Teaching is one of the most accessible positions for foreigners who want to earn money while residing in Thailand legally, but is teaching in Thailand worth it? Here’s a breakdown of what you may get in exchange for working in Thailand’s school system.
Is Teaching in Thailand Worth it?
This is one of those questions that will always be answered many different ways. After living and teaching in Thailand for the better part of a year and experiencing the cost of living in Chiang Mai, here’s what I have to say.
A Teacher’s Salary in Chiang Mai
I’m a teacher at a private school in Chiang Mai and earn a monthly salary of 28,000 baht. Now, you may ask, “Is teaching in Thailand worth it for $900 a month?” If you’e flying solo, you can live a decent life in Chiang Mai on that kind of money.
There are modest single bedroom apartments for 6,000-8,000 baht ($200 to $260 USD) per month, which leaves you with up to $700 in spending money. With those funds, you can eat out most nights alternating between Thai and western cuisine, enjoy drinks on weekends, shop a bit, rent a motorbike, fill up on gas, and pay your monthly electric bill. With a little planning, you can even make small weekend trips. There won’t be much left over, but you shouldn’t be pinching pennies during the months there are classes.
Our three-day trip to Pai for two cost less than $140 US
My salary includes paid time off during Thai holidays, which average to about four days each semester. If I happen to be sick or need to take off, my pay is deducted by the cost of the substitute teacher. In my experience, substitute teachers are paid a higher hourly rate than I am, so it actually costs me money to take a day off.
My school provides free lunch for teachers. I eat lunch at school almost every day, which at about 50 baht a meal (the cost of food and drink) saves me 1100 baht or $35 a month.
Getting a Thai Non-Immigrant Business Visa
In addition to getting paid for teaching, I get a business visa, which I think is extremely valuable. Having a business visa allows you to stay in Thailand for the length of your school contract up to 12 months (three months for a single entry business visa plus the nine-ish month extension) without making border runs.
I paid for my own single entry business visa (2000 baht), the one year extension (1900 baht), and the transportation and accommodation costs during my visa run. I didn’t pay for the work permit, which was 3000 baht.
Is teaching in Thailand worth it for up to 15 months of no border runs? Definitely! This was especially worth it to me because it meant that Chris could get a dependent visa so neither of us have to do border runs during the length of my school contract.
A Teacher’s Work Schedule in Thailand
In exchange for my salary, paid holidays, free lunch, and a business visa, I am obligated be clocked in at school from 8:00am to 3:30pm five days a week. I am typically there from 7:45am to 3:45pm, making it an eight-hour work day. I teach an elective health class and have roughly 1100 students between the ages of 6 and 11 that I see once every other week. I teach five 50 minute classes per day. The free time I have between classes is when I grade papers, which is about a twelve-inch stack per week.
In addition to my 40 hour work week, I spend about 10 hours every two weeks writing lesson plans and creating worksheets from scratch, which I typically do on the weekends. As a health teacher, I have few teaching resources (English teachers have more available), so I spend much of my time combing the internet for images with which to create my worksheets and for material-free activities to make my class fun. Needless to say, I look forward to my days off during Thai holidays to catch up on everything. That being said, after a year of teaching, I should have enough material to use again during next year’s classes.
Is teaching in Thailand worth it considering I don’t get paid those extra hours and it imposes itself on my personal time? Eh, this one I don’t like so much. I think this is felt by teachers ’round the world. But in exchange for a decent salary and a long visa stay, it’s worth it for now. Plus, my kids are pretty great!
So, would are you willing to spend 45+ hours per week working a challenging and highly interactive job in exchange for a business visa, a middle class wage, and the opportunity to live in Thailand for a year, two, or longer?
For those aspiring to move to Thailand and teach, does this lifestyle sound appealing to you? To the teachers living here, based on what you get for what you give, is teaching in Thailand worth it to you?
A helpful region guide for teachers by Ajarn.com.
I am a Filipino citizen working in a British school here in Abu Dhabi. I have an Education degree and have been teaching for 18 years now. This is my 9th year in this school. I would love to experience teaching primary students in Thailand one day but I prefer the one in remote towns.
