Reminder Of Minimum Expat Wages From July 10, 2004

[george]

REMINDER:

Minimum salaries for non-immigrant visa extensions to work in Thailand

From 10 July 2004, expatriates applying for non-immigrant visa extensions for employment in Thailand will have to meet an increased minimum monthly salary requirement, as listed below, by nationality and amount.

It should be noted that this regulation applies to employees in the corporate sector (profit-making businesses). Employees with lower monthly salaries in other professions, such as teachers, can apply for non-immigrant visa extensions and work permits for employment in Thailand provided that they are able to provide an official letter of confirmation from a relevant government agency.

The new minimum monthly wage rates, which vary according to nationality, will be:

• Japanese, Americans and Canadians: 60,000 baht (currently 40,000 baht).

• Europeans and Australians: 50,000 baht (35,000 baht).

• South Koreans, Taiwanese, Singaporeans and Hongkongers: 45,000 baht (35,000 baht).

• Malaysians: 45,000 baht (30,000 baht).

• Indians and people from the Middle East: 35,000 baht (30,000 baht).

• Mainland Chinese, Indonesians and Filipinos: 35,000 baht (25,000 baht).

• Burmese, Laotians, Vietnamese, Cambodians and Africans: 25,000 baht (20,000 baht).

• Journalists working for newspapers: 20,000 baht (12,000 baht). Wages of journalists working for magazines and other media are categorized by nationalities.

[taxexile]

expect to see beer prices rise by a similar proportion shortly afterwards.

[astral]

Does this mean that the immigration officers wages are going up as well?

Can't have them getting left behind!!

[pal78]

Does this mean that Europeans are going to find it easier to get jobs than Americans, as Americans are going to be 10,000 THB more expensive!

[Foggy Bottom]

• Journalists working for newspapers: 20,000 baht (12,000 baht). Wages of journalists working for magazines and other media are categorized by nationalities.

WHOA THERE NEDDY

When did they sneak this bit in?

Wages of journalists working for magazines and other media are categorized by nationalities

Don't they realise thay most magazine journalists are only paid on items PUBLISHED and not on a monthly salary, also that BAD news sells better than good news - guess what my next article will be about?

[Mr_Pedantic]

I can see a few redundancies coming. Expensive foreigners surplus to requirement.

[beach]

Just reduced my staff's salary to compensate with my increase, they weren't happy but understood, let's party.....

[george]

Note that these new requirements are for extending the visa itself. The new rules does not have affect on renewal of your work permit at the Labour Department, as I understand it.

If you can't be paid the minimum wage, you can still keep a work permit but must resort to the 90 days visa runs.

Steve (Indo-Siam) or Greg (Sunbelt) might confirm if I am right or not?

TIA.

[Dutchy]

It should be noted that this regulation applies to employees in the corporate sector (profit-making businesses). Employees with lower monthly salaries in other professions, such as teachers, can apply for non-immigrant visa extensions and work permits for employment in Thailand provided that they are able to provide an official letter of confirmation from a relevant government agency.

There are teachers working for Rajapats and government universities, there are also teachers working for private schools which are profit making. Should these teachers be allowed to earn lower salaries in order to increase profits of the owner...?

The whole system needs an overhaul, no income tax need to be paid on profits derrived from education business. It's time the government find out why so many international school start ups take place.

The new visa regulations will enable schools to conduct business as usual, while focusing on the corperate sector. I think this will work counterproductive for FDI, hiring Thais instead of expats is usually no option...

Dutchy

[Dutchy]

REMINDER:

Minimum salaries for non-immigrant visa extensions to work in Thailand

• Mainland Chinese, Indonesians and Filipinos: 35,000 baht (25,000 baht).

• Burmese, Laotians, Vietnamese, Cambodians and Africans: 25,000 baht (20,000 baht).

Hmm but Thailand will offer illegal laborers a one year ID for the price of 2800 baht, in effect from July 2004. This directly contradicts these minimum salary requirements for Burmese and Latotians...

But it will surely benefit the Thais as they will have access to cheap labor..., next year they'll kick those one year ID holders out because of failing to meet these minimum requirements. All illegals are registered in the house registration papers by then which makes things easier...

Wow, it's amazing Thailand...

Dutchy

[jimbim]

• Journalists working for newspapers: 20,000 baht (12,000 baht). Wages of journalists working for magazines and other media are categorized by nationalities.

