Home / Thailand / Ban Phe

ban phe is a sleepy and quaint fishing village 180 km south of Bangkok, perfectly situated along the beautiful beaches of the Gulf of thailand. This coastal village is a friendly one, and offers a direct view into the daily life of the local Thai people. Several excellent Thai and seafood restaurants and many great shopping venues can be found throughout Ban Phe.

The pier in Ban Phe is a gateway to the incredible island of Samet. This beautiful island is only a 30 minute ferry ride from town, and has something for everyone - from fun-filled beaches with jet skiing and live music, to tranquil, secluded spots where one can enjoy the sea, sand and sun in complete privacy. Ko Samet is also a great place to do some trekking and discover the wide variety of plant and animal life in thailand.

This pine forest national park has a stretch of beach frequented mainly by Thais, the perfect escape from the many touristy beaches in the country.

Ban Phe is only an hour from the famous resort city of Pattaya, with regularly-scheduled and inexpensive van trips available. Pattaya has everything that one could possibly want, and maybe even more! Filled with open markets, shopping centers, clubs and go-go bars, Pattaya is one of the most exciting tourist destinations in the world.

And Ban Phe's close proximity to Bangkok allows for easy weekend trips for job interviews, apartment hunting, or simply a fun weekend in a thrilling city. Immerse yourself completely into the daily life of Thai culture, and begin your TEFL career in the beautiful village of Ban Phe, Thailand!

The School

The TEFL International School in Ban Phe is located in a unique, all-purpose facility in this beautiful and quaint village along the beaches of the Gulf of Thailand.

The school building is modern, comfortable and well air-conditioned, and offers full services including an onsite internet café, cleaning and laundry service, roof gardens and lounges, study rooms and a restaurant serving excellent and affordable Thai and Western food.

The school is perfectly-equipped to provide a very comfortable learning and study environment.

Accommodation

There are plenty of convenient accommodation options during your TEFL course in Ban Phe.

Mac Garden Resort & Restaurant

A standard room is 800 baht per night. This covers two people in the room and includes American breakfast. The same room for a full month is 10,000 baht which also covers two people. Room cleaning is provided once a week, but breakfast is not included.

Bedrock Guesthouse

A fan room is 200 baht per night, with a shared bathroom. An air conditioned room is 650 baht per night, with a private bathroom. Monthly rates for TEFL students are 3999 baht per month for a fan room, or 18,000 baht per month for a room with air conditioning. Guests at the Bedrock Guesthouse have free WiFi Internet, and use of an onsite bar, cable TV for sports news, a western grill for steaks, hamburgers etc, along with a Thai Kitchen for traditional Thai food. Reservations are based on advanced bookings only.

Koh Kaew Resort

Should you prefer a small, private bungalow in a garden setting during your TEFL course, this resort may be what you’re looking for. Some bungalows have air conditioning and some have electric fans. Unfortunately we can’t pre-arrange these for you, but we will assist you in visiting these bungalows before the course starts. Prices start at 5,500 baht per month for air conditioned bungalows, and around 4,000 baht per month for fan bungalows.

Tawan Inn

Tawan Inn is conveniently located, 100 meters from the bus station and opposite the municipality pier to Ko Samet. Just a few hundred meters from the sea, this Ban Phe guest house has two single rooms available: with fan, at 500 baht per night, and with air conditioning at 650 baht per night. The rooms heave a convenient terrace. There are additional room options at extra cost.

Please be assured that any special requests or requirements regarding accommodation will be taken into account, and TEFL International will make every effort to honor such requests.

At 12:00 noon on the Saturday prior to the course start date, we can provide transportation from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok to your accommodation.

Course dates

Coming soon...

Please check out our other course locations if you wish to attend a course before this one becomes available...

Course fees

The total price is divided into: deposit and balance.

The deposit may be paid via a) credit card b) Paypal c) wire transfer d) Western Union.

The balance of the course fee must be paid by cash, PayPal or bank transfer directly to the training center on the first day of the course.

Accomodation Fees

The accommodation fees are not part of the course price and you are free to choose whichever accommodation option you prefer.

If you choose to use our accommodation, it should be paid for either by cash, PayPal or bank transfer directly to the school at the start of the course.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are my payment options?

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  Course deposits must be paid to our administrative center. Credit/debit card payments are the fastest and cheapest way to pay, but we also accept payments via Western Union, Pay Pal and bank transfer. While there are no deadlines for a deposit, courses can fill up quickly and your seat will only be reserved after the deposit has been paid.

  Once you make your deposit, you will receive an email with an informational packet that provides detailed information about the course and Ban Phe itself.

  The balance of course fees is payable via credit card before, or on the first day of the course. Bank transfers are also accepted but must be completed at least two weeks before the first day of the course. Participants with checking accounts in the US may pay by personal check, but payments must be cleared within two weeks of the course’s start date.

