Many Chinese language schools are facing a shortage of teachers as many have quitted to work as tour guides where they are paid at least 100,000 baht a month, a senior education official said on Tuesday.
Payom Chinnawong, secretary-general of the Office of the Private Education Commission, said a recent meeting of executives of 122 Chinese language schools found that there was a shortage of over 100,000 Chinese language experts in all sectors in Thailand.
The commission would be a driving force to support Chinese language learning in the country in a bid to increase the number of experts, said Mr Payom.
However, most schools faced a shortage of Chinese-language personnel as many teachers have quitted to work as well-paid tour guides to serve the rising number of Chinese tourists, the Opec secretary-general told Matichon Online.
As tour guides, they get paid at least 100,000 baht a month, he added.
"The shortage of personnel with Chinese-language proficiency may cost us development opportunities. Chinese language schools play a crucial role in the training but the shortage of teachers at these private schools has become an obstacle,'' he said.