Nissan, the third largest Japanese car manufacturer, announced that they will expand their production of export vehicles in Thailand. This is in connection with the company’s aim to expand its use of the country as a low-cost production base. Wages in the country is significantly lower than in Japan that is why the company is looking to make bigger profits if they expand their production in the said country.

The company announced that they will be exporting Thai-made Navara to more than 100 countries around the world starting August this year. Nissan’s Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn made the announcement but did not specify the number of Navaras they are planning to produce in Thailand. The Navara is a one-ton pickup truck produced by the company since 1986 and is also called the Nissan Frontier in other markets.

Nissan will be following the steps taken by General Motors, Toyota and Ford which have already stepped up production in Thailand. These three car manufacturers have already taken advantage of the low production cost in Thailand as well as for the tax breaks in the country.

Nissan has earmarked a sum of about $911 million in the expansion of their production based in Thailand. The company aims to double production output in the country which would mean that they will be producing about 200,000 vehicles in the Southeast Asian country by the end of 2008. The expansion to be carried out by Nissan will make Thailand their third largest Asian production base behind Japan and China.

“The costs in Thailand are very competitive,” said Ghosn. “Thailand is the other export base that we have built outside of Japan.”

The Japanese car manufacturer trails Toyota and General Motors in terms of production output in Thailand. During the first quarter of this year, Japanese car manufacturers have collectively exported 2,637 units of automobiles from Thailand. That figure corresponds to an increase of 1.7 percent compared to the first quarter of 2006.

In November last year, Nissan started exporting the Nissan strut -equipped Tiida, which is also known as the Nissan Versa, into Australia from Thailand. The export of the said car into the Australian market is a good start for the company in terms of expanding their production base in Thailand. Aside from fully assembled vehicles, Nissan is also planning to export 11.5 billion baht worth of Thai-made auto parts. That plan would make Thailand the second largest Asian production base of auto parts for Nissan, second only to Japan.

Due to the expansion of their production base in Thailand, the country’s economy has grown by 4.3 percent during the first quarter of the year. Exports from the country increased by 21 percent last month compared to May of 2006. The increase in export has given the country an income of $13.1 billion. The increase in export is led by automobiles and auto parts which shows an increase of 32 percent for the month.

While the plans are already in place, Ghosn is worried about the current political situation in Thailand. Following the ousting of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, protesters have gathered to call for the resignation of army chief Sondhi Boonyarataklin. “For a car manufacturer heavily invested in Thailand, it’s not sufficient to have just a good export base,” said Ghosn of the current situation. “We’re following, just like anybody else, the situation with a lot of attention, hoping that it will stabilize very soon.”

English is the official language of ASEAN – The Association of South East Asian Nations. It is the language of international business and now it is the main language of the internet. This means that in Thailand there is a big demand for native English speakers to teach all age groups how to speak, read and write the English language. Coupled with that is the ever growing tourism industry and the need for language skills amongst those who service it.

Although in the past the regulation of the teaching industry has been relaxed, the only real qualification being that you are a native speaker. This has now changed not only in Thailand but elsewhere. Employers will insist on a bachelor’s degree. Oddly this is more important than either a specialized TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) or a TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) certificate. The subject of the BA is not important but it must be genuine. Anyone caught using forged qualifications are now subject to law and employers will run checks with issuing colleges and universities from which the qualifications were awarded. If you are qualified then teaching can be a great way to get really involved with Thai society. ‘Sanuk’ or the importance having fun is a defining factor in social interaction. It may not always be easy, but teaching can be a rewarding and interesting experience.

When looking for work you have to decide whether you prefer to teach adults or children and what sector of the industry you want to cater to. International schools follow the curriculum of the country to which they are affiliated whether that is the UK, US or France. Teachers there would be qualified in the same way as they would in their country of origin so these jobs are in high demand since the pay is very good and employers can be very choosy.

All over Thailand there are private schools some being part of a chain whilst others are totally independent commercial enterprises. They range vastly in quality, the better ones having the pick of those they want to employ. This is another reason why being properly qualified is important. You will be paid more. There is also a great need for teachers at high schools. The pay can be quite low but generally it is a less stressful job since class times are shorter.

Often considered the most prestigious places to teach are universities. The pay is not always as high as the prestige might suggest since rates are set by the government but there is plenty of opportunity for specialization if you already have an academic background.

Private one to one teaching is a market in itself. Some teachers hate it finding it very demanding, others prefer the freedom in hours and the more intense nature of the work. It can also be a bit more lucrative than teaching a class. People will want value for their money though from the one to one experience, so professionalism and preparation are vital.

Some teachers prefer dealing with adult students and some prefer children. It’s just a question of preference. With adults many experienced teachers specialize in one area whether that is business English, medical English, tourist industry English and so on. Thailand is a country where appearance, respect and face matter. The profession of teacher or ‘kru’ or ‘ajarn’ is highly respected and certain levels of presentation are required. From men a shirt and tie at least and for women fairly formal clothing.

Teaching jobs are advertised in the Bangkok Post and increasingly on the internet.

Whatever your training and however long you plan to make a life in teaching Thailand can be an enjoyable place to do it. Teaching those keen to learn who also want to have fun is a rewarding experience.