Teaching English as a foreign language, scuba diving instructor, freelance travel writer, activity promotion, and I.T. are a few ways in which those wishing to enjoy an extended visit to the land of smiles can fund their adventures.

Jobs in Thailand for Travelers and Tourists:

As long as you have a degree and a TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) certificate finding a job teaching English in Thailand is the easiest route to take to become employed in Thailand. Depending upon your level of education and experience becoming a teacher in Thailand is a fairly easy task to achieve, and one of the most stable and profitable careers for the ‘Farang’ exploring old Siam. A quick search of the internet should provide a good starting point which numerous websites acting as portals to paid teaching opportunities.

Scuba diving instructor is another relatively easy path through which to gain paid employment in Thailand depending upon your level of proficiency at scuba diving. However many of the scuba diving centers based in areas such as Pattaya and Phuket offer live-in courses to allow you to gain PADI qualifications whilst staying in Thailand, with the potential offer of paid employment following completion for those who make the grade.

Work can often be found promoting activities such as scuba and tours for cash-in-hand commissions by asking tour operators etc. directly whilst on location. Don’t be afraid to ask as this can prove to be one of the most profitable means of earning money in Thailand if you are the sort of person who likes to get out there and mix with others. Especially in areas such as ‘Khao San Road’ the backpackers Haven where tourists and travellers alike can make easy pickings, already seeking out adventures as they are.

I.T. positions are rarer but can be found either through contacts made in the English speaking community of Thailand or by searching Thai newspapers and websites such as the ‘Bangkok Post’.

And perhaps the most profitable (long term) and most enjoyable means of getting paid to work in Thailand is to become a freelance travel writer or video blogger making money online from affiliate programs such as Google AdSense, eBay Partner program, and Amazon for sending traffic to related products for a cut of the profits. Find out how by clicking on the link below.

You have decided The Kingdom of Thailand, The Land of Smiles, in particular Bangkok, beckons you to its warm balmy winter nights, spicy Thai food and a vibrant, noisy, dirty, utterly fantastic city environment, so you decide to look for an EFL teaching job.

This is not difficult as numerous websites post information about positions. While not mentioned openly in most employment notices, an ideal candidate will be: Caucasian, native English speaker from Australia, Canada, Ireland, the UK or the US, blonde, tall, fit and good-looking without any visible tattoos or facial hair.

In their mid 20s to early 30s, a teacher will have a BA degree from a recognized university needed to teach legally and receive a work permit and residency visa. In addition, a candidate should have some experience teaching English, and if possible, a CELTA Certificate or any well-recognized equivalent that included observed teaching.

The importance of these physical and professional qualities is, unfortunately, listed in their most typical order of importance with the first the most important – a deal breaker in many cases, with a BA and certificate, useful but not necessary.

If both parties reach an agreement, the school should send the papers needed to apply for a Non-Immigrant B Visa in your home country so you can enter Thailand with a visa that will lead to a Work Permit and a Resident visa valid for up to one year.

This is the idea world. The more items missing, the greater the chance you will be entering a less than ideal teaching situation.

The second scenario is that you do not posses all the physical and professional characteristics listed. If you are in Thailand a few days before school begins and meet some of the requirements listed above, you should be able to start immediately.

Whether applying from overseas or in person, most if not all of the questions raised should be answered to your satisfaction before accepting a position and taking on the expense of coming to Thailand. In this way, you should increase your chances of finding a great school, professional colleagues and delightful students.

1. Computer Science and IT teaching: Phon Phisai in the Isan region is also desperate for people who can teach their children about computers and information technology. They will be teaching in a computer center created by uVolunteer. Unfortunately those in and around Phon Phisai will miss out due to lack of funding and IT teachers. Volunteers can make all the difference and give these children the skills needed to brighten their future. Although further education is something that the majority of Thailand’s children can only aspire to, particularly the children from the poorer regions such as Isan, their future will be significantly improved if they can speak some English and use a computer. By giving these children keyboard and IT skills you will be helping them a lot more than by simply giving them money.

