I hate to bring this up, but will Thailand allow you to import your pug? They have a lot of restrictions on snub-nosed breeds and I hope that a pug is not one of the dogs they won't accept.

I only say this because we are currently organising our own dog's transport to Thailand and this is one of the issues that would have come up if he had been the 'wrong' breed for the country!!

Congratulations! Which school will you be going to? Have also just accepted my first IE post in Thailand. Can't believe it is just over a quarter of a year until we move. My husband and two children are coming with me, and I think there are quite a few families at my school which is reassuring. I am not going to be based in Bangkok, but on the eastern seaboard. Bangkok will be for shopping, I think!

Wow, thanks for that comprehensive reply. I suppose there is the subjective measurement of how much you as a teacher actually enjoy working there, too, and how happy you are with the education your children receive - in other words, not how selective a school is, but by how much the children are able to reach their potential and are encouraged and supported to improve. For me these are the top two priorities and the sign of a school which is interested in the teaching and learning. If I have accepted a post in a school that fulfils that criteria, I believe I have hit the jackpot, regardless of whatever Tier others may call it!
Having looked at some of the Elite type schools, they seem to be very intolerant of any student who might need some sort of learning support. They also seem to have HUGE student numbers. Both of these things, I personally find, really off putting.
Interesting you have classed all 'for profit' schools in the third tier category - is it really not possible to have a tier 1 or 2 school which is also 'for profit'.
Another interesting question is how much does historical reputation impact the classification? There are plenty of schools who might be said to rest on their laurels and others that are making real progress and providing a super education and opportunities to a broad and balanced student body, but are not as established time-wise.
I've not taught abroad before, so this is one of the interesting aspects of IE about which I am learning.
As a teacher and parent I was less than impressed by many of the schools that were at the one and only SA Fair that I went to. I am also unimpressed by schools that seem to be more of a US style education than 'International' (or British, thus my confusion over the appeal of ISB and why I declined to work there!) but I suppose it is different strokes for different folks. Glad that, as a teacher, I get to choose the (hopefully) best fit for my children and I rather than having to rely on the dreaded waiting list phenomena.

What's wrong with Regents Pattaya? I think their website looks really impressive and compares favourably to all the schools mentioned above (and actually is much more impressive than ISBs, not that websites are the best measure of a school!!) Patana, NIST and ISB have obviously been established for longer than the others but apart from that, just wondering about the whole way that people decide which 'tier' a school is...
Reading reviews by staff on ISR, they are quite mixed about all of these schools!

Sorry, teacher, but when you replied about 'experience', I'd already written that I had never heard of ISE and wasn't going to teach there. Thus, I assumed your response was a generalisation despite you having read my comment carefully.
Clearly we have been writing at cross purposes...
Hope you are enjoying your current post in I.S.E (general) far more than your friend did at ISE(specific).
I was pretty picky I choosing where I'd apply in the first place, so am pretty confident that I (and my family) will get a great deal more out of our experience than 'character' (in which we already abound :-) )

OP have you considered applying directly to schools you like rather than relying on a fair?
I have signed up for several email notifications from schools that I like, and have the top favourites on my favourites list so I can keep an eye on vacancies.
This is how I found a post for August and it's always handy to keep an eye on what posts your 'dream school' is advertising in case there is a chance something suitable will come up when it's time to renew or resign!
Good luck!

Wow! Bitter much? Your friend had an awful experience at one poor international school and now everyone should not want to be involved in international education at all?
Wondering quite what the purpose of your 'contribution' to this thread is, teacher!
Thanks to all who have been helpful, though :-)

I see...thanks for clarifying. I have never heard of it and not going there, so sure my experience will be better than your friend's and if not, then it's only two years and I can get another job somewhere else. No biggie!

Hmm...not particularly helpful teacher. Is ISE a school or is your friend's opinion based on working in International School Education in general? I'm sure as all good teachers know, generalisations and stereotypes tend not to be the best information upon which to base considered opinion!

Thank you everyone for your really comprehensive advice! This will really help when deciding what to sell/give to charity or bring with us.

Not actually going to be in BKK but on the eastern seaboard.

Very excited but a little overwhelmed by all the paperwork at the moment!

Looking forward to my new job in Thailand this August and just wondering what things people would suggest are essential to bring over when you are uprooting your family. Also, what not to bother with!

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Thanks, Gemini. I was really careful to choose schools to apply to that I felt would be a good fit for me and my family..after all, the children have to go to the school so I had to feel happy it would do a good job of educating them otherwise I couldn't consider it. Also hubby would have to be happy living in the area where the school is situated. Believe me that rules out A LOT of potential jobs!!
This time I feel lucky that I seem to have gotten it right (or time will tell once I start work in August...!) Slightly concerned that I turned down the tier 1 post in favour of a less 'prestigious' school, but pedagogically (and location wise) I preferred it!

You could always move to the UK. Apparently it is illegal for recruitment agencies to charge fees for members so you wouldn't have to pay a fee.

Also, you can apply directly to schools, so unless you want easy access to lots of schools on a database with info about salaries etc... you might want to put in the hours of your own internet searches!

No visa until the day before you're travelling?

Now THAT is stressful!! So glad it worked out for you!

Am very new to all this, and technically am not yet an international teacher, although I have just accepted my first post abroad!

To begin, I thought about areas in the world I'd like to live and started researching schools in those areas. Read reviews on ISR as to where I should avoid at all costs, and then checked individual school websites for vacancies (signed up for email alerts etc..) also regularly checked international teaching vacancies on job websites.
When there was a vacancy that interested me, I applied (I've been ridiculously picky and only made a few applications!) but was fortunate enough to receive interviews and offers. Made a decision and am in the process of signing contracts, organising paperwork etc... And planning where the family and I are going to live (and where we can go on holidays in term breaks!).
I did attend a fair, but already had two interviews organised that same week and none of the available posts at the fair compared!
Crossing fingers all goes well and this August will see us in our new home and school.