What Type Of Salary Can I Expect?

[gavin310]

I'm hoping to find full-time work in Thailand that offers a good salary, work permit, and preferably benefits. I'm not sure what type of salary I can expect to make here. I work in the web design and programming field and have many years of high-level management, design and programming experience. In America I was making close to $100,000 per year (about ฿3,150,000 per year). I realize i can't make anywhere near that much here, but what can I expect? Some people say that almost all costs in Thailand are 1/3 of the United States. If that holds true to salaries, $100k in America would be about ฿87,000 per month and ฿1,050,000 per year. Is that an achievable salary, or at least somewhere to start negotiations from?

On another note, right now I'm on a tourist visa, as my business visa just expired. I'm planning to tell a company that I will get a non-immigrant visa once I find a job; Is that a normal route to take?

Thanks for any advice,

Gavin

[Mario2008]

Regarding your visa, ys that is normal and the only route you cna take. You will not get a non-B visa untill you have a job offer, with supporting documents from your prospective employer.

[gavin310]

Regarding your visa, ys that is normal and the only route you cna take. You will not get a non-B visa untill you have a job offer, with supporting documents from your prospective employer.

Thanks Mario, really good to know.

[Phronesis]

Regarding your visa, ys that is normal and the only route you cna take. You will not get a non-B visa untill you have a job offer, with supporting documents from your prospective employer.

Not true.

You can get your first Non B visa on the basis that you want to come over to Thailand to explore for investment opportunities. When I first came over I came on a 12 month multi entry B visa (which was good for 15 months with a visa run just before the twelve month expiry date).

I had no job offer (or any documentation) from Thailand whatsoever. I just had a letter from my chartered accountant back home stating that I had more than 400 thousand in cash in at call bank deposits. I wrote a one page covering letter to the consulate stating that I wanted to explore Thailand for investment opportunities and thus needed a 12 month multi entry to do my due diligence. I posted my application including a prepaid self addressed express envelope and I had my passport back (with 12 month multi entry B stamp inside) in four working days.

[marstons]

i always had to have offer of employment with employment to get non B

[Mario2008]

Regarding your visa, ys that is normal and the only route you cna take. You will not get a non-B visa untill you have a job offer, with supporting documents from your prospective employer.

Not true.

You can get your first Non B visa on the basis that you want to come over to Thailand to explore for investment opportunities. When I first came over I came on a 12 month multi entry B visa (which was good for 15 months with a visa run just before the twelve month expiry date).

I had no job offer (or any documentation) from Thailand whatsoever. I just had a letter from my chartered accountant back home stating that I had more than 400 thousand in cash in at call bank deposits. I wrote a one page covering letter to the consulate stating that I wanted to explore Thailand for investment opportunities and thus needed a 12 month multi entry to do my due diligence. I posted my application including a prepaid self addressed express envelope and I had my passport back (with 12 month multi entry B stamp inside) in four working days.

The OP is currently in Thailand and wants to stay here based on employment, not based on investment. My comment is based on that.

He might get a non-B for reasons of investement in the region with the help of a lawfirm, but that would cost.

[Gone]

Very hard for you to be employed here in the web design business. Even if you can expect maybe 25k baht per month tops as there are Thais doing the same work and VERY qualified for around 10k per month.

[gavin310]

Very hard for you to be employed here in the web design business. Even if you can expect maybe 25k baht per month tops as there are Thais doing the same work and VERY qualified for around 10k per month.

I've seen quite a few job postings for farang web designers and programmers that include work permit, relocation costs, good salaries (so they say), etc. Maybe there's a lot of competition, but there are jobs out there.

[beano2274]

Very hard for you to be employed here in the web design business. Even if you can expect maybe 25k baht per month tops as there are Thais doing the same work and VERY qualified for around 10k per month.

I've seen quite a few job postings for farang web designers and programmers that include work permit, relocation costs, good salaries (so they say), etc. Maybe there's a lot of competition, but there are jobs out there.

Maybe you are seeing agents trying to get CVs for their databases, it happens a lot in the Communications world

[necronx99]

Very hard for you to be employed here in the web design business. Even if you can expect maybe 25k baht per month tops as there are Thais doing the same work and VERY qualified for around 10k per month.

I've seen quite a few job postings for farang web designers and programmers that include work permit, relocation costs, good salaries (so they say), etc. Maybe there's a lot of competition, but there are jobs out there.

There are also lots of job ads that are nothing but advance fee fraud scams too...

[gavin310]

Maybe you are seeing agents trying to get CVs for their databases, it happens a lot in the Communications world

I've seen a few job postings for this company. They're a web design firm located on Koh Samui. They will cover all costs, including work permit, visa, and relocation. http://classifieds.bangkokpost.com/jobs/job?ref=gknrj.55de5978 I'm not saying this is common, but saying web jobs for farang don't exist isn't true. Unfortunately they don't have anything that's a perfect fit for me, and they're on Koh Samui, which I'd rather not relocate to.

[beano2274]

Okay so they offer a work permit and relocation, but you will probably find the relocation based on someone being in Thailand not in America, so you would have to cover all those costs.

[Gone]

Maybe you are seeing agents trying to get CVs for their databases, it happens a lot in the Communications world

I've seen a few job postings for this company. They're a web design firm located on Koh Samui. They will cover all costs, including work permit, visa, and relocation. http://classifieds.b...=gknrj.55de5978 I'm not saying this is common, but saying web jobs for farang don't exist isn't true. Unfortunately they don't have anything that's a perfect fit for me, and they're on Koh Samui, which I'd rather not relocate to.

I didn't see anywhere in that ad that says they are looking for a so called farang expat. Probably would get the WP Visa etc. for a Filipino or Indian etc and pay between 8k - 10k per month.

[gavin310]

Maybe you are seeing agents trying to get CVs for their databases, it happens a lot in the Communications world

I've seen a few job postings for this company. They're a web design firm located on Koh Samui. They will cover all costs, including work permit, visa, and relocation. http://classifieds.b...=gknrj.55de5978 I'm not saying this is common, but saying web jobs for farang don't exist isn't true. Unfortunately they don't have anything that's a perfect fit for me, and they're on Koh Samui, which I'd rather not relocate to.

I didn't see anywhere in that ad that says they are looking for a so called farang expat. Probably would get the WP Visa etc. for a Filipino or Indian etc and pay between 8k - 10k per month.

Obviously there's no way to know for sure, although I did just contact them and asked about these things. On the Our Team page of their website there's a good mix of white farang and Thais, so, who knows.

[beano2274]

maybe Foreigners who have lived here for many years, and moved from Bangkok to the area, best idea is to ask and find out, but the Bangkok Post is not an international paper so I would think they would have been looking for foreigners already in areas of Thailand

[gavin310]

maybe Foreigners who have lived here for many years, and moved from Bangkok to the area, best idea is to ask and find out, but the Bangkok Post is not an international paper so I would think they would have been looking for foreigners already in areas of Thailand

I've lived in Trat for 1 year now. I never said I didn't live in Thailand.

[yoshiwara]

Giving up a 100-150k job in the US? Doesn't sound sensible to me.

[gavin310]

Giving up a 100-150k job in the US? Doesn't sound sensible to me.

I've been living here in Thailand on next to nothing for 1 year and I'm happier than I ever was in America. I made the right choice.

[yoshiwara]

Giving up a 100-150k job in the US? Doesn't sound sensible to me.

I've been living here in Thailand on next to nothing for 1 year and I'm happier than I ever was in America. I made the right choice.

Actually no. If you really were on $100-$150k a year then the loss of that is costing you a lot to live on the beach.

In fact your stay in Thailand is probably the most expensive of anybody I can think of. Throwing money away.

[gavin310]

Giving up a 100-150k job in the US? Doesn't sound sensible to me.

I've been living here in Thailand on next to nothing for 1 year and I'm happier than I ever was in America. I made the right choice.

Actually no. If you really were on $100-$150k a year then the loss of that is costing you a lot to live on the beach.

In fact your stay in Thailand is probably the most expensive of anybody I can think of. Throwing money away.

Not really something I care to debate with you about. Obviously for you, money is happiness or is more important than happiness. That's not the case for me, however I want to start a life here in Thailand so I need to make money now. Also, I never said I made $100,000-$150,000. I said I made close to $100,000 per year.

[beano2274]

Giving up a 100-150k job in the US? Doesn't sound sensible to me.

I've been living here in Thailand on next to nothing for 1 year and I'm happier than I ever was in America. I made the right choice.

So you are in Thailand, and if you are not working you have been spending your savings. You think it is cheaper to live here, but it is not that cheap really, the standard of living and costs of living are smaller than in America, but you do not have the same standards here.

Do you have health insurance, what happens if something happens to you here? That can be expensive and if you prefer treatment in the US then the cost of air tickets is not that cheap.

I wish you luck with your endeavours but I feel you are barking up the wrong tree about the money thing.

[montereyjp]

It is really tough to just show up here and get a job and most foreign owned companies know this so they will low ball you... That is why they are here in the first place, that and for the dating experience with the wonderful Thai ladies... Obviously it is best to have a job lined up before you get here that is what I did and I was basically in the same position you are in... Leaving a 100k USD job in the US for a 60K baht per month job in Bangkok. I ended up as the sales manager, closed a 500K per year account for the owner with no commission and after 3 years he top my salary out at 75K baht per month and in the mean time this guy is making 1 million plus plus and an ass on top of that. But I did luck out through other contacts and ended up with extra part time work and eventually a new job/ jobs all through existing contacts. To come here cold and make a go of it is a tough road to ho but I have seen it done by mostly young highly talented guys who had web 2.0 skills, the next generations hip to SEO and designs that adapt to the new smart phone and tablets... I would also suggest you get to know Bangkok and adapt accordingly because if you can live in a Thai neighborhood you can save 15K baht a month on rent alone and I do not mean living in a slum but a nice neighborhood in a decent apartment... Plus if you can eat Thai street food and from the little chicken shack restaurants you can save a ton on food too. I would also suggest finding a job first then renting someplace within walking distance of your place of employment which will also save you money and make living here much easier. That is what I did.. Now after 6 years I have a better life then I ever had in the US with a nice house, great fast turbo diesel truck, and a big ass motorcycle, bicycles ( I bike 30 to 50Km per day), and I live 10 minutes from Pattaya!!! And for me the only reason to leave a well paying job in the US to come to Thailand is for the girls and to have fun and to do that you need money... Depending on how much fun you want to have but for me 100K baht per month is the minimum and just like everywhere else in the world the cost of living is on an upward climb and will not ever get cheaper, not in Thailand anyway...

[gavin310]

So you are in Thailand, and if you are not working you have been spending your savings. You think it is cheaper to live here, but it is not that cheap really, the standard of living and costs of living are smaller than in America, but you do not have the same standards here.

Do you have health insurance, what happens if something happens to you here? That can be expensive and if you prefer treatment in the US then the cost of air tickets is not that cheap.

I wish you luck with your endeavours but I feel you are barking up the wrong tree about the money thing.

Barking up the wrong tree by asking what type of salary I can expect?

For 4 months in Thailand my shower was a bucket of water, no hot water, a squatting toilet, no paved roads, etc. I lived right on a river and caught fish at night from my balcony and barbecued them, or I rode my bicycle to a small shop down the road that had noodles. Unfortunately the mosquitoes got so bad I had to leave. Before that I lived in a guesthouse, and now I live on a small island in a bungalow that's not much of an upgrade from my last place. You're making assumptions without knowing me at all.

[yoshiwara]

So you are in Thailand, and if you are not working you have been spending your savings. You think it is cheaper to live here, but it is not that cheap really, the standard of living and costs of living are smaller than in America, but you do not have the same standards here.

Do you have health insurance, what happens if something happens to you here? That can be expensive and if you prefer treatment in the US then the cost of air tickets is not that cheap.

I wish you luck with your endeavours but I feel you are barking up the wrong tree about the money thing.

Barking up the wrong tree by asking what type of salary I can expect?

For 4 months in Thailand my shower was a bucket of water, no hot water, a squatting toilet, no paved roads, etc. I lived right on a river and caught fish at night from my balcony and barbecued them, or I rode my bicycle to a small shop down the road that had noodles. Unfortunately the mosquitoes got so bad I had to leave. Before that I lived in a guesthouse, and now I live on a small island in a bungalow that's not much of an upgrade from my last place. You're making assumptions without knowing me at all.

Ohmygawd its 'The Beach'.

[gavin310]

It is really tough to just show up here and get a job and most foreign owned companies know this so they will low ball you... That is why they are here in the first place, that and for the dating experience with the wonderful Thai ladies... Obviously it is best to have a job lined up before you get here that is what I did and I was basically in the same position you are in... Leaving a 100k USD job in the US for a 60K baht per month job in Bangkok. I ended up as the sales manager, closed a 500K per year account for the owner with no commission and after 3 years he top my salary out at 75K baht per month and in the mean time this guy is making 1 million plus plus and an ass on top of that. But I did luck out through other contacts and ended up with extra part time work and eventually a new job/ jobs all through existing contacts. To come here cold and make a go of it is a tough road to ho but I have seen it done by mostly young highly talented guys who had web 2.0 skills, the next generations hip to SEO and designs that adapt to the new smart phone and tablets... I would also suggest you get to know Bangkok and adapt accordingly because if you can live in a Thai neighborhood you can save 15K baht a month on rent alone and I do not mean living in a slum but a nice neighborhood in a decent apartment... Plus if you can eat Thai street food and from the little chicken shack restaurants you can save a ton on food too. I would also suggest finding a job first then renting someplace within walking distance of your place of employment which will also save you money and make living here much easier. That is what I did.. Now after 6 years I have a better life then I ever had in the US with a nice house, great fast turbo diesel truck, and a big ass motorcycle, bicycles ( I bike 30 to 50Km per day), and I live 10 minutes from Pattaya!!! And for me the only reason to leave a well paying job in the US to come to Thailand is for the girls and to have fun and to do that you need money... Depending on how much fun you want to have but for me 100K baht per month is the minimum and just like everywhere else in the world the cost of living is on an upward climb and will not ever get cheaper, not in Thailand anyway...

Awesome. Really good to hear all that. One thing though, I'm not sure why everyone thinks I don't live in Thailand... I never said that. I've lived here for about a year now. I've been to Bangkok 5 or 6 times. Not really my style, but if I need to live there to make decent money I will. You're right though, I would definitely want to live close to work. For the Thai food and living in a Thai neighborhood, if you read my post before this one, you'll see I have no problem living in a Thai neighborhood or eating street food. I've never lived in a farang neighborhood in Thailand and I don't plan to. Right now I'm living on about 12k baht per month. Living in Bangkok is expensive from what I've heard, but I can live pretty cheaply.

[beano2274]

So you are in Thailand, and if you are not working you have been spending your savings. You think it is cheaper to live here, but it is not that cheap really, the standard of living and costs of living are smaller than in America, but you do not have the same standards here.

Do you have health insurance, what happens if something happens to you here? That can be expensive and if you prefer treatment in the US then the cost of air tickets is not that cheap.

I wish you luck with your endeavours but I feel you are barking up the wrong tree about the money thing.

Barking up the wrong tree by asking what type of salary I can expect?

For 4 months in Thailand my shower was a bucket of water, no hot water, a squatting toilet, no paved roads, etc. I lived right on a river and caught fish at night from my balcony and barbecued them, or I rode my bicycle to a small shop down the road that had noodles. Unfortunately the mosquitoes got so bad I had to leave. Before that I lived in a guesthouse, and now I live on a small island in a bungalow that's not much of an upgrade from my last place. You're making assumptions without knowing me at all.

I came here with nothing, not even savings like maybe you have, in the years that I have been here I have achieved a lot, I lived like you did, although I would not have done the fishing as I hate seafood, I lived in a condo, had a job lined up and have never looked back. Now I have two condos a car, and have been on many trips abroad, and I earn a lot less than the expats on here.

Jobs in Thailand are very hard to get for foreigners you find that most have come from companies in other countries who have sent them here.

I often look in the Bangkok post, but you find that most are not serious jobs. Why not become self employed?

[gavin310]

I came here with nothing, not even savings like maybe you have, in the years that I have been here I have achieved a lot, I lived like you did, although I would not have done the fishing as I hate seafood, I lived in a condo, had a job lined up and have never looked back. Now I have two condos a car, and have been on many trips abroad, and I earn a lot less than the expats on here.

Jobs in Thailand are very hard to get for foreigners you find that most have come from companies in other countries who have sent them here.

I often look in the Bangkok post, but you find that most are not serious jobs. Why not become self employed?

Nice man, congratulations on all that. That's basically what I hope to achieve.

I've looked into self employment. I assume you mean starting a company, right? I've looked into a company under the US/Thai Amity agreement, or a sole proprietorship, but all of those require 2 million baht in capital, which I don't have. I'd love to be a sole proprietor, but I've also heard obtaining a work permit and visa based on that isn't easy. I think for now getting a job and saving money is best for me.

[beano2274]

most people start by staying under the radar, yes it is illegal but many do it. Then move up into self employment, or try contracting outside of Thailand for six months and come back with the money to open a company.

[edwardandtubs]

Some people say that almost all costs in Thailand are 1/3 of the United States.

That's a misconception. I can only compare to the UK (which is more expensive than the US) but the price of cars, clothes, alcoholic drinks and many other things is the same if not higher in Thailand. You'll only witness lower living costs if you accept much lower quality accommodation and food than you would have in your home country.

[MEL1]

I came here with nothing, not even savings like maybe you have, in the years that I have been here I have achieved a lot, I lived like you did, although I would not have done the fishing as I hate seafood, I lived in a condo, had a job lined up and have never looked back. Now I have two condos a car, and have been on many trips abroad, and I earn a lot less than the expats on here.

Jobs in Thailand are very hard to get for foreigners you find that most have come from companies in other countries who have sent them here.

I often look in the Bangkok post, but you find that most are not serious jobs. Why not become self employed?

Nice man, congratulations on all that. That's basically what I hope to achieve.

I've looked into self employment. I assume you mean starting a company, right? I've looked into a company under the US/Thai Amity agreement, or a sole proprietorship, but all of those require 2 million baht in capital, which I don't have. I'd love to be a sole proprietor, but I've also heard obtaining a work permit and visa based on that isn't easy. I think for now getting a job and saving money is best for me.

You appear to be contradicting yourself, in many areas, Gavin.

You asked what you are worth financially, as in Thai earnings compared to US earnings, but then went on to say you know you won't get the equivalent of a US salary. Well, you won't get anywhere near your old US salary, no matter what it was. As an astute poster already said, your gift for programming is more than matched by pure choice and salary level for others - Asians primarily. There is no way you are likely to earn close to 40K baht, in your field, here in Thailand. There are millions of Asians who can do what you can do, and no descent, but probably better than you can for a lot less money. Please don't think your American gift is anonymous only to America. The programmers here, and managers for that matter, are very highly up to date in what and how they do things. Your being from the USA doesn't make you in anyway special in the fighting for market jobs in your field. As for not having 2M, WHY NOT? You were, as you portrayed, earning in the regions of 80-100,000 dollars a month - didn't you save?

If you expect over 500,000 baht a month..... you're in the wrong country. If you expect over 60,000 baht a month, you are in the wrong country.

Think again about your expectations, and why you really came here.

-mel.