Thailand TEFL Program - No Experience Needed with The Fewer Things

I moved to Thailand in October 2021 and I did 2 semesters. It was my first time teaching and Thailand is such a good place to start off, the work is laid back and it is really easy to get the hang of once you’ve been doing it for a few weeks.

I was placed in Isaan, it is a lot different to your “touristy” Thailand but a great opportunity to see the authentic side of Thailand you wouldn’t see as a tourist.

Going with TFT made the beginning of the process so much easier as you get lots of support to ensure everything is ready to go. Also, the support you get from Jaemi once being here is continued and he is only a message away if you’re having any problems and he takes a genuine interest on how you are getting on.

For travelling, you get lots of opportunities for travel during the semester breaks and there are so many national holidays to take advantage of so you can have a few long weekends away too. I was only out in Thailand for a year but I managed to see all of Thailand and visit Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia in that time.

I’m also heading to Hanoi in January 2023 with TFT clubhouse scheme which is another bonus of coming on a programme with The Fewer Things.

Coming to Thailand has been a life changing experience. As a human creature we're designed for migration/movement and the sedentary lifestyle I was growing restless of needed a change. I've never felt happier. During the process many stresses can occur and if it wasn't for the fewer things team and Jaemi specifically I might've caved to the stress. Thankfully everything worked out and has been greater than I could've imagined. Great people, great food and beautiful weather and amazing students too.

The Fewer Things have been really helpful with the whole experience of moving to Thailand, especially for me and my 3 friends who have all been placed in the same area due to Jaemi and his team listening to our preferences and making sure we can be together. They are always there to help with any questions you have throughout the application and moving process, especially if you are finding the experience a bit overwhelming at the start!
Through TFT we have been able to travel around Thailand for a few weeks before settling in our town which has lots of restaurants, bars and gyms. The people are really friendly, and the atmosphere is extremely laid back if that's what you are after.
If you are thinking about teaching abroad then I definitely recommended TFT as a great way to work and earn money whilst exploring a new country and the culture:)

The fewer things have been a great help during my time in Thailand. I used their fast track option as I was already travelling in Thailand when i found the company, they provided me with all the info and advised upfront I would have to do a border run to get my work visa after placement (which they also helped with). The process was quite fast and they introduced me to 2 schools right after my initial applicant and I got to choose which one I wanted. I have been here for 8 months and plan to stay for one more semester before going to Vietnam in 2023. They seem to very well connected with schools and I am grateful I found them when I did.

I am currently placed at a high school in Bangkok with my boyfriend and we have been in Thailand for a month now.

Both pre and post departure, Jamie, Will and Molly were really helpful with sending packing lists and checking in with us regularly both on the group chat and on direct message.

As mentioned in the 'cons' list below, I would say that if you want to travel while you're out here I would make sure to do this either before or after the semester starts!

Overall, the team is really friendly and reply in good time, the checking in messages are always greatly appreciated! I definitely recommend the fewer things and I recommend it for couples too!

