Job In Thailand , What To Expect ?

[lemoncake]

i assume from your post you do not have a business in Thailand. Only because after years of having one here i can tell you the following

1. I can never get enough staff, ie with any advert i run, i hardly get any response, so really do not have much of a choice

2. I most of the time advertise the salary, and on the application form also have the expected salary question, which is often answered 30%-40% above advertised salary

3. Since there are hardly any people applying for a job, as they say "beggers can not be choosers" so their qualifications almost always do not match. Especially when they change jobs every 1-2 months and happily advertise so.

All of my troubles may well be due to location and nature of my business but speaking to number of people, all seem to have same problem

PS. i am in hotel business and located in Pattaya

The issues you're talking about seem to be related to hiring Thais at local rates, perhaps at the low end of what is competitive.

The OP topic relates to hiring foreigners are a position that at least sounds like a possibly "imported expat" position, totally different situation.

Then you have the "decent paying jobs for local resident foreigner" job market, which has more in common with the latter than the former, but yet a separate set of variables.

Especially with the last one, believe me you would have plenty of applicants for all but the most technically specialized jobs, and even for some of those.

For example "Native English speaker wanted for in-house corporate English teacher and Editor position, over THB 40k/mo" just advertised in the Bangkok Post would probably net over 500 applicants within 24 hours, thousands within the week.

PS You probably realize this, but recruiting upcountry by word of mouth would yield plenty of applicants for positions not requiring English. Thais already resident in that area are very spoiled compared to most of the rest of the country. For those positions requiring decent English you are probably underestimating how much you have to pay these days, the demand for that skill has been quickly accelerating past the local supply and that trend will continue.

i can tell you that the salary makes no difference, you still get the same people applying.

Advertising for people with experience and English and high salary does not bring better quality candidates, but the very same people, who half of the time can not string 3 words together, or their experience is 1 month here and 1 month there.

A large number unable to distinguish the experience say of being a receptionist at a dentist and reception at hotel.

I am talking about locals, foreigners must be a different ball game. anyhow, now that i got it off my chest back to OP

[BigJohnnyBKK]

I am talking about locals, foreigners must be a different ball game. anyhow, now that i got it off my chest back to OP

Please continue on this new thread, ideally with the salary ranges you use in your advertisements.

[lemoncake]

self deleted

[Soutpeel]

dont expect much!

isnt the rule you should be employed and be sent to thailand to work? not get a job there. the employer holds all the cards.

No it isnt the rule, I was employed on an "expat" package while working in Thailand for another company and the employer doesnt hold all the cards, it all depends on how badly they want someone.

It seems to me there are two sorts of farangs working for companies in Thailand, those who are so desperate to come here or remain here, they are prepared to take just about slave labour level wages to be in Thailand and use the excuse that Thailand is "cheaper" than the farang land country they came from so they shouldnt expect a "decent" salary

And the second type are "professional" types who are getting paid what would be considered salaries/wages in line with what they would expect anywhere else in the world for the same job

So the question to the OP is....which one are you ?

[CWMcMurray]

It is also important to make sure you do not price yourself out of the job ...

Some have said at least 300k per month and qualified that by saying you should not settle for a lessor salary than in the west... But not all jobs in the west would even pay this salary in many industries...

THB 300k per month is USD 120 k per year

From Adecco salary guide for USA...

Manufacturing Engineer... 67-114 k per year

Project manager... 47-81 k per year

Production mgr... 50-84 k per yr

Operations mgr... 59-112 k per yr

Facilities mgr ... 67-114 k per yr

So do you still think that going in with the expectation of min 300k is realistic?

http://www.adeccousa.com/Documents/salary-guides/2012/salary-guide.pdf

[BigJohnnyBKK]

So do you still think that going in with the expectation of min 300k is realistic?

Many including myself agree this is somewhere between "would be nice" and "you must be dreaming".

[CWMcMurray]

I agree, but better to provide details and let the OP come to the realization on his own.

I would guess 100-150k, with some possibility for performance based bonus and some possible small perks like company car/phone or similar, would be the likely salary to expect.

That being said, will be interested in hearing what the OP come back with

[Spoonman]

Recently I was approached for a position with a very similar title, the package was 250k + 40k house allowance + company car + private medical + annual flight home + company mobile phone.

I would expect this company to be paying something similar so not sure why some are saying "100k sounds about right" for this position.

[CWMcMurray]

Could be wrong, who knows. Would be interested ingesting back from OP after the interview

Spoonman, was this for a local hire position? Or recruitment from overseas?

[Spoonman]

Well Iam "Local" but on an expat salary.

[bobdown1]

ask for 145,000 baht a month. 4 weeks vacation after the first year. medical. Bonus scheme normally 1-2 months every year. negotiate from that point. obviously they have to provide a work permit and pay the associated costs

good luck

[paulthetool]

hi every one

just to let you know the job interview went very well, 2 hours long , a bit too informal for me , however i got a right result , i said i would do the job , as engineering manager for the same money as i would get back in england £38000, this was ok with the employer , the hours are monday to friday 8-4 supervising a team of 25 engineers in an engineering factory between bankok and pattaya , i have a factory tour scheduled for the 12 december all day long , i have asked about health insurance for me whilst working out here , also relocation expenses and some help was offered for both ,the employment contract seems to be the same as i would get in england however after a "period of time " changes to a thai local contract with wages still at the same level as i would back home , as long as i keep proving my worth i maintain my money , if i start to fail and miss targets my money gets cut down to that of a thai local engineer at £300 per month is this normal for expats working here?? , never having worked here befor i dont know , although i will be paid from an office in thailand , my wages will be equivalent to £38000 but paid in thai baht , i will have to pay the local rate of income tax 24% is this ccorrect .

are there any other questions i should ask other than the normal ones i would ask at an english job interview , also when i try to import my tools and equipment from england will i have to pay import duty on them as they are needed for my job and ill take them home when i finish woking in thailand anyway

all views and opinions will be welcomed

regards

paul the tool

[mogandave]

24% sounds low

[CWMcMurray]

So aprox 128k per month...

For moving of household goods, in order to receive any import duty privilege, you will need to have a work Permit

Wait to uplift gods from the origin until after you have the work permit in your hands

[whybother]

24% sounds low

1.9 million baht per year.

150K tax free.

next 350K at 10% (35K)

next 500K at 20% (100K)

final 900K at 30% (270K)

so comes in at about 21.3%

And that doesn't cater for deductions.

[Payboy]

as long as i keep proving my worth i maintain my money , if i start to fail and miss targets my money gets cut down to that of a thai local engineer at £300 per month is this normal for expats working here??

I'd be very careful signing any contract with that little googly.

[Soutpeel]

So do you still think that going in with the expectation of min 300k is realistic?

Yes...

[Soutpeel]

hi every one

just to let you know the job interview went very well, 2 hours long , a bit too informal for me , however i got a right result , i said i would do the job , as engineering manager for the same money as i would get back in england £38000, this was ok with the employer , the hours are monday to friday 8-4 supervising a team of 25 engineers in an engineering factory between bankok and pattaya , i have a factory tour scheduled for the 12 december all day long , i have asked about health insurance for me whilst working out here , also relocation expenses and some help was offered for both ,the employment contract seems to be the same as i would get in england however after a "period of time " changes to a thai local contract with wages still at the same level as i would back home , as long as i keep proving my worth i maintain my money , if i start to fail and miss targets my money gets cut down to that of a thai local engineer at £300 per month is this normal for expats working here?? , never having worked here befor i dont know , although i will be paid from an office in thailand , my wages will be equivalent to £38000 but paid in thai baht , i will have to pay the local rate of income tax 24% is this ccorrect .

are there any other questions i should ask other than the normal ones i would ask at an english job interview , also when i try to import my tools and equipment from england will i have to pay import duty on them as they are needed for my job and ill take them home when i finish woking in thailand anyway

all views and opinions will be welcomed

regards

paul the tool

Personally think you are being screwed over... ...if your prepared to accept that as base cash, then what medical (you have had to ask for it and they have offer "help")....housing allowance on top, plus company transport

If they are asking you you to import your own tools that should be for their account and let them deal with any customs issues, if your on a WP you will be able to bring this stuff tax free.

As regards your other quote " if i start to fail and miss targets my money gets cut down to that of a thai local engineer at £300 per month is this normal for expats working here??"

Answer its not the norm and possibly a breach of your employment contract, provided you dont sign a clause with that cr*p in...if my employer here started sh*t like that I would be out the door in a heart beat

Honestly take from someone who actually working in engineering in Thailand...they are playing you...

If your happy with the money aspect, which is your call you should expect the following on top of your base:

full medical insurance for yourself & family ( No NHS here)

Housing allowing

Relocation costs

either car allowance or company vehicle

if they want you to bring your own tools - let them pay for it all

[Soutpeel]

I would expect this company to be paying something similar so not sure why some are saying "100k sounds about right" for this position.

Because most people commenting dont know what they are talking about, thats all...

[lemoncake]

I would expect this company to be paying something similar so not sure why some are saying "100k sounds about right" for this position.

Because most people commenting dont know what they are talking about, thats all...

or because that is the the figure from the range provided by adecco

add housing, car and insurance allowance and you now at a much higher figure "as a package"