Why do so many farang here work for peanuts?

[Rupert2]

Maybe, because they are not able to find a job in their own country.....Don't you think?

This is just not true. More educated people can venture out without thinking about only the money.

Who values themselves by the amount of money he/she earns ?

I agree is a lottery concerning where you were born. Some have no choice.

[ggt]

I believe it is the easy access to poon-tang...that keep them here...

[Emilp]

Need some jobs to extend work permit and travel around the country. That's my idea.

[Tomtomtom69]

By the time you have paid for work permit , visa and annual renewals, Its not worth working in Thailand. But its the same in all third world countries.

Most legitimate companies pay for all these things. My company in China did, when I worked for them (and after taking a hiatus working for another employer, I'll be going back to work for them soon), my 2 most recent employers in Thailand did too (well my most recent one didn't pay for the original non-B visa, but did pay for the extension and work permit). When I worked in Vietnam a while ago my company didn't pay for these things, but that's because I viewed my job there more as an experience thing and because the company was in financial difficulties. I could have pushed them to pay for it, and they were almost going to, but that's another story.

In general, as I've already said legitimate employers, irrespective of where they are located pay for everything.

[Soutpeel]

For teachers etc. who are working for lower salaries, their bonuses come in different ways. They can have great life experiences, learning new skills, cultures and perhaps language. For young people that's one of the best ways to discover life in my opinion.

And.. they are living in a tropical climate, where they can go to a tropical beach during their weekends and other free time. Not a bad deal when comparing to the greyness of some western cities.

And do said teachers go to these idyllic tropical beaches over weekend and in their free time, learning their new skills, cultural excursions, before or after they are touting for private tutoring lessons to make extra money to live on outside school hours and weekends ?...

Edit read post #69...which illustrates exactly what I am talking about...

The little idyllic you paint may be ok for a 20 year old backpacker doing a gap year, but what about people who are in their 30/40's, have got married, got kids and working for lower salaries ?

Edited May 14, 2014 by Soutpeel

[Soutpeel]

Surely your not that thick,they can live here very cheaply,compared to there country,they have the weather which suits many,they dont have to drive to work on a motorway every day sitting in traffic,for hours on end,they can go out for a drink at night,in my country many pub 4 pound a pint that works out over 200 bht here 70bht a fraction of the price i know some places are 100 bht in a bar here ,they can eat cheaply buying a sandwich in england about 3 pound here i could have a 3 course meal for that,so when you work it out theres not much difference to there country.

So what your saying is the reason your here is because the booze is cheaper than the UK ?....

[Strangebrew]

lol make 200,000 baht a month doing nothing but drinking beer eating chasing women ROFLMAO

[impulse]

As opposed to the millions who pay to come here every year?

[larsjohnsson]

3-4 dollars and hour?

Try $30 an hour.

One hour classes after school, ten kids at 100 baht each, that's 1000 baht. Five days a week, that's 5000 baht, or 150 bucks for a half day's overall work. I know some who are doing that, plus a few hours each on Saturday and Sunday. And they're paying $60 a month on the rent.

I also know people who teach two hours a day, one-on-one for 500 each adult. Attorneys and doctors and such.

Beats the hell out of Mickey D's.

EDIT: Reading post #2, yes miserable. But the smart ones use their position as a teacher to open doors for said private lessons.

Okay, I stand corrected. Makes sense now.

Just so as not to mislead anyone, let alone get some burger-flipper in Buffalo all excited and jumping on a plane, it takes time and contacts and ability to make this kind of money in an ongoing manner. The parents of these kids aren't the typical Thai parent (the 500 baht per hour one-on-one lessons). If you can't teach, they'll catch it and you'll be off down the road. And probably blacklisted to boot.

It's also against the law in Thailand.

There are no work permits issued that allow foreigners to teach private lessons, off school premises or out of school hours.

Get caught and you will be jailed and deported.

Don't suppose you could provide just one news source of a teacher being jailed and deported just for giving a private lesson.

Just one...

And I don't think you can provide one source to a teacher that makes 900 baht an hour either

[tfc]

I know a lot of people here teaching or doing volunteer work for "peanuts" and living in share houses and they do it for the work experience or life experience and definitely not the money. Some others are combining their work research with their Phd studies. People have different reasons and it's not all about the money but I'd wager that most of the people I know doing these things are having as good a time in Thailand as anyone else at the very least.

[Guest]

For teachers etc. who are working for lower salaries, their bonuses come in different ways. They can have great life experiences, learning new skills, cultures and perhaps language. For young people that's one of the best ways to discover life in my opinion.

And.. they are living in a tropical climate, where they can go to a tropical beach during their weekends and other free time. Not a bad deal when comparing to the greyness of some western cities.

