Paid Teaching in Thailand

I would love to write a good review because the service did act as a springboard into a new life but their lack of racial awareness and the fact that they left me to be racially discriminated against without any warning or help has given me cause to write this review to warn other people of colour about what they might experience. I took the 'Tefl to Teach' in Koh Samui Thailand. The course offered a guaranteed job at the end so we had to submit CVs and photographs of ourselves. I got 97 per cent in the Tefl - top of the class. Unfortunately, I was not offered a job. All of the other 10 or so people on the course were given job offers and I had to sit and watch as they celebrated. After this my course leader asked to talk to me in private and then told me the reason I didn't get a job offer was because I am black and that Thai people are racist - he pointed out that they are racist towards African people and that I was lucky that I'm from England because when they hear my English accent, he was sure they would like me! He promised to travel to Bangkok with me to visit the job agencies but when the day came, he said he would meet me there and then, yes you guessed it, I never saw him again.
Of course, I called Gap360 from Thailand. An employee said there was nothing he could do...
One point to note is the job agencies take 15 to 20 per cent of your wage every month and they are affiliated with the course so there is an alternative interest to the actual needs of the new teachers. TIP - You can find the same job openings on Ajarn.com yourself and keep the 20 per cent every month.
The Tefl is not as good as a CELTA or TESOL so you will not be competitive in the job market anyway. You will be able to find a low-paid job in a local school easily but if you want better opportunities, the CELTA or TESOL is cost-effective. You will need to pay to do one if you want to make a career out of teaching. I advise doing a CELTA or TESOL whether you know that you want to go into teaching or not. The TEFL is a waste of time and money. You learn the most basic skills. If you are looking for a holiday and you want to study a bit - nothing challenging - by all means do a TEFL with Gap360. BUT you will be paying more than is necessary. Truth is a return flight can be bought for 400 euros, a month accommodation 300 + euros and then you pay for the TEFL. Thailand is so easy to travel around in you really don't need to pay a company like Gap360 a 1000 bucks to remind you to do simple things like take your passport, get a visa and buy travel insurance....”