You can teach English in Thailand with a bachelor's degree, a TEFL certificate and a clean background check, and most foreign teachers work in government schools, English programs or language centers. Real 2026 job listings show government school pay of about ฿32,000 to ฿38,000 a month, enough to live comfortably outside central Bangkok.
This is our main guide to teaching English in Thailand. It covers pay, requirements, visas, where to teach and how to get hired, and links to our detailed guides on the cost of living in Thailand and the teacher visa and work permit process.
Key takeaways
- Government schools hiring through the job board Teast in 2026 advertised ฿32,000 to ฿38,000 a month for foreign English teachers.
- Some private and bilingual schools pay more: one Pathum Thani school advertised ฿50,000 to ฿60,000 a month.
- Premier TEFL's Chiang Mai internship pays a monthly stipend of ฿30,000 to ฿34,000 during the placement.
- A lean single budget costs about ฿24,800 a month in Chiang Mai and ฿29,800 in Bangkok.
- Legal teaching needs a Non-Immigrant B visa, a work permit from the Ministry of Labour and a teacher's license or waiver.
Can you teach English in Thailand?
You can teach English in Thailand if you hold a bachelor's degree in any subject, a TEFL certificate of at least 120 hours and a clean criminal background check, and can find an employer to sponsor your visa and work permit. Many schools prefer native speakers from the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, but a large number of highly proficient non-native teachers also work in Thai schools.
Most foreign teachers work in one of five settings: government schools, English Program (EP) streams inside Thai schools, private language centers, universities and international schools. Government and EP roles are the usual entry point, while international schools generally want a teaching license and experience.
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Government school pay | About ฿32,000 to ฿38,000 a month | 2026 listings on Teast |
| Premier TEFL Chiang Mai internship | ฿30,000 to ฿34,000 a month stipend | Premier TEFL |
| Lean single budget | About ฿24,800 (Chiang Mai) to ฿29,800 (Bangkok) | Our cost of living guide |
| Bangkok minimum wage | ฿400 a day | Wage Committee, from 1 July 2025 |
| Exchange rate | About ฿33.6 to the US dollar | Mid-market, 7 and 8 October 2026 |
| Legal requirements | Non-Immigrant B visa, work permit, teacher's license or waiver | Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Teachers' Council of Thailand |
How much do English teachers earn in Thailand?
English teachers in Thailand typically earn about ฿32,000 to ฿38,000 a month in government schools, roughly $952 to $1,131, based on 2026 listings. Suankularb Wittayalai Thonburi School, a large government secondary school in Bangkok, advertised ฿35,000 for bachelor's degree holders and ฿38,000 for master's degree holders in its English and International Programs. A government primary school in Chiang Rai offered ฿32,000 to ฿38,000 with visa, work permit and social security included.
Private and bilingual schools can pay more. The American English Language School in Pathum Thani advertised ฿50,000 to ฿60,000 a month for 20 contact hours a week, with visa and license paperwork handled by the school. International schools pay more again to licensed, experienced teachers, though they rarely publish salary scales.
| Employer | Type | Monthly pay | In USD at ฿33.6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suankularb Wittayalai Thonburi School, Bangkok | Government school, English Program | ฿35,000 (bachelor's), ฿38,000 (master's) | about $1,042 to $1,131 |
| Bansankhong School, Chiang Rai | Government primary school | ฿32,000 to ฿38,000 | about $952 to $1,131 |
| American English Language School, Pathum Thani | Private school | ฿50,000 to ฿60,000 | about $1,488 to $1,786 |
| Premier TEFL Chiang Mai internship | Paid placement with training | ฿30,000 to ฿34,000 stipend | about $893 to $1,012 |
Source: listings published on the job board Teast in 2026, and Premier TEFL program terms. Individual offers vary with qualifications and hours.
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What does it cost to live in Thailand?
A single teacher in Thailand can live on about ฿24,800 a month in Chiang Mai or ฿29,800 in Bangkok on a lean budget, and closer to ฿44,000 for a comfortable Bangkok lifestyle. Rent is the big variable: Chiang Mai apartments run 30% to 50% below central Bangkok. On a ฿35,000 government school salary, that leaves roughly ฿5,000 a month in Bangkok and more in the provinces.
Our full guide to the cost of living in Thailand for English teachers breaks down rent, food, transport, utilities and insurance by city, with sourced 2026 prices.
What visa do you need to teach English in Thailand?
To teach English in Thailand legally you need a Non-Immigrant B visa, a work permit and a teacher's license or temporary waiver. The usual sequence is a job offer from a sponsoring school, a Non-Immigrant B visa from a Thai embassy using the school's documents, a work permit from the Ministry of Labour after you arrive, and a license or waiver from the Teachers' Council of Thailand. Teachers then report their address every 90 days.
The Royal Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes the current Non-Immigrant B requirements. Our guide to the Thailand teacher visa and work permit process walks through each step and the documents to prepare before you fly.
When do schools in Thailand hire?
Schools in Thailand hire most heavily before the two main semesters, which start around May and November, but listings appear all year as teachers leave mid-contract. In 2026, Bangkok and Chiang Rai government schools were advertising for starts in July and September. Language centers and international schools recruit more continuously.
Teaching English in Thailand: Salary and Visa Guide
Where are the best places to teach English in Thailand?
The best places to teach English in Thailand are Bangkok for the most jobs and the highest pay, Chiang Mai for lower costs and a relaxed pace, and provincial cities for the strongest savings and the most local experience. Bangkok has the widest choice of government, EP, private and international schools, but rent and air conditioning eat into pay.
Many government school jobs are in smaller cities and towns, where a standard salary goes much further. If you are weighing Thailand against its neighbors, our comparisons of teaching in Thailand and Vietnam and of Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia set the options side by side.
Is Thailand a good place to save money teaching English?
Thailand is a good place to live well on a teaching salary, but saving is modest compared with Korea or Japan, where housing is often provided. A government school teacher on ฿35,000 in Bangkok keeps about ฿5,200 a month after a lean budget, while a ฿32,000 salary in a city like Chiang Mai leaves about ฿7,200. Private tutoring and EP roles are the usual ways teachers raise their income.
How do you get started teaching English in Thailand?
Start by getting a recognized TEFL certificate of at least 120 hours, gathering your degree and background check, and deciding whether you want to find a job independently or join a supported program. Our guide to the best TEFL certification for Thailand explains what schools look for. A paid placement such as our Chiang Mai TEFL internship adds in-country training, visa support and a guaranteed school.
Get qualified with our 120 hour online TEFL course, go further with our 180 hour Level 5 TEFL diploma, or explore all our accredited TEFL courses.
