Blogs on Teaching and Living in Thailand

Just wondering why salaries in Thai schools are so low these days and why people take these jobs when they could earn much more online. I started working here in Thailand in 1994, when the going rate for a government school job was 25,000 Thai Baht a month. This was not a great salary but the exchange rate was way much better than today - 1 dollar was 25 baht. There were a few months (with extra weekend work) where I could send cash back to my US bank. This is a lot more difficult to do nowadays, salaries haven't increased in 20 years and the never-ending supply of ready-to-go teachers willing to work for less is real. The only teachers that I know of still raking in serious cash are the the qualified licensed and experienced ones employed by first and second tier international schools. The vast majority of teachers possess a degree and may be a TEFL. This is not enough to get your foot through the door of an international school these days, however. A teaching license or a B.Ed with experience is now required by most.

So many things are different nowadays; another thing is that there is online teaching. We all dreamed of getting some kind of a job earning western salaries, which in my case was teaching Chinese students English online until the Chinese government decided to close most of the these online tuition centers in 2019. Many of these Chinese companies fired all their foreign teaching staff and closed down for good. The very few that remained active halved their teaching staff and pay, and began to focus on teaching English to adults only. In its heyday teaching Chinese kids could easily net a teacher around 150,000 Baht a month. You'd put in the the work, that's for sure, but the paychecks were there, and trust me, they were delicious! The ones still teaching Chinese students online are doing it more for the fun of it as it no longer pays what it used to preCovid.

A friend of mine still earns 100k+ a month, he's teaching kids based in Eastern Europe and South America online, and some adults as well. He does this through different companies. My advice to anyone, teach for multiple companies not just one. For instance company abc on Mondays and Tuesdays and company klm on Wednesdays, and maybe for compamy xyz on Thursdays and Fridays? Others teach online only when it suits them to supplement their income, nothing wrong with that as teaching online is definitely not the same as teaching in a brick and mortar setting. Especially teaching Chinese students can be a drag, the majority won't turn on their cameras, now imagine doing this for 10 hours straight. In a classroom setting it is and will always be more fun as the students are right there interacting with you, not to mention the joy of seeing their progess. 

If you're interested in teaching online while on a Thai island, there are a few things you'll need to consider. First, you'll need to have a reliable internet connection, as this is the backbone of any online teaching. There are several options for obtaining internet access on a Thai island, including Wi-Fi at hotels or resorts, or a personal hotspot or mobile data plan. Second, you'll need to have the necessary teaching materials and equipment, such as a laptop or computer, webcam, microphone, and any software or tools you use to teach. Make sure you have all the necessary materials with you or have a plan for obtaining them before you travel.

Back to the question if teaching online from the comfort of your home in Thailand is still worth it. Yes! That is if you understand that it's business for you just as it is for the companies you're teaching for is. Go for companies that have a never-ending supply of students, avoid dodgy Chinese companies and stick with the companies that fill your schedule YOUR way and not theirs! 

There aren't many good Chinese companies left in the online teaching business. Prioritize your earnings with European North/South American teaching platforms. And instead of crying over the lack of hours a certain company gives you, simply quit and start with the next one. This is how successful teachers bring in the serious dough!

I understand that some like to work in a brick and mortar school and it is definitely more sociable that's for sure, but let's face it, a 35,000 Baht or even a 40,000 Baht salary won't have you save much. So why not teach online on the side and supplement your income that way? And why take a job for 35k when you could earn 60k, 100k by working from home or some nice Thai beach location without having to deal with Thai administration? If some can do it, you certainly can too! As long as you understand that teaching online is a business and a means to generate an income, you'll do just fine.

Most online companies prefer native speaking teachers, but don't despair, subject teachers are in demand too, and here is where most non native speaking teachers find their niche. They may get paid a little less than native speakers and I know this is unfair, but if the extra cash it generates makes you happy, I'd say go for it!

Some Facebook groups and websites that will get you started with your online teaching journey are:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/onlineteachingjobsthailand
https://oetjobs.com/teaching-english-online
https://oetjobs.com/list-european-online-esl-jobs
https://kruteacher.com/index.php/online-teachers-2/online-teaching-jobs.html
https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Job/online-teaching-jobs-SRCH_KO0,15.htm

There are dozens more websites out there - Google is your friend!

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Blog by Teacher Jess in Thailand

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Note that the author of the blog is expressing personal thoughts and musings, which do not necessarily reflect those of KruTeacher. Therefore, KruTeacher.com cannot be held responsible for any potential inaccuracies that may be present in the blog.