What's The Average Thai Salary?

[Moonrakers]

Bit early in the morning for you mca

And he claims to have the copyright on feasible.

[MrHammer]

Check out the Thai job sites.

There are jobs in all salaries. Plenty, and I mean plenty, pay upwards of 50K or more. That is for manager or senior positions in accounting/finance/engineering and such., Then there are LOADS of office jobs paying 10-15K. Then again, plenty more paying around 30K.

So, I think it's safe to say that if you have a degree and some talent, you will most likely be able to make 20-30K within a few years and then twice that if you land a manager role or senior role.

Face it guys, you are not as rich as you thought you were!

[mca]

Bit early in the morning for you mca

It was a case at about 4 am of a semi-conscious half awake thought consisting of " I wonder if this is a fart coming or something more solid? " after an evening meal of larb goy.

I chose not to risk it and trundled off to the bog.

One of my more sensible decisions considering the outcome.

Edited August 28, 2011 by mca

[Moonrakers]

Bit early in the morning for you mca

It was a case at about 4 am of a semi-conscious half awake thought consisting of " I wonder if this is a fart coming or something more solid? " after an evening meal of larb goy.

I chose not to risk it and trundled off to the bog.

One of my more sensible decisions considering the outcome.

Definitely a wise move mate.

[mca]

Bit early in the morning for you mca

It was a case at about 4 am of a semi-conscious half awake thought consisting of " I wonder if this is a fart coming or something more solid? " after an evening meal of larb goy.

I chose not to risk it and trundled off to the bog.

One of my more sensible decisions considering the outcome.

Definitely a wise move mate.

I only wish I hadn't learned the alternatives from experience.

[poanoi]

Entry salary at 7/eleven is 7000, a manager makes 35.000 baht.

Like most countries, farmers makes far and away below average, and Thailand is still to a large extent an agricultural country, so that will definitely pull down the average salary, but they also have no expenses.

[Thakkar]

Bit early in the morning for you mca

It was a case at about 4 am of a semi-conscious half awake thought consisting of " I wonder if this is a fart coming or something more solid? " after an evening meal of larb goy.

I chose not to risk it and trundled off to the bog.

One of my more sensible decisions considering the outcome.

I've been reading this at the breakfast table on my iPad while my teenagers wax lyrical on similar toilet humor in an effort to gross me out while I eat. I showed them this comment as a lesson in (relative) subtlety. You are their new hero.

T

[henryalleman]

My GF who works in the marketing department of a BKK 5 star hotel have a salary of 9000 baht a month and she have an extra bonus every month by the 10% service charge who give her a salary around 15 000 baht a month, depending on the occupation rate of the hotel.

But she can have 3 free meals a day, free private healthcare and a pension plan.

Her brother is an government civil servant with 15 years seniority and he earns 12 000 Baht a month. But he have some extra's 5555

But I know a private secretary of an CEO in a big international company and she earns 150 000 Baht a month. And to anticipate some cheap and tasteless remarks, she don't have to open her leggs to earn this.

[wandrinstar]

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/...ok/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....angkok#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?

I have been trying to find the salaries for gov officials with no luck. I did find a site that listed the Prime ministers salary plus a few others but no complete list.

After I tried to get some help at Tesco I told my wife Tesco needs someone who can speak english to help all the falangs that shop there so she went and asked for a job. They told her that you have to have a university degree to work there even just to be a sales person. What a waste of an expensive education.

A Basic Degree is lower than we understand them.Just means you can get a Photo taken with Royaly.

[mca]

Bit early in the morning for you mca

It was a case at about 4 am of a semi-conscious half awake thought consisting of " I wonder if this is a fart coming or something more solid? " after an evening meal of larb goy.

I chose not to risk it and trundled off to the bog.

One of my more sensible decisions considering the outcome.

I've been reading this at the breakfast table on my iPad while my teenagers wax lyrical on similar toilet humor in an effort to gross me out while I eat. I showed them this comment as a lesson in (relative) subtlety. You are their new hero.

T

( Sorry for the off topic folks!)

Thanks. As a Brit toilet humour is my raison d'etre. My sister and her husband visited me last year with their 2 nieces ( aged 7 and 5 )and I offered to babysit so they could go and do some shopping for gifts for their friends. I was allowed to with the proviso from my sis " Watch your language and don't encourage them to be naughty."

They returned a few hours later to find ( amid a sea of giggling from the girls) my oldest niece asking " Uncle MCA have you ever pooed your pants at school?" and me replying " Well I'd be a liar if....."

