Teacher with 15,000 baht salary asks: You tell me how I can live on that?

[mommysboy]

14 hours ago, brianthainess said:

o.k i don,t pay rent but i can live on 17 k a month.i drink moderately,smoke, cook my own food,wash my own clothes,what does she do in the school holidays? life is not easy when your young get used to it.

Any family commitments?

[Dukeleto]

There’s the problem right there! It’s no wonder so many girls end up working in a bar. I would happily pay the girl 20K to come and work for me but why should she change from the career she has chosen and trained in only to become a housekeeper! It’s such a pity!

[EVENKEEL]

How about she spend her time getting a different job, a second job, she willingly took this job and now whines, boo-hoo. If you don't like the pay, don't take the job.

[OneMoreFarang]

11 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

How about she spend her time getting a different job, a second job, she willingly took this job and now whines, boo-hoo. If you don't like the pay, don't take the job.

If you would have a kid in that school would you prefer that she and the other teachers have enough money for a reasonable living? Or would you prefer is they have second job and are tired in their first job?

[EVENKEEL]

10 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

If you would have a kid in that school would you prefer that she and the other teachers have enough money for a reasonable living? Or would you prefer is they have second job and are tired in their first job?

I'll bet the Thai parents of her students would have no pity on her, I'm sure they can only wish for a 15,000bht/mo job. 

 

In a perfect world of coarse, pay her 100,000bht,mo. Close to what a native English speaker makes in a good International School. 

I stayed in Issan for years and guys went to Bangkok for 10,000bht/mo jobs to support their families, because in their home town a 10,000bht job was out of reach. But, this little princess thinks it's just so unfair.....boo-hoo. You think her family back home has a 15,000bht/mo job. No back home she has a lazy father and family sponging off her. And leave all that tradition crap at the door...…..

[strabel23]

On 10/5/2018 at 8:40 PM, Lacessit said:

My GF's family earn about 2000 - 3000 baht/month in the rice fields and on building sites. Does that answer your question?

You've got to be kidding. Do you actually think that a teacher after spending years acquiring a teaching degree should be satisfied receiving only 15,000 baht/month and you think that is good? You compare that with your girl friend's family working in the rice field? The minimum wage in Thailand is 325 baht/day so if your girlfriends family are working in construction then they are making a lot more than 2000 - 3000 baht a month and no one could live or should live on that paltry amount. A single person would be just scraping by at 10,000 baht/month and living at poverty level in a small 1 room accommodation. The Teacher has good cause to complain and should not have to live like a peasant. There must be a lot of immature and ignorant falang kii nok on Thai Visa to criticize a Teacher for complaining about such a meager salary.

Edited October 12, 2018 by strabel23

[Damrongsak]

On 10/5/2018 at 11:40 PM, Lacessit said:

My GF's family earn about 2000 - 3000 baht/month in the rice fields and on building sites. Does that answer your question?

I earned about that 40 years ago as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer, and it wasn't much. Might be equivalent to 4,500 a month now. Yes there was a housing allowance or whatnot ...

 

But back then, you could get a girl for 50-100 Baht.

 

[somchaismith]

Disgusting!

[marcusarelus]

6 hours ago, strabel23 said:

You've got to be kidding. Do you actually think that a teacher after spending years acquiring a teaching degree should be satisfied receiving only 15,000 baht/month and you think that is good? You compare that with your girl friend's family working in the rice field? The minimum wage in Thailand is 325 baht/day so if your girlfriends family are working in construction then they are making a lot more than 2000 - 3000 baht a month and no one could live or should live on that paltry amount. A single person would be just scraping by at 10,000 baht/month and living at poverty level in a small 1 room accommodation. The Teacher has good cause to complain and should not have to live like a peasant. There must be a lot of immature and ignorant falang kii nok on Thai Visa to criticize a Teacher for complaining about such a meager salary.

You might want to compare the futures and working conditions of a rice farmer vs teacher along with loans and health care and ability to attract a wealthy husband.  My wife didn't attend college to get a job - she was at university to get a well to do man with a future - of course that was America maybe Thailand is more culturally aware. 

[marcusarelus]

1 hour ago, somchaismith said:

Disgusting!

For the free adult who was giving the money or the free adult who was receiving the money?  It was 25 baht to the dollar back then.  Do two consenting adults have to check with one of your type before fulfilling a natural function?

[Rhys]

7 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

I earned about that 40 years ago as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer, and it wasn't much. Might be equivalent to 4,500 a month now. Yes there was a housing allowance or whatnot ...

