How Do You Survive In Chiang Mai?

[Tawng]

tropico,

I think you will find it difficult for two reasons:

1- A Master's degree is nothing special here with many Thai people equally (and higher) qualified and willing to do the work for less, the advantage you have is your foreign education, and maybe experience, but:

2 - There are many expats in the region already looking for the type of work you are after who are not so selective about where to work, have a lot more experience here and are already plugged into the networks where you might discover the opportunities (i.e. they don't need to look for advice on ThaiVisa).

Perhaps not impossible but probably better chances in other SE Asian countries.

Good luck.

[weary]

On sweet, sweet lurrrrrvvvvvve.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

What is valuable? IT? Marketing? banking?

It might not be valuable for some people!

Maybe you are not aware of Climate change, forest degradation, loss of biodiversity, resources depletion!

You or your your kids generation will know soon enough what is valuable and what is not!

thanks for the post anyway

Isn't forestry on the list of prohibited occupations? Are you 100% sure that you even fully qualify for a job with work permit in Thailand?

Meh, that's mostly a semantic affair. Farming is also on the list of prohibited occupations, but if you're the managing director of an agro-industrial corporation that engages in contract farming and many other farming activities then that's just fine.

In practice there's just one profession on that list that causes some expats trouble, which is the profession of tour guide. And that also gets worked around.

[LarryBird]

I am sorry to upset you but I do not fall in that category! I am here with my family and I just like the quality of life I had while being here, besides the lovely weather, plenty places to cycle (I love cycling), and many more things that does not involve "bars and girls".

I am a professional and came to CM because they offered me a job and I stayed because I liked it. But of course now I have to make a decision and maybe move from here if i do not find anything suitable or something that I like to do. I work in conservation (forest conservation) and i will continue doing this work because that is what makes me happy and drive my passions!

I did not come here to show off or to insult anybody, i just wanted to know how people do earn their livings in CM.

I was curious to know about other people experiences, that's all!

Thanks for the advises about job vacancies regarding waiter position but I think i might be able to find something more interesting that suits my expectations, and if not I will make a move!

I do understand that people stay here for a lot of reason and it is not for me to judge anybody, besides, I did not want to know why they stay here, but how can they stay here and what they do to keep staying here!

thanks to all anyway

OP, I wrote my post poorly, and didn't intend to offend you, but accept that was the result. I apologize. I really don't care why anyone is here, just to explain that sometimes it is not the best choice. People have to make their own decisions, though, so it's not even worth discussing. As most people have said, if you want to get something worthwhile, it basically involves your own entrepreneurial spirit.

[tropico]

I am sorry to upset you but I do not fall in that category! I am here with my family and I just like the quality of life I had while being here, besides the lovely weather, plenty places to cycle (I love cycling), and many more things that does not involve "bars and girls".

I am a professional and came to CM because they offered me a job and I stayed because I liked it. But of course now I have to make a decision and maybe move from here if i do not find anything suitable or something that I like to do. I work in conservation (forest conservation) and i will continue doing this work because that is what makes me happy and drive my passions!

I did not come here to show off or to insult anybody, i just wanted to know how people do earn their livings in CM.

I was curious to know about other people experiences, that's all!

Thanks for the advises about job vacancies regarding waiter position but I think i might be able to find something more interesting that suits my expectations, and if not I will make a move!

I do understand that people stay here for a lot of reason and it is not for me to judge anybody, besides, I did not want to know why they stay here, but how can they stay here and what they do to keep staying here!

thanks to all anyway

OP, I wrote my post poorly, and didn't intend to offend you, but accept that was the result. I apologize. I really don't care why anyone is here, just to explain that sometimes it is not the best choice. People have to make their own decisions, though, so it's not even worth discussing. As most people have said, if you want to get something worthwhile, it basically involves your own entrepreneurial spirit.

I do not feel offended but I just wanted to clarify my situation and I actually did not look for a solution on Thaivisa but wanted to know what other people do around CM!

Thanks

[muchogra]

If I can have B100,000 per month to spend without my wife knowing I would live like a king in CM or anywhere else in Thailand.

I have never known how much I needed since I was 17. I never bought anything on credit and never extended myself for something that I wished but could not pay in cash!

Think my way is best!

[muchogra]

Don't bet on money that is coming!

What I found most unrealistic is the fact that you plan to work in Thailand to support your B100k life style and SAVE for the future!

No, Thailand is for foreigners to spend and not to save money - of course, that's in general!

I (my wife) have lost a lot of money here before, all the money that we had brought in from the States. It's not easy to find your gold here!

[Mapguy]

One can learn a lot from reading his thread!

[Mark1971]

I think most of the expats living in CM, are retired and living off their pensions and or investments. Thailand would be a tough place to make a living wage and be able to save for retirement.

While I wouldn't say the OP can't find what he seeks, his field is generally not so valuable as to command a premium. I agree that probably most expats in CM are retired or on pensions and investments. If i moved there I'd add to their numbers.

What is valuable? IT? Marketing? banking?

It might not be valuable for some people!

Maybe you are not aware of Climate change, forest degradation, loss of biodiversity, resources depletion!

You or your your kids generation will know soon enough what is valuable and what is not!

thanks for the post anyway

Tropico,

No one is arguing that your chosen field of work is not valuable to our enviroment.

However your original question was how to make 100,000 THB per month in Chiang Mai, therefore it was you who inferred that value was to be measured in financial terms in the context of this thread.

As you have already discovered it is not easy to find a job which will consistently pay you this much money in Chiang Mai, based upon your skill set.

If it is any consolation it is also not possible for me to earn 100k THB per month in Chiang Mai, which is why I am working in a less desirable location & saving for an early retirement.

Life doesn't always offer us perfect solutions, and we sometimes have to make the best compromises we can.

[F4UCorsair]

tropico, I think you're losing track of your original post, ie., how you can earn B100K a month in CM. Your work may be valuable, but if there is no demand for your skills, then expecting/demanding that sort of income is futile.

You will need to think outside your square, accept work that you may think is beneath you at a greatly reduced salary, or relocate. Whatever you choose, my reading is that you are going to be taking a pay cut if you want to stay in Thailand.

Bear in mind that $3000 a month is still a lot of money in many western countries where the cost of living is significantly higher, and then there is tax to pay. In spite of what you read, and that includes the post above re laborers earning $125K pa in Australia, incomes are not nearly what many claim them to be.