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klei
Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 19 Location: Tucson, AZ
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Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 9:06 am Post subject: Professor salaries |
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Just fishing a bit here, but was wondering if anyone had information on what the salary scale looks like at Thai universities for Asst., Assoc., and full Professor levels. I don't mean lecturer positions or MA-level teaching stints. I have a PhD (in a TEFL-related field), and I'm currently working in another part of Asia. While I've got no plans of moving anytime in the near future, as I've always enjoyed LOS, I've been trying to find out if it would ever be worth it for me to look for employment in Thailand. Thus far, the only faculty salary information I've been able to find was at the Asian University of Technology, however, it doesn't seem to have any language/linguistics degree options, so I'm guessing that my employment opportunities there would be limited...
So please let me know if you happen to be aware of the going rates for academic positions (with the whole expectation of research output that that always entails) at other schools with English language and/or linguistics departments (e.g., Assumption) -- grad. departments are always a big plus.
Thank you in advance! |
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Pauleddy
Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 295 Location: The Big Mango
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Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:21 am Post subject: |
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The public university TEFL/language depts have fixed salaries for all staff, and these are typically 'low'.
In the TEFL field, western staff are all labelled 'foreign instructors' whether they have BA, MA or PhD. Some departments employ a single 'language specialist' who earns a little more. Most people have no tenure, because the yearly contract is linked to the annual visa.
Typically, westerner basic instructors earn more, because a) we would not work for 200 dollars a month and b) we get an accommodation allowance, normally about 9,000b a month.
If you have a PhD you will be welcomed in many unis, although normally you will be known informally by your first name (Ajarn Fred, say) or, more formally, as Ajarn Dr. Fred Smith. Ajarn means 'teacher' (more or less, but even consultant medical doctors are called Ajarn).
In the public unis, it is the Thai staff who hold tenure/rank. Many assocs or assts do not have PhDs, and the rank is associated with service time and/or being the head of a function within admin. The Thais' pensions are linked to that rank and salary. So, the old teacher who orders the paperclips may be given a rank (especially if he or she is part of the faction-in-power at the time). Of course, some Thais will get a rank increase if they publish or carry out research, although the 'quality' of some of the research beggars belief.
If you hold rank at another place and you get invited to do a 'stint' (present to a conference or hold seminars) then you would be visiting, and entitled to keep rank. You would be featured as Prof. Fred Smith of Arkansas Univ.
In science or business faculties, some profs make big money and get flown in for short courses, although not in TEFL.
As a general rule, Thais are quite jealous, insecure and insular (with eachother and with foreigners). I have worked in several public institutions here, but have always found that westerners are excluded from policy-making and advice-giving. We are the hired help only. I have rarely, if ever, seen advertisements asking for Full Professor/westerner required.
I can only speak for public unis of which I have experience. You may find that Assumption is otherwise.
The accepted wisdom is that the really nice salaries here are paid in the Int'l Schools. If you can get to be the Head of English at Harrow or Phuket International, then you should make 150,000b a month plus, vastly more than university posts.
Eddy |
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klei
Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 19 Location: Tucson, AZ
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks, Eddy! |
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Placebo

Joined: 19 Nov 2004 Posts: 80 Location: Bangkok
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 4:19 pm Post subject: |
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While it is true that getting tenure is nearly impossible as a foreign instructor, there are private unis that offer academic ranks for foreign instructors. Not only that -there are administrative positions for foreign instructors. I know of one chairman at a private international uni who is a foreigner.
The base salary for assistant profs is about 8,000 higher at my uni, but the biggest difference is in the hourly wage for overtime which is about 30% higher. |
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chaz47
Joined: 22 Apr 2005 Posts: 157
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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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What are your hours like for that 8,000? How about your vacation? |
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Placebo

