Careers in bangkok for farangs

[SoCalGirl]

Hello, everyone!  My father has been an expat for 7 years now in Bangkok.  I am thinking of joining him because I have such a ###### good time everytime I visit.  Does anyone have any advice for possible careers (in addition to teaching english), I have a background in sales and writing.

Thanks!  :cool:

[dazdaz]

Not other than to do it!

Job hunt in person also inside Thailand, it's going to be 200% more effective.  

I'd make a hit list of potential employers beforehand so you can prepare and make a back up, plan b, as although this hunch has'nt been confirmed, I suspect a lot of people do job hunt in Thailand and end up unlucky in not finding a position and either come home empty handed or work illegally.  Anyone want to add some comments?  Also have adequate savings, can't stress this enough, even if your staying with family.

I'd start learning Thai, if your selling as your most likely going to be selling to Thai clients, so language and cultural skills will go extremely far!  I'm not sure what you mean by writing, reporting, newspapers, books etc.  

Go for it.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Hasn't your dad found contacts in that 7 years ?

[jonniebkk]

sales and writing...not very employable skills in the usa...let alone thailand.  

sales...what are we talking about here...door to door, avon/mary kay, amway, retail, wholesale, what???

writing...again, what...novels, travel, technical???

thailand only wants you to work here if you have skills that are impossible to find among the native local workforce.  if you have something unique to contribute to thailand...some new skill or knowledge that you can use here AND pass along to the local workforce, you will be welcome to work in, and contribute to the development of, the kingdom.

if you are just going to take a job away from a qualified thai...then they just want you to stay at home or come here for a holiday and spend money.  

maybe a place to start to get some idea of positions available and salaries offered would be to scan the want-ads of the online editions of the Bangkok Post and The Nation.

[dthomasss]

Of course you "have a ###### good time " every time you visit. Everyone is supposed to have a ###### good time every time you visit anywhere. That's the whole point of vacations.

I am no expert like JonnieBKK, but I am making the move after 14 trips and lots of research.. and I do have a good job I am going to, even though I am taking a huge salary cut...

Of course, from what I keep reading, many of you think that a 70,000 baht a month salary in Bangkok puts me in some type of elitist class LOL

Before you consider making the move make a list of all the reasons why you should do it, and all the reasons why not.

If your "should" list only includes cheap sex, nightlife (cheap sex), beautiful Thai women (cheap sex), the lovely smiles of the people (cheap sex), the wonderful beaches of Pattaya (cheap sex) the nice warm climate all year round (cheap sex), freedom from western judgments (cheap sex), or because you think Western women are cold and calculating (cheap sex)... then I strongly suggest you don'd do it! Be honest with yourself; nobody else is keeping score. My lists look something like this:

Reasons to Make the Move:

1. I have been stuck in a rut for a number of years and would like to have the experience.

2. I have a decent job with good prospects for a fairly good salary (70,000 a month for now, possibly 100,000 after a year)

3. I spend too much time just going from work to home and not getting out. Bangkok offers much more interactive lifestyle for me.

4. My idea of relaxation is a foot massage, a face massage, not having to drive my car to go places, having conversation with people from all over the world, studying the human pysche.

5. I have always had a wanderlust feeling having lived on two other continents before moving to the USA when I was 12.

6. It is nice to have "instant companionship" should you choose to.

Reasons not to:

1. I will have a much smaller salary.

2. Bangkok is polluted.

3. The traffic is awful

4. Farangs are tolerated but rarely "accepted."

5. The weather can be downright miserable.

6. Thailand is still a developing country so in many ways third world.

7. TV in Thailand is abominable.

8. The language barrier (spoken and written)

9. If it all falls apart I have to return to USA without a job and have to find a new place to live etc.

I am still making the move and for the most part feling good about the decision, but I am not fooling myself. I am not trying to dampen anyone's spirit but remember, whatever internal "issues" you have in life, they will follow you to LOS

Just my two baht...

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Well put DT....have a settling beer Singha when you arrive AND cheap sex ...heheheh I might come with you    

[dthomasss]

Well I certainly hope so! As a matter of fact I am hoping for a welcome to bangkok party mid july.. after all i have been thinking of making the move for years!

You and JonnieBKK can  host it!

[dazdaz]

If I may add some ideas.

>Reasons not to:

>1. I will have a much smaller salary.

If the salary provides food, drink, shelter(cheap sex), then does it matter?  I've noticed that people on lower salaries are much happier than those on higher salaries.  Afterall, your not going there to make a million.

>2. Bangkok is polluted.

It is, however I presume your not going to camp on the main streets, so there is partial escape.

