On my last trip to Bangkok, my party and I were chased out of a ping pong bar by a giant of a man wielding a machete, having fallen foul of a scam and refused to pay inflated drink prices. We took shelter in an Irish bar, where we donned disguises, after having run through the streets of Patpong, and re-emerged when it felt safe to do so.

The way our trip unravelled wouldn’t have been out of place as the script of another Hangover movie sequel. I was hosting a group of journalists and a BBC Radio DJ on a visit to client Durex’s condom factory in the Thai capital and there were many similar tales, which are now locked away in a vault.

However, mum of two adult boys and expat Tracy Mayhead (below), who teaches computer science in one of Bangkok’s high class international schools, has a very different story to tell of the city, in which she says she’s more wary of tourists than locals. She uses Bangkok as a base from which to explore the rest of Thailand other Asian countries, often travelling on her own.

Tracy, originally from Peterborough in the UK (and an old school friend of mine), now calls Bangkok home – saying she feels very settled and happy there – and can’t imagine living anywhere else. Her two bedroom condo, with shared pool, is in the central Sukhumvit area of the city – a popular place for expats to live – Tracy having said ‘goodbye’ to Blighty and ‘hello’ to Thailand in 2024.

She said: “There are so many differences between Asian and British culture, but the attitude of the people is the biggest. This is known as the land of smiles and that is so fitting. Buddhism creates a different approach to life. Thais believe they will be rewarded for being kind and helpful.

“For example, early every morning you’ll see the barefoot buddhist monks dressed in orange robes, carrying donation bowls. The Thai people give them food, as they believe by making a kind offering at the start of the day, their day will be good. This epitomises Thailand to me.”

On her one trip back to the UK last Christmas, her lasting impression of her fellow Brits was how much they moan! Here’s what living in Bangkok is like, in Tracy’s own words:

Working in Bangkok

I accepted a job without ever having been to Thailand….although I did lots of research!

I decided in the summer of 2023 I was going to apply for an international teaching job. The idea had been in my mind for several years but I needed my sons to finish their education first. I told all my friends my plans and asked my sons if they were ok with my decision, which they were.

I used to think that I would retire to Spain or somewhere warm but when Brexit came along, I realised I needed to change my game plan.

Prior to moving, I did lots of research, including following international teachers on social media. I discovered agencies I could apply through but the best opportunities came through school adverts on The Times Educational supplement, where there are hundreds of international jobs advertised.

I researched the countries and the schools and started applying in 2024. I ended up being interviewed online by five schools in the same week. Because of the time difference, these were mostly at 6am in the morning. Incredibly, I received four out of five offers. I’m lucky, as computing teachers are a rare find! Once I had checked it was ok with my family, I jumped at the chance and accepted the job which appealed to me the most.

My school is very supportive and, for the first year, they provided fully-furnished accommodation, a settling-in allowance and, when I arrived, some basic supplies , such as milk, bread and fruit. After the first year, you need to rent your own apartment, but they pay a housing allowance on top of your salary, which is on a level with UK pay.

When I joined the school, there were 24 other new teachers and, for the first two weeks, it was a bit like freshers week at uni. The school took us to restaurants and events, so we formed a bond. This becomes your cohort. We get on so well, go out together most weekends and sometimes holiday together. Our ages range from late 20s to late 50s.

I also try to go to meet up events where there are Thais and other nationalities to try to build up a wider group.

Living in Bangkok

There is so much more to Bangkok than the crazy party city that you hear so much about. While it is still there, there are plenty of temples, royal and religious sites, parks, night markets and an obscene amount of shopping malls, ranging from budget to high end. A new one seems to open each year. They are incredible places and so busy.

There are interesting places to visit during the day, such as the Talet Noi neighbourhood, which is very arty, with coffee shops, parks with huge monitor lizards strolling across the path (we actually have these in school too), markets and restaurants galore.

They also love celebrations. The mall Christmas trees are totally bling, with people dressed up as pandas, dancing for Chinese new year. The roof bars are sophisticated and the views stunning. There is so much to do and see and it is ever-changing and growing.

I think I was quite shellshocked when I arrived – getting my head round the comparative ‘craziness’ of Asia, trying to sort out my apartment, buying the wrong size sheets, having to take them back and trying to work, understand the school practices and put lessons together.

This, plus doing lots of tourist stuff was too much to deal with all at once. Once I wasn’t trying to cope with everything at the same time, I coped a lot better and settled into a comfortable life.

