Salary and Benefits

The walled city of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand has all the cultural benefits of Bangkok without the traffic and pollution. Replete with mountains, forests, rivers, waterfalls, rice fields, orchards, elephants, traditional Northern Thai handy crafts in the nearby craft villages, the bustling night markets, eclectic restaurants, jungle treks and more than 300 temples (wats), the city is a sorted after tourist destinations. But besides being a favorite traveler haunt, the city is a great alternative to work and live as well, making it an abode for numerous foreigners residing with the local people.

Teachers in Thailand are a respected lot and the profession is generally very rewarding, especially for western teachers seeking challenge and excitement in the classroom among the energetic, fun-loving Thai students.

Salary rates in Chiang Mai ranges between 180 baht an hour up to 400 baht an hour. The average payment is about 250 baht ($6US) per hour which ensures a decent mode of living without frill and fancies. Universities and larger institutions may offer up to 30,000 baht ($730) per month for a 1-year contract. Fulltime contracts are less general making room for the part-timers, who can expect to earn between 180 – 400 baht per hour.
To be precise, an English teacher (whether full time or part-time) can easily earn enough to cover the costs of living in Chiang Mai with plenty to spare for splurging on the odd night out or shopping spree. But, owing to the fact that demand outstrips supply, it’s a necessary pre-requisite for the applicants to have a recognized TEFL/EFL certificate, good command of English, soft accent and preferably some experience.

The places offering job opportunities include international schools, small language schools for those with little experience and the Thai high schools with wages ranging from about 25,000 - 35,000 baht monthly.

Most of the language centres around Chiang Mai include ECC, CEC, NIS, Teya, and London House offer wages of 180 – 250 baht per hour, with the teachers left pretty much to themselves to decide curriculum and texts. These centres tend to be located on the western side of the city (Nimmanhemin Road; Huay Kaew Road) near Chiang Mai University. The motto of many of these schools is profit before education, hence the high turnover in English teaching staff as dedicated teachers become frustrated with the system. However, these are great places to initiate a career while looking around for a more lucrative alternative.

Teaching private lessons is yet another great way to supplement income, though it’s not always reliable as students’ attendance depends upon their schedules and level of interest.

Compared to the capital city of Bangkok, the wages are about 30 per cent less in Chiang Mai and monetary fringe benefits are also uncommon in the system. However, this gap is complemented by the atmosphere which is far more relaxing and embalming.