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[tirelesstravelerasia]

I taught in Thailand for 3 years and could never save a dime -- either working for some matayom school for peanuts, paying my own rent (although they did take care of visa / work permit) or taking more lucrative corporate work -- but having to put up with the feast or famine of that kind of work and paying for all the legals myself -- all the while watching the costs of visas and related paperwork double!

Here in China, that 4-5000 yuan per month plus free accomodation is the BARE MINIMUM you can make here -- this is for high school or univiersity work, 15 hours a week -- all paperwork paid for and 1year multiple entry visa. Your apartment will be much bigger, if not nicer, with full kitchen where you can cook for yourself. And yes, outside Shanghai or Beijing, there's not a lot of expat-geared entertainment, so buying dirt cheap beer or DVD's (both cost about a quarter of what you pay in Thailand) -- that's about all the entertainment available. The only comparable situation in Thailand might be teaching at a Rajabat, somewhere in the countryside.

However, the language schools pay quite a bit more, 6 to 8000 yuan plus free apartment -- which compares to making 30 to 40k in Thailand and not having to take any rent out of that. Yes, there are fewer things to spend your money on -- but you do indeed make a bit more as well.

It's easy to live on 3000 yuan / 15,000 baht a month when your rent is paid for you, your visa stuff is paid for you, there's not a damn thing in the shops you want to buy, and the bars are boring as hell! This is how even the lowest of the low save a couple hundred bucks a month.

China can be a bit lonely and boring outside the big expat cities. I often miss all the pals I had in Bangkok -- it was pretty easy to round up half a dozen fellow teachers for cheap beers at a local Thai dive -- sometimes we'd get as many as 20 together for a pub crawl on a Friday night.

Nothing to compare to that in China - you're likely to be working with only a couple of other expats and the chances you'll be on the same wavelength are much slimmer. Many missionaries come to China posing as ESL teachers -- maybe a quarter of the people you meet seem to fall in that category. Nice folks, but don't do much to make the place less boring.

So, the others are right -- working in Thailand will never compare to just vacationing there. But it is a lot more fun than working in China, in my experience. But you will make less and save less than China - and probably teach more hours!

[LanesOfAdventure]

I went to Thailand in October and it toatally changed my life. It did so much for me. I am not so serious now and much more family oriented.

My trip was to be of a two week duration but I loved it. I extended my airline ticket three times until it became two months. I did go to a lot of the party areas as well as places with few farangs. Either way I felt safe. I learned to speak some thai and smile and by doing so I was meeting so many people. I would ride the train to Ayuthya then just walk around the city smiling. I was invited inside for a beer a few times and once at a park two ladies invited me to join them for lunch. The people were so nice. Smiles were abundant and anger scarce. My favorite area is Krabi. It's just stunning. It's towards the south and the ocean is awesome.

I don't know if this was consistent with what you wanted but I enjoyed writing it.

[LanesOfAdventure]

Oh ya it's certainly not a place to make money but certainly the best place to spend it. I'm planning on saving for a house and land and settling down with a Thai wife there. After I've established my home I just need food.

[voodikon]

similar experience to the op: been living in china for two years and just returned from a ten-day visit to bangkok. upon my return i realized i was SMILING at everybody here. chinese people don't smile. they stare, and even when you return the stare, they don't look away. we're oftentimes objects to stare at.

i haven't smiled so much in the past two years as i did in the ten days i was in bangkok.

but yes, it's scary, thinking about the money equation. i'm on the low end of the payscale here but i still save half my salary every month (not much to spend on here, and i'm in chengdu, which is one of the more interesting cities) and get a cushy apartment, visa, and international airfare provided. i might make a higher salary in bangkok, but not only will i have more expenses, there are definitely definitely definitely many more temptations in terms of money spending.

that said i think i'm going to suck up my fears and go for it come next semester.

[richie122]

Just back again from another vacation... still smiling!!! It's confirmed that after i finish my latest contract here i'm making the move. Money is an issue, but i'd rather be happy than making the 10000 rmb i'm making now. Question for some of the people that made the switch from China to Thailand. Where did you end up living/teaching? How has life been different from vacation? Thanks to all... And i'll see you soon!!