Job adverts for unfilled positions

[Fullstop]

Might have something to do with the ridiculously small amount of money they want to pay. How can anyone live in a major city in Thailand on 30,000 baht, especially someone who invested 4-5 years and thousands of dollars to get a degree? Except for a working holiday for a youngster, who wants to accept that.

Low wages have never been a hindrance to people coming here to teach. I really think the TCT is the root cause. "4 year license clocks" are reaching zero every week. Two teachers at my school were forced to leave last year. I'm being forced to leave later this year. My school is still short 4 teachers. I've read of other schools in the country having the same problem.

There has always been a solid core of long term teachers here for the long haul. They have been supplemented by itinerate backpackers. Now that "core" is being quickly eroded. Leaving only the backpackers...who are often choosy about where they teach.

Hence the shortages.

Edited June 15, 2015 by Fullstop

[casualbiker]

Accredited Teaching diplomas are available online from the Philippines for less than $800. With a degree in any subject this will get you a Thai teaching licence ( also you will get an additional waiver while you are studying)

[Fullstop]

Accredited Teaching diplomas are available online from the Philippines for less than $800. With a degree in any subject this will get you a Thai teaching licence ( also you will get an additional waiver while you are studying)

Thailand is still not worth it. Not to mention the time involved. And the cheapest PGCE in the Phillipines is 55,000 Baht / $1800

There are better offers, teaching wise ... elsewhere.

The only people I'd understand jumping through that MASSIVE hoop would be teacher's who are married and have kids here.

Edited June 15, 2015 by Fullstop

[kaorop]

"1) the schools are offering bad contracts/salaries. 2) there is not enough teachers. or 3) the TCT have completely screwed up by demanding too high a standard for teachers to be able to be employed now."

All of the above.

I agree with Duane, But I think the main one is expecting teachers with master's degrees rather than TEFAL ers, Who have at least studied the appropriate subject, to work for 30000 Baht/month ish teaching Children in a broken education system that mostly aren't interested in the slightest in learning English when you can get 3x plus the wages & be teaching kids that want to learn in a different country... If you had that masters degree would you really want to teach here???

Exactly. That's point number 4. It seems we have 4 years of teaching certificate waivers then we're out. There used to be a system for us (without B.Ed.) to get a license, but no longer. There was: however, a fellow teacher of mine, at the end of waivers, who was given a third waiver after appealing to the TCT.

They're getting rid of teacher's with 4 years experience and obvious commitment... and replacing them with inexperienced backpackers with no commitment. Thai logic at it's finest. It's embarrassing Thailand. It really is.

They are far from embarrassed, they get a new younger whitey with a degree in knitting, for less money,

who leaves after a year before she/he understands a few thing and starts any problems.

Win win win for them, screw the students and who the hell gives flying <deleted> about the resident farang here anyway, this is business

[Fullstop]

They are far from embarrassed, they get a new younger whitey with a degree in knitting, for less money,

who leaves after a year before she/he understands a few thing and starts any problems.

Win win win for them, screw the students and who the hell gives flying <deleted> about the resident farang here anyway, this is business

I don't know about other schools ... but at mine I'm hearing grumbles of dissent among the fee paying parents about the foreign teacher shortage. Sooner or later the sh*% is going to hit the fan.

[Just1Voice]

Six years ago I was approached by the head of the English Dept of the school my niece attended about teaching there. Good school, well known. But I had already heard a lot of things I didn't like, so I told them I wanted to observe for a week before making my decision. They said that was fine.

It started off bad on Monday morning when the teacher read out the grades for a test they took on the previous Friday. Surprisingly, not one single student scored less than 40 out of 50 questions. Yet, when I got a chance to look at those papers, on the first 5, no one got more than 20 out of 50 right! When I questioned this, I was told "No one fail. Every one pass!" After the 2nd day, I asked why not a single student had raised their hand to ask a question, and was quickly told "Students don't ask question. Not allowed!" By the end of Wednesday, I was ready to call it quits, but decided to stick to my commitment of one week. I got a chance to talk to some students, and asked them why they never asked questions. They looked at me as if I had just insulted the Royal Family.

At the end of the week I told them, "Thanks, but no way in hell would I teach here."

[Fullstop]

^ Pretty bog standard Thai teacher/General class setup. She should have gone to an E.P.

[duanebigsby]

All of the last comments are right on target.

I am fully willing to work for the low salary simply because it's Thailand I want to live in.

But soon I'll be forced out. I hope I like Laos or Cambodia, Vietnam as much as here. China....more money...but sorry. I won't go there.

