Job Req: Thai Nationality Only

[cgit6]

So, in Thailand- and roun' Asia- we see some yearning to learn English, and yet the vast majority of job postings add this little tag. However, in a place like BKK- a place where at least you sense the culture is trying to be cosmopolitan, one might have expect differently, right? Not to make the mistake of equating sophistication with speaking English, but...

I'd say in some cases they hire thais for costs and language, but really, my experience (anecdotal) is that this isnt telling the whole story. I sense -- and am asking here: have nonasian foreigners really lost the war in terms of reputation?

[cgit6]

I realize the above isnt quite cohesive- so to explain more: i'm just trying to get a sense of what is going out there - culturally, in the marketplace, etc. Also, I am trying to decide whether or not to make a push to find work in my field here in Thailand... For instance, I am an IT pro from silicon valley who has applied to hundreds of places over the last few weeks. Only one response. Im like "really? you gotta be joking... what am i missing?"

yeah that and I am near giving up because of the negative vibes from different sources.

[dondraper]

what am i missing?"

Ritalin?

[Carmine6]

LOL, so you'd expect them to want pay more by hiring a non-Thai for the same job? This would make sense to you how?

[hhgz]

"but really, my experience (anecdotal) is that this isnt telling the whole story."

That's for sure. Hiring Thais to save money is your distorted perspective. Trying to explain the situation to you would be similar to teaching a cat to tap dance.

[endure]

I realize the above isnt quite cohesive- so to explain more: i'm just trying to get a sense of what is going out there - culturally, in the marketplace, etc. Also, I am trying to decide whether or not to make a push to find work in my field here in Thailand... For instance, I am an IT pro from silicon valley who has applied to hundreds of places over the last few weeks. Only one response. Im like "really? you gotta be joking... what am i missing?"

You're missing the fact that you don't speak the local language, you'll be expecting a Silicon Valley salary in a place that isn't Silicon Valley, any company that wants to employ you will need to go to the trouble of obtaining a work permit for you when they can employ a Thai who doesn't need one and that there are probably plenty of locals who can do any job that you apply for without all the grief of employing someone who lives half way round the world.

[Carmine6]

LOL, so you'd expect them to want pay more by hiring a non-Thai for the same job? This would make sense to you how?

You must be one of those folks who's puzzled by $90,000 tech support jobs being outsourced to India for $30,000.

[wintermute]

LOL, so you'd expect them to want pay more by hiring a non-Thai for the same job? This would make sense to you how?

Quality of work....

( *)

You must be one of those folks who's puzzled by $90,000 tech support jobs being outsourced to India for $30,000.

These days even a lot of doctors you find in western countries are immigrants. The "quality" of having a westerner in any professional position in Thailand is and always has been overrated. IT professionals are literally a dime a dozen in Thailand and they are for the most part very competent here.

[BSJ]

As an IT professional you'll make a great English teacher......once your TEFL qualified.

And you will be paid well, maybe even 35000 a month.

[Briggsy]

You have not factored in the following 2 important facts.

Many professions are prohibited BY LAW from having foreigners working in them.

Employing foreigners costs a lot more than just the extra salary. There is the time, expense and paperwork involved in getting the foreigner legal.

This is on top of language and cultural barriers and higher salary expectations.

[beano2274]

Remember you are in Thailand, and first and foremost they will look after their own.

As others have stated, salary, cultural differences, work permit paperwork (which by the way is a hel_l of a lot), etc etc. are the main sticking points.

Just doing the paperwork takes a lot of manpower hours, so easier to get a Thai national for the job. Also a Thai will do what they are told to do without asking a question, Farangs won't.

It works the same in most other countries, first you try and get your own countrymen a job if that doesn't work then you try the immigrants.

[Beardog]

A friend of mine in a neighboring island (the big island) in Hawaii owns a fishing Tackle & major distribution company.

Why do you suppose the fishing mono filament line is manufactured in Bali instead of Hawaii. Lets see a buck $2.80 a day or $28.00- 40.00 an hour for the factory workers. Hawaii has 6 factories that can mfg. the line. Pure economics. I wouldn't pick up a wrench or my paint guns for less than $50.00 - $135.00 an hour pending on the job. Why would anyone want an expensive ho when you can get a 200-300 baht schlep a day to do the job. The quality of work is accepted to be less than the west & so it goes.

