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madrileno
Joined: 19 Aug 2010
Posts: 270
Location: Salalah, Oman
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 Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 7:52 am Post subject: Is 52K US unrealistic for Thailand |
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Hello, I'm currently working in the middle east but am looking to make a move to SE Asia. I've been offered a job at a new International School in Bangkok making 52K USD/year. The school is called the Berkley International School. I tried researching it online. Their website is pretty sparse, and doesn't really go into too much detail.
Could anyone with experience in Thailand advise me if this salary is unrealistic? Or better yet, if you've heard of, or worked at this school if it's legitimate?
Thanks in advance for any help. |
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tttompatz
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
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| Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 10:02 am Post subject: Re: Is 52K US unrealistic for Thailand |
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| madrileno wrote: |
Hello, I'm currently working in the middle east but am looking to make a move to SE Asia. I've been offered a job at a new International School in Bangkok making 52K USD/year. The school is called the Berkley International School. I tried researching it online. Their website is pretty sparse, and doesn't really go into too much detail.
Could anyone with experience in Thailand advise me if this salary is unrealistic? Or better yet, if you've heard of, or worked at this school if it's legitimate?
Thanks in advance for any help. |
Are you sure it is $52k US / anum (not unheard of at the better international schools for experienced, licensed teachers) and not 52k baht/month (much more common salary for staff who are new to Thailand).
If indeed it is $52k per year / 1.6 baht million per year (130k baht per month) you will live like a king, even in BKK.
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Christian St.Bacon
Joined: 26 Oct 2011
Posts: 54
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| Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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Berkeley School in Bang Na, Bangkok is reportedly a very good school....i'm sure what they pay will be $52,000...now in the middle east but i left Bang Na only two months ago after 13 months working at a small private language school in Bang Na..where i earned 52,000 baht a month - Berkeley school is in a totally different pay league - most teachers in Thailand would jump at the opportunity to work there....MA but no PGCE/BA Ed...if only I had a PGCE.....  I taught some of their kids in the evenings at the language school - seemed very pleasant...good luck/take the offer... |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:27 am Post subject: |
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 it's 52K baht. For an international school if you are a licensed teacher you should be making no less than 60K baht. |
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lundegatan
Joined: 23 Aug 2011
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 4:33 am Post subject: right |
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| should be 52KUSD - about the same as other top international schools pay when they bring teachers over directly from UK and US. |
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MaiPenRai
Joined: 17 Jan 2006
Posts: 390
Location: BKK
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| Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 2:38 am Post subject: |
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99% sure that it's not $52,000/year. That would be 130,000 baht/month which would put you in one of the highest paying teaching jobs in Thailand (especially at entry level). This school opened last year and advertised starting salaries at about 60,000 baht/month.
This school has only 120 students (as stated on their website). Yes, the building looks great, but that is common in Thailand. All flash and little substance. They are not yet accredited by any official international education body (candidate for WASC). Havent heard great things about the headmaster, but its all second hand so cant comment for sure.
All that I've read and heard is that this school is predominantly Thai. It is owned and run by a Thai as well. It is a for profit private school. Usually when schools try to use famous names from the West (like Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Berkely, etc) it is a marketing approach and nothing else. I doubt if Berkely International School in Bangkok has any connection to Berkely High School in Berkely California other than using a California based curriculum. So you should approach it accordingly.
Might be a good school to work for, i dont know first hand, but dont expect $52,000/year. |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 2:26 am Post subject: |
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| It should be 52K US Dollars but it isn't. It's 52K Baht |
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bourbon street
Joined: 09 May 2007
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 1:50 am Post subject: Berkeley Intl. School Pay Scale |
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Berkeley Intl. School salary is $26,000 USD w/ BA and four years teaching experience. $30,000 USD with an MA and 8 years of experience. Your figure of $52,000 USD annually is way off the mark.
Thai and Thai/Chinese owned for profit schools in Thailand are among the lowest international school salaries in Thailand. You would be able to live quite comfortably in Bangkok on $26,000 USD as your housing will probably be subsidized. However, you won't be able to save much. |
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Eagle Eyes
Joined: 26 Apr 2012
Posts: 121
Location: Istanbul
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| Posted: Sun May 13, 2012 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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Expect an average monthly salary range of Baht 30,000 - Baht 50,000 for most international schools in Thailand if you teach ESL as a Native ENglish speaker even with a Masters degree and TEFL certification. A lot of these schools are owned by Thai Chinese and offer little if any other benefits. They are mostly strictly business for profit schools. Expect a high turnover of ESL teachers and a very low retention rate. Good luck in your search!  |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 12:18 am Post subject: |
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Unless you really like Thailand, there are better pickings elsewhere.
