What's The Average Thai Salary?

[Acomes2Siam]

I've always been curious about this. Most foreigners I meet will say the average Thai gets 6-8,000 baht a month or something ridiculous like that.

However, most official sources say the average salary is $8,200 a year. This means something around 24,000 baht a month is the average, nation wide.

(See https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/th.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok)

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.

Thank you bingbong. The best and most correct post on thaivisa in a long time.

[w11guy]

It's more helpful to know the median wage rather than the average. A few very rich can distort the average. One person earning $1 million and 99 earning $10k, makes the average $19,900, but that's pretty meaningless if you want to know what most people earn, because 99% earn about half the average.

I assume that there are a few very rich Thais in BKK that really distort the average. It's the same in LDN. The average property id arounf £200K, but the vast majority have no hope of being able to buy one.

[Heng]

Such is life.

[TheItaliann]

Thailand needs to implement some of those uber successful American social programs. You know, the programs which have bankrupted the Nation while doing almost nothing to combat wealth distribution.

[hhgz]

"I've always been curious about this. Most foreigners I meet will say the average Thai gets 6-8,000 baht a month or something ridiculous like that.

Why do you think that's ridiculous? You're living a life that an "average" Thai could only dream of.

"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."

The problem is that you are comparing apples to oranges. An "average" Thai is not drivng a BMW, and does not live in an expensive condo.

"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."

With what figure would you be happy? I think your comments indicate a hidden agenda, and an attitude. I'm not sure what's up. The BoT has some figures online.

[needforspeed]

Yeah that does show some pretty low figures. But on the bottom left it also says:

GDP per capita (purchasing power parity) $8,600

No they don't.

Those 8,600 $ are valued at PPP , being that around 0.40 (Thailand to USA) they are actually $3,440 that is 120,000 baht that is 10,000 baht/month . The difference between 10,000 and 8,000 is due to the fact that internal product includes also profits and not just salaries.

Purchasing Power Parity between 10,000 and 8,000 correct, but they not all working,

Lets say that 65 % are working and have a income that means that this figure is between 15,385 and 12,308 Baht/month

[tangcoral]

Ever noticed when you have your eye out for a certain item and suddenly you see tons of them whereas you never noticed them before, a tendency to actively spot them.

The reasons you see so many bmws and benz is because your eyes are glued to them, they are the only cars you tend notice in a sea of hondas and toyotas thus making it look like eveyone has one. These are the 1% which by far from the avg.

Avg salary may be 12K-15K in bangkok but that's because the number is so far skewed it doesnt really depict the mean.

If you worked for any major company you would know the salary difference between upper management and entry level is nearly 200%-500% unlike the west which is about 20%-50%

So to say most people make 6K-10K as avg does make sense.

Edited April 4, 2010 by tangcoral

[mca]

If you worked for any major company you would know the salary difference between upper management and entry level is nearly 200%-500% unlike the west which is about 20%-50%

So to say most people make 6K-10K as avg does make sense.

Yes for example in an international chain 5 star hotel the basic salary for a waiter/housekeeper would be around the 6k baht a month mark whereas a director of engineering or rooms would be in the region of 60k plus.

[mmushr00m]

At my company

Staff , all with Univ degress, B10k-15k

Supervisors , 15-20k

Managers , 25-30k

Farang GM, Thai CEO, 100k

Director, ???? (but enough to drive an BMW X5 and Audi TT)

Most Thai will be of the staff - managers category, so you can figure the avg...in BKK anyways.

[Heng]

Chances are the folks that typically catch your eye aren't average.

I'd also say that chances are, the really wealthy folks here (like everywhere else in the world) for the most part go unnoticed.

[mca]

Chances are the folks that typically catch your eye aren't average.

I'd also say that chances are, the really wealthy folks here (like everywhere else in the world) for the most part go unnoticed.

Yeah I was in a lift with my wife in Pullman Khon Kaen and this rather unassuming bloke got in with a couple of others. I asked him his floor and when we arrived he politely thanked me as he left.

" You know that was Kobchai Chirathivat? " asked my wife.

Really? Might as well have been a manager at a local bank judging by his manner etc.

[needforspeed]

Yes for example in an international chain 5 star hotel the basic salary for a waiter/housekeeper would be around the 6k baht a month mark whereas a director of engineering or rooms would be in the region of 60k plus.

