How Do You Make A Living In Thailand?

[toptuan]

...many of us could be wrong in thinking teacers teach coz nothing else available. why all the teacher jokes then.

Ah, the stereotyping! But, yes, I've taught with a few "farang kee noks" who chose my profession as a last resort. Hence the jokes (...crying into my beer, which I don't like anyway...).

Edited May 15, 2007 by toptuan

[blizzard]

does few mean more than 50%.

we know not all teachers same same.

[toptuan]

does few mean more than 50%.

we know not all teachers same same.

Uh, no, that would be less than 5%. Two out of about 100 colleagues (at two institutions) over the last four years. Of course, I'm at the tertiary level, at which the "faramg kee nok" admittance rate falls dramatically.

I know, I hear the horror stories too.

Edited May 15, 2007 by toptuan

[qwertz]

does few mean more than 50%.

we know not all teachers same same.

Speaking of teaching, I wouldn't do it in LOS. I've checked out the standard of the English being taught in the average state school there. Hm.............further comment would be off topic.

[blizzard]

i think when people post about teacers we talking mostly about the masses.

im learning a lot thanks, high level teacher.

[toptuan]

[quote name='blizzard'

Speaking of teaching, I wouldn't do it in LOS. I've checked out the standard of the English being taught in the average state school there.

Yeah, rather than get in there and try to raise the bar, just avoid it.

Edited May 15, 2007 by toptuan

[toptuan]

i think when people post about teacers we talking mostly about the masses.

im learning a lot thanks, high level teacher.

I think you have no idea how many foreigners are teaching in Thailand's colleges and universities. In my one institution alone, over fifty....and that's up here in "buffalo country."

Sorry, if you've only had experience with the John Karr-type farang-kee-noks who are trying to keep body and soul together, showing videos to third-graders, until they get enough baht for their next air ticket to quit and move on. Am I getting close to your circle of acquaintances?

Edited May 15, 2007 by toptuan

[qwertz]

[quote name='blizzard'

Speaking of teaching, I wouldn't do it in LOS. I've checked out the standard of the English being taught in the average state school there.

Yeah, rather than get in there and try to raise the bar, just avoid it.

We were originally discussing how to make a living. I wouldn't teach there anyway for the average going rate, certainly not if I had to accept lower standards as a norm and I think you know if you're in that sector that you have to go along to get along. I listed teaching as one of the don'ts for the OP in one of my earlier posts.

[klikster]

Now i realise there are many many issues to consider, visas, thai business partners etc.

But for now all I want to know is how do you make your rice and curry?

Thanks

To try to actually answer your question (and not give you a lecture), I doubt that you will ever get very good public advice on how to make $$ in Thailand. There are any number of reasons that businessmen won't tell what is succesful .. and just a few are:

- People don't want competition for their business ventures

- The expat 'community' in TL has a lot of jealous and vindictive individuals. It would not be surprising to see some form of underseved problems being aimed at a successful business.

- Some of the business ventures are in a gray zone between overtly illegal and overtly legal (and, no, I won't comment on that)

- Many expats have tried and failed at business ventures for which they have been unqualified, so they will claim that "it's a lousy business".

- Many expats just don't have a clue how to do business.

I'm sure some folks here can add a bit more to this list.

[Prakanong]

"I think you have no idea how many foreigners are teaching in Thailand's colleges and universities. In my one institution alone, over fifty....and that's up here in "buffalo country."

I must admit i would not have a clue myself - the figure of 50 up in Kwailand in one institution has taken me aback!

[toptuan]

... the figure of 50 up in Kwailand in one institution has taken me aback!

Out of a faculty of 1,500 that's only 3%. If you continue to be a disbeliever, PM me and I'll give you the website of the school.

[toptuan]

[quote

We were originally discussing how to make a living. I wouldn't teach there anyway for the average going rate, certainly not if I had to accept lower standards as a norm and I think you know if you're in that sector that you have to go along to get along. I listed teaching as one of the don'ts for the OP in one of my earlier posts.

It's been my experience that if you try to raise the bar by example rather than bludgeoning your way through in the confrontational manner most farangs try to use in "changing the system" here, it yields positive results.

Most of the farangs I know who gave up on teaching for the reasons you gave had no idea how to motivate colleagues or their superiors within the context of this culture. In the three short years I've taught at my current school, I've had the good fortune to be appointed a dept. supervisor over all the native English-speaking teachers in our dept. (about eight instructors) and have been given free reign as to curriculum, testing standards, and grading. We're producing quality students, some of whom are now beginning to study overseas in Western countries, pursuing post-graduate degrees. I'm not saying this to merely toot our own horn, but to demonstrate that what many skeptical farang think is the impossible, is indeed, do-able within the Thai system.