[wandrinstar]

If you strip out the top couple of percent then I would imagine that the average salary drops dramatically.

Check out the classifieds in the Bangkok Post or on job sites to see what sort of salaries are being paid for different jobs. That may give you a better idea.

BTW what is with all the bitter, anti-farang bullshit? Not all farangs have a poor Isaan girl, or has a poor Thai leeching off them.

The Question mentions Averages,so the comment about an Average Ferang is correct. Dont Shoot the Messenger.

[IMA_FARANG]

Well, maybe you know what the saying is?

That there are lies, da-ned lies, and statistics?

I think that is from Winston Chuchill, but I may be wrong.

Anyhow I can tell you exactly what two Thai members of my family earn.

My wife's daughter and her husband have a sidewalk stand selling custom jewelry and such. On a good month they may clear 25K baht. 20K is more common.

My wife's son drives a Song Thew. He's feels 15K is a good month's salary..he earns it 5 or 10 baht per ride you understand. Usually 14 hour days, 5 days a week.

On another level my wife's sister woked for the government for many years. She retired about 5 years ago becuase her mother was seriously ill, and needed care. She had 30 years with the government, but I doubt even at her best salary she ever saw 35K a month. She did have health care benefits from that job, however, so she thought she had a good job. Her father was also with the Thai customs police, so she qualified for a government apartment for her and her mother from that service.

Yes, there are some wealthy people in Bangkok, and the number of them is rising every year. But don't be fooled by statistics which are only averages anyhow.

[balhamred]

This is something I actually know quite a bit about for Bangkok.

All working class jobs, e.g. taxi driver, waitress, etc = THB 6000 - 10000

Middle class office jobs:

- Tier 1:Lower middle class: relatively unskilled and fairly easy to replace, maybe has a degree from within thailand but no chance of ever scaling the career ladder. worker will be from humble background and have little/none english skills. does a process-driven job. = THB 12,000 - 25,000

- Tier 2: Iinternational university graduate - entry level or non-climber. often studied in US/AUS/UK. Good english skills, fairly rich parents. Depending on whether company is lower grade or international brand = THB 20,000 - 45,000

- Tier 3: Middle management: few years experience, studied abroad and is talented individual = THB 45,000 - 80,000

- Tier 4: Senior level: Talented, rich background, well connected, international education. THB 80,000 - 150,000

- Tier 5: Company leaders: heads of department and GM's in international companies = THB 150,000 - 500,000

- Tier 6: Elite: born into family empires. = sky is the limit.- IF they can be bothered to earn.

This wage inequality is the problem with Thailand and something I feel very passionate about. I have been in the position where I have mixed extensively with all levels of Thai society - working class, middle class, and high society and have a relatively good viewpoint on it all. What strikes me is that how the working class have no understanding of middle/upper, and vice versa. They seem absolutely oblivious to each other.

I asked this exact question to someone from the working class from upcounty, and someone from upper middle class. One replied THB 6,000 and one replied THB 30,000. The 2 sections of society really have no interaction with each other and their is no level of compatibility in a social or business sense. The more privileged rarely even speak to the working class - they only shop in high end malls, socialise at high end wine bars, go to high end service industry shops and high end holiday hotels, and will never take a taxi. It would be a big social no-no for them to be seen with a working class person. I once went to a dinner that included a couple of working class friends and a high so acquaintance. The 2 camps didn't say a word to each other, and next time i was invited to go out with the high-so person they stipulated that my working class friends were not allowed to come.

It's such a split society, perfectly demonstrated by the elections.

So the answer to the original question needs to be split in to the 2 sections of society.

Average working class wage = 6,000- 8,000

Average middle/upper class wage = 25,000 - 60,000

[gregb]

It's such a split society, perfectly demonstrated by the elections.

So the answer to the original question needs to be split in to the 2 sections of society.

Average working class wage = 6,000- 8,000

Average middle/upper class wage = 25,000 - 60,000

And then of course, you have the motorcycle taxi drivers. Strongly pro Thaksin, and many of them making well over the 25k mark you mention. The very worst motorcycle taxi queues in Bangkok make around 10k per month. The best ones can readily get over 50k per month. For a reasonably busy queue in a good location somewhere in the 20k - 30k range is considered acceptable.

