What do working class Thais really earn

[JAG]

I know a Lab Technician at a big Government Hospital in Nong Khai. She is on B20000 a month.

 

Before she trained up (paid for by herself - actually I lent her the money and she is paying me back over three years,. 2k a month) and got the job she was a nursing assistant on B9000 a month.

[JTXR]

It does sort of depend on what you mean by "working class".  Leaving aside wild exceptions, like people who for some reason lucked into US$1,500/day gigs right out of university, I think it sounds about right that 7,000 - 15,000 baht per month is the range you can expect most "working class" Thais to be making (drivers, gas station attendents, factory and construction workers, shop girls, restaurant staff, etc.). 

Many low- or entry-level "professionals" (young teachers, civil servants, office workers, and even some ordinary young Thais just out of university) often make only 20-30K per month.  I know a university lecturer with a PhD making only 40,000/mo. 

[ExpatDraco]

Small food production factory in BKK, factory workers earn a little bit less than 20k/month, 6 days/week, with some overtime etc. Also got better health insurance. New Thai guy, 30+ years old, just started there and he earns around 100k/month. He's a food specialist.

[Stevetaylor123]

7 minutes ago, JTXR said:

It does sort of depend on what you mean by "working class".  Leaving aside wild exceptions, like people who for some reason lucked into US$1,500/day gigs right out of university, I think it sounds about right that 7,000 - 15,000 baht per month is the range you can expect most "working class" Thais to be making (drivers, gas station attendents, factory and construction workers, shop girls, restaurant staff, etc.). 

Many low- or entry-level "professionals" (young teachers, civil servants, office workers, and even some ordinary young Thais just out of university) often make only 20-30K per month.  I know a university lecturer with a PhD making only 40,000/mo. 

 

My girlfriends parents earn around 300 baht per day doing manual labour work.  They can get 400 baht restoring a temple but it’s a very long shift, basically dawn till dusk.  

 

When I was last in the village, there is a woman there who is very friendly who has a nice two storey house, car, and plenty of mod cons.  Basically the village millionaire.  She was eager to tell me that they made 20k a month at various markets and sometimes more.

 

Of course if you are gambling or want to drink none home brew booze everyday you might need a potentially endless amount and that’s when encouraging the daughter to bag a farang might start.

[NCC1701A]

my Thai girlfriend (we don't live together) who is divorced and has a 7 year old son has her own shop and makes about 15,000 baht a month. she is very down to earth and prides herself on being very hard working and independent.

 

she has a old pickup truck paid for and a small house with a thirty year loan of 1,150,000 baht after a 100,000 down payment.

 

all she does is work and take care of her son. no vacations, travel or shopping. once a month they go to the mall and the kid gets some ice cream.

 

She never had a Farang boyfriend before and I never spend a lot of money but she slowly realized that spending 500 baht on dinner (what she makes a day) was not going to cause me any hardship.  

 

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

 

 

 

 

[Kurtf]

1 hour ago, waza46 said:

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

She’ more likely earning 450 per day.

[weegee]

What ever they tell you their salary is....Just double it, and you are close to the mark....?

[RyanWalker]

1 hour ago, timendres said:

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

 

Yeah she makes about double what my mate who is a US marine ship captain makes lol

[Smokegreynblues]

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

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2018 by Christopherabhadra

[waza46]

OK so the consensus would be somewhat less than 45k Baht a day then.

[mommysboy]

44 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

my Thai girlfriend (we don't live together) who is divorced and has a 7 year old son has her own shop and makes about 15,000 baht a month. she is very down to earth and prides herself on being very hard working and independent.

 

she has a old pickup truck paid for and a small house with a thirty year loan of 1,150,000 baht after a 100,000 down payment.

 

all she does is work and take care of her son. no vacations, travel or shopping. once a month they go to the mall and the kid gets some ice cream.

 

She never had a Farang boyfriend before and I never spend a lot of money but she slowly realized that spending 500 baht on dinner (what she makes a day) was not going to cause me any hardship.  

 

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

 

 

 

 

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

 

What does she do?

[mommysboy]

19 minutes 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

 

 

 

I think the lasses at Dairy Queen are on about 9000 full time, long hours.

[LongTimeLurker]

1 hour ago, nausea said:

How much does the girl at the 7/11 earn

Have seen ads for 7/11 staff for Baht 8,000 per month in Pattaya

[kannot]

8 hours ago, nausea said:

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

yes a  survey of two................incredible

[PJPom]

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.

[LongTimeLurker]

1 hour ago, khunJeroen said:

Multinational companies in Bangkok often pay much higher salaries 100-200K / month for experienced professionals with a degree is not uncommon

About right for the Thai Engineers and senior management  I worked with in a multinational.

 

But not really working class if they have degrees? More the new middle class?

Edited August 6, 2018 by LongTimeLurker

[LongTimeLurker]

Sales persons in car showrooms get Baht 15,000 commission per (basic model) car sold. Maybe increasing if a higher spec model?

[Enoon]

1 hour ago, james1995 said:

7-8,000 a month.

 

That sounds about right (possibly 10 - 12,000 tops for a small percentage) for those who fit the common idea of "Working Class" (as opposed to just anyone who works for a living).

 

ie: Head Teachers, Airline Pilots, and Investment Bankers all "work" for a living, but they are not "Working Class".

 

Some posters do not seem to recognise the......."distinction".

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2018 by Enoon

[scottiejohn]

44 minutes 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

 

 

 

Is that ALL they are getting per day?

Seems they are only "working class" compared to a "Thai Airways Freelancer"!

