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How low can we go?

5th August 2011

There seemed to be a time when 30-40,000 baht a month salaries were the norm, and I suppose like many teachers I felt that things were only going to get better. But what’s going on in Thailand? We seem to be going backwards in terms of salaries on offer (at least from what I see on the ajarn jobs page and on other Thailand TEFL sites) Most positions seem to now be in the 20-30,000 baht a month bracket, How on earth do these schools think teachers survive on such a pittance? Oh yeah, we still earn four times the salary of a local Thai. I forgot that. But seriously, how are these schools offering 20K a month or 300 baht an hour managing to stay in business? Surely even the backpackers who desperately need the price of a ticket home won’t work for that.

Martin Chilvers

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About Ajarn.com

Ajarn.com was started as a small hobby website in 1999 by Ian McNamara. It was a simple way for one Bangkok teacher to share his Thailand experiences and pass on advice. The website developed a loyal and enthusiastic following. In 2004, Ian handed over the reins to Phil Williams and 'Bangkok Phil' has run the ajarn website ever since.

Ajarn.com has grown enormously and is now the most popular TEFL site in Thailand - possibly even South East Asia. Although best-known for its vibrant jobs page, Ajarn has a wealth of articles, blogs, features and help and advice. But one principle has always remained at Ajarn's core - to tell things like they are and to do it with a sense of humor. Thailand can be Heaven or Hell for an English teacher. It's always been Ajarn.com's duty to present both sides of the equation. Thanks for stopping by.