Best Thai Cities to Teach in Outside Bangkok: Teaching Opportunities Are Everywhere in Thailand

Many English Teachers Don't Want to Teach in Bangkok, so Where Do They Go?

For many English (EFL) teachers that come to Thailand, teaching in Bangkok is the last thing they want to do. With teaching opportunities all over Thailand, where are some of the best cities to teach and what is there to do there?

Chiang Mai - An hour's flight north from Bangkok is Chiang Mai, the second most popular city in Thailand for teachers. Chiang Mai is a beautiful city with less of the traffic and pollution problems of Bangkok, yet still has job opportunities for teachers. The drawback with Chiang Mai is, even though the cost of living is about the same as Bangkok, the teaching jobs pay a lot less. Average salary for a full-time job in Chiang Mai is only 28,000-30,000 baht ($848-$900) a month, with schools and language schools being the main employers as well as opportunities at Chiang Mai University. However, you can pick up a part-time job or several private students and soon make a good teaching salary. The beauty of living and teaching in Chiang Mai though is the more relaxed atmosphere, the lovely town, the excellent restaurants, bars, and markets. And, of course, the friendly local people as well as the large expat population.

Chiang Rai - Another of Thailand's popular cities is Chiang Rai in far north Thailand near the borders of Laos and Myanmar. With less than 65,000 people living in Chiang Rai, however, English teaching opportunities are low and salaries are in the 25,000-28,000 baht range (less than $850 a month). Chiang Rai is much cheaper than Bangkok though, with a one room apartment being as cheap as 2,500 baht a month ($75) so you can live much cheaper here. Main teaching jobs in Chiang Rai are at small government schools or private students, with the possibility of making around 35,000 baht ($1,030) a month if you have a part-time job on top of your full-time job. Chiang Rai isn't for those who need to make money, but it is a lovely city if you want a relaxed lifestyle in a truly beautiful place.