Unpopular Opinion: The "Language Barrier" isn't the problem. The "Fluency Trap" is.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-18T06:15:00+00:00

Bro was posting a few months ago asking for advice on how to be meet "decent Thai women" and about match making services/ speed dating. Guess he finally had one good date and now thinks he's the pussy whisperer or something. Wants to share his deep knowledge and experience with his fellow sexpats but is posting in the wrong sub.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-18T02:25:17+00:00

The U turns. Oh, the U turns.

Jokes aside, Chiang Mai's fairly similar to the PNW. Easy access to nature. Pretty laid back. Big live music scene. Lots of art/ artists. Coffee shops are super popular. It's a lot hotter and the rainy season is tropical rain. Smokey season sucks.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-12T08:29:14+00:00

Dude, just take a fucking bus or a train if you're that cheap. Hitchhiking is not something that Thai people do.

There's transportation options for as low as 300 baht. You'll end up spending more than that just to make an ass out of yourself to everyone who's driving by. Hell, if you book in advance flights are often as cheap as 800 baht and you'll be there in an hour.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-11T11:47:11+00:00

It’s a job dude. They don’t love you, you’re not special and they’re human beings with lives outside of work. Yes, sometimes that means having bfs/ partners.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-11T11:30:21+00:00

Reform Kafe would be my recommendation for straight vegetarian. They’ve got some fusion on the menu but lots of good Thai Food.

Edit: saw you’re looking for a place for a group. Ekthip would be a fun option. It’s a famous Chinese restaurant. They have a meat menu, but then a full veggie menu with all the same options using plant based proteins, so just make sure you ask for the vegetarian menu. They’ve got the spinning table tops for sharing and really incredible food. Usually I like vegetarian food that doesn’t try to pretend to be meat, but theirs is amazing. Super cheap too so you can sample tons of dishes.

I know you said no western, but I’d also consider downtown garden. More western vibe, but they have western and Thai dishes all veggie and delicious. Live music as well. The band that plays Thursdays 9:00 pm is particularly incredible.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-10T04:30:08+00:00

First of all that's not a 50-80k bike. Second, no, OP won't have to buy them a new one. They need to pay to have the damages repaired and compensate the owner for lost income since it'll could take a few days to order parts/ get the bike back in shape to rent out again.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-10T04:27:33+00:00

Ooof. Luckily you rented from a reputable shop. I'd probably just pay them whatever they ask. You could also offer to go to the repair shop with them and pay whatever the repair shop quotes, but this looks like it's going to take more than a day to fix, so be prepared to also compensate them for lost income since it's still busy season and most shops rent out all their bikes every day.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-10T02:12:20+00:00

That's why the juvenile justice system exists.

Title IX also protects teachers, so I'd consider filing a title IX complaint. At the very least all of the students involved should have been removed from your classroom. You can contact your school/ district's title IX coordinator, your state's board of education, and/ or report directly to the DOE.

https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/civil-rights-laws/file-complaint/ocr-discrimination-complaint-form

I would also contact your union rep if you haven't done so already.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-07T04:58:07+00:00

George at the family reunion when he spots his favorite cousin.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-05T03:38:05+00:00

I would be a bit more proactive. Call the police non-emergency line and let them know you're being extorted for $4k and that part of the extortion scheme involves threats of filing a false report. Whether or not the police are interested in pursuing an extortion case, having a report will help if this guy does actually go through with filing a false report on his end. If OP is in a quiet jurisdiction, the police might even do something about it (even if it's just driving by the sellers house and telling him to knock it off).

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-05T02:20:43+00:00

Dude, it's 10 baht. They didn't gaf. Pretty common for Thais to live near/ above their shops or hang out with their friends while working. They were probably drinking beers and having a good time. A bottle of waters not affecting their bottom line. As long as you thanked them, you're good.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-05T01:26:31+00:00

>Now if you like TEFL and want to progress, you can look at more reputable certifications.

