Starting Out In Thailand

[Firfox]

Hi everyone.

I am just wanting to share/ check out with members an idea I have. I have been married to a Thai national for the past six years and for the duration of this time we have lived hapilly in England, where she has become a British Citizen.

I have worked for the Local Government managing services for young people both inside and outside of school hours for the past twenty years. I have a Masters Degree in leading services for children and young people and have just completed a four week CertTESOL course, validated through the Trinity College in London.

I am 50 years of age this coming November and because of the public spending cuts in the Uk it is likely that I will be made redundant. I own two properties (mortgage free) in the UK, which I could easily rent out.

I have visited Thailand many times and on numerous occassions have taught on a voluntary basis in government schools, techno colleges and and a University.

My plan is to start a an English tutor centre in Thailand. I plan to set this up in a local village school where I have previously taught and my wife and I are well known. The tutor centre would open after the school day finishes and would use one of the school's classrooms . I have discussed this with the headteacher at the school and he supports the idea and has already agreed that I can use the school premises. I am very well known in the village where the majority of the students live, that attend the local school. My wife was brought up in the village and attended the school we are hoping to go into partnership with. We visit the village and the school on a regular basis for her family still live there.

The tutor centre would operate out of school hours on both early evenings and possibly Saturdays and Sundays. I would aim to run ten week 'beginner courses' for the students and each lesson would last two hours. The cost of the full course would be 1,500 baht, therefore 150 baht for two hours. I would aim to run courses five nights a week with a different group each evening. If my maths are correct this would equate to 7,500 baht per week.

My wife would co - teach with me and would be key to recruiting the students. We have already undertaken market research in the village and with the students themselves and there is a lot of interest. I know it will take time to build up a client base, but I would have the income of my UK properties to fall back on. My aim would be that due to only having small class sizes each evening the students will learn fast and this will be a major factor in students/parents wanting the students to progress and attend a further slightly more advanced ten week course.

In relation to a work permit my wife has spoken with the headteacher and explained I am willing to undertake some voluntary teaching at the school on a weekly basis and he has agreed to apply for a work permit for me. My question here is does this sound a possibility?

I know this idea, if feasible, will never make me rich but this is not my intention.

Overall, what do you think to my idea. Any constructive criticism would be welcome.

Thank you for your comments/views in advance.

Kind regards

Andy

[Scott]

There are a number of threads on running your own schools. Unfortunately, I am not sure if I am going to have time to look for them, but if I do, I will post them here later.

Technically, you will need a work permit. I don't know if you need to incorporate a business if you are working through the school.

Best of luck.

[newbie001]

I assume this is a government school. If so do you really think that families are going to afford 1,500 baht for 20 hours? That seems pretty high for a local village area.

I think that you will have a logistical nightmare placing students in the right time slot that have the right ability. You might start out with 4 kids that can only study on a certain time but they are of different levels.

Also 2 hour straight lessons are pretty long for young learners. I also think that you overestimate how much progress that they will get only studying 2 hours a week. Even students that study 5 days a week 1 hour a day in small classes of 10 or less still take years to even become conversant.

You would be better off working full time as an EFL teacher for a year or two so you actually know what you are doing. Part time/volunteer teaching is not the same. Your experience in England is a base but is totally different style of teaching that is required for EFL. A 4 week crash course helps a little but without actual years of experience doing the job parents are taking a risk.

You also do realize that these kids already study more than 8 hours a day and probably have extra classes at the school with their Thai teachers. Since the students have homework for 12-14 subjects a week. I don't see how 2 hours with you will help them that much if they don't have time to practice. They will be burnt out and less than motivated. As a summer program it seems more practical but during the school year, you will just burn them out expecting them to do any homework or rehearse anything covered in class.

Since it won't cost you much out of pocket, then it doesn't hurt to try. The most that will happen is that kids stop coming to class. I am also certain that the school will charge you a good chunk to run your class there. They might even want to take 50%. Most will charge 10%, but some schools are greedy.

Good luck overall.

You will need a lot of things though. Business license, insurance, Work permit, Teacher's license (which will be easy because you have the masters in education, but you will need to take the Thai Culture class after one year here.

You could bypass all the paperwork by just getting hired by the school as a consultant, but then they own you.