[peter991]

I have to agree with all the posters. I get regular emails from Thai employment agencies and most jobs specify:

* Thai nationals only

* Sex specified - male or female

* Age specified - usually 23 to 30yo

* Nearly all jobs ask for a uni degree.

The few jobs I have applied for (where the above is open / not specified) I have been offered Thai wages. I have pointed out I am farang (from Australia), even included a picture of me in the application.

It turns out a few Thai companies (in the hospitality industry) want a farang face but want to pay Thai wages. The last job I knocked back was paying 35,000 baht a month - at a resort, where rooms start at 6,000 baht a night!

Peter

[Soutpeel]

The few jobs I have applied for (where the above is open / not specified) I have been offered Thai wages. I have pointed out I am farang (from Australia), even included a picture of me in the application.

It turns out a few Thai companies (in the hospitality industry) want a farang face but want to pay Thai wages. The last job I knocked back was paying 35,000 baht a month - at a resort, where rooms start at 6,000 baht a night!

Really... being offered Thai wages..... in Thailand...OMG.. ....a another farang scam...inform your embassy immedately.

I always took other TV posters comments about Western Arrogance in Thailand in other threads with a pinch of salt...but after reading some of these post, beginning to agree with them....How dare a Thai company offer a Farang a Thai salary, how dare they ask for Thai nationals only....

[Heng]

Not only will I only hire Thai nationals, you can bet that if equally qualified, I'm only going to hire the attractive ones. My hiring comments notebook would be in the middle of a multimillion $ lawsuit if my company was stateside.

One thing I love about this place. When you say PC, everyone thinks personal computer.

[lazygourmet]

Stop moaning about things you cannot change...

Do your homework, find your niche market and set up a company; if you are competent in your fields: contracts and money will always flow.

[getgoin]

Not only will I only hire Thai nationals, you can bet that if equally qualified, I'm only going to hire the attractive ones. My hiring comments notebook would be in the middle of a multimillion $ lawsuit if my company was stateside.

One thing I love about this place. When you say PC, everyone thinks personal computer.

I saw an ad the other day for airline stewardesses in the paper and it stated that they must be attractive. It's funny that in the west, something that makes better business sense and makes the business more money, hiring only young females, is illegal and discriminatory.

To go back to the topic. Imagine this OP. All of the IT experts from India, Thailand and Malaysia get a tourist visa to the US and go to Silicon Valley to get jobs for 15,000 to 20,000 Baht a month. Is that something you might be interested in?

Thailand is no more protective of its job sector than any western country. Why would you even think to come to Thailand to get a job? Are you married to a Thai? What right do you have to be here?

Enjoy the culture and the country? That's alright but working and earning a living somewhere is reserved for citizens, someone with family ties or people with special skills. In Thailand all jobs must be offered to Thai citizens and that is why most of the ads you see advertise for Thai nationals. Even if a company has no intention of hiring a Thai they still have to offer the job to them.

Economics of scale, Thais work cheaper.

There are still some of the larger companies that hire foreign experts but do not expect to receive anywhere near what you would earn in the US.

[Soutpeel]

There are still some of the larger companies that hire foreign experts but do not expect to receive anywhere near what you would earn in the US.

BullSh*t.....I worked in the US for over two years and trust me I am earning nearly 3 times as much in Thailand.

[cgit6]

Interesting responses guys- thanks.

As mentioned, I understand the costs and language part- perhaps that part got lost in the shuffle

[mmushr00m]

It comes down to work permit issues.

To hire you, a farang, a Thai company will need 2million capitalisation and 4 thai workers. 2 farangs = 4mil and 8 thais and on and on. So some companies either cannot afford it or have reached their quota.

Then there is the time and cost of getting the WP, they'll need to fly you out to obtain a B visa then apply for the WP.

Actually its not that different from elsewhere in the world. Look at the USA, the company will have to obtain a greenmcard/wp for the foreigner. And to get one they will have to explain to the govt why they cant hire a local and need to hire you instead.

That and the question...what makes you sooo special??.....

[cgit6]

LOL, so you'd expect them to want pay more by hiring a non-Thai for the same job? This would make sense to you how?

Quality of work....

( *)

You must be one of those folks who's puzzled by $90,000 tech support jobs being outsourced to India for $30,000.

These days even a lot of doctors you find in western countries are immigrants. The "quality" of having a westerner in any professional position in Thailand is and always has been overrated. IT professionals are literally a dime a dozen in Thailand and they are for the most part very competent here.