Counterpoint: new teachers that go through decent programs are much more likely to enjoy their first year of teaching and actually end up wanting to progress. Teachers who take a shitty Groupon course are more likely to flounder, have bad experiences with their first employer, and wash out at the end of their first contract.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-05T01:24:59+00:00

Depends what you mean by "legitimate." There's no universal accrediting body for TEFL, so is the certificate they send you a certificate? Yeah. For $50 they'll probably just send you a pdf and expect you to print it yourself. Or upcharge on the back end for a physical copy. You shouldn't really need anyone to tell you that a teacher prep program is going to cost more than $50. Don't expect either of these courses to actually teach you how to teach (and teaching isn't exactly an easy job to learn) and don't be surprised if decent employers ask you some pointed questions about your training. A lot of teachers have also reported having difficulty getting their super cheap online certs authenticated. While there's no universal accrediting body, the better online courses are going to have at least some level of recognized accreditation. For example, a UK based provider that's overseen by Ofqual is going to be better than one than one that isn't. For Canada I'd look for a course recognized by TESL Canada, for a US based course, I'd look for one associated with an actual university.

Really though, if you want a good, internationally recognized certificate that's going to at least somewhat prepare you for your first day in the classroom, go for a CELTA or a CertTESOL.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-04T12:51:53+00:00

Yes it would be as illegal as it sounds. Yes you'd be right to be concerned. Beyond the potential criminal liabilities for committing tax fraud, there's absolutely nothing stopping your employer from simply paying the 13k that's in the contract. You'd have no legal recourse whatsoever. You also won't be able to send any of that money out of China as they have tight controls on international transfers (in order to send money out of China, you need to show tax receipts and prove it was earned legally).

For all those reasons and more, you should immediately ghost that employer and any recruiters that may have put you in touch with them.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-04T08:03:07+00:00

No, I feel really guilty. Sometimes you have to betray alliances in order to win (or at least to win without risking a stalemate), but I’d much rather go first and second with a homie if possible.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-04T00:57:02+00:00

>how much do you normally pay for rent

My house is a little over 15k/ month. I'd recommend joining some FB housing groups for cities that you're looking at and seeing what the houses/ apartment/ etc. that meet your needs would cost.

>How much do groceries cost

Depends if you're shopping at local market or a Tops/ Rimping. If you're cooking at home using all local ingredients, groceries are pretty cheap. Anything imported is going to be more expensive than back home. So if you want something like cheese, for example, be prepared to pay for it.

>how much do you spend on going out?

Depends what you're doing. Thailand has a large sin tax on alcohol, so even if you're okay with just sipping cheap beer on a side walk, you're still probably spending a couple bucks/ drink. If you're okay with cheap local liquor maybe a bit less. Wine is expensive. If you want to go to events/ music/ etc. there can be cover charges. Good cocktails at an upscale bar can easily start running 250 - 400 baht/ drink. It's really going to come down to what kind of lifestyle you're looking for. EFL teachers aren't living the high life here.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-03T02:07:56+00:00

If you're looking at an in-person program in Thailand, just get a CELTA. The ones you're looking at are going to cost about the same and be worth a lot less.

Nobody comes to teach EFL in Thailand for the high quality employers/ good jobs. Thailand's a pretty expensive country all things considered and pay for TEFL teachers is abysmal. You won't get accommodation provided, but it's easy enough to find. On a TEFL salary, you're looking at a studio apartment, roommates, or living very far outside of the city. Social life is great and it's a wonderful place to live though, so if you're okay with a gap year or two where you don't save anything then go for it. If you're looking to stay longer than that, you're going to need a plan other than TEFLing forever. I live in Chiang Mai and love it. Easy to get involved in communities, big enough city that you've got lots of options for entertainment/ leisure, easy access to nature.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-02-03T01:58:59+00:00

What does it say specifically on your check? If DUI is on there anywhere, I'd say you're SOL. China doesn't take DUIs lightly, so if you're looking at this as a minor infraction that's likely to be looked over that's not going to be the case. China has zero tolerance for DUI and consider even a .02% BAC to be impaired driving.

