http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/907702-academic-jobs/Academic jobs

[mike20166]

Hi folks,

I have PhD degree in chemistry and teaching and research experience and working in companies experience in Canada.

Im interested to move to Thailand to look jobs suitable for me, can any body advice ?

Thanks

[mike20166]

sorry it was posted by one friend requested to help. can you tell how to amend the above text?

[metisdead]

A grammar police troll post has been removed.

[Morakot]

Yes, you seem to fit the profile for a faculty appointment and if you have a list of peer-reviewed publications, you'd definitely increase you changes.

Having said this it's not that straightforward, you need to know people locally who would endorse your application. References from previous appointments are not really sufficient and rarely looked at.

Best to start from your side in Canada[?] and try to identify people who would know people over in Thailand.

For working in industry, you at least need to have sound conversational skills in Thai, unless you are posted on an international secondment from your home company.

[mike20166]

thanks, I appreciate your kind reply and useful information,

[Morakot]

You are welcome. You can PM me if you need more info.

[richard10365]

Find an international Bachelors of Science IT program and teach Chemistry and Calculus. Try Mahidol, Chulalongkorn, Assumption or other large Thai university with an international college. Good luck.

[Morakot]

Find an international Bachelors of Science IT program and teach Chemistry and Calculus.

I take it, this is a humours remark: BSc in Information Technology that contains Chemistry and Calculus modules.

[ev1lchris]

Best of luck to you.

[richard10365]

Find an international Bachelors of Science IT program and teach Chemistry and Calculus.

I take it, this is a humours remark: BSc in Information Technology that contains Chemistry and Calculus modules.

Why do you think I was trying to be humours?

[mike20166]

Thanks guys for the great idea, I can teach various subjects of chemistry , any idea how much the payment for such job?

[HauptmannUK]

Salaries in Thai universities are desperately low. No better than in schools. My suggestion would be to try for a job teaching in a Chinese university - China is currently opening several new universities each week and they are keen to hire foreign staff. Pay will be at least four times higher than in Thailand. Live in Thailand and commute to China. In four months of working in China you'll earn more than you would working for a year in Thailand and you'll have the time and money to travel in SE Asia. On top of this you may be able to secure a 'visiting professorship' at a Thai university. I do one month a year for a Thai university and they pay me 100 000 THB.

[LolaS]

well Chemistry is respected in Thailand, I can suggest you ( If it is allowed) biopolymer research group/cluster at CMU, http://www.science.cmu.ac.th/english/page-data.php?id=6

but I think starting salary for postdocs, are 36400 THB. without lectures, they have also international stuff

[LolaS]

Salaries in Thai universities are desperately low. No better than in schools. My suggestion would be to try for a job teaching in a Chinese university - China is currently opening several new universities each week and they are keen to hire foreign staff. Pay will be at least four times higher than in Thailand. Live in Thailand and commute to China. In four months of working in China you'll earn more than you would working for a year in Thailand and you'll have the time and money to travel in SE Asia. On top of this you may be able to secure a 'visiting professorship' at a Thai university. I do one month a year for a Thai university and they pay me 100 000 THB.

absolutely not true!

[HauptmannUK]

Can you tell me what is not true? I have 'been there and got the T-shirt' on this....
Base salary for a university lecturer in Thailand is very low and generally includes an 'accommodation allowance' so cash in hand can be dismal. It is possible to increase take home pay considerably by taking on extra work - but not everyone wants to do that. I prefer to be paid a high salary by working outside Thailand - then I have the time and money to enjoy Thailand for the rest of the year...

[scorecard]

Salaries in Thai universities are desperately low. No better than in schools. My suggestion would be to try for a job teaching in a Chinese university - China is currently opening several new universities each week and they are keen to hire foreign staff. Pay will be at least four times higher than in Thailand. Live in Thailand and commute to China. In four months of working in China you'll earn more than you would working for a year in Thailand and you'll have the time and money to travel in SE Asia. On top of this you may be able to secure a 'visiting professorship' at a Thai university. I do one month a year for a Thai university and they pay me 100 000 THB.

Not quite true.

Some universities in Thailand (not that many) pay a small monthly salary (15,0000, 20,000, 30,000, 40,000 Baht a month case by case) with some admin. / research etc., duties), which you can top up with teaching hours, but that depends on how many courses you get offered over a semester / year etc.

In some cases the employment contract might state that the uni offers small salary plus will offer you a minimum of 2 (just an example) courses per semester. I'm aware of such contracts where there is a small salary but no guarantee of teaching hours at all. In some cases the uni will allow the professor to work at other unis for teaching hours as long as the core salaried hours are not breached.

