How Much Would You Have To Be Paid...

[Sir_Sanuk]

What is the minimum salary you would consider acceptable for living in Bangkok when you have a good degree from a decent university and a couple of years experience in your chosen field that would enable you to get a good job back home?

I've been working in Bangkok for 2 years now on a Thai salary but every day I'm getting more and more worried that by staying here I am screwing up my future financially (no savings and growing debt).

In fact, my salary is no longer even covering my monthly expenses so I my plan is to explain my situation to my boss (an American) and tell him that either I get a payrise or I will have no choice but to go back to the UK... but what kind of salary do you think I should aim for?

I'm just curious to hear what other people here would be happy to live on..

[PCA]

What is the minimum salary you would consider acceptable for living in Bangkok when you have a good degree from a decent university and a couple of years experience in your chosen field that would enable you to get a good job back home?

I've been working in Bangkok for 2 years now on a Thai salary but every day I'm getting more and more worried that by staying here I am screwing up my future financially (no savings and growing debt).

In fact, my salary is no longer even covering my monthly expenses so I my plan is to explain my situation to my boss (an American) and tell him that either I get a payrise or I will have no choice but to go back to the UK... but what kind of salary do you think I should aim for?

I'm just curious to hear what other people here would be happy to live on..

4k US net at least. Don't waste your time and potential for a sucker. You will badly regret it. Go back home and get a career. Nothing is worse and more self destructive than getting burned out in country like Thailand and especially in Bkk.

[samran]

what do you do and what ball park figure do you get paid now?

[blizzard]

son, get out of bangkok now. this is not the place to make it. make it somewhere else and cum back then.

your boss must think you a fool to pay you thai wages, unless you no better than thai worker. i can tell by what they pay you you are not a valued employee( or they think you a , you know.....

Edited June 27, 2007 by blizzard

[samran]

threads merged.....

multiple posts delted...

[Sir_Sanuk]

well, when I say Thai salary it is 40K baht a month. I work as a writer and editor for a specialist magazine publisher and design agency.

[samran]

well, when I say Thai salary it is 40K baht a month. I work as a writer and editor for a specialist magazine publisher and design agency.

walk away.

As someone else said, $4K per month, means that while you are probably being paid relatively less than in the UK, you'll probably be able to save a heap more towards private pensions and for things like decent health insurance...which for me is important.

The market in the UK, I know from a friends experience, is a hard one to crack too and the pay is lousy at entry level, but the level of difficulty doesn't mean that you should slog it out here for 600 quid a month in thailand.

[bendix]

While I have sympathy for the OP, I'm not really sure going to his employer demanding a big salary is going to work. Supply and demand and all that <deleted>, I'm afraid.

The Bkk market is awash with english language writers / editors (not to mention english teachers masquerading as such) all prepared to undercut each other to grab jobs. It's a buyer's market. I'm not sure why the employer wouldnt just say: "ok, if you're not happy, have a nice life . .NEXT!"

The sale and purchase of labour and skills is - rightly or wrongly - completely at the discretion of the marketplace.

Having said that, 40k does seem light but while someone is prepared to do it for that sum - and believe me, there will be many who are - then that is the market rate.

[teejay]

You shoud go back home and try to build a good career there, first. Bangkok is not the place for fresh graduates on the up and up... (i.e. do you see Thai companies recruiting at the big schools back home, I seriously doubt it)... If you're smart and have good prospects, get out of bangkok and make it big somewhere else where the opportinities abound for the driven. Then come and spend your money here in Thailand. Who knows, by then you may be a fatcat and will vacay where the fatcats vacay... nowhere near here.

I'm serious about my advice. Every year you spend here in Thailand is not adding experience or credibility on your resume as your future employer sees it.

"Oh, so I see you spent 2 years in Bangkok, eh... how them girls over there?"

vs.

"Oh, so I see you've spent 2 years over at Barclays London, eh.... when can you start?"

These are very different scenerios with very different outcomes...

edit. I wrote that response before knowing the OP's salary and employment area. I still say go, though.

Edited June 27, 2007 by teejay

[blizzard]

sir i object!

the rest of the planet does not see bkk as a place for chicks and you know..........................NOT!

[Sir_Sanuk]

While I have sympathy for the OP, I'm not really sure going to his employer demanding a big salary is going to work. Supply and demand and all that <deleted>, I'm afraid.

The Bkk market is awash with english language writers / editors (not to mention english teachers masquerading as such) all prepared to undercut each other to grab jobs. It's a buyer's market. I'm not sure why the employer wouldnt just say: "ok, if you're not happy, have a nice life . .NEXT!"

The sale and purchase of labour and skills is - rightly or wrongly - completely at the discretion of the marketplace.