Hello guys! I think its amazing what you guys are doing, with the blogging and all. It really really helps people like me that are planning on teaching abroad. I’ve read everything below so I got a lot of information, thanks a bunch! I am planning to move to Thailand after 2 years, after I get my bachelors in elementary education. Teaching is my passion. I love kids more than anything so I am very excited. Want to teach more in the country side, not a city person, but whatever comes comes. My question is, is it hard to find… Read more »
Thanks for the compliments, Abraham! It’s not difficult to find a job in Thailand because there is still a demand for teachers. However, Thailand is still a little behind when it comes to hiring teachers based on credentials rather than looks (they tend to hire based on the latter). Also, since you’ll be coming here with a BA in Education then you will qualify for a position at an international school, which is where the money is! However, those are usually in the larger towns and cities, no in the country because there is a higher concentration of expats in… Read more »
Your welcome. Thanks a lot guys for all the information. Yes I’ve heard about the hiring process. Its not cool but it is what it is unfortunately. And yes upon some research I have read that international schools pay more but they’re in busier parts of the country, which I tend not to enjoy. I will aim at finding a job in the country side, even though the pay will be lower, as long as it is enough to pay the bills I will be much happier there, but we shall see! And awesome, definitely looking forward to volunteering at… Read more »
Chris and Angela: Thanks for the insight. I have a BA in Elementary Education, am Florida certified in K-6 and in MS Science, coach basketball and flag football,and have taught for over 10 years, 1) should or do I have to obtain TEFL certificate to teach or to be more attractive to employers?, 2) what are my prospects of landing a MS Science position?, 3) what are my prospects of landing a K-6 position?, 4) do they have copy machines in some or most schools, 5) are the locals cordial, hostile, etc. towards White foreigners?, 6) are there air conditioners… Read more »
1. No 2. The best chance of teaching science if you apply to an international school 3. Good 4. Definitely, have copy machines 5. You can expect AC in international schools, most private schools, and some of public schools 6. Cordial on an everyday basis. You are a permanent subordinate in the workplace. 7. Permanent residency/citizenship is difficult. Two top options (among a handful of others) are being employed or marrying a Thai person. 8. Very little. Only the best of best schools can afford technology in the classroom. 9. The English ability of the school is more related to… Read more »
Hi!
I have taught Engineering in Ethiopia from Oct. 2014 to Jan 2016. I also have more than 10 years of teaching experience in the Philippines. Is it possible for me to land a teaching job in mathematics or physics in Chiang Mai?
Sure. Stick to the international schools.
Hi!
I quite enjoy your blog so far. I am just curious, my partner and I both have our BAs (not in education) and are enrolled in a local TEFL courses and are considering Thailand to teach in. I’m looking to teach English, but my partner wants to teach something along the lines of Health, Science (bio) or business education, and he was curious as to how you managed to find a position teaching health? Any info, links, contacts would be immensely appreciated!
My position teaching health fell into my lap with help through my hiring agency, Text & Talk. It was a special case that my private school needed a rotation of math/science/health/religion teachers (who taught in English) for a brand new curriculum. What I’ve found is that if you want to teach something other than English, your best bet is to work at an international school (you probably won’t qualify since you aren’t a teacher by trade) or a university. My private school was an outlier, so you’ll have to do the legwork and talk to schools to see if they… Read more »
Thank you for this great article. My husband and I have thought about moving to Chiang Mai for some time now. We are both in our early to mid 30s. We are actually vacationing there in about 3 weeks. I have an MBA, have taught professional development classes, work at a community college now and teach Business Organization Management and Business Marketing, have written lesson plans etc. I would like to avoid taking the TEFL certificate if possible. How likely am I to be hired without it? How difficult do you think it would be to live there with a… Read more »
We have found that getting a TEFL benefits people who want to teach English to non-native speaking students but who have little to no prior teaching experience. This also applies to people who do not have a bachelor’s degree in teaching (or a degree at all) but want to teach. In your case, if you are teaching at a college or university (a specific non-English topic that you are an ‘expert’ in i.e. business or coaching) there’s a good chance you won’t need a TEFL because your students should be at a higher English comprehension level. Plus, you already have… Read more »
ok $800 is per month but from what i know thailand school year is 9 months and they are off 3 months a year.. do u get paid for that 3 months or do u only get paid for the semester u teach? is it $7200 a year salary or $9600?
