Advice from the pros

[Seadog USN]

Good evening guys,

 My name Is Jason I am currently employed with the U.S. Navy and live in Japan. I first visited Thailand a few years ago with my ship and have returned a few times both with the ship and on personal vacations. As with most people I really enjoyed my time there. As I said before I am living in Japan now and have been for some time so the fact of living overseas is quite feasible for me and I enjoy it quite a bit.

I currently Work in the electronics field. Mostly in Radar and display systems for maintenance, repair and operations. I really don't think that this is a skill that would warrant a foreign employee like myself. I was wanting to know what field of work the expats in Thailand actually do. Or whatever else brought you there.

I am currently planning in the sense of the long term(around 7-10 years down the road at a minimum) so any advice on training would be appreciated, I am currently in great standing with the navy and can receive almost any training I want and could have around 5-10 years experience in it before I'm ready to try expatriation. I was thinking to go a more IT route as it seems that is the most attractive with foreign employers these days.

 Well, any info is good info. Thanks for taking the time to read.

                 V/R  Jason

[lopburi3]

There are very few expats here in Thailand working at anything other than English teaching and education that are hired locally.  Most are sent here by their overseas firms and hold mid-high level management or engineering positions.  But who knows.  If you become an expert at an engineering speciality it 'could' open a door down the road but it is hard to say what will be required at that time.  But there is and probably will be a severe shortage in this field as most Thai prefer to study business.  But in general I would work on getting higher formal education - which can help you here, there, or anywhere.  In a few years you may find the desire to live here to be less a priority.

[paper]

Hi Jason,

Lop is right very tough getting a job other than teaching English. If you don't mind teaching English then check out www.ajarn.com plenty of jobs advertised there and few takers coz the pay is <deleted>!

Oh, and one more thing Thais do not like colored people so  if you are not caucasian then it will be very difficult for you to find employment here even as an English teacher. The only place that hires colored teachers is the American University Alumni Language center on Rajadamri rd or government Universities. It would be a good idea if you don't mind teaching doing a one-month teaching certificate course here in Thailand prior to sending out job applications, cost around $ 800.

[LPCustom69]

Do you have a contact or website for the company doing the one month teaching certificate for $800? The one place I contacted wanted $1500. Thanks!!

:cool:

[Brian]

I would avoid I.T. if I was you. The glory days of being a highly-skilled highly-paid I.T Specialist are just about over. There are too many companies now that can outsource their projects to companies in India that pay the staff peanuts.

And for every local job that's advertised there is usually hundreds of applicants.

The skills shortage that existed in the 80's and early 90's is now gone, and so have most of the high salaries.

[Seadog USN]

Hey thanks for the response guys,

 I had a feeling that there was not going to be many options nowadays. Can't help feeling that I am coming up in the beginning of the wrong generation at every turn, and missing every great wave by about 10 years. Well, like I said I have time on my side so I guess I'll use the time to finish up my degree, probably a bachelors in an engineering field might give me something to work with. If not Thailand maybe by then somewhere else will begin to develop a need. I just cannot at this point see returning to the States to live out my life. And SE Asia has become as comfortable as home to me in the past years.

Well I'm still open to thoughts and thanks again for the info.

[dazdaz]

Maybe now would be a good time for us all to discuss Thailand alternatives, something that we've not tackled.  Something that i'm keen to hear opinions about.  Obviously HK and Singapore being obvious easier expat destinations, easier but still not easy though.  Indonesia appears to be suffering from violence / terrorism issues.  Japan appears cool, i've not been there, but the whole work ethos/salary man does'nt appeal to me (nice women though).  China could be interesting, if you like culture, history, philosophy etc, I think the expat community will go through the roof in China.  South Korea always seems to be on the verge of a nuclear war with the North which concerns me a little.  Vietnam may appeal to you as an ex Navy man (by that time).  Cambodia and Laos interest me, the press has unfortunately given Cambodia a very bad name, but it does appear an interesting place, same for Laos, there's something nice about being in the third world, earning a decent salary, far far away from the west.

Again, i'd love to hear thoughts from anyone with more experience than me on this.

Malaysia

Laos

Cambodia

Singapore

Hong Kong

Indonesia

China

Japan

Taiwan

Korea

Vietnam

I know what you mean about wrong generation, i've got stuck in the IT market, and it's no fun, although I started out doing it as a hobby which it still is, so i'll go the distance, but at the moment it does'nt open the doors it used to, I do believe that technology will go through another wave some day.. although by that time, I think I will be ready to quit IT and move onto something else, perhaps something outdoors.

Perhaps you could setup your own business, that's a solution around getting an impossible position.  You'd have enough time to learn what was required, scout the market, learn Thai, learn some more about Thai culture and business, then you'd be the most prepared Businessman in Thailand  

Another approach would be to choose a niche skill, train in that and then try to sell your skills either as a consultant or try a few companies.

It's interesting that you say you can't see yourself returning to the States, I keep on hearing Americans repeating that, once they've seen other countries.

Regards