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Lord Bafford
Joined: 29 May 2012
Posts: 58
Location: China
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 Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 5:36 am Post subject: A good place for a base? |
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I'll be joining the fray in about a week to begin my job hunt.
Obviously I'll need to base myself somewhere and, due to my financial limitations, I don't want to spend too much time in the baht hoover that is Bangkok.
A mid-size, quiet -- yet not too dull -- city within reasonable distance from the capital is what I had in mind. Cheap accommodation is essential!
Any suggestions appreciated. |
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tttompatz
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
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| Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 8:05 am Post subject: Re: A good place for a base? |
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| Lord Bafford wrote: |
I'll be joining the fray in about a week to begin my job hunt.
Obviously I'll need to base myself somewhere and, due to my financial limitations, I don't want to spend too much time in the baht hoover that is Bangkok.
A mid-size, quiet -- yet not too dull -- city within reasonable distance from the capital is what I had in mind. Cheap accommodation is essential!
Any suggestions appreciated. |
Go north east or go west.
Grab a bus and get off when you see something that looks interesting.
If you have a degree and a passport from an anglophone country then it won't matter where you get off unless you are in a major tourist trap. If you are looking for a real school then the new term starts at the end of October so it might be a bit of a slog to find something long term in the middle of the semester.
Your best chances of finding temporary work will be in BKK and move on when you find something better.
If you don't have a degree then it also won't matter where you go since you won't get legal work anyway. Hit every language academy you can and you will find something.
Rents outside of BKK are usually under 4000 thb/month.
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Lord Bafford
Joined: 29 May 2012
Posts: 58
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 5:15 pm Post subject: Re: A good place for a base? |
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| tttompatz wrote: |
| Lord Bafford wrote: |
I'll be joining the fray in about a week to begin my job hunt.
Obviously I'll need to base myself somewhere and, due to my financial limitations, I don't want to spend too much time in the baht hoover that is Bangkok.
A mid-size, quiet -- yet not too dull -- city within reasonable distance from the capital is what I had in mind. Cheap accommodation is essential!
Any suggestions appreciated. |
Go north east or go west.
Grab a bus and get off when you see something that looks interesting.
If you have a degree and a passport from an anglophone country then it won't matter where you get off unless you are in a major tourist trap. If you are looking for a real school then the new term starts at the end of October so it might be a bit of a slog to find something long term in the middle of the semester.
Your best chances of finding temporary work will be in BKK and move on when you find something better.
If you don't have a degree then it also won't matter where you go since you won't get legal work anyway. Hit every language academy you can and you will find something.
Rents outside of BKK are usually under 4000 thb/month.
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I like your idea but hate traveling by bus -- should I just go for a lucky dip style selection and get a cheap train ticket to that destination?
I want to stay away from touristic places because I need accommodation in and around the 150 baht per night mark. |
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tttompatz
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
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| Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:31 pm Post subject: Re: A good place for a base? |
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| Lord Bafford wrote: |
I like your idea but hate traveling by bus -- should I just go for a lucky dip style selection and get a cheap train ticket to that destination?
I want to stay away from touristic places because I need accommodation in and around the 150 baht per night mark. |
Better update your old Lonely Planet. It has been a while since I have found anything for 150/day.
Buses (1st class, aircon) go everywhere, are cheap and frequent. You can get to most places in the country from Mochit bus station (Chatuchak).
The same with vans but they are often overcrowded and cost more. The best place to load into a van is at Victory Monument.
The train is what it is.
I don't live in BKK, am not in a tourist destination and the CHEAPEST place (boarding house/apartment) in our town is 400 baht /day on the daily rate (3000 per month on the monthly rate).
The cheapest hotel in town starts at 700 for the daily rate and I WOULDN'T stay there.
You won't find a job by just posting your resume.
Get proactive and e-mail with specific arrival details and try to arrange for a followup meeting after your arrival.
You won't likely find anything while you are abroad (unless you are something special) but as said earlier, degree and passport from an anglophone country and you will find work - quickly if you aren't too picky for basic work to tide you over until you find something better.
If your passport is not from UK, USA, Canada, Aus or NZ then you can add a TOEIC score (600+) to the list of required documents (1500 thb).
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MaiPenRai
Joined: 17 Jan 2006
Posts: 390
Location: BKK
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 2:51 am Post subject: |
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If you are looking for a place to stay that is near Bangkok and where you can find cheap accommodations then go to Kanchanaburi.
I lived there for 2 years and loved it.
2 hours West of Bangkok by bus or take the train which takes about 3-4 hours I think, but only one train goes in the morning I think. Bus is easiest. Sai Tai bus station (southern bus station) has buses and MAYBE Morchit (central, N, NE) bus station has buses to Kanchanaburi these days. About 100 baht.
Plenty of cheap guesthouses along the river. Jolly Frog is well known (few bad reviews on trip advisor in the past few months though) and is a good starting point as its one of the first main guesthouses on the guesthouse strip. You can just walk along the road and you should have plenty of places to choose from for about 200-400 baht range. You need to take a motorcycle, tuktuk or songthaew (truck) from the bus station to get to this area. Maybe 40 baht on a motorbike. 100 if you take a truck.
