I was born in Udorn to a Thai mother but raised in the US. I'm a half and half. Recently I went back to Thailand and got my Thai ID and passport so I have dual citizenship. I stayed in Bangkok for 2 wonderful years and it took almost that long before I got my ID. The entire time I thought there must be something I could do with the dual citizenship. I was the envy of most farangs considering I could own a business and property. Unfortunately i spent most my savings the 1st year i was there getting the ID and finally got hired as a Thai national. My contract where I was working ended a few months back in the US and now I'm brainstorming and how to get back to Thailand without being a teacher. Any ideas? I hate to think I spent 2 years to get my ID and learn fluent Thai for nothing.

If you somewhat resemble me, I'll buy it.

What skills and qualifications do you have? How old are you?

What skills and qualifications do you have? How old are you?

i'm 42. i was the Windows administrator for the United Nations. I had some family issues back home is why I'm here but looking to get back. Problem is most Thai nationals as an it person makes 20-25k baht.

i was the Windows administrator for the United Nations.

Sorry mate couldn't resist

i was the Windows administrator for the United Nations.

Sorry mate couldn't resist

I could buy a tuk tuk. haha!!! I would do anything if it paid enough.

You could play golf, but that position's already been filled, I heard.

If you worked at the United Nations and can put that on your resume, why not try there again or have a look at the US embassy as a translator perhaps or any other jobs going there. Or get a loan and open a franchise or some other business...just ideas. Mate of mine is opening a Boost Juice bar in BKK which is an Aussie franchise. Have a look.

Edited January 29, 201313 yr by krisb

Open a bar?

Go for the 'farang' jobs that are suitable to your skillset, just as you would in farangland.

Any decent company or organisation would be all too happy to take you on as a Thai whilst paying you a salary commensurate to your experience, skills and perspective as a farang because it saves them a lot of paperwork and hassle.

If they say "you're Thai so we can't pay you more than 25000 baht" then they've just done you a favour by showing their dysfunction straight from the beginning.

Think of all the things that farang without Thai citizenship would do (professionally or in business) if only they had Thai citizenship, then narrow that down to things that you are able to do.

Edited January 30, 201313 yr by Trembly

Are you a native speaker of both Thai and English?

Are you a native speaker of both Thai and English?

Yes I was raised American but spoke broken Thai to my mother growing up. I went back to Thailand for 2 years recently and improved my Thai to the point of fluent. I can't read or write Thai though. I can only sound out some words. I imagine if I'd been there another year I would have learned it as i started picking it up.

Well, unfortunately, IT guys are pretty much dime-a-dozen. Having fluent English would be a plus in your favor, but not reading/writing Thai might be a negative. In any case, you shouldn't expect to make any more at it than any other Thai would.

I know of a company in the UK that would pay you 450,000 TBH a year for translating their website and software from English into Thai. PM if your interested and are truely fluent.

If you can get a U.S. Top Secret Clearance, learn to read and write the Thai language and apply to the Central Intelligence Agency ... You'd could get a very high paying job - if you put your mind to it... Not necessarily Field Agent - but Intelligence Analyst ...

Not as a dual national...

You can use it to scrape ice from the windshiald of your car!

Sorry to say this but you will always be a farang to the thais which limits your ability to get a good job here. Try hiring with a multi-national corp with business interests in thailand, your being fluent in thai and you computer skills would be highly valued by them.

He's a luk khreung...I don't think Thais will consider him as just a farang.

Besides...he wants to be thought of as a farang-- at least as far as salary is concerned.

He's a luk khreung...I don't think Thais will consider him as just a farang.

Besides...he wants to be thought of as a farang-- at least as far as salary is concerned.

I associated with mostly Thais for the 2 years I was there and really got into the culture. Mostly because of where I worked/lived/shopped. I even speak Isaan which is weird because even Thais in Bangkok do not know the language. I only met 2 farangs that spoke as clearly as me. One Austrian man who had been there 20 years. I couldn't understand him when he spoke English so we spoke Isaan to each other. Very weird. And a very impressive young American kid who studied Thai and really took the time to learn it correctly. You mentioned if they considered me Thai being a luk krueng? Answer is mostly yes. I was included in a lot more things than typical farangs.

Anyway I'll get back to Thailand someday. Getting my citizenship was only phase 1. I had no idea I was going to be there as long as I was. Only reason was I was part of all the lay offs during the 2009 economy. Took a trip. Said fuc_k it and stayed for a year while 'looking' at the job market. 3 months BKK, 3 months Udorn, 3 month Ubon, 3 months, 3 month Burriam before I ended up with a contract with United Nations which kept me there another year.

I didn't expect to get back to America and be homesick though. I didn't realize how big of spooled <deleted> we are in this nation. Talk about the 'me' society. I feel out of place now. I don't give a shit about materialistic items. Rude people, especially women turn me off. I want to start up a support group for returning expats!! haha

They even got a special name for kids of mixed marriages, how nice, did your parents introduce you as their luk kreung son ?. What is Issan ? not a language def. Most older Issan people can and do speak Lao and Khmer depending on where they were raised. Kinda bashing the country that gave you what you have there arent you ? You would never had got what you have growing up here. Me society ? lol you dont know thailand, materialistic same same everywhere, rude people ? see em every day here same as many countries. Rude women hmmm you mean they were not for sale on every street corner and submissive to you in the states ? what a shame. You will do quite well here I think.

