How Much Does Skilled Labor Paid In Thailand?

[HC82]

Watching some guys doing some pretty serious welding out my window I thought about all of the really well paid skilled labor jobs in America. Anything from construction workers to longshoremen.

How much do these guys make in Thailand?

I'm talking only about people who know a trade that requires training and skill not unskilled laborers who I know all make 200 Baht a day.

[jackinbkk]

Not much I'd say....

you can see salaries on job listing sites. A welding assistant manager job posted right now with 3yrs exp

and good spoken English was paying 26k to 35k. Some of the top exec jobs in Thai firms are only in the 80 to 100k range, requiring 10 yrs experience.

Good thing Sangsom is as cheap as it is lol.

[floridaguy]

Minimum wage is dependent upon the province. Higher in Bangkok and Rayong and Chonburi, but cheaper in the north, etc. But welding is not normally considered skilled, like in the States. I have paid minimum wage to welders, carpenters, brick layers, etc. These are considered trades in the US, and I paid for that distinction there. But here, it is more the experience than the function. I have known some Laos/Cambodian/Burmese laborers getting 100 baht a day (not by me) that were more skilled than their Thai counterparts making double or triple that. I know of skilled engineers with Bachelor's degrees making 10-15000 a month. It really is different here.

[HC82]

i don't think i'd want somebody welding for me who was getting paid minimum wage

[HC82]

or to live, work or even enter a building where the welders were being paid minimum wage

what a country...

[HC82]

What about lawyers and doctors?

[Briggsy]

Many trades that are considered skilled in the West are not considered so in Thailand. You have a chicken and egg situation. Often electricians, welders and plumbers are simply odd-job men with a bit of extra knowledge that they have picked up. Therefore they are paid a little bit over the minimum wage. The other view is that there are no enforced standards in the building trade and nothing in the way of guilds or strong unions so there is no incentive for the unskilled apprentice to spend 5 years perfecting his craft for an unrecognised expertise.

In answer to your question, I know an electrician in his 20's who is proud he is on 400 Baht a day. Operators in my engineering factory with a background education at an automotive technical college receive 7500 Baht a month basic + overtime.

[johna]

We paid the electrician who wired our house 500฿ per day, that was back in 1994.

Judging by the work we got robbed.

This year we installed a water tank on top of a steel tower and the welding work is dangerous.

[Carib]

or to live, work or even enter a building where the welders were being paid minimum wage

what a country...

You cannot even stand to live or work in a building where people are working for low wages? Better get out of the building you are observing the welders from, it was also made by these kind of guys and with the same pay.

So I guess you didn't have anything `made in China` at home in the states, which is almost impossible by the way, since they produce a huge chunk of the products used there, and why? Maybe the wages have something to do with it.

Better think before making foolish statements, this ain't kansas, so kansas rules and wages don't apply, you forgot to leave your home thinking where it should be.

If your thoughts are `what a country`, they are probably based on the wrong assumptions, `back home` assumptions that is.

Enjoy your stay.

[jackr]

We paid the electrician who wired our house 500฿ per day, that was back in 1994.

Judging by the work we got robbed.

Way too much... should be about 300, today! Standard welders that would weld up your trussing also around 300. Welder contractors offshore in the Gulf probably around 2k a day.

[Soutpeel]

<BR>Welder contractors offshore in the Gulf probably around 2k a day.<BR>

Try double that for the welders if a welding supervisor, 5-6k day.Like most things in life pay peanuts get the monkey, there are some very highly skilled Thai welders about, in most cases better than their US/UK/Euro counterparts.

Think you need to differentiate between a real welder and rod burner. The rod burner is the type of "welder" you will find on building construction, not real welders

Edited November 18, 2010 by Soutpeel

[floridaguy]

or to live, work or even enter a building where the welders were being paid minimum wage

what a country...

Run!!!!!!

You are in one now. I ran a crew of only Thais at minimum wage, but some of the other sub-contractors were employing Burmese and Laos workers for 100 a day or less. Every job site I have been to or involved with has employed minimum wage welders, plumbers, brick layers, concrete guys, window installers, etc etc etc. I have been involved with everything from high rise condos to town houses to industrial and commercial buildings. It is all the same.

So run out of your house/condo/apartment/high rise. Where will you live? We are not in China, we haven't had any finished buildings collapse here that I know of. There have been 2 - during construction at the University in Chonburi, and the scaffolding at Centralworld a week or so ago. But none after finishing, that I know of.

[HC82]

or to live, work or even enter a building where the welders were being paid minimum wage

what a country...

You cannot even stand to live or work in a building where people are working for low wages? Better get out of the building you are observing the welders from, it was also made by these kind of guys and with the same pay.

It is about the implied skill and training they have if they are earning 200-400 THB per day, not simply what they are paid.

Edited November 18, 2010 by HC82

[GM1955]

or to live, work or even enter a building where the welders were being paid minimum wage

what a country...

So you don't live here then, or if you do you live in a field ?

[GM1955]

So run out of your house/condo/apartment/high rise. Where will you live? We are not in China, we haven't had any finished buildings collapse here that I know of. There have been 2 - during construction at the University in Chonburi, and the scaffolding at Centralworld a week or so ago. But none after finishing, that I know of.

Royal Plaza Hotel in Korat, 90 dead or thereabouts in the early 90's.

Edit, it was 127 dead. Heres a link you may find interesting.

http://www.thaiengineering.com/viewtext.php?id=250&&id_cate=33

Edited November 18, 2010 by GM1955

[HC82]

or to live, work or even enter a building where the welders were being paid minimum wage

what a country...

So you don't live here then, or if you do you live in a field ?

After finding out this information I have decided to sell my Bangkok condo and live in an igloo on Koh Chang. I will build the igloo myself as I am a certified igloo builder in the states.

[soundman]

Think you need to differentiate between a real welder and rod burner. The rod burner is the type of "welder" you will find on building construction, not real welders

"Real" welding is an art.

[floridaguy]

So run out of your house/condo/apartment/high rise. Where will you live? We are not in China, we haven't had any finished buildings collapse here that I know of. There have been 2 - during construction at the University in Chonburi, and the scaffolding at Centralworld a week or so ago. But none after finishing, that I know of.

Royal Plaza Hotel in Korat, 90 dead or thereabouts in the early 90's.

Edit, it was 127 dead. Heres a link you may find interesting.

http://www.thaiengin...250&&id_cate=33

Interesting, but not isolated to Thailand. Nor is poor welding.

Edited November 19, 2010 by floridaguy

[jdinasia]

So run out of your house/condo/apartment/high rise. Where will you live? We are not in China, we haven't had any finished buildings collapse here that I know of. There have been 2 - during construction at the University in Chonburi, and the scaffolding at Centralworld a week or so ago. But none after finishing, that I know of.

Royal Plaza Hotel in Korat, 90 dead or thereabouts in the early 90's.

Edit, it was 127 dead. Heres a link you may find interesting.

http://www.thaiengin...250&&id_cate=33

Interesting, but not isolated to Thailand. Nor is poor welding.

The issue in that case was adding 3 extra floors (storeys -- making a total of 6) to a building that was only made to bear the weight of 3. It wasn't the craftsmanship of the labor that was at fault, it was the greed of the owners and the mismanagement of the building inspectors.