>3. The traffic is awful

It is.  Use a tuk-tuk or taxi.  But don't forget that traffic in other countries is getting extremely bad too though.

>4. Farangs are tolerated but rarely "accepted."

Are foreigners *really* accepted in any country in the world?  Does this really bother you?  How would you define acceptance?

>5. The weather can be downright miserable.

Too hot and too cold, yeah, you lucky sod ;-)

>6. Thailand is still a developing country so in many ways third world.

True, however I see this mostly as a benefit because it means you can see how a country evolves.Having every creature comfort is'nt necessarily a good attitude to get into.  I like some of the concepts of back to basics.

>7. TV in Thailand is abominable.

Cinema, films online, DVD's, TV in most so called and modern countries is poor.  But why would you want to watch a lot of TV?

>8. The language barrier (spoken and written)

This can be fun too, learning a new culture and language.  Learning a language whilst in a country is fantastic to say the least.

>9. If it all falls apart I have to return to USA without a job and have to find a new place to live etc.

It won't, everything will fall into place and you'll have the time and adventure of your life and can tell us all about it.

[dthomasss]

Well put Daz... Thanks for putting in perspective.. It is simply a case of nerves as the time gets closer... I am still waiting for the big party invitation!!!

[singa-traz]

>1. I will have a much smaller salary.

If the salary provides food, drink, shelter(cheap sex), then does it matter?  I've noticed that people on lower salaries are much happier than those on higher salaries.  Afterall, your not going there to make a million.

If you have kids, and want to put them in an International school, money becomes rapidly an issue. Not being able to afford the quality of education provided by International school in Bangkok ... is one of my exit condition.

Are foreigners *really* accepted in any country in the world?  Does this really bother you?  How would you define acceptance?

It's the difference between the Farang that live in our neighborhood, and our neighbor that come from a Foreign country.

>2. Bangkok is polluted.

It is, however I presume your not going to camp on the main streets, so there is partial escape.

>3. The traffic is awful

It is.  Use a tuk-tuk or taxi.  But don't forget that traffic in other countries is getting extremely bad too though.

Use a motorcycle, but use a MASK, the pollution will really hurt you.

[SoCalGirl]

Sorry to all of you that missed out on my first response - it was deleted ... Let's try this again ...

Thank you all for the advice, some of you posted responses that were very insightful and helpful.  Dazdaz, thank you for your objective, yet positive advice ("everything will fall into place and you'll have the time and adventure of your life and can tell us all about it.")  It's not like I am moving out there all alone, now am I?  Singa-traz, thanks for the tip about the mask.  So far, I have been too cool to wear one, but I will remember the advice the next time I am on the back of a motorbike.

Some of you, though, chose to ramble on about cheap sex (enough, I am SO over that) while some of you were downright rude (Amway in Bangkok? Yeah that's cute, thanks).

So anyways, I would love to keep this discussion going, some of you have raised issues that I never really considered.  But please, if you must slap each other on the back about hookers and welcome parties, can you do it on your own message board?  Thanks.

like, totally

socalgirl

[dr_Pat_Pong]

like, totally loosen up ( to coin your phrase)....or are you too immature to see that people are joking ?             :ghostface:

[drbones666]

Sorry to all of you that missed out on my first response - it was deleted ... Let's try this again ...

Thank you all for the advice, some of you posted responses that were very insightful and helpful.  Dazdaz, thank you for your objective, yet positive advice ("everything will fall into place and you'll have the time and adventure of your life and can tell us all about it.")  It's not like I am moving out there all alone, now am I?  Singa-traz, thanks for the tip about the mask.  So far, I have been too cool to wear one, but I will remember the advice the next time I am on the back of a motorbike.

Some of you, though, chose to ramble on about cheap sex (enough, I am SO over that) while some of you were downright rude (Amway in Bangkok? Yeah that's cute, thanks).

So anyways, I would love to keep this discussion going, some of you have raised issues that I never really considered.  But please, if you must slap each other on the back about hookers and welcome parties, can you do it on your own message board?  Thanks.

like, totally

socalgirl

>Some of you, though, chose to ramble on about cheap sex >(enough, I am SO over that)

Sorry, you mean you're out of the profession now?

>while some of you were downright rude (Amway in Bangkok? >Yeah that's cute, thanks).

If you want a "sales" job you should know your market.  MLM is huge in asia and Amway happens to be #1.

>if you must slap each other on the back about hookers and >welcome parties, can you do it on your own message board?  >Thanks.

This _IS_ our message board.

BTW, what do you think has been keeping your father here for so many years, the high pay?

[bangkokman]

bones

too funny lolololol

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I like that Dr Bones hehehehe ...  . after 7 yrs here one might think ole dad would have ' other ' commercial contacts in the LOS