My school paid me for the 10 months I worked when school was in session (May to February). Some schools do 12. Many schools offer summer schooling if you want to take advantage of it and get paid year round.
Awesome insights, and great advice for anyone wanting to become an English teacher in Thailand. It’s not always easy, and despite what many of the promotional sites/blogs have to say, sometimes the struggle is very real! It is, however, in my opinion one of the best countries to teach English in. Firstly, the cost of living is low. Accommodation, food and goods are well priced, and bargains are always available. Secondly, because of the government’s emphasis on attracting English speaking foreigners to come and teach English, the amount and variety of posts is massive compared to other Asian countries. Finding… Read more »
Hi to you both,
I am about to finish my B. Secondary Degree Major in Mathematics. I dont have any experience yet, do you think I can apply there?
Yes. If you don’t have any teaching experience, you should consider getting a TEFL certificate. This will help prepare you for the classroom so you are more successful as a new teacher. If you already had teaching experience, in most cases it is not necessary to get this. Good luck!
Hi, I am TEFL certified but do not have a BA degree or experience teaching. Is it possible to get a job teaching or possibly tutor?
Thousands of foreigners teach in schools without a BA degree or experience – we do not advocate this. However, it is possible to teach. There are schools in desperate need of teachers. they are usually less appealing to more qualified teachers – out in the country where you are the only foreigner, little to no teaching supplies, low pay, longer hours, etc. Also, you will not be eligible for a Non Immigrant B Visa and Work Permit. If all you are doing is looking for money, yes, you can do it, but we do not recommend it because it is… Read more »
Hi,
Did you have a teaching qualification in the states? Or previous experience? And do you mind me asking what area you are in?
I was an engineer prior to coming to Thailand and had a little experience training new hires. I taught in Chiang Mai and still live there.
Hi both, Great site. Me and my boyfriend are planning on teaching next year in Thailand. I already have a Secondary School (High School) Teaching qualification in English (PGCE from the UK) and my boyfriend has a Masters in Intellectual Property (Law). Would you still recommend gaining a TEFL cert, and if so would you do so and apply for jobs before arriving or doing 3-4wk TEFL course through a company and gaining placement through them? I read above that you would not accept the 30,000baht that is circulating now as salary, unfortunately, it still seems the case. Is it… Read more »
I like to recommend a TEFL to anyone who hasn’t has prior teaching experience before bc it teaches you how to create lesson plans, handle a classroom, and how to think on the fly. It also gives you an advantage over someone else with similar experience when applying for a job. Choose a TEFL company in the city you want to work and then have them help you with job placement. If you’re coming to Chiang Mai, we recommend SEETEFL. Don’t bother applying for a job before seeing the school in person or for one that offers less than 35,000… Read more »
Thanks. The plan is to spend a few more years in China (for the money) then look for something in Thailand or the Philippines at an International School. Hua Hin is nicer, due to the fresh wind always coming in from the water but I really like Chiang Mai as well. Thanks for the advice.
What about positions for professional teachers? I have a B.Ed. and teach Physics and Math at an International School in China. Everyone talks about ESL teaching in Thailand but what about teaching in an academic position? Are there many International Schools in Thailand? I have been to both Hua Hin and Chiang Mai and would prefer these places to Bangkok. Are the well-paying international schools only in Bangkok?
There are nearly ten international school in Chiang Mai in addition to a few universities at which professional teachers would be more suited to work. We would absolutely suggest this route for you. While the pay in Hua Hin an Chiang Mai is a bit less than what you would earn in Bangkok, 1) there is room for negotiation based on your experience and 2) Bangkok’s cost of living is significantly higher (for the same quality and conveniences) than in either city, so that is accounted for in the salary.
Thank you! I do not have a job lined up– hopefully that is still OK! From what I have read, that is one of the best times to come if I do not have a job lined up?
Yes, because (private and public) schools will be hiring in that time for the mid May start of the year. Good luck!
This is my plan as well! Though I think I will arrive in April, and potentially have an agency find me work and arrange my visa before I arrive, as I only plan to stay for the one semester. I’m OK to work full time but working 45+ hours per week is what I do at home and I want to enjoy my time there.
