Looking To Move To Samui, Is Finding A Job Realistic ?

[1927]

Hello there !

Myself and my girlfriend are looking to move to Samui at the end of the year, we currently saving up so we can rent a place and live there no worries for at least 6 months, but we would love to stay longer,

We are both 29 years old and from Wales, UK and have been coming to Samui for about 7 years and just love the place...

Is it realistic for us to find jobs in Samui ??

Is there any demand for foreigners ??

I only found this website yesterday and hopefully will be my bible when planning our stay so any help would be much appriciated..

Cheers

Edited May 4, 2009 by 1927

[PoorSucker]

You must start plan to make a businesslike move.

To get to be a employee for major resorts , you must have:

1. University degree.

2. 5+ experience

3 Be prepared to work for 50.000 bt/month.

Just to get work permit, compete with 20 something from UK--US and other ones.

If you can speak 5+ languages you have a better chance.

Forget about being a English teacher, there's one TEFL teacher for every ten falang without job.

Sorry to bring your spirit down,

Come here and fix a job before you move, I did.

Is it realistic for us to find jobs in Samui ??

Sorry, No, unless

If you speak 5+ languages, have Resort management+3 years and can take a 50.000Bt?month salary

Edited May 4, 2009 by PoorSucker

[1927]

You must start plan to make a businesslike move.

To get to be a employee for major resorts , you must have:

1. University degree.

2. 5+ experience

3 Be prepared to work for 50.000 bt/month.

Just to get work permit, compete with 20 something from UK--US and other ones.

If you can speak 5+ languages you have a better chance.

Forget about being a English teacher, there's one TEFL teacher for every ten falang without job.

Sorry to bring your spirit down,

Come here and fix a job before you move, I did.

Is it realistic for us to find jobs in Samui ??

Sorry, No, unless

If you speak 5+ languages, have Resort management+3 years and can take a 50.000Bt?month salary

I just about speak English and order a beer in Thai !!!

wasnt setting my standards high.... was thinking bars / restraunts something that would benefit from a british employee...

well like i said i will have enough cash to stay for 6 months so if it turns out to be an extended holiday then so be it ...

not throwing the towell in yet though my friend

[womble]

You must start plan to make a businesslike move.

To get to be a employee for major resorts , you must have:

1. University degree.

2. 5+ experience

3 Be prepared to work for 50.000 bt/month.

Just to get work permit, compete with 20 something from UK--US and other ones.

If you can speak 5+ languages you have a better chance.

Forget about being a English teacher, there's one TEFL teacher for every ten falang without job.

Sorry to bring your spirit down,

Come here and fix a job before you move, I did.

Is it realistic for us to find jobs in Samui ??

Sorry, No, unless

If you speak 5+ languages, have Resort management+3 years and can take a 50.000Bt?month salary

I just about speak English and order a beer in Thai !!!

wasnt setting my standards high.... was thinking bars / restraunts something that would benefit from a british employee...

well like i said i will have enough cash to stay for 6 months so if it turns out to be an extended holiday then so be it ...

not throwing the towell in yet though my friend

Most bars employ Thai's as bar staff as they work for 6-8k per month. Some have farang managers but they normally employ people who have lived on the island a while as they know lots of people and they can help bring in business. Most get a small salary of around 20k unless they are really good and work in one of the bigger bars in which case they may get 40 or 50k, sometimes even more.

Unless you have lots of experiance I doubt you will find much.

I would think it's pretty unrealistic to think you and your gf could both find jobs that pay enough to support both of you in comfort.

What are your skills? what jobs have the pair of you worked in uk before?

[1927]

You must start plan to make a businesslike move.

To get to be a employee for major resorts , you must have:

1. University degree.

2. 5+ experience

3 Be prepared to work for 50.000 bt/month.

Just to get work permit, compete with 20 something from UK--US and other ones.

If you can speak 5+ languages you have a better chance.

Forget about being a English teacher, there's one TEFL teacher for every ten falang without job.

Sorry to bring your spirit down,

Come here and fix a job before you move, I did.

Is it realistic for us to find jobs in Samui ??

Sorry, No, unless

If you speak 5+ languages, have Resort management+3 years and can take a 50.000Bt?month salary

I just about speak English and order a beer in Thai !!!

wasnt setting my standards high.... was thinking bars / restraunts something that would benefit from a british employee...

well like i said i will have enough cash to stay for 6 months so if it turns out to be an extended holiday then so be it ...

not throwing the towell in yet though my friend

Most bars employ Thai's as bar staff as they work for 6-8k per month. Some have farang managers but they normally employ people who have lived on the island a while as they know lots of people and they can help bring in business. Most get a small salary of around 20k unless they are really good and work in one of the bigger bars in which case they may get 40 or 50k, sometimes even more.

