Thai School Summer Holiday Pay

[gmr85uk]

Hey guys,

I've been looking for teaching jobs in the North-east of Thailand. I'm not taking the route of looking for jobs on the internet and job sites as these are rarely found for north-east Thailand and only apply to Bangkok etc. I've been going into schools and applying through friends contacts with a lot of interest.

However, every job offer I get (including previous jobs I've had in the NE) have said upfront that I will not get paid during the 2/3 month summer break between March-April. Is this normal?? I can't get my head around having to save money every month just to afford rent during the holiday because I won't have any income! I've just qualified as a teacher in the UK and have experience teaching in Thailand, but I can't see how they expect me to survive on 20-25k a month max and no holiday pay at all these schools. I left my last school because I wasn't making enough to live off each month.

Am I kidding myself in thinking its possible to teach in Thailand long term (or longer than year) and not come out at the end of it poorer or broke? Are these conditions the same in BKK or CM or am I just being taken for a ride here?

Any advice or knowledge would be very much appreciated!

Yours

Dejected Teacher

[skybluestu]

My contract starts/ends in May and always get paid every month regardless of whether it is worked or not. Surprised you are even contemplating 20-25k per month as a UK qualified teacher though!

[puchooay]

I have posted on another thread on Thai Visa offering the exact type of job you are looking for. I have sent you a PM.

[markg]

Hi there,

Is it normal to not be paid over the holidays? Not sure if it's 'normal' but I have heard of it. I've heard of schools giving 12 month contracts but only paying a nominal retainer over the holidays. The one's i've heard of do pay around 40k a month, allowing you to save some money for the summer break.

Personally, if you are a qualified teacher, then you are wasting your time looking at schools paying 30k a month and you will be dejected. I say this because i feel that with your experience as a qualified teacher, you will be able to see through the smoke and mirrors charade that pupports to be an 'education system'. It will frustrate you beyond belief.

If you are a qualified teacher and already have some experience in Thailand then you should be setting your sights far higher than run of the mill Thai EFL type schools.

You need to be looking at international schools.

Try to remember this. It's not how much you earn each month, it's how much you can save living the lifestyle you want to, that is important.

A 30k a month job in Isaan where your rent is 3k a month may allow you to save 10k a month.

A 60k a month job in Bangkok where your rent is 20k a month probably won't allow you to save as much as the Isaan gig !!

I have teaching friends back in the UK who earn twice as much as me here in Thailand. However, I save three times as much as them each month. Sure, I don't own a house here, but I do have a maid once a week and I eat out every day. Teachers in the UK tell me they can afford to eat out about once a week.

Work out what is important for you (money isn't everything) and aim as high as you can.

Good luck.

[LucidLucifer]

To the OP.

Are you able to explain exactly what qualifications you hold from the UK?

Do you mean you are UK qualified and you have QTS, or you've just gained your CELTA/TESOL in the UK?

I'm sure people will be able to give you much better advice if you can clarify.

[engrin]

also have a job avail for start of june.

[gmr85uk]

Thank so much for all this advice guys, its a relief to hear that there are better jobs out there! I don't have QTS yet, but I do have a PGCE in teaching English Language (with 1 year UK teaching experience) plus a TEFL certificate (with about 2 years experience teaching in Thailand).

It sounds as if I've been taken for a bit of a ride from what everyone has said, good to know! Markg I think what you have said is completely right; that's great advice! Looking at a job in terms of saving power is definitely the way to go about it.

Maybe it's just some of the schools in the more rural areas that are like this? In my experience they are in the business of trying to bargain you down to as little pay and benefits as possible to try and get themselves a bargain. Although looking at the schools and student cohorts, they are obvisously not short of a few bhat I can tell you!

Anyway, I'm definitely going to fight harder for fairer conditions know I know there are good schools out there!

[BlackArtemis]

I worked at a government school in Chiang Mai and got paid the same salary every month. I did not have to show up during the summer. So october and the summer included, I had 2.5 months of paid vacation. A few other things about the school made up for the lower pay.

[culicine]

Couple of points - to me, schools who don't pay holiday pay are assuming you won't return for the following year (which is stupid, as you have earned holiday pay by completing the contract), or are really telling you, "we want to change teachers every year / we don't need you next year". Forget any school that doesn't pay for holidays - and this includes some lower rung so-called international schools.

Don't set your sights oh the top international schools just yet - competition for them is fierce, even for fully qualified teachers with QTS and years of experience in western schools.

You might look towards the private system with their english programs / bilingual programs. Yes there's some BS, as do most schools here, but we are always paid on time and paid every month...Salaries should be 40K ++, possibly up to 70/80K, though not many would pay that much.