Awesome! April is a good time to come if you already have a job lined up. It gives you about a month to settle in and go on some trips before you start working. Hope you have a great time during your semester here!
I’m wanting to come teach this Spring and was planning on arriving at the beginning of March to do my TEFL and apply for jobs right after. I have been reading and been warned that this may be a hard time to get a job due to the break in April and I may have to hang out for a few weeks before starting work. Do you agree with this or have some suggestions for timing?
The school year for public and private Thai schools have a lull in March and April and do not start until sometime in May. You could either try international schools (aren’t on same start-stop schedule as public and private schools) or language centers (have classes year ’round). Good luck!
I’ve been living and teaching in Thailand for sometime now. I really don’t understand why so many teachers accept this minimum pay of 30k. I have to say the lowest pay I’ve accepted since being here is 50k.Sounds like my typical week isn’t as hectic add yours also. Don’t let Thais take advantage of you they will.
Lesson learned as a newbie teacher! The more qualified teachers as well as people who know their worth as a teacher won’t accept the 30k per month job. Unfortunately when I started teaching, 30k was *the* number floating around the very few sources on the internet so I knew no better. Just in the past few years there is so much more information. My older self would not accept that salary now, especially on that same hectic schedule!
Are you still living in Chiang Mai? I’m going there from this Friday to next Wednesday and looking for a private tutor.
Check out I ♥ Chiang Mai Facebook group and search for a tutor depending on what language you want. Have a great time here!
Hi Angela!
So what hours do you work these days, and for what pay?
I’m saving to move to Chiang Mai and teach also. I’ll be using UniTEFL (who i think you went with?) so i’m sure they’ll give me a lot of info and help finding a job, but I’d like to know what to realistically expect in terms of total working hours while i’m day dreaming here in the freezing cold working in retail :)
Thanks so much xo
I used to teach 24 classes a week, but I clocked in and out eight hours a day, Monday through Friday. I also made lesson plans and worksheets from scratch during the weekend and evenings, so that took another 10 hours a week. However, after talking with many other teachers, it seemed like 16 teaching hours per week (and not 24) is more of the norm, and you should make sure to be provided with lesson plans and book/worksheets/materials because it saves you a lot of headache and time. I was paid 28,000 baht per month, minus 800 baht er… Read more »
Wow… I am a new teacher in Thailand (Chiang Mai) but have experience elsewhere. It seems to me your schedule is way too hard. You are being paid very poorly for all those hours and extra work. I certainly wouldn’t be happy with that.
Looking back on it, I was naive and only wanted to be a good employee, so I accepted the position not knowing how demanding it would be. After talking with at least a dozen other teachers in the past year, I now realize I worked way too hard for what I was paid! 16 teaching hours – and not 24 as I had – is the norm. You live and you learn I suppose!
Where can I find more information on specific teaching jobs in Chiang Mai?
I honestly don’t know if it would be worth it for me. I’d like to save a little bit of money while working myself. perhaps by picking up private tutoring lessons or something.
I really enjoyed reading your post though. I think there needs to be more genuine information out there about the ins-and-outs of the job rather than vague, “but you can save so much money and keep travelling!” That’s all good for people who like children/teaching and don’t mind extra hours with no pay, but what about others’ who don’t want that?
Private tutoring, if you can maintain at least a part-time to full-time schedule, can pay a lot better than a public or private school teaching job. It’s certainly a great alternative to free up more time and earn more money for travel. The down side is that it doesn’t secure a Thai visa (good for a year without border runs). As far as saving money, you’d be surprised at how little you go out when a teacher – between no wanting to be tired or hungover teaching children the next day, or because grading and making lessons plans eat into… Read more »
You teach at an all girls school? You teach only in English? Do the kids understand and speak English well? Have you found yourself learning Thai as a side benefit of working at the school? Do other teachers and administrative staff there speak both Thai and English?
Yes, I only teach in English. The students have a wide range of abilities speaking English, but that is because they range from 6 to 11 years old, so some of them are just starting out. It is normal to have a Thai assistant teacher to help translate things like instructions or to handle problems. Only two Thai teachers I worked with spoke good English, but it was enough if I ever help with something. Three of the six English teachers I worked with spoke Thai at a level where they could give instructions in Thai and maintain an orderly… Read more »
Very interesting! The Thai assistant teacher is a great idea and shows the school is willing to invest to help the kids really get it. Teaching the kids in English is surely something that will benefit them going forward. It would be interesting to see some videos of how this interaction works in the classroom. It’s too bad your own Thai learning has to wait, but clearly the focus is on the kids first, which is great. Keep up the good work!
