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.

Thanks for the reply. My post was really a shout in the dark. I just finished a contract and am thinking of my next work so Thailand popped in my head. I don't want to sound like a dick but I was making more than 40k with the UN. I interviewed with Microsoft Thailand and had a 2nd interview and was passed up last month. I'll keep going at it until I find something decent. Living in Thailand is not without hassle. If i am to come back I would rather live comfortable.

open up a law shop and cash in.

Don't need a Thai ID card to do that...

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.

No, but the Thai military won't want him because he is over 30. He will need to go and see the draft board to get conscription exemption papers to get a job in Thailand though.

OP, I think there are quite a few foreign companies that would like to hire a Thai national who is fluent in written and spoken English and in spoken Thai and has farang work habits. Many get frustrated with Thai employees' poor English, particularly the written language, if that is needed for the job, and Thai work habits - inability to work under pressure and refusal to speak up and identify problems for the boss. The problem is that IT is not very well paid here and you can't read and write Thai fluently but your peristence will be rewarded. Try writing to all foreign companies you would like to work for and multi-national agencies like the UN in Thailand, as well as US Embassy. Write to foreign owned Thai banks and Thai branches of foreign banks. Write to their heads of IT in Thailand and in Singapore, since many have functional IT heads based in Singapore who may be pissed off with poor communication from their staff in Bkk. Same with foreign owned securities companies etc, etc until you get what you want. Don't wait for positions to be advertised. Many of the best jobs never are and companies are pleased to save on recruitment costs if the right person happens to walk through the door. Meanwhile start working on your written Thai. Good luck.

Edited February 6, 201313 yr by Arkady

If one of these corporations who wants to pay big bucks to a farang with Thai ID card is reading this, my PM box awaits your message!

you should be able to do anything if u speak thai and have a thai passport!

Amadeus is a EU airline IT company with a huge presence in Thailand. You could do worse than to approach them.

Trembly, you have everything going for you. With no need for a work permit and being fluent in English and able to converse in Thai, some multinational will want you. I know a Thai native gal in Bangkok who's fluent in English and she makes 50k baht as a <deleted>' tour guide. You're better than that.

If you really want to be in Thailand, just take a job that will support you and then start hunting. You have some great suggestions here and you only need one single break.

Read Arkady's post again. He's on it and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Good luck to you man.

If you go back to the OP's last post, he says he will come back to Thailand (he is in the U.S.) if he can make a comfortable living.

I sent you a PM.

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.

Doesn't a website require reading and writing.....maybe you missed this?

"I can't read or write Thai though. I can only sound out some words".

Trembly, you have everything going for you. With no need for a work permit and being fluent in English and able to converse in Thai, some multinational will want you. I know a Thai native gal in Bangkok who's fluent in English and she makes 50k baht as a <deleted>' tour guide. You're better than that.

If you really want to be in Thailand, just take a job that will support you and then start hunting. You have some great suggestions here and you only need one single break.

Read Arkady's post again. He's on it and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Good luck to you man.

I wasn't sure if you were actually addressing me or Robbman2000 but in any case I shall take the liberty to say thank you kindly on behalf of both of us!

I'm in a similar position to Robbman2000; I've decided to quit teaching at a government school in Isan and move back down to Bangkok at the end of March, so I'd best put myself about starting with Job wanted in Thailand - Hire me! board of TV!

Once I've finished rejigging my CV / resume I might ask to impose upon you gentlemen to have a look, seeing as much hiring is still done by word of mouth in Thailand.

Robbman2000 take note.

Edited February 8, 201313 yr by Trembly

Not only is this a shameless plug, it could also be helpful to the OP!

Here's my ad : Multi-Lingual, Multi-Skilled Thai Citizen With International Outlook

Edited February 22, 201313 yr by Trembly

If you are a Thai, less than 60, read/write thai, at least bilingual, + bachelor or master degree...

Currently TAT has a dozen of position opening for Bkk office, regional office, and a few @international office

Pls visit TAT website directly for more info of job descriptions and specfic requirements for each postition

Edited February 22, 201313 yr by doji

Are you at least learning to read and write? I find that's the easier bit of learning Thai.

TAT jobs are not going to pay very much, wouldn't think.

Open a bar?

Now thats an original idea....well done semper...

Work in the US

Buy a house and land and own it!

Work in the US

Buy a house and land and own it!

He wants to do the same in Thailand and can.

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 ....

+1

My five year old son is a US and Thai national. Speaks fluently and reads a little of, Lao (issan),Thai and English. And some Spanish. He is ready for work. Great on computers and iPhones. Must have been game oriented programmer in past life or something. Inbox if interested.

Bonus; fits in small spaces.

In all seriousness to the op. Kudos to you in your desire to live and work in Thailand. Such a fresh bright outlook it would seem. Great advice so far from these guys. Hope it all works out great for you. Chok dee kraap.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

You should seriously look into working at the U.S embassy in Thailand. With your background/experience you'll be able to land a job quite easily making about 50-70,000 baht a month. The embassy has great benefits but what I found most useful were the contacts I made. I worked there for a brief period until I found my dream job (oil rigs in Thailand) If you need more info, you can PM me.

Oh, as a veteran, you'll have preference over other equally qualified candidates.

Good luck,

Ajarn Ski.....