How Thais See Farang

[Pattaya_Fox]

"Minimum wage",meaning nothing stops the employers from paying more..

What about Thailand? 133 baht/day or so...

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I believe that the minimum wage in bangkok is 175 baht per day and 133 baht per day in the outer provinces....

[Heng]

Next time you're near an ATM machine, grab a handful of receipts out of the trash.  I bet you'll see very few balances that would buy a ticket to the US or Europe.

You'll struggle to find an account with more than a thousand baht in it.

[Ajarn]

Since January, 2005

The minimum daily wage for each province now ranges between 137 Baht and 173 Baht. Details of the new minimum wage for all provinces are listed below:

Baht 175

Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathumthani, Nakornpratom, Samuth Sakorn and Samuth Prakarn

Baht 173

Phuket

Baht 157

Chonburi

Baht 155

Saraburi

Baht 150

Nakornratchasrima

Baht 149

Chiang Mai and Phang Nga

Baht 147

Ranong and Rayong

Baht 146

Ayudhya

Baht 144

Krabi and Chacheongsao

Baht 142

Kanchanaburi, Chantaburi, Petchburi, Ratchburi, Samuthsongkarm and Aangthong

Baht 141

Chumporn, Lumpoon, Srakaew and Sukothai

Baht 140

Kompangpetch, Konkaen, Trung, Prachineburi, Lopburi, Singburi and Supanburi

Baht 139

Karasin, Chainat, Chaiyaphum, Trad, Trak, Nakornpanom, Nakornsrithammarat, Nakornsawan, Naratiwas, Prachuabkirikun, Pattanee, Pattalung, Pitsanulok, Petchbul, Mukdaharn, Yala, Roy-Ed, Lumpang, Leoy, Srisakad, Sakolnakorn, Songkra, Satul, Suratthani, Nongkhai, Nongbualumpu, Udonthani, Uthaladit, Uthaithani and Amnaj Chareon

Baht 138

Nakornnayok and Pichit

Baht 137

Chiang Rai, Nan, Payao, Prae, Mahasarakarm, Mae Hong Son, Yasothorn, Surin and Ubonratchathani

http://www.jsm.com.hk/live/Portal?xml=lega...content_id=2120

[Kerryd]

Next time you're near an ATM machine, grab a handful of receipts out of the trash.  I bet you'll see very few balances that would buy a ticket to the US or Europe.

You'll struggle to find an account with more than a thousand baht in it.

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<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And yet, a couple of months back I was out for noodles (at 4am) with some Thai friends. 3 of them were in a band, the other 2 were BG friends of ours.

When it came time to pay, I was the poorest of the lot ! I only had 7,000 baht. We were trying to find change for a 1000 baht note to pay the bin. They were all carrying between 9-30,000 baht (OK, that guy had a bank payment to make later that morning).

A lady that lives near my apartment tried to sell me her jewellery, as she was hurting for money. I was leaving the next morning, and made it sound like I was broke myself. I ended up getting bumped off my flight and 10 hours after I left, I was back home.

She offered to loan me 10,000 (cash) to get me through the next 3 days until my next flight !

I think a lot of Thais don't trust the banks, and either keep their cash tucked away somewhere, or convert it to gold.

[Rinrada]

"Minimum wage",meaning nothing stops the employers from paying more..

What about Thailand? 133 baht/day or so...

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A lot would rather cry all the way to the bank and Pay LESS

[Lars]

Very correct about minimum wages in different provinces.

So on average minimum wage is Baht 148.9, not much.

[Heng]

Next time you're near an ATM machine, grab a handful of receipts out of the trash.  I bet you'll see very few balances that would buy a ticket to the US or Europe.

You'll struggle to find an account with more than a thousand baht in it.

I think a lot of Thais don't trust the banks, and either keep their cash tucked away somewhere, or convert it to gold.

I was only laughing because of the previous posters' example of atm receipts. That's like laughing at people in the food stamps line at the welfare department. Of course people who actually have to withdraw funds from their accounts (instead of say, the petty cash box, their own safes, or daily receipts if they merchants - whether som tum vendors or Honda dealers) may be low on cash. I think the people in line at Easy Buy and Aeon in the shopping mall are pretty pathetic also, but I wouldn't say they represent all poor people.

To help balance the view of the "poor", try looking "next door" at the cash deposit machine or even better, any Omsin branch (one of the few "Thai Thai" banks) come opening sales day for Omsin bonds, or any land department office out in the stix. They have to put the monthly revenues of transfer of 1-2% title taxes as they accrue day by day on the wall for people to see... (to "help" against the reducing the skim), on my latest trip to the land office, and this was way out in Samut Sakhon, 126 million Baht just for January. Just 1-2 percent of the sums involved out where the land and buildings are "cheap" and most of the people involved in transactions are just regular people with few (my guess would be less than 10) pieces of property.