 

I live in a modern condo (above) with two bedrooms and bathrooms. I’m on the sixth of eight floors and have the most amazing 40ft swimming pool on ground level, surrounded by trees. I spend a lot of time relaxing here.

Ever since I have moved to Thailand I have had a home help. As well as cleaning, my helper changes my bed, does my washing and ironing, and she will shop for anything I need. I feel very privileged.

Is Bangkok safe?

It’s a capital city, so in some places, you are warned  to beware of pickpockets. There are some areas I would be more cautious about going to, but mostly I feel safe, even at night. The city doesn’t really sleep and there are always plenty of people around. In fact, I definitely fear tourists and foreigners rather than the Thais.

My working day, as a teacher in Bangkok

It’s an early start – which I still haven’t got used to! I leave my condo at 6.20am and get on a bike taxi to the end of the road. It’s only a 10 minute walk but, even at that time, it’s so humid, I would be sweaty and my makeup would have slipped off my face by the time I reached the end of the street! This costs 30p. I then get on a free school bus.

The school day starts at 7.40am and I teach a maximum of four hour and fifteen minute lessons a day, with some empty periods for planning and marking. Then the school day finishes at 2.30pm.

If there are no meetings or sports, I leave, come back to my condo and go for a swim. Evenings, sometimes I go out, but mostly I just chill or plan for the next day. At the weekends, I meet up with my friends to go around markets, have some time away from the city, or have massages, facials, meals out or just hang out by my condo pool.

I do lots of after-school sports, such as Hyrox, netball and bootcamp, with my fellow teachers, all of which is provided free of charge by the school. I have also tried Muay Thai, a form of full contact Thai boxing.

Cost of living in Thailand

When I came back to the UK in the winter, I couldn’t believe how expensive it was there! That said, I do miss reasonably priced wine, as well as cheese and jacket potatoes!

Bangkok is more affordable, especially considering I live in a capital city. My rent is a very reasonable £745 per month, including use of the pool and gym.

Electricity and water prices are set by the government and I pay less than £20 for electricity every month. I might not be heating and cooking, but aircon uses a lot of electricity and fans are on constantly throughout the night too. I also pay less than £5 a month for water.

I regularly have massages, which are between £12-20 each, facials (£25-40), gel nails (£7) and pedicures (£12).

I can eat street food for 60p. Even a Thai restaurant is £2.50 for a main course. It actually costs me more to buy ingredients and cook for myself! That said, the Thai people don’t actually cook much either and the tradition is to go out to eat. I don’t even have an oven in my Condo!

It shows what a nerd I am, but I miss not being able to use Apple Pay on my watch or phone in Thailand.  I can use the QR pay system as I have a Thai bank account, but it takes longer.

The weather in Thailand

It’s always hot and humid – even throughout the night.  During the day, I teach in air conditioned rooms. When I get home I mostly just use fans, as I have had enough of the aircon. When you’re out and about, you learn to do what the Thais do, which is to take bike taxis instead of walking and dip in and out of malls/ 7-11 stores to get blasts of aircon.

I have definitely acclimatised, in winter (November to February) temperatures drop to 24 degrees and I wear jeans!

Eating in Thailand

Thai food is amazing and everywhere! The street food is just as good as any restaurant and so cheap. My friends and I have a few street food rules, including that we don’t eat anything that has been sitting there. If it’s popular with the Thais and has a high turnover, it’ll be fine. Freshly cooked stir fry, made in front of you, is always going to be good.

There are some great western restaurants too, which are a bit more expensive.

Favourite bars and restaurants in Bangkok

I don’t think I have scratched the surface at all in Bangkok and there are so many great places to visit. Places I have enjoyed so far included:

• Tichuca Roofbar: not bad prices, chill music and an Avatar movie vibe with its glowing tree
• Tt Roofbar: not flash but great atmosphere and amazing prices
• Cul de Sac: a crazy bar where you can drink out of roller skates
• Havana Social: a speakeasy which you enter through a phone box, where a Cuban band plays
• Above 11 rooftop bar: more expensive than others, but good Japanese food and a gorgeous setting
• The Stranger Bar (House of Drag Queens): they are brilliant….such a laugh
• Sabaijai: a great Thai restaurant

The notorious backpacker party street people may have heard of is Khaosan Road. Seeing is believing but actually Rambuttri Road, which is the road parallel to it, has some great bars and street food.