[lostinisaan]

"1) the schools are offering bad contracts/salaries. 2) there is not enough teachers. or 3) the TCT have completely screwed up by demanding too high a standard for teachers to be able to be employed now."

All of the above.

I agree with Duane, But I think the main one is expecting teachers with master's degrees rather than TEFAL ers, Who have at least studied the appropriate subject, to work for 30000 Baht/month ish teaching Children in a broken education system that mostly aren't interested in the slightest in learning English when you can get 3x plus the wages & be teaching kids that want to learn in a different country... If you had that masters degree would you really want to teach here???

No

No +

[BudRight]

I can't figure out what TCT even does besides make things impossible. Between them, the MoE and Ministry of Labor there really is no hope for foreign teachers in The Kingdom.

Edited June 15, 2015 by BudRight

[Fullstop]

I can't figure out what TCT even does besides make things impossible. Between them, the MoE and Department of Labor there really is no hope for foreign teachers in The Kingdom.

Whatever it is they do .... there seemed to be no problem without it until the TCT turned up 8 (???) or so years ago.

[lostinisaan]

Salaries are too low and and paperwork requirements are too difficult. More and more people are just going to China where they can make twice the salary and have half the paperwork headaches. In China they aren't kicking experienced workers out because they used up their licensing quota. So the low salaries are attracting fewer potential employees, and difficult work permit/visa requirements are driving existing ones away.

Exactly. I've taught here for 8 years. Modesty aside. I'm a damn fine teacher. But I don't have an Ed Degree. I have a Science Degree. The TCT wants me out. End of this term I MUST leave. I'll be going to China.

I could spend lots of time and money getting an Ed degree or a PGCE...but for Thailand's wages and chronic hoop jumping...it's just not worth it.

Presently, my school is still short of 4 teachers. At least the extra money I'm making by covering classes with no teacher will help me reestablish myself in China.

No other country in the region demands an Ed degree. South Korea...no problem, Japan...no problem, Taiwan...no problem...

Thailand/TCT ... PROBLEM

I'm afraid I know what the TCT is doing with it's right hand.

Even when I agree with most of your posts, I have to disagree with that one.

The TCT does not know what it's doing with its right hand, just because the left hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.

Please don't give them so much credit. Thanks for your kindest consideration.

[Squeegee]

I don't have much faith in an outcry from the parents unless the shortage is so bad there's nobody left at all other than those forced to remain due to marriage and kids.

I don't think the parents are capable of rubbing much warmth out of a couple of brain cells.... They throw their money down the drain of the Thai school system and look through the classroom windows smiling when a "kru farang" is getting a good day and the appearance is that all is well. As reported elsewhere, it would definitely seem that going to Thai schools lowers one's IQ. Don't these silly parents remember when they were at school themselves and how they showed little respect to the foreigner, on top of everything else he has to put up with. Don't they use their eyes when going beyond the entrance hall and see the cheap and nasty reality, how the school gives the kids only warm water to drink unless they buy bottled water and so many other issues?

Of course they don't. They stopped thinking by the time they learned to walk.

Thailand has no hope unless it fails so badly the Thais cannot ignore their shame any longer. What a sad state of affairs when a country can give me so much and yet in return my own best wishes are for it to get the biggest kick up the arse it's ever known.

Surely it's inevitable their time is coming. They can't leech their arrogance off post-Vietnam War infrastructure that was gifted to them, or the mere memories of a once popular tourist destination forever.

What exactly has Thailand done for the world? It's to their shame that long before they're ever capable of knowing the importance of them asking this question themselves Thailand itself as we knew it will probably be long gone.

Let them face failure on every level, it's the only way they'll drag themselves up from the brainless society they are now. This is the answer to almost every topic related to Thailand.

They can only watch Thai TV, eat Thai food and listen to Thai music, and it hasn't occurred to them yet that makes them weak and stupid.

What a damn shame.

[gemguy]

Wait until after they need something, before thinking about getting it.

Basic Thai culture.

Ha, Ha ...perfect...but the sad truth in most cases.

[Fullstop]

Salaries are too low and and paperwork requirements are too difficult. More and more people are just going to China where they can make twice the salary and have half the paperwork headaches. In China they aren't kicking experienced workers out because they used up their licensing quota. So the low salaries are attracting fewer potential employees, and difficult work permit/visa requirements are driving existing ones away.

Exactly. I've taught here for 8 years. Modesty aside. I'm a damn fine teacher. But I don't have an Ed Degree. I have a Science Degree. The TCT wants me out. End of this term I MUST leave. I'll be going to China.

I could spend lots of time and money getting an Ed degree or a PGCE...but for Thailand's wages and chronic hoop jumping...it's just not worth it.