 

But back then, you could get a girl for 50-100 Baht.

 

  It was the same rate in the 90s as well, but housing was paid  1.5 k..  What program?

 

[Henrik Andersen]

You can't live a champagne life on a water budget 

Stop paying for other family members kids 

And you young so your father surely can work on his own 

Don't buy car take public transport 

Food is cheap if you make it yourself  and you don't go restaurant 

Stop shopping 

[KKBrian]

Thailand is trying to get with the times in many ways what about paying a salary that trained workers such as teachers can have a good life on.

[balo]

On 10/11/2018 at 7:49 AM, OumarhindaOunsingha said:

only have max 2,000 baht for room and electricity a month, because even when I was most poor in Bangkok, I used minimum 300 baht per day (food, transportation, laundry, shampoo, tooth paste, etc.). 2,000 for housing and electricity is close to impossible in Bkk. And even if we put he daily expenses down to 250 baht a day and say she has 12,000 for herself per month (after loans, family, etc.), she will only have around 4,000 per month for accommodation and elec. This will force her to share a room with a friend. 

 

I would think most Thai girls who does not live with the family , live in a shared room with others, I do not know of any Thai girl who lives alone.

They always seem to find friends to live with . Even if they move from Isaan to Bangkok to find work . 

 

So a shared 2000 baht room with 3 other girls could mean only paying 500 baht in rent + electricity. 

That would mean a 10 to 15k salary is doable , you can live on it and eat street food every day. That's what most Thai workers on low salaries do. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lacessit]

9 hours ago, strabel23 said:

You've got to be kidding. Do you actually think that a teacher after spending years acquiring a teaching degree should be satisfied receiving only 15,000 baht/month and you think that is good? You compare that with your girl friend's family working in the rice field? The minimum wage in Thailand is 325 baht/day so if your girlfriends family are working in construction then they are making a lot more than 2000 - 3000 baht a month and no one could live or should live on that paltry amount. A single person would be just scraping by at 10,000 baht/month and living at poverty level in a small 1 room accommodation. The Teacher has good cause to complain and should not have to live like a peasant. There must be a lot of immature and ignorant falang kii nok on Thai Visa to criticize a Teacher for complaining about such a meager salary.

It's a good wage compared to the rice fields. If you read my previous post, it's the family hangers-on and commitments that are the problem.

If you believe the Thai minimum wage of 325 baht a day is paid out in the boonies, you probably believe in the tooth fairy as well. The work is seasonal and casual, and some are paid as little as 150 baht a day.

My GF's brother earns on average 2500 baht a month. Her father gets a Thai government pension of 800 baht a month. They manage to survive on that, along with about 10,000 other villagers where I go on occasion.

There's a lot of barter that goes on in such villages. The next-door neighbor grows bananas and chickens, and swaps them for vegetables. Another neighbor is a handyman, quite good at fixing things.

I'm not arguing the rights or wrongs of the situation. Just saying that's what it is. If you want to call me a falang kee nok, you are just demonstrating your own ignorance.

[rebo]

On 10/6/2018 at 8:05 PM, 473geo said:

Teachers are trained to promote the need for continuous improvement 

Maybe any other country in the world but definitely not in Thailand!

[Damrongsak]

3 hours ago, Rhys said:

  It was the same rate in the 90s as well, but housing was paid  1.5 k..  What program?

 

I was with the Land Development Dept - Ministry of Agriculture in Loei.  We worked with a few local farmers.  I did get per-diem for field work, so I got another couple thousand a month.  Exchange rate was 20 Baht to $1 US.

[ajarnmarc]

I was a teacher for seven years,

and we were paid only 30,000 - 35,000 bht unless we were willing to teach kindergarten students, then the pay was more.

The difference was we had to pay for our rent, while the Thai teachers had room available to them for free. 

The story she is telling is the same sad story 9 out of 10 girls I dated told me each time; 

on our first two dates. 

It got old quick!

The ladies always had a better phone than I had, 

and usually dined out for every meal they ate, 

though not expensive meals,

nonetheless it could of been prepared at home for even less.

The Thai teachers take home is 15,000 bht, with free insurance, 

and room to stay, taxes are paid by the school. 

 

While the foreigners have to pay for visa, work permit, insurance, (if you want it) apartment, 

and of course we paid our own taxes. Some schools stated they paid for the visa and work permit, but if they follow through with this arrangement, 

it was only after we made everything the first time, 

when it's the most expensive to do.

