Teaching in Thailand after age sixty

[KhunFred]

In the years since I've moved here, I've always heard that sixty is the mandatory retirement age for everyone and you cannot work past sixty, regardless of health or how young you may appear. Many expats still try to tell me that there are exceptions, but I have heard of nothing verifiable. I am happy not working and have enough money, but I have a relative in the United States who desperately needs my help and I would happily teach English in order to help someone who is truly deserving. I do have a Masters Degree and some very limited experience teaching media on the university level. Is the "no work over sixty" rule set in stone, or can exceptions be made? Any comments appreciated. For the record, I am 68.

[DavoTheGun]

I am 77 and have been Teaching 5 Years, no problems at all, never mentioned.

[dinsdale]

7 hours ago, KhunFred said:

sixty is the mandatory retirement age

For Thais.

[brewsterbudgen]

There is no age limit for foreign teachers; it's up to the employer.

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[Juan B Tong]

But,  good jobs are hard to find, and good paying jobs are rare.

[brucefarang]

Dear would be teacher,

All is not as it seems -of course -this is Thailand- I teach at 64 -with a work permit (marriage extension of non O visa allows employment) My colleagues  are 77 and 73 and ae still going strong !

[cheeryble]

Good luck to you and your relative

[Spock]

24 minutes ago, brucefarang said:

Dear would be teacher,

All is not as it seems -of course -this is Thailand- I teach at 64 -with a work permit (marriage extension of non O visa allows employment) My colleagues  are 77 and 73 and ae still going strong !

At what kind of school and in what kind of area are  you all teaching?

[BKK Chopin]

Slightly off topic:

 

I am a 63 y.o. German retiree and live with few good deeds in BKK. I wouldn't mind teaching (basics and conversation) English and German, however, FOR FREE  since money is not an issue for me.

Is there such a demand in BKK?
Obviously, I do not want to take away anybody's paid job!

[Classic Ray]

I am 67 working on a project with several Thai colleagues who are also legally retired and over 60. We all have renewable one-year contracts which seems to be the norm for oldsters like us. Whether same rules apply to teachers I don't know.

[KhunFred]

1 hour ago, Juan B Tong said:

But,  good jobs are hard to find, and good paying jobs are rare.

For the kind of help I would be offering my relative, a job paying 15 thousand baht a month would be fine.

[Mad mick]

2 hours ago, dinsdale said:

For Thais.

not anymore now is 65 yrs old

[JWRC]

I have a Masters degree and started teaching here in Thailand at the age of 62 for one of the largest private schools in the Bangkok area. Whilst I was there they hired a 77 year old man to teach English, he would be 83 now and he's still there. We had an 84 year old English guy retire during this time,  he had been there for years and was well loved by staff and students alike. so you see it's never too late.

The retirement age for Thais is 60, but many of the Thai teachers kept working at this particular school.

[KhunFred]

Thank you all for your answers and encouragement. I certainly do not want to work, nor do I NEED to work. My desire is to help a family member without dipping into the income that I live on. Teaching English seems to be something that many expats do, so it was the first thing that occurred to me. Thanks for the info.

[JWRC]

Further to this, if you work at a school that has an English program, you don't necessarily need to teach English, many schools that have these programs hire native English speakers to teach, Math's, Science, Social Studies, Chemistry and so on, so you may feel suited, or indeed prefer a different subject.

 

Then again you may prefer to work part time seeing as you don't particularly want to work and only need 15,000 Baht or so, so why not try a language center for enough hours to suit your needs, rather than a full time commitment.

[KhunFred]

1 hour ago, JWRC said:

Further to this, if you work at a school that has an English program, you don't necessarily need to teach English, many schools that have these programs hire native English speakers to teach, Math's, Science, Social Studies, Chemistry and so on, so you may feel suited, or indeed prefer a different subject.

 

Then again you may prefer to work part time seeing as you don't particularly want to work and only need 15,000 Baht or so, so why not try a language center for enough hours to suit your needs, rather than a full time commitment.

