What Is A Good Salary In Bangkok?

[PvtDick]

The British Chamber of Commerce Thailand publishes an "Expat Cost of Living Survey" every year. Here is the description:

Annual Expatriate Cost of Living Survey

Prepared exclusively for BCCT members, this survey provides detailed information on a full range of living costs including rents, transportation, consumer goods, education, household utilities, drivers and domestic staff, healthcare and other insurance expenses, and a broad selection of food items. Available on the BCCT website with previous issues in the Doing Business section.

You can download it from the BCCT website: www.bccthai.com

Very useful in getting an idea what the top-end expat lifestyle might end up costing you.

[penelope]

If you got out of the executive expat "zone" and lived like a middle class Thai, you could save incredible amounts of money

I have to disagree.

Most executive and/or senior expats have pretty much everything provided free as part of the relocation package (transport/travel,apartment,per-diems, schooling/nannying, recreation(sports club,gym),entertainment(dining out with clients etc...),insurance etc....).

Therfore the majority of the earned salary goes straight into savings.

^This could be true. It's hard to tell without more info from OP.

It is true(based on first hand experience, except for the schooling nannying bit, but I know others who get that provided too.)

[simple1]

I recommend you have a meeting with your H.R. Department as I assume your employer is not offering the full support services of an Executive Expat overseas package. If they are you would not be asking the questions you have posted to this Board. One issue that seems not to have been bought to your attention is the requirement to invest in a private medical insurance package for your family.

By the way from your self description you will most definately be considered a falang by the vast majority of Thai's.

Best wishes...

[thedeepblue]

For an expat posting(based on personal and colleague experience), I would pitch for a package that includes :

-3 bedroom fully serviced apartment (preferably near to your office), power,phone,water,internet etc..... paid for(usually all packaged at 1 price in the upper end apartments ~ 80K permonth +)

-car + driver

-per diem for daily work related expenses

-recreation provision ie: gym/country club access

-full medical/travel insurance for family

-all travel expenses paid for

-all visas/permits taken care of for you and family

-return travel twice a year for whole family to your homeland

-salary the same as what you would expect in the the West

Can't comment much on the kids/schooling situation cos I haven't been in that boat. Although some senior expats I know have schooling, nannies etc.. provided in their packages too.

you don't want much then, no wonder prices are going crazy over there.

you also forgot to ask for someone to wipe your backside as well.

a lot of people seem to forget that the whole point of working overseas is the the cultural experience, not to make a profit!!

as long as you don't end up out of pocket and getting the experience of another country then you can't complain.

everyone should work overseas, it broadens your horizons, makes you wiser (worldly) and then when on the rarest of ocassion when the US tv actually cover world news you know exactly where it is that they are talking about.

[penelope]

a lot of people seem to forget that the whole point of working overseas is the the cultural experience

These are more or less de facto standards for senior transferrals/postings amongst the major multinationals in Bangkok (and worldwide for that matter).

You can most definately absorb the cultural experience and maintain remuneration standards/advance your career at the same time.

Testiment to this fact are the many expats, of the above ilk that I know, that are very skilled at the thai language, very well travelled throughout Thailand and from working with and interacting with Thai people for many years, have a solid understanding and respect for thai culture and thai ways.And also many expats who do make considerable profits(personal or corporate) , are very philanthropic towards local charities and goodwill causes.

The whole point of working overseas is different for everyone.

[amarka]

so it looks like theres not much point in buying a condo if you take a massive hit on it..

better to rent and invest the money, I was thinking of buying a condo, but it looks like I am going to change my mind and just rent... dont like loosing money!

amarka

[boris]

a lot of people seem to forget that the whole point of working overseas is the the cultural experience, not to make a profit!!

as long as you don't end up out of pocket and getting the experience of another country then you can't complain.

I have to disagree based on 30 years knowledge and experience of expatriate life employed by multinational corporations.Of course the cultural experience is a bonus but, take my word for it, most expatriates at a senior level would expect to bank between 50% and 75% of their salaries.Without this level of capital accumulation, I doubt whether most would accept overseas postings because contrary to conventional wisdom an overseas posting does not always enhance one's career prospects back home.I would stress I am talking about highly competent and well educated senior level managers in sizeable corporations with total remuneration packages (ie including benefits) in region, in Thailand's case, of Bt 2500-750,0000 per month gross, depending on level of seniority.

To be slightly unkind, it's the middle aged wastrels here who delude themseves about the cultural experience -which they in most cases don't really understand anyway- to compensate for their repetitive and necessarily frugal lives

[penelope]

a lot of people seem to forget that the whole point of working overseas is the the cultural experience, not to make a profit!!

as long as you don't end up out of pocket and getting the experience of another country then you can't complain.

I have to disagree based on 30 years knowledge and experience of expatriate life employed by multinational corporations.Of course the cultural experience is a bonus but, take my word for it, most expatriates at a senior level would expect to bank between 50% and 75% of their salaries.Without this level of capital accumulation, I doubt whether most would accept overseas postings because contrary to conventional wisdom an overseas posting does not always enhance one's career prospects back home.I would stress I am talking about highly competent and well educated senior level managers in sizeable corporations with total remuneration packages (ie including benefits) in region, in Thailand's case, of Bt 2500-750,0000 per month gross, depending on level of seniority.

To be slightly unkind, it's the middle aged wastrels here who delude themseves about the cultural experience -which they in most cases don't really understand anyway- to compensate for their repetitive and necessarily frugal lives

1st paragraph..very accurate.

2nd paragraph...ROFL.

....and that monthly remuneration can top 1 million baht in many cases, particualry general manager, head of branch type postings.

[bkk_mike]

... of Bt 2500-750,0000 per month gross, depending on level of seniority.

2,500 baht a month - a little short of the WP requirements... (assume you meant 250,000 - 750,000)

I think the expat package differences are between someone who is employed by a firm abroad and is posted here for a couple of years (where, yes, you should expect house, schooling, etc. paid for by the company), and someone who is hired for a job here, not as a posting from abroad - where he will be treated by HR more like a local employee (just paid more because of his experience / knowledge / Work Permit requirement).

i.e. Someone posted to Thailand is different than someone employed FOR Thailand, at least as far as perks are concerned...

[boris]

... of Bt 2500-750,0000 per month gross, depending on level of seniority.

2,500 baht a month - a little short of the WP requirements... (assume you meant 250,000 - 750,000)

I think the expat package differences are between someone who is employed by a firm abroad and is posted here for a couple of years (where, yes, you should expect house, schooling, etc. paid for by the company), and someone who is hired for a job here, not as a posting from abroad - where he will be treated by HR more like a local employee (just paid more because of his experience / knowledge / Work Permit requirement).

i.e. Someone posted to Thailand is different than someone employed FOR Thailand, at least as far as perks are concerned...

Yes I think that's a very valid distinction.A couple of further points.The full Monty expat package is becoming increasingly rare partly because of the expense to the employer and partly because there are many benefits in hiring locals (and not just because they are cheaper).In the full expat package it was quite normal for the employer to pay tax on behalf of the expat employee.Since this was a benefit in kind it was itself taxable and a grossing up process took place which made the expat package even more expensive.Some of the resentment expressed at fatcat expats on a full benefits package is misplaced because it doesn't take into account the beancounters back at every corporate HQ who look for every available opportunity to reduce costs.Thus, in the context of intensive and increasing scrutiny of costs, there is the likelihood that the vast majority of well paid expats make a real contribution to company profits.There's no free ride these days.