So, to our OP, I say in summary: Yes, you can make a decent wage in Thailand, it doesn't have to be 100K a month to survive, and the teaching profession is an honorable as well as viable option if you decide to stay there and add some training to your resume before taking the leap.

(Anyone for moving the last two pages to the teaching forum?)

Edited May 15, 2007 by toptuan

[Prakanong]

... the figure of 50 up in Kwailand in one institution has taken me aback!

Out of a faculty of 1,500 that's only 3%. If you continue to be a disbeliever, PM me and I'll give you the website of the school.

No I do not disbeleive you.

Its the underestimation of the number of farang teachers in Thailand i am probably ay out on!

[toptuan]

Its the underestimation of the number of farang teachers in Thailand i am probably ay out on!

Please let me correct one misconception. I said "foreign" teachers.

Of 50 foreign instructors here, maybe only 60% are from "farang" countries (USA, Europe, UK, Ireland, South Africa*, and Israel). The rest are from Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Philippines, and other SE Asian countries.

*the instructor from S.A. is Caucasian.

Edited May 15, 2007 by toptuan

[qwertz]

The hotel I use in Phuket often has a bunch of farangs, all male, staying when courses at the nearby TEFL school are running.

Keeping this relatively on topic, they spend most of their free time cruising the Bangla Road into the small hours and are already struggling for cash before the course is half through.

I never mention my job if I run across them over a drink but the talk is always about how to make a living in LOS, in their case by teaching English. If I asked them to explain for example how to use adverbs of frequency they'd probably ask me to please speak English.

These are not of the calibre mentioned by toptuan, BTW and I won't comment further than to say I wouldn't send my children to them for English. Lots of people think speaking English is a licence to teach it.

[Fred Sanford]

I forgot to ask Toptuan if he has running water, a non squat toilet and warm showers; or are these dumb questions? I often hear people talk about when the average Thai makes in Issan and how therefore the average foreinger can do same same. Does this mean the average foreigner has no problem with a big bin and a scooper for his water supply?

Edited May 15, 2007 by Fred Sanford

[uptou]

ive heard from a couple of sucessful (or people that have been doing it awile) english teachers in thailand,that you shouldnt try too hard to actually teach the kids any english,as they generally get bored very easily,& lose interest,but just go in & bring up a topic of conversation.

[qwertz]

I forgot to ask Toptuan if he has running water, a non squat toilet and warm showers; or are these dumb questions? I often hear people talk about when the average Thai makes in Issan and how therefore the average foreinger can do same same. Does this mean the average foreigner has no problem with a big bin and a scooper for his water supply?

Fred, those things will be the least of your problems if you land in the monkeyhouse for minor infringements. A Thai can't overstay his visa or work illegally. You can though. Find yourself in the slammer and you'll need more than 10K to buy yourself out. Just visiting friends in there was enough of a deterrent for me.

[toptuan]

I forgot to ask Toptuan if he has running water Yup, and it's not me running with buckets! , a non squat toilet Yes, you overlooked my earlier post. and warm showers; Panasonic water heater or are these dumb questions? I often hear people talk about when the average Thai makes in Issan and how therefore the average foreinger can do same same. Does this mean the average foreigner has no problem with a big bin and a scooper for his water supply?

Hey, ole' Fred, you gotta get outta Central BKK at least once a year, and come visit Upcountry. The rest of Thailand is coming along just fine. Yes, some parts of Isaan are still stuck back in some past century, but making 35,000 a month where the average Thai makes only 4,000-5000 a month (150B a day), puts me into the upper-middle class (although most locals would say "filthy rich.") I live better than 90% of the people in my province. This brings the prices down significantly for "luxury items" (tiled bathroom, water heaters, an honest-to-god-sit-down toilet, microwave, home theatre LCD projector system, etc.) and so one can live like a king (of a small fiefdom). My comments in bold, above.

Edited May 15, 2007 by toptuan

[qwertz]

Quote uptou:

ive heard from a couple of sucessful (or people that have been doing it awile) english teachers in thailand,that you shouldnt try too hard to actually teach the kids any english,as they generally get bored very easily,& lose interest,but just go in & bring up a topic of conversation.

And would this topic be in English? Now you're talking about why I never teach in state schools. Did you ask how much these successful teachers earn?

Edited May 15, 2007 by qwertz

[Naam]

Lots of people think speaking English is a licence to teach it.

a lot of posts in ThaiVisa support that theory

[Fred Sanford]

I forgot to ask Toptuan if he has running water, a non squat toilet and warm showers; or are these dumb questions? I often hear people talk about when the average Thai makes in Issan and how therefore the average foreinger can do same same. Does this mean the average foreigner has no problem with a big bin and a scooper for his water supply?

Fred, those things will be the least of your problems if you land in the monkeyhouse for minor infringements. A Thai can't overstay his visa or work illegally. You can though. Find yourself in the slammer and you'll need more than 10K to buy yourself out. Just visiting friends in there was enough of a deterrent for me.

