The idea of having a contract between teachers and institutions is that both parties should benefit from the security it provides. Recent contract negotiations at my university have shed some light as to the lack of understanding by Thai employers to the plight of foreigners teaching in Thailand.

Students are always curious as to why I want to teach in Thailand, especially in Udon Thani. To them, the idea of living in any country other than Thailand seems preferable as the grass is always greener on the other side.

Many foreigners put down their roots and look to spend the rest of their days in Thailand, getting married and bringing up their families and finally retiring in their twilight years.

Only recently I have come across some Thai employers who don’t appreciate that due to the procedural processes of visa and work permit renewal, it is a concerted effort to up sticks and move on after roots have been firmly put down. It doesn’t matter if you are a family man or if you are in your 70s, there is a lot of work involved in moving on.

For those who are qualified and experienced, finding alternative employment is not a problem; however, finding a job that you really want is a different story. The idea that a foreigner can just “go home” if he or she doesn’t like it becomes more difficult the longer you live and work abroad. I know that I would find it difficult to live in UK as I have spent the majority of my working life overseas.

When a parting of the ways has been decided by one of the legally bound parties, it is normally a time for reflection as to why more attention was not paid to the fine print of the contract when it was initially signed.

It is possible to have contracts that are not renewed due to situations where teachers are considered too old or they are perceived as complaining too much or failing to get on with other members of staff. Some localised contracts have just a 15 day notice to terminate period which doesn’t leave much time to find another job before the current visa runs out and you are persona non gratis.

In Thailand, it is difficult to counter claims put forward by managers as there seems to be no form of redress and teachers who are notified that they are to leave can face two extremes: either their employers act as if nothing has happened and then they are gone or they are “Sent to Coventry.” I am sure there is no such translation in Thai of the phrase “Constructive Dismissal,” but we know that not too many people will be concerned if one more foreigner is “Put Out to Grass.”

A recent article by Thomas Tuohy in Education on 6th April highlighted the difficulties in dealing with different cultures in a business context. In my opinion, it wouldn’t harm the status quo if more effort was made by Thai employers to understand the “Ways of the Falang” as after all, foreign teachers are required to attend culture courses in Thailand and this foreign resource will soon be in short supply once new regulations are enforced.

Foreign teachers have a lot to offer and with the correct management their efforts can be harnessed to great effect. Having to function in a foreign country involves understanding the local culture; is it not too much to ask for a little more understanding from our hosts?

Not everything that is broken can be fixed.
(Unedited article published in the Bangkok Post 29th June 2010)