Presently, my school is still short of 4 teachers. At least the extra money I'm making by covering classes with no teacher will help me reestablish myself in China.

No other country in the region demands an Ed degree. South Korea...no problem, Japan...no problem, Taiwan...no problem...

Thailand/TCT ... PROBLEM

I'm afraid I know what the TCT is doing with it's right hand.

Even when I agree with most of your posts, I have to disagree with that one.

The TCT does not know what it's doing with its right hand, just because the left hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.

Please don't give them so much credit. Thanks for your kindest consideration.

I said "I know" ... Of course they don't know... 555

[DavisH]

So, Lostinissan. You give very fine examples of why the foreign teacher can often screw up and school is in problems. Because like the cartoon "Where's Wally", they have no teacher. So, from my 3 options I posted, which one do you think fits the most likely cause ( apart from newbies/drunks/meth-heads/perv's ) causes for the shortage of jobs being filled?

Well, while the TCT is tightening requirements, I'm not sure this is a major factor in getting white faces into classrooms. Agencies have mushroomed over the last 5 years and give a constant supply of green teachers looking to fill a gap year. They are not affected by the TCT requirements as they are usually gone after two years. Pressure is not coming to bear on long term teachers who do not have qualifications, but I can personally say I don't know any, so far, who have not have their provisional licence extended.

Another factor is living costs vs salaries. Salaries have really stagnated over the last 10-15 years. Up-country schools paying 30K now were paying 25K 15 year ago. I know so, as that is what I started on at my first school (any they even wanted to pay only 20K !). I left that job for more than double that salary, but that has only increased marginally in 10 years or more. Compare this to living costs / petrol, which have doubled to tripled over the same period. Thailand was never a place to make money, and even less so now. Good long term teachers who are qualified tend not to change jobs, so it's always hard to find such teachers to work for low salaries in new positions.

[gemguy]

I don't have much faith in an outcry from the parents unless the shortage is so bad there's nobody left at all other than those forced to remain due to marriage and kids.

I don't think the parents are capable of rubbing much warmth out of a couple of brain cells.... They throw their money down the drain of the Thai school system and look through the classroom windows smiling when a "kru farang" is getting a good day and the appearance is that all is well. As reported elsewhere, it would definitely seem that going to Thai schools lowers one's IQ. Don't these silly parents remember when they were at school themselves and how they showed little respect to the foreigner, on top of everything else he has to put up with. Don't they use their eyes when going beyond the entrance hall and see the cheap and nasty reality, how the school gives the kids only warm water to drink unless they buy bottled water and so many other issues?

Of course they don't. They stopped thinking by the time they learned to walk.

Thailand has no hope unless it fails so badly the Thais cannot ignore their shame any longer. What a sad state of affairs when a country can give me so much and yet in return my own best wishes are for it to get the biggest kick up the arse it's ever known.

Surely it's inevitable their time is coming. They can't leech their arrogance off post-Vietnam War infrastructure that was gifted to them, or the mere memories of a once popular tourist destination forever.

What exactly has Thailand done for the world? It's to their shame that long before they're ever capable of knowing the importance of them asking this question themselves Thailand itself as we knew it will probably be long gone.

Let them face failure on every level, it's the only way they'll drag themselves up from the brainless society they are now. This is the answer to almost every topic related to Thailand.

They can only watch Thai TV, eat Thai food and listen to Thai music, and it hasn't occurred to them yet that makes them weak and stupid.

What a damn shame.

True..to a degree...but meantime it is nice to know you / we are amongst the intelligent and sensible percent while it feels good knowing that...lol

Cheers

[Fullstop]

Agencies have mushroomed over the last 5 years and give a constant supply of green teachers looking to fill a gap year.

My school has tried several agencies. They have no one available. We're still, as of today, 4 teachers short.

I've even put ads on Facebook Teacher pages and a couple of teaching forums myself. No one.

[attrayant]

Exactly. I've taught here for 8 years. Modesty aside. I'm a damn fine teacher. But I don't have an Ed Degree. I have a Science Degree. The TCT wants me out. End of this term I MUST leave. I'll be going to China.

I'm in the same boat. My school has been looking for another science teacher to share the workload with me but they just aren't out there. A few applicants we've interviewed last year read from Wikipedia articles for their teaching demo. It was painful to watch.

If I'm refused another waiver next year (as I expect will happen based on the heartburn they gave me this year), I'll fall back on some tech writing & copy editing work. A bit lower pay than I'm getting as a science teacher but it'll come with 95% less B.S. which makes it more than a good trade.

