Thailand Advertsising Business

[advertiser]

I´ve been in European advertising business (client and agency) for about 4 years now.

Doing mostly international and local TV, print ad and web campaigns including leading project teams, leading agencies, attending shoots, adapting the creatives for different countries etc.

Now I am trying to move to Thailand. Seems quite difficult to find a job in this business.

Can anybody give me some advice please?

Thanks a lot

[Richard Hall]

As per my knowledge advertising business is on the job restriction list for foreigners. Can imagine that possibly the idea behind this is that foreigners might interfere with cultural aspects when creating advertisements particularly intended for the local market. What in one county is considered humerous can be misunderstood or even offending in others.

Like in brokerage and/or juristical business, however, the situation might be different if your client target group or your service is targetting at foreigners and/or foreign markets only which surely limits your chances to find employment in Thai advertising business even more. Guess, under these circumstances you should focus on companies which's main activity is to produce advertisements for abroad markets.

Best of luck.

Richard

[camster]

l'm a graphic designer/illustrator living in Thailand during winter months (last 4 years). If you do manage to find a job in advertising it usually pays little, is in Bangkok, and you get treated like most employees in Thailand. I dont waste my time looking for work here but rather look internationally. One project from a western company usually pays 4 or 5 times better than any work I can get in Thailand.

The only other way to make any decent money in Thailand is to open your own business. You would probably have better luck applying for a business as Graphic Design/Web Development as opposed to advertising as Thailand is pushing to become a computer tech/multimedia center and were handing out work permits for this industry quickly (not sure if they still are). good luck.

camster

[farangman]

>>As per my knowledge advertising business is on the job restriction list for foreigners. <<

Actually this is not true. I work for an agency here in Thailand. Jobs are very hard to come by if you are a farang and if on the off chance you do get hired, it is likely it will be on local rates.

The best way of achieving success in my opinion is to get moved here by an agency from farang land which obviously means a farang salary as well.

Most westerners in agencies here in Bangkok (and there are quite a few) came via this route.

Cheers

farangman

[Richard Hall]

I stand corrected - thanks farangman. Making a cross-check about the 39 restricted occupations for foreigners in Thailand "advertising" does not appear (anymore?).

In older sources this kind of service industry still fell under the forbidden category but in more recent listings there is no mentioning.

Possibly, it has been excluded in respect of Thailand's effort to promote film projects here and also making the county a design and fashion hub.

Surely, a good move and well at least a little brighter perspective for advertiser who originally opened this thread.