2. English teaching: Teaching English is a common type of work for those that volunteer during their vacation. Phon Phisai Elementary school which is located in Ban Thin Dung, as small village in the Phon Phisai district, desperately needs volunteer English teachers to teach the language to their children. If you want to discover the real Thailand, rather than the big cities that are the same as most others, then the Thai region of Isan is the poorest and in need of the most help. The small communities scattered around the area of Phon Phisai in Isan are unable to afford real English teachers, and volunteers offer their children a better future by helping to teach them English. Without English their potential will be very limited, and many schools in the region are in need of English speaking volunteers.

3. The Gibbons preservation: This is a slightly different type of help you can offer when you volunteer in Thailand. Deforestation and poaching is threatening the gibbon population in Thailand, and the people living in and around the forests desperately need education on how the gibbons are important to them. The survival of the gibbons is essential for the health of the Thai rain forests in which they live, and without them the balance and nature and ecology of these large areas of land will be damaged along with those that depend on them. You can help by volunteering to work in the Monkey Park in Phuket.

If you want to spend your vacation abroad as a volunteer, Thailand would be an excellent choice, and you will return home have learned as much from those you are helping as they learned from you. Volunteering abroad to help others is mutually beneficial, which is why so many people spend their vacation this way every year.

5 jobs or professions you can start pretty much as soon as you land in Bangkok.

1. Teach English – This is probably the most popular method for native English speakers to make money while living in Thailand (or any other foreign country for that matter). You don’t really need anything to get started except a good command of English and to get your butt to Thailand.

English teachers generally make around 35,000 baht a month and upward, depending on how hard you want to work. One very good resource for prospective English teachers in Bangkok and Thailand is Ajarn.com. They have been around since 1999 and have the best information about teaching in Thailand that I’ve seen.Plus they have links to many of the English schools and a fantastic job board. I could go more in depth about teaching English in Thailand as a job, but they have it all covered already. If you have a university degree you may want to try for a job at one of Thailand’s International Schools. The competition is fierce, but the pay scale is typically much better than the language schools.

2. Translator –  English is the international language of business and if you don’t mind presenting products then this could be right up your alley. Pay can range anywhere from 2000-6000 baht a day which isn’t too bad if you can find steady work. To get this kind of job does require some networking, but it’s not hard.The best way to get started is by getting yourself out there and networking.
Dress sharp, image is very important to Thai’s. White shirt, dark pants and blazer and a tie are necessary for this work.
Once there simply mingle and talk with some of the businesses there. You’ll find that many of them will be happy to hire you on to help promote their products in English.

3. Actor/Model – Another little known job for falangs (foreigners) in Thailand is as actors or models. The pay isn’t great, but if you build a name for yourself you can get fairly consistent work. You can find leads in the Bangkok Post or try putting together a small portfolio of photographs and mailing it to the modeling/acting agencies listed in the yellow pages. If you’re really serious you may want to get an agent as they can be invaluable in securing work and negotiating. Pay can range from 2000 baht a day and up.

4. Dive Instructor – If you’ve got PADI dive certification and can get or already have dive instructor certification this could be perfect for you. The pay isn’t great, but this isn’t really something you do for the pay, you do it for the passion and the experience.

5. Accountant, engineer, salesman, lawyer or any professional position. You won’t get a job at a Thai company for most professional positions, but if you’ve got experience you may be able to land a position with a multi-national company that has offices in Bangkok. Since you’ll be getting paid in your home countries currency and will very likely have all the benefits of an ex-pat package (retirement, housing, travel, tuition for children,
medical insurance, etc) these are the sweetest jobs around.

Once you get there and start networking you’ll find many open doors and the adventure of a lifetime. It’s really not that hard all you need is the desire to be there. You’ll gain cultural experience and job related experiences that can’t be had anywhere else by working in Thailand and if you eventually choose to go back to your native country you’ll be that much more valuable to employers there thanks to your experience.