Having said that, 40k does seem light but while someone is prepared to do it for that sum - and believe me, there will be many who are - then that is the market rate.

well my boss has previously promised me a better salary on many occasions but it has never materialised. Also, the company is involved in a very specialist field and having worked here for some time I have built up a knowledge of the industry that would not be easy to replace...

[blizzard]

this guys not gonna listen. must be the girls...lol.

bkk will chew him up and spit him out like yesterdays news.

good luck sir.

[Sir_Sanuk]

this guys not gonna listen. must be the girls...lol.

bkk will chew him up and spit him out like yesterdays news.

good luck sir.

I am gonna listen... this is something that I'm thinking about seriously, that's why I asked in the first place!

[Jackaroe]

It is unimportant what others would work for to stay in BKK, it is what you are willing to work for. Afterall, each of us living and working in T-land have different opportunity costs. If you could be pulling down 100,000 Pounds a year in the UK, it would be more difficult to choose to work in Thailand for 40,000 Baht a month than if you are giving up working as a burgher flipper at Mc Donalds. It is possible to make a career here in Thailand and move up the ladder, financially and professionally, but it is not an easy task (My current salary is at least 6 times what I started with when I first moved here).

Every choice in life requires tradoffs, if you have better options, go for it. If not, make do. Sure, there will be those on expat salaries that will try to belittle you for working for Thai wages, but try to understand the motivations of those giving you this "advice" I have worked for Thai wages and have had expat salaries while working in Thailand, but salary has little to do with my decision to spend nearly a decade in the country (so far).

Don't try to live your life using benchmarks created by someone else.

Edited June 27, 2007 by Jackaroe

[blizzard]

so you recommend him staying in a job where he is increasing his debt load every minute. good plan sir. most work to get ahead not drown.........lol.

[bendix]

well my boss has previously promised me a better salary on many occasions but it has never materialised. Also, the company is involved in a very specialist field and having worked here for some time I have built up a knowledge of the industry that would not be easy to replace...

What your boss has promised you in the past is, sadly, immaterial. The specialism or not, too, is only mildly relevant.

You have something to sell. Your boss wants to buy it. All that's left is the haggle over the price. If one side is not happy with the price being suggested, each is free to drop the deal.

It's as simple as that, really.

You can only measure your value to the organisation that way. 40,000 is the mark your customer/boss has offered. You have accepted. If you want more, ask him and if he says no you have a simple choice - stay or go and offer your specialist skill somewhere else in Bangkok.

Now THAT is another different part of the picture . . . .

[andy1308]

I'm also in the publishing industry in Bangkok, and I think it's true to say that it's not the best paid profession. I guess that has a lot to do with the fact that many publications come and go, leaving lots of staff chasing few jobs. Publishers can afford to offer low salaries because there are many people who will accept a below-market-rate wage just to be working. (Pretty much what Bendix said).

I am not supporting low salaries at all - just trying to explain them. I'm a bit different to the OP because I came here with more than 15 years media experience in the UK - hence I have skills that are in demand and that few others have. Bendix is right - there are many 'English' writers or editors, but if a publisher wants a decent level of experience or specific skills then generally they will have to recruit from overseas - and pay accordingly.

The going rate in the UK for an editor, even on a small-scale local newspaper or magazine, would be at least 28,000 - 32,000 a year. And there are quite a few jobs at that level currently available.

[PCA]

It is unimportant what others would work for to stay in BKK, it is what you are willing to work for. Afterall, each of us living and working in T-land have different opportunity costs. If you could be pulling down 100,000 Pounds a year in the UK, it would be more difficult to choose to work in Thailand for 40,000 Baht a month than if you are giving up working as a burgher flipper at Mc Donalds. It is possible to make a career here in Thailand and move up the ladder, financially and professionally, but it is not an easy task (My current salary is at least 6 times what I started with when I first moved here).

Every choice in life requires tradoffs, if you have better options, go for it. If not, make do. Sure, there will be those on expat salaries that will try to belittle you for working for Thai wages, but try to understand the motivations of those giving you this "advice" I have worked for Thai wages and have had expat salaries while working in Thailand, but salary has little to do with my decision to spend nearly a decade in the country (so far).

Don't try to live your life using benchmarks created by someone else.

Sir Sanuk said that his current job conditions are showing "no savings and growing debts" and thats enough hard facts to make an instant change. What to wait for? A financial downtrend while time is rapidly working against him.

Bendix said its a buyers market and others are standing in the line to grab the job, very true too probably. You can be out of the business with a fingersnip.

