Teaching in Thailand Guide
Overview
The Land of Smiles delivers lifestyle ROI — Think year-round sunshine, night-market eats, and weekend island hops for the cost of a taxi back home. Flexible entry rules (any BA + TEFL) make Thailand a perfect TEFL launchpad. Two long school breaks (Oct and Mar/Apr) give ample travel time across ASEAN on budget airlines. A ฿40 k salary buys an inner-city condo, weekly Thai massages, and daily mango smoothies, while Chiang Mai’s café culture and Bangkok’s rooftop bars cater to every vibe. Warm locals, low crime, and a vibrant expat community seal the deal.
Core Requirements
- A Non-Immigrant B (Business) visa is required to legally work as a teacher in Thailand.
- Typically, you obtain a 90-day single-entry Non-B visa from a Thai embassy/consulate before arrival (with your school’s sponsorship documents). After arriving and obtaining your Work Permit, you convert this into a 1-year extension of stay.
- Your Thai employer will apply for your Work Permit at the Ministry of Labour once you have the Non-B visa in Thailand. The work permit process takes about 2–4 weeks. The work permit booklet specifies your school, job, and location – it’s employer-specific and valid for the duration of your contract (usually 1 year, renewable).
- Once the work permit is issued, you’ll extend your Non-B visa to match the work permit (one year at a time). Important: Working on a tourist visa or without a work permit is illegal – penalties include fines up to ฿100,000 or even jail.
- Local hires: Thai citizens do not need a Non-B visa or work permit to teach in Thailand, but they must meet Thai qualifications (education degree, Thai teacher license exams, etc.)
- A bachelor’s degree in any field is a legal requirement to get a teaching work permit in Thailand.
- Thailand is quite flexible on majors – it need not be in education – but the degree must be from an accredited institution.
- You will need to provide your diploma (or a certified copy) with proper authentication. Because Thailand is not party to the Apostille Convention, you must get your degree notarized and then authenticated by a Thai embassy/consulate in your home country (often called “consular legalization”). This officially verifies your degree for Thai authorities.
- A Thai translation of your degree and transcripts may be required for the Teacher’s Council (for licensing). Some schools will assist with translating and certifying your documents.
- TEFL/TESOL certification (~120 hours) is highly recommended for teaching English in Thailand.
- While not a strict legal requirement for the visa, most schools expect foreign teachers to have a TEFL certificate if they don’t have a degree in education. It will also help in obtaining a work permit for English teaching positions.
- If you are a licensed teacher (e.g. you have a B.Ed or a government-issued teaching license from your country), you can often secure jobs at international schools or higher-paying bilingual schools. Those positions may waive the TEFL certificate but do require your teaching license and usually 2 years of experience.
- Thai Teaching License: All foreign teachers in K-12 schools are technically required to have a Thai Teaching License or a temporary permit from the Teachers’ Council of Thailand. In practice, if you don’t have a degree in education, you will receive a two-year temporary teaching permit (waiver) which can be renewed up to 4 years.
- During this time, you must complete a short Thai culture course (a few days/weeks) as part of the licensing requirement.
- The culture course and annual license waivers are handled after you start working, but be aware of this professional requirement in addition to the work permit.
- You must provide a clean criminal background check from your home country when applying for the Non-Immigrant B visa/work permit.
- This should be a national-level (or FBI for US) police clearance issued within 6 months of your visa application. Any criminal record (other than minor traffic offenses) can lead to visa denial.
- The police clearance must be authenticated (notarized and stamped by Thai consulate) and translated into Thai. Thai immigration/labour authorities will keep this document. Occasionally, schools may also request a local Thai police check after you’ve been in Thailand, but the primary requirement is your home-country check.
- Thailand is strict about criminal history for teachers, especially any offense involving children or drugs. Ensure you disclose any past issues to your employer upfront (many minor records are disqualifying).
- The official retirement age for working in Thai public institutions is 60. However, it is possible to teach beyond age 60 in Thailand on a case-by-case basis – many foreigners continue on annual extensions in private or international schools.
- Generally, schools prefer teachers in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, but experienced educators in their 50s can find work (sometimes in smaller cities or specialized roles).
- A basic Health Certificate is required to obtain your work permit and sometimes for the visa. This is a simple check-up done at a Thai clinic or hospital – it typically includes a quick physical exam, blood pressure check, and a test for syphilis (VDRL) and perhaps a few other conditions.
- The certificate basically states you are free from certain contagious diseases (e.g. TB, leprosy, drug addiction, advanced syphilis). It’s inexpensive (around ฿100–฿200 at a clinic) and can be done in a couple of hours in Thailand.
- There is no mandatory HIV test for Thai work permits for teachers, and HIV status is not asked on the medical form. As long as you are in generally good health and free of serious communicable illnesses, you will pass. If you have a chronic condition (diabetes, etc.), bring a doctor’s note and adequate medication; Thailand’s hospitals are good, but some prescriptions might differ.