In the modern world of teaching jobs, these certificates are considered even more important that the passports we have. Some countries do not even allow people to search for teaching jobs without a proper police clearance certificate. Different countries give a different name for this record; nevertheless it can be defined as any document that is capable of giving a complete background description of ourselves and the fact that we do not have a criminal or conviction record before. This document is to be provided by everyone who wishes to apply for a teaching job abroad, regardless of whether they have been convicted or not.

There are certain countries where you will be able to get teaching jobs without a proper clearance certificate; however, you will be at your own risk in such situations, as they might lead to termination of your work order at any point of time.

Thailand has been the most recent victim of this issue as an American teacher was arrested by the immigration officers from America in the month of August, in the year 2006. The arrest was made in Thailand and as the arrest was made for a murder charge on him, this incident was greatly publicised all over the world. Hence, there are very strict and rigorous background information checkups for teachers applying for the teaching jobs in Thailand.

The certificate needs to be taken along with us at all times and it is always best to keep a set of copies at home after which you are free to take the original along with you when you leave for the workplace abroad. It should be available with you all times in original and they are not allowed to be used in scanned or digital formats. Also, after the contract period, it is important to get a police clearance certificate from the police in the country where you had been working; this will help you in maintaining a perfect record of yourself for the future.

This additional precaution helps you in proving your clean record to the next institution, to which you apply for a teaching job. In countries like New Zealand, United States of America, United Kingdom and Australia, separate divisions like the Ministry of Justice in Wellington, the local police, Criminal Records Bureau check and the Australian Federal Police in Canberra can issue a certificate to this effect.

That simply means that finding a career, while in Thailand is sure to revolve around Bangkok. Being the centre of a variety of different activities and commerce, finding a career in Bangkok is not so difficult.

Being a wonderfully popular tourist spot, many of the careers are definitely related to tourism and hospitality. Well, the choice of the careers is totally dependent on the aspirant’s educational qualifications, aptitude and interest.

Tourism and hospitality careers include working in the Hotels and resorts, encompassing a myriad of different designations. Working as a Receptionist at an international hotel or resort will definitely require an excellent fluency over Thai and English in addition to having an attractive personality and cordial demeanor. Providing services as a tour operator is also a very prosperous career option.

The resorts in Thailand are visited by tourists from all over the globe who are seeking to enjoy a session of authentic Thai massage. There are numerous health and beauty resorts and spas, who offer these services and masseurs who are trained and certified, certainly have no dearth of jobs in Thailand.

Thai cuisine is another important segment related to the tourism industry of Thailand. Chefs and connoisseurs, who are proficient and certified, have excellent career opportunities here.

Scuba diving is another fascination for tourist visiting Thailand. Scuba diving operators and instructors need to have an accredited certification, in addition to having a lot of experience in order to successfully carve a career out of it. Being a pleasure sport, scuba diving is a financially profitable venture to select as a career option. Numerous scuba diving centers in Pattaya and Phuket offer facilities for availing certified courses, for interested people, so that they can easily gain the PADI certification and then begin a career in the scuba diving industry

Teaching jobs are very much in demand in Thailand. Teaching English as a second language, to the Thai people, is an excellent choice for people who wish to pursue their careers in teaching. The basic requirement for this job is to have a TEFL certification, in addition to some amount of professional teaching experience.

The health sector is another booming industry in Thailand. Depending upon the aspirant’s qualifications, a career in the health industry can turn out to be quite well paying and professionally satisfying too. Nurses, doctors and alternative health practitioners are all in demand in Thailand. Another related sector is the cosmetic health industry. Surgical and other cosmetic treatments are very much popular in Thailand and hence there is an increasing demand for Dermatologists, Cosmetic surgeons, Botox and Laser therapy specialist etc.

Medical tourism is being encouraged on a vigorous note by the government in Thailand. Patients from affluent countries, have an increasing tendency to choose countries like Thailand, India etc, to get their medical, surgical and cosmetic needs fulfilled. This is because the health care and cosmetic care in these Asian countries is almost 5-8 times more cheaper, when compared to the similar services in their home countries. When the similar or sometimes superior quality of health care and cosmetic services is available at far cheaper rates, it makes sense to opt for such services in these countries. This trend has been on a steady rise, and this has led to a boom in the medical tourism sector. The whole cycle of events has finally boiled down to creation of huge number of opportunities and handsome salaries in the health sector in Thailand.