I’ve never taught before but think about teaching english in retirement. The complaint I hear most from teachers here in the U.S., is that kids and parents are often out of control, and not very nice to teachers. They tend to claim that has changed over the years…that 20-30 years ago, at least the parents were respectful. Do you find this the case in Thailand ? Thank you !
You can easily find the chaotic scenario as you described. My advice would be to sign up with an agency in Bkk with the agreement you would substitute. When you find somewhere you like, you’ll know, then talk to the admin of the school. It’s hit or miss.
Karl’s idea to sign up as a substitute teacher and get a feel for several schools is great. I (Angela) did not experience out of control kids and parents at my particular school. Oddly enough, the rumors I heard were that the children are super well behaved and that a teacher is the second most respected person after a monk. Both sets of rumors have a bit of truth in them, but it’s more about you – your rules, your classroom, how you keep children engaged and you earn their respect… and attention. Connect with them and they are world’s… Read more »
Hey Angela, After 19 years of working in SE Asia and out of Ft. Washington, MD, I settled in Bkk on a retirement visa. After two years of that, slowly waiting for my demise, I decided to take a TEFL course and exercise my brain. That segued after six months into teaching in an international program at a fairly well known HS here in Bkk. I teach Biology and Health. Of the four grades I teach (we call them grades) 7-10, I have a maximum of 45 students total. 10th grade is almost tutoring- 4 students. When I read how… Read more »
After speaking with other teachers, I’ve realized that my schedule and work load was one of the harder ones! I learned a lot about teaching and what I should expect from a school and from the students, but and that program was a challenge. I certainly would have taken you up on the offer of health books… just wish I had known you sooner!
I am obsessed with your blog! I am a little confused as to if you got a work visa…why did you need to also purchase your own single entry business visa? If I am understaning correctly…You are granted with work visa with the job…but you must pay for it?
My experience was that my hiring agency did not pay for my non-immigrant business visa, but they did pay for my work permit (which is a completely different document than the visa). Some schools or hiring agencies might pay for both documents, or may pay for neither – it’s just something you have to ask about before you are hired. You need both to legally work, though. Good question!
Hi Chris and Angela, I loved your article. My husband and I are planning to move to Thailand next year and teach English. We are not native speakers but have been studying English for a few years. In your opinion, how realistic are our chances of getting a teaching position? Also, I read that Chris has a dependent visa, is he allowed to work with this kind of visa? Thanks!
If you’ve studied English extensively and are comfortable with grammar, you’ll do just fine! This biggest give away is a heavy accent, but that’s certainly something that can be worked on. If you are confidence with your English speaking skills, that will show during your interview :)
Chris has a dependent visa, so he cannot work for a Thai company. However, if he were to apply for a job and get the supporting paperwork, he could very easily go on a visa run and switch over to a business visa.
It sounds to me that you might be better off as the substitute teacher ;-) I am a teacher and I taught in one of the prestigious-type International schools (in Vietnam) it was long hours and hard work, but the package was amazing. Sometimes, I considered doing TEFL instead, but it sounds like you work just as much! I don’t know if things have changed since I left in 2010, but at the time the TEFL teachers that I met in Vietnam got a great deal, better pay than Thailand and fewer classes/students. Might be worth looking into!
Substitute teaching would be a great alternative if I knew that I would be subbing at only a few schools, and only guarantee a few days a week and not five! While there are schools in desperate need for English teachers and will hire those who do not have a TEFL and/or degree, the pay can be lower. But legally a teacher should have both! After that you just have to know what to look for – good hours, good pay, vacation time, number of classes taught per week, curriculum, lesson planning, etc to make the pay worthwhile. I think… Read more »
Hey guys,
This a real interesting post, often thought about having a go at teaching via TEFL. Are you a qualified teacher in the States Angela? If not, is it unrealistic to expect to be paid the same? Cheers
I was a research engineer back in the States. While there are very prestigious schools in Thailand that want to see a teaching degree, teaching experience, and a TEFL certification before hiring you, the school I was offered a job at required a bachelor’s degree and a TEFL certification. No teaching experience required, although during my TEFL course I taught several classes at a local school and I’ve trained people at my past job. My school pays all teachers the same and there wasn’t talk of a raise for being there longer or if you’d had prior teaching experience. I… Read more »
Great article. I have a question around teaching, but not in a school. How do expats who live in Chiang Mai with kids educate them? Do they go to an international school? Can they homeschool? Can they employ a teacher to teach the kids at home?
