Why Are Nle Teacher'S Salaries Going Down?

[Issangeorge]

All you fellow teachers out there that have been wondering why teacher salaries in Thailand seem to be falling, it is because of companies that are recruiting teachers right out of collage and offering them the following; Monthly salary of 16,000 - 20,000 Baht ($500-650 USD) 5 month program: $1,900. Wow what a great opportunity for some young innocent teacher. You can come to Thailand work for 5 months and probably teach 20 hours a week, which would mean at least 40 hours a week with prep time and for this you can make from $500 to $650 a month. Or over a 5 month contract from $2,500 up to $3,250, the only catch is that to do this you have to pay the recruiting company $1,900 so you end up with from $600 to perhaps $1,350. The 5 month contract works out to about 21 weeks so that works out to from $28.57 to $154.76 per week or roughly about 72 cents to $3.87 an hour. I know things are bad in the United States, but are they that bad that someone is willing to put in the hard work required by a teacher for such a low hourly wage? If you are someone considering applying for one of these jobs I suggest you think twice about it. Take that $1,900 and come to Thailand on a vacation and perhaps while you are here you can look for a decent teaching job and not make some fat cat in the States rich on your hard work. Issangeorge

[tolstoy]

I don't know what you are on about, but your assumption doesn't hold water.

The reason why salaries are low is because people that want or need to live here will take whatever they can get. Schools just don't have to pay a lot.

FYI many other asian countries are paying much lower now than they did a few years ago. 2008 seemed to be the peak for higher paying jobs in Korea, Japan, and Thailand. Those are the only countries that I know about first hand.

China does seem to be paying a little more and offering more but how long will that last.

Thailand is an easy place to live but a crappy place to look for good salaries unless you have great qualifications and experience.

OP if you don't like the salaries being offered, then find something else. Recruiters charging the teacher are a scam, most get a cut from the school. I agree that teachers are better off finding their own jobs and not using recruiters or TEFL schools to line up jobs for them. However you cannot blame the economic shift on recruiters.

[thaicbr]

I think the Op is talking about the new craze of Thai schools hiring new American graduates for 1 or 2 semesters at a cheap rate via placement agents in the US.

It's starting to happen at my school. And the school thinks they are making a saving.

Which they of course are not, they forget the cost of airfares etc. but you can't tell them.

[Issangeorge]

I was just talking to the Native Chinese speaking teacher at my school and she calls herself a volunteer teacher, yet she makes 12,000 baht a month. The teachers coming from the States through these placement agencies are only making 3,600 to 8,100 baht per month. Again I ask why do they do it? And for sure it causes salaries to come down. I use to see all sorts of jobs on Ajarn.com for 35,000 baht a month and up, almost every job was for at least 30,000. Now it seems most are for less than 30,000. I can tell you I do not go out every night and party or eat out, most of my meals are cooked and eaten at home and I only have a couple of beers a week, and I own my house and it is paid for, so I have no rent to pay, yet some how I spend 30,000 baht a month and would have a very hard time spending less, so I don't know how these young teachers can live on 8,100 baht a month. They must have rich parents supporting them. Issangeorge.

[marty147]

I suspect this is what the OP is referring to:

Teach English in THAILAND –May 2012 –No Teaching Experience Required – Accepting Applications Now!

Posted By: Greenheart Travel

At Greenheart Travel we are passionate about helping people reach their full potential.

Contract Length: 5 Months or 10 Months

Start Date: May 18, 2012

Benefits:

• One week orientation in Bangkok, Thailand with TEFL workshops, teaching tips, sightseeing and cross-cultural training

• Airport pickup

• Monthly salary of 16,000 - 20,000 Baht ($500-650 USD)

• Legal documentation including a work permit (paid for by school)

• Free accommodation (or a monthly accommodation stipend)

• School coordinator for support and guidance

• In-country support for duration of the program

• Travel insurance included

• Reimbursement for plane ticket home (10 month contracts only)

• Participants receive a guidebook to Thailand Customs and Culture before departure

• Be close to all that gorgeous Southeast Asia has to offer!

