Job Discussion Forums

[TawtViet]

I have read things like having to wear long sleeve shirts (in the overwhelming heat and humidity there), chemically treating bedding, and sleeping under mosquito netting. Are all those uncomfortable practices really necessary to live and work in Thailand?

[sigmoid]

[TawtViet]

Thanks, I had thought that the long sleeve shirts, chemically treated bedding and sleeping under mosquito netting was all totally and completely related to a 24 hour, relentless, overwhelming danger of Malaria infection.

[sigmoid]

Oh, that never occurred to me. Not sure where you're getting this info. Even the Center for Disease Control isn't too worried about malaria in Thailand.

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/regionalmalaria/seasia.htm

"Thailand: Limited risk in the areas that border Cambodia, Laos, and Burma. No risk in cities and major tourist resorts (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pattaya, Phuket Island, and Ko Samui.) Special note: Travelers to the border areas of Thailand/Burma and Thailand/Cambodia should see the special Thailand box below for additional information."

"Most travelers to Thailand are not at risk for malaria and do not need to take an antimalarial drug. Travelers to the border areas of Cambodia, Laos, and Burma should take an antimalarial drug.

If travel is to the Thailand/Burma border or the Thailand/Cambodia border, then either atovaquone/proguanil or doxycycline should be used. Mefloquine would not be recommended in these border areas."


Even if you're traveling to these border areas you probably don't need any malaria drugs unless you bungle into the jungle.

[Placebo]

If you want to look professional, go for long sleeve shirts!

Short-sleeved shirts are the domain of air-line pilots and trainee managers at McDonalds.

[TawtViet]

What a relief to find out Thailand seems to be about as safe as Japan (malaria-wise) where I am presently. I really want to come to Thailand but am checking out many things to relieve my concerns. Japan is so safe and all but it is driving me abslutely crazy!

[bluffer]

It depends where you live. In Bangkok, the pollution kills most of the mossies

But seriously, it again depends where you live. If you live on a 10th floor of a condo there will be very few mossies. if you live in a ground floor flat next to a klong there will be some. You will be quite unlucky to get malaria though.

I live on the first floor and even with the window open I get maybe 1 or two coming in throught the window each night. A simple fan keeps them off me and me cool.

A bigger problem are the day mossies who give you denge fever. But all you need to do is use ac all the day or fir mossies screens to windows etc. If you go out, just cover up ankles feet etc with repellent creams or sprays.


Shirts - Most schools think long sleeves are more in keeping with the image of a professional teacher but most dont care as long as you look businesslike overall. ie wear a tie, clean shaven, smart shoes, clean trousers etc

[kenkannif]

^ Indeed. The more you look like a teacher the more you'll be accepted as a teacher...kind of sad...but true!

[poof]

I found this thread through search. It was one question of mine, as I am considering coming to Thailand to work after a year or so.

There were actually a limited number of replies to the post, so I'll ask for more respondents to categorically vouch that they are not spending their entire year on anti-malarial medication?

Cheers.

[massivegeoff]

i can categorically state that i have spent five years in thailand and NEVER had anti-malarial medication. the mossies ARE annoying, and dengue fever does exist, but i've never had to worry about mossie-born diseases.

i HAVE had dysentry (most likely from poor personal hygeine while i was trekking in the jungle) and appendicitis. in both instances i was very well taken care of the excellent private medical services in thailand. (if you do get a job, make sure it either includes insurance, or you take it out yourself.)

the long sleeve thing is a little funny. when i first arrived i had a bunch of long sleeved shirts. i found it hot, so i rolled them up neatly like they showed us in the army (3 and a half turns!) and then was told it looked "untidy" by a thai teacher. us farang get held to quite high standards. i don't think it's too much to ask, but it IS quite annoying when you see thai teachers walking around looking worse than the kids!

[kenkannif]

Yeah the same....6 years and no malaria medicine...I don't think any of our Western staff do (waste of time and money!).

[isanity]

Malaria's a red herring. Dengue and swollen bites aren't.

[kenkannif]

^ But there's nowt you can do to avoid that is there???

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

re: the swollen bites


I've had a few of those swollen bites,

& thought that a spider had bitten me.


On one occasion, the swelling on my thigh

was almost as large as a grapefruit,

and itchy, but not painful at all.




What the hell causes that?













Thailand teaching and travel resources available here :::: The Master Index Thailand ::::

[cameron.mayo]

A grapefruit? Jeeeezus....