Of course, the motorcycle taxi drivers employ a guild like system to keep out most who aren't related to one of the other drivers or friend of the police in charge, so that allows them to maintain the inordinately high salaries. Purchasing a jersey at some of the best queues, even with knowing someone, can cost several hundred thousand baht. Many of these jerseys are owned by wealthy individuals and rented to the drivers, thus providing an incentive to maintain the closed nature of the queue system and the high prices.

The divide is more nuanced than simply rich vs. poor. It is more about personal allegiances.

[hehehoho]

Was reported last year that only 2.4% of Thais pay tax on their earnings.

The tax threshold is usually around 150,000thb p/a. 12,500thb p/m.

So 97.6% of Thais report their salaries to be less than that.

Edited August 28, 2011 by hehehoho

[andrewbkk]

All working class jobs, e.g. taxi driver, waitress, etc = THB 6000 - 10000

Waitresses at international hotels get a proportion of the service charge added to their wages and can often earn up to 15,000. On top of that, they get a share of the daily tips.

Taxi drivers can easily earn more than 10,000.

Food sellers in prime locations can earn as much as 30,000 per month, although (obviously) this is not all profit.

And then there are all the occupations which we're not supposed to discuss. Prostitutes and massage parlour employess (especially those which service Thai businessmen) can earn a fortune. Money lenders do well. Snooker hustlers do well. I've even heard of a man who works as a professional beggar and now owns his own house.

Some of these people out there earn a fair bit more than many foreigners realize.

[mallyrd]

Ok looks like teerak could be telling the truth. Fair dos.

Alrhough not directly related to this I find it strange how much parents rely on kids to support them. It almost seems like the kids are essentially pensions for parents. Seems her father fecked off when she was a kid so the mum supports her and her sister. Not sure if her mum even works tbh.

Anyway thanks.

Why would Mum even need to think about work when your GF is sending 15K a month to Mum!

[balhamred]

It's such a split society, perfectly demonstrated by the elections.

So the answer to the original question needs to be split in to the 2 sections of society.

Average working class wage = 6,000- 8,000

Average middle/upper class wage = 25,000 - 60,000

And then of course, you have the motorcycle taxi drivers. Strongly pro Thaksin, and many of them making well over the 25k mark you mention. The very worst motorcycle taxi queues in Bangkok make around 10k per month. The best ones can readily get over 50k per month. For a reasonably busy queue in a good location somewhere in the 20k - 30k range is considered acceptable.

Of course, the motorcycle taxi drivers employ a guild like system to keep out most who aren't related to one of the other drivers or friend of the police in charge, so that allows them to maintain the inordinately high salaries. Purchasing a jersey at some of the best queues, even with knowing someone, can cost several hundred thousand baht. Many of these jerseys are owned by wealthy individuals and rented to the drivers, thus providing an incentive to maintain the closed nature of the queue system and the high prices.

The divide is more nuanced than simply rich vs. poor. It is more about personal allegiances.

Interesting stuff, I didn't know all that, but now that you mention it, it does make sense that motorbike and normal taxi drivers earn in that region.

[a99az]

Once you have been living here for a few months you will see that there are many and I mean MANY people who exist from one day to the next on almost nothing. My sister-inlaw "works" all day and might on some days only take home 80 Baht but on a good day she can have 300 Baht. I pay my gardener 300 Baht every month to cut my grass he takes about 50 minutes to do this and he looks like he is on the go all the time. Work it out for your self. Government Teachers hear can be on as little as 8000 Baht with a pension and some get a house with that. But the fact is that many people do have very small incomes, and find it very hard. It is a have, and have not society, and some of the haves, have a very good salary. Even by weston standards, and haves are in no rush to see that change.

[peppersasen]

Middle class office jobs:

- Tier 1:Lower middle class: relatively unskilled and fairly easy to replace, maybe has a degree from within thailand but no chance of ever scaling the career ladder. worker will be from humble background and have little/none english skills. does a process-driven job. = THB 12,000 - 25,000

- Tier 2: Iinternational university graduate - entry level or non-climber. often studied in US/AUS/UK. Good english skills, fairly rich parents. Depending on whether company is lower grade or international brand = THB 20,000 - 45,000

- Tier 3: Middle management: few years experience, studied abroad and is talented individual = THB 45,000 - 80,000

- Tier 4: Senior level: Talented, rich background, well connected, international education. THB 80,000 - 150,000

- Tier 5: Company leaders: heads of department and GM's in international companies = THB 150,000 - 500,000

- Tier 6: Elite: born into family empires. = sky is the limit.- IF they can be bothered to earn

Why am I getting an impression that it's hard to better the quality of your life if you don't come from a wealthy background from this thread? Is it uncommon for Thais (who come from lower-class backgrounds) to get scholarships abroad and become upper-middle class?

