30K cap. What is this?

[Jimjim1968]

I am hearing nasty rumours that the government are planning to cap foreign teachers salaries at 30,000 Baht a month.

Does anyone have any more information on this?

[tonray]

Not heard that...but for all practical purposes that average salary is not much higher than that anyway. With agencies taking a bigger cut of the school hire business and schools themselves demanding more and more for your 8 to 4 shift ,weekend camps, speech competitions, etc etc the effective hourly wage has been declining especially for new teachers.

[thesetat2013]

There was a news article here related to this a few weeks ago. Not capped mind you but reducing the number of native speakers training thais and hiring more from the Philippines to reduce costs.

[tonray]

There was a news article here related to this a few weeks ago. Not capped mind you but reducing the number of native speakers training thais and hiring more from the Philippines to reduce costs.

Good let them...with salaries for NES teachers running 50% higher in Vietnam...makes the decision all that much easier.

[masuk]

Native speaker English teachers in Indonesia, working for English First are on around U$720.00 per month.

However, they normally pay all return air fares and fees, and supply subsidised accommodation. Salaries increase if you stay at the same school, or back to square 1 if you change schools within the same company.

Thailand is the only ASEAN country which does not pay fares and other costs.

[steven100]

Yes, they may be looking to reducing the number of foreign teachers from UK, America etc, so they may cap salaries in the future to 30k as stated. This was bought about by the recent discovery that many teachers working here without correct papers, qualifications and were far from professional etc.

I guess you couldn't argue with them given the quality of expat teachers in Thailand.

[BruceMangosteen]

Yes, they may be looking to reducing the number of foreign teachers from UK, America etc, so they may cap salaries in the future to 30k as stated. This was bought about by the recent discovery that many teachers working here without correct papers, qualifications and were far from professional etc.

I guess you couldn't argue with them given the quality of expat teachers in Thailand.

Recent discovery? As you must know, when you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. It has been a matter of not having the budgets and/or willingness to lure professional teachers from Native English Speaking countries which of course leads to all the rest. You simply put, as with any business, get what you pay for.

[Scott]

An inflammatory post has been removed.

[TEFLKrabi]

Yes, they may be looking to reducing the number of foreign teachers from UK, America etc, so they may cap salaries in the future to 30k as stated. This was bought about by the recent discovery that many teachers working here without correct papers, qualifications and were far from professional etc.

I guess you couldn't argue with them given the quality of expat teachers in Thailand.

Could you show me some evidence to back up you claim about the quality of teachers?

[monty1412]

Once again its "Ready, Fire, Aim" strategy at work..... the correlation between education standards and Future Wealth prospects of a nation is a direct linkage. In recent PISA evaluations Thailand came in rank 47 of about 67 nations with Singapore and Vietnam talking very high positions....Thailand needs to focus on increasing teaching standards and giving its youth a real chance of growing and achieving... setting limits on numbers of foreign teachers or their salary cap does nothing to increase the teaching standards in the country; arguably it diminishes the teaching standards in fact. I am 100% bought in on the notion that if there are enough high quality Thai based teachers then the need for foreign teachers is not there however Thailand is a long way away from that scenario and will continue to be in that position for many years ......

Its is these presumptive/ ill thought strategies that Thailand seems to frequently engage in that hurts it as a nation...... limiting the foreign teacher numbers or capping salaries is short sighted and bound to have repercussions......

[makecoldplayhistory]

I can't imagine this being true.

That's fractionally more than the monthly housing allowance at my school. Not a single teacher would remain should salaries be capped at 30k.

[realenglish1]

For some reason Thailand is not serious about its students learning PROPER english They will be left in the dust as other ASIAN members gear up for serious English

I never understood why except for fear that english understanding will result in people knowing better what is going on in the world

[SoiBiker]

I can't imagine this being true.

That's fractionally more than the monthly housing allowance at my school. Not a single teacher would remain should salaries be capped at 30k.

Indeed. This would close every international school in the country overnight. An unlikely prospect.

[aarontendo]

Yes, they may be looking to reducing the number of foreign teachers from UK, America etc, so they may cap salaries in the future to 30k as stated. This was bought about by the recent discovery that many teachers working here without correct papers, qualifications and were far from professional etc.

I guess you couldn't argue with them given the quality of expat teachers in Thailand.

Could you show me some evidence to back up you claim about the quality of teachers?

Thailand has some of the worst PISA scores in the region, and declining further seems to be the trend. Teachers working here are part of that, as much as people would like to deny it.

What evidence are you looking for in specific? It's long been a nation where people work illegally without the proper paperwork. Do you expect someone to post up a specific number of individuals?

[bendywire]

I am so happy that I don't have to teach in Thailand anymore. Nothing more than a banana Republic. The place is quickly going to the dogs.

[alien365]

With the cost of living constantly going up I can't imagine many teachers staying for that. In my mind 30k is already a bare minimum salary to live on for Westerners. To go back to the UK to see family and friends would be 1 months salary before even adding spending money.

[Colabamumbai]

You will find that it is up to the school, I cannot see the government doing this. They have recalled 10,000 retired Thai teachers. Retired after 5 years teaching in Thailand.

[chrisinth]

Would love to know the source of this rumour.

And how they would ever plan to implement it on the teachers currently earning much more than 30k.

Yes, they have said they want to reduce the number of foreign teachers, but not like this.....................

[Nuddy]

Hey guys

I am not a teacher.

Haha, work for 30k THB a month and you have a degree.....