Very good and likely overlooked point Qwertz

[toptuan]

Quote uptou:

ive heard from a couple of sucessful (or people that have been doing it awile) english teachers in thailand,that you shouldnt try too hard to actually teach the kids any english,as they generally get bored very easily,& lose interest,but just go in & bring up a topic of conversation.

Word in bold, above. By your evaluation?

This sounds like the farang-kee-nok method*, probably adhered to by Qwertz's Phuket buddies, described above.

*No planning, no lesson plans, no goal, no evaluation. Just wing it. Preferably, play the Clown, to keep the kids entertained & happy so they don't complain to parents or the School Director. Then maybe you can keep your job long enough to earn that next plane ticket to Laos.

Edited May 15, 2007 by toptuan

[onzestan]

ive heard from a couple of sucessful (or people that have been doing it awile) english teachers in thailand,that you shouldnt try too hard to actually teach the kids any english,as they generally get bored very easily,& lose interest,but just go in & bring up a topic of conversation.

A GOOD teacher is never boring!

cheers

onzestan

[qwertz]

Quote uptou:

ive heard from a couple of sucessful (or people that have been doing it awile) english teachers in thailand,that you shouldnt try too hard to actually teach the kids any english,as they generally get bored very easily,& lose interest,but just go in & bring up a topic of conversation.

Word in bold, above. By your evaluation?

This sounds like the farang-kee-nok method*, probably adhered to by Qwertz's Phuket buddies, described above.

*No planning, no lesson plans, no goal, no evaluation. Just wing it. Preferably, play the Clown, to keep the kids entertained & happy so they don't complain to parents or the School Director. Then maybe you can keep your job long enough to earn that next plane ticket to Laos.

Well, TT, it worked for Robin Williams in "Good Morning Vietnam". Seriously, I've seen it drive inexperienced "teachers" to drink, if they weren't tipplers already. Why do so many people think teaching, of all things, is a soft option and a good earner? Must be the successful ad. campaigns by TEFL schools.

If I were to live there in my idea of comfort, I would reckon roughly with a minimum of 40k a month.

I'm a farang, like the OP and that means farang prices or endless hassle over paltry purchases.

Edited May 15, 2007 by qwertz

[uptou]

Quote uptou:

ive heard from a couple of sucessful (or people that have been doing it awile) english teachers in thailand,that you shouldnt try too hard to actually teach the kids any english,as they generally get bored very easily,& lose interest,but just go in & bring up a topic of conversation.

Word in bold, above. By your evaluation?

This sounds like the farang-kee-nok method*, probably adhered to by Qwertz's Phuket buddies, described above.

*No planning, no lesson plans, no goal, no evaluation. Just wing it. Preferably, play the Clown, to keep the kids entertained & happy so they don't complain to parents or the School Director. Then maybe you can keep your job long enough to earn that next plane ticket to Laos.

Well, TT, it worked for Robin Williams in "Good Morning Vietnam". Seriously, I've seen it drive inexperienced "teachers" to drink, if they weren't tipplers already. Why do so many people think teaching, of all things, is a soft option and a good earner? Must be the successful ad. campaigns by TEFL schools.

If I were to live there in my idea of comfort, I would reckon roughly with a minimum of 40k a month.

I'm a farang, like the OP and that means farang prices or endless hassle over paltry purchases.

my point is that i dont feel that the majority of people (farang)teaching english in thailand are doing it for the love of teaching, but they are doing it because its the only option,but i'm sure there are exceptions.

Edited May 15, 2007 by uptou

[jeebusjones]

Excellent, another teacher bashing thread. I hate those dirty hippies . Just kidding.

But seriously, this thread was about ways to make a living here. Many people have been quick to point out how much money they supposedly earn. But very few have actually alluded to how they make their money.

This endless cost-of-living debate will go on forever. Forget it. But how many of you were making $3,000+ per month when you were only 23? I doubt very many. And keep in mind, this is Thailand. So if you can earn $3k+ here, chances are you'd be earning at least twice that back in your home country.

But honestly, at 23 years old, he could live a very nice life on 30-40k somewhere outside of Bangkok.

But back to the real question: How do you make a living in Thailand?

[qwertz]

There's the difference between job, which teaching is mostly nowadays and calling, which is what teaching used to be. I only do what I like, part time, between translating and interpreting. So I do it well, because I choose what I want to do. Compare this with being totally dependent on it. I shudder at the thought. Back to topic. 40K a month and I'm an old guy. If I were young, with a GF, wanting to do things, live a little, I suspect I'd need a bit more.

[blizzard]

i guess what he is saying is that teechers in bkk make coin.................lol.

[qwertz]

Okay blizz, it's next flight to BKK for me then. No need to pack, I can buy my clobber cheap there. Hm.......never thought I was worth so much.