If you are not with a placement organization, the best strategy for finding a job in Thailand is just to go there. High-profile places like the International School may hire from overseas, but it is much easier to find a job once you're in the country. Word-of-mouth is the best way to gather information about available positions. Talking to people in the expat community may provide some valuable leads, and guesthouses and restaurants in tourist areas such as Khao San Road often have job postings on bulletin boards. Check the classifieds in English-language publications-The Nation and The Bangkok Post have ads for teaching and private tutoring. Another option is to walk into Thai or commercial schools and set up an appointment for an interview. You should have your C.V., a copy of your college diploma, and a copy of your passport on hand. If you have established a place to live, you may want to get some personal name cards made up with all your contact information-they are cheap to print and there are many shops in the bigger cities that have this service. Some good places to start in Bangkok are the A.U.A. Language Center and Siam Square, where ECC and the British Council are located.

If you are looking for leads in the U.S. before going over, Transitions Abroad is a good source. It is published in Amherst, MA, and is a complete guide to living, working, and traveling abroad. The classified section has overseas teaching positions. Transitions Abroad also runs articles from time to time about teaching English overseas, with listings and contact information for schools and volunteer organizations-ask the subscriptions department for back issues on teaching in Asia. You can also purchase specialized directories for overseas teaching jobs.

You may want to take the Thai academic calendar year into consideration when you job hunt. The Thai school year runs from June to mid-March, with a summer recess until the end of May or beginning of June and a half-year break during October.

Here is a hot list of American volunteer organizations that place teachers in Thailand:

WorldTeach

Peace Corps

Princeton-in-Asia

Volunteers in Asia

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