Joshua
Working in: Pattaya
Monthly Earnings: 24,000
Q. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
A. 24000 Baht per month for about 24 hours per week with no overtime or outside work
Q. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
A. Nothing.
Q. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
A. 2500 for a one bedroom apartment (no air-con, no hot showers
Q. What do you spend a month on the following things?
| a) Transportation | I own a reliable motorbike (28000B) so about 350B/month of gas |
|---|---|
| b) Utility bills | 1000 for cable, power and water |
| c) Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping | Almost all Thai food from the local market with some McDonalds/Pizza binges about 500-600B/week or around 2000-3000B month |
| d) Nightlife and drinking | Beer (2500B/month) and a movie or 2 (500B/month) and a girlfriend with a money loving mama and baby (4000B-5000B) |
| e) Books, computers | 300B/month on second hand books with trade-ins. 400B/month on Net access |
Q. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
A. Thai style with a few perks here and there, I can't keep staying like this but it can be fun at times.
Q. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
A. Rent and Beer
Q. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
A. 30000B in Pattaya would be a comfortable living, other than that I would say at least 20000B and that is a steal for a school hiring a degree holding native with a TEFL cert.
Phil's analysis and comment
30000B in Pattaya would be a comfortable living, other than that I would say at least 20000B and that is a steal for a school hiring a degree holding native with a TEFL cert.
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Ajarn Guests
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
Software for student tests
The integration of internet and computers with education and English learning is something students find normal, and classrooms without some access to educational software may seem quaint. Some students may even feel they can get more ‘professional' teaching from the numerous online ELT sites if a school is behind in IT.
Whatever happened to the shopping mall teacher?
They are the shopping mall English teachers - gliding like pale, undernourished phantoms amid the hordes of weekend Thai shoppers. The main reason I empathize with the shopping mall teacher is because I was once one myself. I know how desperate and soul-destroying it can be.
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.
