What do working class Thais really earn

[PaDavid]

Following on from the survey conducted by Thai Visa on Farangs' monthly earnings and the ensuing discussion on what Thais earn, I'd like to set the record straight - at least for rural Isaan. 

 

A junior teacher (2 striper) earns 15,000฿ pcm. A 3 striper 18,000฿. 

 

Now a case study of my friends and nearest neighbours, a couple in their early 40s living on their own, the children having flown the nest:

 

Their main source of income is from sugar. The husband (Noi) drives a lorry to a local sugar factory for which he receives 1,000฿ per load. The last sugar season ran for about 20 weeks and he averaged about 3 loads a week (delays at the factory can mean he's waiting up to 3 days to off-load). So, a total of 60,000฿.

 

The wife (Miaow) cuts sugar. On a good day she can earn 500฿ but she probably averages 400฿ 5 days a week. So, another 40,000฿. 

 

Outside the sugar season they farm 3 smallholdings averaging less than a rai each. On the main one, next to their house, they grew sugar last year. The crop sold to a local big farmer for 3,500฿. Now they've switched to pak chee (coriander). The first crop produced about 500kg averaging 35฿ per kilo. They'll probably produce one more crop before the start of the next sugar season. So, roughly 35,000฿. The other 2 smallholdings are on hilly patches which are difficult to farm. They're growing mixed crops - cassava, peanuts, chillies, etc. Total earnings probably only 15,000฿.

 

Total earnings for the year, therefore, 150,000฿ or 12,500฿ per month for 2 people. Of course, like everyone else around here they also forage - bamboo shoots, pond life, mushrooms, etc, and they can earn free meals and Lao Kao doing odd jobs for others. 

 

They own their own house - a one story clapboard construction - an old Honda Wave motorcycle each and a two-wheeled Kubota and trailer. I don't know if there is any debt. In my village, Noi and Miaow are middle earners - there are plenty who earn a lot less. They live frugally but comfortably, so, yes, they prove it is perfectly feasible to live on less than 25,000฿ per month - in rural Isaan that is. 

[nausea]

Sounds about right; interestingly, your example destroys the myth of "lazy" Thais, at least at the working class level. 

[bert bloggs]

Our son out of university 2 years ,manages a company 36k pcm ,his "wife" in realty 19500 pcm plus bonus .

[cooked]

฿25 000.-? Many of our hardworking neighbours can only dream of that much. Depends on crops that you can grow, availability of water etc.

Anyway I don't class farmers as 'working class' as they don't have an employer.

Three guys I know in Srirachah are earning around ฿10 000 a month if they do enough overtime, basic wage ฿7000.

I have lived with one of them for a few days and that is a HARD life, shift work and double shifts happening all the time.

One overslept, lost his job immediately. He was not liked as he had to take three days off work last year for court appearances in Buriram (child custody). Go to work, street food, come home knackered god knows when, eat, sleep.

[bert bloggs]

1 hour ago, bert bloggs said:

Our son out of university 2 years ,manages a company 36k pcm ,his "wife" in realty 19500 pcm plus bonus .

To add to this ,i have after having business here ,living here and in the UK with my wife and son ,so much depends on "who you know" and the people you live amongst ,including the fact that your family are shall i say "middle class" ,i really do not figure in the shape of things here ,but my wife and son mix with the right kind of people,lol it does help a lot ,also being able to read write and speak english goes a long way in the business world here .

[VocalNeal]

My two guys? Senior one 16,500 a month, the younger guy 13,500  rate set by Thai partner.

[abrahamzvi]

4 hours ago, nausea said:

Sounds about right; interestingly, your example destroys the myth of "lazy" Thais, at least at the working class level. 

What you are saying about a teacher's salary in Issan refers also to other parts of the country. I know of a case of a young Thai with a Masters degree from a first class university in the UK who started his employment with a government University as a lecturer in English with a salary of THB 24,000 p.m. Does it make sense that foreign  English teacher  without a Master degree, teaching English at a secondary government school earns some THB35,00 to 45,000 monthly. Sorry, but I can't understand the wisdom of this system. Thai qualified teachers should be encouraged and preferred to foreign teachers, thus encouraging young talented Thais to qualify, thus lessening the dependence on foreigners.

[BritManToo]

Single mom living next to me (age 40) earns 10k/month as a checkout girl in our local supermarket.

Supports 2 kids on that, no property or other income.

 

Title of thread 'working class Thais', so I would like to point out those with degrees are not considered 'working class' by most of the civilized world. Nearly all the reply posts in this thread are about 'professionals', when less than 20% of the Thai population have ever attended high school let alone graduated from a university. The average wage of adults in rural Thailand is something like 4,000bht/month.

 

Only 'Cooked' and I have answered the OP.

Edited August 6, 2018 by BritManToo

[Brickbat]

I met someone who says she is an accountant for a mid size business, HO in Bkk, works 6 days a week, 8am to 6 pm. Says her Salary is 33,000 a month

[HHTel]

At the other end of the scale, my friend's daughter not long out of university, 22 years old and works freelance for Thai Airways.

45,000 baht PER DAY.  Just completed a 7 day contract in Washington.  Very clever girl!  Education says it all.

[timendres]

34 minutes ago, HHTel said:

At the other end of the scale, my friend's daughter not long out of university, 22 years old and works freelance for Thai Airways.

45,000 baht PER DAY.  Just completed a 7 day contract in Washington.  Very clever girl!  Education says it all.

