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Don't work for Learning Space!

 
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teachertomthailand



Joined: 31 Aug 2015
Posts: 31
Location: Eugene, OR, United States

PostPosted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 8:58 am    Post subject: Don't work for Learning Space! Reply with quote

I don't think Thailand is a great place to teach ESL and make money. While I was taking the CELTA in September a bomb went off several blocks from International House where I was taking the class. This was quite never racking at a time when I was taking quite a busy and stressful course. I got a job teaching children right after the class with a school called Learning Space, a bus ride from Bangbon BTS. I have never seen a school so shady in my life, although the contract mentioned the work permit they refused to give me one. This meant that I couldn't open a bank account because of the new government rule. This mean that I had to go down in person to pick up my paycheck at the main office and this was a two hour bus or taxi ride.

They pay 35,000 a month but they take out 2000 baht/ month for insurance purposes in case you break anything, which according to the contract you get back at the end of the contract. This school also refused to give me a proper visa. Everyone at my school had to take these 7 hour overnight bus rides to the boarder of Laos, stay overnight a few nights and they come back, all at their own expense.

During October when the students have a break from school most schools are closed but not Learning Space. They had us all come to the main office to do three weeks of training and cleaning the main office. When I found out that they wanted to stick me in the same room with two other male teachers that I worked with and maybe even in the same bed I immediately booked a plane ticket to leave Thailand!

Living in Thailand is not that comfortable, no kitchen, no washing machine and we had terrible internet in Lumlakka which only worked about half the time. Thailand is fine for a vacation, but don't work there, the government is unstable, the pay is usually terrible and the visa situation makes things quite difficult. I only worked for this school for one month.
I feel that if I can prevent even one person from working at this horrible school my post will have been worth it.
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EFL Educator



Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town

PostPosted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 1:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interesting....thanks for warning us about this school...nowadays the Land of Smiles is still a nice place to retire, visit and teach providiing you have the right employer. Smile
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Hermosillo



Joined: 17 Jun 2014
Posts: 176
Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand

PostPosted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 4:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Don't work for Learning Space! Reply with quote

teachertomthailand wrote:
I don't think Thailand is a great place to teach ESL and make money. While I was taking the CELTA in September a bomb went off several blocks from International House where I was taking the class. This was quite never racking at a time when I was taking quite a busy and stressful course. I got a job teaching children right after the class with a school called Learning Space, a bus ride from Bangbon BTS. I have never seen a school so shady in my life, although the contract mentioned the work permit they refused to give me one. This meant that I couldn't open a bank account because of the new government rule. This mean that I had to go down in person to pick up my paycheck at the main office and this was a two hour bus or taxi ride.

They pay 35,000 a month but they take out 2000 baht/ month for insurance purposes in case you break anything, which according to the contract you get back at the end of the contract. This school also refused to give me a proper visa. Everyone at my school had to take these 7 hour overnight bus rides to the boarder of Laos, stay overnight a few nights and they come back, all at their own expense.

During October when the students have a break from school most schools are closed but not Learning Space. They had us all come to the main office to do three weeks of training and cleaning the main office. When I found out that they wanted to stick me in the same room with two other male teachers that I worked with and maybe even in the same bed I immediately booked a plane ticket to leave Thailand!

Living in Thailand is not that comfortable, no kitchen, no washing machine and we had terrible internet in Lumlakka which only worked about half the time. Thailand is fine for a vacation, but don't work there, the government is unstable, the pay is usually terrible and the visa situation makes things quite difficult. I only worked for this school for one month.
I feel that if I can prevent even one person from working at this horrible school my post will have been worth it.



The bank account rule has been in effect for more than 10 years....it took me two attempts to find a branch that would let me open an account on a TV in 2006. If you look in the mirror; you will see who is responsible for most of your difficulties....the thousands of online posts stating a degree is now required...did you think they were joking? If you had simply refused to start working until you were legal; none of this would have happened, and it is people like yourself that keep conditions poor for those who would only work legally. Did it occur to you that you could find work in one of the other 500,000 teaching jobs in Thailand? Don't you think it would have been wise to have 50-60K extra THB, while you were looking for work, needed to get a visa, waiting for payday? Do employers in your country give second month employees three weeks off, with pay? Were the choices too few, in the list of 1400 hotels in BKK (on Agoda) for you to find a suitable room for a while? Good riddance!
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bigdurian



Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!

PostPosted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No matter what your visa, one branch of any bank on any particular day will open an account for you. I would give it one hour maximum of walking around to find somewhere.

TIT, just show them the money.
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Hermosillo



Joined: 17 Jun 2014
Posts: 176
Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand

PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2015 11:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bigdurian wrote:
No matter what your visa, one branch of any bank on any particular day will open an account for you. I would give it one hour maximum of walking around to find somewhere.

TIT, just show them the money.


exactly, or any real estate agent will know of a branch that allows it. The only one I've seen that was an arrogant "no," is TMB, and those wankers wouldn't even let me open an account with a long stay visa for retirement, a housing book, and a tax-payer ID. "You must have work permit." Sir, the visa that you require clearly states in bold letters, "employment prohibited." Welcome to the shoot yourself in the foot capital of the World. There is an easy work around for this one, though.
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EFL Educator



Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town

PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2015 2:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

To The OP,

As everywhere in the TEFL world having the right employer makes ones stay in a foreign country a pleasant working experience. The Land of Smiles is no exception...their are hundreds of language schools and government schools everywhere to be found here who hire native English speakers as Edutainers. Enjoy the Thai EFL experience with the right employer....and Sawasdee Krup TIT! Smile Smile
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