International 5 star hotel basic is between 6k and 9 k but they get the service charge as well each month and that is between 6k and high season Pukhet

15 k

[barryofthailand]

So what do people think the average salary is oh lets say in Korat?

Barry

[aussiebebe]

So what do people think the average salary is oh lets say in Korat?

Barry

I'd hazard a guess; Low. The Bangkok Post offers reports ever year on salaries; stats can always be mis-read or mis-interpreted. If you surveyed 1000 working-age residents in Korat, you'd only need one GM, CEO, or CFO etc. who'd taken early retirement to skew the mean so high the survey would be meaningless. The mode income would give a more accurate figure, probably under THB8,000/month.

Also bear in mind how differently surveys of working vs non-working people would look which could explain low income per capita on internet sources - how to account for housewifes? To further complicate matters, I personally know two Thai women (I live in Bangkok) who financially support their Thai husbands!

[yabaaaa]

Chances are the folks that typically catch your eye aren't average.

I'd also say that chances are, the really wealthy folks here (like everywhere else in the world) for the most part go unnoticed.

Yeah I was in a lift with my wife in Pullman Khon Kaen and this rather unassuming bloke got in with a couple of others. I asked him his floor and when we arrived he politely thanked me as he left.

" You know that was Kobchai Chirathivat? " asked my wife.

Really? Might as well have been a manager at a local bank judging by his manner etc.

I have a couple of friends here like this, one is Thai hes a really nice man honest helps with and gives me many things, drives a beat up old truck dresses with his shirt undone tummy hanging out BUT owns a lot of property and land, his kids are educated in California and he is fluent in Englsih and has travelled the world extensively with his work.

The other is not Thai dresses very low key shirt sandals etc must be worth almost 1 billion baht I know he has assets here of about 140 million and thats a small fraction of his overall wealth. Both really nice blokes no fancy cars both very kind and generous and travel economy class.

[jdinasia]

So what do people think the average salary is oh lets say in Korat?

Barry

I'd hazard a guess; Low. The Bangkok Post offers reports ever year on salaries; stats can always be mis-read or mis-interpreted. If you surveyed 1000 working-age residents in Korat, you'd only need one GM, CEO, or CFO etc. who'd taken early retirement to skew the mean so high the survey would be meaningless. The mode income would give a more accurate figure, probably under THB8,000/month.

Also bear in mind how differently surveys of working vs non-working people would look which could explain low income per capita on internet sources - how to account for housewifes? To further complicate matters, I personally know two Thai women (I live in Bangkok) who financially support their Thai husbands!

I know Thais making from 6k a month to my partner who has a higher spendable income per month than I do.

Looking at the large number picture is the only real gauge that matters. Think about your home country and the incomes there in the low side of the service industries and the low side of agriculture and THEN look at the number of jobs that require more education in areas outside of the capitol. The higher paid jobs are just not present in Thailand on a large scale. That is often why there is a gap between the 7k a month average worker and the 100k+ IT specialist.

[TheItaliann]

Chances are the folks that typically catch your eye aren't average.

I'd also say that chances are, the really wealthy folks here (like everywhere else in the world) for the most part go unnoticed.

Yeah I was in a lift with my wife in Pullman Khon Kaen and this rather unassuming bloke got in with a couple of others. I asked him his floor and when we arrived he politely thanked me as he left.

" You know that was Kobchai Chirathivat? " asked my wife.

Really? Might as well have been a manager at a local bank judging by his manner etc.

I have a couple of friends here like this, one is Thai hes a really nice man honest helps with and gives me many things, drives a beat up old truck dresses with his shirt undone tummy hanging out BUT owns a lot of property and land, his kids are educated in California and he is fluent in Englsih and has travelled the world extensively with his work.

The other is not Thai dresses very low key shirt sandals etc must be worth almost 1 billion baht I know he has assets here of about 140 million and thats a small fraction of his overall wealth. Both really nice blokes no fancy cars both very kind and generous and travel economy class.

He probably just told you all of that to make you feel less terrible about your life. Its like "Oh hey guys Warren Buffet bought his Rolls Royce 2nd hand" and then "Oh, I guess this Toyota Corolla 95' ain't so shabby after all"... Yeah sure, billionaires like to go outside without attracting attention. What were you expecting that they would have staff dropping rose pedals underneath their feet as they make it towards the front of the line at McDonalds?