The Thai Baht is starting it's decline losing value in face of the US dollar that's another thing you might want to consider. Teachers are going to be leaving Thailand for the better areas that you should be looking at right now. |
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Aristede
Joined: 06 Aug 2009
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 12:59 am Post subject: |
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| plumpy nut wrote: |
Unless you really like Thailand, there are better pickings elsewhere.
The Thai Baht is starting it's decline losing value in face of the US dollar that's another thing you might want to consider. Teachers are going to be leaving Thailand for the better areas that you should be looking at right now. |
Where are these wonderful places? They don't appear to be in East Asia.
In 2009, the exchange rate was 33 baht to a dollar, and today it is 31. Declining perhaps, but not plummeting. |
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Eagle Eyes
Joined: 26 Apr 2012
Posts: 121
Location: Istanbul
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 3:25 am Post subject: |
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| Thailand is a wonderful country to visit for a holiday and retire in. If you are a serious ESL teacher with the proper qualifications there are better places to teach on this planet that offer higher salaries and job security. The pathetic TEFL salaries have hardly changed in the past 30 years or so for the average TEFL teacher here in Thailand. Many English language teachers have moved out of Thailand to greener pastures...that is..places that offer salaries and benefits which could never be offered here. If you are happy earning between Baht 20,000 - Baht 50,000 per month teaching here in the LOS than by all means stay as TEFL salaries for Native English Speaking teachers (Certified or not) will most likely remain the same for the next 30 years here! Good luck in your search. |
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Aristede
Joined: 06 Aug 2009
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 8:10 am Post subject: |
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| Eagle Eyes wrote: |
| Thailand is a wonderful country to visit for a holiday and retire in. If you are a serious ESL teacher with the proper qualifications there are better places to teach on this planet that offer higher salaries and job security. The pathetic TEFL salaries have hardly changed in the past 30 years or so for the average TEFL teacher here in Thailand. Many English language teachers have moved out of Thailand to greener pastures...that is..places that offer salaries and benefits which could never be offered here. If you are happy earning between Baht 20,000 - Baht 50,000 per month teaching here in the LOS than by all means stay as TEFL salaries for Native English Speaking teachers (Certified or not) will most likely remain the same for the next 30 years here! Good luck in your search. |
I haven't seen anyone dispute the average TEFL salaries in Thailand. But what I do see is many references to "better places" or "greener pastures," while no one ever says where these lands of milk and honey are for teachers who have a choice. If they're a well-guarded secret, perhaps it's best not to warn off greenhorns who might be content to languish in Thailand. Then the TEFL gurus can keep Shangri-La all to themselves. On the other hand, any generous souls who are privy to information about newly thriving markets, by all means, please share.  |
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MaiPenRai
Joined: 17 Jan 2006
Posts: 390
Location: BKK
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| Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 12:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Expect an average monthly salary range of Baht 30,000 - Baht 50,000 for most international schools in Thailand if you teach ESL as a Native ENglish speaker even with a Masters degree and TEFL certification. |
For the 5th or 6th time, this is NOT TRUE.
| Quote: |
| Berkeley Intl. School salary is $26,000 USD w/ BA and four years teaching experience. |
That is 65,000 baht/month. A lot higher than 30-50K/mth. Thats not even with a PGCE or B.Ed.
| Quote: |
| A lot of these schools are owned by Thai Chinese and offer little if any other benefits. They are mostly strictly business for profit schools. Expect a high turnover of ESL teachers and a very low retention rate |
Nice work. We got it right this time. EFL is a business. Many low-mid tier private schools are all about profit.
Masters means little in Thailand when discussing teacher salaries. A PGCE or B.Ed should nearly double your salary though. A Masters in Ed might work or a Masters that would be relevant to a Managerial/DOS position would be helpful.
| Quote: |
| Unless you really like Thailand, there are better pickings elsewhere. |
Salary... YES. Lifestyle...not many. Possible Cost of living...few.
| Quote: |
| .that is..places that offer salaries and benefits which could never be offered here |
There are good jobs here that pay well if you are good at what you do, have a couple connections, have some ambition, are professional, etc. Most that come through Thailand dont fit that though.
| Quote: |
| Baht 20,000 - Baht 50,000 per month teaching here in the LOS than by all means stay as TEFL salaries for Native English Speaking teachers (Certified or not) will most likely remain the same for the next 30 years here |
For the 7th time, certified teachers (B.Ed, PGCE, PGDE, etc.) can and do make more than that even just teaching EFL, but also teaching other subjects. My currently school has doubled their starting salary for EFL teachers over the past 5-6 years or so. I know of a couple other similar schools that have and are raising salaries for EFL teachers but also expecting PGCE, B.Ed, PGDE, etc.
Crap schools and schools that are losing students are lowering or keeping salaries.
The main problem is that they are many more crappy schools than good schools in Thailand. |
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Aristede
Joined: 06 Aug 2009
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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.....
Last edited by Aristede on Fri May 18, 2012 7:24 am; edited 3 times in total |
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