Jack
Working in: Bangkok
Monthly Earnings: 50-55,000
Q. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
A. Good month 60k, basic month 42k, average 50-55k
Q. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
A. 10k - although I don't often manage more than 5!
Q. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
A. Townhouse, 2 bed 2 bath 1 air, 6100bt.
Q. What do you spend a month on the following things?
| a) Transportation | 4,000 |
|---|---|
| b) Utility bills | 4,500 |
| c) Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping | 7,000 |
| d) Nightlife and drinking | 7,000 |
| e) Books, computers | 2,000 |
Q. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
A. Very comfortable, live really nicely but don't go out as much as before.
Q. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
A. Food, booze, cigs. Got a good deal on a laptop. T-shirts
Q. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
A. I think 40k would be OK - provided one was pretty sensible. But I also think that it's possible to "survive" on a lot less and indeed know people that do!
Phil's analysis and comment
What can I say? Jack's a spender - no doubt about that. Food, booze and nightlife run him 14,000 a month and a further 10,000 for rent and utilities. Keep out of those go-go bars Jack!
What's pleasing me about this survey is that many teachers seem to have found good houses in good locations. And there's me thinking that most teachers lived in 3-4,000 baht shoeboxes.
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Ajarn Guests
Going Home
I possess ten years of classroom EFL teaching experience, plus a solid education, and this was the type of work available to me. There were many moments, such as when I was cleaning a toilet bowl, or when a housekeeper ordered me to do something, that frustration welled up inside me.
Teacher nightmares part two
More stories from teachers in Thailand who have found themselves in difficult situations often through no fault of their own. Can you offer them some good advice?
Fear of change?
In Thailand the government has set 2012 as English Speaking Year with a goal of encouraging students to converse in English every Monday. Such policies are useful but the major leap of enacting legislation to make English an official language for Thailand is also needed
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.