Requirements

• Native English speaker

• BA/BS degree in any field

• Minimum age is 20

• Citizen of US, CA, UK, Ireland, AU, NZ, or S. Africa

• Teaching experience is highly preferred, but not required

Program Costs*

5 month program: $1,900

10 month program: $2,370

*Program costs

do not

include the airfare to Thailand

Personally, I find it insulting that they expect you to pay for a job. It's somewhat disconcerting that there must be individuals who consider this an opportunity to experience teaching in an exotic country. Moreover, what does this do to the reputation of foreign teachers in Thailand when newbies without experience are abeing actively encouraged to apply. It seems that everyone loses except the agency (schools, students, parents, teachers).

[SlyAnimal]

I can tell you I do not go out every night and party or eat out, most of my meals are cooked and eaten at home and I only have a couple of beers a week, and I own my house and it is paid for, so I have no rent to pay, yet some how I spend 30,000 baht a month and would have a very hard time spending less, so I don't know how these young teachers can live on 8,100 baht a month. They must have rich parents supporting them. Issangeorge.

Yikes, you living in BKK or similar?

I'm living in Isaan, teaching at a countryside school where I get 35k, house is included in the package. While I was single, I'd drive to the city every weekend, stay in hotels there for 2 nights, then come back. While I was in the city, I'd always eat out at restaurants and while I'm in the countryside I would likewise always eat out. I found that it was difficult to spend over 20k a month, like it was almost like compulsory savings, because I had more money than what I could drink (Since drinking on week nights is usually a no no to me when I'm working). If my school had of ever gotten their way and made me go on school trips etc during the weekends, I'd have spent even less lol.

Only things that'd put me over 20k a month was when I brought toys or did "capital expenditure soto speak (BB gun / new HD TV / new furniture / new motorcycle etc).

When I first came here though, I was only on 11k per month (12h working per week tho, with 1 weeks holiday every month), and had a mate who was on a similar deal (11k + free house, but 20-25h per week & just normal holidays lol). I'll admit that I was lucky enough to have some money I'd brought over with me, which kept me liquored up on the weekends, but my mate managed just fine on 11k even though he didn't have any additional income. When he moved onto 25k, he kept shouting our Thai friends drinks because he found he had more money than what he could spend each week lol

But yeah, I think that the reason salaries are coming down, is because more people are coming to Thailand to work, as especially with the western depressions, a lot of people probably decided it was time to make a move to Thailand, or to change their career path. Or perhaps a lot of schools simply already have 1x farang teacher, and are getting them to assist with privately recruiting farang teachers instead. As although I've only been teaching here for 1 1/2 years so far, it's amazing how many jobs you hear about just from word of mouth, and I think that if my school needs to recruit again sometime, they'll likely ask our existing farang teachers to help them find people, rather than paying someone to recruit for them.

Likewise the general ability of Thai English teachers is improving. I've got a lot of friends with English Education majors who are in their 4th year, and their English is excellent. Significantly better than a lot of the older teachers, in general from what I've seen, the level of English spoken by the graduates there is significantly better than what I'd previously thought Thai teachers would have. In comparison, I can't say the same for the Rajaphat English students I've met, but on the whole I think that the Thai teacher English level must be improving, thus there isn't as much of a demand for farang teachers.

Anywho, that's my 2c lol

[Yooyung]

A fool and his money......

There have always been dodgey schemes like the one you brought up. If so called 'Uni graduates' are dumb enough to fall for that kind of dog and pony show then quite frankly they deserve to pay the airfare and recieve the shitty salary. There is mountains of info for anyone wanting to come over here and teach that would quickly have even the biggest dunce clued up enough to realise that the whole thing is a scam. If they still cant see it then...well I dont relly know what to say.

I went to Thailand back in 2001 and through researching all about the ins and outs quickly found out that even though I did not have a degree I would be able to walk into a job. No outside help needed, just an ounce of common sense, some balls and a dollup of perserverance. Its harder these days and the no degree thing has forced me to come home and study further.

I really find it amazing just how many people dont seem to have a decent bullshit detector. If the type of uni grad that uncle sam is producing these days is unable to do a little research before getting into something then, it just gives me even more reason to laugh at Americans.

If you meet one of these poor types please do the right thing and fill them in. The quicker schemes like this are put to rest the better it wiil be for others in Thailand trying to improve pay and conditions.