I know the question is a bit hard to answer, but just looking for another perspective for our children.
Expats living in Chiang Mai with children have several options for international schools, in addition to many private Thai schools, depending on what language they want to raise their child(ren) to speak. We’ve heard they are quiet expensive though ($10k-$13k). Families can homeschool, although we don’t know how children obtain education credit from Thailand or their home country (yearly test?). As for employing a private teacher, if the teacher is a Thai national, then it should be ok. It gets complicated when the teacher is a foreigner because of the visa and working laws in Thailand. However, We do not… Read more »
Thanks guys. The information is much appreciated. I still need to do more research, but I can see from your comment that there other possibilities to explore.
All the best.
I think you summed it up well….it is all about the kids in the end isn’t it. Teachers do not get enough credit no matter where you are in the world, but most of them do it because of those gorgeous kids.
Teaching is ten times more enjoyable if you love the students. Although the pay is decent and it’s great security to have the visa, you gotta do it for the kids or else you won’t like it.
Chris and Angela, I’ve now met a few people who have gone overseas to teach. I have one pen friend who is arriving in Thailand in the next couple of weeks to do so as a matter of fact. I was catching up on blogs tonight and came across your’s and it gave me that really warm feeling inside my soul. Both of my parents and both of my step parents….4 in total…were all teachers for 30+ years. I have a great, deep affection for the profession (I work in a government job) and can not promote and support the… Read more »
Thank you for your well wishes! Although I’ve appreciated my teachers and what they’ve done for me in the past, I’ve gained a new found respect for them since becoming one myself. It certainly takes a special kind of person to dedicate their life to teaching as your parents and stepparents have done. Special thanks goes to them, too.
I think to be able to enrich another person’s life has to be rewarding in itself. Yes getting paid is important but look at what you are doing. Stay with it
Thanks for the encouragement, Arleen!
That definitely sounds like a great experience. Not sure I’d be so keen on the 45 hour work weeks, though! I’ve taught English on and off in Europe for the last 3 years and usually do 25 hours (plus prep), which is a nice amount for me.
That sounds like the perfect amount of time! As long as we can still hold onto our working and dependent visas, 25 hours a week would be ideal.
Glad to hear you’re enjoying your job…there are definitely a wide range of teaching situations here and some are a little rough… Good on you for creating your own materials – the English teachers don’t always get them either – I taught at a private high school and had four different levels of classes that I saw three times a week for each class and….nada. No curriculum, materials, books…I know how much time, energy and creativity it sucks up!
One of the perks about making worksheets and flashcards week in and week out and is the creativity outlet. I haven’t drawn or colored that much in years!
I loved when I was teaching and could see the excitement in the children faces. Though it is a lot of hard work and long hours it is a rewarding career. :-)
Many thanks for your years as a teacher. I definitely agree that seeing the excitement – and comprehension – in their eyes is the best!
Lived in Thailand for a while about 20 years ago when I worked for Paris Match. It was wonderful and I was truly happy there. Have been back several times.
Was very easy for me to get the kind of visa you mention because I’m Swedish. The only problem was all the bureaucracy you had to go through to get it:-)
Love your pictures!!
Yes, the running around and headaches of immigration do turn a lot of people off, and it is very cumbersome to say the least. We are glad that you were able to experience Thailand. I bet it was a whole different place 20 years ago. It would be great to be able to travel in time and see it that way! Thanks for the kind words. Take care!
I definitely agree that teaching was harder work than I thought it would be initially! It was more hours and a LOT less pay than my engineering job. It takes special people, who feel a passion for the kids to make it work. It was interesting hearing about your experience.
