Teach English in Thailand with SINE Education — Salary, Visa and What to Expect in Your First Term

03 August 2026 • Thailand

If Thailand has been sitting on your "one day" list, 2026 might be the year it stops being hypothetical. SINE Education Service is hiring English teachers year-round for government high schools in Bangkok, central Thailand and the north-east — and unlike a lot of TEFL roles that leave you to figure things out once you land, this one comes with a genuinely well-supported first term.

Here's what to actually expect, from the numbers through to your first day in the classroom.

Who is SINE Education?

SINE has been placing English teachers in Thai government schools since 2010, growing from 13 teachers across 3 schools in its first year to a network of 52 partner schools today. That kind of steady growth over 15+ years is a decent proxy for stability in an industry where "school suddenly closes" horror stories aren't unheard of — SINE is one of the more established employers you'll find teaching English in Thailand.

What does the job actually involve?

You'll be teaching English conversation classes in a Thai government high school, working 24 lessons a week, Monday to Friday — no weekend teaching. Each lesson runs 50–60 minutes.

Crucially, you won't be writing your own lesson plans. Every class comes with a complete set of teacher notes, a student book, and a lesson-specific PowerPoint presentation, plus the classroom tech to deliver it. SINE also sets and provides all tests, so assessment periods are covered too. If your main hesitation about teaching abroad is "I don't know how to plan a lesson from scratch," this removes that barrier entirely.

Before you set foot in a classroom, you'll get paid training in central Bangkok, run twice a year in May and October. It covers how to teach the SINE programme specifically, plus a practical rundown of daily life in Thailand and what a Thai government school is actually like day to day.

Salary and what you can expect to save

SINE teachers earn THB 33,000–36,500 a month, paid directly into your bank account on the last working day of each month, depending on your placement location. Teachers placed in the greater Bangkok area get an extra THB 2,000 a month on top, to offset the slightly higher cost of living there.

There's also a THB 20,000 completion bonus at the end of a full 10-month term, and overtime is available at THB 300 an hour for anything beyond your standard 24 lessons a week.

On accommodation: central Bangkok rents typically run THB 4,500–8,000 a month depending on the area and how close you are to the BTS Skytrain, while rural placements can start from around THB 3,500 a month — so even before you factor in the completion bonus, there's real room to save.

Visa and work permit — the part everyone worries about

SINE has a dedicated Foreign Teacher Administration (FTA) team that handles your work permit and visa process from start to finish, including a one-to-one conversation during training to check your current visa status and answer questions. Worth knowing upfront: the process can take four months or longer depending on the local authority and school — that's normal, not a red flag, so don't panic if it's taking a while.

Benefits at a glance

• Secure one or two semester contract
• Weekdays only, 24 lessons a week
• All lesson plans and materials provided
• Paid training before you start
• THB 33,000–36,500 monthly salary (+THB 2,000/month for greater Bangkok)
• Well-equipped, multimedia-ready classrooms
• Thai public holidays paid, plus 2 weeks' annual leave in October
• Paid sick leave
• THB 20,000 completion bonus
• Health insurance through AETNA
• Airport pick-up on arrival
• Help finding accommodation
• Legal work permit handled for you

Who's a good fit?

SINE hires a genuinely mixed bag of people — newly qualified teachers, career-changers, recent graduates, and people who've taught for years. Some do a single year as an adventure; others stay long-term. The baseline requirements are:

• A bachelor's degree, in any subject
• A TEFL, TESOL or CELTA certificate (don't have one? Get TEFL qualified first — it only takes a few weeks)
• Native English speaker status — a visa requirement, so applicants need to be from Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the USA
• An outgoing, friendly, cheerful personality, and a genuine enjoyment of working with young people

Ongoing support once you're there

You're not on your own after training ends. SINE's instructors, management, academic team, operations team, IT team and sales team are all on hand throughout your placement, and every partner school has a dedicated SINE coordinator as your day-to-day point of contact. Teachers are also observed in the classroom at least once a semester, with any extra coaching provided at that point if it's useful.

Ready to apply?

SINE is hiring year-round, so there's no need to wait for a specific intake. If you've got a degree, you're eligible for a Thai work visa, and you like the idea of a well-supported first year abroad, this is a solid way in.

Apply to teach in Thailand with SINE Education →

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