Edited June 15, 2015 by attrayant

[SilverBeast]

Interesting.

Probably explains why on my last visit to Kalasin friends of my Wife's family were trying to recruit me as an English teacher, lol.

Currently I make good money in Canada. I`ve got a CS degree and am working a IT job in that field here. I made good money, paid a big mortgage, a bunch of taxes and living expense, etc here in Canada but at the end of the year it looks like my personal Savings/Investments went up about $20,000 Canadian. So, its pretty good. They were offering me $20,000-$30,000 a year to go teach. lol.

I am a natural english speaker with a University Degree. I'm sure I could figure out how to teach english over there easy enough. But why would I go over there for the same amount of money Gross as I can have net here?

I'd even be able to stay at the Wife's parents house or buy a place next door and build a place. But financially it doesn't make sense.

Get back to me when it gets to the point where I can put $20,000 Canadian into savings every year and I might just make a change in my life...

[aarontendo]

This isn't rocket science

Stagnating or declining salaries (lower # of applicants)

Bad news, be it government ahem troubles, tourists dying in droves, etc (lower # of applicants)

Growth in other markets, such as China (lower # of applicants)

Visa problems (lower # of applicants)

HIGHER requirements than any other nation for ESL (lower # of applicants)

Oh, baht has gone from 29 baht to 1 usd to almost 34 baht to a dollar...yeah, that ain't gonna help if you WERE saving anything here. This isn't even touching upon the actual work, which I know is beginning to leave a bad taste in my mouth "teachaaaaaa game"

Where do I sign up oh boy!

[jonnybegood]

Is there a way a way to know how many nationwide vacancies there are? A statistic comparing this time last year to now.... or is it just from looking at job boards? Or talking with friends struggling to fill vacancies? Is it just english teachers or does it cover other subjects taught in english? sorry for so many questions.

Try www.

seriousteachers.com

[jonnybegood]

Salaries are too low and and paperwork requirements are too difficult. More and more people are just going to China where they can make twice the salary and have half the paperwork headaches. In China they aren't kicking experienced workers out because they used up their licensing quota. So the low salaries are attracting fewer potential employees, and difficult work permit/visa requirements are driving existing ones away.

Exactly. I've taught here for 8 years. Modesty aside. I'm a damn fine teacher. But I don't have an Ed Degree. I have a Science Degree. The TCT wants me out. End of this term I MUST leave. I'll be going to China.

I could spend lots of time and money getting an Ed degree or a PGCE...but for Thailand's wages and chronic hoop jumping...it's just not worth it.

Presently, my school is still short of 4 teachers. At least the extra money I'm making by covering classes with no teacher will help me reestablish myself in China.

No other country in the region demands an Ed degree. South Korea...no problem, Japan...no problem, Taiwan...no problem...

Thailand/TCT ... PROBLEM

I'm afraid I know what the TCT is doing with it's right hand.

Try a Private School or Khoasan Rd for your Ed degree? I am told it is registered with whichever Uni u

you choose

[lostinisaan]

All of the last comments are right on target.

I am fully willing to work for the low salary simply because it's Thailand I want to live in.

But soon I'll be forced out. I hope I like Laos or Cambodia, Vietnam as much as here. China....more money...but sorry. I won't go there.

When i started teaching in 2005, there wasn't even a degree needed. Almost everywhere, people were asking me if I wouldn't like to teach English for them and I gave it a try, out of boredom.

When they gave me my SS number and there's a problem, I found out that those numbers on a SS card for foreigners don't even exist.

These numbers usually show age, gender,nationality, etc. If you think you can get your wife and kids into this scheme you're wrong, it works for Thai teachers married to foreigners, but not for us.

How many of us, who're legally married are in the same situation? WE clearly have the right, but we just can't make any use of it?

I've got the Thai SS act, it says nothing about nationality,it also clearly states that wives and kids of people who pay into the system are entitled to join the same benefits.

Would I be able to continue teaching for the next nine, or ten years, I would receive a small pension from the Thai government, plus the one I'll receive from my country of origin.

But I already know that I'll never be able to catch up with the always changing rules, laws and regulations.

And to be honest, I don't want to put up with all the crap day by day and year by year.

It's foreseeable that there'll be the day to say goodbye.

[lostinisaan]

Salaries are too low and and paperwork requirements are too difficult. More and more people are just going to China where they can make twice the salary and have half the paperwork headaches. In China they aren't kicking experienced workers out because they used up their licensing quota. So the low salaries are attracting fewer potential employees, and difficult work permit/visa requirements are driving existing ones away.

