Long-distance Teacher Jobs In Thailand?

[rishi]

Hi.

I'm sort of pondering potential possibilities for expanding my current fields of operation, and thought that this board might be a place to get inspirations with respect to some teaching related potentials.

More specifically, I am trying to figure out a way to utilize my M.Sc. in physics and computer science to mutual benefit for me and Thailand. I am not interested in an actual position, that requires my daily presence at the institution and I don't need the institution to take care of neither visa nor WP. I am living happily in Chiang Mai where my mixed Thai/European marriage takes care of the visa and our own IT-related company takes care of the WP.

Our business requires my presence on an (almost) daily basis and requires a non-negligible part of my time and energy. I wouldn't want to trade that for a fulltime position of any kind.

Any chance that I could get a online job, teaching physics, mathematics, computer science to Thais (in English)?

My M.Sc. diploma is for real - translated to Thai and properly stamped by my embassy. However, I have only non-verifiable teaching-skills - (I do have some, but very little and honestly would't be too good at live performances). I am primarly interested in teaching Thais because I'm planning towards permanent Thai recidency and nationality and I sort of believe that teaching IT and natural science to Thais would improve my chances.

Any suggestions, anyone would like to share?

[Ijustwannateach]

The thing is, there are far more Thai teachers/tutors of physics/comp sci./anything else you'd care to name than there are English-speaking ones- and they are much more conveniently located (or willing to commute 1-2 hours for very little money). If the need is simply for the subject, there are plenty of competent Thais to oblige.

If the need is for the subject in ENGLISH, then most of the time that person will already be going to a school where there is an English-speaking teacher- and if the person needs additional help, what I've seen is that typically they'll choose a Thai for the technical subjects anyway (because a lot of it is just symbolic math that doesn't need a lot of English explanation, unless they're getting ready for Physics SAT or something like that).

A lot of time the English-speaking teachers themselves act as tutors for weak students, just as the Thai teachers do.

There is a small but developing cottage industry of tutoring for various kinds of English-language tests- SAT, ISGCE, IB, etc.- but once again the emphasis is on face time and convenience. A lot of these students will be located in Bangkok already. Perhaps there's someone already doing this in Chiang Mai and you could spare an hour or so a day? I don't know much about your city.

I have the feeling that someone rich and well-educated enough to have and use online access in English to study something like physics would most likely already have chosen to be in Bangkok to study- but I could be wrong. Maybe you could try contacting some of the international school teachers up there and see if they know what the situation is re. tutoring?

If you are very good in your field and know a bit of Thai, too, you might consider editing/mentoring grad. school theses/candidates- that could work online and there might be enough of a need.

"Steven"

Edited December 16, 2005 by Ijustwannateach

[Thetyim]

I am living happily in Chiang Mai where my mixed Thai/European marriage takes care of the visa and our own IT-related company takes care of the WP.

Please correct me if I am wrong but your WP only covers you for the job detailed in it. If you take up a second job I think you will need a second WP to be legal.

Can someone more knowledgeable than me confirm this ?

[Ijustwannateach]

Technically, that's correct. OP should understand that the work he is suggesting would be AYOR (of being deported and/or blacklisted), although the risk would be quite low in most cases.

"Steven"

[Thetyim]

Thanks Steven,

I was guessing from the OP wording that he was a professional would prefer to stay firmly on the legal side.

[rishi]

Thank you, both for your time and effort.

From Stevens "generel overview" I gather, that merely offering my generel skills - as defined by my degree - are unlikely to yield much of paid work. Not unless, I really did burn for it and were ready to lower my demands.

However, there appears to be potentials in more specialized approaches, such as those mentioned by Steven:

... There is a small but developing cottage industry of tutoring for various kinds of English-language tests- SAT, ISGCE, IB, etc. ...

... If you are very good in your field and know a bit of Thai, too, you might consider editing/mentoring grad. school theses/candidates- that could work online and there might be enough of a need ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wouldn't call myself particular good in general, but as everybody else with a higher education, I'd be particular good in those fields within fields, that I've specialized into.

As for the WP... Yes, I wouldn't want anything but stay firmly at the legal side (not as long as I am in position to survive that way).

I think Thetyim is right in the assumption, that I would need a second WP - sponsored by the employer - if I were to become engaged as an employee or in other ways got hired as an individual. But, I am sort of thinking along the lines of having our own company employ me as a specialist, that could be "hired" via a contract with the company. In that case, I believe, I wouldn't need a second WP - only proper additions to the details of the first one.

Well, I've just started looking in the teaching/tutoring direction and know that I'll have a bit of research to do before things will become clear.

[Uli]

There is, besides Ramkhamhaeng University, a second open university in Thailand, Sukhothai Thammatirat Open University. While Ramkhamhaeng runs currently 20 campuses for its over 600,000 students, STOU focuses more on distance learning.

I cannot offer any personal contacts. However, as far as I know the university fields here, having an online tutor for IT fields available is always a nice option for a state university.

Have a look at http://www.stou.ac.th/Eng/, and don't forget to ask your wife for having a look on the Thai version that appears to be more comprehensive.

From my experience, you may want to write a conventional snail-mail letter to the respective faculties and one to the president of the university. That a university practices distance learning does not automatically mean online learning, and even then it is not sure that you ever receive an answer if you write an e-mail. Anyway, a normal letter is widely considered more serious.

Furthermore, there is an international program BSc Computer Information Systems conducted in English at Payap University in Chiang Mai (http://www.payap.ac.th/english/). As far as I know, lectures are once a week for three hours - that might not endanger your business.

If you check one or both options out, I would appreciate to learn about your experiences.

Best regards,

Uli