Me too I hate benchmarks or limitations from others but when I know that I am doing the wrong thing I do not hesitate to take action. Apply to other companies working in your field and lie them the blue from the sky about your salary and show them that you have a good job currently but looking for something more challenging. Then fake some replies or maybe you will get real offers, go to your boss and tell him: here we stand and thats what I want. If it all doesnt work out then buy a ticket and make your way somewhere else. Be creative and dont let them sheer you like a sheep.

[Jackaroe]

PCA

I have to agree with you in general, but are you sure moving on for the fun guy would automatically result in savings and no debt?

One should constantly explore options, but not all of us have the ability to pick and choice jobs at random.

[BlackArtemis]

I would have to say 100k minimum. My wife (Thai) and I bring in 70k+ with teaching in Chiang Mai and live comfortably, with the increase of rent etc I would even dare to say 100k might be a step down...

[Jackaroe]

PCA

I have to agree with you in general, but are you sure moving on for the fun guy would automatically result in savings and no debt?

One should constantly explore options, but not all of us have the ability to pick and choice jobs at random.

[dsfbrit]

Sir_Sanuk,

I was in this forum for a completely different reason and I have no idea of the wage structure in Bangkok.

I was however struck by your question.

I suggest you answer the following standard question:

- where do you see yourself in 5 years time both professionally and personally.

Be honest with yourself.

Then decide what you need to fund that ambition.

If you cannot achieve it in Thailand then go where you can achieve it, but you need to answer this first!

Mind you the advice above sounds pretty sensible to me - return to Thailand when you can take it easy.

Good luck with whatever you decide - even if you make a poor decision now there is no reason you cannot sort it out in a few years time!

[backflip]

"I've been working in Bangkok for 2 years now on a Thai salary but every day I'm getting more and more worried that by staying here I am screwing up my future financially (no savings and growing debt). In fact, my salary is no longer even covering my monthly expenses...what kind of salary do you think I should aim for? I'm just curious to hear what other people here would be happy to live on.."

Who cares, it's YOUR life. Since you didn't disclose your salary, we can't comment in it. As to "what kind", I can only offer "higher".

[PCA]

PCA

I have to agree with you in general, but are you sure moving on for the fun guy would automatically result in savings and no debt?

One should constantly explore options, but not all of us have the ability to pick and choice jobs at random.

Jack,

it has to result in savings and the way to no debts. And the OP is not picking jobs randomly. The best circumstances to apply for a better job is when you have a job and can negotiate without too much pressure accordingly. His boss was just making him long teeth for an increase of salary and didnt keep it while the air gets thinner. There is no point to inhale Bkk smog all day and sweating at the noodle soup stand for peanuts and no objectives for a change to prosperity.

[Sir_Sanuk]

"I've been working in Bangkok for 2 years now on a Thai salary but every day I'm getting more and more worried that by staying here I am screwing up my future financially (no savings and growing debt). In fact, my salary is no longer even covering my monthly expenses...what kind of salary do you think I should aim for? I'm just curious to hear what other people here would be happy to live on.."

Who cares, it's YOUR life. Since you didn't disclose your salary, we can't comment in it. As to "what kind", I can only offer "higher".

I did disclose it... 40,000 baht per month

[Gary A]

Sorry but when you have a thousand farangs willing to kill for 30,000 baht per month, you are not in a good negotiating position. Go home, make some money, earn a pension and come back when you can afford to stay.

[Heng]

After a certain point, money doesn't really mean much. I bet you can live well (with well being totally relative) as long as you are single, between 30,000 and a couple million Baht a month. Yeah, I know most Thais can live well on less... but the major difference is that we all have the legal right to stay here permanently and don't have to plan for 'moving back home.'

I'd say try it out, but don't forget to have a plan B. And don't do something silly like start a family at that income level.

[Zeid]

Again

why cant it be the employee's problem if 40k are nto enough, maybe a budgetting course is in order,

if i get 40k to start with in BKK i will be moving there in a sec,

it is all about budgeting.

if a thai can live in bangkok on 8k you can easily make it on 40k as long as you do sacrifices and ammend your living style.

[teejay]

After a certain point, money doesn't really mean much. I bet you can live well (with well being totally relative) as long as you are single, between 30,000 and a couple million Baht a month. Yeah, I know most Thais can live well on less... but the major difference is that we all have the legal right to stay here permanently and don't have to plan for 'moving back home.'

I'd say try it out, but don't forget to have a plan B. And don't do something silly like start a family at that income level.

good advice here. I'd follow it.

[blizzard]

i lub saying this. bkk is great for dudes who made it somewhere else. it aint no place for a westerner to live thai style.

dude you aint near the point where you have enuff munney.

guys giving lots of good advice but looks klike he leaning to the little bad advice given.

oh well, we tried.