What do working class Thais really earn

[Billy Bloggs]

So yep to add a reply in the actual Thai working class area, My Step daughter bless her sweet little heart, gets around 8000 baht per month working as a cashier, works a 6 day week of  9 hour days with 8 of that working, she would get more but they wont put her on fulltime(she has been there 10 months) TL is a shit company to work for, I find it very hard to keep my mouth shut but have done so up to now. Oh by the they have them wear different tops for different occasions(like football tops etc) which she has to pay for herself. 

[Peterw42]

The 10,000-20,000 a month would be right for all my wife's broader family, neighbours and friends. Which does pose the question, how are they all buying so many new cars, iphones, 1,000 baht meals etc, it just doesn't add up.

[HHTel]

Ok.  I've got the full SP on my friend's step-daughter.  I am curious as to how 'working class' is defined.  It seems on here that to be working class, you have to be poor!!  That is certainly not true.

 

My friend's daughter was brought up by a single parent (her mother).  She rented a piece of land and started a restaurant and was successful.  Start up was using a loan.

 

Her daughter went to an ordinary school (same school as my daughter).  Fees are around 14,000 a year so not an expensive school.  She had the offer of several scholarships due to her achievements in M6 and chose the university that suited her.  It was a 100% scholarship so there was nothing to pay.  She got a degree in economics and law which she finished a year ahead of schedule.

 

She works as a freelancer with Thai Airlines but only Sat/Sun.  For that she's paid 32,000 per week-end.  The rest of the week she's studying for her Masters.  When Thai Airlines require her abroad, that's when the 45K per day kicks in plus expenses etc etc.  That was the recent deal for a 7 day contract in Washington.  She has to go back to Washington in October for 6 weeks - same deal - 45K per day.

 

She does financial planning, costs and project planning.  Seems she must be worth it or she wouldn't be doing what she's doing.

 

She's currently buying a 3 story building where she hopes to set up a law practice.  She has the contacts so it's hardly hit and miss.

 

The point I was trying to make is that you can achieve great things regardless of your background.

 

 

[digger70]

4 hours 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.

Fine ,,,, but most of the Working class can't afford the Education that you are talking about,,,,, Remember Working Class,,,,

[HHTel]

Just now, digger70 said:

Fine ,,,, but most of the Working class can't afford the Education that you are talking about,,,,, Remember Working Class,,,,

You are talking poor, not working class.  There was an article in the BKK Post a few years ago about a young kid that collected garbage after school and other odd jobs to pay for his education.

 

The school I mentioned in my post costs a little over 1,000 per month and there are schemes to help the needy.  No real excuse.

[JAG]

1 hour ago, PJPom said:

My Thai friend has small construction crew and pays very good workers 400 baht a day, he charges himself out at 2000 baht a day when on site, planning and quoting earns him nothing so approx 40 - 50K per month allowing for weather delays. 

The other friend is a Lady who manages a Spa and Massage shop attached to a Hotel, she gets 600 baht a day and works from 10 am until they finish every day so 18K a month, most of which is sent back to parents in Issan.

Just as an aside, my Australian friend who is a very good IT person was doing contract work in Bangkok at the rate of $US 1000 per day with accommodation, generous per diem and return airfare , all taxes paid, security and full medical insurance, the Thais he was training to take over were paid between 35 - 45K pcm.

So your construction ganger's men, allowing for a 6 day week are on about 10800 a month. 

[jenny2017]

 

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

 

I can assure you that strippers usually make a lot more. Of course, depending on where they strip. ?

 

You throw your 2 striper and 3 striper numbers around, without really knowing how the system works.

 

Primary and secondary school teachers have to master three steps, of course only if they are real government employees.

 

Then you look at different numbers, once the third step is done, they earn a lot. An ex-colleague was showing me her pay slip because she didn't understand why they wanted so much tax.

 

 She was 52 and had a monthly income of 56,758 baht, bought one house after the other and gave "special lessons from 4 to 5 pm, where the kids only had to pay 50 baht. But 50 times 50 is still 2.5 K in one hour. Times five a' week is 12.5 K for only one week. 

 

Unfortunately, do they really teach in these lessons, something you never see when they're on "normal duty." 

 

No idea what your farmer friends are telling you, the majority of teachers do not grow crops. 

 

 

  

Edited August 6, 2018 by jenny2017

[digger70]

Just now, HHTel said:

You are talking poor, not working class.  There was an article in the BKK Post a few years ago about a young kid that collected garbage after school and other odd jobs to pay for his education.

 

The school I mentioned in my post costs a little over 1,000 per month and there are schemes to help the needy.  No real excuse.