WHOA THERE NEDDY

When did they sneak this bit in?

Wages of journalists working for magazines and other media are categorized by nationalities

Don't they realise thay most magazine journalists are only paid on items PUBLISHED and not on a monthly salary, also that BAD news sells better than good news - guess what my next article will be about?

I don't understand this at all, but I suppose that it doesn't refer specifically to freelance writers, but to sub-editors. Don't know a newspaper sub-editor earning as little as 20,000 baht -- why is 12,000 baht bracketed beside it? -- but it sounds like they are considered in the same league as English teachers.

It doesn't seem fair that Brits and Aussies will have an advantage over Canadians in seeking media jobs. The minimum/starting wage at the Bkk Post for foreign sub-editors is currently under 60,000 baht, I believe.

[BronzeRider]

This has probably been answered before, but what is the rational behind the different country minimum salary rates?

BR

[BlackJack]

As the som tam lady mixed up her brew she said

discrimination at its best

i see many chinese coming (toxins plan)

i see all foreigners paying tax on their new salaries as thais dont like to pay tax

[s_kates81]

what about thousands of foreigners who are working for private companies under older salaries?which are not up to date as July 2004? what if their respective companies don't increase their salaries to meet new immigration demands?? I think this move is going to leave thousands of expats jobless.

[DaveYo]

Hmmmm, bottom line folks is this---- a mass exodus is due to begin because of this and that and companies are going to be really smart to handle the dough a bit tighter

Daveyo

[dfwbkk]

what about thousands of foreigners who are working for private companies under older salaries?which are not up to date as July 2004? what if their respective companies don't increase their salaries to meet new immigration demands?? I think this move is going to leave thousands of expats jobless.

Simple. They will "on paper" receive the new salary levels (and of course be taxed accordingly) and their boss would pocket the balance between what the company's books says the farang/foreigner is payed and the actual salary... TIT

[DaveYo]

And that means many expats involving high salaries will be jobless within the coming year

Daveyo

[dfwbkk]

And that means many expats involving high salaries will be jobless within the coming year

Daveyo

Well, I'm not to sure about that...unless you're talking about companies with farang/foreign bosses.

If the boss is Thai this is a golden opportunity for him to fatten his pockets with (as far as he is concerned) tax-free cash. My best friend in bkk had this exact thing happen to him in the past (he was making 35k and his Thai boss kept the additional 5k my friend's payslip showed as being "the salary").

Either way, as George mentioned, you'll still be eligible for the work permit - but not the 1 yr visa, so you would have to go back to doing visa runs 4 times/yr.

[DaveYo]

sure sounds simple on paper, but of course not smart cause eventually proof will be needed to show income coming from the banks. Remember they also tied that part of the equation into the picture including your Income Taxes that you file yearly. For the paper deal to work, the banks have to sort of go along with the flow of things... so to speak

If you don't believe me, combine the rules together and see what you come up with.

Daveyo

[brownsugar]

• Burmese, Laotians, Vietnamese, Cambodians and Africans: 25,000 baht (20,000 baht).

25,000 for the brothas , does that mean employers will want me because i'm cheap

From my perspective 25,000 seems like a really low wage that would afford you a really basic existence, I have not spent much time in Thailand so i can't really know. But the few weeks I spent there this year 25k didnt go very far. I will be probably coming to work for a large auto group next year, i hope they dont give me the minimum.

[Foggy Bottom]

• Journalists working for newspapers: 20,000 baht (12,000 baht). Wages of journalists working for magazines and other media are categorized by nationalities.

WHOA THERE NEDDY

When did they sneak this bit in?

Wages of journalists working for magazines and other media are categorized by nationalities

Don't they realise thay most magazine journalists are only paid on items PUBLISHED and not on a monthly salary, also that BAD news sells better than good news - guess what my next article will be about?

I don't understand this at all, but I suppose that it doesn't refer specifically to freelance writers, but to sub-editors. Don't know a newspaper sub-editor earning as little as 20,000 baht -- why is 12,000 baht bracketed beside it? -- but it sounds like they are considered in the same league as English teachers.

It doesn't seem fair that Brits and Aussies will have an advantage over Canadians in seeking media jobs. The minimum/starting wage at the Bkk Post for foreign sub-editors is currently under 60,000 baht, I believe.