Chinatown at night is also a must, where you’ll find lots of street food. For a bit of calm, we like Laoteng, an amazing dim sum restaurant.

The Thai people

The Thai people are so kind and helpful, but one thing that took some getting used to was the fact that they don’t like to ‘lose face’. So, if you ask them for something and they can’t help you, they hate to admit it and may ghost you. You get used to the fact that if they don’t come back, you need to find someone else to ask. This also happens in school with the Thai staff. They’re not being rude – it’s just part of the Asian culture, which you’ll also find in other countries.

There is a Thai law that for every foreign employee a company wants to employ, they have to employ four Thai people. They are generally on considerably lower wages. So, the school has an army of business support, including gardeners, maids, technicians, administrators, drivers and bus monitors, for example.

Learning the Thai language

I am good at giving directions in Thai, can count and ask for things in shops and restaurants, but it’s not an easy language to learn as the tones make it complex.

When I started learning to say a few words, I asked a market stall for 10 eggs and they laughed. They found someone to explain that I had asked for 10 ‘fevers’ because I had said the word with a rising tone and not a neutral one!

Even if you know the right words, you have to say it with a Thai accent as they don’t understand it in a British one. Last week, for example, I asked a bike taxi to take me to my friend’s condo called ‘Rhythm’. He didn’t understand what I had said, but we headed over to her road. I pointed to her condo and he corrected me and told me it’s called ‘Writ-tam’!

I keep trying to speak Thai so I get better and hope to start some lessons soon.

Favourite places in Thailand

I feel guilty that I haven’t explored Thailand enough, although I have visited other Asian countries since moving here. I’m planning a few more Thailand holidays in the coming months.

Koh Samet

So far, I have been to this island three times. I can get there door to door (including boat) in just three hours – so it’s not unlike going to Brighton if you live in London. It’s not as well known as some other islands but it is gorgeous, it has clear blue seas, white powder beaches, restaurants and bars along the beach.

Accommodation in a pleasant hotel on the beach with breakfast is about £30 per night per person and private luxury taxi from Bangkok and speedboat is about £120 for two people, return.

Twice I’ve stayed at Samed Villa Resort (and am due to go back again soon). It’s near my favourite beach – Tub Tim – and has nice rooms. I also stayed at Larissa Samed Resort at the top of the island, which has good bungalows but I don’t like the beach as much, personally.

Chiang Mai 

Situated in the north of Thailand, Chiang Mai has an amazing vibe. I went at Christmas, which is the best time for weather (you need to avoid the ‘burning’ season of February to April). There are so many historic and beautiful temples. The markets are full of unusual crafts and art, not just your usual souvenirs.

Return flights are about £90pp from Bangkok at that time of year. We stayed at La Pillow 8, a small hotel without breakfast for £30 each. We chose to stay inside the old town so it was easy to walk around (it is cooler in northern Thailand).

I have heard Koh Lipe, close to Malaysia, and Koh Kood, in the Gulf of Thailand, are even better than Koh Samet, so I am looking forward to checking them out this coming year.

 

 

 

I’ve also used Bangkok as a base to travel to Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore, the latter being a marathon train journey, which was quite an adventure.

I liked Singapore to visit, but wouldn’t want to live there with all of its rules, though. On the trains in Malaysia, there were no announcements in English or screens, so I was thankful for guards helping me out.

In Cambodia, we visited the killing fields and saw the rats they have trained to sniff out mines. It was a moving experience and very upsetting, but we felt it was something we needed to do.

In the summer I went to Bali, which I was told is like Marmite: some love it; some hate it.  I loved it. With so many Hindu rituals and offerings, I found it fascinating. Nusa Dua, however, was too over-developed for my liking and, to me, has lost some of its Balinese charm.

Solo travel in Thailand

I actually quite enjoy solo travelling, You have to make an effort to speak to people and that makes it so more interesting, but you can do what you want, when you want and don’t have to compromise with anyone.

On a safety note, I try to be aware of my surroundings and will use bike and car taxis more at night, just to be on the safe side.

My advice would be not to over plan and to allow enough time to appreciate each stop, as you might also want to stay in one part for a bit longer. Thailand is mostly a safe country and I believe most trouble is generally caused by foreigners.

For anyone planning to work abroad, my advice would be to grab the bull by the horns and go for it!  I am a firm believer that you are more likely to regret the things you don’t do than the things you do.