Especially compared to students in Western countries, Thai students are very respectful of their teachers, who enjoy a very good reputation for their profession.

Those points are a few I can think of offhand. Who would seriously like to add more comments that are clearly positive and encouraging?

[Ijustwannateach]

The students and teachers like to have fun!

[Ladphrao]

Teaching in Thailand provides an opportunity for foreigners to make a career change without spending years in being retrained.

[PeaceBlondie]

Students won't be late to class due to a snowstorm.

[Loaded]

with a government that is increasingly making good progress toward constitutional democracy.

You said no sarcasm.

[PeaceBlondie]

with a government that is increasingly making good progress toward constitutional democracy.

You said no sarcasm.

I wasn't being sarcastic!! The recent court decisions, such as this week's removal and imprisonment of the Election Commissioners, and the PAD demonstrations that were non-violent, are (in my farang opinion) real, successful tests of the democratic process. My own country failed in its first attempt at a national confederation, and this process can take many decades. I wrote a very nasty letter to The Economist magazine after their cover article's photo and title completely mistated the success the demonstrators were making.

I hope the Thai students and their social science teachers have made proper note of this as history in the making, good Thai history.

[Loaded]

PB

It was the judicial system that put those EC guys behind bars, not the government.

The PAD were demonstrating against the government and they were non-violent because the government knew they couldn't get away with bringing out the stick - too many people watching on TV

I agree that most educated Thais have seen the light and are determined to get rid of square head using peacful and democratic ways.

[PeaceBlondie]

Agreed. But when I say "democracy," that's more than just a one-party executive and legislative setup that can buy off the judges. Thailand is progressing to a functional, multi-party system with checks and balances.

Back more on topic, I was just thinking of advantages to teaching in Thailand versus some of our neighbors such as Myanmar.

[mbkudu]

An uneducated derelict foreigner from the west with no higher education nor experience teaching can go to Thailand, start with a clean slate, get a teaching job, work his way up the ladder, make a life for himself and be happy. Speaking from experience.

[PeaceBlondie]

An uneducated derelict foreigner from the west with no higher education nor experience teaching can go to Thailand, start with a clean slate, get a teaching job, work his way up the ladder, make a life for himself and be happy. Speaking from experience.

Good point! We folks who are tempted to sin by thinking our totally irreelevant degrees from fourth rate universities, and our very mixed bag of "educational experiences" such as baby-sitting, we tend to look down our noses at the less qualified teachers. But the story you tell, and the success story you lived, is that a person with right intentions and hard work can make a life for himself and be happy...as ...a ...teacher.

[jbowman1993]

Just finished my school's Wai Kru Ceremony. If you don't feel humbled to have a thousand students kneeling in front of you, as a sign of respect, you are in the wrong profession.

[Heng]

It's a great opportunity for those who happen to move to Thailand with virtually no startup capital. Also a great way to get to know a fairly diverse group of people, a must even if you already speak the language to begin with.

Edited July 27, 2006 by Heng

[Ladphrao]

An uneducated derelict foreigner from the west with no higher education nor experience teaching can go to Thailand, start with a clean slate, get a teaching job, work his way up the ladder, make a life for himself and be happy. Speaking from experience.

Sounds very much like my experience as well

Started out at about 200 baht an hour at a language school with just a new BS degree. Now, making around 10 times that an hour (at times), and have earned advanced degrees and have become a "published" writer, all starting after age 35 after being pretty working class up to that point. It is not easy, but it is possible to reinvent oneself here. I have built a life here and enjoy my life, although if I compare my salary with those from the West I am still quite below others. So I don't compare and stay happy

Edited July 28, 2006 by Ladphrao

[natalie8]

Good thread, PB. Some have been mentioned such as a dgree or education in an unrelated background is acceptable, no snowstorms to drive through. Shudder.

The first thing that came to my mind is the choice of jobs. There are many schools of every leve, including corporate training.

Choice of locations to live and work in. The north, Bangkok and central, the south, mountains, beaches etc.

We earn good money by national standards.

We have access to amazing travel close by.

The people are great. Their priority is having fun and enjoying life. In Canada it seems like people are more determined to be antagonistic, rude and inhuman in the workplace.

I know ther are more, but they're more for living here.

[Ijustwannateach]

Thanks, Natalie- all very good points. I was beginning to fear from other responses that the only good reason to teach here was a proliferation of derelicts!

[PeaceBlondie]

I resemble that last remark. Ever since I fell down on the road, I've been kind of derelict-ish. And I've been derelict of duty.

One nice thing about teaching in Thailand is that you make friends, like the dear fellow teacher I ran into at the hospital this week. And former students find you in the mall and greet you with a smile.

[Ijustwannateach]

Yes, actually, met one today who graduated last year. She was so happy to see me (and I was happy to see her again, too, she was an excellent and friendly student- headed to the U.S. for college next year.

"Steven"

[kenkannif]

A basic degree is still worth something here.

[PeaceBlondie]

A basic degree is still worth something here.

Are you saying that for a Thai who graduates and gets a degree in Thailand, it's worth something in Thailand? Or are you referring to the worth of a farang degree for a farang to teach EFL here?

[kenkannif]

A good thing about teaching here as a farang I assume is what the OP is about??? So the latter mate (although both are true).

A basic degree in the UK/US/Aus is worth sod all in the long run....not worth the money spent on it in wages returned generally.

[Ijustwannateach]

^Sadly, I'd have to agree with Ken.

I'm not sure if it's a good trend or a bad one... in the States if you have no degree, you have no chance at the white collar jobs anymore but you might be able to get a pretty good blue collar job, which often seems to give you skills better for starting businesses, anyway.

If you have "only" a degree, you get bottom-of-the-barrel "assistant" type jobs at really minimal wages. Higher wages open with a master's, at which point you're typically saddled with debt for years, and then with a Ph.D you become unemployable.

So yes, things are far better here for that reason.