Deciding to move to Thailand was the scariest decision of my life. Having had no experience teaching or travelling, I didn't know what to expect. I was very worried that I was jumping in too deep and wouldn't be able to cope.
HOWEVER. Wow. I've been back in the UK for three days and I'm already itching to return! (Vietnam in a few months!!) It was without a doubt the best experience of my life. Every day presented something new and unexpected - be it a school festival or a flash flood - and gave my life a sense of excitement I didn't realise was lacking.
Yes, there are challenges. The language barrier is significant, but being willing to learn some Thai makes things much easier (it's not as hard as you'd think!). The lack of facilities at the school and lack of prior warning was also a challenge - we had no projector, the internet was very intermittent and it was sometimes difficult to access a printer. The general organisation of school events also made things difficult in terms of planning lessons, we were often told that there would be no classes at very short notice. Also, you are given basically no training before you are let loose on the students, it takes a good few weeks before find your feet. The first 4-5 weeks are particularly difficult; trying to get to grips with lesson plans, coming up with teaching topics, creating handouts etc., and it feels like you are constantly behind. It was extremely stressful.
But... things always work out :-) thankfully, no one really checked what you were doing at any point, so you can always stick a film on with English subs, or just chat to the students about their weekends or hobbies or football or music or whatever - it was very laidback and I think the students appreciated the genuine conversation.
The students were unforgettable. I didn't think I'd cry on the last day, but when Email (yes, 'Email') approached me at the end of the final lesson and said 'Teacher, have... a nice... day' I lost it. These are actual real people that you can't help but form real connections with, and are also a massive source of emotional support, motivation and encouragement. It would have been incredibly difficult without them and I do honestly miss them a lot. The culture in Thailand is very different than the UK, I didn't witness any bullying and the students were very happy and free to be themselves, it was personally very heartwarming. They were happy to chat to you in the corridor and were always very friendly, if at times a little cheeky lol. anyway...
I was located in Chaiyaphum, kinda in the middle of nowhere, about a 6 hour bus ride from Bangkok. I think 4 months is a good amount of time to spend there, there's enough nearby to keep you entertained - provided you get a bike (an absolute essential if you want to fully experience Thailand, and something that only requires a passport) - including lotus fields, hikes, waterfalls, a shopping mall, bars, clubs, restaurants. Getting overnight buses was fairly straightforward if you wanted to travel somewhere during a long weekend also.
Speaking of, there aren't really any half terms. But you get a few long weekends. I would recommend making the most of the time you have off, because the workload can be quite heavy and if you're wanting to travel during the semester, that's gonna be your only real opportunity.
There is a good community of teachers in Chaiyaphum, given that there are a few schools in the area, and most of the teachers live in the same building so it's pretty easy to build connections with people there. I met a bunch of really cool people from all over the world and we had a fairly solid lil squad for evening drinks and card games! There were two other teachers at my school and we shared an office. Thankfully, we got on very well and are still in touch now! However, I have heard of a few people who were unhappy with their locations or colleagues, and either moved to a different province or went home entirely. I suppose that's just the luck of the draw, but something to be aware of.
Money-wise, you get paid a decent salary given the cost of living in Thailand. I was getting about 32000 baht per month, which goes a long way. If you live fairly frugally, which I would recommend, then it's possible to save a decent amount for if you're wanting to travel afterwards. I personally spent about 2 months going around the whole country, experiencing the mountains and temples of Chiang Rai, the hippies in Pai, the beautiful islands of Ko Tao and Ko Samui, and the things that cannot be named in Bangkok. Stuff that I never thought I'd ever have the opportunity to do. Also, flights to other countries are short and cheap. I know people who have travelled to Indonesia and even Australia after teaching. Asia is a very beautiful part of the world and I reckon you may as well see as much as possible while there. Given how little travelling I'd done in the past, I'm surprised by how confident I now feel when booking transport and accomodation in a city I've never been to before. Often times, I'd be booking a hostel while on a bus/train to the location, which is fun!
I could write more, so much happened, every day was different and I feel like I've lived so much in a relatively short space of time. Coming home is bizarre, I'm over it already ahaha, get me back there asap!
Overall, highly recommend, it'll be amazing, just do it, you've got nothing to lose and so much to gain, also, like, what else are ya gonna do!? I'm so glad I took the plunge, and I've already got a flight booked for Vietnam next year! Looking forward to doing it all again :-) good luck!

PS just reading this back and didn't even mention how helpful TFT were!!! Answer: very helpful. Jaemi was always just a message away, was around to reassure my nerves beforehand via video call and provided expert guidance when it came to applying for visas and getting stuff legalised etc. Very helpful, owe a lot of this experience to his help! Thank you TFT!!

TFT team have been so helpful from start to finish, by providing checklists and guides to prep for moving to Thailand, as well as emotional advice before and after arriving in Thailand! The team respond to any questions so quickly, and do everything they can wherever they are to help you out! My school and town are very welcoming, full of culture and good food/weather, and all the other TFT teachers are lovely and have similar interests to me! If you are thinking about going, 100% do it as I feel so lucky and grateful to be given the opportunity to work in a Thai school, get submerged in their culture, whilst being able to get paid and travel :)

I had a wonderful time on the Thailand graduate programme with TFT. I was placed in a medium size town in northern Thailand and really got to experience Thai culture and see a whole different side to the world compared to what I was used to! I managed to travel quite a lot on weekends, school holidays and during the big semester break. The teaching was really fun and as someone who had no experience at all I felt fully supported the whole time by the coordinators and local teachers.

I would recommend this programme to anyone who would like support and guidance in getting to Thailand!