3 Things that will make your relationship successful in Thailand

[VictoryEyes365]

I am a regular traveller to Thailand, currently in my 30s, working in the field of computer software and firmware. I am looking to find a way to stay long term in Thailand.

I am considering taking up Master program at Chula, and then shall find a job in Thailand. However, at the same time, i have a Master program offer from Sheffield Univ of UK.

I am in a dilemma now. Do i just choose Chula and hope that i will be gainfully employed after graduation? Or go for the Sheffield Univ program and only after earning the degree, go to Thailand ?

Thank you for reading and i appreciate any response.

[samran]

if it is the MBA from Sasin, which is done partly with the US universities, then I'd say go for it.

[VictoryEyes365]

if it is the MBA from Sasin, which is done partly with the US universities, then I'd say go for it.

it is MA in Economics from Chula, and i have an offer in similar program from Sheffield University.

[RAZZELL]

if it is the MBA from Sasin, which is done partly with the US universities, then I'd say go for it.

it is MA in Economics from Chula, and i have an offer in similar program from Sheffield University.

I think if you're actually going to "use" the MBA...ie get a job in the corporate world, go to Sheffield.

If you want to study as a way of living in LOS, then go to Chula. Ask yourself, what do you really want?

Plus Sheffield is freezing in the winter!

RAZZ

Edited May 19, 2008 by RAZZELL

[johnnyk]

Sheffield MA will have more cred in the west but Chula gets you an education visa that you can use to stay l-o-o-o-ng tahm.

My buddy did the Sasin MBA and said it was excellent, it followed Wharton program with visiting profs from Wharton also.

Edited May 20, 2008 by johnnyk

[JSixpack]

Do i just choose Chula and hope that i will be gainfully employed after graduation? Or go for the Sheffield Univ program and only after earning the degree, go to Thailand ?

Neither exactly. You go for the Sheffield Univ program and after earning the degree you stay in blighty and work, save, and invest obsessively towards financial security and independence. Live in Thailand (if you must) only when you have an independent survival (at least) income that you can supplement if you must. Until that day, enjoy holidays in Thailand.

There's no future for the average young person working Thailand unless you can get an expat package from home. Even then, you shouldn't stay too long. There are exceptions, just as you have rock stars back home, people with remarkable energy and entrepreneurial ability, but very few; and you are not one of them: if you were, you wouldn't be asking, and you'd know that you would be self-employed.

[VictoryEyes365]

There's no future for the average young person working Thailand unless you can get an expat package from home. Even then, you shouldn't stay too long. There are exceptions, just as you have rock stars back home, people with remarkable energy and entrepreneurial ability, but very few; and you are not one of them: if you were, you wouldn't be asking, and you'd know that you would be self-employed.

I like your reply. However, i am intrigued by your saying there is no future for average young person working in Thailand. Is this only specific to Thais or including foreigners and Thais? Success in Thailand is only for exceptional individuals?

[PhilHarries]

There's no future for the average young person working Thailand unless you can get an expat package from home. Even then, you shouldn't stay too long. There are exceptions, just as you have rock stars back home, people with remarkable energy and entrepreneurial ability, but very few; and you are not one of them: if you were, you wouldn't be asking, and you'd know that you would be self-employed.

I like your reply. However, i am intrigued by your saying there is no future for average young person working in Thailand. Is this only specific to Thais or including foreigners and Thais? Success in Thailand is only for exceptional individuals?

I agree entirely with JS. As for the future for a young person working in Thailand just think it through. You will be "struggling" along, the degree to which you struggle depends on your lifestyle desires, on a Thai salary. After a few years of this you may decide this life aint for you and want to return home. Back home you will have a degree from a Thai uni which may, or may not, get any recognition in the job market. Your entire professional experience will be Thai based and, unless you find a company doing a lot of business in S.E Asia, you will struggle with no network of business contacts in Europe.

Better to get a UK degree and significant work experience and then try for work in Thailand. At least with a degree you could try teaching but in any case you have your degree and work experience to fall back on if it doesn't work out.

[JSixpack]

There's no future for the average young person working Thailand unless you can get an expat package from home. Even then, you shouldn't stay too long. There are exceptions, just as you have rock stars back home, people with remarkable energy and entrepreneurial ability, but very few; and you are not one of them: if you were, you wouldn't be asking, and you'd know that you would be self-employed.

I like your reply. However, i am intrigued by your saying there is no future for average young person working in Thailand. Is this only specific to Thais or including foreigners and Thais? Success in Thailand is only for exceptional individuals?

Well, now, a Thai would hardly be on a expat package in his own country, now would he?

But as for young Thais, suffice it to say on such a large topic that they don't have an easy time of it either unless their parents are wealthy and well-connected. In any case, it is far easier for Thais to live in Thailand than for farang and their success will be measured by Thai standards.

We will probably hear from some farang who have visited Thailand who will insist they can also be Thai and besides would have no problem living like rats, come to that. That will be the usual hot air. I've given you sincere advice and I hope for own sake that you follow it.

