Top Career Choice For Educated Ladies

[a2396]

I know three Thai ladies, with Univ degrees in English, who have told me that their preferred career choice is to be an airline stewardess. I was told that starting salary can be 30,000 bht per mo. I guess when compared to what they would make in a business in Thailand, that is quite good money. Any comments from our learned members?

[ronz28]

PPDI is a good company to work for in the US in clinical research. Other CRO companies are comparable. Career path to $75k USD in 3 to 5 years and up to about $110k in management positions. BS degree in microbiology, chemistry, nursing, etc. is helpful but will train others. PPDI has an office in BKK see http://www.ppdi.com/locations/asia_overview/thailand.htm

I don't know what they pay in BKK or it there are other CRO companies there.

Job is to ensure clinical trials of potential new drugs are being carried out consistent with government scientific FDA standards so that results of studies are reliable.

Customers are the major drug companies in US and Japan.

CRO has to write up short reports of their findings of the clinics they review so a degree in English would also be helpful.

Edited January 1, 2010 by ronz28

[Brunus]

Stewardess is a very good job. Hopefully your friends are tall enough. My wife wasn't chosen because she is 1 cm shorter than required

[Neeranam]

I know a few stewardesses - they get between 40 and 50,000 Baht a month.

[jetjock]

The job of Flight Attendant is both well paying and prestigious by Thai standards even for very well educated women. When I met my wife, she had just been accepted as a F/A for an airline but was still in the process of interviewing other airlines. Initially it was difficult for me to understand why she would want a F/A job when she had postgraduate degrees from Mahidol U. and was working for a US based company in medical scientific sales in a job that I knew paid well over $100,000. a year in the US. Her answer was simple in that the same job in Thailand was only paying her a little of 30,000. Baht a month. Airlines like Thai Airways and Emirates that hire in Thailand have very high standards so I think it is a great job as it is considered not only well paying and prestigious by most Thai women but can also be a lot of fun if you enjoy traveling thoughout the world. In the US, however, the job of F/A has lost most of it's former glamour and is no longer well paying or prestigious so unlike in the past, most highly educated women in the US do not normally choose it as a career.

[wasabi]

Stewardess is a very good job. Hopefully your friends are tall enough. My wife wasn't chosen because she is 1 cm shorter than required

Wish these kind of standards were universal. Who wants to scoot around a grouchy old tub of lard on a long haul international flight. No disrespect meant to your wife. Just saying Some industries benefit from not just letting anyone due the job.

[Brunus]

Stewardess is a very good job. Hopefully your friends are tall enough. My wife wasn't chosen because she is 1 cm shorter than required

Wish these kind of standards were universal. Who wants to scoot around a grouchy old tub of lard on a long haul international flight. No disrespect meant to your wife. Just saying Some industries benefit from not just letting anyone due the job.

No offense taken. My wife is young and pretty and she isn't fat. Well educated, excellent English. Polite and get along with everybody. She is not very tall. Just 1 cm less than required.

[cdnvic]

Stewardess is a very good job. Hopefully your friends are tall enough. My wife wasn't chosen because she is 1 cm shorter than required

Wish these kind of standards were universal. Who wants to scoot around a grouchy old tub of lard on a long haul international flight. No disrespect meant to your wife. Just saying Some industries benefit from not just letting anyone due the job.

If you want eye candy, buy a copy of Maxim in the newsreader before boarding. That old tub of lard's job is getting your lard butt out of there safely in an emergency, and countless times the actions of FAs of all ages and statures proves they are bloody good at it.

[edwardandtubs]

I have also spoken to many university students who want to be air stewardesses. When I asked one why she replied "because I'm very beautiful". It's definitely a high-status job in Thailand but are these girls aware that it's a rather low-status job in many other countries?

[GuestHouse]

I'm quite certain that Thaivisa is the last place educated Thai women will come looking for advice on which career path to take.

[a2396]

I have also spoken to many university students who want to be air stewardesses. When I asked one why she replied "because I'm very beautiful". It's definitely a high-status job in Thailand but are these girls aware that it's a rather low-status job in many other countries?

