There are several ways to teach English in Thailand. I went through an American-based volunteer organization that places teachers throughout the country, but mostly in the Bangkok area. I worked for Rajamangala Institute of Technology, a government-run system of vocational colleges. Other volunteers taught at high schools and teacher's colleges. One advantage of teaching at these schools as opposed to commercial language schools is the contact with Thai faculty and administrators. At commerical schools you are surrounded by other foreigners, which may be good for newcomers who need the support, but sheltered from Thai educators.

I learned a lot about Thai language, education, and culture from my fellow teachers. I also branched out from the touristy parts of Thailand by accompanying teachers to restaurants and shops where only locals eat, and having dinner at people's homes. Thai teachers as well as students welcome the chance to improve their English, and teaching at these schools gives you the opportunity to help more Thais. Thai schools usually have only a few English teachers if any, and you may end up being the only one, so chances are you'll have a lot of freedom on what to teach. The biggest drawback is the salary, since commerical schools pay substantially more.

If you do opt for commerical schools, there are several chains, such as ECC Thailand , ELS International, and CBC. These schools have been criticized by some as being English conversation mills, but they do pay more. However, they are also located in big cities such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai, where the cost of living is higher too. Unlike many Thai schools, commerical schools may require working part-time on weekends, so if you're looking forward to escapes from Bangkok, this may not be the place for you. Whereas Thai schools focus on more general uses of English, commerical schools focus on English for Specific Purposes, and you will probably not have much freedom on what to teach. The students are mostly adults who need English for jobs such as construction, banking, or food services. Commercial schools have many evening classes to accommodate students' work schedules.

Private tutoring pays the most, and involves going to the student's home in the evening to help them develop certain skills or strengthen certain weaknesses. Tutoring usually involves one student, but sometimes you may be asked to teach a few family members.

Other places that hire foreign teachers are The International School and Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. These schools are more prestigious places to teach, and pay quite well. Chulalongkorn has an evening extension program for business English.

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