Teaching Jobs in Bangkok, Thailand

Private Language Institutes are very popular in Bangkok often offering English language courses for specific industries, such as tourism and business language classes. Something to note about the private language schools is that they are ALWAYS open. A teaching job in Bangkok at one of these schools will likely result in unusual work hours.

Public Schools. Opportunities to teach English abroad in Bangkok through teaching positions at public schools are popping up more and more. Teachers are usually contracted for 16 to 20 classroom hours, but will be expected to spend additional hours at the school for lesson preparation and other tasks. Opportunities to teach subjects beyond English in public schools are available as well.

International schools are Western style schools with curriculum taught entirely in English. These schools will expect teachers to have a degree in education, and teachers will teach their subject of expertise rather than English, or perhaps both.

Universities will have higher requirements for foreign English teachers in Bangkok. There are many private and public universities located in Bangkok, and some of the most highly regarded universities in Thailand, such as Mahidol University and Thammasat University. Many will require a masters degree, but it is possible to get your foot in the door with a bachelors degree and some good teaching experience too.

You can skim the top sites in a couple of days and think you’ve seen it all, but sink in a little deeper and the things to do will fill your calendar for years. You will find some of the most stunning temples and architecture in Thailand such as The Grand Palace where the king himself prays to Emerald Buddhas or Wat Pho which houses the world famous Reclining Buddha. The image spans over 160 feet and is covered in gold leaf. The best place to marvel is from behind the bottoms of his 12 feet tall toes, which are inlaid with mother of pearl.  

There are also many Thai language schools and museums so you can learn more about Thai culture easily while teaching abroad in Bangkok!

Thai Classrooms. Thai students are quite different from most Western students, they tend to be shy and respectful. They will expect foreign teachers to be authoritative, but will also want to learn all they can about their teacher’s life. Tip: Don’t pose participating as a question simply tell them what they will be doing.

Love Your “Face.” This is a super important part of Thai culture. The idea of face is kind of like the Western concept of keeping up appearances and how you are viewed by society. It is a very big deal to keep or lose face in Thailand. Breaking a contract will cause the school to lose face not to mention all the time and energy they used to get you on board so avoid letting this happen while teaching abroad in Thailand. Make sure your expectations are transparent and well understood once you select your school. “Face” is an important factor in the hiring process as well, so people who look professional and “Western” will be given preference for teaching jobs in Thailand.

Double Your Salary. Thailand is popular for beginning teachers, but it is also a great place to build a career for yourself if you decide you love it. Salaries may start low, but can rise quickly. TEFL certification programs, for example, are offered in Thailand and can take one to two years to complete, but will open up a whole new world of teaching opportunities and benefits; TEFL courses can even be done while working on the side too. Teachers with experience or a TEFL certificate can expect to make closer to 70,000 baht or over $2,000 a month teaching abroad in Bangkok.

Same Same. You will hear this from Thai locals and see it written on t-shirts everywhere. It is a popular saying in Thailand and it means, it’s pretty much the same, but different. So you might say, “Which is best place to view the temple at night, site A or site B,” and they’ll shrug and say, “Same, same,” which means it doesn’t really matter or they don’t see a difference worth pointing out.

Read our comprehensive guide on teaching abroad in Thailand.