What Work Can We Do Other Than Teach English in Thailand?

Question from Garry in Australia:
Hello, Just Started to investigate the possibility of going to Thailand and experiencing the culture. I spent a month in Laos in December 2007 and loved it but it is a different experience. I wish to Holiday in Thailand and have started to try to find a friend on the dating sites. I have a background in Engineering, as a tradesman and also I was an instructor of Hand skills for Apprentices and Adult Trainees. My question is besides teaching English do they instruct students in other skills and if so how could I find a network to advise me?
Thanks

Answer: It’s a very good question. Many of us have skills other than the fact that we are native English speakers and let’s face it, not everyone has the desire to teach English as a second language anyway. So, what do you do if you’re not the type who wants to teach English as a second language to a group of bored kids? Do you really have any other options to teaching English or is that it?

You are actually asking this question at a very good time because Thai schools are requiring instruction in English for more and more subject areas. Computers, math and sciences are becoming more common areas for native English speakers to find jobs in Thailand as teachers. Still, that doesn’t mean they are common.

One good place to find jobs teaching subjects other than English is the jobs board at Ajarn.com. The job is primarily English teaching jobs, but jobs in math, computers, science, editing, writing and even acting are sometimes found there.

You can also find some jobs other than English teaching jobs at the ThaiVisa.com teaching forum.

Of course these jobs aren’t plentiful and the competition is pretty heavy. Also, don’t expect to get paid much. The going rate for starting jobs in these areas is no better than English teaching jobs averaging around 35,000 baht a month.

If you’re really set on going to live in Thailand you can easily teach English at least until you are able to find another job. English teachers are currently in huge demand, especially in Bangkok and finding a job teaching English is pretty easy. If you’re not sure how to go about finding the right job take a look at my guide to getting a job teaching English in Bangkok in 10 days.

I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but the truly best way to get a job in Thailand is to simply show up there and start looking. There are many more jobs available that you’ll never see on a website. The only way to find them is to get to Bangkok and start pounding the pavement and networking. You never know what you might find. I’ve heard of people being offered all kinds of jobs from bar and restaurant management to acting to sales jobs. The catch is you have to be there to hear about most jobs outside of the typical English teaching jobs.

Don’t get discouraged because finding a job in Bangkok really can be easy. All you need is the courage to get there and a little bit of persistence and you should be fine. Hopefully this post will give you some ideas and a starting place in your quest to live in Thailand. I have no doubt that you have both if you’ve already spent a month in Laos so all you need now is the airline ticket. Good luck to you with everything and let us know how things turn out. Maybe you can even do a guest post here at Thailand Musings once you get to Thailand, that would be cool for all of us.

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