And do said teachers go to these idyllic tropical beaches over weekend and in their free time, learning their new skills, cultural excursions, before or after they are touting for private tutoring lessons to make extra money to live on outside school hours and weekends ?...

The little idyllic you paint may be ok for a 20 year old backpacker doing a gap year, but what about people who are in their 30/40's, have got married, got kids and working for lower salaries ?

I am mostly talking about the backpacker type experiences in general. Good life with less money. At that stage of life people need only bare essentials.

When people get older and have families, their priorities might change a bit. I don't know many teachers here, but the ones I know, who have families, make very decent money. They work for international schools and live in their villas.

Some of these backpacker type teachers might end up working with better salaries once their experiences and skillsets are in par with the international standards.

Or perhaps they wish to stay and do the work they love with the local kids. There would not be branded handbags, but the life will most likely be very fulfilling.

Then again, there are plenty of people who simply don't want to have little noisy mustard machines in their everyday lives. Different life values once again.

[Soutpeel]

For teachers etc. who are working for lower salaries, their bonuses come in different ways. They can have great life experiences, learning new skills, cultures and perhaps language. For young people that's one of the best ways to discover life in my opinion.

And.. they are living in a tropical climate, where they can go to a tropical beach during their weekends and other free time. Not a bad deal when comparing to the greyness of some western cities.

And do said teachers go to these idyllic tropical beaches over weekend and in their free time, learning their new skills, cultural excursions, before or after they are touting for private tutoring lessons to make extra money to live on outside school hours and weekends ?...

The little idyllic you paint may be ok for a 20 year old backpacker doing a gap year, but what about people who are in their 30/40's, have got married, got kids and working for lower salaries ?

I am mostly talking about the backpacker type experiences in general. Good life with less money. At that stage of life people need only bare essentials.

When people get older and have families, their priorities might change a bit. I don't know many teachers here, but the ones I know, who have families, make very decent money. They work for international schools and live in their villas.

Some of these backpacker type teachers might end up working with better salaries once their experiences and skillsets are in par with the international standards.

Or perhaps they wish to stay and do the work they love with the local kids. There would not be branded handbags, but the life will most likely be very fulfilling.

Then again, there are plenty of people who simply don't want to have little noisy mustard machines in their everyday lives. Different life values once again.

As you have done, you have now qualified what your talking about, but what you will find in Thailand a lot of the lower paid teachers are not the "backpacker" types, they fall into the "older" category and they most certainly have different priorities/responsibilities

there is nothing wrong with a gap year and being the backpacker type and travelling and working as your go I know ....I did it myself many moons ago, but for the most part the back packer types are not planting their back packs in a single country and trying to make a life in that country at any cost

One suspects the teachers at the international schools you refer to are not on THB 30k/m and "living the dream"....they are on salaries comparable to what they would be getting back in farangland, plus the "perks"

[makkam]

Another bright spark hits Thai visa.

Does he really think that working full time at a fast food store serving burgers would allow you to

Rent a home

Buy food

Buy a few beers

Clearly the OP has nowhere near the requisite grey matter to be a teacher.

[Strangebrew]

Because when your work with monkey you get monkey pay simple.

[Guest]

As you have done, you have now qualified what your talking about, but what you will find in Thailand a lot of the lower paid teachers are not the "backpacker" types, they fall into the "older" category and they most certainly have different priorities/responsibilities

there is nothing wrong with a gap year and being the backpacker type and travelling and working as your go I know ....I did it myself many moons ago, but for the most part the back packer types are not planting their back packs in a single country and trying to make a life in that country at any cost

One suspects the teachers at the international schools you refer to are not on THB 30k/m and "living the dream"....they are on salaries comparable to what they would be getting back in farangland, plus the "perks"

My main point is that the people who choose to work here, with considerably lower salary compared to their home countries, have their own reasons to do so. If their priorities would be on money alone, they would probably go back to Farangland to make more money. Yet, it's not the main priority for many people.

I think teaching is one of the job, people who are on the field, love to do. Here the teachers might get something else as reward, compared to teaching where they came from. I'm not a teacher and would never want to become one. I simply don't have the calling for the job.

I mentioned the teachers I know, who are working for international school. They have good qualifications and are doing well also financially.

Maybe some of the "peanut" teachers see that as an possibility in their careers. Now working for low paid school, which would allow later on transition to better paid job. I guess only the teachers would know.

Of course there must be some people who are mainly teaching their native languages to the foreign kids, who might have good enough qualifications to work back home. Then again, even these people are living here and doing enough money to support their lives. I think it trumps living in a western city, flipping burgers

[Phuketboy]

Maybe they enjoy the experience..? and how do you know how much everybody here makes?