More than likely, there is a bat mobile and a quartet of Playmates naked and waiting for him somewhere.

Edited April 5, 2010 by TheItaliann

[BigWheelMan]

Monthly

Unskilled: 3000 to 5000

Semi skilled: 5000 to 10000

Skilled: 10000 to 20000

Rent a wives for Falung: 20000 to 40000

[Heng]

Skilled is probably a little broader... somewhere between 10,000 and 100,000,000 a month.

[kokesaat]

I live in a small village outside Udon. Grass weaving (for roofs) is a main industry and it's done by the women in the village. It's not uncommon to see the women doing the weaving while their husbands are lounging in a hammock or fishing in the local rivers/ponds. A popular saying in the area is: หาเช้า กินืค่ำ literally, look for food in the morning, eat at night. It also describes the people who will work for a day, just so they can eat at night.

It's becoming more common in the area for businesses/homeowners to hire Laotian or Vietnamese workers who are looking for work. I've been told they are more reliable, harder working, and work for half what a Thai would ask for. While that may be good for businesses, it's going to make life all the more difficult for those Thais who have little education but want to work. In my neck of the jungle, most of the men quit school after ป6.

[TheItaliann]

Its going to be very interesting to see what happens during the next 10-20 years when the United States goes bankrupt, which at this point, is inevitable barring some kind of massive grass roots movement and a President that is actually interested in "change"... I think you will see a lot more Thai restaurants with foreign waiters as a novelty. Definitely will be more Western ladies working in Hostess clubs ala Japan. I would imagine the image of farang will go from bad to absolutely terrible! Expect quite a few farang bank robbers and purse snatchers. Should be a lot of fun!

Much of this "wealth" of the West has been on credit. Already, the stock market has practically recovered. How'd that happen? The government gives money to banks who buy stocks. Absolutely fool proof! Bank CEO's get hundreds of millions in bonuses as the economy "recovers". US stocks are eventually exposed as a ponzi scheme and collapses... Then its time for more government bailouts... gotta keep that dollar low!

Buy gold!!!!

[cleakyboi]

Girl i know who works in an office has to use English dealing with Indian clients generally by email but sometimes over the phone, she earns 10k per month, typical monday - friday job. She's been doing at a few years now. She is 27 now she has quite a few years experience in that. So seems around an average salary for a semi skilled office worker.

[whichschool]

Ones in the oil industry in Ban Chang with 10 years experience earn about 50,000 bht.

[aussiebebe]

Its going to be very interesting to see what happens during the next 10-20 years when the United States goes bankrupt, which at this point, is inevitable barring some kind of massive grass roots movement and a President that is actually interested in "change"... I think you will see a lot more Thai restaurants with foreign waiters as a novelty. Definitely will be more Western ladies working in Hostess clubs ala Japan. I would imagine the image of farang will go from bad to absolutely terrible!

I was taken aback by your pessimism of America being left behind in the dust, but increasingly I agree with you as I see Indian and Chinese companies competing on innovation, the very thing supposed to enable American companies to stay competitive despite high costs, and pension liabilities.

For example, the contract to install 4G video-on-demand for Norway's Telenor was just won by China's Huawei, and another Chinese company tried to buy the Hummer brand with a view to sell more fuel-efficient models.

It will come as a shock to the US and Western labour forces to discover that their knowledge isn't as valuable as they thought - not a great thing given the sheer amount of public debt. I don't forsee bankruptcy though and won't buy gold, as the US is the principal consumer market for eastern progress and innovation, you can't have one without the other.

There's so much poverty that even if India grows at healthy rates for the next four decades, its per capita income will only be a quarter of the US level by 2050 (while Chinas will be at best half) so the standards of living in the West will still be significantly better.

[yabaaaa]

Chances are the folks that typically catch your eye aren't average.

I'd also say that chances are, the really wealthy folks here (like everywhere else in the world) for the most part go unnoticed.

Yeah I was in a lift with my wife in Pullman Khon Kaen and this rather unassuming bloke got in with a couple of others. I asked him his floor and when we arrived he politely thanked me as he left.

" You know that was Kobchai Chirathivat? " asked my wife.

Really? Might as well have been a manager at a local bank judging by his manner etc.

I have a couple of friends here like this, one is Thai hes a really nice man honest helps with and gives me many things, drives a beat up old truck dresses with his shirt undone tummy hanging out BUT owns a lot of property and land, his kids are educated in California and he is fluent in Englsih and has travelled the world extensively with his work.

