Schools Shut in Bangkok After Violent Clashes

Printer-friendly versionPDF version

Dozens have been killed in the recent clash between protesters and troops in the Thai capital and schools across the city remain closed. TEFL teacher, Lynette Cooper, who lives near the centre of Bangkok, comments on the situation.

Dingwall, Ross-Shire, May 19, 2010 (PressReleasePoint) -- Violent clashes in Bangkok have resulted in high numbers of British tourists leaving the city as the FCO advises against all but essential travel to the Thai capital. TEFL teachers in the area have been out of work during the crisis with schools cancelled until the violence subsides.

Political unrest has been developing for several years now after the ‘Yellow Shirts’ – those opposed to the former Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra – cost the country millions in tourist revenue by shutting down airports in the capital for weeks. Now the ‘Red Shirts’ – supporters of Thaksin – are violently protesting on the streets of Bangkok, demanding that parliament be dissolved.

TEFL teachers working in schools in the capital have been told to stay at home for the time being as schools are shut for a further week. Lynette Cooper, a TEFL Scotland graduate, who has been in Bangkok since the beginning of the year, has had the week off: “School has closed for the rest of the week so most of the teachers remain at the beach!” However, Lynette, who lives near the centre of the capital, is very concerned about what is going on despite being largely unaffected herself: “I am just very sorry for the unnecessary deaths, violence and damage these problems have and continue to cause this country.”

Lynette advises: “As far as travelling to the country goes, obviously it would be wise to avoid the centre of Bangkok, but certainly I would have no qualms about going anywhere else in the country as it seems to be business as usual.”

The political situation in Thailand may have resulted in tourists flocking home but TEFL teachers are still expressing a desire to travel out to the country to teach. TEFL Scotland co-founder, Joe Hallwood, says: “We’re still getting calls from people wanting to work out there – not from anyone looking to work in Bangkok but in other areas of Thailand”.

For TEFL teachers, there will always the possibility of experiencing problems abroad. Currently, serious political issues are affecting those who have travelled abroad to Thailand and Greece and the now infamous Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland is continuing to disrupt flights. Travel comes with its risks – may it be a natural disaster a political uprising – but, for the most part, TEFL teachers only tend to encounter relatively minor problems such as losing wallets and encountering disruptive students!

Editors notes

About TEFL Scotland:
TEFL Scotland Ltd is the foremost TEFL course provider in Scotland. It was recently winner of HBWCs Most Enterprising Business of the Year award and has trained over 2,000 students in the last twelve months. All graduates are offered a recruitment service for paid teaching positions in several countries in Asia and Europe and are trained by a team with over 25 years teaching and training experience.

Contact: Joe Hallwood, TEFL Scotland, Ross-Shire Business Centre, 1 Castle Street, Dingwall, Ross-Shire, IV15 9HU, 0871 221 8335, info@telfscotland.co.uk, http://www.teflscotland.co.uk.
PressRelease Distribution By PressReleasePoint