Thailand
Thailand is one of the main destinations for people all over the world. This country is popular with tourists, expats, and English teachers alike. This country is cheap, filled with friendly locals, has beautiful beaches, and great nightlife. Thailand is a good country to teach English in as a lot of young teachers go there and you can meet a wide variety of people. Moreover, people tend to stay there for a long time so for those looking for an older crowd, you will find that too.
Basic Information about Thailand: A Thai lifestyle costs about 10,000 baht a month and, unless you are a serious party animal, you can live a western/Thai lifestyle for about 20,000. If you live a complete western lifestyle, expect to pay around 30,000 Baht or more, depending on how nice your apartment is. Life in Thailand is relatively easy. Teaching here is simple and basic, the nightlife is really good, there are lots of people around, and you won’t be expected to bring any work home. The food is also very good and very cheap. A typical Thai meal will cost 30 Baht ($1 USD). Western meals cost around 120-200 Baht. Life in Thailand is really good – chaotic and crazy but in a good way. Life in Thailand. If you plan on staying for long time, you will earn some money but this isn’t the place to make big bucks quick.
Salaries in Thailand: The average salary here is about 50,000 baht a month ($1,800 USD). Starting salaries at most public schools begin at around 30,000 Baht per month. In the rural parts of northern Thailand, it might be as low as 20,000. If you land a job at one of the international schools or do corporate training, you can earn over 100,000 Baht per month. Most schools here to do not provide any perks – no airfare, no free room, and, generally, no completion bonus. Many private schools offer a one month completion bonus.
Job Requirements for Thailand: In order to get a work visa in Thailand, you need a TEFL degree. But that requirement is often ignored. Most schools will simply want someone with a BA from a university and will hire you under the table. There is a lot of underground work here in Thailand where teachers are paid in cash. This happens even in big language schools. If you are going to get a working visa, you will need a TEFL and depending on the school, maybe a bachelor’s degree. For international schools, you will need to be a certified teacher and have a few years experience. For corporate training, you won’t need to have an MBA but you will need to have a few years work and teaching experience.
Visa Rules for Thailand: In order to get a visa and work permit here, you must be sponsored by a company. However, it should be noted that a larger percentage of teachers do not have proper work visas. Thailand’s visa system allows for easy border runs. One could effectively live there forever on a tourist visa. The system is constantly changing and a headache but because of its ease and the legal red tape, many companies will drag their feet on getting you the work visa.
Looking for more information? Read our BOOK on teaching overseas for more in depth advice and tips!