Job Discussion Forums

[rawlings]

I have been looking into moving to Phuket and teaching English for a long time, and I decided that now is the time to go for it. I'm planning on signing up for the TEFL course beginning in April, and using that month or so to shop around for jobs and apartments. Before I make the plunge, there are a couple of lingering questions that I was hoping to get answered...

First and foremost, is there still a high demand for native English teachers in Phuket? I have a BA with a degree in English, and teach reading and writing in the US, will I have any trouble finding a job? Can I expect to make around 40k THB or will it be less than that?

Now, a couple questions about living in Phuket... How much will I be paying for a decent apartment, hopefully not far from the beach? Probably near Phuket town or patong (whereever I find work.) Will I have to sign a yearly contract to get a good deal?

Also, do a lot of people ride bicycles on the island? I was thinking of getting a bike for local trips and then just using tuk tuk's or whatever to get around the island. Are there pool/fitness clubs around patong and Phuket Town, and if so, are memberships expensive?

I would be very grateful for any clarification on these questions, thanks!

[StrayCat]

There are a large number of foreigners and foreigner teachers on the island. Having said that, there is work to be found. The two main universities pay 27,000 and 35,000 baht per month (nice places to work but quite low salaries). The American international school pays 50,000 baht per month tops. There are American teachers at The British International School (BIS) can/do earn upwards of 80,000 baht per month plus many major benifeits. There are lots of 'language schools' and local schools all over the place that pay around 25 - 40,000 baht.

Depending on where, renting houses can be from 10 - 30,000 baht on average, and apartments 5 - 15,000 baht per month.

You won't be using 'tuk-tuks' much, that's for sure! It sounds as if you still need to do a lot of research, both into teaching (abroad) and Phuket. It's a very modern place with large, high-tech shopping malls, and all the rest of it. I think the image you may have in your mind is very different to what Phuket is actually like. Anyway, good luck!

[norbdemn]

Phuket is ok, I did not like it very much since public transportation is not plentiful like other cities.

I would try Suratthani, Trang, and maybe Phattalung instead. You are still relatively close to the islands and there is public transporation readily available (not certain about Trang and Phattalung, but Suratthani definitely has plenty of transportation).

Good Luck

[Carll101]

[StrayCat]

I paid about 19,000 baht for a years' membership of a very fancy fitness club in Phuket Town which included various types aerobics, weight room, all the machines you could wish for, free daily newspaper/tea/coffee, saunas, monthy BBQs around the pool, etc. Very, very good.

I renewed my membership a couple of times.

Other less fancy, cheaper fitness centres have sprung up in the style of those gimmicky California gym places and quite a few small ones dotted around too.

[Pauleddy]

I think that you need to get there and see.

Everyone has misconceptions about PKet and about Thailand. When I moved here 4 years ago, I found that things were different than I imagined. People watch Leo di Caprio movies and have romantic delusions that they will teach English to near-naked girls (or boys) while sipping cocktails on tropical beaches. The reality is different.

I secured a good job (I teach uni) on Phuket and found a condo. After 2 weeks I hated it. Patong is seedy and very expensive. Phuket Town is grimy. Transport is pretty tough: the tuk-tuks and motorbike boys rip off ALL the farangs (aliens). There are rickety buses but they stop at 7pm. The shopping malls are like any malls. Driving, especially renting a motorbike, is scary. Phuket has the worse road death record. 2 or 3 people die every day, it's mad.

There are relatively unspoiled beaches on Phuket, true, but generally Phuket has been a holiday honey trap for 30 years. It is commercial, and the rip off starts when you pay for the airport taxi. In the commercial areas and bars, and even outside them, the sex-thing is money driven, and you will pay in some way if you "meet" a local person. Condos and stuff are fairly expensive. A place "on the beach" or nearby will be as expensive as BKK.

If you are "doing a TEFL course" in April, be warned that the good courses make you work all day (and then some). Most people are too exhausted to party or look for condos at the same time as the course.

People who come here and think that they can have a great life on 30,000 baht a month are mistaken. If you want to party, drink and buy farang foods, rent a condo, buy clothes and go out with pretty girls then it will cost a lot more in most places. Only yesterday, I had an email from someone who had a fancy meal in Patong and paid London prices.

Krabi is a little less spoiled than Phuket. One of the posters made the valid point that other southern cities are way cheaper, less spoiled and have jobs because there are less farang.

You need to do the TEFL course (either here or in the UK/USA/etc. I think better) and make sure you bring enough money to last 2 or 3 months while you decide where u wanna be. Make sure the course is CELTA or TESOL accredited (otherwise it will be no good in some countries).

Most people in your position end up doing OK, but they have a few ideas which need sorting out first. You will get a few shocks, as Thailand is never as you imagine. It can be hot, humid, difficult, inefficient and grimy and is not paradise. If you are foreign, then most people will see you as a "prospect" of some kind.

PEd

[beckersteph]

I have been teaching in Phuket for a few months now and live on the beach paying 8,500 THB a month. That includes utilities, but not the internet. I have that at work though.

You may be able to get a job at the American school here without getting your TEFL. They go after teachers with BAs in English, not TEFL teachers and they pay well for Thailand standards. I found that they are hiring now in a Phuket Gazette ad. You may want to check out their website for more information on Phuket as well.

You will have to rent or buy transportation here, either a motorbike or car. I like the motorbike because it's a lot more fun. I bought mine for 23,000 THB. It has a sidecar. You can rent one for about 3,000 THB a month if you don't want to commit to buying.

I joined a health club in Phuket Town for one month, but then decided not to renew. There is the stadium in town that has a track you can use for free and it is only 10 THB to use the in house equipment each time you go. My favorite exercise is swimming in the ocean or pools.

FYI: The school year here starts at the beginning of May, so you should interview in April ASAP.

Good luck.

[rawlings]

thanks everyone for the replies. just to clarify, i have not seen the leonardo dicaprio movie, and i do know realistically that it will be a lot of work and will not be the ideal utopia. i recently graduated from college, and have been living in cold cold new england my entire life, and want to move somewhere on a hot beach for a year or so just for a new experience, and phuket really seems like the place. Ideally, i would like to live somewhere outside the touristy areas, on the south side of the island, but where the hot spots and beaches are still immediately accessible.

I have done much research on phuket AND teaching abroad (originally i was thinking japan), and I am 99% sure that I am going to go along with this. I hear two different stories from people on this place - either it is a tourist trap that is on the downhill, or it is a beautiful island with plenty of opportunity. I like to imagine that it is somewhere between the two. If there's anyone, such as above poster beckersteph, who would be willing to talk with me through messages or through email, it would be greatly appreciated! my email address is [email protected].

again, thanks for the responses, and I hope to hear more!

[David Campbell]

beckersteph, what beach do you live near? I havent' heard of any prices for that cheap near the beach.

[MaiPenRai]

I agree taht Phuket is a s*$thole tourist dump. I hated it there. I got out after 2 days and went to Krabi. Much better but I still prefer KOh Samed and Koh Chang. Much more peaceful and less touts haggling and ripping you off. I agree that 8500 sounds mighty low for "on the beach" but I guess possible, but would think not the norm.

Ive never tried looking for work there obviously, but I do know that most jobs there are competitive and usually go to the guy/girl who is their at the right time or knows the right person. For what an average teacher there probably makes 30-35K/month, you won't be partying every night thats for sure.