The school just paid a part of the renewal fee.

 

The problem was that the Thai's always thought the foreign teachers had it made, 

with a higher figure, and never bothered to even consider all their benefits that were built in.

They carried jealousy on their face, and placed it firmly upon their shoulders.

Never caring a bit about our struggles, and why would they?

 

They know how to play the sympathy card well.

They have a tendency to share their down on their luck as much as anyone will allow them to.

 

All the ladies I dated had parents home, that were in their forties maximum. 

Who decided it was time to retire, or work a few hours a day in the fields, 

and push the children to send money each time it was harvest time, 

so the parents could hire some labor to clear the fields.

 

The elders are fine to plant, and water, 

but they rarely remove the harvest themselves, 

they pay day labor to do that...

which is smart, but they take the credit for all the hard work

they chose to put onto themselves for the life they seek.

 

So the sad story is one which they have used and repeated for decades, 

and this will likely never change. 

 

It is extremely hard to get ahead in this country, 

for everytime you start something and gets any traction at all, 

the people which you hired; are required to have, 

if you're to run a business legally; they decide to go home every so often, 

and decide later if they will return, or when they will return.

 

The moral of the story is, 

the citizens of this county usually do only enough to get by, 

and little more.

Now in the facebook era, 

they hate to be distracted from their favorite past time.

So when they do show up for work, 

it's not like they actually work, 

more than a few hours in a 10 hr day.

 

This only occurs if you are constantly around them, 

and if not, well they work as little as possible, 

expressing we are lucky they showed up at all.

 

It should be no surprise that this teacher took to posting her issues, 

as it is always someone else's fault for their shortcoming in life.

 

 

 

 

 

[Scott]

The salary for many teachers is exceptionally low, especially considering how much money is spent on education.   Making decisions about people based on the phone they have, or if they eat out, is rather low.   Many of the low-cost apartments do not have cooking facilities inside and many do not permit them.  

 

I worked with many, many Thai teachers who struggled.  They had debts for their education, or an agreement with the family who helped them that in return they would pay for the next one's education.  

 

Culturally, in Thailand and much of Asia, you send money to your family, especially if they are poor. 

 

Almost all the teachers I knew (both foreign and Thai) worked a 2nd or 3rd job to make ends meet.  

[baansgr]

13 hours ago, ajarnmarc said:

I was a teacher for seven years,

and we were paid only 30,000 - 35,000 bht unless we were willing to teach kindergarten students, then the pay was more.

The difference was we had to pay for our rent, while the Thai teachers had room available to them for free. 

The story she is telling is the same sad story 9 out of 10 girls I dated told me each time; 

on our first two dates. 

It got old quick!

The ladies always had a better phone than I had, 

and usually dined out for every meal they ate, 

though not expensive meals,

nonetheless it could of been prepared at home for even less.

The Thai teachers take home is 15,000 bht, with free insurance, 

and room to stay, taxes are paid by the school. 

 

While the foreigners have to pay for visa, work permit, insurance, (if you want it) apartment, 

and of course we paid our own taxes. Some schools stated they paid for the visa and work permit, but if they follow through with this arrangement, 

it was only after we made everything the first time, 

when it's the most expensive to do.

The school just paid a part of the renewal fee.

 

The problem was that the Thai's always thought the foreign teachers had it made, 

with a higher figure, and never bothered to even consider all their benefits that were built in.

They carried jealousy on their face, and placed it firmly upon their shoulders.

Never caring a bit about our struggles, and why would they?

 

They know how to play the sympathy card well.

They have a tendency to share their down on their luck as much as anyone will allow them to.

 

All the ladies I dated had parents home, that were in their forties maximum. 

Who decided it was time to retire, or work a few hours a day in the fields, 

and push the children to send money each time it was harvest time, 

so the parents could hire some labor to clear the fields.

 

The elders are fine to plant, and water, 

but they rarely remove the harvest themselves, 

they pay day labor to do that...

which is smart, but they take the credit for all the hard work

they chose to put onto themselves for the life they seek.

 

So the sad story is one which they have used and repeated for decades, 

and this will likely never change. 

 

It is extremely hard to get ahead in this country, 

for everytime you start something and gets any traction at all, 

the people which you hired; are required to have, 

if you're to run a business legally; they decide to go home every so often, 

and decide later if they will return, or when they will return.

