Salary In Thailand

[falangaman]

I appreciate that its not a straight forward question to answer as there are many influencing factors, but what could a farang expect to earn in Thailand working for a multinational PLC in Bangkok?

Or it may be better to ask what exactly a qualified engineer with a degree could expect to earn per month.

Like I said I appreciate it depends on experience, the relevant company etc but Im just trying to get a ball park figure.

Thanks

FM

Edited February 17, 2006 by falangaman

[GuestHouse]

Base Salary (From where ever you are coming from)

+

25% on base overeas uplift

+

Housing allwance (Should be in excess of Bht30K/moth for single status and Bht45K married status)

+

Living Allowance (Bht25K/month single Bht40K/month Married + 10K per child)

+

Car or (20K per month car allowance - check they give you insurance)

+

Flights home once per year for each family member (door to door expense)

+

Full medical insurance for all family members (including evac home if necessary)

+

International school fees for each child over 4yrs and under 18yrs

+

Shpping costs for household goods in/out of Thailand (half standard container is usual)

+

One month in Hotel with 'reasonable' open expenses until you settle in

+

Visas for all famiy members

Also, you should not loose 'service; while overseas in Thailand, membership of company pension/health plans should be maintained.

[tutsiwarrior]

Base Salary (From where ever you are coming from)

+

25% on base overeas uplift

+

Housing allwance (Should be in excess of Bht30K/moth for single status and Bht45K married status)

+

Living Allowance (Bht25K/month single Bht40K/month Married + 10K per child)

+

Car or (20K per month car allowance - check they give you insurance)

+

Flights home once per year for each family member (door to door expense)

+

Full medical insurance for all family members (including evac home if necessary)

+

International school fees for each child over 4yrs and under 18yrs

+

Shpping costs for household goods in/out of Thailand (half standard container is usual)

+

One month in Hotel with 'reasonable' open expenses until you settle in

+

Visas for all famiy members

Also, you should not loose 'service; while overseas in Thailand, membership of company pension/health plans should be maintained.

if single status 3 flights home per year...

[solo siam]

It all depends on whether you are a local hire or asked to move to Thailand. I personally think unless you are REALLY needed out here in Thailand by your current company then the figures above may be a little high.

I mean benefits of 200,000 Baht+ per month before salary for a married employee is quite a high remuneration , unless they are at a very high or even Executive level.

[samran]

It all depends on whether you are a local hire or asked to move to Thailand. I personally think unless you are REALLY needed out here in Thailand by your current company then the figures above may be a little high.

I mean benefits of 200,000 Baht+ per month before salary for a married employee is quite a high remuneration , unless they are at a very high or even Executive level.

Am interested to see what you think would be considered acceptable? Figures bandied about here on previous threads have mentioned 100K-150K.

[Prakanong2005]

It all depends on whether you are a local hire or asked to move to Thailand. I personally think unless you are REALLY needed out here in Thailand by your current company then the figures above may be a little high.

I mean benefits of 200,000 Baht+ per month before salary for a married employee is quite a high remuneration , unless they are at a very high or even Executive level.

I might just be facing this myself soon. There is a currently a better than 50% chance shall we say of me being offered a job in Singapore pretty soon.

It is a local "Permie" contract covering APAC in a role I do worldwide at the HQ on a "real" IT contract.

I have been doing this a number of years but the policy is that you are supposed to leave after a certain time in case you try to claim employment protection under EU or american law - I have gone well past the time anyway so it makes no difference.

I am going to have a problem though if they offer me a totally crap wage although it will have to be a certain amount for a WP (having said that I am sure they hire Indians on pretty low wages).

I am not that desparate just to work in the region again that I would take any wage - if its way down the scale it will be a 3-6 month holiday in Thailand then hoping to be contracting back in the UK .

[GuestHouse]

I personally think unless you are REALLY needed out here in Thailand.

You are making the wrong judgement of why this level of payment is made. It is not the price of the individual in Thailand, it is the price of that individual world wide.

My employers work internationally but we have a very small number of people who are willing/able to work overseas. They are needed in any one of our 38 offices world wide and importantly could go to a competitor overnight. That sets the rate.

