Bigdata

Nevermind!

This one is different

Saturday 15th is the day I arrive. I'll probably need to pass out after the plane journey =/

Is this a weekly meet up? I'm around for two and a half weeks.

Thanks for the responses.

Yeah, I'm well aware of "access" in Surin and elsewhere in Thailand. I don't want to contradict anyone, but I've spent a lot of time in Surin already. It's not good, but it's not *that* bad if you've had practice and reasonable wheelchair balancing skills. I've not found anywhere in Surin that's 100% no-go. I've been all over the town alone "on foot". Surin is much better than BKK in that respect, where some places you will just get completely stuck with no hope (as an aside Khampaeng Phet is weirdly good for access). My favourite evening activity in Surin is being dragged up and down the stairs into Speed by the bouncers For someone elderly in a big, heavy wheelchair that has someone pushing them around, yeah, I think they would find it difficult. But wheelchair users come in different flavours and in many cases it's not as awkward as you think. Getting in & out of Speed is the only thing I can think of where I'd be completely stuffed without help.

I'll check out "Corner Cafe".

Edit: I'm actually in Surin again the week after next. I intend to have a look around rental accommodation while I'm there.

Hi All. Starting this December, I plan to stay in Surin for 2 months. I'll leave mid February. I've got an arrangement sorted out at work so I can work remotely 3 months a year (I'm a software engineer). I could do with some advice on finding a place to stay, what I should expect to pay/living costs, and any other advice you've got to offer.

I really need the following things:

- A place without stairs, a proper western toilet, and no tiny Thai doors, because I use a wheelchair

- A good internet connection & mobile phone signal, for communicating with people outside of Thailand

- Somewhere not totally out in the boonies, so I don't get bored

- Air conditioning

- Safety

- A bit of beer

I would like these things:

- A rental car, which I can fit hand controls to (I'll bring them with me and remove them when I go!)

- A separate room to use as an office, or even a small office in town

- More beer

- Language lessons from a competent teacher

I would like these things but they're basically unnecessary:

- A swimming pool

- A good kitchen

I've got a lady friend who will help me out at home but I'd go crazy living with in the village with her family, so I'm not up for that. I can spend 150k THB per month, but I really don't want to spend all that. Nor do I want to show that I'm able to spend that much in case the family find out, and all the buffalo start getting sick. I'm 30 years old and despite being paraplegic, I like to bpai teow, duum beer, and generally have fun just as much as the next 30 year old. I can read, speak and write basic Thai (just enough to get by on my own), but I don't speak any Khymer or Lao/Isaan or anything else whatsoever.

How much should I budget?

Does anybody have any suggestions on where I can stay?

Are short term rents a "thing" in Surin?

Will I find a car rental place that'll be happy for me to stick (temporary) hand controls on a car?

I've spent a fair bit of time in Surin, but never more than 3 weeks in one stretch. Am I likely to get bored?

How safe is Surin for someone like me, and how can I make it safer?

Thanks very much in advance.

If you really want to play with giant train sets...

As with most industries, the decent salaries are for those with many years of experience, but we all had to start somewhere. The best way in would be via an organisation in your home country, but it's not impossible here, particularly if you have good Thai.

Talk to the rail based consultancies, PB, Systra etc.

Get in contact with the rail based body shops such as Rail Personnel.

What branch of the industry interests you, rolling stock, signalling / train control, comms, safety?

For the last 18 months I've been developing condition monitoring software and building electronic dataloggers which are installed in location cases and signal boxes. The software is mostly for trackside equipment. Points machines, track circuits, signal lamps, electrical supplies etc, and I've worked on real-time image recognition for level crossings and monitoring & graphical replay for 930 relays/SSI in NR interlockings. I've worked on landslip monitoring/prediction too. The software we make is supposed to help our customers monitor their assets and move towards condition based maintenance regimes. It's also supposed to help our customers prove sequences of events (at level crossing incidents or after SPAD), to work out remotely what went wrong. Most of my work has been directed towards NR & London Underground, but there's customers elsewhere in the world as well, like the USA, China, Australia and a few others where we've managed to flog our kit (none in Thailand, yet!).

I've completed Signets advanced signalling training. I've got functional knowledge of ERTMS. I'm familiar with the failure modes of common trackside equipment, having going through FMECA activities, building fault trees etc. Prior to this, I did the electronic & software design for a new type of trackswitch as part of a research project sponsored by RSSB/LU/NR. So signalling and condition monitoring are what I know best in rail. More generally, I'm proficient in C/C++, Matlab, and SQL, with a focus on machine learning and (big) data analytics. I have a first class masters degree in Electrical Engineering, and a PhD in Controls/Nuclear Fusion Engineering (so not in rail).

I know Bombardier work out of Bangkok, as do Siemens. They're mostly into rolling stock in Thailand, but I reckon that would be my best bet, and I'll check out the consultances you've suggested too. If the MRT/BTS people decide out the blue they need a condition monitoring specialist, that would be just wonderful...