No idea how much they make...just saw ads for English teachers paying 30,000 baht per month. It just seems a miserable existence here if you have no money and a weak salary...what is it that attracts them to stay?

30,000 for an english teacher sounds right, but they are not real teachers are they? A fully qualified teacher, someone with a B.ed in either secondary or primary can earn 120,000 per month.

[apiwan]

It sure beats spending my day in a bedroom on a barstool.

You have a barstool in your bedroom ?,

Kinky

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[impulse]

Perhaps because they didn't get enough money as graduation presents to pay for their gap year like "respectable" tourists we all see sipping Pellegrino at the Ritz?

Millions of kids take some time off between one life experience and the next. Some of those "kids" are 50 years old and between careers. And sometimes, the gap runs into years- not just months.

Some of them were born rich, and don't have to work to fund their gap year adventure. But the rest of us don't want to be left out so we have to.....(sigh)....work.

Some of us weren't born to the Manor- and a little spending money is kind of nice to have while we're experiencing life before we settle into the McMansion in the 'burbs, the 2 cars, and 1-1/2 kids who need braces and piano lessons.

I would have done it differently had I known how long a career really is...

Edited May 14, 2014 by impulse

[Naam]

Maybe they enjoy the experience..? and how do you know how much everybody here makes?

No idea how much they make...just saw ads for English teachers paying 30,000 baht per month. It just seems a miserable existence here if you have no money and a weak salary...what is it that attracts them to stay?

30,000 for an english teacher sounds right, but they are not real teachers are they? A fully qualified teacher, someone with a B.ed in either secondary or primary can earn 120,000 per month.

plus 50,000 / month housing allowance, 4 first class flights p.a. to his home country and an S-class Benz with driver. right?

[Globeman]

3-4 dollars and hour?

Try $30 an hour.

One hour classes after school, ten kids at 100 baht each, that's 1000 baht. Five days a week, that's 5000 baht, or 150 bucks for a half day's overall work. I know some who are doing that, plus a few hours each on Saturday and Sunday. And they're paying $60 a month on the rent.

I also know people who teach two hours a day, one-on-one for 500 each adult. Attorneys and doctors and such.

Beats the hell out of Mickey D's.

EDIT: Reading post #2, yes miserable. But the smart ones use their position as a teacher to open doors for said private lessons.

Okay, I stand corrected. Makes sense now.

Just so as not to mislead anyone, let alone get some burger-flipper in Buffalo all excited and jumping on a plane, it takes time and contacts and ability to make this kind of money in an ongoing manner. The parents of these kids aren't the typical Thai parent (the 500 baht per hour one-on-one lessons). If you can't teach, they'll catch it and you'll be off down the road. And probably blacklisted to boot.

It's also against the law in Thailand.

There are no work permits issued that allow foreigners to teach private lessons, off school premises or out of school hours.

Get caught and you will be jailed and deported.

According to the law, perhaps, but when was the last time you heard of that happening?

[Phuketboy]

A friend of mine's company expenses are 260k baht p/m. For housing and international school.

Then he gets his Thai salary to his Thai account, and also his British salary to his UK account.

Says he can't wait to be able to move his family out of this death-trap 3rd World joke of a place, but is tied here financially for the next few years.

260k baht ($7500) per month in expenses just for housing and school? That can't be right, that is more expensive than back home. I have a daughter in a really good school with a very good english program and when looked into it all, not much different from the international schools I looked at, but I refuse to pay for some of the international schools as their prices are bullsh$%t, even compared to back home. Plus even though it looks all good and it looks like the children do well, their programs were not they great and the kids not doing that well on comparison of cost. My housing costs me 23,000 and school cost me 80,000 baht per term (160,000 baht per year). If your friend is paying 260k just for housing and school then he is trying to live a very lavish lifestyle. Even back home, I pay my staff $1500 (45000 baht) per week which equates to $6000 per month or 180000 baht. Even on this wage they couldn't afford your friends lifestyle. Here I pay staff much less but they are happy and the cost of living is much lower. Certainly not a death trap or a joke of a place.... be smart with your money and don't try and live a grand lifestyle, especially one that costs more than living in the western world.

[amse]

Look at the cost of living in Thailand, about a third of in the USA, i was a teacher for 7 years here and final salary was 50,000 baht a month plus tuitoring on the side, so I easily made $2000 a month, with my house rent $225 a month, utilities/internet $100 a month, car paid cash 50,000 baht and auto insurance 650 baht a year, and I'm still here after 12 years retired easily on SSB, summer all year round!!

[Naam]

It's not how much you make.

It's how much you spend.

Make 5% of my former home-country salary.

There, I could only save 10% of my salary.

Here, I save 60-70% of my salary.

Travel anywhere I want, domestically and abroad. Eat what I want, frequently host small parties here and at resorts on weekends out of town, and send a kid through university now and then.

I have all I need and most of my wants.

I can't understand the OP's dilemma at all, unless he's complaining about trying to live a 100% western lifestyle in a developing country.

If THAT'S his beef, well...DUH!

some time ago you posted in another thread actual amounts (earnings and spendings) which i could hardly believe because they were extremely low.

with all due respect... even though your emphasis is on "what you want" and its content is based on your perspective. from my perspective i consider it................ an entertaining fairy tale.

With all due respect Naam, I've followed your posts for years. It's you who is so deep into the fairy tale that you cannot fathom the realistic circumstances of others.

I applaud that you can enjoy the life of opulent luxury in LOS, and don't have to be concerned about living within your means. But it really does color one's outlook.

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1400037812.277257.jpg

i agree with your view "colour one's outlook" and highly appreciate that you seem to understand my individual perspective.

[canarysun]

I still find it " absolutely amazing " that anybody needs to earn 30,000 baht a month to live on! 10,000 baht a month is plenty to live on here in Thailand.My rent is 4,000 baht a month with balcony ( in naklua ) and the rest is for food and bills! OK i dont drink or smoke or have any interest in " Bars,booze or football " and i am single too! (out of choice) Its an " outside life " here in Thailand offering " walks,beaches and all in the glorious sunshine that costs " nothing " ! I couldn't think of anything worse than being " trapped in a classroom all day with aircon" with the glorious sunshine outside!

I'm off to the beach!

[Soutpeel]

A friend of mine's company expenses are 260k baht p/m. For housing and international school.

Then he gets his Thai salary to his Thai account, and also his British salary to his UK account.

Says he can't wait to be able to move his family out of this death-trap 3rd World joke of a place, but is tied here financially for the next few years.

260k baht ($7500) per month in expenses just for housing and school? That can't be right, that is more expensive than back home.

Yes it could be...I know of guys working here (not me) who get THB 250k/m for just their housing and the schooling expenses are on top of that, if they have kids here as well + + + + other perks

There is that other reality in Thailand which is equal to or more expensive than "back home"

[bunnaag]

Look at the cost of living in Thailand, about a third of in the USA, i was a teacher for 7 years here and final salary was 50,000 baht a month plus tuitoring on the side, so I easily made $2000 a month, with my house rent $225 a month, utilities/internet $100 a month, car paid cash 50,000 baht and auto insurance 650 baht a year, and I'm still here after 12 years retired easily on SSB, summer all year round!!

50000 baht for a car? Did seat belts come with it?

[SheungWan]

I still find it " absolutely amazing " that anybody needs to earn 30,000 baht a month to live on! 10,000 baht a month is plenty to live on here in Thailand.My rent is 4,000 baht a month with balcony ( in naklua ) and the rest is for food and bills! OK i dont drink or smoke or have any interest in " Bars,booze or football " and i am single too! (out of choice) Its an " outside life " here in Thailand offering " walks,beaches and all in the glorious sunshine that costs " nothing " ! I couldn't think of anything worse than being " trapped in a classroom all day with aircon" with the glorious sunshine outside!

I'm off to the beach!

4000 baht a month? You can afford that? It must be a palace with manicured lawns.

[Soutpeel]

Look at the cost of living in Thailand, about a third of in the USA, i was a teacher for 7 years here and final salary was 50,000 baht a month plus tuitoring on the side, so I easily made $2000 a month, with my house rent $225 a month, utilities/internet $100 a month, car paid cash 50,000 baht and auto insurance 650 baht a year, and I'm still here after 12 years retired easily on SSB, summer all year round!!

50000 baht for a car? Did seat belts come with it?

In all seriousness I would love to see a photo of what THB 50,000 bought...

[Som wat]

A friend of mine's company expenses are 260k baht p/m. For housing and international school.

Then he gets his Thai salary to his Thai account, and also his British salary to his UK account.

Says he can't wait to be able to move his family out of this death-trap 3rd World joke of a place, but is tied here financially for the next few years.

260k baht ($7500) per month in expenses just for housing and school? That can't be right, that is more expensive than back home.

Yes it could be...I know of guys working here (not me) who get THB 250k/m for just their housing and the schooling expenses are on top of that, if they have kids here as well + + + + other perks

There is that other reality in Thailand which is equal to or more expensive than "back home"

Yup. I think their rent is 80k, and both kids go to one of the top 2 International schools. Not Harrow, either IBS or Pattana.

He's an O+G manager, based in BKK for 10 years.

[KonKorat]

i think the peanuts arn't as salted as much in Thailand