The language school where I have been teaching since May last year had to close on the 18th March. I am owed three weeks pay, which should have arrived by 11th April at the latest. There are 8 other teachers in the same boat and we have all been unable to contact the owner. He isn’t answering his phone, e-mails or Line messages (but the messages are being read) I need my money!
Anonymous Teacher in Thailand
I’m fortunate enough to have built up my skillsets over the course of 5 years. However, the comment above, which I found on a website, shows a plead from an individual who works at a language center (like me) that sadly fell into the grim reality of a corrupted owner. He was supposed to get paid but the owner has literally went AWOL, or so it seems (because line messages are being read). I have empathy for these teachers, including the rest around the world, who have had their jobs completely slashed away. 36 million English speakers in America have lost their jobs and that toll will continue climbing because the spread of the virus will amplify.
In the past here in Thailand, there have been floods that wiped up a large portion of the country, inundating homes and districts for up to a half-a-year, coups that ran rampantly on the streets of Thailand, disrupting an entire nation. Riots between two political parties that saw dozens of lives lost, but this certainly trumps them all, doesn’t it?
The company that hires and sends us to teach in Thai public schools refuses to tell the teachers when our contracts will officially begin. Meaning we don’t know if they will begin in May or July. If our contracts don’t begin until July, it means we will have gone from March to the end of July with little or no pay. The fact the company refuses to be upfront with teachers, only highlights the poor character of this Thai-run company.
They assume that they can string the foreign teachers along and we will be there when school starts. But they assume wrong. When the school term starts again, I suspect the companies and schools that have ignored and not looked after the foreign teachers will be left with giant holes to fill. Loyalty is a two way street.
Anonymous Teacher
I think you guys get the point. Because this gentleman is a 1 in 2,000 foreigner teachers (give or take a couple thousand) here in Thailand, he can be disposed of, just like most Americans who have lost their jobs to COVID.
However, because I’m a podcaster, online trainer, teacher, have proven my capabilities and have gotten results, I’m probably a 1 in 3 here in Thailand, putting me in a category that’s hard to get into.
“Arsenio, do you have a lot of work here in Thailand?” Absolutely NOT. There are forces beyond my power that play a pivotal role in this white-ocracy, but because I’m well-known online because the videos, and worldwide because my podcast….there are people inquiring from all corners of the world for my services. How did I do this?
- Become an asset; not a number
- Learn skills that others don’t know
- Build an online persona
- Strengthen your four cores of credibility
- Content creation
Whether you’re at home and stuck — or wondering what you can do with all the free time, this is the best way you can start strengthening skills that can provide you with extra income…not waiting on others to open their doors.
Arsenio's ESL Podcast 
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