# Teaching English in Thailand



## ben_mac

Hi everyone,

me and my wife (both aged 25) are looking at leaving the UK for a year, our plan is to get jobs for 6-8 months, then travel for 6-4 months.

We figure our best bet of gaining employment will be through teaching english. We are going to enrol on a TEFL course, but neither of us have university degrees - will this effect our chances of getting a job / visa in thailand?

Also what sort of pay could we expect in a job of this sort? Any information anyone could give us would be a great help.

Thanks

Ben


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## Jamie76

Not having a university degree for teaching is not a deal breaker for teaching english in Thailand. That being said, it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain teaching jobs in Thailand without a degree. Check out Ajarn.com for more information on teaching in the LOS. Jobs generally start out in the 15,000 to 20,000 thb per month range and head up. Don't expect to see anything over 50,000 thb per month though. That might even be pushing it.


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## Ted88888

I'll have to disagree with Jamie - my apologies.

Yes, you can land English teaching jobs here without a degree. He is right, it is not a deal breaker - BUT - you WILL NOT get a work permit, which means you will be working illegally - eligible for imprisonment, fines and deportation. You'll also get the very worst of jobs and have no grounds for complaint when your employer cheats you or refuses to pay you.

You'd do better to head for Indonesia, pretty much the preferred destination for non-degreed TEFL wannabes in this part of the world. Even China is asking for degrees these days, you can expect the non-degreed TEFL world to further shrink as time goes by.

No even semi-decent job here is going to start for less than about B35,000.

Ajarn.com is okay, but you'd have to search far and wide to find a bigger group of bad attitudes. That said, yes, their jobs board is probably the best for Thailand.


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## Jamie76

Ted88888 said:


> I'll have to disagree with Jamie - my apologies.
> 
> Yes, you can land English teaching jobs here without a degree. He is right, it is not a deal breaker - BUT - you WILL NOT get a work permit, which means you will be working illegally - eligible for imprisonment, fines and deportation. You'll also get the very worst of jobs and have no grounds for complaint when your employer cheats you or refuses to pay you.
> 
> You'd do better to head for Indonesia, pretty much the preferred destination for non-degreed TEFL wannabes in this part of the world. Even China is asking for degrees these days, you can expect the non-degreed TEFL world to further shrink as time goes by.
> 
> No even semi-decent job here is going to start for less than about B35,000.
> 
> Ajarn.com is okay, but you'd have to search far and wide to find a bigger group of bad attitudes. That said, yes, their jobs board is probably the best for Thailand.


My apologies Ted, you are correct on the need for a degree. That being said, I believe the Ministry of Education does, on occasion, make exceptions in certain circumstances, such as teaching in rural areas or teaching young children. It's pretty rare though.


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## synthia

Just two years ago I knew several people who were working for B200 per hour, at a good English school, and some working for B25,000 and B30,000 in some good schools. Of course that was in Chiang Mai, where it is relatively easy to find teachers. Also, only one had a work permit. A great many teachers were teaching illegally when I was there. They were starting to crack down, at the same time making it harder and more expensive for schools to get work permits for their teacher.


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## Ted88888

synthia said:


> Just two years ago I knew several people who were working for B200 per hour, at a good English school, and some working for B25,000 and B30,000 in some good schools. Of course that was in Chiang Mai, where it is relatively easy to find teachers. Also, only one had a work permit. A great many teachers were teaching illegally when I was there. They were starting to crack down, at the same time making it harder and more expensive for schools to get work permits for their teacher.


Well, you've made my case for me. Yes, unqualified people working illegally - generally do earn poor wages. But that is true in almost every country in the world.

As I stated earlier, no even semi-decent job here will pay less than B35,000. If it pays less, wonder why and don't expect legal paperwork.


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## ben_mac

Thanks for all the replies guys.
I will have a look at indonesia then, we're not too fussed where we work as long as it S.E.A.
My cousin lives in Khao Lak and has offerred us jobs there, but the pay isnt really enough to be able to save to go travelling after.


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## synthia

I don't know if you will be able to save money in any SEAsia country. When people want to save money, they go to Korea, or maybe Taiwan.


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## leoman20

*hi*



ben_mac said:


> Thanks for all the replies guys.
> I will have a look at indonesia then, we're not too fussed where we work as long as it S.E.A.
> My cousin lives in Khao Lak and has offerred us jobs there, but the pay isnt really enough to be able to save to go travelling after.


can u tell me about jobs there
i quite like khaoo lak
stan


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## synthia

As I said, if you want to save money, go to Korea.


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## Ted88888

synthia said:


> As I said, if you want to save money, go to Korea.


But . . . as the OP mentions in his first post - neither he nor his girlfriend have degrees. Korea won't work.


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## Jamie76

So I think the key here for the OP is to get a degree. A degree will open up so many more doors that would remain closed without a degree. Not only is SE Asia, but everywhere.


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## synthia

I've actully met a couple of people who managed to work in Korea legally without degrees. I think they went to an area where they were desperate for teachers.

But you are right. I totally missed that. So even if they came to Thailand and could get work, they'd be at the bottom end of the pay scale.


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## Ashley W

do teachers need documents to be attested when working in Thailand

if so what is the process for UK and Australia teachers to attest documents for Thailand


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## wildfk

You might bear in mind a couple f things about teaching.

As a teacher - you have responsibilities - they are called STUDENTS!!!!
\
If you think you will be able to wander in and out of schools and give a couple of lessons here and there - forget it.

Teaching requires commitment and you must at least complete the term or the course.

Yes there are unqualified and un"degreed" teachers in Thailand but no school worth its salt will employ you NOW - there is no need as teachers with degrees are ten a penny. - the only - exception being unpopular rural govt. locations.

I can't speak for other countries but in Thailand your work permit and visa are JOB SPECIFIC - so as soon as you leave one job your permit AND visa are invalid.
Tp get a work permit you need a non-immigrant "B" visa and these are only available outside Thailand - so you'll spend a lot of money going backwards and forwards trying to handle the more than daunting paperwork and red tape involved.

If you are a committed teacher all this can prove to be worthwhile in the long run, but I don't see any evidence that the OP has any commitment to teaching at all.


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