Teaching English in Thailand: Your 2025 Guide
- Connor O'Donoghue
- Aug 13
- 4 min read
Why choose Thailand for teaching English?
For decades, Thailand has been a magnet for adventurous English teachers, the kind of place where you can finish a Friday afternoon class, be on a white-sand beach by Saturday morning, and still have change from your salary for a plate of pad thai and a mango smoothie. It’s a country that mixes the frenetic energy of Bangkok’s street markets with the stillness of temple courtyards, the quiet hum of a longtail boat on the Chao Phraya with the thump of bass from a night market stage.
For many, the initial pull is the climate, the food, or the photographs, but the thing that makes people stay is the lifestyle. Teachers often find that a lower cost of living means they can afford conveniences they might never consider back home: having groceries delivered, having suits tailored, eating out regularly, or booking a weekend trip without guilt. It’s not all picture-perfect (we’ll come to the challenges later), but the combination of work, travel and cultural immersion is hard to beat.
Where to teach in Thailand
Although it’s possible to find teaching work across the country, most opportunities cluster in three main areas. Bangkok is the obvious heavyweight: busy, hot, and endlessly entertaining. Salaries are generally higher here, but so is the rent. Chiang Mai offers a slower pace in the north, with mountains, coffee culture, and a large community of expats and creatives. Down south, island and coastal towns promise a life framed by turquoise water and coconut palms, but usually at the cost of lower pay and fewer job openings.
Many teachers begin in smaller schools, often in quieter towns or suburbs, and later move into better-paying private schools once they have local experience. If you’ve got your CELTA, you’ll be in a stronger position from the start; it’s still the most respected entry-level qualification here.
Visas and work permits
One thing you’ll quickly learn in Thailand: bureaucracy runs on its own timetable. Even when your school handles the paperwork (as any reputable one should), the process can take months. One American teacher I spoke to waited four months for her work permit, long enough that she couldn’t open a Thai bank account until mid-year. In the meantime, you may find yourself working with temporary arrangements and a little extra patience.
The key legal requirements are:
Non-Immigrant B visa before arrival or upon securing a job offer.
Work permit issued once you’re in the country and your school has gathered all the necessary documents.
Avoid employers who suggest you start on a tourist visa “for now”. It’s not worth the risk, and it’s illegal.
Salaries and cost of living
Let’s be honest: if your goal is to make a fortune, Thailand probably isn’t your first choice. Government schools might pay the equivalent of £650–£1,000 a month and private language centres and bilingual schools can offer £1,000–£1,500.
But money goes further here. A modern one-bedroom condo in Bangkok might cost £300–£500 a month; in smaller cities, you could pay half that. Eating out is cheaper than cooking at home, public transport is efficient, and domestic travel is affordable enough to turn long weekends into mini-holidays. Just don’t expect to save large sums unless you supplement your income with online teaching or private lessons.
A week in the life
If you're working in a public school, the Thai school year runs from May to March, with generous breaks (the entire month of October!) plus a long summer break from March to May. Public holidays are frequent, and they don’t eat into your pay.
During term time, the rhythm is steady: Monday to Friday, usually from 7:30am to mid-afternoon. Even if your classes are cancelled (which happens more than you might expect — for public holidays, ceremonies, or whole-grade field trips), you’re generally expected to stay on campus. Large class sizes are the norm, 30 to 40 students isn’t unusual; and you may only see each group once a week, which can make tracking progress a challenge.
On the upside, you won’t be drowning in marking. Many schools don’t expect you to assign homework, and lesson plans are sometimes prepared for you. That means more of your free time is actually free, to explore, rest, or work on side projects.
Cultural differences
Teaching in Thailand also means learning the rhythms and manners of Thai culture. Teachers hold a respected position, and students often greet you with a wai: hands pressed together, a small bow, and a warm “Hello teacher.” At the end of class, they may stand in unison to say thank you.
Politeness is prized, and public confrontation is avoided. “Saving face” matters, so problems are often handled quietly rather than directly. Learning a few words of Thai can smooth relationships with both students and colleagues, but it’s not required. Just be mindful of cultural norms, especially around the monarchy and religion, and you’ll earn trust quickly.
Pros and cons — from teachers who’ve been there
A Californian teacher summed it up neatly: “The salary isn’t huge, but I live better here than I did at home.” That means:
Pros: lower cost of living, long school breaks, respectful students, help with visas and housing, and endless travel opportunities.
Cons: lower savings potential, big class sizes, unpredictable schedule changes, and, in some schools, a lack of resources like air conditioning.
Is it right for you?
If you’re looking for a place where your work opens the door to a completely different way of living, one where the daily commute might involve a canal boat, lunch costs the price of a coffee back home, and your weekends can be spent on a beach, in the mountains, or in the middle of a neon-lit city, Thailand has plenty to offer. Just arrive with realistic expectations, a CELTA under your belt, and a willingness to adapt.
Dr Connor O'Donoghue hails from Ireland and he started teaching English as a foreign language in Poland in 2003 and he became a CELTA trainer in 2008. He has taught and trained in Ireland, the UK, France, Italy, Slovenia, Macedonia, Poland, Russia, Kazakhstan and Vietnam. Connor also holds a Masters and a PhD in Education from Trinity College in Dublin. He has previously managed large teacher training centres in Vietnam and in London before founding DC Teacher Training.
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