Is it possible to teach english in Thailand as an Asian-American?

[Basoon]

So I'm an Asian American that is interested in teaching in Thailand or anywhere in Asia thats willing to take me. One concern is that some posts here state that some schools prefer a non-asian looking person so is anybody here Asian that have experience with discrimination when it comes to getting hired to teach in Asia?

[nmesparrow]

I've been wondering the same question as I am also an Asian-American transplanting next year.

[thesetat2013]

Most schools want you for your white skin and foreign appearances because it sells to Asians and fills their classrooms. You may find a good good however it will be difficult to find one with a salary comparable to a non Asian

[ksamuiguy]

Sad, but true.

[aarontendo]

Also if you're filipino American it may be harder.

[Loaded]

I know several Asian American/Brit teachers working here. They use their home country passports and don't have a problem.

[spermwhale]

I know several Asian American/Brit teachers working here. They use their home country passports and don't have a problem.

I would second that! It all depends on the school, but the first few posters are making untrue blanket statements. My kids go to a top flight international school and there is Asian brit and a few Asian Americans teaching there. They get paid the same and the parents don't seem concerned at all.

[BudRight]

I suggest you go and take TOEIC. Be patient, listen well and you'll score 990. Even though this test is not for native speakers, all the Thais know about it and this will be the "proof" they want. They can tell all the parents and put it in brochures. It will be a big selling point. For them and for you.

Edited August 4, 2015 by BudRight

[mike324]

If you are well qualified with a degree, its not a problem landing a job at an International School and getting a work permit. If you are looking at English schools, the ones that can overlook skin color, they will only hire Asians if they don't need to get you a work permit. I have friends who are Thai, Indian, and mixes with black hair, they taught English at different English schools but they all have Thai citizenship or permanent residence.

Best to plan your career path get certifications and work on mba degree, don't be another English teacher who wants to live the easy life style. It may be fun, but you are wasting your life away with no savings in the end.

[timmyp]

I know several Asian American/Brit teachers working here. They use their home country passports and don't have a problem.

I would second that! It all depends on the school, but the first few posters are making untrue blanket statements. My kids go to a top flight international school and there is Asian brit and a few Asian Americans teaching there. They get paid the same and the parents don't seem concerned at all.

I know Asian-Americans and Asian holding UK passports who are qualified elementary or high school teachers in their home countries, and are teaching at international school that recognize their credentials. They are getting paid just like all the other qualified teachers.

But if you are of Asian descent and trying to get a job in a school that doesn't require you to be a certified elementary or high school teacher in an English speaking country, then you will be paid significantly less than white teachers. This is no secret, most schools will probably tell you this up front.

[FangFerang]

American Asians generally get paid the same salary as Thais (around 15000 baht). One American Filipino man I knew had a degree in English from UCLA and was only offered that, while the same school hired a few white South Africans, some of which never graduated high school, at 29,000.

[quandow]

Don't take this has a flame OP, but your grammar and punctuation are bad. You also don't say what subject you are thinking of teaching, your age, or education.

Thailand is a xenophobic nation and bases its hiring standards strongly on appearance. I worked as a teacher with a man from Hong Kong who spokle like he had a mouth full of marbles, but he had a degree and very pale skin. When I took my TEFL course in Phuket, the instructors were quite clear on how dark-skinned people would rarely get hired in Thailand.

I'd recomend you look into work in Vietnam. I've never spoken with a teacher who didn't enjoy working there. Chok dee (good luck).

[1FinickyOne]

I don't think you will have a problem - I live in the countryside and there are Philippino teachers here… nobody seems to care and they have been here many years.

[IMA_FARANG]

Don't take this has a flame OP, but your grammar and punctuation are bad. You also don't say what subject you are thinking of teaching, your age, or education.

Thailand is a xenophobic nation and bases its hiring standards strongly on appearance. I worked as a teacher with a man from Hong Kong who spokle like he had a mouth full of marbles, but he had a degree and very pale skin. When I took my TEFL course in Phuket, the instructors were quite clear on how dark-skinned people would rarely get hired in Thailand.

I'd recomend you look into work in Vietnam. I've never spoken with a teacher who didn't enjoy working there. Chok dee (good luck).