Just be aware of what you will get for 200 baht a night. old mattress with old sheets and a fan. You will probably have to bring your own soap and towel. Don't expect great service or rooms for $6 a night.
As far as work goes, you may or may not find work there. There are about 4 or 5 government schools in the area (in city and in surrounding towns) that hire foreign teachers and maybe 1 or 2 small language schools for part time work. Government schoosl tend to hire in March/April/May or October/November for 2nd semester if teachers leave. Between Bangkok and Kanchanaburi is Nakhon Pathom province which has quite a few technical colleges and Universities and schools where you may be able to find work.
If you want to line up a job before you come , there are agencies that will hire you from overseas, but they wont take you all that seriously until the see you in person (meaning if a better option turns up while they are waiting for you, you may lose that job). If you are looking for non-tourist areas to live and work, I know at least 2 reputable agencies that hire teachers nearly year round for government schools central, north and NE Thailand. Expect about 30,000-33,000 baht/month and some agencies provide accomm or 3000 baht allowance. All this is dependant on you having a degree, white face, US,UK,Can,AUs,NZ passport, and younger than 50. |
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Lord Bafford
Joined: 29 May 2012
Posts: 58
Location: China
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| Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 3:32 am Post subject: Re: A good place for a base? |
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| tttompatz wrote: |
| Lord Bafford wrote: |
I like your idea but hate traveling by bus -- should I just go for a lucky dip style selection and get a cheap train ticket to that destination?
I want to stay away from touristic places because I need accommodation in and around the 150 baht per night mark. |
Better update your old Lonely Planet. It has been a while since I have found anything for 150/day.
Buses (1st class, aircon) go everywhere, are cheap and frequent. You can get to most places in the country from Mochit bus station (Chatuchak).
The same with vans but they are often overcrowded and cost more. The best place to load into a van is at Victory Monument.
The train is what it is.
I don't live in BKK, am not in a tourist destination and the CHEAPEST place (boarding house/apartment) in our town is 400 baht /day on the daily rate (3000 per month on the monthly rate).
The cheapest hotel in town starts at 700 for the daily rate and I WOULDN'T stay there.
You won't find a job by just posting your resume.
Get proactive and e-mail with specific arrival details and try to arrange for a followup meeting after your arrival.
You won't likely find anything while you are abroad (unless you are something special) but as said earlier, degree and passport from an anglophone country and you will find work - quickly if you aren't too picky for basic work to tide you over until you find something better.
If your passport is not from UK, USA, Canada, Aus or NZ then you can add a TOEIC score (600+) to the list of required documents (1500 thb).
. |
I did a bit of traveling in Thailand last year and 150 baht places do still exist. They are of course very basic though.
Upon arrival I'll really launch into the application process and hopefully secure something.
I think my time in China will really help as the crowded classes, rubbish facilities and equally shoddy salary is probably what awaits me. |
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Lord Bafford
Joined: 29 May 2012
Posts: 58
Location: China
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| Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 3:34 am Post subject: |
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| MaiPenRai wrote: |
If you are looking for a place to stay that is near Bangkok and where you can find cheap accommodations then go to Kanchanaburi.
I lived there for 2 years and loved it.
2 hours West of Bangkok by bus or take the train which takes about 3-4 hours I think, but only one train goes in the morning I think. Bus is easiest. Sai Tai bus station (southern bus station) has buses and MAYBE Morchit (central, N, NE) bus station has buses to Kanchanaburi these days. About 100 baht.
Plenty of cheap guesthouses along the river. Jolly Frog is well known (few bad reviews on trip advisor in the past few months though) and is a good starting point as its one of the first main guesthouses on the guesthouse strip. You can just walk along the road and you should have plenty of places to choose from for about 200-400 baht range. You need to take a motorcycle, tuktuk or songthaew (truck) from the bus station to get to this area. Maybe 40 baht on a motorbike. 100 if you take a truck.
Just be aware of what you will get for 200 baht a night. old mattress with old sheets and a fan. You will probably have to bring your own soap and towel. Don't expect great service or rooms for $6 a night.
As far as work goes, you may or may not find work there. There are about 4 or 5 government schools in the area (in city and in surrounding towns) that hire foreign teachers and maybe 1 or 2 small language schools for part time work. Government schoosl tend to hire in March/April/May or October/November for 2nd semester if teachers leave. Between Bangkok and Kanchanaburi is Nakhon Pathom province which has quite a few technical colleges and Universities and schools where you may be able to find work.
If you want to line up a job before you come , there are agencies that will hire you from overseas, but they wont take you all that seriously until the see you in person (meaning if a better option turns up while they are waiting for you, you may lose that job). If you are looking for non-tourist areas to live and work, I know at least 2 reputable agencies that hire teachers nearly year round for government schools central, north and NE Thailand. Expect about 30,000-33,000 baht/month and some agencies provide accomm or 3000 baht allowance. All this is dependant on you having a degree, white face, US,UK,Can,AUs,NZ passport, and younger than 50. |
Kanchanburi looks like a decent option.
While it appears very touristy, for my situation it could be perfect.
Thanks a lot! |
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