- Offer signed → Gather required documents (degree and transcripts, criminal check – notarize and legalize; passport photos; job contract) → Apply for Non-Immigrant B visa at Thai embassy/consulate (processing ~2–5 business days) → Enter Thailand on the Non-B visa → School applies for Work Permit (2–4 weeks; you can teach during this time if your Non-B is valid) → Once work permit is issued, visit immigration to extend your stay to 1 year (processing ~7–10 days) → Complete the Thai culture course and submit for teacher license waiver (during first year).
- Up-front cash: Approximately ฿50,000–฿60,000 (≈ US $1,500–$1,800) is recommended to cover initial expenses. You may need to pay visa fees (~฿2,000 for single-entry Non-B), document translation and legalization fees, a housing deposit (many apartments ask 2 months’ rent upfront, plus the first month – e.g. if rent is ฿10k, you’d pay ฿30k at move-in), and living costs for your first month. Salaries are paid monthly in Thailand, so you could wait up to 4–6 weeks for your first paycheck. If you’re coming on a tourist visa first to job-hunt (not ideal but sometimes done), budget additionally for a visa run flight/bus and visa conversion costs.
Hiring Periods
| School / Employer Type | Main Intake | Secondary Intake | Year-Round / Special Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | May – July | Nov – Jan | High turnover → plenty of last-minute ads in Aug & Jan (for immediate starts after holidays). |
| Public School | Apr – Jun | Nov – Dec | Hire in late spring for September term. Smaller second intake if a teacher leaves mid-year. |
| Private School / Bilingual | Oct – Feb | Mar – Apr | Often recruit 6–9 months ahead to secure visas; some mid-year openings around March. |
| International School | Oct – Jan | — | Aligns with global job-fair calendar; offers typically issued very early for August start. |
| University | Oct – Dec (CVs) → Apr/May offers | Nov (rare spring intake) | Longest lead time; hiring for Sept starts. Spring semester hires only if replacements needed. |
| Language Center / Training School | Mar – Apr & Aug – Sept | Jan – Feb | Year-round rolling hires, with peaks before summer and after Chinese New Year. |
| Private Tutoring | Jun – Sept (summer break) | Jan – Feb (winter break) | Rolling demand; families seek tutors during school holidays (winter and summer). |
Popular Locations
Quick Facts
- Capital – 10 M (metro 15 M)
- BTS/MRT, Grab Bike, river ferries
- ESL pay: ฿40–60 k; Intl. schools: ฿70–110 k+
- Street-food capital of the world
Climate Snapshot
Tropical savanna: “hot, hotter, hottest.” Daily highs hover 32 – 35 °C year-round; March–May is peak heat, while May–Oct monsoon brings afternoon showers and vivid sunsets.
Weekend Getaways
- Ayutthaya: 1 h train – ruined Khmer temples.
- Pattaya / Koh Larn: 2 h van – beach & nightlife.
- Hua Hin: 3 h train – royal seaside town, night markets.
- Khao Yai: 2 h drive – waterfalls & wine country.
Monthly Cost Snapshot
- Rent (1-bed city-centre): ฿25 k
- Utilities + Internet: ฿2.5 k
- Groceries & eating out: ฿9 k
- BTS/MRT pass: ฿1.5 k
- Total survival: ≈ ฿38 k
Why Teachers Pick Bangkok
Pros
- Highest Thai salaries & abundant jobs
- Non-stop nightlife, cafés, coworking
- Hub airport for cheap ASEAN travel
- Modern hospitals & global schools
Cons
- Traffic gridlock at rush hour
- Hot, humid climate 12 mo/yr
- Higher living costs than Chiang Mai/Pattaya
Salary Estimates
Click a row to pre-fill the salary calculator below. The midpoint is used if you’re in “Exact amount” mode.
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Australian Dollar (AUD)
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| Item | Range (THB) | Range (AUD) |
|---|---|---|
| Private school | THB 40,000.00 – THB 60,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Public school | THB 30,000.00 – THB 45,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Language center | THB 30,000.00 – THB 50,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Kindergarten | THB 30,000.00 – THB 45,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| International school | THB 70,000.00 – THB 110,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| University | THB 25,000.00 – THB 40,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Private tutor | THB 500.00 – THB 900.00 / hour | N/A / hour |
Cost of Living
Use the cost of living calculator to estimate your potential monthly expenses and savings.
Click on a salary above or enter one manually to calculate your expenses depending on which area you're interested in.
Select a currency
Australian Dollar (AUD)
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Click on the table rows to include/exclude items from the monthly expenses calculation.| Item | Range (THB) | Range (AUD) |
|---|---|---|
| Rent (1-bed, city centre) | THB 18,000.00 – THB 30,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Rent (1-bed, outside centre) | THB 12,000.00 – THB 18,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Utilities (elec + water) | THB 2,000.00 – THB 3,500.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Internet (home fibre) | THB 600.00 – THB 900.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Mobile phone plan (4G) | THB 200.00 – THB 500.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Groceries (basic basket) | THB 8,000.00 – THB 12,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Meal (cheap restaurant) | THB 60.00 – THB 120.00 / each | N/A / each |
| Metro/BTS pass | THB 1,500.00 – THB 2,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Gym membership | THB 1,500.00 – THB 3,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Total Living Expenses | THB 0.00 / month | A$0.00 / month |