Yes there is most low  working class earners don't have THB 1000 spare  to learn after living expenses. working class as we know down South here get THB 6000 up to 9000 at the most,,,, 

[digger70]

5 minutes ago, HHTel said:

You are talking poor, not working class.  There was an article in the BKK Post a few years ago about a young kid that collected garbage after school and other odd jobs to pay for his education.

 

The school I mentioned in my post costs a little over 1,000 per month and there are schemes to help the needy.  No real excuse.

The Poor as you said ARE the Working Class.

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, scottiejohn said:

I assume that must be from you!?

Your copying and posting words from other posts that I replied to, not from me, I have no girlfriends, only Mia Noi's so lets get our fact right when replying to someone else's post ?

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, scottiejohn said:

I know it seems a bit obvious, but don't drink and smoke if you cannot afford to!

We are talking about Thai's here aren't we ?

[scottiejohn]

1 minute ago, 4MyEgo said:

We are talking about Thai's here aren't we ?

Thai or any Nationality. 

Nobody should drink and smoke if they cannot afford to and then complain they are poor! 

Live according to your means!

[mommysboy]

2 hours ago, Christopherabhadra said:

Here is my experience of my various friends, co workers  and some people i dated. 

35 year Financial Manager- 150,000 baht plus bonus

28 year old IT clerk-  24,000

61 year old  teacher -  52,000

23 year old accounts receivable - 24,000

30 year old engineer IT-  42,000

28 year old Engineer IT ( Data Scientist) top rank Chula Grad- 100,000

19 year old PR pretty- 18,000 baht + commisions

27 year old Condo seller - 26,000 + Commision

Taxi driver(Own car)- Bangkok - between 20,000-30,000 depending on hours 

23 year old Teacher Assistant (International school )- 38,000 baht

29 year old lawyer ( automotive sector sriracha area) -30,000 + 6 months salary bonus

22 year old Specialist Nurse - 26,000

37 year old (Corporate) Nurse - 82,000

 

Thats all i can think of now

 

 

 

Working class?  I guess the nurses and IT clerk could be.

[Gecko123]

Husband-wife pork vendor team, mid to late thirties, working close to every day, reported earning combined 30,000 baht/month.

[4MyEgo]

1 minute ago, scottiejohn said:

Thai or any Nationality. 

Nobody should drink and smoke if they cannot afford to and then complain they are poor! 

Live according to your means!

Couldn't agree with you more, unfortunately some people's habits are stronger than their brains.

[JAG]

2 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

Working class?  I guess the nurses and IT clerk could be.

I'd be a bit more worried about the taxi driver he "dated"! 

[4MyEgo]

1 minute ago, Gecko123 said:

Husband-wife pork vendor team, mid to late thirties, working close to every day, reported earning combined 30,000 baht/month.

It just goes to show how fortunate we were back in the old country to have been able to have worked, save and invested for today, and then live a good life here, if we didn't work, save and invest for today, I wouldn't want to be here, because I see a lot of fella's who banked on just their pensions, not counting on the $, pound fluctuating which is affecting their lives here, but they are still out every night, 6 large bottles of Leo/Chang or whatever floats their boat, and according to my calculations that's about 15,000 baht a month off their pensions, like I said earlier, addictions taking over the brain.

[Peterw42]

7 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

Thai or any Nationality. 

Nobody should drink and smoke if they cannot afford to and then complain they are poor! 

Live according to your means!

Thats the same the world over, poor/working class are usually the biggest drinkers, smokers and gamblers.

[JAG]

Let's try and put it into perspective - "poor" or "working class" are more or less synonymous in this country. 

 

There was a report elsewhere on this forum of 18 workers, being transported to pick fruit being injured when the pick up they were riding in swerved and flipped over. There will be no support or welfare whilst they recover. They will have no savings, not on 300 baht a day. They will be reliant on friends and family. That is the reality. For every data analyst or IT expert on B75000 a month with a pension acruing there will be hundreds if not thousands of people on B7500 a month, whose pension will be B700 a month. 

A very small proportion of people in this country are comparatively well paid. An even smaller (miniscule) proportion are extremely wealthy. Much of that wealth is accrued because they pay the working class, whose labour is instrumental in creating their wealth, a miserable pittance. They keep the working class poor. Very poor. 

[scottiejohn]

2 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

my other girlfriend who I don't really know much about makes about 2000-6000 baht a day.

 

19 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Your copying and posting words from other posts that I replied to, not from me, I have no girlfriends, only Mia Noi's so lets get our fact right when replying to someone else's post ?

I am only using the "quote" function.  I am not "copying and pasting" Only quoting. 

 

1 hour ago, scottiejohn said:

I assume that must be from you!?

Complain to "ADMIN" if it is  wrong.

