But even 24,000 a month strikes me as being somewhat low for a place like Bangkok, which is full of delux shopping centers, Mercedes and BMWs and some very expensive condos.
According to Wikipedia, the average salary in Bangkok is $20,000 a year. This equates to roughly 58,000 baht a month. Does this sound right? (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok#Economy)
So, this crap about the average Thai earning 8k a month is purely bullsh_t. Also the idea that the average westerner is so much wealthier than the average Thai. It's simply not true. Someone working at Tesco or 7/11 may be earning 8k a month. But someone with an education and a decent job will be earning far more, maybe more than you.
I think that's why foreigners almost always have poor Isaan girlfriends and never educated Bangkokians. To a poor country girl you are well off, but to an educated urbanite you're nothing. That's why wealthy Thais stick together, and poor Thais leech off the stupid farang.
Anyone else have any thoughts on this? I've been wondering about it for some time. Do you think Wikipedia may have incorrect figures?
Hi
I'm Thai. I'd like to try to answer your question. I don't have any official data but I will tell you my direct experience. I graduated in BA of education from one of a famous government university in the south in year 2000. The first job I got was a trainee office worker in Pattani province. The salary stared at 5,000 Baht. It was never enough. But my parents alway supported me ( It normal in Thailand for parents giving money to grown up child ) The salary was raised after 2 months and kept going up every month to 8,000 baht and that the time when I was a full office worker. Basicly 8,000 baht is enough for rent ( a room ) and food some cheap cloths and petrol for my motorcycle but hardly enough for holiday or other luxury like designer stuffs. After that my parent decided to sent me to study more in London in 2001. that was the end of my career in thailand 'cos I live in germany now. Let 's hear about my big sister. She graduated from same uni as I but with a much better grade in 1997. She started her career as a receptionist in a 5 stars hotel in phuket. She started at 8,000 baht but her situation was much better. Her company have very goood benefit for the employees. She has a free accomodation, free meal at work and free transportation. But she still can't have holiday but can effort more shopping ,had a mobile phone and save some money. She also went to study in London, after that she got a job in Bangkok as a exhibition organiser in a big international campany started at 20,000 baht. That was 2001. She still strugled as the life in Bkk is expensive. As u said there r too many things that too nice not to buy. Now she gets about 40,000 baht but I don't think she will be able to have a BMW. 40,000 baht is in quite a good level but BKK is just like any capital cities in the world there are extream on both rich and poor. Luckily there are always cheap fashion cloths and cheap but good food to buy everywhere in BKK, so average girls like us can have a bit of life. I think Wikipedia got the number right but not in dollas, I think it should be in baht. The average that they talking about is included people out side BKK who may doing farm. or maybe unskilled labourers. Most people in countryside they live in a big expanding family so they don't pay rent. Food is always quite chep anywhere in thailand . And going on holiday isn't our culture. And don' forget that thailand is considered poor contry. So 8,200 baht a year is not unrealistic.
About what u said that farangs mostly have poor Isaan girlfriend. It's not 'cos the eduated one look down on farang. The thing is there are many farangs go to Pattaya and meet their girlfriends there. Mostly in a bar. And most bar girls in pattaya are from the poor Isaan. I'm sure that the educated thai girl and other average girls find farangs attractive but most of them are quite shy(quite opposit to bar girl in pattaya) so to built relationship with farangs is difficult, left alone langue barrier and culture different.
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What's The Average Thai Salary?
in General Topics
Posted
Hi
I'm Thai. I'd like to try to answer your question. I don't have any official data but I will tell you my direct experience. I graduated in BA of education from one of a famous government university in the south in year 2000. The first job I got was a trainee office worker in Pattani province. The salary stared at 5,000 Baht. It was never enough. But my parents alway supported me ( It normal in Thailand for parents giving money to grown up child ) The salary was raised after 2 months and kept going up every month to 8,000 baht and that the time when I was a full office worker. Basicly 8,000 baht is enough for rent ( a room ) and food some cheap cloths and petrol for my motorcycle but hardly enough for holiday or other luxury like designer stuffs. After that my parent decided to sent me to study more in London in 2001. that was the end of my career in thailand 'cos I live in germany now. Let 's hear about my big sister. She graduated from same uni as I but with a much better grade in 1997. She started her career as a receptionist in a 5 stars hotel in phuket. She started at 8,000 baht but her situation was much better. Her company have very goood benefit for the employees. She has a free accomodation, free meal at work and free transportation. But she still can't have holiday but can effort more shopping ,had a mobile phone and save some money. She also went to study in London, after that she got a job in Bangkok as a exhibition organiser in a big international campany started at 20,000 baht. That was 2001. She still strugled as the life in Bkk is expensive. As u said there r too many things that too nice not to buy. Now she gets about 40,000 baht but I don't think she will be able to have a BMW. 40,000 baht is in quite a good level but BKK is just like any capital cities in the world there are extream on both rich and poor. Luckily there are always cheap fashion cloths and cheap but good food to buy everywhere in BKK, so average girls like us can have a bit of life. I think Wikipedia got the number right but not in dollas, I think it should be in baht. The average that they talking about is included people out side BKK who may doing farm. or maybe unskilled labourers. Most people in countryside they live in a big expanding family so they don't pay rent. Food is always quite chep anywhere in thailand . And going on holiday isn't our culture. And don' forget that thailand is considered poor contry. So 8,200 baht a year is not unrealistic.
About what u said that farangs mostly have poor Isaan girlfriend. It's not 'cos the eduated one look down on farang. The thing is there are many farangs go to Pattaya and meet their girlfriends there. Mostly in a bar. And most bar girls in pattaya are from the poor Isaan. I'm sure that the educated thai girl and other average girls find farangs attractive but most of them are quite shy(quite opposit to bar girl in pattaya) so to built relationship with farangs is difficult, left alone langue barrier and culture different.