Given how easily identifiable I am out of that, I should say that if my boss happens to read this, I'm not going anywhere! I'm just exploring the idea!

I assumed id have to lowet my salary expectations to a) make myself more attractive, and because i assumed pay would be related to living cost. But these are assumptions, hence asking you chaps. Money isnt my motivation for wanting to move. I do alright (relatively for my age) in the UK and if it wasnt enough, id try and get out to the ME/china on an arab/chinese high speed rail project. My motivation for moving is the place itself.

I did read that Thailand is making moves in rail. Looks like a good thing given what ive seen of the infrastructure and rolling stock. The rolling stock looks like its knackered second hand ex-BR stuff from the 80s or whenever. If theyre modernising infrastructure, thats something that might give me an opportunity.

If only Thailand had a train based nuclear weapons programme. Id defect in a heart beat. On an unrelated note, whats the weather like in North Korea this time if year?

Thanks to everyone for the comments.

I agree my CV all over the place. The only thing that ties it together is that everything ive always done (control/software) engineering r&d, and most of it in rail. The nature of r&d in small tech firms is (in my experience) such that business pressures force you to all kinds of different things. I think small firms try to get away with employing one or two "technical specialists" who they consider versatile, to keep the payroll down. Its very fun work, but im obviously <deleted> when people ask "what can you do, then?" Because "everything nessecary to keep the firm afloat" is not especially credible.

My CV would be a problem for me in the uk too, but for the fact that Im lucky enough to have met enough people who would be happy to employ me.

FWIW, im on just over 45k & bonus in the uk. I wouldnt expect anything near that in Thailand. I just want enough to live comfortably for 4-5 years.

Ill keep my eyes on Siemens, Hitachi, GE etc.

Thanks for the comments. I do speak basic Thai and im doing lessons to get better.

I agree about oil & gas. Ive got no desire or experience for that. No illusions there!

My job title is "senior software engineer", but Id describe myself as a condition monitoring/railway engineer on a CV, because thats what i have the most experience with.Jack of all trades master at none is a fair description. Thats just the way its worked out, because ive worked in small firms for people who want and expect me to do absolutely everything and anything.

In the past ive always got jobs through people ive known and worked with, so ive never had to do the job hunt/application/interview stuff before (not for real anyway). Problem is this time I dont have any work contacts in Thailand! Hence why im asking about the job market for engineers there.

Hi all.

Long story short, I'm trying to figure out if I could live & work in Thailand. I'm sick of the UK's cold weather, dull food, general same-ness, and I fancy an adventure. The way I see it, I've got a limited window of opportunity to have a crack at it when I'm still young. If I don't do it now, I won't until I'm old, wrinkly and retired. I'd really appreciate any advice/comments people can offer.

My situation is as follows. I'm 29 years old. I speak fluent English and "functional" Thai. I guess I've had a pretty varied route through an engineering career. First I did a PhD in Nuclear Fusion Engineering with a focus on control and vacuum systems. Next I worked as a R&D Engineer on a railway project, leading the electrical, electronics, and software design & build for a new bit of track equipment. Now I work as a Senior Software Developer/Technical Specialist/R&D Manager/Data Analytics/Everything-Else-That-Needs-Doing Engineer for a small tech firm in the rail sector. I run a small R&D team, develop our products, go to trade shows/conferences, do bidding & tendering, do C++/Matlab coding, do electronic design & assembly when needed, and generally make sure everything works for the firm. Such is the nature of small tech. I guess I'm a bit of a jack of all trades, which is good fun, but it has downsides too when it comes to my CV because it's a chaotic story to present to potential employers.

Is someone like me employable in Thailand? If so, what kind of salary do engineers typically make? I've seen mixed reports on the internet, with some saying they get an utterly dismal 25k baht p/m, up to a lot more (where an ex-pat has been parachuted in probably). A consultancy role would be good given that I've done a both a bit of engineering and business development, but I'm too young/inexperienced for that really. Rail would be nice too, but I'd assume there's limited opportunities for that. Honestly, I'd be up for anything, so long as it isn't a dead end.

I'm lucky enough to have got a couple of investments in the UK that have turned out well. I'll be able to import 50-60K baht every month for the forseeable future to keep myself ticking over for the basics. I've had a go at estimating what my likely cost of living would be, but I'd like to hear what you lot reckon I'd need to get by. I've not got any illusions about an extravagant lifestyle, but I'd want to live in a decent size apartment, enjoy some creature comforts (a car), and have enough money left to waste on fun things too (beer, specifically). I'm hoping that my investment parachute and an engineers income will be sufficient - assuming there are suitable engineering jobs to be had. What do you reckon?

I know I probably come over as very green and wide eyed to the grizzled expats posting here. That's fair. I am. But I want to have a go at this all the same, and so I need as much advice as I can get!