Unless you have lots of experiance I doubt you will find much.

I would think it's pretty unrealistic to think you and your gf could both find jobs that pay enough to support both of you in comfort.

What are your skills? what jobs have the pair of you worked in uk before?

After leaving college I worked in banking for 5 years and the police for past 3 years and the misses worked as manager in cosmetics factory for past 10 years .......  skills which are probably useless over there ...

got 7 months to think of something... finding some way of earning a bit of cash online somehow looks like the best option ....

i appriciate honest answers, no point in getting false hopes....

[lazygourmet]

So you will have 6 months in front of you, plenty of time to make up your mind and have a clear idea regarding the social and economical situation.

If you want to have a descent life and salary, without any hospitality background, resort areas are not for you.

Maybe your lady, with her background in cosmetics would have more chances but in or around Bangkok.

Start your inquiries now (ie: linkedin) and do not underestimate failure possibilities.

[Lite Beer]

There are not many jobs that foreigners are allowed to do. Even if you found one you would need a Work Permit, and they are not easy to qualify for. Here is a list of jobs foreigners cannot do. http://www.thaivisa.com/330.0.html

What Visas do you intend on getting to stay here?

[Birdman]

There are plenty of jobs in the service industry. Most are bad paid or based on commissions. WP is a matter the employer has to arrange, btw, if he is willing to.

[koheesti]

got 7 months to think of something... finding some way of earning a bit of cash online somehow looks like the best option ....

It probably is your best option. I know there are people here selling things from here to people back in the UK via eBay. Others have jobs based back home but their duties are performed over the Internet and they just work from their home here. You have time to search for one of those type jobs or learn the ins and outs of eBay.

[justinnsamui]

Hey 1927, I just sent you a message.....

[1927]

So you will have 6 months in front of you, plenty of time to make up your mind and have a clear idea regarding the social and economical situation.

If you want to have a descent life and salary, without any hospitality background, resort areas are not for you.

Maybe your lady, with her background in cosmetics would have more chances but in or around Bangkok.

Start your inquiries now (ie: linkedin) and do not underestimate failure possibilities.

Thanks my friend for the positive words at the end,

 i have learnt more about living in Samui in the past 2 days on this forum than i have in the last 7 years of going there.... I want to be as prepared as i can hence doing some research now while my trip is still 6 months away...

as for Visa's ????????? aint got a clue......next on my list !

FAO light beer ........  cant believe that list of jobs foreigners cant do .... crazy ...   considering the country heavilly relies on tourist they seem to put up some bloody big barriers to stop us ....

[longtom]

FAO light beer ........ cant believe that list of jobs foreigners cant do .... crazy ... considering the country heavilly relies on tourist they seem to put up some bloody big barriers to stop us ....

Thailand is not sooo heavily relying on tourists, less than 10% of GDP, although a realitively large amount of people seem to work in the industry. And I don't really see what that has to do with which jobs foreigners are allowed to work in?

[Lite Beer]

as for Visa's ????????? aint got a clue......next on my list !

A good start will be to get a Multi Entry Non O Visa. This can be got from the Consulate in Hull. Reason to visit friends.

Valid for a year . You would have to do border runs every 90 days. Do the last one just before it expires and you will get another 90 days giving a total of 15 months.

Hull.

Also be prepared for Samui being very expensive by Thai standards.

[smallprawn]

as for Visa's ????????? aint got a clue......next on my list !

A good start will be to get a Multi Entry Non O Visa. This can be got from the Consulate in Hull. Reason to visit friends.

Valid for a year . You would have to do border runs every 90 days. Do the last one just before it expires and you will get another 90 days giving a total of 15 months.

Hull.

Also be prepared for Samui being very expensive by Thai standards.

I guess theres not much need but just want to say I couldnt agree more with the Lite beers advice and you really should follow it.

I have twice applied for Non O Visa from HULL. Very good and very quick. Both times having sent Passport special delivery, it has been returned within three days. Excelent service.

Best of luck with your job search and hope you and your lady have a fantastic time.

[1927]

as for Visa's ????????? aint got a clue......next on my list !

A good start will be to get a Multi Entry Non O Visa. This can be got from the Consulate in Hull. Reason to visit friends.

Valid for a year . You would have to do border runs every 90 days. Do the last one just before it expires and you will get another 90 days giving a total of 15 months.

Hull.

Also be prepared for Samui being very expensive by Thai standards.

