krisb Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 A cousin, 27 yrs old with a history in the barscene, of my wife told me that 30.000 bth a month was not enough. Surprised ?Sounds like crap to me.I only holiday in a full Issan village and would be hard pressed spending maybe 15k a month including drinking as much beer as I could a week. I drink more than 2 cartons a week bored shirtless out there. I cant agree more with you. I just shook my head when she told me. Btw...not in Issaan. I suppose if you look for things to spend money on, trips to Tesco or whatever, you could spend a fortune. And like you say, village location means a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benalibina Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 A cousin, 27 yrs old with a history in the barscene, of my wife told me that 30.000 bth a month was not enough. Surprised ?Sounds like crap to me.I only holiday in a full Issan village and would be hard pressed spending maybe 15k a month including drinking as much beer as I could a week. I drink more than 2 cartons a week bored shirtless out there. I cant agree more with you. I just shook my head when she told me. Btw...not in Issaan. I suppose if you look for things to spend money on, trips to Tesco or whatever, you could spend a fortune. And like you say, village location means a lot. Hmmm...25 kms outside of the big town....there was a reason why i mentioned....history in the barscene. She must have held me for a fool. An elderly woman in same family, living in Norway, told me too that 30k was not enough. When i countered that a phd professor was hardly making that amount.....silence....silence....born liars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunnydrops Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Very hard to say in my village. Many woman here do piece work. The woman with two kids across the road makes about 130bt a day, works everyday,When she gets real busy she sends the kids off to her mother because she has no time to cook. Some of the men doing construction work can get 400 a day. My neighbor, when he can't get construction work builds those shaded sitting buildings and rustic porch swings to sell. So I would say the average is around 7000 a month. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choochoo Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 (edited) Very hard to say in my village. Many woman here do piece work. The woman with two kids across the road makes about 130bt a day, works everyday,When she gets real busy she sends the kids off to her mother because she has no time to cook. Some of the men doing construction work can get 400 a day. My neighbor, when he can't get construction work builds those shaded sitting buildings and rustic porch swings to sell. So I would say the average is around 7000 a month. no wonder so many girl flock to work the bright lights of PAPPAYA and BKK> 3 ladydrink commissions make more than the above described lady. Edited October 21, 2014 by choochoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiang mai Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Very hard to say in my village. Many woman here do piece work. The woman with two kids across the road makes about 130bt a day, works everyday,When she gets real busy she sends the kids off to her mother because she has no time to cook. Some of the men doing construction work can get 400 a day. My neighbor, when he can't get construction work builds those shaded sitting buildings and rustic porch swings to sell. So I would say the average is around 7000 a month. no wonder so many girl flock to work the bright lights of PAPPAYA and BKK> Or did they flock to the Big Mango perhaps! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue eyes Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Oldest brother in law lives in nice Thai country style wood home.Farms rice and works odd jobs to make some more money.Has a motorcy,tv,radio. Typical rural Thai rice farmer.Two adult daughters and one teen boy.One is local teacher lives at home.Other works in the travel industry for a large hotel group,not at home.Lives on about 50,000 thb a year.Anything extra, travel, eat out at a real resturant and such is a treat from his daughters.Seems to be happy with his and wifes life.Just what you are a coustom to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue eyes Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Something that I have noticed in rural Issan.Is how people in the mo ban share much of things,food, labor.If they get their rice cut by machine they pay cash for it.But if by hand sometimes it is an agreement ,I cut your rice you cut mine.There really is a barter system for labor that cuts down on the need for money some times.But ask for a ride some where and expect to pay for the fuel and some times their time.Even if they are your sister brother,relitive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huawei Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Very hard to say in my village. Many woman here do piece work. The woman with two kids across the road makes about 130bt a day, works everyday,When she gets real busy she sends the kids off to her mother because she has no time to cook. Some of the men doing construction work can get 400 a day. My neighbor, when he can't get construction work builds those shaded sitting buildings and rustic porch swings to sell. So I would say the average is around 7000 a month.no wonder so