As with most things foreign, Thais have little interest or knowledge about what conditions are outside Thailand. I suppose it doesn't matter for a Thai lady, since this job IS considered high status in Thailand and the money is good comparatively. In my country however, they are generally viewed as glorified waitresses and beauty is no longer a qualifier for employment.

[Dakhar]

The job of Flight Attendant is both well paying and prestigious by Thai standards even for very well educated women. When I met my wife, she had just been accepted as a F/A for an airline but was still in the process of interviewing other airlines. Initially it was difficult for me to understand why she would want a F/A job when she had postgraduate degrees from Mahidol U. and was working for a US based company in medical scientific sales in a job that I knew paid well over $100,000. a year in the US. Her answer was simple in that the same job in Thailand was only paying her a little of 30,000. Baht a month. Airlines like Thai Airways and Emirates that hire in Thailand have very high standards so I think it is a great job as it is considered not only well paying and prestigious by most Thai women but can also be a lot of fun if you enjoy traveling thoughout the world. In the US, however, the job of F/A has lost most of it's former glamour and is no longer well paying or prestigious so unlike in the past, most highly educated women in the US do not normally choose it as a career.

Legal pharm reps do not earn "well over 100K." Now if you are talking about pimping illegal drugs, yes by all reports they do earn well.

The fact that a suposed well educated individual life time aspiration is to be a waitress on an airplane.... doesn't speak well as to what type of education is received in Thailand.

[cognos]

"..I know three Thai ladies, with Univ degrees in English,.."

my wife ( from LOS) has a partial degree in english ( and something else)..and she is presently not working, but taking ESL courses in Canada, level 4 ( there are 5 levels).

An english degree from Thailand does not make the person fluent enough for some types of employment in farang land, at least in this case.

..you see her English teachers at Ramkaenghang university in BKK were Thai, and their own English was somewhat lacking.

signed: the apple doesn't fall to far from the tree

[cognos]

Hey, i thought hardly any of us had educated, Thai- Chinese wives from middle class families.. at least according to the " experts " on TV..

THEREFORE.. all of us farang with educated, Thai chinese wives from middle class families MUST be lying to save face

signed: the bitter few

[sharecropper]

"..I know three Thai ladies, with Univ degrees in English,.."

my wife ( from LOS) has a partial degree in english ( and something else)..and she is presently not working, but taking ESL courses in Canada, level 4 ( there are 5 levels).

An english degree from Thailand does not make the person fluent enough for some types of employment in farang land, at least in this case.

..you see her English teachers at Ramkaenghang university in BKK were Thai, and their own English was somewhat lacking.

signed: the apple doesn't fall to far from the tree

Ditto my missus - same university, English and Media Studies, although after 6 years together her English is now excellent. When we met I was very surprised by it, given she had spent 5 years studying it at university. She also had Thai teachers, and looking back she thought they were completely useless and was herself annoyed at their standards.

She is self-employed now, using English for business emails every day (internet-based clothing trading), and asks me only occassionally for help in drafting. She makes nothing like the numbers talked about here, but she's happy working from home at hours to suit herself, and I know here is very little bi-lingual Thai competiton in her field.

[geriatrickid]

I have also spoken to many university students who want to be air stewardesses. When I asked one why she replied "because I'm very beautiful". It's definitely a high-status job in Thailand but are these girls aware that it's a rather low-status job in many other countries?

Being a banker used to be a high status job in the west, but now it's on par with a pimp

[sharecropper]

I have also spoken to many university students who want to be air stewardesses. When I asked one why she replied "because I'm very beautiful". It's definitely a high-status job in Thailand but are these girls aware that it's a rather low-status job in many other countries?

Being a banker used to be a high status job in the west, but now it's on par with a pimp

(A well paid one though!)