I guess theres not much need but just want to say I couldnt agree more with the Lite beers advice and you really should follow it.

I have twice applied for Non O Visa from HULL. Very good and very quick. Both times having sent Passport special delivery, it has been returned within three days. Excelent service.

Best of luck with your job search and hope you and your lady have a fantastic time.

Cheers mate, its a while away yet but counting the months !

[1927]

FAO light beer ........ cant believe that list of jobs foreigners cant do .... crazy ... considering the country heavilly relies on tourist they seem to put up some bloody big barriers to stop us ....

Thailand is not sooo heavily relying on tourists, less than 10% of GDP, although a realitively large amount of people seem to work in the industry. And I don't really see what that has to do with which jobs foreigners are allowed to work in?

I couldnt get my head around that GDP figure, my initial thoughts were that it had to be higher, just googled it and 1 newspaper states it as low as 6% .......  glad we didnt put a bet on cause i would have lost big time !  suppose i should realise its a huge place and i only go to the tourist places ..

my comment about restrictions on the type of work was made as i obviously thought Thailand was heavilly relient on tourism..... my logic is that i just thought a country would want to encourage people rather than build barriers restricting foreigners if they relied on Tourism ..... well something on that lines anyway.....  

[NHJ]

we don't know what is taken in count to get the tourism GDP.

tourism involves foreign investements, creation of labour for construction, creating jobs for the iron industry, airplane companies and most important gives a lot of money to land owner, thai people who rent houses to tourists etc etc

the money coming from tourism and its derivates must be a lot more important than those officials GDP... but it's a story of not losing the face again.

[longtom]

I think sometimes we tend to overestimate the influx of western tourists in thailand, when we are looking at Samui/Pattaya/Phuket/Chiang Mai. Huge areas in Thailand make almost no money with tourism. But I agree that one cannot trust any official numbers in Thailand, and the real figures could be considerably higher.

Back to topic, unfortunately I cannot raise your hopes to find a job on Samui, I know quite a few people who had to (or are trying hard to) sell business, and also a few well qualified people who cannot find a job in the last few months. On the other hand, amazingly, there are still new hotels being built, opened and planned so a lot seems possible. Wish you good luck anyway 1927!

[RAZZELL]

The only thing I could think of is to do a diving course in the UK in the intervening months and become a Divemaster or Instructor.

RAZZ

[koheesti]

FAO light beer ........ cant believe that list of jobs foreigners cant do .... crazy ... considering the country heavilly relies on tourist they seem to put up some bloody big barriers to stop us ....

Thailand is not sooo heavily relying on tourists, less than 10% of GDP, although a realitively large amount of people seem to work in the industry. And I don't really see what that has to do with which jobs foreigners are allowed to work in?

Well, the OP is planning on moving to Koh Samui. Does anyone have any idea how much Samui relies on tourism?

[Boater]

Does anyone have any idea how much Samui relies on tourism?

there wouldnt be a samui without tourists,

[1927]

Does anyone have any idea how much Samui relies on tourism?

there wouldnt be a samui without tourists,

Cant argue with that point,

although dont they produce a shed load of coconuts ?

[Birdman]

Does anyone have any idea how much Samui relies on tourism?

there wouldnt be a samui without tourists,

Cant argue with that point,

although dont they produce a shed load of coconuts ?

who wants to work hard at the coconut plantations for meagre wages at one of the richest places nationwide?

Edited May 7, 2009 by Birdman

[ibngazelle]

Hello there !

Myself and my girlfriend are looking to move to Samui at the end of the year, we currently saving up so we can rent a place and live there no worries for at least 6 months, but we would love to stay longer,

We are both 29 years old and from Wales, UK and have been coming to Samui for about 7 years and just love the place...

Is it realistic for us to find jobs in Samui ??

Is there any demand for foreigners ??

I only found this website yesterday and hopefully will be my bible when planning our stay so any help would be much appriciated..

Cheers

I would offer a couple pieces of advice to you having been down that road myself. First up, I would definitely consider casting my net a bit wider than Samui itself. I decided I wanted to live there having visited loads and so went to settle there and it was a bit of a nightmare to be honest. I was bored out of my head after a month or two and couldn't wait for trips to KL/Singapore for visas or even Bangkok for a break. If you were to cut out drinking, playing pool and monotonous bar chat then there really is very little on offer. I even stopped going to the beach after a while, as I think a lot of residents do. And belive me, there's only so many times you can ride round the island and truly appreciate it. Cracks begin to form fairly quickly.

