Teach English Thailand - The Basics Of Teaching English In Thailand

The English teaching industry is booming in Thailand. More and more Thais feel that they need to learn English in order to increase Thailand’s tourism trade and help its economy. For this reason, they are very motivated to learn. If you want to teach English Thailand, there is no shortage of jobs available. It’s just a matter of choosing the right one, and getting ready for a great adventure.

The Pay Scale

If you’re a first-time teacher in Thailand, you can expect to make somewhere around 25-30,000 baht a month. If you’re looking at schools and somebody offers you a lower salary than this, keep looking. On the other hand, at an international school or high school, you can make much more. There are wild stories of people making over 100,000 baht a month, but this is definitely not the norm.

Thailand is not a country where you can teach English for a while and bring a bundle back home to pay off your debts or get started on your professional career. Most people go to Thailand to experience the culture, get teaching experience and have fun. Thailand is a wonderful place to live, and most teachers go (and stay) because they love it, not because of money.

Get Out Of The City

Although everybody usually wants to live in Bangkok, competition is pretty fierce. It’s an exciting and interesting place, but it is also crowded. Bangkok is famous for having the worst traffic in the world. Of course, I’m not trying to put down Bangkok; it’s a wonderful city. But, what most people never consider is that it might be better to settle in a smaller town.

Cities like Chiang Mai and Hat Yai have just as much sightseeing, beautiful scenery and cultural richness as Bangkok. And, there’s even more demand for English teachers. For each available teaching position in Thailand, you have to fight it out with all the other teachers who are already settled and experienced. Once you try a place like Chiang Mai, you might find that you like it better than Bangkok, and you always have the mountains to explore on your days off!

Landing A Job

It is usually no problem at all to find a job in Thailand before you land. There are lots of reputable online services that will help place you in a good teaching position. Just be sure to check out whichever company you are thinking about, and see what other teachers have to say about them.

You can apply directly with an English conversation school, or you can go through a volunteer placement organization that will put you into a Thai school. In Thailand, there are several big English schools such as ECC and Berlitz that offer employment to foreign English teachers. These schools are big chains, and many teachers feel that they are impersonal “English mills.” Still, it may be a good way to get experience and meet other foreigners.

Most teachers in Thailand choose to go with a volunteer organization that places them in a school. The pay is often better, and they get to experience Thai culture firsthand.

Teaching in Thailand is a unique experience, and there are many ways to go about getting a job. Make sure that you are well-informed before you get on the plane. But, most of all, enjoy your stay in Thailand!