[Scott]

There are, and have been, a number of groups who basically do volunteer work. The Peace Corp some years back, had decided to pull out of Thailand as the country was developed enough and the resources were better used elsewhere. Interestingly, the Thai gov't asked them stay. The volunteers were basically used as English teachers.

Currently, the Chinese gov't sends volunteers to teach in schools as well. I am fairly sure that many of the Arab speakers in the Southern provinces aren't paid by the schools. So I guess it's not just one nationality that "...gives me even more reason to laugh at Americans."

[Scott]

A troll post has been deleted.

This forum is for and about teaching in Thailand.

[Scott]

Another troll post deleted.

We have a poster that apparently wishes to get a posting holiday.

[Rhys]

There are, and have been, a number of groups who basically do volunteer work. The Peace Corp some years back, had decided to pull out of Thailand as the country was developed enough and the resources were better used elsewhere. Interestingly, the Thai gov't asked them stay. The volunteers were basically used as English teachers.

Point of FACT... The Peace Corps program remains in Thailand for various reason, one being a central regional medical hub for the other PC Volunteer Programs in the area.. Regarding English teachers.. Years back, the program focused on Teacher Trainers....YES, that is right, a young person, teaching a battle tested 50 plus student class THAI teacher veteran on new methodologies in ELT. The sucess was of course, low..

The focus was not on the PCV Teaching students English but on assisting the MOE with teacher development; however, once at site, the Thais along the the perception of PCVs was that of only ENGLISH Teacher..for the little nak rians..

Peace Corps Thailand, remains one of the oldest PCV host countries and thousands of PCV has assisted Thailand in other fields such as in Health, Agriculture, Foresty, Fisheries, and so on.. English was not the primary focus.

Years back, Richard Day, 1980 U of Hawaii, asserted that PCV were agents of Linguistic and Cultural Imperialism...

Future programs in the areas are just too full with the request " I want the Bucks up front" before we let your PCVs in ..aka Vietnam..

However, do consider the goals of PC takes the PCV into the rural areas on Thailand...NOT BANGKOK.. Back in the day, and to some degree even now.. teaching was in a dirt floor, bamboo thach hut, and classroom dog at the door.

Lastly, the mission and goals of PC are not just teaching English... one area, is cultural exchange, friendship building, and allowing the PCVs to use 2 years wisely or unwisely...Remember the saying the "toughest job you'll ever love."

Edited January 29, 2012 by Rhys

[Fookhaht]

Ah, so THAT'S what's happening lately!

Our Eng. dept. just got rid of 6 long-term teachers (experienced teachers who've taught here 4-7 years) and hired all new college graduates at a fraction of the former teachers' salaries.

The burden training the new ones and lack of continuity and consistency in the students' education becomes a HUGE factor to deal with when this happens. What a headache! But, hey, saved a few baht!

[Rhys]

That seems a typical scenario... Trust this is not at the university level. What follows next of course, is one of those new teachers becomes the department chair, without the proper experience or creditial, other than the almighty... hmmm...do you know who my father is?

[Phatcharanan]

I believe that the Chinese Teachers salary of 12,000 baht is actually paid for by the Chinese government, passed along by the school.

[sparebox2]

I believe that the Chinese Teachers salary of 12,000 baht is actually paid for by the Chinese government, passed along by the school.

Why would the Chinese government what to do that? Offering services for free? Make no commercial sense to me.

[Fookhaht]

I believe that the Chinese Teachers salary of 12,000 baht is actually paid for by the Chinese government, passed along by the school.

Why would the Chinese government what to do that? Offering services for free? Make no commercial sense to me.

No, but it makes perfect political sense.

There is a battle here for the minds and hearts of Thai students to re-direct their thoughts from the West to China as the Great Benefactor of Asian Countries (not unlike Japan's WW2 grandiose ideas about redirecting Asia's focus from the west to Japan as the "Mother of All Asian Culture").

At our Thai university, China has built a large "Confucius Center" through which they supply Chinese cultural and language teachers free of charge to the university. The center is a hotbed of Chinese political propaganda and cultural overkill on our campus. It's not unusual for the direct of this center to use university public forums to rant and rave against the West.

Pretty overt stuff.

The university administration tolerates it in exchange for the great freebies (teachers; books, films, New Year's Parties, etc.) and other incentives supplied by the Chinese government.

Edited February 18, 2012 by Fookhaht