Don't Teach English in Thailand!

There are many great reasons to start a career as an English teacher and move abroad to Thailand, we have spoken about a few of them already on this channel. But, as with everything, come some cons. In this video I wanted to explore those cons to help you get a balanced view if you are considering becoming an English teacher in Thailand.

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[MyahCat]

This sounds like someone just complaining their job wasn't geared for them being a tourist. Its a job. You're there to live and teach. This sounds like just a normal job. If you want to go to Thailand to travel, then just go there in travel.

[daynemikhail]

Everything is correct. I would also add that there is terrible discipline in the classroom. Thai students feel too relaxed with foreign teachers, which is most likely due to the lack of educational efforts in this direction from school administrations. The classrooms are extremely noisy, and often one has to shout to explain something. Many students apply makeup right during the lesson or engage in online broadcasts on social media. The boys often play games on their phones and show no interest in the ongoing lesson. I've tried complaining to the administration several times, but the manager just laughed and said, "Teacher, don't take everything so seriously."

[Rissa-gx]

Thank you for not sugar coating the teaching experience overseas. This info saves me a lot of wasted time and expenses. I will just do a short holiday in foreign countries and focus my teaching career where I am currently living.

[Swiminator_]

Been doing it 4 months. My contract is easy, Got 4 classes and I teach them regularly throughout the week. Sure the kids can be annoying but I'm a bodybuilder and ex-security, I know how to discipline them and they respect and love me.

Workload is piss-easy and everyone seems relaxed, not like teaching in the UK, can't relate with the video, I got plenty free-time. Only thing I can agree with is visa complications and pay cap, it's enough money, but you could make x10 more through online work.

[kaseycarr]

I taught in Malaysia for 12 years, started off as an English Teacher and then taught ICT/Computer Science (and any other subject they needed me to take). If anyone thought teaching was easy, they have never paid attention to a movie that really depicted a teacher. But if you want to come and get involved with another culture, gorgeous beaches, rock climbing, so many beautiful Islands, I would take Thailand over Malaysia any day. But DO NOT go to teach English in Indonesia unless you are prepared to have the lowest pay in the world with the largest working hours. And some of the most rugged living conditions as well. But as a scuba diving Instructor you have more options of teaching for a while in Thailand, Borneo, India, Indonesia, but Thailand has the best Rock Climbing:D

[kendrewreviews]

I've been teaching here for 10 yeras. Good video, but it's missing a lot.

1. No one cares about English in Thailand. If you teach here, students will be pulled out of your class to study for other teacher's exams, the material you teach most likely will be way beyond the students level, and the pay sucks. While you make double what a Thai teacher makes, it's not enough to live a Western lifestyle. If you want to live a 3rd World lifestyle like me, then it's more than enough.

2. Teaching in Thailand is like being in the military. You have to arrive at school at 7am for gate duty. You have to get skin cancer as you stand in the 100F sun during royal/buddhist events on the humid front lawn, ect. Thailand is AMAZING at looking organized, smart, and professional while being the opposite. It's 100% pomp and circumstance.

3. While Thailand has many public holidays and it's super cheap to travel, working at a public school means you get only 8 months of pay! Even worse, most schools don't hire westerners directly because of the culture differernce. They will hire you through an agency who will take 10% of your pay for their services.

4. 50K people die a year in Thailand from air pollution. Thailand has the most polluted air in the world 8 months of the year due to people burning their trash on their property, farmers burning crops, roads packed with diesel-powered buses, and never ending construction projects.

5. You have NO legal rights. Westerns in Thailand have less rights than a black man in the USA. You are ALWAYS wrong in Thailand. Tourist police are not your friend - they exist to internalize all issues in Thailand to protect their tourism economy.

As your self this before coming to Thailand - Why is Thailand the ONLY country in the world that doesn't have truely negative content written about it?

That's because it is illegal to criticse Thailand. An american, last year, wrote a bad review of a Koh Chang resort who charged him an outrageous corkage fee. The resort used Thailand's vicious and overdramatic defamination laws to attack him.

[SmithW]

This sounds better than what I was expecting from your title. I teach in China. We don't get a 30 min break in the morning, we have random times throughout the week depending on your schedule. There are a few free periods in the day. We do get a 2.5/3 hr lunch break though where everyone has a nap after lunch. Well appreciated. School meals are free. Big summer and winter holidays especially in the Chinese new year. I am considering moving to Thailand in a year or two to teach. I love the country and miss it very much. Because of covid, we can't leave the country without coming back to do quarantine for two weeks. If I lived in Thailand I would already be in my favourite country so I wouldn't want to leave in the holidays. Life here is pretty boring. It's so humid too, and the beaches don't compare. Thanks for the vids Ben. Please tell me, do you need to get a vaccination before coming to Thailand?