Also, Thailand is treated to some extent as a 'reward' assignment, so a guy spends 2 years in Nigeria and is then sent to Thailand for his next assignment. So it is not that the company can get a local guy cheaper, it is more they have people they want to keep and who they look after.

[solo siam]

I personally think unless you are REALLY needed out here in Thailand.

You are making the wrong judgement of why this level of payment is made. It is not the price of the individual in Thailand, it is the price of that individual world wide.

My employers work internationally but we have a very small number of people who are willing/able to work overseas. They are needed in any one of our 38 offices world wide and importantly could go to a competitor overnight. That sets the rate.

Also, Thailand is treated to some extent as a 'reward' assignment, so a guy spends 2 years in Nigeria and is then sent to Thailand for his next assignment. So it is not that the company can get a local guy cheaper, it is more they have people they want to keep and who they look after.

So you are saying there are companies queing up to pay 5,000 US$ before salary (+30%) for people that they dont even particularly need to be in Thailand.

To the OP, If you are looking at being hired locally, expect probably 30-60% of what you could get in say the UK - If your current company is asking you to relocate to Thailand (which is fairly rare I believe) then sure an expat deal may be good - I still think that 5k US$ per month before salary is way over the top for Thailand, sounds more like Hong Kong deals to me - Regardless of what others say, Hong Kong / Singapore will pay more than Thailand.

[GuestHouse]

So you are saying there are companies queing up to pay 5,000 US$ before salary (+30%) for people that they dont even particularly need to be in Thailand.

No, I am saying they pay the rate. The OP's question relates to multinationals and I work for ONE multinational, perhaps others pay under the rate. But I don't work for them.

[Ladphrao]

There are obviously varying salaries in Thailand. Ask the company offering you a job? If you are just hoping and fishing to find work here for a company you don't currently work for, well good luck There are jobs but usually one needs some special talent not available locally or special connection to get picked up by a multinational that one doesn't already work for. I'm not an engineer myself, but honestly I doubt many firms look for free-lance engineers to work for them here.

[Misplaced]

It all depends on whether you are a local hire or asked to move to Thailand. I personally think unless you are REALLY needed out here in Thailand by your current company then the figures above may be a little high.

I mean benefits of 200,000 Baht+ per month before salary for a married employee is quite a high remuneration , unless they are at a very high or even Executive level.

Am interested to see what you think would be considered acceptable? Figures bandied about here on previous threads have mentioned 100K-150K.

IMO, 150000 bht / month is insufficient.

My company offered the following based allowances:

Your based salary + 15%

Housing allowance of up to $1000.00 / month

auto + insurance

Driver (if needed)

full medical to you and family

flight home once / year

Visa

The remainder would be negotiated based on your status with the company, their needs and length of stay.

[rishi]

Just checking - when you guys talk about salaries in the 150,000+ range, are you remembering that OP entitles himself "a qualified engineer with a degree", and just that.

I can easily imagine that a multinational company, would pay even a very high salary to a "wonderboy", whose management talents they expect to boost businesses in Thailand, but an engineer with a degree would have many matching Thai fellowmen, right?

[Misplaced]

150,000 if hardly high salary for a qualified engineer.

If the op has a degree with a couple of years experienced, 150,000 should be easily attained.

[markuk]

It all depends on whether you are a local hire or asked to move to Thailand. I personally think unless you are REALLY needed out here in Thailand by your current company then the figures above may be a little high.

I mean benefits of 200,000 Baht+ per month before salary for a married employee is quite a high remuneration , unless they are at a very high or even Executive level.

I dont see why any international company would need an expat who is not on the "high" level as such i would say usual expat deal, accomodation, vehicle, medical, flights etc should not even need negotiation - if they do then ask yourself is it worth it.

On that basis a package of 200k per month is the minimum you should expect in my opinion and experience. Dont sell yourself short just to come here..

[thaihome]

I personally think unless you are REALLY needed out here in Thailand.

You are making the wrong judgement of why this level of payment is made. It is not the price of the individual in Thailand, it is the price of that individual world wide.

My employers work internationally but we have a very small number of people who are willing/able to work overseas. They are needed in any one of our 38 offices world wide and importantly could go to a competitor overnight. That sets the rate.

Also, Thailand is treated to some extent as a 'reward' assignment, so a guy spends 2 years in Nigeria and is then sent to Thailand for his next assignment. So it is not that the company can get a local guy cheaper, it is more they have people they want to keep and who they look after.

So you are saying there are companies queing up to pay 5,000 US$ before salary (+30%) for people that they dont even particularly need to be in Thailand.

To the OP, If you are looking at being hired locally, expect probably 30-60% of what you could get in say the UK - If your current company is asking you to relocate to Thailand (which is fairly rare I believe) then sure an expat deal may be good - I still think that 5k US$ per month before salary is way over the top for Thailand, sounds more like Hong Kong deals to me - Regardless of what others say, Hong Kong / Singapore will pay more than Thailand.

I would say that Guesthouse’s numbers are pretty close to what my company pays permanent employees on assignment in Thailand. We don't have a living allowance, but the housing allowance is over double his number, so would come out about the same. Contract (job shop) employees also come out about the same, but it is structured much different. We recently hired an EU national job shopper at what comes to about 10,000 USD net per month; he is a senior engineer type with about 10+ years experience in his field (we knew him and were desperate).

If you are an engineer with good gas and oil experience (plant or pipeline), you can pretty write your own ticket worldwide these days.

TH

[rcalsop]

It all depends on whether you are a local hire or asked to move to Thailand. I personally think unless you are REALLY needed out here in Thailand by your current company then the figures above may be a little high.

I mean benefits of 200,000 Baht+ per month before salary for a married employee is quite a high remuneration , unless they are at a very high or even Executive level.

I dont see why any international company would need an expat who is not on the "high" level as such i would say usual expat deal, accomodation, vehicle, medical, flights etc should not even need negotiation - if they do then ask yourself is it worth it.

On that basis a package of 200k per month is the minimum you should expect in my opinion and experience. Dont sell yourself short just to come here..

`

I have spent much of my recent professional life recruiting and setting up expat teams so I am qualified to respond with a fair degree of accuracy ... the figures bandied about in previous posts is excessively high and those jobs are extremely difficult to get and are the big multi nationals .

The hardship allowance calculation for up lift of home base salary is wrong .., you will be taxed as well , I recruit very few european senior staff because , the language problem is an issue , I can get Indian or Sri Lankan well qualified , Thai speaking management for 60 ,000 take home plus 6000 housing plus 1 return home and visa costs I have recently placed 20 of them some previously trained by my self in other countries . If I have specialist needs ( such as at the moment I hire a uk consultant for 5 weeks to train and teach ) The non European / non American expats I recruit are low maintainance and easy to manage .

Why am I employed because I can get the above guys ,the above guys know me and trust me and will join my team . The picture painted was too rosey and not a reflection of many of the companies in Thailand .. Look at the web sites of Top Jobs , Jobs DB . I see them daily and know the picture here .. as previously stated ,soon I will have to move my self for pure cash reasons, I can command 50% more on the open market plus benefits . The Thais will just not pay . Luckily I love my job and have another 12 month challenge in front of me 70 hours a week (6 days aweek working )

[markuk]

It all depends on whether you are a local hire or asked to move to Thailand. I personally think unless you are REALLY needed out here in Thailand by your current company then the figures above may be a little high.

I mean benefits of 200,000 Baht+ per month before salary for a married employee is quite a high remuneration , unless they are at a very high or even Executive level.

I dont see why any international company would need an expat who is not on the "high" level as such i would say usual expat deal, accomodation, vehicle, medical, flights etc should not even need negotiation - if they do then ask yourself is it worth it.

On that basis a package of 200k per month is the minimum you should expect in my opinion and experience. Dont sell yourself short just to come here..

`

I have spent much of my recent professional life recruiting and setting up expat teams so I am qualified to respond with a fair degree of accuracy ... the figures bandied about in previous posts is excessively high and those jobs are extremely difficult to get and are the big multi nationals .