many girl flock to work the bright lights of PAPPAYA and BKK>3 ladydrink commissions make more than the above described lady. Why don't they flock to the factories where with overtime they can earn a comparatively better wage than the lady above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjules007 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Something that I have noticed in rural Issan.Is how people in the mo ban share much of things,food, labor.If they get their rice cut by machine they pay cash for it.But if by hand sometimes it is an agreement ,I cut your rice you cut mine.There really is a barter system for labor that cuts down on the need for money some times.But ask for a ride some where and expect to pay for the fuel and some times their time.Even if they are your sister brother,relitive. How long have you known your wife's family? I agree at first when someone would give us a ride to town or somewhere we needed to be, then we would expect to pay for fuel, but never time, after around a year of knowing the family and close relatives we no longer were expected to pay for fuel and actually i integrated well into the family, ie we take turns now in paying for food, beer,meals out etc. Think i might be lucky though because i still have a few friends who are still expected to pay for everything every time. Even car repairs on cars that they don't own lol. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khaowong1 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Oldest brother in law lives in nice Thai country style wood home.Farms rice and works odd jobs to make some more money.Has a motorcy,tv,radio. Typical rural Thai rice farmer.Two adult daughters and one teen boy.One is local teacher lives at home.Other works in the travel industry for a large hotel group,not at home.Lives on about 50,000 thb a year.Anything extra, travel, eat out at a real resturant and such is a treat from his daughters.Seems to be happy with his and wifes life.Just what you are a coustom to. I don't think he is your average Thai villager, probably considered well off by the locals.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatswhatuthought Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I would say that the days of living in a village and having 'no visible means of support' all but disappeared about 8 years ago when there was sharp food inflation. Almost everyone needs to have some cash income from some source to get by. If a person has a stay-at-home lifestyle, borrows a scooter or hitches a ride when they need to go into town, has a good network of relatives they can barter with and mooch off of, never pays for alcohol, eats very little (especially animal protein), is a skilled hunter (tiny fishes, crabs, frogs, birds, field rats, insects) and gatherer (wild edible plants) it is still possible to squeak by on as little as 2-3,000 baht per person per month. The average monthly cash income of people who work strictly in the agricultural sector, is probably around 6-9,000 baht per household. A successful farmer who has 100 or more rai of land might average 20,000 to 40,000 per month, but most farmers have far less land than this. Even though a good agricultural worker ought to be able to earn at least 300 baht per day, due to weather and demand for labor, nobody earns this daily wage consistently year around. Those who own a small restaurant or store or repair shop, sell in the market, work in a government office, etc., might net from 6,000 to 20,000/month. A small handful of people earn substantially above this. WHat are they farming? A 100 rai pig, chicken, fish, mushroom, insect farm earn a hell of a lot more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZBill Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I can't even imagine living like some of you all. All you're missing is the shopping cart to push around!Seriously! Married to bar girls living in the sticks hoping you can catch some frogs or bugs to eat amongst locals who don't really want you there other than for what they can take you for is not my idea of paradise! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benalibina Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I can't even imagine living like some of you all. All you're missing is the shopping cart to push around!Seriously! Married to bar girls living in the sticks hoping you can catch some frogs or bugs to eat amongst locals who don't really want you there other than for what they can take you for is not my idea of paradise! One man's hell is another man's paradise....do not be afraid to disappoint ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khaowong1 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I would say that the days of living in a village and having 'no visible means of support' all but disappeared about 8 years ago when there was sharp food inflation. Almost everyone needs to have some cash income from some source to get by. If a person has a stay-at-home lifestyle, borrows a scooter or hitches a ride when they need to go into town, has a good network of relatives they can barter with and mooch off of, never pays for alcohol, eats very little (especially animal protein), is a skilled hunter (tiny fishes, crabs, frogs, birds, field rats, insects) and gatherer (wild edible plants) it is still possible to squeak by on as little as 2-3,000 baht per person per month. The average monthly cash income of people who work strictly in the agricultural sector, is