Is this the consensus here? I ask because if that's the truth, or even just the popular perception, the answer to my post about whether to try to pursue IT work here is a simple "no" (but feel free to add all the angsty internetz attacks as well

Is the idea of a professional (someone who maintains a career with ongoing self-education as evidenced by licensing, certifications, etc) the same here as one would expect in the west?

[beano2274]

There are still some of the larger companies that hire foreign experts but do not expect to receive anywhere near what you would earn in the US.

BullSh*t.....I worked in the US for over two years and trust me I am earning nearly 3 times as much in Thailand.

If I remember you are contracting, or am I wrong, if so apologies.

But contracting always pays more than permanent jobs, if the OP wants to he should base himself here and go for contracting jobs in the Asian Pacific or Middle Eastern areas.

[cgit6]

<b>That and the question...what makes you sooo special??.....</b>

Yeah, I see what you're getting at- a hiring manager looking at resumes all day always has that in the background going on. In my case, it's a losing proposition when it's hard to convince said managers that a technical professional from silicon valley has an edge in a field that requires certain training.

[Soutpeel]

Is this the consensus here? I ask because if that's the truth, or even just the popular perception, the answer to my post about whether to try to pursue IT work here is a simple "no" (but feel free to add all the angsty internetz attacks as well

You have a better chance at becoming an "English teacher"...

[astral]

You're missing the fact that you don't speak the local language, you'll be expecting a Silicon Valley salary in a place that isn't Silicon Valley,

any company that wants to employ you will need to go to the trouble of obtaining a work permit for you

when they can employ a Thai who doesn't need one and that there are probably plenty of locals who can do any job

that you apply for without all the grief of employing someone who lives half way round the world.

In addition the company will not be able to get you a WP if there are locals who are

equally able to do the job.

[Soutpeel]

There are still some of the larger companies that hire foreign experts but do not expect to receive anywhere near what you would earn in the US.

BullSh*t.....I worked in the US for over two years and trust me I am earning nearly 3 times as much in Thailand.

If I remember you are contracting, or am I wrong, if so apologies.

But contracting always pays more than permanent jobs, if the OP wants to he should base himself here and go for contracting jobs in the Asian Pacific or Middle Eastern areas.

You are correct, but in with the world economy as it is....define a permanent job ??.....no such thing these days, In fact my "contract position" has lasted nearly 8 years in Thailand and hopefully another 2-3 years still to go maybe even more....

In the example I gave I was actually on contract in the US as well...so my comparision is valid.

[Moonrakers]

It comes down to work permit issues.

To hire you, a farang, a Thai company will need 2million capitalisation and 4 thai workers. 2 farangs = 4mil and 8 thais and on and on. So some companies either cannot afford it or have reached their quota.

Then there is the time and cost of getting the WP, they'll need to fly you out to obtain a B visa then apply for the WP.

Actually its not that different from elsewhere in the world. Look at the USA, the company will have to obtain a greenmcard/wp for the foreigner. And to get one they will have to explain to the govt why they cant hire a local and need to hire you instead.

That and the question...what makes you sooo special??.....

The 4 Thai's aren't actually needed for a WP. They are needed though when it comes to extending the visa based on employment. Having said that things may have changed since I got my last WP.

[cgit6]

In my experience, there are quite a few IT "professionals" even in the west may as well be working at 7-11 the way they fail to maintain a skill set. I guess many just figure "Hey, I already went to college, I'm done with training." However, in the west you'd find that employers fire/won't hire those who don't keep up (government being the exception as an employer).

Is it the same here? let me try to focus again on concerns related to what it means to be a professional: to have a career rather than just a job. In what industries do we find Thais that truly differentiate here?

[beano2274]

This is a country where there are many IT Specialist, they don't have to keep up with the latest software packages or attend the newest training courses, if they wanted to do that then they would have to do it in their free time. Companies do not want to pay too much towards training, most training in Thailand is geared towards Languages (English, Chinese, Japanese and some European languages).

Farangs do not stand a chance of getting in the door, if there is a Thai who can do the job then they will get the job, does not matter how many credentials or letters you have after your surname.

[Soutpeel]

Is it the same here? let me try to focus again on concerns related to what it means to be a professional: to have a career rather than just a job. In what industries do we find Thais that truly differentiate here?

&lt;deleted&gt; are your talking about..Job/Career ? boils down to the same...amount of money you get paid

My Professional career has been over 20 years....but in my eyes its still only a job, and I do my job or practice my career because it gives me money to do the things I want to do or buy.