I was thinking about having a full time driver in Bangkok

Primarily to take the kids to school and pick them up, take me to work and pick me up as well as run the wife around during the day to Tesco Lotus/Rmpotium etc, as well as take us to nearby places on the weekend.

Is there anyone else who has done something similar? Maybe hire a taxi driver on a full time basis, or buy a car and just hire someone to drive it for them?

Not sure if my comment will help you, but I am using the help of a driver, from time to time,when I have to go to CBD for meetings.

Driving our personal car, he gets 500 baht for an average of five hours daily work plus his food allowance..

As he is coming from Pattani and he is a strict Muslim, that helps regarding the fact that he is never under influence.

Back to the good old times -2000- when I was on company expenses, the monthly salary of my full time driver was 8,000 baht.

Many people employ a full time Driver - it's not at all uncommon here.

I pay my chap a basic Salary of Baht 8,000.- a month for a 5 day week, 8.00 am until 5.00 pm, overtime, holidays and weekends etc. he gets Baht 55 per hour, plus Baht 200.- as a food allowance; on average his total income is around Baht 14,000.- per month.

Patrick

Thanks, so it would appear 8,000 is the going rate. Thats also a good point about hiring Muslims. Good idea.

Thanks

Patrick has nailed it above on how to pay (and retain) a driver.

Base salary + driving bonus + OT + necessary living allowances whilst on the job = happy driver who (usually) looks after the car, will (probably) not be an opportunist, and will (most likely) run extra errands on demand.

Good luck.

Just need to get him a nice uniform from one of those tailors on Sukhumvit and I'm all set!

Thanks again everyone.