 

The moral of the story is, 

the citizens of this county usually do only enough to get by, 

and little more.

Now in the facebook era, 

they hate to be distracted from their favorite past time.

So when they do show up for work, 

it's not like they actually work, 

more than a few hours in a 10 hr day.

 

This only occurs if you are constantly around them, 

and if not, well they work as little as possible, 

expressing we are lucky they showed up at all.

 

It should be no surprise that this teacher took to posting her issues, 

as it is always someone else's fault for their shortcoming in life.

 

 

 

 

 

Fantastic post, sums everything up

[strabel23]

16 hours ago, Lacessit said:

It's a good wage compared to the rice fields. If you read my previous post, it's the family hangers-on and commitments that are the problem.

If you believe the Thai minimum wage of 325 baht a day is paid out in the boonies, you probably believe in the tooth fairy as well. The work is seasonal and casual, and some are paid as little as 150 baht a day.

My GF's brother earns on average 2500 baht a month. Her father gets a Thai government pension of 800 baht a month. They manage to survive on that, along with about 10,000 other villagers where I go on occasion.

There's a lot of barter that goes on in such villages. The next-door neighbor grows bananas and chickens, and swaps them for vegetables. Another neighbor is a handyman, quite good at fixing things.

I'm not arguing the rights or wrongs of the situation. Just saying that's what it is. If you want to call me a falang kee nok, you are just demonstrating your own ignorance.

I have hired workers in the boonies so to speak and they would not work for less than 400 baht/day. Virtually all that work in construction demand at least the minimum no matter where they live. In 15 years I have not encountered any Thais living on 2500 month unless they just were too lazy to work. Many receive funds from their children which is the Thai custom and culture which there is no way around this. Yes the elderly now receive 800 baht/month from the Government which is a joke. Sometimes they hand out a 5 kg. bag of rice when there has been flooding happening which is also laughable. 15,000 a month for a falang to live on is doable only if you live like a poor Thai in the countryside and yes that would be living like a falang kii nok.

[Bill Miller]

My GF earns a bit over 30,000 after ten years, and advancement to the second highest position, at a major retail establishment. Sounds like the young lady is on track salary wise.
When I met my GF she was living in a 2,000 baht/month cold water flat near Bang Na. I helped her buy a second hand I phone. (We were not "established" yet, and I am not a "rich farang", ????). She had managed to raise her daughter alone and send a little home to help support dad, now in his nineties. About one month's salary in credit card debt.
Just saying it can be done, and not always eating Mama noodles. I had similar in the states, often working two jobs to get to where I could buy a house and car, etc.
I think the young woman needs to re-examine her priorities, as yes, she is dressed rather nicely in holiday style.
It is a Thai thing about needing a certain appearance. I tried to convince waan jai to get a second hand car after first getting her license at, well let's just say over forty. Had to have new, and it did not stay "new" for a month.
Entering a partnership is certainly an option, but there does seem to be a scarcity of Thai men with means and/or a willingness to share.

[Andrew108]

Not surprising that we get the Thai’s are lazy, vein and feckless narrative. Lack of empathy here just shows how distant some foreigners are from ACTUAL involvement in Thai culture. They might think they know about Thai culture, when in fact they are outsiders who have been exposed to only a few limited situations that have distorted their view. 

Certainly support networks are extensive in Thai culture and money is required to keep the exchanges going. But not every Thai has access to a supportive family. Some do have to struggle by themselves. 

Also its obviously not enough to just survive on a salary. You have to be able to save and invest for the future. A surplus is always necessary. 

I think 20K is reasonable.

A request for fairer pay shouldn’t bring out the nasty and negative comments seen here. These negative comments have their root in something else - could be racism, could be about not having authority but wanting some, could be from feelings of alienation, perhaps the feelings of being an outsider are painful, being rejected, maybe from past feelings of being exploited - whatever the cause, the negative responses say more about Westerners in Thailand than the logic of giving teachers a pay rise. 

[balo]

1 hour ago, Andrew108 said:

Not surprising that we get the Thai’s are lazy, vein and feckless narrative. Lack of empathy here just shows how distant some foreigners are from ACTUAL involvement in Thai culture. They might think they know about Thai culture, when in fact they are outsiders who have been exposed to only a few limited situations that have distorted their view. 

Really,  so tell us about your own experiences since you seem to know it all. 