The hardship allowance calculation for up lift of home base salary is wrong .., you will be taxed as well , I recruit very few european senior staff because , the language problem is an issue , I can get Indian or Sri Lankan well qualified , Thai speaking management for 60 ,000 take home plus 6000 housing plus 1 return home and visa costs I have recently placed 20 of them some previously trained by my self in other countries . If I have specialist needs ( such as at the moment I hire a uk consultant for 5 weeks to train and teach ) The non European / non American expats I recruit are low maintainance and easy to manage .

Why am I employed because I can get the above guys ,the above guys know me and trust me and will join my team . The picture painted was too rosey and not a reflection of many of the companies in Thailand .. Look at the web sites of Top Jobs , Jobs DB . I see them daily and know the picture here .. as previously stated ,soon I will have to move my self for pure cash reasons, I can command 50% more on the open market plus benefits . The Thais will just not pay . Luckily I love my job and have another 12 month challenge in front of me 70 hours a week (6 days aweek working )

I dont think the figures are that high - as i speak from personal experience working here for a multi-national. Though i do agree that it is very unlikely that you would get this package if you were employed locally and not sent from overseas.

You could employ an indian or a thai to do the job at 1/4 of the price but then it will take you 4 times as long to get the job done!! Some of the reasons multinationals still keep expats in the senior positions is accountability and working to international standards, something which takes newcomers a long time to learn - better to send someone in from another country.

In my Opinion!!

[GuestHouse]

Why would a multinational pay the full expat deal and why is it necessary to have an expat.

Well here's an example.

We had a THAI client who was refusing to sign off completion on a contract. The hold point was 'deviations from the contract', something that occurs in all contracts and for which a compromise on deviations is a necessary step to completion.

We had been sending our THAI manager to the meetings with the THAI client manager but the meetings where getting nowhere.

We eventually sent an British expat to the meeting and he closed out all the issues, he never offered any thing different than what our Thai manager offered, the paperwork was the same but the THAI client wanted to deal with a foreigner.

I myself have been to client meetings, and particularly at the proposal stage where THAI clients have shown a marked preference for having a team of foreigners presented infront of the Thai company bidding for the work. I've been to meetings with Thai clients where I have had the distinct impression that the THAI manager was putting on a show for his own Thai staff of how he was managing the Foriegner.

Having a Foreigner working for you seems to be a status thing among Thai managers and they seem to be very happy to spend the company money ensuring that is what they get.

As I say, and as backed up by others, the rates I have given are correct for multinationals assigning their own staff from overseas.... the banks I would add are paying much much more.

[solo siam]

I come from a recruitment background and worked for a number of years putting high level IT guys into Asia, My last placement just two years ago was a Programme Manager hired from the UK to lead a team of IT Project Managers for an investment bank in Hong Kong. The salary was 150,000 pounds a year all-in.

Also its 80% probable that the OP is asking due to wanting to find a job in Thailand, I have NEVER seen adverts for positions in Thailand touting these sort of figures. If there arent any adverts etc.. then there most probably isnt any demand outside of internal relocations.

As I stated earlier, if your company has asked you to move to Thailand and needs you there (why else would you be asked to go there?) then expect an expat package but I still dont hink you will be getting such a great package unless your management or oil.

[Ted]

Why would a multinational pay the full expat deal and why is it necessary to have an expat.

Well here's an example.

We had a THAI client who was refusing to sign off completion on a contract. The hold point was 'deviations from the contract', something that occurs in all contracts and for which a compromise on deviations is a necessary step to completion.

We had been sending our THAI manager to the meetings with the THAI client manager but the meetings where getting nowhere.

We eventually sent an British expat to the meeting and he closed out all the issues, he never offered any thing different than what our Thai manager offered, the paperwork was the same but the THAI client wanted to deal with a foreigner.

I myself have been to client meetings, and particularly at the proposal stage where THAI clients have shown a marked preference for having a team of foreigners presented infront of the Thai company bidding for the work. I've been to meetings with Thai clients where I have had the distinct impression that the THAI manager was putting on a show for his own Thai staff of how he was managing the Foriegner.

Having a Foreigner working for you seems to be a status thing among Thai managers and they seem to be very happy to spend the company money ensuring that is what they get.

As I say, and as backed up by others, the rates I have given are correct for multinationals assigning their own staff from overseas.... the banks I would add are paying much much more.

The key here is 'your own company' transferring you. It is very rare to get an expat package these days otherwise. The norm even for MNC's recruiting form overseas is to pay an annual salary with above average increment to cover additional costs such as accomodation and travel. The same goes for the contracting market too.

Expat packages have been gradually fazed out since the mid 90's...

[OZONE]

It all depends on whether you are a local hire or asked to move to Thailand. I personally think unless you are REALLY needed out here in Thailand by your current company then the figures above may be a little high.

I mean benefits of 200,000 Baht+ per month before salary for a married employee is quite a high remuneration , unless they are at a very high or even Executive level.

I dont see why any international company would need an expat who is not on the "high" level as such i would say usual expat deal, accomodation, vehicle, medical, flights etc should not even need negotiation - if they do then ask yourself is it worth it.

On that basis a package of 200k per month is the minimum you should expect in my opinion and experience. Dont sell yourself short just to come here..

`

I have spent much of my recent professional life recruiting and setting up expat teams so I am qualified to respond with a fair degree of accuracy ... the figures bandied about in previous posts is excessively high and those jobs are extremely difficult to get and are the big multi nationals .

The hardship allowance calculation for up lift of home base salary is wrong .., you will be taxed as well , I recruit very few european senior staff because , the language problem is an issue , I can get Indian or Sri Lankan well qualified , Thai speaking management for 60 ,000 take home plus 6000 housing plus 1 return home and visa costs I have recently placed 20 of them some previously trained by my self in other countries . If I have specialist needs ( such as at the moment I hire a uk consultant for 5 weeks to train and teach ) The non European / non American expats I recruit are low maintainance and easy to manage .

Why am I employed because I can get the above guys ,the above guys know me and trust me and will join my team . The picture painted was too rosey and not a reflection of many of the companies in Thailand .. Look at the web sites of Top Jobs , Jobs DB . I see them daily and know the picture here .. as previously stated ,soon I will have to move my self for pure cash reasons, I can command 50% more on the open market plus benefits . The Thais will just not pay . Luckily I love my job and have another 12 month challenge in front of me 70 hours a week (6 days aweek working )

If a well qualified Engineer with experience need a recruiter to help him/her get a job than he's probably "not well qualified"

keep in mind, in the us $45,000 (150,000 baht) is a starting salary for a recent graduate with little experience; so, for an seasoned Engineer coming from the states, 150,000 means absolutely nothing to the company

[GuestHouse]

but I still dont hink you will be getting such a great package unless your management or oil.

Management AND oil

[markuk]

but I still dont hink you will be getting such a great package unless your management or oil.

Management AND oil

I am always being told i am a crude manager now i see why they pay me well.

[rcalsop]

It all depends on whether you are a local hire or asked to move to Thailand. I personally think unless you are REALLY needed out here in Thailand by your current company then the figures above may be a little high.

I mean benefits of 200,000 Baht+ per month before salary for a married employee is quite a high remuneration , unless they are at a very high or even Executive level.

I dont see why any international company would need an expat who is not on the "high" level as such i would say usual expat deal, accomodation, vehicle, medical, flights etc should not even need negotiation - if they do then ask yourself is it worth it.

On that basis a package of 200k per month is the minimum you should expect in my opinion and experience. Dont sell yourself short just to come here..

`

I have spent much of my recent professional life recruiting and setting up expat teams so I am qualified to respond with a fair degree of accuracy ... the figures bandied about in previous posts is excessively high and those jobs are extremely difficult to get and are the big multi nationals .

The hardship allowance calculation for up lift of home base salary is wrong .., you will be taxed as well , I recruit very few european senior staff because , the language problem is an issue , I can get Indian or Sri Lankan well qualified , Thai speaking management for 60 ,000 take home plus 6000 housing plus 1 return home and visa costs I have recently placed 20 of them some previously trained by my self in other countries . If I have specialist needs ( such as at the moment I hire a uk consultant for 5 weeks to train and teach ) The non European / non American expats I recruit are low maintainance and easy to manage .

Why am I employed because I can get the above guys ,the above guys know me and trust me and will join my team . The picture painted was too rosey and not a reflection of many of the companies in Thailand .. Look at the web sites of Top Jobs , Jobs DB . I see them daily and know the picture here .. as previously stated ,soon I will have to move my self for pure cash reasons, I can command 50% more on the open market plus benefits . The Thais will just not pay . Luckily I love my job and have another 12 month challenge in front of me 70 hours a week (6 days aweek working )

If a well qualified Engineer with experience need a recruiter to help him/her get a job than he's probably "not well qualified"

keep in mind, in the us $45,000 (150,000 baht) is a starting salary for a recent graduate with little experience; so, for an seasoned Engineer coming from the states, 150,000 means absolutely nothing to the company

Perhaps I did not make myself totaly clear I am not a recruiter /head hunter as such I am head of HRD in a Thai company ..I recruit/ interview / fix salary budgets for the company ...I assure you 150,000 for a Thai private company many are FAMILY companies it is a big deal . We are a labour intensive / low capital investment industry and world wide our industry employs a larger head count than any other, we are the clothing industry . My previous posting in Bangladesh we had in excess of 32,000 employees . with a service department of 42 nurses , 14 doctors , 2 dentists , 4 teachers , 3 pilots 4 flight crew , 20 people in protocol dept and in all of that 2 european plus 2 Yank expats only and I reduced that to 1 european ...,me . In Morocco from a start team of 30 uk expats in 1 year that was reduced to 4 plus 2 flexible 50% Uk /50% Morocco. Long term sustainable employment at the high levels is very difficult and the posts are few that was my point to build a life and move to live here the picture of salaries was to optimistic The big salaries are for people who have generally been asked for by specialist head hunters or recommendations and they are big money back home as well . Basically it is like the Rolls Royce if you need to ask the price it is too expensive .. if you need to ask about salaries you are not in the big league ..so the people asking advise need to ber answered realistically . Thailand is rarely the place to make your fortune ..the continuous by line on this forum is always never invest more than you are prepared to walk away from .. ie it is always a bit tenuous , knife edge or uncertain .

So for the bankers , oil and gas rig guys , big bucks are all over .. for the teacher and the normal guy Thailand is not LOL the Land of Lolly .

The poster who mentioned the expat figure head or trophy expat they exist but never only as that they must have depth and credability and professional , social , integrity that goes with the territory

[markuk]

social integrity that goes with the territory

In Soi Cowboy maybe for some of the guys...

[bendix]

Ted is right. The days of the full expat package with all the resultant perks are dying out - a by-product of globalisation and the ability to work remotely.

I work for a multinational firm. I have an Asia Pacific management role which means I could be based anywhere in the region. I used to do this job from Sydney but I chose to relocate myself to Bangkok for a variety of reasons. I negotiated with my boss to come to work in Bangkok on the same level of salary that I was on in Sydney - lower tax rates in Thailand and much lower costs means it works to my benefit greatly. It also works in the favour of the firm because it means my travel costs to other offices around the region are significantly lower.

[OZONE]

It all depends on whether you are a local hire or asked to move to Thailand. I personally think unless you are REALLY needed out here in Thailand by your current company then the figures above may be a little high.

I mean benefits of 200,000 Baht+ per month before salary for a married employee is quite a high remuneration , unless they are at a very high or even Executive level.

I dont see why any international company would need an expat who is not on the "high" level as such i would say usual expat deal, accomodation, vehicle, medical, flights etc should not even need negotiation - if they do then ask yourself is it worth it.

On that basis a package of 200k per month is the minimum you should expect in my opinion and experience. Dont sell yourself short just to come here..

`

I have spent much of my recent professional life recruiting and setting up expat teams so I am qualified to respond with a fair degree of accuracy ... the figures bandied about in previous posts is excessively high and those jobs are extremely difficult to get and are the big multi nationals .

The hardship allowance calculation for up lift of home base salary is wrong .., you will be taxed as well , I recruit very few european senior staff because , the language problem is an issue , I can get Indian or Sri Lankan well qualified , Thai speaking management for 60 ,000 take home plus 6000 housing plus 1 return home and visa costs I have recently placed 20 of them some previously trained by my self in other countries . If I have specialist needs ( such as at the moment I hire a uk consultant for 5 weeks to train and teach ) The non European / non American expats I recruit are low maintainance and easy to manage .