Edited August 6, 2018 by scottiejohn

[FritsSikkink]

https://th.jobsdb.com/th/en/job/project-procurement-manager-maptaphut-rayong-300003001704869?AD=30&Blind=1&EM_Salary=1&Host=H%2cJ&JSRV=1&Key=project+manager&KeyOpt=COMPLEX&SalaryF=100000&SalaryType=1&SearchFields=Positions&SrcTrack=JobAlert&ID=2162130_74592e87ae&SubDate=20161116&GenDate=20180803&EditMonthDiff=0&EmailGroup=REPG&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=JobAlert&utm_source=REPG&utm_term=PerformanceAd_A%3aDelivery_B&se_src=C&jsID=3KHbNFqXK9N2rhA0lHmVUw%3d%3d&utm_content=JobTitle_OA_11

 

THB90,000 - 120,000 /month (negotiable)

 

https://th.jobsdb.com/th/en/job/construction-project-manager-300003001708655?AD=30&Blind=1&EM_Salary=1&Host=H%2cJ&JSRV=1&Key=project+manager&KeyOpt=COMPLEX&SalaryF=100000&SalaryType=1&SearchFields=Positions&SrcTrack=JobAlert&ID=2162130_74592e87ae&SubDate=20161116&GenDate=20180803&EditMonthDiff=0&EmailGroup=REPG&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=JobAlert&utm_source=REPG&utm_term=PerformanceAd_A%3aDelivery_B&se_src=C&jsID=3KHbNFqXK9N2rhA0lHmVUw%3d%3d&utm_content=JobTitle_OA_2

 

80K- 100K a month

[baansgr]

Being a revolutionary, whatever they earn it isnt enough unless they receive free/subsidised education, housing and healthcare.

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

my Thai girlfriend (we don't live together) who is divorced and has a 7 year old son has her own shop and makes about 15,000 baht a month. she is very down to earth and prides herself on being very hard working and independent.

 

she has a old pickup truck paid for and a small house with a thirty year loan of 1,150,000 baht after a 100,000 down payment.

 

all she does is work and take care of her son. no vacations, travel or shopping. once a month they go to the mall and the kid gets some ice cream.

 

She never had a Farang boyfriend before and I never spend a lot of money but she slowly realized that spending 500 baht on dinner (what she makes a day) was not going to cause me any hardship.  

 

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

 

 

 

 

Sounds like most farangs back in the west who are slaves to their mortgages.

 

My sister in-law sits on her motorbike and sells fruit in front of a petrol service station from 8am to 4pm 7 days a week in the heat, rain, pollution to make 300 baht per day balanced out if she is lucky and is a single mum with a girl who just started uni and also has a 5 year old to an a farang partner who doesn't give anything towards his daughter.

 

She is in debt to a lot of people because you cannot live on 300 baht per day if you drink, smoke and got to feed your kids crisp chips and the like, don't talk about uni, she is always asking my Mrs to transfer money to her daughter as she needs to eat, sad existence really, but I see them doing nothing else to help themselves, her Thai boyfriend gives her nothing and sleeps in her house which of course was built by Mr x farang ?

[Tchooptip]

My DIL husband is 25 years old, as a refrigerated truck driver he makes about 20 000 Baht a month, rather a little more than a little less.

[White Christmas13]

My girl lives in Bangkok and runs a street food shop with her mom

she works a minimum of 10 hours per day 7 days per week and she

makes 240 baht per day

[scottiejohn]

28 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

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

I assume that must be from you!?

[scottiejohn]

33 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

300 baht per day if you drink, smoke

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

Edited August 6, 2018 by scottiejohn

[Number 6]

My wife is an admin of sorts at a media corporation. She makes 20k. A coworker who was one of first employees in corporation was doing less but was paid 32k. She was finally fired. Well, made redundant.

 

Her brother had a job with same company for many years doing set design. Laid off few years ago, 30k.

 

Her mother/sister own a restaurant. Resty nets them about 350-750 a day after expenses ...each. 7am-7pm Plus cooking food and going to market at 4am.

 

Her father used to own taxis and tuktuks but lost all but three in 1997. He was able to hold on to the property in Issarn and home in Pathumthani. They rent a small place, cheap city center. He nets about 20k per month and usually drives something five days a week 7-5. He likes the tuktuk most bc it's local work and he can get tips helping move stuff in out of tuk tuk.

 

I'm not working class but make over 55k teaching at a public/private secondary. Decent benefits.

 

Edited August 6, 2018 by Number 6

[observer90210]

How much you earn does not matter......how you live, matters.

 

Some rich western nations have very good basic salaries, but after rent, taxes insurance, little is left for booze or pussy...

 

And on seeing how some Thais shun sometimes to work, perhaps one could assume that their standard of living is not all that bad ?

 

 

Edited August 6, 2018 by observer90210

[impulse]

9 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

42 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

300 baht per day if you drink, smoke

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

 

But isn't that the paradox?  Living in bone crushing poverty makes any escape look pretty good, whether it's smoking, drinking, gambling, whoring, or a combination. 

 

If you're going to be flat broke and in debt anyway...

 

I'm not saying it's a good idea, but I certainly understand the dynamics.

 

Back on topic, the local folks who work in office slots at our Multi-National oil company start around 30,000 and it goes way up from there, depending on their skills, experience and work ethic.  Which probably explains why we have very little turnover, very few costly noob mistakes and don't have to constantly train a never ending stream of newcomers. 

 

The cost of labor is a small percentage of our total OPEX, but I can't imagine the headaches we'd have if we had a revolving door because employees could make 3,000 baht a month moving to a different company.  It's peanuts in our scheme of things, but it makes a huge difference to our people in their discretionary money at the end of each month.  So it's well worth it to us.

 

[Smokegreynblues]

1 hour ago, scottiejohn said:

Is that ALL they are getting per day?

Seems they are only "working class" compared to a "Thai Airways Freelancer"!

It’s per month, but I see what you mean