[gregb]

Middle class office jobs:

- Tier 1:Lower middle class: relatively unskilled and fairly easy to replace, maybe has a degree from within thailand but no chance of ever scaling the career ladder. worker will be from humble background and have little/none english skills. does a process-driven job. = THB 12,000 - 25,000

- Tier 2: Iinternational university graduate - entry level or non-climber. often studied in US/AUS/UK. Good english skills, fairly rich parents. Depending on whether company is lower grade or international brand = THB 20,000 - 45,000

- Tier 3: Middle management: few years experience, studied abroad and is talented individual = THB 45,000 - 80,000

- Tier 4: Senior level: Talented, rich background, well connected, international education. THB 80,000 - 150,000

- Tier 5: Company leaders: heads of department and GM's in international companies = THB 150,000 - 500,000

- Tier 6: Elite: born into family empires. = sky is the limit.- IF they can be bothered to earn

Why am I getting an impression that it's hard to better the quality of your life if you don't come from a wealthy background from this thread? Is it uncommon for Thais (who come from lower-class backgrounds) to get scholarships abroad and become upper-middle class?

If you are intelligent and motivated it is actually not difficult. I know 3 people who had their entire overseas education paid for by the Thai government, and they all came from very humble backgrounds.

These people are required to work for a government institution for several years to pay back the state for their education. Typically this is done by teaching at a state university for a rather meagre salary. But they always do consulting on the side, and they can buy back their contract from the state anytime if they get the money or a commercial company really wants to hire them.

It is a great option for those who are truly gifted but have limited means.

[peppersasen]

If you are intelligent and motivated it is actually not difficult. I know 3 people who had their entire overseas education paid for by the Thai government, and they all came from very humble backgrounds.

These people are required to work for a government institution for several years to pay back the state for their education. Typically this is done by teaching at a state university for a rather meagre salary. But they always do consulting on the side, and they can buy back their contract from the state anytime if they get the money or a commercial company really wants to hire them.

It is a great option for those who are truly gifted but have limited means.

Kind of like how Americans can get the army to pay for college if they serve for a certain amount of years?

Once you have been living here for a few months you will see that there are many and I mean MANY people who exist from one day to the next on almost nothing. My sister-inlaw "works" all day and might on some days only take home 80 Baht but on a good day she can have 300 Baht. I pay my gardener 300 Baht every month to cut my grass he takes about 50 minutes to do this and he looks like he is on the go all the time. Work it out for your self. Government Teachers hear can be on as little as 8000 Baht with a pension and some get a house with that. But the fact is that many people do have very small incomes, and find it very hard. It is a have, and have not society, and some of the haves, have a very good salary. Even by weston standards, and haves are in no rush to see that change.

What's the minimum wage in Bangkok (in August 2011--now)?

Edited August 28, 2011 by peppersasen

[Heng]

Why am I getting an impression that it's hard to better the quality of your life if you don't come from a wealthy background from this thread? Is it uncommon for Thais (who come from lower-class backgrounds) to get scholarships abroad and become upper-middle class?

Probably because it's kind of a fact of life. It's not just the scholarships that are needed. That implies that folks that have been consuming junk food for their entire lives, who haven't had parents/grandparents/aunts and uncles who have been actively involved in their education from age 0, spend much of their early to middle childhood staring at video games and tv screens...etc. only need a free ride to some college 'overseas' somewhere to compete with the 'elite.' It might happen, but it's about as common as being able to compete with a professional athlete because someone gives you a country club membership when you're 20.

That said, I've met plenty of Thais overseas who were definitely NOT well off. They typically have to spend some time working those funds off when they get back to Thailand, but overall, they seem to do pretty well. Not as well as those who come from multi generational success, but certainly better than the average Thai.

[rgs2001uk]

It's such a split society, perfectly demonstrated by the elections.

So the answer to the original question needs to be split in to the 2 sections of society.

Average working class wage = 6,000- 8,000

Average middle/upper class wage = 25,000 - 60,000

And then of course, you have the motorcycle taxi drivers. Strongly pro Thaksin, and many of them making well over the 25k mark you mention. The very worst motorcycle taxi queues in Bangkok make around 10k per month. The best ones can readily get over 50k per month. For a reasonably busy queue in a good location somewhere in the 20k - 30k range is considered acceptable.