One would have to be desperate I reckon.

Yep OK I understand teacher dedication as my brother was a teacher in Australia but really, 30k THB!

I give my wife that for her found money and I pay everything else.

And I am a pensioner ..of sorts.

Haha what a joke. Would westerners ever even consider that?

Regards

[TEFLKrabi]

Yes, they may be looking to reducing the number of foreign teachers from UK, America etc, so they may cap salaries in the future to 30k as stated. This was bought about by the recent discovery that many teachers working here without correct papers, qualifications and were far from professional etc.

I guess you couldn't argue with them given the quality of expat teachers in Thailand.

Could you show me some evidence to back up you claim about the quality of teachers?

Thailand has some of the worst PISA scores in the region, and declining further seems to be the trend. Teachers working here are part of that, as much as people would like to deny it.

What evidence are you looking for in specific? It's long been a nation where people work illegally without the proper paperwork. Do you expect someone to post up a specific number of individuals?

Why blame the problem on the TEFL guys who, however unqualified they may be, probably do a far better job teaching languages than the local staff do?

[silent]

Yes, they may be looking to reducing the number of foreign teachers from UK, America etc, so they may cap salaries in the future to 30k as stated. This was bought about by the recent discovery that many teachers working here without correct papers, qualifications and were far from professional etc.

I guess you couldn't argue with them given the quality of expat teachers in Thailand.

Could you show me some evidence to back up you claim about the quality of teachers?

Thailand has some of the worst PISA scores in the region, and declining further seems to be the trend. Teachers working here are part of that, as much as people would like to deny it.

What evidence are you looking for in specific? It's long been a nation where people work illegally without the proper paperwork. Do you expect someone to post up a specific number of individuals?

I think what's being said as you say, and correct me if wrong, is that there seems to be tremendous numbers of English speaking people that profess knowledge in this country, but when it comes down to it, they're illusionists who talk a lot and never seem able to back things up. If you look close at the avatar it can possibly be seen that's a question I always ask now, too.

[PattayaPhom]

Apart from those at Universities and International the salary has been around the 30K mark for at least 10 years....the Thai minimum wage has almost doubled in that same period and most earning a lot more. With prices the way they are now I cant see the point in anyone teaching here at that salary unless for a few months as a life experience.

[silent]

I can't imagine this being true.

That's fractionally more than the monthly housing allowance at my school. Not a single teacher would remain should salaries be capped at 30k.

Indeed. This would close every international school in the country overnight. An unlikely prospect.

Not a chance. That would be almost like a coup d'etat

[Andy1958]

There is a great shortage of professional native speaking English teachers in BKK and Phuket, so God only knows why they want to make the situation even worse!

[Emster23]

It fits with typical hare brained plans they dream up to screw up economy, so wouldn't be surprised in the least if true.

[malcoml]

I was minding my own business at McDonalds in Silom and a young pretty approached me and basically told me to come up to her office as they were looking for guys just like me to teach English. They were offering 30k in 2008. With all the inflation in thailand I'm shocked that they are still only offering that.

[Lopchan]

Yes, they may be looking to reducing the number of foreign teachers from UK, America etc, so they may cap salaries in the future to 30k as stated. This was bought about by the recent discovery that many teachers working here without correct papers, qualifications and were far from professional etc.

I guess you couldn't argue with them given the quality of expat teachers in Thailand.

Could you show me some evidence to back up you claim about the quality of teachers?

Thailand has some of the worst PISA scores in the region, and declining further seems to be the trend. Teachers working here are part of that, as much as people would like to deny it.

What evidence are you looking for in specific? It's long been a nation where people work illegally without the proper paperwork. Do you expect someone to post up a specific number of individuals?

I think what's being said as you say, and correct me if wrong, is that there seems to be tremendous numbers of English speaking people that profess knowledge in this country, but when it comes down to it, they're illusionists who talk a lot and never seem able to back things up. If you look close at the avatar it can possibly be seen that's a question I always ask now, too.

"is that there seems to be tremendous numbers of English speaking people that profess knowledge in this country, but when it comes down to it, they're illusionists who talk a lot and never seem able to back things up"

Especially among the TV crew with experts on: how to run a country, CSI, reporting / journalism, proofreading of news articles (when their own bemoaning is riddled with errors), cultural awareness to name but a few.

[DavisH]

I was minding my own business at McDonalds in Silom and a young pretty approached me and basically told me to come up to her office as they were looking for guys just like me to teach English. They were offering 30k in 2008. With all the inflation in thailand I'm shocked that they are still only offering that.

I earned 25-27.5K 15 years ago in a country town. Salaries haven't changed all that much in that time. Yet living costs/rent/petrol are much higher now. That explains why there are much less long term expat teachers here - most schools employ either non-natives or backpackers on a gap year.

[jacky54]

Are many of them actually worth 30k? Thai teachers have to work years to get on that rate.

[Ondral]

Hey guys

I am not a teacher.

Haha, work for 30k THB a month and you have a degree.....

One would have to be desperate I reckon.

Yep OK I understand teacher dedication as my brother was a teacher in Australia but really, 30k THB!

I give my wife that for her found money and I pay everything else.

And I am a pensioner ..of sorts.

Haha what a joke. Would westerners ever even consider that?

Regards

Wow, you have to pay your wife that much per month to be your wife? I pity you.

I taught at a community college in the USA for 23 years and I came to Thailand for a new teaching adventure, not for money.

Perhaps everyone in your world is a whore, but not everyone in the world is a whore.