With regards to work, it was pretty grim finding anything. You'll certainly be dead lucky if you find anything either slightly well-paid or stable. In fact the only way to go is to have your own little enterprise as you can't rely on anything or anyone. This is not down to individual people, well not all the time at least, but also pure economics. Hotels open and close, schools come and go (ie Open Gates) etc. To go there in the hope of finding something is exactly what I did, although I even had a house so wasn't having to rent. I eventually managed to leave with dwindling savings and a seriously ravaged liver. In all honesty, take my advice and don't bother.

[lazygourmet]

Hello there !

Myself and my girlfriend are looking to move to Samui at the end of the year, we currently saving up so we can rent a place and live there no worries for at least 6 months, but we would love to stay longer,

We are both 29 years old and from Wales, UK and have been coming to Samui for about 7 years and just love the place...

Is it realistic for us to find jobs in Samui ??

Is there any demand for foreigners ??

I only found this website yesterday and hopefully will be my bible when planning our stay so any help would be much appriciated..

Cheers

I would offer a couple pieces of advice to you having been down that road myself. First up, I would definitely consider casting my net a bit wider than Samui itself. I decided I wanted to live there having visited loads and so went to settle there and it was a bit of a nightmare to be honest. I was bored out of my head after a month or two and couldn't wait for trips to KL/Singapore for visas or even Bangkok for a break. If you were to cut out drinking, playing pool and monotonous bar chat then there really is very little on offer. I even stopped going to the beach after a while, as I think a lot of residents do. And belive me, there's only so many times you can ride round the island and truly appreciate it. Cracks begin to form fairly quickly.

With regards to work, it was pretty grim finding anything. You'll certainly be dead lucky if you find anything either slightly well-paid or stable. In fact the only way to go is to have your own little enterprise as you can't rely on anything or anyone. This is not down to individual people, well not all the time at least, but also pure economics. Hotels open and close, schools come and go (ie Open Gates) etc. To go there in the hope of finding something is exactly what I did, although I even had a house so wasn't having to rent. I eventually managed to leave with dwindling savings and a seriously ravaged liver. In all honesty, take my advice and don't bother.

Nice post...

Unfortunately, most of us -and I include myself- mainly learn by our past mistake(s);

but anyway we understood, at least I hope so!

[PatinBKk]

Timeshare as OPC or Rep...you and the Mrs could double as OPCs.....I made a fortune and lived quite happily in Samui for over 2 years...all legal with WP and had a fantastic time earning shed loads of money.....

[upthaight]

Timeshare as OPC or Rep...you and the Mrs could double as OPCs.....I made a fortune and lived quite happily in Samui for over 2 years...all legal with WP and had a fantastic time earning shed loads of money.....

... ...OR they could be an estate agent or a developer...they speak English?...only requirement!

[thetitan99]

I got 2 words for you... Dive Instructors

[samui04]

I would offer a couple pieces of advice to you having been down that road myself. First up, I would definitely consider casting my net a bit wider than Samui itself. I decided I wanted to live there having visited loads and so went to settle there and it was a bit of a nightmare to be honest. I was bored out of my head after a month or two and couldn't wait for trips to KL/Singapore for visas or even Bangkok for a break. If you were to cut out drinking, playing pool and monotonous bar chat then there really is very little on offer. I even stopped going to the beach after a while, as I think a lot of residents do. And belive me, there's only so many times you can ride round the island and truly appreciate it. Cracks begin to form fairly quickly.

With regards to work, it was pretty grim finding anything. You'll certainly be dead lucky if you find anything either slightly well-paid or stable. In fact the only way to go is to have your own little enterprise as you can't rely on anything or anyone. This is not down to individual people, well not all the time at least, but also pure economics. Hotels open and close, schools come and go (ie Open Gates) etc. To go there in the hope of finding something is exactly what I did, although I even had a house so wasn't having to rent. I eventually managed to leave with dwindling savings and a seriously ravaged liver. In all honesty, take my advice and don't bother.

Well, last winter the weather was variable, rain, sun, rain so I manage to get deadly bored after 3 month......

But i agree totally with your description, and i rarely go to bars so it was worse...

Samui is made for tourism, from reant a bike to rent a girlfriend. Sometimes it seems that there are no native and no real businesses, everybody is just there trying to sell you something.

But in Europe winter is cold so I think 2 month in samui and one in bali is ok to avoid snow and boredom.

[PatinBKk]

Dont be put off by negative comments. There is work if you look for it...I have worked the past 6 yrears with only a few months break which was my own choice. most people just cant be ars*8d and havnt got a clue about networking.....have a look on the jobs in this site...can already see 2 in Samui...