  Course fees are all-inclusive so you won’t be asked to pay additional costs for course related materials or services. This also includes course moderation and accreditation fees, transfer from Bangkok to Ban Phe*, lifetime job assistance and daily refreshments.

  * At 12:00 noon on the Saturday prior to the course start date, we will provide transportation from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to your accommodation at the school.

• What are my accommodation options?

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  Local Resorts (US$ 170-330): We have a few great options for you to choose from and all locations are close to the school. Prices will depend mainly on your choice of a fan or air-conditioned room.

  Local Guesthouse (US$ 140-600): Features an on-site bar, cable TV for sports and news, a Western grill and a Thai kitchen for traditional Thai food. Reservations are based on advanced bookings only.

  Your accommodation is available from 1:00 p.m. on the Saturday before the course begins through to 5:00 p.m. on the Friday of the final week. We hope you will plan to arrive in Ban Phe by Saturday as this will give you a chance to relax and get accustomed to your surroundings before the course begins.

• What travel documents will I need for thailand?

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  It is advised that you enter Thailand on a 60-day Tourist Visa. Applications are cheap and turnaround times are fairly quick. You need to apply for a tourist visa with your nearest Thai embassy. Once in Thailand, trainees can extend their visas for an additional 30 days for a small fee at a local immigration office. Alternatively, some nationals can enter the Kingdom and obtain permission to stay in Thailand for 30 days (by air) or 15 days (over land) upon arrival.

  If you are from a country where visa procedures require a course invitation letter, one will be made available to you immediately after your intent to attend the course has been proven via your deposit payment.*

  * As this information is subject to change at any time, we advise you to contact your local consulate for current travel regulations prior to planning your trip. For more information on obtaining visas please check with your local Thai consulate or embassy.

• What is the course schedule?

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  The initial orientation is usually on the Sunday evening prior to the course start date at 6:00 p.m. The first class will take place on Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. The full course schedule will also be provided on Monday morning. Sessions generally run between 9:00 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. with appropriate breaks throughout the day.

• What can I expect during teaching practice?

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  We use local Thai students for the trainees’ teaching practice. Thai students are very keen and enthusiastic and because we don’t charge them to attend, all students come to classes purely because they want to.

  Lessons are based upon real teaching resources found all over the world and you will have the chance to create your own materials as well. You will also receive the aid of your course trainer throughout lesson planning and receive immediate feedback on your lesson after it’s been delivered. Practicum is assessed and a satisfactory assessment is required to earn your TEFL/TESOL certificate.

• Who usually attends the course?

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  The maximum class size on the Ban Phe course is 32, however it is split up into two groups. Normally we would expect to have around twenty trainees, with ten per group. Most of the participants are American, British, Canadian or Australian, although we do accept non-native speakers of English who have a high proficiency in the language.

• Is there a dress code?

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  For all input and tutorial sessions at the training location, there is only one specific dress requirement: Both men and women should have a shirt covering their shoulders. The course operates from within a school so we ask you to be mindful of this, as well as being mindful of your peers and to respect the fact that you are a visitor in another country.

  During teaching practice there are specific requirements that adhere to the local dress code. All trainees are expected to dress professionally according to the following guidelines:

  Women: Shoulders should be covered, blouses with sleeves are suggested. No low-cut necklines, very short skirts or bare midriffs. Open-toed shoes are acceptable, but not hiking or flip-flop sandals.

  Men: Long pants, slacks or trousers are required, jeans are not acceptable. Short or long-sleeved shirts with a collar are necessary, although a tie is not required. Loafers or dress shoes are both fine, sandals are not acceptable. Long hair should always be tied back.

• What should I bring for course studies?

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  Please bring a pen and a notebook for taking notes during class. All relevant forms and instructions will be provided, as well as notes from the input sessions.

  You may want to bring a recording device with you, it is not required equipment but many trainees have commented that this has made the course easier for them (for preparing lessons, interviewing and listening to conversations with students etc).

  We also encourage you to bring a laptop as we have Wi-Fi at the training center and in the lobby of the hotel. We will provide all course materials for you so there is no need to bring anything else for the course itself.

• What documents do I need for finding employment after the course?

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  If you plan to work in Thailand without returning home before you do so, you will need to bring your original degree (if you have one) and any other teaching qualifications that you might have. While not required by all schools, it’s advisable to obtain a local criminal background check and sealed university transcripts as some schools will want to see one, or both of these documents.

• Do I need a degree to teach in thailand?

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  The short answer is no. Thailand’s Ministry of Education (MoE) does require foreign teachers to have degrees, but not all schools fall under the MoE’s jurisdiction. Primary and secondary schools, both public and private, will require degrees as your teacher’s license will need to be approved by the MoE. However, university and corporate work will not require a degree. Teaching in one of Thailand’s thousands of language schools also does not necessarily require a degree. So while some sources fail to truly explore this issue and say degrees are required, you can rest assured, they are not required for all teaching positions around the Kingdom.