[Prakanong]

My undergrad is from Sheffield and its a good University but I do not know about their MBA - the Economics department was always well respected though with some "Name" guy's there.

I am also doing my MBA at a English Uni as well - I did look at NUS and Nanyang here in Singapore but i like the format of the UK one better .

As for getting a job long term in Thailand with either - with the Chula you may get to network and you may get to Thai the same standard our girls in Thailand speak English ie at a level to work competently in life sciences and attend international congresses - then they only get between 45k and 100k THB a month - is this your long term plan?

Unless you have a specific interest in something like developmental economics i would go for a more general business degree like an MBA at yuor age and career stage - but thats just me.

[steveromagnino]

My undergrad is from Sheffield and its a good University but I do not know about their MBA - the Economics department was always well respected though with some "Name" guy's there.

Unless you have a specific interest in something like developmental economics i would go for a more general business degree like an MBA at yuor age and career stage - but thats just me.

I would agree. You might learn a lot and love economics (I love marketing science which is not dissimilar to mico economics in a lot of respects) but it is not a degree that will necessarily be particularly useful on a CV to land a plum job; in fact economics as a field is a bit like the hard sciences; a BSc is virtually useless if you want to work in physics AFAIK, you need to go all the way and get either a masters of PhD and then after that the job market is fairly limited and specialised.

MBA, much as Prakanong knows I consider to be a bit of a jack of all trades master of none type degree (if he can recall my tirades on the subject 6-7 years ago) is one of the most practical for job hunting and networking. So yeah, I ended up with one.

And being right in the age range you are talking (mid 30s) I can say if you have a practical bent, you can be earning something a fair bit better than 40-100k within a few years, something more like 3 - 8 times that. And yes, I have always earned local wages here. Sadly. There is simply no way as a foreigner to live on less than about 150k a month these days IMHO, because foreigners cannot live like Thai people do (no parents to bludge off, cannot eat much local food, have to be travelling home from time to time, etc etc). Maybe start off on 75k at the absolute min, but you have to be around 150k within a couple of years, otherwise no chance ot save a dime. All my friends of similar age, incidentally, would be on 150k or more for sure and all local wages. Not hard.

no reason not to do an MBA by correspondence or one of these distance based courses; Sasin is infinitely better than Chula BTW in terms of connections....economics at Chula you will be alongside plenty of smart people from good familieis, but none of those connections will probably help you much with securing a job. MM from Sasin I think or MM from Mahidol would be my two picks.

But degree out of Singapore or LSE or the like (a name school that Thai people know) would help more. Bear in mind that almost every secretary, lower level manager and middle manager has a masters here in Thailand, they are waaaaaaaaaaay more common here than where I grew up.

Prakanong's field is somewhat specialised, so I would go for something more bulls&*t and general - marketing, finance, Comscience type stuff - Thailand businesses mostly need generalists, not specialists.

And speak Thai. Helps a fair bit. And don't speak english with a hard to understand accent And no hos.

Edited May 23, 2008 by steveromagnino

[Prakanong]

We had a fire dril this morning so headed to a Kaya toast place with 2 of our Dr's both of which are considering an MBA so it was discussed. These are specialist medical Dr's now working in clinical research but know they will probably need an MBA to rise up the management ladder either withing pharma or if they return to clinical work to be department head's etc.

It is a general degree - very general but you can specilaise where you like and also do your project / dissertation in a field that really interests you. If you want to do primary research for a higher mark and depth of knowledge you can but if you want somethng simpler do a strategic analysis or secondary research - its really up to you.

It is my current intention to do some primary research in a pretty new area in the field I work in but of course thatmay change.

I do enjoy the jack of all trades scenario after my previous undergrad and post-grad which were specific asrea's of study. You can dig deeper in area's that interest you and coast through others if you like.

As Stevermangino said Masters are pretty common in Thailand - most of our Thai staff have them as far as I can tell - we even had an Harvard MBA with a first in pharma start with us!

[VictoryEyes365]

I would agree. You might learn a lot and love economics (I love marketing science which is not dissimilar to mico economics in a lot of respects) but it is not a degree that will necessarily be particularly useful on a CV to land a plum job; in fact economics as a field is a bit like the hard sciences; a BSc is virtually useless if you want to work in physics AFAIK, you need to go all the way and get either a masters of PhD and then after that the job market is fairly limited and specialised.

...

And speak Thai. Helps a fair bit. And don't speak english with a hard to understand accent And no hos.

Yeah, i am in my mid 30s.. It looks like i have to do a PhD after the master degree, to have a chance of working in the field of economics. It is a long journey ahead for me. Probably i will make it before 40. Or i won't.

[VictoryEyes365]

My undergrad is from Sheffield and its a good University but I do not know about their MBA - the Economics department was always well respected though with some "Name" guy's there.

I am also doing my MBA at a English Uni as well - I did look at NUS and Nanyang here in Singapore but i like the format of the UK one better .

From your post, i think you are working and doing your MBA at an English Uni, simultaneously. Is it via distance learning?