probably around 6-9,000 baht per household. A successful farmer who has 100 or more rai of land might average 20,000 to 40,000 per month, but most farmers have far less land than this. Even though a good agricultural worker ought to be able to earn at least 300 baht per day, due to weather and demand for labor, nobody earns this daily wage consistently year around. Those who own a small restaurant or store or repair shop, sell in the market, work in a government office, etc., might net from 6,000 to 20,000/month. A small handful of people earn substantially above this. WHat are they farming? A 100 rai pig, chicken, fish, mushroom, insect farm earn a hell of a lot more. You must have missed this part... "most farmers have far less land than this." Yes, some farmers with 100 rai of land, who rotate crops do make more, but most are hooked into doing what they have always raised, then sit around and bitch.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slipperylobster Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 From what I have seen, a villager can last on 100 - 200 Baht a day, so long as they don't drink, smoke, gamble, pay rent or have debts. "so long as they don't drink, smoke, gamble, pay rent or have debts. ...perhaps you are the only individual in Thailand that knows a Thai without at least one of those problems. " 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko123 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 (edited) I can't even imagine living like some of you all. All you're missing is the shopping cart to push around!Seriously! Married to bar girls living in the sticks hoping you can catch some frogs or bugs to eat amongst locals who don't really want you there other than for what they can take you for is not my idea of paradise! Read the OP's post again. He asked what the bare bones minimum a person needed to survive on in a small village was, not what the average expat cost of living was. Word to the wise: I doubt your Thai wife appreciates your condescending attitude towards Thai village life anymore than I do. Edited October 22, 2014 by Gecko123 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKKdreaming Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 is the question how much should I send them a month ? Well a little money may make life a lot easier , fix the roof , buy a new fan , running water etc...... or become a "job" , just starting a small stand in the front of the house etc I think we should think of the "teach them to fish" idea , and let them move up in the world some...... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherOneAmerican Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 is the question how much should I send them a month ? Well a little money may make life a lot easier , fix the roof , buy a new fan , running water etc...... or become a "job" , just starting a small stand in the front of the house etc I think we should think of the "teach them to fish" idea , and let them move up in the world some...... Unfortunately, nobody in many villages has any money. How can you earn money, when nobody has any to pay you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKKdreaming Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 is the question how much should I send them a month ? Well a little money may make life a lot easier , fix the roof , buy a new fan , running water etc...... or become a "job" , just starting a small stand in the front of the house etc I think we should think of the "teach them to fish" idea , and let them move up in the world some...... Unfortunately, nobody in many villages has any money. How can you earn money, when nobody has any to pay you? 5 - 10 baht at a time...... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliottm Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 (edited) 1500-2000 baht per month for comfortable living: - 1000 baht for good food at market (qood moo/veg) - 50 baht water (mains) - 40 baht drinking water (25l bottles) - 500-750 electric Edited October 22, 2014 by elliottm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliottm Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 1500-2000 baht per month for comfortable living: - 1000 baht for good food at market (qood moo/veg) - 50 baht water (mains) - 40 baht drinking water (25l bottles) - 500-750 electric Assuming living at family house, allow few hundred for gas in the motorcyc. Me + wife live in a town centre for about 5000bt/month allowing for extras like restaurants/buffets etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldsailor35 Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 OK ! Trying to understand all the replies, and some are utter frog shit , only illustrating the low intelligence of a few in here. I imagine that any village labourer would be more than happy receiving Bht10.000 per month. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliottm Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 OK ! Trying to understand all the replies, and some are utter frog shit , only illustrating the low intelligence of a few in here. I imagine that any village labourer would be more than happy receiving Bht10.000 per month. Village labourer = 200-300bt salary per day so would be extremely happy getting 10k/month which is government type salary. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelmsman Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 OK ! Trying to understand all the replies, and some are utter frog shit , only illustrating the low intelligence of a few in here. I imagine that any village labourer would be more than happy receiving Bht10.000 per month. Village labourer = 200-300bt salary per day so would be extremely happy getting 10k/month which is government type salary. Those jobs aren't steady, young guys go away to Bangkok to earn 10 K baht / month. I've had the discussion with wife, Why don't the ladies go work in town??. By the time they pay for transport and food, not much money in pocket. I don't quite buy that story. To me any amount of money is better than no money. Raising cattle seems to be the biggest cash crop where I stay. We seem to be the only ones troubled by their lifestyle. They're happy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko123 Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 OK ! Trying to understand all the replies, and some are utter frog shit , only illustrating the low intelligence of a few in here. I imagine that any village labourer would be more than happy receiving Bht10.000 per month. I went back and reviewed all the replies on this thread. The vast majority of respondents answered that 6,000 to 10,000 baht/mo was "needed to live." Some of the people who gave even lower figures probably interpreted your question to mean "the bare minimun to live." 10,000 baht will get you a modest few frills fairly hardscrabble lifestyle. By Thai standards, someone earning 10,000 would be considered low income, but not impoverished. By no means would 10,000 baht/mo be considered middle class, even by rural standards. Your comment that just about anyone ought to be ecstatic to be earning 10,000 baht/mo simply isn't untrue. To get into the rural middle-class, I would say a minimum of 20,000 baht/month income is required. In general, I was impressed with the quality and consistency of the responses on this thread, and think you should be as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko123 Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 (edited) 1500-2000 baht per month for comfortable living: - 1000 baht for good food at market (qood moo/veg) - 50 baht water (mains) - 40 baht drinking water (25l bottles) - 500-750 electric What about.....? rent natural gas transportation clothes/shoes medical dental furniture home appliance repair and replacement (TV, frig, fan, rice cooker, computer, cell phone, stove, AC, light fixtures) kitchen utensil purchase and replacement home repairs/improvements alcohol/tabacco gifts/donations pet food and care entertainment mobile phone vehicle service and repair toiletries laundry detergent/dishwashing soap/scrub pads mops/brooms/household-bathroom cleaning supplies haircuts vacations/travel child care/support/education Edited October 22, 2014 by Gecko123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherOneAmerican Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 OK ! Trying to understand all the replies, and some are utter frog shit , only illustrating the low intelligence of a few in here. I imagine that any village labourer would be more than happy receiving Bht10.000 per month. I went back and reviewed all the replies on this thread. The vast majority of respondents answered that 6,000 to 10,000 baht/mo was "needed to live." Some of the people who gave even lower figures probably interpreted your question to mean "the bare minimun to live." 10,000 baht will get you a modest few frills fairly hardscrabble lifestyle. By Thai standards, someone earning 10,000 would be considered low income, but not impoverished. By no means would 10,000 baht/mo be considered middle class, even by rural standards. Your comment that just about anyone ought to be ecstatic to be earning 10,000 baht/mo simply isn't untrue. To get into the rural middle-class, I would say a minimum of 20,000 baht/month income is required. In general, I was impressed with the quality and consistency of the responses on this thread, and think you should be as well. Most guys who reply only know what their wife tells them. They really have no personal idea of what happens in a village or how much it costs. There are no rural middle class, they all moved to big cities, where they can find work. My relatives live and work in a village, nobody is earning 3,000 bht/month let alone 10,000 bht/month. 10,000bht/month is a really good wage for an office worker living in Chiamg Mai. Never underestimate the stupidity and gullibility of a white guy giving his wife's family whet she tells him they need. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko123 Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 (edited) I went back and reviewed all the replies on this thread. The vast majority of respondents answered that 6,000 to 10,000 baht/mo was "needed to live."Some of the people who gave even lower figures probably interpreted your question to mean "the bare minimun to live." 10,000 baht will get you a modest few frills fairly hardscrabble lifestyle. By Thai standards, someone earning 10,000 would be considered low income, but not impoverished. By no means would 10,000 baht/mo be considered middle class, even by rural standards. Your comment that just about anyone ought to be ecstatic to be earning 10,000 baht/mo simply isn't untrue. To get into the rural middle-class, I would say a minimum of 20,000 baht/month income is required. In general, I was impressed with the quality and consistency of the responses on this thread, and think you should be as well. Most guys who reply only know what their wife tells them. They really have no personal idea of what happens in a village or how much it costs. There are no rural middle class, they all moved to big cities, where they can find work. My relatives live and work in a village, nobody is earning 3,000 bht/month let alone 10,000 bht/month. 