Very helpful idea,JWRC. I am not familiar with the pay scales and assumed that I would need to teach full time to make 15 thousand baht a month. Although I am now on a retirement extension, I will probably marry my girlfriend and as I understand it, that would allow me to work. There is a language center not far from where I live, but I never checked into it since I was under the impression that my age would make me unemployable under any circumstances. My field was media while I was working. I spent over forty years as a broadcaster and in news and management. I don't have any expertise in other subjects, but English is ONE thing that I had to be very proficient in, given my broadcasting background.

Some very good information. Lots of smart people on ThaiVisa.  ?

[JWRC]

Suggestion would be to look at an advertising site such as ajarn.com, this particular one lists a whole heap of positions available, including language centers. The rates of pay will vary quite a bit, expect from 400 Baht per hour up to 800 Baht per hour, as with everything it pays to shop around.  Good luck.

[Tom89]

5 hours ago, JWRC said:

Further to this, if you work at a school that has an English program, you don't necessarily need to teach English, many schools that have these programs hire native English speakers to teach, Math's, Science, Social Studies, Chemistry and so on, so you may feel suited, or indeed prefer a different subject.

 

Then again you may prefer to work part time seeing as you don't particularly want to work and only need 15,000 Baht or so, so why not try a language center for enough hours to suit your needs, rather than a full time commitment.

Do you need a work permit in order to teach part time?

[brewsterbudgen]

Do you need a work permit in order to teach part time?

Yes, you do.

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[bwpage3]

7 hours ago, KhunFred said:

For the kind of help I would be offering my relative, a job paying 15 thousand baht a month would be fine.

What kind of help can you provide relatives in the west for less than $500 a month, minus the cost of the expenses of the teaching job, paying Thai tax, work permit costs and the cost to transfer money internationally for you to give up 40 to 60 hours a week in a menial job where you will have no understanding of Thai language and most anything else?

 

 

 

 

[JWRC]

bwpage3

 

It's none of your business as to what kind of assistance he wants to give to his relative, Read the posters background, I am sure he is intelligent enough to work things out for himself. There are so many negative posters on TV who always want to put others down, you must lead a really sad life.

[Bundooman]

I am 73, and have been teaching in Thailand for 13 years. WPs are still valid - if the school you are working for wants to keep you.

[My Thai Life]

This is a nice thread, it has opened up real experience rather than theoretical posturing.

 

 

[connda]

You'll probably have better luck with private schools.  Thai public schools cull their own at 60, so it could be a loss of face to hire an older foreigner. 

[My Thai Life]

1 hour ago, JWRC said:

bwpage3

 

It's none of your business as to what kind of assistance he wants to give to his relative, Read the posters background, I am sure he is intelligent enough to work things out for himself. There are so many negative posters on TV who always want to put others down, you must lead a really sad life.

Actually, bwpage3 has made a very valid point. The idea of working as an unqualified inexperienced foreign teacher in Thailand to support someone in the US is clearly nuts.

 

 

[JWRC]

My Thai Life

The poster did not say he wanted to support someone in the US, he said he wanted to help, big difference.

 

He has a Masters degree and as such would be a lot more qualified than a good number of Native English Speakers who are currently teaching on fake degrees.

As for no experience, everyone has to start somewhere.

[KhunFred]

14 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

What kind of help can you provide relatives in the west for less than $500 a month, minus the cost of the expenses of the teaching job, paying Thai tax, work permit costs and the cost to transfer money internationally for you to give up 40 to 60 hours a week in a menial job where you will have no understanding of Thai language and most anything else?

 

 

 

 

It is not "relatives" it is ONE relative who has a special need and is being helped by other family members. Every little bit helps. Your idea of "menial" is probably not MY idea of menial. Some people deserve my help if I can give it. This particular person certainly does.

[Tom89]

17 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Yes, you do.

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Thanks

[simon43]

Every little bit helps.

 

This...1,000 times I agree with you.

 

You do not have to donate wads of $$$ to make a difference in someone's life - even a few dollars or giving up some of your time to help can make a positive difference in their life.

[Rhys]

More power to you then....the jobs are there, you have to dig a bit...