*edited tax figure. previous figure was for Prapadang, not Samut Sakhon

Edited March 9, 2005 by Heng

[PvtDick]

The vast majority of Thai wealth is in the hands of a lopsidedly small number of people. The average Thai is in debt, while the average Brit (or German, etc.) is having a two-week holiday in Thailand. Thems the facts...

[Heng]

Source? (other than "the people you know") I've 'heard' the 20% of the people -mostly Thai Chinese, Thai Muslim, and Thai Indian Sikh- owning 80% of the wealth thing as well, but that's still about 13 million people 'controlling' the wealth (hardly a lopsided elite I think). No idea where they are coming up with those figures since...

In a country where most revenue, income, etc. (much less debt) goes unreported, I'm curious as to how one (you included) could possibly have any specific data regarding the subject.

*Indian Sikh should be... THAI Indian Sikh. Props to our Thai Indian brothers.

Edited March 9, 2005 by Heng

[Steve2UK]

One thing which has baffled me for over 10 years, is why all Thais think that I am loaded. They generalise, I suppose, and because they see lots of tourists here throwing their money around assume all farang are rich. Many farang where I live own very nice houses and new cars, and don't have to work.

Ok, maybe I am a bit stingy, and am lucky that I can get a holiday abroad every few years, and generally don't worry about money. Still it gets on my tits sometimes, when waiting for a songtaew and the somtam lady asking me if I have any money for her.

Funny how the good things in life become 'commonplace' and we always want 'more' or 'less'!.

I watched the movie trainspotting last night, for the umpteenth time, and saw a scene which reminded me that in my native Scotland we are just as guilty of the same things towards other nationalities.

An American tourist with a camera walks into a bar in Edinburgh, asks if he can use the toilet. The local guys all look at each other and follow him, whence they beat himup and steal all his money.

It is easy to forget how bad many of my own countrymen behave towards certain tourists/expats. Easy for me to think that I am being targetted here and it is only a Thai thing. It definately is not.

I have to remember that Thailand is a great place to live, and thankful that I can do so. Thai people are generally wonderful and some of the best people in the world. I am not saying this about Bangkok, but even there too there are many great people.

Thank God for Isaan and Thailand!

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Try a couple of years in Pattaya and tell me how ' wonderful ' the Thai people are.

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Not wanting to condemn every last farang in all of Pattaya, but I can't help wondering if maybe some farangs get the Thais they deserve?

Edited March 9, 2005 by Steve2UK

[Terminator]

Since January, 2005

The minimum daily wage for each province now ranges between 137 Baht and 173 Baht. Details of the new minimum wage for all provinces are listed below:

Baht 175

Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathumthani, Nakornpratom, Samuth Sakorn and Samuth Prakarn

Baht 173

Phuket

Baht 157

Chonburi

Baht 155

Saraburi

Baht 150

Nakornratchasrima

Baht 149

Chiang Mai and Phang Nga

Baht 147

Ranong and Rayong

Baht 146

Ayudhya

Baht 144

Krabi and Chacheongsao

Baht 142

Kanchanaburi, Chantaburi, Petchburi, Ratchburi, Samuthsongkarm and Aangthong

Baht 141

Chumporn, Lumpoon, Srakaew and Sukothai

Baht 140

Kompangpetch, Konkaen, Trung, Prachineburi, Lopburi, Singburi and Supanburi

Baht 139

Karasin, Chainat, Chaiyaphum, Trad, Trak, Nakornpanom, Nakornsrithammarat, Nakornsawan, Naratiwas, Prachuabkirikun, Pattanee, Pattalung, Pitsanulok, Petchbul, Mukdaharn, Yala, Roy-Ed, Lumpang, Leoy, Srisakad, Sakolnakorn, Songkra, Satul, Suratthani, Nongkhai, Nongbualumpu, Udonthani, Uthaladit, Uthaithani and Amnaj Chareon

Baht 138

Nakornnayok and Pichit

Baht 137

Chiang Rai, Nan, Payao, Prae, Mahasarakarm, Mae Hong Son, Yasothorn, Surin and Ubonratchathani

Is this also the maximum they can charge for short-times

[Kerryd]

Since January, 2005

The minimum daily wage for each province now ranges between 137 Baht and 173 Baht.  Details of the new minimum wage for all provinces are listed below:

Baht 157

Chonburi

My landlady (and 2 other women that live in the same building ), recently got jobs at the new TukCom (working in one of the restaurants). They are earning 180 baht per day. 8 hours a day, 6 days a week, payday once a month (about 4,700 baht per month on average).

I make more per day than they do per month (and from reading the news, I'd say Pattaya is more dangerous than Afghanistan !)

[Rinrada]

Since i seem to be collectiong figures and just to make the comparision ...whats the National Min.Wage rates for your average "dhobi wallah" in Afghanistan?...Any idea?