Standard "contracts" for Asian resident correspondents for most magazines is on a "paid per word/photo published" basis - this tends to be more true where the correspondent is already in Asia before the contract is made.

Brownsugar - Goverment controlled salary for foreign teachers is 17,800 Baht per month, normally plus a housing allowance of up to 8000 a month.

Living on 25k is very possible (outside Bangkok) if you stay out of the bars and massage parlours. Heck - I lived on 12k for quite some time and got by - can't say it was comfortable but I survived

[dezeure]

• Journalists working for newspapers: 20,000 baht (12,000 baht). Wages of journalists working for magazines and other media are categorized by nationalities.

WHOA THERE NEDDY

When did they sneak this bit in?

Wages of journalists working for magazines and other media are categorized by nationalities

Don't they realise thay most magazine journalists are only paid on items PUBLISHED and not on a monthly salary, also that BAD news sells better than good news - guess what my next article will be about?

I don't understand this at all, but I suppose that it doesn't refer specifically to freelance writers, but to sub-editors. Don't know a newspaper sub-editor earning as little as 20,000 baht -- why is 12,000 baht bracketed beside it? -- but it sounds like they are considered in the same league as English teachers.

It doesn't seem fair that Brits and Aussies will have an advantage over Canadians in seeking media jobs. The minimum/starting wage at the Bkk Post for foreign sub-editors is currently under 60,000 baht, I believe.

The amount between the brackets is what you used to be making to get an extention... they basically just doubled the necessary salaries to extend it.

Hey Toxin, why don't you double our salaries too then...

[Sunbelt Asia]

If you can't be paid the minimum wage, you can still keep a work permit but must resort to the 90 days visa runs.

Correct George. This only is for the one year visa not the multiple entry visa.

www.sunbeltasia.com

[Stephens]

Minimum salaries for non-immigrant visa extensions to work in Thailand - Comment

Thailand is signatory to the Untited Nations Treaty of Human Rights yet continues to practise financial discimination against foreign nationals. Why should a foreign national from one country require a higher salary to be awarded a Thai Visa than a foreign national from another country. Why should foreign nationals pay vastly higher entrance charges to museums and national parks. Thailand itself has a Bill of Human rights which in respect of some Thais and all foreigners is conveniently ignored in pursuit of foreign currency earnings, (visa charges and national parks etc.)

Is there anyone out there who is rich enough to take Taxin and his cronies to the International Court of Human Rights and risk deportation in the process. Doubt it!

Anyone in the developed world who dared charge a person more for a service because of the colour of their skin could find themselves enjoying a holiday in the crow bar motel.

Stephens

Ex Liverpool supporter

[Darknight]

equality and human rights???

Those are concepts Thai's don't understand or even heard of.

The farmer population (80%) has absolutely no clue about this, the richer upper class only got there because they don't bother with human rights and regulations and fairness.

Thailand is like a pudding with a hard crust. The crust is the friendlyness and smiles of them, below it is a non moral puddle of goo that mostly stinks to high heaven.

Up to you on what you want to see; the crust or the pudding

[davethailand]

pleased to say that i already pay that amount for taxes already,

[Goat Roper]

pleased to say that i already pay that amount for taxes already,

Maybe a silly question Dave but is your business considered part of the hospitality industry and if so is there any special tax breaks for that industry? Just curious.

[davethailand]

pleased to say that i already pay that amount for taxes already,

Maybe a silly question Dave but is your business considered part of the hospitality industry and if so is there any special tax breaks for that industry? Just curious.

The only honest answer i can give is "i have'nt a clue"

All the thai staff pay social & salary tax, as do i and my musical director, he & myself are the only 2 work permits.

I know that we are classed differently to say a gogo or disco, as that is how they allow me the operating work permit.

I recently had to send in pictures of the club actually running in the evening, they stated they wanted to see if they're were girls inside.

[Bluecat]

I recently had to send in pictures of the club actually running in the evening, they stated they wanted to see if they're were girls inside.

The ladies' room must have been packed when you took the pictures,...

[Dutchy]

If you can't be paid the minimum wage, you can still keep a work permit but must resort to the 90 days visa runs.

Correct George. This only is for the one year visa not the multiple entry visa.

www.sunbeltasia.com

There is something fundamentally wrong in a country where the government gives you a one year work permit but doesn't want to give you a one year visa...

Ain't that stupid!

Dutchy