From my knowledge contacts with a guaranteed salary are for one year, but renewable case by case but up to the uni.

On the other hand some professors work on a total 'visiting professor' / freelance basis with nothing guaranteed, and often work across 2 or 3 unis.

Hours rates? How long is a piece of string? From my awareness if there is a base guaranteed salary then hourly teaching rates are often reduced by 10 - 20% (very case by case).

Pure freelance lecturing, from my knowledge and not researched:

- For lectures at bachelor level: around 800 to 1,800Baht per hour. (Professors usually needs a masters degree.)

- For masters level: around 2,200 to 2,600Baht per hour. (Professors usually needs a masters degree or Ph.D.)

- For Ph.D. lectures / coaching around 3,000 to 4,000Baht per hour (quite rare work lecturer needs Ph.D.)

- Masters committees usually around 2,00 to 3,500 per hour. (Not easy to get on these committees, professors usually needs a masters degree or Ph.D.)

- Doctoral dissertation committees around 3,500 to 4,500 per hours. (Not easy to get on these committees, needs a Ph.D.)

- For professors who get courses with say 3 full days week or perhaps 2 full days a week but 2 courses in tandem then 100,000Baht for a month is well possible but depends somewhat whether it's a bachelor masters class.

However remember that's not every month, it's very possible there will be a month, or more likely several months a year where the professor has no teaching at all. And no income during semester breaks.

Note: the high profile Thai unis are not necessarily the highest payers.

Corrections, additions welcome.

[LolaS]

Salaries in Thai universities are desperately low. No better than in schools. My suggestion would be to try for a job teaching in a Chinese university - China is currently opening several new universities each week and they are keen to hire foreign staff. Pay will be at least four times higher than in Thailand. Live in Thailand and commute to China. In four months of working in China you'll earn more than you would working for a year in Thailand and you'll have the time and money to travel in SE Asia. On top of this you may be able to secure a 'visiting professorship' at a Thai university. I do one month a year for a Thai university and they pay me 100 000 THB.

Not quite true.

Some universities in Thailand (not that many) pay a small monthly salary (15,0000, 20,000, 30,000, 40,000 Baht a month case by case) with some admin. / research etc., duties), which you can top up with teaching hours, but that depends on how many courses you get offered over a semester / year etc.

In some cases the employment contract might state that the uni offers small salary plus will offer you a minimum of 2 (just an example) courses per semester. I'm aware of such contracts where there is a small salary but no guarantee of teaching hours at all. In some cases the uni will allow the professor to work at other unis for teaching hours as long as the core salaried hours are not breached.

From my knowledge contacts with a guaranteed salary are for one year, but renewable case by case but up to the uni.

On the other hand some professors work on a total 'visiting professor' / freelance basis with nothing guaranteed, and often work across 2 or 3 unis.

Hours rates? How long is a piece of string? From my awareness if there is a base guaranteed salary then hourly teaching rates are often reduced by 10 - 20% (very case by case).

Pure freelance lecturing, from my knowledge and not researched:

- For lectures at bachelor level: around 800 to 1,800Baht per hour. (Professors usually needs a masters degree.)

- For masters level: around 2,200 to 2,600Baht per hour. (Professors usually needs a masters degree or Ph.D.)

- For Ph.D. lectures / coaching around 3,000 to 4,000Baht per hour (quite rare work lecturer needs Ph.D.)

- Masters committees usually around 2,00 to 3,500 per hour. (Not easy to get on these committees, professors usually needs a masters degree or Ph.D.)

- Doctoral dissertation committees around 3,500 to 4,500 per hours. (Not easy to get on these committees, needs a Ph.D.)

- For professors who get courses with say 3 full days week or perhaps 2 full days a week but 2 courses in tandem then 100,000Baht for a month is well possible but depends somewhat whether it's a bachelor masters class.

However remember that's not every month, it's very possible there will be a month, or more likely several months a year where the professor has no teaching at all. And no income during semester breaks.

Note: the high profile Thai unis are not necessarily the highest payers.

Corrections, additions welcome.

Yes, that is right, I just want to mention that Government of Thailand change requirement, and now everyone are required to have PhD ( maybe except part-time English lecturers) also only research-based position (postdoc) with lectures are at Faculty of Science CMU, 36 400 THB per month,

[Morakot]

I just want to mention that Government of Thailand change requirement, and now everyone are required to have PhD ( maybe except part-time English lecturers)

I don't think the Office of Higher Eduction Commission's guidelines have changed. The requirement is to have have a relevant master degree.