What exactly does a "freelance for Thai Airways" do to earn that sort of money?

[waza46]

2 minutes ago, timendres said:

What exactly does a "freelance for Thai Airways" do to earn that sort of money?

What do most "freelancers" do for that sort of money ?

[timendres]

10 minutes ago, timendres said:

What exactly does a "freelance for Thai Airways" do to earn that sort of money?

5 minutes ago, waza46 said:

What do most "freelancers" do for that sort of money ?

I meant no disrespect to the young lady. I am genuinely curious.

 

[waza46]

2 minutes ago, timendres said:

I meant no disrespect to the young lady. I am genuinely curious.

 

Same here that is nearly what I earn. Senior Engineer for American Oil and Gas co with 35 years experience.

[PaDavid]

6 hours ago, cooked said:

฿25 000.-? Many of our hardworking neighbours can only dream of that much. Depends on crops that you can grow, availability of water etc.

Anyway I don't class farmers as 'working class' as they don't have an employer.

Three guys I know in Srirachah are earning around ฿10 000 a month if they do enough overtime, basic wage ฿7000.

I have lived with one of them for a few days and that is a HARD life, shift work and double shifts happening all the time.

One overslept, lost his job immediately. He was not liked as he had to take three days off work last year for court appearances in Buriram (child custody). Go to work, street food, come home knackered god knows when, eat, sleep.

I said they earned 12,500฿ not 25,000฿ and this was for 2 people, so average 6,250฿ each. And yes, they work very hard

[Kadilo]

Same here that is nearly what I earn. Senior Engineer for American Oil and Gas co with 35 years experience.

This is about what Thais earn.


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[nausea]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Single mom living next to me (age 40) earns 10k/month as a checkout girl in our local supermarket.

Yeah, that's the sort of info. I'm interested in. How much does the girl at the 7/11 earn, or the guy fixing your pick-up.

[waza46]

2 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

This is about what Thais earn.


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

I need some of the drugs you are on. Working class Thai people on over 10 million Baht PA. ???

[Kadilo]

2 minutes ago, nausea said:

Yeah, that's the sort of info. I'm interested in. How much does the girl at the 7/11 earn, or the guy fixing your pick-up.

7/11 is about 10,000/month I believe 

[Kadilo]

Just now, waza46 said:

I need some of the drugs you are on. Working class Thai people on over 10 million Baht PA. ???

You need something for sure. Just shows money can’t buy everything. 

I said this is about what Thais earn, no one gives a Donald Duck what you earn. 

[HHTel]

19 minutes ago, timendres said:

I meant no disrespect to the young lady. I am genuinely curious.

 

You know I'm not absolutely sure.  I think she has a degree in economics but I may be wrong.

She turned down the offer of working full time in favour of working freelance and picking up a high fee per day.  I know she was doing stuff for them at weekends whilst at uni and was picking up around 30k for a weekend's work.

Because she's doing so well so quickly, she's turned down scholarships in the US and Europe.  Her parents have already been offered 1st class travel to anywhere in the world.   Wish she was my daughter!

I'm curious myself now.  I'm going to ask her exactly what she does.  

[khunJeroen]

 

Multinational companies in Bangkok often pay much higher salaries 100-200K / month for experienced professionals with a degree is not uncommon due to the demand for talent and international market place. This creates a big gap as in many of those countries between rich and poor. 

 

 

[waza46]

1 minute ago, Kadilo said:

You need something for sure. Just shows money can’t buy everything. 

I said this is about what Thais earn, no one gives a Donald Duck what you earn. 

So you are telling me working class Thai people earn 45,000 Baht a day?? Not me that needs something I would say. 

[HHTel]

5 minutes ago, waza46 said:

I need some of the drugs you are on. Working class Thai people on over 10 million Baht PA. ???

Certainly not kidding.  She's probably not 'working class' in the true sense of the word.  Although her parents work, they're not short of a bob or two.  This girl was making a fortune playing the stock market with her pocket money.  She had to use her parents for that as she was too young at the time.

 

[DavCurtis]

33 minutes ago, timendres said:

I meant no disrespect to the young lady. I am genuinely curious.

 

I'm super curious too

[JAG]

6 hours ago, bert bloggs said:

Our son out of university 2 years ,manages a company 36k pcm ,his "wife" in realty 19500 pcm plus bonus .

If he os a graduate, working as a company manager, he doesn't really count as working class does he?

[HHTel]

3 minutes ago, waza46 said:

So you are telling me working class Thai people earn 45,000 Baht a day?? Not me that needs something I would say. 

Just trying to point out that she had no special privileges.  Didn't go to a private school.  Was offered scholarships from several universities which covered all fees and accommodation.  She got where she is from her own hard work.  It's not out of the grasp of anyone with the intelligence and motivation.

She gets 45K per day but doesn't work for them every day so multiplying it up to an annual salary doesn't really work. 

[waza46]

2 hours ago, waza46 said:

So you are telling me working class Thai people earn 45,000 Baht a day?? Not me that needs something I would say. 

OK Donald Duck whatever 

Edited August 6, 2018 by blackcab
Oversized emoji removed

[BigDaddy66]

Most of my Thai friends are richer than me. When you live in Bangkok near city center, and own your house, you usually make money much more than 10k or 20k per month with a quite deep saving in gold, cash and property.

I noticed as well the property market is more and more taken over by a new rich Thai middle class.

There's Thai money in Thailand big cities, much more than in Issan or in the deep country side.

[james1995]

7-8,000 a month.