[jetjock]

The job of Flight Attendant is both well paying and prestigious by Thai standards even for very well educated women. When I met my wife, she had just been accepted as a F/A for an airline but was still in the process of interviewing other airlines. Initially it was difficult for me to understand why she would want a F/A job when she had postgraduate degrees from Mahidol U. and was working for a US based company in medical scientific sales in a job that I knew paid well over $100,000. a year in the US. Her answer was simple in that the same job in Thailand was only paying her a little of 30,000. Baht a month. Airlines like Thai Airways and Emirates that hire in Thailand have very high standards so I think it is a great job as it is considered not only well paying and prestigious by most Thai women but can also be a lot of fun if you enjoy traveling thoughout the world. In the US, however, the job of F/A has lost most of it's former glamour and is no longer well paying or prestigious so unlike in the past, most highly educated women in the US do not normally choose it as a career.

Legal pharm reps do not earn "well over 100K." Now if you are talking about pimping illegal drugs, yes by all reports they do earn well.

The fact that a suposed well educated individual life time aspiration is to be a waitress on an airplane.... doesn't speak well as to what type of education is received in Thailand.

Dakhar, Regarding your post, I have no idea why you mentioned pharm rep and what they make as I never mentioned it in my post however I do not what medical equip. reps can make since my wife is now one in the US and I can definitely assure you that if you are in the right medical equipment field and work for a good company then 100K and even 200k is very possible if you are good at what you do.

Most F/A jobs for major carriers here in the US start at around $24,000 a year or even lower and as a rough figure, they can usually make up to somewhere in the $50,000 range per year depending on the airline and if they have many years of seniority and fly max hours every months. I won't dispute the fact that part of their job consists of being a flying waitresses and putting up with the BS from a few of the A-hole passengers that seem to cause problems on flights however their main job that they are highly trained for is to try to save the lives of passengers in the unfortunate event of a crash or an evacuation. To reinterate what I said earlier, by Thai standards of salary, the F/A job is a great job even for well educated Thai's. People that are well educated are usually smart enought to go to where the money is and the fact is that F/A's make good money so I can totally understand why a smart Thai girl would choose the job of F/A which also has a tremendous amount of great benefits like free travel in addition to the money.

[MiG16]

opinions of Thais re flight attendant job

well paid? certainly (especially when as fresh uni grad you might be looking at 15 to 20K elsewhere and in some exceptional cases more than that, but with F/A to my knowledge Thai was paying 50K starting, not sure what it is now)

respected job? not always viewed as such (it is not uncommon to hear the expression waitresses in the air to refer to F/A, and Im not being condescending. I have friends who are F/A, and we also make the same jokes). so its not always seen blindly as glamorous job, but those that do it do so for other reasons too such as pay, perks. plus the fact that you have no career path and once you get to a certain age you dont have too many options except to start your own business - nothing wrong with the latter, but might not be everyone's cup of tea...)

of course there are perks like getting to travel in addition to well paid

I cant say what the top 3 career is, but depending what your education background is, and what opportunities everyone has, it can range from:

factory job for someone with no formal education (compared to those that have to work on the farms or as domestic help, many girls would prefer in the factories - at times even when its less paid than doing domestic help)

those with some degree or diploma - can really vary. for some working in advertising would be their dream job. for others in small town, working as a bank teller is deemed prestigious

and then ofcourse not forgetting the government/civil service jobs - in general this is coveted positions, for a number of reasons.

a job in foreign affairs ministry is highly regarded. no matter the pay

a job as a teacher is also highly regarded

nurses - I know many young girls dream of it (and ofcourse doctors)

(but overall, can we really say what is the top 3? I cant. and do we really need to? whats the purpose? women all have varied interests, some will prefer some things over others, including their career choice. some may still prefer to be housewives and take care of children. some work because they need to help financially. some are just rich enough to sit idle and not do much except go to parties and socialise some have very ambitious careers and enjoy the work)

[Nio]

Thai Flight Attendants hired by Emirates that live and work in Dubai

All housing and costs paid for and they are super large apartments share by 3 girls with separate large master bedrooms and their own bathrooms, giant kitchen, washer and dryer, huge living and dining room.