The other is not Thai dresses very low key shirt sandals etc must be worth almost 1 billion baht I know he has assets here of about 140 million and thats a small fraction of his overall wealth. Both really nice blokes no fancy cars both very kind and generous and travel economy class.

He probably just told you all of that to make you feel less terrible about your life. Its like "Oh hey guys Warren Buffet bought his Rolls Royce 2nd hand" and then "Oh, I guess this Toyota Corolla 95' ain't so shabby after all"... Yeah sure, billionaires like to go outside without attracting attention. What were you expecting that they would have staff dropping rose pedals underneath their feet as they make it towards the front of the line at McDonalds?

More than likely, there is a bat mobile and a quartet of Playmates naked and waiting for him somewhere.

Hmmmmmmm well lets see now, lets just say his only interest is running his businesses he doesnt have any time for women at all, running his business is his life. He likes Buddhist beliefs and gives generously to many people/causes. No Im not one of them!

You assume a lot why do you think my life is terrible?I think its quite good Ive got almost everything I wanted so far.

[yabaaaa]

Chances are the folks that typically catch your eye aren't average.

I'd also say that chances are, the really wealthy folks here (like everywhere else in the world) for the most part go unnoticed.

Yeah I was in a lift with my wife in Pullman Khon Kaen and this rather unassuming bloke got in with a couple of others. I asked him his floor and when we arrived he politely thanked me as he left.

" You know that was Kobchai Chirathivat? " asked my wife.

Really? Might as well have been a manager at a local bank judging by his manner etc.

I have a couple of friends here like this, one is Thai hes a really nice man honest helps with and gives me many things, drives a beat up old truck dresses with his shirt undone tummy hanging out BUT owns a lot of property and land, his kids are educated in California and he is fluent in Englsih and has travelled the world extensively with his work.

The other is not Thai dresses very low key shirt sandals etc must be worth almost 1 billion baht I know he has assets here of about 140 million and thats a small fraction of his overall wealth. Both really nice blokes no fancy cars both very kind and generous and travel economy class.

He probably just told you all of that to make you feel less terrible about your life. Its like "Oh hey guys Warren Buffet bought his Rolls Royce 2nd hand" and then "Oh, I guess this Toyota Corolla 95' ain't so shabby after all"... Yeah sure, billionaires like to go outside without attracting attention. What were you expecting that they would have staff dropping rose pedals underneath their feet as they make it towards the front of the line at McDonalds?

More than likely, there is a bat mobile and a quartet of Playmates naked and waiting for him somewhere.

I forgot my wife books his airline tickets and they are economy.

[a2396]

Thailand needs to implement some of those uber successful American social programs. You know, the programs which have bankrupted the Nation while doing almost nothing to combat wealth distribution.

That's not exactly what's caused the mess they are in. Yes, in part a whole "welfare class" in USA. But, reckless lending practices and fighting several expensive wars (starting with Viet-Nam), while at the same time cutting taxes did not help. In the meantime they had little or no policy regarding energy consumption or protecting American industry from foreign competition.

[a2396]

Monthly

Unskilled: 3000 to 5000

Semi skilled: 5000 to 10000

Skilled: 10000 to 20000

Rent a wives for Falung: 20000 to 40000

Skilled high end "Entertainment Girls" 50 to 100K bht ++

[Chaimai]

Monthly

Unskilled: 3000 to 5000

Semi skilled: 5000 to 10000

Skilled: 10000 to 20000

Rent a wives for Falung: 20000 to 40000

Pleased to report that my wife is semi-skilled. If she was any better she would cost me a fortune .

Her sister must be good - her Falang idiot, err I mean boyfriend, seems to want to pay 50,000 p.m.

[a2396]

Chances are the folks that typically catch your eye aren't average.

I'd also say that chances are, the really wealthy folks here (like everywhere else in the world) for the most part go unnoticed.

Yeah I was in a lift with my wife in Pullman Khon Kaen and this rather unassuming bloke got in with a couple of others. I asked him his floor and when we arrived he politely thanked me as he left.

" You know that was Kobchai Chirathivat? " asked my wife.

Really? Might as well have been a manager at a local bank judging by his manner etc.

So, are we supposed to know who Kobchai Chirathivat is? Do let us in on the secret.