The Information and technology sector is another addition to the well paying careers in Thailand. With increasing amount of development and progress in Thailand, the IT sector has been on a steady progress, and this has led numerous youngsters to opt for the IT sector, while deciding for a career. IT jobs have great potential and are quite generously paid too.

Thai Work Permit Process: Obtaining a work permit requires an applicant to gather the necessary documents prior to applying.

First, the applicant must obtain a Non-immigrant visa category “B”. To receive a category B visa the applicant should file a petition with the Thai embassy in his or her native country at least 30 days before the planned departure. The applicant should include with the petition

1. Proof that the applicant has been offered a job or starts a Thai company and will employ himself or herself,

2. A request from the company that the applicant be granted a visa,

3. A statement from the company declaring the applicant to be dependable, upstanding and law abiding,

4. And finally, registration and financial statements from the company.

Second, once the category B visa has been granted the applicant and the employer should complete the necessary petition and provide a number of additional documents. The applicant should provide the following documents

1. The applicant’s passport along with copies of every page of the booklet (the copies must be signed by the applicant),

2. The non-immigrant visa category “B”,

3. The applicant’s departure card TM 6,

4. A signed copy of the applicant’s educational degree(s)

5. A signed copy of the applicant’s transcript

6. The applicant’s CV or Resume that describes past positions, duties, performance reviews, length of tenure at the positions, and the locations of employment

7. Three 5 X 6 photos of the applicant’s face that have been taken in the past six months

8. Any certificates or licenses held by the applicant (the copies must be signed by the applicant,)

9. Any marriage certificates if the marriage is to a Thai national (this includes the original and signed photocopies and the spouse’s ID card, birth certificates of children and household registration documents,)

10. Note: The Thai officials handling the application may require that the document be certified by the applicant’s embassy requiring a person to go to the embassy prior to submitting the document.

In addition to applicant’s documents, the company should also provide the following materials all of which require the seal of the company stamped on each page along with signatures of the Managing Director(s):

1. A Commercial Registration Department Certificate demonstrating that the company is registered as a juristic person (the document should include the name of the Managing Director(s) along with the registered capital and objections,)

2. A list of the shareholders that has been certified by the Commercial Registration Department,

3. A VAT Certificate – Phor Phor 20,

4. If necessary a factory license issued by the Factor Department of the Ministry of Industry,

5. And if the work permit is being renewed then a Withhold Tax – Phor Ngor Dor 1.

6. Note: Other documents may be requested.

Third, while these are required documents often times a job description can help in having the work permit approved. The job description should indicate why a Thai national would not be able to satisfy the job requirements. Additionally it is important to never let the applicant’s visa expire during the process of waiting for a work permit as it will reset the process. Finally, once the work permit has been approved the applicant must go to the Labor Department and sign the permit.

Additional Steps: Once you have a Thai Work Permit the applicant may or must complete a few additional steps in order to fully enjoy the permit.

Optional Steps

· Obtaining a re-entry visa which allows the applicant to leave and reenter the country without forfeiting the visa or work permit.

· Renewing the visa and work permit if the applicant wishes to remain and work in Thailand for an additional period of time.

Necessary Steps

· Obtaining a Tax ID card and Tax ID Number which will be needed for tax documents.

· Report to the Thai Immigration Police every 90 days to ensure the work permit and visa are being maintained or if the applicant has a multiple re-entry visa then leaving and reentering Thailand will satisfy this requirement.

College students and graduates who have obtained a four year degree from an accredited college or university may apply as English instructors in Thailand. Those with only a two year degree or partial college credit may find it slightly more challenging (due to stricter oversight of credential verification) to obtain employment but work in the teaching field can usually be found in outlying areas. The typical starting salary for an English instructor is on average 30,000 baht per month and can vary depending on the location. Teaching positions are highly competitive and in order for an applicant to gain an edge over their competition obtaining a TESOL or TEFL certificate is recommended. You can obtain such a certificate in the village of Ban Phe, Rayong (just a few hours south of Bangkok). Ban Phe is home to one of the largest TESOL schools in Thailand, TEFL International.