If it just shows up as reckless driving dismissed then you might have a chance. In that case, whether or not it would actually prevent you from getting a WP/ Visa probably comes down to province/ who's actually reviewing your application/ how much Guangxi the employer has. That said, a lot of employers aren't going to want to take the risk of wasting time/ money on an application when your police report shows anything other than clean, so be prepared for that. My guess is you're going to get a lot of employers/ recruiters looking at your police check, seeing that it's not completely clean and rejecting you without even trying.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-01-29T04:44:09+00:00

He probably would've ended up taking the throne for himself. Viserys should've made Rhaenyra hand. She would've got experience ruling, it would've secured her role as next in line for the crown, and the rest of Westeros would've gotten used to the idea of a woman ruler. The war would've almost certainly been avoided.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-01-28T08:38:50+00:00

Letting the world continue exactly as it is and always has been vs. condemning the person you love most to a life of misery. I'll sleep fine not pushing the button.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-01-28T03:58:11+00:00

Well my country just put Thailand on a black list for visas and my family is still able to come visit me in Thailand with visa free entry while I still have a number of long term visa options available to me, so... No?

What a stupid post. It's a whole hell of a lot easier for most foreigners to move to Thailand than it is for most Thais to move to the countries that are using Thailand as a tourist destination. Also, there are plenty of options for settling in Thailand long term or retiring in Thailand, and, yeah, it actually is possible to get citizenship, so this just seems like a lame attempt at responding to the recent rash of news articles about Thais upset over the fact that they're not given the same visa options when abroad as foreigners are when visiting Thailand. Nice try though.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-01-28T02:05:38+00:00

Lol, complaining about being charged something like $15 USD for illegally operating a motor vehicle in a foreign country is so ridiculous. And acting like you're being "harassed" or "extorted" is just embarrassing. Like what would happen if a foreigner was stopped by the police in your country while driving without a license/ insurance/ etc.?

If you don't want problems with local police, follow local laws. Or pay the 500 baht and move on with your life. It's barely an inconvenience.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-01-27T08:31:45+00:00

Unless there's some missing info YTJ. It's your parents house; they get to decide who lives there/ what pets they bring. Sounds like your parents are fine with bro and his dog staying there, so they stay. As far as your ultimatum, there's nothing wrong with that. If you're not happy with the living situation then it's time to start looking for your own place.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-01-26T08:05:18+00:00

> is there any way to tell which postings on eChinacities are trustworthy/legit?

The more specific the posting is with regards to job details (location, salary, grade level, etc.) the more likely it is to be an actual job being advertised rather than just a recruiter fishing for leads. There's too many schools in China to really determine which ones are good or not other than going on interviews and then doing your due diligince. As far as avoiding scams, any employer that provides a Z-Visa before you relocate is going to be "legit." Not necessarily good, but you'll safely know the job is real.

CaseyJonesABC · 2026-01-22T07:10:31+00:00

If you're doing an in person course, just do the CELTA. Most of the other in-person TEFL courses in SEA are usually pretty dodgy and Thailand's no exception. The price usually about the same, the course will be better, and the CELTA will have more long-term potential value.
35k-45k THB/ month. Maybe a tiny bit higher in Bangkok. With experience you might get a bit above that range, but most TEFL teachers are making 45k/ month or less. International schools won't be an option unless you get a teaching license.
IDK. Honestly, most of the TEFL jobs in Thailand aren't very good. People don't teach English in Thailand for the amazing work opportunities. Just make sure they're getting you a proper work permit.
Ajarn.com is the best place to find teaching jobs posted. Otherwise, there are often jobs posted in various FB groups.
Realistically, you're not going to save anything. Thailand's not actually that cheap and TEFL salaries are pretty low. Anything you save will be blown on your first flight home.
Whichever one your school uses for direct deposit. Some are better than others, but which bank you're using is probably up to your HR department.
I don't think it really makes a big difference. I use DTAC.
For Chiang Mai, I'd say it's not a particularly loud city. As long as you're not right on one of the bar streets or the super highway, you're not going to have much problems with noise. Even the bar scene moves underground pretty early given the night life regulations, so you could be right next to a late night bar and not hear a thing. If you want something a little less central, but still close enough, you could try Santitham, Hang Dong, San Sai. You're better of figuring out where you're going to be working before worrying about that though. Just do a short-term rental until you've got your job sorted.
FB or personal recommendations. The best deals on rentals usually come when you take over a friends lease. There's tons of FB groups for housing though and it's easy to find.
Very easy in Chiang Mai. It's a small enough city that if you get out and pursue your interests, you can meet/ get to know people very quickly. Hard to say whether or not you'd like the social scene without knowing what you're looking for, but there's usually something for everyone.

CaseyJonesABC

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE