Typical Wage For Young Thai Adult

[corkman]

Hi All,

I was just wondering - does anyone know what the typical wage is for a you thai adult (18-21) working in a factory, in Bangkok or in the provinces (upcountry).

I mean someone (probably from Isaan, or similar) that has a couple of years of basic education and otherwise comes from a poor rice farming fmaily or similar.

For this wage, what would there general working conditions be i.e. hours of work / days per week / annual leave / and any benefits they may receive such as free meals at work, accomodation supplements, or otherwise.

Also, for doing the same job, is there any difference between male / female?

Many thanks in advance.

[Geekfreaklover]

Off the top of my head I'd say.

200-300- baht per day Bangkok

150-250 - elsewhere.

Public holidays,over-time, sick leave and medical insurance (depending on the hiring company) should be standard.

[Tywais]

My brother in law and sister in law work at a factory in Lamphun (near Chiang Mai) and get at least 6000/mo possibly more now since I last heard. 6 days a week and believe 8 or 10 hour work days.

[McGarty]

12 hours a day. 6 days a week. A shirt factory near Udon Thani paying 7K p.m. Make your own way to the pick-up point too. Travelling time of an hour each way. Long days work.

[corkman]

Good info folks. Thanks.

So I am deducing that 5,000 to 7,000 per month probably covers about 80% of the young adult factory workers - out of which they've got to pay for food and personal transport (80-100THB/day), rent & electric (1000-2000 per month), and other miscellaneous essentials. so they have a maximum of 1000 to 2000 baht per month "spare" cash (5000 to 7000 minus 4000 to 5000 living costs).

[mario299]

Good info folks. Thanks.

So I am deducing that 5,000 to 7,000 per month probably covers about 80% of the young adult factory workers - out of which they've got to pay for food and personal transport (80-100THB/day), rent & electric (1000-2000 per month), and other miscellaneous essentials. so they have a maximum of 1000 to 2000 baht per month "spare" cash (5000 to 7000 minus 4000 to 5000 living costs).

I think you're very close on your figures. My wife worked as a seamstress at a factory that emphasized piece-work...do more, get paid more...but her average income was about 8000bt a month for 12-15 hour days. rent with electric cost her about 2000 on average, food for her and one child was usually less than 100/day, transportation was a biggie so she walked a long way every day to save money.

Thankfully that ended for her 5 years ago, but she still works very hard.

[Swiss1960]

Good info folks. Thanks.

So I am deducing that 5,000 to 7,000 per month probably covers about 80% of the young adult factory workers - out of which they've got to pay for food and personal transport (80-100THB/day), rent & electric (1000-2000 per month), and other miscellaneous essentials. so they have a maximum of 1000 to 2000 baht per month "spare" cash (5000 to 7000 minus 4000 to 5000 living costs).

I'd say your calculation works only for 5% of the young adult factory workers... the others will see the cigarettes, the beer or (specially for women) the daily fortune-teller session as essential for their lifes... which leaves them nada at the end of the month...and living with 80-100 Baht a day might be possible in the most rural parts of the country, but never in or near cities...

[forumuser10]

Probably about 6500 THB/month...

[thai4me]

Someone I know works in a fruit processing factory up in Chiangmai. 6 full day week from 7am-6pm. Gets paid 5500baht per month.

[BKKdreaming]

I guess living in Bangkok you get a little more , 8k a month 6 day weeks at a toy factory (now flooded) and sewing job got 7K a month for 6 day weeks , more for "OT"

very little left at the end of the month....

BK

[ludditeman]

I'd say your calculation works only for 5% of the young adult factory workers... the others will see the cigarettes, the beer or (specially for women) the daily fortune-teller session as essential for their lifes... which leaves them nada at the end of the month...and living with 80-100 Baht a day might be possible in the most rural parts of the country, but never in or near cities...

My local store sells Pad Thai for 12bht, you can eat well on 50bht a day (and that is really near a big city).

I think you all overestimate the rental and power bills of most Thais, for many electricity is free from the government, lots of workers live free on shacks they have built surrounding the factories.

200-300bht a day is a normal factory wage outside of BK.

[swissie]

I DON'T GET IT ! What then is all the talk about a minimum wage of 300 Bht per day ????

Cheers.

[jbaldwin]

There has been talk of a future increase in minimum wage - likely from 1 April 2012. This is the reason why the suggestion that it should be 300 per day nationwide has been resisted by business leaders. In many cases it would represent a very large increase in total costs.

[MidoriApple]

Laws said the lowest wage must be 204 baht/day in BKK, the highest wage now is in Phuket which I can't remember for how much it is.

Workers will not work more than 48hours/ week, if more, then they must get the overtime money.

I have staffs who work for me in Supermarkets, and I pay them for overtime money 40baht/hour.

They cannot have day-off in national holidays which I pay extra for their compensation.

They work 6 days in a week, and have vacation leave for 6 days in a year after one year-working with me.

My staffs have no work-experience before and their education is just Mor 3, or grade 9, cannot speak English.

I have paid more than 10K for each in a month, because I have given also the extra for living in BKK.

6000 baht/ month cannot be enough for good living, I think.

[thaibeachlovers]

My wife was just offered a job as a cook- 5,000 bht a month 1800 to 2400 every day and only one day off a month. She didn't take it, but with all the newly unemployed from Bkk looking for work, a job like that may be a good deal in the future.

Incidentally, re the factory workers in Lamphun, most of them seem to own new motorbikes, so their wages can't be that bad.

[ludditeman]

My wife was just offered a job as a cook- 5,000 bht a month 1800 to 2400 every day and only one day off a month. She didn't take it, but with all the newly unemployed from Bkk looking for work, a job like that may be a good deal in the future.

Incidentally, re the factory workers in Lamphun, most of them seem to own new motorbikes, so their wages can't be that bad.

Repayments are only 1,000bht a month, anyone employed in a regular job can buy one.

[rgs2001uk]

My wife was just offered a job as a cook- 5,000 bht a month 1800 to 2400 every day and only one day off a month. She didn't take it, but with all the newly unemployed from Bkk looking for work, a job like that may be a good deal in the future.

Incidentally, re the factory workers in Lamphun, most of them seem to own new motorbikes, so their wages can't be that bad.

Repayments are only 1,000bht a month, anyone employed in a regular job can buy one.

Now now LM, you shouldnt go spreading things like that around, I also read a sign today that said, free down written in Thai.

There was some poor soul on here not so long back who was talking about paying cash for a new bike for his g/fs brother, bless him must have a good heart.

[Boater]

Someone I know works in a fruit processing factory up in Chiangmai. 6 full day week from 7am-6pm. Gets paid 5500baht per month.

and this is why the Sex Trade in Thailand is so Rampant, as young girls 18-25 can earn this in 3 days working alot less hours !, sad but true

[doji]

^

Some may be driven by poverty, but I think most of them were driven by the easy lifestyle and fast money because they're too lazy to do a honest hardwork. There are more poor girls selling foods ..etcs at the markets all over Thailand than those in the sex industry, because they have higher moral std and self respect of themselves and nothing to be ashamed of flipping noodles. I have more respect to the later kind.

Edited November 9, 2011 by doji

[ludditeman]

^

Some may be driven by poverty, but I think most of them were driven by the easy lifestyle and fast money because they're too lazy to do a honest hardwork. There are more poor girls selling foods ..etcs at the markets all over Thailand than those in the sex industry, because they have higher moral std and self respect of themselves and nothing to be ashamed of flipping noodles. I have more respect to the later kind.

Once you can speak a bit of Thai, the food stall girls moral standards quickly drop.

[richard_smith237]

^

Some may be driven by poverty, but I think most of them were driven by the easy lifestyle and fast money because they're too lazy to do a honest hardwork. There are more poor girls selling foods ..etcs at the markets all over Thailand than those in the sex industry, because they have higher moral std and self respect of themselves and nothing to be ashamed of flipping noodles. I have more respect to the later kind.

