Andy Said:

best way to go about trying to teach english in Thailand?

We Answered:

First comes qualifications: In general you'll need a degree (although there are still possibilities if you do not have this) and a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate to get a visa and work.

The TEFL certificate can be taken either in-house or online at your own pace which is a much cheaper option (see http://icalweb.com).

So once you have those then you need to find a job. This is free. You shouldn't pay anyone a penny to find you work or you find it yourself through and online advert.

Simple as that!

Myrtle Said:

What steps do I have to take in order to teach english in Thailand?

We Answered:

Qualifications: you'll need a degree and a TEFL Certificate.If you don't have a degree then there is still a chance to find work. Almost any TEFL Certficate will do but the cheapest option is taking one online.

Then, get yourself over to Thailand and start knocking on school doors. Sooner or later you'll find one which needs a teacher. You'll need to look the part and carry your qualifications with you.

Pay isnt brilliant, but enough to live on.'Good luck!

Jackie Said:

Does anyone know if my wife would be included on a working visa to teach English in Thailand?

We Answered:

Your wife can be classified as a dependent on you. Which means that she is dependent on you for supporting her, which includes her accomodation, food, any medical expenses, her travel to and fro from Thailand, and other expenses. If the consulate of Thailand is convinced that you have the means to support your wife throughout your stay, she can qualify for a dependent visa. However the intricacies of the process depends on the visa laws of the country and her nationality. Many countries impose strict restrictions on the work rights of dependent visa holders, check with the embassy.

She may also be able to get a tourist visa to Thailand. The ease of getting one depends on her natioinality. Thailand is pretty lenient on tourist visas, citizens of many countries do not need to obtain a visa prior to their arrival in Thailand if they are travelling for leisure puroses. E.g. Australian citizens do not need a visa at all for stays up to 3 months in Thailand, Indian citizens can get a visa on arrival etc. You will have to confirm with the Thai consulate in your country for the specific process for your country. She may not be able to undertake employment on tourist visa.

Basically what the embassy will be looking for is proof that she is not intending to migrate to Thailand, but rather trying only to visit Thailand for a predictable amount of time.

Hope it helps

Rene Said:

How easy is it to teach english in Thailand with no college degree but with a TEFL certificate?

We Answered:

I'm sorry I can't answer your specific question but I can give you the benefit of some (similar) experience. I actually had the opposite situation to yours when I went off to Teach English as a Second Language (TESL) -- basically the same thing as Teaching English as Foreign Language (TEFL) -- in Japan. I had my college degree but no certification. I can tell that you I had little difficulty finding employment, whether at a Conversation School (my preferred choice) or a standard Public School. The reason is that Japan seems to place the emphasis on native English speakers who are well-educated and have a good command of the language. They are less concerned with specific classroom training.

However, as you are looking to teach in Thailand, it's quite possible they have a different approach. I was good friends with a British couple who taught at the same school I did in Japan who had just wrapped up a year of teaching English language in Thailand. Unfortunately, I've lost contact with them but my recollection is that they too had college degrees. For what it's worth, they really liked life in Thailand, though they confessed to being frustrated by the fact most of their students (and their families) were quite poor while they (the Brit teachers) were comparatively well-paid.

The situation in Japan is quite different, however. There, almost everyone makes a decent wage (they have an enormous middle class, unlike the increasingly stratified Thai economy) but as a teacher you may feel the pinch of a very tight budget because everything in Japan is so expensive.

Don't give up hope just yet. In addition to the links SFNDX left you, I'm attaching some websites that may help answer your question.

Martin Said:

Is the full TEFL course sufficient enough to teach English in Thailand?

We Answered:

ive looked into this sort of thing before myself, i think alot of countries in Asia require you to have a degree as well as TEFL, certainly most of the English teaching jobs require it. Best thing to do is contact some agencies that supply English jobs in Thailand or possibly TEFL providers themselves, their details should be easily located through google searches.

Clayton Said:

Can you teach English in Thailand without a degree? Is ESL course enough?

We Answered:

You don't need a ESL to teach in Thailand since you have a degree in Education, your friend needs a degree and ESL to teach, but some places try to overlook it to get a English Language Speaker. But getting the work permit may be hard if he doesn't meet the requirements including a police check. Depending on where you teach you can get between 35,000 and 40,000 baht a month. Your friend less if he can get a job. You need to come and be interviewed just like any other job and some schools want you to work a week or two before they give you the necessary papers to go to KL and apply for a Type B employment visa. So get a tourist visa and come and look around. Remember public schools are closing for the summer and will not open again to mid May. I know of a school that may want you in Ratchaburi but not your friend. It's in a very rural area, a private high school about 30 km from town with apartments for teachers. You can email me if you wish and I can give you more information.