Job Discussion Forums

[dtag]

Any of you all who have lived in both care to compare the two for me? I live in Chiang Mai now, and am considering moving to Japan.
I don't really mean too much a comparison of the money, but really just living life, things to do, ease of living. Any good and bad about each place

[Quibby84]

I dont have any real hard facts about comparing the two but I was told by two teachers that worked in Thailand that it is MUCH more relaxed there...but the money is not as good.

[alexcase]

That's a huge question, but if you love living in Thailand, you probably won't like living in Japan and visa versa. People who successfully make the switch you are thinking about are happy to be in Japan because the service is better, it's cleaner, there is more popular culture, better museums and art galleries, you don't have to haggle, people generally leave you alone, you hardly ever get ripped off, the good public transport, there are simply more things to do in the city etc. If none of those things are what you are looking for Japan might not be so good for you.

Things people might be looking for if they move (back) from Japan to Thailand include a sense of adventure and being somewhere exotic, jungle and tropical beaches, being dirt cheap, spicy food, street food, people coming up and talking to you, the expat scene, good food from back home in the resorts, the traveller scene, cheap and plentiful pirate copies and rip off goods, cheap flights back home and elsewhere, the ease of working illegally, the sex industry, Thai food, cheap alcohol, nature that really looks natural, etc.

I was totally bored with Thailand after 6 months but I only just feel like I've started my Japanese experience after 4 years, but that's just me. A teacher from my school just made the move in the other direction, and for him I think he did the right thing. For me, I find it much easier to relax on a commuter train in Tokyo (as long as I don't forget my walkman to drown out the unnecessary announcements) than I did lying on a beach in Thailand getting hassled for massages, but you can see how not everyone would feel the same way...

[markle]

I worked Thailand for years, I've been here for 3.

There are general differences but the degree of difference will depend on where you are in Japan and Thailand e.g. pollution in Tokyo is not that different to Bangkok.

Work related differences:
Japanese tend to take working more seriously and expect to put in more 'effort'.
Thais are more 'relaxed' but that can also mean that that thing you wanted done for your class in five minutes isn't done yet, not such an issue here.
You have a much better defined set of rights and protections in Japan. Also your work visa is not tied to any particular employer so if/when you change employers you just need to notify Immigration of the change.
Here you are definately lower in stautus than even the lowest English teacher in Thailand.
Lifestyle differences:
While I was still in Thailand we took a trip to Hokkaido, on that trip I was struck by how everything just worked. No delays, nothing out of order etc
Trust issues are fewer here, your not always second guessing if someone is trying to rip you off.
Public transport here is generally clean, efficent, comfortable, convienient and reliable, but you pay for that. Thai public transport is much more of an 'experience'.
As a broad generalisation Thai people are friendly, Japanese people are polite. make of that what you will.

In all my wife is Thai and she is in no hurry to go back.

[japanman]

Very true words from markle there. he was the former commonwealth advisor to the Thai court, a position that dates back to the days of Rama V. However, he is too humble and modest a man to openly state such a fact.

[Glenski]

Former colleague of mine is married to a Thai woman. He used to teach in Thailand, and that is where they met. For over 10 years they would live in Japan, and he would work for the same employer for 3 years at a time, live frugally (she would work on the side peddling cooking and dance lessons), and save their money. Aside from a trip to the USA for vacation, when the 3-years was up, they would take their savings and return to Thailand and spend it on a 12-18 month stay, where he might teach a little on the side to keep an influx of money. That's how much he enjoyed the Thai culture.

Make money in Japan.
Return to enjoy it in Thailand.
Repeat.

[sidjameson]

In my experience Japan is 50% more expensive than Thailand but the salary is 100% better. So if you are a spender then you have to relate the cost of things to salary NOT to Thailand. Otherwise you will end up miserable here and focus only on your savings. On the other hand if savings IS your goal then Japan is much the better place to be.

You'll feel invisible here compared to anywhere in SE Asia.

I would also add that if you're a single male I would recommend that you spend your 20's and 30's in Japan and your 40's and 50's in Thailand much more so than the other way around.

[markle]

[Dr. Gibbons]

[alexcase]

Although I never did, I've heard it's easier to land a decent teaching job in Thailand than Japan, e.g. Bell, British Council, Universities