Salaries In Thailand

[TimTang]

Now I'm confused again. Here's the circumstances under which I was granted my last visa extension according to thaivisa extensions section.

Extension based on support of a child

Oct 1st 2006 Police order 606:

7.17/5 This rule stipulates that a person over 50yrs of age can apply for an extension based on a Thai child supporting their parent, with no financial requirement as in other extension types.

Whilst this is bad news for those under 50yrs old, it is also good news for those over 50yrs old with a Thai child, that for some reason or other are unable to meet the financial requirements of the retirement visa , or can meet the requirements, but would rather not transfer their money into Thailand.

The downside is of course, that those under 50yrs old that are unmarried have less options now.

This is what I believed to be the rule when I last applied for an extension. I was told by the immigration officer that this rule was changed in Dec. 2008 so was rejected.

Has anyone else seen this change or did he just make it up on the spot to make my life miserable?

[wintermute]

That' still way high if you're talking about an ordinary secretary. By chance is that a higher-end secretary, perhaps the one that takes care of the company's managing director? I too worked for a MNC that employed primarily college educated Thais - there a 50,000 baht salary was about what a first level engineering manager would be getting. An entry level engineer with a BS degree from a Thai university would get about half that.

Highest position is Project Manager.

Considering when I came here 15 years ago the US company I worked for were paying secretaries 25,000 Baht (US$1,000 back then) then 50,000 Baht now (US$1,500) seems about right.

The US company were paying the Thai Engineers 80,000 Baht back then.

Something's wrong with either your numbers or with the job descriptions that you are using. 80,000 baht/month is more in-line with what a Singaporean engineer would be making in Singapore that what a Thai engineer would be making in Thailand. Must be very senior engineers with excellent language skills to be pulling in the salaries that you are talking about. If those wages were customary amongst MNC's in Thailand, there wouldn't be very many MNC's in Thailand.

Singaporean engineers make way more than the equivalent of 80,000 baht a month. It's more like 140,000 baht and up for ones with a few years experience.

[Soutpeel]

He is my understanding:

the minimum salary stated for a specific nationality is to do with being granted an extension of stay based on employment...ie dont have to leave the country every 90 days, just do 90 day reporting.

WP will be granted on less money, but would not be granted the extension of stay by immigration. I also know for a fact that for certain professions that even at the minimum stated eg THB 50,000, a WP will not be granted for offshore Oil & Gas workers at THB 50,000/m and usually the companies employing O&G workers are stating around THB 90,000/m to get a WP approved with an extension of stay.

[Soutpeel]

That' still way high if you're talking about an ordinary secretary. By chance is that a higher-end secretary, perhaps the one that takes care of the company's managing director? I too worked for a MNC that employed primarily college educated Thais - there a 50,000 baht salary was about what a first level engineering manager would be getting. An entry level engineer with a BS degree from a Thai university would get about half that.

Highest position is Project Manager.

Considering when I came here 15 years ago the US company I worked for were paying secretaries 25,000 Baht (US$1,000 back then) then 50,000 Baht now (US$1,500) seems about right.

The US company were paying the Thai Engineers 80,000 Baht back then.

Something's wrong with either your numbers or with the job descriptions that you are using. 80,000 baht/month is more in-line with what a Singaporean engineer would be making in Singapore that what a Thai engineer would be making in Thailand. Must be very senior engineers with excellent language skills to be pulling in the salaries that you are talking about. If those wages were customary amongst MNC's in Thailand, there wouldn't be very many MNC's in Thailand.

OP....PP is actually about right.....Average Thai salaries for engineers in the MNC I work for start at around THB 90k/m and up to around 200-250k month for Thai PM's, senior Engineering specialists

[CWMcMurray]

Thai professionals are not nearly as underpaid as many seem think..... their actually is a growing middle class in Thailand

[TimTang]

Sorry!

I inadvertently high jacked this thread. I'll start a new thread regarding Extension based on support of a child.

My apologies.

[Brewsta]

yawn

Happy Seasons and pls lose this thready thing purporting to be even vaguely of interest.

Ta Lots,

Brewsta

[mynextgig]

Thai professionals are not nearly as underpaid as many seem think..... their actually is a growing middle class in Thailand

What would the salary range be for what we consider a middle class job in the US or Europe ? Doctor, Accountant, Trader, Lawyer etc

In the US or Europe a middle class salary for a profession requiring a degree and post graduate qualifications in my experience would be EUR100,000/$US150,000 upwards.

Anyone have any insight into what people in these professions would earn in Thailand ?

[CWMcMurray]

I would say the salary that you have advised is high for "Middle class" in the US. I would put entering the Middle class at around 60,000+ (household income).

This is not to say they wouldn't be feeling the pinch at this wage, but they would be able to own their own home (unless living in NYC or LA), cars for husband and wife (nothing special but new every 5-7 yrs).

Not being able to retire worry free, but should be ok if they watch their budget...

With a single wage earner making USD 150,000 I would put that family in upper middle to lower upper class.

For Thailand, I would estimate that to enter into the "Middle class" you are looking at around thb 75,000/ month (family income). At this wage, you should be able to afford a mortgage on a small home(15k per month) and two cars (nothing special, under 10k per month each). With enough to pay the rest of the bills will a little left over to save.

[CWMcMurray]

Just want to add, that I am not saying that at the above amounts you will be living comfortably without having to stress about finances or that you will have a whole lot to put away for retirement.... but I think at those amounts you will be entering into the "middle class"

I would also venture to say that their are a whole lot of Thai families with 1 or 2 income earners making above 75k per month.

Edited December 30, 2009 by CWMcMurray