Thai son/daughter sending money to parents every month - Is this part of Thai culture that the kids must send money to their parents every month once they are working from their 20's onwards? Does this apply to all Thai kids, even if their parents are well off?

Yes, that's normal. But it's usually just to help the parents a bit, so we are talking about a few thousand baht max.

From my experience, if the parents are still working themself, Thais tend to send 1000 - 2000 THB per month to support them, this is just Thai culture. (my ex GF was paying this money into some special account which her parents can't access before they are 60, so they have this money when they retire, this sounded reasonable to me)

If the parents are well off there is obviously no real need, but if your GF is sending them 2k per month (of her own money) then i would not worry about it and say this is because of their culture.

If on the other hand your GF says she has to send her parents 10k per month and wants you to give her this money, then you should be suspicious.

 

 

some do some don't depends on the family situation, most of the girls i have dated don't as they come from middle class/professional background. bear in mind social security for unemployed, disabled and retired people is not what it is in many western countries so the offspring are often expected to chip in and help the parents.

I'd say it's a pretty common thing for Thai working adults with poor to middle income parents/families.

 

With wealthy parents, it's probably more the opposite, and they end up subsidizing their lazy, good-for-nothing sponging young adult kids.

Yes, if they don't have assets/money enough to get by. 

 

In our case, my Mrs. visits her Mom once a week, either does bulk/staple shopping herself on the way, or just drops 1,000 Baht in the pot and let them do it themselves at the local market.   Other siblings pay the utility bills, buy household items/applicances as/when needed, pay into the annual death/funeral insurance scheme, and do their duty staying at the house as rotating caretakers.  Believe dear old Mom gets the 800 Baht/month old-age stipend as well.

thai version of a pension

Normal and traditionally part of Thai culture, although as mentioned not all people send these days.

 

Many Thais don't have pensions or particularly save for later in life. Accepted that the children will provide and support the parents if they are not that rich.

 

Also some send to make merit even if the parents are rich.

 

 

It's called the Thai National Welfare System!

The parents might have worked hard to finance their education.

Even cheap private highschools might eat up 500k over 2 years.

And that is just good enough to get a proper 9 to 5 office job.

 

Time to pay back.

 

Very normal, especially when the parents don't have much.

 

For example, my wife cooks them a meal every now and again, buys them food from the local market or pays the utility bill, doesn't spoil them as she has her own and has helped out a lot financially over a 9 year period, e.g. sending them 10,000 baht per month when she was with me overseas, from my pocket, i.e. she didn't work and I took her away from her only income source which used to go to the parents.

 

She has 3 sisters, all live in the same village, they all help out with the parents, although only one lives with them, that said, when your in your 60's and have no education and lived off the land all of your life and raised 4 kids, the kids making things easier when you get older is helpful and respectful as opposed to keeping everything for yourself.

 

I kind of admire what they do, I chip in every now and again as well, although the wife pulls me up when she thinks I might be going overboard.

My wife did when she was working but not since. I think she might have been giving in the vicinity of 3-5,000 baht a month. Think also she would often have to split the amount up when mum and dad were not on speaking terms.

18 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Thai son/daughter sending money to parents every month - Is this part of Thai culture that the kids must send money to their parents every month once they are working from their 20's onwards? Does this apply to all Thai kids, even if their parents are well off?

My Thai step-daughter says she'll give me part of her wage when she finishes university next year and starts work.

(In return for paying her expenses and fees during high-school and university)

Come on what a stupid question. Their are many many young and beautiful Thai girls that send money to family back home on a regular basis or they will starve. Also young beaitiful thai girls are sold by poor parents!

28 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

My Thai step-daughter says she'll give me part of her wage when she finishes university next year and starts work.

(In return for paying her expenses and fees during high-school and university)

Hope you do not have to buy her a job, which is quite common here.

I think between 3000-5000.

been in Asia for quiet sometime, this is a very common practice in the majority of the countries in the area... some parents,  if well of, they keep the money on a savings account and later give it back to the grand kids

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

My Thai step-daughter says she'll give me part of her wage when she finishes university next year and starts work.

(In return for paying her expenses and fees during high-school and university)

Yeah dude you got three kids right? Get them working!

Yes normal.  And can be like 50% of earnings  and sometimes  only one child of3-4 seems to happily take on this burden. 

On 9/25/2019 at 10:35 PM, bbi1 said:

Does this apply to all Thai kids, even if their parents are well off?

Nothing anywhere ever applies to everyone... most of the Thai ladies I know are very happy when they can send money home to help out their parents... though probably none of them are rich... if the parents are wealthy, it does sound unusual and a bit out of line as young people should be working and saving to make their life... 

Don't fall into this thai trap, otherwise you will only lose all your money. Lucky me I am happily single again

On 1/3/2025 at 11:05 PM, Jack1988 said:

Don't fall into this thai trap, otherwise you will only lose all your money. Lucky me I am happily single again

 

your advice for the original poster is five years too late ... 

1 hour ago, motdaeng said:

 

your advice for the original poster is five years too late ... 

I speak in general and it's never too late to open people's eyes