Is there a demand for English teachers in Thailand?

Demand for good teachers has always been high. In fact I would say I the demand for experienced, qualified teachers has never been greater. Qualified teachers are never out of work in Thailand. 

However (and it's a big however) Thailand is certainly not the paradise it once was for unqualified teachers (those that lack a degree, a TEFL certificate, teaching experience, etc) Ajarn gets a large number of e-mails from teachers without degrees and/or TEFL certificates and frankly they often struggle to find decent teaching work here.

There could of course be numerous reasons for this - perhaps they perform poorly at interviews or perhaps they just haven't looked in the right places - but things have tightened up a lot over the past few years for unqualified teachers in Thailand. 

As always, many employers can exploit loopholes and manage to get their unqualified teachers legal. Much will depend on how organized and 'savvy' your employer is and how much they are prepared to go to bat for their teachers.

Back to the Newbie Guide



Featured Jobs

Primary ESL Teacher

฿50,000+ / month

Bangkok


Primary English and Science Teachers

฿45,000+ / month

Bangkok


NES Kindergarten Teacher

฿45,000+ / month

Bangkok


Native English Teachers for Primary and Secondary

฿55,000+ / month

Myanmar


English Teacher

฿33,000+ / month

Bangkok


Head of Primary

฿90,000+ / month

Rayong


Featured Teachers

  • Celestine


    Indian, 25 years old. Currently living in Thailand

  • Pete


    New Zealander, 60 years old. Currently living in Myanmar

  • Jezer


    Filipino, 24 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Marthy


    Filipino, 37 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Anakhanum


    Russian, 32 years old. Currently living in Azerbaijan

  • Chandrashekar


    Indian, 61 years old. Currently living in India

The Hot Spot


The region guides

The region guides

Fancy working in Thailand but not in Bangkok? Our region guides are written by teachers who actually live and work in the provinces.


Air your views

Air your views

Got something to say on the topic of teaching, working or living in Thailand? The Ajarn Postbox is the place. Send us your letters!


Contributions welcome

Contributions welcome

If you like visiting ajarn.com and reading the content, why not get involved yourself and keep us up to date?


The cost of living

The cost of living

How much money does a teacher need to earn in order to live in Thailand? We survey various teachers earning different salaries and with different lifestyles.


Will I find work in Thailand?

Will I find work in Thailand?

It's one of the most common questions we get e-mailed to us. So find out exactly where you stand.