P.S. definitely come visit for Christmas!!! We are planning a Bad Santa house crawl around our neighborhood. :)
Hey Megan! Yes, teaching definitely requires a ton of passion and patience. Christmas in India? Sounds amazing! We need to visit soon :)
First of all, what fabulous pictures! Second, I can’t believe you have to pay someone to do your job when you are sick. I knew it was bad in other countries but damn. Thanks for the insight, I always wondered. Alas, I think I’ll have to live vicariously through you.
The substitute basically takes my pay for the day plus a little extra (around $5/day). I just try not to think about it too much or take sick/vacation days for that matter!
In Chiang mai salary normally lower because of the amount of forreigners. I work in a government school E.P program. The salary start at 35 000 baht if you have a bachelour degree. Paid holidays, paid sick days, paid work permit and visa, paid insurrance. The bonus is all the extra teaching. Some teachers make nearly 100 000 baht per month with school and private teaching and the living cost is cheaper than many places.
That is wonderful. Yes, Chiang Mai is a popular place to teach. The salaries are lower here, but the cost of living is also significantly lower than most other parts of the country. We aren’t overly concerned with making the big bucks and are pretty happy with what we have. May we ask where (province) you teach, or are you in Chiang Mai as well? Sounds like a great setup.
I live in Nakhon Ratchasima. (Korat). I have lived and worked here for 10 years.
That is awesome!
Very similar salary and working hours like in China. It’s definitely a great experience and so much ｆｕｎ！
It definitely keeps things lively. Too much fun can wear you out some days though:)
There’s a lot of chatter out there in Cyber space about teaching over seas, but you present a pretty straight forward picture. As a retired teacher I can say the reality is that teaching is a LOT of work no matter where you are in the world and the pros and cons are all relative to where you are and what you want from the experience. Kudos to you for taking the leap!
Thank you so much. I would definitely encourage people thinking about teaching overseas to take into account everything that teaching really is, and not only think about the exotic/foreign location they will be living in. There is a lot that goes into teaching, especially when teaching students who are just beginning to grasp basic English. Keeping the attention of kids in grades 1-6 has been a constant challenge, but eventually you do start to adjust. If you rush into teaching and end up really disliking it, then you probably will begin to really dislike the new country that you are… Read more »
Nice article re the pros, cons and your experiences. I had briefly considered jumping through the hoops to get my certification, just in case I wanted to teach at some point (for something to do…which is the wrong attitude). However, my inner voice took over and asked the question “Scott…do you really want to get back into this, after retiring from a 29 year career?”. The answer was no, I don’t. Not because I don’t like to be around the kids, but more the point as you said Angela….the work involved that surrounds the profession. Teaching is a lot of… Read more »
Thanks for the kind words! Teaching is hard work – the physical demands of standing and talking all day, the planning and grading, but in my experience the kids are happy to see me and I try hard not to take the stresses of the job or paperwork home with me, hence the “staying on”. For those thinking about teaching as a source of income and visa, it is important to stop and ask yourself if teaching is a good fit for you before making the commitment. Not everyone has the personality or energy to do it. You won’t enjoy… Read more »
Interesting article! Do you know of any teachers that work part-time?
I don’t know any teachers that work part time (all teachers at my school are full time) but I do know that there are part-time positions if you ask your particular hiring agency. There may be a school that needs you only three days a week OR you can find a tutoring agency that has short classes of varying length (instead of months long like traditional school semesters) while only working on weekends or evenings. Last, you can substitute, which may or may not be part time, depending on the need! There is definitely part time work available during the… Read more »
Good article Angela. We know all too well how much time teachers put in “for free” here in the states. That, along with spending their own money on materials for class is quite depressing since (here in the states at least) teachers are treated extremely poorly and all the ills of society are put off onto them. It takes a special person to be able to put that aside and try to help the younger generation. We’re happy to see you are enjoying it (mostly) and the lesson plans and materials do get easier with time and repetition. Keep up… Read more »
Thank you for the support Vince. Teaching is definitely a lot harder than I thought it would be initially, but I think I have adjusted well. The “for free” time and money has definitely been put in over the course of my teaching time, but luckily in Chiang Mai school supplies are pretty inexpensive. We will see what the rest of the year brings! Thanks!