 

 

 

[Lacessit]

4 hours ago, strabel23 said:

I have hired workers in the boonies so to speak and they would not work for less than 400 baht/day. Virtually all that work in construction demand at least the minimum no matter where they live. In 15 years I have not encountered any Thais living on 2500 month unless they just were too lazy to work. Many receive funds from their children which is the Thai custom and culture which there is no way around this. Yes the elderly now receive 800 baht/month from the Government which is a joke. Sometimes they hand out a 5 kg. bag of rice when there has been flooding happening which is also laughable. 15,000 a month for a falang to live on is doable only if you live like a poor Thai in the countryside and yes that would be living like a falang kii nok.

Your post has me confused. When did I say I was living like a poor Thai?

Perhaps the workers you hired were charging a farang 400 baht a day.

This photo shows an apartment built on my GF's land. She was paying the workers 200 baht a day, plus lao khao.

[Airalee]

On 10/11/2018 at 10:05 AM, Andrew108 said:

The base salary for a teacher in Bangkok has to be 20k. That’s about it. Nothing more needs be said - especially about Thais being feckless (they are not especially). 

Cost of living in Bangkok is probably double that of most other provincial cities.  So it’s good to know you’re ok with 10k everywhere else.

[Ks45672]

On 10/6/2018 at 2:05 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

I think a teacher should be able to afford the "luxury" of a 30B drink a day - every day.

Especially if it's a large beer to stop the shakes before the first class 

[Andrew108]

4 hours ago, Airalee said:

Cost of living in Bangkok is probably double that of most other provincial cities.  So it’s good to know you’re ok with 10k everywhere else.

Ah putting words into my mouth. The cost of living in Bangkok is not double that of most provincial cities. A better estimate would be a third more expensive. 15K would be a good starting salary outside of BKK. 

The reason I keep returning to this thread is that I'm surprised by the vitriol. I can't think why anyone would be critical of a hardworking educated person asking for a higher salary. But of course lots of people smoke cigarettes and I have no idea why they do that either. I can only assume that some people get into addictive cycles of negativity that they find impossible to free themselves of. 

Anyhow I guess that's ThaiVisa for you. 

[Airalee]

4 minutes ago, Andrew108 said:

Ah putting words into my mouth. The cost of living in Bangkok is not double that of most provincial cities. A better estimate would be a third more expensive. 15K would be a good starting salary outside of BKK. 

The reason I keep returning to this thread is that I'm surprised by the vitriol. I can't think why anyone would be critical of a hardworking educated person asking for a higher salary. But of course lots of people smoke cigarettes and I have no idea why they do that either. I can only assume that some people get into addictive cycles of negativity that they find impossible to free themselves of. 

Anyhow I guess that's ThaiVisa for you. 

I’m not seeing the vitriol you refer to.  Especially responses that justify your painting everybody here with the broad brush of “racism” and superiority complexes.  Have you read the original article and the comments (in Thai)? Her fellow countrymen/women are much more direct with their criticism.  Did you notice her comment about “don’t tell me to ride a motorbike”?  That comment wasn’t received very well by the Thais who chose to share their not so empathetic opinions.  And can you point out where it says she lives in Bangkok?

 

You also stated that if teachers weren’t paid more, they would be lost to other more lucrative industries.  I commented on that earlier but you didn’t reply.  What industries are those, that someone with a degree in education can freely and easily transfer into in order to make a high salary? Have you seen the starting salary of many other degreed professions?  Many (if not most) of them are paid no more than the teacher who decided to publicly rant about her pay package.  If she wishes to be the poster child for underpaid teachers, she should expect to receive some amount of well justified criticism.

[Lacessit]

9 hours ago, Andrew108 said:

Ah putting words into my mouth. The cost of living in Bangkok is not double that of most provincial cities. A better estimate would be a third more expensive. 15K would be a good starting salary outside of BKK. 

The reason I keep returning to this thread is that I'm surprised by the vitriol. I can't think why anyone would be critical of a hardworking educated person asking for a higher salary. But of course lots of people smoke cigarettes and I have no idea why they do that either. I can only assume that some people get into addictive cycles of negativity that they find impossible to free themselves of. 

Anyhow I guess that's ThaiVisa for you. 

It's fairly obvious from the OP the young lady's problem is not her salary - it's the number of commitments she has entered into with her family. It's not vitriol to be pointing out what she should be doing to rectify the situation.

She is on the bottom rung of the teaching ladder. If she is good enough, with experience she could be earning up to 100,000 baht/month later on.

There are many hardworking uneducated persons in Thailand on much lower wages than hers.