Free transportation to and from the airport

Salary 45,000 thb per month

Economy Class additional 500 thb per flight hour

Business Class additional 650 per flight hour

Girls averaging 100 to 120 flight hours per month, so monthly salaries can hit 100,000 per month (Salary plus flight hours)

The girls also get 10% cash for all the Duty Free goods they sell in flight and sometimes this can mean US $400 a flight

90% discount on space available tickets

There are numerous super good looking Thai girls all living in the same complex in Dubai

The problem is they all live in Dubai

For them to make this money in Thailand is probably impossible

[bangon04]

I cant say what the top 3 career is, but depending what your education background is, and what opportunities everyone has, it can range from:

factory job for someone with no formal education (compared to those that have to work on the farms or as domestic help, many girls would prefer in the factories - at times even when its less paid than doing domestic help)

those with some degree or diploma - can really vary. for some working in advertising would be their dream job. for others in small town, working as a bank teller is deemed prestigious

and then ofcourse not forgetting the government/civil service jobs - in general this is coveted positions, for a number of reasons.

a job in foreign affairs ministry is highly regarded. no matter the pay

a job as a teacher is also highly regarded

nurses - I know many young girls dream of it (and ofcourse doctors)

(but overall, can we really say what is the top 3? I cant. and do we really need to? whats the purpose? women all have varied interests, some will prefer some things over others, including their career choice. some may still prefer to be housewives and take care of children. some work because they need to help financially. some are just rich enough to sit idle and not do much except go to parties and socialise some have very ambitious careers and enjoy the work)

But let us just assume there are some Thai girls who have ambition and drive to make the very best of their educational opportunities, but cannot rely on "connections" and "looking good", but have to rely on their own hard work and natural ability. Can they actually get to be brain surgeons, airline pilots, CEOs, cabinet members, etc in Thailand. It seems not. So is being an Air Hostess the pinnacle of a woman's career???

[MiG16]

But let us just assume there are some Thai girls who have ambition and drive to make the very best of their educational opportunities, but cannot rely on "connections" and "looking good", but have to rely on their own hard work and natural ability. Can they actually get to be brain surgeons, airline pilots, CEOs, cabinet members, etc in Thailand. It seems not. So is being an Air Hostess the pinnacle of a woman's career???

I have none of those connections or looking good factors, and have relied on my own hard work and ability (plus the education and work experience I have gained) - may not be a brain surgeon or airline pilot or cabinet member, but I have had some not too shabby jobs

and know friends in similar situation who have become - a successful lawyer with one of the big 4 consultancy firm, a doctor at reputable hospital, a very creative web designer, a successful boutique clothing designer who owns her own business, an executive at an international bank, a higly coveted sales manager for telecom business, etc AND also 2 friends who have been F/A for many years, and still enjoying their career. I think for each of them they see their career as being fulfilling. I wouldnt say they feel they have reached the 'pinnacle' as you put it, but they are satisfied with the direction they are going, and still are constantly on the move - and of course the hope is that that move is going upwards.

(sure there are some that have better opportunities because of what families they are born into, but should the rest of us just sit back and feel sorry for ourselves because we dont? some of us know we have the option to succeed, even if it means having to work harder than others. but I think that applies also to non Thai, and not just women. sure women have more obstacles, but I have to say its not too bad in Thailand compared to what I know women in other countries face)

[cognos]

"..Ditto my missus - same university, English and Media Studies,.."

wow, maybe they know each other, as I never mentioned the other besides english, but it is ALSO media studies..small world..my wife is 38, perhaps they studied together??

[Dakhar]

The job of Flight Attendant is both well paying and prestigious by Thai standards even for very well educated women. When I met my wife, she had just been accepted as a F/A for an airline but was still in the process of interviewing other airlines. Initially it was difficult for me to understand why she would want a F/A job when she had postgraduate degrees from Mahidol U. and was working for a US based company in medical scientific sales in a job that I knew paid well over $100,000. a year in the US. Her answer was simple in that the same job in Thailand was only paying her a little of 30,000. Baht a month. Airlines like Thai Airways and Emirates that hire in Thailand have very high standards so I think it is a great job as it is considered not only well paying and prestigious by most Thai women but can also be a lot of fun if you enjoy traveling thoughout the world. In the US, however, the job of F/A has lost most of it's former glamour and is no longer well paying or prestigious so unlike in the past, most highly educated women in the US do not normally choose it as a career.

Legal pharm reps do not earn "well over 100K." Now if you are talking about pimping illegal drugs, yes by all reports they do earn well.