[scottiejohn]

3 minutes ago, JAG said:

Let's try and put it into perspective - "poor" or "working class" are more or less synonymous in this country. 

Not if you are "Freelance with Thai Airways" according to a previous post!

[scottiejohn]

34 minutes ago, JAG said:

Let's try and put it into perspective - "poor" or "working class" are more or less synonymous in this country. 

 

There was a report elsewhere on this forum of 18 workers, being transported to pick fruit being injured when the pick up they were riding in swerved and flipped over. There will be no support or welfare whilst they recover. They will have no savings, not on 300 baht a day. They will be reliant on friends and family. That is the reality. For every data analyst or IT expert on B75000 a month with a pension acruing there will be hundreds if not thousands of people on B7500 a month, whose pension will be B700 a month. 

A very small proportion of people in this country are comparatively well paid. An even smaller (miniscule) proportion are extremely wealthy. Much of that wealth is accrued because they pay the working class, whose labour is instrumental in creating their wealth, a miserable pittance. They keep the working class poor. Very poor. 

Not just Thailand!

[sawadee1947]

5 hours ago, timendres said:

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

I have my ideas. Probably it has to do with "quick" work. And something with free and lance. Maybe to avoid boring Flights for the pilots.

[mommysboy]

On 8/6/2018 at 8:10 PM, JAG said:

Let's try and put it into perspective - "poor" or "working class" are more or less synonymous in this country. 

 

There was a report elsewhere on this forum of 18 workers, being transported to pick fruit being injured when the pick up they were riding in swerved and flipped over. There will be no support or welfare whilst they recover. They will have no savings, not on 300 baht a day. They will be reliant on friends and family. That is the reality. For every data analyst or IT expert on B75000 a month with a pension acruing there will be hundreds if not thousands of people on B7500 a month, whose pension will be B700 a month. 

A very small proportion of people in this country are comparatively well paid. An even smaller (miniscule) proportion are extremely wealthy. Much of that wealth is accrued because they pay the working class, whose labour is instrumental in creating their wealth, a miserable pittance. They keep the working class poor. Very poor. 

 

Quite so, I am amazed that there are people on this forum who don't seem to understand what working class means, and, even worse, appear to be blind to what is around them.

 

I think upwards of 12 million people are working in or connected with the Agricultural sector; I doubt very much that any but a small percentage are making upwards of 15k, and many are just casuals- they work when it is available for small pay.

[mommysboy]

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

Thats the same the world over, poor/working class are usually the biggest drinkers, smokers and gamblers.

Why do you think that is?

 

[HHTel]

Working class or classes is a social group who get 'wages' either by the hour, day or week.  They will get paid only when they work.  Working classes usually have no skills and therefore do manual labour, often for little money but not always.

The poor are not necessarily from the working classes, although more often than not they are, they can come from any of the social classes.  I know unskilled workers in Thailand who have a very good wage, enough to provide for their family and save.  They are still part of the working class but not necessarily poor.

Instead of using the 'class system', it would be more meaningful to use the definition 'low income', 'middle income' etc.

As I've said, being from a 'working class' family or 'low income' does not debar you (although more difficult) from being better.  I'm from a so called working class background.  My father couldn't afford to smoke or drink and spent each weekend dividing his money up into various tins to pay the bills.  He bent over backwards to provide for me when I was a child and I was able to better myself, become successful, and give a little back.  Poverty is no shame, but there's always a way out.  "Where there's a will, there's a way"

[derngt]

8 hours ago, waza46 said:

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

Are you working in the LOS. With that much experience and knowledge would it not be more beneficial to work in another country. Make the big buck and then fully retire. 

I turn 50 in Dec, my wife and I are trying to decide where is the most cost effective place to retire on a 5000 Canadian monthly budget.  Thailand, Bali or Vietnam.  

[duanebigsby]

10 hours ago, abrahamzvi said:

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.

While I agree  your young friend is underpaid, if you have ever seen the majority of Thai English teachers you would understand the schools wanting foreigners. 

 

Poor speaking and comprehension skills, overly emphasizing grammar rules and rote learning over conversational English, and no ability to share worldly experiences with the students at all.

 

[ncc1701d]

"pond life". That cracked me up. ?

[HHTel]

1 hour ago, duanebigsby said:

and rote learning

On every level!  No matter how may directives come from above, change to student-centred-learning and scrap 'rote' there will never be an improvement in the quality of students leaving school.  I've taught here in both schools and universities and Thai teachers, in general, refuse to change.  The majority should not be teachers at all as they obviously do not enjoy the job but they do like, and demand, respect plus of course the 'power' that comes with the job.  I gave a 2 week course for teachers from all around Thailand.  Out of the class of 40 (they were all so-called 'English Teachers'), there were TWO that I could converse with.