Why am I employed because I can get the above guys ,the above guys know me and trust me and will join my team . The picture painted was too rosey and not a reflection of many of the companies in Thailand .. Look at the web sites of Top Jobs , Jobs DB . I see them daily and know the picture here .. as previously stated ,soon I will have to move my self for pure cash reasons, I can command 50% more on the open market plus benefits . The Thais will just not pay . Luckily I love my job and have another 12 month challenge in front of me 70 hours a week (6 days aweek working )

If a well qualified Engineer with experience need a recruiter to help him/her get a job than he's probably "not well qualified"

keep in mind, in the us $45,000 (150,000 baht) is a starting salary for a recent graduate with little experience; so, for an seasoned Engineer coming from the states, 150,000 means absolutely nothing to the company

Perhaps I did not make myself totaly clear I am not a recruiter /head hunter as such I am head of HRD in a Thai company ..I recruit/ interview / fix salary budgets for the company ...I assure you 150,000 for a Thai private company many are FAMILY companies it is a big deal . We are a labour intensive / low capital investment industry and world wide our industry employs a larger head count than any other, we are the clothing industry . My previous posting in Bangladesh we had in excess of 32,000 employees . with a service department of 42 nurses , 14 doctors , 2 dentists , 4 teachers , 3 pilots 4 flight crew , 20 people in protocol dept and in all of that 2 european plus 2 Yank expats only and I reduced that to 1 european ...,me . In Morocco from a start team of 30 uk expats in 1 year that was reduced to 4 plus 2 flexible 50% Uk /50% Morocco. Long term sustainable employment at the high levels is very difficult and the posts are few that was my point to build a life and move to live here the picture of salaries was to optimistic The big salaries are for people who have generally been asked for by specialist head hunters or recommendations and they are big money back home as well . Basically it is like the Rolls Royce if you need to ask the price it is too expensive .. if you need to ask about salaries you are not in the big league ..so the people asking advise need to ber answered realistically . Thailand is rarely the place to make your fortune ..the continuous by line on this forum is always never invest more than you are prepared to walk away from .. ie it is always a bit tenuous , knife edge or uncertain .

So for the bankers , oil and gas rig guys , big bucks are all over .. for the teacher and the normal guy Thailand is not LOL the Land of Lolly .

The poster who mentioned the expat figure head or trophy expat they exist but never only as that they must have depth and credability and professional , social , integrity that goes with the territory

That might be true for the garment industry.

My point is, if you're an engineer with head quater in the US, getting $45,000+ for relocating to the Thailand should be easily attainable. This information ofcourse is based on experienced.

However, I do agree, If you're looking to be employed by a Thai company, than getting 150,000 would be a bit difficult.

[thaihome]

....

The key here is 'your own company' transferring you. It is very rare to get an expat package these days otherwise. The norm even for MNC's recruiting form overseas is to pay an annual salary with above average increment to cover additional costs such as accomodation and travel. The same goes for the contracting market too.

Expat packages have been gradually fazed out since the mid 90's...

Interesting comment as I was sent on my first overseas assignment in the late 90's and have been working overseas since. In the last year, my company has brought some 30 expats into Thailand, all on full packages as I described earlier. Not too long ago, I worked a project (in Asia, but not Thailand) with several hundred expats, from probably 10 different companies (from at least 7 different countries), all on full packages.

I have been hearing [from my company as well] that expats are going to be phased out and we are going "local" since I started in Singapore 10 years ago. Though management keeps saying that, the reality is otherwise. I think rumors of expat package demise are premature.

I would also dispute the statement only high level managers get such packages, as I am certainly not that and most expats I know (and it is a lot in many countries) are not senior managers, but simply dedicated, intelligent, tolerant, skilled working level types.

TH

[1Lucky]

In the legal industry which may not be too different in terms of salary levels than for engineers the basic expectation for an expat is to be paid at the same (or slightly higher) level than you would get in the UK and with similar benefits. This is if you are at the top end of the industry. What that level would be would depend on your seniority. Considering the lifestyle that you can enjoy in the LOS its a pretty ###### good deal.