Work as a scuba dive instructor is also highly competitive and somewhat esteemed. Throughout the coastal regions of Thailand there are a number of dive shops that provide training, coursework, and internships for those pursuing certifications in diving. One of the most sought after destinations for certification is known as Turtle Island or Koh Tao. This diving school is located in the Gulf of Thailand, several hours off of the coast of Chomporn. Divemasters make a competitive wage but only enough to cover their living expenses, whereas a dive instructor makes a somewhat more lucrative wage. Since most foreigners are not allowed to own 100 percent of their own business, managing a dive shop is as high as some care to go.

Foreigners may have a difficult time finding employment in other fields due in part because of the language barrier and low wages. Volunteering is a good way for foreigners to get their feet wet in the immersion of Thai culture and tradition as well as getting to know the local people. Many widely known organizations and institutions that offer volunteer programs include fields such as science and research, educational programs, wildlife, community development, and conservation. Work permits are required for foreigners to work in Thailand and because of the added expense of these permits to area businesses, some companies opt to forgo the hiring of westerners.

Some westerners have achieved volunteer positions as nuns and monks in Thailand so that they are able to stay in the country without being sent home. The positions are not paid and exclusively voluntary. The volunteer positions are highly rewarding in regards to the projects expected to work on, which include AIDS projects and the assistance of refugees.

For those visitors with a business background or acumen, management positions requiring English speakers are open to foreigners at local bars, restaurants, and guesthouses. Although not allowed to completely own their own business in Thailand, foreigners are able to partner up with a Thai business partner or Thai spouse. If marrying a Thai spouse, the business credentials are put in the name of that spouse and the requirements fall on the lap of the Thai individual.

Another accepted means of legal employment in Thailand for foreigners is to work for a Multinational National Corporation (MNC) or “Global” company that has offices in Thailand. While working at the office, picking up on the Thai language can be quite useful and provide a bit of an advantage when pursuing other employment options. Engineering and some IT positions, while not completely off limits to foreigners, are normally staffed by local Thai’s who are quite proficient with these skills and work for much lower salaries.

Teaching English as a foreign language, scuba diving instructor, freelance travel writer, activity promotion, and I.T. are a few ways in which those wishing to enjoy an extended visit to the land of smiles can fund their adventures.

Jobs in Thailand for Travelers and Tourists:

As long as you have a degree and a TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) certificate finding a job teaching English in Thailand is the easiest route to take to become employed in Thailand. Depending upon your level of education and experience becoming a teacher in Thailand is a fairly easy task to achieve, and one of the most stable and profitable careers for the ‘Farang’ exploring old Siam. A quick search of the internet should provide a good starting point which numerous websites acting as portals to paid teaching opportunities.

Scuba diving instructor is another relatively easy path through which to gain paid employment in Thailand depending upon your level of proficiency at scuba diving. However many of the scuba diving centers based in areas such as Pattaya and Phuket offer live-in courses to allow you to gain PADI qualifications whilst staying in Thailand, with the potential offer of paid employment following completion for those who make the grade.

Work can often be found promoting activities such as scuba and tours for cash-in-hand commissions by asking tour operators etc. directly whilst on location. Don’t be afraid to ask as this can prove to be one of the most profitable means of earning money in Thailand if you are the sort of person who likes to get out there and mix with others. Especially in areas such as ‘Khao San Road’ the backpackers Haven where tourists and travellers alike can make easy pickings, already seeking out adventures as they are.

I.T. positions are rarer but can be found either through contacts made in the English speaking community of Thailand or by searching Thai newspapers and websites such as the ‘Bangkok Post’.

And perhaps the most profitable (long term) and most enjoyable means of getting paid to work in Thailand is to become a freelance travel writer or video blogger making money online from affiliate programs such as Google AdSense, eBay Partner program, and Amazon for sending traffic to related products for a cut of the profits. Find out how by clicking on the link below.