Employment Situation In Thailand Now Esp. For Bangkok For Teaching.

[elshaheen]

Employment situation in Thailand now esp. for Bangkok.

Greetings;

I will be arriving back in Bangkok after a year of being back in the U.S. for cancer treatment. I've been out of the picture for awhile and would like to know how the current situation is there, still pretty open there. I do know that some of the private language schools are not doing so well, bad karma I suspect.

I have over 5 years of teaching in Bangkok and have some good references from schools.

Working on my degree at Ram during the mean time and almost completed, have my 120 hour TEFL.

Anyway, any insight. My flight is taking off next Saturday from SFO.

Cheers

[ajarndonald]

We are now in the bussiest time of year for teaching jobs as schools will be starting the new school year/semester at the beginning of May. For the most part it has been a pretty big disappointment for the last 18 months or so not to mention the teacher's income are rather low and Thai prices continue to rise. Then you have the very bad political situation going on and this is just adding insults to injuries. My guess is that 2010 will not improve for teachers here. I have been teaching here for 9 years. Good luck! Donald

[jackdawson]

some of the private language schools are not doing so well, bad karma I suspect

not sure what karma has to do with it. truth is, classes are expensive for most thais (in a weak economy) and english is not seen as the prerequisite for success it once was (see china as a/the world power)

re: the job market for teachers; weak to quite weak. if u have a day job in the states, keep it.

[Loaded]

Since I arrived over 10 years ago farang's have posted that the end of the world is about to arrive for foreign teachers in Thailand. All I've witnessed is a massive explosion in demand for foreign teachers over the last 5 years albeit nearly matched by a massive increase in the numbers of foreigners who want to come to Thailand to teach. There's always work for the teacher who's prepared to look for it.

[Ijustwannateach]

I believe there is a greater and greater divide between the 'livable' jobs for native speakers and those which will just barely pass muster for anyone who really cares about (dare I say it?) a 'career.' I would find it hard- as someone already out of his 20s- to justify wasting my time on the working conditions and future prospects for the positions which mainly involve TEFL work in Thailand, in a market where wages are depressed by the presence of often massively overqualified near-retirees and burgeoning numbers of relatively competent non-native speaking foreign teachers; however, having said that, most of my time TEFLing anywhere was in my 20s and it was good introductory work for more specialised teaching (which does become more well-paid and rewarding, if one is both persistent and fortunate).

So I guess my overall prescription at the moment is:

1. If you just want the experience of it for a couple of years or the money itself is not an issue, then yes- why not? Come away!

2. If you don't have much else to fall back on- and especially if you don't have at least an undergraduate degree to give you other options and possibilities- and if you're in your 30s or older- it's not really the best plan for you.

3. If you have some tertiary education and are willing to extend it as you go, as well as keeping out an active eye for better jobs than the ones you'll get at first, it can work out in your favour but it won't be easy.

[Sisaketmike]

I believe there is a greater and greater divide between the 'livable' jobs for native speakers and those which will just barely pass muster for anyone who really cares about (dare I say it?) a 'career.' I would find it hard- as someone already out of his 20s- to justify wasting my time on the working conditions and future prospects for the positions which mainly involve TEFL work in Thailand, in a market where wages are depressed by the presence of often massively overqualified near-retirees and burgeoning numbers of relatively competent non-native speaking foreign teachers; however, having said that, most of my time TEFLing anywhere was in my 20s and it was good introductory work for more specialised teaching (which does become more well-paid and rewarding, if one is both persistent and fortunate).

So I guess my overall prescription at the moment is:

1. If you just want the experience of it for a couple of years or the money itself is not an issue, then yes- why not? Come away!

2. If you don't have much else to fall back on- and especially if you don't have at least an undergraduate degree to give you other options and possibilities- and if you're in your 30s or older- it's not really the best plan for you.

3. If you have some tertiary education and are willing to extend it as you go, as well as keeping out an active eye for better jobs than the ones you'll get at first, it can work out in your favour but it won't be easy.

Well said. You wrote that you taught more than five years before, being back in your country for one year. Lots of things have changed like the now required TL, Thai culture test and lots of other surprises.

The whole visa and work permit process could be different in some provinces to others, a TEFL isn't really needed to get a job having five years experience. It started this year, Thailand wants to become an educational hub, more and more Asian languages will be taught now and in the future.

Chinese teachers are at every school now, I guess you know why. English became to a subject, which is suddenly not that important as it was before.

Lots of schools are paying a Non native speaking salary, if they don't get any white faces, they're hiring 'teachers' from a nearby country. Those people are also working for less than 10,000 baht.

Good luck.

I'm pretty sure that you know ajarn. com, you might find a job now. Schools start soon. Good luck.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Sisaketmike

[marquess]

We are now in the bussiest time of year for teaching jobs as schools will be starting the new school year/semester at the beginning of May. For the most part it has been a pretty big disappointment for the last 18 months or so not to mention the teacher's income are rather low and Thai prices continue to rise. Then you have the very bad political situation going on and this is just adding insults to injuries. My guess is that 2010 will not improve for teachers here. I have been teaching here for 9 years. Good luck! Donald

I would have to agree with the above poster, I have been here for 10 years and this is worse that I have seen it! Five or six years ago it was quite good with prices being relatively low in comparison to wages, that luxurious position has long since passed!

Edited April 21, 2010 by marquess

[Luang]

I believe there is a greater and greater divide between the 'livable'

not sure what karma has to do with it. truth is, classes are expensive for most thais (in a weak economy) and english is not seen as the prerequisite for success it once was (see china as a/the world power)

re: the job market for teachers; weak to quite weak. if u have a day job in the states, keep it.

We are now in the bussiest time of year

Good luck to all those that you will be teaching. They are going to need it!

[aussiebebe]

Since I arrived over 10 years ago farang's have posted that the end of the world is about to arrive for foreign teachers in Thailand. All I've witnessed is a massive explosion in demand for foreign teachers over the last 5 years albeit nearly matched by a massive increase in the numbers of foreigners who want to come to Thailand to teach. There's always work for the teacher who's prepared to look for it.

I strongly agree with this poster's comments. I've been working here for four years and internet forums are the last place for impartial perspectives on the work situtation. It's always doomsday on thaivisa, on every forum too, not only teaching.

I see little sign of difficulties for qualified teachers. For example, when I drove to Rayong last month I saw a new school being constructed at BangNa, see berkeleybangkok.com so obviously some people aren't worried about impending Chinese takeover or politcal instability.

I do agree that the cost of living in Bangkok has increased in the time I've been here although there have been compensations, such as tax allowances, waived water bills, subsidised fuel and gas, and improved internet infrastructure which has lowered communication expenses. For example, now the first THB150,000 is exempt from PIT which has increased from 100,000 when I arrived. See Revenue department website http://www.rd.go.th/publish/6045.0.html

[ArtVandelay]

some of the private language schools are not doing so well, bad karma I suspect

not sure what karma has to do with it. truth is, classes are expensive for most thais (in a weak economy) and english is not seen as the prerequisite for success it once was (see china as a/the world power)

re: the job market for teachers; weak to quite weak. if u have a day job in the states, keep it.

Not sure about that. English seems more in demand than it ever was. Just the other day I was standing in line at the Myanmar embassy in BKK behind a Japanese tourist talking to the Burmese official and they were conversing in......English.

Current Temperature in Bangkok.....37 C

Chance of Rain.............................40%

Last Coup Attempt.......................14 days ago

Edited May 2, 2010 by ArtVandelay