Why do I have to stay at school?
Should a teacher be allowed to leave the school premises when they don't have lessons to teach?
The school wants me to remain on-site from Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to about 4.30 pm. This doesn't sound very fair to me. I'm only making 35,000 baht a month and my downtime would perhaps give me the opportunity to go out and earn some extra money.
40K is more than enough in Thailand
Postbox letter from Dee, Finland
I did a test back when I was living in Isaan. I was easily able to live on about 8,500 baht / month (rent, about 5,000 was paid from that) so I lived on the remaining 3,500 baht.
That's no teacher salary to live on
Postbox letter from Jamie
The poor pay and increasingly hostile visa rules are why I moved back and became qualified in Scotland.
Making hay while the exchange rate shines
For those heading back to the UK or sending money home, it's all hail the mighty Baht!
I can’t wait to get back to England in two weeks time where I’ll have roughly 25% more in my pocket than when I traveled back in 2014. It really is a fantastic time to get paid in baht.
Twenty five years of low wages......why?
Postbox letter from Mark
While it's true that there are a lot more schools and businesses that are looking for 'teachers', the number of people wanting to fill those roles has absolutely exploded.
The three types of English teacher in Thailand
Postbox letter from Simon
Once you go into your 70k+ with benefit jobs, the young teachers take it very seriously as it's their career and they want to impress. The stagnant teachers aren't really stagnating. They've just got older and want the quiet life. And the 'last-resort teachers' don't exist.
Another happy online teacher
Postbox letter from Simon
Study the market and check out the options out there. There's no reason for good teachers here to still be making crappy 35-40,000 salaries.
You're in Thailand, not Europe
Postbox letter from Tom
I had a blast in Bangkok, made 40-45,000 as a non-native speaker, but packed my bags after almost two years. I miss Thailand everyday, but I think I made the right choice.
A moderate Western expat lifestyle
Isn't that what decent teachers in Bangkok should always be aiming for?
Where is the dividing line between achieving what you deserve or just surviving and seriously going without? And keep in mind we are only concerned with a ‘moderate expat lifestyle’ here. This is not glamorous living or a ‘champagne lifestyle’ by any stretch.
The good, the bad and the virtuous!
By just being here, you are making the education system better.
I've isolated the most compelling reasons why people teach long-term in Thailand and there are four of them as far as I can see... we like doing it, we can do it, we get paid for doing it, and 'purpose'.