However, in practice most research oriented universities will not offer faculty appointments to academics without a doctoral degree. Especially if they are participating in international accreditation schemes or try to pursue a research-based funding strategy.

[Rhys]

Salaries in Thai universities are desperately low. No better than in schools. My suggestion would be to try for a job teaching in a Chinese university - China is currently opening several new universities each week and they are keen to hire foreign staff. Pay will be at least four times higher than in Thailand. Live in Thailand and commute to China. In four months of working in China you'll earn more than you would working for a year in Thailand and you'll have the time and money to travel in SE Asia. On top of this you may be able to secure a 'visiting professorship' at a Thai university. I do one month a year for a Thai university and they pay me 100 000 THB.

Not quite true.

Some universities in Thailand (not that many) pay a small monthly salary (15,0000, 20,000, 30,000, 40,000 Baht a month case by case) with some admin. / research etc., duties), which you can top up with teaching hours, but that depends on how many courses you get offered over a semester / year etc.

In some cases the employment contract might state that the uni offers small salary plus will offer you a minimum of 2 (just an example) courses per semester. I'm aware of such contracts where there is a small salary but no guarantee of teaching hours at all. In some cases the uni will allow the professor to work at other unis for teaching hours as long as the core salaried hours are not breached.

From my knowledge contacts with a guaranteed salary are for one year, but renewable case by case but up to the uni.

On the other hand some professors work on a total 'visiting professor' / freelance basis with nothing guaranteed, and often work across 2 or 3 unis.

Hours rates? How long is a piece of string? From my awareness if there is a base guaranteed salary then hourly teaching rates are often reduced by 10 - 20% (very case by case).

Pure freelance lecturing, from my knowledge and not researched:

- For lectures at bachelor level: around 800 to 1,800Baht per hour. (Professors usually needs a masters degree.)

- For masters level: around 2,200 to 2,600Baht per hour. (Professors usually needs a masters degree or Ph.D.)

- For Ph.D. lectures / coaching around 3,000 to 4,000Baht per hour (quite rare work lecturer needs Ph.D.)

- Masters committees usually around 2,00 to 3,500 per hour. (Not easy to get on these committees, professors usually needs a masters degree or Ph.D.)

- Doctoral dissertation committees around 3,500 to 4,500 per hours. (Not easy to get on these committees, needs a Ph.D.)

- For professors who get courses with say 3 full days week or perhaps 2 full days a week but 2 courses in tandem then 100,000Baht for a month is well possible but depends somewhat whether it's a bachelor masters class.

However remember that's not every month, it's very possible there will be a month, or more likely several months a year where the professor has no teaching at all. And no income during semester breaks.

Note: the high profile Thai unis are not necessarily the highest payers.

Corrections, additions welcome.

Thanks for the list..

Just an addition.. in the south.. govt uni.. will start you out at 25K .. that requires your masters..

Free lance lecturer MA 600-1200 baht/hour* Just depends

Then if you jump all yearly performance review.. you can make it to 65K/ month

CAVEAT: When you turn 60.. they retire you... Again depends on the school.

Then you start all over again..

[scorecard]

I just want to mention that Government of Thailand change requirement, and now everyone are required to have PhD ( maybe except part-time English lecturers)

I don't think the Office of Higher Eduction Commission's guidelines have changed. The requirement is to have have a relevant master degree.

However, in practice most research oriented universities will not offer faculty appointments to academics without a doctoral degree. Especially if they are participating in international accreditation schemes or try to pursue a research-based funding strategy.

I summarize from my knowledge and experiences:

If it's teaching bachelor or masters students then the lecturer must have a masters degree.

If it's teaching core courses for a PH.D. or supervising a student for Ph.D. research / studies then yes lecturer needs a Ph.D. Worldwide it's local law / standard thinking that a Ph.D. student who is doing serious deep research (at a level to gain a Ph.D.) should be supervised / guided by a person who had also done serious deep research (i.e. a Ph.D. holder).

More simply:

- I'm aware of several Thai universities who do require a Ph.D. for all levels, but this is coming from their own internal policies.

- I'm aware that most Thai universities require the lecturer to have a masters degree to teach both bachelor and masters students.

In reality most universities would get very few students if lecturers didn't have a masters degree for teaching these levels, and if lecturers for these levels didn't have a masters then the Thai university concerned would very probably not get any agreements with universities abroad for exchange programs. Keep in mind that most Thai universities are very keen to have such agreements. This would certainly be true where there are agreements for students to gain a double masters degree from studying in two universities in different countries.