Once you can speak a bit of Thai, the food stall girls moral standards quickly drop.

If I got paid the equivalent of my monthly income for 3 or 4 nights 'rumpy pumpy' my moral standards wouldn't just drop quickly, they'd drop instantly !

[Kananga]

No offense, but I seriously doubt there is anyone here who is so financially kaput that they would let their wife do a menial job for 6-8 hours a day with only a couple of days off a month for 6-8000 baht a month. If so I fail to see the logic in losing what time you have left together just for a few extra baht in the pot when we should all see a sub 10k a month salary as a mere blip on the total family income. I for one certainly wouldn't subject my wife to such hardship for practically zero reward.

I give my wife 50,000 a month, out of which she has some obligations such as weekday food etc for the family, but the rest she can keep. As long as my dinner is on the table and I have a steady supply of toothpaste, deodorant and toilet paper she can do what she wants with the rest. I love her and she's worth it. I personally can't fathom why anyone who can afford to live in Thailand on retirement, or working etc cant afford to keep their spouse out of a backbreaking menial low paid job unless they had either seriously mismanaged their own finances or were just incredibly selfish.

[Thongkorn]

My wife made computers, for a Japanese company, selling them for mega bucks, she worked 60 to 70 hours a week for 6300 baht. a month , sat along side her where Burmese on half her wage.doing the same job.

[TingTawng]

Reading these comments, it seems there's a lot worse corporate exploitation going on to millions of Thai workers that doesn't get the attention the sex industry gets.

[thedistillers]

No offense, but I seriously doubt there is anyone here who is so financially kaput that they would let their wife do a menial job for 6-8 hours a day with only a couple of days off a month for 6-8000 baht a month. If so I fail to see the logic in losing what time you have left together just for a few extra baht in the pot when we should all see a sub 10k a month salary as a mere blip on the total family income. I for one certainly wouldn't subject my wife to such hardship for practically zero reward.

I give my wife 50,000 a month, out of which she has some obligations such as weekday food etc for the family, but the rest she can keep. As long as my dinner is on the table and I have a steady supply of toothpaste, deodorant and toilet paper she can do what she wants with the rest. I love her and she's worth it. I personally can't fathom why anyone who can afford to live in Thailand on retirement, or working etc cant afford to keep their spouse out of a backbreaking menial low paid job unless they had either seriously mismanaged their own finances or were just incredibly selfish.

A lot of people would prefer to work full time for 6-8000K rather than being a luxury-escort-pretending-to-be-a-loving-wife for 50K, it's just a matter of preference, why judging?

[Kananga]

A lot of people would prefer to work full time for 6-8000K rather than being a luxury-escort-pretending-to-be-a-loving-wife for 50K, it's just a matter of preference, why judging?

Now who's judging?

[ludditeman]

A lot of people would prefer to work full time for 6-8000K rather than being a luxury-escort-pretending-to-be-a-loving-wife for 50K, it's just a matter of preference, why judging?

Now who's judging?

If I had to make a choice, hard labour, 2 days off a month for 8k or luxury life-style for 50k, I would go for luxury every time.

[McGarty]

No offense, but I seriously doubt there is anyone here who is so financially kaput that they would let their wife do a menial job for 6-8 hours a day with only a couple of days off a month for 6-8000 baht a month. If so I fail to see the logic in losing what time you have left together just for a few extra baht in the pot when we should all see a sub 10k a month salary as a mere blip on the total family income. I for one certainly wouldn't subject my wife to such hardship for practically zero reward.

I give my wife 50,000 a month, out of which she has some obligations such as weekday food etc for the family, but the rest she can keep. As long as my dinner is on the table and I have a steady supply of toothpaste, deodorant and toilet paper she can do what she wants with the rest. I love her and she's worth it. I personally can't fathom why anyone who can afford to live in Thailand on retirement, or working etc cant afford to keep their spouse out of a backbreaking menial low paid job unless they had either seriously mismanaged their own finances or were just incredibly selfish.