The fact that a suposed well educated individual life time aspiration is to be a waitress on an airplane.... doesn't speak well as to what type of education is received in Thailand.

Dakhar, Regarding your post, I have no idea why you mentioned pharm rep and what they make as I never mentioned it in my post however I do not what medical equip. reps can make since my wife is now one in the US and I can definitely assure you that if you are in the right medical equipment field and work for a good company then 100K and even 200k is very possible if you are good at what you do.

Most F/A jobs for major carriers here in the US start at around $24,000 a year or even lower and as a rough figure, they can usually make up to somewhere in the $50,000 range per year depending on the airline and if they have many years of seniority and fly max hours every months. I won't dispute the fact that part of their job consists of being a flying waitresses and putting up with the BS from a few of the A-hole passengers that seem to cause problems on flights however their main job that they are highly trained for is to try to save the lives of passengers in the unfortunate event of a crash or an evacuation. To reinterate what I said earlier, by Thai standards of salary, the F/A job is a great job even for well educated Thai's. People that are well educated are usually smart enought to go to where the money is and the fact is that F/A's make good money so I can totally understand why a smart Thai girl would choose the job of F/A which also has a tremendous amount of great benefits like free travel in addition to the money.

Speaking from first hand knowledge, I have no idea if diagnostic equipment sales person earn over 100K, but I suspect that they do. (as you put it, depending on the product) But regarding an FA position, I know I would want my child to aspire for more, even if the pay was 50K (cough).

[cat5]

Adecco Group Thailand and Kelly Services Thailand produce some good salary and employment guides that cover most sectors of professional employment in Thailand. Unfortunately, I don't think the guides cover working as an airline stewardess, although I'm sure one of the members on Thai Visa can do some personal research there. ;-) It has been mentioned in other threads, but here's the link anyway:

http://bangkoklibrary.com/category/tags/employment

[cognos]

..hands down, bar girls..just kidding..and killing time in cold Canada..

signed: exceptions to every rule

[a2396]

Adecco Group Thailand and Kelly Services Thailand produce some good salary and employment guides that cover most sectors of professional employment in Thailand. Unfortunately, I don't think the guides cover working as an airline stewardess, although I'm sure one of the members on Thai Visa can do some personal research there. ;-) It has been mentioned in other threads, but here's the link anyway:

http://bangkoklibrary.com/category/tags/employment

An interesting guide. But, I did not see it covered employment in medical fields, such as nursing or government sector employment. Also interesting to note is that the ability to speak Japanese was listed in a separate section, frequently with higher pay rates offered for such.

[bkkjames]

From my experience those with degrees seek out two paths of least resistance.

1) Once they get over the fact that they aren't in Uni anymore and daddy forces them to get off their rear ends, they usually look for a job at a bank, or gov office etc, with an exact job description wherein they don't have to do any more or less than required.

2) Once they realise that the real world is harder than Uni, they inevitably end up making some excuse to return to perma student status and repeat number 1.

[cat5]

Adecco Group Thailand and Kelly Services Thailand produce some good salary and employment guides that cover most sectors of professional employment in Thailand. Unfortunately, I don't think the guides cover working as an airline stewardess, although I'm sure one of the members on Thai Visa can do some personal research there. ;-) It has been mentioned in other threads, but here's the link anyway:

http://bangkoklibrary.com/category/tags/employment

An interesting guide. But, I did not see it covered employment in medical fields, such as nursing or government sector employment. Also interesting to note is that the ability to speak Japanese was listed in a separate section, frequently with higher pay rates offered for such.

You're quite right. If anyone has details of salaries in the government sector maybe they could share it here.

[cat5]

From my experience those with degrees seek out two paths of least resistance.

1) Once they get over the fact that they aren't in Uni anymore and daddy forces them to get off their rear ends, they usually look for a job at a bank, or gov office etc, with an exact job description wherein they don't have to do any more or less than required.

2) Once they realise that the real world is harder than Uni, they inevitably end up making some excuse to return to perma student status and repeat number 1.

That might be true for the rich girls, but I don't think it's true for the majority.