Of course, the motorcycle taxi drivers employ a guild like system to keep out most who aren't related to one of the other drivers or friend of the police in charge, so that allows them to maintain the inordinately high salaries. Purchasing a jersey at some of the best queues, even with knowing someone, can cost several hundred thousand baht. Many of these jerseys are owned by wealthy individuals and rented to the drivers, thus providing an incentive to maintain the closed nature of the queue system and the high prices.

The divide is more nuanced than simply rich vs. poor. It is more about personal allegiances.

The return on these vests may well be one of the better investments around.

The purchase cost can be recouped within 3 years, and of course these vests are increasing in value each year, as well as providing a regular monthly income.

My mrs owns 3 of them and always has spare cash ready to buy any that come up.

You obviously have a bee in your bonnet about these guys, not the first time you have aired your views on them or the system they operate.

[MrHammer]

Skilled labor we can conclude pays reasonably well in Thailand. Unskilled labor pays nothing at all.

I think many of us have unrealistic expectations for how much unskilled labor should get paid from our home countries were unions blackmail employers. This is a free market economy in many ways and it shows.

But judging from those numbers we have seen, we can conclude that the average English teacher on a 25-35K salary is middle class in Thai terms, but in real terms is below that since it's more expensive to live here as a foreigner.

[hehehoho]

Uneducated bargirl/boy educated to 12 years old: 50,000 per month per sponsor.

Edited August 28, 2011 by hehehoho

[soomak]

This is something I actually know quite a bit about for Bangkok.

All working class jobs, e.g. taxi driver, waitress, etc = THB 6000 - 10000

Middle class office jobs:

- Tier 1:Lower middle class: relatively unskilled and fairly easy to replace, maybe has a degree from within thailand but no chance of ever scaling the career ladder. worker will be from humble background and have little/none english skills. does a process-driven job. = THB 12,000 - 25,000

- Tier 2: Iinternational university graduate - entry level or non-climber. often studied in US/AUS/UK. Good english skills, fairly rich parents. Depending on whether company is lower grade or international brand = THB 20,000 - 45,000

- Tier 3: Middle management: few years experience, studied abroad and is talented individual = THB 45,000 - 80,000

- Tier 4: Senior level: Talented, rich background, well connected, international education. THB 80,000 - 150,000

- Tier 5: Company leaders: heads of department and GM's in international companies = THB 150,000 - 500,000

- Tier 6: Elite: born into family empires. = sky is the limit.- IF they can be bothered to earn.

You are probably right about the salary levels (and know better than me for sure).

The average salary however, doesn't say much, it's the distribution that counts.

Most Thais are in the working class: 45% work in agriculture, 15% in manufacturing, plus some in construction, low level shop clerks, etc.

I would estimate:

75% earn below 10,000 baht per month.

15% earn between 10-20,000 baht per month.

10% earn above 20,000 per month (and that includes bar girls...)

If someone has real data, I would be interested to see.

[Heng]

But judging from those numbers we have seen, we can conclude that the average English teacher on a 25-35K salary is middle class in Thai terms....

Whoa, let's not jump the gun. Middle class income doesn't = middle class. Remember that a lot of these folks are effectively homeless and aren't really allowed to even live here. It's questionable whether the 'average' English teacher is even under a legal contract. Perhaps migrant worker class would be more apt? There are migrant workers getting paid $100 a day to pick apples and oranges in the US, but would we call them middle class?

[MrHammer]

But judging from those numbers we have seen, we can conclude that the average English teacher on a 25-35K salary is middle class in Thai terms....

Whoa, let's not jump the gun. Middle class income doesn't = middle class. Remember that a lot of these folks are effectively homeless and aren't really allowed to even live here. It's questionable whether the 'average' English teacher is even under a legal contract. Perhaps migrant worker class would be more apt? There are migrant workers getting paid $100 a day to pick apples and oranges in the US, but would we call them middle class?

Migrant English teachers travelling the earth teaching their language as the wind carries them. Sounds like the plot of a John Steinbeck novel. 'Today Thailand, tomorrow Cambodja, home never'.

Quite a few could fall under the working holiday category which isn't bad at all.

[Neurath]

Simple confusion between:

Average: divide GDP by population set

and

Median: the point at which 50% of population have a lower income than the 50% above them.

Median is much much lower than the average.

Median income in New York state is around 27,000 USD per year.