# A few questions in general



## Jax2 (May 12, 2012)

Hi everyone...

I have reached a point in my life where I am ready to start over. I've been spending an extremely long amount of time thinking about moving to Bangkok or Phuket and would like to ask a few questions if I may.

I guess maybe a little bit of a background would be good? I'm 36, almost 37. I've lived in a few different places around the world including 3 different countries in Europe and many different places in the US. I'm a truck driver by trade, but that is going to change.

While I was looking online, I came across a company called the American TESOL Institute which is offering accreditation as an English as a second language instructor. The classes are in Bangkok and cost roughly 1400.00 for the 3 week course. They claim they will help me find a position teaching english somewhere. I would first like to know if anyone has heard of this company, and if it's somewhat reputable, and mostly, if it is actually pretty easy to find a job as an ESL instructor. I have been told as I am going to be learning thai as well as trying to find a position to teach, I can get an education visa to stay. 

My concerns are these:

I do not know how safe Bangkok is for Americans. I have been reading so much over the last month, pretty much anything and everything I could find from people who claim to have experience there. It has been a very mixed result to say the least. About half the people claim it is extremely safe for Americans, and the other half say I'm going to get scammed daily, possibly robbed, and worst case, killed. lol! That last group wasn't too uplifting. 

I would also like to know about living conditions. I plan on having anywhere from $2000.00 to $3500.00 a month, not including any income I may earn as an instructor. I'm not sure what they get paid, but I have been told to expect between $1000.00 and $1400.00 a month on top of my other income from the US. So, I may have anywhere from $3,000 to $4900 a month. I have read that things are quite cheap there, and I have even located a possible apartment at a place called High Tech tower... apparently it's 15k thb a month for a 2 bedroom. 

Is that kind of income really enough to live quite nice on there? 

I guess in general, I would like any suggestions as to what I should expect, or what I absolutely MUST do before I leave for Bangkok. I am looking at leaving sometime in the first quarter of 2013. I don't even know which, if any, vaccines I need to get, or how to go about getting the visa. I sent an email to the Thai embassy here in the US, and they never replied to me. 

I know it's a lot of questions, and some pretty broad ones as well, but any information you might be able to share that you think would be relevant to my situation, would be greatly appreciated. 

All the best,

Aaron


----------



## cooked (Jan 30, 2011)

you might want to try Ajarn.com | Teaching English in Thailand. I doubt that you will get 30 000 a month unless you already have a university qualification. You can just about get by on 30 000, I wouldn't want to. $2000 a month is a lot. You might want to try doing an TESOL course away from Bangkok, some are in nice locations. Some of the organisations offer you classroom experience and these are definitely the ones to go for. 1400 Baht for 3 weeks? You are joking?
Bangkok is safer than New York.


----------



## Jax2 (May 12, 2012)

cooked said:


> you might want to try| Teaching English in Thailand[/url]. I doubt that you will get 30 000 a month unless you already have a university qualification. You can just about get by on 30 000, I wouldn't want to. $2000 a month is a lot. You might want to try doing an TESOL course away from Bangkok, some are in nice locations. Some of the organisations offer you classroom experience and these are definitely the ones to go for. 1400 Baht for 3 weeks? You are joking?
> Bangkok is safer than New York.


No no, it is $1400 USD for the course. They said that they also do provide you with on-the-job training, teaching a class a few days a week, to see how you're coming along. I do not have a degree currently, in anything unfortunately, but they said I do not need one. And yes, I should have around 90K thb a month income, as I have a monthly income here in the US on top of anything I may earn there teaching. I'm not to worried about money, just being allowed to actually stay there is my main concern at this point. Even if I only work very part time, I'll be more than fine as far as income is concerned. 

I'm just trying to learn as much as I can before I get ready to head over that way.


----------



## Gary Pope (Jun 11, 2010)

Jax2 said:


> Hi everyone...
> 
> I have reached a point in my life where I am ready to start over. I've been spending an extremely long amount of time thinking about moving to Bangkok or Phuket and would like to ask a few questions if I may.
> 
> ...


I will give you the same advice I have seen posted many times on the Forum. Come to Thailand with your questions in hand and spend some time here before making any permanent decisions. You can come on a tourist visa and should have sufficient time to chieck out the organizations, culture and relationships during this time. Return to the States and spend some time deciding. You are young and it would benefit you greatly to take your time and make a well thought out decision. What you are considering has been done by many before you so you're not breaking new ground. It can be done successfully, but you should make at least one vist before hand and additional visits if necessary. Good luck.


----------



## joseph44 (May 4, 2011)

I agree with the former posters. Come to Thailand, if possible with a Non-Immigrant "B" visa - one year - multiple entry. This will give you up to 15 months of time to sort things out, do a course, find a job (or not). 
You could always stay on an ED-visa, provided that you will actually join a school and learn any language, yoga, Thai cooking or whatever. 

Your income from the US is sufficient to live a comfortable life here.


----------



## TomTao (May 28, 2011)

I have an American freind who recently completed a tesol course in Phuket, he is now teaching full time in a school earning 30,000 baht per month, had he waited another week he could have taught at a different school and been paid 35,000 with paid holidays.


----------



## jamk (May 19, 2012)

Having near or over 4,000usd a month to live on.. come on bud its the East. I live in China very comfortable on 4,000rmb and that,s having to pay rent and rates. And i hear Thailand is cheaper. If i was you i would do what people say, go there and get a feel for the place and talk to people before jumping in with 2 feet.

Me on the other hand, i left UK went on holiday to Perth and then flew into China on business with no more than a google map and $200 bucks in back pocket and a bank card that i cant use in any ATM machine here.
Well thought out plan there. hahahah

That was over 1 year ago and i not looking back. lol 
As for people telling you that your going to get killed raped mugged and all the rest... PLEASE!!! Don,t pay attention to people that DREAM of moving and sit in bars and complain about the state of there country while sitting on there ass doing nothing about it.
Yea i got that to from people in my village in the UK.. boring.. yawnnnnnn .. Let them sit and moan in there own self pity and dump ass ways.!!!

I have a little luck when i jump to Thailand from China, my girlfriend talks Thai and looks like a Thai, and i have done business with the Chinese for the past year, so when it comes to talking prices, they not know what,s about to hit them. lol

And sure, you need to get used to the money there, i have heard of people getting ripped by taxi drivers, but that sort of nonsense goes on around the world, get used to the currency exchange rate, and bargain everything!! Set of balls goes a long way. 

Good luck.


----------



## stednick (Oct 16, 2011)

Jax2 said:


> Hi everyone...
> 
> I have reached a point in my life where I am ready to start over. I've been spending an extremely long amount of time thinking about moving to Bangkok or Phuket and would like to ask a few questions if I may.
> 
> ...


Aaron:

A quick suggestion. Save a couple of month's money. Travel to Bangkok and use Bangkok as your base point. From Bangkok, visit Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and Vietnam. My suggestion is to visit the SE Asian countries for comparison purposes. Perhaps, one of these countries might be more to your liking - all need English teachers.

You can enter Thailand without a Visa (USA passport gets a 30 day tourist stamp upon arrival). Get visas to the other countries at their Embassies in Bangkok. Vaccinations, perhaps Hepatitis, perhaps malaria suppression meds, up to you and your Doctor.

The funds you speak of are more than adequate, but not "kingly".


----------



## TomC (Jan 23, 2012)

jamk said:


> my girlfriend talks Thai and looks like a Thai,


Are you sure she's not a Thai?


----------