A lot of people would prefer to work full time for 6-8000K rather than being a luxury-escort-pretending-to-be-a-loving-wife for 50K, it's just a matter of preference, why judging?

The lady I am with wants to work. She sees no point in sitting at home all day long. At work she meets plenty of people, has friends there and does something useful. It is also very good for her self esteem and nothing to do with keeping her out of a menial backbreaking job. Nothing to do with my personal finances either. In fact she is happy.

There are some fools [in my opinion and the opinion of friends of mine] around who happily pay a woman large sums of money but that is up to them. Some of those men love to brag about how much they give a woman each month.

Quite a few people I know give their women nothing at all financially. These women have a roof over their heads, food on the table, nights out, t.v and other basics and it costs them nothing. If they were not happy they would leave the man they are with yet they choose to stay. In at least one case they have been together 10 years now.

On the other hand I know one friend who gives his woman over 20,000 a month and she still goes to work 6 days a week. Many people find work a way of life that gives them some purpose. They are not kept women. Not paid girlfriends. These women have some self esteem and would not sell themselves.

That is not what the topic is about though. The topic is about wages and hours for which people including myself have given answers to the best of our knowledge..

[thaibeachlovers]

No offense, but I seriously doubt there is anyone here who is so financially kaput that they would let their wife do a menial job for 6-8 hours a day with only a couple of days off a month for 6-8000 baht a month. If so I fail to see the logic in losing what time you have left together just for a few extra baht in the pot when we should all see a sub 10k a month salary as a mere blip on the total family income. I for one certainly wouldn't subject my wife to such hardship for practically zero reward.

I give my wife 50,000 a month, out of which she has some obligations such as weekday food etc for the family, but the rest she can keep. As long as my dinner is on the table and I have a steady supply of toothpaste, deodorant and toilet paper she can do what she wants with the rest. I love her and she's worth it. I personally can't fathom why anyone who can afford to live in Thailand on retirement, or working etc cant afford to keep their spouse out of a backbreaking menial low paid job unless they had either seriously mismanaged their own finances or were just incredibly selfish.

A lot of people would prefer to work full time for 6-8000K rather than being a luxury-escort-pretending-to-be-a-loving-wife for 50K, it's just a matter of preference, why judging?

The lady I am with wants to work. She sees no point in sitting at home all day long. At work she meets plenty of people, has friends there and does something useful. It is also very good for her self esteem and nothing to do with keeping her out of a menial backbreaking job. Nothing to do with my personal finances either. In fact she is happy.

There are some fools [in my opinion and the opinion of friends of mine] around who happily pay a woman large sums of money but that is up to them. Some of those men love to brag about how much they give a woman each month.

Quite a few people I know give their women nothing at all financially. These women have a roof over their heads, food on the table, nights out, t.v and other basics and it costs them nothing. If they were not happy they would leave the man they are with yet they choose to stay. In at least one case they have been together 10 years now.

On the other hand I know one friend who gives his woman over 20,000 a month and she still goes to work 6 days a week. Many people find work a way of life that gives them some purpose. They are not kept women. Not paid girlfriends. These women have some self esteem and would not sell themselves.

That is not what the topic is about though. The topic is about wages and hours for which people including myself have given answers to the best of our knowledge..

Well said. Some women don't want to be kept by a man, but prefer to earn their own money, just as most do in the west.

[KeyserSoze01]

Reading these comments, it seems there's a lot worse corporate exploitation going on to millions of Thai workers that doesn't get the attention the sex industry gets.

Your western mindset is showing.

The average monthly wage in 2nd / 3rd world countries is between 4,000 - 8,000 baht.

Just why do you think manufacturing jobs have flocked to these countries over the last 4 decades? Here's a hint, it's not because they do a better job, it's because the labor is cheaper. :jap:

You want to start adjusting labor costs for all workers worldwide, then be prepared to start paying a lot more for just about everything you buy, and I mean everything from thongs to automobiles.