What Jobs / Careers Do You Expect Your Kids To Have?

[seaeagle]

Hi,

Just want to see what the rest of you all think about the kinds of jobs / careers that your kids will have when they grow up here on Phuket. I'm looking at both 100% foreign, and 50 / 50 Thai and other.

My own feelings are that, being 100% foreign, they're going to be in some difficulty when they leave education. Unless they follow in parent's footsteps, and carry on the 'family business' if there is one, I'm stumped as to what an 18 / 20 year old could do here.

For mixed kids, then there is some leeway with being employed as a Thai. However, I look around, and just wonder what there is here for a mixed kid with a decent education. We have the hotel / leisure industry, and (lol) the real estate industry. There's no manufacturing, big government departments, financial / banking, industries here at all.

So, as parents with young children, what do you envisage them doing when they grow up?

Thanks for your input.

[stevenl]

You seem to presume they will stay on Phuket, but why? If they have a good education and want to remain in Thailand, Bangkok will in a lot of cases offer better opportunities.

And of course if they have a real good education they have already left Thailand, otherwise they can't have that good education.

To answer your questions: my kids are not mine by blood, and 100% Thai although I don't raise them that way.

I hope one of them will follow me in the diving business, and the other one seems to be too intelligent for that, so he may get a real good education.

Edited August 11, 2010 by stevenl

[seaeagle]

You seem to presume they will stay on Phuket, but why? If they have a good education and want to remain in Thailand, Bangkok will in a lot of cases offer better opportunities.

And of course if they have a real good education they have already left Thailand, otherwise they can't have that good education.

To answer your questions: my kids are not mine by blood, and 100% Thai although I don't raise them that way.

I hope one of them will follow me in the diving business, and the other one seems to be too intelligent for that, so he may get a real good education.

Thanks stevennl - not a bad reply. In essence, that's what I think - they'd have to move away to make any sort of decent career.

For those kids who wish to stay here, and for those parents who want to stay close to their kids (ie not go to Bangkok, or presumably 'back' overseas having settled in Phuket themselves) I'd still hope to hear of opinions on a future in Phuket.

[N47HAN]

are 50 50 children allowed to serve in the forces ? police force ? heard somewhere there not ?

[LivinginKata]

Unwanted reply, and the response, removed.

[LivinLOS]

One thing I am continually grateful for is the opportunities provided to me in the west.. opportunities I just cant see being able to provide to a child here, not only mixed or Thai kids, but I see similar in parents that retire when they have teenage kids that come with them.

For me my teen years was learning my independence, learning to hustle, car auctions, making a quid.. I just dont see that opportunity for young adults here, especially 'privileged' luk krung ones. Its something thats important to creating a mindset of money creation, and allowing them to grow into independent people with self confidence. I see children of expats, as has been mentioned, following into the parents business as they dont have assets to start their own, or options out there to do as much.

The upside is, like the chinese, if the family has assets, the luk krung kids have Thai rights, Thai language, and some seed money.. So hopefully over time the ability to integrate and establish within the business community, like the chinese have, will take hold.

[grumpyoldman]

I don't have kids but I'm Leung Grumpyoldman to a couple of my buddies kids.

My one German pals daughter is going to be a natural linguist. At 7, she already speaks Thai, German and English. She adds one more (Chinese?) and by 16 she will have four languages under her belt. That's for sure a university scholarship in the U.S.

So I think many of the kids here are blessed with a multilingual background.

[petercallen]

are 50 50 children allowed to serve in the forces ? police force ? heard somewhere there not ?

A child born in Thailand as long as one perant is a Thai national/citizen has the same rights as any other Thai.

[PoorSucker]

are 50 50 children allowed to serve in the forces ? police force ? heard somewhere there not ?

A child born in Thailand as long as one perant is a Thai national/citizen has the same rights as any other Thai.

And obligations, for men, that means the draft.

[ESB7]

Although not any major call centers/banking HQs, there are hundreds of banking branches locally, A white looking 50/50Thai with a good education and speaks Thai, English and possibly other languages would easily be welcomed to the industry. The branches hav ehigh salaried front and back office opportunities and of course the sales side with high commisions.

Hospitality, Front Ofiice/ Food and Beverage managers in large resorts earn in excess of 80,000 a month and get to travel the world.

For girls, as an air stewardess, I recently noticed Emirates are recruiting Thai staff at a starting salary of 70,000 a month.

Tescos and other large shopping chains would welcome again an educated 50/50 white looking Thai to a senior managment postion.

The opportunities really are endless. With the masses of 50/50 kids that will be graduating in Thailand in 10 years or so, I am sure they will be looked on as an asset to most companies.