Exactly. I've taught here for 8 years. Modesty aside. I'm a damn fine teacher. But I don't have an Ed Degree. I have a Science Degree. The TCT wants me out. End of this term I MUST leave. I'll be going to China.

I could spend lots of time and money getting an Ed degree or a PGCE...but for Thailand's wages and chronic hoop jumping...it's just not worth it.

Presently, my school is still short of 4 teachers. At least the extra money I'm making by covering classes with no teacher will help me reestablish myself in China.

No other country in the region demands an Ed degree. South Korea...no problem, Japan...no problem, Taiwan...no problem...

Thailand/TCT ... PROBLEM

I'm afraid I know what the TCT is doing with it's right hand.

Try a Private School or Khoasan Rd for your Ed degree? I am told it is registered with whichever Uni u

you choose

"I am told that ..." I know that I know nothing."

[aarontendo]

Salaries are too low and and paperwork requirements are too difficult. More and more people are just going to China where they can make twice the salary and have half the paperwork headaches. In China they aren't kicking experienced workers out because they used up their licensing quota. So the low salaries are attracting fewer potential employees, and difficult work permit/visa requirements are driving existing ones away.

Exactly. I've taught here for 8 years. Modesty aside. I'm a damn fine teacher. But I don't have an Ed Degree. I have a Science Degree. The TCT wants me out. End of this term I MUST leave. I'll be going to China.

I could spend lots of time and money getting an Ed degree or a PGCE...but for Thailand's wages and chronic hoop jumping...it's just not worth it.

Presently, my school is still short of 4 teachers. At least the extra money I'm making by covering classes with no teacher will help me reestablish myself in China.

No other country in the region demands an Ed degree. South Korea...no problem, Japan...no problem, Taiwan...no problem...

Thailand/TCT ... PROBLEM

I'm afraid I know what the TCT is doing with it's right hand.

Try a Private School or Khoasan Rd for your Ed degree? I am told it is registered with whichever Uni u

you choose

Heh, awesome.

[Fullstop]

Try a Private School or Khoasan Rd for your Ed degree? I am told it is registered with whichever Uni u

you choose

Private schools are also covered by the TCT. Khao San Rd? You're kidding me! After two waivers...how do you think the TCT would react to me suddenly popping up with an Ed Degree? The only teaching jobs not controlled by the TCT are universities (jobs as scarce as hen's teeth) and Language schools ... (stuff them)

Edited June 16, 2015 by Fullstop

[Fullstop]

I would receive a small pension from the Thai government,

I think it's about 200 Baht a month ... enough to buy a large bag of rice.

[lostinisaan]

I would receive a small pension from the Thai government,

I think it's about 200 Baht a month ... enough to buy a large bag of rice.

Mom and dad in law are farmers and we use to eat our own rice, so I could buy some beer, perhaps?

200 baht could be the allowance for a child. I've just found something interesting and would love to find out if that's true.

Old-age pension: 15% of the average wage of the last 60 months. ( Please see attached file)

So let's say I'd have 40 K and find a way to push me up a little, what they usually do for their Thai employees, I'd at least have 6 K/month +?.and my European pension, if Europe's still existing, when I drop in a box. Much better better than shitting my pants, without me realizing it, don't you think?

When reading attached file, I smell a dad rat. It's clearly stating that we only have to pay 1 %, so making 33 K would be only 330 baht. But they usually deduct 750 baht and the employees have a non existing SS number? And I guess we all know where the money goes to....

I'd be more than happy if some guys here could write down how much they're currently paying for their monthly SS. I'm on my own and pay 438 baht month, because the school is in the process to be registered. ( Since more than a year, but there's light at the end of the tunnel, just don't see it now...)

Source of Funds

Insured person: 1% of wages.

Employer: 1% of payroll.

Government: 1% of wages.

All of the above contributions finance old-age benefits and

child allowance only.

For the contributions for disability and survivor benefits, see

Sickness and Maternity, below.

Note: The contribution rates for the insured person and the

employer have been temporarily reduced to 1% in response to

economic recession. The contribution rates were 3%.

Please see attached file, sorry didn't mean to go off topic, but there might be guys who're more knowledgeable on this one.

Thanks a lot in advance. May the Lord Buddha be with all of you and make the TCT disappear. .

thailand SS insurance.docx

Edited June 16, 2015 by lostinisaan

[casualbiker]

I would receive a small pension from the Thai government,

I think it's about 200 Baht a month ... enough to buy a large bag of rice.

You are referring to old persons allowance which is now actually 600b per month. This is paid to ALL pensioners in Thailand irrespective of payments to the social security scheme. The SSS is a separate payment, I believe you can choose a lump sum or monthly until death.