Joined: 19 Nov 2004 Posts: 80 Location: Bangkok
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Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 5:44 am Post subject: |
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chaz47 wrote: |
What are your hours like for that 8,000? How about your vacation? |
Lecturers are on 6 contract hours per week at our uni. However, most work about 16 per week which means 10 hours at overtime pay.
I got about 12 weeks off per year. That is 12 weeks of not teaching which is not exactly the same as vacation. |
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pest2
Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 170
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Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 9:38 am Post subject: |
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Placebo wrote: |
chaz47 wrote: |
What are your hours like for that 8,000? How about your vacation? |
Lecturers are on 6 contract hours per week at our uni. However, most work about 16 per week which means 10 hours at overtime pay.
I got about 12 weeks off per year. That is 12 weeks of not teaching which is not exactly the same as vacation. |
Do you still need to sign in at least once a week during that not teaching-time? |
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Pauleddy
Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 295 Location: The Big Mango
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Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know much about the private unis, so I can't comment.
One thing I know is that private does not equal "good". A couple of years ago, the two private unis near Hua Hin (both with western style names and glossy websites) hit huge problems with student enrolment and with poor admin...so much so that closure and/or relocation were inevitable.
Most private unis here are owned by rich Thai or Thai-Chinese people, and are run very much as a business/degree-mill.
Assumption Uni (like the Assumption schools) is a private Catholic university, run by a foundation of RC monks/brothers...although it has a good reputation (some faculties) and does not cram religion inyaface.
Higher education (like all education) in Thailand is a bit of a joke. Plagiarism is rife, as is the use of connections. Rich Thais use western teachers to edit (and almost compose) MA and PhD theses. Education here is getting a plaque on your wall and name-dropping. Rich kids go to the best places, even if they are dumb.
97% of the time, education which equates with getting wisdom or a love of new knowledge, or personal satisfaction, carrying the torch (blah blah) down the generations---all this is goobledegook to Thais. Status, family, money and Louis Vuitton handbags are far more important. Your degree is only a status thing that you display like your bag.
eddy |
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Placebo

Joined: 19 Nov 2004 Posts: 80 Location: Bangkok
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Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2010 7:28 am Post subject: |
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@pest2: While I don't have to sign in & out, during the instruction-free time I'm supposed to do research, so I do need to show my face at least sometimes although I can work at home as well.
@ Eddy: I agree with you that most private unis have a lot of issues even though I've never worked for any of the one's that you mentioned. I work in an international program that is affiliated with a public university but run as a separate program. It is 'private' in the sense that the budget is derived entirely from tuition fees (which are quite high), yet it is a non-profit organization. Don't know if that makes any sense....
I agree with everything you said about higher education in Thailand; however, connections and money don't get you very far at our uni. We are free to fail/repeat students without problems from admin/parents. Plagiarism is a big problem but leads to an automatic F if detected. |
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Solar Strength
Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 557 Location: Bangkok, Thailand
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 6:18 am Post subject: |
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Placebo wrote: |
I got about 12 weeks off per year. That is 12 weeks of not teaching which is not exactly the same as vacation. |
Placebo,
If it is not exactly the same as vacation, then what is it? I don't really understand why you'd say 12 weeks off is not vacation. Are you required to do admin. duties or report to school at all during this time? I'm assuming that this is summer and winter vacation that you get the 12 weeks off.
6 contact hours per week - that's pretty low. I'm guessing you teach 3 classes a week that are 2 hours long each.
10 hours overtime - is that forced or do you have the option of not doing it?
What's the base salary for that position - at the 6 hours / week? |
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Solar Strength
Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 557 Location: Bangkok, Thailand
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 6:30 am Post subject: |
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Pauleddy wrote: |
Most private unis here are owned by rich Thai or Thai-Chinese people, and are run very much as a business/degree-mill. |
This is exactly my perception of the many private universities in Taiwan and Japan also! They are essentially degree mills with enrollment at 100%. Even the mentally unstable are welcomed. Most of these students are not fit for university studies.
Pauleddy wrote: |
Higher education (like all education) in Thailand is a bit of a joke. Plagiarism is rife, as is the use of connections. Rich Thais use western teachers to edit (and almost compose) MA and PhD theses. Education here is getting a plaque on your wall and name-dropping. Rich kids go to the best places, even if they are dumb. |
I went to a university interview in Tokyo and was told that I would have to read papers as part of my job. I asked, "What do you mean?" The Chair said that she would give me a papers from the teaching staff (research papers) and admin (policy, regulations) that I would have to copy edit. This would be part of my extra admin. duties at the university!
Pauleddy wrote: |
97% of the time, education which equates with getting wisdom or a love of new knowledge, or personal satisfaction, carrying the torch (blah blah) down the generations---all this is goobledegook to Thais. Status, family, money and Louis Vuitton handbags are far more important. Your degree is only a status thing that you display like your bag. |
Again, the Japanese and Taiwanese students are not interested in intellectual development, broadening their understanding of the world - or even their own academic major! They are just so burned out on studying by the time that they hit university that they just don't give a damn.
The irony is that something like 80% - 85% of young Japanese and Taiwanese students attend university!
I guess Thailand is no different when it comes to Thais and private universities. |
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Seymour Glass
Joined: 18 Jul 2010 Posts: 35
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Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 11:47 pm Post subject: |
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I'm guessing Placebo means that 12 weeks off is not like a vacation because you have to do research and write, something you have little time or energy to do during the school year.... |
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