Is Realistic To Find A Job With A Western Salary In Thailand?

[Soutpeel]

but unfortunately not quite Soutpeel's magic 400k. I spend approx 1 week per month overseas either offshore, onshore, or in other industries such as mining, it is very varied and enjoyable work. I am due a salary review on Jan 1st, my boss (also farang) has intimated this will be a significant raise due to the fact I have procured contracts with 3 multi national oil and gas companies in the last few months, and I am hoping I will hit, or be near to, Souties magic 400k in the new year.

THB 400k/m...is not a "magic" number its a value to illustate the the average starting salary for expat O&G guys in Thailand.

Typically guys in the game with the right experience/skill set etc etc will be between 400k and THB 1 mil month dependent on the position, again the "average" here being around 500k month ++ ie car/driver, fully comp medical insurance, schooling for kids, if applicable and subsidised/paid for accomdation.

why can I not find a deal like that If anyone needs any bodies, Im ya man

Your a lucky man SP, is that per month or only appicable when you have done 28 offshore? i know Im being nosy

I have two deals/arrangements in place one for offshore another for onshore so to answer your question, it depends what is going on, but both are very good arrangements.. ...certainly will not hear any complaints from me...

[TheAceFace]

but unfortunately not quite Soutpeel's magic 400k. I spend approx 1 week per month overseas either offshore, onshore, or in other industries such as mining, it is very varied and enjoyable work. I am due a salary review on Jan 1st, my boss (also farang) has intimated this will be a significant raise due to the fact I have procured contracts with 3 multi national oil and gas companies in the last few months, and I am hoping I will hit, or be near to, Souties magic 400k in the new year.

THB 400k/m...is not a "magic" number its a value to illustate the the average starting salary for expat O&G guys in Thailand.

Typically guys in the game with the right experience/skill set etc etc will be between 400k and THB 1 mil month dependent on the position, again the "average" here being around 500k month ++ ie car/driver, fully comp medical insurance, schooling for kids, if applicable and subsidised/paid for accomdation.

why can I not find a deal like that If anyone needs any bodies, Im ya man

Your a lucky man SP, is that per month or only appicable when you have done 28 offshore? i know Im being nosy

I have two deals/arrangements in place one for offshore another for onshore so to answer your question, it depends what is going on, but both are very good arrangements.. ...certainly will not hear any complaints from me...

Let us know if anything comes up

[EvilDrSomkid]

The only way to get a western salary in Thailand is to start your own service company selling services to the Western world. Unless you have some skill that no other expat has, it's not likely you will find a western salary here....why would anyone pay you a western salary when you can get below a western salary hiring local or an expat who doesn't demand a western salary.

I quoted the above as a selection of comments that wound me up, typical barstool banter from people with no idea. I will tell you a little bit about my situation.

I had been living here for 2.5 years basically on holiday, when I realised that I was bored, and that the money I had saved was not going to support my holiday lifestyle indefinitely, so I began to RESEARCH what I could do to stay in Thailand. This research process took around 4 months, meeting people in industry, talking with friends, trawling the web etc. etc.

Finally I decided that my best bet would be to try and break into the O&G business, having no experience in this field I new this would be a tough task but set my mind to it. I then spent 6 months and around 1m baht in KL and Singapore studying for various qualifications, and finally hit the job market.

I didn't expect to be working in Thailand initially, I thought I may be on a rotation system spending 6 months here which would suit me. After a few months of knockbacks due to my lack of experience it became quite depressing, and I wondered if I had just wasted 1m baht on my exams. Eventually after 6 months on the market I landed a job in Thailand for a Thai service company to the O&G business, thanks to a tip-off from a contact I made on one of the industry forums - the job was never advertised.

That was about 7 months ago and I am now earning approx double the average western salary with a car, insurance etc, but unfortunately not quite Soutpeel's magic 400k. I spend approx 1 week per month overseas either offshore, onshore, or in other industries such as mining, it is very varied and enjoyable work. I am due a salary review on Jan 1st, my boss (also farang) has intimated this will be a significant raise due to the fact I have procured contracts with 3 multi national oil and gas companies in the last few months, and I am hoping I will hit, or be near to, Souties magic 400k in the new year.

The purpose of this post is not to boast, but to debunk the naysayers such as those quoted above, and to give some hope to those whose same position I was in 2 years ago.

Spend some time to research the market you are interested in, re-qualify if necessary. Then you just need bucketfuls of drive and determination, as many contacts as you can find, online and face to face, and a certain stubborness bordering on arrogance.

There are well paying jobs out there, but they won't fall in your lap, mine took nearly 18 months, alot of study and heartache, and some investment which was recouped in a few short months, but it is achievable. FYI I am 37 now.

Good luck!

Good to hear you are doing well. Means that it is possible. I do have experience in the O&G business, I should be able to find something.

I do agree with your assessment of the various quoted passages, but referring to the second quote, I was thinking along the lines of setting up my own service company. Not so much because I think its the only way, but because I think its a viable alternative. You take care of your own visa and WP. Being married cuts down the registered capital and number of Thai employees requirements.

It would make it easier for companies to hire you on contract/project basis without them having the hassle of arranging WP. Just a matter of sending an invoice every month.

You still need to market yourself and make contacts.

[ClareQuilty]

I agree - it's not impossible to get a western salary, but it's not too likely, unless you're an international school teacher at a top school.

What? I still believe that the biggest chunk of people making western salaries are international school teachers. There are hundreds and hundreds of them.

You call 60-80K baht per month a "western salary" for their level of qualification?

Sorry, but what is your reference country for this assertion?

Most school teachers in the US make around $2,500-3,500/month. So that's 80,000-112,000. Salaries are just very, very low in the US, so they don't seem all that low to americans living here.

[William Osborne]

I would give up my O&G pay if I could stay in Thailand and "only" make US$450 a day.

Let's face it, being offshore isn't that nice, which is why the pay is so good.

ditto.... I worked down in Mataput many moons (years) ago but have never really made an effort to get work here again as I like to switch to 'holiday' mode once i get back to LOS...

I've done my share of "hardship" postings so have enough experience & money to be a little bit choosy where I go now, which is pretty much anywhere if the leave cycle is ok

Edited November 24, 2009 by William Osborne