They even got a special name for kids of mixed marriages, how nice, did your parents introduce you as their luk kreung son ?. What is Issan ? not a language def. Most older Issan people can and do speak Lao and Khmer depending on where they were raised. Kinda bashing the country that gave you what you have there arent you ? You would never had got what you have growing up here. Me society ? lol you dont know thailand, materialistic same same everywhere, rude people ? see em every day here same as many countries. Rude women hmmm you mean they were not for sale on every street corner and submissive to you in the states ? what a shame. You will do quite well here I think.

Ummm.....Luk krueng literally translates to 'child half'. meaning 'mixed' as you put it. Common term and not offensive by any means.

Isaan is considered the north east region of Thailand and they speak Lao. North western region is 'nua' and some speak khmer but there is a difference. These are common terms. Isaan was a word made up by Thailand when they took over that region as a campaign to changed the thinking of the Lao people now living within Thailands borders hoping they would not consider themselves Laotion anymore. If I am in Bangkok and speak that dialect to a person from that region they would say I was speak Lao. If I spoke the same dialect to a person who was from central thailand they would say I was speaking Isaan. Hope I explained that ok.

Comment about my me being appreciative of US. I joined to serve the military to pay back my country. I'm a US medaled veteran of several campaigns. In fact every single male in my family has been in a war. Love my country and wish for better just as any American. If I feel like bashing this new generation of loudmouths I deserve to.

Comment about women on street corners. Not sure what to say. I hate that Thailand is known for this. My analogy to people who ask is Thailand is like Nevada. You can hang out on the strip which is merely a coule mile stretch of the entire state or live just like you would anywhere else. Making the comment you made sounds life you never left downtown. I moved from downtown to Pinklao to get away from that crap.

This was my first post. I expected eventually to get a comment like yours. Yep I'm a half breed 50/50 but I feel more like 200%. I have an intimate feel for 2 cultures which is very nice and please don't try to school me.

They even got a special name for kids of mixed marriages, how nice, did your parents introduce you as their luk kreung son ?.

It could be worse ........ my wife introduces our son as 'farang noi'.

Just saying.

Open a beer bar and run it on your days off from your Army conscription, Welcome to Thailand.

They even got a special name for kids of mixed marriages, how nice, did your parents introduce you as their luk kreung son ?.

It could be worse ........ my wife introduces our son as 'farang noi'.

Just saying.

'farang noi' is endearing of course. not sure why that last person said something about luk krueng. it's even used on the news. When I was a kid in udorn there were very few mixed kids. I was call 'hua dang' or red head and got kicked regularly for not being full blooded Thai in the 70s. haha. Now mixed is in. I totally missed out.

Open a beer bar and run it on your days off from your Army conscription, Welcome to Thailand.

With prior service in a foreign military he is exempt from conscription.

I know of a company in the UK that would pay you 450,000 TBH a year for translating their website and software from English into Thai. PM if your interested and are truely fluent.

Read the previous posts, he can't read and write Thai yet

They even got a special name for kids of mixed marriages, how nice, did your parents introduce you as their luk kreung son ?. What is Issan ? not a language def. Most older Issan people can and do speak Lao and Khmer depending on where they were raised. Kinda bashing the country that gave you what you have there arent you ? You would never had got what you have growing up here. Me society ? lol you dont know thailand, materialistic same same everywhere, rude people ? see em every day here same as many countries. Rude women hmmm you mean they were not for sale on every street corner and submissive to you in the states ? what a shame. You will do quite well here I think.

Ummm.....Luk krueng literally translates to 'child half'. meaning 'mixed' as you put it. Common term and not offensive by any means.

Isaan is considered the north east region of Thailand and they speak Lao. North western region is 'nua' and some speak khmer but there is a difference. These are common terms. Isaan was a word made up by Thailand when they took over that region as a campaign to changed the thinking of the Lao people now living within Thailands borders hoping they would not consider themselves Laotion anymore. If I am in Bangkok and speak that dialect to a person from that region they would say I was speak Lao. If I spoke the same dialect to a person who was from central thailand they would say I was speaking Isaan. Hope I explained that ok.

Comment about my me being appreciative of US. I joined to serve the military to pay back my country. I'm a US medaled veteran of several campaigns. In fact every single male in my family has been in a war. Love my country and wish for better just as any American. If I feel like bashing this new generation of loudmouths I deserve to.

Comment about women on street corners. Not sure what to say. I hate that Thailand is known for this. My analogy to people who ask is Thailand is like Nevada. You can hang out on the strip which is merely a coule mile stretch of the entire state or live just like you would anywhere else. Making the comment you made sounds life you never left downtown. I moved from downtown to Pinklao to get away from that crap.

This was my first post. I expected eventually to get a comment like yours. Yep I'm a half breed 50/50 but I feel more like 200%. I have an intimate feel for 2 cultures which is very nice and please don't try to school me.

Good For You OP ... I like your attitude ....

Seriously if you hit the employment agencies and job websites here with your Thai nationality, fluent English skills, admin and IT skills but no managerial experience or specialist skills, you will get over 40,000 a month eventually. Someone will pick you up even if it is because they do not need to have the hassle and expense of hiring a foreign national and processing the work permit.

Unfortunately this is only marginally above what a bog standard teacher makes.

It is possible if you develop contacts that opportunities will arise, particularly if you wish to work in sales and marketing where there is more chance to make money.

If you're really clever, you could be the 'front' for foreign businesses but I am not sure if this is legal. There would be probably be money in it somewhere though.

Forget the "front" idea...