Job Discussion Forums

[gynot]

I'm interested in working as a teacher in Thailand, but I'm concerned about the working conditions. I have a tendency to sweat profusely when overheated. Are the schools in Thailand airconditioned?

I see that there are dress codes for teachers, have people found that the heat and humidity are difficult to deal with?

Tell me about your experiences in Thailand?


Tony

[jayasia]

i've just started working in a gov. school and i'm very concerned with the condition you have stated.

we have only 2 classrooms with air-con ,used for students who pay more to do subjects in English, ergo, they pay a little more to be on this program.

I'm in the N-E east in some backwater school and many of the classrooms are poorly ventilated with few fans available or in working order, and i have around 45 kids in a class.

I like to move around and do activities in class but i've halted this as i'm sweating too much after 5 minutes.
what really worries me is that it's the approach of the rainy season, so it's not considered that hot, albeit the humidity is still there....

i'm married to a Thai girl, if i wasn't, i'd be out of the country like a shot, again.

the money earnt is soul destroying and i resent the fact that i have to work weekends doing privates to supplement my main source of income, working at a Gov. school

for sure, some smart arse will recommend that you apply to one of the International schools where conditions are better and where earnings can be doubled.

well, get in the queue behind the other 5,000 teachers!


upside to all this is that my private life is all serene and tranquil,and i love being closer to my better half.

cheers big ears

woteva

[Knexus]

i'm in the south.

in my town, all the schools have the concrete cubes with maybe a fan or two the thais call a classroom. however, the english programs are well funded, or there is at least no excuse for them not to be. all the schools have AC'ed offices and classrooms. some of them have governors that won't let you put them below 25c. should your A/C break (or should you have to request one) you are at the mercy of thai beuracracy and/or repairmen. if you work in a more developed area then the isan country (the northeast), which would be the rest of thailand if that is your comparison as of now, then i wouldn't worry too much about AC.

also, having an AC unit in your home/apt can get expensive fast. during the very hottest month (day temp close to 40c) i was using mine almost every night (and at night only). it about doubled my electric bill. mind that my bill went from being completely free because of a govt program for bills less than 300baht to about 500 baht. if your not worried about money then ไม่เป็นไร. an AC unit costs anywhere from 10k to 20 or 30k baht plus whatever installation is.

if you come in the cold rainy season, and you aren't a wuss about AC during this time, your body will slowly adapt. i still sweat profusely from time to time, but i think my body has adapted as much as it will within my first three months. getting out and walking around, or better yet doing some for fun sports with your fellow teachers, will greatly help you adapt.

[NigerianWhisper]

[jayasia]

yes mate, breaking news indeed...

bring into the equation the fact that i'm married and she is located in the sticks.

i will reluctantly try to accept the fact that Thailand want clowns to work in this circus and a mug like me will take up the offer for differing reasons?

i 'resent', solely because the amount of hours and workload i'm doing here earns me 40% less than what i had been on in Vietnam.

a salary of 36,000 baht is a big step down...

anything else?

[NigerianWhisper]

[jayasia]

yo man...is that it?

nothing on the weather...

don't be mean and give us the run down on the climate at your International Playschool?

[NigerianWhisper]

[jayasia]

yeah, cheers for the reply

sounds like you've got it made, and with all that smarm and top notch credentials, why not?

have a wonderful day

[Pauleddy]

Now, now girls!

Many late-nite chats with wine and old hands seem to yield the same stuff---------------------------------here goes:


1. Thailand is fine for a visit or a long visit with job for a year or two, but after a time you can see that it's a dump which wants you as a performing clown for 100/200 quid a week. You stay here because you get in a rut, meet a Thai spouse, drink lots of cheap beer, get easy but paid-for night action, or lose your spirit and just don't bother to move on.

1a. As you may be bored with reading about, people come here because they think they can teach on the beach under coconut leaves with beer while being massaged before the full-moon party starts in 30 minutes. Not true.

2. All of the education mgmnt/admin here is dumb, grabbing or exploitative.

3. Most (yes, most, not all) of your senior Thai colleagues, even Prof X with her PhD, are not very good at stringing sentences together and will have a shoulder chip against you. Also cos' you earn the same or more (but you won't have 40 years security, govment loans and 4 years paid PhD leave or more).

3a. Keeping face and sparing people from embarrassment are THE CARDINAL RULES in Thailand. Even if you know that someone is useless, scheming or incompetent, you CAN'T do much if you wanna keep your job. Kow-tow is always the way. Criticism is a No-NO.

4. Kids MOD EDIT apart from the top 5%. But, 90% of that top bracket are rich kids who will, basically, party and copy their way thru Uni while looking at westerners like body waste (because they have drivers, maids and reckon that everyone is born to serve them).

5. All of Asia is hot, BKK is unbearable at times. It just doesn't suit some people.

6. Thailand has vast gaps between rich and poor. The poor kids in villages are lovely, but not bright (90%) and not 'sophisticated' (100%). Thailand shoves them into cement schools with no air-con...but, for some reason, the school director will have a Benz and will grin at you when she passes you on gate duty at 7.30 am.

7. Most Thai kids are interested in computer games, silly TV dramas and food. They are not interested in you. It is already known that they will "pass" their exams (in 90% of schools, unis and everywhere) because you will be made to pass them. If you do not, then the Thais who exclude you from the private Exam Board meetings will pass them and just not tell you. The system is self-perpetuating.

8. All places are different (China, Malaysia etc) and some places give more money but work u harder. Some are hot, some cold, dirty, nice, whatever. Nowhere is like Arkansas or Arras or Aldershot or Aachen. You will get culture-shocked.

There is more, but I'm tired.

eddy

[jayasia]

thanks for confirming what i'm experiencing, even though i have that maipenrai attitude to all the dross that goes on in a Govt. school.

i may come across as being brusque at the best of times, but that's just all a big bluff to ease my periodic boredom and have some repartee.

i have nothing personal to anyone on this forum ,except one prat who use to post from Hanoi!


MOD EDIT

cheers