[brandnewproducts]

I’m about to go do a 6 month teaching english in Thailand program through TEFL Heaven. I’m super excited but also nervous because I’ve never taught before and am not sure if i’m going to like it. But I think it’ll be a good way to get myself out of my comfort zone, while also traveling the world for half a year. I feel like this is something that I must do and will be a life changing decision for me.

[GrumpyBeccaBoo]

Very accurate video. I taught in Phuket 2016- 2017 and its sad to see that salaries have not moved at all. Been in China for almost 5 years now, and the 2 countries cannot even be compared. Disappointing, as the people, places and food in Thailand are amazing.

[TongCand]

I am a Software Developer from Fiji who graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Computing Science and Information Systems back in 2014. Worked for my first company from 2014 to 2019. Then after working for my second company from 2019, I got chased away after 3 years in 2022 and now got chased away by so many companies in 2023 to 2024 in various IT roles.

Wish I could quit my IT career and study Accounting but have no money to study again.

But I have bought Thai-English language books during my trips in Thailand in 2017, 2018, 2023 so might be a good idea to teach English in Thailand rather having a stressful unemployed poverty life in Fiji in IT.

[craigbritz]

35 000 is not enough for an expat to live on these days, Thailand has gotten more expensive with inflation, I have been able to find teaching jobs paying 40 000, which is enough to live on but you won't save much, income tax is only 5%. And its hellishly hot and humid in Summer, now its a sweltering 40 C in April, too hot to go out and too expensive to have the aircon on all day. Income tax is 15% in China but you can still make a bit more than in Thailand, with a cooler climate and more scope with job opportunities.

[spenceabroad]

The secret is = live in Thailand and work online.

[beccas.brain.]

I have had a similar experience with the heavy workload and big classes. My classes are ~40 students each and I teach 21 different classes (I teach both M.1 and M.4) seeing each class only once per week. It is so difficult having to keep track of these many students.

[WendyMeng]

In China, for a qualified teacher who can get a work visa, the minimum salary is 20000RMB≈2800USD per month, up to 4800USD if you have more experience in teaching. Subjects teacher can get that salary easier.

[donnieciac]

Great video! I am happy that you set appropriate expectations. Are you still teaching in Thailand? I noticed this video was done a couple years ago?

[sebbster]

A very broad outlook on teaching in Thailand, I know this discussion comes up a lot, but NES teachers compared to NNES certainly have many more advantages! I've seen circumstances where NNES speakers are almost treated like slave labour and paid very low! 18, 000 to 25, 000 baht and sometimes schools will restrict their visa requirements or threaten them with no renewal. I'm a native english spearker and work at a private school in Phuket and earn 85, 000 baht plus, however depending on your lifestyle, the cost of living can be high. I would recomend that if you decide to teach and are successful at getting a position, use it as your ground base to live and work in Thailand. FInd ways to supplement your income if possible. I have gouged a succesful consulting platform that almost pays the same wage with much fewer hours per month. Take care people.

[speakwithperry]

My biggest issue was... the VISA. Schools in Thailand often change teachers when a new director comes or you might want to change schools because of other reasons not mentioned in this video. Getting a non-b visa/work permit can be a big rat race if the school doesn't know the process. If you're through an agency, you might deal with other problems such as suddenly being sent to an all boys school instead. If you want to stay in Thailand long term, you could have a lot of stress finding your next school or agency and preparing for your next visa.

I think the easiest thing to do is work online and bounce from country to country. Live off your savings.

[accordioncoversandfolksong]

Thanks a lot for the video. May I ask if the school where you taught was a government school? And, were all students well-behaved, or did you have any behavior issues with some of them? Thanks in advance

[spicykimchi]

I left America to check out Vietnam for a training-center gig. I didn't care for Vietnam, so I flew over to Thailand. I'm here now, and I've been getting a lot of offers, considering that the May semester is near. Even though I have over 10 years of experience, I've only been getting offers of, like, 42, 000 baht. One school has offered me 55, 000 baht, so I could take that. However, I've been at a few stores here-and-there, and I can't believe how expensive Thailand has gotten. If I don't take the job, I might just get prepared for a job in China for next August.

Thanks for the video!

[haych]

I have no doubt that it's fun and rewarding job and I do love Thailand, was there a few weeks ago *but with all the extra activities 100% the job is underpaid. Especially because expats pay to relocate there with no airfare compensation. Thailand is becoming a lot more wealthy. It's not a third world struggling country anymore - some people think it is because it's rustic and the overhead wires but don't be fooled