- All Thai universities require lecturers to have a Ph.D. for lecturing / guiding Ph.D. candidates.

[Morakot]

Of course, supervising PhD research requires a PhD. Taught components which increasingly seem to become more common at the beginning of a research programme, are essentially courses at master level.

[LolaS]

I just want to mention that Government of Thailand change requirement, and now everyone are required to have PhD ( maybe except part-time English lecturers)

I don't think the Office of Higher Eduction Commission's guidelines have changed. The requirement is to have have a relevant master degree.

However, in practice most research oriented universities will not offer faculty appointments to academics without a doctoral degree. Especially if they are participating in international accreditation schemes or try to pursue a research-based funding strategy.

It changed, new regulation. You need PhD to be a lecturer

[Morakot]

^^ Source (in Thai or English) please.

If true than most former technical colleges that are now called university can close down and most of the other universities will have a severe shortage of qualified staff. Are you not mistaken internal policies/ politics for OHEC guidance?

[Rhys]

I just want to mention that Government of Thailand change requirement, and now everyone are required to have PhD ( maybe except part-time English lecturers)

I don't think the Office of Higher Eduction Commission's guidelines have changed. The requirement is to have have a relevant master degree.

However, in practice most research oriented universities will not offer faculty appointments to academics without a doctoral degree. Especially if they are participating in international accreditation schemes or try to pursue a research-based funding strategy.

It changed, new regulation. You need PhD to be a lecturer

However.. at a certain university... they use the term special guest lecturer... who has experience in the field.

[SheungWan]

I would want to know a little more about the teaching experience (tenure) and work experience (responsibilities and length of time in job) and depth of research record before advising too much. If there has been no tenure and the research and work experience is patchy, then this might be another post-graduate looking for an 'in' in Thailand and maybe having to fall back on the usual TEFL. One caveat is the status of the academic institutions attended. If high enough in the pecking order then someone might bite.

[Morakot]

^^ I think the OP has left the thread.

I doubt the 'status of the [foreign] academic institutions attended' would make a significant difference.

[Rhys]

He found his 30K dream job..

[SheungWan]

^^ I think the OP has left the thread.

I doubt the 'status of the [foreign] academic institutions attended' would make a significant difference.

For a TEFL job probably not, but for a full-blown academic appointment, as significant as anywhere else.

[Morakot]

^^ I think the OP has left the thread.

I doubt the 'status of the [foreign] academic institutions attended' would make a significant difference.

For a TEFL job probably not, but for a full-blown academic appointment, as significant as anywhere else.

The reality is that in Thailand faculty appointments usually happen in two way:

• Internal candidate get sponsored by own institution to obtain a doctoral degree in North America or Western Europe (and sometimes Japan) and upon completion commences lectureship
• External candidate has recommendation and support from within applying institution.

Second fact, there is a severe shortage of faculty members with PhDs. Third fact, many international accreditation programmes that some Thai universities seek to obtain are expressively indifferent to country of origin (never mind a supposed "pecking order") of the research degree issuing institution.

Finally, even in the UK for example, where the prestigiousness of the university is rather important for taught degrees (especially at undergraduate level), the situation is much more complex for research degrees. What often matters here is not some lofty reputation of the university, but what strength in terms of research culture did the department have, who was the supervisor, and so on.

[LolaS]

^^ I think the OP has left the thread.

I doubt the 'status of the [foreign] academic institutions attended' would make a significant difference.

For a TEFL job probably not, but for a full-blown academic appointment, as significant as anywhere else.

The reality is that in Thailand faculty appointments usually happen in two way:

• Internal candidate get sponsored by own institution to obtain a doctoral degree in North America or Western Europe (and sometimes Japan) and upon completion commences lectureship
• External candidate has recommendation and support from within applying institution.

Second fact, there is a severe shortage of faculty members with PhDs. Third fact, many international accreditation programmes that some Thai universities seek to obtain are expressively indifferent to country of origin (never mind a supposed "pecking order") of the research degree issuing institution.

Finally, even in the UK for example, where the prestigiousness of the university is rather important for taught degrees (especially at undergraduate level), the situation is much more complex for research degrees. What often matters here is not some lofty reputation of the university, but what strength in terms of research culture did the department have, who was the supervisor, and so on.

I don't really understand why is that special only for Thailand. Except maybe that they NEED more PhDs, which is a contrast to other nations.