10,000bht/month is a really good wage for an office worker living in Chiamg Mai. Never underestimate the stupidity and gullibility of a white guy giving his wife's family whet she tells him they need. The comments I made come from talking to neighbors, farming myself, seeing pay stubs, asking plenty of people about their incomes, observing their purchases of farm equipment and pickup trucks, and purchasing power, etc. I'd also like to point out to you --MrAnotherOneAmerican -- that the responses on this thread were remarkably similar, so if everyone's relying on their wives, the wives were amazing consistent in their responses. And if the wives were juicing the numbers in order to dupe their "stupid and gullible white guy" husbands, don't you think they'd come up with a more 'high on the hog' cost of living number than a measly 10,000 baht per month??????? I know for a fact what my fellow teachers earn per month because all of the teachers sign for receipt of wages on the same sheet of paper. Aside from seeing my wife's paystub, none of this information came from my wife. I am fluent in Thai, and have a long standing interest in macro-economics, and am fully capable of discussing wages with people in my area, and in general, most people are fairly open about this. I also know exactly what the cost of living is because I make all the household purchases myself, and am a skilled and well-practiced comparison shopper. School teachers, successful small business owners, successful farmers with 50+ rai of land, many employees at the land office and amphoe, nurses, doctors, veterinarians, grain and manoaic processors, sugar cane cutters (during cutting season), mini-van service operators, factory workers, etc., etc. all can earn over 10,000 baht per month. I also have many friends who sell at the local farmer's markets who report and have visible signs of wealth consistent with earning over 10,000 baht per month. My next door neighbor told me last year he netted 145,000 baht from farming operations alone. He bought a new pickup truck for cash, and his daughter attends private school, as do about 3-4 other children in town. AnotherOneAmerican - - this is yet another example of you talking nonsense about people you don't have a clue about. You seem to think you're the only person in Thailand who knows anything about Thailand. Sorry, bro, you're wrong. On both counts. Yet again. Edited October 22, 2014 by Gecko123 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherOneAmerican Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 (edited) I know for a fact what my fellow teachers earn per month because all of the teachers sign for receipt of wages on the same sheet of paper. Aside from seeing my wife's paystub, none of this information came from my wife. I am fluent in Thai, and have a long standing interest in macro-economics, and am fully capable of discussing wages with people in my area, and in general, most people are fairly open about this. I also know exactly what the cost of living is because I make all the household purchases myself, and am a skilled and well-practiced comparison shopper. One schoolteacher per village if that, villagers don't have pay stubs because they are subsistence farmers. (One school between 4-6 villages). The village school teachers are on 15k (ish) a month and usually the richest person in the village (unless the local cop lives in that village, only two of them between 6 villages) Seems to me with all your schools, doctors, nurses, markets, you are talking about a town, not a village with 10-20 shacks. PS Most people will lie to you about their wages because they are ashamed how little they earn compared to the rich foreigner. Edited October 22, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko123 Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 I know for a fact what my fellow teachers earn per month because all of the teachers sign for receipt of wages on the same sheet of paper. Aside from seeing my wife's paystub, none of this information came from my wife. I am fluent in Thai, and have a long standing interest in macro-economics, and am fully capable of discussing wages with people in my area, and in general, most people are fairly open about this. I also know exactly what the cost of living is because I make all the household purchases myself, and am a skilled and well-practiced comparison shopper. One schoolteacher per village if that, villagers don't have pay stubs because they are subsistence farmers. (One school between 4-6 villages). The village school teachers are on 15k (ish) a month and usually the richest person in the village (unless the local cop lives in that village, only two of them between 6 villages) Seems to me with all your schools, doctors, nurses, markets, you are talking about a town, not a village with 10-20 shacks. PS Most people will lie to you about their wages because they are ashamed how little they earn compared to the rich foreigner. Yeah, sure, sure, sure. Only AnotherOneAmerican knows for sure. Thanks for reminding me. Again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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