Hua Hin, a small resort town only 3 hours south of Bangkok, is the newest ‘in’ place for western teachers who want to teach English in a smaller place in Thailand than Bangkok. Once a small fishing village, in the last ten years Hua Hin has grown into one of the most popular resorts for Thai and western tourists, many of whom make the drive from Bangkok every weekend. Teaching in Hua Hin is popular for western English teachers but, being a small town, teaching opportunities are far less than Bangkok. Hua Hin also has pros and cons an English teacher thinking of teaching there needs to consider.
Teaching English in Hua Hin, Thailand – Pros
1. Hua Hin is a small resort town with all that type of town has to offer. A nice beach, excellent restaurants, coffee shops and bars, as well as a lively nightlife, Hua Hin is mellow but still with plenty of things to do.
2. Accommodation in Hua Hin is relatively inexpensive. With a small apartment beginning at around 8,000 baht per month (approximately $240), and townhouses and houses at 9,000 baht ($290), you’re not going to spend an arm and a leg on rent.
3. Hua Hin is relaxing. It’s a sleepy mellow town that doesn’t even seem to wake up until after lunch time, so it’s a nice stress-free life for an English teacher that doesn’t want to deal with the stresses of Bangkok.
4. Eating out is inexpensive. There’s a huge choice of eating establishments from tiny cafes to five star hotel restaurants and everything in between. 35 baht bowls of noodles ($1) are delicious, as is the food at Hua Hin’s famous night market and, if you like western food, there’s lots of that too and it’s cheap.
5. Seafood is fresh and cheap in Hua Hin. Its famous restaurants on piers stretching out into the ocean serve some of the best seafood in Thailand, some of it swimming around earlier that morning. So, if you’re a seafood lover, Hua Hin is definitely a place you might want to consider teaching in.
6. With its proximity to Bangkok, it’s possible to do a quick weekend in the ‘Big Mango’ and be back in Hua Hin on Sunday evening, ready for teaching first thing Monday morning.
7. If you like golf, Hua Hin has many world-class golf courses and at prices much cheaper than you’ll ever find in the west.
8. There’s a big western expat community in Hua Hin, so making friends with other westerners is easy.
Teaching English in Hua Hin, Thailand – Cons
1. Teaching jobs in Hua Hin are few and far between. With only a couple of schools in the area that have English programs, a couple of language schools programs and a few hotels hiring English teachers, there’s not much choice for jobs, although opportunities are increasing every year as Hua Hin grows.
2. Teaching English salaries in Hua Hin are low. With an average salary of 30,000 baht (at least 15-20% lower than Bangkok) and with cost of living being the same as Bangkok, it can be difficult to have a decent standard of living here or to save any money.
3. Hua Hin is a small town so for those who prefer more vibrant places, teaching in Hua Hin may become boring very quickly.
4. Many jobs in Hua Hin are short-term contracts ie: only for four to six months. This can make it almost impossible to get a work permit, which means you’re always going to be working illegally – not a good idea under the present atmosphere in Thailand.
Overall, there are many more pros than cons when it comes to teaching English in Thailand. The main drawbacks are the lower salaries and the small number of jobs but, if you really want to teach English in Hua Hin, Thailand, try it. You may be lucky.