----------------------------

I have. I talked to a man whose wife owned the school. He was English, and acted as the headmaster of the school. He also did the hiring of teachers. He was quite candid about how the parents wanted an white native born English speaking teacher, because the school charged premium fees for their school and the parents demanded a real English born English looking teacher for the fee they paid.

Vietnamese parents can be more demanding than Thais, especially if they are well-off Chinese-Vietnamese parents with money,

It's a prestige thing for a school to have an English looking English teacher with an English accent, makes the parents think their children must be learning "correct" English from a blonde haired "English looking" teacher.

Of course that isn't necessarily true, but often it's what the parents want for their money.

Edited August 4, 2015 by IMA_FARANG

[duanebigsby]

A lot of blanket statements here.

Depends on the school.

Some want white faces only, some will pay less if they can call you a non-native speaker. At my school we have had an Iranian, a Spanish fellow, Korean, and a Cameroon person, all have been paid according to native speaker wage.

You'll find a school which will pay you and treat you as a native speaker but you may have to look a little harder than the white guys.

I personally feel it's good for schools to expose the kids to non-white people who speak English as inspiration.

[smotherb]

I've been wondering the same question as I am also an Asian-American transplanting next year.

My wife is a Filipina, but she is a US citizen, has a US high school diploma, US college degree, and speaks English like an American. She teaches at NES wages. However, she has had some schools refuse to hire her because she is Asian. That is a common Thai mindset, but if you persevere you can find NES wages; especially if you were born in the States and have US credentials.

[pomchop]

I have a chinese friend that speaks better English than any of the Thai English teachers. But the school, a public one, will not hire her to teach english because she is not a native speaker. She also speaks fluent Thai as well as Chinese but doesn't seem to matter.

They want her to teach Chinese but pay her a fraction of what they pay native speaking english teachers who frankly don't speak/read or write english as well as the Chinese girl.

Sort of sad to see the crap she has to put up with. The kids all love her and I have zero doubt she would be a better English teacher than any of the native speakers who seem to come and go constantly but get paid more just because they were born into an english speaking country.

[jamhar]

If you are a certified teaching professional from the US, you shouldn't have any problems.

If you are coming here winging it, then expect the same problems a converted tourist would face.

Yes most school want young Caucasian female attractive certified teachers.

I'm old fugly and noncaucasian. I haven't had any problems yet.

I just stay away from the ads looking for young Caucasian female attractive certified teachers.

As in most things, if you are good at it, you will find a place.

If you're looking for an easy money train, good luck.

just my 2 cents

[Too]

Hello

First of all, you can teach English in Thailand as an Asian American no problem!

We have a Filipino guy at our school who teaches English, too.

The only problem might be you wouldn't get paid as much as you deserve to

because there is actually a hierarchy of salary here in Thailand that depends

upon the nationality and/ or the skin color.

This all means that it depends upon the school so you should negotiate it with

the school director. You should also find a good school that treats you properly.

Good luck.

[alex88]

We have an Asian American teacher at the school who gets paid the same as us. And an African teacher who gets paid a bit more than us because he's been here a little bit longer.

[Scott]

My experience has been that the Thai admin is very capricious on this issue. We have had Asian teachers with an overseas passport who are paid the same as all other western teachers. We have also had those that have been started at a salary 5,000 baht less than others and the reason is because they are Asian.

We have also had teachers who started at the full Western salary and then after a year were told their salary would be reduced. There is no good reason for this, but the point is they want the white face/skin and they tend to discriminate against other Asians. In short, they will do what they think they can get away with.

[Rhys]

Ethnicity and nationality are challenging concepts for some Thais.. If you tell some of them you are from Hawai'i, they respond what country is that.

As many of the posters have stated.. it depends what school, your degree, and your background...and of course who you know at the schoo as always.

As an Asian American, some schools will love you and then as indicated they will try to get away with what they can...because some Thai will say your not really American or a Brit...

Having a multi-ethnic face works the system.

In the years that have taught in Thailand... all has gone smoothly... Learning the culture, speaking the language this will help you.

Cheers Mate

Edited August 16, 2015 by Rhys