Would you like to come and teach English in Thailand? Thailand has one of the most vibrant TEFL teaching communities in the world. Here are just some of the reasons why you should consider teaching TEFL in Thailand.
Why A.E.?
AE has been placing foreign teachers in local public schools since 2003, for fifteen years now. We have been hired as an outside consultant in the administration of Special Academic Programs (S.A.P.) in several local primary and secondary schools. We have the experience, knowledge, systems and academic support to make your professional life run as smoothly as possible. We get you your Non-Immigrant Visa, Work Permit, Teacher’s License and all other required paperwork, to ensure that you meet all legal working requirements. In short, we know what we are doing because we’ve been doing it a long time. You can just focus on your teaching, as it should be.
Another choice is teaching at our private English school itself. Class sizes are smaller and more one on one than in local public schools. This is the school you can see in the video here.
AE is owned by Mr. Jason Alavi, an American who has lived and worked in Thailand for decades and his Thai wife Mrs. Jintana Alavi. He was a salaried English teacher for more than a decade, before he opened up AE. As such, he is a perfect resource for first timers to Thailand. He understands Western culture AND Thai culture. Therefore, he is a perfect bridge to help you span the cultural gap, when you first arrive. Want to know about local housing, laws, food, culture, language? Just ask him. That’s what he is there for. This may not sound like much on the surface but the vast majority of bosses you may have, as a newcomer to Thailand, are probably going to be Thai. Will they understand you, your culture, your living requirements, your workplace requirements? It’s nice to have someone, at first, who understands you and knows what you need. When you arrive, we pick you up at the airport, take you to your temporary housing and send the next several days helping you find everything you need, to make your stay happy. We have a full, two-day new teacher orientation, in which we teach you everything you need to know to fully enjoy your new home.
AE always tries it’s best to treat its employees as they wanted to be treated, when they were salaried employees. We are the highest paying employer, for foreign teachers, in Patumthani Province. We give all of our teachers two different kinds of end of contract bonuses. We provide comprehensive health insurance, as required by law, to all our employees. We do our best to create a fair, transparent, responsive work environment. This shows in our incredibly low turnover rate. We realize that our teachers are our most important asset and treat them as such. We encourage you to ask as many questions as you may have. If you would like to talk to some current AE employees, we can arrange it. Just let us know.
Why Thailand?
Thailand is in the geographic center of Southeast Asia. As such, it is a perfect location to see the rest of Asia, cheaply and conveniently. Here is just a sampling of flight times:
Bangkok to Manila: 3 hours
Bangkok to Tokyo: 5 hours
Bangkok to Hong Kong: 2.5 hours
Bangkok to Mumbai: 4.5 hours
Bangkok to Australia: 6 hours
Bangkok to Beijing: 4.5 hours
Thailand itself is full of beautiful, warm destinations, both in the country and in the city, consistently making it one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Domestic travel is quick and cheap. Also, Thailand has the second highest number of paid days off, per year, in the world. You will have plenty of time to explore Thailand and the rest of Asia, if it strikes your fancy.
Thai food is healthy, delicious, cheap and world famous. It is everywhere you go here. Enjoy, but don’t get too fat! Most people can eat all day here for between 150 to 200 baht. That’s 4 or 5 U.S. dollars, per day!
Thai weather is warm and humid, most of the year. It never gets cold here, never snows, never has any ice storms or hail. You can spend all your free time in shorts, a t-shirt and sandals, if you want to.
Thailand is called The Land of Smiles for a reason. Thai people are (generally) friendly, warm, caring and giving. Thai culture always welcomes, and looks after, guests. This makes it an easy place to live.
Housing
Housing in Bangkok is very expensive. However, AE is in Patumthani Province, where housing is much cheaper. For example, a one-bedroom apartment in Bangkok is between 15 to 20 thousand baht a month, minimum. In Patumthani, it is between 5 and 10 thousand. You can rent a townhouse, or small single-family home, in Patumthani for anywhere from 3 to 10 thousand baht a month. In Bangkok, you’re looking at a minimum of 30 to 35 thousand a month. Affordable housing will not be a problem here.
Transportation
Public transportation is plentiful and cheap as well. Buses, taxis, vans and motorcycle taxis all exist to take you to your job cheaply. Another good thing about Patumthani Province is the fact that it is not Bangkok. No Bangkok traffic, smog, congestion, crime or stress. However, if it’s Friday night and you are really longing for some pizza and beer, like home, you can be in downtown Bangkok in 30 to 45 minutes, depending on traffic.
If there is anything else you would like to know, please just let us know. We will do our best to answer all of your questions.